Legacy of Ages: Book Two: The Traveler's Stone

By R. M. Baxter

Ron turns towards the entrance of the hidden chamber. “Look at the way the dust is swirling around at the bottom of the stairs.”

“Yes, the air current is making it move more than the rest of the dust,” smiles Sheri. “Do you want me to explain how that works?”

“Yes, but not the dust at the bottom of the stairs,” states Ron, as he turns to the side. “I would like you to explain the same thing happening over by the wall at the end of the smooth area around those small rocks.”

Sheri follows Ron’s outstretched arm, and there is the same pattern in the dust by the wall. There are only two areas in the hidden cave below the cliff where the air is moving the dust. The air in the rest of the Chamber is still because the dust is just falling straight down.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Nov 30, 2022
• ISBN: 9781649792440

R. M. Baxter

Bob is a storyteller from Eastern Canada, who, after a period of managing numerous businesses, decided to start taking life a little easier. He became involved in telling stories professionally to various audiences, soon realizing that he should be writing them down. This activity started a very pleasurable experience that had quickly turned into writing full-length novels and multiple books until numerous series were produced. His stories are all intended to be enjoyed by you, the reader. Please share in his joy of storytelling. 

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About the Author

Bob is a storyteller from Eastern Canada, who, after a period of managing numerous businesses, decided to start taking life a little easier. He became involved in telling stories professionally to various audiences, soon realizing that he should be writing them down. This activity started a very pleasurable experience that had quickly turned into writing full-length novels and multiple books until numerous series were produced. His stories are all intended to be enjoyed by you, the reader. Please share in his joy of storytelling.

Dedication

I would like to dedicate this book to my three children (although they are far from being children anymore); my son, Adam Baxter, and my two daughters, Tiffany Baxter and Robyn Baxter, and their continuous support for me and my efforts.

Copyright Information ©

R. M. Baxter 2022

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher.

Any person who commits any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Ordering Information

Quantity sales: Special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the publisher at the address below.

Publisher’s Cataloging-in-Publication data

Baxter, R. M.

Legacy of Ages

ISBN9781649792228 (Paperback)

ISBN9781649792433 (Hardback)

ISBN9781649792440 (ePub e-book)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021925598

www.austinmacauley.com/us

First Published 2022

Austin Macauley Publishers LLC

40 Wall Street, 33rd Floor, Suite 3302

New York, NY 10005

USA

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Chapter 1

The dust particles in the attic of the old house on the cliff continue to rise into the air. The last sensation of Ron’s physical body that he can sense is his shoulders dropping down as the muscles totally relax. He can almost feel himself, or his consciousness at least, leave his body. For a second, it feels like his mind is stretching almost to the breaking point. Then the sensation stops, to be replaced by an intense panic, because there is nothing around him but darkness, total blackness. He can hear a noise that eventually settles into a human voice but one that he does not understand.

It is the strangest feeling as his mind slowly seems to link with the others that he is now connected to. Then the words seem to take on a familiar tone and begin to make sense to him. He can now make out what the person is saying. He is calling out for someone to come and help him because the light had gone out again. The feelings of the person are starting to come through as Ron settles into his mind, the same as the language is now being converted over into English, seamlessly, becoming part of him.

The man is stumbling around in the dark, upset that he might be damaging something with his efforts to get into the next chamber.

Sabaf, where are you?! yells out Jeb.

Sabaf yells back from what Jeb thinks must be about two chambers over. Just one more, and I will have some light for you, Master.

Quickly, I could ruin months of work stumbling around down here, responds Jeb, annoyed.

Jeb can see the light coming toward him now as Sabaf adjusts the polished disk that is the last in a long line of dishes that send light from the entrance all the way to the lower levels, ending in the chamber that Jeb is stumbling around in.

I can only imagine what it must have been like for Grandfather on his first trip to the past, not knowing what is happening and trying to figure it out as he went along. The feeling of just observing everything without being in control at all is hard to get used to; I can think about moving toward a certain spot only to find out I can’t.

The light enters the chamber, and I can see my first sights of what I assume is the past. The chamber they are in is covered in drawings and carved symbols. I seem to know instinctively where I must be. The labyrinth in ancient Egypt.

Jeb moves toward a large glass tube lying on its side in the center of the chamber. Quickly now, come help me with this thing before the sun moves again and we lose the light from those dreadful mirrors.

Sabaf moves up to the tube on the carrying platform equipped with two poles to lift and transport it around. What do you think happened to it this time?

How am I supposed to know? Do I look like one of the before-times people? asks Jeb as he shakes his head.

Sabaf smiles and says, You could be, Master. I don’t know what the before-times people looked like.

