~*~
When we reappeared in what I assumed Hell would look like. The air was so thick with ash we could hardly breathe. I turned around, at first stunned by what I saw. My whole group sat on the ground as if defeated, their heads hanging low in their hands. They all seemed so…devastated.
“Why is everyone crying?” At the sound of my voice their heads snapped up at the same time.
Antonio was the first to speak. “Oh, thank God. She’s alive. I didn’t kill her!” His hands were tied behind his back.
Raighne was in front of me so fast I didn’t even see him move. He took hold of me, an awful sound came from his throat. His body shook against mine as he cried.
“I thought…I had…lost…you. You were… dead.” He was trying to talk, whispering the words against my ear between sobs. He held me slightly away so he could see my face, and then he kissed me…right in front of everyone. He kissed me until I couldn’t see straight.
He then turned to Carter and, for a minute, I thought there might be a fight. But, silently, he reached his hand out to him. “I must thank you for saving her life. I do not know how you did it, and for a few minutes I did want to kill you, but thank you.” Carter gave Raighne a small smile before taking his hand.
“I am happy you made up but my girl is missing.” Evin interrupted them, impatiently.
“We have to get back, as well. Sarah is a ticking bomb.” Eamar stood by Sarah, looking worried.
“What do you mean Alandra is missing?” I looked from Evin to Sarah, not knowing what to do first. I coughed up ash.
“We can talk once we are back on Vaalbara.” He sounded angry when he turned and glared at Carter, which bewildered me.
“What do you mean once we are back on Vaalbara? We only have nine chosen ones. We are still short one, Evin.”
His eyes locked on mine. “Nine will just have to do. Alandra is out there because she is looking for you.”
I started to see the light. “Evin, I’m sorry you feel it’s our fault she went to look for me. I was only fulfilling my destiny by retrieving my Chosen Ones. Why don’t you just call her and tell her to come back? Better yet, find out where she is and we can meet up with her.” I was forcing myself to stay calm. I didn’t want to fight.
“She left us saying she could sense you; she said you were on Vaalbara, in the Land of the Shadows. I wish I could call to her, but I cannot! Our link has been broken. I cannot feel her anymore!” Evin’s face was as gray as the ash all around us. I just stared at him - a complete loss for words. My sister went looking for me in the Land of Shadows. Alone…with no one to protect her.
“Why didn’t you go with her, Evin? You’re her guardian!”
“Okay, guys.” Lee tried to interrupt, only to be overcome by a coughing fit.
“I remained behind to protect your chosen ones, Alchera.” He moved in on me, but before he could get close enough Raighne stepped in.
“That is enough, Evin. I understand you concern for Alandra, but we still have to complete our quest. Awo has spoken it.”
I wanted to say something when a great sadness gripped my heart so tightly…I passed out.
~*~
When I came to I was lying on concrete. The building I was in didn’t look like much, just an abandoned structure with no windows.
I heard a man crying with so much emotion it brought tears to my eyes. I had once cried like that. It clawed at my heart to hear him sob like he was literally done with this world.
He was tanned with dark curly hair. Kneeling down, his hands were stretched out before him in the direction of the sun. It sounded like he was praying. I strained my ears to try and make out some of the words through his sobs.
“J-Jehovah… p-please, my God…t-take me. Let me… d-die. I d-deserve t-to d-die.”
I stared in shock. The man in front of me not only stuttered but was praying for death. My last Chosen One was a replica of me, or had I just been so caught up in myself to see that Awo was all along preparing me for this poor soul?
“Ben-Ami.” I whispered his name as a torturous cry rippled through him. “I’m coming for you, Ben-Ami.”
~*~
I was crying so hard when I came to, I could hardly speak. It took a few deep breaths to get myself calmed down again.
“Israel. Ben-Ami is in Israel. A village called Shayta.”
“Did you manage to get a glimpse of the area, Alchera?” It was an odd question coming from Lee.
“No, just the abandoned structure he was in. Why?”
