Something Eternal by Joel T. McGrath

Author:Joel T. McGrath [McGrath, Joel T.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Post Hill Press
Published: 2018-01-08T22:00:00+00:00

With the sun now set behind the mountains, the ruins submerged in a host of oddly formed, misshaped shadows. A sliver of crescent moon hung behind them. The air became still and silent. The individual city lights glowed a single orange as thousands merged, yet each light, when looked upon closely, had a uniqueness of its own.

Maximillian got up and stood suddenly. “We have work to do. We have to train the halflings, as well as the children inside the castle to battle for their future. It’s our only hope against the Shroud.” He laughed madly into the night air. “Ha-ha!” Then he quieted. “I suppose it was all destined to end anyway. It was a failed endeavor. We might as well do with what we have.”

Acuumyn hung his head toward the ground. He moved his toes up and down inside his sandals. “It was not a failed endeavor. I failed. I failed all of you.”

“What!?” Revekka spun her neck in Acuumyn’s direction.

“I failed,” Acuumyn repeated. “I failed all of you. I failed this world. I failed all immortals. I failed my son. I…”

Maximillian reached down and grabbed his shoulder from his standing position. “Stop!” His heavy tone anchored a delayed pause into his question. “What are you saying?”

The air remained cool and calm as the leftover warmth vanished completely from the ground. Acuumyn stood up high, bending the top half of his body while bowing to his friends. “I must leave now. You have your new mission, so see that you get these scrolls to the castle,” he said, pointing to each of their chests. “And remember. Keep yourselves far apart when you travel, for the Shroud must not gain possession of the Sphere Atlas.”

“Aren’t you going to answer me?” Maximillian tightened his jawbone.

Revekka remained quiet.

Acuumyn spoke, almost detached from his own words. “It is wrong to have secrets. It is wrong to keep secrets for any reason.”

“But we must protect our way of life from the Shroud,” Maximillian answered swiftly.

“The Shroud used our own fears against us.” Acuumyn sighed. “Fears we denied having. That is why I will answer to the people. I will not justify our covert missions any longer. In fact, I will even tell them what I have done here tonight when I get back.”

“What? Why?” Maximillian shouted. His countenance fell into confusion and anger.

“Because the truth demands not just part of the account, but the whole transgression as well.” Acuumyn straightened his back muscles while standing tall.

Maximillian was speechless. “But, um, uh.” He attempted several times to say something, but each time his thoughts, his logic, his understanding was inept and futile even to him.

Revekka appeared to accept, approving of what Acuumyn had said.

With one last sad glance, as a final homage to the pair, Acuumyn turned his back and summoned an opening between distant places. A colorful, swirling vortex appeared. The vortex was hidden from the world in among the Grecian ruins. It spilled out thick vapors and bolts of lightning, yet remained quiet as nightfall, save for a swoosh of rushing air.

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