Mystic Rising

by J L Lawrence

  “I’ve been searching every single archive, diary, and document that I can find. I can’t explain it, but my instincts tell me this is part of our role in this battle. Anyway, what I had assumed about the amulet having a deeper meaning is correct. But it’s so much more.” His mind clouded with humiliation as he recalled the information.

  He smiled in thanks to her comforting thoughts. “The amulet holds greater power than I could imagine. The first Mystic created the piece after receiving the light and defeating the demon. Not wanting to risk that much power being released on Earth, he decided to create a talisman to represent good and light. He poured his energy into this piece, and it took on the shape of the tree of life. Knowing the dangers of it falling into enemy or human hands, he came to my ancestor.”

  Kate held her breath. Cassius had been right. Her path had just gotten a lot rockier than the previous Mystic’s. She’d bet anything, he hadn’t even reached the tip of the iceberg.

  “In that time,” he went on, “Shadow Warriors tracked and hunted all demons or any other evil creatures. My great, great, grandfather and his warriors were instrumental in winning the first Rising. Because of their protection and security of their realm, the Mystic asked for the Shadow Warriors to hide and protect this great power. We accepted, according to what I read, with the condition that it never be spoken of. He didn’t want to become the constant target for the Hell Realm. I read in my grandfather’s journal, the tree bloomed when he took possession. Seven jewels sprung out on the branches. The tree trunk had an amazing diamond. The finest he’d ever seen. He said its purity was blinding.

  “My fear is that my father, in his stupidity or insanity, broke the covenant. It’s what made the curse so strong and irreversible. Everything we’d sworn to protect, our integrity, gone in an instant. More than that, it splintered the amulet and released the power. I’m sorry, Kate.” He wouldn’t meet her eyes.

  “What does that mean for me?” Kate struggled not to stand and start pacing. Her mind whirled with questions.

  He threw up his hands in agitation. “I’m not sure, but I think it’s the key to part of the Mystic’s power. Since the first battle, every leader has worn the amulet to the Rising. My oldest brother wore it to the last Rising. I recovered the amulet and returned it to my father, not knowing what it meant.” He hesitated, and she knew the worst part hadn’t been said yet.

  “Kate.” His voice cracked. “I think we broke a part of your power. At every battle when the Mystic would receive the light, the amulet would appear around their neck. It would blaze and funnel the power. After the fight, the piece returned to the possession of the Shadow Warrior leader. That’s why I found it with my brother and not Cass. Without this stabilization and power boost, it’s likely you won’t be able to control the light. It might destroy you before you even get the chance to kill Braxus.

  “I can’t tell you how sorry I am to have caused you more burden. I believe with everything in me that your quest is to return to the battleground of the first Rising. Then you must seek out the guidance of past Mystics and repair the amulet. Legend says the first several Mystics combined forces to create a separate plane where they could guide and direct the power of Mystics. I don’t know how true that is, but something is waiting for you. If you fail, it’s my personal opinion you won’t win, or at least won’t live through it. In addition, after much reading on our own history, I think if you do fail, because of the curse and amulet, our entire species will be obliterated. Now you can see why I don’t want the information to leave this room.”

  What the hell?

  Nikki cried out in shock. Everyone else became too stupefied to speak. The magnitude of his words brought a whole new level of fear. Now, Kate had to fix an amulet before she faced an all-powerful demon. Who had she seriously pissed off in a previous lifetime? Or more importantly, who had their ancestors pissed off?

  Even Rowena had trouble speaking. She kept clearing her throat, but the words wouldn’t come.

  That’s a first.

  Micah dropped his head in his hands. Despite all his pompous demeanor, she’d never witnessed him looking defeated until this moment.

  Once Zane had filled in some gaps, his visions had hit with force confirming the theory. She had her quest. Repair the trust of Mystics past. Restore the amulet, or die. Fun choices.

  Gripping the table, Xander pointed at the screens Marcus had brought in to display Micah’s visions. They were hazy, but gave them a place to begin. “Let’s get this started.”

