Insight

by Tina Engel

  I did feel it, he was right about that. The power that surged through my body, the desire to rule and crush any who would stand in my way. It was frightening and exhilarating all at the same time. I wanted to crush him and then go back and crush Stephan, pulverize them after I made them suffer.

  It was Rose who came up to me and reaching out, said quietly, “Give me the staff, Princess, you don’t want to use it. You are not like he is.”

  Mephisto howled at Rose, saying, “Shut up you silly little dead pixie! You are nothing to Emilee and can do nothing to stop her. I will see to it that you never leave this place. You will never see Nirvana again.”

  When I heard Mephisto saying that Rose was dead, I knew that I had been right, but was it my fault? I looked at Rose and seeing her sweet face, and kind smile, I handed her the staff.

  It was Tilly and Ian who came to me then. Tilly held out her hand and asked for the stone. She was to take it to Varda at once. She told me that when this was all over, Ian’s job was to hide the staff so that no one would ever find it again.

  With my head clear now, I asked Tilly why I couldn’t just destroy it, but she said it was so powerful that it would destroy this entire planet, and all dimensions that called it home.

  Tilly left then as Mephisto screamed her name, as fury filled his face, and demanded that she bring the stone back to him.

  I looked towards Mephisto as his hands gripped the bars and the strength that he still had without his staff and stone was incredible. He was bending the bars and there was a strange vibration radiating from his body.

  As I put my hands up into the air, I could feel Brett’s blood flowing through my veins. I flung my hands in Mephisto’s direction, sending an invisible force towards him that pushed him away from the bars. Suddenly chains fell from the ceiling and cinched around his wrists. They pulled his wrists up so he hung slightly from the ceiling.

  Mephisto, scoffed then and said in a cold manner, “Princess, you can’t destroy me. You didn’t drain him like you were supposed to. He was your final gift, his entire essence. You needed that to rid me of my existence. I made sure of that. He was my final gift, and I knew that her blood flowed in you too. You have the emotional weakness that she did then and still does. She should have killed me when she had the chance instead of letting someone else deal with me.”

  I lashed out at him, sending fire and ice, pounding him, over and over. Mephisto turned back into the bug-like creature and screeched in pain, but I kept it up. I would destroy him. Burn him and freeze him until there was nothing left but ash and ice shards, and I would sprinkle him over many worlds so that he could never come back.

  I kept it up for several minutes and when I felt that he was destroyed, I stopped, feeling drained. Rose touched my shoulder and Shinar came over to my other side. I looked from one to the other, their eyes were the same, sky blue, and I knew that they were bonded. Rose would never truly die. We, the three of us, were bonded and I loved them both.

  He laughed then, that sick evil chuckle, and as I turned my head to look at him, he was there, the bug-like creature, with not a scratch on him.

  “I told you Granddaughter, you have to drain him if you want to destroy me, and you don’t have it in you. You will let Varda down and I will destroy all life in this universe to punish you.” Mephisto scoffed.

  He was right, I couldn’t destroy him without all of Brett but I couldn’t, I wouldn’t kill Brett. I wouldn’t. Then from the doorway where I had entered earlier, came Brett, Lily, Albee and Liam.

  Varda appeared, first as an orb that appeared out of thin air, and then her full presence, tall and beautiful.

  “He’s right, my dear.” Varda said, as she walked over to the cell. Mephisto, changed back into his human form and I saw the sadness in Varda’s eyes when he did so.

  She came over to me then and said softly, “It is your choice Emilee, no one else can make it for you. You have all the answers inside of you.”

  I felt the tears welling up inside of me. I looked at Brett, and he at me, and as our eyes met, we were one again in mind, and he said. “Emilee, you must do what is best for all. I will always be with you, never fear, my blood will flow with yours, inside of you.”

  Brett came over to me then as I looked to Varda with a pleading expression. “Isn’t there another way?”

  Varda shook her head with such sadness in her eyes that I saw her for the first time, vulnerable. Understanding the pain she must have felt, walking away from the one she once loved sending him deep into Hades.