“Shayta is a partially destroyed Syrian village in the Golan Heights. In the late 1960’s they made it a military post. Some say it was totally abandoned later on, but it’s located near the ceasefire line between Syrian and Israeli forces. It might still be a hotspot. I would rather move the group to a safe place, and those who can fight can go in with you.”
“We go on Lee’s warning.” Eamar moved forward, speaking again for the first time. “We can hide the group somewhere nearby.” Everybody looked to Lee for an answer.
“We can drop them off in Israel. They can rest there if the city is still in one piece.” I turned to Carter, who had been quiet since our return from Africa.
“Can you take us to Israel, Carter?” He looked at me.
“Of course.” I get to hold your hand again. A smile broke across his face as he slipped into my mind.
Don’t, Carter. We can only be friends. He bowed his head, still smiling, as he took my hand in his.
~*~
After making sure Sarah and Sky were still holding on, we left them in the care of Isobel and Anna. Carlo was there to give Sky more attention and, of course, Jason made sure Sarah didn’t feel left out at all. Doug just smiled at the attention his sister was receiving. Antonio seemed to have accepted his fate, although he kept to himself, not able to look me in the eyes. Evin and Eamar stayed behind to make sure Antonio didn’t try something, and to guard our precious Chosen Ones.
That left me with Lee, Raighne, and Carter to retrieve Ben-Ami.
Carter shimmered us to a few feet outside the broken structure I had last seen Ben-Ami in. The plan was for Raighne and me to go in, while Lee and Carter flanked us.
Raighne held my hand as we made our way to what seemed to be the entrance. I could hear Ben-Ami’s cries as we began to get close. Immediately tears sprung to my eyes. I couldn’t help it; I felt connected to him. It felt like I shared his heartbreak.
As we entered the structure, which could once have been a house, I decided to call out to him so we wouldn’t startle him.
“Ben-Ami, can you hear me?” This was the one time I hoped I would start to stutter, it might put him at ease hearing how much we were alike. We heard him moving around in the room, though he didn’t come out. Slowly we edged our way closer.
“Ben-Ami, my name is Alchera. We mean you no harm.” I could hear him sniffing. We froze when we heard sounds of a gun being loaded.
I looked at Raighne, shaking my head, while mouthing the words not to hurt him. Raighne pushed me behind him.
“Sir, we are not here to harm you. You have been chosen by God to be saved from this dying Earth.”
Ben-Ami came out of the room. Although he held a gun in his right hand, Raighne couldn’t stop me when I moved towards him. I couldn’t stop myself. It felt like I was gliding on air. A feeling of wonder began to stir in my heart right before we heard Michael’s voice.
“You have come far, my dear Alchera.”
“Not without you forcing my hand.” Michael was the last Angel I ever wanted to see again.
“Alchera! Watch what you say.” Raighne’s voice was soft, but carried a firm warning.
“Do not fear for her, Raighne. She does not understand why these sad events have come to pass.” Michael moved closer to Ben-Ami and myself, though neither of us moved. We stood our ground, and that made me wonder how much Ben-Ami had to endure within his lifetime.
“Alchera, you have known hardship. Therefore you wil
l understand the precious one standing before you now, for he is the most precious of them all. Just as you have lost your father and brother, he has lost his whole family. Just as you have been tortured, he has been tortured. Just as you have seen death, he has seen death.
“He also feels like he is in the clutches of evil. But what you both do not understand is that feeling of evil is nothing more than sorrow. Both of you only need time to mourn your losses, heal your wounds, and you will feel no evil.”
We stared at him, as if he’d just revealed hope - a way to escape from the shadows.
“Mourn, my children. Do not blame yourself for what has come to pass, but go home now and heal.” Michael looked down on Ben-Ami. “Awo would like to speak with you. Kneel down, child.”
Ben-Ami fell to the ground without any hesitation.
