Far Horizons: Tales of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror. Issue #17 August 2015 | Page 26

“Manfred has selected the settings,” Jhamed said. “It will take you to a time around thirty thousand years ago and a place far from here. Manfred and his twin Mandred will both be there. Remember that you must not let them know that you are from the future or that you have met or will meet Manfred before. It’s confusing me already. You must behave as you think best and deal with the situations that arise. Manfred would tell me no more. When you are ready to return you must want in your heart to come back and you must picture this place in your mind. I’m afraid that you will be naked when you get there. I hope that it’s summer time, for your sake. I hope that it’s dark, for theirs.” He laughed at his little joke, but his heart wasn’t really in it. “Do you understand?” elf my friend.” He turned to Taran and slapped him on the back so that he almost fell over. “We are the last best hope for peace in FirstWorld and the wider multiverse. We all wish we could come with you on this task, but it is one you must shoulder alone. At least Manfred will be there. I often wondered what he was like as a young wizard. You must tell us when you get back. Good luck, my friend. Hurry home, we shall be waiting.” Simon had tears in his eyes as he hugged the three of them. All he could manage to say was, “Thank you, I’ll see you soon.” I don’t deserve such good friends. He stepped up to the archway, glanced back at his friends, waved nonchalantly, and walked under the obsidian time portal. There was no flash, no bang, and no science fiction movie theatrics; one second he was there, the next he was gone. A pair of sneakers, two short white socks, a pair of torn jeans, a green tee shirt, and a well-used pair of blue jockey shorts remained behind. Simon nodded. “Are you sure Kin Slayer will go with me?” “Manfred assured me that it would be so. It is part of you now and you are part of it. You have killed together.” “Thanks for reminding me.” Simon sighed. “I suppose I had better get it over with.” At that moment, there was a sound of feet on the stairs and muffled shouts. Taran ran out onto the parapet. He was followed a short while later by Dawit. The dwarf was puffing and panting hard. Taran hardly seemed out of breath. “Did you think to sneak off without saying goodbye?” Taran asked. “We are not that easy to shake,” Dawit gasped. Simon was embarrassed. He had deliberately avoided seeing anyone but Jhamed during his recovery from the events at Dishley. He was ashamed about that, but he was more ashamed about his actions there and what his friends thought about him. Dawit spoke for both of them. “Simon, we understand. It is a huge burden to carry to be the Everlasting Hero. It is not one either of us would relish. But we would be there to help you carry it, as we carried you home from Dishley. We four have a special fellowship, five when Manfred returns. Just a few days ago, I could never have imagined calling an Simon felt a wave of nausea hit him, and each of his limbs was wracked with the worst pins and needles he had ever experienced. The world went dark and then extremely bright. He fell to his knees and tried not to pass out. He took a grip and focussed his eyes. It was a bright, cool day; already he was shivering because he was naked. Kin Slayer was indeed strapped to his side. He was in a small clearing in a forest. Through the trees, he could see a larger clearing where a small crowd of people were gathered around an old man who seemed to be performing magic tricks. Simon’s heart lifted. Manfred is here. **** The three friends looked at each other. Jhamed finally spoke. “I wish that I could go with him. He’ll find Manfred as old and cantankerous then as he is now, except that he was a different sort of wizard back then. During our many years in exile he sometimes opened up to me about his past and his regrets. He feels guilty that he let down his mentor Bedwyr. He hated being away from the comforts of Melasurej and was in a great sulk because he’d been sent to a boring backwater with Mandred. From what he told me, the two of them didn’t get on at all. He always thought 26