by E. S. Mercer
I turned to Samiel who stood patiently waiting for and welcoming his punishment.
“My compassion for what you have been through runs deep,” I said, caressing his face. “And I don’t find any evil intention on your part. But, I cannot find you inculpable either.” “Then I will be mortal too?” he asked, a bit disappointed.
“No,” I replied, “but you will not be tethered to any power. Instead, you will live your life, helping the mortals adjust to a new life.”
Then, I turned my sights on Arabella, who was starting to show fear.
“No more,” I said, placing my hand on her chest. “You don’t have to hurt anymore.” My intent was to relieve her of the darkness she carried within her and to rid her of the pain that corrupted her. What I didn’t realize until that moment was how deep the roots of that pain went. The darkness inside was pure evil. She had become the dark force that fed everything wicked in this world, which meant, she would not go down easily. She was a powerful entity, equal to me and could not be destroyed.
“But,” I thought to myself, “maybe, just maybe she could be neutralized.” So, I grabbed ahold of her shirt and pulled her into me, wrapping my arms and wings around us both until they were intertwined with hers.
At first, the darkness fought me off, sending pulses out beyond us which knocked everyone off their feet. But I fought back, gripping tighter and tighter until I felt myself begin to draw the darkness out, flowing through her wings into mine, with a searing pain my fragile body could barely tolerate. It wasn’t that I couldn’t turn off the pain - I just chose not to. I needed to understand what she felt and how she became what she was.
However, the more darkness I took from her the more I realized I wasn’t neutralizing like I thought I would. Instead, I was absorbing it into myself. It attached itself to the very core of my essence and was creating something much greater than my body could handle. The larger the entity grew inside me, the more I could feel it tearing me apart inside until I let out a scream that broke through the barriers of time and pierced the ears of the two most important men in my lives.
The moment they heard my screams, Gabriel and Michael threw down their swords and fought against the strong currents of energy that separated me from them. It knocked them numerous times until they finally grabbed onto each other and broke thought it together, crawling on their hands and knees to get to me.
By the time they reached me, my skin had begun to crack, allowing a strange and bright yellow light to escape into the atmosphere. It was harsh and cold as it fought to break free, nearly taking me with it. But, the moment each one of the brothers laid their hands on me, my body began to repair itself. Then the pain died down as they took the excess energy into themselves, filtered it through their wings and back into me, giving me the strength I needed to take the last of it from her.
And it wasn’t until that moment, I realized why they were so important to me.
One was born of the son of the dark while the other was the son of the light. They were both pure of heart and although they may have been tested by the evil that surrounded them, they never gave into it. Putting their differences aside, they came together to become an extension of me. The connection they had to the children I carried inside me completed a circuit important to this very task. Without them and their offspring, I could never have succeeded in containing her.
Children you ask? I know that earlier I had told Michael I carried one child. And up until that point I thought I had, but the moment I began to contain the darkness, not only did it grow to full term, but the child became two and I realized my job here on earth was done.
I drew in the last of her darkness and released her from my mother’s body, which I now placed gently on the ground below me, dragging along the brothers who refused to let go. They knew, that the moment they did, that was it. They could feel it as much as I could, but couldn’t come to terms with saying goodbye. With the last final breath I took, I turned and looked at each of them and smiled. I knew, just as well as they did that they had kept me from blowing apart, but it didn’t mean I was meant to stay in that body.
“It’s ok,” I said, realizing their hesitation to let go. “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”
“I can’t.” Gabriel said, holding back tears. He knew what the look on my face meant and refused to let me go. “I’m not ready to say goodbye. We haven’t had enough time.”
“I was never meant to stay here,” I said with a compassionate grin. “I was never to be here in the first place.”
“Yes, but I love you,” he said, gripping my shoulder. “I can’t be without you.” I turned my head to Michael who stayed oddly quiet.
“I’m not ready either,” he said, finally speaking up.
