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Making my way to breakfast turned out to be a simple matter of following my nose. Traversing a few staircases and several corridors, I found myself in the castle kitchen. Merv sat on a low table swinging his legs beneath his purple robe. With a welcoming grin, he hopped from his perch and tossed a fresh biscuit across the room and into my waiting hand.
“Good morning, lad! How’d you sleep?” he asked.
“Like a baby,” I replied, taking a mouth-filling bite of the flaky, buttery biscuit.
I still couldn’t believe that the greatest explorer of the late nineteenth century was sharing a meal with me in a medieval castle.
“Grab some food, Eli, and let’s go to my chambers. I have many questions I’m hoping you can answer and the King has requested an audience with you later this morning.”
“Sounds good, Merv, although I’m not sure I have the answers you’re looking for. My arrival here is as much a mystery to me as it is to you.”
“Perhaps together, we can connect some of the pieces of this puzzle, my boy,” Merv said, heading for the door.
I grabbed another biscuit and followed my new friend through the castle. We climbed about a billion steps. (Again, sorry, Bro.) The stairs seemed to go on forever. The top of the castle’s highest tower housed Merv’s workshop.
Hearing my labored breathing, Merv turned his head as he continued up the spiraling stairs. With a mischievous grin he said, “I find that the stairs help keep me in shape. I also do an hour’s worth of calisthenics every morning to help me stay fit. We can stop and rest if you need to, lad.”
“I’m good,” I managed to wheeze. “How much further to your laboratory?”
“Almost there - just a few more turns around the tower.”
The remaining few turns took forever but we finally reached our destination. Throwing the door wide, Merv stepped into the chamber and welcomed me inside.
“It’s not much, but it’s quiet and is a wonderful place for me to do my research,” Merv said.
A large, well-organized room lay beyond the door’s threshold. Rows and rows of books lined three of the walls. A large wooden work table, its surface covered with opened books, candles, and various scientific looking equipment, dominated the fourth wall. A sleeping mat with a bundle of blankets and coverings piled on top occupied one corner. The room looked like you would expect a wizard’s laboratory to look.
“What are you researching, Mr. Neider ... uh, Merv?”
“Among other things, I’ve been trying to find a way home. The books you see before you contain all of my predecessor’s knowledge of the magical arts. There’s a good bit of scientific information contained in the volumes as well. I actually discovered a rudimentary recipe for gunpowder.”
“Really?” I asked. “That could come in handy. Have you made any progress toward returning to your own time?”
“My studies have revealed bits and pieces of evidence concerning previous travelers like you and I. There are a few references in the Snardonian history books about odd individuals appearing much like you did, but that’s really about it.”
“Did the history books indicate what happened to the others who came here?” I asked.
“They all either lived the rest of their lives here or moved on to other villages. There’s nothing to indicate that any of them found a way home.”
More than a little disappointed, I sat down at Merv’s desk and examined the books and notes covering its surface.
“That’s not good. Sounds like there’s not much chance of getting home,” I said. “I was hoping ...”
A sheet of paper on the table caught and held my attention. A crude drawing of a small jewel adorned the page. Scrawled words were penned beneath the image and down one side of the page. The words, Keys to Forever appeared directly below the sketch. A list sat to the right of the drawing. The first item on the list was the Jaguar’s Claw followed by: the Heart of Ra; the Dragon’s Scale; Poseidon’s Pearl; Vulcans’s Fire. Two question marks then ran vertically down the page.
I picked up the paper and examined it more closely. The rendering of the stone looked exactly like the Heart of Ra, which currently resided in my pack. My breath caught in my throat. I realized the document in my hand made reference to the jewel I possessed - a jewel from another time and another place.
“What’s this, Merv?” I asked excitedly. “What are the Keys to Forever?”
“Ah, the best lead I’ve found so far. I discovered an entry in a manuscript referring to the Stones and their great power. The tome was written by Sir Mortimer the Clumsy and recounted his epic quest to recover the Dragon’s Scale, one of the sacred stones. He failed. His quest was cut short when he walked behind his horse, was kicked in the head, and became Sir Mortimer the Blind.”
I had only known Merv for two days but I already knew that his stories went on forever.
“Very sad, really,” he continued. “Sir Mortimer disappeared from the public eye but memorialized his adventures and his research in his writings. According to the manuscript, legend held that there were 9 Keys to Forever scattered through history. Powerful by themselves, all powerful when brought together, giving the person possessing them the ability to master time.”
“Are you telling me that these stones could be our way home?” I asked, my excitement barely contained.
