by Bryan Davis
Acacia pointed at the elevator shaft. “The river overlook is on the mining level.”
“I’m going down,” Billy said.
Acacia grabbed the rope. “I’m with you all the way.”
He handed the lantern to Rebekah. “Keep an eye on Listener, okay? She can fill you in on what’s going on in Second Eden, and you can tell us about Shiloh when we get back.”
Rebekah nodded. “Will do.”
Acacia climbed down the rope and out of the lantern’s glow. Billy followed, glad once again he had kept his gloves on as the rope slid through his hands. Now in darkness, he listened for a signal from below, but only the sound of splashing water filled his ears. Finally, he felt a tug on his pants.
“Swing out here,” Acacia said.
Billy obeyed. A flash of light erupted in Acacia’s palm, a new fireball, shedding a bluish white glow all around.
“This way.” Acacia broke into a trot.
As Billy followed again, he watched Acacia’s lithe body glide along effortlessly. With white hair and petite frame, she seemed more like a phantom child than an ages-old oracle. He couldn’t help but admire her. With unfailing love and steadfast purpose, she seemed so … so perfect.
Soon, they turned through an archway to the right and stopped at a lake. They stood on a dark beach, a slab of solid rock. Acacia walked to the water’s edge and let the tiny waves lap over her feet.
“Does this lake have a name?” Billy asked.
She looked back at him, her brow bent with concern. “It’s not supposed to be a lake. This used to be an overlook, and the river of magma flowed way down below.”
Billy stooped and touched the water. “It’s warm. Real warm.”
“Can you tell if it’s still rising?” She held her ball of flame higher.
Squinting, he scanned the shoreline. By fractions of an inch the water crept higher. “Nothing to make us run out of here, but it’s gradually moving up.”
Acacia bent over and squinted. “Do you see something sparkling over there?”
“Yeah.” He stepped to the water’s edge and picked up a string of beads from the shallows. As he drew the string close to his eyes, they reflected Acacia’s fire in an array of rainbow colors.
“A necklace?” she asked.
Billy had to swallow hard before he could speak. “It’s Bonnie’s.”
Acacia touched the necklace. Her voice fell to a whisper. “That doesn’t mean they didn’t get away, you know.”
“I know, but she wouldn’t have taken it off and laid it here. It’s not broken. Something must’ve pulled it over her head.”
Billy stared at the water. A rushing flood could have easily done the job. If Bonnie had been caught in a sudden rush, it might have taken her away in the flow and stripped the necklace off.
Cupping his hands around his mouth, he shouted, “Bonnie! Can you hear me?”
A distant echo replied. Hear me. Hear me.
Acacia joined in. “Sapphira!”
Sapphira. Sapphira.
A wave of cold chilled Billy’s skin and penetrated his heart. His legs trembled, and his arms fell limp. Again, he had to swallow through his tightening throat. “Do you think they drowned?”
Acacia sat down. Now an inch of water covered what had recently been a stony beach. She pulled Billy down to join her. “Rest for a minute, and we’ll talk.”
As he lowered himself to a sitting position, the warm water soaked his pants. It felt soothing, like soaking in a luxurious bath. He pulled his sword belt around to keep Excalibur out of the rising lake.
Acacia blew out her fireball and took his hand. All was dark. Only the sound of running water and the gentle lapping of waves against his body gave a hint that anything existed at all.
Still hot from the flames, her skin radiated warmth into his. “Billy, I have been alive for thousands of years. I have seen toil, torture, and cruelty more times than I could ever count. I was even thrown over this very precipice, and I plunged into a river of magma.
“As I fell, complete despair washed over me. Although I was a slave girl, I still had hopes and dreams. Sapphira and I used to read about the upper lands and daydream about going there someday. We would draw pictures of us dancing together under that strange light the people up there called the sun. ‘Can you imagine?’ we would ask. ‘How could a ball of fire hang in an endless sky?’”
She compressed his hand. Her touch felt comforting, soothing.
