H.E.A.R.T. Saga: The Children

by Linna Drehmel

  Maybe JorRobert can help me stop the HEART. Yes, that’s it. If I stop that thing, then I will stop the pain. The gathering; there is going to be a gathering. Maybe there will be a way to stop the HEART from doing what she is planning.

  Maybe the HEART is damaged, too. How can there be any other world? That is madness. This is our world. Why would anyone want to leave this world? It is a perfect world.” Fredrik placed his hand on the HEART stone by the door. “Yes. JorRobert and I can help each other,” he said quietly as he took the small travel stone out of the pocket of his robe.

  The pain in his head prevented him from thinking too much about the HEART and whether or not he believed anymore. Fredrik hurriedly recited the prayer for travel that ended in, “JorRobert’s home.”

  The full force of the energy began to course though his body, causing him more pain. The negative side of the energy felt like needles in his mind, the positive gently teasing him with the promise of relief from his pain. Both sides of the energy twisted inside his body, pulling him to his destination.

  The energy retreated back into the HEART stone on the altar in the Jor home. Fredrik collapsed to his knees, retching with pain and confusion. “Maybe I was wrong. Maybe Symon can help me. No, there is nothing wrong with me. Symon tried to heal me.

  It’s him. If there was something wrong with me and Symon healed me then all is well. But if this hurts so much then Symon didn’t heal me and that means there is something wrong with him. It’s not me, it’s him.” He took deep breaths, and then got to his feet.

  “I will stop the HEART,” he said quietly.

  He kept his thoughts fixated on this one thing. “Stay focused and get JorRobert’s help; you can aid each other.” He walked through the house, following the sound of JorRobert’s voice to the bedroom.

  He watched quietly as JorRobert had a conversation with no one.

  JorRobert was so consumed by his rabid sorrow that he didn’t notice he was being watched as he sat on the bed holding his wife’s tallice. “Why did you die?” he asked, sobbing. “I tried to save you.”

  The ethereal form of JorMelony stood at JorRobert’s shoulder and spoke. “I know, JorRobert, go to Symon. Let him heal the pain in you. Please, JorRobert, I can’t stay and protect you from the pain for very much longer; go to Symon please!”

  “Stop it!” he yelled, jumping from the bed. “You are dead! I watched you die, I held you in my arms; I saw the pain on your face and watched as the light went out of your eyes!”

  “Peace, JorRobert. I have peace, you can have it too. Go to Symon, he will help you find peace,” she told him.

  “No! Go away, you’re dead.” JorRobert’s pain overwhelmed him.

  “I can’t leave you like this. I love you. I have to see that you find peace,” she told him.

  “Symon can’t help me find peace! Even as powerful as he’s supposed to be, he couldn’t save you. He didn’t even try. I tried, JorMelony; I tried! It’s his fault; Symon caused this. And it was your mad sister and her husband who started this mess!” He threw the tallice at the ghostly image of his wife and watched as it sailed right through her, smashing against the wall. “You’re dead and it’s their fault!” he screamed.

  “JorRobert. Please go to them. The pulse damaged you; they can help you,” she pleaded.

  “Stop it, JorMelony! They did this to you, to me. I am going to make them pay!” JorRobert pulls the emitter from his belt, blasting a hole through what was left of his wife’s tallice.

  Fredrik then made his presence known. “You’d better put that thing away before you hurt yourself.”

  Startled by the sound of another voice in the room, JorRobert whipped around with the emitter still in his hand. “What are you doing here, Second Councilor Fredrik?”

  “Take it easy, JorRobert. I have come to help you. I think we can help each other.”

  “Did Ambassador Symon send you?” JorRobert demanded again, still brandishing the dangerous weapon.

  “No, he did not,” Fredrik said, trying to soothe the enraged man’s fears. “They were all damaged by the pulse and are now mad.”

  “Don’t listen to him, JorRobert,” JorMelony’s ghost begged her husband. “Look in his eyes. He feels a lot of the same pain you do. Look at his face. Where is Fredrik’s smile?”

