“Ok, ok. I get it,” said Kellan, shaking his head as he shouldered past Raphael and Juliet and walked back to the reading nooks. He stared at the chairs a moment thinking back on the conversations between them all, then turned back as they joined him in the room. “So, Mr. Nonintervention, are you able to help me understand how to do this thing or are you prevented from that as well?”
Raphael smiled, “No. I am absolutely able to help, but I suggest you take a seat because it can be a bit complicated.”
Kellan plopped down heavily into the overstuffed chair nearest him. “Hit me.”
The portal shimmered into being and the three of them stared through its oval opening. Waves of heat buffeted them as various acrid scents assaulted their noses. The ground, such as it was, lay cracked with glowing rivers of molten lava running throughout. In the distance volcanic plumes of smoke and ash billowed into the grey sky.
Raphael walked through the portal and stood, ankle deep in a pool of lava, slowly turned around, and walked back through to rejoin Kellan and Juliet.
“About two or three,” Raphael said.
“That’s not too bad Kellan,” said Juliet brightly, “two or three million years ago; it’s a start.”
Kellan sighed. “You clearly need a geology refresher. He meant two or three billion years ago. Two or three million years ago—Jurassic World.”
Juliet looked to Raphael, who nodded grimly as the portal winked out.
“Let me try explaining it again,” began the Angel.
“No, Raphael, I don’t need you to explain it again,” replied Kellan, clearly frustrated. “I remember exactly what you said—exactly. I also understand the concept of tachyon particles and time dilation. It’s mashing all that understanding together and then somehow envisioning the relativistic position of those particles as if they were seen from some distant location in space, and then translating the imagery seen from those particles in that relativistic place into the physical manifestation of a portal. It’s that part which,” he paused for a breath, “has me a bit. Fucking. Stumped.”
“The portal? Have you tried turning it off and on again?” offered Juliet with a smile.
“Not helping!”
“Sorry.”
Kellan waved a hand dismissively. “It’s ok. Not your fault.” He turned back to Raphael. “And how come my little river of power keeps running dry? It did that when I was fighting werewolves last night and it’s happening even faster when making these time portals.”
Raphael looked surprised at the question. “Your power is finite. You used it faster than it could replenish itself last night and thus it ran out. What you are doing now is much more difficult than that, so it causes your power to be expended that much more quickly.”
“Well, that’s not good,” replied Kellan. “When I made that last portal, I felt the power flood out of me like someone had opened a massive spillway. I would have been bone dry if I held it open for more than a minute.”
“Then you should endeavor to hold open such a portal for less than a minute.”
“Thanks Rainman—very helpful. How about you help me figure out how to make that river of power deeper and wider?”
Raphael looked thoughtful for a moment and then said, “Your power will grow with use if you strain beyond what feels comfortable, like a muscle grows. However, be cautious, because too much power carries risks even as does too little.”
“Well, I think I’d rather have the too much problem,” Kellan said absently, his eyes glowing and brow furrowed with concentration as another portal opened up on a green landscape. Raphael was about to step through when it snapped shut, causing him to turn to Kellan questioningly.
“It was just a distance portal; I’m trying something different. Now go.”
Another portal opened and Raphael went through.
“One day.”
“Come back.”
Another portal.
“One month.”
Another.
“One year.”
Juliet clapped as Kellan continued to make quick portals that went incrementally further back in time until he had worked up to one that went back several thousand years.
“I think I’ve got it,” he said smiling, “It’s really not all that difficult once you get the hang of it.”
“That is what I tried to tell you before,” Raphael said with a satisfied look.
“Oh no, you don’t get to look smug. You are a horrible teacher.”
Raphael looked pained and Juliet smacked Kellan on the shoulder. “Hey!” he complained.
“Apologize. That was mean!”
“Fine. I’m sorry, but you really could have been more helpful rather than giving me a celestial history lesson about how creation was stitched together.”
“Well?” asked the Angel.
“Well, what?”
“Glenn Ferry? Are you ready?”
“Oh, well let’s see.” Kellan took a deep breath and felt the heat in his eyes as he channeled the power, seeing it flow as that raging green river in his mind’s eye. He held his right hand out as if to grasp an invisible doorknob and the portal rotated into existence. Through it could be seen a small village.
“Um, Kel, unless they had asphalt and cars in the thirteenth century, I think you’ve missed the mark.”
He smiled, “I find your lack of faith disturbing,” and then began to slowly turn his outstretched hand leftward. The world seen through the portal began to move backward: cars, birds, and people all moved unnaturally in what appeared to be the wrong direction. As he continued to turn his hand, the image blurred but still moved backwards. Buildings vanished and were rebuilt only to vanish again. Seasons came and went. Kellan continued to turn his hand as Juliet and Raphael stared with rapt attention.
“There!” Kellan said suddenly, causing Juliet to jump.
The Angel stepped through, smiling broadly. “Perfection. Simply perfection. I could not have done better. This point in time and place is mere moments after Micah and I left.”
Feeling the power continue to rush out of him, Kellan stepped through the portal to join Raphael and then turned back to smile at Juliet who waggled her fingers at him and then yelled, “Hey, who is he there to save anyway?”
