Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 19:01:50 +0000
From: mvnwiid@gmail.com
Subject: Torandom Eyes - Chapter 8

All characters and events in this publication, other than those clearly in
the public domain, are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons,
living or dead, are purely coincidental.

All rights reserved.
The moral Right of the author has been asserted.


Chapter 8
A lost son

Ruan stared out of the plane window, thinking about what fate had befallen
his son. This was definitely something to do with Torandia. He now started
regretting he had ever learned the truth about the two planes. If it was
just his life that was affected, he was fine with it, but now he dragged
his son in with him too. He had never imagined this would happen.

The plane hit some turbulence and Ruan scarcely noticed.

He would go to Kyle, he thought, the little geek will know what's going on
in this situation.

Maybe they would even allow him to go to Torandia and have a look around,
though he doubted it.

He had no idea what he was going to do.

Another problem was he had only met all of the knights once. Everybody was
gathered the day of his inauguration they all seemed like nice ordinary
people, yet scattered from over the world.

The one guy he couldn't forget was Billy Jones. He was a character. He was
about a foot taller than Ruan and a gun specialist. The weapons the Knights
Templar used are carried on from knight to knight. Yet when they chose him,
probably for his intimidating looks, Ruan was sure they forgot that he
would get a little dirk. Not quite this guy's forte, apparently it's not
really accepted to use guns and such as they are not enchanted like the
weapons the Knights use.

This guy is huge and tyrannical; a construction worker from Australia, and
he really couldn't give a damn.

He had no idea how many of the Knights will be at head quarters in New
York, they are from all over the globe, Japan, UK, south Africa, only a
tiny amount of them were together at one place at a time.



Ruan felt the plane beginning to descend, he got his hand baggage together,
he had packed very lightly, only the essentials. He was there to get
information, not for a vacation.

Though he told the police department he had to take an emergency vacation.

Ruan got out of the plane and boarded the little bus which was to take him
to arrivals.

JFK airport is a huge airport.

In arrivals Ruan saw Kyle immediately. He walked over to him; he was busy
reading a newspaper very incognito.

"Morning, Fancy meeting you here." Kyle smiled putting down his newspaper.

"Morning Kyle thanks for meeting me."

"Yeah well, it's part of the package."

The two of them got to Kyle's car, and got in.



The drive to head HQ was a very quiet drive, Kyle didn't say anything. Ruan
decided to keep his mouth shut as well. Head quarter was nothing but a
house in Brooklyn they tried to keep everything as incognito as possible.

Ruan got out of the car, he had been there once for nearly a month, when
the Knights took him in and trained him Ruan inherited a three headed mace
as his weapon.

It took him some time to be able to use the weapon; it's not as easy as it
looks. He wasn't good with it yet perse, but he was getting there.

That month Harold had to go and stay with his aunt.

The house looked exactly as it did a few months ago.

Ruan got a warm welcome from Natasha Silverstone who was inside the living
room of the Head Quarters. She was casually watching TV when had walked in
the house.

"Ruan! How nice of you to join us!" She is a lawyer from Switzerland, but
was on a vacation and had decided to come to HQ for an update on things.

She is a stern looking woman, a typical lawyer crossed with librarian
look. Small glasses, and tight pony tail that she always wore.

"Hi Natasha, I'm glad to see a familiar face for a change."

Natasha gave a light laugh.

Ruan set his bags down in one of the guest rooms he sat down on the bed and
dropped his face in his hands and let out an audible groan.

"Care to tell us what happened?" John asked leaning against the door
entrance.

"Oh, hi John. Didn't know you were here too. Who else?"

"Just me and Natasha at this moment, and Kyle of course. Kyle mentioned
something about Billy flying over. But that's it. The rest of us have lives
I suppose!"

Ruan snorted.

John was fourth ranked in the hierarchy of the knights. He is from the UK,
Stoke-on-Trent.

He spoke with a thick English accent that Ruan found mildly entertaining.

"So care to tell us what happened, Natasha and me was sitting with Kyle at
the round table when you called. We kind of heard how distraught you
sounded over the phone."

"Then let's get to it." Ruan got up and walked to the lounge where Natasha
was sitting.



Ruan, Natasha, John and Kyle Listened avidly to each detail Ruan told them.

The Dragons, the fact that the kids were unidentifiable, the names that he
had, and alas what happened to his son.

The three people in front of Ruan were all very high ranked in the
organization. If anybody would know what exactly is going on, it would be
them.

