by Wendy Owens
“I’m so sorry. I should have been there that night,” Gabe moaned.
“And if you had, perhaps you would be dead, as well.” Uri cautioned Gabe’s wishful thinking. “After we escaped, it was actually Michael who insisted we leave you alone. He thought you were safer at that point without us. I guess he was right.”
“So, what happened to everyone else?” Gabe asked.
“The Guardians were pretty much scattered all over the Earth. Some in safe houses, others fled to the remaining Guardian training facilities. Haim has not left my side since all this began. We’re pretty much on the front lines out there and somehow that man never lets me down. He’s like a machine. Dina went with Sophie that first night to Iron Gate, where she remains with her.”
“And Raimie?” Gabe inquired.
Uri looked down, sitting in silence.
“Uri? What about Raimie?” Gabe asked again.
Unable to speak the words, Uri simply shook his head no.
“What happened?” Gabe gasped.
“He never made it out of Rampart, not really.”
“Oh, God,” Gabe struggled to catch his breath. “What about Dina? She couldn’t have taken it well.”
“She doesn’t talk about it. You know how Dina is. She’s the head potions mistress now at Iron Gate, youngest ever. When it comes to Dina these days, she’s all business, I suppose,” Uri said, not interested in explaining the horror that was Raimie’s end. Uri made up his mind long ago that Raimie died in that explosion, that creature that was in his body and killed that girl was not his friend.
“I can’t believe he’s gone,” Gabe mumbled.
“I know, sometimes it’s like he’s going to show up and head out on a mission with Haim and I. Still hard to believe,” Uri continued, telling Gabe all about the constant war and battling that had broken out between the Guardians and the demon world. He explained how Michael had been given a seat on the council and he had a vote in every decision that was brought before them, but he still remained a heavy influence in the war on the ground. When the two finished discussing their old mentor, Gabe sat calmly.
“So, why are you here then, if not to bring me back to Rampart?” Gabe asked.
“Well …” Uri gave Gabe a stare as if to size him up. “Do you remember the prophecy?”
“Oh, please, man. Don’t tell me you came all the way here to waste my time with that nonsense,” Gabe groaned.
“Gabe, we found her,” Uri simply stated.
“Wait … the prophet is a girl?” Gabe gasped in disbelief.
“No, we found the girl that’s going to be the mother of the prophet,” Uri explained.
“Hang on a second, I’m confused. She’s pregnant?” Gabe questioned.
“Well, not exactly.”
“How can you not exactly be pregnant?” Gabe asked.
“She’s going to get pregnant and the child she has will be the prophet,” Uri tried to explain, realizing he wasn’t shedding any light on the situation.
“Do you know how crazy you sound?” Gabe growled.
“No, now hear me out. When Rampart was destroyed, they captured the oracle. All these years we assumed she had been killed during the attack, but Haim and I picked up on some intel that they had been using her for information,” Uri elaborated.
“Why does it not surprise me that she has been giving information to the enemy?” Gabe snarled.
“That’s not fair, Gabe. She has been their prisoner all this time. We have no idea what they have put her through,” Uri pleaded.
“I suppose,” Gabe conceded. “So what did she share?”
“That’s how we found out about the girl. The demons had already located her and they were heading in for the kill. We managed to grab her and run just before they arrived. Needless to say, she has been struggling with all of it. Unfortunately, we did have a couple of demon run-ins that forced her to understand all too quickly what kind of war she’s in the middle of. It’s been a long road just to get here.”
“And what does this have to do with me?”
“Well, I just thought …” Uri stammered, surprised by Gabe’s reaction. “With us finding her and the prophecy, I just thought this would change things.”
“You must have forgotten one part of that prophecy. If this girl’s baby lives, I die. That means you just thought you would come back here and I would be happy to march off to my death. I may not be afraid to die, Uri, but that doesn’t mean I want to!”
“Well, no, it isn’t like that,” Uri insisted.
“Then what is it like?”
