Embers

by Karen Ann Hopkins

  Within less than a minute, we were back in the compound. The Demon set me down just as we reached Sawyer’s broken body. Ivan was with him in his human form, and a burly, red headed Demon was there also.

  I ran to Sawyer and threw my hands onto his chest. He was still alive, but just barely. I focused on his most serious injuries, funneling the healing power into him. He was worse than Ivan had been, and I fought to keep the tears from falling from my eyes as I worked on him. The pain he endured must have been horrible.

  I was aware that Ivan and the two Demons had backed away to give me space. They spoke in hushed voices to each other, but I heard bits and pieces of the conversation. Something about the Demons having killed the prisoners before the Watcher arrived. I glanced at the group and saw anger on the new Demon’s face.

  The damage to Sawyer’s body was so extensive that it was draining the power that Ila had given me quickly. While I continued to move my hands over him, gently massaging the power into his body, Ivan made his way over to the great bear. A moment later he yelled, “He’s still alive, Ember, he breathes!”

  I doubted if I’d have anything left in me after I healed Sawyer, but I would try.

  It took a while, and when I was done, Sawyer looked normal, except for the bloodstains and smoke smudges. I thought some of the bones weren’t completely set, but if he took it easy for a few days, they should heal with his own powers. I smiled down at his handsome sleeping face, and felt the warmth of joyfulness seeping into my heart.

  I didn’t have the luxury to take a breather and remain gazing at Sawyer, though. I rose on wobbly legs and walked stiffly towards the bear. Ivan rushed over to support me and I leaned heavily on him, grateful for the assistance. Ila’s power was strong, but I was still tired and weak. Hopefully, I had enough left to help Lutz.

  I went to work on the giant beast, which must have been shot a dozen times and bitten many more. He was a tough brute to still be alive, but he wouldn’t have lasted much longer. As I tended him, I smelled the charred earth and the pockets of fire still burning in the woods. I stopped for a moment, calling all the flames back to me. They came, leaving only wisps of smoke in their wake. The two Demons, and Ivan, jumped out of the way when they saw the fire hurtling through the air into me. With the fire cleaned up, I returned my attention to the bear.

  When I’d done all I could for the bear, I went back to Sawyer. Sitting down, I pulled his head into my lap and stroked his face.

  I felt the heat of someone’s gaze on me and looked up. The Demon who’d been my rescuer was staring at me. His intense gaze made me uncomfortable and I turned to look back to the bear. Lutz raised his head and yawned. When his enormous mouth closed, his eyes met mine. He nodded, acknowledging me.

  “Will Lutz be all right?” Ivan asked worriedly, sinking his hands into the deep fur of his friend.

  “I think so, but why doesn’t he change to a human?”

  “Lutz enjoys being a bear more than a human. He thinks he will recover quicker in that form.” Ivan sat next to the bear, petting his giant paw.

  “Can you communicate with him as a bear, Ivan?” I asked as my fingers moved gently through Sawyer’s hair.

  “In a way; it is more of a feeling he puts into my mind.”

  I contemplated what Ivan had said as Sawyer began to stir.

  “Hey there, beautiful,” he spoke in a weak voice, but he was grinning up at me.

  I couldn’t help myself. I bent down and kissed him upside down on the lips. Even though he must have been exhausted, he kissed me right back.

  “Now I know why Sawyer experienced so much pain for you,” the dark haired Demon chuckled darkly.

  “Is that you, Horas?” Sawyer said, breaking away from my kiss, and sitting up.

  “Yes, Sawyer, somehow I managed to survive the bullets, fire, tornado and earthquake.”

  “Shoot, I missed a lot while I was out.” He looked at me with eyes full of questions and asked, “Did you do all that?”

  Then it all hit me and I sucked in a deep, wet breath. The words caught in my throat and I couldn’t speak.

  Horas said in a quietly, “It was another Watcher who did most of the damage. She was young and beautiful to behold when she arrived. But when it was finished, she was but an old woman. She perished after she gave your pretty friend here the magic to save you.”

  “Oh, dammit,” Sawyer shook his head, and then pulled me against his chest. “I’m so sorry, Ember.”

  At least he survived. I don’t know what I would have done if I had lost them both.

  Revelation 8:7

  The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.

  Sawyer ~ Forty-Six

  I wiped Ember’s face with the wet towel Patrick had brought me. Her body still shook from emotion and she occasionally took a sharp breath. But over all, she was in good shape, and she was alive. That was the only thing that mattered. Somehow, we had both managed to survive.

  I was getting stronger by the minute, both my mind and body. I had to get Ember back to the valley. Her clothes were torn and she had dry, caked blood all over her. I knew I didn’t look much better, but I couldn’t stand seeing her in that condition.

  Looking up, I shook my head in wonder. The entire woods on the southern side of the compound were burned. There were only a few skeletons of scorched trees still standing. The fence on that side was pretty much obliterated too, except for an occasional lone board sticking pointedly out of the ground.

  The really disturbing sight was the dark cloud that was draped over a large area in the distance. It looked as if an atomic bomb had gone off there. It was hard to believe that the old Watcher had it in her to do so much damage.

