Chapter 15.

Gewey pulled out a chair across from Felsafell and sat down. The old man had a quirky smile. The pipe filled the night air with a sweet odor that reminded Gewey of his father, who had himself smoked a pipe on occasion. "It's answers you seek," Felsafell began. "Yet you don't know all the questions."

"Why did you call me 'child of heaven'?" asked Gewey. "What do you know about me?"

"I know many things. The spirits are clever. They share with old Felsafell the things they know. Yes, they do indeed. They say the earthbound son of two shepherds comes to visit. They say he needs to know things. Things known by none."

"What do I need to know?" Gewey asked impatiently.

"Your strength," Felsafell replied. "You do not know it. From the earth it comes, and there you'll find it. Your father left it there."

"My father? Do you know who he is?"

Felsafell nodded. "A farmer, of course. Just like you. He left his land in your care. Search the earth and find your strength."

"I don't understand," Gewey said. "Where exactly should I search?"

"Old Felsafell is not the source," he answered. "The spirits are a tricky lot. What they say may not be what they mean. But more there is to tell before the dawn greets us. Though dawn is not what it used to be."

"Tell me, then," Gewey urged him.

Felsafell smiled. "Of course, the young are always full of haste. But hurry you must, for the darkness comes. It closes the eyes and deafens the ears. The spirits fear it will be their end. They see as their doom approaches."

"You're talking about the Dark Knight. What do you know about him?"

"The Cold One in his castle," Felsafell continued. "He wants you. And he will have you. By his power you will fall. But fall you must, to open your eyes."

"You mean I'm beaten?" Gewey cried out. "I lose?"

"Beaten, yes," Felsafell affirmed.

Gewey's face dropped in despair. "What's the point of all this if I can't win? Why even tell me?"

"Now you know," said Felsafell. "You know what you didn't. Will you stop? I think you will not. But more to tell before the dawn greets us. Would you hear it?"

Gewey sighed and looked up at the old man. "Yes, I'll hear it."

"Your friends are true," he declared. "But be warned. One will leave this world. The one who is bravest will give all. This friend will save you with courage and love."

"Who will die?" Gewey demanded. "Tell me."

"I know not. If the spirits know, they refuse to say."

"But they must," Gewey said in anguish. "You have to make them."

"I cannot," he replied. "Love me they do indeed. I stay with them and talk to them when others flee. But I am not master here."

"Is there anything I can do?" begged Gewey.

"There's always something to be done," he answered. "But change what is to be? I cannot say. The spirits are clever, but they only see. They do not push and pull the world as men and elves. But more there is to tell before dawn greets us. It comes soon, and as it comes you must go."

"Tell me then," Gewey said, "do my friends still live?"

"Good news I have for you. Indeed they live, but be warned: The child of two worlds and the child of one. Their future is uncertain. By your words, you will see one live or die. You must see this approach before time runs out."

"I don't understand," Gewey implored.

"You will when the time is right. Some secrets are not for me to tell. But soon enough you'll see your friends. They wait for you."

"Where are they?"

"They're not far," he said. "You need not search. They will find you. Take comfort. There is one more thing to tell that you must hear. The dawn is saying h.e.l.lo, and your time with old Felsafell is at an end."

Gewey leaned forward. "What is it?"

"Before the time when good and evil take up arms, you must decide. To seek the friendship of your mother's child, or leave to fate that child's future."

"My mother?" Gewey exclaimed. "My mother didn't have any other children. First, you tell me a friend will die saving me, and then you ramble on about my mother. You know what I think? I think you're just a crazy old man."

Gewey got up and stormed off the porch and toward the forest.

The dawn light began to filter through the trees, revealing a light mist that covered the surrounding hills.

"Old for sure," Felsafell laughed. "Crazy, yes. But that changes nothing. No it does not. You know what I say is no lie. Deny it as you wish; it matters not to me. My time nears its end and old bones will rest at last. But come inside and take repast. You must go before the dawn turns to day."

Gewey stifled his anger and followed Felsafell inside. Dina was just waking. Gewey thought she looked beautiful as she sat up and stretched her arms.

"Good morning," she said. "You slept well, I hope?"

"Yes," Gewey replied. "But we need to get moving soon. I think I've had enough of this place."

Dina looked concerned. "Did something happen?"

"Nothing important," Gewey answered. "But I want to get out of these hills by tomorrow."

Felsafell had already laid out two bowls of porridge and cups of water.

"Eat first," Felsafell insisted. "But eat fast. You must go if you would see your friends."

Gewey and Dina ate breakfast and gathered their packs. As they left the cottage, Felsafell handed each of them a loaf of bread and a few slices of roast pork wrapped in cloth. They thanked him, though Gewey was still clearly upset by their conversation.

"Head west from here," Felsafell instructed. "The path you find will lead you safely away. Farewell."

Gewey nodded silently, and headed in the direction Felsafell had told them. Dina followed close behind, humming sweetly.

"What's that song?" asked Gewey. "It sounds familiar."

"I doubt you know it," she said. "My mother sang it to me when I was very young."

"Where is she now?"

"She died when I was a small girl," she said sadly. "I don't remember much about her."

"I'm sorry," Gewey replied. "My mother died when I was young, too."

"No sad talk this morning," she said, smiling brightly. "Did the old man talk to you?"

"Yes," Gewey said, shaking his head. "Turns out he was just a crazy old man."

"Really? I'm not so sure. There's something about him."

