Chapter 19

By Erik Brown

Rei stared out a window. He was kneeling at the window, and felt a bit uncomfortable because of it. The comfy chair was gone from the room, it had been sold. In fact, most of the room had been sold, not just furniture, but cabinets, doors, lights, and even drywall. It had all been sold for travel funds, food and board and supplies. It was quite enough when you factored in the illegal funds from the selling of extremely dangerous firearms.

Rei was ready to leave, he knew that he'd be much happier in the open country, away from the smog and noise. His bags were packed, and in the pile with other suitcases and boxes.

Aerot sat on the ground nearby, cutting away at another block of wood. Rei was bored as well for that very reason, Aerot had been too absorbed into carving, and Servan too much into her brooding plans. So Rei had just sat at the window, staring out and wondering. At least they were leaving, just as soon as Servan got back from buying some dondises to travel on.

He chuckled to himself, here he was leaving another place. First he had left his dull life and his very world, and now he was leaving the new life he had started on the North World. Yeah, now he was really leaving any chance to go back to Chassy. He was caught up in some big waves, and once they subsided, would there be time to go back. No, so he had cut the remaining chains with that letter, and now he was ready to travel somewhere else.

The timid sounds of carving suddenly stopped, as Aerot said in a hushed tone, "Someone's at the door, it's not Servan," tension filled the room, as Aerot's ears began to twitch. Rei looked over at the wolf, he was motioning to Rei to sit still, and be quiet. Flipping his knife so that the tip pointed down, Aerot slowly got up, and crept to the door. He flung it open, as a sword blade swung at his head.

Aerot dodged the attack, and leapt back. The attacker came into view, a very large weasel, wearing thick armor, and brandishing a huge sword. Weasel and wolf, fighting with their blades, snarling at each other. Clearly the weasel was powerful and skilled, but Aerot was much more developed in ability, as he was able to deflect even the most powerful blows with his carving knife. It was quite a sight to be hold, neither of the fighters were able to lay a blow on each other, but Rei couldn't stand to see two friends fight in such a struggle.

Indeed, the weasel was none other than Skabar Tselent, before Rei could ask him why he was where he was, first he had to stop the two from chopping each other to bits. "Aerot! Skabar! Stop!"

Knife and sword stopped just short of cutting, as both of the fighters turned to Rei and asked in tandem, "You know this guy?"

…

Rei barely had a moment to introduce the two, when Skabar was in front of him, holding Rei by his collar. Coldly and greatly angered, Skabar demanded of Rei, "What is this?" He held the letter that Rei had written to Chassy.

Rei was more than surprised, "What? Why do you have that?"

"It fell into my hands strictly by chance, but thank goodness I got it before that poor girl did. What were you thinking? You love her don't you!"

Rei wasn't expecting to have his emotions judged in such a way, "Y-yes, but…"

"Don't be so miserable! You should return to her!"

Aerot cut in, "Actually we were about to be traveling. We, Servan and I, desperetly need Rei."

Skabar let go of Rei, and turned to Aerot and asked, "Where are you taking Rei?"

Aerot explained, "The country that I and Servan work for, is somewhat more sensitive to religious matters than your Empire, and we have seen that the desert east of here is a very touchy epicenter of events. In a few short weeks, it is nessecary that we have Rei there."

Skabar was bewildered, "What? That's prepostouros, this bird? What's so special about him?"

"Well, first of all there's his ancestor Lulf, who slew the Dragon Queen of this continent, I assume you've heard of that story?"

Skabar shrugged, "Of course, everyone knows that story."

"Well, have you heard the story of Rei's Great Grandfather, Dedrik Kiljrow?" Aerot knew the answer, but he waited for Skabar to shake his head, before he explained, "Actually I'm getting ahead of myself, how much did Rei tell you about himself?"

He thought about it, "Well, not too much. The most important thing in my mind is that Rei is throwing away a great love with a girl named Chassy in Nogrias, the two where Rei was living. I was told he was coming to Marburg to join Sieve."

