“QUICKLY JACOB, CLIMB ONTO MY BACK!” shouted Mr. Pitts, bending over with his huge head, almost falling himself to the ground.
Thinking it would look foolish Jacob felt reluctant to comply, but seeing the serious look of the stranger, and Mr. Pitts’ somber mood, he was convinced otherwise. Slowly he climbed up onto Mr. Pitts’ bony back. Mr. Pitts quickly seized Jacob’s legs with his large hands and made a sudden jerk, as he exploded into a fast paced run. Jacob wrenched backwards nearly falling off as Mr. Pitts dashed up the hill with the stranger following close behind his heels. Taken aback, Emalynn and the Lynex were slow to respond, but soon joined in the mad capped race. As Mr. Pitts pushed over the rise of the hill, his bounding strides lengthened and he descended down the embankment almost out of control. They were sprinting towards a cluster of dilapidated cottages, and Mr. Pitts’ wide gait was pitching Jacob up and down like a rodeo Brahma bull. In desperation Jacob reached out and grabbed a hold of Mr. Pitts’ green leafs to steady his balance, until at length Mr. Pitts jerked to a stop in front of the nearest cottage. The stranger ran ahead and kicked open the door and Jacob, at that very moment, felt everything spinning about him, as if he were whirling around like a top. He began to worry that his condition really might be serious. Without hesitation Mr. Pitts dashed into the cottage, where he squatted low and gently dropped Jacob onto a tattered mattress of an old bed.
Once settled Jacob scanned the spinning and cluttered room. Emalynn and the Lynex had just arrived at the open door and stepped inside as the stranger lifted a black leather handbag from off a crocked shelf. Hurriedly he tore open the small case and extracted a syringe and vile. He pointed the needle upward and jabbed it into the lid of the upside down vile. “I hope we’re in time,” he said, sounding very uneasy.
The room began to grow darker and colder, and Jacob found himself suddenly struggling to keep conscious. Half-cognizant of what was happening around him, he felt a pinch in his arm, and instantaneously, as if his curse had magnified his condition to its worst, his vision turned pitch-black. Panic gripped him like he had never felt before, and he tried to call out for help, but he found that he was too weak and had no voice. In desperation he attempted to lift his arm and call attention to himself, but his arm felt as heavy as a hundred pound weight. He had become completely paralyzed and totally helpless in only a matter of seconds. A sudden and horrible realization flashed into his mind, his life was coming to an abrupt end. “This is it! I’m a dead fellow for sure! I’m kicking the bucket before my time!” More than anything he wanted to tell everyone goodbye and express his love for Uncle Clair, but the chance to say his last farewells were unfairly stolen from him. With no other choice, and with his last bit of strength, he listened intently to every word they were saying, while slowly feeling himself slip away into the unknown chasms of death.
“What was that bird?” asked Emalynn, breathing heavily.
“That, was a zatsen,” replied Mr. Pitts. “It’s a slayer, half bird and half snake. A monster bred and trained to kill by a master assassin. Zatsen venom is deadly and if not treated immediately the poison will cause one’s blood to jell and cease up the heart.”
“Oh no!” shrieked Emalynn, “is he going to be okay?”
“Well, he’s not dead yet,” said the stranger, “and if he’s survives for the next ten minutes we’ll know that we administered the antidote in time.”
Jacob now knew that he had only minutes left, and naturally, as if automatic, from deep within his soul he began recalling all the terrible mistakes that he had ever made in his life. He remembered the time he had tripped in their barn and landed face down in a warm pile of fresh horse droppings, and the time he jokingly mixed a rotten egg in with the fresh ones. Uncle Clair was so irate after cracking it open into a frying pan full of scrambled eggs that he made Jacob go without breakfast. It seemed to him that in between the many recollections he would lose consciousness, and then sporadically wake up again. It was hard to gage just how much time was really passing and he began to wonder if he could hang on for much longer, when a sudden tingling sensation began cropping up in his hands and feet. “Maybe some feeling is coming back,” he speculated.
