Ekleipsis (18 page)

“Indeed, I trust your words that
wickedness now seems to dwell in Trachten, of which my father often
spoke, and thus forbid us from leaving Hozekan. Have we been too
eager to suppose that which the fathers spoke of was mere legend,
and that there is no real evil in Erde to be warned of?” The
emperor paused for a moment, as his eyes drifted into thought, “How
have you come to know so much and seem so sure that the legend of
which the fathers spoke contains more truth than we were
given?”

“Dear emperor, I met this young man
upon my return to Hozekan who knew the bearer of this sword as his
grandfather, and he spoke of the stories of which his grandfather
had lived,” Wiltzer answered.

“Yet, how can you trust
this man who you have never met before?” questioned
Guesald.

“For those things of which he spoke
were similar to those which were of Emperor Oviss’ own words, and a
great amount of truth is contained within the pages of this book he
gave me.” Wiltzer took the book, which had been laying face down
upon the table, lifted it up, with the title facing toward council.
“This is King Salvare’s Book of Wisdom. It holds further revelation
of that which we dwarfs have in the Legend of
Pre-Hozekan.”

Wedgmark stiffened as he claimed,
“Have you gone mad? Dare you say that this book of these unknown
men holds more truth or bares further record than that which has
come from the pure mouths of our fathers.”

A warm rush came over Wiltzer’s face.
This was not going as he had hoped. He blamed himself. If he could
have only conveyed into words that which he knew in his mind and
felt in his heart to be true. Wiltzer knew that which he spoke
would mean the life or death of the souls in Hozekan, but felt he
had only caused the council to doubt and become disgusted with his
thoughts. Maybe if his wife had been the one to speak. Maybe he
should have asked Vandor and Kayla to accompany him back to
Hozekan, for Vandor’s words had been so clear to understand and
embrace. If they would but read the book, surely their eyes would
be open to the truth and their doubts removed.

The silence was broken by the eldest,
the last of the original council; one most had forgotten was one of
the first dwarfs in Hozekan, as he was an introvert. In a slow,
raspy, kind voice, Falinn Viden spoke, “May I please see the book,
dear Wiltzer?”

Wiltzer stood and handed Falinn Viden
King Salvare’s Book of Wisdom. For a moment, Falinn Viden focused
only on the title, holding the leather book firmly with both hands.
Laying it on the table in front of him, he softly ran his hand
across the cover. All watched him as he opened the book. He slowly
turned the pages as if searching for something he knew was there.
Noting a place in the pages with his pointer finger, he moved it
along as he read.

“Fear not my little children. I
musts needs go to my father but for a little while. Though the
darkness shall come, and shall take prisoner all of those who
reject the truth, ye shall be a light unto them. Fear not when the
darkness surrounds you, for you will not be overtaken, for even in
death you are freed from its grip. Love one another, that ye may be
comforted during the tribulations of this life. Forgive one another
that ye may be able to love with a pure heart. When darkness comes,
for even now it worketh, and the wicked one who brings it shows his
scarred face, who was given the deadly wound but was healed by the
dragon, know that it is the time of which Judarius spoke of the
Ekleipsis.

“Fear not, for it will be but for a
moment, yet flee to the place of hiding which shall be told you.
Wait for my witnesses there, and then shall the daystar rise high
above the darkness. Then shall I return with the glory and power of
my father, and with my faithful servants of the ages. Ye shall see
me coming and I shall quench the darkness from before the eyes of
Erde. Then shall I bring you to New Erde, and ye shall be my people
and I shall be your king. Faint not dear children, for you are
forever in my heart and on my tongue to my father. I go to prepare
you a place, whereby we may dwell, free of the darkness,
forever.”

No one spoke. Shock filled
each soul as they pondered the words and wondered how Falinn Viden
seemed to know they were there. None of them had ever laid eyes on
such a book, but it seemed as though the reading of those words had
stirred the hearts of the emperor and council to consider what
Wiltzer had told them.

