World 3. Hod Beni Elohim Crashing swords and screams woke me. I was curled up in a ball, under a group of saplings at the edge of the woods. Slowly sitting up, I looked out onto the open field approximately twenty feet from me. There were men on horseback swinging swords and the screams of the dying rung in my ears. The battle appeared to be nearly finished, only a few men on the ground were still fighting. The men on the horses wore blood red tunics and most of the men on the ground wore shades of brown. On the far side of the field were a group of horsemen in the red tunics, flanked by two men carrying red banners on long poles. As I watched, the group turned and rode off in a group, apparently satisfied that their side had won. I looked down to where I was I was sitting. My satchel was next to me as well as another pack. Something rustled in the grass behind me and I turned. A small black furred creature sat there hugging itself, it has huge eyes and ears and tears were running down its face. It looked somewhat like a small kinkajou with a longer snout. My negligible maternal instincts kicked in and I reached over to it. It scampered like a monkey up my arm and wrapped itself around my neck under my hair. I suddenly had the most intense feelings of pain and heartache wash over me. I felt the tears stinging my eyes and stifled a sob. I put my hand up and petted the small creature, trying to comfort it. I rocked back and forth, after a few minutes the sadness and pain were much better, I didn�t feel like bawling my eyes out anymore. The field had quieted down, and there were men and women going through the bodies on the ground. I watched as one woman tore the red tunic off one of the dead soldiers and started going through his clothes. I heard more noises on either side of me and watched as several people left their hiding places in the woods to go check the bodies. I was still in my sweats and t-shirt, and I was afraid to draw attention to myself. Crouching down, I inched closer to the battlefield. There was a man's body not too far from me, and he seemed to be wearing peasant clothes. Most of the others were in the middle of the field. I crawled over to him and made sure he was dead before taking his clothes. He was also wearing an amulet, and figuring he wouldn't be needing it, I took it too. Crawling back to the edge of the woods, I took a closer look at the clothes. They weren't too bloody, mostly the pants, but the man was a bit larger than me so the rough tunic would cover most of it. As soon as I could find a stream or something, I could rinse them out. I dressed and collected my belongings. Staying to the edge of the forest, I walked as quickly and quietly as I could. I had to find a safe place to check out the notebook again. Before long I found a road cutting through the woods. Maybe not really a road, but it was hard packed and I could see where wagons had made tracks. In fact, some of the tracks looked fresh. Hoof prints led deeper into the woods and I decided I might as well follow. It seemed to be about the middle of the afternoon and I was getting hungry. After walking for another twenty minutes, I heard the trickling sound of water over rocks. At the same time I was struck with feelings of fear and foreboding. I ducked out of sight off the road, cutting diagonally toward the sound of the stream. The feeling stopped as I crouched down behind a tree, pulling the branches in front of me. The critter around my neck moved and was looking out from underneath my hair. I heard voices then, getting louder as a group of men in red tunics came marching down the road. My earpiece was still stuck in my ear, and I understood the comments of the men as they went by. A great celebration of their glorious battle was in store for them when they returned to their castle. A flash of anger went through me as I heard that. Killing poor peasants wasn't the definition of "Glory" where I came from. When the sounds of marching feet faded, I made my way to the river. Kneeling down, I cupped my hands and drank from the cold clear water. I flipped open the satchel, knowing there were a few more energy bars left. Taking out the notebook and one of the bars, I peeled off the wrapper and took a bite. The creature around my neck crawled out and down my arm. It's wide eyes blinked at me as it perched on my wrist with its tail wrapped around my arm. I broke off a piece of my snack and handed it over. I felt a warm fuzzy feeling in my chest as it munched away. I opened up the notebook and began to read. "These worlds are like the layers of an onion, dimensions so close together that many times people slip through without realizing it. Some of these worlds are so similar that very few things are different and it is difficult to tell when you've passed into another. Other times, everything is so different that it is obvious