Until We Meet Again

by S. E. Campbell

  "Oh, no," Eden said, stepping back.

  The creature stepped toward her, long fingernails brushing its knees while it walked.

  "Stay away," Eden said, unsheathing her sword. The creature was so large, probably ten feet tall, she knew that she had no hope besting it in a physical match, no matter how hard she tried.

  Suddenly the creature glanced over its shoulder and let out a terrified cry. It began to lope to one hill and then over the other side of it. What was that? And what was frightening enough to scare away a ten-foot creature? Her answer was a thick white mist that coated the grass and covered the earth like a demented cloud.

  The Raiders were here, and they were alarming enough to even scare away a large Satan Spawn like the one she had just seen. She braced herself as a single white shadow appeared before her, a faceless, pale mask of white mist.

  "Eden…" Rebecca said. "Eden, I'm over here."

  It was time to run. She spun around and began to sprint back toward the village, even as white face after white face appeared before her.

  "Eden, come find me," Rebecca said.

  Eden heard a second voice that made her gasp.

  "Eden, help me," Natalia said. "You can still get me out of here, Eden."

  Natalia's voice. The image of her dying, falling apart in her arms, was nearly forceful enough to cause Eden to stop. Focus on the city. Focus on saving Adanna and Thema.

  A white shadow appeared before her in full form. The Raider was eight feet tall, painfully thin, and it appeared as if she wore a long white cloak made from constantly moving mist. The Raider stared at Eden with a blank white face, more terrifying than even a thousand sneers. It was the face of something that didn't care about hurting anyone because she had no feelings. And something emotionless was far more startling than having intense anger.

  Eden ran at the Raider, shutting her eyes, and then attempted to run right through the mist. Instead she rammed right into the Raider, fell to the ground, and stared up as white mist consumed her on all sides. Hundreds of emotionless, scary faces surrounded her, and the fully formed Raider still stood above her, peering down at her with a blank, pale face.

  Leaning down, the Raider seized her and picked her up by her neck. Eden's feet touched the ground, and she was able to stand. She stared into the Raider's face and forgot she had a sword, forgot she had a world to save. All she felt was fear.

  "Eden," the Raider said in a deep, demonic voice, "I'm going to devour your soul."

  Then the Raider opened its mouth and let out a deep, throaty growl that caused fear to fill her like a cup. The Raider had no teeth, only pale white fibers that stretched as it sucked in air. Eden yelled, aware this was it for her in Zemiothstai, when she saw Thema and Adanna's frightened faces in her mind. She had to save them, had to find the strength to get the Raiders down the hill to deter the Demons.

  "No," Eden wailed, throwing her sword upward with a wild swing.

  The Raider howled in rage and dropped her as her sword sliced through mist. The mist knitted back together where the Raider had been cut as if Eden had made no move at all. Eden knew then no mortal weapon could defeat these Satan Spawn, and she dodged underneath the Raider's arm and began to run again.

  Face after white face filled her vision, shrieking at her. She wildly swung her sword, cutting through the mist, as Raider after Raider seized her and tried to pull her back. She reached the mid-point of the hill, tripped over a rock, and then tumbled down the rest of it. The fall saved her. She landed right in the middle of the Demon soldiers' camp, right where they held Thema and Adanna.

  A white mist consumed the ground, disbursing the fire the Demons had for light. She heard the Demon cries as she lay on her stomach, and she knew her plan had worked. Suddenly, she saw discord everywhere. Nobody noticed she was there.

  A white face flashed in her vision.

  Don't look at the faces, don't look at the faces, she thought, though she could not help but glance at the same Raider, the robed woman, that had attacked her earlier. The Raider grappled onto a Demon soldier, opened her mouth wide, and sucked glowing energy out of the soldier's spirit. The soldier wailed, struggled, and grasped his face before falling to the ground, his aura black.

  She began to army crawl toward Adanna and Thema, who were now surrounded by a herd of tall, pure-white Raiders. Thema yelped, struggling against the ropes that bound her, and Eden leapt to her feet and rushed toward them. She was surrounded by Raiders then. Ten of them, all tall and fully formed. None of them bothered with the pretense of mimicking family members now.

