The Path Of Destiny (8 page)

“We are going out through the tunnel where the Black River
runs out of the city, then through part of the forest until we reach the
Everlasting Meadows.”

“The Black River? The Black Forest? Are you crazy? Haven’t
you heard all of the stories?” Kelln looked at her in astonishment.

“Yes, I know them all. I’m sure most aren’t true.”

Kelln gulped. “Most?” He had to think hard to stop his legs
from shaking.

“For us it’s the safest way.” She smiled and picked up her
bundle. “Let's go.”

Kelln stood for a moment, wondering what he was doing.
Images of his dreams came back to him, and he again grew suspicious of what was
happening. He was not sure he should entirely trust her. Something drew him to
her, but he was smart enough to not be led away by just a pretty face. He reasoned
that going to Belor and checking it out would not be treason. He needed to talk
to his family about it and make up his mind for himself.

QUESTIONS

S
itting in the Field of
Diamonds later that morning, Darius told Christine about Kelln. She didn’t seem
to be listening and he repeated himself.

“Do you believe in God?” she asked all of a sudden. Her
blond hair bounced around as she turned her head with the enthusiastic
question.

Darius sat silent for a moment, stunned by the apparent change
of subject. “I . . . uh . . . Well, I know my mother does. I go with her to the
worship service most weeks. I guess I feel it in here too.” He pointed to his
chest.

“That's kind of what my parents say. My dad says if you are
doing what's right you will feel good inside. That’s what God is. Dad says that
God will help us and tell us what we are supposed to do. That God created
everything, including you and me,” Christine said, as if deep in thought.

“Why are you worrying about this? I would trust your
parents. They seem happy.”

“How are you and your father getting along, by the way?”
said Christine with a concerned voice, another jump in the conversation topic.

“Better, but it’s in fact kind of strange. On a personal
level we don't talk much about anything, though I do see him looking at me when
he thinks I am not watching. He knows you and I see each other, but he ignores
it. He's been telling me a lot more about the happenings of the Realm lately.
He sent Kelln and me to White Island, as you know, and he has taken me to a few
meetings with the councilors. I guess he is trying to push me into doing what
he does . . . politics. That’s what Kelln thinks.”

“Why does he not like me or the other farmers?” asked
Christine. “Why can’t he and the King and the other councilors do something
about all the trouble? “

“I don't know, Christine. Like I said, I don't understand
him at all anymore. It goes back to the time of the wizards’ rebellion. Many of
the nobles just can’t forget what their ancestors went through.”

“But it wasn’t us.”

“No, but they put everyone outside the city in the same
group now. It’s easier that way for them. It gives them someone to blame for
things.”

“Does he believe in God?” asked Christine.

“I don’t know what my father thinks!” Darius stood up and
threw his hands wide. “He does what he wants for reasons I’ll never understand.
All of them do. All the councilors sit in meetings and decide what is right and
wrong and good and bad for us. Yet very few of them actually get out and see
what is going on.”

Christine stood up next to him and put her hand on his arm.
“It's just not fair. You’re not any better than us and neither are they.” Tears
came to Christine’s eyes and Darius put his arm around her. He still struggled
with handling Christine’s emotions. It wasn't that it didn't feel good to have
her in his arms. Quite the opposite. It felt like the best thing in the world.
The problem was he wasn't sure what was going to happen now that school was
done and they were getting older. She molded her slim body into his arms and he
felt the beat of her heart against him.

“What's wrong, Christine?” asked Darius with concern.

“Today Emily came back from the city with a bruise on her
face,” cried Christine. “Some girls beat her up. She’s so young, eleven years
old, just a little girl, and it’s starting already for her. It gets worse every
year. I don't know where they get it from, but someone is spreading lies and
rumors and whatever about us, and everyone in the city believes it.”

Darius was not sure what to say. He was in an awkward
position, being from the city himself. He tried to hold her and tell her that
things would be all right, but he couldn’t convince himself totally that they
actually would be.

“It’s so beautiful here,” Christine whispered, looking
across the field and lake. The summer grass grew thick and green, and
wildflowers scattered themselves throughout the field. “If God created this,
why can't he create beauty and love between people? Unless he thinks we aren’t
worth it.”

“Christine, don't talk like that. I am sure God thinks you
are just as good as them . . . uh . . . us,” started Darius, not knowing what
he was going to say from one word to the next, but knowing that he had to
comfort her somehow. “You said your family believes God speaks to your hearts.
What if he speaks to everyone, but some don't listen? What if someone besides
God speaks to us also, and others listen to him?”

