by Greg Ballan
The woman laughed. "I'm glad to see you're back in one piece." She looked over at her friend. "We've got this. You two need to go home and get reacquainted." She winked at them and Erik blushed a crimson red. Both Shanda and Carla laughed.
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Erik awoke, his arms wrapped around Shanda. Birds chirped, greeting the morning sun. EJ stirred, hugged his stuffed bear tighter, and drifted back to sleep. He carefully untangled himself and silently crawled out of the sleeping bag. EJ was reluctant to be left alone in their bedroom, so Shanda suggested a living room campout complete with toasted marshmallows and roasted hot dogs on a stick. Erik glanced at the corner of the room. His staff lay tucked in its sheath. He reached out toward the weapon and it leapt into his open hand.
You saved my wife and son, he projected telepathically toward the weapon. I don't know if you can understand gratitude, but I am grateful for how you saved my bacon with the wraith and you saved my family when I couldn't. I don't know if you understand what 'thank you' means, but thank you.
The Sentient Staff purred and moaned in his hand. Erik could sense an emotional response emanating from the weapon. It knew! On some level, the weapon understood his meaning. "Keep eyes on them." He tucked the weapon back in its sheath and placed it next to his sleeping family. Erik tiptoed into the kitchen and prepared a pot of coffee. He studied the digital kitchen clock. "Ten in the morning. Cripes, it can't be that late." The mentally exhausted father couldn't remember the last time he'd slept so long or so soundly. He stared out the kitchen window watching several squirrels scamper down a large oak tree and hop across the lawn. The weary hybrid spent several minutes lost in thought, staring absently out the window.
"Good morning."
He turned, smiling. "Good morning, Angel." They shared a deep kiss.
The coffee maker sputtered as the last of the fluid dripped into the steaming pot.
"Yes!" She hugged him. "You made coffee!"
Shanda filled two mugs and gestured toward the deck. "We need to talk about what happened here."
Erik nodded, peeking into the living room at EJ. "He's still sound asleep. I don't want him to overhear anything."
"After what he's been through, he'll probably sleep for a few more hours at least. We'll keep the door ajar a bit. With your 'bionic' hearing you'll know when he gets up."
Erik laughed as they walked to the deck and sat under a shade canopy.
Shanda took a deep breath and described the terrifying events of the prior evening and how EJ transformed into a small silver-skinned Esper soldier. Erik got goosebumps as his wife painted a vivid picture of her assault and rescue. "Then he said, 'stay away from my mommy' and blasted the thing into oblivion along with most of the back bedroom wall." She shuddered. "I still don't understand how that blast could take out a wall, kill that black creepy thing, but not even scorch a single hair on my head. I've never been more frightened in all my life. After all we've been though, I never thought it could get worse. I was wrong. This was worse than the Seelak and the Observers put together."
Erik felt the tears run down his cheek as he squeezed her hand. "I'm so sorry, babe. I think our investigation into William Denton's murder had something to do with this." Erik described the events at Vatican City over the next hour.
By the end of the story, Shanda was pale and trembling. "I don't know what to say." She nervously braided her long hair. "I thought all that was fairy tales."
Erik nodded. "Martin is having what the church would call a 'Crisis of Faith.' The poor man has been a devout atheist all his life." Erik sighed. "You said the thing that attacked you said EJ was illegal. That ties into another tidbit I need to tell you. I'm sorry, hun, but you aren't going to like this." He placed both hands over hers and relayed his conversation with Jakor, emphasizing the conversation regarding his genetic incompatibility with human DNA. Erik struggled through tears as he told his wife he was incapable of fathering children and that divine intervention was required to conceive their son. "The one thing you want more than anything in the world, and I can't give it to you." Erik stood walking to the corner of the deck staring at the decapitated pine trees.
He felt Shanda's delicate touch on his shoulder. "Hey, you need to listen to me very carefully." She turned him around. "Yes, I wanted more children, but I love the life we have and the son we have, whatever the cosmic rationale for his existence. Right now, we have enough on our plates to keep us occupied. Our life is never boring, Erik, and I need you to believe that I am fulfilled. Please believe that I'm happy, extremely happy with our life together." She wrinkled her face. "I could do without some of the drama and cosmic revelations though."
Erik smiled as he held her tight. "I'm so sorry. I had no idea what we were walking into, and the revelations from the Bishops' Council were something I had absolutely no idea about. I really don't want to be some chosen champion of light. I just want to be a husband and father."
Shanda nodded. "I know, hun. But right now, let's deal with some smaller problems, ones we can solve." They walked to the side of their home studying the damage. The large tarps Erik placed over the gaping holes rustled in the errant morning breeze.
Erik studied the ground below the pine trees. His senses could detect the residue of a great struggle. He spotted an indentation on the ground and some burn marks roughly the shape of a body. "Something fell from the trees and landed here. I can only assume it was the 'Angel' EJ said was killed by the ghost or whatever attacked you guys." Erik shook his head, "Unbelievable! I can't believe that just came out of my mouth."
