He swatted at them as he attempted to run, but one blasting light hit him full force knocking him to the ground at the foot of his throne of death. The light grew brighter and Alsandair covered his pale face with one arm. Elena stepped out of the light and peered down at her former captor.
Alsandair tried to back away but Elena held her fist, adhering him to where he lay sprawled on the ground. He whimpered as he raised his arm, “Oh, no….Elena, please!”
Elena held up her hand, a glowing bright blue ball of sparks spinning in it. She hurled it at him, hitting him in the chest. “Don’t worry, Alsandair. We’ll have plenty of time to get caught up.” She whirled back into a stream of light.
Summer grouped all the lost souls in her mind, trying to communicate with them. She could feel them gaining on her and in this position, there would be nothing she could do if they got close enough to attack. A whirling light flew by and Summer saw one soul being knocked to the ground. She silently thanked the angel as she continued to try and right the wronged souls that were bent on destroying her.
She hadn’t noticed Alsandair get up, move silently towards her. She felt a vice around her neck as he brought one bony hand to her throat and squeezed. The souls crowded in, wanting to please their master, to partake in the fun. She was getting dizzy, the air supply to her lungs cut off. She kicked and bucked with all everything she had. She was too close now to lose. A dozen blue glimmers swooped in, knocking Alsandair back. Summer hit the ground and moaned as her abused knees again felt the sting of a hard surface.
Standing, she once again lit the fire that his onrush had extinguished. She summoned them all, wanting to end this battle of good and evil. Alsandair stood back up, wiped his hands on his pants and started to charge again. He came to a skidding halt. Her army of angels stood behind her, their swords unsheathed.
Thousands of bright blue beacons of hope stood, poised as warriors, their weapons held high above their heads. The sick gray of the stone melted to blue as the backdrop turned from castle to sky. Alsandair blinked, looked around him.
Summer was still flanked by her army, Faline on her left, Elena at her right and on down the line stood Scotty and Adam. They were godlike as they stood in the light, they’re armor incandescent. Scotty no longer bore the resemblance of an awkward teenager. His eyes blazed with a supreme order, his hair no longer in spikes, it feathered across his forehead.
In the cerulean, Alsandair threw his head back, brought his hands up and screamed. His arms burst to life, his eyes huge circles of scarlet. When he spoke, his voice boomed.
“Do you really believe you can defeat me with this?” He waved one doused arm towards her angels. “Are you that naïve to believe that this will stop me?” He roared and behind him, his army ascended through the clouds. They stood behind him, mindless and numb, waiting for a chore to fulfill. Alsandair laughed and folded his arm back, let loose one dazzling ball of flames at Summer.
Elena pushed Summer out of the way at the last second, taking the blow instead. She fell back, coughing and brushing the sparks of her flesh. Summer was also on the ground. She hopped up, pointed a finger at Alsandair and wished for a weapon like the one he had just used. As the though entered her mind, a ray flew from her fingertip, clipping him in his side. He grabbed his wound, doubled over.
After he straightened, she saw the damage she had done. There was a burn hole in his shirt and in the middle was pink, mottled flesh. She had hit her mark, but the action had left her woozy, weak on her feet. Faline looked her way, understanding in her eyes. She stretched her magnificent wings out to their full length, folded them in around her a fraction, and then sprang into the sky. In her wake, she left a cloud of steam, the loud clap of distant thunder.
Summer looked to the left above them and saw that a fitful thunderhead was moving in. It rolled the individual black clouds inside trundling like waves on a shore. It licked at the front, eager to release what was pent up inside. She couldn’t be sure if it was Faline or Alsandair bringing it into the battle. She found out as she once again looked up. Faline rode on the first angry vapor, crouching low, ready to pounce. As the mass of cloud drew closer, Faline bound off, her sword above her head, her knee brought up to her chest.