to the native culture that you are outsider." I turned the page and read more. There were notes about using some of the items that were in the satchel, and comments about useful things in each of the many worlds. Dyfed had sketched many drawings as well, and I turned the page to find a picture of the little kinkajou friend that I had made. There were notes about it as well. "Empath. Can warn of danger, and will give true feelings of surroundings." The light bulb went off above my head as I realized what the critter had done. It had warned me off the path when the soldiers were approaching. The feelings of sadness and pain on the battlefield. I held it up to eye level and looked at it. It had finished the crumbs and was cleaning itself. It looked back at me and reached out a paw. When it touched the center of my forehead, a shock went through my entire body. I saw flashes like a movie, scenes from my life and things I have never seen before. Just before it took its paw away, I had a vision of Dyfed. It looked intently into my eyes, and then climbed back up my arm to curl around my neck again. It tickled but it was also warm. I settled back with the notebook and read some more. I found more notes on the crystal disc in the bag. When a person looked through it, they could see things that were invisible to the naked eye. I opened the satchel up again and took out the disc. I unwrapped it and held it up. Looking out around me through it, the landscape appeared frayed and threadbare. I brought it down and everything looked normal and clear. I held it up to my eye again and turned toward the road. There was a torn place, gloomy and dark behind it. I lowered my arm and the rip was gone. I wrapped the disc back up and put it back. I raised my face to the sky. The day was warm and sunny, but there were clouds on the way. I needed to find shelter and the location of the stone. I packed my things up and found a good walking stick nearby. Walking back to the road, I crossed over the crude bridge that went over the stream. A few hundred yards down the road there was a village. I saw the smoke from the chimneys and walked down what passed for the main street. There was a tavern at the end of the row and I went inside. Several men sat in the back corner, still wearing their bloodied clothes. I wasn't close enough to hear their conversation, but they all turned as I walked in. I kept my head down and sat down on a rough wooden plank at an empty table. The smell of old beer, sweat and blood assailed my nose. Most of my long dark hair was tucked into the back of the tunic and I hoped I could pass as a boy. The last patrons had left a few coins on the table and I knew there were some just like it in my bag. I was pulling them out as the barmaid came over. "What can I get ye?" she asked. I tried to remember the accent from the few renaissance fairs I had been to, and mumbled, "Ale, please." She scooped up the coins and went back behind the bar. I pulled out my coin collection and withdrew three matching coins. I had no idea what the exchange rate was here, but I was sure I wasn't about to get a fancy microbrew. When she returned I gave her two of the coins and she asked me, "would ye be wanting a bit o'supper then?" I shrugged and nodded. The barmaid shuffled off again and I sipped on the beer. It was bitter, but definitely thirst quenching. My food arrived and my little friend hopped down into my lap. I handed him bits of bread, which he seemed to appreciate. I now had a sense of the little creature being male and decided to call him Boo. I was finishing up when the doors opened up again and two men came in. Boo skittered back up around my neck and I was flooded with a sense of danger. The two men that had just came in didn't look like the same men that had been after me, they appeared smaller and different somehow. I wasn't about to start doubting Boo now, so I kept my back to them and stayed hunched over in my seat. The taller of the two sauntered over the men in the corner and I could barely hear him speak, but I caught the words thief and woman. I decided that it was a good time to go, and hunching my shoulders tried to make myself look shorter and squatter that I was. It worked until I was one step from the door. The shorter man looked at me just as I was about to leave and stood up abruptly, knocking the table over. Everyone in the tavern turned to look as the shorter man yelled and pointed at me. He dove at me and caught the back of my tunic, jerking me back. I twisted around and kicked out, hitting him in the arm. He let go as he screamed and grabbed his arm. I pushed the door open and ran out into the street. Taking a quick inventory of my surroundings, I bolted across to an alleyway between two buildings. It was filthy, full of rotten food, trash and rats. Boo clung tightly to my neck as I knocked down stacks of