The Storyteller - Chapter 21

The Storyteller

 

A Novel

By Paul McCann

Chapter 21

 

The Slave

 

He sat by far enough from the clifftop to appreciate the view of the five loughs that lay scattered across the sundrenched landscape below . In peaceful thoughts, he drifted away like a ship without a mooring rope out beyond the shore . In a dreamlike state he could hear rain drops fall in a vast ocean somewhere in time . The sound of bees buzzing around him brought him back from his subconscious state where he realised, he had accidently been sitting next to a colony of bees that had made their home inside a cone shaped pile of rocks around  the top of the Mountain .

As he got to his feet to leave a thick mist fell down all around him ,

Inside the mist someone took his hand and led him away in an unknown direction . He couldn’t see who was holding his hand and he had no idea where he would end up . They walked for quite a while until the mist lifted and when it did, he was surrounded by three women dressed in shrouds .

They spoke to his spirit and used no words in their communication .

“There is a young boy in chains who will need your help storyteller”

Another lady pointed to a small boat on the river nearby . On the boat was a small cargo of slaves bound for the shore and a lifetime of hardship in their new home . At the back of the boat there was a small boy with chains around his wrists . One of the ladies pointed to the boy and whispered into the storyteller’s mind .

“He has to be set free from the chains with the golden key  “

Then from a pocket in her shroud she gave him a golden key and continued ,

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“Place this key into the lock and says three times . Love is the key. “

Then a pillar of light shone down from above and the storyteller had a vision of a future place time when the boy would become a man who would change a nation by a series of miracles that would happen all over the land .

“Go now storyteller. You will know what to do .“

The three ladies vanished and in that very moment the young boy slipped out of the boat and into the river without anyone seeing him escape .

He floated on top of the water as the boat continued its passage to the shore .

The storyteller made his way into water and swam over to the boy . He placed the golden key into the lock on the cuffs saying three times

“Love is the key “

The chains were broken and sank into the water and they both swam to the banks of the river .

“Who are you ?”

The boy asked

“No time to talk . Hurry now we have to be on our before they find you’re missing , Follow me . We need to run like the wind . “

Off they went like two deer’s, on a rocky path up hill and then down the other side , over the stones , fleet on their feet ‘

“Where are we going?”

The boy asked

“I don’t know“

Came the reply ,

“Good I’ll go there to then “

They both laughed as they ran as fast as their feet could carry them to the side of a mountain . About halfway up the mountain , on the steep side , the storyteller saw a cave  .

“Look that’s where we must go .

He said .

The made their way up a steep climb , slipping back every now and then on the loose stone underneath their feet but eventually they reached the entrance to the cave . Once inside they buckled over and tried to catch their breath , after they had regained their strength, they went deeper into the cave and found a shaft of light within that came from a pothole above on the mountaintop .

“We are safe here.”

Said the storyteller .

“Who are you and where do you come from ?”

The boy asked ,

“I am Sean Mc Kay and I come from the mists of time to tell you a story that I have been given to share with you Patrick “

“How do you know my name”

The boy said .

Around the cave little flames appeared and within the flame a tiny dove danced to the music that began to play  , A wild wind arrived and started to howl and whistle as it swirled up the dust in spirals all over the cave . Patrick fell to the ground and lay unconscious on the floor of the cave . A light shone down all around him, then the storyteller began to tell the story that he had seen in a vision .

“Here in this place, you will return one day when your mission is complete.

Today is the first day of the rest of your life . Patrick from this day forward you are no longer a slave to man but a great warrior , chosen to defeat the dark supernatural forces that rule over this land . You will start a fire on this mountaintop that will never be extinguished . You are to become a leader of many who will follow the instructions you will give . Although you cannot see all of the armour that protects you , there is an unseen cloak around you and  upon your head a helmet of gold , over your chest and back plates of impregnatable steel , over your limbs , a mesh of steel to protect you from  any attack from the dark forces of the supernatural . You are now a warrior of heaven sent to earth to bring light into the darkness and a message of understanding and hope for generations to come all over this land .

Miracles and wonder will follow in your footsteps .Those who put you in chains will be captured by the flames of the faith you are going to bring . Nothing can  harm you or stand in your way anymore . Every step you take will be guided by the fire of faith . Every word you speak will be gifted to you without even thinking .”

Inside the cave Patrick remained all night unconscious on the ground until the morning light . In the new day when Patrick awoke, he started a fire on top of the mountain that burned with such fury that it was seen all over the land .

In the afternoon of that day a mist appeared from nowhere and the storyteller was again taken by a hand and led away through the mist to another time and another place

End Chapter 21

 

The Storyteller

Link to  chapter 22

https://www.abctales.com/story/mcscraic/storyteller-chapter-22

By Paul McCann

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