The Beholder

by Ivan Amberlake

  “Maybe not, but you’d better be careful. Pariah’s Energy is as lethal as it was before.”

  “Yeah, I know. I barely managed to dodge his lashes. If he’d killed me, he’d have had no trouble tearing the chain that binds those three.” He nodded in the trio’s direction.

  “Their bond is unique,” she said, “but that makes it easier for him to sting us and more difficult for us to protect them.”

  “I know. But I think the Beholder is here to put an end to the impending imbalance that you prophesied so many years ago.”

  “I hope so,” she said quietly, but her heart was torn by a mixture of hope and worry. The forthcoming battle would destroy either Good or Evil. One would not survive, and the world would be changed forever.

  Chapter 19

  In a few words Jason told his friends about the vision that had lured him out of Debbie’s house, then of the fight he’d witnessed between Emily and Pariah. He told them about the Prophecy Emily had made, omitting the details of how she’d tortured her hand over the candle for him.

  When Matt told his side of the story, Debbie listened, only interrupting when he got to the part about looking across and seeing her lying there, motionless.

  “I felt like I was drowning,” she told them. “Like my lungs were filling with water. It felt okay, actually, until I became aware of something black, like shadows maybe, creeping all around me, coming closer. Then I knew I had to get out.”

  “And all of this happened in one night!” Matt exclaimed. “Hard to believe.”

  Jason laughed. “Hard to believe? I’d say impossible to believe if I wasn’t in the middle of it!”

  Comforted by being together, the three grew quiet as they sat back and admired the beauty around them. Their lives had changed drastically, and the surreal, dome-like Hall of Refuge, glittering with all its gems, emphasized all those changes. This world was so alien in contrast to what their lives had been before.

  “So beautiful,” Jason said quietly.

  Matt and Debbie nodded, and Matt cleared his throat. “Now what?”

  Jason shrugged. “I don’t know.” All he did know was that danger lurked nearby all the time now, and it probably always would. Whatever Pariah wanted from them, once he got close enough he wouldn’t stop. All he could hope was that Emily and Tyler wouldn’t leave them. But it was not to be. The two returned shortly after, and Emily shared their decision.

  “After some consideration, Tyler and I decided it would be best if we parted and went different ways.” Emily looked at her friend, who nodded without saying a word. “The same as we were before. Jason, you’re with me, and Debbie and Matt will stay with Tyler in a shelter far from New York.”

  Jason’s heart sank. He had hated being apart from his friends before, and he couldn’t imagine doing it again. “Are you sure that’s the only way?”

  “Yes,” Emily insisted. “I’m sorry, but you’ll have to trust me. There are a lot of reasons.”

  “Why can’t we stay together?”

  “We can’t risk your safety at this particular moment,” Tyler said. “Neither yours nor your friends’.”

  “The five of us can’t stay in the Hall any longer,” Emily clarified. “Your energy is growing too fast, Jason. There’s a possibility it might even ruin the protective shield of the Hall.”

  Jason cursed himself. Once again it was his fault, and he still had no idea what was going on. All he knew was they would have to return to the surface because of him, otherwise the Evil One and his retinue might discover their whereabouts and destroy them.

  Jason clenched his jaw, knowing there was no point in arguing. Staying alive was obviously the number one priority, and he was getting used to the idea that they might have to do things that went against the grain.

  “Everything’s going to be okay,” Debbie assured him, smiling with her beautiful eyes. “We’ll meet you soon.”

  “She’s right.” Matt put his hand on Jason’s shoulder. “Besides, Tyler is going to be with us.”

  He glanced between them, sick with guilt. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

  Debbie hugged him and her hand gently patted his back. “Absolutely. Just promise you’ll take care of yourself. And don’t forget to eat.”

  Jason smiled, enjoying her motherly admonishments. “Yes, Mom,” he said, and rolled his eyes.

