Ragnarok: The Fate of Gods (27 page)

Chapter Seventeen: The Angel
’s Island

             
The remainder of their journey was uneventful.  The small group was mostly quiet.  Ariel spent every minute in the cargo bay with Zeke, where the Roman people had set up a bed for him.  Jack and Daniel stayed up front.  They left the door to the cargo bay open so they could hear immediate updates on Zeke’s health. 

             
“And if you look out of the windows to your right, you’ll see the former plate city of Rome.”  Jack called through the door to Ariel, “You interested?”

             
“No thank you,” she responded.  “I’ve seen it.”

             
“Bad memories?” asked Daniel, who suddenly realized he knew very little about her.

             
“You ever meet a survivor with good memories?” 

             
“You and Zeke are both survivors?” 

             
“Yes.”  She was quiet. Introspective.  “We both lost everything in the conflict.  Zeke has never been the same since it happened.”

             
“Micah?”  He had heard the name before, and sensed that this man was significant.  Maybe Ariel could tell him more. 

             
“Yes,” she said, hesitating.  “He was Zeke’s best friend, and the only family he ever knew.  When he disappeared, Zeke didn’t take it well.  And I . . .”  She stopped.

There was a long pause.  The conversation was over.  Daniel didn
’t press it. 

Eventually, Jack spoke. 
“We should be at your coordinates any minute.  So what exactly are we looking for?” 

“
The island of Elijah.  He’s the head of my order.”

“
Order?” asked Jack.  “You in some sort of secret society?” 

“
You could say that.” 

“
Well, you’d better help me look then.  Those secret islands can be sneaky.”

Daniel pointed to a growing speck of green on the ocean. 
“There it is.  Not as wily as you expected.”  Jack took the ship down. 

Zeke woke up, wrapped in bandages. 

There were two people in the room with him.  He instantly recognized Daniel, who also noticed him immediately.  The other man was a stranger.  At first glance, he appeared younger than Daniel.  Perhaps sixteen or seventeen.  But something was wrong.  His hair was gray with age, and he carried himself with a grace and dignity rarely found in youth. 

Daniel called the stranger over to the bed. 

Zeke looked around.  The room appeared to be a cross between a hospital and someone
’s living room.  His bed was lush and soft.  The floor was carpeted, and the room was furnished like a home, but the shelves were lined with medical supplies.  “Where am I?”

The stranger glided over to him. 
“Shh.  Rest now.  I’ve removed the venom of the dragon, but the wound will still require time to heal.  We can talk later.” 

“
This is Sandalphon,” Daniel explained proudly.  “He is the head of my order and a very powerful healer.” 

The stranger smiled. 
“Please, that title is too formal.  I may no longer be human, but you may still use my human name.  Call me Elijah.” 

“
Elijah?”  Sandalphon?”  Zeke’s head clouded.  He felt tired and could only think of going back to sleep. 

“
Please rest.  You will heal quickly.  Daniel already told me your story.  When you are healed, there is much to discuss.  Until then, you are my guests.” 

Zeke was already asleep.

Abandoned by Daniel after their arrival, Ariel and Jack had spent the better part of the day wandering around the island, trying to figure out the Order of Sandalphon. 

The island was small.  Most of it was taken up by the complex.  On one side, a trail led down to the beach, a small farm, and a landing area.  The island was heavily fortified.  Almost military.  But the inhabitants were more like monks than soldiers. 

A paranoid religious sect in an age of fear. 

Being a small island, and having little else to do, the two guests explored it quite thoroughly.  Ariel was fond of the view from the tallest tower.  Jack insisted on making frequent sweeps of the cafeteria.  But after returning to their favorite places hour after hour, they were tired and bored, and they now rested in the commons area. 

The room was dark and quiet.  The monks rose early every day, so they were in bed by nine.  There were only two sources of light.  One was the moon, shining through the skylight, the only window in the room.  The others were display lights, shining on a small assortment of weapons mounted on the wall. 

“Such odd things to find in a place like this.”  Ariel examined them closely.  Two swords, a spear, a bow, a hammer, and a metal staff.  Despite all being weapons, they didn’t seem to make a fitting collection. 

“
They don’t seem like a violent bunch,” observed Jack.

“
I don’t think they want to use them.  They’re very ornate.  Maybe they’re just decorations.” 

“
You have a good eye for beauty,” said Elijah.  He and Daniel came through the door from the infirmary.  “But unfortunately, we do not keep them for enjoyment.” 

“
Oh, Mr. Sandalphon.  How is Zeke?”  Ariel asked. 

“
He is doing well.  Our skills were more than enough to repair his wound.”  Elijah smiled.  Although he appeared very young, he spoke slowly.  Carefully.  Like an old man in a child’s body.  His aura felt comforting.  Almost fatherly.  And Ariel felt a wave when he told her Zeke had recovered. 

“
So if you don’t mind me asking,” said Jack, “what is the arsenal for?  Some of your boys have a mean streak in them?”

Elijah laughed politely. 
“No, we try to avoid violence.  We hold these weapons because of our duty.  We have been entrusted as keepers of an archive of lore.  I believe you’ve heard of this,
The Book of the Angel Razael.”

A look of worried recognition flashed across Ariel
’s face.  “That’s the book from Rome.  The one the Karellan has now.”

“
That’s right.  Are you aware of its importance?” 

Ariel shook her head, knowing only what Micah had said years before. 
“No.”

“
It is a book containing the wisdom of God.  The long-forgotten power that created this world.  It is a book of magic.” 

