by S. A. Carter
‘Ugh, will you deal with this?’ I say to Sam.
‘Don’t get him involved. He can’t make me do this either.’
I throw my hands in the air. ‘I’m going to have a shower,’ I say, storming down the hallway.
‘A shower’s not going to help you, Cole! I’m still not going!’ Phoebe yells after me.
Ignoring her I enter the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. She’s so friggin stubborn.
I turn on the shower and pace the tiled floor in agitation.
I’m going to have to force her. It’s the only way. I’ll have to take her family as well, just to make sure they aren’t targeted either. So much for not using my magic too often.
Now that I think about my magic, Isis has been oddly quiet lately. With all my emotions she would normally be trying to fight to the surface. The last few days swim through my mind, and the only thing that makes sense is that when Julian’s around her essence is softer, gentler.
He calms her…me…us.
I shed my day old clothes and hop into the shower, my body tired and worn out. Kneading my shoulders I let the water rush over me.
How am I going to do this? How do I defeat Erebus?
I lean my head against the cold wall tiles. Is it even possible to take down a god?
Everyone is sitting around the lounge room, solemn and silent.
‘I don’t like this. Not one little bit,’ Phoebe says.
‘It’s not for long. Just remember what we talked about,’ Sam says, rubbing her back.
She glances up at him and her lip quivers. She turns and hugs him, her body trembling against his. I feel tears well up in my eyes and I swallow them down before they have a chance to fall.
‘Be careful.’ I hear her whisper to him. ‘Come back to me.’
Screw the tears. Here they come.
It’s taken two hours and thirty-seven minutes to convince Phoebe that she has to go. It was like the intervention from hell. Even bribing her with food didn’t do the job. In the end Aunt Lily stepped forward, coaxing her in that calm, soft way of hers.
Phoebe finally agreed and Aunt Lily flashed Uncle Jo a scowl, as if to say I blame you for this. You left me no choice.
We all decided that it was best if the others didn’t know where I was taking them, just in case. Phoebe rang her Mum to let her know that we were coming, telling her to get her dad and Tom and meet us at the farm.
I grab onto their hands and squeeze. ‘It’ll be alright.’
The men in our lives watch us helplessly, their faces reflecting worry and concern.
‘I won’t be long,’ I say.
Before any of them can respond I teleport us out.
We land in the living room, the familiar surroundings filling me with longing and comfort.
I’m home.
Nina, Ben, and Tom all jump up off the lounge, startled by our sudden appearance.
‘Mum,’ Phoebe says walking into her mother’s arms.
Phoebe face falls into her neck and Nina calms her with soothing words.
‘Hi, Ben.’ Aunt Lily steps forward and kisses Ben on the cheek. ‘Tom,’ she says acknowledging Phoebe’s little brother.
‘Man, you got big,’ I say to Tom, noticing that he’s shot up about five inches since I last saw him.
He blushes. ‘Hey, Ellie.’
I move forward and give him a hug. He gives me an awkward hug in return.
‘Hi, Mr. Campbell.’
Ben Campbell is a big, burly man who looks like a lumber jack, beard and all. He has the heart of a teddy bear though, despite his size.
‘Ellie,’ he says, moving forward, his knee giving him obvious grief. He gives me a peck on the cheek. ‘You okay, darlin?’
I nod, no words able to express how I’m really feeling.
‘Well, this was a bit of a surprise,’ he says, stroking his beard.
‘I know. I’m sorry I have to do this, but it’s the only way you will all be safe. I don’t want any of you hurt again.’ My gaze falls on Phoebe and she nods in understanding.
‘Did you get everything you need?’ Aunt Lily asks.
Nina nods. ‘Yes. Everything is there.’ She points to the bags near the front door. She pulls Phoebe down next to her on the lounge, clasping her hand as if her life depended on it. ‘Can you tell us what’s going on? Why we have to leave?’