"You know that Sieve has been destroyed?"

"Yes, all the more reason why I had to find Rei, and make sure he was safe."

"Oh, are you his bodyguard?" Aerot asked.

Skabar sort of winced, "Actually it was my wife, she really connected with this bird, and wanted that nothing bad happened to him. She wanted to see him returned to Chassy, or else she'd hurt me."

Aerot restrained laughter, "I see." Then he continued with what he was going to say, "So, Rei didn't tell you that he isn't from this world?"

"What?" Skabar was taken back by this, "No, I've never even heard of such a thing."

Knowingly Aerot nodded, "It's happened only a few times on the North World. Once long ago, Lulf traveled from the North World to a new world. After him Dedrik was summoned here. You know the story of Beuter and the Empire?"

"I've heard of it. Most are told about the birth of our Empire. What did Dedrik have to do with this?"

"A warrior named Valgain had teamed up with Dedrik, and together they killed Beuter. The death of Beuter created the desert, a lifeless land. Now it may be farfetched to say it is all destiny--" Rei was about to ask about Valgain, as he had not heard about this before, when Skabar interrupted instead.

"Actually, I am a firm believer in destiny."

Aerot clapped his hands together, "Oh, excellent! Now think about it, Lulf, Dedrik, and now Rei. Dedrik and Rei were drawn to their ancestor's homeworld, both in times of dire need. We not only believe, but know that Rei is nessecary to the continuation of this world, and will also destroy the Emperor. 1500 years is much too long for a ruler to live and rule an Empire, eh?"

Aerot's face suddenly looked sour, and he grew somewhat white, "Oh, maybe I shouldn't be telling you this. Dang it, Servan probably wanted this to be kept a secret."

"Actually I'm glad you told me this, but it puts me in a serious bind. I'm very serious about tasks I'm given (especially by my wife), I was told to protect Rei and get him back to Chassy, and that's what I'm going to do."

"Well," Aerot thought it over. He felt his arm, which was sore from deflecting Skabar's attack, "We could probably use you as a bodyguard, heh, the occupation I had you mixed up in. I'd have to run it by Servan, and you'd need a dondis to ride on, you got some money?"

He eyed Rei, "I spent most of my money digging up information on Rei and where Servan lived, but I do have a dondis to ride."

Aerot was about to say something, when Rei cried out, "Don't I get a say in this?"

"Hmm?" Aerot looked at him, "What do you want to say?"

More so being difficult, he asked, "What if I think Skabar's right, and I just want to return to Chassy?"

"Then life ends, no biggie."

Rei shook his head, this wasn't where he was going, "I mean… like I'm being dragged around by everyone. Feel like…" Tero's words came back to haunt him, " Like we're just on a ride, that we've got no say in what's happening."

Skabar shook his head, "Look, you and I can write a letter to our beloveds, but you've got a bigger destiny to commit to. Look at it on the brightside, you're helping out all of life in a very big way!"

He felt tired, "Yeah, you're right." Then Rei remembered something else, "Say, Aerot, you mentioned something about Valgain, right? What do you know about him?"

"Well, not much really. He's barely mentioned in old text, just alongside you're Great Grandfather. Guess you'd have to ask him yourself, heh."

Suddenly Rei felt chilled, straight to the bone. A haunting flute whispered in his ear, "Gyah."

Skabar and Aerot turned to him, one of them asked, "Hey, what's going on?" Rei couldn't see who it was, his eyesight had suddenly grown very cloudy. Soon his limbs grew numb, and he felt himself slipping away.

What was going on? He felt like something was calling him far away. The flute melody began to grow louder and louder, and soon it was beating harshly at his eardrums. No longer could he see or feel, he was lost in a floating darkness. It didn't make any sense. He managed to blurt out, "Where am I?" but the sound of the flute drowned out his words.

Barely audible, he thought he heard a reply, "You are now me."