A hush fell over the group.  No one was sure how to react to the thought.  Even Daniel seemed to be hearing this for the first time.  Magic was unheard of, but they had witnessed some strange things recently.  Could it be possible?  

“Once, long ago, we lost the book.  It was taken in battle, and those who lust for power used it to create powerful and dangerous weapons.  Those are the weapons you see before you now.  It was our duty to reclaim them.  We spent several thousand years searching, but finally we found them all.  Now, we simply protect them.” 

Ariel looked at the spear, resting on the wall. 
Created with the wisdom of God?
she thought.  She slowly reached out to touch it. 

“
I see you have taken an exceptional interest in this one,” the sage noted. 

Suddenly aware that she was being watched, she drew back. 
“Oh, it’s nothing much.  Just an old habit.”  During the war, training with melee weapons was required of the resistance fighters.  Under-funded and under-supplied, ammunition shortages were a constant threat.  Most soldiers blew off melee training as a joke.  But for Ariel, it meant extra time with Micah.  He had said she was a natural lancer.  Almost a shame that she fought with a rifle.

“
It is a fine weapon, as far as weapons can be fine,” explained Elijah.  “This one belonged to a powerful ruler from the north.  He named it Gungnir and claimed that when used as a javelin, it always hit its mark.  He had given the hammer to his son, also a very powerful man.  That one is called Mjolnir.” 

“
They have names?” said Jack. 

“
Of course they do.”  He picked up a slim broadsword from its hooks.  “This blade is Durandal.  The bow is called Gandiva.”  He nodded to the sword near the spot Jack leaned against the wall.  “That was the sword of an English king.  It was once called Caliburn, although you’re probably familiar with a different name.” 

Ariel paused for a minute, thinking. 
Caliburn?

“
Excalibur?” she asked. 

Jack jumped, as if the sword itself might attack him. 
“Holy sausages!  King Arthur’s sword?  The real thing?” 

“
None other.”  Elijah gave a slight nod. 

“
I get it.”  Jack strode forward, confidently.  He spoke like a cop interrogating a suspect.  “I understand.  Your job is to cover up history, right?  To hide the past from the world?  Convince us it never happened.  Well I’m on to you!  I just have one question, buddy.”  The enthusiasm in his voice disappeared instantly.  “Why on Earth would you want to do that?  That’s crazy.  Even I don’t believe that.” 

“
Our job is merely to guard the tools that humanity may use to destroy itself.  That is all.  Memory is a poor facility of the mind, I’m afraid.  Over time, all stories will either fade into legend or be forgotten.  Yet, it is merely a side-effect of our task.” 

Jack gaped at Excalibur. 
“I’ll bet.  It’s going to take me a while to get used to this whole King-Arthur-was-real thing.”

“
You’re more of a blunt force kind-of-guy, though,” said Daniel.  “Maybe you’d prefer this.”  He motioned toward the staff, grinning subtly. 

Jack walked to the staff as Elijah explained,
“That is the Staff of Son Wukong.  I recovered that one personally.  I walked all the way to China for it.  It has the unique ability to extend or retract to any size the user desires.” 

“
Now that’s a weapon that fits me perfectly,” Jack said proudly.

A familiar voice joined the conversation. 
“I’ll agree with that.  Son Wukong was the king of the monkeys.”  They turned.  Zeke stood in the infirmary door, rotating his bandaged arm. 

“
You’re okay!” shouted Ariel, running to him. 

“
I feel great,” he said in disbelief.  “I thought it would take weeks to recover.” 

“
Oh no,” said Elijah.  “We can’t have that.  We’ve got a special task for you.”

“
Yeah, about that,” Zeke started.  “Now that I’m awake, how about explaining why everyone under the sun seems so interested in me these days?”

Elijah nodded gravely. 
“Please, Master Branderlief, come with me.” 

              The old man led them deep into the earth below the island.  They walked through a labyrinth of unmarked hallways, down countless flights of stairs into sub-basements that must have stretched deep beneath the sea.  By the time they reached the dead end, only Elijah remembered the way back up. 

             
They were on the threshold of another world.  The air was thick and salty, but not like the open breeze on the ocean.  It was stagnant.  Silent.  Dead.  The sage stood at the end of the hallway as if it were another door.  He reached out his hand and gently touched it.  The wall began to ripple, as if it were a pond disturbed by his touch.  The ripples grew larger until the wall vanished, revealing another long hallway. 

             
Only Jack seemed surprised, and then only slightly.  This tomb-like labyrinth felt unearthly.  Feats of magic did not seem impossible here. 

             
“Guarding the book was a task entrusted to me long ago when my brother, Enoch, gave in to its power,” explained Elijah as he led them through the hallway.  “As I mentioned, I have failed to protect it in the past. Several thousand years ago our complex was breached in a battle.  The book was stolen, but its captors did not understand its power.  They used it merely to create the weapons, and nothing more.” 

             
Soon, the hallway reached another dead end.  As before, Elijah reached out and touched the wall.  This time, it burst into flames and disintegrated into ash in a matter of seconds.  They continued down the hall.

             
“However, three hundred years ago it was stolen again.  The man who took it found the power to unify the world under religion.  This man became the first High Theocrat.  In time, he succeeded in using the book to summon the malak to the world, driving people to his church for protection.  It made him very powerful.”

             
On the surface, the suggestion may have been horrifying.  In the labyrinth of tunnels, however, it was a grim reality.  Daniel and Jack were not shocked to learn this.  Zeke and Ariel had known it for ten years.