I stood in front of this broken man who had half of his body burned. Suddenly, wave after wave of pure bliss washed over me. I had never felt so at peace before. The feeling of love exploded in me; it was so overwhelming I thought I might burst. My skin tingled as a light shone around us. I felt…cleansed.
The voice we heard was as sharp as a double-edged sword, yet as gentle as a healer’s touch.
“Why do you still cry, my son? Forgiveness is mine to give, is it not? You ask me for death, yet I have promised you life. You ask me for death, yet I have promised you all the riches of the world. Your father, Abraham, stood before me not so long ago, and I promised him that all twelve tribes of Israel would thrive. It is the end of this Earth now, but I still hold my promise to my son. I have given you the name Ben-Ami, for it carries true meaning - ‘son of the people.’ You carry the blood of all twelve nations, Ben-Ami. Go with my son, Raighne, and my daughter, Alchera, for you were not responsible for the death of those children. I wait to hear your new prayers of joy, my child.”
I don’t know what happened after that. The light of peace seemed to swallow me whole.
~*~
Carter’s voice woke me, but I wasn’t fully awake. The land we were standing in was foreign; the atmosphere was tense.
I always thought she was the most beautiful sister until I saw you.
I followed Carter’s gaze until I saw what he was looking at. It was Elora, and she was as exquisite as ever. She was floating up in the air, her arms lifted towards the churning heavens. The skies were filled with the most ominous clouds - they were painted so many different colors I couldn’t begin to describe them all. Yet, they felt deadly…an announcement that this was truly the end.
Where the asteroid began to enter the atmosphere, the clouds absolutely blazed. The amazing varieties of pinks, purples, and blues, that faded into bright yellow and blistering orange were mesmerizing. This was the storm from Hell. A lead-in to the force of destruction that was about to be unleashed on Earth.
My vision blurred, and I could hear Elora’s voice whispering to me.
You will find her clothed in innocence. Do not waste time.
Elora’s voice scared me; she sounded so tired - drained of all her essence.
I couldn’t see anything around me anymore. And all I could hear was a baby’s cry echoing in the darkness.
She is so beautiful, Alchera.
My breath caught in my throat. Alandra had spoken.
Chapter Thirteen
Alandra’s Missing
I waited for you while you were gone.
I stayed while you remained absent.
I continued to look for you but you were lost.
Nowhere to be found…you remained missing.
You had simply vanished.
Why?
We were standing outside a large city in the middle of Vaalbara. The walls were made of jasper; their red-brown color shone like copper in the brilliant sunshine.
Aster and Alder were waiting for us with big warm smiles on their faces. “Welcome home, children. Come, bring Sarah and Ben-Ami, let them drink first.”
With Aster as our guide, we entered the great city through a high gate that seemed to have been carved from a huge pearl. And although the streets were pure gold, they looked as transparent as glass. I couldn’t resist; I knelt down to touch it. It was absolutely breathtaking!
This amazing light was all around us, making the world look as if it’d been created from small, sparkling crystals.
Aster’s smile grew wider as she watched the amazement in our eyes. Her lilting voice filled my ears, “The foundations of the Holy City are garnished with twelve layers of precious stones. The first layer is jasper, the second sapphire; then chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, sardius, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprasus, jacinth and last but, by no means least, our significant amethyst.”
Seeing some confused faces, she continued our education, “For those of you who know nothing about gems and crystals, more information is available in the Chapel. You will also attend classes to learn about your new home.” The Ten Chosen Ones followed behind her, as if caught in a trance.
In the middle of the city was a river flowing with crystal-clear water.
“This is the River of Life, children. It runs through the Holy City.” She smiled at each Chosen One in turn. “It is written that the Ten Chosen Ones are to drink from the River of Life, for there will be no more death.”
Sarah was the first to drink.
~*~
Leaving Jason and the others in the care of Alder and Aster, we moved back to our old camp.
Alandra was missing and we needed to concentrate on bringing her home.
Raighne, Carter, Evin, and I, were all who remained to go and search for Alandra. It felt odd being just a quartet.
