Knight Parade Thirteenth Chapter the Awakening of Michael

Chapter Thirteen

The Awakening of Michael

The trip out to Mike's is quick and full of conversation. Conversation of what the stranger means or may mean in the future. They discuss who this stranger could possible be and how he knows the things he does.

Justin attempts to lead the conversation as usual, "Well boys, and girl, what the heck do you think, is this guy the real deal?"

Tim answers in a frustrated tone as he rides next to Justin, "Crap el capitain, I don't know. You saw what happened when those Homage guards tried to take him out and he knew things about you man, pretty friged up."

Claire interjects loudly, not wanting to be ignored, "I don't like it, something is not right. It's like there are two sides, it feels like part of it's right, but part of it's not. It's like trying to find a good apple in a bin at the grocery market. It may look good on the outside but when you touch it, it's all mush."

Steve answers rather thoughtfully, which surprises most of the gang, "Well, we all know that something weird has been going on since the technology shut down. Things don't feel right. Is what this stranger is saying really that hard to believe? Some of it does make sense."

Justin just shakes his head and huffs, this whole thing is giving him a headache. Justin answer, "Yeah bro I know, part of me thinks it's just crazy crap but another part of me wants to believe it. Maybe Mikey will have some more input."

Claire smiles and answers, "I'm sure he will..."

Justin laughs and responds, "You're biased..."

Claire laughs too saying sarcastically, "You're a frig..."

With that Justin continues laughing and the rest of the group joins in.

Justin thinks to himself, "I did not want a chick involved in this group but Claire has turned out to be frigin' hardcore, total balls to the wall. She has become just as much a part of this as any of the boys and if it comes down to it I am sure as heck glad she has my back ."

As they approach the farm place they see two horses approaching from the southeast, it is obviously Mike and his Grandfather. " Frig," Justin thinks to himself, "They are on top of their game. It must have been that old man that saw us coming. He has the eyes of a hawk. But Mikey is picking up on his skills too. Give Mike enough time and he will not just be good at this crap, but frigin' dangerous. Mikey is pretty darn dangerous already ."

As he rides up Mike spouts out, "Hail old friends, to what do we owe this grand visit?" Mike rides up right up next to Claire and gives her a customary greeting kiss on the mouth, a little tongue, not much, church tongue. "Good to see you babe."

Claire blushes at the touch of Mike and answers softly, "Good to see you too love."

Mike turns his attention to the rest of his friends and asks cheerfully, "So what's up boys?"

Justin's expression and tone turn suddenly serious as he answers, "Someone very interesting has come to town and we thought you should see, you too maybe Grandpa."

Tony asks, "I'm intrigued, so who is it?"

Justin answers becoming more frustrated as he has to rehash the story again, "A stranger in black, a very tall, mysterious fella came to town a couple of days ago. He has been talking all sorts of nonsense about how the world has changed and how the Homage are simply taking advantage of this situation to gain power."

Mike asks slightly sarcastically, "Well no crap Sherlock, that's kind of obvious wouldn't you say?"

Justin smiles at his friend and answers sharply, "Hold on smart ass. He's also talking about monsters and magic, and a savior from the west."

Mike becomes more concerned as Justin's seriousness and asks, "Well, maybe he's just frigin crazy, huh?"

Justin nods and says, "Yeah that's what we all thought, until I saw him in person. But the Homage can't touch him."

Mike crinkles his brow in confusion and asks, "What do you mean?"

Justin continues, "Just what I said. Every time they try they just can't, like he's protected by some force field or something. You can't touch him or throw or shoot things at him. Let me tell you it pisses the Homage off. And this stranger know things, he knew my name and my, my father's name."

This last sentence obviously shook Justin and Mike answers trying to comfort his friend, "Well man, you know if he did any background digging he could find that out pretty easy."

Justin takes off his hat, itches his scalp and answers, "Yeah I know but it was still pretty unnerving."

Mike smiles and walks over to pat his friend on the back and responds, "I hear ya man but don't put too much stock in this guy alright."

