Spirit Warriors The Tunnel Of Light

by M'tain Dubois

  Chapter 22

  Yann seemed to be in a much greater hurry than Belac and Caleb as he walked as fast as his injured body would allow while the two brothers’ trailed a little behind.

  “What are we doing again?” Belac asked Caleb as he stared at their father.

  “Risking our lives to save two parents who have never really been there for us.” Caleb shrugged.

  “Oh good, that makes total sense.”

  “If anything we need to get to Heather so we can find out if she was lying about knowing where the tunnel of light is at.” Caleb pointed out.

  “Good point, hopefully Heather wasn’t lying.”

  “Is it so hard to call her your mother and I your father?” Questioned Yann without turning around.

  “We have given that courtesy when others are around including her but it was simply out of respect Yann not love.” Caleb answered.

  “My name was changed when I became a vampire now that I am returned to my true self once again I am Danny and am I not deserving of the same respect you gave her?” He questioned sadly.

  The two of them looked at each other for a moment in silent communication for a moment before Belac answers. “Forgive us…father, you too are deserving of respect now that we know the truth.”

  “Thank you.” He managed a little choked up. “I know I have never been the best father but I promise if we survive this I will make it up to you.”

  “There is time to talk about such things if we survive father for now let’s just get to Blackfire’s place, I just need to stop in town at the inn to see someone.” Caleb sighed.

  “Someone special in your life these days?” He questioned stopping for the first time.

  “Not that it’s any of your business but yes.” Caleb snapped feeling like a stranger was prying in his life.

  “I’m sorry.” He said turning back around as they reached the edge of the city.

  Without answering the three of them walked through the near empty town towards the inn.

  “Surprisingly it seems that most of the town has agreed to fight.” Danny noted.

  “We’ll need them I’m sure.” Belac frowned.

  “Not if mother wasn’t lying.” Caleb added.

  “Do you really think she knows where the tunnel is?” Belac questioned to Danny.

  “I have no idea, all four of you children were born at the same time which usually happens in spirit warrior clans, she and your aunts decided you would have the best chance at survival and power if your were born inside of the tunnel which should have drained it of all it’s power and destroyed it. After the birth was over the tunnel faded away and we all assumed that the tunnel was destroyed but your mother claimed to have a vision later that lead her to the tunnel which had reformed more powerful than ever, the problem was she told it to the whole town during a time of near civil war as a threat so we never knew if she said it to avert a war or if it was true, when I asked her about it later she told me it was true and she had hidden it where no one would ever find it but it was when we were drinking and she joked about it so again who knows?” He answered walking up to the inn door.

  “So you just never asked again?” Belac wondered.

  “After that is when the barrier broke the first time and everything went down hill and we never talked about it again.” He sighed. “The only way we will know for sure is if she is still alive and can tell us the truth.”

  “No wonder you guys couldn’t be good parents for us, you couldn’t even talk to each other.” Caleb snapped walking past Danny to the stairs.

  “That was low.” Danny muttered following until Belac pushed him aside bounding up the stairs after Caleb.

  “The truth hurts “dad”.” He said over his shoulder.

  Reaching the top of the stairs Belac finds the two lovers lip locked. “not to be rude Caleb but we do have the end of our way of life to deal with right now, you’ll have plenty of time to suck face after we save the world. Nice to see you again sis.” He smiled.

  “Sis?” She questioned.

  “Yeah I figure I might as well get used to calling you that now since I’m sure you two crazy kids will get married eventually.” He grinned.

  “Shut up Belac.” She smiled playfully. “We aren’t getting married for at least a year so you have plenty of time to get used to it.”

  Caleb looked at her stunned at the news she agreed they would be getting married.

  Noticing his look she laughs. “Get used to the idea stud, now that I have you I’m not stupid enough to let you go ever! One day I will marry you.”

  “I can’t wait.” He smiled turning to find his father watching the scene which instantly soured his mood again.

  “Who’s this?” She asked.

  “Our father.” Belac answered. “As it were.”

  “But I thought your dad was…” She said stopping short.

  “An evil creature bent on the destruction of the world?” Danny finished for her. “Yes well it’s a very long story and of course the boys here are quite angry with me but I do not blame them, they have every right to be angry but that is a problem for another time. As Belac said we have the world to save right now, in any case it is a pleasure to meet you…?”

  “Grace.” She answered.

  “Not the Grace that Caleb has talked about for so long?” He smiled.

  “Has he now?” She laughed.

  “For years.” Danny joined in.

  “Okay that’s enough.” Caleb said ushering them all back down the stairs. “We can catch up later.”

  Getting to the street Grace looks around stunned at how empty the town is. “I heard everyone run out of the inn earlier but I never imagined that the town was almost completely empty, where did everyone go?”

  “To war my dear. The other spirit warriors and the boys’ brother are preparing for war by now it may have already begun.”

  Back at the barrier Aden looked at the marching army and wondered if he had chosen the right side, the force amassed by Dorn was easily triple the size of theirs and already over a dozen of their creatures had run scared back to the city. Looking at the faces of his news friends he could tell they were already losing hope but they hid it well, the only reason he even knew how they were feeling was because he was right next to them and being an incubus could feel the emotion rolling off of them.

