Raven Rise

JOURNAL #36
SECOND EARTH

I have no idea what that word means anymore. Everything I believed in since I was a kid has been thrown to the wind. Scattered. Shattered. Lost. The irony is that, with so many truths being revealed, I think I finally have a handle on the conflict I’ve been in the middle of for so long. Out of confusion comes clarity. Sort of. I don’t have all the answers yet. I may never. But I now believe that with what I’ve learned, I can end it all.

I know, I’ve said that before, only to discover that Saint Dane had yet another curve to throw at me. That could happen again. Easily. As I make my final play, I would not be surprised if it turns out to be a false end. A shadow. A dream. It’s happened before, right? As frustrating as that is, I can’t let it dictate my actions.

I know how to end this war. I have to make my move.

It isn’t without risks. That speaks to the larger reality that I’m still pretty much in the dark about. Alder told me that the only way to defeat your enemy is to understand what he wants. I now believe I know what Saint Dane wants. Just as important, I know how he plans to get it. That’s huge. It gives me hope that we can actually defeat him. I get it. I understand. I think.

What still remains a mystery is the engine. How can this all be happening? I may understand the rules enough to play this game now, but the grander reality of how it all came to be is still floating out there somewhere. I wish I knew how to reel it in. I have to believe that it all comes down to the truth about who I am. The truth about all the Travelers. A big part of me still feels like the kid who lived for fourteen years in Stony Brook, blissfully unaware of the worlds that swirled around him. I miss that life. I miss my family more with each day. Not that I didn’t miss them before, but now that I’m questioning the truth of my own existence, it’s as if I’ve lost not only my family, but my core. If, as Saint Dane said, the Travelers are illusions, does that mean my family was an illusion too? As impossible as that sounds, the fact that they disappeared along with any sign that they ever existed doesn’t seem so far fetched. What about the time my dad finally got me to balance on my two-wheeler? Or the time my mother jumped off the dock into Chautauqua Lake to save me from drowning? Or all the times I read books to Shannon? Or picked up Marley’s poop? Or Thanksgiving dinners or school plays or trips to Disney World or getting my freakin’ boo-boos kissed! Did any of that actually happen?

That’s one truth I’d just as soon not know, because I’m afraid of the answer. One of the driving forces behind every action I’ve taken is the hope that I would one day see my family again. What if there is no family to see? It would mean that all my memories, my emotions, my security, everything that makes me me, isn’t real. It’s not a good feeling. The only way I can deal with it, is to not deal with it. I have to stay focused on the here and now. The challenge at hand. Saint Dane.

The rest will come when it comes, though I’m not sure I want it to.

As I write this journal, I am preparing to make our final play. Or what I hope will be our final play. I ended my previous journal where Alder, Patrick, and I were at the flume on Denduron, preparing to return to Second Earth. I wanted to end the journal there because I felt I was closing a chapter. Everything that had happened up to that point was prelude. I wanted it to remain separate, so I finished that journal and kept it safe.

This next journal marks my return to Second Earth for what I believe will be the final time. The story has come full circle.

The battle for Earth is the battle for Halla. It is about to begin.

“His name is Alexander Naymeer,” Patrick began. “He lives on top of the flume.”

I was all set to jump right into the flume and head home. Patrick convinced me to wait. Why not? Time never seemed to be an issue. The flumes would put us where we needed to be, when we needed to be there. We could afford to take a little time and get up to speed. It wasn’t easy. With every word he spoke, with each new revelation, each new twist, it made me want to leap into the flume all the more. I didn’t. I was patient. We stayed in that chilly cave and listened to it all.

Patrick told Alder and me about Alexander Naymeer and his Ravinian cult. He explained how Second Earth had changed, and how Naymeer used your ring, Mark, to introduce the reality of Halla to the people of Second Earth. Talk about mixing territories! Iwanted to scream.

He told us how Naymeer created a cult that is all about molding a superior society while eliminating those who don’t contribute. He explained how the United Nations was about to vote on whether his Ravinian cult should be considered the spiritual leader of the world. Maybe most shocking of all, he told us of the changes that happened on Third Earth. That was the ultimate proof that Naymeer’s cult would drive Earth toward disaster.

The only good news he had was that you two were back home together, Mark and Courtney. And Mark, you’re okay. I wished that were the only news he had to give me.

“So it’s true,” I said once Patrick finished.

“What is?” Alder asked.

