Bellkipeg - Part The Third

6)

Waking up was becoming a chore for Alex as he opened his eyes to blue skies again. If this was a dream then he wished that someone would let him sleep it off! It was really beginning to infuriate him; feeling this helpless..

He stood up and was surprised that he'd been lying on the edge of a large clearing with the mouth of the cave behind him. The cave was set into the side of a hill before being engulfed by a huge wood; he wondered whether this was the same woodland as before.

It was then that he realised that the boy from the cave was lying next to him, bruised and unkempt, but still very much alive. The question now stood: who had dragged them out of the cave?

“You never cease to amaze me, Creator.” The booming voice made Alex jump. “How you can look around you, take in all your surroundings, and still miss the one person that’s standing right next to you. It beggars belief!” Alex span round to face what was making fun of him.

Towering well over seven feet tall, the man with the tree-trunk physique had ragged brown hair flowing round his wizened, mahogany hued face. His eyebrows met in the middle and led down to a mildly impressive, if slightly irregular nose; as if it had been broken a couple too many times. His face was extremely emotive and was now in the process of braying with laughter at Alex’s open mouthed expression, for the man also had a large pronounced set of antlers growing out of his head, reminding Alex of the stag in the wood. He had never seen anything like it before.

His face also reminded Alex of the tramp in the cave. There was but a passing resemblance yet it felt as if they were somehow connected. Alex wanted to touch the man, if only to prove that he wasn’t dreaming, and reached out.

“I’d rather you didn’t.” The being said, taking a step backwards. “I don’t take too well to being touched whilst on this plane; and if you were wise, you’d learn that fast. You don’t know who I am so you can’t protect yourself against me. I’m not too worried about what you could do to me, you understand. I doubt you could harm me directly in your current state, I’m sorry to say.”

“What….? Just who the hell are you? Was it you that dragged me out of the cave?” 

“Questions, hmm – considering what little time we have, Creator, I think we can dispense with the asinine ones straight away. Or… maybe not, looking at the state you’re in… I’ll let you decide what I am…. As for my name, well, it’s hard to say.” The being paused; rubbed his chin and regarded Alex contemplatively. He was wearing a very long animal skin bodkin, faded brown trousers, and he was barefoot, though his feet were extremely hairy and almost hoofed. “You’ve never been completely comfortable with who or what I am, have you?” He continued. “In the beginning my name was Lycaon; a werewolf king of the lost city of Arcadia…. something like that, if I remember, but that didn’t last long. I was a centaur for a while and you batted around the name of Cheiron. That was quite fun, it was certainly original… I mean, who needs two legs when you have four?” At this he sighed. “But now you’ve settled with Onyx, as it suits your mind-set at this particular time, doesn’t it, Creator? But I’m sure you have no idea who Onyx really was….”

Alex had no idea what this… creature was talking about. How could he have three names? What did Alex’s mind-set have to do with this creature? And why the hell did he keep referring to him as a creator?

“Not a creator, THE creator. Now this is going to be a difficult time for you; you have a lot to take in, young man. In many ways you’ve only just started to wake up.”

The words waking up made Alex remember the boy who was still lying on the ground beside him. “What about him? Who is he and what’s he doing here?”

“Look at him, Creator. Study his features well; does he not remind you of anyone?”

“He looks familiar enough, but I just don’t recognise him. Should I know him?”

“Try not to answer a question with another question. You know who he is. Just relax and it will come to you…. See with your heart, not with your mind.”

Alex was bemused at first by what he had been told to do, but relaxed his thoughts nonetheless. Gradually he let his eyes take in what they saw, not what his mind told him. It took a couple of minutes for the truth to finally sink in and when it did he could hardly believe it.

“You’ve got to be kidding me; that can’t be me.”

7)

“You’re right.” Onyx replied. “That is not you; it’s merely a shade; a reflection of what you were.  Now, this is where your mind will start shutting down because you don’t want to face what’s happening. But don’t. Don’t close your mind to it, Creator. Concentrate; look deep into yourself and you will see the truth. Remember who you were, remember what it is that the child represents.”

But even as Onyx spoke the words “shutting down” Alex felt as if his whole world was narrowing to a point, everything was draining of colour as he tried to work out what was going on. 

“How can I remember who I was… ? I… I Can’t!!” He sputtered in desperation. “I don’t even know who I am now or what I’m doing here, let alone who that is…. I just don’t know!!”  

It was then that he realised that he had no memory of anything prior to the field. Apart from his name, he had no idea who he was. He felt his head go light again, like in the field. The dizzying, numbing sensation that started at the crown of his head sent shock waves down the length of his body. He dropped to his knees, cradling his head in his hands.

“I know it’s difficult, Creator, but try not to be so melodramatic about it...” Onyx’s voice became deep and calming. “For now you have to focus on where you are, what you are doing; here and now. Concentrate on every little detail. Everything that happens here happens for a reason and nothing is what it truly seems.

“You need to know who you are, not what you were; the past will not help you. I’m not sure whether you will be able to understand this yet, but you must for we don’t have much time. I now must tell you why you have been brought here.”