The Otherling

by Heather M. Walker

  After a heavy sigh of defeat, Annaleah uncrossed her arms and sat heavily on the couch. "Alright, but after a few lessons or training or whatever it is you have in mind, I would really like to see the Professor." She smiled and looked away. "I have no idea what I will say to him, though."

  “If you’re worried about whether he likes you or not, don’t be worried, I can attest to the fact with utmost certainty that not only does he like you, but he has vowed to protect you. I actually think he might be falling in love with you.”

  Annaleah’s mood changed instantly, her heart leaping in her chest. For several seconds, she couldn’t breathe, let alone form a coherent thought in her mind.

  She watched as Seth flashed her a knowing smile, his eyes twinkling.

  “Really?” was all that she could say for the moment.

  Seth took her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Yes, really. I know you remember the dream you had in the woods when you kissed him. Well,” he paused to lean closer. His entire face smiled, from his lips to the twinkling in his eyes. “I gave him the same dream.”

  Annaleah gasped, knowing that it meant the dream was in a sense, very real. It had actually happened. That meant that their passionate kiss was real, too, and that the professor really did have feelings for her. There had been an intense, powerful connection between them.

  “Which means that yes, you really did kiss the professor. For him, it was the turning point in how he saw you,” he said, cocking an eyebrow and leaning toward her, “Though I gave you both the same dream, the decision for the two of you to kiss was your own. I only wanted for the two of you to see each other as you truly are, in your true forms. I wanted you two to eventually form a bond, but that seems to have happened of its own accord.” Seth smiled at Annaleah, his eyes still twinkling.

  Annaleah was enrapt, hanging on every word he said, her heart beating thunderously. The attraction she felt for Sebastian was at times overwhelming, and though she knew now that he had deep feelings for her too, she wondered if he felt his attraction as deeply as she did. The kiss had not only been one of passion, but one that seemed to awaken within her a burning fire that consumed her. When she was in his arms, her mouth pressed to his lips, she felt as if her soul was aglow, and that every atom of her being was infused with the perfect light of pure love.

  Seth had said that he had sent the dream, and in a way that knowledge diminished the purity of it. In a way, he had manipulated them both by pushing them together, which was very disappointing, and a flicker of anger flashed in her heart. He had said that their kiss was not of his doing, which was a relief. Perhaps there was a bit of their own free will involved.

  “Though he had been attracted to you from the beginning, he fought it fiercely, taking it out on you in petty ways. I knew that had to change.” Seth continued. “I had to draw out his attraction to you and deepen it to the point that he would protect you. I went to him as Gabriel, and we had an important conversation.”

  Seth took her other hand in his, so that he was holding both of her hands in his.

  “I promise you, he wants to see you just as badly as you want to see him, but for now, we need to train you.”

  "I am all yours." Annaleah said, trying to be more serious.

  Seth sat back into the couch, looking thoughtful. "Okay, am I correct to assume that you have a ward up on the house?" he asked her.

  Annaleah felt a bit worried and answered, "I haven't put one up in a while; I have been a bit.... preoccupied."

  "Alright, after a brief lesson, you and I need to put the ward back up. It shouldn't take long. I think the first thing you need to know is defense against thought invasion. Both angels of the darkness and of the light are able to do it. The Dark Ones use it for unethical reasons, to intimidate and try to weaken their opponent, or to coerce them toward their own goal. I think you might have seen this in action when you met Satanael. Though you don't necessarily have to be looking into their eyes for this to happen, direct eye contact does make it much easier to do and the effects are more powerful.” Seth paused to look Annaleah in the eyes. “The saying that the eyes are the window to the soul is truer than most people know.” Seth’s expression changed, softer now, but still intense. “The eyes have power unto themselves. The angels of light use this to their benefit for communication. At times, there are simply no words to convey what must be told, so visions are given to share what is so important that words cannot be trusted. I believe you have seen this in action too, with Marchosias. You, as the offspring of an angel and a human, have this ability. I ask that you use it wisely. Before I teach you how to use it yourself, I am going to teach you how to defend yourself from a low level psychic thought attack. So far, so good?"

