Chapter 16-3

Chapter 16-3

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Lenny steps out from the other side started to head up the street towards the Mayor's house, as five Darzzee with hoods jumped out of the trees thinking they have the Judge as they quickly threw a bag over his head. Lenny struggled as they try to pull him to the ground. Darzzee not knowing his strength as Lenny skillfully lights up like a beacon in the sky like a fireball blinding them. The guards in the street turn around seeing a man being held against his will yells as they come towards him shouting “two arms, two arms.” The Darzzee hits Lenny on the head knocking him out. Yelled back, “you shall die like the rest.” Raising his blade as the guard pierced the Darzzee heart with arrow falling on Lenny as the blade stabs him through the top of his shoulder.

The guardsmen’s chased the other four down the mountain path with spears and bows. Caption quickly shining his light on the man yanked off the hood. “Give me your light man.” Caption staring at the face and at the wound and then at the dead Darzzee and its blade he leans down close to Lenny's chest. “He’s still breathing.  Quickly we need to get him inside find a healer.”

The Caption wrapped the blade with the hood not daring to touch it. The men taking Lenny inside the compound to one of their Doctor’s, Caption showing the blade to them laying the dead corpse in the next room. The Doctor dressed the wound the best he could “Caption I’m not a wizard, but that blade and body in there is Darzzee henchman there hasn’t been a wizard in these parts for centuries that could heal a wound like that.” The Doctor replied.

Lenny's eyes begin to flutter open as he tries to get off the bed. “Get your hands off me! I need to see the Judge, it's important!”

Caption and the barracks Doctor trying to get him back into bed to slow the bleeding “Oh no you don’t! You are in no shape of going anywhere!” The barracks Caption replied forcing Lenny to stay in bed.

“My mission is urgent Caption, get out of my way their counting on me down there!”

“Who is?” The barracks Caption asks.

“Sorry, if you don’t know ask him yourself! I don’t have time to play these games. Either you let me go or you bring him here, either way, you are not stopping me.” Lenny whistled for his staff as it flies into his hand with a loud click forcing everyone back. Lenny slowly collapsed on one knee then tries to stand holding his staff.  “Not as young as I used to be, now then what’s going to be sunny?” He replies shaking due to the lack of strength.

Two more Captions come into the room. “Sorry, sir we got one more three got away. Lenny glad to see they didn’t kill you, my old friend.” The Caption replies.

“You know him?” The barracks Caption asked.

“Oh yes, we go back a long ways Sir, We been in battles a lot worse than that old ragged bunch.”

“He says he has an urgent message for the Judge.”

“Well, if he says got one then you better listen to him, sir. Very few men I trust these days and he's one of them.”

“Well, are ya going just sit around while people like me could be dying. I know very well what kind wound I have looking at that corpse in there. By the way thanks. I think I much prefer a slow death over a quick one any chance I can get, now move it,”  Lenny replied

Not taking any chance the barracks Caption doubled the night guard in the barracks and along the streets to be on the lookout for anything especially for the dark Darzzee henchman roaming the streets. Caption walked to the Mayor house salutes his Captions at the door. “You mind waking the Judge, it’s urgent and we don’t have a lot of time.”  The Barracks Caption replied.

Derrick slowly rolled out of bed nods to Caption Rigs, putting his robe on, noticing the time a little after two here. He wished for once he could say all was well, but that would be a laugh. “Sorry sir to wake you, A man by the name of Lenny came through the gate was attacked by a group of Darzzee Henchmen he’s in the barracks infirmary he’s asking for you he says it urgent,”  Caption Rigs replied.

“Did you say Lenny Caption Rigs?” He asked.

“Yes sir I did, he was stabbed in the shoulder with their knife.”

Derrick’s face went blank. “There’s no time, you must bring me the Whitmore,” Derrick said dressing. “Quickly, go quickly take them all to the barracks,” he replied as he quickly grabbed a couple of jars of roots and some healing herbs “now where did I put that old book?” Derrick thumbing through pages, setting one down then another.

Pile upon pile on the table in the corner way up high a small green leather book The Light of Healing by Sherwin Dreganknox written 3rd century of the Crest Moon. Derrick grabbed the book thumbing through pages of old history. Remembering when he was just a child going to school. His father came across this book from an old strange book peddler on the street.

His father knew how much he liked books and the history of people around the world. That was different time then the shadow robbed him of his father the very next year while he was in school. It was up to him and his mother to raise his brother and younger sister.  Mother kept her promise to his father that night when he did not return with the others, that he would finish school and walk in his footsteps in the light leading others by his side.

Derrick placed the book into his bag with the roots and elixirs closed the door of forgotten memories. Headed on down the road at the same time with the Whitmore’s right behind them in the Captions wagon, Derrick jumping in beside them and their three boys,

Rena giggled like schoolgirl held her husband hand trying to stay serious, but can’t help it. “This just so exciting,” she replied looking at her boys and her husband as she squeezes her hand.

