The ODDs Beginnings

By Wavey

The ODDs Beginnings is about how an old order of demon fighters and wizard trainers is wiped out in one night, and what the powers of good (the Powers of Light) choose to do in reaction to this. They choose a teenaged guy, David Murphy, as the Water Empowered and then Richard Stephens as the Fire Empowered. These young men have increased physical strength, heal faster, and eventually begin to learn how to control their respective powers. The story follows them from when they both first become Empowered and through trying to learn about these powers, with the help of Christopher Games and Jerry Sweapons and a team they build up called the ODDs: the Organisation of Demon Destroyers. Early in the story David has a dream and as the story progresses it becomes evident that this dream is actually prophetic. The dream changes as David’s circumstances change and each dream (bar one) takes place on what they call “The Night of the Green Hands.” The dreams reveal an enemy called Scoilteach (an Irish word meaning ‘Acute Pain’) who plans on raising an army and taking over the world. He needs to open a Dimensional Portal on a hill known as Oakhill (now a hockey pitch in a school) and the ODDs need to stop him or he will achieve his ends, rebuild his army, and bring destruction to the world as we know it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AUK Authors
• Release date: Nov 28, 2013
• ISBN: 9781783333806

Book preview

Lynch

The Beginning is an End

March, 1999 AD.

March, 11 BE.

Joel, Joel! someone shouted waking Joel from his slumber. Joel sat up and shook his head to move his black hair out of his eyes. Some of the strands on the right hand side fell back down, so he tucked these behind his right ear.

Joel’s blue eyes came into focus and he saw the round face and scared green eyes of his fellow officer, Jahsesh, What is it my friend? Joel asked the other officer.

Jahsesh pointed with the quarterstaff he was holding out into the distance, Demons, on the plains.

Joel focused his attention to the base of the mountain on top of which the city of Noksung sat. He saw them, hoards and hoards of demons, completely covering the plain below. They were even beginning to climb the mountain to reach Noksung.

How did they manage to get so far without us noticing? Joel asked, bewildered and terrified by what he was seeing.

I do not know, one moment all was well, the next there was all this commotion, they somehow managed to hide themselves from us, Jahsesh said, fear prevalent in his green eyes as he took in all the different species of demon present, you must go and find Sintra..., he finally said to Joel, And wake the armies; worry not about me, he finished and gave Joel a sad smile.

Joel was about to protest but thought of the reason there were night watch guards: this was it, in case an attack came at night, so the others could be warned. Joel turned towards the city. The high walls, topped with red tiles, perfect for archers to fire from. He looked further in and saw the central training-centre, the highest point in the city.

The city was really a training ground. Those who were willing to become warriors, those who wished to learn magic’s, those who were inhabited by demons, such as the werewolves, and wished to control the demon within, all these came to this city: to learn and to train to be better people.

Sintra was the head of all of this: he was a Knight of Light, one of twelve. He was also the closest thing Joel had to a father.

Joel’s real father had been killed by Scoilteach, an Irish demon, who in the 1500s had ruled all of Europe. Joel laughed to himself at this. He knew of medieval map makers and they always depicted Europe as demon free. How blind they really were. Joel’s father had, at one point in time, opposed Scoilteach; much later then the 1500s of course. The result was that Scoilteach killed his dad. His mother had then fled here, to Noksung, heavily pregnant with Joel, hoping to learn the secrets of how to avenge her beloved husband’s death.

One day, however, just a little after Joel’s third birthday, she went to meditate in a garden just outside the city walls. She had been brutally killed by a demon army looking to destroy Noksung.

Joel barely remembered his mother, but these thoughts still brought a tear to his eye and a pain in his heart, as he weaved through buildings on his way to Sintra’s home.