  “Stop it!” he commanded her in a feral whisper.

  “Stop what?” Fredrik asked him.

  “I wasn’t talking to you. I was talking to… never mind.” He tucked the emitter back into his belt. “Talk,” he commanded. “How can you help me?”

  “I know what happened to your wife today. I understand your need to see those who caused this punished. And I think I have an idea of how we can do it.”

  “I’m listening,” JorRobert said as he folded his large arms across his chest.

  “You want revenge on those who caused your wife’s death. I need to get the HEART, or whatever she is to stop this…” he stopped, not willing to admit that he felt pain.

  “Stop what?” JorRobert asked.

  “Don’t listen to him,” JorMelony’s spirit begged. “Look into his eyes, JorRobert; see his pain? What he is planning will hurt people; people I love.” JorRobert ignored her pleas.

  “It’s not important,” Fredrik told him. “The HEART just needs to stop.”

  “Tell me more about this plan, Second Councilor.”

  “What I am planning is simple. I overheard them talking about a special gathering to wake everyone up. And Symon is supposed to explain everything about the HEART and about how she is supposed to be bringing everyone to a better world.” He paused for a moment to see if he had JorRobert’s attention.

  “Go on,” JorRobert said evenly.

  “Well, DraDonna and DraDevon will also be there to give their new bonded friend support,” he said bitterly. “This will be your opportunity to punish them for what they did to your wife. You can hurt, humiliate, or kill them— I don’t care. Only leave Symon to me. I need him to speak to the HEART for me, so I can get her to stop this madness.”

  “Why would Symon do what you tell him?” JorRobert asked.

  “Because he will see that you’re going to hurt his bonded friends,” he said again with bitterness in his voice.

  “I see. It sounds like a pretty good plan… only there is a problem,” JorRobert said thoughtfully. “They outnumber us.”

  “I thought of that,” Fredrik told him. “I have a few ideas that will even the odds.”

  “Don’t listen to him, JorRobert! Please don’t listen to him. He is mad!” JorMelony begged her husband again.

  “Stop it; I’m doing this for you,” he growled at her under his breath.

  This time Fredrik heard what JorRobert said. “Stop it?” Fredrik asked him. “I thought you wanted to know about our plan.”

  “I wasn’t talking to you. I was talking to…” JorRobert stopped, not wanting to tell Fredrik about his wife’s presence.

  “Who?” Fredrik asked, a little annoyed.

  “It’s my wife’s soul. She won’t leave me alone,” he told Fredrik, feeling a little embarrassed to admit that he was seeing someone that was dead.

  “Oh, is she here?” Fredrik asked brightly, almost as if he was his old jovial self again. “JorMelony, if you can hear us, my dear, we’re doing this for you,” he called to the room, not really believing she was there.

  Ignoring the feeling that he was being mocked by the Second Councilor, JorRobert gruffly asked, “So what is it you think we have that will even the odds?”

  “First off, you have that weapon. But you need to be sure you have enough energy to use it.” Fredrik stopped, trying to control the pain that flared up in his head again so he could talk.

  “And?” JorRobert asked.

  “And we will have Jude,” he said, finally able to control the pain.

  “What… how?” JorRobert asked in surprise.

  “Come my friend, I will explain as we prepare. We don’t have much time,” Fredrik
said as he led his new friend to the HEART stone altar.

  Ambush

  33

  A compelling yet gentle tolling sound came from the HEART stones all over the ship. It called everyone out of their energy induced sleep. The tolling also said “come to the courtyard,” and come they did. They just didn’t know why.

  Those who lived in the Ambassadors Community came on foot. Those that lived in the Second Councilors Community used the energy travel to the temple office, lining up and going by twos or more.

  Those that lived in the First Councilors Community used the energy travel to the upper chamber of the temple. At any other time the thought of being in the temple was the cause of trepidation. No one but the Ambassador ever entered the temple, but the gentle tolling of the HEART stones told the people it was okay this time.