He looked over at Shanda. She was studying the damage to their home. Erik stopped his analysis as he felt her discomfort. He knew she was more scared than she let on. The realization dawned on him. She was the only real human in their family. Their son was a hybrid offspring willed into existence by a deity she never considered relevant to her existence and he was, as the church proclaimed, a son of Adam and of the stars. Erik wondered how any woman could cope with such bizarre revelations.
He walked up and wrapped his arms around her waist and she leaned back into his chest, her cheeks wet with tears. "My God, look at our home. How are we going to fix this? How do we explain this to the Petersons next door? You know Melissa will be asking a million questions about the house, and the trees." She shuddered. "How do we protect our son? That thing wanted to rape me and kill our son! It wanted to kill my little boy!"
Erik held her tight. "I know, but it failed. Right now, the most powerful weapon I know of is watching over him and protecting him. The staff knows to protect you both. It knows I value your lives more than my own." He gently kissed the nape of her neck. "Nothing will hurt either of you again, not while I draw breath."
He pointed up toward the tarp-covered holes. "I don't think supernatural attack is covered under our homeowner's insurance but that nice fat check with all those zeroes will more than cover this mess. I can make one quick phone call today to the firm and they'll have a crew out here by this afternoon to assess the damage and start repairs. As for the trees, I can drop the lower sections with a chainsaw and a winch. Tonight when everyone is asleep, I can change into my Esper form and carry off each section into the woods."
"What about work?"
"Martin's guys can handle it for one more day and Alissa already knows I'm back so I'm sure she'll be by to catch me up as I'm wrestling with this." He gestured toward the trees.
She turned and looked up at him. "Erik, I'm scared. I'm trying to be brave and understanding b…but this is more than I can handle … my mind is spinning and I can't stop it. Why us? We've already had our share of 'fucked up' with the Seelak and then that crazy colonel wanting to dissect our son, not to mention an alien attack and now this! We have a demonic entity targeting us?" Shanda's body trembled. Her legs faltered. Erik held her up by his own strength as she recovered her footing. "And you're as calm as a rock."
Erik turned her to face her, eyes glistening with unshed tears and a deep, serious frown.
"Babe, believe me, I'm scared too, when I fought that wraith I thought I was going to die. When I was plummeting from the sky and I heard you cry out for me I was scared, terrified for you and for EJ." His voice cracked and he took a deep breath before plunging ahead. "I didn't care if I died in a ball of fire or splattered like a pancake across some dirt field. All I cared about was the two of you surviving. I've faced alien battle craft that were over three stories tall and wasn't frightened as much as I was when you were in danger." Tears escaped. He sniffed and closed his eyes, finding inner balance. "Believe me, I'm as fed up with drama and intrigue as you are. We struggled these last few years but at least we had peace and I liked peace, a lot better than I like intrigue and drama. I liked being a normal married couple with normal married challenges. If you don't think this shit blows my mind you're dead wrong. I'm as disturbed and troubled as you are."
The early fall breeze picked up rustling the leaves, Shanda tensed. "I just want a normal life, like everyone else. Not just for my sake but for the sake of our son. For God's sake, why do they want our son?"
"I think I can answer that."
Shanda and Erik spun to face the voice. Erik's jaw dropped, "Charlie Gallagher, what brings you out of your computer fortress of solitude?"
"I came by as soon as I had confirmation of my data from my source as St. John's Seminary." The short, portly hacker pointed toward the tall, gangly man dressed in black. "This is Cardinal Rossi—retired—he's been a biblical scholar for nearly fifty years and has studied theology since he was a novitiate in his early twenties. He has over sixty years studying biblical passages and scrolls along with an IQ that's almost as high as mine." Charlie nervously scanned the yard. '"Where's your kid?"
"Inside, sleeping."
Gallagher shifted from one foot to the other, eyes scanning the surroundings. "Don't let him out of your sight, ever. There are forces active that don't want that child alive!"
Erik pointed toward the deck, "Okay Charlie, why don't you and your friend sit down and tell us what you found."
Erik guided Charlie and his elderly friend up to the large picnic table on the deck while Shanda went inside to check on EJ. She walked out a few minutes later with a fresh coffee pot and a boxed cake. "EJ's up. I put his favorite movie on and gave him some breakfast." She served their guests quickly, then sat down next to Erik placing her hand on his. She looked over at Erik's mysterious friends. "Okay, you said you know why this is going on, please, enlighten me."
Gallagher sipped the coffee and produced a folder from his briefcase. "I hacked into the Vatican mainframe as well as the Archdiocese database in Boston, I pulled all the relevant files pertaining to the Lost Scrolls of the Apostle Paul and I found more biblical prose that never made its way into the 'Good Book'. Each Apostle told of a great war in the heavens that carried over to Earth. They all wrote of the second coming, another prophet to usher in the second age of man."
"Yes," Erik nodded. "The Archbishop told me all about the prophecy and how they're convinced that I'm some sort of 'chosen one' to participate in the battle of Light and Dark."