“It’s not goodbye,” I said, looking down at my stomach. “It will never be goodbye when they are around.”
Michael, understanding what I meant, came to terms with it the best he could and let go first. When he did, a strong pulse of energy blew the three of us apart, breaking the time barrier and sending us flying across the front lawn.
Gabriel quickly got back on his feet running as fast he could, as he could see me slumped over in the distance, not breathing. He tripped over himself, sliding into me, and grabbing me to see if I was still alive.
“She isn’t breathing,” he cried, pulling me into his lap. “I can’t feel her breathing.”
“I know,” Michael replied, coming up behind him and choking on his tears. “I know.”
“I can’t,” Gabriel cried, hyperventilating. “I can’t live without her.”
“We have to,” Michael said, kneeling beside him. “She would want us to.” “Us?” Gabriel asked, pawing at me. “Us?”
“All of us loved her in our own way,” Michael replied. “And when she died, Anessa went with her, which will break as many hearts.”
They were both so concerned with me they didn’t realize what had been lying next to them the whole time.
“Oh, my gods, Gabe look,” Michael said, clawing at the dirt. “Look beside her.”
Gabriel who was now sobbing uncontrollably, wiped away his tears, so he could focus on Michael was looking at.
“Wait, where did they come from?” he asked, looking down at two small lifeless children, no older than three or four years of age.
Realizing they were as lifeless as I, Michael began to panic. “No, please,” he cried, “It can’t be.”
“Who are they?” Gabriel asked, pulling me farther into his lap. “Where did they come from?”
“I think he is my son,” Michael answered, picking up the male child.
“Your son?” Gabriel asked, “And her?”
“She must be your daughter,” he replied. “But I don’t understand.”
“Understand what?” Gabriel asked, trying to pick her up.
“She said she was carrying one child not two,” Michael muttered.
“Who?” Gabriel asked, still stunned.
“Evangeline!” Michael barked. “Who else?” “But she wasn’t pregnant!” Gabriel shot back. “I would have known.” “She was and so was Anessa,” Michael replied. “Eva had gotten pregnant before she turned to stone and Anessa must have gotten pregnant that night at the lake house.”
“She is mine?” Gabriel asked, holding me tighter. “You could have told me,” he whispered, nuzzling the side of my face. “You should have told me.”
“Maybe she thought she had more time,” Raphael said, coming to comfort his brother. “I don’t think she knew it would end this way.”
“She did,” Gabriel said, squeezing me again. When he did, I expelled a breath, that carried with it three small feather like emissions of light. One, started floating up towards the sky as fast as the gentle breeze carried it, while the other two drifted into the lips of each the children beside us. It took a moment, but soon they were both gasping for air and calling out for their mother.
Michael tried to comfort the small blonde male child, who would not
settle down until he was out of his arms and touching my skin. The female child, followed her brother's lead, grabbed onto my other arm, while she gazed up at her father, demanding only with a look from her big green eyes, that he step away. Gabriel responded by gently placing my head on the ground and joining his brothers, who now stood around us, silently waiting to see what the children did next.
The twins began to run their tiny little hands with glowing fingertips down the length of my arms, as they laid their milky white faces down on my inert chest. Gabriel found a bit of hope in the sounds of their precious little voices as they sang me a lullaby. He was convinced by the way they sang the little tune that they were using their power to resuscitate me. But, once their hands reached my palms, my body released itself to the power of their tiny little fingers and crumbled into a million silky petals that soon scattered in the wind.
Letting out an awkward giggling sob, Gabriel dropped to his knees and reached out to gather as many petals as he could. “No, don’t go! Please don’t go!” he cried, realizing his efforts were futile.
“But she’s not gone daddy,” the little girl with fiery red hair said, gently grabbing his face and tapping her chest, “She’s in here.”
