Talon breathed an audible sigh of relief. Thank you, Father. Thank you, but why? Why did you change your mind?
Draakar turned to look at Maya and squeezed her hand. Because I know what it’s like to be apart from your truemate. I’ve found mine. I have no choice but to allow you to find yours. Besides, when Maya and I return to Akgon I will need someone here to watch over things. You will stay here at Akgon castle, run Akgon Enterprises and oversee the Earth brethren and the brethren of Akgon that come looking for their mates.
Talon walked over to his father and hugged him. “Thank you.”
When he turned away to return to the edge of the circle with the others, Draakar stopped him.
“No stay.” He linked his hand in Talon’s and Maya’s, and she linked her hand to Talon’s. The three of them formed a circle within the Stones and combined their energies. A slight sulfur scent carried within the cavern just before a gray swirling mass formed in their center.
Sherri and Paul. Draakar looked at them. You will have to enter the circle to enter the portal but do not break or touch the contact of our joined hands. Enter between Talon and me; we will raise our hands to allow you through.
Sherri and Paul each picked up their suitcases, and after nodding to each other they stepped under the raised hands and entered the gray mass in the center. The sound of thunder filled the cavern, then a flash of blinding light. Once the light blinked out, the cloud disappeared, as had Sherri and Paul.
“Are they through?” Maya asked.
“They’re through,” Draakar replied. “Don’t worry, they’ll be fine. Meanwhile we have portals to close. Now did everyone pay attention on how opening the portal was done and the energy necessary to manipulate it?”
“Yes, Father. I think we got it.” Talon grinned.
“Good. Closing the portals will be a similar process.”
“Who will you take with you, Draak?” Ian asked.
Draakar smiled at his First among Firsts, so far the only one to shorten his name. “Talon will stay here. But I will take you, Darryl and Cass.” He turned to face James and Robert. “You two will remain with Talon until we return.”
“But, Father,” Talon interrupted, “what about my mate? How will I find her if I’m stuck here?”
Draakar sighed. For a four-hundred-and-some-year-old brethren he looked and sounded like a human teenager. He glanced over to see Maya grinning at him.
“You know she’s not of age yet, Talon. When she is old enough you will be able to find her. For now she is probably safest not being with us and drawing attention to herself.”
His acceptance didn’t come immediately but finally he agreed. “All right. But I will find her, Father.”
Draakar nodded in agreement. No one told Talon they’d already seen her, leaving Draakar to let him know. And Draakar still wasn’t sure what to do. But he’d decide before he left if to tell him about the girl they’d seen at the airport or not. “You will,” he said to his son. “Meanwhile, I think you had the right idea wanting to study human ways. So go ahead and enroll in the university here. Make a place for yourself in this world. With Akgon’s resources and your abilities, you will do well here until it is time for you to return home with your mate. It will take a little time for all of the knowledge Mother Earth has already imparted to you to make sense. Robert and James can also be of great assistance in helping you to adjust.”
“Sure,” James said. “We’ll have a grand time.”
“That’s correct, young Lord,” Robert replied.
“Okay. Cool,” Talon said. “How soon will you guys leave and when should we expect you back?”
“We leave as soon as Ian can get the jet fueled, and I’m not sure how long it will take. A lot depends on the strength of the magicks of the portals.”
“Draakar,” Maya said, “what about my parents? They’d probably want to come with us, but I’d prefer my mother stay here and rest.”
“Yes, it’s the safest place for them. I don’t want any of you leaving the parameters of the wards until we get back and the portals are closed. The betrayer is still out there somewhere.”
“Don’t worry so, we’ll be fine.” Talon hugged Maya. “I’ll take good care of your parents, and you take good care of my father.”
“You know I will.”
“And I’ll start your mother’s training,” Talon offered.
Maya smiled. “She’ll love that.”
Chapter Thirty-One
The plane touched down in Massachusetts at Logan airport, the first of three cities Draakar, Maya, and their Firsts had to visit to look for the dimensional portals. A rental car awaited them at the curb as they walked from the terminal.
The driver got out and Ian palmed him a tip for his trouble. The brethren continued their journey to Salem. There they hoped to find a long forgotten grave on Winter Island, the gravesite a gateway to another world. After a short trip from the airport to Salem, they arrived and Draakar had no trouble finding the marker of power currents he sought.
This is the place, Draakar sent as he stopped before a mound of dirt facing the harbor.
The wind buffeted them as they stood upon the cliff, and Maya pushed the hair away from her face as she looked around. She could not locate a grave marker no matter where she looked, only a swelling in the grass-covered ground in front of their feet.
Understanding dawned. What? This pile of dirt? You’re kidding? she asked incredulously.
No, I’m not. Open your senses. Feel.
Maya closed her eyes and reached out with her brethren senses. My God! You’re right. There’s something here. I can feel it. Like a gap, a kind of break in the earth.
Yes. Cass agreed. I feel it, too.
They all glanced around. They were not alone. This time of day a lot of tourist frequented the area. Ah, Darryl sent to them. How are you going to go about this? Will these people be able to notice anything when we shut this gate?