“We’ve tried everything to hide her, but they always seem to find us. I was running out of options. I just thought with the prophecy you would … I don’t know, somehow know what to do.”
“I’m not a Guardian anymore, Uri, I left that life.”
“You’re right, I’m sorry— I’ll go and tell her,” Uri said, standing and walking to the door.
“Wait! What? Did you bring her here?” Gabe asked, infuriated.
“Yeah, I’m sorry. I didn’t think it would be a problem.”
“Well, it is! She needs to go. You both do.”
“I’m sorry, we’ll go,” Uri said, bowing his head and opening the front door.
Uri was surprised that when he opened the door, Rachel was standing directly in front of him. It was clear she had been listening to their conversation.
“Hello …” she whispered, looking over Uri’s shoulder at the stranger. “I’m Rachel.”
Uri said nothing as he watched his friend fidget for a moment, at last speaking, “Hi, Rachel, I’m Gabe. Why don’t you two come in and rest for the night.”
With those words, Uri was certain their lives would change forever.
8 months after Gabe meets Rachel...
The closer the creature came to them, the more the overwhelming smell made Rachel feel like she was going to vomit. She couldn’t imagine how the boys were possibly tolerating the odor. She slipped her hand up over her mouth, her gag reflex overwhelming her.
Gabe lifted a finger to his lips, quieting her.
The earth beneath them shook as the creature passed by. Rachel peeked out from their hiding spot, watching as it moved out of the vicinity. She wasn’t sure if it was the demon that reeked or the beast it rode upon. She had seen similar demons with the dark leathery skin and fangs, but its mount was something quite different.
It was the size of an elephant with long matted hair covering it’s entire body except where its face was. The face was wide and smashed, almost flat except for its oversized eyelids that stuck out along with its puffy lips. As it moved with sloth-like rhythm, it licked its lips, a long trail of saliva dripping from its mouth. Yes, she was certain now, the smell was definitely coming from the steed.
Rachel leaned forward, trying to get a better look, and as she did a twig snapped beneath her foot, echoing through the trees. Gabe’s heart stopped for a moment; he pulled his wife close, wrapping his arms around her.
The great beast paused and turned, the demon peering around, searching their surroundings for the source of the noise. Uri wrapped his fingers around the grip of his sword, prepared to unsheathe its fury. Reaching out with one hand, Gabe grabbed his arm, shaking his head no.
“Wait,” he mouthed silently.
The beast took a couple cumbersome steps towards them and then paused. From their hiding spot Uri could see the demon sniffing the air, attempting to catch a trace of their scent. Closing his eyes, Uri stood silently, concentrating fully on casting a wind spell. A moment later a breeze blew all around them and their smell was carried away with it.
Satisfied he hadn’t missed anything, the demon turned, and made its way to the east. Once there was sufficient distance between the monsters and them, Gabe released his wife from his grasp.
“Smooth Rachel, are you trying to get us killed?” Uri barked.
“Back off man, she didn’t mean anything by it,” Gabe defended, looking over at his
wife to ensure the comment hadn’t caused her too much distress.
Rachel didn’t hear the discussion happening around her, all she could hear was the deafening pulsing of blood that filled her head. The forest began to spin as she fell to her knees, heaving air wildly.
“She’s gonna pop,” Uri declared.
“Babe, are you all right?” Gabe asked, running his fingertips across her back.
Rachel began to sweat, a feeling of disorientation consuming her, until at last her body forcibly relieved itself of all of her stomach’s contents.
“Oh my God. She did, disgusting,” Uri groaned, covering his nose to avoid the smell.
“Will you shut up already!” Gabe snapped, glaring up at his friend.
“Rachel, please, say something. Are you all right?” Gabe asked again.
The world around her came back, flooding her senses in an instant. She wiped the corner of her mouth and with Gabe’s assistance stood to her feet.
“Yeah, sorry, I haven’t been feeling well,” Rachel explained.