  The sound of a grunt brought my gaze to the bear. He was sitting on his haunches, licking his wounds. I was glad to see Lutz had made it through the ordeal. He’d turned out to be a friend after all.

  Then my eyes settled on Horas, who sat only a few yards away. He was staring at Ember, and didn’t even notice I was watching him. The way he looked at her sent a stab of jealousy coursing through me. He’d proven to be an ally, rescuing Ember from the Demons, when I couldn’t. I was indebted to him for that, but Ember would not be his reward, I thought darkly.

  Patrick returned carrying a blanket and handed it to me. I gently wrapped it around Ember’s shoulders. She was asleep and didn’t protest.

  I hesitated and then asked Patrick, “Colten and Charlotte?”

  Patrick shook his head.

  “Where will you go?” I asked the Demon.

  “I’m not sure. I’ve heard there’s a community out west I might fit into, but I think I’m due for some alone time anyway,” Patrick said thoughtfully.

  “I wish you the best of luck,” I said, extending my hand to Patrick. He grasped it tightly for several seconds.

  “I know you do. You were right all along about what the Demons were doing. I respect you for standing up for what you believed in. You have a good soul.”

  He ran his hand through his thick auburn hair as he turned and walked back toward the main lodge. Miraculously, the building seemed to have escaped damage, but all the houses on the south side, including Patrick’s were destroyed.

  “Look, we’ve got to get up and start moving. Eventually the townspeople are going to come up here. We want to be long gone by then,” I said as I stood up, still holding Ember tightly in the blanket.

  “What do we do now, Sawyer?” Horas asked.

  “You said that Ila had told you to find this Watcher named Insepth. What’s that all about?”

  Horas sighed. “He is a great Watcher. I met him centuries ago when I was having some difficulties,” he paused, tightening his lips, and continued, “He healed me and I felt compelled to serve him in payment.”

  “Why did you leave him?” I asked.

  “I would have stayed in his company for
a longer time, but he told me he no longer needed my service, saying he had places to go and things to do that I need not be part of.”

  “How do you even know he’s still alive?”

  “If this Watcher perished, I think I would have heard of it,” Horas answered with the hint of a secret in his voice.

  “I’d say the best course of action is for you to head out and find him.”

  “I have many ideas of where he might be, but it may take some time. I will drive the van to Knoxville and board a plane there. I will call or send you letters to keep you informed of my progress.”

  “Sounds like a plan to me. When will you leave?”

  “Tomorrow, later in the day,” Then with a mischievous grin, he said, “I would enjoy spending a little more time with the beautiful Watcher before I depart.”

  I was definitely glad he was leaving the next day.

  “You stay away from her,” I said in a deep, warning voice.

  “Do not worry about me—it is Insepth you should be concerned with.”

  The mischief was gone from his face, replaced with seriousness.

  A roaring sound suddenly shook the air, growing in intensity with each second that passed.

  The gust of wind blowing my hair back told me the source before I even looked up to see the jet-black helicopter hovering above us.

  When the gun shots rained down, shock hit me at the same time as the first bullet.

  I began running with Ember pressed tightly to my chest. Her weight in my arms was the only thing that kept me from giving up. Lutz reared in defiance, but the others ran beside me, sprinting for the tree line.

  Damn, the humans had finally arrived.

  Revelation 9:15

  So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind.

  Insepth ~ Forty-Seven

  Even with the superior material that I wore, the heavy rain pelting my cloak still soaked me to the bone. My long hair was plastered to my face and I was uncomfortable and itchy. I despised feeling the same as a drowned rat, and Youmi knew that all too well. The contests with the water Watcher always ended up with me being saturated by cold wetness. And this one was no different.

  I wiped the water from my eyes, looking out from the high precipice towards the churning waters. The ocean was a tempest, the waves crashing onto the jagged rocks, spraying foamy sea water into the air. Youmi was putting on quite a show. I’ll give him points for the drama.

  With my Watcher’s eyes, I could just make out the glowing ball mounted on the hundred foot pedestal, rising out of the surf. The globe was about the size of a baseball, and although it was solid glass, there were differing shades of blue swirling inside it, alive and vibrant. It was certainly no ordinary plaything for youngsters to bat around.

  It was a Watcher’s ball, more valuable than the entire wealth of most small nations.

  That globe was the object of my attention. The game would be over once I had it in my possession—much easier said than actually accomplished. My own globe was displayed some yards behind me on its own pedestal growing out of the cliff wall with an enormous tree trunk supporting it. The earth globe was similar in size to the water, but instead of the blues, it consisted of living shades of brown and green swirling together.

  Another squall rocked me, prompting me to pull my cloak up to shield my face, leaving only my eyes exposed. We’d been at it for nearly three hours now. Even I was growing weary. The destruction on the beach was impressive, but Youmi had been well prepared. At this point in the game, we were in a draw. I had many strategies ready, depending on what the water Watcher hurled at me next, but I was hoping that we could end the game soon so that we still had the energy to clean up the mess we made before any humans noticed.