  Symon stood watching all the HEART’s children pour into the courtyard, and those who had been asleep on the ground in the courtyard began to wake and stand up, looking groggy but calm. He felt a flutter of fear in the pit of his stomach, because he didn’t want a repeat of what had happened the night before.

  “I hope they listen to me this time,” Symon told DraDevon, who stood next to him along with DraDonna and TynLexa.

  “I think they will,” he responded. “Everyone looks calm and you have us, Symon. You’re not alone.” DraDevon placed his hand on Symon’s shoulder. “What is your plan?”

  “I think I’ll ask everyone to link up first; then I will channel very strong positive energy. Then I will talk and tell them what’s going on.” Taking a shaky breath, he voices his fear again. “I hope they listen to me.”

  “I don’t know why they wouldn’t. The people all love you, Symon,” DraDonna told him.

  “I know they do. I can feel their love, but the problem is I don’t have my councilors with me. I don’t know how the people will react to that. I also need help channeling the energy into the linked up crowd. Maybe you three could help me.”

  “But Symon, we can’t channel like a Councilor can. We only have the one grain of HEART stone in our right wrists,” TynLexa told him with a worried look on her lovely face.

  “I think I have an idea around that,” he said with confidence. “Listen, the link works when a person is in contact. Now, all the councilors do is amplify what I have and split the energy from either wrist. You will not need to split the energy because I will have already done it. Just touch me with your left hand let it flow down your left arm to your right wrist, then focus the energy on the grain and let the grain amplify the positive. Take hold of the person in the crowd closest to you.”

  “I think it might work,” DraDevon said.

  “We’d better start,” Symon said. “I just saw the last person leave the temple, as well as the office.”

  “Be ready,” he warned them. “Devon, you take my right hand. Donna, you take my left, and Lexa—”

  “I can’t!” she whispered, her voice full of fear.

  “Why?” he asked.

  “I just can’t. Please… Symon, I can’t. I will tell you why some other time, I promise, but I just can’t now.” she pleaded with him.

  Searching his friend’s face, he saw pain as well as worry, “It’s alright. I’m sure the three of us can handle it.”

  “I’m sorry,” she told him, a look of relief on her face.

  “It’s alright, Lexa,” he said again. “In that case, you stand behind us. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

  “It will be alright, TynLexa,” DraDonna said with a reassuring smile.

  Symon turned to face the crowd with DraDevon at his right, DraDonna to his left and TynLexa behind them.

  Symon raised his hands to get the crowd’s attention. “I am so pleased to see all of the HEART’s children gathered together this morning for such a special gathering. Let me start this gathering with a special dose of positive energy!” he said with a wide charming smile.

  The crowd of people, who once looked sleepy, began to cheer.

  “Link up, sons and daughters of the HEART!” he told them, and they happily obeyed.

  With just a look to his friends, they linked arms and Symon closed his eyes to concentrate. Reaching out to the HEART stone that he carried in his head he drew all the positive energy he could and pushed it down to his chest, letting it flow out his arms into DraDonna and DraDevon. They in turn amplified the energy and reached forward, taking hold of the person closest to them.

  The feeling of the flow of the HEART’s energy changed—Symon looked up in surprise, realizing that he was no longer channeling the energy into his friends, but that they were drawing it directly from him. He had never had that happen with his Councilors.

  With a genuine smile on his beautiful face he addressed the children of the HEART. “Children of the HEART, you have all been called here this morning to hear glorious and historic news. The HEART who is our MOTHER has found us a new home.

  “This home that we have known for more than a thousand years is old and has been holding back the souls who have died, shutting out the souls of our babies. So the HEART has found us a new home where she will be able to set the old souls free, and our babies once again will be born to us!”

  He stopped for a moment to look into the crowd. He saw calm faces and smiles as they listened intently.

  “I know that you may not understand a lot of this just yet. But the HEART wants me to explain the truth of all things to you. She is our MOTHER who has loved and cared for us for over a thousand years. But she is not our God. She never claimed to be; it was we who had seen her as one.”

