"What's this all about?" Frac asked groggily.

"We're going to follow Forny."

"For real? You're up for this?"

"Heck yeah."

Raziel usually wasn't so adventurous, actually never, and this threw Frac for a bit of loop--more so than Raziel's daybreak wake up call.

"Well, I'm game if you are," Frac replied, jumped out of the hammock, threw some clothes on and asked, "Do you have any morning meal?" Raziel's head shook "yes," and both quietly left, while Haniel and Pronoia were still yet asleep.

"So, do you have a game plan?" Frac asked, certain that Raziel had no game plan, and still finding this uncharacteristic of Raziel, and sure that Raziel would lose interest, or soon become bored with the whole matter.

"Forneus leaves the hut at one hour after the day-torch rises everyday, then goes to the Villager Round, meets up with either Tau, Resh, Olivier or all of them. And, sometimes Hauras meets them. They go behind The Temple of Truth, for ten to thirty minutes, never longer, then come back from behind and part with Forn and any number of them taking the old, desolate path that the old Villagers used to take to the Great Salty Lake. Hauras never goes with them though.

Frac was stunned! "How do you know all this?"

Raziel smiled--that warm, delighted, yet distinguished smile that only Raziel could do. It reminded Frac of the smile of a very young child who, upon first walking or crawling, or saying a word, gives to the Main Guardians. "The last few weeks, I've been doing some research and studying in the archives of the Court of Justice--for history studies. The window looks right down the middle of the Village Round. I just happen to observe them every morning--and just know they are up to something."

Frac's head shook in admiring disbelief.

"I want to see what's going on behind The Temple of Truth," Raziel continued, "The Keepers Of The Truth are not even around that early."

"What do you think they're doing?"

"I have no idea."

"No good."

"You have that right. They're all swamp-scum," Raziel said.

"You know, Forn's not really that bad. Tau and Resh--yes, swamp-scum, but Forneus is alright; a bit on the edge sometimes, but not as bad as you make Forn out to be," Frac said.

"Forneus is swamp-scum," Raziel flatly stated, "I don't know what you see--or don't see?"

Frac and Raziel walked down a main path toward the Village Round, lined with a row of huts and well-cared-for compounds, filled with wonderfully fragrant flowers. They ate the morning meal that Raziel had packed--scrambled flamingo eggs sprinkled with dill weed, wrapped in flat bread.

"What I have in mind is to hide on the backside of The Temple of Truth and see what it is they are doing back there, then follow from behind as they head up the old path," Raziel said.

"You know there's a branch of that old path that heads up to The Forest of Destruction?" Frac asked.

"Really. I never seen it"

"You have to look for it. It's all overgrown and with fallen branches all over it."

"How do you know? Have you ever been up it?"

"NO! One time, a few years ago, Haniel and I took that old path to The Great Salty Lake and as we passed it, Haniel showed me it and told me a story that Morax had one early morning, like now, been spotted coming down from that path. Morax was like an entirely different person, acting like when one is in the middle of a terrible dream--dazed, talking incoherently and with deep, red eyes."

"It's rumored that Morax goes into the Forest of Disaster," Raziel said.

"Yeah, I know."

"I think we should follow Morax sometime."

Frac laughed, "Are you coocoo? Could you imagine getting caught following Morax?" Frac stopped, stooped over, roared with laughter, "Morax would tear us apart." Frac and Raziel both laughed hysterically.

They reached the entrance to the Village Round, Raziel motioned for Frac to quietly follow. Raziel lead Frac into the front door of the Court of Justice, as has been routine for Raziel for several weeks, went straight through the Great Hall and right out a back archway. Raziel looked around to make sure no one was yet around. Satisfied, Raziel motioned for Frac to head through the garden park that ran behind all the official buildings of the Village Round, forming an outer ring.

"It's clear, but they'll be here any second."

"So what's your plan?"