garbage behind me to slow them down. I came to a door and shoved it open, diving inside and closing it quickly behind me. I was panting hard and my heart was pounding. I closed my mouth, knowing it would be quieter breathing through my nose. I saw a latch and slid the bolt into place, and then I slumped down with my back to the door. I could hear running footsteps go past. When I didn't hear them anymore, I took out my flashlight and scanned the room. It was full of storage items. I found burlap sacks stacked at the back wall and other goods on shelves. I poked around until I found something I could use. A long brown cloak with a hood was hanging in a corner as well as a small pair of boots. I took off my black slippers and pulled on the boots. They were about a size too big, but they would work for now. I wrapped up in the cloak and clicked off my flashlight. I waited another few minutes, then unlocked the door and peeked out. There was no one around. I debated leaving against staying and decided to stay a while longer. I bolted the door again and turned the flashlight back on. This time I shined the light upward. There was a loft area above one half of this room, and I quickly located the ladder. I climbed up and went to the corner back under the thatching. I pushed the straw apart just enough to see outside. The two men were nowhere to be seen. Suddenly I heard a crash and the door downstairs crashed inward. There were ropes stacked up near the corner I was in so I grabbed an end and started pulling. I pushed more of the straw thatching out of the way, until I had a crack wide enough to crawl through. I tied the rope off to the ceiling beam, and then fed the rope through the hole. I heard them crashing around downstairs and pushed my head through the hole. It wouldn't be long before they found the ladder, even in the dark. I wriggled my way out the hole and hanging tightly on the rope, let my self down. I had to drop at the end of the rope, but I landed on my feet. By now the rain had started to fall and I was extremely thankful for the cloak. Everyone else in the town had one identical to it. I hunched over just like the others and hurried down the road to the end of the town. Perhaps there was a priory or convent nearby that I could rest at without hassle from those two. By now the rain had started to fall and I was extremely thankful for the cloak. Everyone else in the town had one identical to it. I hunched over just like the others and hurried down the road to the end of the town. Perhaps there was a priory or convent nearby that I could rest at without hassle from those two. I tried to stay at the side of the track out of the mud. The grass was slippery and I had to fight to keep my balance. It was growing dark when I finally heard chanting. There were lights up ahead, and a stone wall with a door in it. I knocked loudly and heard noises behind the door as the bar was lifted. It creaked loudly as it opened and an old man's face appeared. "What do you want? He asked fearfully. "A place to rest out of the rain," I answered, "I am unarmed." He opened the door just enough for me to squeeze in. Pushing it shut and dropping the bar back into place, he led me down the hallway to kitchen. Another elderly monk was stirring something in a large pot above the fire and it smelled heavenly. He turned toward us as we came in. "A traveler in the rain, Brother Paulus," the first monk said. I pushed back my hood and my hair tumbled out. "I see," said Brother Paulus and motioned me to a seat at the table. Boo curled up in my hood and I think he fell asleep in the warmth of the kitchen. The other monk left as he ladled the stew into two rough wooden bowls. He put the bowls on the table and set between us a loaf of bread. He looked at me as I clasped my hands together over the bowl. Smiling slightly, he said words of grace over the food and we began to eat. The stew was soon gone as I mopped up the last bit of it with a piece of bread. "Now where would ye be traveling in these times, a maid alone such as ye are?" he asked me. I wasn't quite sure what to tell him. Being raised catholic and by strict parents, I still had more respect for authority figures than they usually deserved. Another character flaw I was cursed with was the inability to lie. I decided on telling the truth, but as little as possible that I could get away with. "I'm on a quest. I'm seeking a stone that fits in a board and then I must return home." It was close enough to the truth. The monk stood up to clear the bowls away. "Your speech is not that of this village. I have heard others speak this way, they seemed confused and mad. We have a man here that speaks of going home, but he insists that he is not from this time. He frightened the villagers so we took him in. He seems calmer now, as he appears to have accepted his fate." Someone else from