Time Gate:  Knight's Chase

                       Author unknown

The young man turned around a corner and hurried towards the
museum.  Angry tourists and citizens shook their fists after being
pushed away by the exited figure.

- 'Xcuse me! Sorry! - he shouted several times, but the apologies
were blown away by the wind...

- I must save her! - he thought rushing through the frontyard and
stepping in the hall. He looked around and tried to calm down.
<Calm down, William Tibbs! You need calm thoughts and a clear
brain.> He concentrated for a while and relaxed. In a corner he
could see a map of the buildings. Shortly recorded it into his
mind, and began to look for clues about his Beloved One. A new
alarm system was being installed just as he arrived. The guys
working in the other room seemed to be aware of those wanting to
steal anything. So he didn't even try to search the bag. In the
room to the right he found the headphones, but further search
became impossible because of a little Japanese TV-boss. Only the
other hall offered some chance of headway.

<The knights' hall! How strange, and still familiar... And on the
painting! That's me! Then is it really true? Am I one of Them?>
Being confused he didn't even noticed the shield and sword until a
painful - and unwilling - kick into them. Without hesitation he
put them away thinking they could come handy when the time came.
In the room opening from the hall he could collect a CD and a
remote controlled catapult. The ticket office's terminal was out
of order (as no electronic device can work without power), but
Billy solved this problem with a movement of his hand.  After it
he could watch the historical overview using the proper item.  The
creak of the opening door filled the little room and echoed among
the sounds of worry in his mind. A nice female voice informed
everyone about the closing time. Then a harsh and agressive voice
called out.  <It's... it's Wolfram. It's he who took her away from
me! Oh Juliette, where are you?...> It cost nearly all his mental
strength to choke back his tears.  <No I mustn't look like a weak
little rabbit. I will fight even if there's only a slight ray of
hope to get her back and defeat the Evil!> Stregthening his will
he looked around again. Beside the useless papers he could find
some interesting stuff in the drawers. He read the newspaper and
got an idea. He hurried back to the knights' room just to find
himself standing in a room being scanned over and over by laser
rays.  <Huhh, that was close! I wouldn't wish even my most hated
enemy to get over it again...> Standing up, removing the dust from
his legs he took a final glance at the impossible obstacle.  Now
again, he concentrated on the work: searched the bag left over by
the workers. With the newfound tool he could open the closed
double door just to find the fire extinguisher needed for his
plan.

The plan worked. <Thank you dear newspaper!> The key fitted the
lock of the control box and the extinguisher did its work as well.

Feeling relief he stepped through the place of the former rays and
wasn't really surprised to hear the Evil laugh and to see a knight
materialize out of nowhere.<Fight! At least something I'm good at,
though more practice could have come useful for this new body...>
The last slash of steel. Creak of armour. Shout of pain... and
relief.  The attacker fled - after being defeated - where it came
from: to oblivion.  After the short battle he found himself being
reborn. The further part of his Plan took form in his mind,
therefore he opened one of the glass containers with the keycard
and at last he could reload the catapult.  <I always liked
electronic tools... Let's see how skilled I am in driving one.>

The little toy rushed among rays, stopped and started again on its
way. The driver always remained cautious and was aware of the
lurking peril which was this time called failure of eyes. To tell
the truth it wasn't an easy job to navigate the small vehicle but
at last it reached the range of shot. <Fire!> He had really quite
a neat sense of aim... <Yeah! Bull's eye!> After redirecting the
victorious unit he stepped happily - and still feeling the shadow
of danger in his heart - to the garden. His danger sense was quite
right. <Some practice never harms...> Cleaning his sword he
started to run along the arcades. <Juliette!> Running, looking
around, searching for the slightest trace. Sadness in his heart,
confusion in his mind. <Juliette!> All the doors were closed so
far.