  Tyler, Debbie and Matt were the first to leave. They stepped onto the platform, and it disappeared so quickly that Jason’s vision couldn’t register the moment it happened. While he and Emily were waiting for the platform to return, Jason rubbed his palms together, wishing he could make the tension disappear.

  “Where are we going?” he asked.

  “First to Newark International Airport. Then we’re flying to Minsk. Our final destination will be Paris.” The corners of Emily’s mouth curved gently down, and Jason ached to comfort her. “We’re going to stay in a place not too far away for a couple of days before we return.”

  The platform reappeared, and they stepped onto it.

  “Paris sounds exciting,” Jason said, glancing back to catch a glimpse of the Hall one last time.

  “That’s where I was born,” Emily explained, sliding her miniature hand into his and filling his mind with joy.

  “Ah, that’s why you have such a beautiful accent,” he said, and she beamed. “Where are Matt and Debbie going?”

  “You’d better not know. For their own safety.”

  The platform carried them along the tunnel towards the entrance. Suddenly it braked with a violent jerk, nearly hurling them off the platform. Jason checked to make sure Emily was all right, and her eyes told him something was amiss.

  “The Guardian,” she whispered.

  “What?”

  “I should have realized we weren’t alone.” She shook her head, disappointed in herself. “He sensed our presence.”

  “Who are you talking about?”

  “The Guardian of the Hall and of all the rooms in the Tunnel. From time to time he checks on those who enter the place,” Emily said, sounding unenthusiastic.

  “And?”

  She shrugged, her eyes constantly scanning. “You are Unsighted. It’s against our law to let Unsighted into this part of the tunnel.”

  “But Debbie and Matt—”

  “Tyler and your friends have already left. They’re safe.” Her body tensed. “He’s coming. Stand behind me, and do not say a word.”

  He did as she said, but he still had questions. “Why?” he whispered. “Won’t he see me?”

  She shook her head. “He’s the opposite of an ordinary person. The Guardian cannot see in the normal way. He sees only our Energetic Auras, then follows us if anything displeases him. There’s a chance he won’t see you behind me.”

  “Why didn’t he follow us earlier?”

  “He might have been visiting some of the rooms. Once you enter one, you can’t see the outside, so when he came back into the tunnel he would have felt our presence. That’s not surprising, with you here.” She cringed. “Damn. He’s coming. Don’t move.”

  The spheres on the right side of each door started to glow, and the platform bumped again, this time under the added weight of the Guardian, who perched on its edge. Jason saw an old man, his body crooked beyond measure, his white, matted hair dragging along the floor. His clothes were so ragged and foul-smelling it would have been difficult to say what they’d initially looked like. The old man’s face was distorted into a queer mix of rage and smug satisfaction, but the black holes of his eye sockets, which did not contain eyes, forbade laughter. It seemed the Guardian’s head was unusually heavy, because both his gnarled hands clutched at a thin cane glowing with ruby and emerald, and the crooked man rested his cheek on top of the strange stick. The creature was repulsive, but though Jason wanted to look away, he stood frozen behind Emily.

  “Ah! I’ve got you!” the Guardian croaked and raised his head to glare at Emily. “What are you doing here? You know you are
not allowed. And who’s that behind your back?”

  The concealment plan had clearly failed.

  “This is a newcomer into the Energy world,” Emily said unsteadily, “and I brought him here to defend from the Evil Ones.”

  “How gracious of you to take whoever you wish into my Halls.” The creature’s voice twisted with sarcasm. “Yes, they are for every blasphemous Sighted and Unsighted to come and contaminate. No homage for the sacred place created by the most brilliant minds in the history of Energy.”

  Emily cut him short. “We haven’t come to contaminate anything. This man is pursued by Pariah himself.”

  The Guardian’s brow rose, and Jason lowered his gaze, unable to stand looking into the sickening eye sockets. “And you dare bring those whom evil wishes to destroy into this place of sanctity? You remember when Pariah’s hunters almost surpassed the defenses and went through the Entrance, don’t you?”