Within moments his vision began to clear, and Emalynn’s and the Lynex’s long drawn faces appeared hanging over him like floating balloons. A grateful feeling of joy washed over him and he wanted to cry with happiness, but he couldn’t yet move his arms to wipe away any embarrassing tears and decided it was better to fight the urge than look unmanly, for he knew now that he had been given a miraculous gift of a second chance. A frowning pineapple suddenly moved in next to Emalynn’s face and Jacob cracked a happy smile, recalling what they had done to Mr. Pitts. He then felt his head throb with pain and supposed it to be a good sign, for if he were really dying he probably wouldn’t be feeling anything.
“So how do you feel?” asked Mr. Pitts, seeing him stir.
“Sick,” responded Jacob, happy that he could now speak. He wanted to sit up but his arms and torso were still too numb.
“Yes my boy, you’re going to be just fine,” said the smiling stranger. “You’ll need to rest here for at couple of hours before your full strength returns. You’re an extremely lucky lad! It’s rare, rare indeed to survive the bite of a Zatsen. You were fortunate that I was nearby, and lucky that I hit the bird and not you’re head with my crossbow. Now who would want to do in a fine looking lad like yourself?”
“He has slobber smeared on his cheek,” giggled the Lynex.
“I can only think of one person,” said Emalynn passionately, ignoring the Lynex. “He was the only scoundrel that knew we’d be out here on a picnic. He was also the one that sent Mr. Pitts after Buckburne Scurvey’s orb, and the one that wanted to send us home so we wouldn’t rally up any rescue attempts for Mr. Pitts. And as proof of his guilt he refused to start a sentinel investigation to search for the spy. It is none other than that the dirty rotten magistrate!”
“The magistrate eh? Well whoever it was, hiring an assassin with a trained Zatsen is a very expensive proposition,” said the stranger. “Not only did the assassin lose his fee but he also lost a very expensive bird in the process. If someone’s willing to go to that length to murder you Jacob, then he’ll certainly try it again!”
Jacob looked up at the stranger, surprised and puzzled as to how he knew his name, and before he could ask the man suddenly inquired, “Now what’s this about sending Mr. Pitts out after my orb?”
Jacob’s eyes went wide as Emalynn dropped open her mouth. The sudden announcement caught them both by surprise.
“I guess a round of introductions is in order,” said Mr. Pitts, as his head began to shrink. “As you have already figured Buckburne, these two are my new apprentices I told you I would be picking up, Jacob and Emalynn. And this here is my good friend Buckburne Scurvey,” continued Mr. Pitts. “Jacob you are extremely lucky Buckburne was nearby, I know of no other sentinel that would have been so prepared as to have in his possession a remedy for a Zatsen bite.”
“Pleased to meet you Mr. Scurvey,” said Emalynn politely.
Still feeling woozy Jacob managed to offer a sluggish nod. By now Mr. Pitts’ nose and lips had become visible, and his ears were just starting to bud. Showing an accustomed smile, Mr. Pitts slapped Buckburne’s back and exclaimed, “I knew you’d be around here Buckburne! It’s good to see you again you old scumwart!”
“Good to see you again, old friend!” replied Buckburne, returning a solid wallop to Mr. Pitts’ back. He then turned and smiled at the apprentices. “It’s my pleasure to meet both of you, and welcome you to our sentinel training program. You’re both very fortunate to have a trainer as brave and renowned as Mr. Pitts.”
“And you’re both fortunate to meet the famous Buckburne Scurvey,” said Mr. Pitts, again slapping Buckburne’s back with a good smack. “who in his own rights is a legend among the Sentinels! You wouldn’t believe the adventures we’ve shared together! We go way back to the old days when we both served with your Uncle Clair and your father Jacob!”
Buckburne eyes suddenly went wide and he stepped closer to Jacob, staring intently at Jacob’s face. “You mean this is young Jacob! Theodore you didn’t tell me you were picking up Jake’s son! I thought you were dead boy! I can’t believe that all these years you were alive and in hiding!”
“Yes Indeedee! He was living with Clair in dimension four!”
“Gadzorks! Clair’s alive too!”
“He most certainly is! Can you believe it; he’s been passing himself off as a farmer these past ten years, keeping busy by planting wheat and corn, and milking cows. It’s hard to imagine good old Clair as a farmer!”