That is obvious by the way you try to fix some of the drawings on the walls. The other day, I found one you had done that showed a western man with a beard, retorts Jeb.

Sabaf turns to him. Was the beard too short?

Jeb just smiles and shakes his head. They don’t have facial hair at all.

Oh.

He shakes his finger at Sabaf. Mistakes like that will have the people, who find this Hall of Knowledge in the distant future, all confused as to when things happened.

I will be more careful in the future, promises Sabaf softly with his head down.

Jeb goes to the long tube sitting on the wooden platform in the center of the room and runs his hand along the top of it. It does not seem to be too hot. Thank the stars for that at least, scowls Jeb.

Sabaf leans over the tube from the other side and looks up to Jeb. Do you think it is just a bad connection at the collector?

I hope so. We don’t have many of these things left, and we still have years of work ahead of us, responds Jeb.

Why don’t we use torches?

Jeb stands up, holding his back that has been giving him some trouble lately. Because the soot from the flame would very soon ruin the colors of the pictures and work its way into the stone itself, making it useless for working with. So, unless you want to change all the walls in the labyrinth, keep the torches at home.

Jeb moves to the end of the long glass tube, with the thin wiggly metal strip running down the center. He reaches down and gently gives the dish-shaped collector a wiggle and the metal strip starts to glow again, sending light evenly into the chamber they are in.

Jeb looks around at the walls that are totally covered with carvings and pictures. ‘This is one of the larger main chambers, and therefore one of the hardest to do,’ thinks Jeb. We are almost done in here; it has been two years since we started. We will have to celebrate when it is done, smiles Jeb happily.

The light from the sun reflecting off the mirrors quickly starts to fade. Jeb looks up as it ends abruptly. Can you imagine how hard it would be to work down here if we had to rely on the light from the mirrors?

I would hate to imagine, confesses Sabaf.

Then, if I may make a suggestion; take a little more care removing the sheet over the end in the mornings, instructs Jeb. Now, get us a torch lit so we can go home.

Sabaf goes to the small stool in the corner that doubles as a place to put the end of a hot torch in the hole of the seat so it can cool. They do not need the stool today, so the unlit torch is still sitting there. Sabaf takes out his small box containing the black powder and the two stones. He sprinkles some powder on the torch and prepares to strike the flint together to provide the spark.

Jeb has been watching. You didn’t put too much powder on it again, did you? We don’t need you blowing your face off like you almost did the other day.

Sabaf smiles as he remembers what had happened. I was in a hurry and thought more would get the torch going faster.

Jeb gives a little belly laugh. Well, that it did, along with your hair also!

Sabaf strikes the flint and the powder gives a small flare, setting the torch burning.

OK, let’s head home, suggests Jeb as he carefully puts the thick blanket covered in small blocks of metal over top of the collector dish on the end of the glass tube. This stops the flow of energy, causing the light to dim and go out.

The two of them make their way to the exit of the lower level and then up to the first floor and continue to the main entrance. Jeb has Sabaf close and seal the entrance behind them. Sabaf moves to the side of the door and reaches inside the frame pulling the lever, releasing the ten-foot block of solid stone that slowly lowers down over the entrance, leaving him just enough time to get out from under it. When the stone stops, the labyrinth is sealed for the night.

Chapter 2

Sabaf follows Jeb as he struggles along the path strewn with rubble from long ago that leads to the small group of houses overtop of the labyrinth. The rubble is the remains of the buildings that were all made of stone and served as the homes for the workers who had spent their lives and the lives of their children constructing the three thousand chambers of the labyrinth below.

The town is in shambles, with nothing more than heaps of stone blocks because of the flood that washed over the land so long ago. Very few people live in the small community now. The priests like Jeb are just about all that is left.

Jeb’s joined Atet and is waiting for them to arrive at the small house they have close to the entrance of the labyrinth. They enter through the open area at the back of the house.

Atet looks up to see them coming. Wash up quickly, you two, the meal is almost ready, and we will not wait on two slow-moving men.

The house is almost all on one level, except for a drying room above the food preparation area beside the chimney of the fireplace. Then there are rooms out behind the main building, where a small courtyard, open on one end, sits. The sun, as it sets, lines up right between the two sides of the u-shaped building. The right side is for Jeb and Atet to sleep and use as their private rooms. The left side is for their daughter Merti and her brother Redjek, who is away picking up supplies in the nearest town, a day’s walk from home.

Hurry up, you two, the chicken is getting cold and the root plant is going to be mush in a couple of moments if it is not taken from the water, adds Atet.

Jeb turns to Sabaf. I think I love that woman more every day, he says before moving to the small shelf to the side of the large eating table, where a deep bowl of water sits along with a rough cloth for drying their hands and face.