  "Yes," Annaleah said simply.

  "Alright, in just a moment I am going to send you a thought, and I want you to try to resist me. When you feel the thought getting a bit uncomfortable, I want you to imagine yourself in a room. It’s a small room is and your safe place. Paint the walls as dark black as you can imagine perfect darkness to be. Shut out all light, so that you are hidden. This is called black boxing. You will become invisible and difficult to infiltrate. Should a more powerful entity come to you and still be able to penetrate your black box, I want you to imagine the black box around you encased in brick. Make the bricks as real as possible and try to see them in as much detail as you can in your mind's eye. This should make it almost impossible to break into your mind. There is one last level left, should all else fail. This is to attack the one invading you. You must be strong for it, stronger than the one who is able to penetrate your mind. It might be painful for the both of you, however, you must assert your will power. You must be sure of yourself, and forceful." Seth paused, looking mildly disturbed.

  Annaleah was about to ask him what was wrong, when a sudden gust of wind seemed to rock the very house itself, followed by the steady drumming of rain. Seth went silent and seemed to be concentrating quite hard.

  "Something isn't right," he said. "The west wind feels wrong…."

  Seth's words were cut off by a blood curdling scream coming from upstairs. Annaleah's heart dropped in her chest and her blood froze in her veins. Both she and Seth raced upstairs, following the source of the scream to Uncle John's room. There in his room stood a small, hideous creature. It looked like a terrible version of a dark elf, only more brutal and sinister. Its skin was sallow and mottled, the shade varying in degrees of pale grey and blue, as if it were made of mold and rot. It was very thin; the bones beneath its blotchy skin protruding and making it appear as though its skeleton was trying to break through its fragile skin. The ears were long and pointed at the top, tufts of hair topping each one. The small, beady eyes gleamed with abhorrence at both Seth and Annaleah. But it was the hands and claws which terrified Annaleah the most, for the bony fingers ended in long, sharp claws which dripped with blood.

  From behind this creature came a gurgling noise, and Annaleah saw to her horror that Uncle John was lying on the floor, a pool of blood slowly spreading around him.

  "Uncle John!" Annealed screamed, her heart flooding with fear and panic. She moved toward him, but the creature blocked her advance, hissing and drawing its bloodied hand up threateningly, as if to strike her.

  From behind Annaleah a bright light flashed, pulsating for a moment until it became strong and steady. The energy of the room changed at once, as if it were being purified. The being let out a shriek and covered its eyes, smearing blood on its face as it did so.

  Annaleah knew that her friend had transformed from Seth the human into Gabriel the archangel. In doing so, she felt herself begin to change. Pulses of luminosity flashed like lightning under her skin. All of this barely registered beyond the grief crushing her heart within her chest.

  "Demon Abuchubae, servant to the demon king of the moon, hear me call your name and thusly bind you," Gabriel called out in a forceful voice. "Demon Abuchubae, minion of the west wind, I cast you out in the name of the Ho
ly ones, by the words of the mighty Creator, I rebuke you! You must obey me, for with the knowledge of your name I gain power and control over you. I cast you out by the Goddess and Creator, by the archangel Michael, whoever defends us in battle. Go now or you shall be cast to the fiery pit of Hell, or destroyed by me outright!" Though Gabriel's voice was stern and authoritative, it was also beautifully lyrical. It resonated in the room sending a shimmering vibration through the air, a scintillating energy of absolute power.

  The demon Abuchubae tried to cover its ears and eyes both at once, and, failing to do either effectively, ran on all fours towards the window. Reaching its means of escape, it turned, and in a voice that sounded like a high pitched hiss said, "I will go, for I have done what I came to do." It let out one last hiss, then turned back to the window and broke through the glass, leaping to the ground below.

