“Centuries ago, a man came to one of our lord Asran’s temples,” he continues. “Which one I’ll not say. The man was wracked with fever and eventually slipped into the sleep of the dead. Not completely dead yet not completely alive either.”
Must have been in a coma, reasons James.
“During the time when he lay in the sleep of the dead, there were times when he spoke. At first the priests attending him thought his words were gibberish until one old scholarly priest realized the man was speaking in a language long dead to the world of men. Only the most learned scholars still understood the language, some of the oldest surviving tomes we have are written in it.”
“Immediately they had the priest begin writing down the words the man spoke. He wouldn’t speak often so they had the priest stay with the man constantly, ever prepared to put to parchment the words of the man.”
“And has anything the man spoke of come to pass?” James asks.
Nodding, Brother Willim says, “Yes, several.” He takes a sip of ale and then continues. “After the first several months, he began speaking of the end of the world. Of fire and shadows consuming all life.”
At that James and Illan glance to each other. They can see reflected in the eyes of the other the memory of the shadows they have encountered.
“There are many passages linking the Gardener to the end of the world. Some foretell of his coming, others speak of events that will transpire before he walks upon this earth.” Glancing first to James then to Illan he adds, “At least five that I know of have come to pass in the last few years.”
“Okay,” says James. “What makes you believe that I am the Gardener of which he spoke?”
“I will tell you of two,” he says. “Here is the first,”
When evil arises, its neighbors to swallow,
A man shall come to lands gone fallow.
With might and right its tide to slow,
The Gardener walks the lands to sow.
“We believe the arising evil is the Empire,” he states. “‘Swallowing its neighbors’, that’s exactly what it is doing. And since it mentions the Gardener, that would conclude he would appear at this time.”
“But that’s pretty vague,” James says. Turning to Illan he asks, “Hasn’t the Empire been ‘swallowing its neighbors’ for hundreds of years?”
Nodding, he replies, “Yes they have.”
James turns back to Brother Willim.
“As I said there have been other prophecies the man spoke that foretells the time of the Gardener’s coming,” he says. “I and my brothers have no doubt that that time is now.” He can see the doubt in James’ eyes. “This next prophecy we have never been able to satisfactorily discern its meaning. However, it should have meaning for the Gardener.”
Ships through air, a walk on the moon,
Invisible death his kind has strewn.
Box of pictures, music from stone,
By these things the Gardener is known.
Traveling far from a land apart,
Lost and alone on the path he will start.
The light of knowledge shall be at his side,
Salvation or death, the edge he doth stride.
When he finishes he looks to James for his reaction.
James sits back, his mind churning over the prophecy. The first stanza has to refer to Earth. Ships through the air, a walk on the moon, Invisible death his kind has strewn. Airplanes, Neil Armstrong and the invisible death could refer to radiation fallout. The rest of the first stanza is also referring to his home.
The next stanza, well he definitely comes from a land apart. And he did start lost and alone when he went through the door at the interview. He glances to Miko who has been listening to the whole conversation. “The Star must be the light of knowledge,” he says. “Morcyth is a god of learning so that makes sense.”
“But the last line, Salvation or death, the edge he doth stride, ” Miko replies. “What can that mean?”
Shaking his head he says, “I don’t know.” He then arcs an eyebrow questioningly to Brother Willim.
“You are heading toward a time when you are going to be placed in a situation where your actions will determine the fate of this world,” he explains. “Other prophecies refer to it, but none are clear as to when you will reach that moment or the decision that will be pivotal. I’m sorry I can’t be of any more help than that.”
Great, thinks James. As if I don’t already have enough to worry about. “I think I would have just as soon not known all this.”
“I understand,” says Brother Willim. “Many of our brethren argued that foreknowledge could alter the outcome to our doom. Others of course argued that it could only help if you knew what was going on.”
“What do you think?” Miko asks.
“I am not sure,” he replies. “Before I left, I was instructed only to reveal this to you should you specifically ask.”
“But I never would have asked if you hadn’t mentioned it earlier,” James says.
Nodding, Brother Willim says, “True. I can only believe that Asran wanted me to say it so you would know. I have prayed about why I said what I did and each time receive a feeling of peace.”
“Whether it helps or not,” James says with a yawn, “I’m to bed.” Looking at the others near him he adds, “We got a long way to go and a short time to get there.” As he stands up he breaks out into a chuckle as the phrase sparks a memory from home.
“We’ll see you in the morning,” Illan says. “I must remain until the feast winds to a close.”
“See you then,” says James. Leaving the table, he’s joined by Miko who’s all but dead on his feet. Jiron sees them leaving and waves to them from the dance floor. When he passes by Scar, Potbelly and the other pit fighters he asks, “You guys staying?”
“For a little while longer,” Scar tells him.
“Don’t stay up too long,” he tells them and then heads for the exit leading to his room.
Miko walks with him until he reaches his room. Both remain quiet, the words Brother Willim spoke still running through their minds.
At James’ door, Miko takes his leave and goes down to the next door which is his. Entering his room, James creates his orb and undresses before crawling into bed. Canceling the orb, he begins to drift into sleep.
Just before he completely succumbs to sleep, the tingling of magic comes to him. Alarmed, he grabs his slug belt and hurries out the door. The cry to Miko dies on his lips when he finds one of the members of the Hand of Asran outside his door, a soft green glow about him.
“Rest peacefully,” the priest tells him. “I shall watch tonight.”
“Uh,” stammers James, slightly embarrassed for running out into the hallway in his small clothes, “thanks.” Ducking back into his room, he closes the door and returns to bed. Chuckling at the mental picture of himself in the hallway, he’s able to drift off to sleep.
Later in the night, a guard is walking the battlements when a green light appears in the sky and falls to a point to the east. He’s seen many falling stars, but none of that color. Making the sign against evil he pulls his coat tighter around himself and continues his watch.
Chapter Two
The following morning James rises with the sun. Quickly getting dressed, he buckles on his slug belt and throws his pack over his shoulder. Leaving his room, he meets Miko in the hallway as he’s leaving the room next to his.
“Ready?”
Closing the door, Miko nods. “Yes. The cook should have breakfast ready when we get there.”
James grins at that, Miko had always been one who liked to eat. It’s a marvel he’s not fat. Walking side by side, they follow the aroma of fresh baked bread to the dining area where everyone else has already arrived and
