XIX – More Confusion

Phred’s interpreting things for my confused mind helped some but, as Whitey said, I had no reference point to work from. While I could generally follow what he was saying (thanks to Phred), much of what the Seraph was talking about left me seriously confused. All this talk about other ‘worlds’ and such made no sense to my military oriented mind. Time to ask some serious questions.

“Uh, Whitey? What in the %^%$# is a ‘world’?”

The Seraph’s body language revealed patient pity as to my lack of knowledge.

*A world is the ground you stand upon. It is the sky above you and the wind flowing over you. It is all things around you. The touchable and untouchable. Just as the ground you stand upon is the world for all things you know of, so there are other worlds and those who live on them. The pin points of light you see in the night sky shelter those other worlds as the sun shelters you.*

I was a smidge closer to understanding things, but I was still kinda’ lost. Phred was doing his best, but he could only show me so much. I took a chance and made a huge leap in logic.

“Soooo . . . these fourth human types you’re talking about came to this world from one of those points of light?”

*Yes, although their home world was quite a bit closer than you might think. Suffice it to say that those people came here to make a new start and forget the disasters of their past.*

I felt myself a tad bit closer to understanding what Whitey was trying to drill into my skull. I still had questions though.

“Let me see if I have this straight. These other human guys somehow messed up their world, so they came here to mess up ours?”

*That was certainly not their original intent. But they brought with them their old ways of doing things. Plus, the entities that had been mostly responsible for the previous disaster were hidden among the survivors, waiting to force their will upon them.*

Alright. So far. I was starting to get the gist of things, and that gist was looming larger and larger in my poor abused mind. More Questions.

“Let me see if I have this straight again. The survivors escape from some kind of mammoth mistake and then brought the mistake with them?”

*Simply put, but essentially, yes. Of course they had no idea that disaster was riding with them. They had too many other things on their minds to seriously worry about any distant future. It is the fate of men that they forget.*

It was at this point of the conversation that my mind finally caught up with the implications of Whitey’s story. I tried to speak but my mind was attempting to shut down, so nothing came out.

I woke some time later surrounded by concerned faces and sporting a massive headache. Whitey was quick to explain.

*You passed out. That’s normal for those new to mind speak as the mind is new to the experience.*

I glared at Whitey.

“Normal huh. You oughta’ be on my side of this mind thingy of yours. Then you wouldn’t be so casual about it.”

Whitey stuck his non face in front of me.

*Rest yourself for a moment. There is still much to tell and we have so little time.*

Huh?! The fun was just getting started, as I quickly found out.

Chapter XX

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XVIII – Too Much Information?

It had been a curious and strange ride so far. But, even with what we’d seen and done, I was not prepared for Whitey the Seraph’s story, which he seemed really anxious to tell me. I had never liked bedtime or mystery stories so I was a little leery of what my mysterious friend might have to say to me. I hate it when a gut feeling tells me I’m right and reality proves it.

There we were. Me repairing armor and trying to look calm with Whitey the Seraph about to complicate my busy life further. I sat myself down on a nearby rock and waited for Whitey to speak. It wasn’t long in coming.

*Prepare yourself General. What I am about to tell you is the basis for many of your oldest legends. You must believe that what I say is the ungarnished truth. We Seraphim cannot lie nor would deceiving you benefit us in the least.*

Whitey stopped ‘talking’ and I notice that the Furry named Phred had ambled over and was sitting cross legged next to us. His large blue eyes had an almost hypnotic quality about them. Whitey had stopped when Phred appeared. Now he continued.

*Phred, as you refer to him, is here to translate the concepts I am about to reveal to you. Many of the events I will descibe do not have comparable references in your own experiences. Everything will be translated to you accurately and in full. Nothing of what I reveal to you will be withheld or edited. Do you understand?*

Like an idiot I just nodded my head. Phred had already started his part of the job because everything Whitey told me came across as vivid images inside my skull.

*Let us start with a statement of fact. Man’s knowledge of his beginnings and his rise from savagery are woefully incomplete, or the facts have been twisted all out of recognition. Accepting this reality will allow me to accurately tell you my story. Do you understand and agree to this?*

I nodded yes, still unable to get my tongue to work, or say anything.

*This world called Earth has seen countless ages of change. Some beneficial, others terribly destructive. What I will relate to you concerns a period many tens of thousands of years past when the race you sprang from was still a concept. Mere images in the minds of those who, as time wore on, dared to call themselves gods. In the time of which I speak, this world was known as Terra, and was the seat of a powerful and advanced society ruled by a higher order of Man known historically as ‘The Fourth Human Race’.

