Tree of Life

Book II Chapter 17

Nicole peered over at his wound too and she bit her lip. It didn't look like normal skin. Where the darts had penetrated him, Julian's skin didn't look like normal, human skin at all. It looked like tree bark—in a large, oval patch about the size of your hand. At the same time, just beneath the wound, Nicole happened to see that via a drawstring of some sort, Julian had a rod shaped object, about the length of a ruler, secured to the belt around his waist. Nicole couldn't tell what it was. It was wrapped up in a piece of old cloth.

Julian dropped his tunic and covered everything up again.

Smiling at Nicole, Julian dropped down to a crouch beside Brian. He touched him on the face. He smoothed back the hair from his forehead.

Nicole looked to Julian. "Julian...?" She shook her head.

He smiled at her. He leaned in and placed his lips on her ear. "Don't worry! He'll be all right. I promise."

She reached over and hugged Julian, holding him tight into her bosom for a moment.

Julian eased away to have a look at her new arm.

It looked all right. He smiled and nodded. It was pinker than her normal skin colour and it was kind of moist to the touch. Nicole moved it about a little, flexing her muscles here and there and it seemed to work all right too. They smiled at each other.

"Oh, Julian!" She leaned in and hugged him. She eased away again. "What...how is this possible? Is it as Willibald says? That you're all powerful now?" She smiled as she searched into his young face.

He shook his head. "No, not at all. Though both Joseph and I have gained from the joining and my life has been renewed once again..." He shrugged. "...for a time." He smiled too.

She reached out and touched his face. "Is it still you, though? Are you still my Julian?"

"I am. And more." He tossed his head back and laughed and it was a golden sunrise. "Don't worry. I remember everything that Julian remembers." He dropped his gaze. "Though what Joseph remembers is telling me there is no time to waste."

Julian lifted his head and turned toward Willibald and then the other villagers. He got to his feet. He waved them over. Nodding his head, he said something to them in their native tongue. All the villagers reached up with their hands to cover their ears. The women showed the children what to do and they followed suit.

Julian turned to Nicole. "Remember the birds?" He smiled.

"You mean how they came when you called?"

He nodded. "It was something Joseph had forgotten, something an old friend..." Julian blinked a few times and sighed. "...an old friend had taught this to him some time ago. Now Julian has helped him remember." Julian motioned for her to put her hands to her ears.

Nicole covered them as she was told, just like the villagers a moment ago.

Julian nodded at them all.

He began to sing.

It was like the song he had whistled for the birds to come but then again it wasn't. It was fuller, more powerful and it had a sense of urgency and authority, like a command you could not disobey, no matter how strong you were.

Julian had his hand on his belt over his hip as he sang.

Nicole couldn't hear the melody very well, but she could tell what he was doing. Somehow, her feet wanted to stand up but she willed them still and she sat down again.

She looked above. A vision appeared in the sky but it was hazy and you couldn't make it out very well for what it was. It might not even have been there at all or maybe it was just the way the clouds were. But Nicole looked above and thought she saw a shape that resembled a long, shining sword that stretched from one end of the sky to the other. And it was on fire.