Whistlestop (7 page)

“
Who are they?” Jerry
asked, pointing over the emperor’s shoulder.

Karl turned and saw the men only a
hundred yards from their position. “Crap! This turn of events is
most unfortunate. Jerry, we have to get out of here now! You are in
serious danger. Quick, come over here and take my arm.”

“
Who are those men,
Karl?”

“
They are going to kill
you, Jerry. Get over here now!”

“
They don’t seem to be
armed, Emperor.”

The emperor turned and hurried down
the other side of the hill and out into the desert. He turned back
and shouted, “You’d better hurry if you want to see your family
again!”

The line of men was now only fifty
feet away and the leader pulled off his hood, revealing the smiling
face of an old man. He was deeply wrinkled and bent, but his face
was full of life. He raised his right arm and waved at Jerry, who
remained by the obelisk, not certain what to think. Jerry heard an
odd growling sound and clanking metal behind him, so he spun
around. At least fifty large monsters were rising out of the sand
wearing black leather and steel armor and wielding large axes. The
creatures formed a protective ring around the emperor. “Last
chance, Jerry!” the emperor shouted.

He felt a presence and spun around to
see the old man smiling at him and offering his hand. Jerry
extended his hand and the man grabbed his forearm and shook it. “It
is a great pleasure to meet you, Knight of Winterpast.” He looked
past Jerry and shouted, “Thanks for delivering Lord Winslow, your
Serene Majesty!”

Jerry looked behind him and saw that
the emperor and his guards had disappeared. He turned to the old
man and asked, “Who are you?”

“
Heinrich Hans Lumen, Abbot
of the Temple of Light,” the man replied. He motioned to the others
and said, “And these are some of the monks of the temple. We felt
your arrival with Karl and thought we might rescue you from his
clutches.”

“
He seemed okay to me. He
said he was going to teach me folding.”

“
The largest serpent is
very warm and its flicking tongue tickles, but you must never
forget its fangs and venom.”

“
You think he meant me
harm?”

The abbot and monks began to laugh.
When he could catch his breath, the abbot said, “He destroyed this
planet and many others, Jeremy. He sent men to kill my dearest
friend, your grandfather, Mordechai Davis Iron-heart. Of course, he
meant to kill or imprison you.”

“
He said his predecessor
did all of that.”

“
Jeremy, Karl August
Galantine Armstrong has been the Emperor of Axis for ten thousand
years. He said what he needed to say to bring you here and make you
believe his tale.”

“
Can you send me home,
Abbot?”

“
I’m sorry to be the one to
tell you, but your home has been destroyed. One hundred creatures
like those you saw guarding the emperor attempted to kill or
capture your family. The elf rescued them and detonated the house
to destroy the monsters. He took them to a safe place; at least it
is safe for now. We will take you to our temple, where you can rest
and be truly safe from the empire. I will personally teach you
everything you need to know.”

“
Where exactly is this
temple, Abbot?”

“
On the highest peak of the
Mountains of Light,” the abbot replied as he motioned toward the
mountains behind him.

“
Wow that seems pretty far
away from here. How did you manage to arrive here at the exact
time? I was still in my bed when you must have left
there.”

“
Reality is not as ordinary
as you may presume, young knight.” The abbot walked over to the
obelisk and looked up at it. “I suppose the dear emperor told you
he placed this memorial in honor of the knights who died
here.”

“
That was another lie,
right?”

“
The Starlight Obelisk is a
gift from God, young knight. This obelisk and others like it have
stood in the cities and villages of the Knights of Winterpast
forever. It is written that these stones predate the rise of
civilization on the planet. The villages grew up around them. They
began as a symbol of our faith. It was generations before their
real purpose was discovered. I suppose you’d like to know that
purpose, right?”

“
It would seem I have no
choice, so please do tell.”

The abbot frowned at him and replied,
“The obelisks connect all of the realms of the universe. They are
the source of the power the emperor calls folding. They connect
this world to the realm of angels, the realm of demons, and every
other realm that exists. If you learn the skill of folding, the
measure of your success will be the intensity of your faith. I know
this is all new to you, young knight. But if you touch the obelisk,
you will be transported to the Temple of Light. Follow us, if you
wish to learn more.”