  And then there was the party afterwards, which was the main reason I attended these contests in the first place. I enjoyed the opportunity to meet new people, and Youmi always brought the most interesting, and might I add beautiful, guests. A shiver of expectation raced through me as I pictured the water nymph from the spring tournament. I smiled behind the cloak.

  The rain let up temporarily to give me the clarity of sight I needed to be aware that Youmi was beginning to make his move. A loud noise of rushing water could be heard over the storm’s roar. Past the breakers was a large area of the ocean that was being sucked away from the shoreline, and into an enormous hole. This was new to me and I watched in fascination, waiting to see what was going to come out of the crater. At the same time, I opened myself up to the power, letting more of it flow in. I was ready to provide a defense to whatever happened next.

  My eyes widened at the first glimpse of what I had to contend with as it began to emerge from the opening. It was a giant, fully ten stories tall, made entirely out of water. It was held together in an invisible framework of magic giving it human shape. As it moved forward, huge splashes of water sprayed off of it. I knew the thing had no thoughts of its own, being directed by Youmi to move toward land with slow determination. I quickly estimated its time of arrival and scanned the field.

  With each step the sea giant took, I could see water being sucked up from beneath it, leaving only wet rocks and sand in its wake. The earth was being exposed by the behemoth and a rush of excitement flooded me as I recognized Youmi’s error.

  The monster was almost to land. Youmi’s plan must be to crash the beast into me, and while I was fighting for my life, he’d somehow snag my globe from the tree pedestal.

  I laughed loud and clear for the water Watcher to hear and then I drew the earth’s power and released it into a hundred places on the exposed ocean floor. Each place the power hit, a small ape-like creature rose from the sand, rocks and seashells. With extreme concentration, I sent the creatures hurtling out to the water pedestal. I didn’t have much time. The air around me was dampening with every second that passed as the giant water beast drew ever closer to the cliff wall.

  At that point, Youmi saw my little earth beings, and he stalled the water monster. His indecision would cost him. My creatures were almost to the base of his pedestal, which was nearly free of water, with only tidal pools surrounding it.

  Youmi made a last ditch effort to avoid defeat by crashing his creature to the earth. It met the ground with a giant splash that sent a tidal wave into the side of the cliff. I had picked my location well, and although the spray soaked me, the main force of the wave smashed into the wall below.

  The earth trembled, but did not break.

  Water from the monster rushed back out to the ocean with amazing speed, pummeling towards the exposed pedestal, blanketing the ocean floor once again.

  With all my focus, as my creatures met the pedestal, I sent them climbing on top of each other to make a ladder. I only hoped that I’d created enough of the little sand beasts.

  The wall of water struck the pedestal just as the last creature hurled its body up and grasped the globe in its paws. But the force of the water was too much, and the pedestal cracked. It toppled into the ocean, bringing my creatures down into the churning foam.

  I had a backup plan, though, and had already put it into motion. When the rush of water hit the pedestal, it sent it first into the air, out of the protection of the water Watcher, and in the brief instant that the creature holding the globe was air borne, I entered an osprey flying above the melee. Taking the bird into a dive, I knew that there was little space above Youmi’s protective barrier. I had less than a few seconds to get there. The bird responded, and just before the creature and the globe dropped too low, I had it between the large bird’s talons. Lucky for me, my creation had left enough caked mud on the object that the bird was able to grip the globe at all. Even the best of us needed a little luck.

  We flew swiftly back toward the cliff, and Youmi’s rage could be heard over the crashing of the ocean. I couldn’t celebrate just yet, for I felt the bird losing its hold. Just as the globe broke loose and began plummeting to the earth,
I entered my body and jumped off the cliff, calling the earth to rise up to meet my fall. It did, and I ran with all my might to the globe that was rolling on the beach.

  Youmi sent the tide in, but I was closer. I dove and landed on the globe with a thud. Once I touched the globe, it was all over, and Youmi let go of the tide. The water went hurrying back to meet the ocean.

  I sat on the beach holding my prize in my lap with a huge grin on my face. I was wet, dirty and bruised, but I’d succeeded. I was incredibly pleased when the sickening feeling hit me, knocking me backwards into the sand.

  A Watcher had died.

  It was Ila. I felt the explosion of her earth and air powers as they left her body, and went back into the elements.

  It was always depressing to lose another one of us, for there were so few left. Melancholy washed over me, and I absently wondered if the water Watcher was suffering too.

  But then another feeling came trickling in, slowly at first and then sharper. The Watcher’s power wasn’t dispersing. It was flowing into another Watcher, a young woman, of amazing power.

  When the transfer was complete, a sudden premonition materialized in my mind. I smiled to myself knowing that I would not have to search out this Watcher.

  She was coming to me.

  I relished the spasm of anticipation that jolted me. The coming days would not be boring. On the contrary, they would be very stimulating, indeed.

  Revelation 12:7

  And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought…

  Table of Contents

  Acknowledgements

  Prologue

  Ember ~ One

  Ember ~ Two

  Ember ~ Three

  Ember ~ Four

  Ember ~ Five

  Ember ~ Six

  Ember ~ Seven

  Ember ~ Eight

  Ember ~ Nine

  Ember ~ Ten