Night had fallen and Little Fish was following close behind the Valley Knight with the Chief at his back. Traveling in the dark through what the Knight called a 'sewer', with more crawly things than were under the pier and a smell which defied any words he had to describe it, had him on edge! Fortunately, the boy found he could turn the light of the fish scale on at will. For some reason though, he could only get it to shine a dark red. It was just as well. Little Fish had no desire to see what any of this scary place really looked like anyway!
Things had to be very serious the boy gathered, for the Chief hadn't cracked-wise since they came down into this place. Most unsettling to Little Fish was how the Knight moved about this unholy place like he had been born here. When they reached an open point, four passages split around them reminding Little Fish of a crossed path back in the Valley. The boy had a sudden painful desire to be back home with his adopted father and mother the Millet Farmers.
Especially, to be back at the Priestess' house sitting outside near the shrine at night looking up at the stars. She would point to a star and tell him that people lived around it like they lived near the sun. With the Priestess, everything made sense. Around her, Little Fish could sort of understand the Knight too! When she was present, he wasn't as scary and he seemed almost... nice. The Knight was the only person who didn't speak to the Priestess' like she was special. All the people of the Valley always kissed her hand or got on their knees to ask her favor. The Knight never did any of that!
Sometimes it seemed like he made fun of her because she would always hit him after he said something. Strange thing was, the Priestess wasn't angry when she did it. The one time Little Fish did see the Priestess get annoyed, it was because some people living in the Surround wanted to block off a big part of the River to make it easier to catch fish and keep the crocodiles away. They had started building and did not get the Priestess' permission.
When she found out what they were doing, Her eyes turned bright yellow and dark clouds began to form over her house. It was the Knight who calmly said, "Wife, you're scaring the boy." Her eyes then went back to normal and the clouds went away! The Priestess gave a long sigh and said to him, "Come Little Fish and let's go see what mischief they're up to on the River." He remembered when the Surrounder's saw her coming, they immediately started tearing down what they'd built.
The Priestess did compromise and allowed them to build a smaller fishing trap. The Surrounder’s thanked her for weeks by bringing her fresh and dried fish. All that time when it was fish for the morning and evening meals, the Knight cracked-wise like he was surprised when it was the last thing the Priestess wanted. Except for Little Fish' real father, the boy felt his family were those who had taken him in and home was the Valley.
Little Fish was abruptly taken away from his dreaming by a swat on the back by the Chief. "Wake up boy, the Knight is talking to you!" Startled, Little Fish looked into the eyes of a more stern than usual Valley Knight. There was a noticeable chill to the Knight's voice as he whispered, "Pay attention, the lives of all the Chief's men are depending on us!" Little Fish forcefully diverted his full attention to what the Knight was about to say. As the Knight laid out their plan, Little Fish felt things were the same as during the 'touch game'.
He couldn't get close enough to touch the Priestess before the Knight stopped him. At some point, he would always lose his focus with other thoughts. The last time a Lion had followed him. Had it not been for the Knight, he wouldn't have seen it... until too late! Things were much too real now for such childish mistakes. So the boy listened intently as the Knight gave them detailed descriptions of where to go through these sewers. A sudden thought occurred to Little Fish and he blurted, "Sir Knight, why are you telling us about different places? We're going with you... right?
The Knight also saw the same expectation in the Chief's eyes as well. Looking to the boy the Knight replied, "Wrong. We will each take a different path." The Knight pointed down one dark path and said, "That way, the Chief will find his men. I must follow the path before me and you must take the one opposite the Chief." Little Fish's eyes grew large as chicken eggs and once more he blurted, "I'm not going in there by myself!" The Knight flattened his expression to nothing and said, "Then stay here... and do nothing. Remember when you were so focused on touching the Priestess, you did not see the Lion?"
Little Fish had just been thinking about that and before he could say anything the Knight cut him off. "There is another 'lion' out there that you can't see boy, but you have already faced it once. It is called 'Destiny'. If you do not keep a watchful eye for it just like that lion, destiny will 'devour' you as well! Remember before we came here, we went to the Chief's past. Because of the songs his people sing, he was able to dance with destiny.
No one can fight destiny and win. No one. But, you can move with it so that things go as they were meant to. I told you when we arrived here that we are thirteen years in my past. Just like the Chief, I know what is about to happen. That is why I know we all must go down separate paths. Do you understand?" The boy's dark eyes wavered for an instant then the look of understanding and purpose pushed aside the Knight's concerns.
The Knight placed hands on both his companion's shoulders and said, "Once more, know that we are here because we are supposed to be. Chief, follow that passage and you will find your men. If you encounter a man wearing a black mask, do not fight him. Little Fish, do not fear. Follow the passage before you and you will be where I can find you. The Chief looked to his comrade and asked, "What will you do my friend?"
The Knight gave the Chief's shoulder a squeeze and said, "As I told you when we arrived, this is where and when I fought the only man to ever defeat me. This time I will find him, beat him and return that which he gave to me." "Ha! You should just give whatever 'gift' you have to me. The dead have no use for them!" Giving the Chief a more serious look than usual, the Knight replied, "Svengald my friend, I would not burden you with so terrible a 'gift'. Go now and find your men!"
The Chief swiftly departed into the darkness feeling his way along. The Knight turned to Little Fish and said, "You go too! Remember what the Priestess told you and keep your focus open to all which is around you." The Knight gave the boy a hard swat on the back like he always did back in the Valley to encourage him. The Knight watched Little Fish wind his way into the sewage tunnel until the red light of the fish scale was gone. Now into total darkness, he drew the black blade and after a moment, it began to glow with amber light.
Unlike the Chief's and Little Fish's paths, the one before the Knight was unknown to him. Events were about to take place in which he must again play his part. This time he had a role which he did not know the outcome, but must be played like a master or life as he had known it would go astray. However, destiny be damned. He would confront the Skull-Faced Man once more, but this time as the Valley Knight! He would return these accursed weapons of death to the demon and would then get everyone back to the Valley. He had finally found a place of peace with a wife who loved him and a land he loved just as much. Knowing there was no more time to waste, the Knight flew into the dark ready to face his greatest challenge!
To be continued....
© 2011 H. Wolfgang Porter. All Rights Reserved.
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