As they flew across the chasm, Nathan couldn’t help but admire the soft rolling hills and the majestic snow-capped mountains far off in the distance. He was also in awe of his new found friends; the mighty warrior and his winged horse, the ever resourceful Lilly and the brave Vigil. Not the group of friends he would have had back home, but then again he wanted to believe that he wasn’t the same person he was either.
He wanted to believe that he had learned his lesson about going into the forest but then again he had done it more than once. This got him wondering, why did Vigil try so hard to save him when the others had written him off. And how did that tiny creature handle the sword and then pull him out of the woods. He had to make a mental note of that, so he could ask him about it later.
The wind rushed past them as they soared higher and then dove low to the ground. Vigil was perched between the horse’s ears holding fast to the top of its mane with one hand and his tiny sword raised high in his other. The warrior laughed at the mighty Vigil telling him how brave and noble he was. Lilly kept looking back at Nathan the way a mother watches her young.
Nathan studied the landscape and saw that the path he was on was coming to an end as was the forest and the verity. He looked beyond the path to see the castle he had once viewed for just a moment but it was nowhere to be found. He did however see the sun hanging over the mountains and assumed that this must be east.
He made a mental picture in his mind that ahead were the mountains and to the south were rolling hills as far as he could see. To the north he could see a magnificent garden with neatly maintained flowers and hedges and fruit trees placed neatly in even rows. And beyond that was what appeared to be an ocean or large body of water. When he turned to look behind him, all he saw was the forest, dark and ominous and it sent a chill up his spine.
When the ride came to an end and the warrior guided his horse to the ground for a landing so soft, you might have thought you never left the ground, he helped each one in turn to the ground. As he climbed upon his mount, Nathan ran to his side. “Thank you… um. I don’t know your name sir.”
“My name is Speculos, “He answered in a deep theatrical voice, “and this is my charge, his name is Volar.” Volar shook his head and nudged Nathan’s arm.
“Thank you Speculos for pulling me out of the forest.” Nathan said as he patted Volar’s head.
Vigil kicked the dirt, mumbling nonsense to himself. “Oh sure thank the big and mighty warrior.”
“Don’t thank me young warrior, it was Vigil. He took my sword and he pulled you out.”
Nathan turned and knelt down beside vigil. “I didn’t mean to overlook you.” He offered his hand to Vigil as to shake his tiny paw. “You must be a mighty warrior to have handled Speculos’ sword the way you did, and then to have the strength to pull me out.”
Vigil raised up his head and removed his helmet. All at once his fur poofed and he blinked his tiny black eyes. “You were worth saving, sir.” He said in a soft voice.
“But how?” Nathan asked.
“I once thought I was too small to be of any assistance to the father. I am not big and strong like Speculos or clever and wise like Lilly. But I have a desire to do what is needed. I have quick feet and I am not afraid of anyone.” He stated meeting a look from Speculos who smiled. Then I met Speculos he said that if I thought I was too small to make a difference then he needed to tell me a story about a gnat at a picnic.”
“But that still doesn’t explain how you were able to wheeled the sward or pull me out.” Nathan stated still a bit confused.
“I can do all things through him that gives me strength.” Vigil said in a matter-of-fact tone, as if Nathan should already have known.
“You mean to tell me that the father gave you the strength to do that?” Nathan asked in total amazement.
“You mean to tell me that you thought I did it on my own?” Vigil responded before they all broke into laughter.
Nathan looked at them all and although he was feeling somewhat foolish now, he also felt like he was among friends and laughed some too.
Speculos walked Volar around a bit and patted the side of his thick neck, “Ready boy?” he asked. The horse nodded his head and like that they were off, soaring high above the tree tops and soon were out of sight.
Nathan still kneeling asked, “And what about you guys, I guess you’ll be on your way too?”
“If that’s what you want,” Lilly said as she looked at Vigil who was looking at Nathan, “then we will go.”
“But I thought…” Nathan paused as Lilly looked at him knowingly. “Never mind.”
Vigil’s eyes saddened, “do you wish us to leave?”
“No, not at all.”
“Then it’s settled,” Vigil exclaimed, regaining the vigor he had earlier, “we will stay with you for a while. You know it can be dangerous out here and you're not much of a warrior and then again you're not too smart either. No offense.” He added.
“None taken.”
“Can I give you a lift?” He placed his hand on the ground, palm up, and Vigil and Lilly both climbed on. He raised them up and placed Vigil on his left shoulder and Lilly on his right.
Vigil held on to his collar and looked around at the landscape. “Wow, the view is something from here.” Then he peered at Nathan, “How exactly can you ever get lost when you can see almost everything from here.”