Rei looked around, barely able to see, "What?"

Suddenly a figure appeared in the darkness, it was a young bird. The bird looked very much like Rei, yellow feathers and a similar face, and while he was younger you could tell he was very mature for his age. "Hello breatheren!"

Utterly confused, he exclaimed, "Who are you?"

"My name is Dedrik Kiljrow, and yours?"

Rei shook his head, "Rei, it's Rei… but how is this? I thought you were dead?"

Dedrik tsk tsked Rei, "You must be ancestor of mine, but oh please don't tell me how I die!"

"I'm sorry… but actually you're my Great Grandfather."

"Oh, how wonderful! Well, I must be going, it was nice to meet you Rei."

Rei was almost content with letting Dedrik go off, but then he shouted at him, "Hey could you do a favor for me?"

"Oh, what's that?"

"When you get back to your world, and you build a cave… well you'll figure that one out, but could you make a letter to me there? Tell me to be strong, and just encourage me. Okay?"

Dedrik wondered about this, but eventually agreed, "Sure thing. And for you, just ask Valgain what's going on, okay?"

"Wait, can't you?"

"Sorry, people to see."

And with that, a blinding light filled Rei's eyes. When he could see again, he noticed that he was out in nature. He was sitting on a log, looking into a fire. A gun, an old carbine, lay in his lap. The clothes he wore were scratchy and unnatural. On the up and up, he felt fantastic! He was obviously in the body of a well fit teenager. After sitting around in a smog filled room, doing very little, suddenly finding himself in a well excercised body was amazingly refreshing.

Rei looked around the fire, he saw two others were around the fire. One was Valgain, who was just about to pluck a string on a lyre. The other one at the fire looked like a bird, but was too far into the shadows for Rei to make out who it was. Though Rei did notice the bird had wings. Whoever it was sagged low in his seat, and had sunk his head to a miserable low.

Before he started playing Valgain looked over at Rei. "Hey Dedrik, anything the matter?" he asked. He smiled. "Oh, I get it, you've got another one of your ancestors in you again, don't you?"

Rei marveled at Valgain, here he was, indeed a warrior. He seemed to be about twenty years younger then when Rei had first met him at the Treasure shop. Valgain's body was roughly cut, but perfectly built. Strong, powerful, and imposing. Everything that you could imagine a Knight of old to look like.

Rei was bewildered. "Huh?"

Valgain chuckled. "Heh, yeah. You're a lost Kiljrow in there. I bet he didn’t tell you what he was up to."

"No, actually. Can you tell me what happened?"

He shrugged. "Far as I can tell Dedrik just leaves his body now and then, and a spirit of one of his ancestors takes over. Its really weird, but that's how it is. Anyway, who are you?"

"Um, I'm Dedrik's great-grandson, Rei."

The winged bird on the other side of the fire looked up at Rei with a fast motion. "Rei," the word snapped from his mouth. "My God! Rei is it you?"

Rei knew that he had heard that voice before. He pushed back layers of memories to try and place it. "Tero?"

Valgain was puzzled, as he looked back and forth between the two birds. "You know each other?"

Tero nodded. "Yea we do! Rei's my best friend! Aren't you?"

He looked across the fire into his friend's eyes. Rei didn't know what to say. He hadn't heard or seen Tero for fifteen years! For all Rei knew even now he might never see Tero again. But what to say? He knew he had to pick his words carefully, after all, he could see that this Tero was still a child, no older than last he saw him. And what about that spirit Beuter? Was he still there?

Rei nodded. "Yeah. We're great friends.

His friend smiled and solemnly shook his head. "I knew I'd be able to talk to you again. You wouldn't belive what happened to me!" He laughed. "Well you were there, you knew all that bad stuff? With Beuter and everything?"

"Yea. I remember."

Tero laughed again. It was a young, soft-hearted laugh. "He's gone, Rei. When I came to the North World we were split apart."