  “Yes. But it was I who closed the Entrance and didn’t let them in,” she replied, sounding more confident.

  The Guardian said nothing, only peered at Jason instead.

  “What is your name, newcomer?”

  “Jason Walker.”

  The bushy head nodded once. “I sensed you as soon as I left the Corridor of the Dead. I thought a whole legion of intruders had come to desecrate my home, so I hastened here. It is miraculous that so much Energy can be controlled by one person.”

  The Guardian made a noncommittal sound, then shuffled closer to Jason, who tried not to breathe through his nose. The creature raised his head as high as possible, his hands resting upon the cane, and Jason flinched at the sound of the vertebrae of his ancient, twisted spine crunching with effort. The empty eye sockets drew close to Jason’s face, scanning him.

  The old man wheezed, then let out a long breath. “Amazing,” he muttered, turning his heavy head towards Emily. “Is it true then? Is it true indeed?”

  “Don’t you see?” Emily asked.

  “Yes, I do, I do.” The Guardian looked back at Jason. “It is an honor to be standing so close to the one whose coming has been awaited for almost two decades. So you, Jason Walker, are the Beholder.” He bowed back to lay his chin on the cane. “You are welcome to come and go whenever you wish.”

  As suddenly as he appeared, the Guardian vanished, and their platform resumed sliding towards the Entrance.

  ***

  Jason and Emily passed through the circle of light and entered the dim luminescence of the searchlights. The spell of the other side, of the incredible world below, was gone.

  “You see?” Emily asked, grinning with triumph. “Even the Guardian believes you are the Beholder. Solid proof!”

  The platform buzzed, and the higher they got, the darker it became around them. Blackness on either side gaped with unfriendliness.

  “You bluffed, and he bought it,” Jason mused aloud. “But there’s one thing I want to understand, Emily. Tell me, if the Guardian and all the rest of you can see the Beholder in me, why can’t I see your world?”

  She shrugged. “There are some questions even the Sighted ones cannot answer with absolute certainty,” she told him. “There are lots of theories. I’ll share some of mine with you when we’re on the plane, okay?”

  The hatch opened a crack, and blue sky forced its way through the darkness. It wasn’t until they were back outside that Jason realized how damp and freezing it had been underneath the surface. With pleasure he inhaled warm wafts of air as it tousled his hair and ruffled his shirt.

  As she’d promised, the motorcycle still stood where they had left it. Jason sat on the sun-baked seat and clutched at the handgrips. When he started the engine the motorcycle growled with approval. Emily climbed onto the seat behind him and wrapped her arms around Jason’s waist.

  I’m going to have a heart attack one of these days, he thought, dizzy from her proximity.

  He turned and almost drowned in Emily’s amber eyes. He grinned. At least now he knew what he was doing. “Hold tight. I’ll show you what speed really means.”

  Chapter 20

  The wind howled like a banshee as they approached the airport, but Jason barely heard it, his mind was so focused on the voyage ahead. He had never been to Paris, and the very idea of it evoked images in his mind of a perfect city, rich with love and romance. He was brimming with anticipation, and Emily’s closeness only increased the nervous tingle running through him.

  Half an hour later they parked the motorcycle in a lot and merged with the jostling crowd at Newark Airport. Jason was startled to discover that Emily already had all the necessary documents—including his own passport—in her pocket. He had to wonder if the passport was authentic or fake.

  When it was time to board, Emily took the window seat, and Jason settled in beside her, looking forward to the flight. Eight and a half hours would be plenty of time for him to furtively observe Emily’s actions and expressions, the perfect lines of her lips, the long lashes that accentuated her beautiful amber eyes, the way her hair curved in soft waves over her shoulders.

  But Emily had her own agenda. As soon as the plane took off, she bombarded him with a rapid fire series of questions about himself and his life. He had to concentrate, not wanting to mess up and look like a blithering idiot.

  “So you are an interior designer?”

  “I thought you knew that already. I thought you knew everything about me.”

