by Jamie Magee
“I can’t get used to the idea of living before...it seems too unreal,” I thought, flustered.
“I said the same thing. August took the scrolls to his study; he thought I’d destroy them in my frustration,” Landen thought, smiling at the idea.
“I don’t want to see them. I don’t think I want to know anymore about my past,” I thought.
“I agree. August is just trying to help us. I’m going to let him try to unravel the mystery behind them, and I’ll look at them again if I think I need an answer,” Landen thought.
“I’m sure they don’t tell the whole story,” I thought.
“We’ll never really know,” Landen thought.
We rose and walked through the open fields and gazed at the soundless birds. After time had passed, we made our way back to our room; it was near dawn, and we knew we needed our strength. We let our energy move into one another, taking every ounce of strength it could offer.
We woke late in the morning and could see the bright sun behind our closed curtains. The hope and anticipation we felt the previous night had shifted into calm; it was so numbing. We moved slowly through our room, dressing for the day that awaited us.
Downstairs, we checked in on Marc and Stella. It was easy to see that sometime in the night Marc had woken and meditated again; he’d changed his clothes, and a half-full glass of water sat beside him. I looked at the clock on the side table and saw that it was just before noon; I wondered how many were ready to go with us. I looked to the door, then to Landen.
“It’s time,” I said, smiling nervously.
He leaned down and pulled me to him and kissed me, then pulled me gently to the door, opening it slowly. As we stepped out into the bright sun, a sight like never before was all around us: across the fields for as far as we could see, thousands of people were sitting just inches apart. They were of every race and age, and each of their bodies was sitting in meditation as their souls lingered behind them. There were so many children, and the innocence of their love danced in twinkles around them. I realized that beneath the tone of our skin, we’re all the same; just souls made of love.
As we slowly made our way down the steps, everyone’s soul turned in our direction, and the peace they felt intensified. Weaving carefully through the mass of people, we made our way to the passage. In front of it was our entire family, each in meditation. Allie lie sleeping, nestled in her carrier between Brady and Felicity. Preston and Libby’s soul stepped forward and took our hands, and we led them all through the string.
As we passed through, the others followed, and the white glow that the string always had, intensified, filling with the energy of pure love. It wasn’t long before the current began to flow aggressively around us; we were almost there. I took a deep breath as the passage to Patrick’s home came into view.
Landen looked me dead in my soul before we stepped through the gate to Esterious. “Are you ready for this?” he asked, taking a deep breath.
“I’m ready to follow you into the pages of history,” I said, smiling slightly as I stared inside of him.
His eyes softened, and he tilted his head, realizing that this life would live on in the memories of millions. I hugged him, burying my face in his chest and taking his energy in before we stepped through the passage beneath Patrick’s home.
A loud clap of thunder rumbled through the room, shaking the rusty staircase. The door at the top of the stairs opened slowly, and Patrick stepped through it, then extended his arm for us to come. I held Landen and Libby’s hands, then followed Preston up the stairs. The other souls, with our families in the lead, followed behind us. Patrick walked to the center of his gray room and smiled back at us, and I let Libby’s hand fall and walked with Landen over to him. We placed our hand on him, rushing joy through him, and as he smiled at us his eyes seemed to brighten. We stepped aside and watched as Preston, then Libby, passed through Patrick; instantly, his Aura shifted from a dull gray into a beautiful yellow that filled the room. As we felt a rush of excitement run through us, Landen and I looked at each other. We then opened Patrick’s door and stepped out on the gray streets. As the lightening flashed above us, we realized that fate had found us both.
As the souls moved out of Patrick’s home, time began to slow. The people on the streets all stopped their endless routines and stared at us, and the silent streets filled with a howl of wind and a clap of thunder. Olivia stepped to my left, Dane stepped to Landen’s right, and they smiled at us and began to lead the others through the crowd. As each person was touched and moved through, their Auras moved into a beautiful yellow - as bright as the sun.
Men in hoods began to approach us, but Landen reached out his hand and moved them all at once - sending them to the rooftops of the city around us. Like a powerful waterfall, we pushed through the streets, bringing the memory of the love that they were made of to them. The sky above us turned black and began to spin, and the wind picked up. Silently, what looked like ashes began to fall all around us.
The palace was just ahead of us. Along the gate walls, men in hoods stood shoulder-to-shoulder, guarding us from passing. As Landen looked at me, I nodded, and we both raised our hands and pushed their gray energy away. They then scattered into the air and fell somewhere in the distance.
Landen squeezed my hand, and we stepped through the gate. Our family and the others stayed behind to move the people of the city. Before we had a chance to move them ourselves, the men that were standing along the roof of the palace scattered. In the center of the court, my willow tree stood; even though the wind swirled around us, its branches remained still. The ashes that were falling from the sky avoided the pure white glow of energy that surrounded the lush green branches.
As we climbed the wide stone staircase, the doors opened before us, and all we could see was darkness. Without hesitation, we walked through. Landen’s eyes moved to the top of a banister that crossed above us. He felt Drake there; his anger told me so. As my eyes moved to see him, I swallowed hard, and the tension in the room rose; the sharpest knife in the world wouldn’t be able to pass through it.
