Mystic Rising

by J L Lawrence

  Kate pulled her in for a hug. “Thank you.”

  “Are you kidding me? Now she’s on the crazy train too?” Chris looked at Randy for confirmation.

  He only hesitated for a moment. “Shut up, Chris. In truth, we’ve noticed the same things. This is more than I thought was possible.” They both struggled to believe.

  Angie listened to all the possibilities running through Kate’s mind. Time was limited. She needed to focus on the quest and not spend weeks convincing two people to believe. In the end, she settled on the truth. She motioned everyone to sit.

  Xander and Xavier stood guard. Xavier stood at the exact spot where Gregory had waited on Xander to tell Kate the truth behind her destiny. The memory brought bittersweet feelings to the surface. How much had changed in a matter of months threatened to overwhelm. She pushed the thoughts aside and focused on Kate.

  “I need for you all to listen despite what you believe. There’s no time for the whole story, but you need to know the basics. There are many worlds beyond this one that you know. We refer to them as realms. You exist in the Human Realm. For the last several months, Angie and I have lived in the Magical Realm. We work closely with the Shadow Realm and Faery Realm, among many others. There is also a Hell Realm full of horrifying demons and creatures like you can’t imagine. All the other realms fight to keep this realm locked behind a barrier. Some escape or exist here as you saw tonight.”

  Chris started to get up and throw another hissy fit.

  Kate wasn’t having it this time. She silenced him and forced him back into his seat. “Sorry, but I need to finish without interruptions.”

  Xander snorted in the background, remembering his own attempt to explain everything. They smiled at the memories and how far they’d come. Angie would always have those rare moments when it all came together, and they started their journey imprinted on her mind.

  “There is a battle called the Rising. It’s fought every four hundred years or so. This is the one chance for the Hell Realm to break free from its prison. An ultimate fight between good and evil. The demons use negative dark energy drawn from all the evil in the world, and the rest of us band together to create a positive pure light. Each side is given one powerful representative anointed for a final showdown. Alpha and Omega. Most of the realms refer to them as the Mystic and Dark One.”

  “The girl from the farm,” Teri interrupted. “She kept referring to you as the Mystic. Is that what you are?”

  “Yes, I’m the Mystic. I was born a human but have been transformed into an all-powerful being. Tattoo, golden glow, and all.” She let the phoenix spread across her chest and released her swirling blue eyes to reveal her Mystic appearance.

  Still on the cautious side, Randy finally spoke. “What’s the deal with this battle? Is it just the two of you like in a boxing ring, or what?”

  Angie couldn’t wait to hear Kate answer this one. At least she had his attention. Two down. One stubborn ass to go.

  “No, thousands will fight like in any war. But everything happens in a matter of hours instead of years. The battle ends when the Mystic or Dark One kills the other. If I fail, the Hell Realm will open and take dominion over all others. The humans will be hit the hardest because they have the fewest defenses and have no idea that it’s coming.”

  “How much should I tell them? Knowledge is good but fear is debilitating.”

  “Never stopped you. You’re asking them to lay their lives down for a world they can’t comprehend. The least you can give them is honesty.”

  “Maybe, but the reality isn’t sinking in. Even Teri can’t grasp it. Chris is building up a wall fast. We’re going to lose them if I push too hard.” If anyone could see their pressure points, it would be Kate.

  “So what’s the plan?”

  “Not sure yet, but Chris is about to combust.”

  Kate reached forward and laid her palm across his arm. He didn’t pull away, so they hadn’t lost him yet. “I know this is hard to believe. I’m asking you to trust me. Humans have never been allowed to help because they weren’t considered strong enough. I’m changing that. I’m recruiting highly trained, dedicated soldiers to join the battle and to fight for your freedom.”

  Putting it into a war format broke through Randy’s defenses. He believed in protecting his country regardless of the cost. “So there will be another war?”

  “Not like anything you’ve ever known, but yes. And not for the freedom of one country, but for the entire human race. This is to save our species from extinction.”

