Pagewalker (18 page)

“ I am sorry my friend, Its been a strange
few days and my temper gets the better of me.” I apologised without
making eye contact. I just continued to look at the glass that was
set in front of me. A warm golden liqueur floated inside.

“I understand it has been hard but don’t
apologise for your anger. It is the reason this place exists. The
passion you felt when you threw the pages of Dertrid’s Deed out of
your bedroom window is the reason you were transported into it. It
was how you grew the coastline and the cliffs, the mountains,
trees, rivers, wildlife, cities, fields, walls and homes. It is the
Reason you are the Dia.”

“What is this ‘Dia` that you keep mentioning.
What does it mean?”

“It means God lad, The creator. You are the
Owner, creator, Dia of Northland. They all exist because of you” It
took me to hear the words out loud before they rang true in my
head. I knew everything he had said but the reality of it had never
landed on my shoulders with the weight and magnitude it
deserved.

“You see I had heard from one of my employees
that someone matching your description was at the rebels rest, that
is why I sent Tara to find you and explain” I sat back shocked.

“Employees?” I questioned,

“Yes, well you see. I have been visiting
Northalnd for years now. The parts that you wrote about and
mentioned were bustling and wonderful, the Elves in Xill continue
to grow in power and wealth, the Dwarves are still under the
command of Penla and are a peaceful race with nothing to fear.
Sáann is beautiful and the most wonderful place to live, under the
Rule of King Dertrid. Renir and Aondor however were never mentioned
in the book so they have struggled. What was unsaid has all been
written in blood. I came here to give hope and a home to all those
suffering in Northland. In Renir people are born into guilds and
get titles through birthright. The people that come here have no
direction. That is why I gave a home to them and a guild and banner
they can call their own. The guild of thieves is a home for all
those who are lost. I have informed them all of your story and who
you are, how Northland was born and the rest. They see you as a Dia
and a leader. Even though I know that is not what you want.”

“I am not a God Abe, I'm a musician, I play
grunge rock and punk. That isn’t even respected music in my world.
I always thought a God would listen to classical or Jazz..” Abe
laughed and continued.

“Yes, but it is what it is lad.” We spoke for
a while about Renir. He told me its history and the story of its
ever changing and warm throne. He told me the stories I had heard
back at the Rebels Rest but I hadn’t the heart to stop him and
explain I already knew it all. Besides he told it a lot better.
After a while of talking most of the patrons of the pub had
scarperd off or climbed into the hammocks that hung outside. It
truly is a wonder how it seems easier for a drunk man to get into
one that a sober man to get out. Elegance is left with your shoes
on that one.

“Abe, I’m really worried about..” He cut me
off

“I know what you are going to say and I think
we may have a lead.” My eyes opened wide in anticipation and
alertness. Instantly sober I sat up and took notice. “And?” I
asked.

“My Son Garret was scouting the city towers,
it was a usual evening patrol we do. It lets us know what guards
are on what shifts and what areas are safe and which aren’t. He was
with Tara that evening when He saw a woman running from a man into
the woods. He had been tracking a man with the same description for
a few days. He was an escapee from the Prison here. He is worth a
pretty penny, but Garret has more invested interest in this
character. I will explain why in a moment.”

“Was it Sarah? The man was chasing? Abe is
she ok?” My heart was pounding out of its cage once more. I was
convinced then that Northland would kill me. He ignored my
question.

“Garret told Tara he was going after him, she
was to report back that he was in pursuit heading east to the
forest.”

“So did he find her?”

“Well this is where things get a little
muddy, you see he has not returned.”

My heart sank. “Jesus Christ on a bike, No,
No. NO!” I slammed my fists on the table. A murmur and loud snores
arose but quickly settled. “Sarah is not dead, I know she is ok, I
just don’t know where she is!”

“I agree lad, they say you know in your heart
the fate of a loved one, you see I know Garret is safe also.
Nothing has befallen either of them!” He winked at me with a
knowing grin.

“How could you know that Abe?” I was so
confused.

“You told me Chris, You told me.”