“I don’t think we’ll ever know,” Merv replied sadly. “Sir Mortimer never got a chance to recover the Dragon’s Scale. It still supposedly rests under the watchful eye of a friend of yours.”
“A friend of mine?” I questioned.
“The Dragon’s Scale lies in Scar’s lair, guarded by the dragon herself. It would take a miracle to steal the stone from under Scar’s watchful gaze,” Merv replied. “You’ve already seen her fury first hand. Besides, we don’t know where any of the other stones are located.”
“Not true, ‘Pale Bucket.’ We know where one of the other stones is,” I said with a huge grin on my face.
I reached into my pack and pulled out the remnants of Haphazard’s wrappings. Part of me remained a little concerned that a scarab or two might be hiding within. With that thought in mind, I carefully unwound the bandages, revealing the shining red stone that lay at their center.
“Behold,” I said as dramatically as possible, The Heart of Ra, Key to Forever-Stone of Never!”
Merv’s jaw hit the floor. “Where did you get that, my boy? I can’t believe you possess one of the Stones!”
“It wasn’t easy to get, believe me. I had to battle a pretty fearsome mummy for this thing. (Once again, I’m using the word ‘battle’ pretty loosely here.) I hope it turns out to be worth the effort,” I said smiling.
“I believe it will be, lad,” Merv replied. “We’re now one step closer to finding our way home ... both of us. Hang on to this jewel, boy. Guard it with your life.”
Merv handed me the Heart of Ra and I returned it to my pack. Movement from the corner caused me to whirl around, my razor-sharp reflexes taking over. The blankets on Merv’s bed began to rise, twisting and turning back and forth before they were finally thrown to one side.
“Get behind me!” I shouted, pulling my new friend away from the fearsome beast that now stared at me with cold black eyes. Feathers covered the monster’s head, giving way to fur where its neck met its body. Great feathered wings sprouted from the beast’s back, slowly fanning the air as it stretched its legs and began moving towards me. Its sharp, black talons clicked against the hard stone floor.
Without warning, the creature let out a high pitched squawk and lunged directly at me. Before I could react, I found myself bowled over, lying on my back, hot breath blowing in my face.
“Run, Merv!” I screamed. “I’ll hold it off!”
Merv did not run. Merv began laughing hysterically.
“It has a name, lad. Zeus is my pet gryphon. I believe I told you earlier that I raised them. He won’t hurt you.”
Merv made a kissing sound and the gryp
hon immediately loped over to its master, flopped down on its back, and waited expectantly. Merv reached down and began to scratch the great beast on its belly. Soft purring and squawking sounds rumbled from Zeus’ belly. His right rear leg twitched uncontrollably.
“I assure you, Zeus is harmless,” Merv said while rubbing his furry friend. “But thank you for your heroic offer to protect me.” He winked at me and stood up. The gryphon bounded away, finding his food bowl filled up in the corner.
A light rap on the door signaled the arrival of the King’s messenger. Overcoming my shock at seeing a gryphon, I turned toward the door. It occurred to me, not for the first time since I had been thrust into this mess, that very strange things seemed less and less so as I continued on my journey. What was next?
“His Majesty awaits thine presence, young sir,” the messenger advised from the open doorway.
“Harold, right?” I asked, recognizing the court herald from the previous evening.
“Indeed, sir,” he replied rubbing a sizable bruise over his left eye. “If thou will follow me, I would be most happy to escort thee to the king’s table. He is most excited to hear thy daring tale.”
Merv stepped forward ushering my guide out the door. “I’ll bring our visitor to the king’s chambers directly, Harold. Please tell his Majesty that we are on our way.”
Harold bowed slightly as he backed into the hallway. Lingering a bit too long, he replied, “I will advise his Majesty at once.”
“I just saved you, lad,” Merv said. “Harold the Herald is notorious for talking peoples’ ears off. Occupational hazard, I guess. It’s said that he can talk for thirty minutes straight without ever taking a breath.” Merv chuckled and continued, “I imagine some folks say the same things about me too, though.”
Smiling to myself, I put on my most solemn face and asked, “Why would anyone say that about you, Merv?”
My new friend burst out laughing and headed for the hallway. Putting his arm around my shoulder he said, “You’re too kind, Eli Arnold. I suspect you’ve already noticed my propensity to go on forever.”
A tilt of Merv’s head indicated we should go.
“The King is waiting, my boy. And the sooner you’ve told him your tale, the sooner we can examine the information we have in greater detail and ...”
“The sooner we can get home,” I finished.