  His unusual calm brought her nerves back under control. They’d known she had some great things to do before the third task, so why not this? Xander blocked his thoughts, but underneath the exterior, he freaked out. Just when they thought that maybe they’d have a future together, a new complication reared its ugly head. To his credit, he sent her waves of comfort and hid the panic. But he couldn’t hide from her.

  Micah changed the screen to a beautiful landscape. One Kate had seen in her dreams every night of her human life. “We’re going to Ireland. We begin at the Cliffs of Moher to be specific.” She reached for Zane’s drooping shoulders. “Any idea on timeline?”

  “I’d say as soon as you can pack. The prophecy tells us that we start where it all began. The first Rising, at least on record, occurred in the area now referred to as Ireland. My theory is that the power of the amulet has been returned to its original owner who created it. You must prove worthy of wielding the power once again. Your vision also said that it must be freed. Our betrayal caused the break, so we can’t complete the task. You must repair the amulet and wear it during the battle. The Cliffs fit perfectly. We’ve received the pieces of information and Micah has confirmed with his visions. That’s not coincidence. It’s permission to begin. Leave tomorrow if possible. There’s no way to know how long this will take. It won’t be easy. If you need anything, I’ll do all that I can.” He’d always looked proud and confident in their previous meetings, but seemed defeated.

  Zane stepped out of the room. Storm moved to the head of the table. “He’s destroyed and blames himself. He keeps thinking that if he’d only kept the amulet himself and not given it to our father, then the curse wouldn’t have done much. His lack of knowledge and underestimating our dad haunts him every second. I’ll do whatever I can to help. All of my brothers are at your disposal. We can’t leave the realm but can find any information you seek.”

  Zane returned, a little more composed.

  Storm held Nikki tightly to him.

  Kate sank down into the chair. Xander and Xavier organized everyone to return to the Meadows. Tristan had already broken into a cold sweat despite her shield. One crazy man couldn’t have broken the trust that badly. He’s insane. Couldn’t they see that? An act of evil had played a part. But by who? The answers would come in time as everything did. She just didn’t know if she wanted them. So far, not much had gone her way.

  * * *

  Angie peeked her head in Kate’s doorway. She quietly paced the room, pausing at each of the photos Xander had brought from their apartment in Nashville. Their picture with Julie had the strongest punch. The three musketeers.

  They’d had so much fun together in college. On graduation night, Julie died in her arms. She’d watched as the life drained out of her eyes, and Kate had built a wall around her heart higher than Mt. Everest. It’d been the moment when they’d known what kinds of evil could exist in the world. Boy, had they been wrong. Evil had a whole new face.

  Her heart ached for the heavy burden Kate carried daily. She tried to help, but even Xander could barely make a dent. How do you comfort someone with this destiny? For years, she’d begged Kate to wake up and see all her potential. Not once had she wished for something this severe. How much could a person take—even a supernatural one—before she cracked?

  I hope I never see it.

  She couldn’t watch the light fade from another friend, a sister.

  “Are you going to come in or continue to skulk behin
d my door all night?” Kate hadn’t turned around, but continued to study all the pictures that had meant everything to her during their human years.

  Walking in, Angie crossed and stood in front of their portrait. “Times were simpler back then, huh? I checked with Xander first, and he said you’d come in here to clear your mind. Care if I join you?” She didn’t wait for a response and sat down on the edge of the bed. Kate still shielded her from a great deal. Sometimes it annoyed her, and sometimes she appreciated it.

  “You said it. A lot simpler. I’ve been staring at these photos for hours instead of packing. Wondering what my life would have been like…if only. Then, I see all the wonderful things this new world has given us. We both found the love of our lives. Neither of us would trade it for anything. But I’m not sure about this quest, Angie. I don’t know if I have the strength to dig deeper than when I charged into the outer Hell Realm. I almost didn’t make it back. How will I ever face Zane or the Council if I fail? If I don’t measure up?”