“
How do I know you are
telling the truth? What will you do to me if I don’t touch the
obelisk?”

The abbot grinned. “Well, I suppose if
you wait here alone long enough, either the emperor will come back
for you, or you will starve or die of thirst. If you’re lucky, you
can walk the fifty miles to the mountains and cross a low pass and
arrive in the Valley of Thrace. It is up to you to decide.” He
clapped Jerry on the shoulder and walked up to the obelisk, reached
out his right hand and touched it. He disappeared in a flash of
light. As Jerry stood in shock, each of the monks walked up and
shook his hand, then touched the stone and disappeared as
well.

Within a few minutes, Jerry was
standing alone on the grassy hill, glancing at the stone and the
crumbled village around him. The temperature was rising and a large
sandstorm appeared from the west. He heard a slight squeak in his
right ear. He focused on the noise and it became louder and louder
until he could hear Jeremiah’s voice say, “Get over there and touch
the damned stone, you stubborn bastard.” He looked around but could
see no one else. The sandstorm was only a mile or so away. He
sighed and walked up to the stone, touched it and was gone. Clouds
of sand rushed through the village and swallowed it in an ocean of
dust.

Jeremy and his family found themselves
in a small town square. A tall crystal obelisk stood in the center
of the park. The park was surrounded by a narrow cobblestone
roadway, which in turn was lined with low brick and stone
buildings. Other streets radiated out from the square to other
parts of the city. Several elven families were gathered in the
park, enjoying a picnic or day’s outing under the warm suns of
Whistlestop. Jeremiah Beetleweed Mosscatcher was talking to other
locals about his visitors. Humans had not come to this planet since
the Empire of Axis had given up on their attempts to subjugate the
population. He was deep in conversation with another elf who wore a
heavy gold chain with a medallion containing a blood-red ruby at
its heart. Jeremy watched their conversation but could not hear the
words from this distance, not to mention that Lilian was pulling on
his sleeve. “What is it, sweetheart?”

“
Grandpa, why do I have
this stupid robe when that brat has a suit of armor like you?” she
complained.

“
That’s because I’m cool
and you drool!” little Jeremy chimed in.

“
Jeremy, please let me talk
to your sister alone for a minute,” his grandfather said. The
little boy frowned and walked away. He took his granddaughter’s
hand and led her over to a stone bench and they both sat down. “I’m
very proud of you, Lilian. You don’t understand the ways of the
Pastoral Realm, but the hooded robe is the sign of a seer. My
outfit and your brother’s are the sign of a warrior.”

“
But I want to be a warrior
too!”

“
Do you know what it means
to be a seer?” She shook her head and looked down. “Your other
grandfather is one of the greatest seers of all time. Arthur Simple
Truth was known as the Foreboding of Asterpast, the most powerful
sorcerer in the universe, before the Empire of Axis sent him into
exile on Earth.”

“
Am I a wizard,
Grandpa?”

“
Something like that,
Lilian. A seer knows the past and the future of the entire
universe. An exceptional seer has the ability to change the present
in order to make sure the future matches God’s design. A seer who
can do that is called a Foreboding, like your other grandpa. Since
you have that, and much more, in your blood, you can be the
greatest Foreboding in the history of the universe.”

“
Does that mean I’m cooler
than Jeremy?” she asked.

He chuckled and hugged her. “Let’s
just say that seers and warriors have their places in the universe.
You will be able to help the warriors succeed. They will protect
you and make your visions come true.”

“
That means this robe is
super-cool, right?”

“
Let’s ask them,” Jeremy
said as he pointed toward the obelisk, where two humans and another
elf suddenly appeared.

Arthur Simple Truth and his wife, Lady
Sadie Divine Truth stood next to Jedidiah Beetleweed Mosscatcher.
Arthur wore a brilliantly white long hooded robe, while his wife
worn a fine gown covered in precious stones and handmade lace. They
hugged the elf and then headed toward their daughter and
grandchildren. Lilian was up like a shot, headed to her
grandparents. Jeremy sat quietly, smiling and enjoying every
minute. He thought about his life. He had left Winterpast a young
man of fifteen, accepting that he would spend the rest of his life
on Earth, forever lost in the Empty Realm, never seeing anything of
his true past, and yet, now here he was.