Since finding out I was a witch Phoebe and her family have kept their promise of never revealing my secret. Our families have been close for years, but the truth about me caused a few unsettling ripples in the beginning. After showing them what I can do, and explaining what had happened to my family over the centuries, they soon came to accept, and even embrace, my abilities as a gift.
‘I think we should all sit,’ Ben says, settling himself back onto the lounge and patting Phoebe’s leg. He winces as he tries to get comfortable.
I kneel down in front of him and gesture towards his knee. ‘May I?’
He nods and I cast a healing spell.
He stretches out his knee and tests its mobility. ‘You are an angel.’ He whistles. ‘Nina, will you look at that?’
Phoebe’s mum rolls her eyes. ‘That’s wonderful, Ben. I only told you to ask Ellie to heal it six months ago.’
He ignores her sarcasm, still looking at his knee in awe. Tom shakes his head at his dad.
‘Anyway, Ellie. Back to the reason why we have to leave?’ Nina reiterates.
‘I’ll go and get my things while you explain,’ Aunt Lily says, moving past us.
I watch after her, knowing that her emotions are all over the place. She’s pissed and I can’t say I blame her. I’d hate to leave my family too, especially if I knew they were facing the dangers that we are up against right now.
I turn back to see the eyes of Phoebe’s family, all watching me warily. What am I supposed to tell them? That an Immortal named Erebus, who lives at the gates of the underworld, wants to kidnap me for breeding purposes? I think not.
‘Uh, it’s a bit complicated. I really can’t tell you much, I’m sorry.’
‘Well, that wasn’t what I was expecting,’ she grumbles.
‘Mum, you’re just going to have to trust E. It’s for our own protection.’ Phoebe throws me a wink.
I’m about to mouth the words thank you when a loud humming noise assaults my ears.
Old Olsen?
‘Uh, I need to get a few things myself, so I’ll be back in a sec.’
Before they can respond I rush out of the room and head upstairs. When I reach my bedroom a nostalgic feeling washes over me. As I look out over the bay window and the patchy walls where my posters and vintage trinkets used to hang, I realise just how much I miss this place.
The humming becomes louder, more forceful, and I cringe against the sound before beaming out.
Landing next to Old Olsen is like standing next to a Jumbo Jet getting ready for take-off. His whole body is rippling with intensity, and the noise is almost unbearable.
I move towards him, his large branches providing a canopy of shade in the midday sun. His massive trunk emits a faint pulse of green light while his roots vibrate beneath my feet. As I reach out my hand, I feel his power ripple through me, intense and unnerving. I’ve never seen him like this.
A clap of thunder in the distance makes me jump, and as I look off towards the sound I see a dark cloud over the ranges, rushing towards the farm.
What’s happening?
Old Olsen’s branches start to move, and as my hand brushes against his trunk a bolt of electricity zaps through me.
Run! I hear him say. Not in words, but in vibration.
This old tree that has stood by the house for as long as I can remember is warning me. The wind picks up speed and ruffles the leaves. I push the hair out of my face and hear him again. Run!
Run? What does he mean? I’m trying to comprehend what is happening when I hear cracking and snapping sounds coming from the surrounding forest. The tops of the canopy sway and move. My
heart pounds faster, waiting to see what is making its way through the forest towards me.
Frozen in place, I try to move but can’t. Isis’ magic awakens, coursing through my veins. I withdraw my hand from his trunk, ready to turn and run back into the house…but then I see it.
A huge beast emerges from the forest—high-ridged back, thick matted fur, elongated pig snout surrounded by two large tusks, and an ugly head, too small for its monstrous body. Its beady eyes are staring right at me.
What the…?
It snorts and a plume of ashen smoke rushes out of its nostrils as it kicks at the ground, stamping its foot like a bull about to charge.
I back away from Old Olsen who is still humming like a maniac, keeping my eyes on the boar-like beast while swallowing the lump in my throat.
‘E, what’s going on?’ Phoebe yells behind me. ‘I was looking for you everywhere. Where have you been?’
I can feel her walking towards me. ‘No, stay there. Don’t move,’ I yell, holding my palm out towards her but still keeping my eyes on the beast.