"Interesting" Kyle said without blinking an eye. "It is indeed a very small
world."

"It would seem that your son is one of the Toramdon eyes Ruan." Natasha
said peeking over her glasses.

"That can't be right. Him? A Toramdon eye? I hardly think so. He just put
on the ring and vanished. So, you are telling me, if I put on the ring that
would make me an immediate eye?"

"No, that is not how it works. The rings call out to them. If you were to
put on the ring nothing would happen. Remember their powers are already
inside them the ring just unlocks it.

If Harold put on the ring and disappeared, the jets of the magic came into
work there.

 The Toramdon eyes are never allowed to be separated between worlds. If
something like this were to happen the jets will transport the lesser
number to the alternate world immediately.

Like what happened Harold. The other four were obviously in Torandia.

So he was teleported to Torandia the instant his fingers touched the ring."

Ruan looked extremely close to breaking down. Although his son was a
trouble maker he is all that Ruan had left of his beloved ex wife, and he
knew in his heart Harold was not a bad person. "Did it take him directly to
the other eyes?"

"Most likely it did not. Jets are very powerful, by the likes of your story
the other kids are not very fond of your son. Jets also work on feeling. It
would have taken Harold to a place where growth could happen. But in all
honesty, No Harold would not have been reunited with the other kids." Kyle
answered.

"Oh. Do you think he is safe?" Ruan dared to ask.

Natasha was the one to answer this. "Torandia is a very dangerous place
Ruan, always remember that, you have not been there. When a knight on
either side has been a knight for exactly a year, you go to the other side
for a week to enrich yourself. It's anything but a holiday. You meet the
other knights. Do loads of walking, fight the strangest creatures. Ruan,
you have only been a knight for a few months. You can ask any of the other
knights except billy, he also hasn't yet reached a year, and you can
especially ask Kyle whom has been there the most of all of us. Not to burst
your bubble, Torandia is anything but safe." Natasha looked genuinely
concerned.

Ruan looked distraught. "What now? I have to go there! Do you think they
would let me go?| Kyle don't you have a say in this? Please guy! You have
to help me! I can't let him get killed!"

Kyle looked calm and collected. He put his hands together and calmly stared
in front of him.

This is the first time in history this has happened, a child of one of the
knights is a Toramdon eye and he got separated from the rest.

At least some good news is, there are once again five Toramdon eyes, only
the original ones were five. It is also a good sign that your son is a
eye. It will be more leverage for us to get to them."

"My guess is Harold would have been taken to the Eddar woods. As that seems
to be a type of a starting point for everybody in Torandia. When they come
this side everybody seems to pitch up in Pretoria in South Africa. Call it
the center of the Jets. A Point of focused energy." John said. If we can
contact Rughnan we might get you taken directly to him in Kegh. I think the
kids will head there first, Handar most likely got to them first, that elf
is sharp, and he would take them there.

Because you haven't the proper training to really go to Torandia, we will
need somebody to accompany you, I will not be able to. Natasha, you have
off another month or so correct?" Kyle asked.

"Yes, I believe I do Kyle. She smiled. The firm only opens up in January
again."

"I will talk to the Boss and tell him what I am planning, I'm going to call
all the earth Knights to arms. We need to be together for when the shit
hits the fan. Kyle stood up from the table and looked straight at Ruan,
There is a reason I am second in command Ruan, if it wasn't that the US
president is automatically in charge, I would have been. I know what I am
doing. There will be no arguing. You shall go to Torandia, not only to find
your son, but to have a look around, get used to the paranormal come back
enlightened, you have exactly a week. If you are not back by then I will
have to go and collect you myself. Natasha will be accompanying you to
Torandia there will be no arguments, this isn't a game.

I am not to take chances with my people's lives.

Ruan looked from One person to the other, he was glad Kyle thought it good
if he was to go to Torandia, Natasha will be coming with him, that wasn't
too bad, but what's with the sudden seniority from him, he has always been
chilled out.

Kyle walked out of the room at that and up the stairs. The round table was
located in the underground chamber that the house was built on top of.

"Don't worry about that, John Said, he always gets like that when somebody
from earth is going to Torandia. Kyle is only 22 now, but he has been part
of the Knights Templar since he was twelve, or so the story goes.. His
whole life has revolved around the Knights Templar since then.

