The children thought they had to do something and go away, but they were wrong and Alex is going to do it.
‘Shit.’ Carrie panicked, and ran downstairs.’
~~~~
Alex had no appetite for dinner. He was too wrapped up in his thoughts to notice the strange looks he was getting. He realised how the children were feeling and wished he could tell them, but the time wasn’t right. If he told them now they would try to go early and stop him doing it. Night came soon enough as Alex waited in his bedroom.
The children have gone outside, said House.
Alex nodded. ‘Take me to them.’
The girls sat holding hands in a circle and started to glow. They didn’t notice their papa who picked up Talitha, breaking their link.
‘No, Papa, you can’t stop us, we have to go,’ she said
‘You’re not going anywhere, sweetheart, I told you that,’ said Alex. ‘The rings James gave you will not let you grow, and the necklaces I bought you will take any power you try to summon up.’
Sarin pulled on her chain, but it wouldn’t break. ‘We’ve seen what’s going to happen and have to stop it.’
Alex went down on one knee while holding Talitha. ‘My beautiful girls, you couldn’t stop it even if I let you go, as you came back wrong.’
Adhara’s eyes grew big. ‘I don’t understand.’
‘Neither do we,’ said Blaze, from behind. ‘What’s going on, Alex? What do you mean they came back wrong?’
Alex turned and saw everyone from the mansion standing there. ‘The Final Destiny is here, and I have to stop it.’
Adair stood with his arms folded. ‘This is the reason why your power has been growing.’
‘Yes, and Siphon has woken up.’
‘Maybe it was just a dream,’ said Livvy.
Alex shook his head. ‘My dreams are memories.’
Claire raised both eyebrows. ‘What? How can you have memories of the future?’
‘Because he saw the future, he saw everything that’s happened which is how I saw everything in my dreams.’
‘Who are you talking about?’ Paige asked.
‘Remember I told you I was not alone in here, Siphon has always been in here with me.’
‘Yes, I know, but who is he?’
A long time ago a very powerful being came to Earth and took the form of a human. He fell in love with a woman, and built her a kingdom on an island which he brought up from the depths of the ocean. He invited people to live there under his protection. They had five daughters and lived happy for many years, until the woman died because she was human. They were distraught, and the daughters, who were grown women, did something which was forbidden. They looked into the future and saw what was going to happen. Their intentions were innocent, and after losing their mother they were afraid for their father. They told him what was going to happen, but he was angry at what they did and told them never to speak of it again. The council heard of it and demanded punishment for breaking the laws, his laws. He was fair, and banished his daughters.’
‘That’s a bit harsh,’ said Claire.
‘I would hardly call it fair,’ said Michelle.
‘The banishment was for a month in their luxury villa on another part of the island. The council were greedy for power and demanded a more severe punishment, but he rebuffed them. They wanted to rule and were angry that his daughters had not wanted to marry any of them. It kept him busy during their banishment and couldn’t see what they were planning. When he did find out, it was too late, they had gone. Siphon felt it happen, and with the vase he went to the villa only to find their lifeless bodies lying there. He knew what they had done, and broke his own rules. He looked into the future and knew what he had to do.
Paige looked confused. ‘They weren’t dead?’
‘No, they gave their bodies up and would never be able to return.’
‘Are you human?’ Claire asked.
‘Yes, I was born here to human parents although I know nothing of them . . . at least I think I was.’
‘And he chose your body to use?’ said Carrie.
Alex nodded. ‘Yes, just like his daughters. They chose orphans about to die, and that’s where they made their mistakes and came back wrong.’
‘What mistakes, Papa?’ said Adhara.
‘You should have come back at least twenty years ago so you would be fully grown, and found someone who could save you.’
‘Did you not want to save us, Papa?’ Alhena asked.
‘Oh yes, and lucky for me you made that mistake.’
Claire raised an eyebrow. ‘I don’t want to sound horrible, but it almost sounds like parasites.’
Alex shook his head. ‘No, if it wasn’t for them I would have died over thirty years ago and not had the life I have. Yes, I had a few bad years, but I had a wonderful childhood thanks to a wonderful mother, met the most amazing friends, and have the most beautiful daughters.’
‘So, how did you save yourself?’ said Paige.
‘I didn’t, Joseph did.’
Joseph scratched his head. ‘I don’t remember saving any child.’
‘Do you remember having instructions to stop a young boy falling into the canal and take him to Mizar and sons solicitors?’
‘You were the small starving little boy who I took to get something to eat first?’
‘Yes, it’s my earliest memory, and now time is upon us and I have to go,’ said Alex, and the children screamed.
Adhara cried. ‘You can’t do it alone, that’s why all of us were going.’
‘Going where?’ Luella asked.
Alex rubbed his chin. ‘The Final Destiny is here and I have to stop it,’
‘We fight together,’ said James.
‘This is not a fight, my friend, but something different.’
Luella had gone pale. ‘What is it?’
Alex glanced up. ‘A meteorite, twelve miles long and three miles wide, is heading here and nothing else will stop it.’
‘How long have you known?’ Claire asked.