Rei smiled. "That's wonderful, Tero."

The red bird nodded his head in Valgain's direction. "Remember that weird stuff I used to say, about fate? How we're stuck with what we get?"

"Yeah."

"Valgain here is a leader of a group of revolutionaries. We're protecting the peace that’s covered this land. Right now the land around here is struggling to recover from this big war that happened. During that war the previous king, King Beuter, was thought dead. But that was wrong, and now he's trying to take back his kingdom. Me, Valgain, and Dedrik are waiting here to ambush him and kill him."

He was split between what his friend said, and the hindsight with which he saw the world. Now the Mayor's words made sense. The first gold bird was Lulf, and the second was Dedrik. So, Rei now sat on the North World, fifteen hundred years later he would come as the third gold bird. Tero was truly lost to him.

It all made sense. Beuter would come that night, and he would die. His spirit would go with the Eclipse Stone and Dedrik to Rei's world. The spirit of Beuter would take over Tero, and convince him to take the Eclipse Stone and go to the North World, so that he could conqueor it. But they become split apart, Tero goes to this time and the Eclipse Stone remains with Rei.

Rei had already tried to change his fate once, and failed. This time he had to let things go the way they should.

Rei stood up. "Get him for me and you, friend."

"Yeah!"

"Valgain," Rei said to the turtle. "Can I speak with you in private?"

He put down his lyre. "Sure."

The two walked away from the fire, leaving Tero behind. When they were alone enough, Rei turned to Valgain. "There's some answers I want from you."

The turtle chuckled. "Shoot!"

"Why are you really fighting Beuter, and don't lie, I know the future."

"Heh, yea of course you know the future, but there's some information I want from you first." He reached under his armor and brought out the Eclipse Stone. He then held it in front of Rei. "Do you know what this is?"

The stone shone brightly before him, brighter than he had ever seen it before. How long had it been in that cave in the darkness? "Yes, that is the Eclipse Stone."

Valgain smiled evilly, which made Rei a bit uncomfortable. "Heh, and you know that with it I can kill Beuter."

Rei narrowed his eyes. "Not when it burns your hand to hold it."

He frowned and put the Stone away. "Tonight Beuter shall appear in this clearing, and I shall kill him. Not just becaue he is a tyrant, but because I want my revenge against him."

Rei just about lost it. "Revenge?" Rei shouted. "That's why I've been dragged into this? Because of revenge!"

"I shall pierce his breast with my sword while I hold the stone. He will die, but I know that his spirit will persist." He pointed an accusing finger at Rei. "And you won't stop me!"

Rei stood his ground. "I can't stop you, not unless I change time itself, and I am not prepared to do that."

Valgain smiled and began to laugh. "Then you've never heard, even in your own time? That a 'bird with gold feathers' would come to destroy Beuter. If that happens how could I attain revenge? I would be nothing but a haunting specter then!"

"You're insane." He put his hand to his side and felt a sword. "I've been thinking. I once tried to change my life, to change all the events that had happened before, but I found I could not. Now I think that if I kill you I wouldn't change anything, somehow time would rearrange itself anyway."

The turtle shook his head. "You wouldn't get the chance to kill me."

His hand wrapped around the sword handle. "Is that so…"

Rei drew the sword quick and strong, but Valgain was too quick for him. Valgain slapped the sword from Rei's hand, then grasped the bird by his shoulders. Rei let out a yelp in pain, the turtle was very strong.

"No, you won't stop me, not if I kill you first." Valgain threw Rei to the ground, then took his sword out of its sheathe. He raised his sword above Rei, and brought it down.

Rei watched from afar as Dedrik's body rolled out of the way, picked up a large piece of wood, and cracked Valgain across the head with it. Dedrik than spat at the body, and rolled it over. He touched the Eclipse Stone and vanished. Rei stood in midair and wondered what had just happened.

"You were pushed out of Dedrik's body, it would have been detrimental to everything if you had died then."

