He slowly nodded and reached out to pull me into a hug. "Do you think such a boy could live a good life? Would he be able to go to school or get a job? Do you think he'd be able to find love and look at the world without hate?" Jaxson asked.
I took a calming breath, closing my eyes to imagine the little boy in all those scenarios. It took me some time, but then I pulled back to smile up at him.
"Yes. What happened to him was unforgivable, but from the determination in his eyes...I know he'd get justice the proper way. He'd go to school, get amazing grades, graduate and get a good job that would help him get closer to finding the person who shattered his world. Even if his mom was a woman who he loved and cherished, I think he'd still have space in his heart to love, and to find a woman who will accept him, even if he was still hurting inside. He'd become someone far better than the person, or people who flipped his life upside down. He would be the better human being...and Mother Destiny and the Starlight gods would one day reward him with closure." I whispered the last part, feeling like it had to be said.
A wide smile formed on Jaxson's face and his expression softened. He nodded in agreement. Then he pulled out of our hold, walking over to the desk I'd pointed to moments ago. He pulled opened the top drawer and retrieved a black box with a red ribbon. It wasn't like the one in my vision, but it looked expensive like it held something valuable inside.
My heart seemed to pulse faster and the tugging sensation returned. I focused on the box in Jaxson's hand as he walked back to where I stood. He took a deep breath and pulled the bow of the ribbon, releasing its hold around the box. He then lifted the lid. I gawked to see the final crystal, the ruby red gem with hints of gold and orange embedded in the silver bracelet.
It all made sense: the vision, Jaxson's reactions after my interaction with Xerxes and my death. This place that looked like a replica of that little boy’s home. I lifted my head in shock and whispered. "The little boy...was you?"
"Yup. I was dropped off by my grandparents after a play day and walked into the house before the fire started. My grandma had felt something was off, but told me to tell my mom to call her once dinner was made. I rushed inside as usual, running to the kitchen where my mom always was cooking dinner for us, but she wasn't there. That's when I noticed the fire burning in the living room. It was the curtains at first, then the couch. Soon, it was spreading fast and the one thing I could think of was to make sure my mom was safe. I grabbed the phone and dialed the first number on the recently called list. Kendrick picked up. I didn't know who he was at the time, but I told him I needed help because my house was on fire and we lived in the middle of nowhere. He ensured me he would get help and would be there as fast as he could. Then I told him I'd check on my mom and hung up," Jaxson explained.
He took another calming breath before he lifted the bracelet out of the box. "I ran upstairs, calling for my mom. Then I heard her scream. It...was the most heart-wrenching sound I'd ever heard and made me run so fast, I didn't even think it was possible. The moment I reached the bedroom...there she was. Her body fell in slow motion to the ground and the culprit stood there with a wide smile on his face."
"Xerxes..." I whispered.
Jaxson nodded. "The anger in my eyes only made him laugh. I tried to run towards him, to do anything to wipe that smirk off his lips, but it was as if an invisible barrier was blocking the entrance. All I could do was bang on it and cry for my mom.
“Her eyes...those...beautiful gems just stared at me with sadness as I watched her struggle to breathe. I could...I couldn't do anything. All I could do was cry and tell her how much I loved her. How much I wanted her to fight the evil man and live. How...I'd get stronger so I could protect her...and...she just smiled and nodded. She was dying...blood pooling underneath her…in who knows how much pain. Yet, she smiled and looked at me with such pride..." Jaxson sobbed. I blinked back my own tears, walking up to him to wipe away the tears that ran down his cheeks.
"Why was she proud of me when I couldn't even save her? How could she smile when she was in so much pain? Xerxes chose to leave then, and the barrier preventing me from getting into the room faded. I ran to my mom and held her in my arms, wishing I was an angel spirit so I could heal her. But one look into her eyes told me it didn't matter what I did at that moment. She was on the verge of death, and in a matter of minutes would be one with the stars."
