THE_REALM_SHIFT Read online

  Gideon did not react, did not lower his hood, but he did remove the knife from the block of cheese, placing it under his cloak. Gideon watched Ethan eyes. The boy had a better view of what was coming. Ethan had stopped chewing and was looking at the men as they approached.

  “How many?â€� Gideon whispered

  “Four.â€�

  “Stay calm. I’ll handle it,â€� he said. Gideon remained cool and collected. His training as a warrior-priest had taught him many things. He knew more than one hundred ways to kill a man and many more ways to place someone in gut-wrenching pain, forcing their submission.

  The only thing he wondered was how seriously these men felt about their reasons for intruding. Gideon supposed they had seen the money and wanted it. Silver coins were hard to come by these days and someone with an apparent abundance of them, in a place like the Weary Traveler Inn, was just asking for trouble.

  In a way, Gideon had hoped this might happen. He wanted everyone to know to keep their distance. Therefore, it was helpful for someone to volunteer and prove his point. Whoever these four gentlemen were, they had just made a bad choice.

  One of the men came over and stood behind Ethan. He wore a beard with plenty of gray streaking through it. He was dressed like a mariner, probably a pirate, and his portly belly placed a strain on his wide belt and steel buckle. Ethan glanced back at the man, but stayed calm as Gideon had instructed. The man leered maniacally at the boy, waiting.

  The other three men stood behind Gideon. They could not see his face, could not tell how young he actually was. If they had, it would have only made matters progress more swiftly. They would’ve supposed a man as young as Gideon to be easy prey—an unwise assumption.

  The men flanking Gideon were average pirates, not very clean, personal grooming not high on their list of priorities. One wore a bicorn hat. The other was almost bald. Both men were missing a fair number of their original teeth, and many others looked in need of falling out.

  The leader wore a captain’s tricorn hat with a scarlet, velveteen waistcoat that was cleaner than one might expect with a brace of pistols extending from shoulder to hip. A cutlass dangled in a scabbard from his left hip and his right hand was already patting a dagger in his belt, just beneath his jacket.

  “I see you ‘ave some shiny silver pretties over ‘ere,â€� the pirate captain said. His voice bellowed deep and menacing. Obviously, he knew how to intimidate folk, using it to his advantage.

  Gideon whispered a prayer under his breath. He always did at times like this. When he turned to face the men, Gideon noticed surprise light on their faces, their smiles growing noticeably. He was younger than they had expected and it bolstered their confidence. This would be like taking candy from a baby.

  The captain showed his unkempt smile. “Well now, you lads just ‘and over that purse and we’ll be on our way. No need in either of you gettin ‘urt.â€�

  “No,â€� Gideon said. The pirate captain had not expected to hear that word. It was evidently rare someone dared say it to him—the sort of word that got a man keelhauled.

  Anger washed over the captain’s face, while surprise covered the faces of his men. The captain grabbed the dagger he had been petting beneath the left flap of his waistcoat, loosing the weapon. He tried to bring it down in his right hand to put a quick end to the miserable whelp standing before him.

  Gideon moved as fluidly as water through a pipe, following a pre-plotted course without need of thought. He caught the captain’s hand inside his wrist, rotating it outward while forcing the whole arm down. From underneath his cloak, Gideon’s left knee bent up to meet the captain’s elbow.

  The limb cracked at the joint. With his right hand, Gideon pulled one of the captain’s pistols from the brace across his chest. Gideon cocked the hammer as his arm extended in the direction of the pirate to his right, bringing the barrel right up under the man’s chin before the pirate even realized what was happening.

  “Tell them to stand down,â€� Gideon said. He still had a hold on the captain’s wrist, twisting the broken arm to emphasize his point.

  The captain howled in pain, just barely able to voice the order as tears streaked through the dirt on his face. “STAND DOWN! STAND DOWN!â€�

  In a potentially deadly situation, no one had died. The two men not encumbered by the priest had not even had time to blink before the situation completely turned from their advantage to their captain’s heavy-breathed begging. They both stood stunned.