“Billy,” she continued in a lamenting tone, “we had never seen the sky. To us it was a fantasy that someone invented in a storybook. We wanted to believe it. Oh, Billy, we wanted to believe it so badly we would talk about it for hours on end. But when I was falling toward the magma, I remember thinking that I would never see it. There must be no sky, no sun, no upper lands at all. These mines are all there is, and I’m just a slave girl, forsaken and lost. And nobody cares.”
Billy felt a tear trickle down his cheek, but he didn’t bother to brush it away. “That …” He cleared his throat, trying to steady his voice. “That must’ve been awful.”
“Worse than awful. But I think you know how it feels. You lost Bonnie once before. You carried her dead body through the seventh circle of Hades. It doesn’t get much worse.”
“I can’t argue with that. That was the lowest I ever felt.” Finally wiping the tear, he added, “But it turned out all right.”
“That’s what I’m trying to say. You have a prophecy that says you’ll get married. You have to hang on to that.”
“Well, that’s how we interpreted it. We’re not completely sure. Maybe our union won’t happen till we get to Heaven.”
“Prophecies are often like that. Sometimes they have spiritual fulfillments.” She pulled his hand up to her lips and kissed his knuckles. “I trust that yours will come to pass with a physical kiss.”
Warmth again radiated through his body. It was a good warmth, a holy warmth. This girl was as pure as an angel.
Again steadying his voice, he said, “I hope so.”
She let go of his hand. “Sapphira and I are also the subjects of prophecy. I believe she is destined to wed Elam, son of Shem.” With a sudden burst of energy, she clapped her hands. “Oh, that will be a glorious day! She has longed for that day for centuries!”
“What about you?” Billy asked. “Is there a husband in your future?”
Her voice lowered to a whisper. “My lot has always been to serve others. I cannot hope for the blessings of a journey beyond maidenhood, or the adventure a husband and children would bring. I believe I will not see the end of suffering before I pass on to the next world.”
“But you’ve already suffered so much. Doesn’t it make sense that God would allow you to have a little bit of joy before you die?”
“Why should we assume this, Billy? To serve is to live. To suffer is to serve better. Why should I hope for more? If God is pleased with my humble efforts, then I am fulfilled. There is nothing else.”
Billy shook his head. “It just doesn’t seem right. No one has suffered more than you have.”
“Not so, Billy.” A tiny fireball, no bigger than a dime, formed in Acacia’s hand, illuminating her lovely face. “No one has suffered more than Sapphira. No one, save our Lord Christ. And when she takes Elam’s hand in marriage, her journey of loneliness will finally come to an end.”
Billy gazed into her sparkling eyes, so rich, so filled with mystery. They were pools too deep to fathom, yet he longed to dive in, to gain the ages-old wisdom this fairylike maid had to offer. “You said you were the subject of prophecy, too.”
“Just a hint, really.” Her brow lifted. “Shall I sing it for you?”
“Please do.”
Her eyelids lowered, hiding the deep pools. As she touched the water with a fingertip, her ivory throat vibrated, and a beautiful voice trilled from her pursed lips, seeming to blend with the sound of running water.
Sapphira bends, but will she break?
Depends
on Elam’s safe return.
For if he fails to bring the ark,
Her life is chaff and soon will burn.
She set the little fireball between herself and Billy. “What do you think?”
Locking on her gaze, he played the words over in his mind, but the song was so cryptic it didn’t make much sense. “I … uh … I didn’t hear your name mentioned.”
“I am the ark,” she said, pointing at herself. “That’s why God made sure I was named Acacia. The ark of the covenant was made of acacia wood, and just as it carried the word of God, I brought Paili to Second Eden to bring a word from God.”
“So what does the song mean?”
“Elam asked Enoch about it, but, as prophets sometimes do, he avoided answering. So Elam thinks he has to bring me back to Earth for some reason. Since he’s from Earth, it makes sense that a return would be to Earth, and if he doesn’t do it, Sapphira’s life will burn like chaff.”