“It’s about Earth. Saint Dane has influenced this Naymeer guy and his followers into putting Earth on a path that will divide everyone into two groups. The haves and the have-nots. It’ll be great if you’re a ‘have.’ If not…yikes.”

Alder asked, “What of the other territories?”

“The same thing,” I exclaimed. “Why not? Look at Quillan. There’s Blok and then there’s everybody else. Right here, the Milago and the Bedoowan have formed a supertribe that’s going to march on Denduron. The same could happen on Zadaa. The Rokador are a more advanced tribe than the Batu. Now that they’re aboveground, who knows how their influence will spread? And on Eelong-the gar may have won a victory, but the klee are still way ahead of them intellectually. With the right influence, the klee could turn on the gar in a heartbeat. It’s a reverse revolution. Instead of the oppressed people rising up to tear down the elite, the elite of each territory are gathering their resources to wipe out the lower classes. Earth will be the model for others to follow.”

Patrick added, “And with each territory, Saint Dane is influencing the elite. They will have total power over their world, and Saint Dane will have total power over them. He will rule Halla.”

“Can a society exist like that?” Alder asked. “Not everyone can be a leader.”

“Of course it can’t,” I shouted. “You heard what Patrick said about Third Earth. Earth evolved into a world that was in perfect harmony with the people and the environment. Now it’s a mess. That’s what Saint Dane’s influence led to. That’s what’ll happen on every territory.”

I paced the cave nervously. “Saint Dane always said that in order to build Halla up, he would first have to tear it down. I always thought he planned some kind of superbattle with armies and bombs and whatever. It’s much more devious than that. He’s been inciting social revolution all over Halla. It never mattered that we won a battle or saved a culture, it was all about creating the environment where these revolutions could begin.”

Patrick said, “That’s exactly it. This Naymeer fellow is a revolutionary in the guise of a prophet.”

Alder asked, “He said he was the Traveler from Second Earth?”

“That’s what Saint Dane said,” Patrick answered. “So then, what am I?”

Patrick looked to the ground nervously. “You quit.” I wanted to shout in anger. I might have, but I thought it would attract a few nosy quigs. “Now Saint Dane’s using

Travelers to influence the people of the territories,” I said angrily. “First Nevva, now this Naymeer character.”

Patrick added, “I believe the turning point of Second Earth is the vote at the United Nations. Perhaps if that vote goes against Naymeer, his cult will not be handed enough influence to do any more damage.”

I looked between Alder and Patrick. My blood was boiling. “Okay, so I’m not the Traveler from Second Earth anymore? Too bad. I’m still the lead Traveler.” I walked to the quig carcass, grabbed a dado-killing rod and yanked it out of the ick. It made a sucking sound. Patrick cringed. I was beyond that.

“Here,” I said, tossing it to Alder. I grabbed the second rod, that had gone through the quig’s eye. No, that I had jammed through the quig’s eye. It came out easily, though I think that turned Patrick’s stomach again. Like I said, I was beyond that.

“Patrick, go home,” I commanded.

“What? No! I want to be where-”

“You should be on your own territory. Third Earth hasn’t hit its turning point yet. That’s where Alder and I were headed before we found you. Learn what you can about the history of Ravinia and Naymeer. A perspective from the future might help.”

“But the computers no longer exist!”

“Then research the old-fashioned way, with books and newspapers.”

“I do not believe they exist either.”

“Find them,” I snapped. “There have to be more people around like that Richard guy. You might come up with the one piece of information we’ll need to derail this whole thing.”

Patrick frowned.

“What’s the matter?” I asked, maybe a little too impatiently.

“It’s unnerving on Third Earth” was his answer. “It’s like, every time I close my eyes, the entire world changes.”

“I know. Chances are it’ll happen again. No, it better happen again.”

“Excuse me?” Patrick exclaimed, horrified.

“It’s the whole point. Once we start causing trouble on Second Earth, it should change things on Third Earth. For the better.”

Patrick wasn’t happy.

“I’m sorry, man,” I added with sympathy. “It’s where you can be the most help.”

Patrick nodded. He knew. He didn’t like it, but he knew. He looked me right in the eye and said, “Promise me one thing. When it’s getting near the end, call for me. I don’t want to be watching from the sidelines anymore.”

I had to smile. Patrick may have been a neurotic intellectual, but he was a Traveler. The good kind. He wanted to stop Saint Dane as badly as any of us. Alder and I each hugged him good-bye and watched as he stepped into the flume for his journey home.

