The Mists of Sorrow_ Book Seven of the Morcyth Saga - Brian S. Pratt [9]
Ships through air, a walk on the moon,
Invisible death his kind has strewn.
Box of pictures, music from stone,
By these things the Gardener is known.
Traveling far from a land apart,
Lost and alone on the path he will start.
The light of knowledge shall be at his side,
Salvation or death, the edge he doth stride.
When he finishes he looks to James for his reaction.
James sits back, his mind churning over the prophecy. The first stanza has to refer to Earth. Ships through the air, a walk on the moon, Invisible death his kind has strewn. Airplanes, Neil Armstrong and the invisible death could refer to radiation fallout. The rest of the first stanza is also referring to his home.
The next stanza, well he definitely comes from a land apart. And he did start lost and alone when he went through the door at the interview. He glances to Miko who has been listening to the whole conversation. “The Star must be the light of knowledge,” he says. “Morcyth is a god of learning so that makes sense.”
“But the last line, Salvation or death, the edge he doth stride,” Miko replies. “What can that mean?”
Shaking his head he says, “I don’t know.” He then arcs an eyebrow questioningly to Brother Willim.
“You are heading toward a time when you are going to be placed in a situation where your actions will determine the fate of this world,” he explains. “Other prophecies refer to it, but none are clear as to when you will reach that moment or the decision that will be pivotal. I’m sorry I can’t be of any more help than that.”
Great, thinks James. As if I don’t already have enough to worry about. “I think I would have just as soon not known all this.”
“I understand,” says Brother Willim. “Many of our brethren argued that foreknowledge could alter the outcome to our doom. Others of course argued that it could only help if you knew what was going on.”
“What do you think?” Miko asks.
“I am not sure,” he replies. “Before I left, I was instructed only to reveal this to you should you specifically ask.”
“But I never would have asked if you hadn’t mentioned it earlier,” James says.
Nodding, Brother Willim says, “True. I can only believe that Asran wanted me to say it so you would know. I have prayed about why I said what I did and each time receive a feeling of peace.”
“Whether it helps or not,” James says with a yawn, “I’m to bed.” Looking at the others near him he adds, “We got a long way to go and a short time to get there.” As he stands up he breaks out into a chuckle as the phrase sparks a memory from home.
“We’ll see you in the morning,” Illan says. “I must remain until the feast winds to a close.”
“See you then,” says James. Leaving the table, he’s joined by Miko who’s all but dead on his feet. Jiron sees them leaving and waves to them from the dance floor. When he passes by Scar, Potbelly and the other pit fighters he asks, “You guys staying?”
“For a little while longer,” Scar tells him.
“Don’t stay up too long,” he tells them and then heads for the exit leading to his room.
Miko walks with him until he reaches his room. Both remain quiet, the words Brother Willim spoke still running through their minds.
At James’ door, Miko takes his leave and goes down to the next door which is his. Entering his room, James creates his orb and undresses before crawling into bed. Canceling the orb, he begins to drift into sleep.
Just before he completely succumbs to sleep, the tingling of magic comes to him. Alarmed, he grabs his slug belt and hurries out the door. The cry to Miko dies on his lips when he finds one of the members of the Hand of Asran outside his door, a soft green glow about him.
“Rest peacefully,” the priest tells him. “I shall watch tonight.”
“Uh,” stammers James, slightly embarrassed for running out into the