  Kate sat beside her and rested her head on Angie’s shoulder. The emotions inside were too strong for Angie to share any more but she sent what comfort she could. “So don’t fail.” Kate started to argue. “Wait, let me finish.” She turned and faced her.

  “You are the one person in this world who can do this. I’ve always seen you as the person standing at the top of the mountain with wind swirling and rain pouring. Yet you never falter, never surrender. You stand tall against it all. I always envied the strength and grace only you possess, even when you were all human. I’m thankful for it now. I wouldn’t trust my future to anyone but you.” A tear slid down Kate’s cheek, and Angie pulled her in for a hug.

  She held her close for a minute, letting her share the burden and fear. “Thank you. I think I needed to hear that. Xander has become obsessed with this quest and his mind never rests. He keeps replaying what Zane said about it causing me to fail at the Rising. I read in Rowena’s mind that nothing like this has ever been asked of a Mystic. No one knows what to expect, and they’re all afraid. Their biggest fear is that others will find out and leave before the battle. As much as it pains me to admit, I’m a little scared, too. I can’t let Xander see, or he’ll worry more, if that’s possible.”

  Pausing, Kate squeezed her hand. She had every right to be terrified. “I’m sorry, Angie. Sorry for dragging you into all this. Sorry for forcing you to come on this quest. It isn’t fair of me to ask, but I need you there. I think Xander needs Xavier. I hope you’ll forgive me one day for whatever lies ahead. I have a bad feeling.”

  “No forgiveness is necessary. I’ll follow you till the end. I wouldn’t have chosen any other path in my life. It’s where we’re meant to be. Look around, our entire FBI team is here. That can’t be a coincidence. And if I can help on your journey in any way, then that’s what I’ll do. We’re family. Together, we’ll kick the shit out of this quest.”

  “Amen.” Nikki cried out from the door. Tears poured down her cheeks. “I wanted to see both of you before you leave tomorrow.” She didn’t have to be telepathic to see that Nikki wanted to go with them. She’d become one of their closest friends, like having a third sister. But with Roxy gone, her abilities were needed to help Micah and to maintain good relations with the Shadow Warriors. Plus, after the mess with Storm and her sister arriving, she’d be way too distracted. At least her relationship with Storm seemed to be moving in a positive direction. According to Kate, Nikki and Storm still harbored a lot of pain and anger deep in their hearts. It’d all come out sooner or later. She voted for later.

  They talked and laughed for over an hour. Then, Nikki decided they better get packed for the trip. She grabbed her computer and they spent another hour trying to find every piece of information on Ireland and some spots to visit if they found the time. She had to admit, the land was absolutely gorgeous, and it happened to be one of the places on her bucket list. Considering her time could be pretty limited, she needed to check off a few of those.

  By the time everyone went to their separate rooms and said their tearful goodbyes, she sensed a new calm in Kate. Rowena had been right all along. What Kate needed most was to remember her humanity. She’d need both to survive.

  She laid her hand on Xavier’s shoulder and snuggled against him. He immediately secured her in a tight embrace. It still bothered her that he’d chosen to surrender his immortality for her, but she understood why. He kissed the back of her shoulder, and then her neck, before falling back asleep.

  Questions about the quest kept plaguing her mind. Based on everything they’d survived so far, she had no illusions that this would be easy. What would happen when they arrived, and what would they see at the cliffs? She’d been in Kate’s head enough to see the dream that had haunted her human life. How could she help Kate with so little of her own power? Maybe Nikki should be the one joining them. Her powers were downright scary, and…

  “Shhh. Your thoughts are so loud, they’re pounding in my head. Have faith. You once told Gregory that you knew Kate would win because she didn’t know any other way, and she’d never accept defeat. Hold that knowledge in your heart. Now, get some sleep so you’re ready for whatever happens tomorrow.” Xavier kissed her forehead and placed her in a deep sleep.