He searched in vain everything he found, the fontain included.
Nothing.  <Juliette!> Sounds of opening door. Two villains armed
with spray. <Ambush!> Running again then stopping. <They don't
follow me, they know I can't flee. No chance of escape. Merely one
choice remains: Attack!> Wielding his sword he tried to attack one
of them. As he expected the spray had a larger range than his
sword had. In the last seconds of consciousness he sensed being
carried to the well in the middle of the garden, then falling...
Falling that seems never to end. Then... rising... <Father!
Grandfather!  Oh what is it? Am I mad? All my ancestors? And this
voice? Who is it?> At long last in the material world again!
Coldness. Damp. Silence. <Oh no, a prison! My clothes! I look like
a templar... Oh I remember now... I'm one of Them. And this? A
lute... What do I do with that? I can't play. Wait!  Who sits
there in the other cell?> - Hey buddy! Where am I? And who are
you?  Please, answer!  <I see! Poor guy can't talk... But does it
mean he can't play the lute?> The guard seemed to be upset and
walked to the templar.... just to meet his hard fist. Because of
the strong stroke he stumbled to the other cell, and now the lute
was his head's painful visitor. <Clever boy!> - Hey let me out of
here!  Oh thanks!

With the key thrown to him by the escaping prisoner he could flee
as well.  He grabbed the sword from the ground just in time to
enter the next fight.  <What awaits me now?> The answer arrived
too soon in the form of a soldier armed with a crossbow.  It cost
all his dexterity and agility to win.  Fortunately he could find
some wine to regain some of his strength in the guards' room.
With the key found on the first guard he could leave this place of
death.  A large hall. Fire burning in the fireplace. And an
opening door...  Stunned by the sudden arrival of the old man he
couldn't move at first. But then realized he did it right: a blind
man isn't definitely deaf...  The man left the room and entered
another. He went after him, but stopped at the door. <The blind
man and... Wolfram. Quickly out of here!> He chose the stable
instead. <Damn! Locked.> A quick search of the fireplace solved
this problem... A fierce ram greeted him... with his horns...
Being quick and experienced he could avoid the attack of the
animal.

<Why should I slay it? It's just an animal. Besides... it could
alarm the guards.> In the neighbouring room he collected all he
could and went back to the stable where he runned to the fenced
part of it. The shepherd's rod and the sheepskin just enriched his
inventory. The bucket was quite empty and he saw there was a water
barrel in the corner...  The fire burnt out - followed by sizzling
sound - and Bill could climb up.  The bell would have made too
loud a noise, it was the skin's job to silence it for the task of
getting the rope with the rod and passing through.  Walking on the
rafters. Dizzy depth under the feet. Step by step.  <It's my luck
I'm not afraid of height... A bad step, and my neck is broken. An
owl. Strange. It's resting. I suppose I'd better not disturb it.

Let's move on. The old man, sleeping. Let's get his cloak. Right.
This rod really served my honour thus far. Go on, Billy boy! Hey,
it's not so high here.> Climbing down he noticed the box first.
Opening it he became richer with a book and a hologram. <Is it a
dead-end? Can't be!  Still it seems to be one.  How nice cross.
Hey, what's happening? I've just pushed it...> He stepped into the
newly opened room. On one of the banks he found a stiletto which
was best for cutting the gem out of the book.  He laid the book on
the bank beside the paper, but he had no tool to write with. After
reading the note he learned how to make some ink.  The components
were on the shelf. He knew that one of them should be left out.
After some experiment he managed to create the writing liquid. For
testing the ink the quill helped a lot which he had found before
in the back of the room. After copying the book he read the
writing again and did his best to memorize at least the names and
the gems belonging to them. Quickly he rushed to where he climbed
down and put the book and the wooden box found in the other room
back into the iron box, closed its door, as he sensed the Evil
nearing.

He nearly forgot to put on the blue cloak which mistake could have
cost his life... Bill ran through the secret door, pushed the
torch. Just in time... The double door opened and a monk stepped
in.  <Will he lead me to Juliette? I think I should follow him.>
Following the way the monk led he sometimes thought of going
elsewhere but the presence of watching eyes changed his mind.
Suddenly the monk whispered to him:  - Enter the door to the
right! Now!  No need to tell him twice he pushed the door open and
hurried in.  <Looks like a hospital. But where are all the
patients? What's that on the ground? A pot. I can hear something
clatter in it. How clumsy I am! It's fallen to the ground. Never
mind. This key could be more than useful...> With the help of the
new key he could open the locked door. Once inside he read the
book about the sleeping potion and did a chemist's work to create
the liquid using the equipment he found in the room. He went on
with the investigation.

