The Reborn King (Book Six) Page 23

  Gewey frowned and rubbed his chin. He searched his belt for something to pick the lock, but had nothing that would work. Then he remembered something else…it was in his coin purse.

  Suppressing a laugh, he reached inside and felt the tiny silver key that Felsafell had given to him at the Chamber of the Maker. He took it out and smiled.

  “Let’s see if you fit,” he murmured.

  The key slid in effortlessly. Gewey held his breath while turning it to the right.

  Click! The lock opened and he was able to raise the lid. Sitting inside was a crimson jewel about the size of a hen's egg. He stared down at it, uncertain what to do next. Finally, he shrugged and picked it up.

  “I am so happy you are here, my son,” came a voice from behind him.

  Gewey spun around and gasped. There stood Gerath. Dressed in white robes, his entire body was surrounded by a silver aura. His face was just as Gewey remembered – dark hair and chiseled features. Handsome was not the word for him. Beautiful was more accurate. Beautiful in a way reserved only for the gods.

  Gewey could feel the power emanating from his father and knew at once that, unlike the essence he had seen in the Black Oasis, this was not a shadow. He could feel a wave of strength and power that he'd only ever experienced once before - when battling Melek. But how could this be? How was this possible?

  “You...” he managed to say. “You’re real.”

  Gerath gave his son a loving smile. “Yes. I am real. And I am here.”

  “But you’re trapped in heaven? How can you be here?”

  “I am here because I love you,” he replied softly. “And I am here to help.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  At first Gewey thought it must be some kind of trick or hallucination. Gerath - here the entire time. But there was no denying the power he felt. His confusion gradually turned into rage as a succession of realizations began to occur.

  “How could you do this?” he demanded. “To me? To the people of this world? Why wait until now? Why allow so much death and suffering when you could have prevented it all?”

  “I was powerless, my son,” he replied. “As I am still powerless.”

  “That’s not true,” Gewey countered. “I can feel your power.”

  Gerath shook his head. “What you feel comes from within yourself, not from me. I am now a part of you.” He sighed sadly. “There is so much I would like to show you. So much I would like to explain. But now it is far too late. Your time is at hand, and mine is done.” He gestured to his right. Two chairs appeared from nowhere. “But I would at least like to sit and talk with you one time…as father to son.”

  Gewey stared at him with barely contained anger. But there was something in his father's expression that he was unable to resist. Eventually, he threw up his hands in exasperation and dropped heavily into the offered chair.

  When Gerath was also seated, he gazed at his son with tear-filled eyes. “You have become everything I had hoped you would be. Strong, pure, and true. All the qualities my brothers and sisters feared you would lack. But I knew. I knew you were better than the rest of us from the moment I first saw you.”

  “That is not how you looked to me,” Gewey snapped back. “Melek showed me my time in heaven when I was with him in Shagharath.” He was well aware that his father had been trying to deceive the other gods through his mistreatment of him. But he was angry, and it was the only thing he could think of to say in order to lash out at him.

  Gerath raised an eyebrow. “You met Melek? And in Shagharath no less. You are even stronger than I imagined if you survived that encounter.”

  “I almost didn’t,” he explained. He began telling him about his time with Melek, and how he had eventually sent him back to Shagharath. But the moment he mentioned Jayden, Gerath seemed to hear nothing else.

  “You have a son?” he whispered.

  “Yes,” Gewey replied. “It is for Jayden and Kaylia that I fight. And why I came here.”

  “Tell me about him,” Gerath pleaded. He leaned back and closed his eyes. “Tell me about my grandson.”

  Gewey did as his father asked. He described Jayden's features and his smile. The color of his eyes and the tone of his skin. Every last detail. “He gives me courage beyond measure, father,” he concluded.

  Gerath was smiling when Gewey stopped talking. He remained motionless for more than a minute. Slowly, he opened his eyes and nodded. “Thank you.”