  "I'm going to devour you," one of the Raiders said, stepping forward.

  Eden spun and cut the ropes that bound Adanna. The Raider grabbed her shoulder, and she felt pain fill her soul. She pivoted and saw the Raider before her had its mouth open, and she began to suck in her energy. It hurt so bad she threw back her head and wailed, but even as terrible darkness filled her eyes, she thought, Must save Adanna. Must save Thema.

  Her sword slipped from her fingers as she said, "Hurry. Run away before they get you too."

  The Raider then embraced her fully, and her spirit was filled with fiery pain just like it had been when Satan touched her. She knew at that moment, as shrieks of humans filled her ears, why these creatures were truly called Satan Spawn. They had been given his abilities, his evil, to plague all of Zemiothstai.

  Darkness overwhelmed her eyes as she filled with cold. Images of darkness and pain enveloped her mind. A girl lay trapped in a cold, demented dungeon, tied to a wall. A man was forced to watch his lover die. Then something else. Something worse. This time the darkness made her see something she recognized.

  A car headed straight toward her on the highway. She released the steering wheel and blocked her face as blinding white light filled her vision. She was catapulted through the windshield and flashing lights swarmed around her. As she lay on the ground, she caught sight of her own shattered, broken reflection in the fragments of a mirror lying on the ground. She was Rebecca. Her mom.

  "No," Eden shouted. "Mom, no, why?"

  It hurt so bad she could barely breathe. Somebody pulled her along, and she tried to focus, but she couldn't. Darkness consumed her, and she felt as if she swam in it. She could hear her mom's words echo in her ears again and again.

  "Eden, oh no, Eden," Thema said, her voice distant. "We have to get her to a church, to holy water, before the Morsus takes her completely."

  Morsus… Eden's head churned as she saw her mom's face, dead and cold, flicker in front of her again. Then hot, burning flames filled her vision. A fire. She was Adanna again, trying to escape. Her mom's body lay amongst the burning inferno, and her dad struggled to get to her with his hand outstretched. She was forced to watch as her own parents died, and she felt every last painful emotion. In that moment, she truly was Adanna.

  No, no more, Eden thought. Something jostled her, and she was thrown to the ground and rolled. For a moment her vision cleared. She was on a dirt path. She had fallen.

  "Get away from me," Thema said. "Get away."

  The fire burned brighter in Eden's eyes, blinding her.

  "I'm on your side," another familiar voice said. Aaron's. "I tried to help her rescue you. We have to get her some holy water, fast. I have some in my tent."

  "No, she needs a church," Thema said stubbornly.

  Eden moaned. Darkness consumed her again. It was as if she was riding on waves of darkness, pain, and other people's foul memories.

  "Holy water will clear the Morsus," Aaron said. "The church's holy water basin has been drained. Just come on."

  Suddenly, Eden was in the air again. Every movement caused her to ache and hurt. She threw back her head again and was suddenly no longer in Zemiothstai. She was on earth. She was a college girl sitting in a dorm room, alone. She heard a noise in the corner and went to see what it was. The next thing she knew, a man appeared from underneath her bed. He grabbed her from behind and started choking her.

  S
he couldn't breathe. It didn't matter that she was dead and didn't need to. She couldn't breathe. Couldn't breathe.

  "Somebody help me," she said.

  "Eden, it's okay," Aaron said. She was moved again. She felt her back hit the ground, and she groaned in pain.

  Just as the darkness came again, something cold and wet sprayed her spirit. She gasped. The memories appeared to be fading out. Not completely, but almost. She could focus on the world now, could see people and feel their presence. Then she was being dragged down again.

  "Is that all you have?" Thema asked. "She isn't going to survive that way. We can't afford to have her get sent to the other world. There won't be enough bodies for Eden to reincarnate too, and I've heard stories about that place."

  "Soldiers are only given one bottle," Aaron said, sounding desperate. "There is nothing else I can do."

  "Then give her some of your energy," Thema said. "Keep her from completely going under until we can find some more."

  "That will weaken me and make me sick too," Aaron said. "She lured the Raiders there to save you. Why don't you give her energy?"