Bill searched through all the rooms collecting all he found.  He
also discovered a prison cell with a mad templar in it who felt
like attacking him. <I can't kill one of my guildmates even if
he's a mad slayer.  But he looks hungry... I have some bread from
the bakery and something to calm him down for a while. What if...>
The thoughts were followed by deeds and now he was able to gain
the gem from the statue with a little help of the tool found in
the skinworker's room. He repeated it six times again in different
places and at last he had eight gems (one of them was taken from
the book). True, he had some affair with knights attacking him
during collecting the gems, but it didn't even make such a mighty
Templar sweat.  One of the guards - in his life - had carried a
key which perfectly fitted the lock of the closed door...

<The mortuary, brrr! And this smell of death... Unbearable! A
corpse. Why have they left it here for so long? His chest... It's
cut in a part. Let's turn him to his side. Wow, a golden heart!>
Driven by a sudden idea he placed the heart to the statue and
heard another one slide out of the wall on the other side of the
room.  <Quick! I feel Wolfram come to kill me.> Without thinking
what he should do now, he rushed to the new statue and drank the
offered wine and got drunk, but before being captured he dropped
all the gems into the other chalice.  He awakened in a chamber of
torture, being tied on a wheel, looking at the executioner first.
<What a worm, servant of Evil, hound of Wolfram!> - Art thou
awake? I guarantee thee thou willst wish thou had never awake-
ned. Thus prepare for thy sea of pain and then... thy death.
<Damned One! I wish I could kill you now. Hey, why is he leaving?
At least I have some time to get out of here, but how? The torch
is quite near my ropes... If I tried to move this wheel...> The
guard took him by surprise. The soldier had an evil-looking sword,
but the weaponless fight was also the Templar's strong point, so
he survived the fight without wounds.

Looking around the only thing that grabbed his attention was the
table. Bill took everything from the table. He realized that the
only way out was to exchange the torches with each other. And
really:  a secret passage opened...  Staggering aimlessly in the
dark corridors seeking for light when suddenly..  <Light, at last
light. But who's this Templar? His voice... He's my patron, who
always talked to me in my mind. The one who gave me advice when I
was in big need of them...> - Tell me who sent you!  <...Still he
doesn't know me. He wants me to prove I'm really the one he
helped. Why not? I have something that can belong only to me and
it also proves I'm a Templar.> - Here you are! - he said showing
the ring to the Templar.  - Oh, then it's really you. I wouldn't
have thought I could stay alive for thus long time. But at long
last you are here, and I can die. Before leaving I advise you to
beware of the false gem, for it's the eye of Evil. Therefore put
it into a pouch then you would... you would become...

The old Templar dropped dead before him. He felt sadness in his
heart, but choked his despair back and collected all the equipment
he inherited. The Templar stepped to the chalice and got all the
gems found there. The next object to check was the chest. He was
just searching it when he felt the Evil observe him.  Remembering
the old Templar's words he put the false gem into the newfound
pouch.  He could even sense the wrath and hatred of the Evil One
just to laugh at it. <Being angry, Wolfram? At least you learn
some respect. Beware! For I'll be your fate, and then you will pay
for all forever!> After putting on the newfound clothes and
wielding the sword, he felt ready for going on. He inserted the
Ring to the Secret Door and felt the scent of peril again. He was
right: in the library a hard fight awaited him.

Though he was almost the best at the Art of Sword he could barely
avoid getting some wounds from the little devils. In the library
he found two graves of the Seven Heroes. <Wait, just like in the
book I memorized. How nice that I know what they need. Gems as
keys!  And I know even which ones to use!> He gained the Presents
of the Heroes and headed for the dining-room. Rea- lizing that he
was being watched, he quickly grabbed the plates and hurried
towards the kitchen. The door to the yard was locked so he chose
the larder.

After the slaughter of the devil he used two gems again and became
richer with a mace and a Key of Hell. He ran to the closed door
and tried the key.  Fitted... <What can it mean? Hell? Impossible!
What evil thing can lurk outdoors?> After stepping out into the
yard he realized he wasn't really interested in getting an answer
so fast... <Zombies! Oh my God!> The fight was useless.  Two
Undeads stepped to the place of their "killed" mate. He decided to
do what it was wisest to do. <Flee!> He ran past a corner and
noticed two graves that were different from those unholy ones.
Graves of two Heroes! <Quickly!  The gems!> The presents were more
than enough.