  “Relieve these men of their weapons, Ethan,â€� Gideon said.

  Ethan happily complied, removing every weapon from the men he could find, including the captain’s dagger, which had fallen on the floor. When Ethan had finished, a fair pile of weapons sat on the bar next to their food.

  None of the other patrons moved. No one appeared eager to come to these pirates’ rescue. Gideon gave another slight twist as he leaned into the pirate captain’s ear. “If I were you, sir, I would have a physician take a look at this arm. It will need to be set quickly for good healing.â€�

  The captain gritted his teeth, sweating profusely, which only exacerbated the odor in the Weary Traveler Inn. Gideon let him go as the pirates all backed away under the stare of Gideon’s pistol. Two of his men attempted to help their captain, but he refused. “Leave off, you gutter rats! Don’t touch it,â€� he said, holding the arm protectively against his body. He staggered toward the door with his men following. “This isn’t over, boy,â€� he spat. The heavy door closed after them with a loud bang.

  Gideon procured the brace of pistols for himself and handed Ethan the captain’s cutlass and scabbard. The rest he pushed across the bar toward the keeper who had only just reemerged from kitchen. “Could you take care of these for me?â€� Gideon said, gesturing toward the pile.

  “Oh yes, sir,â€� the barkeep said, remembering the silver piece he had been promised. The barkeep began pulling the weapons off the mahogany bar top, placing them below.

  “We’ll take the rest of our meal in our room,â€� Gideon said.

  “Of course, sir. It’s all ready for you. Room number seven, fourth on your right, up the stairs. I’ll arrange your passage to Emmanuel and let you know when your ship leaves.â€�

  “Thank you.â€� Gideon grabbed the vessel of water and Ethan took the platter of food. The young men crossed the room and ascended the stairs, two flights to the second floor. They found their room as the barkeep had said. Gideon opened the door cautiously, surveying what lay within.

  There was a large bed with a basic wooden frame. The sheet did not look very clean and there was a heavier brown blanket on top of it. Against the wall, opposite the bed, stood a simple chest with two drawers. A ceramic basin and pitcher for washing sat on top. A small table with two chairs sat in the corner.

  Ethan took the water pitcher from Gideon and placed it and the platter of food on the table. Ethan did not speak until Gideon had closed the door behind them. “That was amazing, Gideon!â€� he said.

  Gideon only smiled.

  “I can’t wait for you to teach me how to fight like that,â€� Ethan said.

  “There’s much more to being a warrior-priest than fighting, Ethan.â€�

  “Well, yes, of course.â€�

  “Do you know what the first thing was that I did down there, the first thing I do anytime I’m faced with a violent conflict?â€�

  Ethan hunched his shoulders.

  “I prayed to the Lord for his guidance and strength. There is one important lesson you should learn at the beginning. No matter how accomplished a warrior one may be there will always be someone better, a situation that you won’t be able to handle. But nothing confounds Shaddai, Ethan. All things dwell under his divine contr
ol and are subject to his will. If you will always seek the will of Shaddai, then you will always find it. Now, let’s have a bit of that food, shall we?� Gideon removed his cloak for comfort’s sake. They divided the remainder of the meal between them with Ethan allowing the larger portion to Gideon.

  “Do you think those men will come back for revenge?â€� Ethan asked as he chewed on some bread.

  “Probably. Men like that never learn.â€�

  NOCTURNAL VISITORS

  It had been close to dusk by the time the barkeep had knocked on their door with news about passage across the Azure Sea. A merchant vessel on its way to Emmanuel was scheduled to leave in two days. Gideon thanked the man and told him he would receive his promised money when they were ready to depart for the ship.

  “I’ll take you down tomorrow and introduce you to the captain, myself,â€� the barkeeper said.

  Ethan and Gideon had another day and a half to wait before they could leave the Weary Traveler and the town of Tilley. They decided their time would best be spent if they did not venture far from the inn. The pirates they had encountered might be waiting for an opportunity to exact revenge.