Rei tried to look to his side where he though the voice came from, but he found he didn't have a body. He was just the wind in the air. So he tried to speak instead. "What is going on?" His voice sounded like a guitar.

"I've kept you here on this ghost plain to talk to you." The more he thought about it, the more the voice sounded like a lyre.

"Ghost plain?"

"It’s the plain of existence of angels and demons, but sometimes we mortals can walk here. Its not a very good place to be though, you are extremely susciptable to spiritual attack."

Rei tried to yell, but his voice only increased in bass. "I want my body back!"

"Sheesh, calm down would you."

"I'm a ghost and I'm also some prophecy bird, forget calm I'm living in hysteria!"

"Alright, look, give me ten minutes and I'll send you back, deal?"

Rei strummed. "Okay, but only ten minutes."

"Right. So you just witnessed the going of Dedrik. Your ancestor, unlike you, figured out the every nuance of the Eclipse Stone and Sword, and so at the point he left he gave the Eclipse Weapons orders on where to go. He ordered the Stone to a cave he knew of, and he ordered the sword to the depths of the sea. Those were mistakes, as you know. He knew that the cave was the burying ground of some dragons that died there a long time ago, but he wanted to make up for Lulf killing them all in the first place. He figured that he would give them their Eclipse Stone. Of course he forgot there are sea dragons on your world."

"There are? I've never heard about them."

"Well, they live in depths so deep that only they can survive. So as the sea dragons brought the sword to the surface, it resonated with the Stone and it was like a homing beacon to Beuter's spirit. When I killed h--"

Rei cut the lyre off. "Valgain! You bastard!"

"Calm down, I'm not like I was when I was young. I was a hot head."

"And now you’re a roving ghost?"

"Yea, that was a big mistake on my part. I've realized my error, and that’s why I want you to kill Beuter."

Rei thought about it. "Let me guess, after Tero died he took over another body."

Silence. Rei began to worry. "Valgain? Don't leave me as a ghost!"

"Calm down! I'm brooding. You don't know do you?"

"Know what?"

Again a moment of silence. Then Valgain began to speak again. "Tero was kept alive by his exposure to the Eclipse Stone. After the scenario below, where I killed Beuter, the Tero you met continued to live for 1500 years."

This time Rei was silent. "That-that's insane! So my friend is still alive on the North World I've been living in?"

"Not only that, he is the Emperor."

"Then that means that--"

"Beuter is still inside of him."

"And I need to kill Beuter… does that mean I have to kill Tero too?"

"He's no longer Tero, only Beuter."

"No."

"What?"

"Then where did Tero go? Does his spirit persist on the ghost plain?"

"No."

"Then where is Tero?"

"Look, this is hard to tell you. His spirit was dissolved. Beuter took over, and Tero didn't want to become a ghost, so he just faded away."

"You're lying!"

Silence.

"Don't think you can hide behind lies here! I don't know the truth, but I know that’s not what you're giving me."

"You're being a fool. Listen to me--"

"Silence," Rei shouted in a high octave. "Send me back right now! I'm going to go straight to Tero, and find out for myself!"

"Not until you--"

"Now!"

"Hmmph, fine."

Rei felt his body become dense and corporeal. The world around him began to swirl, and the noise of music began to give way to the noise of people talking. But he wasn't gone from the ghost plain yet, and Valgain said after him, "I'll be watching you."

He tried to shout an insult after Valgain. "Yeah, well your mother was an alligator." Instead of sounding like a guitar on the spirtual plain, Rei merely mumbled the words into a table. He raised his head to look around him.

Apparently he was no where near Marburg, that much he could get from smelling the air. The air was rich with good fragrance, and dense with the noise of happy chatting. It was like Nogrias all over again. He was sitting at a table on the patio of what seemed to be a small restauraunt. Across the table from him sat Palcos.

Palcos sipped at his drink. "My mom's an alligator, eh?"

Rei began to laugh.