“Um,” he said, ripping off his shirt to cover the child. “What do you mean?” “I am her,” she said, patting her chest again. “And he is her,” she said, then pointing to her brother. “And you are her,” she said, kissing her father’s cheek. “Someday you will understand.”
“So, what do we do now?” Gabriel asked, looking over at Michael, who was now covering his own child.
“I don’t know,” Michael replied, picking the child up. “I honestly don’t have a clue.”
“You take care of them,” Uriel said, coming up with her arms wide open. The little children welcomed their aunt with open arms, coming in for an innocent hug. But, as soon as they connected within her touch, their skin began to radiate with a heat she could barely stand. Then they began to glow, one white and one blue until pulses of energy left their bodies and knocked her off her feet.
Gabriel grabbed his daughter and pulled her away from both the boy and Uriel, taking her to a safe enough distance that the children returned to normal.
“Those children can never be kept together,” a voice said from behind them. “They are now more powerful than Evangeline ever was in her corporeal form.”
As they turned, they could see Seraphine being lifted off the ground by Samiel.
“Mother?” Leviathan questioned, coming to help.
“Yes, Levi,” she said, welcoming him. “It's me.”
And happy as Leviathan was to hear the news, the hearts of Samiel’s children sank.
“I’m so sorry,” she said, looking over at Uriel, “I know she loved you all very much. I could feel it.” She turned her attention towards the children. “They were always supposed to be special children,” she said, running her finger across the female child’s face. “but now that their mother has merged with the Arabella, I fear they are more powerful than anyone of us would like.”
Gabriel was pretty sure he knew the answer to his question, but he asked it anyway. “So, what do we do then?” “You keep them separated,” she replied, turning towards the male child. “It seems they are only dangerous when they are together. Keep them apart and you keep us and them safe.
“And you know for a fact they will be safe?” Uriel asked, taking the child from her.
“Yes, Eva told me,” Seraphine replied. “Right before she left us.”
“I didn’t hear her,” Michael said, dolefully.
“Neither did I,” Gabriel added.
“You weren’t meant to,” she said, trying to console them. “But you will when she needs you to.” She reached out and ran her fingers through the tiny guy’s little curly blonde hair. “And if you don’t mind, I would like to name them. They are the names she chose for them in the alternate future.”
Michael and Gabriel were a bit confused by her request, but silently agreed.
She knelt down and smiled at her grandson. “His name is Roan.”
"And hers,” she said, looking up at Gabriel, “hers is Renada.” *****
While the Fallen were focused on their newly born children, Zara found herself desperately trying to console Ryan who had watched my disappearance from a distance. He was broken hearted and nearly choking on the last words he said to me. He was so angry with how I handled Anessa, that he couldn’t accept that she was a part of me. And now that I was gone, he realized he was so very wrong and she was gone too.
“I didn’t get to tell her how I felt,” he said, sobbing in Zara’s arms. “I was angry with her and didn’t even get to say goodbye.”
“I know,” she said, crying along with him, “Neither did I!”
“But they have each other and their children,” he cried, “I have nothing.” “You have memories of life with her,” Zara retorted. “That’s something.” “It’s not enough!” Getting angry as he sat himself up, “I will never forgive myself for being angry with her.”
“And I left her when she needed me most,” Zara added. “I get it Ryan, I do.”
“I can’t,” he said, standing up. “I need to go. I’m sorry.” He straightened himself up and prepared to leave everyone behind, without even saying goodbye, when he heard a familiar voice calling out to him from the top of the stairs.
“Ryan what happened?” she asked, stumbling down the stairs, “Where are we? And who are all these people?”
“Um, uh,” he said, staring up at her. “Anessa?”
“Of course, it is silly?” she chuckled. “Are you ok?”
“Um, maybe,” he said, taking a step closer. “Are you?” “I think so,” she said, patting herself down, “of course, I did find myself waking up naked on the floor. Did we get drunk last night?”
