by Wendy Owens
“Uri?” Sophie whispered, cautiously stepping through the opening. In a moment, she was gone, disappeared into the unknown.
Haim looked to Gabe, confused and seeking guidance from him. Gabe didn’t look back, though, instead he stared silently at the opening. The unknown hadn’t frightened him before, not like this. Now, with Rachel by his side, the unknown gave him a whole new sense of terror. He knew he had to make a decision; he needed to do something.
“Are you guys coming or not?” Uri asked, poking his head out from the opening.
“I’m gonna kill you!” Gabe snarled, lowering his sword and gripping Rachel’s, they walked through the archway.
Rachel felt her chest start to ache, in complete awe of the beauty she saw around her. In front of them was a large stone cavern, the ceiling domed and smooth. It almost appeared as if it was wet, and she suddenly wished she could float up and touch it.
Dancing across the dome were greens, blues, whites, purples, all the colors she never imagined could naturally exist. “It’s beautiful,” she gasped
Gabe walked the perimeter, examining the small pools of water that were in a circle around the outside of the cave. “It looks like the lights are coming from these.”
“What’s in them?” Haim asked, cautiously keeping his distance.
Gabe moved forward, peering into one. “I don’t know, some sort of liquid. God, look at all the colors.”
Rachel walked to the one closest to her, “That’s odd, I wonder why it doesn’t show our reflections.”
“It does,” Gabe argued, looking into the pool in front of him.
“No it doesn’t,” Rachel insisted, shifting from side to side.
Sophie walked up to a different well and peering in she said, “Rachel, it shows my reflection. Maybe you’re just not looking at it right.”
“Me too,” Uri said from across the cave, looking into a different glowing pool of liquid.
“I’m serious, this one doesn’t reflect,” Rachel replied.
Walking around, behind his wife, Gabe peered over her shoulder. Much to his amazement, his reflection looked back at him, but there was no sign of hers, though she was standing right next to him.
“I don’t understand,” Rachel gasped. “What does that mean?”
“Maybe it’s another riddle of some kind,” Sophie suggested.
“Perhaps they only reflect supernatural beings,” Uri interjected.
“That’s not why she can’t see herself!” a voice called out from the opening behind them. Uri’s face shifted into one of complete shock. He instantly recognized the voice.
“Sera …” her name slipped from his lips, but he knew it was her before he even turned around.
“It’s been a long time,” she said softly, her eyes fixated on the back of Uri’s head.
He felt a rush of adrenaline flood over him, he had been looking for her for so long, and now, without warning, here she was. With a deep breath, Uri turned around. As soon as his eyes found her, he wanted to rush over and sweep her up into an embrace, never letting her go. But he was caught in that awkward place of knowing he cared deeply for Sera, perhaps even loved her, but he was unsure how she felt about him, she had, after all, been the one to leave.
Uri’s eyes grew wide as he stared at her, he didn’t know what he was searching for, perhaps an indication she felt some sort of remorse about how she left, or maybe a glimpse of a smile that would show she missed him, too.
“Who is this, Uri?” Gabe asked.
Uri shook his head, trying to focus on Gabe’s question. He hadn’t thought about the fact that Gabe and Rachel had never met Seraphine. Gabe had been away, in hiding, when Sera came into Uri’s life.
Realizing Uri was having trouble saying her name again, Haim interjected, “Her name is Seraphine, she saved Uri’s life once.”
Uri didn’t care that Gabe didn’t know her. As soon as Haim spoke, he decided he didn’t care about anything but getting answers. Without any further hesitation he rushed across the cavern, coming to stand directly in front of Sera. When he looked at her, up close, he saw something; there was a sadness in her eyes.
“Why did you leave?” Uri asked, wanting to instead ask more specifically … why did you leave me?
Sera looked down at the ground and then back at Uri, her eyebrows lifted and with a sorrowful stare explained, “Uri, I’m a keeper, and I failed.”
He waited for more, but she stood silent. He could hear Sophie and Gabe talking behind them, but their words made no sense in the moment. All he could see, think about, or hear was Seraphine. He had searched for so long, and here she was.
“What does that mean? How did you fail?” he pleaded.
Sera looked around at the group, explaining her actions to everyone now. “I have known all of you for a good part of your lives, though you have not known me. I watch from afar, always there, in the distance, as a protector.”
“Wait, what? Protector of what?” Sophie asked, confused by the revelation.
“My job was only to interfere if it looked as though your lives were at risk,” Sera continued.
“Why would you do that?” Gabe asked.
Sera looked at Uri, whose mouth was hung open, staring at her in disbelief. Everything he thought he knew about her, or even things he had convinced himself of, seemed to be coming undone with each additional word she spoke.
“I have no memory before I came to be a keeper. I woke up here, with my master, who taught me my job, and then was gone one day. There was a weapon I was to guard.” Sera continued.
“The Guardians crown?” Rachel asked, hopeful.
Sera nodded.
“Where is it?” Gabe demanded.
“That’s what I’m trying to explain, I was supposed to protect it and I failed,” Sera’s voice quivered as she spoke.