"Climb the Grand Old Oak," Raziel replied. The Grand Old Oak was a huge oak tree, its truck the size of twenty Numerican villagers, and it's believed by some that it dates back to the Old World. It sits in the garden between the Court of Justice and the Temple Of Truth--perfect to view the backs and in between both buildings. No sooner had Frac began to climb the lower branches did Raziel begin pushing from behind, "There they are. Hurry!" Both scrambled up several limbs high until they were well concealed within the biggest leaves an oak ever donned.

"Tau, Olivier and Hauras. Where's Forn?"

"Forneus will be here any minute," Raziel said, "Right there--like clockwork."

"Sh-h-h, here they come."

The four of them walked through the lush gardens between The Temple Of Truth and the Court of Justice, a grand edifice fashioned after an ancient style of architecture called Greek. What a funny name Frac always thought, "Greek! What does that mean?" The Temple Of Truth was a stepped, pyramid-shaped, granite block building about the height of thirteen Nuemerican adults. The top was flat, with a wide base for a rectangular enclosure on top, which had the only entrance to The Temple. A wide set of steps rose to the top on the front side that faces the Day-Torch all day, facing the Village Round. Tall palm trees, the tallest in all Nuemerica, lined the other three sides. The World One lived in The Temple, while the other Keepers Of The Truth simply conducted their daily activities there.

"What's Hauras got?" Frac asked. Hauras held something cupped in both hands, while Forneus, Tau and Olivier all looked at it. They were too far away for Frac and Raziel to see what it was.

"I don't know. What do you think?"

"I can't even tell," Frac said while stretching out on the limb occupied with Raziel. Forneus and cohorts were nearly to the back of The Temple of Truth.

"I can almost see; darn big leaves," Frac said, while climbing a bit further out onto the limb until it began to bend. "Hauras has some clear, shiny..." The limb bent severely, brushing the limb below, disturbing a huge green parrot perched there. Either startled or extremely upset, the parrot beat Frac on the face with its massive, powerful wings and screamed the loudest caw Raziel ever heard, then flew from the tree. Raziel was sure the entire village would awaken. Frac, caught off guard and startled, nearly fell from the tree, saved by grabbing hold of the limb--with arms and legs--upside down! Raziel could clearly see Forneus, Hauras, Tau and Olivier turning behind The Temple Of Truth through the wide opening caused by the bent limb. They didn't even notice the commotion in the Grand Old Oak.

"Hang on," Raziel whispered, "Don't move."

"Yeah, I thought I'd hang around for awhile yet."

Hauras looked all around as to make sure no one was around, while Forneus put both hands on one of the huge, blocks of stone at the base of The Temple Of Truth, not quite in the middle, and gave what appeared to be a gentle push. The stone, half as high as an average adult villager, slid into The Temple. They all ducked into the opening; the stone block slid back into place; Frac fell from the limb; Raziel burst out laughing.

"Very funny. I think I'm paralyzed," Frac said, very seriously, "I can't move."

Raziel jumped right down and scrambled to Frac.

"What do you want me to do," Raziel asked very sincerely--and scared, bending over Frac.

Frac's arm wrapped around Raziel's neck; and tightened. Frac rolled over pinning Raziel's back to the ground. "Get out of this headlock...if you can," Frac said, and laughed uproariously.

"You goof," Raziel retorted, a bit angry, for having been tricked, then laughed as well. Frac let go. "Come on, back up."

They both climbed to where they had been. Raziel said with a playful grin, "Don't fall for them this time." Frac's arm made a headlock motion. Both quietly laughed, then discussed the secret entrance into The Temple Of truth, and what it may have been that Hauras held. A shadow moved in the garden between The Temple Of Truth and the Court of Justice.

Frac and Raziel determined that the object Hauras was holding may have been some type of rare stone, like the the tiny ones that adorn the robes of the higher Keeper Of The Truth echelon, but this was the size of a small mango. It shined from Hauras's hand like the day-torch, but with a myriad of colors, throwing dabs of muted rainbow specs on Hauras's face and those of the others as they looked down into Hauras's hand. No telling where they got that it and what they were doing with it--going into some secret entrance to The Temple Of Truth! The only one who would be there at this early hour would be The World One, who would not even realize that The Temple was being intruded upon--but, how would Forneus know about some secret entrance...maybe spying like Frac and Raziel were now doing? Both Frac and Raziel assumed that Forneus was the leader among them as the other three were too dense-headed to come up with an original thought among them.

