Carter was torn, uncertain about what to do, with little faith in his instincts. As he clung to the ridge, hanging perilously, he made the decision to let go.
He began falling fast, hoping and praying that his wings would appear and carry him to safety, but they didn’t. Seconds later, Carter landed with a smack, hard, on the ground. “Well at least I’m alive,” he joked with himself, relieved that he was still in one piece. He got up and tried to shake it off, but he was feeling the effects of his energy depletion more than he realized.
He carried on, picking up his pace as the dense clouds lashed out with their thunderous roars and flashing bolts of lightning. He shot like a bullet through the valley as the rain started pouring down from the sky like a turbulent waterfall, darting faster and faster to dodge the silver pellets until he reached the forest in front of the Tower. He was almost there…almost.
Carter was focused now, his destination within reach. The closer he got to the Tower, the stronger he felt; adrenaline was pumping through his veins and his heart was practically beating out of his chest. He was getting closer to Vie—he could feel it—and just the thought of her gave him extraordinary strength.
Eagerly he rocketed past the tall ponderosas, now sidestepping pebbles of hail. Every element of nature was coming at him fast, furiously thrashing him about, trying to defeat him; but Carter was not giving up. Vie was at the end of this journey, and it was a victory he would not relinquish. He could see a clearing up ahead and he slowed to a walk as he approached the opening, catching his breath. He had arrived. He was finally gazing up from the base of the intimidating rock he knew as Devils Tower.
Ready or not, he thought as he stared down the massive rock. He dug in and began his ascent. Now that he was out in the open, unprotected by the trees, he felt the sting of the hail pelting his skin. The ridges of the Tower were so wet and muddy that he was having a hard time finding traction. For every one step he took forward, he slid back three, fighting hard but getting nowhere fast. “Damn it!” he shouted, slamming the side of the Tower with his fist.
The Chief stood positioned in the rain, unaffected by its fury and confident that Carter would prevail in his quest. He was joined by his wife, Matoaka. “Waka knows not his power?” she said as they watched the storm thrash beyond the plateau.
“Ugh,” he uttered, still observing Carter’s distress. “Yes, Waka’s powers are untamed at the moment but he will find control soon enough, Mama.” The mischievous grin planted on his face said he was almost certain of it. The Chief knew the proof that Carter’s powers were running wild was in the storm. Carter thought the severe weather was the product of something evil trying to stop him from reaching the Tower, but in fact, it was just the opposite. These bumps in the road that challenged Carter were not created by Lucian, but by Carter himself. Nature was simply reacting to his unstable emotions and lack of control over his own powers.
The ground rumbled because Carter was shaken to the core by just looking at the Tower; it intimidated him wholly. The plateau split in half because Carter was torn about listening to his own instincts. The roars of the thunder and bolts of lightning were reacting to the turmoil and chaos within him. The hail represented rain turning from water to ice, similar to Carter: the closer he got to the Tower, the more harshly determined he grew. He’d started out his journey soft and weak, like silver droplets of steady rain; now he was stronger, harder, and colder, like the icy hail that pelted from above. As he changed from confusion and disorder to logic and discipline, the elemental conditions were following suit.
Carter lay with his drenched, muddied body resting against a rock. He heard the faint steady beat of tom-toms off in the distance, and lifted his head, listening intently. He was certain it was the powwow drums of the Lakota. He heard a rustling of leaves, followed by the sound of approaching footsteps, and he turned slowly to see what was behind him as the drums beat louder in his ear.
“You have got to be kidding me,” Carter said, as he looked back, dumbfounded.
There stood a huge brown bear—the Mato—savagely baring his razor-sharp teeth. Carter eased away, putting his hands out in front of him while taking a few steps back. “Easy…” he said in a calm monotone, trying not to make any sudden moves. The massive beast stood up on its hind legs and growled ferociously at him. The drums beat louder and louder, blaring in Carter’s head. Then he heard the Chief’s voice calling to him.
