es the World
By H. Jason Schulz
Copyright © 2012 H. Jason Schulz
This story starts in an unusual place and with unlikely heroes - It begins in a certain Dental University Clinic and follows a dental student who takes a strange journey into the realm of space and time, Involves another student and odd as it may be, they save the world!
We join Tom in a cramped classroom during an exam. The silence is heavy as the students pour over the questions laid out for them on crisp sheets of paper. Tom has just answered the final question and, glancing up at a big wall clock, finds that there are a few minutes left so he begins at the top of the first page, checking his answers. Suddenly he hears a voice that sounds like it's right above him.
“Tom.” The voice said.
“Yes?” Tom replies as he looks up and then around for the person who had called his name. But all he sees are blank stares from the other students.
“Tom.” Said the instructor, who is sitting behind a table at the front of the room. “I pleased that you are finished with your exam but if you don't mind...Please allow the others to finish their exams in silence.” Some of the other students snickered.
Tom was about to protest by insisting that someone had called his name. But changed his mind at the last second and said simply, “Okay.” He then went back to checking his answers.
“Tom!” The voice said louder this time.
Tom looked around for the voice but as before he saw no one who seemed to have called his name. This time Tom remained silent but inwardly began to be worried that he was cracking under the pressure. Before long the test concluded and Tom, like the other students spilled out into the bright Arizona sunshine.
“Tom! Follow my voice!” The disembodied voice said.
Tom turned and made for his car. Great! I've gone nuts! He thought.
“Very well!” The voice said.
As Tom arrived at his car he saw a strange sparkling inside. He wiped his eyes and then inserted the key into the door lock and turned it. He opened the door and slid in. The interior seemed blurry as he sat down. But instead of the familiar bucket seat, Tom was met with the hard ground as he sat fully and roughly onto a grass covered field. Tom looked around to see the entire landscape had changed! The city was gone! In it's place was a field of grass. Tom sat looking around in bewilderment when he saw in the distance what appeared to be a horse and rider. Tom got to his feet as the rider quickly approached at a full gallop. Soon Tom saw that the rider was covered in shiny armor, complete with a helmet and the helmet had a red plume on top jerking violently as the Knight advanced. This Knight had a red tunic and the horse he was atop was draped in a red material. As Tom took in the scene he noticed that the Knight held a long white lance and that its tip was pointing in Toms general chest area!
Fear welling inside of him, Tom turned to run for it but was stopped immediately by a second Knight who wore a blue tunic over his armor and had a blue plume atop his helmet. This Knight had apparently crept up behind Tom as he was distracted the red Knight galloping toward him. This blue Knight also had a long, sharp lance pointed at his chest! “Okay! What's this?” Tom asked.
The blue Knight raised his visor and looked sternly at Tom as the red Knight rode up and stopped. The red Knight spoke over the top of Tom to the blue Knight. “It is thus as Merlin hath predicted!”
“Yea! Tis so!” Replied the blue Knight.
“What is this?” Tom asked again. “Is this some kind of graduation prank?” Tom paused as the Knights looked at each other and then back to Tom. “Seriously...What is this?” Tom repeated.
The red Knight again spoke over Tom's head to the blue Knight and said, “This man speaketh in a manner that is truly strange.”
“Yea. But Merlin hath charged us with his safe transport to the castle.” The blue Knight said and he looked around. Tom did too and he spied a small group of people gathered under some nearby trees. As the Knights signaled to these people they hastened to join the Knights and they brought with them horses.
The red Knight turned to Tom and said, “Thou wilt mount a steed and hasten with us to Camelot.”
“What ever.” Tom said. “I must have a really high fever or something.” He said under his breath and then with a shrug of his shoulder decided to play along. “Sure! Why not enjoy this delusion or prank or what ever this is-To Camelot!”