  Ethan watched the last rays of the sun sink below the deep blue horizon of the Azure. He had never been to the ocean before, but he had heard of the Azure Sea. Its waters had often been compared to sapphires. Seeing it now for the first time in his life, Ethan understood the analogy. It was simply beautiful. Even in the moonlight, it sparkled.

  Gideon lay on the bed, getting some sleep while he could. Trying to get any quality rest aboard a merchant vessel would be nearly impossible. Ethan took the first watch.

  Sailing ships were busy entering and leaving the harbor up until just after nightfall. The docks functioned like a well-oiled machine. Ethan wondered where the ship was that he and Gideon would be taking to Emmanuel. He paused, thinking about what the priest had told him. Then he prayed silently for Elspeth and the journey they were about to make in hopes of rescuing her.

  A noise woke Ethan. He couldn’t place the sound—perhaps a distant musket shot. He had little doubt that things got very dangerous in a city like Tilley after dark. It had been seedy enough during the day.

  He quickly scanned the room. The light of the full moon shone through their open window. Ethan sat in the shadows just out of the oblong moonshine’s reach. He held one of the pirate captain’s black powder pistols in his lap, just in case.

  Gideon was still asleep. Sound sleepers those priests, Ethan thought. He was actually glad he woke before Gideon did. He felt like kicking himself for falling asleep in the first place.

  Ethan heard more noise in the street now. There were at least two people brawling outside. He peered out the window and saw one man stagger as he threw a punch and missed. The other fellow returned the compliment and did not miss.

  More noise came from outside their room, downstairs. Ethan crept over to the door to investigate. He heard people pass in the hall—a man and woman. He waited until their voices trailed down the corridor. Ethan heard a door open and close, assuming it must be clear now.

  He opened the door to their room. No one else was in the hall. An oil lamp flickered from a mount at the far end of the corridor. Ethan stepped into the hallway and closed the door. He heard a commotion coming from downstairs. A glass broke. Ethan knelt down at the second floor landing to see what was happening in the main room of the inn.

  A group of pirates had congregated near the bar. The pirate captain from earlier stood at the forefront. He held the barkeep by the shirt with his good arm. “Where are they?â€� he bellowed as he pulled the man halfway across the mahogany countertop. Two of the captain’s men cocked the hammers on their pistols and placed them on either side of the barkeep’s head.

  He’s going to tell them. Ethan knew silver coins wouldn’t keep the man from saving his own skin.

  “They’re up in seven!â€� he confessed.

  The pirate captain grinned, showing all of the cavities he had been cultivating in his smile. He shoved the barkeeper back into the ceramic mugs stacked against the back wall. They flew in every direction as the barkeeper spilled to the floor in a heap. “Come on, lads. We’ve got revenge to take in number seven tonight!â€�

  As the men turned toward the stairs, Ethan caught sight of other visitors in the bar with the pirates. Demons! Ethan hurried back to the room and shut the door quickly, hoping that he and Gideon could still sneak out in time.

  As Ethan turned to wake Gideon, the head of a demon rose through the dusty floorboards, its form passing through solid matter. Ethan froze mid-step, startled by the sudden appearance of an enemy there in the dark. For a second, he almost forgot the creature could not see him.

  The demon ascended into the dark room, until its feet cleared the floor. Then it looked around, searching the shadows for anyone else who might be present. The demon wore the same black and red garment as the others—Mordred’s colors. A sword hung near the creature’s hip, suspended in mid-air.

  The demon hopped up to the edge of the bed’s footboard, perching there like a vulture over its prey. Ethan couldn’t decide what to do. If he woke Gideon, the demon might kill him. If he did not, at the very least, the pirates were coming up the stairs to kill them both. He had no choice.