"You know, if that stone is the same as as those on the Keeper's robes, it must be very special. How in the world did Forny get ahold of it?" Raziel asked.

"Hauras."

"Whatever. Do you think The World One is in on something with them?"

"No way. Impossible. My guess, if I had to make one, is that Forn was probably coming home late, in the wee hours of the morning, from who knows where; cut across these gardens and probably seen The World One going in, or some early morning Keeper. Then Forn probably one morning went in..."

"And stole that stone from there," Raziel interrupted, "We have to do something! That stone may be something divine."

"Settle down. We don't know what's going on...yet."

The words "we" and "yet," together in one sentence, caused Raziel more anxiety than the whole episode just prior. "What do you mean Ôyet'?"

"Well, we have to check it out, now don't we? I mean it could be anything, so before we go digging in a croc's nest, we better make sure there are eggs there."

"What does that mean?" Raziel asked.

"What I mean is that ]pointing to The Temple_ is a croc's nest, and before we go stirring up an incident, we need to spy it out to see if it's even worth the consequences, and we have to do it when the crocs are away."

Frac always amazed Raziel with these metaphors--always sounding off beat, but actually quite astute--when explained in plain terms, which is what Raziel would prefer. But that wouldn't be Frac then would it? Frac, unlike Raziel, always thought in the abstract. Raziel was more the logical child, more logical than most, more logical than some adults. Frac always thought Raziel more logical--and sensible--than any adult.

"So what do you propose?" Raziel asked.

"Well, let's do as you planned today, and see what that uncovers. Then, maybe tomorrow, we can beat Forn and friends--here!"

"And what, go into The Temple Of Truth?" Raziel exclaimed.

"No-o-o, sit in this tree and rustle parrots. YES, go in!"

"Frac..."

"Listen, let's just get here an hour early and check it out. In... and out."

"Did you see right where Forneus pressed?"

"From an upside-down view," Frac said. Raziel smiled.

"Sh-h-h, look," Raziel said, pointing to The Temple, "Don't go to far." Frac scooted a bit further out on the limb until it began to bow. "Frac, stay." Frac stayed.

The square foundation stone of The Temple Of Truth opened inward, as before. Haraus's head slowly emerged from The Temple and cautiously looked all around. Satisfied that no one was around, Haraus quickly stepped out of the opening, immediately followed by Forneus, Tau and Olivier. Forneus then stooped and put both hands on the stone, but near the bottom of it, rather than higher up when opening it.

"Are you watching this?" Raziel whispered. Frac nodded affirmatively.

The stone slid back into place with barely a sound. Raziel had thought that odd, expecting a rock-against-rock grind. Frac watched Haraus wrapping with a fine fawn skin cloth, what was assumed the radiant, rainbow stone. Forneus leaned toward Hauras, said a few words, turned, jogged a few steps to catch up with Tau and Olivier, who were heading down the path, through the garden between The Temple Of Truth and the Court of Justice. Hauras watched them for a moment, then headed toward Frac and Raziel, who both held their breath and moved not a smidgen. Hauras again began peeking into the fawn skin wrapping and walked right beneath Frac and Raziel who got a spectacular bird's eye view of the radiant, rainbow stone. It was exactly like the stones on The World One's robe--only huge!--the size of a mango. Hauras cut through the garden that lay behind The Temple Of Truth and took one of numerous paths that maze through the garden and into the wooded area that extends right to the edge of the Great Swampland. Many Keepers Of The Truth enjoyed cottages in these woods and it crossed Raziel's mind that Hauras was heading to one of these cottages.

"Who do we follow?" Raziel asked.

"Let's stay with your game plan."

"Let's go then."