“Please, Ma!” The boys rolled their eyes and Pa looked at Ma in her eyes as they shine in the moonlight. Derrick smiles at the little family in the back of the wagon. The wizard sec was coming down the road right behind them. Derrick turned to the Caption Rigs. “Hurry and close the gates, and don’t’ let them come in until I am ready.”

“Yes, sir.” Caption Rigs quickly passing orders, the gate closed locking them out. The wizards yelled, “what’s the meaning of this?” Pounded on the gate door.

Derrick quickly pushed the family inside where the Doctor is. Lenny started to turn gray his eyes are cold his breathing staggered. “He doesn’t have much time left he’s not as young as he used to be for that kind of wound,” they replied.

Derrick orders everyone out except the Whitmore’s, Kollie undoing the rancid bandage now green filled with poison. Lenny barley coherent tries to tell them “Nathaniel is…….” Then pass out his heart barely beating.

Derrick forces an elixir down his throat watching the color come back in his face, but Lenny is still cold as ice as his eyes open for a moment Derrick lights up the room. “Come on back my friend. Your task is not done.” As he waved his staff in the air the room spins into the soft heavens light where Lenny lays. The Whitmore’s gathered around him.

The door to where they were is blown apart by the wizard sec finding them not there for they have moved on. The boys looked around the chamber of light at their father and mother as they glow in each other's arms. “Come, my sons, we have work to do,” as they looked upon Lenny. “And we need your help,” Pa said.

Derrick grinds the root and the herb for the wound, handed to Rena showing her how to put it on the wound then taking out the leather book handing to Kollie pointed to the page. Kollie reads the words out loud then silently as a whisper.

Taking each of the boy’s hands and their mothers placing it over the wound each one says the words over and over. “NASTOO VAERA SGRAND VENERSA” soft glowing light starts from the wound and spreads across the body encasing it. Leaving a sweet fresh scent in the air. Derrick lifted the bandage of the wound as they watched it close as it nits itself back together.

Lenny's eyes flickered open seeing everyone in the room. “For a minute there I thought you were going to leave us old friend,” Derrick replies.

“Not if can help sir,” Lenny trying to smile.

“Now then what’s this about seeing me that was so important?” He asked

“Its Nathaniel sir he’s been hurt badly by those things the Darzzee. Jaydan left Jeff in charge so he could find those things he needed for the transformation and those chains for the boy.  The problem is sir where having a rough time finding them due to everything seems to be dying, so they are hard to come by.”

“Where’s Jeff now?” Derrick asked.

Lenny pauses looking around the room. “Heading back to New Downing to recapture one of those Darzzee that those folks tied up and Betty taking another group with her to capture another set just five miles from our camp.”

“They what?” Derrick's eyes popped out of his head.

“I was sent here to get some help. They are all over the place killing people and the land around them looking for these families. It's like open season on the Whitmore’s and EJ’s brothers and anyone with information,” taking his finger across his neck. “They want it bad. They don’t care who they have to kill to get it.”

“Alright, we get the point.” Derrick paced up and down the room. “How do you feel about making another trip you to Lenny. We need to stop this before it gets any worse. Right now I have the whole wizard sec breathing down my back down there.” Derrick replied.

“Yes, I guess wasn’t nice when they open the door finding us gone.” Kollie and the boys laughed looking around the room, “Where we are anyway?”  Kollie asked.

“I call this my inner chamber where I can think and look at the stars, isn’t peaceful? It reminds me that every day each little light represents a shining hope waiting for me to help them to find them. In this vast worlds upon worlds that’s there’s more out there than just me waiting; for as we slip through the gateway through time making a difference in somebody's life.

“For us, there is more than one life as we treasure all them gaining knowledge from instead riches or power we find friendship or more rewarding as we meet new people gain new trust from them.”

Derrick paces around the room realizing time is growing short looked at the Whitmore’s and their three sons. “This not how I wanted to do this, but I have no choice, too much is at stake,” Derrick said taking his staff…

“If you don’t mind sir I would suggest a change of clothing might be in order before we depart less we have to explain sir,” Lenny replies.

“Where do you suggest?”  Derrick asked.

“As I recall there is a tailor shop and dress shop down the street around the corner not far from Nathaniel house.”

“This no time for shopping Lenny, not with Darzzee on the loose, sooner or later they are going to find out about them,” Derrick replied. Lenny knowing better not argue sighs slips on his gown back over his shoulder watching the tear patch itself together with a simple spell. 

Derrick raised the staff pushing it forward as a door opens in the corner of the room leading them down a hall, grabbing cloaks off the wall for each of them. To hide their gowns of colors of the worlds of crescent moons and stars.

He opens a cupboard with jars of dried roots and healing herbs putting them in a bag handing them to Rena. “These are for you my dear,” handing her another book on the purpose of roots and elixirs. Rena carefully placed them in her bag and the book in her inside pocket. Then Derrick opens the last door walking down the steps of the room where they put on the mantle of light.