  She shrugged. “I saw a general outline within the aura around you, but no particulars. Now when you are close to me I can see more than when you were at a distance. Which one of your creations is your favorite?”

  “McAlester’s,” Jason said without hesitation. “Matt and I slaved on it, but without Debbie’s hard work the project would have been soulless.”

  “McAlester’s? Oh, I’ve been there a few times,” she said, and Jason unsuccessfully searched his mind for any memory of her in the place. “It’s a really nice place, and it has a unique spirit. You three have talent.”

  Jason snorted. “Maybe, but in comparison to the Hall of Refuge, McAlester’s is sloppy work.”

  Emily held up one finger. “Here you’re wrong. You and your friends create positive things, and that’s worth a lot.”

  He was flattered, but the truth was he’d never in his entire life find anything to compare to the Hall of Refuge, and the knowledge was vaguely depressing to him. Still, it did feel good to hear her compliment him. He decided now was the time to turn the tables, to ask her some of the thousands of questions bouncing around in his head.

  “How did you figure out where I worked?”

  “That was the easiest part,” Emily said. Jason rested his head against the headrest, enjoying the melody of her sweet voice. “Tyler told me everything he had managed to find out about you, but I used another source as well. You see, all people leave ‘traces,’ which are invisible to those with ordinary eyesight. But Sighted people can see the world in another way. That’s how I found you. Yours was very different from anyone else’s.”

  “I have a trace?” Jason raised his eyebrows. “What’s so peculiar about it?”

  She laughed, her eyes sparkling. “It’s the size of Newark International Airport.”

  Jason gaped at Emily, trying to make sense of what she was telling him. “When we got there I couldn’t control the defensive shield for an instant … and when that happened I saw your Light,” she said, looking vaguely dazed. “It’s so beautiful. I wish you could see it.” The light vanished from her eyes. “There’s only one person with a similar trace and aura as yours.”

  “Pariah?” Jason guessed.

  She nodded. “But his is stable, intense, and evil. Yours is frighteningly volatile, but still in the development process. Yours is more like a volcano that’s about to erupt. Sometimes I actually feel afraid when I’m beside you.”

  That seemed impossible. Of all the things this tiny girl had faced, for her to be afraid of him? There was obviously so much more he needed to learn before h
e could understand any of it.

  “What about your trace?”

  Emily smirked. “Oh, it’s nothing like yours. If we were to speak about Energy in terms of rain, then my aura is a drizzle and yours is a downpour. At times I struggle for breath when your Energy flares, and it gets harder for me to control it with each hour.”

  “But I don’t do anything,” Jason objected. “Yes, I did stop time, like you said, but I have no idea how I did it.”

  “Well, actually, Tyler helped you there a bit. You’re very close to revealing the Beholder in yourself, but you still need guidance. We were trying to break through the stereotypes ingrained in you, hoping you would fathom that not everything you see is the way it seems to be, that not everything you touch is the way it actually feels.

  “You see, there are two realities. You know one: lackluster and sham. But when you see the other, you’ll understand that the reality we are all taught to see is just a disguise.”

  Jason was silent for a moment, captivated. “What do traces look like?”

  “Usually they resemble a vapor trail left behind a person. They fade but can still be seen after a few months if they’re strong enough. Tyler’s trace looks like a fog of various colors. It’s intense and quite easy to find if anyone is searching for him.”

  “If anyone is searching for him?” Jason shot a glance at Emily. How could she be so calm? “So traces can give us away to the wrong people?”

  She shook her head, then tucked an errant curl behind one ear. “We tend to our Energy and erase it if needed.” Emily smiled. “Tyler and I are trying to erase yours, but it’s a bit more difficult.”

  “What are traces?”

  “They’re people’s Energy. Energy is the fifth element, the quintessence pervading all the other elements. You know about earth, air, water, and fire. Energy is different from them because you can’t see it. Well, most people can’t, anyway. Energy rules and guides the four elements into a Librium.