That war was why the training building was now the biggest in the city. This building had seventeen floors and a massive steeple with the symbol of the Knights of Light on it. It faced west, towards places like Jerusalem and Mecca, both of high spiritual importance. The buildings just inside the wall were smaller, low to the ground. This was all part of the planning of the city. The reason being that if the walls were breached by demons archers could stay higher than them and still attack as the closer one got to the training building the higher the buildings got. The city had been unplanned the last time there was a demon attack and the city had been destroyed; when Joel was three.

By the time Joel was six the new, current, training building and the apartments around it had been completed. This was also the year that Sintra invited Joel to join the martial arts class he taught on Wednesdays. Joel was delighted and accepted the invitation gratefully. By the age of fifteen, Joel had half as many black belts as Sintra himself and on his sixteenth birthday Sintra had personally knighted him as a warrior of Noksung. Even the oldest of people living in Noksung said Joel was the only warrior they ever remember Sintra knighting himself.

Sintra was a lot older now, he had aged much in five years, and fears of his ever nearing death were growing. The very next day Sintra was to name his successor and present him with the dragon belt, the belt of the Grand Master. Sintra would then go and live in the famous Knights of Light head quarters, accompanied by one guard, who would stay with him until the time of his death and then return to Noksung and announce that death: it was an ancient tradition. Joel had been shortlisted as one of the possible guards to join Sintra.

Sintra was a very humble man and he lived in one of the smallest houses, just under the shadow of the symbol of the Knights of Light on the steeple. The only thing that made his home recognisable, or distinguishable, from all the other houses around it was the Knights of Light symbol atop a pole that stood in the garden. A guard stood outside the door. He saw Joel on his approach.

Hello Joel... he said, ...what brings you here at such a late hour? Why are you looking so worried too? the guard asked Joel, worrying himself now.

You must go and ring the bells, Joel said back, our city is at war, with that he opened the door to Sintra’s house and went in.

The house had four cushions around a table and two screens at either side of the room, one led to the bathroom and the other led to Sintra’s bedroom.

Sintra emerged from his room, his aqua eyes still drowsy, sleep clinging on to him for dear life. He had a blue night robe on and his hair was not tied up in its usual platted ponytail, it was flowing everywhere, so white that it made the white on the screens and the walls look grey when compared with it.

Joel, my boy, why do you disturb me from my slumber at such an ungodly hour as this is? Sintra asked and despite the tone of his words he smiled broadly, arms outstretched and welcoming: like a father’s, you look tired, please sit, Sintra said and motioned to one of the cushions on the ground.

Joel looked at the cushion and then shook his head, but less then a second later he was seated: fatigue washing over him. Sintra sat too; Joel noticed this and immediately jumped back onto his feet.

Sintra, my lord... Joel began.

Why the formalities Joel? Sintra interrupted.

Father, Joel explained, Noksung is under attack from hoards of demons. We must leave here, now. You must escape.

Sintra studied Joel for a moment and then turned, picked up his sword and belt and secured them around his waist. He turned to Joel and said, You must go to Shie Hulan.

No, Sintra, we must leave now! Joel pleaded with a sense of urgency.

Joel, I am touched by your concern for my well-being; but I am old, as you know, Shie Hulan is my chosen successor. Go, find and save him, right after saying this Sintra put his hand to his temple and screamed.

Master, are you okay? Joel asked, concern etching across his features.

Yes, now please go, Sintra commanded.

Joel shook his head and said, slightly regretfully, I am a warrior of Noksung, and as such it is my duty to protect the Grand Master: that’s you.

If that is so then it is Shie Hulan that you are duty bound to protect. Sintra said and stood closer to Joel. Joel was a good foot taller than the old man, but that was the only way he out measured him.

Joel looked at Sintra puzzled and exclaimed, I don’t understand.

The pain you witnessed me experiencing was the passing of the powers of the Knight’s of Light from my body to Shie Hulan’s. He is who you must protect. I am now expendable and can die for this city: a luxury I have not had open to me until this very moment, Sintra explained.

I shall find Shie Hulan, Joel promised, he then looked Sintra in the eye and said, But only if you come with me.

Agreed, Sintra said and they left his house.