  Eden groaned as she saw a man being stabbed in a dark alley, but then she felt somebody touch her face. The touch was soft and gentle. Her eyes flickered, and she felt hot warmth fill her stomach and thought an angel must have touched her. Instead, when she focused, she saw Adanna was above her and was glowing. Then the glow began to travel to Eden, causing her aura to shimmer with a golden light.

  "Adanna," Thema gasped.

  Suddenly, Eden felt energized. She tasted something honey sweet on her tongue, blinked, and then whimpered. Her vision was still blurred with darkness, but it was nothing like before. She could focus now. It felt as if someone had stabbed an insulin shot straight into her heart.

  But when she glanced up again, she saw the energy surrounding Adanna's head had gone black.

  "Oh, Adanna," Eden said, realizing what she had done. "You gave up your energy."

  Adanna leaned her forehead against Eden's.

  "She gave up half her energy, so you could think clearly." Thema shot Adanna a horrified glance. "You'll still be infected partially until you get holy water."

  "Come on," Eden said, looking around Aaron's tent. "We're going to get you help."

  Adanna nodded. Aaron grabbed Eden underneath her armpits and hauled her to her feet, and she wobbled dangerously as she was suddenly blinded and filled with such strong, powerful fear it was like a punch to the chest. Then the fear, and the pain, cleared, and she was able to focus. She offered her hand to Adanna and Adanna grabbed it. Eden hauled her to her feet.

  Out of nowhere, Adanna's eyes flickered and she sighed and gripped her head. Thema patted Adanna's shoulders.

  "It's okay," Thema said. "We're going to get you help."

  Eden felt guilt, pain, and depression. She felt these things more strongly than she ever had in her entire life. It was as if she wasn't herself anymore. She was somebody else. Somebody afraid and sad.

  "I am so, so sorry," Eden said, turning to stare at Adanna with a frown. "Oh, Adanna."

  "Later," Thema said. "Let's go get some holy water, and then both of you will be cured."

  Nodding, Eden spun and opened the flap of the tent. The first thing she saw was the pointed edge of a sword. She gulped as she stared straight into the face of a dark haired Demon soldier with green eyes.

  "Going somewhere?" the soldier asked.

  Behind her, she heard Aaron gasp. "Sergeant Thompson."

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Sergeant Thompson had Eden by her shoulder blades, and he stared into Eden's eyes with bared teeth. She felt her eyes widen and her mouth drop. Not now. Now when Adanna needs my help. She wasn't sure whether to kick or not.

  "So you're the little witch that everybody has been looking for," Sergeant Thompson said. "Aaron, I am disappointed in you."

  Eden heard Aaron leave the tent behind her. Quivering, Eden studied Sergeant Thompson's massive form and thought, How am I going to get out of this? The situation keeps getting worse and worse.

  "You're a tricky girl," Sergeant Thompson said. "You destroyed a guard of over a hundred men in less than fifteen minutes. Tell me, how is that even possible?"

  Shaking her head, she refused to answer. Sergeant Thompson grunted and peered at Aaron with a hard expression on his face. Eden heard somebody move from beside her and bend down to pick something off the ground. It was Adanna. It was at that moment Eden was filled with blindness and pain from the Morsus. She threw back her head and cried out.

  Sergeant Thompson tightened his grip on her arm and shook her. "I guess your trick had consequences. I'll have to get that Morsus cleaned up before I bring you back to—"

  Adanna rushed forward, the sword she had picked up from the floor in hand, and struck Sergeant Thompson with the blade. The next thing that Eden knew, she was released. She blinked away the darkness of the Morsus and saw a vortex appear in the sky above her. She glanced to the left and saw Adanna had her sword in hand. Adanna handed Eden the sword with a sheepish expression on her face.

  "Adanna," Thema said, "where did that come from?"

  The sound of footsteps caused Eden's head to turn. More Demon soldiers were coming after them. With a gasp, Eden seized Adanna's hand and forced her forward, to run. Thema gasped and began to run too, but Aaron stayed behind Eden and paused so the soldiers could catch up with him. At first, Eden thought Aaron was going to betray them until she heard him say, "They went that way," to the soldiers. He's dropped behind to point the soldiers in the other direction, Eden realized. He's protecting me.