  Brett reached out and took both of my hands in his. He pulled me towards him, and putting his arms round me, pulled me tightly to him, our bodies together. Brett kissed my lips softly, but the passion that I felt caused me to press even tighter, a kiss that I wanted to remember, for I knew deep down inside, that it would be for an eternity that I would hold this memory.

  When we broke the kiss, everyone around was silent, looking away, wanting to give us as much privacy as possible.

  Mephisto started to spout off and Varda threw her hand in his direction and his mouth suddenly was bound, but the hatred and anger in Mephisto’s eyes was apparent.

  I looked to Varda and wept, saying, “I can’t do this, I just can’t.”

  Brett took me away from the others, to the other side of the room and he kissed me again, soft and sweet and said, “Emilee, I have loved no other, like I love you. You will always be my Princess, even though we will be apart. I will never be far, talk to me when you need, and I will hear you and somehow help. You must do this.”

  I heard him say in my mind, “Your blood flows in me” and I suddenly felt it, my blood was mixing with his. What did it mean? I didn’t know. I figured, that it would make his death painless. He said it again, in his mind for only me to hear and then sat down, pulling me with him.

  Brett tilted his head to expose his neck and as I bent down to bite, I said softly, with the taste of salt, from my tears, “I will love you until the end of time.”

  I pierced his skin, and the second his blood struck my tongue, I knew I couldn’t stop. This time I wouldn’t. It was like we were making love, how I dreamt of that moment. Wanting him so badly. We were not there, in the room anymore with the others, but in a place, white, all white, no one around, nothing around, just Brett and I.

  It was done then. I was back in the room, Brett in my arms, and the emptiness I felt was agonizing. I laid Brett’s head down softly as my tears fell quietly on his face and I placed a soft kiss on his still lips. I wanted so much for him to kiss me back. In my mind, I spoke to him, tried to find his mind, to join, but there was nothing. He was gone. He was gone.

  I sat up and placed his hands across his chest and stayed there for several minutes, just looking at him. I wanted to remember every line on his face. I wanted to remember his laugh, his silly comments. I didn’t want to forget a thing.

  I stood then and turning around, I saw not a dry eye in the bunch, except for Mephisto. His eyes were full of hatred. Then for just a moment, there was something else I saw in them, a little fear.

  I went to Varda and she took me in her arms and held me gently. She bent down and whispered in my ear, “You made choices, and the future will unfold as it should. I am proud of you and you will see, it always works out.”

  I stood then, stepping away from her wondering, how it could possibly work out now. Brett and I were supposed to be together, have a daughter, Katie, and live happily ever after.

  I turned to Mephisto and walking over, I told Shinar and Rose to stand with me. I knew I needed them, even though Brett was my last gift. I also realized that I didn’t want to destroy Mephisto, I wanted to make him live an eternity alone, totally alone.

  I looked back at Varda and she had a look of acceptance. She knew what I was thinking. She knew what I was going to do.

  I felt another close by, an evil, even more sinister than Mephisto or Stephan. He was watching, excitement filling him, waiting to see what I was about to do
. He wanted me to feel hate, disgust and anger. These were the emotions that he fed on. He wanted me to kill Mephisto and then Stephan, with all the lust of hatred that I felt inside. I wouldn’t let him win either. I wouldn’t give a part of myself to him.

  This vile being who ruled Hades, wanted me too, but he would not have me. I held Rose’s hand and placed my hand on Shinar, thought of the opening, the exit from Hades. Behind Mephisto a portal appeared, covering the entire back wall of his cell. On the other side was the opening to the outside, the world above, with the rainbow cover.

  I let go of Rose and Shinar, and placing my hands on the bars of the cell, my thoughts were, cold, freeze, and suddenly the bars where like icicles and as I squeezed them, they shattered.

  “Go, all of you!” I said, “Take Mephisto and wait for me.”

  They all did as I asked. It was Varda who took the chains in her hands that bound Mephisto. I knew that Varda would be able to open the cover over the entrance for all to leave, and I would follow. Albee lifting Brett, carried him with gentleness and compassion. When they were all through the portal, I turned and left the room. It was time to deal with Stephan.