“Third Earth,” he called out, and waited for the flume to take him. Before the light enveloped him, he looked back and said, “Remember. I want to be there at the end.”

I nodded. Though the truth was, I had no idea if I’d be able to call for him. I had no idea what to expect at home. I had no idea about anything. But I made him a promise. If I could, I would get him into the game. A moment later he was gone.

“We should get out of these bloody clothes,” Alder suggested.

I looked down at my filthy leather and fur clothes that were spattered with quig blood. Actually, it was more like they were drenched in quig blood.

“Nah, Ithink we should show up like this.”

“They will think we are savages.”

“Maybe they’re right,” I said slyly. “Let’s go make a house call.”

Iclutched my blood-encrusted dado weapon, stepped into the flume, and called out “Second Earth.”

Alder stepped next to me as the flume went hot. “I have never been to your territory,” he said. “What can I expect?”

“Iwish to heckIknew,” I said, and we were off.

The trip through the flume was jarring. The ride itself was the same as always, but the images of Halla floating in space were so dense, it was hard to make out any one vision. The truth was obvious. Halla was in chaos. Faces jumbled on top of animals on top of buildings on top of armies. It was frightening. The destinies of the territories had been mixed, that much was clear. The question was, would we be able to do damage control? As I looked out onto that horrifying show, to say that I had doubts would be a huge understatement. I didn’t think we stood any chance at all.

Thankfully, the trip was over quickly. I didn’t know how much more of that insanity I could stand. Before we landed, I realized that I didn’t know which gate we would show up at. Would it be in the basement of the Sherwood house? Or the temple that had been built around the flume in New York City? Either way, we had to be ready to deal with the security team of the guy called “Alexander Naymeer.” The guy who thought he was the Traveler from Second Earth. I wanted to meet that guy.

I really wanted to meet that guy.

The instant my feet touched ground, I knew where we were. It was dark. From what Patrick told me of the cathedral that had been built around the flume in New York, it was wide open and full of light. We were at a gate that was anything but wide open. We were in the root cellar of the Sherwood house. Naymeer’s home.

Before I had a chance to focus, I felt a jolt of something blow through my body like an electric shock. My body went rigid. My head spun. My hands went limp and I dropped the dado weapon. I was aware of activity swirling around me, but I was too stunned to react. I sensed a jumble of arms and legs and men barking orders. I tried to stand and got hit with another jolt that made me see stars. It was so violent that I was thrown off my feet. I was vaguely aware that I was being dragged along, but I couldn’t tell where, that’s how out of it I was. Most of what I’m describing now I have to think back and try to piece together. At the time I was too stunned to think. My arms were held tight. I felt myself being carried up stairs. I knew they were stairs because my feet trailed behind and banged into each step as we climbed higher. At the top a door was pushed open, and I was dragged farther along. I tried to look around, but couldn’t focus. The place looked familiar, but I was too loopy to put it together. It wasn’t until I was thrown down on the floor that I saw something that made sense.

“Bobby!” Courtney yelled, and ran over to me.

It was like a dream. I’m not sure whether it was a good dream or a nightmare. Seeing Courtney was good. She sat down next to me and threw her arms around me. Looking around at the red-shirt guards who were standing over us was bad. They each carried short metal prods. I knew then what had hit me. They were carrying Tasers.

“Are you okay? We haven’t heard from you in forever! We never thought you’d leave Ibara. And…and…” Courtney pulled back in disgust. “And you’re covered with blood. Yuck.”

I tried to force the room to stop from turning sideways. It wasn’t easy. My arms weren’t being cooperative either. I tried to lift up, but it was next to impossible. It was the effects of the Taser. I realized that Alder was lying next to me in the same incoherent state. He had a dazed, faraway look in his eyes. So far I didn’t think he was a big fan of Second Earth.

“Mark?” I mumbled to Courtney through lips that would barely move. “I’m here, Bobby.”

I heard his voice from across the room. It was a voice I feared I would never hear again. It was lower than I remembered. We had grown up. The last time I saw him, he was diving into the crumbling flume on Eelong. How long ago was that? Years? So much had happened since then. I moved my wobbly head around to see Mark sitting in a chair on the far side of the room. I wondered why he didn’t come over to talk to me, but there were more things to worry about than etiquette. If he wanted to sit in that chair, that was okay. I didn’t particularly want to be sitting on the floor, but I didn’t have a choice.

“You must be Bobby Pendragon,” a man said as he walked toward us.

