Vate

I've come to a conclusion. Sandburg is a trouble magnet. I don't know if it's the long curly hair or the earings, but something about the man attracts trouble. 

Just last month I had to deal with fairies in the loft. Yes, you heard me right, fairies. 

Now I have some dead king's ghost floating two feet in front of me. 

Yes, Sandburg is defiantly a trouble magnet. 

How did this come to past you ask? 

The normal way. Me minding my own business then getting sucked into the Sandburg zone against my will.

A couple of weeks ago one of Blair's teachers, a Professor Dawar was invited to tour the seldom explored ruins of Vanauto. Sandburg was chosen as one of the few to go on an exclusive one week expedition to explore the ruins on the small pacific island in the New Hebrides. 

He had rushed to the station to tell me the good news. 

After congratulating him I left him, surrounded by a group of well wishers who had come to congratulate him, and stepped into Simon's office.

A quick chat with my Captain had secured me a week's vacation to accompany my guide. 

You see, I had no intention of allowing Blair to traipse off to some tropical island. God knows what he would bring back with him this time. After the last ‘Fairy Incident', as we had come to call it, I told him that whenever he travelled I would come along.

At first Blair protested but he soon relented when I gave him the ‘It's my way or the highway' look. Here Sandburg thought he had the patent on manipulating your roommate with ‘the look'.

I'm not sure how he did it but he managed to get me included as the University group's protector. That meant I could bring my gun with me.

There is hope for Sandburg yet.

The professor will never hear this from me but all this archeology stuff is quite fascinating. Exploring the ruins by day and sitting around the camp fire at night was an enlightening experience. All sorts of different theories about the ancient civilization were brought up and discussed.

Seeing Sandburg doing his stuff was a treat as well. Watching the kid come up with all different types of theory and defend them to his colleges was enlightening. I always knew that he was brilliant, but to see him in his own element was an eye opener.

After the first two days the team had decided to split up to better cover the ruins. Blair chose to explore the hill at the edge of the ruins.

We chatted a bit about what we had seen during the last few days as we made our way up the hill, stopping occasionally for Blair to draw sketches in his note book.

I was enjoying the feeling of the warm sun rays when Blair called out to me.

That's when the shit hit the fan.

"Oh Jim! Would you look at this." Blair said excitedly.

Jim opened his eyes and saw his Guide moving toward a large stone that was centred at the top of the hill.

"Very impressive Chief. You found a big stone. Maybe you can get a paper out of it."

Blair threw him an exasperated look. "Very funny man. You're a Sentinel, why don't you use your eyes. This in no rock Jim, it's an altar."

Moving closer to the large rock Jim walked around it. "An altar hmm?" Running his hands over the stone he stopped when he felt a slight tingle. A frown crossed his face.

"What's wrong Jim?" Blair said when he saw Jim frowning.

"I don't know Chief. The rock sort of tingles."

"Tingles?" Blair repeated as he moved toward him. Placing his hand where Jim had put his, he quickly drew back. "Hey, your right. I wonder what's causing that."

Moving around the rock again, Jim trailed his finger along the ancient alter.

Hitting an impression he stopped. "Hey Sandburg. There seems to be something here," Jim said as he pointed at a spot along the altar.

Coming over to him again Blair lightly touched the spot Jim had indicated.

Pulling a brush out of his work pack he started to clean up the area.

"It looks like writing Jim," Blair said as he quickly cleaned the area. "Man, it is!"

Jim tilted his head and looked at the writing. It was composed of several lines of pictograms. "Do you know what it says?"

Running his fingers over the writing Blair was sunk in thought, chewing on his lower lip. Jim reached over and nudged him. "Darwin, I asked if you knew what it said."

"Give me a moment here. It looks familiar. I think it's old Vanauto, a dead language, but we have been able to decipher it for some time now."

Blair crouched down to get a better look at the script. He uttered a phrase in the odd language.

Jim reached out and grabbed him when he felt the slight tremors rock the ground.

"What the.." was all the Sentinel had time to say when a misty light started to condense over the ancient altar.

Pulling his guide back another step, the pair watched in awe and the light solidified into the shape of a man.

With a quick look at each other to make sure they were both still in the real world they slowly turned back to look at the hovering form.

"Shaman, why have you awaken me. What task do you need preformed?"