“Sapphira’s life? I thought it meant the ark’s life.”
“The ark’s life?” Acacia lowered her gaze. Her lips moved, as if replaying the words in silence. Finally, she looked at him again. “I see what you mean.”
Billy tried to read her expression. She seemed puzzled. She had believed an interpretation of a prophecy that had been guiding her thoughts and motivations, hoping somehow to be used by Elam to save Sapphira’s life, but now that interpretation crumbled, leaving her without a foundation.
“Well,” he said, trying to build her up again with a livelier voice, “one thing I’ve learned about prophecies is that sometimes you just have to wait and see what happens. No sense in banging our heads against the wall trying to figure them out.”
“I suppose that’s true.” As a tear traced down Acacia’s cheek, her voice trembled. “Will you pray for me?”
He took her hand in both of his. “Of course. What do you want me to pray about?”
“That God will give me the courage to do what I have to do.”
He rubbed his thumb across her knuckles. “What do you have to do?”
“I cannot tell you. I think I know the prophecy’s meaning. Your question has brought it to light.”
“My question? How?”
“Please.” Tears dripped to her lap as she squeaked, “Please don’t ask me again.”
“Okay. I won’t.” As he looked at her, wave after wave of emotion crashed over him. This great prophetess, packaged in a diminutive body, was breaking his heart. She had asked him to pray, but how could he? Praying with Ashley hadn’t been so hard; she was a friend, a fellow Earthling. But Acacia? She was a thousands-of-years-old Oracle, an otherworldly creature that transcended understanding and even mortality, almost like an angel. And how should a regular guy pray for an angel?
Finally, he decided. The best prayer would be a short one, straight from the heart.
Caressing her knuckles again, he looked into the darkness above and spoke clearly. “Father, you have watched your faithful servant Acacia for thousands of years. No one needs to remind you of what a brave, noble, and sacrificial person she is. She has served you faithfully in Hades, on Earth, and in Second Eden. Now, after listening to your voice from three different worlds, she believes she knows how she’s supposed to fulfill a prophecy, and the thought of it makes her heart quake. Please let her know if she’s right or wrong. Help her to clearly see the next step she should take. And I ask that she not become chaff to be burned, because …” His throat tightened, pitching his voice higher. “Because we would … I would miss her terribly.”
After swallowing, he breathed a quiet “Amen.”
Acacia leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you, warrior, for lifting your sword for me.” Her whisper was weak, yet it carried a hint of relief, as if a burden had been lifted from her shoulders.
“It’s an honor.” He forced a tone of resolve into his voice. “Let’s get back to the others. They’ll be worried about us.”
“Okay.”
Still holding her hand, he rose to his feet and helped her up. “Before the night is over, we should have three new dragons in our army, Legossi, Firedda, and Makaidos.”
She took the necklace from Billy and, using her non-fiery hand, pushed it over his head. “And who knows?” she said, touching one of the beads now dangling just below his throat. “Maybe a certain dragon girl will show up, too.”
Chapter 12
Sand in the Hourglass
Bonnie pushed her shoulder under her father’s arm on one side while Sapphira helped from the other. He seemed groggy. Although he stood well enough, his weight sagged their shoulders a bit. Since his eyes wandered, he probably hadn’t fully recovered his wits.
Bonnie looked at the girl who had rescued him. Although flames created a fiery aura all around her body, her face shone through, peaceful, joyous. Bonnie nodded toward the hourglass sitting on the ground. “Will you get that for me?”
The girl glanced at it. Now only a fifth of the sand remained in the top half. “I see no reason for carrying a time-keeping device,” she said. “If watching it would increase your speed, then your passion for completing your task is based on a wisp, an illusory figment called time, something you can neither capture nor contain. And time is a wicked taskmaster.”
Bonnie narrowed her eyes at the girl. Blond, lithe, and beautiful, she seemed far calmer than the situation demanded. “Look,” Bonnie said, trying to keep her voice steady, “if we don’t get to the resurrection chamber before the sand runs out, it will be too late. Abaddon said so.”