The large axe was the best weapon he had ever wielded: it sliced
the Unholy Ones just like a hot knife slices butter. Still, one
monster remained, and no weapon wounded it.  Then he got an
idea... <The Cross!> He showed up the cross and the creature dis-
appeared. The only thing it left over was its large tooth which
functioned like a key. He stepped in and chose the stairs.
Upstairs he found the Dumb.  - Please help me to find Juliette!
Berwal - as the Dumb was called thus - showed him a secret way to
get there.  He stepped to the prison and the bad memories
returned, then were swept away by the sounds of nearing enemy. It
wasn't a hard fight. Bill entered the room where he had been kept
imprisoned before. In the other cell he thought he saw his Beloved
One, but the little breeze coming from the dungeons made it clear
it was just a zombie. The smell of rotten flesh was so unbearable
that he decided to leave as quickly as possible.  Luckily, the
creature didn't notice him. He found his way through the dungeons
to the chamber of the Old Templar... just to slay another
devilling.

Nothing could have stopped him as he was rushing up the stairs and
from the library to the garden.  The guard was no exception...
Entering the room the soldier guarded little tables became visible
on the wall with numbers on them.  <Let's see. Thus far it was all
about the seven, wasn't it? Why shouldn't I try that?> After
pushing it a door opened. He hurried in and faced a new enemy: a
Black Knight. After the victorious battle he could find his
fianc‚e's bracelet.  The Templar climbed the stairs and used a
weight to go higher. He avoided using the lightest weight as he
found it could be a fatal mistake, the last one in his life. Once
on the top, he went to visit the Grave of the Last Hero. Using the
gem that remained he got the Horn.  - The road before you is still
a long one, but do not lose heart!  <It's his voice. Thank you
dear old wise Templar. Uh-oh, seems like an ambush... With a sword
against crossbows? Nonsense...> Kept in a cage like an animal.
Surrounded by evil. Without the slightest ray of hope. Despair.
But the friend remains friend...  Berwal died for the Templar's
freedom and Bill really wanted to use the unexpected liberty
properly: grabbed the mace and ran to the table.

After the blow into the horn something strange happened, and a
well armed eagle fighter faced the amazed executioner who found
his fate in the fierce bird-warrior and his weapon...  Montfalcon,
servant of Evil - just as Wolfram - fled. It cost a regular and
well known cross-pushing to enter the door leading upstairs. He
climed through the broken window after the coward. He was most
surprised to see he could fly.  Facing the cruel murderer. Wind
blowing on the top. Nearing steps.  <Attack! Ouch!  Oh no, his
sword is much longer than my mace. How will I win?  Boy! Look at
that! In a place the stonefence is missing. I could...> He
retreated towards the large rift. Once there he stopped, then
stepped back again spinning his mace around.  Montfalcon was not
aware of the trick and stepped after him just to get all the
Templars wrath on his chest.  He lost balance and fell back... to
the depths.

His cry echoed on the walls and only the thudding sound of flesh -
meeting ground - was louder than that. <He's over. Now let's go
back...> He went to the door where the Evil One left and used the
torch-pushing trick. Upstairs he found a statue, there was a
cross-formed gape on it.  He had an idea what to put there and
really, it fitted. Now the little doors opened and a little well
became visible. This well was movable, so he pushed it. Downstairs
the larger well moved too, so he could climb down to the caves of
the Evil...  In the caves he collected all movable items and
following the instructions written in the book created a potion.
But the entrance was protected with a pentagram so he burnt it up.
Stepping to the closed book of the statue he used the liquid. At
long last he found his fianc‚e, but she was sleeping.  On the
other side of the stonebed he found the seal and took a glance at
the well, then at the bucket, then at the rope...  The water
helped, and the lovers met. But Evil never sleeps! Wolfram tried
to turn Bill to his own side, offering riches and power but the
Temp- lar resisted the temptation. Then Wolfram charmed Juliette
somehow and besides sent a devil against him. The poor boy was in
real danger and became helpless.

A sudden flash of memory returned to his mind and now he knew what
to do.  <The cross upstairs! That's movable, and it's quite
shiny...> The shadow of the holy symbol made the evil flee and now
Juliette freed from the influience of Wolfram.  She brought the
gloves to Bill who placed the seal to them. Now all he had to do
was to wear them.  The two figures left the place of horror in an
unusual way:  on the wings of goodness and love.  The wind blew
fiercely - restless survivor of time - but they didn't mind it.
With happines on their faces they looked forward to a better
future...













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