Ascension Discovery

by Amy Proebstel

  Amanda nodded stiffly and reached onto the floor to retrieve her journal from her purse. She cleared her throat a couple of times and then opened the small book. With a last glance toward Riccan, she began reading.

  Riccan was amazed Amanda was able to get through the entire account without either of his parents interrupting. They must have been more stunned by her tale than he had been. He looked back at his mother and realized her expression leaned more toward fear than surprise, and he asked, “So? What do you guys think?”

  Daven was the first to recover his voice and asked, “Can I see the inscription which you found in the text?” He held out his hand for Amanda to give him her journal.

  She reluctantly passed the book across the desk. Her fear of the Elders’ power was more apparent than she had been willing to admit before. Her fate depended on this Elder and his wife. She looked over at Riccan and saw he was peaceful with his parents and she decided she needed to try to calm her own nerves. For them to figure out their next steps, she would have to be more relaxed.

  “Ah, I see,” Daven said as his eyes skimmed the page of the journal.

  “From a far-away land

  There will come in time

  Intuition is in hand

  Strange details known.

  With ties to the people

  From one of my own

  There will be a sign.

  Those born to this one

  Will transform all.

  Lucinden will pursue

  Elders will fall

  Then all made new.”

  “I guess our long wait has finally come to an end,” he announced unexpectedly.

  Everyone stared at Daven, hoping he would explain his cryptic remark. Nena gasped as she comprehended his words. Daven looked back at his wife and nodded knowingly. “She’s the one, Nena.”

  “The one what?” both Riccan and Amanda spoke in unison.

  “The one prophesied in the Unity Song. You remember the words to that song, don’t you, Riccan? Please sing it for us,” Daven requested.

  Riccan had to go back through his memories before he finally recalled the phrasing of the childhood song:

  “Crystal around the neck,

  Follow the next step,

  Changes today,

  Changes tomorrow,

  We all become one.”

  Amanda listened to the words, but still did not comprehend the Elder’s implications and said, “I don’t understand.”

  Daven weighed his words before answering. After a moment of consideration he finally said, “If you put the words of the Unity Song with the new directive from the ancient text, I believe we have a powerful argument for a change coming to our world on Tuala. I believe, Amanda, that you are the key to those changes. Your experiences are quite unique and show you have great intuition for the people of Tuala. I am going to arrange for you to meet with Jehoban. I believe that is the path in which you are next bound. Will you agree to meet with Jehoban?”

  “I would love nothing better,” Amanda answered before she fully grasped the idea she was actually going to be in the presence of the Creator of the Universe. Her adrenaline started to pump through her blood, and her hands began to shake. She realized she was actually becoming terrified of her own destiny. This was not what she had had in mind when she set out to return to Tuala. She just wanted to have her children back, if they were even real, and then begin a family with Riccan. She did not know she would become the answer to some ancient prophecy.

  Nena could see Amanda’s fear beginning to blossom and suddenly interrupted the silence with, “Nothing will be getting done until after we’ve had a good meal together. We haven’t seen Riccan in ages and I, for one, would love to hear what he’s been up to since his last visit.”

  Daven had thought his wife’s sudden change of subject was slightly out of character until he, too, looked at the stricken expression on Amanda’s face. Once again, he appreciated his wife’s ability to know the right thing to do in any situation. He followed her cue and said, “Nothing needs to be decided tonight. Let’s go sit down to a family dinner, and we can worry about this other matter at a later time. We’ve waited thousands of years for a solution to present itself, a few more days or even weeks will hardly make any difference.” He hoped what he was saying were actually true. Time might be of the essence, but Amanda needed to be willing to do her part. If he scared her away from her destiny, then he could hardly be qualified to remain an Elder.

  Amanda felt a huge weight lift from her shoulders when she realized Riccan’s parents were not going to whisk her away to an uncertain future. She would have a little time to get familiar with the idea of meeting Jehoban before it became an actuality. Releasing her breath in a rush, she looked over at Riccan and noticed he also appeared to be more relieved.

  Daven rapidly wrote down the new passage and then stood up and said, “Is anyone other than me hungry?” Daven reluctantly handed the journal back to Amanda.

  Everyone laughed and stood up as well. With a lightened mood, they walked in pairs to the private family dining hall.

  Amanda was relieved to see it only seated six people so it would not be a stuffy and uncomfortable dinner at an immense table. With the smell of food wafting from the open door, Amanda felt herself grow hungrier with every step.

  They sat at the table, Riccan was on Amanda’s immediate left. His parents sat directly across from them so they would be able to converse with ease. For some unaccountable reason, Amanda no longer felt ill at ease with Riccan’s family. They had proved they were willing to accept Amanda for who she claimed to be and did not hold it against her. Except for being the key to a prophecy, Amanda reminded herself sarcastically. She pushed that idea aside and determined to have a good time visiting with Riccan’s parents.

  Nena began the conversation with, “So how did you two meet, officially, that is?”

  Amanda tipped her head to indicate this story was for Riccan to tell.

