The Dark Lord's Demise (47 page)

Wes said, "Every time I've been to Anthropos, I've learned something and changed in some way. This time Gaal showed me that
leadership can go to my head."

"And I found out I shouldn't envy a leader, if leading is what
they're supposed to do. Leaders need followers, right?" Kurt asked.

Betty said, "I learned one thing too. I used to be all caught up in
what I could do. That was before Gaal showed me his power. His
power has kindness behind it."

"Right," Lisa agreed. "I found out a lot along those lines. And
if somebody needs help, even it 'l don't particularly like them"she glanced at Betty-"I mean didn't particularly like them, I can
help them anyway. But here's what still bothers me. Gaal won it
terrific victory. Everything was great. Why couldn't we have
stayed there and enjoyed it with him? Why did we have to come
back?"

"Is living with its that bad?" Eleanor asked. In the silence that
followed, she cast her eyes down onto her plate. "I guess it has
been pretty tense around here."

"I think you are right," John said with it gentle smile to his wife.
"Now Eleanor and I may be old," he said turning to the rest, "but we
are not too old to learn from Gaal ourselves. And I believe his
power does reach even to this house on Grosvenor, to this family, to
Eleanor and me." And turning to Eleanor again he said, "Will you
forgive me? With the strength of the Changer, I will be different."

They hugged and then Eleanor said, "You know I forgive you.
Will you do the same?" Uncle John nodded, hugging her it little
tighter. Then Eleanor said, "Thank you, children, for going back to
Anthropos and reminding us of what we always knew was true.
Gaal is good to us."

Kurt sighed, "But Gaal's in Anthropos!" Then lie heard himself,
back in the Gaal tree, when Wes asked Gaal to help John and
Eleanor: "Wes! They're in Winnipeg! Gaal's not in Winnipeg!"
Somehow the words didn't sound so tnie anymore.

"Gaal's in Anthropos," Wes ventured, "but do you think maybe
he isn't just in Anthropos?"

"I'd never heard of Gaal before we went to Anthropos," Kurt
said.

"Yes, but maybe here he goes by a different name."

"You mean he's here in Canada too?" asked Lisa.

"Don't you remember what he said?" reminded Betty, eyes wide.
"The whole world is now his Bayith of Yayin!"

Silence settled over the kitchen. Eleanor looked up at John.
After a long moment of hesitation, John reached over and took
her hand.

The six of them never returned to Anthropos. But as promised,
they continued to enjoy Gaal wherever they were, and they did
learn to know him by a different name. The Shepherd kept his
promise to the household of the Sword Bearer. As I bring the
Archives of Anthropos to a close, my hope is that you, also, will
enjoy the presence of the Shepherd forever.