Chapter 4: Living in Fear

Two further years had passed from the desert riders incident and Jeremiah remained ever vigilant in his duty to protect his son. The first months were the worst for Jeremiah, an ever present anticipation of King Ikranas' horse guard arriving to take his son but no one came. His son, Helios, did not worry of such things, they were now in his past and he continued to live his life as he had always done.

It was early morning, much earlier than his usual waking time as Jeremiah stood at the stone wall he had built around his land with his son, granted it took much less time when your son could lay thousands of the stones himself each day. He walked to a very precise point along the wall, bent down and moved a deep black marble stone, clearing away the dirt Jeremiah unearthed a wrapped cloth. Opening the cloth it revealed the crystal and metallic object he found in the heavenly object that delivered Helios to him. Jeremiah, running his fingers over the markings on the metallic object, looked to heavens deep in thought,

"Was it time to reveal the truth to his son?"

"That he was a child of the Gods..."

Jeremiah closed the cloth over, covered it in dirt once more and replaced the black marble stone. He was afraid, afraid that if he told Helios the truth that he would leave him and his wife in search of a destiny which they were not part of. Leaning against the wall Jeremiah looked out over the lands in front of him as the rising sun painted it different shades of green and sighed, how long would it be though until his son started asking those questions which he could not answer. His son had developed so much in the last two years it was even a struggle for he and his wife to fully understand what was happening to him. Now fourteen, his son could release fire from his eyes, generate winds with the simplest breath, see through the thickest walls and hear the smallest of creatures from miles away.

Could he, a mere mortal, continue to guide a boy with such abilities? Was love and understanding enough?

Jeremiah walked back to his home and entered his sons room, Helios was not in his bed as to be expected. Jeremiah searched each room and Helios was nowhere to be found, he sat at the wooden table in the main room, his mind running through the possibilities of where his son could possibly be. The door opened quietly and Helios slipped in not realising his father was sitting at the table.

"Helios where have you been?" Jeremiah asked forcefully

"Father!" replied a startled Helios, as he hid one arm behind his back

"Helios I may not be able to see through any object like you but I do know when someone is hiding something from me!" Jeremiah stated as he held out his hand,

Helios handed over a rolled up piece of cloth,

"What is this?" Jeremiah questioned his son, "Have you been stealing?"

"No"

Jeremiah unrolled the cloth which revealed nothing inside but the fears he had harboured for his son. Helios had cut holes in cloth for his eyes and ripped four stands at each point of the squarish piece of cloth so that he could tie it around his face, hiding it from those to whom it would be exposed.

"What have you been doing Helios?" Jeremiah asked, a slight tone of anger in his voice

"I've been going out...into the desert" Helios paused, as he hung his head, "I hear them father"

Jeremiah looked silently at his son,

"I hear them all calling for someone to help them" Helios continued as he looked up at his father with watery eyes, "I just couldn't ignore those calls, so I found a way to help those voices and to keep myself safe"

"Why didn't you tell your mother or myself what you were doing?" Jeremiah asked in desperation

"I-I don't know" Helios replied, "You are always telling me to be careful, to keep myself hidden but I just can't do that any more"

Helios' eyes locked with fathers and he stared deep into them with all the truth and moral fibre that his father had brought him up with,

"You told me once that I was fast becoming a man and you were right" Helios continued, "In the beginning when I first started hearing those voices, I tried to ignore them until I heard them no more...When those voices stopped, th-that was the worst feeling that I have experienced in my life"

"Son..." Jeremiah attempted to interrupt

"No father, you need to hear me" Jeremiah said strongly, "When those voices stopped I cried father, because I knew that I could have helped them...what use are these gifts if I can't help those who need it most"

"There are those out there Helios that would not understand the things you could do" Jeremiah warned his son, "There are men that would try to turn you into a weapon to use at their disposal, if...if ever someone saw the things you could do"

"Father they do see and at the same time they don't" Helios tried to reason with his father, as he took the cloth he gave to his father in his hand, "When I wear this I am no longer Helios your son, I become a protector of the sands...at the fortress they speak of the 'Spirit of the Sands' that protects the weak, I have become a story of hope to those who live in fear"

"Father, it is time for me to stop living in fear...I want to be more than a farmer"

Helios, young and impulsive, believed he had found the outlet to use his gifts for more than tending crops and his playful antics. Sounding more like a man everyday but still so much a boy struggling for his independence, fighting his parents will to do what he thought was right. Unbeknownst to him he had been creating more than a story of hope, he had been creating a legend amongst the people who travelled the desert. The man-child who appears out of thin air to rescue those in need, he was hope to the innocent and a fearful image to those who would do harm. They say he has the strength of ten men and moves like the wind, create sandstorms with his mighty breath and ignite the mightiest tree in flames with a simple look...some believed him to be the spirit of a murdered soul who arises to stop any further injustice on the sands.

Jeremiah sat quietly contemplating everything that his son had just revealed him, that he understood that his sons need to use his gifts for more than the trivial work that he had been doing all his life. Helios waited on his fathers reply but Jeremiah remained silent, feeling farther apart from his son than he had done in his sons entire life.

"You can't understand father" Helios sadly answered for his father, as he suddenly sped away

"Helios!" Jeremiah called as he ran to door looking for his son anywhere in the distance

He turned and saw his wife standing quietly staring at him with an understanding expression,

"Did you hear?" Jeremiah asked as his wife nodded in confirmation, "What are we to do?"

"Support him" Erin replied softly, her husband looking back puzzled, "He is no ordinary boy my love and we always suspected that he was sent here for great things and he is now beginning to explore those great things"

"I feel like we're beginning to lose him" Jeremiah sadly continued as his wife embraced him, "I'm not ready to let him go yet...we've had so little time"

----

The sun shone brightly through the open roof of the great hall which adorned King Ikranas' throne lighting it majestically, the King himself stood out on a semi-circular ledge at the end of the great hall which allowed him to look out over his fortress, which in truth was more a city in these times. A man joined him, pale and thin, his eyes surrounded with blackened circles and his teeth rotting.

"My King"

"Yes Plaethos"

"The stories of the so called 'Spirit of the Sands' continue and more people each week are speaking of their encounters" Plaethos replied in his raspy tone, "I believe this to be more than just the stories of a few crazed men"

King Ikranas sighed heavily as his eyes narrowed,

"Plaethos let the people have their stories"

"My King, it is no lie to tell you that you are not the most popular king and these stories spread hope among the people that there is someone out there who cares for them, who may one day come to your fortress and free them of you" Plaethos explained to his king,

King Ikranas gripped Plaethos' throat tightly and with gritted teeth replied angrily,

"If the people have hope we will give them none, inform the guard that anyone found to be speaking of this 'Spirit' is to be lashed ten times and each member of their family to receive twenty lashes"

King Ikranas released Plaethos from his grip, Plaethos backed away from the king

"And Plaethos, discover whether this 'Spirit' exists or is mere legend"