Heart-Key and the Morph Scroll

By Andrew J. Price

An unexpected knock at the door of his cottage will forever change the life of young Rennis. With an unsettling warning of impending danger and a compelling invitation, he escapes from the Tresed Valley, traverses the Plains of Eil, and finds himself standing before the gate of the Castle of Ekklesia.

Follow his journey as it takes him through the Cross-Gate into a palace fi lled with mystery and intrigue. Graced with a new identity (now called Nevigrof ) and a new life purpose, Nev will spend a lifetime unlocking and exploring the castles innumerable rooms. Discover with him the secrets of passage that will lead him to the castles upper levels and consequently to a higher understanding of the castles Master.

Be warned: the way is difficult, riddled with unforeseen dangers, as the Masters enemies stop at nothing to frustrate Nevs progress. Even the Great Dragon, Reficul himself, openly defies him. Will Nev survive the onslaught? And can he overcome the greatest challenge to his resolvehis own flawed humanity?

A gripping allegorical tale of life and death, defeat and victory, as well as love and loss, you will be enriched as you identify with the similarities in your own life journey and are challenged with life-altering choices of your own.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: May 2, 2012
• ISBN: 9781449749361

Andrew J. Price

ANDREW PRICE is the senior pastor of Alabaster Bible Church, located on the beautiful shores of Lake Huron. He is also on the board of directors of Shepherd’s Care Ministries, Inc., which offers encouragement and support for pastors in need. Andrew and his wife, April, have four children and live in Tawas City, Michigan. To learn more, please visit: www.heartkeybook.com

Book preview

Contents

Chapter 1

The Steward and the Scroll

Chapter 2

The Cross Gate and the Heart-Key

Chapter 3

A New Life and an Old Friend

Chapter 4

A Mysterious Place and a Marvelous Purpose

Chapter 5

Falling from My Pride; Rising upon My Knees

Chapter 6

The Conflict

Chapter 7

An Unwelcome Companion

Chapter 8

The Courtyard of Contentment

Chapter 9

A Daring Rescue

Chapter 10

A Room called Providence

Chapter 11

The Dreaded Floor of Division

Chapter 12

The Deeper Things

Chapter 13

The Black Door

Chapter 14

The Maze of Sorrow

Chapter 15

Legacy

Chapter 16

The Beginning of the Endless

A Word from the Author

To my amazing wife, April, who has given me

a true-life love story far better than any fiction.

Let me whisper in your ear

A little secret you must hear.

When you come upon a word

Which seems strange and quite absurd;

Though it be a name or place,

Do the same in either case:

Read it forward then rehearse

The sound of letters in reverse.

Chapter 1

The Steward and the Scroll

I sat in the pitch-blackness of the early morning with a small fire crackling at my feet. I shifted uncomfortably in my chair as I read the invitation over and then over again. Light from the fire danced upon the wall as if trying to pierce the darkness that seemed to swallow it up. It felt parabolic of an inner conflict. This little piece of paper kindled a light deep inside, but it seemed to be swallowed by a greater darkness.

An unexpected knock at the door jarred me from deep thought. Who could be calling at such an odd hour? I looked through the window, but a dark mist hung heavy in the air, making it impossible to see who it was.

I stuffed the invitation deep into my pocket and cracked the door ever so slightly. I winced and nearly fell backward; a frightful figure, an entire head taller than myself, stood before me wearing a white, flowing cloak adorned with a large, ominous hood. The hood cast a shadow over his face.

Can I help you? I said, trembling.

No, I’m here to help you, was his gentle reply. I’m here about the invitation in your pocket.

I swallowed hard. What do you know of my invitation?

I commissioned the man who wrote it. May I come in?

Here in the Tresed Valley, we do not trust lightly. This man’s mysterious knowledge of the invitation, not to mention the timing of his visit, should have been cause for suspicion. There was, however, something so utterly trustworthy about his voice that I invited him in, albeit reluctantly.

While stepping through the door, he removed his hood. The sight of his face helped to ease my apprehension. I couldn’t tell how old he was, for while his head was graced with curly silver locks, his face had no appearance of advanced age. His eyes were deep blue; they fixed upon me as though he were looking into the depths of me. His other features were rather plain, and yet they were distinct from any I had seen before. His movements were smooth and deliberate.

Who are you and what do you want? I demanded.

Rennis, my presence here will raise many questions. I will answer each in due time. Let me introduce myself. I am humble steward of the Castle of Ekklesia. I’m here on behalf of its master to confirm your invitation.

His voice was strong, and yet he spoke in whispered tones. I don’t know how he knew my name, but when he spoke it, his words enveloped me like the warm summer winds. I pulled the invitation from my pocket, ashamed by its condition. After I had received it, I had thrown it in the fire as I had with the previous ones. Later, however, I had found it lying upon my chair, its edges charred but otherwise intact. I had never determined how it got there, but I had since kept it and spent many nights pondering its unsettling ultimatum. It essentially said that if I wanted to live, I must come to the Castle of Ekklesia. It concluded with a warning that, should I remain in the valley, I was facing certain death.