“It has been a long time
since I have read these words, for I had all but forgotten such
truth existed outside of Hozekan.” A tear escaped Falinn Viden’s
eyes, dripping down his cheek and falling to the page below. “My
friends, there are no truer words and the time is upon
us.”

Falinn Viden looked up, “Forgive us my
people, for in trying to hide us from the Darkness it seems we have
also kept you from the truth.”

Unrest in the Land of
Erde

Mighty unrest now resided
in the Land of Erde. Trachten, the Land of the Seekers, had been
attacked and overrun with Gottlos and Ubils, with the setting up of
the image by Jagare. Dartego’s last word was a warning to Ciafus
and the Sealed at Kirche of the coming Ekleipsis. Nesal had been
attacked from within by Labo, carrying both the mark and the weapon
of the Darkness. Vandor and Kayla rushed toward Trachten in search
for his grandfather MaZak and onward to Signum to speak to the
Sealed, while recently met Wiltzer and his wife warned their dwarf
brothers and sisters in Hozekan.

§ Trachten
§

Known as the Land of the Seekers –
being the place where the inhabitants of Erde visited twice a year
to enquire into all that was new and different – Trachten was
overwhelmed with disgust. Large, brute beasts, namely Gottlos, had
taken captive all who had survived the rampage of Rubicund and
their attacks. The Gibborims were there, awaiting the order to be
given by their brother Jagare granting them permission to wreak
havoc throughout all of Erde at their pleasure.

In Palvolin, of Trachten, a great
image was raised, set there by Jagare, which towered above all the
buildings of Erde. The iron Dragon, covering the core made from the
clay of Oscuridad, was overlaid with gold. It stood massive upon
its muscular legs, with its wings extended from side to side, head
raised high with open jaws, showing its fierce teeth. Its tail sat
on the ground, curling around to the front of its body, where the
image continued with a golden-plated, iron Jagare standing strong,
driving his sword into the heart of King Salvare’s Book of Wisdom
beneath his feet.

Jagare stood facing the image with
his brothers. His arrogance overwhelmed his soul, for he was proud
beyond measure of his image. His desire was to conquer with the
sword. Of all who dwelt in Erde, every knee would bow and every
tongue would proclaim him as their majesty. There would be no mercy
for the soul who dared not fall down and worship at the feet of the
image, and confess Jagare king of Erde.

“My brothers,
the time has come for you to bow down to the image, which I have
set up. For, in this image shall we conquer Erde, and bring every
soul under obedience to their new king. I shall be the almighty
king and you shall serve me as my right arm.” Jagare turned to face
his brothers – all but Desgosto, who he slew aforetime. “At the
sound of the chants of the heks
^
of Oscuridad, may each soul pay reverence to the image or
endure the fire of the Dragon.”

At the rising of the sun, reaching noon, the
heks began their chants. The sound of harmonic hums could be heard
in unison with unknown tongues. The smooth, soft sound gradually
increased to a constant octave of medium tone. It was simple, yet
hypnotizing, seeming to move within one’s mind and
spirit.

“Jagare, have you gone mad? What need do we
have with an image to bow down to, and the silly chants of these
witches?” questioned Abejoti. “I have doubts these things will
serve us any purpose in bringing the people of Erde to grabble at
our feet.”

Jagare turned in disgust, “Why must my own
blood doubt and defy me at every turn? Shall I be worshiped by Erde
if my own kinsmen do not treat me with due reverence?” Snarling in
anger, he cried, “Rubicund, come forth!”

From behind them, opposite the
image, came forth the magnificent beast. He had been there all
along, merely hidden from the eyes of the persons he watched. His
power was unknown, his strength unmatched, his countenance feared.
Standing above the height of the image, fiercer than any image
could portray, he covered the sun, causing a shadow to drape around
Jagare and his brothers.