Staring up at the misty figuring that hovered above his guide Jim instinctively reached for his gun. //Stupid, what's a gun going to do against Casper here!//

Moving closer to Sandburg he tried to inch in front of him. His Guide held his arm up suddenly, blocking his way.

"I've got this covered Jim. I think..."

Jim looked from the floating figure to his remarkable calm guide. //Sure you do Sandburg. You've just got some ghost floating two inches from your nose.//

"Tell me your name," Blair demanded from the entity in a surprisingly steady voice.

A smile floated around the spirit's mouth. "You are wise Shaman. With my name you are granted power over my shade. Very well. My name is Nasprem. I am he who protects the land of Vate. With my death the land was renewed to life again. Why have you called me from the mansions of the blessed."

Jim watched while his guide nodded his head in understanding.

"You're one of the God-Kings of Vate," Blair said with the usual excitement leaking through his voice. "Wow man. I can't believe this. I totally raised you for the dead with the incantation I read didn't I?"

"Yes Shaman. Now, what task do you need me to complete. I hunger to return to my rest."

"Umm, task. Ah.."

Stepping up beside his Guide Jim grabbed his arm. Leaning close to him he whispered. "Just tell him something Sandburg and get us the hell out of here!"

Blair shot a hesitant smile at the spirit before turning to Jim. "What do you want me to say man. Go and slay my enemies? Let my wife be fertile!" he hissed back at him.

"You're the Shaman here Chief, just think of something!"

"That's a big help Jim," he said as he nervously pushed his long curls behind his ears.

"Shaman. You may ask me to bless your Sentinel."

Both men turned to look at the spirit in astonishment.

The shade smiled again at the two stunned men.

//At least Sandburg found a friendly ghost. Casper the friendly ghost. God, I can't believe I'm thinking this stuff!// Jim thought.

"Many Guides have come here to ask for my blessing for their Sentinels. You are the first Shaman-Guide to ask for such a blessing. Therefore, my shade was called forth."

Blair looked stunned at the ghost's tale of the other Sentinel and Guide pairs.

Straightening his spine he looked the spirit in the face for many moments. The soft smile on his face told Jim that he had reached a decision.

"As Guide to this Sentinel I ask for your blessing," he said as he pointed at Jim.

Jim watched nervously as the spirit turned his attention toward him.

"Sentinel. You have my blessing. May you see the smallest detail. May you hear the heartbeat of the hummingbird. May you smell the hidden flower in the meadow. May you taste the drop of dew. May you feel the delicate silk of the spiders web. May you always have the companionship of your Guide. To the end of all days. This is my blessing."

After a moment of silence Jim looked up at the floating spirit. "Thank you," he said simply with gratitude.

"Wow," Blair said softly as he stared at them. It was obvious that the younger man was touched by the shade's blessing. The spirit turned back to him.

"I must return to my rest now Shaman-Guide."

"Yes," Blair said simply as he moved to stand next to Jim.

"I release you Nasprem, God-King of Vate. May your spirit return to the blessed mansions."

The partners watched as the shade lost his form and dissipated into the altar once again.

Jim watched the younger man move toward the altar and lay his finger tips on the stone. He turned back toward him. "Oh. My. God. Can you believe this!" he said excitedly.

With a smile, Jim watched as Blair moved around the altar waving his hands in the air.

"First the Trow man. Once is a coincident right. But now two times, that's no coincident! We've must of opened some kind a veil here. What is the likelihood of us experience two supernatural phenomena like this. I'll tell you, zip, zero."

Blair stopped suddenly and whirled around to look at Jim. "It has to be related to your Sentinel sense Jim. Maybe we can do some tests.."

Jim threw his hands up to stopped his Guides rambling. "Oh no Chief, no tests."

"But Jim.." he started to say.

"No. Look Chief, I've hardly come to terms with my Sentinel powers and now you what to start experimenting with ghost and goblins. No way."

Jim refused to feel guilty as he watched his Guides face fall. Turning to head back down the hill Jim listened to make sure Blair was following

behind.

After a few seconds he ran after him and pulled up along side of him. Jim took a peek at his partner and groaned at the evil smile on Blair's face. Blair reached out and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Ok Jim. No lab tests. It's not like we need a lab anyway. These things seem to be finding us fine all on their own."

"Sandburg, I can honestly say that if I never see another ghost again it will be too soon."

He manfully ignored Blair's laughter as they headed back toward camp.

I've just come to another conclusion. I'm doomed.

The End.

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