“Jacob I served with both your father and your uncle when they were legendary sentinels, and to see you here as a sentinel’s apprentice does my heart well. Why it’s just like the good old days rekindling themselves again.”
Jacob was surprised to hear that Buckburne had been friends with his father and Uncle Clair, and he began to wonder what it had been like for them back then, battling it out with dimensional criminals and dark warriors.
“That’s why they tried to kill Jacob,” interrupted Emalynn, “Lacsar knows he’s alive!”
“I see!” said Buckburne, nodding his head.
“The Magistrate reported your orb had signaled an emergency alert,” eagerly continued Emalynn, “and then he sent Mr. Pitts out along with other sentinels to respond to it. It was a trap to capture Mr. Pitts and he was held captive in the Dark Realm. They tortured him to find out where you were until we rescued him!”
“In the Dark Realm! And Theodore you escaped! I don’t believe anyone has ever escaped from Lacsar before,” responded Buckburne surprised, walloping Mr. Pitt’s back. “You are one lucky sentinel! I suppose after going through all that I owe you a good explanation about my orb——”
“What about the Book of Galeeky? Where is it?” interrupted Jacob, hoping to get an edge on his bet.
“Ah yes the book. Well a thief got the drop on me and then attempted to steal it, but before he could reach it the book hid itself. You see the Book of Galeeky has a self defense mechanism and like an orb it can transport itself anywhere in any dimension to protect itself. And once hidden it can never be found again, unless of course the seal to the Book of Galeeky is used by a qualified sentinel. But since we don’t have the seal anymore, our precious Book of Galeeky may be lost forever. And of course our ignoramus Magistrate acted like I was the thief! He confiscated my orb saying that it would keep me from leaving until he thoroughly investigated the matter. After that I hid myself here, thinking that the thief might come here in search of the Book of Galeeky. This is where the book originated from, and it is here anyone would naturally think to look first if he were searching for it. I’ve been on my guard every since, watching the cave behind the falls, waiting to snare a thief. But I suppose you’ve already guessed that Theodore, that’s why you were out here snooping around isn’t it.” Mr. Pitts nodded his head as Buckburne continued. “And from what you tell me, the Magistrate may be mixed up in this evil plot deeper than anyone ever suspected.”
“If he had your orb to begin with then why would it suddenly be in the possession of the dark warriors signaling an orb alert,” reasoned Emalynn, “unless the magistrate gave it to them. He’s got to be the spy!”
Jacob strained to slowly sit up, unable to resist the temptation of jumping into the conversation. “The emergency orb signal just happened to be timed with Dr. Verdimyer’s shortage of the emergency response team members before the banquet, “earnestly added Jacob, “leaving Mr. Pitts vulnerable as a volunteer. Why would the response team be short handed, unless he planned it that way to lure Mr. Pitts into his trap as a replacement?”
“There’s something else fishy about the Magistrate that I uncovered,” said Buckburne, “I overheard a group of Gobzards talking about him fixing the DCR so one of his sponsored pilots would win the race.”
“Why would he want to do that?” questioned Mr. Pitts.
“I know why,” responded Emalynn quickly. “So he can win the bones of the Barbary Lamb. The Dwarfs all want the bones so they can see where precious stones are buried, but the magistrate wants it so he can find where the Book of Galeeky is and steal it!”
“If you’re both correct about the Magistrate,” said Mr. Pitts, “than the corruption within the sentinels is indeed imbedded much deeper than we all thought. Unfortunately the Magistrate is in a very powerful position and I’m afraid we can’t do anything about it until we have absolute proof of his involvement. If the Dark Realm spy is willing to go to such lengths as to trap and torture me to get to you Buckburne, then your plan to use yourself and the book as bait should work. I hope that you’re successful in your endeavor here and can bring this all to a quick conclusion.”
“So do I,” responded Buckburne, as he earnestly looked down at Jacob. “Unfortunately, we did not snare the assassin today, so Jacob this will not be the end of it.”