‘What? You’re talking crazy,’ she says, still moving forward. ‘I wanted to tell you that—’
She stops talking, grabbing my outstretched arm tightly.
‘What in the name of pharaoh’s ass crack is that?!’ she hisses, her fingernails digging into my skin.
‘Back away slowly. Get back to the house. We have to leave, now!’
The beast lowers its head, stamping the ground harder.
‘That thing looks like it’s going to charge us. But it can’t do that, right? I mean, you protected this place, right!?’
Before I can respond, the beast does charge, its powerful legs bulleting it straight towards us. Neither one of us breathes.
Its body slams into the warding, sending a pounding echo through the property that courses through us, throwing us a little off balance. I see the shield flicker.
It’s not going to hold.
I grab Phoebe’s arm and push her towards the house. ‘Run!’
We take off and race through the door.
‘What was that noise?’ Ben says, looking out the window.
‘Get your stuff now, we have to go!’ I yell. ‘Aunt Lily? We have to go now!’
Where is she?
‘Aunt Lily?’ I call upstairs. ‘Everyone get your stuff and stand there.’ I point to the entryway. ‘I’ll be right back.’
‘But I don’t understand?’ says Nina.
‘Just get all the stuff, Mum, hurry,’ Phoebe says, collecting all their bags and huddling them together.
I race up the stairs and find Aunt Lily standing frozen at my bedroom window, looking towards the tree line where the beast is getting ready for another charge.
I grab her arm. ‘Aunt Lily, we have to go.’
Her face is pale, and she raises a shaky finger towards the creature. ‘What…what…?’ she stammers.
I roughly turn her body to face me. ‘Look at me.’ Her eyes blink once, but they remain unfocused. She’s in shock. My chest tightens knowing that this is all my fault. I pull her into me and teleport downstairs.
Tom jumps, letting out a small scream as I land in front of them.
‘Mr. Campbell, take Aunt Lily quick!’ I thrust her towards him and he wraps his big arm around her shoulders tightly.
‘What’s happening?’ he says, fear lining his voice.
The house shakes as the beast takes another shot at the shield. Tom cradles into his father’s other arm.
I look at their scared faces, their eyes wide and confused. Do they blame me? Are they angry? Guilt claws at my chest.
‘I’m so sorry I have to put you through this. I never meant for this to happen.’
Phoebe moves forward to hug me. ‘This is not your fault.’ She pulls away, flashing me one of her familiar smiles, and then her face hardens as she turns on her family. ‘Right, everyone grab onto each other. This is going to feel weird, but don’t let go, no matter what happens.’
Everyone clasps hands and I take one last look around at my favourite place in the world. So many memories are captured here. Will I ever see it again? A knot forms in my stomach.
I teleport them out.
Chapter 18
We land outside the teepee and the breeze off the swamp brings with it a smell of damp earth and grass clippings. I wasn’t sure whether bringing them to Taqôq Wiyon was the best choice but I know that it’s the safest place for them right now. He won’t let anything happen to them.
‘I think I’m going to be sick,’ Tom says, putting his head between his legs.
Ben places his hand on his son’s back. ‘You’ll be right, Tom. Just take a few deep breaths.’ As he takes a look around he says, ‘Where are we?’
‘My home,’ Taqôq Wiyon says, appearing out of nowhere and startling everyone, including me.
I move forward and embrace him, sensing that he is not completely happy with me. I then go about introducing him to everyone else and within moments he has won them over with his warm and gentle nature. I was hoping that his eyes weren’t going to freak everyone out, but it’s as if they don’t even notice. He grabs Aunt Lily’s hand and his soft words calm her nerves, bringing more colour back into her face.
‘You are welcome here. Come. Have some rest.’ He ushers everyone inside the teepee before stopping me with his hand. ‘Not you, Ray of Sun. You and me need to talk.’ He shuts the smoke flap in my face.
My eyes widen in surprise. I obviously sensed correctly. He’s upset with me alright.
