The Estian Alliance

CHAPTER 18

3rd September - Inside the Light

The multitude of differing sounds and images which greeted him were at first just a haze to Jake, nothing more than blurred shadows which lined on both sides a tunnel that appeared to have no end. Nevertheless, they brought with them a strange kind of familiarity, a soothing feeling of hope and optimism, which comforted the youngster almost to the point of bliss. He had almost forgotten what it was like to be so happy and it felt wonderful. As he continued to hurtle through the vortex at tremendous speed, the images suddenly slowed down without warning, until they were keeping pace with him almost and he could see them clearly as they passed by. Though he was looking at them through a kind of wave effect which distorted his view a little, he was able to make out what was happening and even pick out individuals. Unlike his previous experiences, this time he was completely in control and the journey home appeared to take far longer to complete. It lasted a good few minutes at least, during which time he stared with fascination and wonder at the images which surrounded him. Through the unclear air he saw battles, weird and wonderful lands he did not know, as well as hideous creatures, warriors of all shapes and sizes, and beings existing somewhere between life and death. With intense curiosity he noticed that in every single picture there was a human being, just like him.

‘They’re Keepers!’ he realised, his heart beating faster all of a sudden. ‘They’re all my ancestors!’

Jake West was staring at a moving picture show. The sides of the tunnel had become an extraordinary, unbelievable pictorial record of his family’s past, the battles they had fought, the victories they had won throughout their existence as they all fought as Keepers, to protect the stones and defeat the various forces of evil who hunted them. The short sequences of events traced the defining experiences of each Keeper’s life. Some had but a few and appeared in one or two images only, but others, like Harry, had many. Jake’s mind was now emptied of everything but the scenes before him. He tried his hardest to take in every single second of this journey, to watch and learn as much as he possibly could, in whatever time he had. Everything else paled into insignificance right now, for Jake was living an impossible dream, feeling on top of the world. He did not want the exhilarating ride to stop.

The final image he saw once again involved Harry. His grandfather was standing on a battlefield, next to a very young looking King Artrex, who was as usual accompanied by Knesh Corian. Suddenly, a runner appeared from out of nowhere, sweat pouring from him as he fought hard to catch his breath. He appeared to deliver some devastating news. It was a report which had the King immediately distraught. The great warrior fell to knees, crying. Harry and Knesh tried to help him up, but Artrex refused to move. Before Jake could fathom out what had happened, the image disappeared and the light ahead of him suddenly tore itself apart.

Jake tumbled through the opening at speed. He fell onto a hard and shiny surface and slid along it for a split second, before a solid wall brought him to a sudden and crashing halt. His shoulder took the brunt of the impact and he cried out in pain. It was almost dislocated with the force of the blow, which winded him badly.

Recovering quickly due to his Keeper’s powers, he looked up. All he could see around him in the tiny room was a white toilet and a sink, besides the box of stones he had dropped in the far corner as he fell. Jake sighed with relief as he saw that the light was still shining.

“What was that?!”

The startled voice sounded loudly. It was coming from the other side of a closed wooden door, from an adjoining room. Jake rose to his feet and rubbed his aching shoulder. The pain was leaving his body so quickly as he rubbed that it felt unnatural, but the unmistakeable sound of approaching footsteps made him stop. With nowhere to go, he waited helplessly to be discovered. For those few seconds his heart began to beat faster than it ever had, for if he was prevented from returning to Estia now, all would be lost. He found it strange that he should react in such a way, for he had faced far more dangerous situations and remained perfectly calm.

The door opened slowly, cautiously. A pair of nervous looking eyes scanned the room, looking for the culprit responsible for the unexpected noise, the crash which had sounded so loudly in a place they knew to be unoccupied.

“Dad!” Jake cried out happily. He could hardly believe his eyes, or his good fortune. “Oh dad, I was hoping and praying you would be here,” he added, without pausing for breath. Almost immediately, a second head appeared, looking over his father’s shoulder in disbelief. “Is that…?” it began, shocked and amazed to hear and recognise Jake’s voice. “Jake! It’s you! It’s actually you! Come here!”

June West pushed her husband aside in her exuberance and rushed to hug her only son. Tears of unadulterated joy exploded from within her at the sight of him. She held him closely, more tightly than she ever had. It seemed that she would never let him go again, and she was trembling, shaking uncontrollably with excitement and relief.

“Alright, alright, save some for me,” said Graham, when it became apparent that June was not going to let go. He stepped forward and June reluctantly passed Jake over to his father, like a rag doll. The ecstatic teenager did not object though. Instead, he fell into his father’s arms and he knew instantly that he would be perfectly content to remain there forever, if only he could. June looked on only for a second or two before saying, “Oh, to hell with this!” and throwing her arms around them both.