These men had come from outside Terra at least a million years earlier in search of a new home. Some time before, their world, a place known as Tellus, had been devastated by the fires of runaway technology. So complete had been the destruction that nothing lived, or could live, on it’s smoldering surface.

The few survivors fled in all directions from their ruined, scarred home, ten thousand of which came to this world Terra. Others fled across the stars to Tellus’ twin world, Rhodenitia, already inhabited by Fouth Race Humans. But that is another tale.

At the time of the migration, Terra was a wild, untamed world which had not yet been ‘graced’ by the presence of Mankind. This soon changed. Men came to this world and tamed it to their will. Or so they thought.

Great cities rose, pushing back the natural order of things, and men multiplied. Science was their god, and only a very few remembered the old ways of their people, or what had brought them to Terra in the first place. Governing this society where those who were called the Great Lords, and their vassals, the High Lords.*

From the sound of things, I was in for a long story.

Chapter XIX

XVII – Mythical Beings And Strange Conversations

After all the hubbub had worn down, I figured that the time would be well spent recovering from our latest adventure. Therefore I told my men that we would be staying put for a couple of days.

I think the men set a record time obeying my orders.

Within minutes I heard soft snoring coming from some of the tents while others set to repairing damaged armor and weapons. As for myself, I found a large rock to sit upon and contemplate all we had learned from the journey so far.

Looking around, I realized that we had come to the end of the tunnel. Doing the math, our marches had taken us an astounding four hundred leagues to tunnel’s end in a little over one week.

I knew that no Roman Infantry, including the much vaunted Praetorian Guard, could have accomplished the same task in the same amount of time. I was proud of my boys so I decided to add a day to our rest period. I’d tell them at evening meal.

For the first time I had a chance to really look around me and truly see where I was. The tunnel mouth widened out into a space so large that I could not easily see the far walls or cavern ceiling even with my excellent eyesight. All of the land about us was lit by that same greenish glow which prevented complete darkness from settling in. I was still curious about the day and evening cycle the plants kept, so I’d be sure to ask Lanni about it at the earliest opportunity.

Little did I realize that my question would be answered by a more informed source.

The next morning we were paid a visit by Tummi who seemed to be escorting none other than the white Seraphim. Entering our camp, Tummi kept a discreet distance as the Seraphim walked up to me and seemed to be casually studying me from head to foot.

Turned out the guy was my height and slightly more massive. Very impressive that. Giving off an aura of quiet confidence, Whitey spoke and his words echoed in my mind.

*Greetings General Varus. I have been waiting to speak to you for some time now. Your journey has been most impressive. So far. I had a wager with my three brothers* (he gestured toward the other camp and the three Seraphim therein) *that you would take at least one of your months before you would come in contact with the Valparta. It seems that I have underestimated your prowess in the matter. My red bother will pleased with his victory. He wagered you would arrive in less than three weeks. Such are the fortunes of wagers.*

It was taking some self control on my part to act calm in the face of his introduction, which was more than mildly unnerving hearing him speak with no mouth to speak from.

“Well, you know my name but I am more than interested to know yours. Lanni calls you Seraphim, but I’ve only heard that term in Judea when talking about something called angels. Sooo . . . what are you known by?”

The Seraphim looked at me with that blank face which made me want to jump out of my skin.

*I should tell you that one of us alone is called by the singular Seraph, while two or more are called by the plural Seraphim.*

Great! I’d insulted him without even trying. I found myself wishing for Caesar’s presence to get me out of this conversation, as I’m more of a hit first and ask questions later type of guy. As it turned out, Whitey wasn’t offended in the least.

*As to names, we Seraphim have no such designations. We are simply referred to by color, description, and/or number. I am known as ‘White’, ‘Air’, or ‘One’. You may choose which you prefer.*

Desig . . . huh? This guy was way too fancy with his words. I chose not to make an issue of it.

“Okay ‘Air’. Nice t’ meet you. What are your friends named? No . . . let me guess. Red for fire, blue for water, and the brown guy is earth I betcha’.”

The Seraph stayed silent for what felt like minutes

*Well done General! We did not think you would be so astute.*

As . . . what? Whitey was starting to get on my nerves with those big words of his.

“If that means what I think it means . . . thanks. I do my best. If it doesn’t . . . those are fight’n words!”

Whitey actually seemed to smile with no smile.

*Trust me General. It was a compliment. But, seriously. We need to talk about vital matters.*

I didn’t like the sound of that at all. What was this Seraph about to tell me?

Chapter XVIII