The Final Prophecy

by W. D. Newman

CHAPTER 26

  LOWLY ONE REVEALED

  Casey knew that something was wrong. Bellator was looming over her brother and glaring down at him. She watched as Ben slowly got out of his chair and turned to look at them. Casey could see the fear and worry in his eyes and her heart went out to him. Nervously, she played with her bracelet, spinning it round and round her wrist, counting the charms as if it were a rosary. Just as Ben turned back to the game, her finger came to rest on the sundial charm and she paused. Ben reached for one of his game pieces. She wasn’t sure, but it looked like his queen. It was the queen. Casey held her breath as he slid the queen into position. Everything was so deathly quiet that she was amazed she could hear anything over her heartbeat, which was thudding loudly in her ears. But she did hear Ben. She heard him loud and clear, just as if she were standing there beside him; he said checkmate. He said CHECKMATE! Just as quick as it had started, the game was over and he had won! Ben had defeated the immortal, but before Casey’s emotions could register any joy, before anyone had time to even contemplate a celebration, Bellator bellowed like a mad bull.

  The sound was both ear-splitting and terrifying. It was a sound that penetrated your flesh and shook the very marrow of your bones. Bellator brought his huge fist down on top of the table, instantly shattering it into a million splinters. Game pieces of elves and dwarves flew through the air and rained down upon the ground around them. Ben stood there, rooted to the ground in fear, and Casey watched helplessly as the immortal raised his hand to strike her brother. Then something inside of her snapped. Her finger was still on the sundial charm. Without thinking, she pinched the gnomon and screamed out loudly, “FREEZE!”

  Time froze. She looked at her grandma and friends. Amos was already halfway through his transformation into a bear. It was strange seeing him frozen in the middle of a transformation like this. It reminded her of the time that he was bitten by the cave troll and the poison from the troll’s bite prevented him from completing the transformation back into human form. That was a horrible predicament, but this one was worse. Much worse. Quickly she looked away. She had to think of something fast, because the charm would only work for a short time. However, she did not have time to think at all; Bellator’s hand had started moving again, slowly at first, but getting faster and faster. Casey sprang into action.

  She sprinted across the open space between her and Ben. The immortal had raised his hand as high as he could. The charm had worn off completely now. Bellator’s hand was now poised for a strike. It hovered above Ben’s head for just a moment. Casey dug deep and with a final burst of speed shoved her brother out of the way as the immortal struck.

  Louise screamed.

  A green bolt of lightning leapt from the spell catcher on the end of Merlin’s staff and struck the immortal in the chest. It only slowed him for a second, but that was all that was needed. Gabriel, without thought, snatched Excalibur from the ground and hurled it at Bellator. The moonsilver flashed in the evening sun as the sword flipped end over end and buried itself deep into the immortal’s chest. The sword had finally found its way back to its true master.

  Bellator grabbed the hilt of the sword that was protruding from his chest, but he was unable to pull it out. The immortal’s eyes were wide with shock and disbelief, but there was something else registering on his face too. It was an emotion that was totally alien to him. It was fear. For the first time in his existence he felt fear and as the life ebbed from his limbs, he realized this paralyzing emotion was something that all living things experienced; the fear of dying. The fear of the unknown and what awaits for us after death. He also realized that he was responsible for instilling this horrible feeling upon others and a pang of regret pierced his heart as keenly as the sword. He sank to his knees and then collapsed onto his side, right next to Casey.

  Ben was shoved violently aside as Bellator struck. For a brief moment, as he rolled across the ground, he thought that his little gnome friend Mueller had returned from the grave to once more push him out of harm’s way, but he was wrong. He quickly bounced back onto his feet, ready to flee from Bellator, but to his great surprise the immortal was laying on his side and Ben could see the sword sticking out from between his shoulder blades. It was Excalibur, but who had used it? He was master of the sword, so no one should have been able to even pick it up. Then his grandma started screaming and Amos grabbed her as she collapsed. Ben started to tell her that everything was okay and that he was unharmed, but then he noticed that Casey was not standing there with them. Panic began to build from deep within his chest and he felt the icy hands of fear squeeze his lungs. Who had shoved him aside?