“Oh,” replied Raphael, as if just remembering he had never shared that bit of information, “Her name is Shannon McLeod and she is very special.”
“McLeod,” said Kellan in surprise, “Really?”
Juliet laughed and shouted, “There can be only one!” The portal winked out.
Raphael continued to stare at the spot where the portal had vanished. “What did she mean, ‘There can be only one’?”
“Geek stuff, you wouldn’t understand and it’s really not important. So, she’s around here somewhere? This little redhead I’m supposed to help rescue from monsters.”
“Yes, we left her by the stream—that way. Just take the path leading down from here. It will lead you there and then you will find her a bit upstream from where the path drops you off.”
“I assume the Babelfish in my head is going to translate Gaelic here the same way it did Dari when Meghan and I were in Afghanistan?”
“Babelfish?” Raphael asked uncomprehendingly.
“You know, the ability I apparently have to hear everything in English no matter what language people are speaking.”
Raphael nodded. “Ah, I understand now, but you do not. You are not translating anything, rather, you are simply hearing all language at its most basic phonetic level. You naturally decompose the foundational phonemes and then reinterpret them as something that makes sense to you.”
Kellan looked at the Angel flatly. “And exactly how is that different from translation?”
Raphael opened his mouth to answer, but Kellan held up a finger.
“Let me clarify. How exactly is the difference between what you said and what I said relevant to me in any way?”
Raphael considered a moment: “I suppose it is not
relevant at all.”
“Exactly. And I have lots of new things to keep track of so, next time, let’s skip to the end where you just say, ‘Yeah the Babelfish will let you understand the little red haired lass when she speaks Gaelic.’ Now, I assume you will be off to attend other angelic duties and leave me to my own freewill devices?”
“Yes, I will leave you now.”
“Wonderful, and I don’t suppose you care to tell me about these monsters?”
Raphael looked puzzled. “I do not know why you and Juliet kept referring to monsters. I never indicated that Shannon was beset by monsters— just that it was imperative you meet her now, in this time and place. The ‘monsters’, Kellan Thorne, are in your head. Farewell.”
“What? Wait!” But the Angel had already vanished.
Kellan sighed and started to walk down the path, already hearing the faint gurgle of a nearby stream.
He had been walking along its bank for only a few minutes when he spied a young flame haired woman sitting cross legged on a large rock. She appeared to be meditating or something.
Kellan called out, but she didn’t acknowledge him. Finally he walked directly in front of her, his feet almost touching the large boulder on which she sat. Her eyes were closed as he looked at her, thinking she appeared for all the world like Merida from Brave. Kellan reached out and was about to tap her freckled nose when her eyes flew open and he felt the cold tip of a knife touch his neck. He froze, hand still outstretched.
“I’d advise you to keep your hands to yourself.”
“Hey, hey…easy now Shannon; I’m a friend.”
Her eyes narrowed and she uncoiled her legs, swinging them around the rock, all the while never letting her blade leave Kellan’s neck. “How do you know my name?”
“Raphael sent me.”
She slid off the rock and stood directly in front of him.
“What’s your name?”
“Kellan, Kellan Thorne,” said Kellan.
The knife vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Shannon walked past him and did a quick circle looking around.
“Where are they? Are they here, too?”
“Who?”
“Raphael and Micah; they just left a short while ago.”
“Raphael, no. He left because he’s a di-um…dispassionate Angel and had other things to do I guess.”
“And Micah?”
Kellan looked down, feeling he’s eyes start to moisten.
“Oh no,” said Shannon. “He’s—”
“Yeah, Raphael took him away after…” Kellan couldn’t bring himself to say more.
Shannon leaned back against her rock, “He said it was going to happen, but hearing it makes it real.” She looked back at Kellan.
“So, you are the new one?”
“Guilty as charged, ma’am.”
Shannon cocked her head. “You talk very strangely. Does everyone from your time talk that way.”
“Just the cool people,” Kellan said with a grin.
Shannon just shook her head. “People speak differently based on their temperatures?”
“Uh, no…never mind. Forget it. Too hard to explain.”
She nodded, accepting this, and then said, “Touch me.”
“What?”
Shannon held out her hand. “Take my hand. Touch me.”
Kellan gave her a quizzical, look but reached out and, as he took her hand in his, they both had a quick intake of breath and a jolt of power arced through them. Kellan felt his eyes burn with the heat of his power and saw tiny flecks of green flash to life in Shannon’s eyes. She tried to pull away, but Kellan’s grip held her firm.
“Let me go; you are hurting me,” she cried.
“I…I can’t. I’m trying but I can’t. It is burning me as well”
Then, as quickly as it began, the jolting power vanished—leaving her hand still in his.
Shannon looked down and pulled her hand back, drawing it to her mouth. “My God, your wrist.”
Kellan looked down to find the perfectly formed image of a dove burned into his right wrist. He prodded it with his other hand but there was no discomfort, then looked back up at Shannon questioningly. She held out her own wrist. “See, I have one too. Always have”
“Wow that’s really—”
“Weird,” she finished. “You were going to say, ‘weird’”
“Yes, I was. And yes, this is. You are like a little knot in my head now. I can feel you—sort of.”