I slowly raised my head to see a slick-looking old guy. He was exactly as Patrick described him. The first thing I noticed was his perfect silver hair. It was like a helmet. Or robot hair. Why the heck did I notice something as dumb as that? He wore a suit like a business guy, but I knew we weren’t in an office. We were in the Sherwood house in Stony Brook. Patrick wasn’t kidding. This guy had set up housekeeping on top of the flume.

He also claimed to be the Traveler from Second Earth.

I felt some control returning. It’s amazing what’ll happen when your blood starts to boil.

“Alexander Naymeer,” I gurgled.

The guy looked shocked. I swear, it was like I had slapped him.

“And how would you know that?” he asked, as if it were the best-kept secret of all time.

I looked to Courtney. She was staring at me with a mix of curiosity and pride. It took every bit of concentration I had, but I winked at her. It was worth it. Courtney beamed. My strength was coming back. The effects of the Taser were wearing off. I didn’t want to let anybody know. I looked to Alder. He gave me a small wink. He was nearing okay too. I wasn’t sure if he was “fighting okay,” but I wasn’t planning on starting anything. Not yet, anyway. I looked at Naymeer and gave him the most confident smile I could manage with my numb lips and said, “I’ve been doing this a lot longer than you, Al.”

I saw blood rush to his face. Naymeer was flustered. I’d only known the guy for a grand total of eight seconds, and I could already tell that he was used to being in charge and didn’t like being treated as an equal. The fact that I had just dropped in from another territory and knew who he was, threw him. Thank you, Patrick.

“You have come at a perfect time,” Naymeer bellowed, pretending that I hadn’t thrown him. “Your friend Mark Dimond and I were discussing the glorious future we are going to share.”

“You were?” Courtney said sarcastically.

I knew exactly what the score was from Courtney’s reaction. Naymeer wanted something from Mark. Mark didn’t want to give it. I knew my friends.

“Yes,” Naymeer said as he strode toward a big-old fancy desk. “Certainly you weren’t planning on choosing the other option, were you, Mark? Especially not now, when we have both your friends here. Along with this other…person. Who exactly are you?”

“My name is Alder,” the knight answered. “I am the Traveler from the territory of Denduron.”

“Denduron!” Naymeer bellowed. “I understand that events are moving along quite briskly there. How exciting it must be.”

Even though I was a few feet away from him, I could feel Alder tense up. Naymeer had no idea how close he was to being clocked.

“Now. Mark,” Naymeer continued. “We were discussing the future of KEM.”

KEM. The company that made the dados. Things were starting to fold in on themselves again. Of course, I didn’t know the details, but I could tell that Naymeer had threatened Mark. It seemed as if Alder and I had dropped in at a critical moment. Yes, the flume had once again put us where we needed to be, when we needed to be there.

Mark stayed seated. When he spoke, it was with a calm, assured voice. “We’re leaving, Naymeer. All of us.”

Naymeer seemed taken aback, as if Mark had spoken in Swahili.

“Apparently you do not appreciate the gravity of your situation,” Naymeer said with a puzzled look. “I am not giving you a choice. If you do not sign over your piece of KEM, I will have you killed. I will kill the girl. Now it appears as if I will also have to end the lives of two more Travelers. Is that the choice you are making?”

I was feeling stronger by the second. A quick scan of the room told me there were two guards with Tasers. Two on two. That wouldn’t be fair. At least, not once Alder and I got back up to speed. The ball was definitely in Mark’s court. I hoped he knew what to do with it.

He stood up and said, “We’re leaving, and you’re going to give us one of your cars.”

Naymeer sat back in his chair, stunned. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. I wasn’t so sure I believed it either. I didn’t know much of anything at that point.

Naymeer looked at his two guards as if they might have an answer. They didn’t. Guards never did. He finally asked with dismay, “What makes you think I would allow that?”

I wanted to hear this. I think we all did, no matter what side we were on.

Mark didn’t hesitate. He didn’t stutter. “You are an important person, Naymeer. Heads of governments look to you. Heads of religions look to you. You are about to go before the United Nations General Assembly to try to convince the entire planet that they should follow you.”

“And?” Naymeer said, intrigued.

“How would it look if someone in authority were to walk in here right now and find us? Two young people you kidnapped and a couple of bloodied knights from another territory? How do you think that would go over at the UN?”

A quick look of doubt crossed Naymeer’s face as he surveyed the room and the odd group of people assembled.

“Why on Earth do you think I would let anyone come in here?” Naymeer asked.

