“So it begins. Come. Come on in. Step forward and warm yourselves by the fire. You need rest, food and drink. When you are able we will talk. And I will see what I can do for you. I make no promises. Save to say that I will hear you out. Come, we are safe in here, the Taskans will not venture up this mountain. Although Jake, you know that sooner or later, you will ave th leave? And they are sure to be waiting for you!”
Chapter 39
18th/19th August – The Wizards
Jake, Ben and Verastus were deep within the Phelanagarth Mountains, safe from harm for the time being and able to relax a little for the first time since they had all met. The two young boys had almost ‘lost their grip’ on reality by now, the world as they knew it had been turned completely on its head with the events of the past few days. So, now that it came to sitting down and conversing with a real life wizard, they both ‘took it in their stride’, acting as if it was an everyday occurrence.
The three companions walked over to Tien and sat down beside him. Ben couldn’t fail to notice that there was a rabbit-like creature roasting on an open spit, he licked his lips and then hungrily pulled off a leg when Tien gestured at him to help himself, almost burning his fingers in the process as he juggled the hot meat from hand to hand.
“So,” the wizard began, once they had all sat down, “now that you are finally here, Jake, where would you like me to begin?” he asked invitingly.
“Err… You can start by telling me how you know of us? How do you know my name?” answered Jake. “And the others? You must live a lonely existence up here, how do you know so much about us?”
Tien smiled warmly at the boys. “I live alone, yes. But I am not blind. Indeed, my old eyes have seen far too much these past few years. Sights I wish I had never seen. It may be difficult for you to understand. I suppose I will say that I am blessed, and I am cursed, with the gift of foresight. Though, I can only see what I am allowed to see. No more, and no less. I can not change the future, Jake. But I can sometimes warn of events to come.”
“Yes. Okay, I understand that, I think. But it doesn’t explain how you know about me? And sacrifice? You talked about a sacrifice before? What sacrifice? What does that mean?” asked Jake eagerly. Tien sat back in his chair, he altered his position several times to make himself comfortable and then he replied.
“The powers I possess are limited, Jake. I am not all powerful, there are things I cannot do, things I cannot say, for to speak may alter some future reaction, one that must take place, regardless of the pain it causes, or the consequences for those involved. You all have to accept this fact, you cannot challenge me on this, if you are to finally prevail!” he said, looking into the eyes of each of them in turn to gauge their reaction. Nobody replied, so Tien continued talking.
“Jake, your coming was foretold to me many years ago, when all thought the Keeper had been killed, and along with him, all hope of seeing the stones again. I alone knew that one day he would come back. Though I could tell no one, for fear of altering what had to be. Knowledge of your impending return may have affected the judgement of our people, instead of resisting Vantrax, they have surrendered, or gone into hiding, awaiting your return. Can you see? I have been waiting for this day ever since.”
He stopped abruptly in mid sentence for no apparent reason. His expression changed completely, he suddenly became more intense, and he leant forward.
“The world we have known, everything that we now hold dear, will, I am afraid to say, come to the very brink of destruction! These events are already set in motion. It will come to pass. There is nothing we can do to stop it. The evil powers in this land have grown far too strong in the Keeper’s absence. But... The end is not written. I cannot see that far ahead. There, my gift has forsaken me. I only know… That we now have to earn the right to