All over the city bells were ringing loudly. They were deeply involved in a battle to waken the sleeping people of Noksung and call them to fight. Archers already stood on some of the roofs, firing arrows over the walls in clouds of dark with splatterings of colour every now and again: from the feathers on the arrows. Joel watched them fly overhead as he and Sintra walked below them. Warriors were moving towards the gates, preparing themselves for the unlikely event of the walls being breached.

Joel, Sintra called over the noise, Shie Hulan lives on the north side of the city, come.

Joel followed Sintra, fear welling up inside him, the north gate had been where he had been positioned earlier. The north was the side the demons were attacking from. The north of the city would certainly have been the part that would have been attacked first.

As the two continued to walk through the city many people passed them going in the other direction, heading towards higher buildings. Many people bowed to Sintra as he passed them; some in fits of tears, others looked frightened, more looked determined.

Some asked for direction from Sintra, to which he always replied, Get out of the city, and use every escape tunnel possible. There are four by the central training building and one halfway between it and the gates.

They reached Shie Hulan’s house. It was three floors in height and so was much bigger and further from the walls than Sintra’s was. The size also meant it would take longer to search. Sintra stopped Joel from entering though; he sensed Shie’s powers being used. The power of the Grand Master was coming from the direction of the north gate. They left the house and continued on until they reached the north gate. It had been breached. Shie Hulan led the counter attack. From the speed and power he displayed it was clear to Joel that Sintra’s words were true: Shie Hulan had become the Grand Master. He and ten other magic users were painting symbols in the sky with their powers, as demons come into contact with these translucent symbols they died. Any of the demons that managed to bypass the magic users spells were immediately met by armed resistance from the warriors and the martial arts class students fought too.

Sintra stopped briefly and took in all the people ha has had the pleasure of teaching and working with in his years as Grand Master. His pride for them was shining in his eyes, his eyes welled up with tears, but not one tear fell for them: for they are alive and not dead.

Shie Hulan, come we must get you out of here, Joel shouted across the noise, bringing Sintra back to the here and now and the reality of it all.

Shie Hulan risked a glance over, seeing Joel he shook his head and stated, I cannot, and I will not leave my people.

Come... Joel shouted back, the Grand Master has ordered it.

Shie Hulan didn’t move, his green eyes focused on the demons, while his frail old hands made powerful demon-destroying symbols in the air. This reminded Joel of how looks can so often be deceiving.

Sintra shouted, Shie, come, please? across the noise.

Shie Hulan heard his voice and turned again. He looked at Sintra. His beard and hair both grey and tied the way Sintra’s normally are, I’m sorry master, he says, they need me and I cannot leave them, and with that he returned to creating symbols in the sky.

Joel turned to Sintra and said, Don’t worry. I will get him, and with that he began to make his way through the crowd in order to reach Shie.

Shie, please... Sintra reached out with his mind, you are the Grand Master now, if you die the power of the Knight of Light will be eternally lost with you.

Shie Hulan was so focused on the battle that he couldn’t hear Sintra calling out with his mind. Sintra couldn’t risk shouting out what he had just thought to Shie as it would have made him into more of a target for the advancing demon armies. On the other hand if Shie Hulan died the power would die with him. Joel was now Noksung’s last hope to save its most treasured possession: the power of the Knights of Light.

As Sintra watched in hope an arrow appeared. It hit Shie Hulan in the left shoulder and he fell to the ground.

Sintra roared something at the top of his lungs, in what was most likely Latin. The demon responsible for shooting the arrow was lifted into the air and slowly, torturously, murdered.

Joel stopped in his tracks, he watched the demon die and felt a surge of revulsion that Sintra, his father, could do something like that, even to an enemy. The attack alerted the demons to a possible importance of the fallen fellow with the arrow wound. Joel’s hesitation to watch the torture had left a bigger gap between him and Shie Hulan than the nearest demon to Shie Hulan. Sintra saw the demon advancing and began to run towards Shie screaming a battle cry. The sound is one Joel has never heard before, he stops and looks back at Sintra. The moment’s hesitation is all the demon needs, when Joel turns back towards Shie Hulan he saw the new Grand Masters head fall from his body. Standing over Shie’s headless corpse is the demon who murdered him. The demon looked towards Joel, held up his badly made sword and smiled evilly.