As my eyes fell blankly upon it, the steward assured me that the invitation was a sincere offer as well as a grave warning if not heeded. I’m here to escort you personally to the castle. His presumptuous tone irritated me.

Look around, Steward: I live very comfortably. This is better to me than any castle because here I am master. I know nothing of the danger of which you speak. What could possibly convince me to give up all of this in order to become a resident of your castle?

Rennis, you don’t perceive things as clearly as you think. I will show you that you are not as free as you pretend and that this place is not as secure as you imagine. You are in fact in imminent danger and will come with me.

Say what you have to say, Steward, but I promise nothing.

Very well, whispered the steward in a surprisingly patient tone. I see you’re wearing liev glasses.

Yes, I have worn them since I was very young, as does everyone in this valley.

May I remove them? asked the steward.

You may, I replied, but these glasses were tailored for me by Noisulli, our local glass and mirror smith. Without them, I can’t see a thing.

You may be surprised, the steward said as he smiled. He removed them gently from my face and then passed his hand over my eyes.

My vision came into very sharp focus.

What have you done to me?

I have given you the gift of sight. It will allow you to perceive things as they truly are.

As my eyes adjusted to the change, I began a visual sweep of my cottage. It was much filthier than I had realized and much darker than I imagined it. You’re right, Steward! These living conditions are not ideal. Perhaps with this gift of sight I can make the necessary improvements.

The steward replied, I have come to show you much more than the condition of your home. This sight will allow you insight into your true appearance, but more importantly it will reveal the condition of your heart.

I stepped quickly across the room and toward the closest mirror to see what the steward had done to my appearance. I was relieved to see my familiar reflection. Perhaps I was a bit filthier than I had remembered, but my chiseled features, brown eyes, and dark, wavy hair seemed otherwise unchanged.

Rennis, where did you get that mirror?

Like my glasses, it was made by Noisulli. Every few years he fashions one for me. He has me stand before the mirror while he manipulates the liev glass until I find the image to my liking. His work enhances my already comely features, I said with a hint of sarcasm.

I could tell by his response that he didn’t think this was a laughing matter.

That mirror is not telling you the truth, but I can show you one that can. Come with me.

He led me to one of the cottage’s back rooms. It was my father’s old room. My father had disappeared two years ago. I kept his room vacant in case of his return.

The steward crossed the room and uncovered a large chest that belonged to my father.

How did you know of my father’s chest? I asked.

I know many secret things, replied the steward. And I know that resting at the bottom of this chest is an object that I believe you’ll find most interesting. He dug through its contents as if he knew exactly where to find this secret object.

Ah, here it is. He pulled out an ancient-looking scroll. The scroll was contained in a cylindrical metal encasement, and its shaft was bound with leather. On its ends were two ornamental brass caps. One appeared to be the head of a lion, and the other the head of a lamb. One slit ran the length of the cylindrical shaft with a small golden tab. I assumed that a length of scroll could be withdrawn through this opening.

I’ve never seen that before! What exactly is it?

This scroll belonged to your grandfather. It was sent to your father many years ago, before your grandfather died. With it, he also sent an invitation much like the one you recently received.

I am afraid my father didn’t speak very highly of my grandfather. I was told that he had abandoned my father.

No, Rennis, he loved your father dearly. He came to the Castle of Ekklesia and sent for your father, but your father refused to follow.

The steward pulled the tab, which exposed a section of scroll the length of my forearm. When he did this, a small piece of paper fell to the ground. It was the invitation asking my father to the castle—he had kept it all these years. It read much like the one I now carried in my pocket, but its words were written with even brighter heart ink, an ink that glows as brightly as the writer’s passions. It still glowed all these years later. Perhaps my grandfather had not been as uncaring as I was led to believe.

I knew your grandfather well. His last wish was to have this scroll sent to his family. I know that he would want you to have it.

I scanned the exposed scroll. Its words were written with golden letters. When I read the words aloud the parchment mysteriously transformed into a reflective material. It was a mirror but unlike any mirror I had seen in the valley. This one was straight and true.

This is what I’ve come to show you, the steward exclaimed.

I grasped the scroll and gazed upon its reflection. It is not easy to describe what I saw. It was my face, but not as I had ever seen it before. Not only did I appear filthy, I looked starved. My brown eyes were sunken into their sockets. My cheekbones protruded unnaturally. But it wasn’t the change in appearance that disturbed me most: it was what it told me of my heart. This mirror did not allow me to hide my fears or my misery. I had never perceived how frightened and unhappy I was until I looked upon the scroll’s mirror.

Rennis, all that you see can be remedied if you will come with me.

As disturbing as this new revelation was, I still wasn’t convinced that going to the castle was the answer. But before I had the chance to express my doubts, the steward grabbed my arm and insisted on showing me one more thing.

He led me from my