Christine stopped crying to listen to what Darius was
saying. “Who else do you mean?”

“I'm not sure. But don't you think that if a good God exists
that there is someone bad also? Keeping things in balance? Wanting to bring
hate and anger to people?”

Darius sensed the power building inside him, giving him the
words to say. Everything became clearer in his mind. He felt a power of
intelligence flow through him as he felt the plight of Christine and her
people. Once again he felt the need to go out and protect the Realm from these
evil influences.

“You mean like someone evil? Like from the old days, when
the Black Forest was evil?” ventured Christine.

“Sure. Maybe. I'm not so sure,” stumbled Darius. The power
faded back from him. He hadn’t learned to control it enough yet and times like
these were frustrating. “But it could be, couldn't it?”

Christine laughed. “For a minute you sounded like a
philosopher from our fables, Darius San Williams. Your words seemed so right
and clear. Thanks for helping me. You’re right! God does speak to us all, but
some just don’t listen! But how do we get them to listen?”

Darius shook his head, shrugged, and smiled as he looked at
Christine. She had become so beautiful. He had seen changes in her since they
had met. Saving her in front of the messenger’s horse had been the best day of
his life. She was intelligent, and she sparked something deep inside him. She
was confident and stood up for things she believed in. He wanted to say
something to her to show his feelings. But he didn't know what. He was just
plain scared.

“Darius . . .” repeated Christine. “Have you fallen asleep
standing up, or what? You seemed to be staring off into space. What were you
thinking about?”

The question caught him by surprise and his answer flew out
without a thought. “About you.” As soon as he said the words he started rocking
back and forth on his feet like a nervous little boy who had just gotten into
trouble.

“What about me?” Christine probed with a smile. Her
intelligent green eyes met his light gray ones.

Darius felt his face flush a few shades of red. “Without
you, my life would be dark and lonely.”

Christine leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. Fire
seemed to burn from her lips, spreading throughout his body.

He reached his arms around her and with his broad shoulders
pulled her into him. This time he was able to open himself to his power and he
let it engulf them. As thoughts of joy and love spread through him, he
transferred them to her. He could feel her feelings for him. They matched his.
She relaxed in his arms. The sensation was euphoric and magical.

Long moments later she pulled back from him and looked deep
into his eyes. “Darius? How? You made me feel so much joy. You’ve made me
forget my pain and anger. It came from you. I felt a power of love that I’ve
never felt before.”

Darius was embarrassed with the attention. He had to be more
careful with his power. All he wanted to do was to show her love and kindness.
“You deserve to be happy, Christine.”

He wanted so desperately to tell her everything. But
something inside held him back. How could he explain something to her that he
couldn’t explain yet himself? He needed more time. Little by little he was
gaining more control over the power, but without anyone to teach him it was
difficult to know what he could or couldn’t do. As Kelln had said it seemed to
come to him with great need and emotion. As he thought about something
happening it happened. Sometimes he needed his hands; other times just a
feeling from him would provoke a magical outcome. It was exciting, yet made him
more afraid than anything else he faced.

Christine leaned into his strong arms and Darius kissed her
deeply on the lips. The fire moved through him again as he felt his power stir
and his heart burn.

He would tell her when the time was right.

BELOR

T
he journey to Belor by Kelln
and Alessandra began by wading through a waist-high portion of the Black River
at the south end of Anikari. They walked under a bridge, leaving behind the
sights and sounds of the largest city of the Realm. Kelln tried to stop
shivering but couldn’t. The water numbed him from the waist down as they
trudged through it for a hundred yards, holding their packs up above their
heads. It was the only sure way out of the city without someone seeing them
leave through a proper gate. It was cold and uncomfortable, but it worked.

After that, they kept beside the river and journeyed south
through the Black Forest. The first night Kelln couldn’t sleep. He was sure
some forest animals or wandering thieves would attack them. Alessandra calmed
him and assured him everything would be all right. She talked of a power and
force that would protect them. He didn't ask any questions, then he thought
about what she was saying as he tried to sleep.

Kelln enjoyed Alessandra’s company, but, being used to the
crowds of the city, he began to miss the constant sounds that were present
there. To pass the time he started asking questions.

“How long will the trip take? Are we safe? Why did I have to
leave in secret? I haven’t done anything wrong. Where is my family?” And the
list went on and on.

Alessandra answered him in short statements, not giving any
more information than she absolutely had to.