Behind Joel, Sintra fell to the ground, weeping. He had died, it was no longer time to stop the tears from falling and so Sintra allowed them to fall freely.

The demon that slew Shie Hulan turned his attention from Joel to Sintra. He took in who it was and hissed, Sssssssssssintra..., then the demon began bounding its way towards the ex-Grand Master laughing loudly, glee evident in his yellow eyes.

Joel ran towards the monster. It shot one of its green spikes out of its red flesh towards Joel but didn’t give him even a glance. The prize was in its sights, that was what mattered to it now. The spike just missed Joel’s arm as he dodged it successfully. Joel reached the demon and lobbed off its head, as sword made contact with the neck of the demon, Joel could hear a squishy noise and the sound of neck bones breaking. Joel reached Sintra and helped him up.

We have to go. Now, Joel insisted.

The power: it is gone. There is no use in fighting now. Leave me here to die, my son, please, Sintra begs.

Joel’s heart broke as he watched his father in this state. Seeing the man he respected as a weak old man was too much for Joel to take. Sintra had always been so strong. Joel resolved not to allow Sintra’s memory to be tarnished by this one night.

There are eleven other Knights of Light and they must know what has happened. Sintra, you are the only one who can go and tell them, Joel said as he hoisted Sintra to his feet.

That is so... you are correct, my boy, come, let us go, Sintra said as he brushed a loose string of hair out of Joel’s eye.

Joel smiled and ran after his Seinse, a smile was on his face but there was fear in his heart.

The two walked back through the streets of Noksung, which not too long ago they had come along, hope still alive. Hope was dead now; the streets were quieter than before. It was if they even knew of the massive amount of power that had been lost from among them. Joel watched the archers overhead as they kept the dark cloud of arrows flying over the heads of the Noksung warriors. The wall had been taken and now some demons were on the walls attempting to fire arrows back at the archers. Many of these arrows missed their marks, the Noksung archers were much better marksmen.

Joel and Sintra reached the mid-way secret passage. Sintra opened it and both of them jumped in; into the darkness. Joel hurt his feet as he landed, he had gone in first, he was about to warn Sintra when he saw Sintra simply float down and land as easily as stepping down a small step, maybe it had been even easier. These passages had been built for escape. No ladders existed as the idea was so people could get out, not allowing enemies to get in. That had been a mistake made by the Grand Master before Sintra. That mistake cost that Grand Master his life. Sintra had always made him out to be a hero, but in the memories of the people of Noksung he died a loser, not the hero Sintra said he was. He appointed Sintra Grand Master only a few hours before the attack had occurred. Joel worried Sintra would be remembered in the same way now. He didn’t want that for his master.

Joel heard Sintra mutter something in the darkness and the darkness gave way to a very bright glow.

Joel was about to question Sintra’s actions when the old man turned to him and said, This is the way to the Knights of Lights head quarters, we must step through, and with that Sintra did and was gone. Joel nervously followed suit.

They entered a well lit, richly decorated room which contained little furniture other than a massive table and thirteen chairs surrounding it: six on each side and one at the head. Joel looked at the setup in wonder; he knew there were twelve Grand Masters, so why would they need thirteen chairs?

As they took in the room Joel and Sintra noticed three other Grand Masters already seated at the table. Each had between one and five guards with them. Joel knew from Sintra’s facial expression that them being here was not a good omen.

No, not you too Sintra, a man in a suit and a tie stood and said; anger apparent in his voice. He looked Western, yet he spoke Chinese.

Unfortunately yes, Sintra said, sorrow was the obvious emotion in his voice, Demons attacked Noksung... and it is gone.