"Did he speak to you?" Gewey asked.

Dina nodded. "He woke me up in the middle of the night while you were still sleeping. He knew things-things n.o.body else knows."

"What did he say?"

"Nothing I want to tell right now," she answered. "Some of his words were troubling, and I would prefer to have a pleasant morning."

"I agree," Gewey said. He tried to put it out of his mind, but he couldn't stop thinking about what Felsafell had told him. He would fall to the power of the Dark Knight. Even worse, one of his friends would die. He swore he wouldn't let that happen. They found the trail Felsafell had told them about and headed south. The rest of the day was uneventful. Gewey kept their conversation light, saying nothing of his talk with the old man. The trail seemed to defy the rugged terrain, staying level and smooth, and by the evening they had managed to cover many miles. They decided not to camp and instead continued on; they were both remarkably still full of energy. Gewey attributed it to sleeping in a soft bed and eating a hearty breakfast, but Dina told him she thought it was the spirits urging them on.

"I think they're trying to help us," she remarked. "It's almost like they're giving me strength."

"I don't know," said Gewey. "But I do feel rested."

"At your age, you should always feel rested," she teased.

"How old are you?" Gewey snapped. "You can't be much older than I am."

"You'd be surprised," she laughed. "I'm older than I look."

"That's not an answer."

"No it's not," she said with a wry smile. "But you never ask a lady her age."

The night air was near freezing, but Gewey and Dina didn't seem to notice. They walked cheerfully down the trail, talking and laughing.

Daybreak came and went, and still neither of them felt any hint of fatigue. They were nearing the southern end of the Spirit Hills, and Dina guessed the road leading west, to the hillside village of Vine Run, was less than half a day away.

"Once we reach the road, it's a straight shot to the village," Dina explained. "If we hurry, we should get there by midday tomorrow."

This lifted Gewey's spirits. He hoped Lee would be waiting in the village so he could talk to him about what Felsafell had said.

By noon they had reached the road and headed west. The path was cut straight through the hills, and spanned as wide as thirty feet in some places. As they traveled, Gewey saw immense stone carvings of ancient kings-some standing twenty feet high-lining the road. They sat down to eat in the shadow of one of the ma.s.sive carvings.

"Do you know who put these here?" Gewey asked.

"This is the Old Road of Santismal," Dina stated. "Long ago, this was the heart of a great kingdom, and this road cut through its heart. It's said the Kingdom of Santismal was the richest and most powerful the world has ever seen."

"What happened to it?" he asked, gazing at the weathered statue.

"Some say war, others say famine," Dina said with a shrug. "No one really knows. All that's left are a few scattered ruins and this road. Some parts are still paved in stone, but most of it has been washed away by time."

Gewey marveled at the thought of a ma.s.sive paved road and the work it must have taken to build it; not to mention the effort it would take to transport the statues.

"They must have been a great people." said Gewey. "Have you seen the ruins?"

"Some," Dina replied. "Even in ruins, the buildings stand taller than any today."

"I hope I get to see it one day," he said.

"I'm sure you will," she affirmed.

When sunset came, their energy finally ran out, and they made camp. They finished off the meat and bread Felsafell had given them and lay down on the soft gra.s.s. Two straight days of walking, with only short stops, made sleep come quickly.

Gewey awoke to a bitter cold. The fire had died, and he could see that Dina was shivering in her sleep. He reached over and shook her awake. Dina rubbed her eye and stretched.

"A bit chilly this morning," she yawned.

"Winter's coming early this year," Gewey remarked.

"It's only a few hours until we reach Vine Run," said Dina.

"There's an inn where we can rest for a bit."

The thought of a warm fire and blankets energized Gewey. He got some flatbread from his pack and split it with Dina. Shivering, the two ate next to the remains of their fire.

As they approached the village, Gewey could immediately tell why it was called Vine Run. The surrounding hills had been cleared and turned into ma.s.sive vineyards that stretched on for hundreds of yards in all directions. It had clearly been beautiful once, but now the vines were bare and withered. The ground was a dull gray, matching the cloudy sky.

The village itself also showed signs of decay. The multicolored brick houses were cracked and in dire need of repair. Several of the wooden structures had burned to the ground, and the streets were practically abandoned. Only a few people walked about, and they all stared at Gewey and Dina as they pa.s.sed.

When they reached the inn, Gewey was thankful to be away from such a depressing sight. The inn's common room was the complete opposite of the rest of the desolate town, packed with at least thirty people. A fire roared in the hearth, filling the room with warmth and cheer. A flute could be heard from the far corner, and the crowd was singing merrily along. Gewey and Dina pushed their way to the counter, where a short, round woman with a pleasant smile stood swaying to the music.

"Greetings to you, sir," she said. "Just arrived?"

"Yes we have," said Dina, before Gewey could speak. "We need a room and a hot meal."

"That's grand!" the woman exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "Always plenty of room here. As for the meal, you just missed the midday supper, but I can get you some bread and maybe a bit of lamb, if those scoundrels in the back haven't eaten it all."

She reached to a shelf behind her and grabbed a large jug and two cups. "Maybe this will make it up to you," she said. "The finest wine for a thousand miles. We make it right here, or at least we did in the past. Vines aren't what they used to be, you know. They'll come back though, you just wait and see. In the meantime, we have plenty of spirits to go around."

"Thank you," said Gewey, taking the wine. "I'm looking for some friends that might have come through here."