Day 8

Once inside they were inside they noticed how rich the furnishings appeared. Everything was covered in colors of gold and silver, blues and purples, reds and oranges. The masonry and craftsmanship was extraordinary. Nothing compared to what they were seeing.

“Everything in here was created by human hands. Mostly here on planet earth.” He said the last part like Americans would when they say made in the USA.

“Are you saying that there weren’t any machines involved in the creation of this castle?”

“Good question Marian. Yes. Mostly this building was created by humans. They only machines used were those that were needed to haul and lift the materials.”

Rebarto led the room into a large open room. It was furnished with couches and chairs and tables. There was a huge fireplace at the one side. The windows were big enough for a person to stand in and spread his arms out.

Smells of fresh baked bread wafted in. Following it were people carrying fruit and trays of cheese and crackers, jars of juice and water, glasses and plates followed. Behind them came a tall man whose stature seemed to demand the attention of anyone near him. His gaze fell upon each member of the group. Meanwhile the people had disappeared leaving the food and drink on a large table the sat close to the floor.

Rebarto was at the man’s right side. Somehow they had missed him leaving them but here he was returning with a man who looked as though he could crush them with his dark bare hands. Around the man’s wrists and upper arms were thick bracelets of gold that only seemed to enhance the man's muscular appearance.

“Come, welcome, join me at my table. Everything we have done is to try to make you as comfortable as possible. Although it seems we can not quite get the periods in time straight with your customs. For this I deeply apologize.”

The twelve youths sat about the table. The two men joined them. Food was passed around and everyone began to eat.

“We still have a lot of questions,” James started the conversation.

“Like why we are here. No one seems to want to give us an answer for that yet.”

“Forgive Rebarto. I asked him to allow me to explain to you why you were sent for. I wish that it could have happened after our first meeting but each of you seemed to remember this happening before our meeting. It took some time for our people to get everything ready for the mission. Plus it wasn’t easy tracking down the exact time and locations with which it equip you with your rings. Rebarto had to do quite a bit of Transporting to get things just the way you’d all remembered them.”

“That is all fine and dandy but when are we allowed to go home?”

“Here and already wanting to leave Anna,” The man smiled as if he knew something, “Don’t worry you’ll all get home safe and sound. You’ll hardly even know you weren’t home. I admit that our scientist don’t quite have all their T's crossed and I’s dotted. However they seem to think that as a group you will be able to return home when each of you is ready. They believe that the power of the rings is connected. That when each of you put on your ring you were slightly transformed. Like a new piece was added to your genes.”

“Are you saying that you allowed us to be changed without our consent?”

“In a way we had you're consent. Although I’m afraid it was your future you who consented. You are the only ones who can bear this burden. These gifts are not created for everyone. Only one person in each generation can weld the ring and use it to it’s full potential. For that reason our scientist have no idea what you will be capable of. Just because the ring allows you to use it in a way it is shown in the records not to be thus with whomever you pass it on to. The rings adapt to be able to best assist you. At least that is what my scientist can agree on.”

“Are you saying we have super powers?” Daniel asked the man between mouthfuls of food.

The man’s smile widened, “Yes Daniel. It is one of the many possibilities.”

“Cool. And this cheese is the best I’ve tasted.”

“That is compliment indeed.”

“So why exactly are we here? I’m getting a whole lot of stuff about burdens and destiny, futures and pasts but I don’t understand why we are here right now. Are we needed for something?”

“That question I will gladly answer in the morning. I will show you what my people have been working on here. For now know that you are the only hope we have of saving earth. The future you assured us that this was the only way.”

The man started to rise up from the table. “Come you will be shown to your rooms. Everything will be told to you in the morning and then preparations will be made to fulfil the needs of each of you. Rest peacefully.”

“Wait! We don’t even know you're name yet?”

The man laughed deep inside his chest, “I am King ShaHarn Servant of the Keeper of Earth.”

“ShaHarn? Hum. Not bad at all.”

“Glad you approve Daniel Jones.”

Their rooms were up two flights of stairs. Three rooms lined both sides or a larger room. It was a sitting area with more couches and cushions. From somewhere music could be heard.

“Each of these rooms will house two people. They have what you call bunk beds in them. Four baths are across the hall. This is similar to the arrangement you will find on the ship.”

“Nagarausta!”

She bowed her head and hurried from the room, “Sorry, this tongue,”She muttered as she went.

“Forgive her, she is new and sometimes slips up. She is learning fast, just not fast enough sometimes.”
“Did she mention a ship?”

“Rodger! Not now,“ Demanded Joshua crossly. He was getting a little tired of all the technical questions the redhead couldn’t refrain from.

“What?!”

They all just shook their heads. There was no way around it the guy was a full blown geek.

“If you are in need of anything we are happy to serve. This cord will call someone to your room. If that is everything I’ll leave you to rest.”

The slim man left them to claim their own rooms.

“I’m not sure how we want to do this but I’m think boys on one side girls on the other.”

“That would just leave us to decide who our roomies are and who gets which side.” Marian grinned at James. The race was on. All the girls gravitated to the one side and all the boys to the other. However when they got there it didn’t take them long to step back out.

The boys were laughing so hard. They couldn’t say anything.

“Yeah that is what we thought.” Julie gestured to the room she and JoAnna had just left. “It is a little masculine in there.”

They traded sides and settled down. Teleporting had taken more out of them than they realized but they wouldn’t know that for a while.

James and Joshua, Rodger and Daniel, Peter and John each shared rooms on the right side of the sitting area. On the left side was Marian and Rose, Carol and Anna, Julie and JoAnna. The next twenty-four hours they slept without making a stir. A whole day would pass before any of them would awaken.