“Sure, that’s what happened,” Uri remarked sarcastically.
“Will you give it a rest?” Gabe said, his anger starting to bubble over.
“I’m sorry, I know it’s not your fault Rachel. I guess I’m just frustrated the Alicorns dropped us off days from Iron Gate,” Uri offered in an attempt to excuse his behavior.
Haim leaned forward, adding his thoughts, “They said things were too hot around Iron Gate. I’m sure they were just trying to be cautious.”
“Yeah, I’m not an idiot, I get that,” Uri snarled. “Doesn’t mean I like it.”
“Seriously? Cool it already. We’re almost there. A half a days walk at most,” Gabe instructed. “A night in a real bed will do all of us a lot of good.”
Pushing past the group Uri began leading the way. Haim followed, but paused when Gabe grabbed his arm. “Do you know what’s going on with him?” Gabe whispered.
Haim looked up at Uri and then back to Gabe before replying, “It’s different all the time with him.” Haim knew his friend had been testy ever since a lead on Seraphine’s location had not panned out as he had hoped. He wasn’t about to share that information with Gabe though, Uri made it quite clear he didn’t want anyone knowing about her.
Gabe sighed, “If you had to guess?”
Thinking quickly of an answer that would satisfy him, Haim said, “I think he’s worried about what Michael’s going to say.”
“About what?” Gabe inquired, pushing for more.
“Who knows, you know how Uri is, he gets something in his head and that’s it. Maybe because he took you to see Mirada,” Haim replied.
It quickly became evident that Rachel had been listening in when she chimed, “He only did that because we made him.”
Haim shrugged. “You told me to guess.”
“Maybe you should talk to him,” Rachel suggested looking at her husband.
Gabe watched Uri move further away from the group, cautiously searching around each tree as he swiped at random harmless plants with his blade. It was obvious something was eating him. “Maybe later,” Gabe said with a sigh. Even though Uri wasn’t the most pleasant to be around at the moment, he was a killing machine when he was in this kind of mood and that was the perfect thing to ensure they arrived home safely.
Coming back to Iron Gate had been a complete shock for everyone. They hadn’t been gone terribly long, but the once bustling and vibrant estate had been transformed into a place none of them recognized. Most of the faces they passed were strangers, the look in their eyes one of desperation. The streets and common areas had been turned into makeshift housing units with narrow rows of dilapidated shanties lining them. The entire place now felt heavy with desperation and decay.
When they greeted Michael, he did his best to try and mask the worry, but it was evident to them all how much of a toll the growing threat was taking on him.
“Come, sit, tell me everything that happened,” Michael requested, gesturing to the group of four. Gabe and Rachel sat at one end of the couch, Gabe wrapping his arm around his wife’s shoulders. Uri and Haim slid into the opposite high back chairs. They all watched Michael as he crossed over in front of them, perching one arm on the fireplace mantel.
“Well?” he prodded.
The idea of telling Michael they had spoken to Mirada made Gabe anxious after the conversation he had with Haim. Would Michael, in fact, be infuriated that they had approached his long lost love for answers? He waited for one of the others in the group to speak first, but nobody did, instead the entire room looked to him.
With a deep breath, he new it was time to enlighten their leader as to what they had learned. “Things are changing fast out there.”
“I know, we were just starting to find homes for all the refugees when an entire new group came in. Now we’re taking in humans, as well,” Michael explained.
“Isn’t that against the rules? I mean blurring the line between humans and Guardians like that,” Gabe questioned, glad to avoid the topic of Mirada a little longer.
“The curtain was pulled back, there’s no reason to pretend we don’t exist anymore,” Michael explained.
“They’re everywhere. Luxom was full of mercenaries, Wintoks, Braymars, Krinams walking around out in the open, like it was nothing,” Uri remarked.
“There’s no mistaking, the final war has begun,” Michael spoke softly as he revealed what everyone else already knew.
“So what are we supposed to do?” Haim inquired.
