The Pellegrine - The Prophecy 2

Date: 28 June 2671, Wednesday

Jorg awoke to Tsui rubbing his temples and Benedict lightly slapping him.

“What happened?” Jorg asked.

“We were hoping you’d tell us. The moment you fell unconscious, the book stopped projecting the shield. Those who were helping me with their power were freed.”

“All I remember is looking at the page and then … nothing,” replied Jorg.

“Are you well enough to try to capture the moment?” asked Benedict.

“I can try. Though I’ve led many to do it, I’ve only done it twice myself and that was more than three hundred years ago.”

“I can help you,” said Tsui, eagerly.

However, Benedict became as steel and said in a very serious voice, “Councillors, I hope that you’d allow me to erase all your memories of this incident.” There was a silence followed by murmuring. Benedict continued, “As Custodian, I’d been instructed to conduct this inquiry alone. Because I was disabled, I’d to rely on all of you. There’d be a danger to your very selves if you know who the chosen one was. There’re some among us magi who are powerful and would try to thwart what has just started. Please, I’ve only the interests of the community at heart.”

Benedict then opened part of his mind to the councillors who realised that he was not lying to them. He continued, “It’s started and the task can only be shouldered by Jorg and me. I shouldn’t burden you with more than what’s necessary.”

Each one nodded and Benedict turned to Jorg. “I’m going to start the replacement of memories. Jorg, you’d have to make sure that everyone’s honest in the process.”

Jorg nodded his head. Benedict closed his eyes, as did all the other fourteen councillors. One by one, the councillors collapsed as the process was completed in each person. When all had collapsed, Jorg noticed that Benedict had become very exhausted.

“Okay, let’s put them into their seats.”

“Let me do it, Benedict. You’re exhausted after the last exercise.”

Jorg psychically lifted each councillor gently and placed them on their seats in the assembly hall.

“Thank you, Jorg. We need to move you to the inner chamber to let you recapture the moment.”

The two moved to Benedict’s chamber — the Custodian’s Chambers. Benedict had the almost life-long task of guarding the relics and he had to be within reach of the chamber at all times. Jorg did not envy the Custodian’s task. However, Jorg wondered with trepidation what his own task might be.

“All right, sit here and I’ll guide you,” said Benedict.

Jorg closed his eyes. Slowly he let his memory move backwards and he had in his mind the image of the open book before him. Then there was a bright light. Then he felt Benedict’s hands on his head.

*Go back again and move slower,* commanded Benedict.

Jorg had to try four times before he remembered what he saw. His mind recorded a page of Latin words. Some of the words jumped up at him.

After he opened his eyes, Benedict asked him to write down the words. The result was:

“ … IES … READ … IES … MAN … IES … L … EAD … IES … CAN … F … RO … M … ON … HI … G … H … A … FA … DI … NG … FLO … ER … AT … T … H … E … HI … GH … EST … F … I … ND … T … H … E … AN … SE … R …”

“There is something I can make out,” said Jorg.

“Don’t tell me,” said Benedict. “I cannot know what the riddle is. You’ve got to figure it out when you go home. You’re now on your own. I can’t help you in your task.” After he said that he put back the box into its special safe. Then he paused for a while before turning to face Jorg.

“Jorg,” Benedict continued, “the things that happened today confirms that you are the chosen man. You were able to read the book and its hidden words.”

Suddenly, Benedict stopped. He looked at Jorg and sent him a mental message, *Eavesdroppers! We need to seal this room.*

Jorg understood what Benedict meant and immediately worked with Benedict to put up a psychic barrier. The eavesdropper was good and had hidden his tracks. Jorg only hoped that the barrier the both of them had put up would be effective.

“As I was saying before, and we’ll have to keep it short, you have been chosen. Silver Falcon showed me the real reason of keeping the relics just before she passed them on to me. I’m going to show them to you. It’ll be in the form of a thought pack that will only open when you’re home. Anyone attempting to get it from you will never know what it is before you do.”

Within a few seconds the thought package was delivered.

“Remember, only you can open the pack,” Benedict reminded Jorg. “All right. This situation’s extremely important. When you open the pack, you’ll understand. Right now I want you to remember that you need to develop your powers to the full, the eavesdropper I’d just detected was a level fourteen. He may just be a follower of one with a greater level of power. I’m only level thirteen. That is why I didn’t want to solve the riddle with you. My knowledge that you’re the chosen one will be perilous enough for your task so nothing else should be known by me. Now you understand why I needed to replace the memories of the council. Any one of the council would be at risk if the riddles were known. Please return the book to its original place. Then go home, open the thought pack and solve the riddle.”

‡ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ‡

Once back at home, Jorg set up a psychic barrier. He used certain modified equipment to amplify the barrier before opening the thought pack.

The beginning was a short history of the magi community which Jorg knew very well. Then there were some images. A location was given for those images which Jorg committed to memory and then came the part that Jorg was waiting for: the warning to the Custodians.

“All Custodians must pass this message from the previous to the next: A time has been set by the Initiator of the magi. A reluctant leader will arise. Once the leader is chosen, he will bear the burden of his mission alone. The only aid the Custodian will render is the use of the relics. Yet, there will be those who oppose this leader and there may be those who will seem to be victorious over him. His persistence and dedication to his followers will see him through and a new age will dawn on magi, semi-magi and humans. Each relic will reveal its use to this leader in its own time and the Custodian has to preserve the relics and hand over the relics the leader requires until the new age arrives.”

Jorg took a look at the letters that he had written and tried to see if it can be read:

After some time he had a something readable.

“Ies read, ies man, ies lead, ies can. From on high a fading floer, at the highest is the anser.”

Knowing that the Latin language had no Y nor W, Jorg came up with the most probable prose:

Yes read, yes man,
yes lead, yes can.
From on high a fading flower,
at the highest is the answer.

¤ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ¤

Date: 29 June 2671, Thursday

Jorg woke up feeling needy. He hoped that he had got the riddle correct. However, he needed company at the moment.

“Jemma, please start up.”

The lights on the console next to the bed lit up.

“Jemma is awake, Jorg. What can I do for you?”

“Please refer to my list of special need friends.”

“Yes, I have them in memory.”

“Good, how many are there on that list?”

“There are thirty on that list.”

“Umm. Filter: those who are human and under 40 years of age. How many are there?”

“There are seventeen on that list.”

“Whose first on that list? Give me physical data form C”

“Alistair, Philip. 22. Caucasian. 1.8 metres. Dark brown hair. Approximately 18 cm and uncut. First met 31 December 2668 at European New Year’s Party 2669. Last met 12 February 2671 at Saturn Satellite Hotel.”

“Next?”

“Chen, Wenhan. 35. Oriental. 1.68 metres. Black hair. Approximately 13.5 cm and uncut. First met 17 April 2664 in Shanghai. Last met 27 December 2670 in Shanghai.”

“Mark him for contact. Next?”

“Edwards, Robert. 23. Caucasian. 1.9 metres. Dark blonde hair. Approximately 19 cm and cut. First met 18 July 2669 in Houston, Texas. Last met 24 December 2670 in Florida.”

“He’s too cunning and cocksure of himself. Next?”

“Fukowa, Tetsuo. 27. …”

In the end, Jorg had a list of three men. He would have company for the next three nights. He called each of them and made appointments with them. Then he got out of bed and got into the shower. He had to smell nice for these nice young men.