  Gewey nodded in return. “Perhaps when this is all over you can see him for yourself.”

  A look of pain passed briefly across Gerath's face. “If only that were possible.” He straightened his back. “Forgive my melancholy. Pleased continue with your story about Melek.”

  At the end of the telling, Gerath was smiling again. “It is good you have such friends. And fortunate. Melek would have never have guessed that a mortal could lay him so low.”

  Gewey grinned involuntarily. “I did enjoy seeing the look on his face when Weila sank the dart into his back.”

  Gerath let out a hearty chuckle. “A well-deserved fate. I pray he is never able to plague the world again.”

  “He won’t,” Gewey assured him. “Not if Maybell has anything to say about it.”

  The two gods both burst into cheerful laughter. For a brief spell they were just a father and son sharing a pleasant moment together. But the moment soon passed and Gerath’s countenance hardened.

  “If Melek showed you your time in heaven, then you will have seen that I did not wish to abandon you, Darshan. You must know that I wanted to stay and watch over you.”

  “I know,” he replied. “And I understand that the other gods would never have allowed it. I know all of this. Even so, I can’t help but feel…”

  “Betrayed?” he said, finishing off Gewey’s thought.

  “Yes. Betrayed.” His anger began to rise again. “Why didn’t the gods intervene? Why send me to earth? Why did I have to witness so much destruction and pain?”

  “You have been in the moral realm for too long to understand one simple truth.”

  “And what truth is that?”

  “That the gods are not wise. True, we are powerful. But without the Creator to guide us we are like lost children. Humans and elves see us as beings with wisdom that surpasses their own. But that is simply not true. Strip away our power and we would not last a day in your world.”

  He took a deep breath. “Son, know that I did not send you here willingly. I was commanded to do so. When the Creator took me into herself, she passed her wishes on to me.” His face grew dark and his tone sorrowful. “And for the very first time, I hated her. For the first time I actually considered defying her. But I knew defiance would come at a terrible price.”

  “And so you obeyed and sent me here,” said Gewey.

  “Yes. I obeyed.”

  “And now what? The god stones are gone. You say you are powerless. Without help, I will not be able to defeat my enemy. Did you send me here to die?”

  “I pray not,” Gerath told him.

  “Then what am I supposed to do?”

  “You are supposed to do what you know you must,” he answered. “You must face the Dark Knight and defeat him. You must put an end to his insanity.”

  “But who is he?” Gewey asked. “All this time, and I have learned almost nothing about him. Who he is? Where did he come from? And why is he doing this?”

  Gerath sighed. “He is a mortal man. One with due cause for hatred and revenge, but still nothing more than a mortal. He feels betrayed by the gods, and by those he once held dear to him. Most of the details I do not know. I arrived here just before he seized the Sword of Truth and have only been able to discover a little. He was once a great knight who served Amon Dähl. However, he turned his back on them and sought the sword for himself.”

  “This much I have already heard,” Gewey said.

  “Then you know as much as I.”

  Gewey frowned, disappointed that he would not learn more of his ene
my’s past. “So why did you come here?” he asked. “Why choose this place?”

  “It was the only place I knew where you were sure to eventually find me. When I told you that I had obeyed the Creator, it was only partly true. I knew you would need my help.” Gerath paused to give a small chuckle. “Here I am at the end of my life, and I lie to myself as would a dying mortal. The truth is, I knew I could not abandon you. At least, not entirely. Whatever the cost, I would not allow you to face your fate alone. So Ayliazarah and I came up with a plan. Though, had she fully understood the consequences, she would never have agreed to carry it out. But I understood all too well, and hid them from her.

  “We both knew that the others would not allow me to intervene. And if I remained in the mortal world, they would force me to return to heaven. So I came here, where they could not follow. I created this place to protect the yetulu. Here, my siblings' powers are useless. Even if they discovered where I was, they would never dare to go where they are powerless. They would be like fawns without the protection of their mother.”