  Dorn stood at the front of the group in a yellow colored robe he had never seen him wear before joined by five other creatures Aden had never seen.

  “We the powers of the dark clans command you to come forth and pledge yourselves to us forever or die here.” Dorn yelled. “You have two minutes to decide.”

  “He has become one of the powers? We are beyond screwed.” Mace whispered to the others.

  “We still have the barrier and our new tricks, let’s hope that is enough.” Lydia answered.

  “What about this tunnel of light?” Aden asked.

  “We can’t afford to assume and therefore fight like it is coming, best if we just fight as if no help is coming.” She answered.

  “Cheerful thought, but I know my father would not abandon us.” Aden said firmly.

  “You mean the way he did your brothers?” Mace snapped.

  “Listen cousin you want my help here watch what you say about my father.” He snapped back.

  “Run away the way he did I don’t care.” Mace turned facing him.

  “Enough you two the people with us are scared enough as it is they don’t need to hear you two falling apart so put the measuring sticks away and focus.” Demanded Lydia shutting them both up.

  “Your time is up what is your choice?” Shouted Dorn.

  To their surprise twenty different creatures from their side walk through the barrier to the dark clans dropping to their knees.

  “What are you doing!?” Yelled Aden.

  “They are making a wise choice to be the example for the rest of you.” Gor smiled before instantly wiping them all out with the other powers. “U
nderstand there is no surrender and no escape today you and all of your families die.”

  The cheer and laughs rise from the crowd of dark clan until the branches of a tree grab the powers squeezing and throwing the powers deeper into the forest, without letting the other members recover the three of them rush out of the barrier as Lydia and Mace change into octopus’ grabbing as many members as they can and throwing them into the barrier that fry’s them instantly, at the same time Aden sailed into the middle of the group grabbing onto different creatures heads and subverting them to his will right away so they begin fighting their own group.

  Stunned for a second the bravery shown by the three of them inspires the rest of their army to attack, rushing out of the barrier in seconds it becomes a full scale war as it goes on whenever someone from the light clans is hurt someone else tries to drag them to the safety of the barrier that is slowly fading already.

  For a moment it felt like they had a real chance until out of the corner of his eye Aden notices the powers have returned and are working on bringing down the barrier completely and unfortunately they seem to be succeeding as one of the enemy trolls finally made it through the barrier alive but wounded instead of destroyed.

  “We have to stop them!” Aden yelled to the others.

  Noticing what he saw Mace rushes at the powers forgetting his own safety as he leaps through the air as a griffin until out of no where Dorn tackles him mid air slamming him into a tree. “Hello son.”

  “My father died a long time ago.” Mace growls kicking him off.

  Landing a few feet away Dorn smiles pulling the spirit of a lion into himself. “I feel the same way but don’t worry you’ll be joining him soon enough.”

  “I can’t believe they changed you into this thing.” Mace said pulling a lion himself.

  “They didn’t do anything I have always wanted to be more than a babysitter for cry babies, in fact I was the one who got all the other spirit warriors killed proving my loyalty.” He laughed. “My only regret is that I wasn’t able to finish all of you off before I left.”

  “You bastard, I’ll enjoy killing you myself.” Yelled Mace.

  “Look around boy your group has already been lost, my powers brethren have already brought down the wall and are now transforming others to our cause.” He laughed. “In fact it looks like it’s Lydia’s turn.” He said pointing.

  Mace looked to find Lydia and Aden held fast in place as the other powers sunk their fangs into their necks. “Noooo!” He yelled trying to run getting tackled by several enemies himself.

  Opening the entrance to the lair seemed so simple to Danny that it frustrated Caleb, for everything else he was Caleb had to admire how powerful he was. Quickly the four of them descended the stairs to find Blackfire helping Heather to drink some liquid she looked all the way healed from the wound which they were all grateful for different reasons.

  “It’s good to see you again Heather.” Danny said startling them both.

  “Things didn’t go quite as we planned but it looks like you found your way back out of the darkness again.” She said bitterly without meeting his eyes.

  “With help.” He answered sheepishly.

  “And our son?”

  “All three are alive and well, Aden is with Mace and Lydia fighting the dark clans, the war has begun our only chance is to get the tunnel of light where is it?” He questioned.

  “What do you mean?” She said walking over to them as she hugged the boys who awkwardly hugged her back.

  “I mean you said that you know where it is, so where have you hidden it?” He asked again annoyed.

  “I understand that…but…wait you really don’t know do you?” She frowned looking at them. “Oh god I’m so sorry.”

  “You lied didn’t you?” Caleb sighed.

  “I wish I had son because the tunnel of light is standing right next to you and I hope that I am wrong but I’m guessing she is the one you fell in love with.” She cried.

  “What?” Grace questioned.

  “I’m sorry my dear but you are the tunnel of light.”

  “That’s not possible I’m just a regular girl.” She giggled thinking it might be some weird joke.