Tom was given a horse that he climbed onto and soon they were galloping across the English countryside. They wound through several small villages before turning onto a wide pathway through the trees. As they cleared the trees Tom saw a castle looming tall, just up the hill. The castle's many ramparts and towers had banners emblazoned with the figure of a dragon that waved in the breeze. The drawbridge slowly lowered as they approached making creaking noise which ended in a loud thump as it dropped into place, allowing the riders to cross the murky moat. As Tom passed over the draw bridge and into the courtyard he saw a white bearded old man standing near a broad stairway. The Knights as well as Tom dismounted and walked toward the man.
“Welcome Tom.” The old man said. “I am Merlin. It was I who hath brought thou here.”
“Ok-ay.” Tom replied with a slight smile. “I thanketh you. Now what's the gag? This is a pretty expensive prank.”
“I perceive by thine smirk that thou thinks this to be a dream or jest.” Merlin said. “Be not deceived. Thou art truly here.”
“Right.” Tom said, taking a look around. Although... He thought. He had never had such a vivid dream. Also, he had never smelled smells in a dream. He could smell the horses as well as the Knights who, in their armor, were pretty ripe. Tom's smirk slowly changed into a look of comprehension and then of fear. “What?!”
“Ah!” Merlin said, recognizing the look on Tom's face. “Thou canst see now.”
“Why...Why me?” Tom stammered.
“There be few in thine time and space who can hear the call of magic, and fewer that posses the gift.” Merlin explained.
“What gift?” Tom asked.
“Thou art a healer of teeth.” Merlin said.
“Student.” Tom corrected.
“Nay Tom, thou hast taken the exam. Thou hast been given license by your rulers to heal teeth.”
Merlin said. “Now follow me. There is no time to lose. The King grows more wicked by the day!” With that Merlin turned and began up the steps Tom followed.
“The results aren't in yet by the way...” Tom said, following after Merlin.
Once they were out of earshot of the Knights Merlin said, “You will have to work quickly. We don't have much time.”
“What did you say?” Tom asked. “Where is your English accent?”
“Did you really think I was Merlin?” The man who introduced himself as Merlin asked.
“I was beginning to.” To admitted.
“My name is Roger, Captain Roger McNair, US Special Services – Time Division.” Roger said and then he paused in the hallway to look intensely at Tom. “You are here because you are the grandfather of the director of the Time Division in my time. Forty years from now you will agree to be contacted now, and brought back to this time for this purpose.”
“What purpose?” Tom asked.
“To fix King Arthur's teeth.” Roger said. “Haven't you been listening?” Roger looked at the dazed expression on Tom's face and sighed. “Okay. I'll explain this once so listen up! I work for the US government, as a time agent. All time was discovered to be simultaneous not linear, everything happens at the same time not one thing after the other, get it? Sometimes things get changed – messed up... and because we like the way the world is forty years from now, we go back in time to the trouble spots and fix them. Are you with me so far?”
?
??O-kay.” Tom said slowly.
“So the latest thing is that this King...King Arthur, who was known for his chivalry and goodness is totally ticked off because of a tooth ache and happens to mess up the future -our future unless someone fixes it.” Roger pointed to Tom. “You.”
“Wait. I didn't sign up for this.” Tom argued.
“Yes you did.” Roger said.
“When?” Tom challenged.
“Forty years from now.” Roger replied and then before Tom could argue further Roger continued. “Section 78 of the Time law states that an individual enrolled in the Time Division is subject to active duty at any point during said individual's life. You signed up forty years from now and that compels you to active duty now.”
“No way! That's not right!” Tom protested.
“Okay. How about this. You help or I'll leave you here.” Roger said shrugging his shoulders and then after a look of horror crept over Tom's face Roger added, “You actually told me to threaten you with that... Forty years from now... Look if you don't do this time will collapse as you know it in the future and in your time.”
“I told you to threaten me? Time will collapse?” Tom asked still trying to get a handle on what was happening.
“Yes. Now listen.” Roger said. “From now on you are a magician, Olof from Novgorod in the North...Ready?”
“I...What?” Tom stammered but it was too late Merlin opened the door and pushed him into the spacious room.
Seated on a raised dais in a high