And so close to your retirement too, the suited man said, again in Chinese, and not heavily accented Chinese, perfect Chinese.

Joel looked around the room again, it was the stuff of legends, located somewhere beneath the Pacific Ocean, it had only ever been used four times, once when the Grand Masters were established back eons ago and then during the first real world war and the actual named two world wars.

Never did I think we would see a day when the demons would attack us all at once, another of the Grand Masters stated, again in word perfect Chinese.

We must find out the fate of the others, Sintra stated.

First, said the second of the Grand Masters to speak, we should establish who exactly is here.

Britain’s Grand Master present, the first one said.

Asia-South’s ex-Grand Master present, sadly the power has been lost forever, Sintra sadly said.

Antarctic Knight here, said a man in a massive woolly coat, another woolly coat lay on the chair beside him. He also spoke in perfect Chinese.

And America’s Knight, the American said.

Sorry I am late, another man said walking into the room, he also spoke Chinese. He looked around and took in who was present, and then he said, Africa’s Grand Master here. I regret to inform you that the Grand Masters of the Arctic, Asia-North, the Pacific, South America, Europe, Australia and the Middle East are all dead.

Are you certain? the British Grand Master asked.

Yes, I attempted to contact them all and nobody replied to me, seeing as you are here one must assume that those who aren’t have perished, and with them the power also.

Everybody in the room then took a few minutes of silence in remembrance of their fallen comrades.

While they were silent all the lights in the room went out, somehow though it stayed bright. When Joel looked towards the source of the light he could not see what it was coming from. He knew, however, that whatever was beyond that light was seated in the thirteenth chair. Joel smiled to himself.

Hope your first question is answered Joel, a voice in, yet from outside, Joel’s head said.

Who are you? Joel asked aloud.

I am one of the Powers of Light. Thank you for continually serving me, my faithful child.

Joel was amazed, one of the Powers of Light was actually talking to him, why does everybody here speak Chinese? he asked the Power.

So full of questions: they don’t. They all speak their own language, my power translates what they say into Chinese for you, and other languages for the others, so that you may all understand one another.

We believe, the Power said to the whole room in a booming voice, that it is time to create a new order of the Knights of Light.

The few gathered Knights made some noises, either in agreement or in disagreement with the voice.

Regardless the voice went on: the time for sitting in a city on a hill has come and has now passed. Evil is becoming too strong and we need mobility to deal with this new problem. A sixteen year old boy has been chosen. He will shortly become the Water Empowered. I need you, Brian Walsh, British Grand Master to return to your city and establish some to guide these young people as they do our work.

What happens if one dies? Sintra asked, Now would be the time to think of changing the lost power clause.

Thank you my faithful Sintra, we thought it out, the voice said, If one dies the power will pass to another of our choosing, at times maybe more than one person will gain the power. We will decide on that. The powers may also be passed on in words, but no need to worry about that for now, the voice said and then with a flash he was gone and normal lighting returned to the room.

***

Some years later, Bryan McCarthy, the American Grand Master, was called on to Guide the first of the Water Empowered. So the Empowered Era had begun. The young man’s name was James Games. He had an older brother, Christopher, who wanted to help his brother in his fight and so joined the ranks of the Guiders. The training process would take him five years.

At the beginning of Chris’ final year in Guider training, and a little after James’ twentieth birthday, a special demon, created for the purpose of killing the Water Empowered, called Murtach, came and defeated James Games, killing him.

After James a second Empowered teenager was chosen. He was Colin Columbus, an American; Murtach found him too and killed the Empowered. He only served the Powers of Light for a little over two years.