The elderly cleric shook his head. "No, Erik. They're wrong. The script, the language in the Vatican mainframe was translated differently than the other file records from the other Apostles that made the same references. I've studied several of the lost scrolls while in Jerusalem and Cairo as well as the hidden libraries of Lebanon. All of the scrolls refer to the great battle that occurred on Earth and what we call the Ethereal War and they all speak of the second coming." The cleric reached a palsied hand and touched Erik's powerful forearm.
A slight tingle ran through his body like an electrical shock. He felt the cleric's mind studying him. Instinctively, he raised mental barriers and firmly but gently pulled his hand away. He now knew what it felt like to be probed. He'd be extra careful in the future about violating the thoughts of others. The cleric shuddered as he was abruptly forced out of Erik's mind.
"I'm sorry. I forget that my gift is sometimes beyond my control. Please forgive me, Mr. Knight. It was not my intent to violate your thoughts."
Erik flexed his arm. "No harm done."
"Mrs. Knight, may I read you?"
Shanda looked over at Erik. He nodded. "Your call babe."
Shanda held out her hand and the old man gently took it. She gasped momentarily and then the cleric released her.
"You have a powerful spirit, mother. Light chose wisely when they chose the two of you." He pointed toward Erik. "You, the most powerful man ever to walk the Earth and a woman of silk and iron to bear your child, the Bearer of Light." He gestured toward Shanda.
"You said the Vatican read the lost writings of Paul incorrectly." Erik pushed, growing uncomfortable with more biblical prophecy.
"My brothers read what they had correctly, but what they had was translated poorly. The Cherub script is very heavy in prepositional phrases. For you are indeed the son of Adam and the son of the stars. You are the warrior prophecy has described, but you aren't the chosen one. You have a pivotal role to play, Erik, as do you, Shanda, if I may be so informal. But the chosen one to wield the Ruby Crucifix and usher in the new age of man isn't you. The proper translation is 'The son of the son of Adam and the stars'."
Shanda dropped her coffee. The mug shattered on the wooden deck. "No, not my baby boy. Keep him out of this. He's just an innocent child, not a threat to anyone."
"I'm sorry, Shanda. Your son is a threat to every dark force involved in the Ethereal War. His birth signaled the upcoming second age of man and announced the arrival of Armageddon. Your child is destined to wield the Ruby Crucifix."
Shanda desperately looked at Erik. "Do something, Erik!"
"I'm sorry, Shanda, as powerful as he is, your husband cannot combat destiny or God's plan."
"Free will." Erik's voice cut as cold and hard as the edge of a sword. "We're responsible for the boy and for ourselves. We have free will. We can say no!"
Cardinal Rossi's head tilted as he contemplated Erik's challenge. "Yes, you have free will, as does your wife, and as does your son. When the time comes, the choice will be his; not mine and not yours."
"We're his parents and his guardians…"
"And Joseph and Mary were the parents of Jesus. Yet, he still chose to lay down his life for mankind's salvation. His parents didn't interfere with God's plan."
EJ walked onto the deck carrying his teddy bear. "Can I play outside?"
Shanda stood up and protectively shielded her son from the cardinal. "In a bit, lil man. Mommy and daddy's company is just about to leave." She cast a wary glance at Cardinal Rossi.
Charlie Gallagher studied his friend. "Erik, I'm sorry, but I figured you'd need to hear this in person. Look, I'm not really into any of this, but you wanted me to dig so I dug."
Erik shook his head in disbelief. "I'm not upset with you, Charlie. I appreciate the head's up and the in-person delivery. This, my friend, is the straw that broke the camel's back, but it does tie everything up in a nice little bow."
Charlie sighed. "Yeah … dude, you're the new Joseph in this biblical yarn. Your pretty little bride is Mary … and your son…"
Erik sighed. "Yeah, I got that."
Shanda came back outside, closing the door behind her. She leaned against the door, guarding it as if expecting the old man to attempt to abduct her son.
"Shanda, I won't harm a hair on your son's head, nor will I try to convince you of the importance of his destiny or your husband's or even yours." Cardinal Rossi folded his hands in front of him. "Your child is Armageddon's Son, the Light Bearer. Every dark force on Earth knows of his existence now and they will be coming for him in a desperate attempt to thwart destiny. I know the holy relic has been taken, but it cannot be shielded and hidden forever. Evil cannot hide and diminish such a power for long. It will make its presence known and no power in this world or any world can stop it. The war is upon us and forces are gathering. Exercise your free will and you herald in the end of mankind and e
very soul on Earth. The choices you now make threaten the cosmic balance of this universe."
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Look for more action and intrigue as the adventures of the Hybrid and the Ethereal War continue in Battle Lines!
About the Author
Greg Ballan is a graduate of Northeastern University holding bachelor’s degrees in Marketing and Management. Greg enjoys several outdoor activities such as hiking, archery and shooting. Greg was an avid MMA fighter but realized after fifty, getting punched hurts … a lot! He discovered the safer hobby, learning the acoustic guitar. When he’s not working his full-time job as a financial analyst or exploring some unknown woodlands, he’s crunched over his laptop putting his warped imagination into words or penning a column about the outdoors or his latest misadventure avoiding house and yard work.