She was falling towards Alsandair. As her descent quickened and got closer, Faline brought down her sword. The jeweled handle lit up like a light bulb as a blast of lightning struck it. When the light had faded, Faline’s sword was buried to the hilt in Alsandair’s chest.
His face twisted in agony as he clutched at the weapon. Black blood spurted as he twisted and pulled the blade. Removing it, he threw it to the side and in one swift motion, back handed Faline. She soared through the air, landing ten feet from Summer. Her eyes were closed and she made no effort to get up. Summer wailed, running to her side.
She was still, her beautiful hair cascading around her on the white ground, framing her face in a halo of blonde. The sound of chanting broke through the cries of the warrior angel’s, the screams of Alsandair as he seared his wound shut with the fire from his hand. The chanting grew, louder, stronger. And an awful realization hit Summer. She needed the coven.
They had found out her plan and were trying to help. Standing up, she opened her mind to the chanting, to the coven.
Spirits take our powers; we will not cower here while a great battle rages on. Accept our offer of help, bring us to the war and add us to the fold.
Oh, no! They couldn’t. She tried to reach out, screaming at them to stay away, but the chanting went on. An electric energy shimmered in the air as she realized it would work. Everyone and everything she had cared for would be directly in harm’s way. The coven materialized around the battle, posted in different places through out the fight that had broken out between the angel’s and the lost souls. Alsandair stood, slinging his evil fire at the warriors, striking them down momentarily as his slaves descended upon them, slashing with teeth and claws.
Eyes peered out from inside the brown hoods and the chanting grew blatant, but the words had changed.
Distinguish this malevolent being, put out the damnable flame that burns within him. Render him helpless.
In a different realm, in the chambers, Cayden’s heart lurched as he saw the battle that raged around the woman he loved. He saw with eyes that weren’t his own. Lying at Summer’s feet was his ancestor, wings folded beneath her. Great spirits fought tirelessly, wings stretched; they cut down the lost souls that surrounded them. He chanted with fervor, swinging his gaze from Summer to Alsandair, directing all of his power there.
Summer recognized Cayden’s presence right away, her eyes locked with his and she gained a new sense of ambition. She walked back in front of Alsandair and gathered her strength once more, calling the lost souls, inviting them into her mind. One by one, they appeared, populating the darkness she had created. Discombobulated, they all stared at her, waiting for clarification of their whereabouts.
Summer let her voice coil through the souls, invisible fingers of comfort soothing. “Listen to me, great spirits. You must go. Follow the warmth that you feel and meet your true destinies. Leave this place behind, free yourself from the slavery in which you have been.” In succession, the darkness folded over them as they followed her advice. When the last one was gone, she opened her eyes.
Alsandair, stained with black blood and boiling with fury, watched as each of his soldiers blinked out of existence. He rushed Summer in a flash, picking her up by the throat and dangling her. “Call off your army, or die.”
Summer choked, gasped for air. She assembled the last of her determination on what she thought would be her last breath. “I’d rather die,” she whispered, hoarsely.
He raised her higher, bringing his other hand up to her throat to help in her strangulation. “And so you shall.”
Another blast of trailing blue light burst between them, knocking them both to the ground. Summer’s lungs screamed, sucking in air as she gasped and coughed. Elena landed between them. She c
arried something in her hands. Throwing it to Summer she yelled, “Use it, have faith.”
Elena’s words were cut off by a thin arm around her neck and Alsandair began to drag her backwards. Elena twisted up one corner of her mouth and broke free from the grasp. In a flash, she stood behind Alsandair, whispered in his ear. “After you are destroyed, your spirit is mine. I’m no longer the frightened little slave you remember and I’ve many ways in mind to show you just how I’ve changed.”
Elena pushed off the ground, flew high and hovered at the front of the thunderhead that still roiled above.
Summer looked down at her hands, the book Elena had tossed open to a page with curving text scrawled from one side to the binding. The word at the top of page caught her eye, Death Speaker. She read fast, astounded at what she found.
