The Great Book

Terinth breathed heavily, sweating in the blazing sun on the small isle of Nix. Step after step, he stopped and looked behind him at the small, battered ship he had arrived on Nix with. He turned to his destination, a forest line about a mile away. He dropped to his knees and looked up.

“I will not give up! I will find the Great Book of Knowledge and Wisdom!”

Terinth took a deep breath and looked straight ahead, rose and went on. After about twenty minutes, he met a steep hill that ran from left from right. He peered up and sighed. I will do what I must thought Terinth as he poised himself and braved up the incline.

The sun beat upon his back. As soon as he crested the hill his heart soared, and his face beamed. He laughed as he slid down to a small oasis with a clear pristine pond and two trees.

But as soon as he met the edge of the pool, it vanished!

“A mirage? But it was so clear!”

“Do not despair, Terinth. Evil forces are trying to discourage and taunt you,” said a voice beside him. “But you must stay strong. The Great Book will commence a new age in the realm you come from.”

Terinth turned to his left and saw a man in a white robe.

“Who are you?” asked Terinth.

“I am your ally. I come bearing a gift. Behold.”

Suddenly a brown horse came into Terinth’s sight, equipped with a saddle, provisions and a sword.

Terinth smiled and ran his hands over his scalp. “Thank you so mu…”

The man had disappeared. “Who was that? Well, I had better get moving, no time to waste in wondering.”

Terinth hopped on the horse and rode. The passing air cooled Terinth’s body. The terrain flattened and soon he would be in the mysterious, comforting forest.

He came between two small pillars on the cusp of the forest entry. On the one on his left a relief of a large dragon was etched. On the right pillar was a dove. A chill went down Terinth’s spine but when he looked at the dove, he felt serenity.

Terinth shook himself and rode into the forest. He sighed and took in a deep breath at the landscape full of trees and bushes. The tree leaves swayed on a light gale and dew glistened on grass around him.

Something like a green log fell and tripped the horse and Terinth went rolling. He cringed as his nerves shot with adrenaline and his eyes widened. A dragon stood before Terinth. He bore his pain and went for the sword on the fallen horse and took it.

“You think you can harm me with that small toothpick? Ha, ha, ha!” taunted the dragon. “I will not let you reach the Great Book!”

Terinth panicked as his blade was as small as one of the beast’s claws. Just as Terinth thought he would perish, a white light in the shape of a dove descended from above and lighted on him.

His heart calmed and his mind cleared. He took a steady breath and his blade shone brightly.

The dragon stepped back and roared. It lunged with an open mouth at Terinth to devour him whole.

Terinth held up the blade and it strobed brighter, searing the beast’s eyes. The dragon flailed around, blinded.

Terinth ran then pierced the dragon’s belly as it fell, dead.

Terinth fell to his side exhausted. He smiled at his victory. He still felt the essence of the dove apparition that saved him. Terinth sensed it in his soul-like a life-giving force within him.

The horse must have ran off. But Terinth felt the inner spirit direct him where he should go.

After some time of careful sojourning, Terinth came to an and in the forest where a small, black castle on a rocky hill. He climbed up and reached the front gate of the structure.

Terinth entered and saw with the light of his sword, black pillars with statues of gargoyles around each one.

Suddenly, a pedestal rode from the ground, bearing a throne. On it sat a man in a blue robe, having a coy smile. “I am Braun. You are the one selected to carry the message of the Great Book of Knowledge and Wisdom back to the realm of Nathalia. And I see you wield the power of the Great King inside you. But can you fully use the sword?”

The man on the pedestal pulled a staff out of thin air and jumped down to Terinth, charging at him. He held up his blade as the robed man came down on Terinth with his staff.

The deadlock went for several seconds until Braun shoved Terinth back. Braun made another rush at Terinth and struck his blade out of his hands.

Braun’s staff lit on fire and made Terinth back up. The sword was gone and Terinth despaired-all this and it would end at this moment. Terinth cursed the day he went looking for the Great Book and gave up.

Terinth felt the presence of the inner Spirit grow ten-fold inside him. He grabbed the staff and wrenched it out of Braun’s grip, unscathed. He fell back and was impaled by his own weapon.

The moment he died, a black book with a cross on it appeared in the air. He grabbed it and opened a light came from it and Terinth dropped it. A robed man with a golden sash appeared. “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, the first and the last. Take this book and bear witness of me and its words to your realm,” the being said.

A phoenix landed in front of Terinth and he knew he was to go back to his realm on the mystical bird back to Nathalia. He would shine the light of the Great King written in the Great Book of Knowledge and Wisdom.