“Hey ya…hey ya ho…hey ya…hey ya ho,” Carter could hear him chant. The drums, the chant, and the Chief’s voice, all in his head, sent an unwavering calm through his soul. He listened, waiting for the message that was sure to come.
“Waka, you have the power. Command the calm. Nature is your gift, Waka…use it. Take charge of your power and tame the beast!” The words kept ringing in his ears like the toll of a bell.
Carter suddenly understood the message loud and clear. He realized he was controlling everything; his instability was producing the madness all around him.
He closed his eyes briefly and communed with nature. Slowly the hail turned to rain and the rain vaporized into the air. The clouds thundered lightly in the distance, clearly moving away. The storm inside him had ended and he was settled and controlled; order was finally restored. He felt a surge of energy and he opened his eyes, expecting the bear to be gone. It was not. The massive beast just stood in place, glaring at him with deadly eyes.
The tom-toms continued to pound with a thump thump in his chest, moving with the rise and fall of his breathing. Carter was deeply focused on the watchful eyes of the bear, showing no fear, testing it, challenging it to make a move. Slowly but confidently he stepped toward the brown bear, neither lifting a brow nor breaking his stare. The bear looked back with faithful eyes, like a great mastiff looking to his master’s face.
Step by step, Carter moved closer and closer until he was standing directly in front of the Mato. The drums stopped suddenly and the sounds around them vacated the forest. Slowly, the bear bent down like the bough of a willow, welcoming Carter to climb aboard.
Carter responded cautiously at first, resting his hand on the bear’s thick, coarse fur and stroking it. The bear reacted with a gentle, friendly nuzzle of his elongated nose against Carter’s leg.
Convinced he had tamed the beast, Carter mounted the bear and lightly patted his head with thanks. As swift as a panther, the Mato began his ascent to the top of the Tower. He dug his massive claws into the rock hard surface, hurling his mammoth body upward, steadily escorting Carter to his destination. Carter had called, commanding the forces of nature, and the bear had answered.
Half way up the Tower, Carter looked back toward the reservation and saw the Chief standing proudly, miles away on the edge of the plateau. With a start, Carter realized a new ability had emerged: he now had telescopic vision. Right now, his enhanced eyesight allowed him to see the pride in the eyes of the Chief, an image he would not soon forget. He didn’t understand how the Chief was able to convey his voice or his thoughts to Carter no matter where he was. Unlike Gabriel and the others, the Chief was not a Guardian from another world with super human powers; he was just a man—a very, very wise man.
They arrived at the top of Devils Tower and the brown bear crouched down to let Carter get off. He looked into the eyes of the gentle giant, communicating his appreciation, and the bear bowed his head as if to acknowledge Carter’s gratitude.
Immediately, Carter began his search for the place where the violets grew. He ran to the ridge, frantically looking under the rimrock for a sign of anything green or violet growing, but still found nothing. There were no flowers, no grass; nothing at all grew on top of the soilless mountain.
Carter cursed at the sky. “Damn it!” he said, and in an instant, the sky thundered back, startling him. He was sure the Ruler of the Skies was responding to his disrespect, but he didn’t care. He was on a mission to find the mysterious place where the violets grew, and to find Vie.
Carter believed it was ti
me to show his power to the Ruler of the Skies and to command what he needed to have returned, as the Chief had told him to do. He held his hands out at his sides and closed his eyes. As he called to the wind, telling it to move, a brisk breeze swept across the Tower. He called to the clouds to assemble in the sky, and they swiftly answered his call, aligning themselves above him. He called for the rain to fall, and tiny droplets of water fell from the sky like tears from his eyes. He spun around in its glory, looking up silently, ready to communicate with Vie. Ready to take back what was his.
“Vie, I know you hear me.” His voice was like a clap of thunder that not long ago had interrupted the warbling birds among the leaves. “Vivian is dead. Do you hear me? Your sister is gone, Vie! I need you to return to me,” he said, gaining hope as he continued.