He finished school with money he inherited from his fathers death, he was
one of the few knights ever to have been promoted to a rank as high as he
is now, usually one only moves up through a death in the chain somewhere or
vote, this genius got promotion after promotion by democratic vote of each
individual earth knight to where he is today.

He is the best leader; The President is busy with worries of his own though
he does do his part. Kyle is a master with his sword and shield. You really
do not want to get in his bad side. He is usually the one to accompany
newbies to Torandia for their weeks stay. But it being the time it is,
there is no time for him, the veil is about to crumble and we will have to
protect earth until the eyes take over."

Ruan took in everything that John said, he had always wondered how Kyle was
so young and at the top of the ranks.

"Why is everybody in the Knights young?" Ruan asked.

"When you reach service year of 15 years as a Knight Templar, you get the
option to retire.

We trust that by then you will be trust worthy enough not to out the secret
you also have a choice, Rughnan or the master magician can cast a spell on
you to let you forget everything, like we do with the presidents every now
and then.

"Why kill the other people when they find out then?" Ruan asked.

"Rughnan can't come fix our mistakes every hour or so for someone we
accidentally told.

We twelve are currently the only twelve people on earth that know the
truth, all the retirees opted to forget the truth. We have to stay
disciplined not to tell anybody! A death is more intimidating than
hypnosis. We cannot allow the secret to escape us twelve and the Toramdon
Eyes. That is why there is a death penalty to anyone who knows the truth
except us, it's so we guard the secret so much more carefully.

"That makes sense, how do you know if someone has spilled the beans?" Ruan
asked out of curiosity.

"Remember when you had to touch a purple stone down at area 51?" Natasha
answered.

"That is a truth stone engraved with magic that protects solely this
secret, Aradia made it solely for this purpose. If you touch that and you
tell anybody, Kyle will know immediately and he himself will kill you and
everybody you told." Natasha didn't even bat an eyelid.

"Seems a bit harsh, but I understand. Why wasn't I told this initially, I
was just told that tell anybody and you die, and the people you told will
too?"

"That question always comes up. Its because if you knew the truth from the
onset, we wouldn't really know if you are trustworthy or not. That was but
a test. Not everybody we choose for a Knight passes you know... there have
been some serious incidents we would rather omit to mention."

Ruan sat there and tried to absorb all the information.

"In all honesty the knights deemed you trustworthy the second you started
your training with the flail. Legend has it only trustworthy people can
wield a flail and not kill themselves the first try." John smiled at Ruan.

"Seems like a lot of people dying if you ask me. Is it all really worth
it?" Ruan asked.

Ruan took a sip of coffee that was starting to get cold.

"It is, a voice came from behind. But imagine for one second if this came
out publicly, the panic, the doomsday prophets, every dungeons and dragons
fanatic will want to immigrate, if people were to know demons were real, no
one will be able to sleep ever again the religious wars will spiral out of
control. Countries will try and take over Torandia and fail horribly, no,
our world is not ready for news like this." Kyle said standing in the door.

Ruan turned around. "You know there are still a lot of things I would like
to know."

"We know, you will learn with time. But now, we eat."

"That sounds good. I know this little Italian place around the corner."
Natasha answered.



Ruan slept in one of the suites in the underground chamber. Tomorrow he
would be leaving for Torandia. Kyle was somewhere doing what the
in-commands do to organize something like this. He would be leaving for
Torandia tomorrow afternoon at exactly 5pm.

When Kyle left the room with the round table he had apparently contacted
all of the knights, they would start to arrive tomorrow morning.

Billy would be first as he had left a bit before the call to arms, the
president would be last at around four, as he was the closest. Kyle had
been a bit worried, it was nearly 8 months since all of them were united,
and even then The president was not there at Ruan's inauguration.

Ruan understood why, this is what Kyle lives for. He had no family except
for the eleven other knights. He never really took Kyle for a deep guy. He
looked like a typical geek.



Ruan kept thinking about tomorrow when he was to go to a different
world. How will it be? What if this was all just a big joke that these
people got his son involved in. Ruan knew there was no way that this could
be a joke, he had seen the proof right before his eyes.

The dead body of a demon. He always thought them to be ethereal creatures
in the mind.

The little devil on the shoulder type of thing. Now he knew better.

Somewhere caught in his thoughts sleep found Ruan.



Ruan saw in the mirror his stubble had begun to grow back, the one thing he
had forgot to bring was a razor. He splashed his face with water and
decided to join the land of the living.

Halfway down stairs Ruan could make out some voices.