“That is easily solved.” The girl knelt and pried the top off the hourglass. Then, looking up at Bonnie and Sapphira with a coy grin, scooped a handful of sand and poured it into the top half. “There,” she said, pushing the top back in place. “The sand will not run out soon.”
Heat surged into Bonnie’s ears. What was wrong with this girl? She didn’t appear to be a simpleton. But what could they do now? Their way of telling time was ruined.
The girl stood and, flashing a bright smile, showed Bonnie the hourglass. “Do not be dismayed. In this realm, solutions to problems are not what you would expect. My action was a prayer for more time, and if it had not been granted by our Lord, I would not have been able to do it.” She set the hourglass in front of Bonnie’s feet. “Go in peace, Bonnie Silver. You have proven your faith while inside the candlestone, and you will be tested even more severely in coming days. Yet, you are precious in God’s sight, so the sands of your hourglass will not run out before the purposes of God are fulfilled.”
Bonnie squinted at her. Not only did this girl rescue her father and apparently buy them more time, she seemed to know everything about her. “Who are you?”
The girl curtsied. “You may call me The Maid.”
“Thank you … uh … The Maid.” Bonnie tried not to frown. Calling her that name was clumsy, to say the least. “I appreciate your help in rescuing my father, but if you knew who I was, why did you ask earlier?”
“Revelation comes to me in strange ways.” As she tilted her head slightly upward, her fiery hair swayed at her waist. “If you stay here long enough, you will learn.”
Sapphira grunted under the increasing weight of their load. “Do you have a litter or something we can transport him on?”
“Perhaps.” The Maid hurried back to the boulder and picked up her shield. She laid it on the ground and waited at a distance while Bonnie and Sapphira lowered Bonnie’s father to a sitting position on it. Laying a gentle hand on his head, Bonnie looked into his eyes. “Can you sit here okay, Daddy?”
His head still wavering, he whispered, “Yes, I think so.”
The Maid spread out her arms. The flames made a whooshing sound as she moved. “Remember, he must surrender to Abaddon willingly, for only the dragon can prepare him for the journey that lies ahead.”
Bonnie nodded. “I understand, but how will we find Abaddon?”
“I do not know.” Smiling, she touched the base of the hourglass w
ith her toe. “Remember the lesson of the sand, and let wisdom guide you.”
“I see.” Bonnie studied the shield. There was no rope to pull it, and no way to tie a rope to the shield even if she had one. She could try to fly while holding him, like she did with Billy and a few others, but her father was taller and more muscular, probably too heavy. There seemed to be only one option. “If we push him, your shield will slide easily on the ground, correct?”
“Oh, yes, Bonnie. You really do understand, don’t you?”
“And once we get back to the river,” Bonnie continued, “the shield will float, even under my father’s weight.”
The Maid clapped her hands. “Excellent! I had not even thought of that.”
Smiling, Bonnie locked gazes with The Maid. Sincerity poured forth from her youthful face, along with a blend of complete confidence and deep faith. This was a girl after her own heart, yet The Maid’s exuberance wasn’t as contagious as her confidence.
Bonnie sighed. “It doesn’t work that way in our world, at least not all the time.”
“Sadly, no.” The Maid drew close and hovered her flaming hand over Bonnie’s cheek. Warmth flowed over her skin. “Enjoy it while you are here. There will come a day when every desire of your heart will be granted without even a prayer, for you will be in the Messiah’s presence, and his light will fill the temple.”
“Does that mean Sapphira and I can leave this place just by wanting to?”
The Maid laughed again. “Oh, that prayer won’t be so easy to act out. It is not the same as pouring sand in an hourglass or sliding a shield. If it were, I would have departed long ago. Still, I am content to stay and serve in whatever way I can. Abaddon and I have a working relationship you might call …” She rolled her eyes upward, searching for a word. “Tolerable, I suppose. Since I work for him, I thought he might stop trying to turn me into a statue.”
“How did you keep from changing into one?” Sapphira asked.
