by Deena Remiel
“I agree,” Emma chimed in. “I’ll tell Hannah right now. She’ll be able to sense a shift in Namirha’s plans. And she can tell her warriors.”
“All right then. Emma and I have already been to the Prayer Tent, so we’ll start working on followers who don’t have amulets. Cassiel, you and Zadkiel go to the Prayer Tent. Follow the people out, and then start removing the necklaces,” Michael ordered. “Meet back here by four o’clock.”
“Roger that.” Cassiel left the tent with Zadkiel.
“Gabriel and Urie, you’ll be with Emma and me on follower detail. Why don’t you start on the west end and we’ll start on the east end? Hopefully we’ll have enough time and meet in the middle.”
“Got it,” Gabriel replied.
Emma’s head was spinning and her stomach churned as she watched the Brethren move out like a pack of wolves. She had a feeling it wasn’t going to be easy. Incantations could unlock the binding chains, but free will was a whole other matter. Having studied social psychology in college, Emma knew that their choice, their free will was keeping them faithful.
And that was more dangerous than anything.
Could the Brethren truly turn the followers away from evil? Would they be able to reach the followers’ hearts as well as their minds and truly free them from their dark servitude?
Michael reached for Emma’s hand as they began their walk to the far eastern end of the encampment. She gladly accepted the peaceful contentment his touch provided. His smile told her that her touch, in turn, had provided him with the reassuring feelings of deep and profound love. If she closed her eyes, Emma could almost pretend they were alone in the desert, wandering through ancient ruins, two people in love, holding hands. But the truth of it was too far from the dream, and she couldn’t escape it even for a couple of moments.
Michael remained silent next to her. The tension in his hands increased. His left had curled into a tight fist and his right was doing its damnedest to do the same.
“Ow! Hey there! I don’t have these babies insured yet, so can you lighten up on the grip, big guy?” Emma joked. But then she noticed his shadowed expression.
“Oh, God! I’m so sorry!” Michael massaged her palm and fingers and kissed them all gently.
“Michael, what’s the matter?” Emma stopped and turned him to her. “Tell me so I can try to fix it.”
“You can’t, Emma. This you can’t fix.”
“How do you know if you don’t share with me what’s going on inside you?” she countered. “I can tell you’ve shielded your mind from me, so the only thing I can read is your face and your body language. That tells me whatever you’re feeling’s got to be really bad.” He looked around, brought her over to one of the Palo Verde trees near their path, and spoke in a hushed tone.
“If you must know, I’ve been doubting my boss’s motives in all of this. Ever since Beth and the baby, actually. Oh, I’ve worked for him and done my job to the letter ever since. I mean a contract is a contract, and I signed on to this task knowing full well it was for eternity. But with you and Hannah, there’ve been too many hiccups in our plans. We constantly have to readjust them. We’ve never had to do that before, never.
“So I find myself doubting him more and more, wondering what screwing around with our plans accomplishes in the long run. Is he somehow in league with Namirha after all these millennia of opposing him? If so, to what end? Who is he willing to sacrifice for Good to be victorious in this current generation’s war? Will he take you, Hannah, or both of you away from me? Will he take countless, nameless loved ones from their own families, as well?
“I don’t want to lose you, either one of you. I couldn’t bear it. My wavering faith in my boss is allowing dark thoughts to seep into me, and I know, should anything happen to you, I could easily turn, like Agremon did, and not feel the least bit of remorse.”
Emma was silent, shocked by Michael’s admission. She chose her words carefully. “I don’t think there’s anyone who hasn’t second-guessed or doubted a decision their boss has made at one point or another. And I know that E.L.’s decision unfortunately changed your life forever. But if the other Brethren remain unwavering in their support of him, I have to think there must be something to it. Open your heart, and release your anger and resentment towards him. I truly believe that only then will this darkness that’s threatening to invade you disappear. Let me help you. Don’t fight me on this. If you can’t let this go, then I think it could actually hinder our job here today.”