No. They will only see us standing as we are now admiring the view. A few who are sensitive to magicks may feel a slight twinge. No more than Maya’s father would feel, but that’s all.
What if there’s someone near with stronger brethren blood? Maya sent. Won’t they be able to detect more?
If there were anyone near with that much power, I would know. Come, we don’t have much time.
Okay, what do you need us to do? Maya asked.
I need everyone to stand around the mound and clasp hands.
Although not very large, the mound appeared just wide enough for all of them to stand around it holding hands. Draakar drew on his powers, the powers of the brethren and Mother Earth to seal the portal. Like a beating heart, the mound pulsated as though the magicks of the connected realm were trying to fight against the seal. But Draakar’s magicks and will being stronger set the seal firmly in place.
The Dark Lord opened his eyes and released Ian’s hand but maintained Maya’s. This portal is now sealed, but we’re not done. This one was easy, but let me warn you it is the weakest of the three portals that must be closed. It only led to one other realm. The others wield stronger magicks and will be much more difficult to close.
Draakar, Darryl sent, why seal the portals? How come we don’t just cut the anchors holding them here?
If we cut the anchors, the portal is gone forever. Also to cut the portal would require destroying a part of Earth magicks that is also part of the anchor, perhaps harming Earth in ways we cannot foresee. Besides, these portals were created for a reason, even if we no longer remember, but Mother Earth allowed the anchors to be placed and we must honor her wishes. The other reason is someday we may need these portals.
“Are we going to stay the night here, Draakar?” Maya asked, trying to hide a yawn behind her hand.
Draakar smiled at her. You’re tired.
Maya returned a weary smile to him. They were drawing on and using massive amounts of energy. It had been a long trying last couple of days, but they could not rest, not quite
yet. “No. I’m sorry, beloved,” Draakar replied, placing a kiss on her hair. “Let’s head back to the airport. We can sleep on the plane.”
They returned to their car and as Ian got behind the wheel he asked, “What’s our next stop?”
“Egypt!” Cass exclaimed.
“Yes. There is a portal at the Temple of Isis on the island of Philae,” Draakar said.
“But I thought Mother Earth said there was another portal here in the U.S.,” Maya replied.
“Correct, but that one will take a lot of energy and I think it’s best we try to close it last. It is another true gateway leading to many different worlds, much like the Circle of Stones. It will hold considerable magicks and we will have to meld with the power of the Stones as well as Mother Earth in order to seal it.”
“What about the one in Egypt?” Cass asked. “Is it like the Stone portal, too?”
“Not quite.”
“What do you mean, not quite?” Maya asked curiously.
“It is the Temple of Isis. It leads directly to her realm and from there she can, if she wishes, send you anywhere.”
“Oh my God!” Maya cried. “You mean she’s…real?”
Draakar laughed. “As real as dragons that once flew in these skies.”
“Have you ever met her?”
“Yes, just before her ascension. That is one portal we will not have to close, but I must warn her.”
“Ascension?” Maya asked frowning. “What exactly do you mean?”
“Her mortal body died, but her energy was reborn to stand watch over this portal.”
“So what the Egyptians believed was true, about life after death?” Cass asked fascinated.
“In a manner of speaking,” Draakar replied. “Long ago there were some humans who were more sensitive to magicks, but who did not have brethren blood. Isis was one such human, and Mother Earth granted her ascension to this other realm, but she can never return to Earth because she would die here.”
“Are there others like her?” Maya said. “Who have been allowed this ascension?”
“Very few. But yes there are others, and some even populate this realm.”
“Wow,” Maya said, at the same time wondering if heaven was where one ascended.
Draakar, ever present in her thoughts, must have heard her silent query. “No Maya, it is not heaven, not even close. But there are many things existing outside of the Christian heaven and hell that are both part and apart of this realm. Think of the temple as a gateway and Isis as one of the last of the gatekeepers.”
“But what or who are they keeping out?” Darryl asked.
“There are many other worlds in the universe and beings who inhabit them. Some of those beings are a danger to Earth. If they were aware of this place, their only interest would be in conquering the realm and subjugating its inhabitants.”
“Like the betrayer,” Maya said.
“Exactly. Mother Earth knows her children are still too young to have to deal with these beings from other worlds and has taken steps to keep them out. So until the time comes that her children are of age, she will do everything in her power to protect them, including controlling access to and the very knowledge of the portals. Frankly, there may never come a time when the portals will be common knowledge.”
“But other than the brethren, are there others that have been allowed access here?” Cass asked.
“None that I know of. Ancestral memories only show our need was great and Mother Earth adopted the first brethren as her own. By using her magicks, our ancestors were able to take human form.”
“Well, why aren’t there gatekeepers at the portal we just sealed or back at the castle?” Maya asked.
“There is no gatekeeper here or the portal at the mist because they only lead to one realm, and Mother Earth had no fear of the beings from those realms. The brethren are the gatekeepers for the portal at the Stones. Although, the mist may also be a sort of gatekeeper. The last place we’ll head to should’ve also had a gatekeeper, but it doesn’t, not anymore. The people of the land were supposed to stand guard over the portal. But they stopped believing a long time ago, so there is no longer a gatekeeper.”