  Gabriel went to the window to make certain the demon had gone, watching as it ran away. His heart was heavy with sorrow, knowing the situation with Uncle John was dire. He was still alive, but for how much longer was uncertain. Annaleah was kneeling beside him, holding his hand with one hand with her other against his chest, trying to apply pressure where the wound had been inflicted. She was sobbing uncontrollably, tears running down her cheeks and dripping onto the floor to mingle with the blood.

  The war had begun

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Love Is Everything

  Annaleah turned to Gabriel, her eyes red and raw with tears of grief. "Do something, please!!" She begged, sobbing. After she spoke, she tilted her head back and wailed, a cry so rife with pain and loss that Gabriel was sure the Goddess herself heard it, and shed a tear for the ferocity of agony Annaleah felt.

  After the heartbreaking cry ended, the silence, punctuated only by the drumming of rain on the roof, seemed to reinforce the direness of the situation. Gabriel could see Annaleah's chest moving up and down with sobs, but no sound came out. Seeing Uncle John so near death affected him deeply. Here was a man who had raised not only his closest human companion, but who also had not once turned Gabriel away, never knowing that he was more than what he seemed.

  After taking a moment to compose himself, Gabriel knelt at Annaleah's side, looking deep into her eyes. Though Gabriel was immense in his angelic form, neither he nor Annaleah found his size to inhibit their eye lock. Annaleah herself had already begun to transform. Her green eyes were tinged with gold and her blonde hair shone like the sun.

  "You can heal him, Annaleah. He has not yet crossed over to the other side, though he is very close.” Annaleah looked to Seth, trying to read his expression, but couldn’t see it through her tears.

  “I know the turmoil that is in your heart, but in order to bring him back, you must do as I say. Can you do that?” Annaleah nodded, and tried hard to calm her raging grief enough to follow his directions. Her uncle’s life depended on it. ‘Your father blessed your hands for battle, but you can use them to heal as well. This healing is a battle of sorts, a fight against death itself. You must act fast before death wins.” Seth’s voice sounded desperate and stricken, though his words were clear and precise. “Place your hands over his wounds, and think of the happiest memories that you have with Uncle John. Feel the love that flows between you both, and fill yourself with it. Send this love from your soul, from your heart, down through your arms and into your hands. Send the love to Uncle John with the intent to heal him.” Seth sighed deeply, and placed his hand on her shoulder. “You can do it, Annaleah, but you must do it now."

  Closing her tear filled eyes, Annaleah did as she was asked. She placed both hands over the torn, bleeding flesh of her uncle, and began with her first memories of him. She saw in her mind's eye Uncle John in his younger days, his hair less gray and somewhat thicker. His face was rounder, and the small lines around his eyes and mouth were yet to show. In her memory, they were at Daytona Beach, and she thought she was around six years old. Uncle John wore hunter green swimming shorts and flip-flops, a spot of bright white sunscreen dotting his nose. She remembered teasing him about it, and that he had laughed with her. Tears continued to flow from beneath her closed eyes as the love swelled within her heart. She smiled through her pain as she recalled how he had given her his own ice cream that day, after she had dropped hers in the sand. She didn't even have time to cry for its loss before he had handed her his treat. "It's OK, kiddo," he had told her, smiling, "I wasn't really in the mood for ice cream anyway." As she remembered, her heart began to grow with her special love for him, which she let blossom until it filled her completely. The warmth of her love glowed within her, and she felt a very real, pleasant heat undulating from her heart.

  "That's it, Annaleah." Gabriel encouraged her. "Keep going."

  Now they were in the ocean, Uncle John holding her up above the waves, telling her she was the prettiest fairy mermaid he had ever seen. "Fairy mermaids are very rare," he had said, looking quite serious. "You are so beautiful and sweet, I think they just might make you their queen." Annaleah had thrown her arms around him then, hugging him tightly. Before she let him go, she had whispered in his ear, "I love you, Uncle John." He had kissed her cheek softly and hugged her back, before telling her with a sweet smile that he loved her very much.