The sky was unstable; Carter had gotten the attention he wanted, and someone was listening. He grinned, believing he was making some headway, and began again, this time with the force of a leader.
“I am asking you to release her,” he said, waiting for some response—any response—but heard nothing. Suddenly, he felt something moving inside of him, an intense energy like nothing he’d felt before. It was intensifying and growing, burning inside him, throbbing and aching to get out, suddenly making its way to the surface, emerging in an uncontrollable rush.
“I command you to return what is mine! Return Vie to me, now!” The energy gave power to his words. “LET HER GO!” the voice inside him shouted out forcibly.
In an instant, everything went black.
“That can’t be good,” Carter said, standing in the darkness.
Vie sat, feeling pummeled within her own darkness, stricken with pain in the absence of the person she loved. She clutched the wilted violet in her hand; it was the only piece of him she had left to hold. Feeling a tingle on her skin, she opened her fingers one by one, unable to believe her eyes. The violet was glistening like tiny threads of gold. She watched in amazement as each petal opened up, vibrantly flowering in the palm of her hand, as if they, as well as her soul, were given light.
Vie stood up and looked around, apprehensive of what was happening. She didn’t dare wish—she was afraid of what hope might cost her. So she dropped the flower and walked away. She couldn’t let herself hope anymore for something she couldn’t have: Carter.
She didn’t get very far before she heard his voice again. It sounded like Carter and it froze her in her tracks.
It’s just my imagination.
She continued to walk.
The voice followed her, calling to her. Vie stopped again and listened intently. That’s when she heard his sweet, unmistakable whisper, like music to her ears. It was Carter, and he was calling for her.
Vie ran back to the entrance of the Gates and called back to him. “Carter, I hear you!” she said excitedly. But the words carried from his lips to her ears were not reasons to rejoice. She heard him say that her sister, Vivian, had passed away.
“No!” Vie shouted, horrified at his words. Her immediate thought was to jump—to return to Carter and to avenge her sister’s death. She was almost ready to do it when she remembered the promise she’d made to Gabriel. She panicked, pacing back and forth in front of the Gates, not knowing what to do.
Just then, the rainbow lit up like the flames of a fire. She looked back at the Gates, then again to the rainbow, knowing time was of the essence. She was afraid if she didn’t go, she’d lose her chance to be with Carter forever, and she’d be unable to seek her revenge against Lucian.
She took a deep breath and whispered into the wind, “I’m sorry, Gabriel!” an instant before she jumped.
Carter waited, feeling dismal. He kneeled down and hung his head, feeling an overwhelming sense of hopelessness settle inside him. He thought of Vie and what he would give to see her again, if only for a moment. Thinking about her unlocked a light inside his soul that glimmered outwardly.
He could see the glow, like embers of a fire in the darkness, but he began to realize the light was being cast from behind him, not emanating from within him.
He turned, his movements slow and calculated, afraid to move too quickly. His heart began to pound harder and faster with each step. He was awestruck by the bright white light that shined down on the other side of the Tower.
In a heartbeat, he knew it was Vie.
There she stood, as radiant as ever, illuminated softly under the single ray of light. A smile flashed over her face like sunshine over a flower. Her vibrant violet eyes sparkled like amethysts.
Carter moved closer, one step at a time, wondering if she were just a figment of his imagination.
What if she’s not?
With that thought, he took off like a rocket, running anxiously toward her before she could vanish from his sight.
Vie saw him coming, but true to form, she couldn’t wait for him to get to her. She took off running, heading for her destiny, straight to Carter.
They collided hard into each other’s arms and held on tight, both of them afraid to let go. Then Carter pulled away the slightest bit so he could look into those beautiful eyes he’d thought about every single day since she had left. Carter put his hands on her cheeks, using his thumb to wipe away the lone tear that glistened in the corner of her eye. Then he smiled a grin so huge that it caused the corners of his eyes to crinkle slightly.
Vie knew she was home.
“Were you looking for this? Vie said, producing the violet and smiling that gorgeous smile he’d missed so much.