  Riccan explained the search and rescue mission and their success. He said they met for dinner later that night. He saw his mother’s expression of expectation and knew she was a hopeless romantic. He ended with, “I’ve only known Amanda for two days now, although, I must admit with everything she’s shared with us, I do feel as though we’ve known one another a lot longer.”

  Nena clapped her hands together and declared, “I think it’s just wonderful. You two are perfect for one another!”

  Daven rolled his eyes at his wife’s overreaction. “Let’s not put the cart before the horse, Nena. Let them get to know one another first!”

  Nena did not want to let it go and declared, “Amanda has already decided. Haven’t you, Amanda?”

  Feeling very much put on the spot, Amanda managed to blush violently but was saved from answering by the delivery of the dinner. She had never been so relieved to see food in her life. If she were forced to answer she would have said yes, but she wanted Riccan to be on the same page first. It was definitely too soon for him to have made a decision.

  Amanda was thrilled to be eating the most flavorful food ever in Tuala. She had forgotten how incredible the dishes could be. Eating until she was way too full, she finally pushed her plate away and said quietly to Riccan, “I don’t think I can eat another bite.”

  He smiled at her as he continued to put food on his plate when he went back for a third helping of the foxl stew. There had been times when he was away from Tuala for extended periods of time that he had come back and eaten more than he should have. He understood her desire in wanting to try it all.

  Now that their hunger had been assuaged, the conversation began again around the table. Amanda fervently hoped the talk would not return to the budding relationship between herself and Riccan. She wanted to see where they would go naturally and not because the idea was forced on him by his parents, well, his mom really. She looked across the table and smiled at the woman she was just thinking about.

  Nena returned her smile with a knowing
look in her eye before looking away to her husband as he began to speak.

  “Are you planning on going back to Earth tonight?” Daven asked Riccan while he also included Amanda in his gaze. He hoped they would say no and spend some time at the Residence with them.

  “Yes, Dad. We still have to figure out a way for Amanda to be able to leave on a more permanent basis. Her mother is very reluctant to see Amanda leave the house for obvious reasons,” he said as he squeezed Amanda’s knee under the table in sympathy.

  Amanda jumped a little at the unexpected touch, but then she tried to relax since she did not want Riccan to remove his hand from its current location. She was thrilled he would even be bold enough to make a move in the first place.

  Nena defended Amanda’s mother by saying, “You can’t blame your mother, Amanda. I’d be a bit overbearing if something were to happen to Riccan. It’s what a mom does for her children. They are a constant presence in a mother’s mind.”

  Amanda felt a stab of guilt that she could possibly have children of her own and yet they were only occasionally on her mind. Does that make me a terrible mother? Amanda thought to herself. Soon enough she would get the answers she sought from Jehoban Himself, as daunting as the idea was, she was willing if it were to give her some peace of mind for her faulty memories.

  Riccan spoke again into the silent room. “We should probably think about heading back soon. We’ve already spent a few more hours here than I had anticipated.”

  “Sorry,” Amanda apologized. She knew her storytelling took too long.

  “It’s not your fault, Amanda. We finished what needed to get done,” Riccan reassured.

  “I guess this means the ball is now in my court,” Daven stated.

  “Our court, honey. We’ll work on this puzzle together,” Nena informed her husband.

  “Always, my dear, always,” Daven agreed as he nodded loving affirmation at his partner in everything.

  “So, should we set up a regular meeting every morning this week to go over what our next steps might be?” Riccan inquired of his parents.

  “We can plan for that, but hopefully it won’t take all that long,” Daven replied.

  Riccan pushed his chair away from the table and stood up. “Thank you for dinner; it was as wonderful as always.”

  Amanda hastily put in, “Yes, thank you. It was a pleasure to meet both of you. I guess I’ll be seeing you again tomorrow.”

  Both Daven and Nena stood up and prepared to walk out with the young couple. Nena reached out to hold her husband’s hand as they matched paces, Daven shortening his stride to his wife’s slower speed.

  Amanda could see the couple were madly in love with one another. She hoped one day to find the same sort of relationship with her significant other. She looked over at Riccan and wondered if he were going to be that man. With the example of his parents as he was growing up, at least he would know how to treat his partner.

  Daven and Nena gave them both hugs on the edge of the back patio, opting to stay out of the way of the telepod as it took off. They walked down the stairs and across the broad expanse of lawn to get back to the telepod, knowing they were closely watched the entire time. Amanda felt slightly self-conscious, but also cared for at the same time. She understood Riccan had been very lucky in his upbringing to have parents who so obviously adored him. Her own parents had loved her just the same, but their love had been divided among their three girls. She thought there might be some difference because of the division.

  They boarded the telepod and took their seats. The windshield was facing the patio, so they both waved farewell to Riccan’s parents who promptly waved back. Riccan sped through the start-up procedures and entered an additional step for timing their return so Amanda would not get back to her parents’ house too late.

  Blackness overtook all of their senses as they teleported back to Earth. Amanda began to understand this was the first of many trips to come in her near future. She took several deep breaths and relaxed into her new world.