The family embrace felt like heaven to Jake but, despite his contentment, he knew that time was short and he had to act swiftly. He pushed them both away gently, with some difficulty, before he tried to explain what was happening. “No, please? I’m sorry, I have no time for this; I have a job to do. This fight ain’t over. Not yet. You both have to listen to me.”

Frowns of frustration and disappointment crossed his parent’s brows. They obviously believed that their son had returned for good this time, and they could not hide their unhappiness. However, after all they had learned, all they knew about their son’s destiny and his role as a Keeper, they realised that it brought with it dangers and responsibilities he could not avoid, or ignore.

“What is it, Jake? Tell us, we will not interrupt,” June replied, speaking for them both.

“Thanks, I was hoping you’d say that,” answered Jake, with a smile. “Okay, first things first, how’s granddad?”

“Why don’t you come and see for yourself?” his father answered, a beaming smile raising Jake’s hopes in an instant.

Jake followed them into the private room and immediately saw that his grandfather was sitting up in his bed, a tray of uneaten food lying across his lap. He rushed over, pushed the tray away, flung himself across Harry’s chest, and hugged him as best he could, though he was careful not to press too hard against him given his condition. “Yes! Granddad, you’re back!” he cried, eventually.

Harry chuckled slightly at his grandson’s typical response as he gently pushed Jake away. He looked him in the face, gave a very weak cough, and then replied to him in a weak and feeble voice. “Yes Jay, I’m back. No overgrown wolf is gonna beat me. It’s so good to see you. But, I think we’d better save our reunion for another time? We need to explain what has happened, why you’re here. He needs to know.”

Graham instinctively knew that they were talking about him. He approached the bed and retook his seat with June. “Dad?” he asked, inviting an explanation.

Harry turned his head towards Jake as he spoke. “Your boy has something to tell you. But, to save time, I will cut to the chase… Your mother, she is alive!”

“Wh… What?!” shrieked Graham, in a voice far higher than any man they knew possessed. Jake’s eyes also widened with shock and surprise. He was astounded by Harry’s knowledge.

“That’s impossible! How can that be?” asked June, who was equally as dumbfounded as everyone else. “She’s dead, has been for years?!”

Everyone looked at Jake. His mouth was wide open. The realisation had just dawned on him, hitting him like a sledgehammer right between the eyes. His head and eyes turned back towards his grandfather, as a sickly feeling filled his gut. “The old woman! The one with Ben and Verastus. She was…? She is…? Oh my God! How could I have been so blind? Ben, he was tryin’ to tell me summin.’ I should’ve listened, I should have…!”

“No time for that now, Jake,” Harry interrupted, sharply. “You have to talk and explain, and quick!”

“Err… Yeah, I know, you’re right. Okay, I’ll explain a little. Knesh was as strong as anyone… I’ve been told this stone will be strong also, so it should give us a little time. You’ll all have to wait for the full version. I… Hang on! How did you know, granddad?”

“I told you before you left, I’ve had visions of your journey,” Harry replied, his answer kept deliberately short and sweet. He turned immediately to his son, Graham. “You have to go back with him. You have to help.”

“Eh?!” Graham responded, absolutely astonished at the ridiculous, ludicrous statement. “Are you mad? I’m no Keeper. I am not even…!”

“You are family. You are of our blood,” stated Harry. “Like it or not, you carry the same genes within you as all Keepers. You have the power, even if you do not know it.”

“Well, thanks for bringing that up now, after all this time! But, why? Why must I go?” asked Graham.

It was Jake who answered. “Granddad’s right, dad. That’s why I returned, to get you. We only have a few minutes more at best, until the light disappears forever and we are trapped here. The box is not yet fixed. It won’t work unless all of the stones are replaced. The last of them is with King Vantrax, and he is the most powerful of all the wizards. I have to take it from him. I’ll do it, but I’m not strong enough to do it alone. Trust me, it’s gonna take both of us to…”

“The three of us you mean?” interrupted Harry. As all eyes fell upon him once again, a look of complete determination overcame his face. “I am going with you!”

He pushed the tray further away and then pulled back the bedclothes, before swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, once the others had moved out of his way. Every movement was painfully slow and he breathed hard and fast. He felt as if he had just run a mile.

“You can’t, granddad. This is ridiculous. You’re not strong enough, just look at you!” said Jake.

“Yes, Harry, listen to your grandson?” pleaded June. She tried to rush to his aid but Harry held up his hand and refused her help. “…Oh, come on? You can hardly stand. What good will you be?”

Harry placed his feet down firmly on the floor. With great difficulty, he pushed down hard on his weakened legs and stood upright. He was shaking, but he was once again standing on his own two feet. The others saw something in his eye they had never seen before, a fiery resolve which almost had them scared. “This is not my first action. It has to be this way. There is nothing else to say. ‘Three Keepers…At least,’ remember?”