‘I’ve had the dream for a long time, but only understood what it meant a couple of nights ago. The girls found out the day they started crying.’
‘How the hell are you going to stop that?’
‘By smashing into it, I’m going to hit it head on and hopefully destroy it,’ he said, and passed Talitha to Paige.
Adair pulled on his beard. ‘This is insane.’
Luella had tears in her eyes, and grabbed him. ‘You can’t do it.’
‘I have to, Mother, or everyone dies, including Thomas,’ Alex pulled her hands away and embraced her.
‘Adhara said you can’t stop it alone,’ said Blaze.
Alex shook his head. ‘No, she meant you can’t do it alone and survive.’
Carrie had tears falling down her face. ‘You’re not coming back?’
Alex embraced her. ‘No, my love, not this time.’
‘Please don’t go, I knew this would happen if I ever told you how I felt.’
‘I know, but there’s no other choice.’
‘You can’t go,’ said Paige, ‘you can’t leave us.’
‘My sweetest of friends, who I have loved since we were children, look around us, one or all.’
I could do nothing, said House. I went up there but I could not stop it or even move it, I had no effect on it.
‘I knew you couldn’t, but I need you to look after my friends and children.’
Alex stepped away from them and started glowing brighter than he ever had. He grew to the height of the mansion. ‘House, will you hide me until I get to a certain height?’
Yes, I will do that for you.
Alex shot skywards into space. It didn’t cross his mind that he might not be able to breathe. He flew past the moon faster than he could have ever imagined. It was twenty minutes later when the meteorite came into view. It was huge, but he didn’t flinch. He knew they would all be safe even if he failed, as House would take them to the El
f World. He didn’t dodge this time but smashed straight into it. There was an almighty explosion and the meteor broke up easy at first, but his strength drained fast, and it got harder and slower. Alex summoned as much energy as he could for the final push. He was in agony as one of his arms and many other bones were broken. He broke through the last part and managed to glance back and saw there was nothing big enough to cause serious damage. Alex shrank back to normal size when a piece of the comet struck him from behind, and the darkness he had dreamed of so many times finally took him.
~~~~
House followed Alex but lost sight after the initial impact. He searched through all the debris which was scattered for miles. There was no sign of him . . . Alex was gone.
House returned alone. The noise from the mansion was mainly of crying, many were inconsolable. He told them that Alex had gone. The elves returned to their world to let them grieve. Blaze took the children to bed who cried themselves to sleep, and Luella held Thomas as she didn’t know what else to do. Most of them in the mansion had known Alex about a year but their sadness was overwhelming. Some of them went to bed while others got drunk.
Livvy rubbed her eyes. ‘He might come back.’
Daralis shook her head. ‘No, House told us he’s gone, and the vase cannot locate him.’
Paige squeezed her hands together. ‘How did this happen so quickly?’
James poured drinks for everyone. ‘It was only quick for us. Alex said he knew the other day.’
‘I knew there was something wrong,’ said Blaze. ‘He was asking me questions last night, making sure we were all happy.’
‘We could have just gone to the Elf World,’ said Skye.
‘Not an option for Alex, as too many people would have died, and he couldn’t let that happen,’ said Paige, now crying while leaning into Claire who was holding her.
‘So, Siphon and his girls did all this?’ said Michelle.
‘You heard Alex,’ said Daralis, ‘they gave up their lives to save us.’
James passed her a brandy. ‘They also gave Alex an extra thirty-two years of life, and the children are here because of them.’
‘I just want him back,’ said Paige. ‘When he left me before I was angry with him for doing it, but now I know why he’s gone and it breaks my heart.’
Carrie drank a large glass of vodka. ‘All I ever wanted was to tell him I loved him, but I couldn’t do that because of my dreams and it happened anyway.’
Aileen lowered her head. ‘It was in my vision of him but it changed, and I don’t understand why.’
‘When did it change?’ Daralis asked.
‘I think it was when you and Luella took the darkness from his mind, just before he went to rescue the others who went through the time rift.’
‘Did you come into contact with him?’
Aileen nodded. ‘I hugged him because I was worried.’
Daralis raised an eyebrow. ‘Did he really have the power to do that?’
‘To do what?’ said James.
‘Alter Aileen’s visions.’
‘His power was stronger than any of us could comprehend,’ said Adair. ‘I have felt it since I first met him, and it had grown ever since.’
James sat next to Asima. ‘But he didn’t know what was going to happen then.’
‘Maybe it was Siphon,’ said Joseph, ‘as he did know what was going to happen.’
‘I know it sounds horrible,’ said Skye, ‘but it’s like Alex was used by him.’
Joseph shook his head. ‘No, not really, Alex could have said no at any time.’
Paige wiped her eyes. ‘He would have done it to save us whether Siphon was in there or not.’
‘What are we going to do now?’ said Livvy.
George took a long drink of ale. ‘You carry on with what you always do.’
‘But this is his home, and now he has gone.’
‘No, it’s your home. Alex didn’t just keep saying it to make you happy . . . he said it because he meant it.’