Jagare’s brothers tensed and held
their stance still. None dared to move or speak as the Dragon
towered above them. With smoke flowing from his large nostrils and
the rumbling of the furnace within his bosom, his large emerald
eyes sparkled, focusing directly upon Abejoti. The other brothers
sensed its thoughts and slowly stepped backwards, ever so lightly.
As the Dragon lowered his mighty head their pace
increased.

Abejoti turned to Jagare, as the Dragon drew
nigh, “Have you no mercy for your own blood?”

“I no longer share blood with you, dear
Abejoti; for my blood doest come from the Dragon, and in that blood
do I have life and power.”

With that said, Abejoti looked
back to the Dragon to meet his end. The flames from the jaws of
Rubicund, the beast from Kriminala Pasaule, of whom little was
known but much was feared, engulfed Abejoti. His cries could be
heard over the chants of the heks, and though these brothers were
mighty men, chills still raced down their grimy muscular
backs.

Jagare turned to the brothers,
lamenting not over what had just transpired, “Cry not for Abejoti,
for I have sent him to the bowels of Erde, to be tormented with
Desgosto. Tell me this day, whom will ye serve? Will it be self or
will it be king Jagare?”

The brothers voiced their
obedience to Jagare. “Well then, hear ye not the sound of the heks?
Bow down to the image which I have set up, and prove your
allegiance to the almighty of Erde.”

Obedience was followed by the
brothers. It was but the beginning, whereby all of the Gottlos,
Gibborims, and servants of the Darkness bowed the knee to the
Wicked One. They professed him as lord of Erde, swearing obedience,
and receiving the mark; if by chance, they did not already bare it.
This day was for the servants of Darkness, but tomorrow and hence
forth would be the fate of all who dwelt in Erde.

§ Signum
§

In Signum, inside the walls
of Kirche, the Sealed met to assess the concerns of the recent
knowledge of the Land of the Seekers and the rising talk of the
Ekleipsis. Word had arrived from villages around Trachten, that
indeed, there was a great army dwelling there. News of small
Gottlos’ groups tormenting some of the neighboring villages, taking
their maidens and children, and slaying anyone who opposed them was
also brought forth.

The council room was full
front to back, elbow-to-elbow with men and women of the Sealed.
Those who were currently in Signum, along with those notified from
the surrounding villages had gathered to hear the words of Ciafus,
the Auctoritas. The air was full of voices of the current stories
concerning Trachten, the Gottlos, Jagare and his brothers, and the
Ekleipsis, along with ideas and thoughts as to what should and
should not be done. Even as they mingled, there were those of the
Sealed who were presently moving to warn the people of Erde, to
tell them what they needed to do and to where they needed to
go.

As Ciafus
entered the room, silence rippled through the crowd. He took his
seat at the table with the council, which had been pushed to the
far end of the room, being there were not enough chairs to
accommodate all of the people. To the rear of the table, there
behind Ciafus mounted to the wall, was a large map of Erde with a
red marking located near the top north east portion. Many took note
of it, for most had never seen such. A large copy of King Salvare’s
Book of Wisdom lay upon the table in front of Ciafus. Next to the
King’s Book sat a smaller book, having the cover engraved with
Geheim
^
.

§ §

“Geheim” was not a word used by the
people of Erde, nor was it a term that many had ever heard. In
fact, it was both a name and a place which had been hidden well
since the departure of King Salvare to Himmel, the kingdom of his
father King Allmachtig many years ago. It had been a well-guarded
secret, known only to the Auctoritas, the council, and the souls
who had chosen to work and live in Geheim since the
beginning.

Geheim was created as a
place of refuge for the people of Erde from the Darkness. It dwelt
to the east of Signum, along the Liban River, through the Ascuns
Forest, past Nesal and Breckenly, deep into the Cadas Mountains,
nourished by Lake Szikla. The Great Awakening came before it was
stable enough for the inhabitants of Erde, but it had since been
strengthened and supplied, if ever there were a need; for Jagare
and his brothers did yet live.