“Wait, I thought you were protecting us? You also were protecting the crown?” Sophie inquired.
“You are the crown,” Sera answered plainly.
“What? You’re making no sense,” Gabe huffed in frustration.
“These six pools were designed to harness the energy of a very special circle of Guardians, all together they are referred to as the Guardians crown. When all 6 points of the crown are activated, your magic can be focused into immeasurable strength,” Sera weaved the story of the group’s destiny.
“I don’t understand, then why can’t we still use it?” Haim asked.
Sera didn’t answer. Uri looked to the pools then back at Sera. “Because Raimie’s dead,” he said, everything suddenly becoming clear. “After Raimie died, there was nothing else you could do. For the magic to work you needed Dina, Gabe, Haim, Sophie, Raimie, and myself. I’m right, aren’t I?”
Sera nodded. “I’m sorry I let you all down.”
“So wait, there’s nothing we can do? Can’t another Guardian stand in for him?” Gabe’s voice was suddenly panic stricken.
“I’m afraid not, the six of you were linked, a circle like this might never exist again,” Sera answered.
“Then why? Why leave me like that? A note? I thought you cared about me,” Uri’s raw feelings came bubbling to the surface, shocking his friends into silence.
Sera approached him, reaching out her hands and grasping Uri’s fingertips.
“It had nothing to do with how much I cared or didn’t care about you. My mission was to protect all six of you. After I failed at that, the least I could do was come back here and protect the secret,” Sera said.
“Protecting a secret was more important than what was happening between us?” Uri was now shouting, not caring who witnessed their intimate conversation.
“If the demons discovered there was no longer an ultimate weapon that could destroy them, what would they have to be afraid of?” Sera explained, running her hand back and forth against Uri’s flesh. His pain made him want to look away from her, but he had longed to see her face again since they had parted. He could not bring himself to shift his gaze.
“Us? My sweet Uri, I did enjoy our time together, but I think in my absence you may have built up what we had to be much grander than what it was,” Sera replied.
“I see,” Uri whispered. It felt like he had been punched squarely in the chest, fighting for every breath after he heard her words.
“I’m not saying I couldn’t have loved you, just that …” Sera began before being interrupted.
“I understand what you’re saying, and I’ve heard enough. You don’t have to say anything else.” Uri pulled his hands away and turned, walking towards Gabe and Rachel. He couldn’t make eye contact with them, he already knew their look would be one of pity, and that wasn’t something he could handle right now.
“Uri, please,” Sera pleaded, moving forward. But her attempt to explain her actions was interrupted by a noise outside the cavern.
Without a word, Haim darted down the corridor to investigate, quickly returning to report his findings. “We have company, the human, he’s across the divide with more Wintoks and they’ve got a tracker with them.”
“With a tracker it won’t take them long to get across that,” Sophie remarked. “We have to get out of here. Sera, is there another way?”
“Let’s just transport,” Uri called out.
“Your magic won’t work here,” Sera replied.
“Then what?” Sophie yelled, hearing the noises from outside the cavern growing louder.
“There is a way, I have a potion you can drink. It will allow you to move through the mountain side,” Sera suggested.
“What? A dimensional potion? I’ve never actually seen one of those work,” Sophie said, furrowing her brow in disbelief.
“Yes, keepers use them a lot to go undetected.” Sera added.
“Wait, what’s a dimensional potion?” Rachel asked.
“It temporarily changes your molecular make up, allowing you to shift into another dimension. Basically, you can walk through walls,” Sophie answered, remembering learning about the potion in school. “But it’s extremely hard to brew and few have done it successfully.
“I assure you, the stock I have works, I’ve used it myself,” Sera said.
“What about humans? Will it work on Rachel?” Gabe questioned, grabbing hold of his wife’s hand.
“It should, the science behind it is predicated on our genetic structure, which is essentially human,” Sera explained.
Rachel watched as the others quickly downed their portion of the potion. Sera handed her a vile, and moved on to the next person. Rachel hesitated, unsure what to do. She was no longer drinking something that would only affect her. She considered the life of her unborn child. In that moment she decided, she could no longer remain silent.
“What if you’re pregnant?” Rachel asked, staring at Sera, purposely avoiding eye contact with her husband.
“Excuse me?” Sera questioned, looking at Rachel.
“If you’re pregnant, will this hurt the baby?” Rachel asked again. She could feel Gabe’s eyes fixated upon her.
“I … it … I mean, well …” Sera stammered, looking around at the group, then back to Rachel. “I would think it would be fine, once the potion wears off of you it would work its way out of the baby’s system, as well.”
“Rachel?” Gabe finally managed to say.
She looked at him and with a half smile nodded.
“I hate to break up this touching moment, but there are about a dozen creatures headed this way, bent on killing us. Can everyone drink?” Haim reminded the group.
The remaining stragglers did as he suggested. Gabe watched Rachel closely as she drank her vile. He had a million questions to ask her, and was having trouble sorting through his feelings in that exact moment. Instead, he chose to remain quiet.
“You too Sera,” Uri commanded.
“No, I can’t. My place is here,” she replied coolly.