Justin answers, "That's why I wanted you to check this guy out, see what you thought."

Mike nods and says, "That much I can do. So when and where?"

Justin says regaining his composure, "He always starts just after dawn and stops at dusk. Tomorrow will be his third day here. We are not even sure if he will be here."

Mike responds reassuringly, "I will come first thing." Mike looks over at Grandpa and asks, "If you think I can get away Grandpa?"

Grandpa nods agreement and answers, "Sure boy, I think I would like to see this too. We can make up something for your folks."

Mike turns back to Justin saying, "Well I guess it's a date then. We will meet you at town square first thing tomorrow."

Justin agrees obviously revitalized by Mike's agreeing to help and says, "That'll fly man."

Mike looks around at all his friend and says loudly, "Well come on in and have something to eat everyone."

Justin looks around and answers for the group, "Thanks man but its already dark. I think we need to get back to town."

Mike nods and answers in a disappointed tone, "Yeah all right boys, can I talk to you for a sec babe?"

Claire smiles and says excitedly as she begins to dismount her horse, "Of course love."

Claire and Mike walk off to talk, and make out for just a second. It is nothing serious Mike just wants to know how she is doing and if they can spend some more time alone tomorrow, which of course she can't wait for. In the meantime Grandpa has some questions for the boys.

After Mike and Claire leave Tony asks the group, "So boys what did this guy say exactly?" The boys recite as much as they can of the cryptic message and Tony listens very intently.

Tony stares off into space, deep in thought and answer, "Interesting, so this man seems to believe that the Homage group it either responsible for what happened or is just using the situation to take power? But he also seems to be saying that what happened is going to have an alternate affect, changing, or reverting the world to some earlier time."

Justin nods and answers for everyone, "That sounds about right."

The boys, and Claire, leave soon after to get back to town before it gets too late. Mike tries hard not to be pessimistic about what the guys had to say. As he and Tony ride back to the house he thinks to himself, " This is just too crazy. Not that everything else that has happened is not crazy enough but this seems to be too much. But with all that's happened nothing really surprises me anymore. Darn, it seems like things are just spinning out of control and I hate not having control ."

When Mike and Tony get back to the horse barn they spend some time talking about what the boys had to say while they put the horses away. Mike voices his concerns about what it means but Grandpa has some very interesting insight, as always.

Tony says trying to reassure Mike, "Listen boy, there are so many things in the world that cannot be explained. I believe God created all things and never meant for us to understand it all. Yes, mankind has figured out some of nature's secrets but no where near all of them. In fact, I would never want to know it all, I love the mystery of creation. But most importantly I love the faith that we must have in things were cannot see. If we can believe in a God that we cannot see, then it should be easy to believe in other things we cannot see. Angels, demons, magic, monsters, things we cannot see or do not want to see, but does that make them any less real. I really don't think so, keep an open mind son. Faith is having hope in what we cannot see. It is much easier to deal with something you believe in when faced with it, than not believe in it and try and deal with it when faced with it."

The confusion is evident on Mike's face and he says, "Frig Grandpa that doesn't make any darn sense!"

Tony chuckles and answers, "OK let's just say for arguments sake that you believe in ghosts and one day you meet one. Well you will probably be scared but also kind of excited that you get to see a ghost. But then, let's say you don't believe in ghosts and one day you meet one. Well not only will that scare you crapless, but your mind won't be able to process it and you'll just shut down."

Mike continues to look confused but nods and answers, "Yeah I suppose you're right Grandpa. I guess the fear of the unknown is the worst thing to have."

Tony smiles and nods, "Well said son. Keep your faith. Expect everything. Always be on your toes and things will be much easier for ya."

With that Mike and Tony finish their conversation and go off to bed with plans to be in town early to investigate this new phenomenon. The boys, and Claire, make it safely to town with plans to meet Mike and Tony the next day.