I put my hands in my pockets and make my way over to the log, feeling a little wounded. The sound of a bullfrog somewhere in the wet landscape echoes out to me as I wait for him to join me.
Thoughts of my family, Erebus, and Julian swarm my mind. Fear is something I have had to learn to control in my life. It’s been an oppressive presence for as long as I can remember, and I’ve been able to keep it at bay most of the time. But now it stalks me like a ravenous beast, hiding in the shadows, waiting for me to let my guard down, and somehow I feel like whatever is coming will bring about the end in one way or another. The feeling sits like a lead weight in my gut.
I pick up a strand of grass and start to peel away its edges, lost in my own murky thoughts.
He emerges a little while later and takes a seat beside me, his opaque eyes washing over me. ‘It has begun?’
‘Yes.’ I then tell him what has transpired since I last saw him. He remains silent and thoughtful the whole time.
He reaches out and pats my hand. ‘You need to be strong now, Ray of Sun. Darkness is powerful, but it cannot survive in light. Remember that.’
I try and smile but it doesn’t reach my lips.
We sit in silence, looking out over the misty swamp. His presence calms the battle going on inside me and I wish I didn’t have to leave.
‘You think maybe this is the end?’ he asks.
I feel my throat close up. ‘There is a part of me that thinks that, yes.’
He smiles. ‘Maybe, maybe not.’
I keep my eyes on the swamp, knowing he isn’t finished but nevertheless surprised at his words.
Maybe it is the end? Maybe this is a war I cannot win?
‘There is a story, Ray of Sun, about old man sitting on log, teaching his grandson about life,’ he says, his melodious voice drowning out my negative thoughts. ‘He say, “A fight going on inside me. It is terrible fight between two wolves. One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, lies, false pride, and ego. The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, humility, kindness, empathy, truth, compassion, and faith. This same fight going on inside you - and inside every other person, too.” The grandson thinks about this then he ask his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?” The old man say, “The one you feed.”’
His words slam into my soul, causing a tide of emotion to sweep through me. I know what he’s trying to say and he’s right. Finding Isis and agreeing to be the ves
sel for the New Coming was only one piece of the puzzle. Uncle Jo told me that I need to stop fighting Isis and allow her magic to merge with mine, that this will calm the battle going on inside me. I’ve been scared that if I feed Isis’ magic that it will try and take over somehow, but I’ve forgotten one thing—Isis is the light, she is the New Coming. Her intention is to help humanity, not hurt it. I’ve been afraid of losing myself in the power, but if the power is good, which I know in my heart it is, then I have nothing to fear.
Except…
‘I hear what you’re saying, I do. But how do I defeat him when he is an Immortal?’
‘Ray of Sun, everything in universe must end. No one lives forever. All things bound by web of life. We are only one thread among many. Humans are born then they die, going back to Great Ancestors in the sky.’
Something he says triggers a thought. Would it be possible to make Erebus human? If there was then surely he could be killed? The pounding of my heart quickens.
Taqôq Wiyon’s eyes fall on mine and he smiles. ‘You have great strength, Ray of Sun. You listen to what’s in here.’ He points to his chest. ‘This why you are chosen one. This why you must be the one to face what coming.’
I raise an eyebrow. ‘Are you listening to my thoughts again?’
He chuckles softly. ‘Maybe, maybe not.’
I smile. My eyes flit towards the teepee and the smile vanishes. ‘Will you take care of them for me?’ My voice comes out a bit patchy and I will myself not to lose it.
‘Yes. Darkness will not find them here.’
I kiss his cheek and stand up quickly, avoiding his piercing gaze. ‘Thank you.’
Before he can respond I teleport out, the rush of time travel drowning out the pain of leaving them. Aunt Lily and Phoebe will be mega upset that I didn’t say goodbye, but I just couldn’t stand it. As an empath, it becomes overwhelming when you feel the emotions of others, and right now I need to stay on point. My feelings will only weaken me, and I can’t risk letting my guard down. I need to stay strong.