“Wow.” Darryl grinned. “Well, Egypt here we come.”
They had been constantly traveling for the last five days and the group sitting in the car on its way to Window Rock, Arizona felt a unanimous relief to reach the last portal they had to close.
Maya leaned against Draakar’s shoulder. He rubbed his face against her hair, inhaling her unique fragrance. She’d found the visit to Isis the most awe inspiring. He’d promised her one day they would return and spend more time amongst the pyramids of Egypt and enjoy the hospitality of the temple longer. Unfortunately, this trip, time mattered; they had a silver dragon to stop and they had to return to Akgon. As the car slowed down, Maya raised her head off Draakar’s shoulder to stare out the window.
“Wow,” she exclaimed.
Draakar glanced over her shoulder. Before them lay another magnificent sight. A graceful red stone arch rose up from the ground, but it didn’t look as though it belonged to the earth. It appeared rather like a very large hole in a rock. Large enough for a dragon to fly through. Nonetheless, it was a mystical place, timeless and ageless. It reminded him of some of the men and women of the Navajo nation they’d seen as they passed through the reservation. The arch stood on their land.
“Wow!” Cass echoed Maya’s sentiment. “It’s beautiful.”
“Yes,” Ian agreed. “But it’s really open and on display. How’re we going to do this?”
Even as he spoke a freak storm rolled in. Out of nowhere lightning cracked across the sky and thunder rumbled overhead. Thick gray clouds quickly hid the afternoon sun as people ran for shelter before the rain released in torrents from the sky. In the span of five minutes, the day went from brightly colorful to gray as sheets of rain poured from the sky, obscuring everything around them.
Draakar stepped out of the Jeep. Come.
Maya and his brethren followed him. Rain fell all around the group, but a waterproof shield surrounded them. The water didn’t so much as slide over them, as it never touched their bodies at all. Even their shoes never sank into the mud puddling beneath their feet.
They walked to the rocky path then climbed up the side of the rock into the center of the hole.
Draakar looked down at the ground and frowned. Blood has been spilt here, recently. And the place carries the stench of the silver dragon. This is the realm to which the betrayer crossed.
The magicks of this place is strong. Maya take my left hand, Cass on my right, and Darryl and Ian in-between the women. They joined hands as they had done before and Draakar called up his powers, as well as the others. A multicolored glow surrounded them all. Anyone watching the arch would have seen strange colorful lights flickering through the storm in the center of the rock formation, but no one would venture near to see what caused the bizarre occurrence. This was, after all, a mystical place so maybe the lights were not so strange and none of their business.
As Draakar’s powers built he formed an energy seal to close the portal to Earth. But…something…something very old and very powerful on the other side of this portal fought the combined powers of the brethren, voraciously fighting the seal forced on the portal connected to Earth. A guardian perhaps stood on the other side and wrestled with them for control.
The Dark Lord called brethren he sensed in the area, and to Mother Earth, and on the power of the Stones for help in sealing this side of the gate because their powers could go no farther into the other realm. And still the power on the other side resisted the seal.
The center of the hole grew brighter and brighter until no one could look directly at it. But Mother Earth would not be denied; she ruled here. The sound of a sonic boom rent the air. The bright light went dark and so did the brethren, leaving only the falling rain bathing their faces as they lay on the ground.
Draakar, the first to regain conscious
ness, lay on his side. He raised his head to check on Maya, who rested beside him, her breathing even and steady. She stirred and her lashes opened as he watched. He placed his hand on her arm to help them both stand. Are you all right?
Yes, yes I think so. What…about the others? What happened?
They turned to look around them. They found Darryl against one side of the rock arch and Cass on the other. Both were coming around and didn’t appear any worse for wear. They could hear Ian before they saw him, staggering toward them a few feet away from the arch.
What happened? Maya asked again.
Whatever controls this portal has strong magicks, maybe as strong as the magicks of the Stones. Thank the Claw it does not work on this side of the realm. We were able to close the portal on this side of the gate, using Earth magicks. The magicks of the realms maybe equal in power, but no one on the other side will be able to open the portal.
Can it be opened on this side? Maya asked.
Only with Earth magicks and only by someone strong enough to wield a lot of power. We’ll have to keep an eye on this area. I will open a branch of Akgon near here. I have already called upon brethren in the area to watch over this place. But I’ll have to find one strong in the blood to run the operation here.
I’ll stay, Lord.
Draakar turned to Darryl and grasped his shoulder. “You don’t have to. I would like you to come to Akgon with me.”
“It’s fine. I’ll get to Akgon eventually, but for now, I’m the most logical choice. Besides, one of my great, great, great grandpas somewhere down the line claimed Navajo origins, or at least that’s the story I was told. I could do some digging about that.” He grinned showing straight white teeth. “Get to know the people around here. It would make it easier for us to keep an eye on this portal. Maybe even find out what happened to the people who were supposed to guard this place.”
“Are you sure? I can get someone else to do this. I sense another not far from here who has potential.”
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