Jeb moves to the end of the table that sits under the overhang of the roof from the main building. There are bunches of plants hanging down and strings of garlic bulbs drying in the breeze. The sun is starting to set as they gather around the table to eat.

Jeb reaches for the bottle of wine that they will share as they eat their meal and pulls the stopper from the end. He pours some in everybody’s cup as Atet cuts the chicken, putting some on their plates.

They sit and eat their meal as Atet asks Jeb about the chamber they are working on and how long it will be before they are done. I am thinking that by the next moon, the finishing touches will be complete. The overseer is due to be here by then, and he can check over our work.

Do you think we will get some additional pay like we did the last time? asks Atet.

He thinks about it for a moment. That will depend on how good a job we have done and how accurate we have been.

Atet nods her understanding. It would be nice to get some more material for the curtains that need to be replaced.

Jeb knows it is an old argument but has to add, I was hoping that we would be able to start on the rooms at the end of the courtyard. Then we would have a proper courtyard to enjoy.

Why don’t we finish the rest of the house before we start doing more? suggests Atet.

Jeb knows to give in a little. I guess you are right. It is just that every time I look out from the table, I feel exposed to everybody.

There are not that many people here anymore. Just you old priests that clean and mark on the walls down in the labyrinth, comments Atet before adding, I am more concerned for Merti and Redjek because there are very few younger people for them to play with.

I know, confesses Jeb. I am the only one with an apprentice now. The work of cleaning and redoing the pictures and writings from the before times which the flood ruined when it washed over the land is almost done. Sabaf hopefully will be the first caretaker of the restored labyrinth.

Atet looks at Jeb. So, what will we do when it is all done? Sit and stare at the entrance till we turn to dust like the land around us?

No, we will sell the household to the priesthood for Sabaf to live in as he looks after the labyrinth below. The more we do to the house, the more we can get from the priesthood when the time comes, informs Jeb.

Merti sits up straighter. When will that be, Father?

Jeb smiles at his daughter. Each of the priests have one more chamber to finish. Then we will be completely done and can retire to the plateau of Giza.

How long, Father? I am wasting away out here in the sand, begs Merti.

Jeb leans back in his chair. If the light tubes hold out, then we should be done in two years’ time. If they do not, then it could add another year to the time.

Merti turns to Sabaf and smiles sweetly. You will be careful with the light tubes, won’t you, Sabaf? I am working on the new pants and shirt for you to wear because I know how cold it can be in the lower level of the labyrinth.

Sabaf smiles at Merti because he secretly hopes that when the time comes, she will stay with him instead of going to the strange busy place on the plateau. Of course, for you, anything.

Merti smiles back to keep him interested, but secretly, she cannot wait to be gone from this bleak place and off to some excitement and more people, especially men.

Atet gets up, saying, OK, you two, time to clean up these dishes and get your chores done before bed.

Merti and Sabaf both get up to clear the table as Jeb and Atet take the wine bottle and their cups and head to the small table in front of their rooms where they can sit and enjoy the rest of the wine.

Jeb sits and leans back so his supper can digest as he relaxes. Atet pours more wine in their cups from the bottle, returning the stopper before handing Jeb his cup.

Atet looks at Merti cleaning the table. Merti is almost a woman now, and she needs to be around boys her own age.

Jeb looks at the big table too. I know. I wish we could afford to send them to the plateau. But neither Merti nor Redjek are old enough to look after themselves yet.

There is always Ahset, my sister, suggests Atet.

Jeb smiles as he thinks about her. Has she found herself a man yet, or is she still checking out everyone she meets first, to see if he is a good fit?

That’s mean of you to say, Jeb.

Yes, but true, adds Jeb. Do we really want our children exposed to that kind of life?

Atet slumps a little in her chair. No, but we have to start facing the facts that they are not children anymore. They are almost full grown now.

Jeb has no choice but to concede the facts. You are right, of course. It is only a couple more years and then we can all go the plateau together.

Atet gets up and moves around to Jeb’s side of the small table leaning over to give her companion a quick kiss before saying, I hope we can keep them here that long. Good night. Don’t stay up too late.

Good night, smiles Jeb as he sits back and finishes his wine. The light fades from the sky while he stares out over the sand and rubble that covers the labyrinth.

Chapter 3

Ron returns and opens his eyes to see Sheri sitting right in front of him, with his mother and aunts right behind her. It takes him a second to get back into working his body again after being gone for so long.

Are you OK? asks Sheri. You were gone for at least twenty minutes.

Ron looks at Sheri and his mother as he gets his tongue working again and says, half stuttering to get it out, I was there for…for almost six, ah, hours.