“As a matter of fact, I was,” Carter said, swiping it from her hand. “Well then, now that you’ve returned the violet, I guess your mission is complete?” He waited for her witty response.
“That was your mission, not mine. The violet, I mean,” she said, teasing him.
“Oh, that’s right. Well, thank you for assisting me with my mission, Princess. I guess I can take off now.”
Let the games begin, Vie thought, but in truth, she was too excited to play along. Their flirtatious game of cat and mouse was fun, but right now all she wanted to do feel the warmth of Carter’s loving arms wrapped around her. She reached for his arm but he was already reaching for hers, the two of them perfectly in sync, neither of them wanting to continue the game. What they both wanted was each other.
Their hands collided and Carter pulled her in tight, gazing into her eyes. “Don’t you ever leave me again, Vie.”
She nuzzled his neck and was intoxicated by his familiar light scent that lingered on her skin when they parted. He caressed her cheek and lifted her chin, their noses almost touching. She could feel the warmth of his breath brushing the top of her lip. She stared back into his piercing green eyes as he leaned in to kiss her.
Their lips locked, fervent and impassioned, gentle and tender. Carter’s mouth moved to her cheeks, her eyes, and back to her lips, as if he couldn’t believe they were finally together again. In a moment when the earth stood still, he whispered in her ear, “I love you, Vie.”
“I love you more, Carter.”
Ancient American Indian lovers believed a kiss would literally unite their souls because the spirit was said to be carried in one's breath. The Chief stood, perched on the plateau, and smiled at the light coming from the top of the Tower, knowing the two young lovers had been reunited at last. “The universe is in harmony. Our little songbird has come home,” he said to his wife, Matoaka, before taking her hand and walking away.
Chapter Fourteen
Fallen
Gabriel had searched everywhere for Vie but he couldn’t track her down. Where are you, Vie? he thought. Raphael and Fallon were searching for her, too. They had reported back to Gabriel but the news wasn’t good; neither of them had found her.
The three of them entered the arena, hoping they had missed Vie, but they only saw Eli there. Gabriel asked him if he’d seen Vie.
Eli could see the worry on his friends’ faces and asked what was wrong.
Gabriel offered nothing. Instead, h
e repeated his question about Vie’s whereabouts. “Have you seen her?”
Eli responded with a “Yes.”
Relieved that his worst fears were unfounded, Gabriel took a deep breath, exhaling a sigh of relief. “Where is she?” he asked.
“I saw her just a little while ago at the entrance to the Gates.”
Fallon interjected, “She couldn’t have been. I was just there, looking for her.” She saw Gabriel glance over at her, and she quickly shook her head to say no.
Suddenly Gabe felt a sinking feeling again in his gut, one that alarmed him. He had a sudden thought that if Carter were truly communicating with Vie, as she’d told him, then it was likely he had tried to let her know about Vivian’s death. Gabriel knew deep down if Vie had that information, then it was certain she was no longer here at the Gates. For the first time in his existence, he hoped his instincts were wrong.
His thoughts were interrupted as the alarms were sounded and chaos broke out. The Guardians began to systematically organize in the arena where Gabriel was standing.
“What is it? What’s happening?” Raphael asked one of them as he sprinted by.
The warrior looked at him and said, “A Guardian has fallen.”
Gabriel’s face instantly turned white and Fallon went to his side.
“Gabe?” she said, unable to break through his blank stare. “Gabriel!” she shouted again. “Did you hear what he said? Vie has fallen!” She waved her hand in front of his face.
“No…she hasn’t. She wouldn’t. She promised me,” he replied in disbelief, shaking his head slowly back and forth.
“Gabriel, I’m sorry, but I think we all know it’s Vie. You know it’s Vie. No matter what she promised, you need to accept the fact that she is fallen. AWOL. Gone!” she said, reinforcing that fact.
“Gabriel, you know Fallon is right,” Raphael chimed in, trying to make him see reason.
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