Chapter 35-Xenophon
After he spoke, the three of them remained motionless. The recent event had left them wary of any visitors, let alone someone who proclaimed himself as the Xenophon. The very Xenophon whom the brothers thought must have died thousands of years ago, surely this was a trick, and the brothers most certainly did not want to go along with it, but then André stood up, and said with a shaky voice which was totally unlike himself:
“Let’s do what he says sons. At the very least, he has saved our lives, or our very souls.” The twins exchanged doubtful glances before standing up too, but Idus had to say something before they left.
“What was that…Thing?” The massive green figure turned around and gave Idus a calculating look before answering:
“That…thing was something which should never have been here; it is something beyond any of your own powers. Its presence only clarifies things for me, for it was that, not Gregory, which tried to stop you today from accomplishing your task. Indeed, Gregory was trying to break through the wall it had put up, and when you broke through it yourselves, it relinquished its grip on you and rushed into Gregory tormenting his mind. What that thing was and is, is evil in its purest form, most humans call it a demon, something without a body of its own. It is said they were once not so much unlike us, but they were cast out from the presence of God before gaining a body of their own. Now they wander hither and thither, always trying to control an actual body, but it was not here by accident. It was ordered to be here!
It seems the powers of evil and Hell itself have combined against the two of you, and against what you are destined to do, I cannot say for certain why, but your pathway will be one filled with glory and trials. This is merely the beginning.”
“But if you believe in Hell, how can Perseus and the Greek pagan gods exist?” Idus’ asked hastily.
“I have no time to answer that question, but your father knows the answer to that, or he thinks he knows.” The green figure winked at André before hopping out of the door into the night outside. The three of them walked towards the exit and found the self-proclaimed Xenophon standing as big as a tree in the courtyard outside. As they approached the gigantic figure, he strode impatiently towards the gate.
“Come quickly, time is of the essence.” They hurried after his large loping stride, but as they reached the gate, his stature diminished and his armor and aura disappeared into a young man dressed in a green toga.
Once they were outside he beckoned them to touch him, as they did so, they felt that same feeling of being transported somewhere far away, but they could not make out through the darkness where they were going. After a few moments they landed softly on a soft patch of grass. All around them large trees rose silently into the dark night sky. They found they were in a clearing in the middle of this thick, dark forest. Above them a cloudy night veiled the stars from their view. After their eyes became accustomed to the darkness, Xenophon spoke:
“It has been a very long time since I brought a mortal to my abode. I bring you now, because you young ones are the chosen ones. I had my doubts, even after your control of the elements manifested themselves, but now I know. The forces of true evil have reached out to destroy you. You would seem to be specifically chosen for a task which I-cannot show you. Indeed your pathway is unclear even to my old eyes, but I must tell you this…” He strode to the edge of the clearing and folded his arms sighing. Finally he turned and said:
“André, thou hast only a single year to train your sons. I feel that thy end is in sight. I do not know how it will come to pass, but thy path is dark in mine eyes… I feel it coming. Don’t be afraid, death is not the end, merely another highway we all must travel, even I, but by thy death thou must have trained thy sons. Thou wilt not receive a second chance, and that means that you two,” he strode towards the twins, “must learn from him. You will be forced to dig deep down in your hearts, farther down than anyone, even my brothers and I in our training, but I offer this piece of advice for comfort and strength in times of trial, the Greeks have a thing they call the inner penigma.
It is a force inside of you that only comes out after extreme exertion. No one knows just what theirs’ will be like until they have hit that point of exhaustion, and only a firm determination will get someone to that point. Through your training you must find out what your inner penigma will be like. It will be this that will sustain you in the trials ahead of you. At the times of extreme hardship, it will be there, the power is inside each of you…learn to use it!”
He turned and strode towards the edge of the clearing again. He peered into the thicket before him, and a smile appeared on his face, as though happy with its growth. He turned back one more time.
“Now Irgen and Idus, your first true trial by fire will be to find the place where I placed my brothers’ staffs once they died. It is only with their staffs that you will accomplish your goal. They are said to have been forged by Zeus many ages ago; they were built for this purpose: they were built to satisfy the thirst of this great war. It is not an easy journey, and will probably take all of your strength and will-power, but you must accomplish it.”
“Umm… Sir-Xenophon I mean, umm, why don’t you just give us the staffs?”
“Give you the staffs! Hah! Weren’t you listening Irgen, it is your test, or what the Hebrews would call nissah. Life wasn’t built to be easy. You are here to prove your worth. Laziness and easy lifestyles only breed worthlessness. You must rise above that, for every soul is of great worth, besides… I placed a labyrinth of defenses around those staffs, and I made it so only the truly chosen ones could ever retrieve them. I created it so even I could not retrieve them. I can tell you where it is but I can’t give them to you. That part is reserved solely for you.”
“But then, where are the staffs?”
“Here or there.” Xenophon replied in a sing-song voice. “I will only give you one clue to its whereabouts.
Do ye indeed break the walls of my home?
Hast thou not seen the riches away from thee?
Where is thy sting oh kindred tongue?
For I am gone far from thee.
Into the night of blackness wilt thou go.
To find that which thou seekest.
Seek to find wondrous power.
And let the black darkness flee from thee.
Thou are far from me yet.
With the strength of my mouth will I smite thee.
Wealth untold will not save thee.
For walls crumble beneath the power mine.
Xenophon chuckled gleefully as he ended his poem.
“I don’t understand, what does that mean?”
“Well that’s the point, it means absolutely nothing, but that doesn’t mean it’s pointless. Here I wrote it down.” He handed it happily to Idus who took it with a solemn dejected air.
“Now I think it’s time you head back; Gregory should be well by now.” He turned to address André, “I think you know the way out. I wish you luck my friends, perhaps one day if it is to the pleasure of the gods we will meet again and then again perhaps not… but whatever happens goodbye, I feel honored to have finally met those who will bring peace to the order. Your path will be long but may it be fruitful, good luck!” He gave them one last wink, before they rose again into the air, leaving behind the shrinking lonesome green figure as they disappeared into the night sky.
The Brothers Tuerl & The Staffs of Zeus Page 35