Nathan looked back, “It happens.”
And they began on their way. There was a small hill in front of them that Nathan remembered was the end of the forest and where the verity stopped. Beyond it were green fields rolling over the undulating landscape. They climbed the small hill and he felt Lilly set up and heard Vigil sigh.
Not sure what they were up to he paused and waited.
“What are you waiting for?” Vigil asked. “We’re almost there.”
“Almost where?” Nathan asked.
“Home.” Lilly replied, pointing into the field.
Nathan didn’t move.
“Can’t you see it?” Lilly asked sadly.
Nathan began to get upset, “See what?”
Vigil reached up and grabbed Nathan’s ear making him cock his head then he leaned in. “Listen here buster. After all that you have seen and done, are you telling me that you still don’t believe? You have got to be kidding me.”
“Believe what?”
“Believe in the Father.”
“I’m sorry but I can’t believe in something I can’t even see.”
“Boy oh boy, I’ve met some stubborn people but you sir, you take the cake…”
Lilly unable to say much simply asked, “Can you put us down?”
“But,” Nathan said surprised, “aren’t we going together?”
“Yes,” she replied, “but to travel on the shoulders of a non-believer will be dangerous for us.”
When he placed the two on the ground Vigil put his tiny paw up to his mouth and let out an ear-piercing whistle. Nathan jumped up and the two tiny creatures waited patiently. Then he saw Lilly reach out her hand and climb on something. But there was nothing there. Then Vigil did the same. Nathan rubbed his eyes but still he saw nothing.
“This way we won’t slow you down.” Vigil yelled to Nathan. Then they took off leaving Nathan in a tiny cloud of dust around his feet. Vigil and Lilly were riding some type of animal or critter or something. And it was quick. Nathan took off after them running down the hill and into the field.
He was surprised at how speedily the two of them were moving. Then suddenly at the bottom of the hill, something smacked Nathan right in the face causing his feet to fly up into the air and one shoe launched off his foot. He fell hard on the ground that was covered with thick green grass but offered very little padding.
He held his face and cried out in pain, “What was that?”
Vigil circled around and came up beside his ringing ears. “You need to watch where you’re g
oing.”
Nathan opened his eyes and saw that he was lying beneath a large tree limb. “I didn’t see anything.” He exclaimed.
“Well you need to keep your eyes open if you want to keep up with us. We can’t keep stopping like this, you know.” Vigil demanded and then took off again.
Nathan got up rubbing his forehead and tried to shake it off. He was certain that the tree wasn’t there and then it was. He didn’t want to lose sight of his guides, so he started running again paying more attention to what was around, even though it seemed to be an open field.
As he gained his confidence back he ran a little fast trying to catch up but Vigil and Lilly were already pretty far ahead. Then they stopped and looked back Vigil yelled “Duck!” And Nathan looked around and thought “What ducks,” Lilly covered her eyes. But when he realized what he was saying it was too late.
CRACK! He smashed his face again and as before sent his other shoe into the sky. He tumbled backwards and came to rest against something hard. His eyes were blurry and his head ached in the front and the back. “Ok” he thought to himself, “I believe there is something in this field.” Then remembering how Nuncio asked the father to let him see, he prayed, “Father open my eyes, I know there is more here than I can see on my own. I need your help.”
He slowly opened his eyes and saw that he was setting on a pathway that lead up to a magnificent castle. He saw that he was leaning against an intricate stone wall of ten or more feet in height that wrapped the entire way around the courtyard. Large trees as tall as redwoods were placed behind the wall and there were plank bridges that tied the trees together. The bridge in front of him had a plank missing, but he soon found it lying on the grass a few feet from where he sat now. That must be the one that he ran into.
As he got to his feet, he was mesmerized at all he was seeing. He stood there unable to move. Vigil came up to him and dismounted an armor clad squirrel. “Are you alright?”
“I think so, I hit the bridge.”
“So now you see?”
“Nathan looked down, “Yes, now I see.”
“Sometimes we have to learn the hard way. I know it’s wrong but that was rather fun to watch.” Vigil climbed back on his squirrel, “well then, let’s get going. We haven’t got all day.”
Nathan looked for just a moment for his shoe and then realized it was gone. He rubbed his head and stepped on the walkway that lead up to the castle. He couldn’t help but marvel at the structure’s sheer size. The doors alone were each at least fifty feet tall and twenty feet wide. The stained glass murals that filled the window holes were enormous. He was even overwhelmed at how the spires atop the roof line were well beyond the height of any skyscraper he had ever seen.
As amazing as all of this was, he was truly interested in what such a place would be like inside.
Chapter 9