“What?”

“When you were having you little blow-out
session earlier you told me you met a…how did you put it? Crack-pot
talking to himself. I know that is the Man Garret is chasing.” His
glare serious and firm now. His voice had lowered as the sentence
came to a close.

“What?” I replied “That crazy numpty? He was
arguing to himself, what harm could a weirdo like that really be?”
I laughed.

“That Weirdo, as you put it, is a very
dangerous man. He was a masterful thief. He was one of the first I
took in here. We met by chance on one of my first excursions here.
Before I met my second, or third wife?” He shrugged, brushing the
thought aside like someone who forgot to buy dried rice at the
supermarket, “Ah who’s counting now any way, He knew so much about
the ways of the streets in Renir, his greatest passion however was
for cons, he saw it as a game. He loved playing people for fools.”
He chuckled to himself for a short while before I broke the
silence.

“For fools you say? Well, I mean, that can’t
be too dangerous now can it? Yea I mean I'm sure he diddles people
out of a bit of coin now and then but its not like he is a mass
murder is it?” I questioned.

“Well not yet, you see I haven’t told you the
whole story. There was a time he was acting as my second in
command. He would organise runs and sort the fences for those
bringing goods to sell. The coin was his biggest love however,
above all else he wanted more. He couldn’t control his greed, it
got the better of him. Consumed him.” Abe shuffled on his seat
uncomfortably, fighting because he was not enjoying this
recollection. He settled back into the stool with a long sigh. I
got the feeling then he was ready to tell me a long story.

“You see, the Guild was starting to flourish,
so much so that I wanted to spend more time away from the City.
Over the last few years I have been bringing more and more of my
family into Northland. Eire Just isn’t safe for us now. As vast and
as beautiful the countryside is, there is just not as much room as
we are used to. As you can imagine, all of the constant secrecy
isn’t a way to live any more. Ireland is not was we are used to any
more. Northland however is a new land of possibilities and freedom.
You have created us a new home, my people know that. We have
watched over you and your family for years before you both wound up
here.” He reached over to my shoulder and placed his small ringed
hand on me and squeezed. “You have given us a new start, and for
that we are forever in your favour. You are honestly a Dia to us.”
He smiled and I couldn’t help but smile back. Again that enormity
weighed heavy. So heavy it pushed on my tear ducts. That’s the only
explanation for the tears that fell from my eyes. No other
reason.

“Abe, I…I really don’t know what to say, Its
all a bit much, you know?” I smiled and wiped my eyes and nose.
Sniffing loudly I went to speak but fell silent again as Abe
continued.

“Now as I was saying, Northland was the new
start for the luchorpán, we had found a few villages, settled,
started new lives, started family’s and even trade. We kept
ourselves to ourselves. We were so used to hiding we just kept
doing it. Not because we had to now, but because we were just used
to it.” He brought his eyes down from the celling to his glass.
“That’s is where my main focus was those days. I took my eyes of
the Guild and onto my family. It was then that I started to hear
murmurs. Murmurs that Oisin was making to replace me, phase me out.
He wanted to turn the guild from a brotherhood into a gang, a mob,
I wasn’t too pleased with that. I returned here one evening to
speak with him. To try to sort this out. Unfortunately he misread
my arrival as a challenge. I won’t speak of what happened that
night but it resulted in a quick departure on Oisin’s part. He left
with the entire collection and belonging of all his previous
brothers and sisters in the guild.” His voice turning to a growl
“That betrayed does not go unpunished.”

I sat even more perplexed than before, The
way Abe told stories was so captivating, but I was impatient. How
was this going to help me find Sarah. I’m sure you can understand
the frustration.

“Abe, what does this have to do with Sarah?
I’m sorry to be blunt but I’m beginning to loose track here.” I
apologetically tapped his hand but I am sure he could see the
Seriousness in my eyes.

“I’m getting there Chris,” He replied, he was
about to continue with what was about to be another long story but
I just couldn’t wait.