Cayden, still incapacitated in his world, could do nothing but watch as Alsandair had hung his beloved in the air like a rag doll. The only power he had here was his mind and he was rapt in propelling everything he had in to the mix to save his woman.
The spirit he had seen in his divination, the determined one, now bore wings. She had thrown something at Summer before taking off into the sky. It was a book. Some sort of memory flooded back in. Faline’s book…it was the book Summer had thought she lost. He kept chanting and waited for Summer to realize the power she held in her hands.
Summer smiled wickedly and covered the range between her and the being that had endangered everyone she loved. She got close, leaving just a few inches from her face to his. And she spoke the words in the book, the words of a death speaker, and the words of her legacy.
“I, the death speaker of the underworld, command you to sink. Sink down into the depths of hell and beyond. Experience every misery you have caused, feel every pain you have inflicted. Trap yourself in your eternity of torture and never come back.”
Alsandair twitched and writhed, his white hair catching fire and blowing away in ash. His face sunk in, transforming into the skull she had seen in that first vision. The flames that had emanated from his arms, licked and danced over his flesh, exposing charred flesh. Smoke rose, filling the air with the foul stench of burned skin. Only bone was visible now. Crumpling to the ground, his lower jaw dropped as if to cry out, but no sound came.
Elena was there, looking down at him, receiving pleasure as she watched his crimes coming back to him. She knelt beside the sack of bones and declared. “This is just the beginning.”
Parts of him attached themselves to the breeze, being carried away. The air vibrated and energy gathered around him as he split into fragments. The report sang, shaking the vapor that still swirled through the aftermath of a great battle.
As silence returned, the scenery altered. Summer was again in the chambers, the coven members gathered around, Cayden peering up at her with love in his eyes. The warrior angels sprang up around the room, surrounding Summer as she floated above the emerald green pentacle at her feet. In unison, they bowed. Summer returned the gesture.
Faline came to float in front of her. She still had so many questions. “Faline, thank you,” Summer said.
“It was our pleasure, our duty.”
“What are you?” The question had surfaced and Summer waited for Faline’s response.
“We are humanity’s protector. In your world, people call us guardian angels or describe us as a feeling, a voice in the back of their minds. We exist to protect, to encourage mortals that not everything is as it seems, that sometimes the impossible is much more possible than they can imagine.” Faline faded for a second.
“We are your army, death-speaker, and we make ourselves available for anyone who needs our help. Whether it’s to conquer a great evil, as you have done, or to help a single mother struggling to survive, we plant the seed for belief; pave the way for those who don’t feel there is anything good left in this world.”
Cayden listened as Faline told her what this army was. Well hell, Guardian Angels? Who would’ve known they looked like that? Or That they carried swords that could cut down an oak. As weird as his life was before and as much pains as he had taken to keep his magic concealed, he had a feeling life would never be the same after this.
Faline’s reflection quivered and she continued. “Elena is telling me to say thank you for all you have done.” Faline smiled, making her face even more glorious in it’s ethereal binding.
“No, thank you.” Summer turned, looking at all the warrior souls. “All of you. I couldn’t have done this without you.”
Faline chided in, “Yes, you could have.” Her image began to dim. “For this is your story and mine, forever entwined.” With those final words, Summer’s warriors disappeared.
Suddenly weak, Summer swayed and sat down on the stone. The faces of the coven were blank, surprised. Se knew they had a right to be furious. She just hoped they didn’t stay that way for long. She hadn’t wanted to betray anyone or hurt them; she just wanted to protect them.
All at once, uproarious applause and laughter mingled with cheers. Stunned, Summer looked at everyone. She felt strong arms hook under her legs, around her arm and she was being lifted. Cayden fused his mouth to hers, conveying how much he loved her, needed her. She giggled as they made the way to the stairs.