But Mike does not sleep well that night, but it is not the usual dream disturbing him this time. Mike is all alone in a wooded area with both blades pulled. He is dressed all in black but has no face. Well, he does have a face but it is swirled in black and white and it seems to move on its own distorting his image. As he walks along he comes upon a clearing. He is hunting something or someone, but he is not sure exactly what or who. As he begins to make his way around the clearing, counterclockwise, someone grabs his left shoulder and whips him around. Mike pulls his blades up to block any attack but none comes. The man who has grabbed him is very tall, almost seven feet, with dark black hair and piercing grey eyes. He looks at Mike for along time, just staring at him and finally Mike break the silence asking, "Who the heck are you and what the heck do you want?"

Without seeing his face Mike can sense a smile on the face of the stranger and the stranger answers, "Michael son of Larry, your time is already past. You do not belong here. Prepare yourself for the road is long and very difficult."

Just as the man leans in to say something else Mike wakes up in a feverish sweat. The dream has started him severely. He tries to go back to sleep but every time he drifts off he sees the stranger again and he wakes up. He keeps wondering what the frig this all about.

The next day Tony wakes Mike very early, before sun up. Mike quickly dresses as Tony gets the horses ready for the trip to town. They eat some rolls Grandma has prepared as a quick breakfast and then they are off to town. After Tony has rolled them both a smoke, have I mentioned how good the first smoke of the day is, any who. Mike tells Grandpa about his dream and how it has really bothered him.

Mike then says very concerned, "I just don't know what to make of it Grandpa. It's too friged up.

Tony answers trying to reassure his grandson "Well son, dreams can mean lots of different things. They can be about what has happened, to what will happen, to just eating too much of Grandma's cake or some bad pork. I would remain mindful the dream but don't put too much stock in it either."

Mike isn't completely sure that Grandpa means what he is saying but he is comforted none-the-less and answer, "I'll try Grandpa, thanks."

Tony smiles and responds, "Don't mention it son. Now we need to be prepared today. I am not sure how the town's people or the Homage guards will react to this stranger. So keep the blades close but out of sight OK."

Mike grips his left blade reassuringly and answers with a confident tone, "No worries."

Tony and Mike ride into town just as the first rays of light begin to cross the prairie. They make their way toward the center of town to the meeting spot they set up with the rest of the gang. It does not surprise Mike that the boys are not their yet. They are not the best when it comes to punctuality. But not ten minutes later the all begin to arrive.

Mike greets his friend warmly, and with a little bit of attitude, "Morning ladies, nice you could show up."

Justin smiles at the sight of his old friend and responds chuckling, "Hey we tried man but someone needed more time to beautify for you," as he looks over at Claire.

Claire glares at Justin and states angrily, "Frig off Justin, you just wish you had a lady to beautify for you."

Justin nods unable to argue with that logic and says, "True dat, true dat."

Claire makes her way over to Mike's side. Where she is greeted with open arms and she says quietly as she slides into those arms, "Morning love," as she leans in to kiss him.

Mike whispers, "Morning beautiful," as he returns her kiss.

Tony smiles but needs to get the young people moving saying, "Well, if you're all done. Can we make our way to meet this traveling stranger?"

Mike responds slightly embarrassed at his lack of focus, "All right, ride boys, and Claire."

As they approach the place where the stranger has been making his speeches they begin to see the crowds waiting around to listen to him. The stranger is already there. He is just sitting on the ground staring into space saying nothing. As he sits more and more people continue to fill the area. Hundreds have come to see him as well as a large detachment of Homage guards. It is hard to tell if the guards are here to simply watch the stranger or attempt to apprehend him again. Mike and the gang make their way as close to stranger as they can.

Finally, the stranger begins to speak. He begins to preach the exact same message he has been the last couple of days. After waiting about ten minutes the Homage guards try one last time to apprehend the man. A group of five guards march on the stranger demanding that he cease speaking at once. But the stranger does not even acknowledge their presence. When they are almost within arm's reach of the stranger the guards again meet a wall. An invisible field of some sort keeps them from touching the stranger. The guards draw their swords and begin to attack this invisible barrier. But again they have no luck as their blades just bounce off the invisible barrier. After a few minutes of this fruitlessness the guards give up and retreat.

