“Look at me,” he whispered. “Is that what you truly want?”
She wanted to harden her heart because the ache for him was too intense to bear. Clenching her jaw, she met his eyes for a brief moment.
“I can’t do this, Ben, I just can’t. I need time.”
“We only have now.”
Before she could get another word out, he kissed her hard taking her in his arms and holding her tightly. During the kiss, he released a small amount of his essence into her mouth. Her body went limp, and her head dropped back. When her eyes reopened and body straightened, she was not conscious. But he felt a burst of her powerful essence emanating.
He whispered, “Asira, it is time. Awaken!”
Her amber eyes glowed for a brief moment before returning to normal. Kissing her softly, he released her expecting the transition. But nothing else happened. Why didn’t it work? Asira should have emerged!
Bringing her fingers to her lips, it appeared as if she was savoring his kiss. She then stepped away from him.
“Deborah?”
Closing the door, she whispered, “Goodbye, Ben.”
He had no idea why Asira hadn’t transitioned, but he was certain she would. It was just a matter of time. He also knew she was incredibly vulnerable. The Bensaí and Nubí were most assuredly aware of her presence now. One or the other would soon descend upon her. When they did, the war would begin again. He had to remain close to protect her, no matter which of his forms was required. He drove to a hotel near her apartment rather than heading to the airport. He resolved to protect her body, certain the Nubí would defend her natural form from Bensaí.
With a heavy, broken heart, Deborah was convinced this was for the best… at least for now. Without trust, they had nothing that was ever real she told herself. So why does it hurt so damn much? Returning to her bedroom, she climbed into the bed wanting to sleep until the pain went away. But sleep wouldn’t come, and the pain wouldn’t leave. She doubted it ever would. Her head pounded, and the room began spinning again. Rushing to the bathroom, she collapsed unconscious onto the floor.
She was soon surrounded by all of them. Floating cosmic forms of energy and light, the Nubí greeted her with exuberance. They were so full of joy that their combined countenance was overwhelming. The calming sensation of their radiant energies was indescribable.
“We have longed for your return!” Edra said.
Without speaking, Asira moved among them. It felt as if she were in an endless fog suspended in space and time. Though beautiful and inviting, something important was missing from each of these purpose-filled beings.
“Why did you bring me here?” Asira said.
“You are needed now more than ever. The Supreme is coming! We can finally strike down the Bensaí,” Bujon offered.
“Why would we do that?”
“Do you not remember?” Sinda asked.
She didn’t want to be here…
How had it come to this? So much anger and suspicion even when the Nubí huddled in celebration around her. There were flashes of a time when they were one with Bensaí. There was a time when all reveled in boundless love and joy. Working collaboratively to bring wonders to the universe, they had peace like no other. But IT went away, and they were left alone to tend to worlds they had made. Wherever they went, they took their newfound despair and loss with them. Soon despair turned to rage. In time, they raged against one another creating hate and chaos. Asira had grown weary of it all. That is why she left… to be away from them. To restore light and hope, to bring wisdom to the worlds damaged by their war.
This realm felt empty and lonely. The Nubí hovered before encircling her again, but another had come. Its essence was far different. It was full of rage as it dared come closer. She knew this being and others like it. Releasing powerful bursts of energy toward her, it was apparent the being was trying to harm her, but the Nubí diverted the attack. One by one, they moved forward engaging Veshlu taking turns to protect her. Eventually, he was driven away. During the conflict, it seemed as if they relished the conflict. Asira faded away from them until her essence was no longer detectable.
Ben felt the powerful spike in Asira’s energy before it faded. He was certain the others felt it, too. He had to get to her. Arriving within his realm, he found the Bensaí gathered around a boastful Veshlu.
“What have you done, Veshlu!” Ben shouted.
“What you would not! Asira was among the Nubí so I attacked!”
“That was not for you to do!”
“Did you not tell us we must get to Asira before the Nubí?”
“Yes, but…”
“Then you failed! You are no longer fit to lead.”
“You challenge me again?”
“I do! And you will fall, Bensaí!”
Veshlu and Huria moved into attack position to focus their energies on him. It was the very position Bensaí taught them in preparation for battle with The Supreme. Being far more powerful, he was certain they couldn’t kill him, but he also knew a sustained attack would severely weaken him. If that happened, he wouldn’t be able to return to his body and protect Deborah.
In a show of strength, Veshlu breathed in before releasing a blinding burst of energy in preparation.
“Veshlu, no!” Ontu shouted as he moved into place to shield Bensaí. Mila joined him.
“Get out of the way! Why do you protect him?” Veshlu shouted.
“This is not the way! Surely Bensaí will explain,” Mila said.
“He serves only himself! He will make us slaves to his will! “Ruling the realm,” he tells us. Have you not figured out we, too, are the realm? It won’t just be the mortals serving him, but us as well! How is he any different from The Supreme?”
“That’s not true,” Ben responded as convincingly as he could.
“Then tell us, why have you not destroyed Asira?” Huria asked.
“I need time to…”
“You’ve had time, Bensaí! From the moment you discovered the human form! Tell us where it is!” Veshlu demanded.