Frac slipped from the lowest branch of the Grand Old Oak, landing squarely on two feet. Raziel was right beside.

"They're on the old pathway," Raziel stated.

"I haven't taken my eyes off them. Stay back as far as we possibly can," Frac said, "And, don't look suspicious...in case someone else spies us...just look like we're just casually strolling...don't even acknowledge that you know anyone is ahead--but keep one eye on them at all times."

Frac and Raziel quickly made their way through the garden between the Court of Justice and The Temple Of Truth, then kind of nonchalantly sauntered into and through the Village Round. Frac had thought seeing a large shadow move behind The Temple Of Truth, but seen nothing when looking directly at the area. Raziel, seemingly aimless, turned down the old, desolate path that the old villagers used to take to the Great Salty Lake--right behind Forneus, Tau and Olivier. Frac, chatting and walking aimlessly, followed Raziel. A pair of eyes watched them from a window-way, high and above the massive columns in the front of the Court of Justice.

Once beyond view of the Village Round, Frac motioned for Raziel and self to tone down their dialog and actions. The huts that extended in this direction from the Village Round were older and in great disrepair, probably because this was now a longer way from the Great Salty Lake than the newer huts and cottages this Numerican enclave had developed along with a newer and shorter path. One section of the Village Round edged the area where The Keepers populated; another edged the arid plain that led into the Great Swampland; while yet another side led toward the Forest of Disaster. An old, deserted and mostly forgotten path skirted this dreaded wasteland before curving toward dawn's day-torch. The very path that Frac and Raziel were now transversing!

Raziel shuddered and thought about a swamp-legend told around a bonfire while camping with the Swamp Scouts three years ago. Swamp Scouts was a group organized a hundred years ago by an Elder who had the wisdom to prepare Numerican's youths for wilderness survival should a world catastrophe ever happen...again. It usually lasted a youth two years--just a few hours a week; and maybe a one-to-two night sleepover a year, somewhere in the wilderness. This is usually in the Great Swampland, as that is where one would flee to in a catastrophe. Anyway, the swamp-legend was told by a Swamp Scout that neither Frac, nor Raziel knew. Camp had been set, actually off this very path Raziel now remembered, not far from the edge of the Forest of Disaster. It had been a few hours after the setting of the day-torch, the bonfire was dying down to warm embers, with no one feeding it any longer. A deep, greenish sort of glow hinted from deep within the Forest of Disaster. The more the embers diminished and the umbra of mid-night swallowed the remnant dabs of ambience, the more prominent was the greenish glow.

The entire group of Swamp Scouts was entranced by this discovery. Speculations began to generate until everyone had their own theory. Many thought themselves brilliant discoverers, to be honored in the Village Round. That was when this strange, unknown Swamp Scout threw some crystals onto the remaining embers, exploding into brilliant flashes of white, red and blue. Everyone stopped exactly in their motion; and with a cold, slow, drawn-out voice, the Unknown Scout, as would later be referenced, began the story of the Green Glow...

"Up ahead a bit the path gets squirrely, wrapping in senseless curves. We'll have to get closer to keep an eye on them. Also--listen intently," Frac said in a soft voice. Raziel nodded, while noticing the broken-down huts they were passing. The palm roofs were grossly mangled and neglected. Many huts were doorless. The compounds were filled with all sort of discarded items. Who lived in these homes, Raziel wondered? As they passed one doorless hut, Raziel noticed dozens of persons scattered about inside, sleeping on the floor and on all the seating furniture. Raziel walked in silence, a bit in awe and a bit nervous, forgetting about the Green Glow for a moment. Frac had a hawk-eye on Forneus who was speaking as loudly and boisterously on this bedeviled path as when in the Village Round--quite oblivious to Frac and Raziel, Frac was sure. Frac pulled back a bit more, even out of direct sight--as long as Frac could hear and distinguish three voices. With eyes ahead, Frac saw, or rather felt, a shadow behind, but upon quickly turning, seen nothing.