After the retreat of the first detachment of guards ten more begin to fire arrows at the stranger but again with no luck. These guards then retreat in shame that their mission has once again failed. It is after this show is over that Mike feels someone coming up behind him. Mike slowly grips his left blade and when he feels the person just about upon him he spins with amazing speed. Mike's speed and timing startle Ryan. Mike obviously has him beat as he turns. When Mike sees Ryan he quickly drops his hands to not draw attention to his weapons and greets his old acquaintance.

Mike tries to cover up his shock with sarcasm saying, "Well met crap head. What the heck do you want?"

Ryan also tries to cover his shock up with sarcasm responds, "Same to you friger. I'm just keeping tabs on our stranger over their. Then I saw your ugly face and decided to say hecko."

Mike can't help but take this chance to berate Ryan answering, "Well it doesn't seem like you are having any luck controlling our friend there. You're just too much of a pussy huh jack ass?"

With that Ryan grabs for his blade and as he is about to pull it Tony steps in his path.

Tony puts his arms out to keep the two young men apart saying, "Now boys, that is enough, put them away."

Ryan relents as he stares down Mike asking, "So your Grandpa is fighting your battles for you now, huh pussy?"

Grandpa gives Mike a knowing look and Mike backs off and turns to see what the stranger is doing now. At that moment the stranger locks eyes with Mike.

The stranger points a long, slender finger at Mike and proclaims loudly, "You, Michael son of Larry, disrupter of the peace, you do not belong here. Prepare yourself, for the road is long and very difficult."

Mike places his hands on both his blades and shouts out in a voice not quite his own, "What do you know of me? Walker in black, you are not of this place and you do not know me or what I can do." "Where the heck did that come from?" Mike thinks to himself. The guys, Claire and Tony, all wonder the exact same thing.

The Walker smiles and knowing, evil smile and answer, "I know enough disrupter. You do not belong here, and you will not make it past the western boundary."

Mike responds, again in a foreign voice, "I go where I want, when I want Walker. Go spread your tales of propaganda elsewhere. You are not welcome here."

The Walker is obviously flustered by Mike's answer and he chuckles nervously as he responds, "I leave not because you tell me disrupter. I answer to a higher power than you. I leave because my time is up. I will move on to the next town, and then the next. To warn them of the present danger and encourage them with the coming of the pureblood."

Mike grips both his blades even tighter and instructs the Walker, "Then leave Walker. You have done your damage."

With that, the Walker looks around at the crowd and heads out west from the square. The crowd parts for him as he makes his way and after he turns the first corner, he disappears. He will do as he said and move on to the next town. But this is not the last part the Walker will play in this story and Mike has a feeling that he will be seeing the Walker again.

After the Walker has departed Ryan has also disappeared. The crowds begin to disperse too and Claire turns to Mike with a confused look asking, "Love, what the heck was that?"

Mike, still trying to make sense of the foreign presence in his mind, answers, "Yeah, not sure. It's was like my mouth had a mind of its own."

Justin also gets in on this conversation asking Mike almost accusingly, "What is a Walker in black and how do you know he does not belong here?"

Mike immediately goes on the defensive and answers his old friend harshly, "Hey! I am not sure what any of it meant. But I was right he does not belong here."

Tony interjects trying to calm the young men, and not draw too much attention, saying, "He feared you Mike. He did not say it, but he did. It was in his eyes, for some reason he wanted nothing to do with you."

Mike also begins to worry about drawing more attention to himself and says, "Well anyway, enough weird for one day."

At this point the crowd is dissipating and chatting among themselves as to what has transpired. The Homage guards are now eyeing Mike even more than they had in the past. No doubt they are wondering what his connection to the Walker is, and what Mike knows.

Mike turns and says to his friends under his breath, "'Let's break up and head back to the hideout, be careful all right everyone." So the group splits and makes a slow, round-about way, back to the hideout and once there they talk freely about what has happened.