Ryan just stood staring at her in utter bewilderment. He couldn’t find the words to even begin to describe how he felt. He turned to Zara, hoping she could tell him, she saw her too. And by the look on her face, he could tell Anessa was real.
“Ryan, what is wrong?” she asked, coming down a few steps and then noticing her best friend. “Zara, what is wrong with him?”
But Zara couldn’t answer either as Ryan let out a sigh that combined with a laugh, almost scared Anessa a bit. Realizing it softened his voice, “I’m, I’m fine," he said, "yeah we got a little drunk. Didn’t we Zar?”
“Uh, yep, we did,” she said. “What’s the last thing you remember?”
“Elaina was having us over for Sunday brunch and he had just told her we were getting married,” she replied, reaching out to push a piece of hair out of Ryan’s face. The moment he felt her skin on his, he felt like he was home.
“I don’t know how, but thank you,” he whispered, looking up towards the sky. “Thank you so much.”
She heard him, but she scrunched her nose, ignoring the comment and continued, “Well your mother didn’t seem too thrilled.” “Oh, I am more than thrilled,” Elaina said, as she, Alstair and Renu joined them. “We all are!”
“We all?” Anessa asked, looking over at Renu. “Ryan who is that?” she whispered.
“My real father,” he replied with a chuckle. “Remember, we introduced him at breakfast?”
“Oh, yeah right,” she said, scratching her head. “I don’t know how I forgot.”
“Hung over,” Ryan said, kissing her on the forehead. “How about we all go home.”
“Probably best,” Elaina agreed, pulling her son to the side. She needed a moment alone to tell her son what she had witness inside the Manor. “I ran in to see if your father was ok when I found a body where the pile of sand was supposed to be,” she whispered. “I ran over to it and nearly passed out when I saw who it was.” She looked over at Anessa who was now giggling and carrying on with Zara as they sat on the steps. “Thing is,” she continued, “She doesn’t remember anything about any of this. She knows herself as Anessa as if that is who she ha
s always been.” “And that’s ok,” Ryan said, grinning from ear to ear. “I may have thought it was because of Evangeline that I loved her, but trust me, it was all her. I could feel when she touched me just now. And now, she is all mine.”
Anessa had found her way back and it wasn’t my doing at all. The part of her that was much stronger than I, found a way to survive. Thing is, whether it was by choice or a part of the reanimation, she never would remember who I was or what part she had in it all. She was right where she belonged and who she was destined to be with the entire time. Giving her the happily ever after she more than most deserved.
Epilogue
In the end, Michael decided to return to Cimmeria with Roan, where he would act as an Ambassador to the other realms, finding a way to bridge the gap Hyperion had built so long ago. Raphael returned as well, becoming ‘Governor’ of Cimmeria; a title he deemed appropriate for his position. He led the realm with compassion and wisdom, making Cimmeria one of the most coveted places to live. His biggest competition and ally, however, was Leviathan who governed Caelum, equal to that of his counterpart and beyond the expectations of the Conclave.
Ramiel, with great strength and loyalty to the cause, was given the Governorship of the newly restored Aljann, as guardian to the Gateway to the realms. Although all were free to come and go between them as they pleased, the realms still could not coexist in the same plain and would remain bound together by the underground city.
Uriel would find herself in charge of the re-education of the mortals, appointed by her new love interest, Leviathan. Her need to nurture and protect made her a perfect person for the job. It was her duty to find a way to ease the mortals into an understanding of who and what they were meant to be. Some, corrupted by years of belief and limited understanding would take much longer to adjust, and she was one that would find a way to make sure enlightenment didn’t come with a cost.
The Renaldi’s now free of their positions, chose to live the rest of their lives, happy and as a family. As much as Elaina still loved Renu, she knew he needed to be back in Matris, helping to rebuild a new and glorious government that catered all people, in all realms. Now healed of her curse, she could have joined them but she found comfort in knowing that Alistair, with all his faults, would never abandon her and loved her even when she wasn’t worthy of it.
