The Enigmatic Dr. Penfield
Eye of the Beholder - Chapter 9
This is a continuation of my epic awakening adventure Saga:
Eye of the Beholder - A Story of Remembrance!
If you haven’t begun the Eye of the Beholder series please start here:
Dr. Robert Penfield sat at his cluttered desk, surrounded by stacks of books, papers, and relics that no one had bothered to look at in years. He had once been a highly regarded professor of Medieval History at Oxford, renowned for his expertise in Arthurian legends and early Christian mysticism. Now, though, the city felt far too small for him. The hustle and bustle of London’s streets had become nothing more than noise in his ears. The once-promising academic had retired early, his desire for a new adventure burning brighter than the desire to teach.
Dr. Penfield was in his late sixties, a man of sharp intellect and even sharper wit, though his body had begun to show the wear of time. His hair, once a dark brown, was now speckled with silver, and his glasses perched precariously on the edge of his nose. He was known for being a bit eccentric, often lost in thought, but the twinkle in his eyes revealed a mind that never stopped seeking.
His former colleagues at Oxford had tried to convince him to stay in academia. They’d even begged him to write a book on his extensive research into the Grail and its connections to both the early Christian church and Arthurian lore. But Dr. Penfield had other plans.
“I’ve seen enough of these old bones and dusty archives,” he muttered to himself, looking out the window at the foggy London skyline. “There’s something out there I’ve yet to discover—something worth more than any scholarly paper or prestigious award.”
Dr. Penfield wasn’t sure what he was searching for, but he knew it had to be more than just history. The stories of the Grail, the Fisher King, and the Knights of the Round Table weren’t just stories to him—they were real, they were connected to something deeper, something divine.
One evening, as he was finishing his tea, his phone buzzed with an unexpected message... From David… The message was cryptic but intriguing: “I know the Grail is real. It’s time to find it. You know where it’s hidden. Meet me. - D”. Shortly after this, as if synchronistically timed, Dr. Montez called him to tell him about his quest in Machu Picchu and what they have found, and that their crew should be arriving shortly. Dr. Penfield’s heart raced. This was it—the adventure he had been waiting for. He packed a small bag, grabbed his walking stick, and responded to the message, I have a van... hours later, the trio arrive… the door creaks open…
"Ah," Penfield said, smiling, his voice raspy but warm. "You must be the ones I've been waiting for, for way too long."
He stepped aside, motioning them in. "I suppose you’ve come to find out what I know about the Grail," he said, his gaze flicking to Lisa and Sam.
Lisa and Sam exchanged a glance, surprised by his immediate insight. "How did you—" Lisa began, but Dr. Penfield raised a hand, and Lisa remembered that Dr Montez was to call him…
"Old friends in high places," he replied with a grin, his eyes twinkling. "I’ve been waiting for this moment longer than you might think. The question is, are you prepared to follow the path? It’s not all scholarly research and dusty archives out there."
Sam crossed his arms, leaning against the doorframe. "We’re ready. We have to be, and this isn’t our first rodeo!"
Penfield responded “yes, Machu Picchu was quite harrowing, I heard…” He walked over to a cluttered desk, pulling open a drawer and revealing a set of maps, notes, and a strange relic. He slid the relic across the table toward them. "This may be what you’re looking for. But you’ll need more than just old texts and theories to make sense of it. This is of course a replica, but for some reason, I feel it is not an exact replica."
"Where do we go from here?" Lisa asked, intrigued.
Dr. Penfield smiled knowingly. "To Glastonbury, which would be the best place to, at the very least, find clues about the Grails’ final resting place. The real work begins there."
David’s voice interrupted. "I’ve mapped out the route. Let’s just hope we can stay one step ahead of the BBG."
Dr. Penfield raised an eyebrow at the mention of the group. "The BBG? You’ve got enemies in high places, I see. The road ahead won’t be easy, but it’s the only way forward."
Early evening, David scanned for any BBG or police chatter about the group, and for now it seems like they are scot free, and so David adds, "the coast is clear for now, perhaps we could stay for the night, and resume our trek in the morning”.
Dr. Penfield responds "Yes, you must all be exhausted after that long trek.", knowing that he too could wait another few hours to leave on the trek of his dreams! He offered Lisa his guest bedroom, and the comfy 18th century sofa to Sam, after a little tea, some light banter and freshening up with a shower, our group passes out for the night. They know they are in the belly of the beast in London and must be weary of their next steps!