Justin looks over cautiously at Mike and says, addressing the whole gang, "So what do we think about this ladies and gentlemen?"

Mike clears his throat and answers, doing his best to keep his friends from suspecting he had anything to do with the Walker , "Well it seems like the Homage group is not our only concern if this guy is right. We have no real reason not believe him. Granted we have no good reason too believe him but whatever. It seems there is another group or power or whatever on the rise. It sounds like it may even be more troublesome than the Homage group."

Tony says from the back of the group trying not to interfere too much with the young people, "I would have to agree with you son. It sounds crazy and if I had not seen it, I would not have believed it. If this Walker is right then something has been awakened. The world has changed and may just have become an even more dangerous place."

Paul breaks his long silence with the obvious questions, "So where does that leave us?"

Steve takes his turn to answer which impresses the rest of the gang, "This may sound crazy but I think we need more information on what is going on out there. Just what kinds of things are happening in the world?"

Mike smiles at Steve and nods speaking up, "I like it Steve. If we have something more to go on we will know better how to deal with it."

Tony nods to himself, impressed with the nerve and wisdom of these young people he adds, "That idea is solid. I do not like the idea of you boys going out of town on your own, not knowing what the heck is out there, but things have changed. Mike, I can cover for you on the farm but be gone no longer than four days west. Two days out and then two days back. You should be able to get through St. Peter and Laketon. See what's going on and get back. But you all can't go. It's too obvious. Some stay and keep tabs on what is going on here."

Justin looks from Tony to Mike and nods, he is glad that Grandpa is here. Justin then dictates the decision, "I will go with Mike and Steve, and Claire can you make it?" This invitation really shocks Claire. She knows she can get away and that they will need her. But she was certain that most of the guys would not want her to come. It would be too dangerous for a girl and all.

Claire stammers an answer as she tries to cover her shock, "Of course, I can't wait to get out of town and see what's out there."

Now the rest of the gang is not too happy about being left behind but it makes sense that some of them need to stay back. The ones that are to stay back are working for the Homage group and the gang's cover needs to be maintained. They agree to meet three nights from today, Thursday night, and head out early Friday morning before dawn to hopefully avoid detection or possible detention.

But this matters very little to Mike and Claire right now. They have plans to spend the day together and it is the first and only thing that matters to them right now. Tony heads back to the farm and tells Mike to have fun, but to be careful and try and be home before dark. Mike agrees and heads out with Claire for another picnic in the country. It is another beautiful spring day and they enjoy a wonderful afternoon. Mike and Claire are getting very close and they talk a lot about the future and really serious commitment. It's interesting how quick change and life altering events can put a rush on a relationship, but they do not feel rushed. They fell as if they have known each other forever and things are finally where they are supposed to be. They couldn't be happier, as young lovers are before the trials of life and love can weigh a relationship down. But that thought is no where near their minds right now. As far as they are concerned this is perfect and will last forever. It is good that they believe this, at least for now, it is good. Why don't we let them be now. For these moments are far too few and between. Mike is finally able to pull himself away by mid-afternoon and after some excellent making out and long goodbyes he makes his way back to the farm place.

For those three nights before the group expedition Mike's dreams intensify with more of the same. The dream where he falls and also the other dream with the Walker in black. On the third night the group meets as they had agreed on. They all sleep in the hideout that night to get an early start in the morning. Mike and Claire sleep in the same sleeping bag, no hanky panky you sick frigers, the other guys are around. Anyway they have decided to wait on sex, they have no real time frame in mind, just no sex for now. But it is very interesting for Mike as that night with Claire he did not have any dreams. It is probably the more restful night's sleep he has had in years, with her in his arms. They are up early the next morning and quietly gear and mount up. The group heads out of town as stealthily as possible and make it to the edge of town well before dawn and start the trek west. Why west you may ask? Tony had suggested it because if someone or something is to come from the west it may be the best idea to head that way. Anyway, they have a lack of any better direction to go.