Michael took her face into his hands and kissed her sweetly. “Okay,” he whispered. “You win. But we can’t very well do this here, out in the open. We’re not far from our tent. Let’s go back there, do what you have to do, and then let’s free these people.”
Back in their tent, he lay on his cot. Emma placed one hand on his heart and another on his head, stroking his hair gently. She closed her eyes and began the delicate process of unknotting the intricate threads of guilt, resentment, and fury. He winced and his body jolted, fighting, she believed, against the release of these emotions that had sustained him for centuries.
She increased the pressure of her hand over his heart, breathed deeply, and absorbed the emotions that were finally loosening from their tethers. She wept bitter tears, her body shook with the intensity of his fury, and three words escaped her lips in an unearthly voice. “You shall pay.”
Then all was quiet, body and spirit. Emma took a few cleansing breaths and opened her eyes to find him staring at her. “Are you all right?” she asked tentatively. He said nothing, just kept staring at her. “Michael, are you all right? Say something, anything! Let me know you’re okay!”
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Oh God, Michael, please say something!” Emma was frantic. Why wasn’t he responding to her? And how could she undo what she’d done? She needed Raphael. He would know what to do. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to get Raphael. He’ll know how to fix the mess I’ve made. Stay right there. Don’t move,” she whispered as calmly as she could, but on the inside she was absolutely torn apart. She had this dreadful feeling she’d done something irreparable.
She turned to go when suddenly, his arm shot out and his hand grabbed at her leg.
“Don’t go, please,” he begged.
“Michael! Honey, are you all right?” She captured his face in her shaking hands.
He lifted his own to steady hers. “I feel…I feel free,” he professed incredulously.
“Lord Almighty!” Emma gushed. “I thought I had…well, you don’t want to know what I thought I had done to you!”
He jumped up from the bed and grabbed her for a dizzying, twirling hug. “I’m truly released from pain for the first time since Beth and the baby were taken from me. My mind is free of dark thoughts and filled with forgiveness and understanding. I’m sensing a renewed sharpness to my focus and an intensification of my energy. I’m alive, thanks to you!”
Emma smiled broadly as she looked at him with a sense of joy and accomplishment. He kissed her passionately for a good long while, breaking away only to lavish more over her throat, leaving her breathless and with a racing heartbeat pulsing under his lips.
“I love you, Emma,” he professed, sounding intoxicated. “God, I love you so much!”
“I love you, too, Michael, so very, very much,” she responded as she drew his face up to meet hers. “We’ve got a job to do now, if you’re up to it. As much as we want each other right now, we’ve got people out there who don’t even know they’re counting on us to save them and protect them from Evil.”
Emma knew he was sexually frustrated at the moment. The bulge in his pants wasn’t a banana and the tiny beads of sweat along his pursed lips told her she better step away. But the better part of valor won out as he nodded and leaned his forehead against hers. “To be continued, then, my love.”
“To be continued, my angel,” she whispered sweetly and showed him what her promise held. When she released him, he sucked in a de
ep breath and let it out slowly, and then scrubbed his cheeks with his hands.
“If you would get that raunchy picture of me naked in your bed out of your mind right now, mister, it would make it easier to save these innocent people here. Remember them?” He turned around, surprise and guilt written all over his face. “Yeah, I can do other things besides heal people now. I can read your mind, too, remember? So get it out of the gutter and back on the important stuff.” She gave him one of her patented death stares only a mother can give and waved him on.
Releasing the followers from Namirha’s grasp proved to be more difficult than Emma had anticipated. Those who were single, alone but for the community of other cult members, were irretrievable. Luckily, those who had families were easier to deprogram; perhaps because they possessed the innate need to keep their loved ones away from danger. The Brethren were hoping for complete removal of mortals from the battlefield, planning for their efforts to be ineffective, and were winding up somewhere in the middle.