“Abe, you need to get to the point here, what
has the man I met the other day have to do with your son and my
wife. Why are they in danger. What is going on!” Abe sat back, he
jumped from his stool and walked behind the bar without saying a
word. “Abe, listen to me.” He continued under the bar and lifted
out a notebook, bound in a dark brown leather and wrapped in think,
frayed yarn. “Abe, for God’s sake, what the hell?” He walked past
me and set the book on the floor opened at the third or fourth
page.

“Lad, listen. You have the gift of page
walking, so rather that I waste my breath you could step inside and
see for yourself? Eh?” His smile grew so large it seemed to come
off his face! The idea of page walking while already in a book
seemed so alien to me. Like Christopher Nolan film. Multi layered
dimensions, that kind of thing? A book within a book? I suppose in
hindsight, reality is the present. There should be no reason why I
couldent. I sat for a while, not saying anything. Just looking at
Abe. He had placed the book open just a few paces away from me. He
was reading the first few pages. He put his finger n a page and
folded the corner over slightly. “Here, this is the part. This is
Garret’s diary. When you step into this it will be different. The
further you go inside pages the farther removed from the story you
become.” Without looking up Abe gestured his hand in a sweeping
motion from where I was sitting to the open book.

“So you mean I wont be actually there? It
will be different from here?” I wondered out loud.

“Well yes, you see the gift of Page walking
is different. Usually only the scribes and Luchorpán can live in
the pages, many others can escape in the books and live there by
watching. Like a totally immersible experience. Like moving picture
houses, I think you call them?” Spluttering and waving his hand in
the way elderly people do when they have forgotten a word or don’t
understand something you are telling them.

“You mean cinemas Abe?” I chuckled.

“Aye, I’m sure that’s it, you youngsters and
your new gadgets.” I really saw Abe showing his age there. I know
it doesn’t matter to him as he lives in pages of book and not the
real world. The real world? Is that what it is? It was all becoming
a little shrouded in the fog of confusion.

“You see Christopher, only few like yourself
get to control those experiences or those worlds. You rare ones
have the choice to control and acceptance. If you step inside this
diary you can just choose to see the story instead of controlling
and living in it. Do you understand?” I agreed with a nod of my
head “Good, then waste no more time lad, make haste and step
through!” He moved aside and I made my way over to the book. Tessa
walked behind me but I told her to sit, then stay beside Abe. Her
head tilted, mouth closed with her tongue only showing the tip
between her front teeth and a high pitched sad sigh came from her
as I held my hand up in the stay command.

Stepping forward I placed my feet on the
first page, then my other foot, closed my eyes, drifted off and
then disappeared inside. The calming, yet exhilarating feeling came
over me. Like fear followed by acceptance. Colours danced in front
of my eyes, smells past my senses and my skin tingled with the
feelings of many sensations. Then the beautiful, musty, old book
smell arrived. Filling my head with nostalgic happiness. The
library meeting the sea side is how I can best describe it. I
arrived in a forest. Like a computer game starting at the tutorial.
The part when you can not control the character just watch it run
through the cut-scene that describes the controls and the back
story.

Trees fluttered from side to side, joining in
the festivities of the luchorpán, Melodious voices calling out to
the sky, bodies stepping nimbly across the dirt, and groups of
children gathered in playful activity characterized the merriment.
Their forest homes seemed better off for their presence. I could
see now that the Luchorpán were seen to be stewards of the land.
They felt it their responsibility to maintain this land, like
Ireland, by the will of their druids. For every tree cut, a new one
planted. Not far from their place of congregation, the fearsome and
aptly named Dirty Peaks towered over the northern shore, protruding
from the coastline and guarding their seaport village from storms,
weather elements, the threat of Northland's other races and
societies. I cant describe how I know, I didn’t see words just sort
of knew them, like finding an item that triggers a memory. For
example, one such town of Aondor used the lough to its west to
ferry goods and trade from Renir on the far west. The river mouth
was wider here so larger ships sailed through with ease. The
Luchorpán often saw these boats pass and only the most daring would
sneak aboard to “borrow” supplies if there were in need.