  He looked around, still seeing that the people were focusing on his words. Symon looked to his two friends at his side. He worried for them because they had never channeled like this before, but saw that his worry was unfounded. They strongly kept concentration as they drew a steady stream of positive energy from him.

  “She wants you all to know that she will always care for us and guide us. Even on our new world. The best news of all is that she has a great new gift. She is giving us the gift of freedom. She will guide us, but we will be free to choose how we will live our lives.”

  Symon felt pleased that the crowd of HEART’s children was reacting so well to the news, so he continued. “Now I know that you will have many questions. Please be patient and I will answer all in—”

  “But what are those two criminals doing with you?” Came a gruff voice from the crowd.

  All three of them look up in surprise.

  “Keep channeling,” Symon whispered desperately to his two friends.

  “What I want to know is, where are your Councilors?” came a second voice.

  Symon knew that voice very well, but there was a dark sound in it that filled him with dread. He looked wildly into the crowd for the source of the voices. It did not take long for him to locate them.

  The two men were pushing people out of their way as they went, causing people to break the link of positive energy. He saw the blue glow flicker and die as more of the link was broken.

  “What have you done now, Symon?” Fredrik said as he approached the Ambassador, shoving him hard, breaking the link to his friends.

  “Fredrik, stop!” screamed TynLexa.

  “Well, Lexa.” Fredrik said with a brief flash of his old cocky smile. “It’s good to see you, but I need to know if you have been caught up in this HEART madness. It needs to stop!” Fredrik declared.

  “Leave her alone, Fredrik,” Symon warned, standing between them.

  Fredrik turned his angry gaze back on the Ambassador. Symon saw the pain and madness that burned in his friend’s eyes.

  Out of reflex Symon channeled positive energy to his right hand and reached up toward Fredrik. “Fredrik, why didn’t you tell me you were still in pain from the pulse? This is all just madness. Let me heal you.”

  “Don’t touch me, Symon!” Fredrik yelled as he smacked Symon’s hand away. “You are the one who is mad, not me! You are going to help me stop the
HEART and this mad plan to leave our home.” Fredrik’s face bore the look of violence.

  “I will not help you do anything of the kind!” Symon said with conviction in his voice.

  “Oh, but I think you will… JorRobert!” he called.

  Cold fingers of dread gripped Symon’s soul as he saw the big man push his way through the crowd of scared people. In his right hand he carried the emitter. In the other, cradled in his arm like a child, was Jude.

  “You will do whatever we tell you to do, or I will burn a hole in her chest. I don’t think you can heal that, now can you, Ambassador?”

  “Before we get to the business of you stopping the HEART, Symon,” Fredrik said, “we’re going to have a little entertainment.” The madness burned bright in Fredrik’s eyes. “Mind wipe DraDonna. Or JorRobert will kill the love of your life.”

  Sacrifice

  34

  The crowd of people stood in stunned silence as they watched the two men prepare to torment those they thought responsible for their pain.

  “No!” DraDevon screamed as he charged to DraDonna’s defense. “Don’t touch my wife!”

  Anticipating this reaction from DraDevon, Fredrik quickly channeled only negative energy, swung around and putting his hand out in front of him, halting DraDevon’s mad dash. DraDevon skidded to a halt just a breath away from getting a jolt of the negative energy in his chest.

  “That’s right, DraDevon, stop right there.” Fredrik said, still holding his hand close to the shorter man’s chest. Fredrik walked behind DraDevon, wrapping his left arm around his neck in a tight chokehold, all the while keeping his negatively charged right hand near DraDevon’s chest. “Now I know that I am not nearly as powerful as Symon but I do know that this little jolt I could give you would hurt badly, and might even be enough to stop your blood muscle. So don’t move.”

  “Let them go!” TynLexa cried. “I have known you all my life, Fredrik, this isn’t you! You are kind and funny, not a killer.”