“No!”
“You know where the human is?” Mila asked with confusion and disappointment.
Ben didn’t answer.
“Bensaí?” Mila came closer to him.
Huria scowled. “The stench of human flesh makes him weak and useless… and no less deceitful.”
“If you won’t destroy Asira, then I will,” Veshlu asserted.
“If you dare harm Asira or the human form, I won’t just weaken you, Veshlu. I will ensure you cease to exist!” Ben growled.
“You would turn against us for Asira, Bensaí?” Mila asked. “What has become of you?”
“Trust me, Mila… as you have always done,” Ben said.
“As you have trusted us? By keeping this knowledge from us?”
Mila moved away from him aligning with his challengers. Remaining still and prepared to strike, Ontu didn’t move. Distrust had overcome them all, and there was little Ben could do.
“Do what you will… but I assure you if any harm comes to Asira or the human form, I will destroy everything!” Ben said before departing from them.
Shit! Deborah slowly got up off the bathroom floor. Noticing the droplets of blood on the rug, she looked in the mirror. A small cut on her forehead indicated she hit the edge of the vanity when she fell. This was all too much. What’s happening to me? After cleaning the wound, she bandaged it and went to the kitchen to make an icepack to lessen the inevitable swelling. She also needed the pain reliever she kept in her purse. It took her a minute to remember she’d left it on the end table near the door.
Picking up her purse and rummaging through the bottom for the pills, she noticed Ben’s papers on the table. What’s this? Perusing them, she quickly realized it was an investigative report… about her! She was livid. He actually paid someone to dig into my background! Reading more, her anger turned to panic. The summary page detailed her birthplace as unknown. But it went on to say:
In 1994, the c
hild was found wandering in the Massif de la Hotte mountainous range following a 5.4 magnitude quake. The Sisters of Providence immediately took her into their care. According to the Abbey’s sealed accounts, the child was subject to fainting spells and did not speak.
Given U.S. policy toward Haitians over fears of the AIDS crisis, the church arranged illegal transport to Florida. With no improvement in her condition, they provided a private medical transfer to Johns Hopkins Pediatric Center. Finding no medical explanation for her condition, she was released to the Order’s orphanage in Baltimore. Eventually, she recovered becoming fully alert. That date was recorded as her birthday. She was named Deborah Kathleen Brooks.
What the hell is this? This has to be some twisted joke, she thought. Her head pounded even more as she paced the floor. She was enraged and confused. Grabbing her phone, she called him. Ben answered immediately.
“Deborah!” He was ecstatic to hear from her.
“You sick bastard! It wasn’t enough that you lied to me, but you had someone fabricate this… this background report!
“I’m on my way!”
CHAPTER 29
Standing outside her door, he rang the doorbell repeatedly, but she wouldn’t answer. He finally banged on it.
“Deborah! Open the door!”
“Go away!”
“You called me! Now open the damn door!”
“No!”
“I’m not leaving!”
“Ben, I swear to God!”
He was out of options and blurted out, “You summoned me last night… in your sleep!”
“You’re crazy!”
“Clutching the pillow, you said love doesn’t hurt. You said you loved me too much to let go.”
The shock in her tone was unmistakable. “What did you say?”
“Let me in, and I’ll tell you everything. Please!”
She slowly opened the door with confusion and fear evident.
“Say what you have to say and get out.”
“Do you remember what I told you about Asira and the other beings?”
Of all the things he could have said at that moment, bringing up the reason for his great lie wasn’t the smartest thing he could have done.
“Is that what you want to tell me?”
“It’s not mythology or religious dogma. Asira is very real.”
“You actually believe this? That poor child was suffocated in a damn box over one hundred years ago because others didn’t have the sense to know she was just a little girl!”
“No, she wasn’t. Willem and the Dajume were successful in hiding her from… those who meant her harm. For generations Willem’s family protected Asira. Mugabe was Dajume, and I suspect his sister is as well!”
“Do you even hear yourself?”
“His last words were “Dajume will not let you harm Asira!””
“Why would he say that to you?”
Ben paused before saying, “Because he knew I was on the right track to finding Asira.”
“You’re insane! Your obsession with this is…”
“You’ve read the diaries! You’ve seen the report. You can’t ignore what’s before you!”
“You want to believe this… fantasy so badly you paid someone to make it up!”
“Look at the date on the damn report! How could I possibly know where the diaries would lead two months ago?”
“It was stamped two days ago!”
“Deborah, look at the date on the original envelope.” He picked it up shoving it toward her.
With hands shaking, she looked at it then dropped it on the floor.
“Are you telling me you think I’m…” She couldn’t say it.
“Yes, my sweet. You are Asira. But you already know that, don’t you?”
She didn’t answer.
“You’ve been within the realm with the Nubí,” he added.
Her voice trembled, “It was just a dream…”
“No, it wasn’t. It’s very real, and you’re still in great danger.”
“From what?”
He came close cupping her face in his hands and peering into her eyes. He wanted to reach the being within. “You have to merge your memories and fully awaken now. You are Deborah and Asira. Awaken!”