After a few minutes, Arthur came over
to the bench and sat next to him, slapping him on the knee. Lynn
and Sadie were playing with Jeremy, Lilian and several elven
children in the park in the bright light of the two suns. Soon,
Jedidiah and Jeremiah came and sat with the men. “This wasn’t
supposed to happen,” Arthur said.

“
That’s a frightening
revelation, Foreboding,” Jeremiah noted.

Jeremy sighed heavily. “We gave up all
we had ever known long ago. Who is to say what we should have
expected?”

“
That is true, old friend,”
Arthur said. “Where is the Halfling?”

“
Which one?” Jeremy
asked.

“
I think we all know who I
refer to, Lord Jeremy of Winterpast. I speak of the God’s most
humble servant, son of Winterpast and the Realm of Angels. He who
is destined to end the rule of the Empire of Axis, and restore
balance to all the Realms of Good and Evil.”

“
But he doesn’t even
realize . . .” Jeremiah began.

Arthur raised his hand and the elf
stopped in mid-sentence. “We all know the truth and our destiny. We
are tied to him, whether we like it or not, and whether he is up to
the challenge or not. If the forces of darkness should prevail,
that is God’s Will, not ours.”

Jeremy stared ahead and replied, “He
entered a fold with the emperor.”

“
That is unfortunate, but
not surprising,” Arthur noted. The other three gawked at him in
disbelief. “You look at me as though I’m saying something
unbelievable. If we know his destiny, you can be certain that the
emperor knows as well. Are they still together?”

“
No, the emperor has fled
from the Abbot of the Temple of Light, and the Chosen One has taken
sanctuary at the temple,” Jedidiah said. “As long as he is there,
we have hope.”

“
We should bring him here!”
Jeremiah exclaimed. “Here, he is truly safe. I still do not trust
the trehbor. He relies on the grace of the emperor to avoid
slaughter. He could turn on the abbot in order to save his own
skin!” Arthur raised his hand for quiet. “I apologize, Lord
Foreboding.”

Arthur sat silently for a full minute
with his eyes closed. When he finally opened his eyes, he said,
“Things continue to move within the current of God’s Will. I sense
terror in the heart of our beloved emperor and intense fear in the
Chosen One. Heinrich is a man of his word. He will help the Chosen
One to re-learn the skills he needs. He will also help the trehbor
learn that the universe has another possible future, one that will
bring joy to most, and an end to tyranny.”

“
And what exactly are the
odds of that?” Jeremy asked with a smirk on his face.

Arthur sighed heavily and said, “Not
very good, I’m afraid. And since you ask, will our wives’ family
intercede on our behalf?” Jeremy shrugged his shoulders, causing
Arthur to laugh. “Then perhaps our odds are more like
fifty-fifty.”

Jerry still held his hand out to touch
the obelisk, but he was no longer in the broken village. He was
standing near the center of a large courtyard surrounded by low
thatched roof temples and other buildings. The area was paved with
an intricate mosaic, displaying what seemed to be visions of the
various realms of the universe. Under his feet, the tiles showed
his own home in San Diego, which he found very ironic. Twenty feet
away, in the center of the courtyard was a large fountain. Nozzles
on the outer edge shot streams of water toward the center of the
pool. Ten feet above the water floated a ten-foot diameter mirrored
globe that reflected everything. Spaced out throughout the
courtyard were green spaces with grassy lawns and short fruit-laden
trees. Families and groups of friends sat conversing in several of
the green spaces. The temple was built into the side of a mountain.
To his left, he could see the temple gates a couple hundred yards
away. To his right just past the opposite wall, the mountain
continued upward another half mile or so to its snowy peak. He
heard someone clear their throat behind him and spun around. A
beautiful young woman stood smiling at him. She wore a long pink
robe. She had red hair, very fair skin and her eyes were deep
blue.