Sheri leans down so she can look into his eyes as she holds his shoulders still. Can you tell us where you were?

The labyrinth of Egypt but thousands of years ago, blurts out Ron now that he is getting control of his tongue again.

Louise, of course, picks up on this. It could not have been that many thousands. It was made about four thousand years ago, from what we can figure from the Greek historians.

Ron looks at Louise and shrugs his shoulders. I am thinking they could be wrong because Jeb was the head priest for cleaning and restoring the three thousand rooms after the flood had washed over the area.

The flood! exclaims Mary. Do you mean as in Noah’s Ark Flood?

I am not sure. I am only an observer in the past this time. Maybe in one of the next trips, I can interact more and ask questions like Grandfather did, suggests Ron.

Aunt Emily moves to the couch. That’s it! I need to sit down; this is getting just a little too weird for me. I was struggling to understand Father’s manuscripts, but now Ron is leaving his body here and possessing someone else in the past. Please stay away from Salem in the seventeen hundreds. You might get burned at the stake.

Ron cannot help but smile at his Aunt Emily. She is now the oldest of the family and likes to be in control of things. Don’t worry. I will keep my mind shut and not give away our location to the witch hunters.

Sheri cannot hold it back anymore and must ask, What was it like to be out of your body?

Ron thinks for a second about how he can even begin to explain it before responding. Well, imagine that you are sitting in a chair and were tied so you could not move a muscle. The TV screen is right at your eyes, and the speakers were in your ears, so all you can do is just go along with whatever happens. Oh, and you can feel everything your host does. He has bad arthritis, by the way.

Louise has a question that has been bothering her right from her Father’s manuscripts. Were you able to understand them when they talked to each other?

Not at first. It took a couple of minutes for our minds to fully link before I could make out the words. Then it was like I had been speaking it all my life.

Can you still speak it? asks Aunt Louise.

Ron smiles and responds with, Yes, I can, in the ancient language as everybody just stares at him.

Aunt Emily gets up, throwing her hands into the air as she heads for the stairway from the attic. OK, that’s it. I’m going to make us lunch and some good strong coffee. This is getting too weird!

Mary watches her leave before asking her next question. What did you do with your host Jeb? Is that his name?

Well, first I couldn’t see a thing which made me panic for a second because I felt trapped, till I heard voices in the dark. Jeb was stumbling around in one of the chambers of the labyrinth that they were working on because their light tube had stopped working again. Jeb’s apprentice Sabaf had to set up the mirrors so they could see in the chamber again. The walls and ceiling were totally covered in small pictures and ancient writing.

Aunt Louise who is shaking her head cannot wait till Ron finishes so she can ask him if he was mistaken. Light tubes?

Yes, I figured that would pique your interest, smiles Ron. They are about four feet long and have a small dish-shaped collector on the end connected to a thin wire that goes down the center of the glass tube. It had a bad connection at the dish, probably from Sabaf being too rough with it in the morning when he took the metal sheet off the dish to let it light up.

Are you telling me they had light bulbs in the extreme past? asks Mary. How did they get electricity to them?

Ron thinks about it. I would have to say that the dish on the end focused the energy in the air to power the filament or thin wire.

Louise looks to Ron with an amused look on her face. So, they got the power from thin air?

Sheri jumps right in. It is possible. Nikola Tesla did it in the early nineteen hundreds at Long Island, New York.

Ron gives a little smile before continuing. I would have to say that they did not have a lot of them left because Jeb was quite upset that they had almost lost another one. They need them when working in the lower chambers of the labyrinth. They cannot use burning torches because of the soot they throw up into the air. That soot would ruin the pictures along with the writing on the walls and ceiling of the chambers.

That has always been a big question because there is no soot anywhere in the chambers we have found intact, admits Louise.

Then what happened? asked Sheri.

Then we left for the day, sealing the labyrinth behind us by pulling a lever on the inside to release the huge stone door. We went home to Jeb’s companion Atet and their daughter Merti. Their son Redjek was away for a couple of days getting supplies, so I did not see him. We had supper with the normal family talk around the table. Then Jeb and his joined sat at the small table outside their private rooms and talked about their future for them and their family when the work on the labyrinth was done, states Ron.

Sheri leans back in her chair. It sounds so ordinary.

Ron chuckles, Sorry, but not every day of our lives is the making of a blockbuster movie either. Besides, it is just the first visit to the past.

Do you think you will be able to get back soon? asks Aunt Louise. It was years in between Father’s trips to the past.

Sheri is still leaned back in the chair but has her fingers steepled in front of her face. "I have some ideas as to how