“I’m not going to argue. If you don’t drink that and come with us, I’m not leaving,” Uri explained.
“You have to,” Sera insisted. “They’ll kill you.”
“I guess that’s up to you then,” Uri answered.
Sera hesitated, looking over her shoulder at the entrance to the cavern. She took a deep breath and then drank the vile. Uri reached out a hand, Sera peering up at him, speechless, and then slipped her delicate hand into his.
An instant later they were gone, the grandest disappearing act any of them had ever made.
Michael continued through the cool morning air and into the misty woods behind Iron Gate, the half frozen twigs snapping beneath his feet. As Mirada walked next to him, she didn’t make a sound. It was as if she didn’t even disturb the earth with her movements.
“Are you confident this is the right decision?” Mirada asked softly.
Michael stared at her breath as it lingered in a cloud in front of them. He replied solemnly, “No, I have no idea what I’m supposed to do. There isn’t a council anymore, and everyone is looking to me for leadership now. I have to make a decision.”
The couple continued walking, neither speaking, both considering recent events that had unfolded. Reports were coming in that Baal had actually taken up residence in New York City. In recent days, the United States government had made announcements stating they would be cooperating with Baal, whom they referred to as Grant Ledger. This was obviously a made up identity that Baal knew would give the humans the comfort they needed to trust in him.
Humans had declared that the rebels who called themselves the Guardians were, in fact, terrorists and would be hunted down as such. All of the deplorable atrocities committed by Baal and his minions were now being attributed to the Guardians and there didn’t seem to be anything anyone could do about it. The humans were looking for war.
“How can we fight them? We were put here to protect them,” Michael whispered. Emerging from the woods, they approached the open field in front of the cabin that had once been the home to one of Mirada’s sisters.
Since being abandoned, the elements had taken a great toll on the small building. The grass now swallowed the base of the structure and the windows shattered, broken in various storms or by random acts of vandalism.
Mirada turned, taking Michael’s hands into hers and pulling them close to her chest, she warmed his fingertips with her body heat. He is unable to mask the hurt from her, the betrayal he feels, as the people he dedicated his life to protecting now want to wipe out his kind.
“You know they don’t understand what they’re choosing. Baal is very clever at spinning his lies,” Mirada said, attempting to comfort her husband.
“I don’t know, maybe the humans would be better off if we just disappeared. Then they might actually be safe,” Michael suggested.
“Safe?” Mirada snapped, “Safe to do what? You know exactly what’s going to happen to them. Once we’re gone Baal will show his true colors and make them all into slaves. The ones who aren’t starved or tortured to death will spend the rest of their lives serving the demon’s every whim. You’re their only chance even if they can’t see it.”
Michael patted her hand, shifting his feet and turning to head back in the direction of the main courtyard of Iron Gate. “I know you’re right, but it doesn’t make what has to be done any easier. Humans will die; there will be no avoiding it.”
“They won’t all be so easily fooled by Baal. There are people who see him for what he really is and they’re willing to fight. There’s nothing you can do to stop the loss of human life, now. All we can do is try to help as many of them as possible.”
Michael frowned and muttered, “I’m starting to understand all the impossible choices the council faced.”
“Don’t compare yourself to them,” Mirada remarked coldly. “You’re so much more than any of them were.”
“I understand you didn’t always approve of their approach, but they were great men, and they were trying to change the world. That isn’
t an easy thing to do. I’m but one; what can I ever do to really make a difference?” Michael questioned.
Mirada sighed, “I’m not going to discuss my feelings about the council with you; they gave their lives for this cause and I can at least give them that respect. What I will say is that I know you, and I know you’re not making the decision to fight lightly. You love the humans, and eventually they’ll see that.”
“I hope so,” Michael replied.
“Have you discussed the plan with the other military leaders?” Mirada inquired.
“I have. They’ll be moving their troops into position. We have a small human alliance, but every day it’s growing. According to my scouts, they have a strong hold in Georgia and South Carolina, so most Guardians are being directed to that location. I can’t help feeling like I’m sending countless men and women to their deaths. Guardians are groomed for a life like this. The people on the lines, their just regular people …”
Mirada squeezed Michael's arm, “Stop! You can’t do that to yourself. They all know the risks that are involved and they still want to fight. This is their freedom, too; they deserve to try and preserve it. Any word from Gabe and the others?”
“Not yet. I’ve left instructions to send them to my briefing room as soon as they return.”
“Gabe, will you slow down?” Rachel cried, grabbing her husband’s arm and bringing him to a stop. He didn’t look at her face. He worried if he did he might lose the tight grip he had on his anger. They stand there, silently, as the rest of their group passed by them awkwardly.
“Look, I’m sorry,” Rachel added after there was enough distance between their friends and them.
“For what?” Gabe asked, clenching his jaw.
“You know what for, please just talk to me,” Rachel begged.
He finally looks at her, the pain is evident on his face, but once their eyes meet she can see the worry wash over him. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Rachel doesn’t hesitate. She is thrilled he is at least listening to her now, after miles of silence. “At first I wasn’t even sure I was. When we were at Mirada’s that first time, she said something that made me start wondering.”