“I see you’ve found your way home again,” Drake said, looking in my eyes. I felt a chill course through me as every time he’d ever touched me suddenly raced through my memory; I could see the pain in his eyes and felt so guilty.
“Willow, he’s counting on your guilt; he thinks he reached you when you were with him.”
“He didn’t reach me; he just showed me all of this through his eyes,” I thought, staring at the pain in Drake’s eyes.
“I have,” I said, wrapping my arm around Landen and pulling him closer to me.
Landen wrapped his arm around my shoulder, and our rings hummed against our skin, causing my charm to warm the spot where it lay on my chest; to me, home was in Landen’s arms.
Drake looked away, as if the sight of Landen touching me was too much to bear. In front of us, I saw shadows move in the darkness beneath him...Landen raised his hand, placing us in a shield of clear energy – and waves spread across it as a force that couldn’t be seen crashed against it. Our confidence rose as we stepped forward. Drake walked quickly to his left, and we climbed the staircase after him. When we reached the top of the stairs, Landen threw our shield behind us, blocking the men in the shadows from following us.
The banister opened into a large room. It looked like the room I’d dreamed of before: tall doors lined every wall, and one led out onto a gray balcony. Landen let my hand fall and stepped forward. Drake was in the center of room, and he raised his hand and sent a force to Landen.
Landen blocked the energy that was coming at him and pushed it back to Drake. With both their hands raised, a force that looked like pure water stood between them. Drake chuckled under his breath, and Landen smiled back at him with eyes that were as cold as ice. Landen stepped forward, pushing Drake back.
“It’s taking everything I have not to end your life...submit to me before you fall,” Landen said through his teeth.
The force between them erupted, knocking me to the ground. I stood quickly, trying to get my bearings. Landen was in the air, and he pushed his weight down to the ground and reached in front of him for Drake’s energy. Suddenly, the two of them flew through the air; they moved back and forth so quickly, I had a hard time seeing who was who in the darkness.
Fearing I’d hurt Landen if I guessed wrong, I threw a divide between them. The wall of energy I sent divided the room, and they both fell to the ground - then stood breathless, staring at one another.
Drake regained his composure, then looked at me, sighed, and turned and walked to the doorway that led out of the room. I ran to Landen and wrapped my arms around him; he held me tight.
He smiled, then pulled me to the door through which we’d seen Drake pass. It led to another hallway, and in the distance we saw Drake pass through another door. We ran after him, hoping he would somehow lead us to the looking glass.
When we reached the end of the hall, Landen charged through the dark doorway where we’d seen since Drake disappear. The room had a ceiling over twenty feet high; the light coming from the large fireplace along the back wall could barely reach it. There was a book case on the right side of the room that was pushed back slightly; it was a secret passage. We ran in that direction, and just as we reached it the light in the room shifted. We turned our heads slowly to the fireplace to find that we weren’t alone.
Rolling slowly toward us in a wheelchair was a very old man. His skin was gray, and the hair on his head was thin and sporadic. He had three deep wrinkles in his forehead, which made his dark eyes seem even more demonic. A long black cloak was draped around his frail body, and in a slithery, evil voice, he said, “You! Gaudian! Do you really think that you are the one to take my rein?”
Landen pushed me behind him, then took a dominant step toward whom we could only assume was Donalt. Time had not been kind to him; as he rolled forward, the light shined behind him - and the only color he had around him was black.
“You’re already defeated,” Landen said confidently to him.
Donalt let out a deep, eerie chuckle. “Come, let me teach you - for I have ruled longer than your first breath,” he said, tilting his head and smiling, mocking Landen.
“What you know is the last thing I care to learn,” Landen said, leaning forward to show Donalt how small he was to him. The anger in Landen had caused his Aura to turn scarlet. “Your death will be celebrated through time,” he added.
Donalt shifted in his seat, still holding his mocking grin. “Do you think I’m afraid of dying? That when this body is ash you have won? You are mistaken if you do. I promise you, friend: that will only be the beginning. I will fight you for the power of her heart until your last breath.”
Landen rolled his eyes and turned in my direction, tired of playing games. “Stand in line,” he said in a hard voice. I stepped back in the direction of the bookcase.
Donalt rolled forward again, trying to continue the conversation. “Ahh...so you do enjoy having Drake as an adversary...the one I have chosen to defend the way of life I have established.”
“’Life,’” Landen mocked, turning to look down at Donalt again.
“Yes, life. Everyone here has what they need - and I have what I need.”
“You took their energy, and I will give it back,” Landen said in a demanding voice, now walking briskly toward me and the bookcase.
Donalt laughed again. “And you think they will worship you if they have their energy back?” he yelled in our direction.
Reaching for my hand and pushing the bookcase back, Landen looked blankly through the dark passage, then back at Donalt. “No, I don’t wish to rule over anyone - beyond my own soul,” he said in a confident tone.
“You fool!” Donalt shouted.
Landen smiled and looked down at Donalt. “Every king will fall - and today your time has come.”