"Did you see something back there?" Frac asked.

Raziel, in thought about the inhabitants of these huts, ran into Frac as Frac turned around, and as if waking from a daydream said, "Opps, sorry. No I didn't see anything back there. Do you still have an eye on Forny?"

"I hear them," Frac responded, "Wait!" Frac held up a hand and froze, listening intently. "I only hear two of them." Frac listened for several more seconds, not moving. "I only hear two of them."

"Maybe Olivier finally shut-up."

"I hear Olivier...and Forn. I don't hear Tau any longer." Frac frozen and listening intently, reminded Raziel of a swamp rabbit, alerted to a silent sound, just before it springs away in rapid hops. Frac grabbed Raziel by the arm and pulled Raziel beside one of the last huts before the path virtually ended, transforming into a knarly, deer-like path. "Shh-h-h," Frac whispered.

They went behind some heavy thickets next to this most broken-down hut. Raziel couldn't imagine anyone living in it, but none-the-less heard several heavy snores from within--the type of snores as if induced from a night of heavy wine-drinking. Raziel was much more afraid of being discovered on some wine-drinker's compound than having to confront Forneus. Frac held up a silencing hand, spying the path ahead. Forneus and Olivier could still be heard, their voices fading with every moment and Raziel was becoming anxious to continue following. A voice from within the broken-down hut grumbled a slurred, "Get y'r feet outta m' face." Raziel went to jump to foot, but Frac restrained Raziel, holding a silencing hand and pointing to some thickets at the edge of the "deer-path." After a moment a small, dark shape could be detected. A brief moment later Tau was peering through the thicket, looking directly down the path that they had all just come. Tau seemed to be listening, too. Satisfied with solitude, Tau stepped out of the thickets, made a mock heron call, and swiftly walked up the "rabbit-path" toward Forneus and Olivier. Frac motioned for Raziel, to quickly and silently follow the sound of Tau's footsteps. Forneus and Olivier could just faintly be heard--then just a minute later--just the sound of Tau rustling through heavy brush could be distinguished.

When Frac reached where the main path seeped into a "deer-path," Frac began to contort around and below vines and branches overgrowing the path, careful to make no sound. Raziel painfully followed. A moment later the sounds of Tau's rustling stopped, then was followed by a "whump" sound, like something heavy being dropped on the ground. Then complete silence...except for muted, alien sounds coming from the direction of the Forest of Disaster. Raziel began to think about the Greenish Glow swamp-legend again...

...Legend had it that...

"Watch where you're going," Frac whispered, loudly, as Raziel ran into the now stopped Frac, "Shh-h-h, I don't hear Tau any more."

"Where'd that loud thump come from?" Raziel asked.

"I'm not sure, but it sounded like where Tau was last heard. Follow me. Lets see if we can spy anything." Frac and Raziel very quietly proceeded up the path; painfully slow and careful to make little sound, neither seeing nor hearing anything. They reached the point where Frac determined the sound to have come from and where Tau was last heard. "Raz, this is where I last heard Tau. Do you agree?"

"I don't disagree."

"So what do you think?" Frac asked while looking around. "Either they started being trekking in silence...as we are, or they disappeared."

"I see no reason for them suddenly stealthing it--there's nothing out here. They disappeared."

"And, we know where they disappeared to--just where did they do it?" Frac asked, looking very intently at the surroundings. "What was that thump?"

"Could have been any of these boulders, or fallen logs," Raziel said. The surroundings were literally covered with these items--totally. It could take hours to cover all this area, Frac, and may never find out where they disappeared. And, you could be wrong about where you last heard Tau and the thump. I couldn't tell."

"I could tell. Maybe not certain where the thump came from, but definitely where I last heard Tau."

"Fine. But Tau may have quietly went further. Nonetheless, what I want to say is," Raziel continued, "We don't have to waste our day doing this; not on my account; not because this was my game plan. We can retreat and go enjoy the day. But if you like, let's do it. Let's find where they disappeared to. Your call."




© 2001 John Gnotek