"So he gets to go before his time, but not me? I want to have some target
practice!"

Ruan snorted to himself, Billy Jones had arrived at HQ.

That accent was unmistakably his Aussie accent.

Ruan got to the Dining room.

"Hey mate! Heard you going for a little field trip?"

Ruan was barely awake.

"Coffee..."

"You look like a zombie!" Natasha laughed.



"Billy just got here 15 minutes ago and is already arguing with Kyle. He
wants to know why you get to go to Torandia and why he must stay." John
Answered looking up from his newspaper.

Ruan quickly filled Billy in on the long and short of the story.

"Oh mate, that sucks. I would love to blow some things up that side
though."

"I'm sure you would." Natasha laughed with cereal in her mouth.

Ruan noticed that he was really comfortable with the people that were here,
actually thinking back he was very comfortable with all the Knights.

They were like one messed up dysfunctional family, Kyle as daddy and
Natasha being the first ever female, she was the mommy albeit stern looking
and rarely smiling mommy.

Kyle just stared at Ruan through the conversation.

"Ruan, I need you to finish up and meet me downstairs in say fifteen
minutes please." He said.

"Okay be right down just want to grab some food and coffee please."

The conversation went to hell from there. Everybody kept quiet, Natasha
eating silently, John quietly reading his newspaper and Billy had finally
sat down shining one of his many guns. Ruan didn't know what to say so he
politely stared in front of him and finished his coffee.



Ruan walked down the stairs into what the knights referred to as the `round
room' it was also located underground, it wasn't really a round room, all
the documents, archives and technology the knights possessed was kept in
that room.

Kyle was waiting by a desk when Ruan got to him. "Please sit down"

Ruan obeyed and saw that Kyle was really a good leader, very young, but
good.

"We have some things to discuss. In truth we do not need the master
magician Rughnan to travel between the worlds. We knights have our own ways
perfected over millennia, for Ruan you are not a true Knight Templar
yet. Yes you have gone through inauguration and you are believed to be
trustworthy. Again I am going to ask you the questions I did months ago
except this will be just you, me and this bracelet, do you swear to be
honest and true, so help you god?"

"So help me God."

"I am going to ask you a few questions, this is here where most people fail
to become a knight, fail here and I shall not kill you as you are of a
trustworthy sort, but I will erase all of your memory for the last few
months, you can see what the problem is in doing that.

Ruan didn't know what to say, his heart thudded out of his chest, if he was
to lose his memories, and he wouldn't know where his son is, also everyone
omitted the fact that Kyle could do magic.

"Now the questions begin. No questions are allowed, only answers."

Ruan nodded.

"What are your names?"

"Ruan Andrew Preeves"

"How do you deem yourself?"

"Worthy."

"What is the motto of a Knight in Templar."

"To protect and serve, teach and learn."

Up to here Ruan was familiar with the questions. He answered every question
without fault.

"How will you wield your weapon?"

"With pride in the Human race"

"Should you die, how be it?"

"With dignity in knowing my life was for the greater good."



Ruan moved a bit closer and placed the bracelet on Ruan's arm.

"Last question. How do you enter this group named the Knights Templar?"

This question was new, and Ruan hesitated for a second, but immediately
knew the answer.

"Free of harm and in perfect love and perfect trust."

Ruan felt a surge of energy flow through him; he knew it came from the
bracelet, Ruan started to panic, his memory was busy being erased.

The tingling feeling subsided and Ruan focused on Kyle.

"Where am I?" Ruan asked.

Kyle smiled, right were you were a few minutes ago.

Congratulations Ruan. You passed the test.

Memories came flooding back into Ruan's head.

Ruan looked at his arm and saw the bracelet gone "What happened?"

The bracelet is a sort of a charm that gets absorbed into your skin. That
one was specifically designed for you by me. I fashion every potential
knight his own depending on his skills, chosen weapon etc. I also ask a
different last question to everyone depending on his weak points, yours is
you find it hard to trust people.

I dabble in magic, having been to Torandia more than a few times, Master
magician Rughnan teaches me, although I am not even mediocre compared to
him. He taught me the basics, so that he wouldn't have to jump between
worlds to much. Each and every of the twenty four knights get a bracelet
like this and go through what you just did o the day that they are to
travel to the brother world. Everyone except Billy has their bracelet, if
you answer the last question correctly the bracelet becomes naked to the
eye, no one will be able to see, touch, or smell it. It will be the source
of your strengths in times to come, your medium to communicate with other
knights and so on.