  “Gideon, there’s a demon in the room, wake up!â€�

  The creature did not move until Gideon flinched and sat up. The demon snatched the sword hanging by its side. Ethan dove across the space between the door and the bed, catching Gideon with both hands. The demon slashed into the mattress, just as Ethan pulled Gideon out of the way, onto the floor.

  The blade tore a huge gash through the bed, sending goose down up in a white plume. The boys rolled off the floor to their feet with Gideon still held in Ethan’s grasp. They backed into a corner as the demon frantically searched for the invisible boys.

  The pirates came down the hall. Their heavy footsteps fell on the old floorboards like an army on the move. The demon ran out of the room, its body passing through the wooden door unhindered.

  Gideon and Ethan grabbed the weapons they had commandeered earlier and rushed toward the window. The door burst open behind them, slamming into the wall as Gideon followed Ethan over the windowsill. The pirate captain spotted them and fired his pistol.

  Gideon rolled down the slope of the roof out of control, until Ethan grabbed him. “Thanks,â€� Gideon said.

  The pirate captain appeared at the window. He howled in pain as his men pushed behind him, mashing his broken arm. “Off me, you dogs!â€�

  Ethan and Gideon ran along the shingles until they found an adjacent rooftop. It stood about ten feet lower than the roof of the Weary Traveler with a gap of fifteen feet. “We’ll have to jump for it,â€� Gideon said.

  Ethan was not afraid of heights, by any means, but the jump looked like a one-way ticket to a broken ankle. Gideon took a good run and sailed over the expanse. His loose-fitting, priestly attire billowed around him. He dropped to the neighboring rooftop, allowing his body to collapse at the knees. He rolled out of it and back to his feet.

  Ethan didn’t know if he could make it or not. He was quite sure his attempt would not be as graceful as Gideon’s, even if he did make it. The sound of pirates smashing through the window and spilling out onto the roof convinced him.

  Ethan backed up, then surged forward into the fastest run he could manage before running out of rooftop. He kicked off with the last step, vaulting through the air. There was nothing now but wind and gravity in the dark. He tried to judge the distance and speed, but didn’t quite manage it. He landed with a bounce, of sorts, shaking every bone in his body from his feet upward. His tuck and roll fumbled into a stagger and crash.

  Ethan hit the roof hard with his shoulder and face. Gideon rushed to him and helped Ethan back to h
is feet. The left side of his face felt numb, yet it burned at the same time. Blood dripped from cuts on his cheek and shoulder.

  More pistol fire erupted behind them. Gunpowder flashed in the dark. They heard shots whiz through the air around them, ricocheting off the rooftop as they ran across it trying to find a way down to the street. The deep voice of the pirate captain bellowed behind them, “Bring me their heads!â€�

  OVER THE ROOFTOPS

  The demons had taken up the chase by now, but they were not going to get far without natural eyes. The clientele inside the Weary Traveler suited their special needs. The nightly patrons were just the sort of dregs and addicts who made it easy for the demons to move right in, control their weak minds, and inhabit their bodies.

  The heavy wooden door burst open, and a motley crew of demon-controlled bar patrons spilled out into the street. This lot would not clamor on the rooftops with bumbling pirates. They took the swifter route through the streets. Now they had natural eyes with which to see Shaddai’s Deliverer.

  There was an old woman in her eighties. She had lived a hard life addicted to Pharmakia and could barely walk these days. But under the control of these dark forces, particularly the demon leading the brigade, she was more spry than a ten year old on chocolate.

  The next was a man in his fifties. He had served in a previous war, losing an arm for his service. A hooked hand now resided in its place. Hook hand had lost his wife to a bout of plague sweeping through Tilley nearly ten years ago. These days he was a regular patron at the Weary Traveler, mostly because they allowed him to purchase his drink on credit for a few days at a time.

  The last was a young man who swept and mopped the inn. He was also responsible for removing the rowdies. Being a man of considerable size, he would bounce them out on their heads into the street whenever the barkeep gave him leave. Being a bit of a street bully growing up, the bouncer enjoyed this part of his job the most.