Heaven. To enter the final shield you must have the scarlet key in your hand.”
“A scarlet key? How do I get that?”
“You will get it when you pass the tests of character that correct my mistakes.”
“You mean the people who you thought were worthy but really weren’t?”
The old gatekeeper laid a wrinkled hand on his leathery forehead. “Alas! Although I see into a man’s soul, I do not always catch the dark areas if he has learned to hide them well.”
Elam opened his cloak and let the gentle breeze blow through. “What kind of unworthy people would venture into Molech’s Forest? They’d have to be willing to risk a lot.”
“Very true, for if the Caitiff kill them in their wandering bodies, their souls go directly to the Lake of Fire where they will suffer for all eternity. At least in Hades they can delay the inevitable for as long as possible, but they are still desperate wretches who are convinced they don’t belong there, so they go to great lengths to escape.”
“Who would be so desperate? I mean, I understand why anyone would want to get out of Hades, but facing those monsters takes a lot of courage.”
“They have courage, to be sure,” Glewlwyd said, “but courage is not always accompanied by purity. Many are preachers or theologians who loudly quote their confessions and institutes to prove their piety, but the darkness in their hearts screams obscenities that drown out their oratory.”
“There are theologians in Hades?”
“Certainly. Not all go there, of course, for I am a theologian myself. Yet many fail to understand that it’s not studying God that gains his favor; it is obeying him.”
“Well spoken.” Elam hiked up his shoulder bag. “So what do I do now?”
Glewlwyd waved his robed arm across the expansive scenery. “Go forth, and seek so that you may find … but beware. There are great trials in this place, either from evil wanderers who could not complete the gauntlet, or in the form of tests that will assess your character.”
“That’s no surprise. Merlin told me one of Enoch’s prophecies. He said there’s a dangerous enemy who wants to drink my life, something about taking my fruit that burns within, a flame that melts a subtle knife. Any idea what that means?”
“I do, indeed.” A sparkle gleamed in Glewlwyd’s eye. “Fruit and life have twofold meanings. You have consumed Eden’s eternal fruit, giving you extraordinary length of life. Someone longs for this gift, craves for it with lustful passion, and would, if you do not act with wisdom, drink it straight from your blood. If you are wise enough, however, perhaps you will conquer your enemy with the second meaning. Your fruit and life are the harvest of your faith. If your enemy feeds on these, a different outcome is assured, one that will bring you great blessing.”
Giving the old man a smile, Elam shook his head. “Your explanation is almost as cryptic as the prophecy.”
Glewlwyd replied with a friendly cackle. “I intended for it to be cryptic. How could wisdom be tested if every step is given in advance?” He patted Elam on his chest. “If your heart is pure, you have nothing to fear. If, however, you have hidden any darkness in those secret places I could not see, your enemy will find it, and I cannot bear to tell you what would happen in that case.”
Elam took a deep breath. “I don’t have any choice. I have to find Acacia and Paili.”
“You are right.” Glewlwyd moved his hand to Elam’s upper arm and squeezed his bicep. “Loyalty and confidence in your character will get you far, but those two alone will not be enough. You will need clear vision and spiritual foresight.”
“Speaking of foresight …” Elam pulled the spyglass from his bag and searched the horizon. “I see some kind of trench with a bridge across it.”
“Considerably more than a trench, as you will see. It is Zeno’s Chasm, much wider and deeper than it appears, and the bridge is old and very dangerous, yet you must cross the chasm to get to Heaven’s altar.”
Elam collapsed the spyglass. “Is there a way around? A safer bridge, maybe?”
“I have heard tales of such a passage.” Glewlwyd pointed to his right. “They say if you go in one direction, the chasm becomes narrow and shallow enough to cross, but you will not be able to see the passage from the bridge, even with your spyglass.” He shifted his finger to the left. “If