  The sound of footsteps dwindled and grew less noisy. Aaron must have sent them away. Eden sighed in relief and slowed down, turning to look at the light flickering through the trees. Adanna clenched her head and let out a yelp of pain.

  "No, Adanna, no," Eden said.

  "I heard something over this way," someone said. A male voice. Eden gasped.

  "Run," Eden said. "We'll deal with the Raiders if they come."

  With a nod, Thema shot off to the left, through some underbrush. Adanna, still grasping her head, ran forward and jumped over some logs. Eden ran after her, trying to ignore the fear in her heart and the pounding of feet behind her. She also heard angry yelling.

  As she continued to run, she felt pain fill her heart and she gasped. Suddenly, blinding blackness filled her head all over again, and she was filled with hopelessness and despair. She began to think, What if I manage to get away? Then what?

  She shook her head, attempting to clear it. She had to get away. Had to. This was just the Morsus.

  But she was still filled with hopelessness.

  As her mind cleared, she stared ahead and saw dark shadows flicker beyond the trees. Demon soldiers.

  "Adanna, stop," Eden said.

  Unfortunately, Adanna kept on running, and a man tackled her from the side and pinned her to the ground. Eden glanced to the right and saw her freedom in endless forest undisturbed by Demon guards. She could escape, leave this place behind her. But she wouldn't. She wouldn't have even if it had not been her task to find the five people with the greatest forms of love.

  Eden ran forward, toward the Demon that held Adanna to the ground, and tackled him, forcing him away from her. The two of them fell to the ground, and Eden attempted to fight, only he was so strong it took her breath away. Before she knew it, Eden was surrounded by Demon soldiers, each of them grabbing her and holding her tight.

  As she stared up into the face of a Demon soldier, she cowered in fear.

  "You sure can run away fast," the Demon soldier said, grinning wickedly. "Just wait until General Yuri hears that it was me that caught you. He's going to be pleased with us."

  Eden gazed into the face of the man and thought, How can he be so happy that there is no heaven? She felt disgusted and horrified. She tried to punch him in the stomach, but he blocked her blow easily.

  "Fine," Eden said. "You caught me. Let my friend go. Pl
ease."

  "I don't think so, sweetheart," the Demon said. "You're both going with us."

  Eden stared at him. "But where are we going?"

  "To Cantica," the Demon soldier said, grinning wickedly.

  And Eden could tell by his expression that he might as well have been welcoming her to Hell itself.

  ****

  Sitting inside of the ship, Eden quivered with fear. She was in a prison cell in the Demon boat with her hands tied behind her back, and Adanna sat next to her. Both of them had been given holy water to clear their Morsus, but it didn't matter. Eden might as well still have the awful disease considering how she felt.

  "Adanna," Eden said, "I am so sorry this happened."

  Adanna stole a worried look at her, then leaned forward and buried her face in her knees and began to rock back and forth. Guilt filling her stomach, Eden moved over to her and laid her head on top of Adanna's. A crushing boulder of guilt sat in her stomach. This was all her fault. If only things had gone differently.

  If only I hadn't been chosen for this, she thought.

  She was silent as she stared at Adanna's shaking form and then tilted her head back and glanced at the greasy, wooden ceiling. As she sat there, the cross around her neck began to feel like it weighed ten thousand pounds.

  "Psst, Eden," said a voice.

  Eden peered up and saw Aaron. "Aaron, thank heavens."

  Adanna stopped shaking and glanced up too.

  "Are you two alright?" Aaron asked. "I was worried about you."

  "Do they know that you helped us?" Eden asked.

  "No, they don't," Aaron said. "Or else they wouldn't let me on this boat to be your guard, would they?"

  Hope filled Eden. Maybe there was a way to escape. Maybe he could help them do it. "Can you get us out of here?"

  Aaron sighed. "Eden, you are being guarded by over two hundred and fifty soldiers. An entire squadron of the Angel army couldn't get you out of this ship before you reach the prison. I'm sorry. I really am."

  A moment of silence went by. Eden stared at her feet. Adanna shuffled beside her.