She nodded. “And I you. I suppose this was what Raphael meant when he said you needed to come to me, so this could happen.”
“I suppose,” replied Kellan feeling, the anger rise in him, “But I don’t see why he had to be so cryptic about it all. He’s always so damned cryptic.”
She laughed and Kellan realized it was a good and hearty laugh, “What?”
“He’s an Angel, silly. I don’t think anything about him can be damned.”
Kellan smiled, “Yeah, I guess you’re right about that. Doesn’t make him any less annoying.”
Shannon reached out and touched the dove mark on Kellan’s wrist, but nothing happened. “Seems that was a one time thing, thank God.”
“No shit,” said Kellan as he joined Shannon leaning against the rock and then realized what he’d said. “Um, sorry, I’ve kinda got a mouth on me.”
She smiled broadly. “Well that, dear sir, is another thing we apparently have in common.”
Kellan smiled back and she asked, “Are you thirsty?” She held out her small skin of water.
“Actually, yes, thanks,” said Kellan, taking a long pull from the skin.
“So, Kellan Thorne, are we to be married then?”
He spat half a mouthful of water right in her face. “What? No. What made you say that?” Then, seeing her wiping the water from her cheek, added, “Oh shit, sorry I didn’t mean to do that.”
“Am I that horrible to look at that you would, literally, spit in my face?”
“No, no you are beautiful—really beautiful.” Then Kellan caught himself adding, “But you are a child and I’m a grown man, and not that kind of grown man.”
“I am no child and my cousin was a full year younger than me when she was married; she has a little one now too.”
Kellan held his hands up. “Look, Shannon, where I come from, you are a kid and I’d be thrown in jail for—”
She smiled mischievously and walked up to Kellan placing a hand on his chest. “For…what? What were you thinking?”
He looked panicked. “I wasn’t thinking anything. You said…”
She backed away and started laughing again.
Kellan glared at her. “You are joking with me? Really? Are all the women in my life just evil?”
“So, I’m a woman now am I?”
Kellan just looked back, saying nothing. He was at a complete loss for words.
Shannon waved a hand at him. “I just asked because I thought that might have been what Micah and Raphael had in mind, given that I’m sort of Micah’s step daughter or something. You are handsome enough, but I’m not in the marrying mood anyway so I’m glad that wasn’t the plan.”
“Hang on…hang on. I’m still trying to catch up. You are Micah’s what?”
“Come up to the cottage. I’ll make us some tea and we can both share what we know.” With that she started walking back up the gently sloping hill toward the forest, then looked back over her shoulder, causing her flame red curls to toss as she flashed him another smile. “Come on, don’t dawdle down there.”
“I’m coming,” Kellan said and started to follow, feeling another wave of guilt run through him as he, again, realized just how drawn he was to this beautiful young woman.
Shannon set down her empty cup and sat quietly for several minutes. Kellan didn’t want to intrude on her thoughts, so said nothing. Finally she glanced up at him and shook her head. “That is quite the tale and who would have thought God had a workroom?”
Kellan chuckled softly, �
�Well, your story seems just as interesting as mine and I can certainly see that your mother’s strength has made its way to you.”
She inclined her head. “Good of you to say. Thank you.” Shannon stood and continued, “I really should be getting home. Will you be staying long?”
Kellan leaned back in his chair, causing the two front legs to lift up. “I don’t rightly know, Shannon. I really don’t. We’ve shared everything the other knows and that just leads us to where we are now. The power has been renewed in me and I’ve come back through time to meet you. Now what?”
She shrugged. “Now, I go home, take care of my father and brothers, and go to bed. I’ll stop by tomorrow and maybe you will be here. If not, I’m sure our paths will cross again.”
Kellan stood. “Wait, I thought this was your home?”
Shannon laughed. “This? Have you looked at this place?”
Kellan admitted to himself that he hadn’t really made note of the small cottage—not like him at all. He used to notice and catalog everything, but now he seemed more focused on things of import rather than minutia. The young Sentinel wasn’t sure he liked this subtle change in his world view and made a special effort to take stock.
The front legs of his chair returned to the hardwood floor with a thud and Kellan stood, eyes washing over the small home. It was roughly shaped like an “L” that had rotated counterclockwise twice, with the one door separating the short wall in two. The walls were of weathered stacked stone, held together with a mortar that appeared made of mud and straw. Glancing up, Kellan saw rough, but sturdy, beams making up the roof and between them he could see the thatch which served to keep the cottage dry. Sparse furniture appointed the cottage with the table and chairs he now stood beside taking up the bulk of what appeared to be the primary living area. There was a wooden counter and two rows of shelves on which had been the cups Shannon had used for their tea. At the far end of the cottage lay an ample fireplace with a wrought iron arm protruding, and on which the kettle had warmed earlier. Finally, his eyes took in the strong, but simple, bed that lay in the nook crated by the “L” shaped home. There was no room for a nightstand, but Kellan could see how, placed where it was, the little bed would be amply warmed by the fireplace.
Sentinels of Creation: A Power Renewed Page 18