Prolog to my novel "Paladin Rising" Edited by Summer Ray

Palidin Rising - Chapter 1

                                                                       Paladin Rising

                                                                              Prequel

Derrick put the finishing touches on the young tomato plant, patting the dirt down around the roots. Straightening his back, he looked his garden. Stretching he looked up at the mid spring sun. The late morning was already hot, bringing rivers of sweat dripping from his brow. The sound of the rustling wind blew gently through the leaves but was no relief to the heat.

Standing up to his full height of six foot one, he surveyed the small garden: two rows of tomatoes, two beans, and four corn, along with several other varieties of vegetables made up the whole of the area. Off at the far end, he could see his small orchid of apples trees that were already showing signs of a bumper crop this year.

Bending over, he raked away the dirt, still clinging to his jeans, He retrieved his spade and empty bucket and turned for the house. Motion to his left made him turn and look, Banshee, his three year old female grey wolf, shadowed him on his short trek back to the house.

Dropping his tools beside the back step, he climbed up to the door, holding the door for Banshee to go first. Her claws clicked on the hardwood as she entered. The interior was an oasis of coolness from the hot Georgia sun. The heat was far different from the from his home in the highlands of Scotland, which he had not seen in hundreds of years.

Banshee had stopped a short distance inside, turning to look at him. "What do you want?" He asked to the glaring eyes. A short, high-pitched growl and whimper come back to him.

"Wants some treats, girl?" An excited bark and prancing of the paws were his answer. While Derick removed his boots, he stepped out of the mud room into the quant, but tightie. The room smelled of lemon cleaner he had used just this morning. A few white dishes were still in the strainer, drying from breakfast. Sunlight from the window shone off the white tile floor in a soft yellow glow. Derick liked things clean and orderly. His life for years had been too chaotic. Now, he was free to do what he wanted. He lived on his small farm away from people, and the world. The only sound in the house was from the tick of the antique grandfather clock in the foyer.

He reached in the cabinet above the sink and pulled out a box of treats that were suppose to look like little bones, kneeling down, he held out one of the treats Here you go girl He smiled as held one out letting her smell it before she took the treat from his hand; she then padded off into the other room.

Derrick returned the box to the cabinet and retrieved a glass from the rack. He filled it with water from the tap and drank deeply. The cool moisture ran down the back of his throat. Quinching a thirst until this moment, he did not even realize he had.

He began to refill his glass for another drink when he noticed the water flowing from the tap had slowed down to a crawl. It was as if he was watching a movie in slow motion. Then, the world began to spin slowly, then faster and faster, until everything just turned black. At last, after 600  years, the voice that he had been waiting for came to him. It is time he heard loud and clear. Finally, he passed out.

The world of darkness began to fade. He could feel the warmth of the evening sun on his skin. Darkness would soon be upon him, and there was much ground. He could already feel the pull to the new paladin. They were not as far as one might think. They were here in the states, somewhere west of him. "it is time." He could still hear the voice of God in mind.

Putting his hands under him, he pushed up off the floor. His chest was wet from the mixture of water and blood, water from the glass, and blood drawn from the broken pieces. Carefully, he stopped around the pieces Banshee near the door whimpering. He could smell her on his arm from where she had been trying to wake him. Hey girl, come here. He called to her. She came to him meekly. Im ok, girl, but we need to leave tonight. He scratched her neck.

Rising from the floor, he stood up and surveyed the small house he had called home for twenty years. As he looked around, Derrick knew this was the last time he'd ever lay eyes on the place. He had made arrangements for his farm hand to inherit the small farm. Tyler had been a good man for the last ten years helping when he needed. But, the place was his now. The lawyer only needed the phone call to put it all in motion.

Going to the bedroom, Derrick pulled a packed duffle bag out of the closet. And clean clothes. Derrick headed for a shower and surveyed the damage from the glass, even though it didn't much matter. He would be healed by morning. Not even a scar would be left. He hadn't been sick since being paladin, part of the perks of the job.

Derrick took a very quick shower, not worrying too much about his wounds. Which were already closing up. Dressing quickly and grabbing the duffel bag, he headed out the door with Banshee close on his heels. He passed the aging pickup he drove most of the time he headed for the old barn out back of the house. He again surveyed his small farm with some regret. But it was time, time for him to finally be done with this life.

Opening the locked door to the barn, he quickly stepped to the side and turned off the alarm system. Opening the double doors all the way revealed a car covered in a tarp. Pulling away the cloth revealed one of his greatest modern-day pleasures hed own since new in nineteen-sixty-nine. Ford Mustang Mach One. The blue car with one racing strip was a show stopper wherever it was seen.

He threw the duffel in the back seat and let Banshee climb across to the passenger seat. wait, here girl, he said, turning to  head up to the hayloft. He could already feel the pull to go up the ladder, even though the pull was always in the back of his mind. It was stronger here and now.

At the top was nothing really special except what was hidden under the hay in the back. Derrick grabbed a pitchfork and began to move the hay. For more than an hour, he cleared the path to what  he sought. The sweat flowed down his body. It felt good. He had always liked physical work. He gently kneeled down to look at what he had uncovered, a long wooden box carved with ancient runes to hide the object within from those who might sense its power. He gently reached a trembling hand toward it. This close, the staff screamed at him to take it up and use it once again for the purpose it had been created. He pulled his hand away, instead grabbing the carrying handle and heading for the ladder.

He climbed down and threw the box in the back. Hed put in the trunk later when he stopped. He sat down and scratched Banshee again before he put the key in the ignition and started the big four-twenty-nine engine. The care responded immediately to his request. The vibration of the engine was exhilarating. He dropped the car into first gear and pulled out of the barn. We got a long way to go Banshee He said as he went down the driveway. He never looked back again as he left the farm in the review mirror.