  He nodded. The idea of a battle had piqued his interest. He may not fully believe in the magic behind it all or the demonic piece of the puzzle, but he would defend innocents.

  Angie watched as Kate moved closer and took a deep breath. She would never allow them to make a choice without knowing the consequences. Angie bowed her head. This was the part she still couldn’t bring herself to face at times. If her friends weren’t ready or couldn’t accept, Kate would leave them behind, fully wiping their memories. The ache in her chest spread as she prepared herself to say goodbye. Their minds were too resistant to comprehend the reality.

  “There’s one other option.” Kate’s hesitancy set off warning bells. She had something big planned.

  “I’m afraid to ask, but what?” She sent her the memories of the turning point on the night they had been told about demons.

  “You can’t be serious. It’s too risky and crazy.”

  “It worked for us. That was the moment that changed the course of our lives. You said it earlier. If we are going to ask them to join us, then they need to see it and feel it. The only chance we have left is for them to know and meet their enemy.” Maybe, but they hadn’t had a choice.

  “I understand showing them demons, but having them fight the demons is another story. This might push them over the edge, Kate. Then what?”

  “Then we will never doubt that we tried our hardest, but they weren’t ready for the fight. We need to know.”

  Was she right? Angie scanned their faces. She couldn’t read their thoughts, but it was obvious they didn’t grasp the truth. A part of her refused to agree with Kate’s plan, but another part whispered that if they couldn’t face a demon under the Mystic’s protection, then they would not be able to fight in the battle.

  Deja vu crept in. Xavier disappeared. Xander stepped back in front of Kate and herself. Right or wrong, they were about to receive a nasty wake up call.

  “Incoming!” Xavier’s voice echoed.

  Chaos erupted.

  * * *

  Two mid-level demons appeared in Angie’s living room. At least they weren’t assassins this time. Their black soulless eyes scanned the room. Xavier lured them here under the pretense that human witches were present. Kate masked the presence of everyone except Chris, Teri, and Randy. They jumped to their feet and pulled their weapons. Teri called out for Kate, but she didn’t answer. Instead they faded back.

  Randy pushed Teri out of the way and shot the first demon in the chest. It took a step or two back, then began advancing. Chris put three more rounds in the other demon only to meet with the same result.

  Holstering his weapon, Randy switched to hand-to-hand techniques. He landed a punch and then a kick, before receiving a blow to his chest that sent him flying into the opposite wall. Teri jumped up to protect him, but the demon backhanded her. She flew over the bar and into the kitchen.

  The second demon didn’t wait for Chris to attack. He elevated him over his head and threw him into the ceiling. He landed back on the floor with a thud. The demon kicked him in the gut, sending him a good ten feet against the wall.

  She tried to rush in to help them but couldn’t break through Kate’s barrier. She begged for Xavier’s help, but he remained silent. She’d deal with him later. Kate’s mind remained locked, so Angie continued to batter at the shield. They needed to learn a lesson, but not die for it.

  She tried pulling Kate’s arm to get her attention, but she remained
in her trance. Giving up, she watched the fight in front of her. She could only hope Kate knew what she was doing.

  This time, the demon threw Teri into Randy, knocking them both down. Demon two punched Chris in the nose. The ominous sound of bones breaking filled the air as blood covered his face. Randy and Teri crawled over to Chris, but the demons effectively separated them again. Randy hit the window so hard it cracked, but didn’t break. Teri’s arm snapped when the red eyed demon stepped on it. She screamed in pain. Randy lunged at the demon. It laughed and side kicked him in the ribs, cracking several.

  They didn’t get back up. Finally, Teri called out for Kate to save them. She dropped the barrier and stepped out in full warrior gear. She wasn’t using her energy source tonight. Instead, she’d fight hand to hand.

