Read Online Quest for the King by John White - Free Book Online Page A

changed, and it became a being in the form of a man, a man from
whom the same pale light was shining. I could not bear the power of
the shining of his countenance, and fell on my face at his feet, my
body shaking uncontrollably."
    "I bet that was Gaal!" Wesley cried.
    "Gaal? Who is that?"
    "He's-I mean we-oh, dear, it's sort of complicated, an' it's part
of the secret. But do go on with your story. I'll try to explain later."
    Alleophaz looked ahead, drew in a breath, and started again.
"When the person spoke, his voice was the sound of an earthquake,
and he said, 'I am Truth. I am the key to all understanding. I shall
be born as a man-child on your earth in one week's time. When I
come, the history of the world will take a new course. I want you to
see me there during my childhood. You will learn where I am if you
inquire at the royal palace in the ancient and evil city of Bamah in
the country of Anthropos.' "
    "That's what Gaal called it once-'the ancient and evil city of
Bamah: " There was a frown on Wesley's face. His thoughts were
confused. In his mind was, "Ought I to tell him all we know?" But
Alleophaz had turned to him with interest, his eyes alight with intelligence.
    "Gaal again?"
    "Oh-well, like I said before, it's complicated-and Uncle John
talks about the pale blue light a lot, too. It must have been the person
we call Gaal who was talking to you."
    Alleophaz was still watching Wesley keenly. "Then you really know something. Obviously Gaal is a key. How much do you know?"

    "We-we know quite a bit-but, as I say, it is complicated. Obviously
I must explain, but later. Please go on with the story!"
    Alleophaz's face bore a quizzical smile. "That is really all there is
to tell ... oh, except this. The strange being turned and pointed to
a painting that hung from one of the wide gold pillars. `Look at it
carefully,' he said, `before I send you back to where you were.'
    "On the picture I saw three children on horseback. Two were boys,
one was a girl. They appeared to be following a pillar of smokeidentical with the one that had first approached me. They looked
rather like the three of you. `You will meet them in Playsion, and they
will guide and instruct you.' Then immediately, and without any warning, I was back in my ancestral home, my arms embracing the stone
and my head resting against it. Strangely, as I raised my head and sat
up I saw that the sun had risen. What had seemed to take but a few
brief moments had actually used up several hours."
    Wesley was frowning. His thoughts had wandered toward the end
of the narrative, and he was trying to figure into what epoch they had
arrived. He knew that Anthropos time and earth time were totally
unrelated. "When was that vision?" he asked.
    "It took place nearly two years ago. I decided at once that I must
leave for Bamah. But it took a week to make preparations for such
a long journey, and we have been traveling since then. The child, if
it was born as he said, must be nearly two years old."
    For several minutes Wesley had been conscious of the sound of
rushing water, which grew constantly louder. The road was still descending, and soon they caught an occasional glimpse through the
trees of sunlight on the river below them on their right. Wesley was
still thinking about the story.
    "Two years! That's an awful lot of traveling! How did you get here?"
    "We have had two sea voyages. We were shipwrecked during a
storm on a small island in the Pasgal Sea, and it was nearly a year
before we were able to take ship for this part of the world. We arrived
in Playsion a week ago and purchased these animals along with pro visions. There were five of us when we first set out, but two of my
disciples returned home after the shipwreck"

    "But Gerachti and Belak stayed with you."
    "Yes." Alleophaz smiled. "I like Gerachti. He does not accept my
views without argument, and can be as stubborn as a mule, but he,
too, hungers for truth. It is just