It felt like I had run into a brick wall and everything around me was still moving along at full speed while I stood still. The vision I had right before we’d returned from Earth had left me with a huge feeling that things were very far from over. And that the worst, perhaps, was still to come.
Rolling my shoulders, I attempted to ease the tension away.
Fleur’s excited squeal came from behind me. “Alchera! Alchera!” She came storming into my tent. I hardly had time to stand up before she flung herself into my arms. It felt so good holding my dearest friend again. We both broke down in tears, standing like that for what felt like the most precious minutes of the past few days. I had missed her so much.
“Look at you.” She held me at arm’s length, her eyes gliding over me. “You are so thin.” Her soft pink eyes fixed on mine and lost their sparkle as she shook her head, her palm resting against my cheek.
“What has become of you, my friend? Your eyes, they have turned charcoal. Where would I begin to heal you?”
I smiled at her, taking her hand in mine. “You’ll have to wait on the healing, Fleur. Alandra’s missing. I have to find her first. After that I’ll be yours to do with as you wish.”
“I apologize for the interruption but we need Alchera in the palace.” Raighne looked refreshed after his bath and change of clothes, whereas I had spent my time worrying about my vision.
“Why?”
“Queen Azalea may be able to assist in finding Alandra. Evin is already there waiting for us.”
“I can’t meet her looking like this!” I looked at my pants stained with dried blood. I was filthy; my hair and clothes were covered with volcanic ash and dust. “Raighne, I can’t meet her.” Raighne and Fleur both realized I was begging for far more than just clean clothes. I was really not emotionally prepared to meet my mother for the first time.
“Fleur, can you give us a moment alone, please?” She squeezed my hand before leaving the room. I felt uncomfortable talking about the subject, and needed something to keep my hands busy, so I made for my bedroom.
I started washing my face, hoping I could wash my confusion away at the same time.
“Why do you find it so hard to meet with her? You had no problem meeting with your father?”
I jerked my head up, my eyes blazing like charcoals set alight. “My father came to me when I need
ed him the most! His arms were the first thing I felt that night. His voice was the first sound I heard; his tears were the first I saw.” I took a moment to breathe. I wasn’t going to cry, not for this woman I was expected to call mother who’d abandoned me. “Where was she when my soul was torn? Where was she when my body was broken? I ask you, Raighne, where was my mother when I needed her most?” I bent forward again, trying to get all the dirt out of my hair, but failing. My hands were shaking too much.
Raighne began to wash my hair for me. Something so trivial, yet it meant so much. “She wanted to come but your father had instructed her to remain in the castle. He did not want her to see you like that, Alchera. He wanted to spare her the sight of you.” He pulled me up to dry my hair. “She is the kindest, most loving person you will meet. You will see that when you meet her. She loves you.”
Raighne kissed me on my trembling lips.
“Cherish your mother while you have her, Alchera. Do it for me.”
~*~
We were waiting outside the throne room for the Queen to see us. I didn’t think I would be so nervous waiting to meet my own mother but, here I was, ready to start biting my nails down to the nub.
We were sitting like ducks in a row. Raighne first, then me, followed by Carter and Evin.
“She said she could sense you.” My head snapped up in the direction of Evin’s distressed voice. “Sense her, Alchera. Sense her! Surely you can feel where she is?” He came to kneel in front of me.
“What feeling?” I felt bad for not knowing.
“She felt you, how can you not feel her?” He began to get angry with me, causing Raighne and Carter both to rise.
“Calm down, Evin. This is not her fault.” Raighne’s words were barely out when the door to the throne room edged open. Eamar stepped out, his eyes set on his kneeling son.
“The Queen will speak with you now.” I frowned.
“What is the matter?” he asked.
“Are you sure that her Highness has time for an audience with me? I really don’t want to impose.” I was being really snippy now. The teenager in me couldn’t be stopped.
Vaalbara; Visions & Shadows Page 27