‘No one leaves,’ said Blaze. ‘We have to be here for the children.’
‘Those poor things thought they were going to do it, and then they lose their papa,’ said Summer, who had an arm around the sobbing Carrie.
‘They’re asleep now, but we will have to keep an eye out for them.’
Heartache
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
Aftermath
None of them were up early the following morning and none of them were in the mood for breakfast.
Paige glanced out of a window. ‘Why haven’t we heard anything about the meteorite on the news?’
George shrugged. ‘I guess if the authorities knew they would keep it secret to stop worldwide panic.’
‘Wouldn’t the Order have known?’ said Michelle.
‘They said they should have been told but for some strange reason they didn’t get the information.’
‘I bet Alex had something to do with that,’ said Claire.
George nodded. ‘Yes, that would be my guess too.’
James switched on the television. ‘Maybe they might put something on the news now that it’s been destroyed.’
The picture came on and at the bottom of the screen it read “BREAKING NEWS, DISASTER AVERTED”. ‘A meteorite heading towards us was destroyed last night by a single missile, and as yet no country has come forward claiming responsibility for it,’ said the newsreader. ‘We have received video footage of the event.’
The image on the screen changed. It was of the meteorite, and they saw Alex looking like a shooting star, not of a missile hitting the meteorite when there was an explosion. For those in the mansion it took an agonising few minutes, when it was over they tried to get a closer look but there was no golden light, there was nothing but floating fragments of asteroid.
‘He’s really gone,’ said Paige, and tears started to fall again. Claire put her arm around her not saying anything just comforting.
Torgon, Thalion, Ellinor and Tyra arrived in the afternoon to give their condolences.
Ellinor embraced Luella. ‘We wanted to come straight away but thought it was best to give you some space.’
‘It was probably for the best, we were in shock more than anything.’
‘It was so sudden,’ said Daralis. ‘We were just talking when he dropped the bombshell on us, and before we could do anything he had gone.’
Torgon clasped his hands together. ‘He was protecting you right until the end.’
Ellinor looked around the hall. ‘We haven’t told the others from here who are on our world, it didn’t seem right without their friends.’
‘It would be best if they were brought back here, and we told them all together,’ said Daralis. ‘House, will you bring them back please?’
Of course, said House, in a low voice.
‘Are you OK, House?’ said Daralis, realising none of them had thought about the spirit losing his best friend, and no one could comfort him.
I am sad, but I have been sad before, I will go and bring the others here.
Luella started crying again and Daralis comforted her. The others arrived not long after and could sense something was wrong. Daralis decided to tell them altogether.
Fergal looked up at her. ‘What’s going on?’
‘Alex has gone’ said Daralis.
‘Where’s he gone?’ Flax asked.
Daralis lowered her head. ‘He died last night protecting everyone.’
Flax screamed. ‘No he can’t have.’ She started dancing in some kind of frenzy. Blaze picked her up and held her tightly. Some of the other pucas were doing the same and were soon picked up. Fergal fell to his knees with his hands covering his face.
‘Kaeya,’ Briana shouted, the pixie had collapsed and Finch was leaning over her. Briana picked her up . . . she had fainted.
For those in the mansion comforting the little ones took their minds off it for a while. The children also comforted them to the surprise of everyone. The five girls d
idn’t look sad, but quite the opposite.
Paige watched them. ‘Does that seem right to you?’
‘No,’ said Blaze, ‘but don’t say anything to them about it. Death can have strange reactions on some, and they may have blocked it out.’
‘Don’t we even mention his name to them?’
‘Not until they say it.’
~~~~
The following morning the girls were in their room getting ready.
Adhara brushed Talitha’s hair. ‘What we gonna do today?’
‘Look after our friends,’ said Adhara. ‘We have to make sure Kaeya and Flax are OK.’
Talitha looked up. ‘If they are OK, can we go to the Elf World and play in the trees?’
Sarin shook her head. ‘No, I don’t want to go to any of the other worlds until Papa takes us.’
‘Hope it’s soon,’ said Alhena, ‘and everyone will be happy again.’
They went downstairs and had breakfast, as if nothing had happened, before looking for Kaeya and Flax.
~~~~
Claire watched them go outside. ‘How long do we have to wait before we say anything?’
Blaze shrugged. ‘I don’t know, we should just let them know we love them, and they will soon realise Alex is not coming back.’
Claire stood, her fists clenched. ‘Could it be those things inside them?’
‘Maybe, but please don’t call them things.’
‘I hate being deceived. I love the children to bits, but not what they have inside them.’
‘What they have inside them gave up their lives to save us,’ said Luella. ‘If it wasn’t for them we wouldn’t have the children. I would never have met Alex, and that hurts me so much now, but I would never had wanted that.’
‘I know, I just wanted to blame something,’ said Claire, she was the only one who hadn’t cried, she couldn’t she had to look after Paige. Then suddenly without warning she sobbed.
Luella embraced her. ‘He loved you.’
‘I was a right bitch to him.’
‘You and Paige kept him in line.’
The Final Destiny: Vesta Mansion Trilogy - Book Three - Fantasy Page 41