This led to the calling of a third Water Empowered, his name was David Murphy and he was called into the service of the Powers of Light at the age of fifteen, younger than the two others. The year was 2012 CE or 7 EE (Empowered Era)

The Nightmare and Gringarous

7 EE

It was dark, very dark. The trees were moving in the wind appearing as many arms trying to claw at David Murphy’s brown, wavy, surfer hair. It was long today, and looked as if it were beginning to curl. He had run out of gel, or maybe just didn’t have time to put any in, either way it was due a cutting. David walked slowly and carefully past the dangerous looking trees. When he was past them he took out a sword, which sparkled in what little light there was, it was a sword made of pure gold, but coated in something else, something that increased its shine. David looked around, as he took in his surroundings he realised he was in Oakhill, his school. He looked and saw the white buildings up ahead; the sports hall’s green roof was, as always, peering out from above them.

David noticed light coming from the direction of the pitch at the back of the school. David ran towards the source. He rounded the building and saw a load of activity coming from the pitch. David voiced his confusion about why he was there and why with a sword. Then realized he was talking to no one and decided to go to the pitch and see what was going on.

David entered the gates and ahead of him saw a blond haired man in a full suit approach another guy. A couple of seconds later, only the man in the suit was left, the other had completely disappeared.

David, come on, the guy in the suit shouted.

David ran onto the pitch. The light he had seen before gave way to darkness. With each step he took the darkness grew thicker. By the time David reached the middle of the pitch the darkness was so thick that David couldn’t see his hand in front of his face, or even the shine of his sword.

Then, in the centre of the darkness, he heard a laugh. It sent shivers down his spine. David squinted into the darkness, hoping to get a glimpse of whatever it was that was laughing. His fear was beginning to be replaced by a smidgeon of bravery.

After a couple of seconds of staring into the darkness David gave up. He simply could not see anything in the thick, black, darkness. He turned back towards the man in the suit. The darkness was so thick he could no longer see him either. David started back towards the entrance onto the pitch. He heard the laugh again; it was in front of him now. He peered into the darkness and saw two hands coming towards him. Two big red eyes lit up the darkness too, David saw the joy in them as the hands grabbed his neck and began to choke him. He could feel the air leave his lungs. Things got darker...

David awoke to the sound of the captain’s voice coming from the intercom, We are encountering turbulence, please, do not panic, it will pass soon.

David sat up in his chair confused; he looked around trying to figure out where he was. Then he remembered, the distinction between dream and reality more clear now, he was on a plane. He and his family were on their way to his aunt and uncle in Greece. They were going both for a holiday and because it was, David’s cousin, Philip’s wedding.

Philip was with them on the plane. He had been living in Ireland with the Murphy’s for some time. David’s family were also there. His mother, Theresa sat next to Philip and his father George was next to her. Then across the aisle was David and beside him his brother Liam and his sister Niamh had the window seat, she was only seven years old and was now fast asleep. That wasn’t really surprising. The family had been travelling for twelve hours now. They had left Limerick city at 12:00pm, it was now 12:00 am, technically the next day. David was very tired. He had fallen asleep a few times now, every time he did get to sleep he had had that dream. It was so real and so every time he woke up he didn’t know he had been asleep.

***

The plane finally landed in Athens at 3:00am Irish time, it was 5:00am in Greece. They got off the plane and collected their luggage. This was David’s least favourite part.

Some day, he swore to himself, I will have my own plane so I won’t have to wait for luggage like this.

After they had obtained all their belongings the Murphy’s and Philip went to find Áine and Constantine, David’s aunt and uncle. They came around the corner and found them as close to the aeroplane as the airport security would allow them to get.

Áine is a small woman, she has golden brown hair that is long, down to her mid-back, and it is very curly. Her blue eyes shone with delight as she saw her family.

Constantine, her husband, has short greying hair it had once been black, as evidenced from the bits that still remained that colour. He had brown eyes and was tanned. His lips turned to a smile as he saw his son and his wife’s family arriving.

Then from behind them stepped Arianna, Philip’s fiancée, she was beautiful. Her dark hair stood out against the white walls of the airport that dawn. She became a vision of beauty when her eyes widened and her lips parted into a big smile on seeing her beloved Philip.