***
Namirha was rankled. A hapless lizard, crawling by his foot, received an untimely death with a well-placed zap. His second registration statistics were abysmal. It looked as though the first prayer service might very well be the only one to yield any mortal fodder. And where had his regular followers been? Surely they knew that attendance at all prayer services was mandatory! If the final prayer service turned out to be the same as the last, heads were going to roll. He huffed and puffed, pacing across his tent while his Inner Sanctum gazed on with indifference.
“Agremon!” Agremon did not appear. “Agremon! Where is that damned creature?” he muttered. Namirha was beginning to sense something was awry. He turned to his Inner Sanctum. “Go around the encampment, check on things, and bring me any followers who appear suspicious. I want to know why many of the followers didn’t show up for the last prayer service and what’s going on with registration. And if any of you see Agremon, tell him to get his ass over here immediately. Report back to me by three-thirty. Go!”
If Agremon had had anything to do with this, his last punishment would seem like a trip to Disneyland.
***
Hannah reached out to everyone. Although she was back at Namirha’s lair deep in the abandoned mine, she could still sense him strongly. And what she sensed was unsettling. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, catching the threads of her people and spoke to them through her mind.
I have news. It is not good. Namirha is furious over the poor showing at the last prayer service. Agremon can’t be found, and Namirha is getting wise to the idea of others thwarting his efforts. Right now, he has a suspicion that it is Agremon. He still does not detect us, but it is only a matter of time before he puts things together. He has his Inner Sanctum scoping out the encampment for resistance and tasked them with bringing any resistant followers to his tent. They are also looking for Agremon. They need to return to Namirha with their findings by three-thirty, just before the last prayer service.
We need to locate Agremon. I’m getting a strong sense that plans are starting to shift. Namirha is weakening with every service and is fighting with himself to keep from sacrificing me sooner than my birthday. He seems to think that to sacrifice me now would do him no good. But I can sense his desperation grow hour by hour. I must go now, Helena returns.
The connection was broken and all were left to ponder what their next move should be. With Nathanael and Seraphiel watching over Hannah’s movements, Kemuel decided to head back to the encampment to lend his voice to the ever-changing plans.
“Well, we’ve done the best we could to rid this place of mortals. I say we wait until Namirha starts his four o’clock prayer service, get Hannah out of his reach, and take him down, right there and then. He’ll be so occupied with his ranting that he won’t notice us until it’s too late.”
“Not a bad idea, Cass.” Kemuel nodded and considered. “He won’t have an opportunity to call his immortal minions, then. The more I think on it, the more I like it.”
Emma raised her hand. “I’m for anything that gets Hannah out of his clutches and ends this nightmare once and for all.”
“I’ll go tell the other warriors of our plans. It’s almost time for the service. Better get in position. This is it, folks. No turning back. Good luck, brothers and Mother. We shall remain victorious!” Kemuel left and everyone else mobilized for the assault.
***
Hannah prepared herself for Helena’s return. She was an insufferable woman who smothered and babied, but she was easily pliable, and that worked to the Ancient Warrior’s advantage. Her companion came in and took up residence on a chair by the tent’s entrance.
“Well, I see you have your coloring book and crayons all set up. How lovely. Now, I’m going to sit here and read my book, so if you need me, I’m right here.”
“Thank you, Helena.” No sooner had she started drawing yet another bunny, a visitor came. Agremon. As he barged into the room he pushed Helena so hard, she slammed against the wall beside her and slumped to the floor unconscious.
Why am I not sensing him at all? He broke through her musings with a booming command, “We’re going to a party, Gnat. Come.”
“No.” If he was going to call her a gnat, she was going to live up to that name and be a pest.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you right. Did you say no? His nostrils flared and his hands curled into fists.
“Yes, I said no. I don’t wanna go. I’m fine here drawing. Does Father know you’re here? He’s gonna be angry about what you did to Helena.”