my time? Or would it be my place? "May I see him?" I asked. "Of course. Follow me," the monk led me up a staircase and knocked on a door at the top. The door opened and I followed him inside. I looked carefully at the man. He wore a business suit, dirty and torn. One lens of his glasses had a crack though it, and he had several days' growth of beard. I was still wrapped in the cloak, so I didn't look quite as out of place as he did. "Hello," I said, "where are you from?" "I live in Durango, Colorado," he answered resignedly. "I know you people don't have any idea where that is." "I do. It's down by Silverton," I replied and his head snapped up in surprise. "I know the area because my parents insisted on taking the tourist train there every summer." The man was so excited to talk to someone from his time and place that it took me a while to find out what his story was. He was a real estate agent and had been traveling down by the Four Corners area when he slipped down an arroyo. When he came to, he was in the forest by the village. I decided it was time for me to get some rest. Brother Paulus and I said goodnight to the man and he led me to another room with a cot and a chair. He warned me that the monks rose before dawn and he hoped I was a heavy sleeper, as he joked that the chants were loud enough to wake the dead. I took the cloak off and set it on the chair. I set my bags down and laid back on the bed, pulling the blanket up over me. I reached over and laid the cloak over the blanket, hoping I would be warm enough. I was ready for some restful sleep and I felt as safe as possible in days. It was still dark when I awoke. Brother Paulus was shaking me and I quickly sat up. "What's wrong?" I asked. "There are two men here asking about you. They claim you are a thief and have stolen from them." He had a look of concern in his eyes. "Is this true?" "No! Those two men have been chasing me, I don't know who they are, but they mean me harm." I threw off the blanket and stood up. "Is there any way for me to leave here without them seeing me?" He nodded. "I didn't believe them when they came to the gate. They have an evil air to them." I grabbed my satchel and bag and followed the monk out. He led me to a hidden door. He lifted a ring of keys from his belt and selected one of them. Unlocking the door, he turned back to the wall and took down a torch. He touched it to the candle sconce and it flamed brightly. Handing it to me, he said, "Follow the tunnel, it will come out in the woods past the road. There will be bushes overgrown at the end, hiding you when you come out." "One thing, Brother Paulus?" I said, "You might look to where that man was found. How he arrived here is how he will get back." I went inside and heard the door close and lock behind me. Holding up the torch, I walked carefully downward. When the tunnel leveled out, I noticed a moss covered door on my right. I pushed on it, and felt it give just a little bit. I leaned against it and shoved as hard as I could. The door opened just enough for me to squeeze in sideways. I held up the torch. The room was empty but for a table at the far wall. I crossed the chamber and saw that the top of the table was carved with a tree, with holes matching my wooden box. The bottom hole of the left column held an orange stone. My heart leapt. I pulled my knife out of the sheathe and pried it out. Taking out my box, I set it on the table and slid the stone into the matching hole. Smoke began to rise, and it smelled like sandalwood incense. I took that to be a good sign. I slid the box back into the satchel and buckled it closed. I threw the strap over my head and felt the little empath move. I forgot it was still wrapped around my neck. I left the room and followed the tunnel to the end. I had to crawl under the bushes at the exit. Dawn was quickly approaching and I needed to get as far away as I could before those men realized I was gone. I jogged into the trees. I heard running water and hurried toward it. When I got there I stopped short shocked at the scene before me. There was a wagon smoldering there and bodies on the ground. I listened carefully, but there was no sound but the stream. A couple water bags were on the ground by the bank and I picked them up. Kneeling down, I filled them and put the plugs back in. I knew they would come in handy no matter where I ended up next. I thought about looking through the wagon, but then it occurred to me that whoever had done this probably already had taken anything of value. I walked back away and sat on the ground. With the satchel in my lap, I opened the flap and slid the drawer out of the box. The next stone was glowing and I took a deep breath in anticipation of the next trip. I rubbed the stone, then clutched the satchel to my chest and waited for the flash.

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