  Gerath took a deep breath. “First, I tried to destroy the god stones, but was unable to find them all.”

  “Why did you do that?” Gewey asked. “I need their power.”

  “You could not have used them,” he explained. “And if you had tried, it would have driven you mad. Only Melek might have been able to do so because he is not of our blood – we are of his. But you…I could not risk you trying.”

  “So how did the Dark Knight manage to do it? You said yourself that he is only a human.”

  “Only a human?” Gerath laughed. “My son, humans have far more power than you can imagine – though it may not be as obvious as it is with our kind, or even the elves. Their spirits have unlimited potential, and one day they will finally realize it. At least, that is my hope. The very fact that the Dark Knight is human and possesses The Sword of Truth – that is what has allowed him to steal the god stones' power and make himself stronger.”

  “Then how can I defeat him?”

  “I will help you.”

  Gerath rose to his feet and turned his back. “Once you leave this room, my power will reside in you, just as my essence already does. But this time, everything I am and everything I was…it will all be yours.”

  Gewey could remember the same words being spoken to him through his father’s essence. He looked at Gerath with suspicion. “And what will become of you after that?”

  He bowed his head. “I think you know.”

  Gewey leapt from his chair. “No! I won’t do it!”

  Gerath turned to face his son again. “It is too late. I am already inside you, and my power is yours. Only my spirit remains. And once you leave, that will fade as well.”

  “Then I will not leave,” he declared. Tears began to fall.

  Gerath’s face was awash with a father’s love, but his voice was firm and unyielding. “Do you think I desire death? Do you think I would not know my son, or watch my grandson become a man? If I could, I would show you all the wonders of heaven, and reveal the mysteries of the mortal world.” He swallowed hard. “But that cannot be. I love you, Darshan. And I only do what I must. Would you not do the same for Jayden?”

  By now, Gewey was weeping openly and unable to respond. Gerath stepped forward and placed his hands on his shoulders.

  “Do not weep for me, my son” he said. “I will never leave you. Not really. You are all that is best in me, and that will continue long after my name is forgotten. I have lived long enough to see what you have become, and no father could wish for more. Or be filled with greater pride. I am sorry I was not there for you as a child. But I am truly thankful that Basanti kept her word and saw to it that you were loved and protected.”

  “I was,” Gewey said, choking back his tears. “I was very well loved. My father…my human father, was a good and decent man. Everything I am, I owe to him.”

  Gerath nodded in approval. “Then my heart is less heavy by knowing this.” He cleared his throat and wiped his eyes. “Now, it is time for you to go and fulfill your destiny.”

  The pair of them embraced. For a time, neither wished the moment to end. But then, reluctantly, Gerath pulled away.

  “I will always remember you, father,” Gewey told him. “And your name will never be forgotten.” His tears were gone. It was time. The end of his long journey was nearly upon him.

  “Thank you, Darshan,” he replied.

  After a final look at his father's face, Gewey turned and headed to the door.

  “One last thing,” Gerath called out. “Tell Ayliazarah thank you…and that I love her.”

  Gewey nodded. “I will. I promise.”

  After passing through the door, Gewey suddenly became aware that he was still holding the jewel. But it was no longer red. It had now become clear and colorless.

  He could feel the power of Gerath circulating inside him. At first it was separate from his own, then, gradually, it began to bind itself to him until they had become as one. All of a sudden, every bit of Gerath’s knowledge and strength had penetrated his spirit, filling him completely.

  It was done! Gerath was no more.

  “Goodbye, father,” he whispered.

  He left the passage and returned to the open air. The mist was still all around him, but now he could easily see through it. The flow in this place was tremendous and his ability to feel it had been fully restored. He could have used it to carry him through the air, but he wasn’t ready to use the flow enhanced by his father’s power just yet.