  As the sun rose and light streamed in, warmth caressed her skin. She let the fear go and headed to the study with a new determination in her heart.

  Saying goodbye proved more difficult than she’d imagined. After leaving the castle, they visited the training facility. Teri cried. Randy wished them luck, and Chris called them crazy fools, but in a lighthearted way. He’d come to love this new world even though he’d cut his own tongue out before admitting it. She found out he’d even started dating a faery.

  All their friends came to wish them well. Marco, Illianna, Jeff, Jane, Joseph, Lucia, and Ace stayed, after all others had left to discuss final plans and preparations.

  She’d miss the safety of this place. She wasn’t ready to step onto another battlefield. Not much choice on that one.

  Xander and Kate opened the portal. Xavier completely surrounded her for protection, but with the Mystic blood still inside her, she could pass through without injury. Yet, it didn’t prevent her skin from feeling like someone had lit it on fire. Maybe this time would be different.

  Closing her eyes, she took the leap of faith.

  Chapter 7

  “Where exactly are we? I don’t see any cliffs.” Angie groaned and rolled over to stand.

  Kate healed her before she had to endure much of the pain this time. The portals between the Meadows and the Human Realm were the only ones she hadn’t completely figured out how to control yet. Probably the way the magical realm had created a barrier to denounce all humans. She’d deal with that issue later.

  “I couldn’t pop us in at the Cliffs during the middle of the day. It’s one of the most popular tourist spots in the country. I found us a small bed and breakfast right up the road. To be specific we’re in Newmarket on Fergus in County Clare. Ennis and Shannon are both nearby. The Cliffs of Moher are in this county, too. I booked for two nights, since I have no idea what kind of timeline we’re looking at.”

  Xander had arranged for a car to be left at their arrival site on a secluded back road. Although she couldn’t tell the difference between the side and main roads, since she could reach out and touch both sides of the roads around here. She couldn’t imagine how these tour buses ever got anywhere. Then again, it wasn’t like any car would challenge them in this game of chicken.

  The little house appeared half a mile up a long winding driveway. They passed a signpost welcoming them to Beechgrove Farmhouse. It reminded her of a summer cottage from a Thomas Kinkade painting. Birds sang above them and horses whinnied out in the fields. Absolutely gorgeous.

  Taking a deep breath, she smelled the ocean in the distance. It created a beautiful blue background to the landscape. The home had been painted a pale yellow with red front steps. A carpet of green grass surr
ounded the house.

  Inside proved to be as quaint as the outside. She walked through the front entrance and signed the registry book. To her left, a warm and inviting study called to her. To her right, the dining area had three country style tables. Nothing contemporary about this home, and she loved every bit of it.

  Betty, the owner, along with her husband, Sean, welcomed them in and gave them their keys. They were friendly and rapidly chattered about all the wonderful sights to see in this part of the country. They didn’t have to convince her how great this place was. It felt like a second home, and she’d just arrived.

  The bedrooms were small, but had their own bathroom. Colorful handmade quilts topped the beds. The slight musty odor of an aged home soothed her. Permanence did exist. She had to find her own version and make it a reality. She’d return here someday under different circumstances.

  “Kate, take a look at this.” Angie pulled back the quilt on her bed. “And there’s one like this on ours.” Phoenix wings had been carved into the bottom of the bed frame many years ago. A previous generation had known she’d come.

  We’ll be safe here.

  “Something tells me I may have had a guided hand that led me to find this place. It’s well protected by Faery magic.” They unpacked and stretched out to rest for a moment. She wanted full energy for their journey to the cliffs tonight. They’d have to be careful. The area had a lot more security than in the past. One more complication to solve.

  Her nerves wouldn’t give her any peace, and she sensed the same unrest in the others. She poked Xander in the side. “I’m hungry. Let’s grab Angie and Xavier, then we can head into town and find a small restaurant or pub. It might provide a distraction for the next hour or two. If we stay here, we might go a little crazy.”