The Reconnaissance Clock

CHAPTER 14 THE BURDEN OF GALED

Apollyon returned to the Dark Realm. It seemed as though time was speeding up now, and the lightening was touching the ground faster than before. Valefar was nowhere to be seen but, he already knew what he was called to do. He approached Galed and told him that the time has come for him to leave. He told them that the time shifting artifact had been used. He explained how he was meant to take it back and regain control for Valefar. "He reached out to me too." Galed spoke while dusting off the staff that Valefar had given him. The staff was used in his training, but had powers beyond even his own control still. "He reached out to me and it sounded like a cry for help". "Yes, I believe he is trapped somewhere. But, we still have the upper hand, all of us together."

Galed began his journey. His journey to answer the call given to him by Valefar. He was glad to leave his cell behind and the other apostles for the time being. He began his journey to the gate, which was open at the moment without Valefar there to close it again. It was a long journey there without Valefar to carry him. He reached the ravine he had passed many times before, then he passed the lines of people being turned into Vors. He then reached the sea of disbelief. There was no way to cross the sea of lava so he began to walk around it when he saw a hell hound. The beast was massive, with three heads, and the tail of a dragon. His fur was patchy and his eyes were glowing red. The dog approached Galed and he stood his ground. The hell hound lowered his head as if he had been instructed to help Galed cross the sea. He climbed the fur and sat on top of the hound. The hound stepped right onto the lava and began to walk across it. A sense of security crossed Galed's mind, like when he was being held by Valefar, but without the pain of his talons. At one point the dog roared a deep and grizzly sound as he began to run across the sea. They made it safely to the other side and the dog did not lower his head for Galed to dismount so they continued.

The hell hound eventually came to a slower pace and the hell gate was visible in the distance next to a forrest of dead trees. The hound seemed frightened at the speed of the lightening hitting the ground and became unsteady at times, but Galed held on as best that he could and tried to calm the beast. The dust was moving faster than normal and it was clear that something had changed aside from Valefar being trapped. Could it be because Valefar is gone? He thought to himself. They reached the gate and the hound lowered his head for him to dismount. He reached the ground and patted the hound on the head that was facing him. The hound sat as if he were waiting for him to come back as he walked towards the gate. Tingling came over his entire body and for a second all he saw was white light, then he was in a new world. He turned to make sure that the gate was still there and it was, glistening in its surrealistic way in a landscape that was just as surreal.

He looked around and walked out of the alley that the gate was in. He felt compelled to go into a house at the end of the street. Flel was meant to find the artifact from the beginning he thought. He felt the need to go there, like the need for hunger, or a natural instinct. There were other people walking all around, and means of transportation that he had only read about in books. He knew for certain that he was on Earth, and he knew for certain now that the artifact had been used successfully. But he also knew that this was all part of the Lower Creator's plan, that he was told of by Apollyon. This gave him enough confidence to knock on the door of the large house, as intimidating as it was. Galed placed his staff next to the door out of view. A man answered the door, "Can I help you?" he said. "I am looking for Flel, we are old friends, my name is Galed" Galed said with a small smile on his face. Marcus hesitated and closed the door. Flel was in the back bedroom of the house on the first-floor writing pages for the new manuscript while following notes that Prirmenha had given him. "Someone is here to visit you" Marcus said, "his name is Galed". "I have not seen him in ages, he died on Kvasir but I suppose he could be here... but how could he have found me?" he asked. "It seems suspicious, the clothes he is wearing... it looks like a ... well it looks like a priest of the Dark One." "I will talk to him but I will be protected" Flel said and grabbed the Artifact and a knife from under the bed.