  Without the mist hindering his perception, he could see that the landscape beyond the grassy area he was standing in was barren and colorless. But that was only on the surface. The power of the Creator was stronger here than anywhere he had been. He thought of the desert, and of the wonders that lay hidden beneath its sands. And now he possessed Gerath’s memories, he knew there were many more that even the elves had not yet discovered in all their long years of dwelling there.

  After retrieving his sword, he sought out the wounded Ajagara. It was lying next to a large boulder, hissing and drooling blood. The moment it spotted him, it bared its teeth and charged. But Gewey was unconcerned. He held out his palm and sent waves of reassurance to the beast. At once, it slid to a halt and lowered its head.

  He approached and placed his hands on its snout. “I’m sorry for hurting you, my friend. But I had no other choice. I couldn’t very well have you eating me, now could I?”

  Gewey closed his eyes. To heal the Ajagara, he would need to use the flow…and a part of that was his father’s. He pictured Gerath’s face. It’s all right son, came a distant voice. But Gewey knew it was just a shadow – a specter. He understood Gerath’s mind, and knew what he would say about the guilt his son was feeling.

  Reassured, Gewey drew in the flow and quickly healed the Ajagara. Then, in a single motion, he leapt upon its back. With a thought, he urged it to carry him back to the yetulu and his friends.

  Grunyal was waiting for him just beside the archway. His eyes shot wide on seeing Gewey atop the mighty beast. He lowered his head and bowed low.

  “You are truly the son of Gerath,” he said with humility. “Please forgive my doubts.”

  Gewey jumped down and rubbed the Ajagara’s neck. “There is nothing to forgive. When I arrived, I was not as I am now. You had good reason to doubt. You have my gratitude for keeping the secrets of the god stones safe - my father's too. And I will keep my word. Your people will be returned to you.”

  Grunyal bowed again. “Then know that we are always at your service should the need arise.”

  Gewey smiled. “Thank you. I’ll remember that.”

  “Come. Your friends will want to know you are safe.”

  Grunyal led him back to the room where Nehrutu and Felsafell were waiting. All the yetulu they passed by along the way gazed at Gewey in wonder. He guessed they were astonished to see him returning from the hunting grounds alive.

  On his return, Nehrutu beam
ed a smile and leapt over the table. Felsafell simply nodded his approval.

  “I was beginning to worry,” Nehrutu said. “You have been gone a long time.”

  “I’m sorry,” said Gewey. “It was…a difficult trial.”

  “So you tamed the Ajagara?” the elf asked.

  Gewey nodded. “I did. And I saw Gerath.”

  “So your father left more than one part of himself here,” remarked Felsafell.

  “No,” he replied. He went on to recount all that had happened.

  After he was done there was a dead silence. A single tear fell down Felsafell’s cheek. Only the opening of the door a short time later broke the solemn mood. Cloya came in and walked straight up to Gewey. She stared down at him for a moment before bowing low.

  “Forgive me, Darshan.” Her small, meek voice was ill-fitting to her massive frame.

  Gewey laughed. “Forgive you? You saved my life. If not for the male Ajagara essence you gave me, I would have never made it through.”

  He could see the confusion on his friends' faces. Taking Cloya’s hands, he led her to a seat.

  “The phial Cloya gave me contained the essence of the male Ajagara,” he explained. “You see, the young ones we encountered are all male. When the mother that lives in the hunting grounds reaches the end of her life, one of her children will automatically become female. The rest of them will then fight for the right to mate with her until only one is left alive. After the two remaining Ajagara mate, their young live within the mountain while the mother finds her way to the hunting grounds.”

  “And what becomes of the father?” asked Nehrutu.

  “He dies.”

  “It is said that Gerath created the Ajagara to protect us,” Cloya added.

  “He didn’t create them,” Gewey said. “But he did alter their size and make them more aggressive so that they could prevent anyone from finding you.”

  He chuckled softly, seeing in his mind exactly how it was done. He had clear images of the quite small creatures Gerath had found wandering through the bowels of the mountain, and he could hear the words of his father saying: “Yes. These will do nicely.”