“I’m afraid Buckburne is right,” added Mr. Pitts. “From now on Jacob you’ll have to be extra careful. Although Sentinel Village is loaded with Sentinels, you’re to go nowhere, unless I or someone else is with you, understand! Also, although it’s against my nature, we will have only class room training. No more outside activities, it will be safer for you that way!”
Jacob nodded not liking the restriction, but he knew now wasn’t the time to argue about it either, figuring that things might lighten up later.
As the afternoon drew to a close Jacob’s dizziness subsided and he was at last allowed to rise from the bed. Mr. Pitts and Buckburne had spent much of the time reminiscing and walloping each other’s backs, while Emalynn busied herself with cleaning the cottage. Having seized the opportunity, the Lynex spent the afternoon at Jacob’s bedside holding him captive to his bigheaded bragging. And naturally Jacob was more anxious than anybody else to leave.
“Righteoo,” said Mr. Pitts, “It’ll be dark soon so I guess we best be getting back. It was good to see you Buckburne, and I’ll drop by again sometime soon to bring you some delicious dwarf puhn cheese. I’ve bought a large batch of it so I can enjoy it everyday!”
“That would be great!” Don’t worry about cleaning up your picnic items, I can do that for you,” offered Buckburne. “As a matter of fact I won’t let anything go to waste,” he added, licking his lips.
Mr. Pitts and Buckburne gave each other one last wallop and the apprentices picked up their packs, rushing to follow Mr. Pitts out the door. As they climbed back up the hill, Buckburne stood in the door of his cabin waving goodbye.
“Got any more of those delicious pineapple drops Emalynn,” asked Mr. Pitts.
“Sure do,” replied Emalynn. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a handful of the delicious confection. With a trusting smile she then dropped them into his open palm.
Upon reaching the wagon they scaled up the tall steps to seat themselves, and Mr. Pitts unwrapped a delicious pineapple drop, placing it into his mouth. Cautiously he scanned the sky for Zatsen and then shook the reins, shouting, “Gidee-up there horses!” The wagon rolled forward, and his head began to gradually expand.
The return trip was peacefully quiet as everyone seemed to be in a reflective mood, except for the Lynex who was taking the opportunity to ramble on about himself. The outing to Galeeky Falls was almost as bad as the Dwarf Puhn Cheese incident, and Jacob was glad to be returning back home to the boarding house. Although he had met Buckburn Scurvey and heard his story, he was no closer to finding the Book of Galeeky then before. But now with Buckburn lying in wait to trap the spy, Emalynn had a real chance at winning their bet, through no effort of her own. However, his almost dying did give him a slightly different perspective, now their bet didn’t seem quite as important. Catching the spy meant stopping his would be assassin, and that by itself almost seemed worth losing to Emalynn for, but not quite.
As they entered the village the Lynex suddenly fell quiet, and Jacob noticed numerous shoppers staring their way. He looked up at Mr. Pitts’s huge pineapple head and bit his tongue, holding back a chuckle.
“Yes indeedee, people always seem to be impressed with my wonderful wagon!” exclaimed Mr. Pitts proudly. “No matter how many times I drive up and down this street, everyone just stares at it; jealously wishing they all owned such a magnificent carriage.”
Within minutes they arrived at the boarding house and Jacob climbed down from the wagon behind Emalynn and the Lynex.
“Righteoo Jacob,” said Mr. Pitts, as he stood up on the wooden seat and began dancing a hula. “I want you to go straight to your room and rest.”
Jacob grinned as he nodded in response.
“We don’t have any training on the weekend and since this is your very first weekend here, I suggest you ask Mum for some brochures on Sentinel Villages’ famous attractions. I especially recommend our renowned dinosaur wax museum.”
“A wax dinosaur museum! I’d like to see that!” exclaimed Emalynn.
“Yes indeedee, it’s worth your while; they have full life size figurines. It took a lot of bees wax to make that place and I think you’d be impressed by it. You two have a good weekend and I’ll see you bright and early Monday morning. If you need anything before then just holler, and Jacob there are plenty of us sentinels around so stay near your group and be on your guard at all times. If needed just call out for assistance and any nearby sentinel will respond.” Mr. Pitts shook the reins and then secured them in his yellow teeth. The wagon rolled down the road as he hummed a tune and continued his ungainly hula dance.