“That… That’s what Nittrii-Hebul said!” stated Jake, amazed once again by Harry’s awareness.

“Nittrii…?” began Graham.

“It does not matter.”

Harry cut him off before they were delayed further by the need for yet more explanations. “…The power in that stone will revive me, enough to complete the task, I hope. If we succeed, the box of stones will do the rest. If not, well it will not matter too much, will it? They will come. Now, let’s go, we’ve been here long enough. Let’s defeat this wizard and save my wife! Ha! You do not know what it means to be able to say those words. I would give everything I have just to see her one last time, to hold her in my arms.”

“Err… Save her? Does she need saving?” asked Graham, confused.

“You will see when we get there, son,” replied Harry. “Prepare yourself for the shock of your life. Everything you are about to see and experience, is something I tried my hardest to shield you from. Now at least, you may begin to understand why? Pass me my clothes.”

Harry dressed in double quick time with help from Jake. As he did, June said a quick goodbye to them all. “My entire family are heading off to war,” she said, as she kissed her son. Tears were streaming down her face once again. “I never thought I’d see this day. I love you all, but I feel so, helpless.”

“I know. I’m sorry mum. I can’t imagine what it must be like for you, but can you just run interference for us please? Try to stall the nurses and doctors for as long as you can? Tell ‘em that granddad’s on the toilet, or in the shower?”

“Yes, I’ll try, Jake. You just go, and leave it to me,” June answered, wiping away her tears. She turned to her husband. “Graham, now don’t you go being a hero! Remember, it’s your first time out there as a Keeper. It’s going to be weird for you, but you’ll have to listen to Jake for a change. He’s the teacher now and you’re the pupil, okay?”

“Yes, yes, I know. I promise you, it will be the first and last time I ever have anything to do with these stones… And you needn’t worry; I’m no hero. I never wanted to be one.”

June kissed him tenderly on the cheek. “You’re my hero, and don’t you go forgetting it! Always have been, always will be.”

“Okay, let’s go,” said Harry, as soon as he was ready. Jake and Graham helped him to walk to the en suite bathroom, where the light was still shining out of the box. Harry halted them briefly before they stepped into the brightness. “This is all that matters for us right now. Cast every thought from your mind except for this battle, this war. It’s about righting the wrongs done to our family. It’s about taking back what is rightfully ours. Save any doubts you may have for another time and place. We cannot falter, we dare not fail!

Jean, we’re coming darling, we’re coming!”

* * *

Three generations of Keepers were now inside the light. Their combined powers were such that this journey seemed to take forever. Each of the images played out before them on the sides of the tunnel was like an individual movie trailer. They began with the first of the Keepers, Jacob West, and they ended with Harry himself. It was a glorious, living history lesson, and it was being played out right before their eyes in real time. The story of all the Keepers to date was revealed in short segments, the key battles fought by every one of their ancestors who had bore the title with such dignity and bravery, the saviours of countless worlds, were shown one by one.

Harry was enthralled to once again experience the sensation of travelling through the light, though he was amazed and delighted to be travelling for so long, and to find everything so clear. In his previous time as a Keeper, Harry had taken the same journey on many occasions, but his powers were nowhere near those of Jake and the images had been hazy and blurred. Now though, not only could he see them clearly, and he was actually able to see himself, to hear the noises and watch the action unfold, as his own memories were played out before him.

Jake managed to grab hold of his father’s hand. Together, they stared avidly at the scenes all around them. There was no need for words; the gravity of what was happening was not lost on either of them. For the very first time, Graham began to understand everything his father and those who came before him had done. He realised with disbelief and horror all his father had gone through, what he had endured, and all that he had tried to save him from. A solitary tear rolled down his cheek, a single drop of guilt, of shame for the way he had behaved. He remembered how he had blamed his father for everything that had happened, and his feelings were made worse by the knowledge that he had been spared, when his only son had not.

Once again, the final images revolved entirely around Harry. The battles fought were many. The wars he had waged as a young man on worlds so different from our own were bloody and frequent, often on a scale that could scarcely be imagined, and the scenes of his triumphs now blew his son and grandson away. All the time, everyone had believed he was away with his regiment. Jake and Graham stared at the back of Harry’s head, as he hurtled through the light ahead of them. They looked at the little old man they knew and loved, the ‘gentle pensioner who wouldn’t hurt a fly if he could help it.’ They would always love him, they knew that. But, they would view him with different eyes after today.

Finally, the last of the images appeared. This time it was not a battle they saw on some strange world, but an image of a house on Earth, a house that was just like any other house they might know. They each saw Jean as a young woman. She was sitting in the living room and she was bound to a chair. Standing over her was the frightening, terrifying and mighty figure of Sawdon!

All three Keepers were suddenly overcome by intense emotion. But, before they could make sense of what they were seeing and feeling, the light ahead of them opened up to reveal a host of long-bladed grass.