He kneels placing all his items the book of healing, an elixir of truth and chain of knowledge of wisdom on the altar of truth and light saying few words in silent, handed them to Kollie with care placing the book in his hands. “Go, my friend, You have your tools you have your teacher,” looking at Lenny placed around his neck the chain of wisdom. “Now go save my friends and your people, I will see you in the morning when the new dawn breaks the sky.”

Derrick slowly looked at Lenny as tears form in his eyes giving him hug. “It’s up to you my old friend take good care of them.” Lenny nods watching his friend climb the stairs to his inner chamber almost as if he was saying goodbye.

Lenny taking his staff opens a gateway behind Nathaniel house. They could hear the crowd in the street yelling. “Bring it out so we can kill it ourselves.” It was a regular mob gathering in the streets. Whitmore’s and Lenny noticed right away that backdoor was busted off its hinges and the place has been torn apart.

“Stay here and keep out sight,” Lenny said as he crawled on his belly and hands and knees with a knife between his teeth. Searching the house for anything they might be able to use then heads back. Pushing some clothes out the door, “this might work for Mr. Whitmore, Nathaniel and you are about the same size. I found an old gunny sack to store your clothes in for now, but everything else was ripped to sheds. I think these pants might fit one of the older boys if we cut them off a little and the shirt may be little big, but I not to particular at the moment.”

Kollie and his son Mark quickly change behind the bushes Lenny handed Kollie a pair of boots he found that are just little big for his feet. “Mrs. Whitmore, Granny just not your size but you’ll be just fine. It's the other two we will have to find something for I know its little early boys, but you can’t wear those around here,” he replied pointing to their feet opening the bag.

“That’s alright Lenny,” as they smile. “It feels good to have dirt running between our toes again.”

Rena smiles looking at the cloaks and the boy’s gowns “Lenny I have an idea,” lifting out Marks gown out of the bag turning inside out.  “There are no stars or moons just different colors.” She replied as she tries to shin some light on the gown the sparkle is kinda dull but still changes blue to green. “Quickly boys!” Pushed them towards the bushes by the house and handed their mother the gowns as she turns them inside out one at a time shoving their clothes into the bag.

They had each a new wizard nightgown. Rena handing them each a cloak to hide them in the dark Lenny carefully as he could closed his cloak walking in the middle of his charges. Walks to the backdoor of Docs building giving instructions to the Whitmore’s….

“By now Doc Hatfield knows your coming my friend, so he should be expecting you. Just not all of you or me for that matter so brace yourself if he looks surprised, he may not be in the mood.  Kollie just takes it slow and let us in through the backdoor and for peat sakes see if you can get Nathaniel and the Doc alone. The less we have explain the better.” Lenny replied watching the corners of the building.

Kollie walked around the front of the building seeing patients everywhere nurses trying their best to keep up with the wounded.  Some or sick from poison food and dying crops in the fields, others had bumps and bruises from the storm. People were dying slowly everywhere as his heart ached for them. These were his friends who built this town now they were suffering due to Morgan’s arrogance.

Doc looked over at his friend with a tired worried look on his face pointing to the bed where Nathaniel lays in, sweating in a comatose state. The color nearly gone from his fingers turning black, Kollie walks over to Doc Hatfield. “I came as soon as I could my friend,” putting his arms around him. “Didn’t my friends tell you I would be here?” Kollie asked.

Doc sighed looking around the room. “They did and I didn’t believe them, I couldn’t in all my years as a Doctor I have never seen anything like this.”  He replied as the crowd jeered outside into a mob of rage. “People dying from there own food. Some of the cattle dying in some parts of the mainland, our fruit trees withering way refusing to give off its fruit;

“All the fields are dry and gray, nothing to harvest and what we do harvest is killing us. The water, the wheat from the field. These people are hungry and the food is growing scarce as the days pass on. Yes, I’m scared my friend for the first time. I do not have the solution as I watch my friends die around me.  Then that lizard thing coming in our mist killing people, searching for you and the Downing’s one caught right here in our very town. He was nothing compared to the one we saw in the paper,” Doc replies as he points to it hanging on the wall.

Kollie faces nearly went white as he tries to look away and around the room. “Doc it seems you are in need of little extra help tonight. On one condition, don’t ask any question about tonight.”

“I think I know how to keep a secret son.”

“Yes, but this one could cost you your life,” Kollie warning him.

Kollie leads Doc back to the back door of the building finding someone that almost looked like Rena and the boys with Lenny waiting. Doc was stunned when he saw the boys and Rena and how they changed. “But how?” He replied as he stands back to take another look at them.

Lenny grabs Doc Hatfield by the arm. “Sorry, Doc this is no time for pleasantries” pushing his way through door grabbing Kollie and Rena by the other arm. “Well are coming are not Doc, we don’t have a lot of time here,” Kollie replied.