If you yield your flail now, you will have improved hundred fold. Close
your eyes and focus on Natasha, have the physical NEED to tell her
something and send out your message with your mind."

Ruan did as he was told, he focused on Natasha and concentrated as hard as
he could. "Hi"

"Hello!" He heard two voices in his mind.

Kyle laughed, not bad for a first try but any of the knights in a three
mile radius accept Billy could hear that in their minds. You need to
concentrate harder on the specific person you aimed that at. Practice makes
perfect."

"Well done on succeeding your test." Ruan heard Natasha in his head.

"What is that? Can any of the Knights read my thoughts now?"

"No, your thoughts are sacred to yourself. You need to concentrate on
sending a message. The original Mage eye invented this, it is so it doesn't
matter where the knights are scattered, we can always have contact, should
anything happen."

"Ever hear of cell phones?" Ruan couldn't resist the comment.

Kyle snorted, yeah, like I haven't heard that from every single one, you'll
see, on the battle field you can hardly tell a Demon, Please wait! I need
to make a call!"

Kyle seemed like his old cheerful self again, the geek that Ruan came to
like, and not the intimidating guy he was but a few minutes ago.

Ruan and Kyle talked for the better part of the hour, about battles passed
and such.

Ruan had never been to battle before, he could feel at the back of his
mind, he could now better use his three headed flail, but he was scared
shitless for his first battle, even though he is head of the police. The
stories about the battles with demons and such stoked fear into Ruan's
heart, yet he knew a battle was unavoidable for long. Billy has been a
knight for a month longer than Ruan, the previous guy had retired and Billy
took his place. Even he had fought a stray demi-Demon in Australia before
in the third month of him being a knight. Ruan knew he is a coward at
heart.

Ruan and Kyle emerged out of the round room, Ruan, and Natasha gave him a
small applause when he walked into the dining room. Billy didn't even look
up, he just polished his gun.

"Well done, though we knew you'd make it." Natasha said.

Ruan snorted, "Well yeah, I just want to get to Torandia you know."

"What exactly happened here? Did I miss something?" Billy asked looking up
for the briefest moment.

"No Billy, you will get your turn." John said.

 "You lot are so weird." Billy said going back to his gun.

Ruan, Kyle, Natasha, John and Billy talked until mid day, about things to
come and memories passed.

"Yeah that one almost had me" John said.

Natasha laughed, "Almost? It did! It had you by your throat, against a
tree!"

"John blushed, yeah if it hadn't been for Jankov, I would probably have
been killed."

"What's with all the melodramatic stories? I've been standing in the door
listening to you for ten minutes and I feel like bursting out in tears!"

Ruan looked around and saw a very handsome Japanese guy sanding in the
doorway.

"Hi Mikaru! When did you get here?" John asked.

"Uhm, like I just said, ten minutes ago" Mikaru said scratching his head.

"Ruan! So nice of you to still be alive! Heard you going to Torandia this
afternoon.

Congrats on passing the final."

Mikaru was an outspoken character from Japan, Ruan had noticed he is a
total pervert, he blushes easily around women, one word to describe him, a
total doofus. Ruan had heard in the grape vine of the knights that he is an
excellent ninja though.

"Yeah, thanks Mikaru, good to see you again."

Mikaru threw his bags down in the living room, and walked over to Natasha.

"Sweet cheeks, how you doing on this fine day." Mikaru said touching her
shoulder.

Natasha's hand moved at the speed of light, she grabbed his hand and
crushed it, Mikaru wallowed with pain.

Natasha flung Mikaru to the other side of the room, with but one hand.

"Don't touch me again. But its nice to see you too." Natasha said still
with her arm in mid air.

Mikaru lay on the floor laughing, "Still as feisty as ever I see!"

Natasha raised her eyebrows and turned back to the company at he table.

Ruan noticed John barely batted an eyelid, must be how it always is.

Ruan got up and headed to the shower. He had been busy all morning, it was
almost one, and at five he would be leaving for another world.


***

Thank you for reading this chapter. I am at the ass end of my country on
holiday, for the people in SA I stay in pretoria and im on holiday in cape
town, so getting time to post the chapters have been challenging.

Im glad this is up now, you got a taste of the knights templar as well. The
next chapter will be about Mordain and the eyes again so dont worry, the
story is still about them.

please visit www.mordain88.wordpress.com to leave comments and such there,
I really really get inspired by them...


Michael


***


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