Landen turned back to the passage, then squeezed my hand and led us though the darkness. I felt the damp stones around us, and in the distance we could see a dim light and hear a low hummer.
“He’s in there,” Landen thought.
I held my breath and closed my hand around my ring, afraid that I wouldn’t remember how to call its power forward. Landen’s steps were broad; he was confident, angry, and determined. We stopped at the end of the passage and took in the vast room.
In the center of the room were three large rings, circling rapidly above what looked to be a black pool of water. Pure white sparks of light rained down from the rings onto the water. The flames didn’t sizzle; instead, they floated, making the water look like a star light sky. There was a broad white glow all around the rings, which was the only light in the room. In the shadows to the left of the room, Drake was standing. A few feet away from him was someone I could feel.
It was a beautiful young woman. Her hair was long and dark, and her eyes were a breathtaking green. Her Aura was a beautiful light blue and white, and her emotion was of pure, unconditional love. Drake held his eyes down, but the woman was locked in a stare with Landen, who – suddenly stunned – let go of my hand and walked slowly to the woman.
“Landen, what are you doing?” I asked, confused. He didn’t answer me. “Landen?” I thought. He didn’t respond. As I started to follow him, my eyes raced back and forth between the woman and Drake. The woman acted as if the only thing she could see was Landen - like I didn’t exist.
Landen stopped inches from the woman, and I walked to their side and looked up at him.
“What are you doing?” I asked him.
“Who are you?” I asked, turning to the woman. They both ignored me.
As I watched Landen’s eyes search her face in utter devotion, I felt a surge of love burst from him - a love that had only belonged to me. I felt sick, like someone had divided me in half.
“Landen,” I said in a softer tone. I slowly reached for his shoulder, looking for a response - but before my hand could touch him I was blocked by an invisible shield surrounding Landen and the woman.
I turned sharply to Drake. “Let him go!” I screamed at him.
Drake shrugged his shoulders and looked down at his hands in his pockets. “Landen put that shield up - not me,” he said, raising one eyebrow with a straight face.
I turned back to Landen; he had his hand on the woman’s face, and her eyes closed slightly as she felt his touch. I raised my ring and tried to move the shield myself.
“Landen! Landen!” I screamed through my thoughts.
Without hesitation, Landen slowly pulled the woman to him with his other arm and kissed her tenderly, his love for this nameless woman intensifying. I couldn’t watch; I felt sick, dizzy. I closed my eyes and walked backwards, wishing this nightmare away. I realized that I’d gotten what I deserved; I had held Drake, and now I’d have to bear witness as Landen held another.
Suddenly, I couldn’t feel their love for each other. Thinking the illusion had passed, I opened my eyes – only to see that I couldn’t be more wrong: Landen’s lips were inches from hers as he gazed in her eyes. I turned to see that I was standing just in front of Drake, my void. He looked down at me and furrowed his eyebrows as if he were in some kind of pain. “I see… not being able to feel me...now has a valuable purpose,” he said in a whisper.
I looked at him in disbelief. “How can you be so cruel?” I asked with angry tears in the corners of my eyes.
“Cruel? You were the one who vanished - without even a simple ‘goodbye.’ I took care of you; I took your pain,” Drake said, tightening his jaw.
I shook my head in disbelief. “You kept me a prisoner, shielded me from who I was, and the moment you thought you’d lose me you took Stella from me - and you wanted me to tell you...‘goodbye?’” I asked
bleakly, numb from the pain that Landen had sent through me.
“I never lied to you...I told you what your mind and body could comprehend...did I not?”
My chest started to pound. He was right; he told me everything – only it was his perspective. Looking into his dark eyes, I felt a guilt like no other. He had every reason to believe that I could love him; in Evylen’s body, my soul led him on.
“You took Stella away,” I whispered, looking for a flaw in him.
Compassion filled his perfect face. “Stella was taken as a diversion.”
“A diversion? You locked her inside herself,” I said, countering his words.
“I didn’t do anything. She tried to escape, one of my priests inflected her, and I retaliated. I ordered the others to bring her back, which they were trying to do when Perodine arrived.”
I remembered then that when I saw Stella lying on the table, there was a man on floor; I thought he was dead. My eyes raced back and forth as I replayed the scene. Drake cautiously raised his hands to my shoulders; his touch still sent a warm, tingling sensation through me, but my mind was somewhere else. I looked over my shoulder at Landen to see him still holding the beautiful woman close.
“Landen,” I thought. He didn’t respond.
I turned back and looked at the ground, fighting a swarm of emotions; I was heartbroken, angry, vengeful, and scared. Drake slowly reached for my chin and raised my head. He then moved his other arm around me. I secretly hoped that if Landen saw Drake touch me, he’d remember that he loved me - not that girl.
The light around me turned pure white, and all around me and Drake were memories, memories of us together. I felt every emotion that I’d had in a forgotten past: infatuation, the rush of our first kiss, the passion when he held me for the first time...I saw myself look at him in adoration as he played with our children...my heart raced as I felt the emotions over and over again, as if I were feeling them for the first time.
As he pulled me gently to him, Drake’s eyes were tender, almost pleading. “Will you ever remember the love we have?” he whispered.