“We’ll watch over Jacob,” hollered back Emalynn, giggling and waving goodbye.
“Imagine that,” said the Lynex. “People are laughing at him and he doesn’t even realize it!”
“Yeah, isn’t that something,” replied Jacob, looking down at the Lynex with a grin. “Some people just don’t get it, do they?”
“No they certainly do not,” said the Lynex nodding his head in agreement.
Once inside Jacob went straight to his room and dove onto his bed. As he lay back resting, he reflected on his near death experience. It was discomforting knowing that someone was out to do him in. “But there’s no way I’m going to let that spoil any of my fun,” he promised himself. “First thing tomorrow I’m still gonna explore this village in spite of their restriction.”
From the open window the phoenix suddenly slid in with his wings spread wide, and gracefully he landed on the footboard of the bed. Jacob, happy to see his friend quickly sat up. “Any luck with your search?” he asked eagerly.
“Yes,” replied the phoenix, cocking his head to the side and looking down at Jacob. “The book isn’t in this dimension and can’t be found, but I have located the Galeeky Stone Seal. It is on Ogre Island somewhere in the ogre village.”
“Good job phoenix, we’ll go there right away and retrieve us a Galeeky Seal,” he enthusiastically responded. “And then I’ll show Emalynn how wrong she is!”
“You may need some help with the ogres. Perhaps your dwarf friend would like to come with us,” suggested the phoenix.
“Excellent idea! Hobble will go with us for sure!”
The door suddenly rattled with a loud bang that interrupted their conversation, and Jacob quickly arose from his bed, slipping on his shoes. Upon opening the door he saw Emalynn with the portentous Lynex.
“We’re going over to Frosty Mug. Would you like us to bring you back some dinner?” she asked.
“Nope, cause I’m going with you,” replied Jacob, tired of resting and a bit hungry himself.
“Do you think it’s safe for you to be wandering the streets?” teased Emalynn.
“Do not worry prince,” comforted the Lynex. “You are completely safe when you are with me! I will protect you. You have no need to fear while the great Lynex is near.”
Jacob hated the idea of Emalynn and the Lynex being his babysitters, but he figured that once he had won their bet things would change for the better. For now though, he would just have to put up with her haughtiness.
They left the boarding house scanning the sky and the surrounding area before stepping onto the boardwalk. As Mr. Pitts had said sentinels were everywhere, and Jacob counted at least a dozen sentinels that he could see within the nearby vicinity. Feeling better he relaxed, and without thinking on it anymore he began to enjoy the pleasant evening.
Inside the tavern bustled with an evening dinner crowd, and the room seemed to be humming its own tune from the noisy chatter. Together the threesome entered in and searched the tavern for some empty seats. Spotting Hobble off by himself, sitting at a short table in the corner, they quickly joined with him, squeezing their knees tightly under the tabletop. Jacob wasted no time in telling the group about the Galeeky Stone Seal and his new adventurous plan to retrieve it.
“Jacob,” replied Emalynn, shaking her head, “traveling to another place without Mr. Pitts knowing about it just doesn’t seem right.”
“You sound worried Emalynn,” said Jacob smugly. “Now that you know I’ll be recovering the Book of Galeeky, I’m sure you’ll be wanting to call off the bet, right? Besides with things as they are now, don’t you think if we told Mr. Pitts he’d keep us from going and instead send out the sentinels to fetch it back. We’d be robbed of our adventure!”
“I see your point about adventure,” snapped Emalynn, glaring back at him. “But there’s no way you’re going to win our bet! Finding the Galeeky Stone Seal is a far cry from finding the Book of Galeeky, and I’m working on my plan right now as we speak, there’s absolutely nothing for me to worry about. I’m going to win this bet Jacob and you’ll be forced to thank me for saving your life!”
“Why doon’t we meet en front of thee tavern enn’ we can leave froom there,” said Hobble, interrupting their squabble.
“Great idea, tomorrow then right after our breakfast, we’ll meet up here at 8:00 a.m. sharp,” agreed Jacob.