  Pulling a sword, she engaged them. With her tattoo hidden, the demons didn’t know who they were fighting. She met them strike for strike. She sent an uppercut into the first demon. Then she spun around and connected with a roundhouse into the chin of the second one. They couldn’t keep up with her speed and fluidity. Kate refused to use any of her Mystic abilities. She didn’t need to. And that had been her point all along.

  Angie had no intention of letting Kate have all the fun. She jumped in and confronted the second demon. This one didn’t look that scary except for the soulless black eyes. Looks could be deceiving. Another point scored for Kate’s plan. However, she wasn’t against using a few tricks.

  Her sword lit up in flames as she continued to parry and thrust. She used a jump kick to send him flying backward several feet. As soon as he landed, she planted the fiery sword into his heart. Agonized screams erupted from the demon as it relinquished to inevitable death. Nothing but ash remained.

  Angie dropped to her knees beside Teri and held her head while they watched Kate finish her own battle.

  “Stop toying with it, Kate. We have a lot to clean up.”

  She gave an imperceptible nod and launched a full attack. She spun low, knocking him off his feet. When he jumped up, she caught him in the chest with a flying kick. He went through the wall. He crouched to attack once more. Kate swung her sword and severed his head. She waved her hand over his body and he disappeared.

  Silence surrounded them.

  Angie had a whole new respect for her best friend. She would never have been able to pull this off. She scanned their faces. Through the pain, she saw realization. They were starting to understand what the world would be up against.

  “Much worse than this will happen if humankind doesn’t stand up and fight.” Kate didn’t pull any punches. “What you saw tonight is nothing compared to the evil that will ascend from the depths of Hell. You couldn’t stand your ground. How do you expect women, children, elderly, and all others to fight against all that you’ve seen? They are innocents, and last time I checked, that’s who we all swore to protect. The enemy might look different, but we always targeted the weird and defeated it.”

  Kate leaned forward and raised her hands above Teri. In seconds, all that remained of the injuries were the memories. She turned and did the same for Randy and Chris, taking away their pain while mending the broken bones. She’d also healed the mistrust between them. They were a team once again. Angie felt it in the depths of her soul. She should feel great. But she also feared what their future would hold. The chance of death was astronomical. Her heart wept. They’d already buried so many friends. Should she tell them to run? No, she couldn’t be selfish.

  “Angie, you know they will fight. It’s part of their destiny. Like you and me. We all have a role to play. We’ll give them the training to survive and hope for the best. It’s all any of us can do.” Kate flooded her with warmth and compassion.

  Regret clung to her like a second skin. No turning back. They would be led like lambs to the slaughter. Then again, so am I. Maybe they all were.

  She turned into Xavier’s embrace and let her emotions go. He held her tightly, absorbing them all and providing comfort. She loved him more and more every day. He’d given up his immortality for her, and one day she’d find a way to show him how much that meant to her. Deep inside where her innermost fears taunted her, she wondered if anyone would have a happy ending or even a decent one.

  * * *

  After Kate finished healing everyone, she motioned for them to return to their seats. The apartment once again had been wrecked beyond recognition. Too bad Gregory wasn’t here to fix it. She missed his acerbic personality. Focusing her mind, she spread her hands and imagined everything back in its original condition. When she opened her eyes, the room had returned to normal.

  She avoided the inner emotions and accusations surrounding her. What else could she have done? Brutal, but effective. They were angry at her for opening their thoughts, but more so at the fact she hadn’t told them earlier.

  “I’m sorry you had to endure that. I didn’t know how else to show you what the world is up against. Sometimes living the experience is the only way. You are all trained in fighting and weapons. How do you think the average person would stand against a demon? I had my own wake-up call in this apartment. Xander and Gregory saved us then as Angie and I rescued you. I couldn’t grasp what was to come. I didn’t want to accept the enormous destiny given to me. I rarely used my abilities when I was with the FBI for a reason. Over time, I became the warrior you saw today. With proper training, any of you could have defeated those creatures. Angie is human and has killed several.” Time ticked away while they searched for words. She hoped she hadn’t pushed them too far, but they had to be solid before she could invite them to the fight. Too many lives depended on it.

