Ben the Dragonborn Read Online Free PDF Page A

the Zargon Watcher and to…”  Miss Templeton stopped, glanced at Ben and did not finish her sentence.   
    The compass started to move again.  It slowed at each of the doors and finally came to rest pointing to a door on the north east wall.   
    “Oh dear,” breathed Mariah Templeton. “This is a problem.  This is not a good choice for someone afraid of water. And rarely is anyone asked to go without the gift of being able to breathe under water.  Maybe I shouldn’t send you at all.  And yet it is clear that the Guardian intends for you to go to Lushaka this very day.  I could wait, but lives might be lost.  But if I send you…” Again Mariah Templeton did not finish her sentence.  “This is difficult,” the principal continued, speaking to herself.  Then she fell silent, as she contemplated the choice before her. 
    Ben broke the silence by saying, “I should get back to the kitchen and help Denzel.”  The principal ignored him.
    Ben looked at Mariah Templeton with growing agitation as she stood beside him with her eyes closed trying to decide what to do. Finally, she said, “My job as a Watcher is to prepare and send through the portal those that the Guardian chooses.  You have been chosen.  Therefore I must send you. The Guardian of the Six Worlds chose you because you have the best chance of success.  Even if I do not understand how that can be, it must be so.  You must go.  Maybe your third gift will come when you step through the portal.  I hope it is the gift of breathing under water.”  
    Ben had come to the conclusion that the principal of his school was a nutcase; however, when she commanded that he follow her to the door on the north east side of the room, Ben did as he was told.  Mariah Templeton opened the door to reveal a stone wall. Ben was relieved.  There was no water in sight.  He was not going to be expected to step out into thin air. 
    The brick wall did not faze the principal at all and she proceeded to ask the following questions. “Benjamin Taylor, in the name of the Guardian will you stand against evil?  Will you go and serve the cause of justice and peace?  Will you defend the weak against those who would crush them?” Mariah Templeton looked expectantly at Ben.
    “Ahhh,” Ben began, wondering what to say.  However, Mariah Templeton took his “ahhh” as an affirmative.   
    "I, Mariah Templeton, Watcher of Earth, invite you, Benjamin Taylor, chosen of the Guardian to go through the portal to bring the light of hope, the promise of peace, and the joy of freedom to the people to whom you are now sent.  Go forth in the name of the Guardian to bring honor to earth and to your ancestors by what you do."
    "Once your work on Lushaka is complete,” Miss Templeton continued, “you are to return to Earth until the Guardian of the Six Worlds has need of you again.”    
    Ben just stood there and stared at Miss Templeton in silence. 
    “The best way to go through the portal the first few times is with your eyes closed; that way you will not be confused by what you see.”  
    Ben closed his eyes.  
    “Now,” instructed Mariah Templeton, “step forward and continue stepping forward until you are through the portal.”  
    Mariah Templeton put her hand firmly on Ben’s back and gave him a gentle push.  Ben stepped cautiously forward.  He took one step and then another and another.  He was puzzled and wondered why he had not run into the wall. Ben took a large step, anxious to hit the wall so that he could show Miss Templeton that people did not walk through solid walls.  He desperately wanted to leave.  Detention had never looked so good.  Ben took a bigger step, sure that this time he would hit the wall, but he did not. 
    Ben opened his eyes and saw blue sky.  He looked down and saw water below him.  A look of sheer amazement quickly passed across Ben’s face to be replaced by sheer terror as he fell through the air.  Ben’s