He sniffed and took a few breaths before staring at the bracelet in his hand. "She told me that this bracelet was now mine to protect until it was bestowed upon me properly. She said this had to happen and I shouldn't blame myself, but I didn't understand. Why did my mom have to die? She was everything to me...so why was it okay?" He cried and I pulled him into my arms.
"Jaxson..." I whispered, rubbing his back as he wept, my own tears rolling down my cheeks as I sobbed.
"When she died...I thought I'd never feel whole again. Didn't matter who came in my life. Even the guys only helped heal a part of the gap that was there. Yet, one person was able to fill that void," he whispered, pulling back to stare down at me.
"When I saw you that night in the club...it was like my world clicked into place. As if I knew this woman HAD to be in my life. You were a burst of energy and I yearned to be in your presence.
“As we got to know each other, I realized that the pain in my heart was growing smaller and smaller...and that void I thought would never heal, slowly patched itself up. I felt like a new person, like I could finally live and maybe even put my past behind me, as long as I had you on my team," Jaxson confessed.
"But that phone call...to hear Xerxes’ voice and that sinister laugh while you screamed and called for me...I felt like I was back here, banging on the invisible wall that blocked me from saving my mom. When I had nightmares, instead of seeing my mother, I saw you. The woman I adored for her strength and independence. The woman whose beauty made my heart skip a beat and made me question whether to leave for work because I just wanted to be around you all the time. My Scarlet that entered our lives and made everyone on my team the best they had ever been...including me, lay there in a pool of blood...dead...because I couldn't save you."
He reached out for my right hand, turning it over so my palm faced up. He placed the bracelet in it. "The reason I snapped at you the night of the cage fight was that I knew this would happen. A part of my mind knew about this bracelet, and as we continued to collect each crystal, I wanted so badly to forget about its existence. This gem is known as the Crystal of Forgotten Memories, and it did just that. Whenever I tried to remember where it was, it seemed like I had forgotten, so I gave up on it. But when I slept, I'd have the same nightmare, with you in my Mother’s place. Kendrick would come and pick you up and I'd run to retrieve this from the drawer."
He nodded his head a few times as he bit his lip. "I snapped because I knew I wouldn't be able to keep running from Destiny. I thought if I pushed you away...I could keep you and the others safe. If I broke up the team and took the final crystal and faced Xerxes on my own, at least the people I cared dearly for wouldn't get hurt. Even if it made me look like a bad guy...at least you'd live."
"Jaxson...but...you know how much that would hurt us? Sure, we wouldn't get physical wounds, but...fuck, I love you. Michael loves you! All the others think of you as a brother and you're the leader of our team. Without you...there is no Team Seven. I couldn't live without you. We're a team...and I love having all of you in my life," I confessed, tearing up yet again.
He pressed his forehead against mine, lifting his free hand to brush my tear stained cheek.
"I know, baby. I know. That's...why I'm sorry. I realized my mistake, but I didn't know what to do to fix it. I fucked everything up...I made you cry and the others hate my guts. I must have hurt Michael too...especially now that he’s confessed his feelings for me," Jaxson whispered, closing his eyes.
"I just didn't want history to repeat itself. I didn't want my nightmares to become reality. It was selfish of me...and that's why I deci
ded it was time to stop running and face my fears. Be the determined boy I was all those years ago and work towards fighting Xerxes, not on my own, but as a team."
I gave him a wide smile and used my free hand to press his left hand over the crystal in my grasp. "Close your eyes," I whispered, not sure why I wanted him to, but letting my mind take control of my actions.
He did as I asked. I closed my own, focusing on calming my breathing as I felt the crystal grow hot in our joined hands.
* * *
"The hardest challenge one can endure is accepting their flaws."
I opened my eyes and turned to see Akoya with a wide smile on her face. I looked to see Jaxson, who looked at the woman in her green dress. But then his gaze drifted to the person standing on Akoya’s left. His eyes widened before they pooled with tears.