Mark smiled. He really smiled. I’d never seen him so confident. My buddy Mark Dimond had changed.

“You’re a smart guy, Naymeer. Just not smart enough to keep an eye on us while your guardians wrestled with my friends here.”

“What are you saying?” Naymeer asked with growing impatience.

Mark stepped aside to reveal a table next to the chair where he was sitting. I realized why he hadn’t gotten up when Alder and I were thrown into the room. Sitting on the table…was a telephone.

Naymeer saw the phone and let out a small gasp.

“You didn’t have the chance to call anyone,” he said with confidence, though the hitch in his voice proved that he wasn’t entirely sure.

“Three words,” Mark said. “Numbers actually. Nine-one-one. I’m guessing in about five minutes the Stony Brook police are going to be knocking on your door, wondering why you called.”

“Ohyeah?” Courtney shouted, then looked to Naymeer. “In your face!”

“Take them to the basement!” Naymeer commanded to his guards.

One guard made a move toward me, raising his Taser. Bad move. He thought I was still stunned. I wasn’t. I deflected his move and jammed the heel of my palm into his chest. I actually felt the air leaving his lungs as he collapsed. A quick look over my shoulder showed me that Alder had the other guard under his foot. Two guards down. Two Travelers up. It was good to be back home.

“Whoa,” said Courtney. “That was…interesting.”

“Get us the car,” Mark said calmly.

I thought Naymeer’s head was going to explode from all the blood that had rushed to it. His eyes flashed with anger. He started to say something, but Mark cut him off.

“We’ll probably hear the sirens any second.”

Naymeer grabbed his own phone and barked, “Bring a car round front. Open the gates. Now.”

The guy was barely holding it together. Like I said before, he was somebody who was used to being in control. And just then, he wasn’t.

“Take the weapon,” I said to Alder.

We each grabbed the Tasers from the red shirts. I really wanted to zap the guy who had zapped me. Instead, I stepped over him and walked up to Naymeer. I looked the guy up and down. “You have to know,” I said cockily, “this isn’t over.”

Naymeer took a breath. He was already getting himself back under control. The guy was good. I could see why so many followed him.

“Perhaps not,” he admitted. “But soon.”

Something was off. Maybe it was the confident way he spoke, or the evil he represented. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but a red flag was raised. I turned to Courtney with a questioning look. She knew exactly what I was thinking.

“No,” she answered. “He’s not Saint Dane.”

I looked back to Naymeer. He was smiling. “I’m flattered.”

“Don’t be,” I shot back.

“We’d better go,” Mark cautioned. “It wouldn’t be good for us to be found here.”

I turned and strode for the door. Alder, Courtney, and Mark followed. Before leaving, I turned back to Naymeer and said, “By the way, Al, I unquit.”

“It’s too late for that,” Naymeer sneered.

“Keep telling yourself that” was my answer.

I strode out the door, followed by the others. In the foyer of the mansion, Naymeer’s red shirts surrounded us. One made a move, but Alder held the Taser out and the guy backed off.

“Let them go,” Naymeer commanded. He was standing in the doorway to his office.

The guards backed off and we went out the door. I didn’t even stop to think about how odd it was that the deserted, empty Sherwood house was no longer deserted. There would be time to catch up later. We had to be gone. The large, wrought-iron gates in front of the mansion swung open to reveal a dark car waiting in front, its engine running.

“Pendragon!” Naymeer called.

I looked back.

“Welcome home.”

I really didn’t like him. Just as well. It would make taking him that much easier.

“I’ll drive,” Courtney announced and got in the driver’s seat.

I opened the rear passenger door and motioned for Alder to get inside. He had never been in a car before. He had no idea what was going on. I climbed in back with him; Mark jumped in the shotgun seat. Courtney sat with her hands on the wheel.

“The police will be here any second,” I said.

“They would be,” Mark answered, “if I had actually made the call.”

He looked at me and smiled. “We’ve got a lot to catch up on.”

It had been a bluff. This definitely wasn’t the same old Mark. I liked this guy even more.

Mark asked Courtney, “When did you learn how to drive?”

“Long time ago,” she answered casually, putting the car in gear.

“How long?”

“About three seconds.”

She hit the gas and the car lurched forward. With a squeal of tires on asphalt, we were off. Before we cleared the opening of the stone wall in front of the place, I took a quick look back to see two of Naymeer’s guards running toward a pair of motorcycles.

I hoped that Courtney had learned a lot about driving in those three seconds.