  Teri’s hands were shaking. Kate wondered if she’d be the first to crack. “Kate, what do we do now? How do we defeat those monsters? The world would be defenseless.” She stood and grasped Kate’s forearm. “I choose to believe what I’ve seen and pledge to do all I can to prevent this evil from invading our world. As always, I’ll stand beside you and protect the innocent.”

  “I agree with Teri.” Randy wrapped his arm around her. “I’ve never backed down from a fight. I’ve seen some scary shit as a Marine but nothing pure evil like that. I’ll join your fight. I’m assuming that’s why we’re here and that this is top secret. We’ll need to leave our lives completely behind.” He laced his fingers through Teri’s to calm her speeding heart. At least, they could have the relationship they longed for. Silver linings, right?

  Chris’ enthusiasm wasn’t quite as strong. “Well, I guess it can’t hurt to learn more combat skills. I definitely don’t want my ass kicked again, so I better figure out how to do the kicking myself. I’ll go along with this charade for now. But I still have reservations.” She’d take it. Hadn’t she felt the same? He’d come around over time and after exposure to the realms.

  “It’s a start. Randy, you’re correct. We would start a panic if too many knew. Instead, we’re recruiting the best and brightest without too many family ties. If you have any suggestions from your military days, I’d appreciate it.

  “All magical realms are overseen by the Ancient Council or simply Council for short. You met them at the wedding, but your memories were tainted.” She restored their original memories so they could be better prepared. “We have created a separate training facility in a remote area of Alaska. Several recruits are gathering to train and prepare for the battle. There, you will learn fighting skills, weaponry, and magical elements. All of these aspects will be encountered during the Rising when facing demons and minions.”

  Teri tapped her pen against her notepad. Kate hid a grin. Always prepared and writing down everything, that was her girl. “Wait a minute. What’s a minion?”

  “Minions are infected humans. They have ingested a demon’s blood or traded their soul for power. Their strength is enhanced and many possess a few minor magical abilities, but they are not full demons. What you faced tonight were lower level demons but higher than minions. There are multiple stages of evil which you’ll learn during your
training. I wish I could make this simpler or protect you from it. It’s why I didn’t tell you sooner. I just can’t.” Her voice cracked.

  She walked over to Xander, and he helped clear her head. The apartment, memories of Gregory, the day’s events, and recruitment had completely exhausted her. She couldn’t afford the emotions or to think about their futures. He helped silence the voices, and she pushed everything into her mental compartments.

  Time to go. Chris had taken to pacing again while Teri processed her notes. Randy stood eerily, still absorbing the reality that he’d be returning to war. He’d carried enough scars, but nothing like he would soon endure. The Rising would add more than a few to them all. Words would no longer help them. They needed to prepare.

  “Take my hand.” Kate extended her arm. “We’re going to the camp. Once you’ve settled, we can do a little exploring. I haven’t seen it in person yet. Cian, leader of the Seekers, took my ideas and built a small hidden city.

  Teri started to ask a question and then shook her head. “Never mind. I don’t want to know anything else tonight. I’d like a place to lay my head down and rest. For once, I don’t think my nightmares could be scarier than reality. I’m not sure if that’s a comfort or insanity. I’m in.” She reached for Kate’s hand.

  Waiting for everyone to grab on, she dealt with the consuming guilt of what she’d done tonight. Necessary or not, she’d live with this for eternity.

  Chris squeezed and she met his eyes. “Don’t let me down, Kate.”

  What response could she give him? She’d asked them to die. She’d train them and walk away. They wouldn’t even be there to watch their backs. Pushing the guilt out of her mind, she focused on the task. They’d all chosen this path. Humans would fight and be stronger for it.

  She closed her eyes and visualized the map from Rowena. Grabbing their hands tightly, she transported them to their new home in Alaska. Xander followed with Xavier and Angie.

  No turning back.

  * * *