Her eyes rolled back, and her body went limp. Convulsing as if she were having a seizure, he hoped Asira remembered how to withdraw from a mortal form without damaging it. Ben grew deeply concerned the longer the episode lasted. Complicating matters, he feared leaving his own body to help her. Lifting her into his arms, he carried her to the bedroom. Gently laying her down, he sat beside her as the convulsions became more worrisome. And then it stopped. Deborah became deathly still, and her body was growing cold. Something was terribly wrong. Believing there was no other choice… he had to help her.
Laying down next her, he was prepared to pursue her into the realm knowing he risked being confronted by the Nubí. Drawing in his breath, he remembered what Deborah had done for him. He only hoped his attempt would yield the same result. He immediately began performing CPR on her body. Chest compressions followed by breathing into her without releasing any more of his essence was critical. He earnestly pleaded over and over with each pump of her chest and breath delivered.
“Come back to me, Deborah!”
After several attempts, she came to, coughing and gasping. With eyes locking on Ben’s, she seemed frightened at first. Lifting her up, he embraced her in all his love. But her beautiful eyes grew dark.
She whispered in his ear, “You tried to kill me.”
“No, I pulled you back. You were dying.”
“No… you are Bensaí! You want me dead!”
“That’s not true!”
Her eyes began to glow, and her essence withdrew from the body in a swirl of cool light that grew hotter with each moment. Soon she was menacingly hovering over him.
“You are full of deceit! You would not let me have peace among my people and help them! You sent the murderous Force Publique! Because of you, they pursued me and killed them!” she bellowed.
For the first time, he connected the scant details shared about the night terrors haunting her since childhood. Overwhelming guilt and remorse filled his spirit. He was ashamed knowing Deborah’s pain and deepest fears were his doing.
Asira’s rage was giving her incredible strength. Energies emanating from her presence were causing considerable stress on his human form. His skin became inflamed, and the boom of her voice in his head was earsplitting.
“Deep within you, you know I’d never hurt you.”
“I know nothing! You are a vile being!”
“Deborah, please. You know who I am!”
“I. Am. Asira!”
In an instant, she was gone. With his body further weakened, he withdrew from it to pursue her. Looking back at their bodies, death was overcoming both of them. But it no longer mattered, he had to transport among the Nubí to find her.
They fiercely attacked as soon as he arrived. One by one, they used the fullness of their powers against him. Summoning all the energies within him, he shielded himself rather than counter attack. Hovering nearby, Asira watched it all with a hardening heart.
“Are you in pain, Bensaí?” she said threateningly.
“Asira, please! I mean you no harm!”
“You have brought me nothing but pain!”
Absorbing blow after blow, her words wounded him far more. He was weakening and vulnerable with few options. He could flee from them or fight back.
Having felt the fierce energies, the Bensaí soon appeared. With Veshlu leading them, they began their assault against the Nubí. The distraction enabled Ben to retreat to regain his strength slowly drawing upon the nearest stars for restoration. The process was slow, and he wasn’t yet able to fight. Watching the fierce battle, the Bensaí employed the strategies Ben devised against The Supreme to great effect.
Veshlu and Huria focused their energies on Sinda who was quickly incapacitated. Meanwhile, M
ila and Ontu viciously engaged in one-on-one attacks against Edra and Bujon. Veshlu and Huria joined them focusing their dual attacks toward Edra and Bujon. So they, too, were leveled. Only Noven remained, standing guard over Asira knowing she was not yet prepared to engage.
Helplessly watching it all, Ben did his best to garner enough strength to stop this. He knew with the Nubí down, Asira was Bensaí’s final target.
Veshlu turned to him bellowing in delight, “I have done what you could not, Bensaí!”
“Do not harm Asira, Veshlu!”
“You no longer rule us!”
“I’m warning you!”
“And what will you do? You are weak and unworthy!”
“You underestimate me!”
“No, Bensaí, I do not. Be assured, once I destroy Asira, I will scatter your essence throughout the universe along with hers!”
Turning away from Ben, Veshlu led the final attack against Noven and Asira. As powerful as her rage had made her, she was no match against the four of them. Noven implored her to scatter their thoughts. When she did, Veshlu fell back desperate for his bearings. Asira directed her energies toward Mila who also fell back. But the tactic wouldn’t last long. By the time she scattered them all, Veshlu recovered. With his thoughts cleared, he lurched forward again with all his might. Noven went down in the wave of Veshlu’s fury. With the Nubí severely weakened, Asira was alone with none to defend her.
Drawing additional energy from a billion suns, Ben emerged and flung it all toward Veshlu. Unable to absorb it all, Veshlu faltered.
“You traitor!” he shouted.
Ben drew more energy until he was fully restored. Having regained his strength, he hovered over Veshlu.
“I warned you not to betray me!”
He burst forth his energies against Veshlu again and again. The radiance of his being began to fade. With one more blow, Ben could destroy him. But Mila called out to him.
“Bensaí don’t! We are brethren!”
“He betrayed me… you all did.”
“No, Bensaí! You betrayed us!”
“Then we are all destroyed!” Ben said.
“Asira has clearly taken your reason! She must be destroyed!”
Asira Awakens Page 20