  Slowly, he approached Bellator and as he drew closer he spied his sister laying in a crumpled heap beside the immortal. There was so much blood! The ground tilted and Ben feared for a moment that he was going to pass out. He fought back the panic and ran to his sister’s side. She was still alive, but just barely. Thankfully, Louise was still unconscious and Amos was tending to her. Merlin, Marcus, and Gabriel rushed over to help.

  “Merlin, do something!” Ben cried.

  The old wizard sadly shook his head. “I can ease her pain, but this is beyond my power, child. I am so sorry.”

  Ben wept. He knelt down beside her and gently clasped her hand. “Marcus? Is there anything you can do?”

  “Perhaps,” the keeper replied. “There is a charm on her bracelet that is shaped like a heart and it has the power of healing. Her injuries are severe and she may be too far gone, but it is worth a try.”

  Ben wiped his eyes on the back of his sleeve. He gently twisted the bracelet until he found the tiny silver heart. “How do I use it?” he asked.

  “Pull the charm off the bracelet and place it upon her forehead, then tell her that you love her.”

  “That’s it?”

  Marcus nodded. “Hurry now, she doesn’t have long.”

  As Ben was removing the charm, Bellator spoke. He was still alive, but just barely. His voice was no longer strong and booming. It was no longer full of confidence and pride. It was just a whisper. A weak whisper, laced with fear and uncertainty, but they all were able to hear him clearly.

  “I only wanted Him to love me.”

  Marcus knelt beside the fallen immortal. “Who?” he asked.

  “The Creator.”

  “The Creator did love you. He never stopped loving you and loves you still.”

  Bellator closed his eyes and shook his head. “He doesn’t speak to me anymore.”

  “Look at what you have become! You grew to hate the things He created and loved. Do you really think He does not have the capacity to love all of His creation?”

  A tear slid down the immortal’s cheek and he reached out toward Casey, but could not reach her. Casey, still alive and still conscious, remembered her conversation with Venus. She mustered what strength she had left and stretched out her arm to place a trembling hand into Bellator’s.

  Oh no, Ben thought. His sister was having trouble breathing now, her breaths coming in quick, short gasps. Stories are not supposed to end like this. They are supposed to have happy endings, where the good guys win and everyone lives! Frantically he removed the charm and reached to place it on her head, but Casey stopped him.

  “No,” she whispered.

  “What do you mean, NO?” Ben cried. “We have to do this now, Casey, you’re in bad shape.”

  “No,” she repeated.

  “Listen, you’re badly hurt and you’re not thinking clearly. If you don’t let me do this you might die.” The tears were flowing freely now. Ben was thankful that his grandma had not yet woken up. He couldn’t think clearly either and if Louise were to see her granddaughter up close, her reaction would send everyone over the edge. “Casey,” he continued, “think about what it would do to Mom and Dad if you died! It would crush them.” Ben gently took her hand from Bellator’s and held it in his own. “It would
crush me,” he cried.

  “Listen to me, Ben,” Casey whispered. “Use the charm on Bellator.”

  “What?”

  “Use the charm on Bellator and heal him. Trust me, please.”

  Ben looked up at Merlin. The wizard shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. He did not know what advice to offer, but he knew that the prophecy was still unfolding, so he remained quiet and watched. Ben turned to Marcus, but the keeper appeared to be deep in thought and simply stared, not at Ben, but past him as if he were struggling to put together pieces of a puzzle that did not quite fit. Finally, Gabriel spoke up.

  “Do it.”

  Ben looked down at Casey. Feebly, she squeezed his hand and nodded. She even tried to smile. Ben choked back a sob that threatened to rack his body and turned to Bellator. He could not believe that he was even contemplating this, but somehow, as illogical as this seemed, it just felt right. It felt like this act of love and forgiveness was a crucial pivotal point on the outcome of the final prophecy of Venus. Slowly he placed the heart on Bellator’s forehead. “I forgive you,” he said, “and I love you.”