Chapter 23
The members laughed, teased and lounged around the house. It felt so good to see the fear and apprehension gone from their eyes. She sat on the couch, soaking it all up. Sophie and Lurleene made their way towards her. Sophie was carrying two mugs and handed one steaming cup to Summer as she jounced into the cushion beside Summer. Summer held her cup up as the coffee spilled from the vibration Sophie had caused.
Sophie looked sheepishly at Summer and shrugged. “Sorry.”
Lurleene chimed in. “I don’t know about anyone else, but my brain is still trying to process what just happened.” She held her mug, sitting on the arm of the couch next to Summer’s head. Summer had noticed Lurleene’s attire of simple jeans, a cotton t-shirt and tennis shoes. She hadn’t said anything as of yet, but planned to tease her relentlessly as soon as official business had been spoken of and tucked away.
Summer looked at Sophie, her head leaning to the side. “It was you, wasn’t it?”
Acting clueless, Sophie put one chubby hand to her throat. “It was me what?”
“Oh, Sophie, come on,” Summer urged.
“Oh, alright, yes it was me. Who else would’ve known?” Sophie said as she rolled her eyes and sighed. “Well, duh.”
Summer laughed as she was taking a drink, causing the liquid to once again cascade down the side of the mug. “How long did you know?”
Looking sheepish, Sophie averted her eyes. “Oh, I’ve known for a few days.”
“Geez, Louise,” Summer said in exasperation, clunking her head on the back of the couch.
“Well, I knew what you were planning to do before you did. How would you have approached that situation, I might ask?”
“You’re right. You did the right thing by going to Cayden.” Summer snorted. “Boy, I bet it killed him not to say anything to me about it, a chance to reprimand me. Now that’s something he’d have a hard time passing by.”
Sophie and Lurleene laughed as one and through chuckles Lurleene responded. “You should have seen him, pacing like he does. He wanted to just lock you up, tell you not to do it. But, Sophie here knew that it was the only way to save you, so, somehow she convinced him to keep the secret.
As Lurleene spoke she felt a tingling sensation and looked across the room. Cayden stared intently at her, unspoken words of future retribution in his glare.
He left the men he had been talking to and strode across the room to her. He had been so scared of losing her. Keeping the secret from her had been hell. He wanted to shake her and tell her she was careless in her plot. But, she hadn’t known at the time that she would do it. Cayden had entertained thoughts of locking her up somewhere, keeping her safe from what she would do. But, he had seen the importance, the fate of
it all. So, he had let nature run it’s course, let his bride to be take matters in her own hands and save the world.
The diamond he had retrieved from the attic before they began the chant to assist her dug into his thigh, cutting through the thin material of his pocket. It almost burned his skin as he prepared himself to carry out a plan of his own.
Summer looked up at him, his forehead was wrinkled into worry lines and he had his hand in his pocket, fiddling with something.
Attempting to smooth out the tired wrinkles in his face, Summer said, “Is that your hand in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?”
He grinned little as he bent to one knee.
Her heart skipped a beat, she told herself to calm down. He was not going to propose, they hadn’t even talked about it. She doubted he even wanted to marry her. She wished he did. With all her souls, she hoped that was what was about to happen.
The room went still as he took Summer’s hand. “Death speaker, will you do me the honor of never leaving my side?” As he spoke he pulled an antique ring from his pocket, held it in front of her face. It was silver, with symbols and curves etched into the band on either side of the diamond at its center. Her mouth hung open.
Sophie broke the awkwardness. “Cherie, are you deaf? The man just asked you a question.”
Summer cast a sideways glance at Sophie, a shut up look painted on her face. She looked back at Cayden and plunged into her life headfirst. “Of course, I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
Cayden sprang to his feet, pulling Summer up and crushing her to his chest. He kissed her senseless as the coven look on. Pulling back he brought her left hand to his chest and began to slip the ring onto her finger. “This was Faline’s. It belongs to you. She left certain…uh…instructions. He motioned towards the book that lay on the table by the door. When it was on, he whispered, “This is your story and mine, forever entwined.”
Bayou Summons Page 14