"Mom..."
I followed his gaze and I gaped at the woman standing next to Akoya. Her appearance was stunning. Her hair was bright red that shifted to orange and gold, her roots jet black that reminded me Jaxson's hair. Her amber eyes were radiant and her tanned skin suited her perfectly. Her plump lips were glossed with red lipstick with hints of gold, and her cheeks had a hint of rosy pink.
She was 6'5” and wore a maxi dress with different colored flowers that seemed to glitter. She didn't look older than 40, and was so full of life compared to the vision I’d seen of her dead self.
"Oh, my little Jax. You've grown into such a wonderful man without me."
I looked to Jaxson, who tried to speak. His lip trembled as his eyes filled with tears, which spilled down his cheeks as he began to sob. I kept his left hand in my right, but moved back so his mother could approach. She smiled in thanks, lifting her hand to press against Jaxson's cheek as if she was right there in the flesh.
"Don't cry, Jaxson. I never left your side. You just can't see me,” she confessed, pulling him into a hug. Jaxson lost it and he cried hard into his mother's shoulder as she held him tightly. I glanced at Akoya, who let her tears flow, but held a proud smile.
"My challenge was to test your love for your team, as well as yourself,” she announced, coming to stand next to me.
"My team and myself?" I whispered.
"The one thing I recall about the previous Elemental that stood out the most was her selflessness. It was almost like it was a requirement for her to be the Elemental, and she fulfilled the role marvellously. You've have proven just the same, but I wanted you to realize that it's okay to express what's bothering you. That's one thing the previous Elemental lacked," Akoya explained.
"Mother..." I whispered.
Akoya nodded. "Marilyn was a person who would give up everything to make someone else happy. Whether it was her family, her friends, or her precious daughter who lit up her world. By the time she realized how unhappy she was, her time was already limited. She realized that she spent all her time trying to make the world happy, but by doing so, had buried her own insecurities and things that bothered her the most. It wasn't until she had you that she realized if she stayed within the royal walls, you'd follow the same path."
I glanced to Jaxson, who was still crying, and his mother continued to comfort him. She whispered something in his ear and patted his back soothingly.
"Sometimes sacrifices have to be made so that change can come and a new path can be created. The loss of a life will always leave a wound and hurt both the individuals left behind, and Mother Destiny who watches all of us. When a soul is lost, a seed of them is left behind and it comes down to those left behind from that individual’s life to help nurture that seed to grow and blossom into something positive, or ignore it and allow it be at a standstill. You are on the right path, Scarlet. All you need is to realize that unity is the key to conquering any obstacle," Akoya concluded.
I nodded and smiled. "Thank you, Akoya." She took a step forward and gave me a hug before we turned back to Jaxson and his mother. Jax had calmed down and his mother smiled at him, wiping away his tears.
"Jaxson White. My sweet little boy. You have grown into a spectacular man who has such a big heart. I know you regret not being able to save me, but everything happens for a reason. My death was inevitable and though I wish you never had to witness it, you've become the man standing before me because of it." She turned her gaze to me.
"You also would have never met Scarlet otherwise,” she revealed.
"He wouldn't?" I asked, looking at Jaxson, who met my stare.
"No. A slight change in the past would have changed everything. Even though Scarlet's destiny was written in the stars way before her creation, your team of men, which includes my son, was not. Everything that has happened, from your individual struggles to what you've dealt with together as a team, was a path created by Mother Destiny and was set into a new set of paths upon Marilyn's death," Jaxson's mother revealed.
"Monako, Esmeralda, Aqua, Allison, and myself were the guardians of the crystals. Once our time was up, our power was sealed in the crystals in preparation for the new Elemental, which was initiated when Marilyn gave you the Stone of Awakening the night of her death," Akoya acknowledged.