  Gabriel reached down and grabbed the hilt of the sword. With a soft tug, it slid free from Bellator’s chest and the tiny silver heart on the immortal’s forehead flashed brightly and then vanished. A soft glow enveloped Bellator and the gaping wound on his chest began to heal. The flesh below his sternum, where the sword had entered, knitted together to form a bright pink scar about four inches long. It would be a scar the immortal bore for all eternity, but the charm had healed his heart completely and Ben and Casey’s unselfish act of love and forgiveness had cleansed his heart of all wickedness. Bellator climbed to his feet and then stooped to lift Casey from off the ground. Gently, he cradled her in his arms and wept. As his tears washed over her, the same soft light that had bathed his body with healing, began to emanate from hers. Everyone watched in amazement as her bruised and broken body began to heal. Her pale skin began pinking with new life and her breaths evened out into the long steady draws of one who is sleeping soundly. At last, she opened her eyes and smiled.

  “It’s finished,” she said. Bellator hugged her close and carefully placed her on her feet.

  “Casey!” Ben cried, throwing his arms around her. “You’re okay! How did you do it? How did you know you’d be alright?”

  “I didn’t know for certain,” Casey answered, “but something that Venus said came back to me and made everything crystal clear. I didn’t know that I would be healed, but I knew what I had to do.”

  “I’m not sure now,” said Marcus, “who the chosen one really is. I thought all along that it was Ben and maybe it was, but now, I think it could very well have been Casey.”

  “It couldn’t be me,” said Casey. “Look at all of the things Ben fulfilled. I haven’t done anything.”

  “The prophecy doesn’t say that chosen one actually brings those things about, only that they do occur. I think everything that happened according to the prophecy, was prophesied to herald the coming of the chosen one. The only thing the prophecy states that the chosen one will actually accomplish is bringing the mighty down. Both of you were instrumental in that.”

  “Maybe both of us were the chosen one,” Ben offered.

  “Perhaps,” said Marcus. “It is of no matter now. It’s over.”

  “No, it’s not over just yet,” said Bellator. When Gabriel had pulled the sword from the immortal’s chest he had cast it aside. Now, Bellator stood behind them with Excalibur in his hand. Had everything that had just happened been for show? Had Bellator played them all for fools? The immortal walked past them and into the park. At the edge of the lake, he flung the sword far out into the middle. Everyone watched as Excalibur splashed into the lake and vanished beneath the dark green waters.

  “Now it’s over. May that sword never see the light of day.”

  The air beside Bellator began to shimmer and glow and then suddenly, someone materialized at his side. It was Venus!

  “Welcome back, brother,” said the golden haired immortal, “we have missed you.”

  For the first time since the creation of the elves, Bellator smiled. The two immortals embraced and clapped each other on the back.

  “Are you ready to leave?” asked Venus. “The Creator is waiting to see you.”

  “He will see me?”

  “Not only will He see you, but at His request, we are having a great celebration in honor of your return.”

  Bellator turned back to Marcus. “Before I leave, I make this pledge to you. Never again shall I harm any living creature, but I will be protector of all living things great and small. Never again shall I be proud and boastful, but I will humble and meek in spirit. And, lastly, never again shall I be called Bellator. My name is Jupiter.”

  “It is indeed a joyous day in Faerie,” Marcus replied. “Farewell, and I hope that we will soon meet again.”

  Casey watched as the two immortals became translucent and began to fade. It was over. The final prophecy of Venus had come to pass and everything had worked out to a happy storybook ending. No one had been killed and, in the end, no one had even been harmed. Venus and Jupiter faded away until only the outline of their bodies was visible and then, like a soap bubble that suddenly pops, they vanished completely. Casey started to speak, but she heard a voice inside her head; it was Venus…

  “Well done, Casey. Well done.”

  *****