  “A girl that has never had any parents, I am sorry but it is you my dear, I took the tunnel and changed it into a baby girl and left it at the orphanage and I can prove it, you have a cross shaped birth mark on your right hip bone don’t you? It is the mark I gave you so I would always know you when we met if I was unsure.”

  Pulling down her pants for a second they all look at that birth mark in silence.

  “It’s true? My whole life is a lie?” She said sobbing while looking at Caleb.

  “I don’t care where you came from we’ll find another way to defeat the dark clans without the tunnel.” He said firmly taking her in his arms.

  “I’m sorry son but there is no other way.” Danny said with a frown.

  “There has to be, you can’t just kill someone like that she’s our friend.” Belac snapped.

  “She is not really alive it is all trickery and magic.” Explained heather.

  “I don’t care! She is real enough for me.” Caleb yelled turning on them.

  “I am sorry Caleb I know this is hard but they are right without the tunnel of light we are all doomed, we need the tunnel of light to survive this war.” Blackfire said.

  “You’ll never have a chance to find it.” Mace’s voice said surprising them all.

  “Mace?” Belac questioned.

  “Not anymore, my name is Cam now that I have embraced the powers.” He smiled showing his new fangs.

  “We all have.” Lydia chimed in. “There are no light clan members left they have all been changed or killed you are the last come with us or die.”

  “I’m not giving you the choice they must all die, we can’t risk that any of them may know where the tunnel is now.” Dorn said walking in with the other powers. “Aden told me how you tricked us the first time around Danny we won’t take that chance again.”

  “You will die trying to kill us.” Belac snarled at them.

  “We won’t but perhaps Mace and Lydia will.” Gor laughed.

  Pushing Grace behind him Caleb pulls out his own sword. “Fight their wills you can over come them the same way my father did.”

  “That’s just it Caleb we don’t want to.” Lydia smiles.

  Grace slowly inched her way to Heather. “What do I have to do to save Caleb?”

  “What?” She whispered.

  “How do I unleash the tunnel?”

  “You have to die Grace, as you are dying embrace Caleb and the power will follow into him and then shoot out covering miles.” She answered.

  “Will it hurt?” She cried. “You no what never mind I don’t care as long as it will save him.”

  “Then run to him now, I will stab you from behind through the heart and it will unleash.” Heather said through her own tears.

  “He’ll never forgive you.”

  “He’ll never forgive himself when you die and they take your power and twist it, now go.”

  Taking everyone by surprise Grace turned running to Caleb and grabbing him from behind. “I won’t lose the people I love to this curse do it now Heather please!!” She yelled.

  Without hesitation Heather stabs her through the heart unleashing the power inside her that instantly flows through Caleb blanketing the Earth for miles, healing the wounded left to die, resurrecting others and changing them all into good hearted light clan members including the powers themselves.

  When it was all over Caleb turned in tears grabbing Grace’s fading body and holding her close to his body. “Stay with me Grace please don’t leave me.”

  “I had to do this Caleb, I love you and couldn’t bare the thought of you turning into something you’re not either way I would have lost the man I loved, stay as wonderful as you are and know that I will always love you.” She said fading completely.

  A week later the town was bi
gger than it had ever seemed before with a barrier that would have made the ancient spirit warriors jealous, since the members of the powers had been turned good along with the others their strength flowed into the whole of protection keeping them all safer than they had ever been before.

  Everything that had happened seemed like little more than a dream to everyone except Caleb who still hadn’t recovered from his loss.

  Mace and Lydia were planning on getting married next year and Belac was attempting to have a relationship with their parents who had yet to find the words to comfort him.

  One day while Caleb was out for a walk alone Belac dropped in on him quite literally as he fell out of a tree returning to his human form from that of a spider monkey. “Finally found you.”

  “Belac this is my private time.” He answered.

  “Everyday is your private time since Grace disappeared.” He said.

  “Can you blame me?”

  “Yes, you aren’t alone in this you have friends and family you know.” Belac frowned as Caleb walked away.

  “I just want to be left alone.”

  “Does that mean that you don’t want me around either?”

  Caleb turned so fast he fell over at the sound of the new voice. “How?” He said getting up thinking it might all be a dream as he watched Grace grab her mouth stifling a laugh.

  “Your family and friends.” Grace smiled running up and tackling him with a kiss.

  “With the new added power from…well the former powers all the people in the town gathered lending their energy and together through the spirit warriors we were able to retrieve the spirit that had formed from Grace being human for so long, it drained us all nearly to the point of death but we managed to get her back and since it was all spirit she now has the power of a spirit warrior.” Belac explained as they kissed.

  “I can’t believe this…it’s more than I could ever have hoped for.” Caleb cried holding her so tight he worried that he might hurt her.

  “Me too, but come on you didn’t really think that you’d get away from me that easy did you I told you that you are mine forever!” She laughed happily. “So what do we do now my future husband!”

  “We live happily ever after like the fairytales say.” He answered.

  “You wish, we still have to help the other regions in their battle and a plan is already being formulated so what do you say we go and get in a little mischief.” Belac grinned pulling them to their feet.

  “Lead the way brother, we’re in.”