After a few days they arrived. They emerged from the Black
Forest and met the Everlasting Meadows. For some reason the openness made him
uneasy. As far into the distance as he could see, there was only grass and
small plants; nothing over a few feet high. The lack of trees made him seem
tall but vulnerable. The meadows seemed to stretch on forever until grass
blended into the sky. It was breathtaking and astonishing to observe so much
land at one time, without any trees or hills to block the view. Later that
night Alessandra first told him of the Preacher.

“He is a great man. One who has seen our plight and our
future. He is gathering us as an army to fight for our freedoms,” Alessandra
said with conviction.

“Where did he come from?” asked Kelln.

“He is one of us. Born and raised in Belor. Seeking
direction and purpose, he sailed across the ocean and studied in the eastern
kingdoms. He said it was there that he found God and his purpose.”

“I believe in God, but I didn't have to sail around the
world to find him.” Kelln’s sarcasm appeared a little too harsh.

Alessandra stood up as if to emphasize her point. Her face
reddened, brighter in the glow of the fire. “What do you know about God, being
from Anikari? They have no God there. If they did, they wouldn't treat us as
they do. God is in Belor.”

He told himself he would remain calm about the matter until
he learned about everything for himself. He wanted to know more about Alessandra,
but she became so defensive about what the Preacher did. Kelln didn't have
anything against religion really. He had always believed in God. What bothered
him was that the words from Alessandra were not her words.

Kelln found himself holding back a laugh when she said that
God was in Belor. “God is in Belor? Can I see him?”

This made Alessandra angry. She realized she had gotten
carried away. “I don't mean he lives in Belor. It's just that his presence is
felt there.”

Kelln lay back on his blanket roll and stared up at the
stars. He had rarely seen so many. They stretched from horizon to horizon and
even beyond that, he imagined. He wondered how many other worlds were out
there. He felt incredibly small. Like one blade of grass on the entire plain.
All this talk about God made him a little embarrassed he didn't understand more
about religious things.

He wanted to know more, but never knew where to look. Maybe
Alessandra was right. Maybe he would find him in Belor. He smiled to himself as
he fell asleep.

Two days later the two entered Belor. Even though anciently
Belor had been its own small kingdom, ever since the days of King Anikari it
was part of the Realm. Ruled overall by the whoever was the king in the capital
city of Anikari, Belor like Denir, Mar, and Sur, all had its own governor and
local leadership.

There were signs of a few skirmishes, but besides that, the
city looked as Kelln remembered it from a few years earlier when his family had
visited there. He soon found his father working in a metal shop and forging
weapons. They hugged and spent a few moments in talk about Kelln’s trip through
the forest, and then his father excused himself to get back to work.

The zeal in his father’s eyes was different than Kelln had
seen before. His father was a happy man, giving time to his family even when he
was busy making swords. Now it seemed he was obsessed with making swords and
didn’t have much time for his family.

Kelln didn’t like the change.

He was told the rest of his family would join him soon. Two
weeks later they did.

After a few weeks, Kelln itched to leave and do something.
He was getting tired and bored of Belor. He asked if he might take a couple of
days and go to the sea, but they did not allow him to leave the city. He felt
like a prisoner, yet his father assured him it was for his protection. He did
not make many friends. Most were still wary of him since he came from Anikari.

There was Alessandra. Once she was all cleaned up, her
beauty captivated him even more. Her hair, though died dark, was thick and
luxurious. He tried to spend time with her, but she was very busy. He stumbled
on his words around her when they talked. He wished they were more like Darius
and Christine; those two could talk for hours.

Alessandra was gone much, even disappearing for days at a
time. He figured out, though she would never confirm it, that she went off and
helped others escape from other cities around the Realm and returned them to
Belor. He thought it strange for a woman so young to have the responsibility
she did, but she performed the task well.

Kelln passed most of his time practicing with his sword and
his bow. He was also given the charge to teach others. In the Belorian palace
library, which he was given access to, Kelln had found various books that
proved interesting reading about the history of Belor and the Realm. He thought
of Anikari often and of his friends, especially Darius. He wondered what they
were all doing.

Kelln decided to find out for himself what was going on in
Belor. Things just didn’t seem that bad, and he was concerned that the man they
referred to as only the Preacher was stirring up trouble. The key to finding
out about Belor was to find out about him.

The Preacher was a man in his late thirties who stood tall
among the Belorians, who were a short race by heritage. He stood well over six
feet with a broad-shouldered build. His short hair was auburn and he wore two
gold wristbands, one above each wrist. His deep red cloak seemed to always sway
in slight movements from his body as he walked or preached. His voice was
commanding yet at the same time compassionate. As large and powerful as he was,
his charisma made people follow him.