  Annaleah was brought out of her reverie when Uncle John began to make sharp, strangled choking noises. Her eyes flew open, panic lacing her heartbeats as she watched him cough up blood. The light of her healing began to fade, and she looked at Gabriel in alarm. She had not expected any movement or noises from her uncle, and seeing the light fade as she took her focus off healing him frightened her.

  "Don't worry; sometimes healing can be painful," Gabriel reassured her, "Keep going. You will know when it is time to stop."

  Annaleah closed her eyes once more, placed her focus back on her memories and healing, and concentrated. Chasing her fear away was not an easy task, but knowing her uncle's life was quite literally in her hands gave her strength and willpower. In moments she found another precious memory. It had been her first day of second grade, and she was excited to tell Uncle John about it when she got home. "What was your favorite part?" he had asked her. "We had chocolate marshmallow crisps in our lunch today and they were so good! I knew you would just love them, so I brought you one home." She reached into her book bag where she had stored it and carefully unwrapped it from its cellophane wrapper. With her eyes full of love and expectation, she offered it up to Uncle John, who took it reverently. He placed a bit in his mouth and a look of pleasure came over his face. "This is amazing, Annaleah! I am so grateful that you thought of me and wanted to bring some home for me." Then, he had scooped her up into his arms and hugged her tightly. Annaleah had been so proud of that moment that whenever the school had served the treat for dessert, she bought an extra one to bring home. He always made such a fuss over it, and over her. It was just another of many examples of the loving bond they had shared between them.

  The next memory came quickly. Annaleah recalled rushing home from school in tears. She had a huge crush on a boy named Tommy King, one of the most popular boys in middle school. She knew she was seen as an awkward girl by most, strange in her ways. She had been somewhat of an outcast even then, preferring to follow her own heart rather than succumb to the trends and demands of others. She had often been ostracized, but, try as she might to fit in, she just couldn't be comfortable conforming to the ways that others seemed to fall into so easily. She had talked to Uncle John about Tommy before, telling him how handsome he was with his light brown hair and deep brown eyes, and the smattering of freckles across his nose. Uncle John had encouraged her to ask him to the school dance, though Annaleah was certain he would say no. Not only had he said no, he had stood up in the lunchroom and openly mocked her in front of half the school, saying she was weird and too tiny to be able to dance with anyway. They had laughed and pointed, and someone even threw some food at her. She had run out of the school, not caring that she was going to get into more trouble than she had eve
r been in her life for leaving school grounds. The hurt in her heart was something that only Uncle John could fix. She had run home in tears, hoping that today was his day off of work, as going to the hospital was out of the question. Luckily, he had been home, reading one of his crime novels, sitting in one of the white wing backed chairs, with his feet propped up on the cream colored ottoman. She ran to him and he simply held her, letting her cry for several minutes before gently prying her away and looking her in the eyes.

  "What happened?" He had asked, his warm eyes full of concern.

  "I knew he would say no. But he didn't have to make fun of me. He called me weird and too tiny to dance with. He made them all laugh at me. I can't ever go back there!" She fell against his chest and began to cry again.

  "Annaleah, I want you to listen to me," Uncle John had said, pulling her away from him again so that they could look one another in the eye. "A very long time ago, your mother once said something that stuck with me. She was a lot like you, different from most people, but to me, she was different in the most wonderful ways. What made her seem odd and even untouchable to some, only made her seem more precious and rare to me. Do you want to know what she said?" Annaleah had nodded her head.

  "There had been some strange weather going on, lots of rain and even a small snow flurry in late summer. People talked about your mother as if she had something to do with it, knowing she was not a Christian like most in this area, but a witch. I was walking home with her after buying a few groceries one day, and one rather well-to-do towns person saw us. She turned and pointed at Elise, and proclaimed loudly to everyone else on the street, "It's because of this strange woman who will not go to church that the rain keeps falling. It is because of this heathen that there was snow in the middle of summer! What do you have to say for yourself, witch!?