After a restful night, and a light breakfast, the group set out once more, their minds focused and hearts aligned with the mission. The van rolled through the streets of London, heading for the A303 toward Glastonbury.
SO STILL HERE?
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If you haven’t started the series, please start here:
For my Paid Subscribers, you are in for a special treat!
I’m putting together a mini novella with one exciting mega chapter coming up soon, here’s just a taste, and it will be an exciting preview of Book 2 - The Search for Thoth, where you are going to meet the main Protagonist (after Sam of course) of book 2, Thoth himself!
Here’s a very small sample of a 3 Act Super Chapter:
Project: "Trial by Fire" – Special Edition Chapter Release
Act 1: Thoth and Sam – The Staff Awakens
The vast holodeck hummed around them, a shimmering cathedral of light and crystal. Sam stood at the center of the circular arena, feeling the energy crackle beneath his boots. Lines of Atlantean script ran through the translucent floor, pulsing like veins carrying the lifeblood of the Earth itself.
In the hush, Thoth stepped forward.
Today was different.
Today was not merely a lesson. It was an anointing.
The others — Lisa, Davida, Jack, Kaito, Aiko — lingered at the edge of the chamber, watching in quiet anticipation. Even they could feel it. The shift.
Thoth’s voice resonated like a drumbeat inside their minds.
"The staff you carry is not a weapon.
It is a bridge.
A magnifier.
A living memory of what you were... and what you must become."
Sam tightened his grip on the ancient Staff of Merlin, feeling it hum in his hand like a living thing. Strange glyphs pulsed along its length, shifting colors with his breath.
"You must understand," Thoth continued, pacing around him slowly, "this artifact does not grant you power. It awakens what already sleeps within. Strength, speed, dexterity, stamina — yes. But more: Will. Sight. The dominion of mind over matter."
Sam swallowed, sensing the moment deepen.
"You have touched the threshold," Thoth said. "Now, you must become it."
Without warning, Thoth lifted a hand. A blast of invisible force slammed into Sam's chest, driving him backward. He grunted, planting the staff down hard, the floor fracturing beneath his feet in glowing spiderwebs of light.
Instead of fighting the push, Sam let go — let the staff anchor him — and found himself rebounding, flowing through the force rather than against it.
Laughter — real, warm laughter — echoed from Thoth.
"Good," he said.
The staff pulsed once, sending a wave of energy into Sam’s core. A surge of strength, clarity, and fire ignited within him. His senses sharpened. He could feel the blood pumping in his companions' veins, could hear the crystalline structure of the chamber singing its silent song.
Sam smiled grimly.
He was ready.
The first trinity had been forged:
Wisdom. Strength. Bridge.
Today, they would awaken the future.
THE OTHER 2 ACTS WILL BE MORE DETAILED, AND WILL FEEL LIKE THE NEO AND MORPHEUS SPARRING SESSION WITH A NASTY SURPRISE FOR ACT 3. THE MINI-NOVELLA WILL BE AT A GOOD PRICE POINT OF 5-7$ DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF IT, BUT I AM LOOKING TO WRITE A 15-20 PAGE MEGA CHAPTER FOR BOOK 2 AND THIS MICRO-NOVELLA. IT IS MOSTLY DONE NOW, AND WILL GET IT OUT WITHIN THE WEEK FOR ALL YOU MARTIAL ART AND MATRIX FANS!
My paid subscription is at the lowest it can be here, and this is not because I don’t value my work or writing; it is because I want the most people possible viewing my critical information and remember who they truly are, and if possible live from my writing. I have 3 philosophical essays that will be available to download for paid members, and will be offering some of better parts on the Paid Subscribers portion.
⛩ I’M
⛩ JUST
⛩ GETTING
⛩ STARTED!
I’m also working on some nice Map of Consciousness posters like these, but without the discrepancies. They will be in a giant article coming out on consciousness shortly, and available as a stand alone, possibly double side poster! Was thinking of doing 8 1-2 by 14 so you could hang it on the fridge, or in a meditation room…
What do you think?
So, I’ve realized recently, that GPT is not great at adding text to creative images, and these 3 images are only 3 out of over 10 it created without being able to align numbers, states and emotions… so will probably do this myself, but do you have a favorite image? Please just comment your favorite!
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Yet another incredible chapter. I can’t wait for the next one! I shared a lot of predictions regarding relics in over the last year or so, so this has me locked in.