Dwellers of Ahwahnee (The Beyond Collection)

by Sheryl Seal

  The hail during this time was still pounding down and we were screaming over the howling wind that had also started up. We were all having a hard time even standing on our own two feet without getting blown away.

  All of a sudden the cave shimmered and out came grandfather and Nokomis.

  We were all speechless. How could they possibly get past the wards I had put on the cave for safety and protection?

  “Grandfather, I don’t understand. I thought my spell would keep you all safe and keep out all others. How were you able to get past my wards? If I can’t do a simple protection spell how will I ever be able to defeat the Ala?”

  At once I started to question myself and my powers. What kind of queen cannot protect her people and defeat the Evil that threatens them?

  The wind was still whipping around us and so was the hail, but now it wasn’t touching us.

  Grandfather looked at Nokomis, took her hand in his and told her, “Now it is time she knows.”

  I looked at the old woman whose toothless smile and bright blue eyes twinkled. She held up her hands and with her palm turned toward her face made a waving motion. She shimmered for a brief moment and there stood my grandmother.

  I was stunned beyond movement and stood there awe struck. Then my feet were in motion and we were in each other’s arms. With tears of joy I hung onto her tightly as she cooed, “It is alright my little Golden Queen. The time has come for you to know all. I am the only one who could have broken through the wards that you put up. The reason is as simple as this. I am the reason that you are a Golden Queen. This was my destiny and now it is yours. I am old my dear and my powers grow weaker so there was a need for a replacement. I am sorry for all the secrecy. You needed to accept things as they are and lean on yourself and trust others, besides me. You have done this by allowing your friends to help with the Ala. Even though you know it will be dangerous for them. You have been strong enough to stand alone; smart enough to know when you need help, and brave enough to ask for it. You have mastered all of your training and are ready to defeat the Ala. It may take all of us working together to drive her back to her home or destroy her.”

  Wow, how had I not put that together? I think deep down I knew something was up with Nokomis. There were many coincidences and if I had not been so distracted I would have seen the signs.

  “Oh, grandmother I am so glad you are here. I know I am ready now. I must admit I do have a few reservations, mostly about the protection of my people.”

  “Spoken like the true Queen you are. This is why you will be able to defeat the Ala. She is a mighty foe but her gain is only selfish. Yours is for the protection of all the worlds. When in doubt, be still and wait. When doubt no longer exsists for you. Then you must go forward with courage. You know my little Golden Queen we can only be what we give ourselves the power to be. You are now prepared to go through the mist and into the sun.

  “Thank you grandmother, I feel more confident now that you are here, I am ready.”

  I looked around at all of my friends and asked if they were all set. Then I gathered them together in a circle and asked them to hold hands so that I could send them some power to help me with taking down the Ala.

  They all seemed shocked that I could give them power. I assured them in my vision they were all helping to save this world. They all had certain powers that I knew I had bestowed upon them.

  I asked them all to open their minds. Be ready to receive influences that would help aid them in this fight against the Ala.

  In the next few moments power flowed through me and went around the circle. From one to another it touched them all. It was astonishing and you could actually see the shimmering light being transferred. With the power completing the circle, there was a thundering boom that shook the earth. Then a bright light that lit the darkening skies and we were all thrown to the ground.

  Getting to our feet, everyone was exclaiming that they could actually feel power coursing through them.

  I then asked if they were ready to take on the Evil One that had entered our world.

  They assured me that they were feeling more powerful than they had ever felt. They were full of energy and felt like Gods.

  I nodded and stated, “We are Dwellers of the Ahwahnee, so let’s end this Evil that is called Ala.

  Chapter 32

  Through the wailing wind and hail storm that raged on, I watched as one after another my friends and family shape shifted into their spirit animals. They were departing for the mountain. We were all in a protective spell that kept the weather off of us.

  Grandmother and grandfather were these bright blinding orbs that whizzed right through the spell that surrounded the mountain. They were powerful enough that the wards came down quickly. I wondered if I had given enough energy and power to protect my other friends.

  It was decided quickly that Tim and Jim would head for the prison that had held the missing men before. We were all hoping that was where she kept Grey Wolf.

  We weren’t expecting the black monstrous tornado that came upon us raging and wailing at full force. It had a big gaping mouth that just poured out all of this dark black wind and the howling that came from it pierced to the soul. Talk about deja vu. Now I knew for certain what my dreams were all about. Premonition and visions were the only word that came to mind. I really should have gotten a grasp on them and had a counter attack before the moment was on us. Being inexperienced and not trusting myself or my visions, I really wasn’t prepared for the onslaught that we were suddenly facing.

  I didn’t have time to think any more about that. I just trusted in my powers and they took over. Before I knew what was happening I had shifted. I was standing beside my grandmother and grandfather, a very huge dragon. I had red and silver iridescent scales and there was fire flying out of my enormous mouth. The fire went right into the pit of the black gaping aperture of the tornado.