  They popped back into existence in Riccan’s garage. Once they touched down, and the telepod was deactivated, they went back into the house. As they walked through the kitchen, Amanda looked at the time on the microwave. She was certain her wristwatch would be off since they had spent so long in Tuala, but she was more than a little startled to see it was as late as it was. She had hoped to spend some time discussing the events of the evening with Riccan, but now she had to hurry home or face her mother’s wrath.

  “I have to get going,” Amanda said almost apologetically.

  “I know,” Riccan agreed. “Feel free to come over as soon as you’re able tomorrow morning. I’ll be ready whenever you get here.”

  “Okay,” Amanda replied lamely. She could not help but feel disappointed by Riccan’s quick agreement for her to go home, but she was encouraged by his invitation to return early the next morning. She covered her yawn and turned to go to her car. The drive home would not take too long, but she felt so tired she almost wished she could just curl up in the guest bed upstairs.

  “Text me when you get home safely, okay?” Riccan asked with concern for how tired Amanda appeared to be. He should have realized the time transfer would be harder on her since she was still recovering her stamina from the coma.

  “Okay,” she agreed as she tried to stifle yet another yawn. She decided she would definitely need to drive with the window down to keep awake.

  Riccan walked her to the car and offered, “Do you want me to drive you home? You seem too tired to drive.”

  “No, I’ll be fine. I’d rather not have to answer any more questions from my mom. I’ll be back tomorrow,” she added as she got into her car and rolled down the window. She started the engine and waved out the window as she drove away.

  Chapter Nineteen

  NENA KNEW HER husband almost better than she knew herself. She could tell the appearance of Amanda had made him very concerned. They had discussed the prophecy on many occasions, but they had both agreed it would probably be many generations in the future before it came to pass. Now they were faced with helping Amanda fulfill a prophecy which would probably take Daven’s position away if the newest passage were to be taken at face value.

  They had returned to Daven’s office where he was seated at his desk with the paper in his hands. “I’d like to read that passage for myself, if you don’t mind,” Nena requested as she held out her hand for the text.

  “Sure. I hope you can read something into it that I’ve missed. It sure makes a dire prediction for my position. You know I love my job serving the people. I’d hate to lose it because the times are changing,” he despaired as he handed her the paper.

  Nena turned her chair so the light from the window fell onto the page. She rapidly read the entire passage and then went over it again slowly line by line. By the end, she was convinced she had an idea which might put a new perspective on the writing. “I don’t think it’s saying all Elders will be gone.” She put the paper down on the desk between them and pointed to the line above the Elders’ section, “You see right here, this is talking about Lucinden. I think he is going to make a push for power by corrupting some of the Elders. I think those are the ones who will fall. You could never be swayed by Lucinden so your position will be safe.”

  Daven wanted to believe his wife’s interpretation was true. Her idea made a certain type of sense. The more he reviewed it in his mind, the more convinced he became she was right. “I love how you always see the bright side of things, Nena,” he praised.

  “It’s only because I believe people are inherently good. I can’t believe our entire social structure will be removed just because changes are on the horizon.” Nena looked back at the text to reaffirm her original opinion on the interpretation of the prophecy.

  “How long do you think I should wait before requesting an audience with Jehoban for Amanda?” Daven asked into the silence.

  “We should spend a little more time getting to know her first, I
think.”

  “Is it because you think she’s the one for Riccan or because you want to delay the inevitable because she’s the one to bring about change?”

  Nena took a few moments to consider the question before she answered, “I think it’s a little bit of both. She is the right one for Riccan. She’s from Earth but has experienced, in her own unique way, life on Tuala. She’s now from both worlds the same as Riccan.”

  “What if we do discover she had twin girls while she was in Tuala?”

  “It would be great! We’d be grandparents that much sooner!”

  Daven was not surprised she would eagerly embrace the immediate increase in the family. She loved children. He was only sorry he could not have given her more for herself.

  “I guess we’ll play it by ear. When they come tomorrow, we can spend some time getting to know Amanda and see if they have any ideas about the meaning of the newest prophecy. I’m sure Riccan is busy thinking about what it all could mean.”

  “I wouldn’t be so sure of that since Amanda seems to be an interesting distraction from his usually sedate life,” Daven teased.

  Naturally, Nena took him seriously and agreed, “I think you’re probably right!”

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Amanda had not appreciated how much of a toll the trip had taken on her until she woke up after ten o’clock. She woke up slowly and stretched on the bed. She rolled over to see how much time she would have to get ready before she would have to leave and then saw what time it actually was. Immediately she shot out of the covers and ran across her room to get into the shower.

  Naturally, she would oversleep on what could possibly be the most important day of her life. Raking the shampoo through her hair, she kept castigating herself for not setting the alarm. She skipped the conditioner and did not bother to shave either since she only wanted to get moving out of the house.

  She was on the road only ten minutes after waking up. After driving for about ten minutes, Amanda thought she should check to make sure her journal was in her purse. Without taking her eyes off of the road, she reached over to investigate. Immediately she noticed a problem: her purse was not in the car.