Michael looked at each one of his once students and then to Rachel. They all waited for his wisdom, the growing silence making them increasingly uncomfortable. “All we can do is protect her now.”
Rachel looked to Gabe; she wanted to disappear. The way the room was staring at her. You could see it in all their eyes. Even though they were fighting to save her, to save their friend, their faces revealed they feared they might not be able to help them.
“Why would you bring her back here?” Michael asked, glancing at Gabe.
“We didn’t know where else to go,” Gabe defended. “We tried running, but everywhere we went was infested with demons.”
Michael did not relent on his stance, “this place wasn’t safe for her before and it’s certainly not safe for her now. Going underground is your only option. You can gain a couple weeks rest here, but then you should probably leave again.”
“No, it’s not our only option,” Gabe argued.
“You’re not ready to fight Baal; it would be suicide. Then who would protect Rachel?” Michael demanded.
Rachel shifted in her seat uncomfortably. It was becoming increasingly annoying, the way they spoke about her as if she weren’t there.
“You’re right, if I went to go fight Baal right now, he’d kill me, and I have no desire for that to happen. But there’s a way we might be able to defeat him,” Gabe began.
Michael shook his head, “not one I or any of the elders can see. Do you have new information?”
“Have you heard of ‘the Guardians’ crown’?” Gabe watched Michael’s face, waiting for a sign of recognition, which he received instantly as his mentor’s eyes widened.
“It’s a myth,” Michael brushed off.
“No, I think it’s real. Do you know what it is?” Gabe questioned.
Michael turned and walked around the seating area, crossing the room, and securing the cracked door. As he returned to the group, Gabe could feel his heart quickening in pace as Rachel squeezed his hand tightly. “It’s a legend, but I don’t think there’s any truth to it.”
“Fine, then it won’t hurt for you to tell us the story then,” Uri prompted, intrigued by the secrecy.
“It appears you already know the story,” Michael’s response was flat.
“Only bits and pieces,” Haim chimed in, before falling silent again.
Michael peered around the room, as if to one last time ensure that they were alone. Stepping closer, he lowered his voice,
“It’s said there exists a massive weapon, a tool with which a circle of Guardians might have the ability to send even the mightiest of Hell’s princes back to their fiery world.”
“And you never told us this because …?” Gabe asked, raising his eyebrows, never taking his eyes off of Michael.
“Because it’s just a story Gabe. Don’t you think if it actually existed, it would have been discovered by now?” Michael rebutted.
“Well there are obviously some who still think it’s real.” As soon as the words left Gabe’s lips he wished he hadn’t said them. There was no way Michael was going to simply let that statement go.
“Some like who?” Michael pushed.
Gabe looked over at Uri, hoping he would take the lead in the conversation, but from the way he avoided eye contact, Gabe knew he was. Somehow though, he couldn’t think of the words to say.
Michael took a step closer to Gabe, “where did you hear about ‘the Guardians crown’?”
Gabe looked away from him; he didn’t want Michael to see him avoiding the truth, “I don’t remember, and it doesn’t matter. If there’s a chance there’s a weapon out there that can defeat Baal, shouldn’t we at least try to find it?”
“Who told you about it, Gabe?” Michael asked pointedly.
“Just tell him,” Uri muttered.
Gabe peered into his mentor’s eyes, a desperate look on his face. With a sigh he confirmed the person Michael feared it would be, “Mirada.”
With swift movement Michael made his way to stand directly in front of Uri; swooping in close, he place a hand on either arm of the chair, only inches from his face. “You took him there? You took all of them there? How could you put her in that kind of danger?”
Gabe had never heard so much anger in Michael’s voice.
“We’re all in danger here,” Gabe pointed out, but it was clear this conversation was solely between Uri and Michael.
Uri pushed himself uncomfortably back in his seat, “I wouldn’t have done it unless I thought we had to.”
“You didn’t have to. You chose to,” Michael snapped, spinning around and beginning to pace in front of them.