  The Ala backed off for a minute. It quickly regrouped itself and was back and more prepared for what I had become. With the storm unrestrained all around us the Ala came at me with its own fury and was a serpent-like dragon with a gaping mouth. She also had help with her. There were two beastly bear creatures. White Bear looked as if he would have his revenge and Aponi was helping.

  I flew up and took to the skies far above the ground. The clouds parted and I had better control up here. The sun was shining brightly and whatever was going on down below I knew that this is where the war for me would be.

  Then all of a sudden the Ala broke through the clouds. It was at such a speed I don’t think the human eye would have recognized it. Not for what it really was. I had the greatest of vision though, and I was prepared.

  My courage knew no bounds and I attacked first. I hit the Ala with a fireball that sent her end over end through the sky back the way she had come. She was very powerful and stopped in mid roll. Then she came at me hurling her own fire. While I was busy dodging her poisonous fire balls she had gotten close enough to whip her long tail at me. It had venomous spikes filled with toxins and this sent me spinning.

  I staggered in the air like I was drunk. I thought I had probably been hit by one of her balls of fire. Maybe the spike on her tail had penetrated my skin. I had armor-like plating covering me but I had felt a sting.

  She was coming at me again so I didn’t have time to recover. She started pelting me with more flames. I threw up a shield that had the balls of fire bouncing off it and falling all around. I had a moment of thought. I hoped that no one was in the way of the barrage of fire that was littering the ground below.

  I didn’t have any more time to think about them though. That one thought had lessened my protective shield and she came at me again.

  I scrambled to throw up my shield again and rose above the flames that came my way. As soon as I was high enough I came charging right at the safeguard I could see around her. By then it was too late because she was a tremendous black hole that swiftly swallowed me.

  All around me there was
nothing but blackness and I went spiraling down far below.

  It seemed that I was never going to come to a stop. I could swear that time was moving faster and that I was traveling far from where I needed to be. Maybe I had just been poisoned and this wasn’t reality, that was my first thought. I finally came to rest in what can only be described as an oily black ocean that was trying to pull me under.

  I fought my way to stay above the slippery depths and drag myself to the shore. With much effort I managed to reach the land and I shifted into my human form. It was far easier to struggle the last of my body out of the oily sludge this way.

  “Where am I?” I questioned to myself.

  I looked around and up and I could see there were several moons and suns. Many remains littered the ground and debris blew all through the air. It was difficult to see through the disorder that flew through the air.

  This must be what happens to other worlds when the Ala destroys them. I cannot let this happen to our world. I must get out of here and fast. I only hoped I had not been defeated and let everyone down. If so, is this where we would all end up? I tried to shift to see if I could find a way out but I couldn’t. I was covered in this thick oily substance and it was sapping my energy. If I can find a way to get this off maybe I can shift then.

  I grabbed some rubbish off the ground and quickly used it to try and wipe the oil from my body.

  As I tried desperately to get clean of this substance I grew increasingly alarmed. I wondered how I would get back when and if I could even shift again.

  Then all of a sudden I started hearing a howling noise. There were several howling noises in fact. It started out small and then grew until they were all around me.

  I was surrounded by the clamor. The shrieking attacked every nerve and penetrated my very soul. I stood still and tried to make out what it was.

  I could swear there were many voices all churning around me. They grew closer even yet. Then they were like wisps of air caressing all over my body from head to toe. They were tickling me even inside my mind. I opened up to them so that I might be able to understand this disquieting behavior. It wasn’t menacing at all. These were the cries of torment and anguish.

  They were spirits. I could feel their pain yet they were giving me energy. At the same time they were cleaning this grime from me. I unexpectedly heard them all talking at once.

  They seemed to be mostly children, well the spirits of them anyway.

  “She is the Golden Queen. She will release us from this suffering.” Then another one said. “She is the one who will destroy the almighty Ala.” Then another, “She has finally come.” “Praise for the Golden Queen.” Then one asked “How can we serve you my Golden Queen?”

  I was astonished that the air around me felt unpolluted. Then bewildered, I looked all around. The suns were now shining brightly and my body had been cleansed.

  There were entities everywhere and I could tell by their movements that they had all knelt down to me. The brilliant light coming from them was dazzling. It was inspiring because the anguish I felt coming from them was horrific. I knew that I was their only hope. The worst part was I could help them but I couldn’t save them. The damage had been done to them and their worlds. What I could accomplish here was to help them have inner-peace so they could move on. I had to defeat the Ala for this to happen though.

  I spoke to them but only with my mind. This had been how they communicated with me.

  “Yes, I am the Golden Queen. I can help you all find the harmony you require to move on from this wasteland. I can destroy the Ala that takes worlds and leaves them here to wander for all eternity. Once I destroy this monster that is responsible for so many worlds you will find the peace you desire. To do this I will need all of your energy. Combined into mine that should be enough to defeat her. Will you trust me? Will you do this for your Queen?”

  There was no hesitation as the energy from all of the entities started to flow through me. As the power entered my body I felt a renewed sense of being.