  I entered the room where Stephan stood. A tree, a sick looking tree, was what I saw. The only thing resembling a human were his eyes, and they held nothing but hate. I could still feel the other presence, watching and waiting. He was hoping that I would kill him, and find pleasure in it. That was what he wanted, my pleasure. I knew that if I killed Stephan, I would not feel pleasure, it would not heal the pain that I held inside of me over the death of Brett. Hate would never heal my pain.

  “You want to die, and you are waiting, filled with anger and a bit of relief. But that is not what I will give you, Stephan.” I said with contempt and a bit of pity filling my voice.

  Stephan’s eyes changed from the hate and anger to fear, for he realized what I was going to do.

  I spoke then, not to Stephan but to him, the other one watching, “You want me to kill Stephan, to take my rage and anger and violate what I hold dear, within me, my humanity, my belief in good and love. I feel no love for this pathetic fey, only pity, for he chose the path he took and it destroyed any goodness that may have been in him, and I know there was goodness in him at one time.

  “I will not kill him and give you a part of my soul, but I will keep him like this, a tree forever, down here in your hell. I will keep a small part of my shield, my essence, wrapped around him so that no evil can kill him. He will live an eternity like this.

  “You can torture him, burn him, and do as you want, but you will never be able to kill him! I don’t want him to be a spirit in this hell of yours, I want him to be alive and feel the pain every day.”

  I put my cameo on Stephan and it sunk into the bark so deeply that the bark covered it. This would keep him here for all eternity.

  I heard Stephan cry out then, as if the cameo caused him pain, and I knew it did.

  I heard him then, the one watching. He laughed a sinister laugh and said, “Well played my dear. I may not have a piece of you yet, but I will accept your gift of this pathetic creature. I have been waiting a long time to have him, one way or another. I will find a way to free him from your protection and when I do, I will see you again.” He laughed again and suddenly a wall appeared in front of me, blocking my view of Stephan.

  I turned and walked out of the room, up the stairs and through the portal, and as I did the portal disappeared. The opening to the chapel was waiting for me with Varda standing on the other side. I didn’t look back, there was nothing there that I wanted to see. I approached the opening and then felt it, a hand touching me.

  I turned to see Ian, the tree fey spirit, still in body form, holding Mephisto’s staff. He smiled a genuine smile and turned back into the dark grey wisp. He changed then into a blue wisp, the color that he must have been, once upon a time. The staff was imbedded within him and I knew that he had made amends and now had a job to do, to take the staff and hide it somewhere far away, where no one would find it.

  He flew out the opening and up the stairs, and I hoped that he would find peace once more for helping us all.

  Chapter 23

  They are never really gone,

  They are alive in your memories.

  Hold them tight.

  Bring them with you

  As you continue to live.

  My thoughts went then to Stephan’s father. What of him? He was the one who betrayed Varda in the beginning, by not destroying Mephisto and giving Mephisto back the ruby stone that allowed him to travel through space. Varda had the stone now, but where was Hedrick DeMill?

  I left the entrance to Hades, and followed Varda up the stone steps and out of the Chapel into the fresh air, sunshine and warmth. The dark clouds, wind and vile smell were gone. We had completed our mission. Well, almost. Stephan was dealt with, and Mephisto was captured but my job wasn’t done yet.

  I walked over to Mephisto as Rose and Shinar came up to me. Shinar bent down to allow me to get onto her back and Rose got on behind me. Varda handed me the chains that bound Mephisto’s wrists and Shinar lifted us up into the sky.

  I didn’t need to say anything, for Shinar knew what we were doing and where to go. Rose wrapped her arms around my waist and I could feel her presence, her strength within me. It was the same feeling that I would get while drinking her blood, the same strength, I would receive.

  We went high into the sky, beyond the clouds, higher still. The air grew colder the higher we went. I put my shield around us all and holding my diamond in my hand, I felt the lava pebbles, as they warmed the air that surrounded us.