They left the airport for Áine and Constantine’s flat in the centre of Athens. It was on the first floor of a small apartment building. Inside their front door there was a small hallway, it was filled with knick-knacks from the various parts of the world they had been to. The hall led to a sitting room on the right and the left led to two decent sized bedrooms. The corridor also took a right, which led to a bathroom and a really tiny kitchen.

The Murphy family were so tired that they all had to go and have a bit of a rest before they could think of doing anything else.

When they all woke up it was about midday. It was time to go to Áine and Constantine’s house in Loutraki, about an hours drive away from Athens. Two cars went down. Constantine, Áine, David and his mother, Theresa went in one car. The second car had Philip, Arianna, Liam, Niamh and George in it.

On entering the house in Loutraki they all found Easter Eggs. The Murphy’s had been unaware that it was Easter in Greece the Sunday they had arrived. It was nearly a full month after Ireland’s Easter had been. This house had an open plan kitchen, dining-room and sitting-room. There were also two large bedrooms and a bathroom. Outside there was a large garden too and a veranda with a small table.

Dinner that night consisted of a barbeque prepared by Constantine. Chicken, burgers, pork, bacon and liver were on the menu that evening. David secretly fed his liver portion to the Alsatian dog, Zena. Áine also made mashed potatoes to accompany everything else.

After dinner there were Cadbury’s Chocolate bars for everyone. This was a nice surprise as Cadbury’s is normally only found in the U.K. and Ireland. One bar in Greece cost around one pound sterling, nearly one Euro and fifty.

That night inflatable airbeds were pumped up and couches turned into makeshift beds as to accommodate the large number of people staying there.

During the night David had the nightmare again, he woke as somebody was on their way to the bathroom. He saw the movement and got a fright. The dream had shaken him and he was trying to ignore the movement and sleep, but he couldn’t. He stayed awake most of that first night, and by morning was grateful for the rest the day before.

The next morning was spent just catching up with one another, nothing major was planned as it was a bank holiday in Greece.

Later on in the day there was a phone call on Áine’s mobile phone, Yassou, she said.

The caller made some form of reply as Áine nodded, listening. A few seconds later she turned and held out the phone saying, He speaks English and says he wants to talk to David.

David took the phone, looking slightly confused, Hello? he said.

Ah, yes, hello, Mr Muppy... the caller began.

No, it’s Murphy, David interrupted, M-U-R-P-H-Y, Murphy.

Oh, yes, I do apologise David, the voice said, I am Christopher Games, a Guider to the Water Empowered, the Knight of Light. Where are you? May I ask? the man, Christopher, asked.

Ah, I’m in Greece, David answered, unsure if he should answer or not.

Oh, great, Greece, I am here in Ireland looking for you, and you’re in Greece: bloody brilliant. David, I must speak quickly as I am on a pay phone and am about to be cut off. I am phoning as Colin Columbus has died, that event means that you are now... beep beep beep. The line went dead.

Okay... David said putting down the mobile phone.

Who was that? Theresa asked trying to sound casual and failing at it.

He said his name was Christopher Games and that he was in Ireland and didn’t know I was here, David summarized the phone call.

In other words, he is a weirdo, Liam said as he headed into the garden to find Áine’s new turtle.

If this Christopher fellow didn’t know where you are, how did he know which number to phone? George asked his son.

Who am I? God? I don’t know he managed it somehow, David said and turned towards the door to go out and help Liam in the search of the turtle.

As he left, Theresa and George shared worried looks: neither of them knew a Chris.

The rest of that week David spent having nightmares, well not nightmares: just the one, the same one, the one in Oakhill with the darkness and the red eyed guy. In the nightmares there was a guy who sounded kind of like Christopher Games, the blond guy in the suit. Maybe his dream meant something. Maybe he would meet this Christopher guy at Oakhill... the red eyed guy remained a mystery to David. Also David wondered why this Chris guy was looking for him.

***

The following Saturday was Philip and Arianna’s wedding day. It was to be held in Athens and so the group had to go