The Preacher seemed to have a way of becoming one with the
people and leading them into whatever direction he desired. That is what Kelln
didn't like about the whole situation. This one man seemed to string them all
along like puppets on a huge stage. The first time he saw the Preacher a strong
feeling of danger loomed up inside him. It was obvious to Kelln that the man
craved power, but held it under a cool mask of compassion.

Kelln observed carefully that every day the people came and
listened to the Preacher’s lectures. Kelln had listened to them dozens of times
in the first few weeks since arriving in Belor. He heard the rhetoric so many
times—that he should accept what the Preacher was saying was right—yet he still
held lingering doubts from somewhere in the far corners of his mind. He didn’t
trust him and he had seen the Preacher do things that were not normal. He had
power, not unlike Darius, but more forceful.

“We cannot be held prisoners in our own land.” The Preacher
spread his arms wide to the gathered group. They stood transfixed in the town
square. “God has declared that all men are free. Those in Anikari are no better
than we are. We have a right to be free and to direct our own way. God has
declared it so.”

Kelln looked at the Preacher, standing on the top steps of a
large building. The majestic steps curved upwards while the vast structure held
a massive dome on top. Kelln had been intrigued with the architecture of the
city since he arrived. Where Anikari built with straight lines and brick and
rock, Belor was all curves, domes, and circles. To decorate most of their
buildings they used a type of colored rock-and-mud mixture that hardened when
it dried. He liked the effect.

The Preacher rambled on for more than half an hour.
God
said this and God said that.
Kelln could almost recite the speech word for
word. The Preacher would go on and tell them how the Belorians should not be
slaves to the rule of King Edward. They had God on their side and God was their
king. That is why he was known only as “the Preacher.”

Kelln didn’t disagree with the religious aspect of a supreme
being and that all men should be equal. Darius and he had discussed that very
thing after he had met Christine. But Kelln did not perceive God in the
Preacher.

He tried to look at the conflict from their point of view.
The people were taxed just the same as others in the Realm outside of Anikari.
Perhaps they had been treated unfairly at times, but not any more so than the
other outlying cities, he would guess. He just did not understand the level of
alarm that this leader made things out to be. They now were taking taken up
arms and were training to go to war.

Situated between the Everlasting Meadows and the Blue Sea,
Belor had a great advantage in hunting, fishing, and farming. Yet they needed
to trade these for wood, brick, and metals from the rest of the Realm. Kelln reasoned
that by fighting against the Realm they cut themselves off from the necessities
they actually needed.

One day, after one of the Preacher’s famous talks to excite
the people, Kelln was walking behind the large palace that the Preacher used as
his headquarters. He heard voices arguing up ahead and he stopped behind a
doorway. He recognized one as the Preacher’s booming voice.

“I have them in my hands. They will follow me.”

“All I was saying was that we are getting short on food and
need to make sure that we don’t cut off all trade from the Realm,” another man
with a higher voice debated. “Our population has swollen in recent weeks and we
were not prepared.”

“The people can cut back. Sacrifice will make them
stronger,” the Preacher spoke again.

“But sir, you can’t mean that. The people will starve.”

“Sometimes there are sacrifices,” the Preacher said.

“The governor should be here. Where is he?” asked the man.

“He is of no concern to you, councilor. You will obey my
orders or you will join the other councilors in the dungeon. The Realm will
recognize me as the legitimate ruler of Belor and leave us alone or the people
will die fighting them.”

Kelln heard the councilor squeak out an affirmation that he
would obey the Preacher’s words, then heard him walk away.

Hoping to not be seen, Kelln turned back the way he had come
and he ducked into an alley that would bring him out into the merchants’
district. He couldn’t believe the Preacher would starve his own people. The
thought appalled him and made him even more fearful of the Preacher. He was a
man who wanted power, not peace.

Of course, it seemed to him that he was one of only a
handful who seemed to grasp the situation this way. The Preacher seemed to get
them all extremely excited in fighting for their independence. They fought for
good things—freedom, equality, and religion—but Kelln wondered if the Preacher
went about it all wrong. He drove the people into a frenzy, in which they had
no choice but to follow him. They lost sight of the real meaning of freedom and
peace. They took away the peace they did have by starting a battle with the
Realm. And among it all, the Preacher declared himself their undisputed leader.
He lived in lavishness in the old domed palace he used as his own headquarters.

Kelln had to find out more of the Preacher’s plans and then,
if required, he would send word to the capital and warn them about what was
happening. Darius would listen to him and then tell his father. He loved his
family and didn’t want to see them hurt any longer by the Preacher’s evil
influence.