  Higher we went, until we were amongst the stars. I knew then, I was out there far enough to do what needed to be done.

  Still holding the diamond, I thought of it in a larger form. The diamond was hard, unbreakable, and as I thought of it this way, the lava pebbles assisted, separating a small part of the diamond they reside in. It continued to grow as it moved down towards Mephisto, hanging by the chains around his wrists, below Shinar.

  I heard Mephisto shout, “No!” As the diamond encircled him and the chains holding Mephisto were cut, he drifted slowly up to face me.

  “You will not die, not today, tomorrow or the next. You will float in space, locked in this shell, alone, all alone, forever. Nothing and no one will be able to free you for you will never come into contact with another, ever again. I have made this prison you are in, invisible to all eyes. You will see those who may pass you, but they will not see you.” I said, with no emotions.

  “And you think that this is not evil, Granddaughter?” Mephisto spat. “You have my blood flowing though you too.”

  I ignored what he said, for I knew that somewhere I was being judged and if this was not the right thing to do, I would find out one day.

  I shrunk my shield to remove Mephisto from inside. I raised my hand and reaching out through the shield, I touched the diamond prison, slightly, and with a flick of my wrist, I sent Mephisto out into the darkness of space, with only the specks of the starlight to keep him company, and even that, I felt he didn’t deserve.

  I spread my wings then and shrunk my shield just enough for me to be free of it, keeping Shinar and Rose safely protected from the cold of space, just to be sure. I didn’t know if they could survive out here in the quiet, cold darkness.

  I watched as Mephisto drifted away and then disappeared. Oh, I could see him, but no one else could. The stars from afar talked to me in whispers, the cold void of space kissed my cheeks softly, and my wings sparkled as the starlight from billions of stars touched them. I was one with it all, and I knew that this was home too. It was all home.

  I turned to look at Shinar and Rose, and said softly, “Let’s go home girls.”

  When we reached the ground, Shinar landed gently next to me, as I let my wings fold back where they belonged. The only one there to greet us was Varda. She was standing next to the opening that would take us back to the ship. Rose and Shinar ent
ered as I went up to Varda, and she took me in her arms.

  As she released me, I said, “It’s done, he is gone forever. And Stephan is exactly where he should be, but what of Stephan’s father? Where is he? We should take care of him too. He is the one who went against you, gave Mephisto back the stone that was supposed to be destroyed.”

  “Emilee, Hedrick DeMill has nothing left. He has lost his master and his son. He has no power and no guidance as to what to do now. He is more lost than they, I believe. Hedrick isn’t a danger to anyone but himself. He knows that if he is careless and loses his life, the one ruling Hades is just waiting for him. For now, we can let Hedrick’s future be decided later.” Varda replied.

  I wasn’t sure I liked this idea and felt a bit unnerved by the fact that Mephisto was floating out in space and Stephan down in hell, not destroyed, not gone.

  “Come, Emilee, the ship and all on board are waiting for us. It’s time to go home.” Varda said, with compassion.

  We entered the opening, and as it swirled and hummed I thought of Brett, realizing that I had killed him. I had taken his life to save others. I stepped through, onto the ship as many looked on.

  Angelina and Jordan were the first to greet me with hugs and relief on their faces.

  “Brett, where is he?” I whispered as I looked around the deck. Angelina took my hand and led me to the door that led down below.

  We got to the room that Rose was in, her physical body anyway, and as we entered, there he was, laying on a bed next to Rose. There they both lay, still, as if sleeping, but I knew the truth. Because of me, they both had to die.

  I fell to my knees suddenly, weak and tired. Angelina knelt down next to me and took me in her arms and cradled me like a child. The sadness and emptiness I felt was unbearable. I wondered if this was worse than what Mephisto and Stephan were feeling at this moment.

  I felt him then, just a slight presence, like a feather touching my mind softly, but I felt him, Brett. I let out a soft sigh as I looked up at the bed he was laying on. Angelina helped me to stand and I told her that I was fine and wanted to be alone for a while with them both.