I looked at Jaxson's mother, who smiled at the mention of her name. "Allison White. Previous guardian of the Crystal of Forgotten Memories. A pleasure to meet you, Scarlet, the Visionary Elemental of this time." She bowed her head slightly.
"It's nice to meet you," I whispered, feeling a little shy suddenly.
She giggled, the sound so soft and gentle, reminding me of my mom's melodic laughter. "Our roles in this world are done. We shall be moving on once the final crystal has been assigned to its rightful owner." Allison looked to Jaxson, who looked taken back by her words.
"Meaning..." he whispered.
Allison nodded. "I won't be able to stay by your side forever, my son, but I'm confident that you will be just fine without me. You have someone else to make sure you don't do anything stupid." She ruffled his hair and looked to me, giving me a wink.
"I didn't do anything stupid," Jaxson huffed and the three of us ladies laughed.
"Scarlet, one time when Jaxson was sixteen, he thought it was a smart idea to jump off a building because he thought Agni could help him fly, and-" Allison began, but Jaxson interrupted.
"Mom! How...ugh. Don't tell her about that,” he whined and we laughed even harder.
Akoya sighed, walking back to stand parallel to us. I watched in awe as the others guardians appeared, all of them looking youthful.
Allison placed her hand on our joined one and took a moment to glance between the both of us. "I won't say there won't be hardships in your relationship and in the path you're destined to walk, but love can conquer anything. Trust in one another, be confident in each other's strengths, and do not be afraid to share your weaknesses. Everyone has flaws and struggles, but sharing them with the people you trust will help you to overcome them. And if you can't, you'll have the same individuals help you face that struggle together."
Jaxson and I smiled, looking at one another. "I understand," Jaxson whispered.
"Me too," I replied. We both turned to Allison, who looked satisfied and turned her attention to Jaxson.
"I will always love you, my son. Make sure you don't screw things up with Scarlet, or I'll have to come back and knock some sense into you,” she declared. Jaxson chuckled while I blushed.
"Thanks for the approval, mom...and I know. I'll cherish and protect her, but will also give her the support she needs when she wants to do things on her own and kick ass," Jaxson reassured her.
Allison grinned and turned to me. "Take care of my baby, and never fear, Scarlet. You are a lot stronger than you think. Use the power within your heart, and the elements will come to your aid. You are the key to tremendous power. All you have to do is will it."
I nodded. "Thank you, Allison."
She gave us each a hug before she pulled back to join the line with the other women. Monako grinned. "Sisters, it has been a long time. We should bless them before we go up to see the gods,"
she suggested.
"I guess so," Aqua agreed.
"I think a song would be nice," Esmeralda decided.
"We haven't sung together in decades," Akoya added.
"We'll have plenty of singing time in the stars. We could make a choir group." Allison smiled.
They all exchanged looks and laughed. I wondered how they all seemed to be so close when they must have varied in age and life spans.
I turned to look at Allison one more time. She smiled and I looked back to Jaxson. "You have anything else you wanna say? This is the last time," I whispered.
Jaxson stared into my eyes for a long time before he glanced at his mom. "I love you, Mom and I'll be good. I'll fight alongside Scarlet and the others and obtain justice for you. I'll make you proud and...one day we'll meet again," he vowed.
"You already make me proud, my son. I love you too and thank you for choosing the right path," she said, blinking back tears.
Then the five of them began to sing, the melody slow yet held such power and weight. The different harmonies seemed to blend together perfectly, heightening their words about love and unity. They proclaimed that there's always darkness in the world, but light will always prevail. But to spread light means to love, and love is sharing yourself with others and the world.
I turned to face Jaxson and he met my gaze. "You ready?"
"Yes. Are you?" he asked. I turned to the women, seeing their joyful smiles as they continued to sing. My heart clenched to realize their souls would move on to the stars for judgment and our roles would officially be set in stone. But I could see the exhaustion they tried to hide in their eyes.
Visionary Awakened (Paranormal INC Series Book 2) Page 27