Agremon charged forward and picked her and the chair she was sitting on up in the air. “I don’t need dear old Pappy’s permission to do anything. You listen to me, you little wart on a pig’s behind, you’re coming with me. And don’t even bother screaming or doing anything stupid like that. I’ve had you shielded since I walked in so no one knows the wiser.”
The Ancient Warrior knew when to give in and play along, and this was the moment. Whatever Agremon had in store for her, she’d be taking notes to use to her advantage at another opportune time.
“Okay, Agremon, you win. I’ll go. But I’m not gonna like it. And the first chance I get, I’m gonna tell.”
“Yeah, all right. You tell. Shout to the world! It won’t matter anyway. We’re celebrating your birthday a little early and wait till you see your present. Nice knowin’ ya kid.”
He let the chair loose, held onto Hannah and flashed them away.
***
Kemuel raced through the rough mountain terrain as quickly as his immortal legs could carry him. Time was of the essence. He was nearly at the opening of the abandoned mine, no more than a few minutes from where the other warriors were hiding out, when suddenly, a dark shadow appeared menacingly in front of him. Before he could even fathom what it could be, it drifted over and around him, but could not get closer than about five feet, thanks to all his protection shields. He reached for his sword and began swiping at the shapeless form surrounding him. But it yielded no positive results. And then he heard a familiar voice emanate from the ever-shifting shadow.
“Well, if it isn’t Brother Kemuel. It’s been a while. Come for a visit, have you? Well, it seems you’ve arrived a little too late. I was just on my way out. You see, I’m taking a…friend out for a little celebration in her honor. It should prove to be quite the party of the century. Am I right, Hannah?” Agremon sneered.
“Kemuel!” Hannah screamed. Kemuel thrust his sword in frustration until he sensed that her scream was for show, for Agremon’s benefit. She sent Kemuel a quick, clear message that she was very much in control, and plotting what her next move would be. “Well, Agremon. What’s the fun of a party if there are no guests?” Kemuel goaded. “I should think you’d want a big crowd. I could arrange that, you know. A reunion of sorts could prove to be quite interesting.”
“Sorry, old foe. This party’s for two, but when it’s over, you can be assured that I will take you up on that reunion. I shoul
d love to hear what everyone’s been up to since our last meeting, so to speak. For now, though, I wanted to let you know that I have plans, big plans. Very soon, Namirha will be working for me. Later.” The shadow disappeared as quickly as it had arrived.
Kemuel immediately ran towards the mine opening. He wondered how no one could sense Agremon taking Hannah. The only plausible but disturbing answer was that he had gained more powers than anyone knew of over the years. He was quickly met by Nathanael and Seraphiel running toward him.
“Hannah’s presence is no longer in Namirha’s lair," Nathanael said.
“I know. I just had a shadowy visit from Agremon. He has her, damn it. We can trace her thread to where he’s taken her. He said something about having a celebration. I know it sounds crazy, but I think he wants to do the sacrifice himself! Tonight! We must call in the troops, now. With the nifty tricks Agremon’s got, Namirha is no longer the biggest threat. Agremon is!” With that decided, they ran back to the encampment to alert the others.
***
Back inside the warrior’s tent, all sat around while Gabriel reminded them of how, where and when the blood ritual was supposed to happen.
“Now, we know when it’s supposed to take place and that Agremon’s blown that scheme out of the water. But what’s also important to remember is that it can only be done with a specific ritual knife. The one in the Prayer Tent looks like it could be the one. And the ritual must take place at precisely 6:06 pm on a stone slab that has been ritually prepared for the event. This stone slab, has anyone seen anything resembling such a thing around here? It should be out in the open, preferably a raised area.” Everyone shook their heads.
“We’ve been all throughout the encampment area. No stone slabs to be seen anywhere.” Kemuel paced the floor and stopped. “What about the mountain itself? Maybe he’s got something going on further up the mountain.”