  I thought of my dragon and shifting, I erupted off the ground with such speed that a skyrocket could not have been faster.

  Going down into the abyss of darkness was nothing compared to coming out. I passed many more realms. All of which were now totally inhospitable surroundings. There felt to be many more children spirits with much more energy that I could use. They released it all to me as I passed through their spheres.

  They were waiting to be released and I was their one hope. They were all excited that I had finally come and gave the entirety of what they had to me. If it was not enough and I did not defeat the Ala they would wander in torment forever.

  I put all my energy into moving forward. I could not afford another thought that would distract me from taking down the Ala.

  Chapter 33

  I burst through the wards that were sturdy, but not strong enough for my new found energy. Then, came the lining that separated the worlds, I shimmered right through them like a hot knife sliding through butter.

  I figured I hadn’t been gone very long, although it seemed like an eternity. The light was already going out and I thought that it was the beginning of an eclipse. If it got that far, that would mean the end of this world. Any longer and the Ala would devour the sun and the moon. Then it would simply move on to the outside world. I had to stop her now.

  I whirled in circles looking for the Ala. It was getting harder to see through the wreckage that was flying all around. There were trees and boulders and water and many things that were hard to distinguish.

  Abruptly the wind stopped blowing and two bright orbs appeared giving considerable light. I could finally see the Ala. She was headed right for me. I waited. It felt like an eternity but I held my ground and willed myself to wait longer. The bright orbs were of course, grandmother and grandfather. As they grew brighter and the Ala grew closer they started to blind her. With their combined forces it got more brilliant yet and I threw up a shade so I could still see. She was getting scorched. She backed off and spun around and tried to come at us again.

  Before she could get her bearings I was on my way toward her. I was shooting fire arrows filled with lethal contaminants. They were more than she could take. Grandmother and grandfather were there giving her all they had in the way of Lightning spears. My friends were all there now and Tim and Jim froze her and she hit the ground with a sonic boom. White Bear added a mist of some kind of herb that kept her paralyzed and Aponi tangled the Ala up in a wire mesh.

  I had no idea the energy and power I had given them would be so imposing. Or that they would be capable of this kind of chaos. They were full of wrath and giving the Ala every bit of it.

  We all pelted her with everything we had and I thought it was working, for a mere second.

  Then I could feel the air shift and I had an impression that she was going to break through. I had to act fast and I had no time to think. I swept down and as I neared her I gave it all I had.

  Pushing full force I collided with her. We merged as one and all the darkness that she was and all the evilness she has I could feel.

  I was every world she had torn apart with her destruction. I was every soul in that world looking for release from their harrowing agony. I was every person, plant, water, sun, moon, stars. I was infinity.

  Then, all at once there was an inner peace and I heard my grandmother saying, “My Little Golden Queen, we can try many ways to get rid of the darkness, but none is as effective as simply increasing the light.”

  With that thought we were both every color, bright and beautiful and shimmering. There was a roar that started and it was deafening. Everything was on the threshold of exploding. I felt as if our energy was connected to all creation. That I was a part of it, and it was a part of me. Then I felt the truth of my spiritual nature and it flowed all through me. I became one with every otherworldly creature and shattered out of the Ala with a thundering crash that shook the world. I landed hovering right above the ground where n
othing of her remained but the silver flakes that fell all around like crystal shards.

  I slowly descended to the ground and everyone was standing there looking at me with the utmost admiration. I was speechless, and a bit confused. Grandmother and grandfather stepped towards me and knelt down at my feet. With the sun shining brightly now and the silver falling all around me. I put up my hand up so I could shade my eyes and see better. What were they doing?

  “My Queen,” they said in unison. Then everyone else followed.

  Well, needless to say I felt foolish standing there. I looked behind me for a second just so there was so doubt. Sure enough it was me they were all kneeling for.

  Once I found my voice again, I ran to grandmother and helped her to her feet and I declared for all to hear.

  “I am still Oria, please get up and stop that. You’re making me feel ridiculous.”

  Aponi was the next to rise and she gave me a great big hug. She smiled broadly and started rambling, “Oria, that is so cool, you’ve got a silver and gold eclipse at the corner of your eye and three silver stars traveling down to your cheek. It’s very pretty I must say, only this all looks like its permanent.

  I had to smile because that was Aponi. She was talking a million words a minute. It was of course, all about the fashion statement that I apparently was making now.

  Speechless, amazed, astonished flabbergasted, you name it. I felt it all.

  I looked around at everyone and they were all shaking their head in agreement with Aponi.

  Then grandfather came forward and took my hand. He patted it gently and spoke to me with the wisdom that beheld his many years.

  “My Golden Queen, you bear the markings of a life-force that has crossed the worlds of darkness. You have released many souls to the stars and defeated the Ala. Wear these marks with pride and honor. Recognize that you have the courage within you to fulfill the purpose of your birth. Summon forth the power of your inner courage and live the life of your dreams. The life you were meant to lead.”