The Dreamer Pt. Two

'It was my Heart of hearts that they were searching for. I therefore did what I had to do- I shattered the priceless jewel, my precious Heart, into a thousand pieces, and gave each piece to a different person.’
‘To whom, Adi?’
‘To those who needed the protection the most,’ Adialon said simply. ‘They hold those pieces to this day. Thus, our people live in peace and are protected from the enemy even now.’
‘But what if the pieces had been discovered? What untold danger would that have placed those of our people who held them in?’
‘They were well hidden. So well hidden, that those who held them were unaware of it- are unaware of it still.’
‘But then, what do you hold in that pouch, if they hold those pieces still?’
‘A Heart of hearts regrows when it has all been given away. With Thrifka’s help, I will give this new heart directly to my Father in Heaven- to my God. It is one piece short of being fully regrown, but I cannot wait any longer.’
‘You will give it all?’
‘All.’
‘But that could very well imply that you will be taken, with your heart, to Him.’
‘That is my hope.’
A piercing shriek rent the air once more as an enormous eagle swooped down to land on Adialon’s leather-clad arm. ‘Loreh, will you help me?’
‘Of course I will help you, Adi. What do I do?’
‘Take the pouch from around my neck, and place it on his.’
‘Will he not bite me?’
‘He is well trained. He will not bite you.’
Melorelah took the pouch’s cord and pulled it over his bowed head, then reached over to place it on Thrifka’s already lowered neck. The bird did not move until Melorelah was done. Then he dipped his beak faster than the human eye could see and caught the pouch’s cord.
‘Fly, Thrifka! Fly home to the God who gave us life!’ The great eagle flapped his mighty wings once, twice, thrice, and then in a blinding flash of white light, was gone.
‘What happens now, Adialon? We wait?’
‘I wait, and you return to our people.’
‘I cannot leave you here, Adialon! Not on this lonely, gray mountain. Not alone, and injured, and depressed.’
‘You must leave me, Loreh. I must approach my Father alone.’
‘At least permit me to bandage this for you!’
‘Eternal healing is the only healing I desire now’-
‘Please, Adialon!’
He sighed. ‘Very well. I would that you work quickly!’
‘So it shall be, my heart.’
Adialon’s eyes grew wide at her words. Melorelah did not see, for she was searching her saddlebags.
As she worked over his wound, she inquired of him, ‘What would it take to make you want to stay? I know that you have experienced incredible things. You have been immersed in the light of God. You have felt angels’ arms carry you through each day. You have been witness to the power of Satan; you have nearly been overcome by it, and yet have been saved at the last moment, by that wonderful light. You have experienced the blackest levels of hell. You have known the eternal joy of heaven. It is heaven that you long for, so much that it hurts you, deep inside. What would it take for you to desire to stay on earth, in a place where both are present? A place where they threaten to tear your soul apart?’
‘I know not,’ said Adialon. Then he sighed. ‘I do know, truly. It would take a miracle.’
She regarded him silently for a long moment.
‘What is it?’ Adialon asked finally.
‘Have you not noticed, Adialon, that your life has been one miracle after another? Have you not noticed that every time you are close to death, something happens to keep you breathing? That every time you are surrounded by the darkness and yet keep going, your life is saved by the light at the last moment? How many times, Adialon?’
‘Innumerable,’ he muttered. ‘Of a truth, innumerable.’
‘Then how can you doubt that God will carry you in this, as he has in times past?’
© 2010 by Adam Scott Campbell. All rights reserved.