“Once cursed, you will reject your soul mate, and instead you’ll spend your mortal life, and your eternity after death worshipping them.” He paused to let his words sink in. “We, on the other hand, fight to destroy that curse so you can be with your soul mate forever. It is between these two options that you must choose.” Gideon nodded at Reuel, indicating that he now had the floor to present his case.
“Gideon offers you love,” Reuel said. “That twisted emotion that inevitably leads to heartbreak and loss. I, on the other hand, will reward you with something much greater, something more satisfying. I will give you the treasures of the earth. You will live like kings and queens. Nothing you want to satisfy your appetites will be denied you – if you choose to follow me.”
Gideon spoke again. “See the choices that await you in mortality. Here in the Mists of Time the right choice may seem so easy. After all, who would ever choose worldly goods over love when the bonds between you are now so strong? But that is the ultimate challenge of mortality.” Gideon paused to watch the spirits. Some shifted uncomfortably, others clutched each other even more tightly.
“I can see that some of you are wondering how you will ever find each other amongst the multitudes on Earth. Simple. Life will throw you in each other’s paths. For some of you, there will be an echo of memory from before your birth to guide you. But for others, your mind will be a clean slate with no memory of your life before your birth.” He studied each face. “So, my question. Will you recognise your soul mate once in mortality? And if you do, will you choose to be together throughout all eternity? Or will you allow Reuel to curse you with his trinkets? Remember, if he does, he’ll condemn you and your soul mate to an eternity spent alone. And, most cruelly of all, once you die, the full memory of your life together before your birth will be returned to you. Then you will know exactly what you’ve lost.”
Raw fear surged through Erin; she knew instinctively that it was coming from the spirit boy. Seth, still standing with his arm around her, also shifted as if he too felt the tension. Erin looked up at Seth’s face and winced with shame. Here she was devoting all her attention to this unknown spirit, when Seth, who had saved her life – twice – was standing next to her, teeth chattering with cold. She rubbed his back to warm him, but he didn’t seem to notice.
Gideon’s voice again pulled her back to the pedestal. “If you are ready to join this war, come, touch the Seer-Stone as I call your names.”
With a gasp, Nathan hurried forward, holding up his hands. “Gideon. Wait. You always rush this part. Even after all this time you still lack . . . Oh, what’s the word? A sense of ceremony, a respect for the moment!” He smiled. “My friends, by touching this Seer-Stone you seal your unique energy into its heart. Wherever you wander in mortality, whoever you support in the war for souls, this Seer-Stone will know. There, your history will wait until Reuel’s Curse is lifted.”
“Or, the unthinkable!” Reuel added, “I destroy the diamond. Or, less dramatic, kill your precious Custodians. It makes little difference to me. Either way, you will have failed to lift my curse. And I will win. Again. Like I always do.”
“Reuel, your arrogance is becoming tedious,” Gideon said. A bolt of icy blue lightening shot at Gideon from the Lightning Bird’s talons. He deflected it with a gleaming hand, sending it ricocheting across the misty space. “I must insist that you control that menace – or it must leave.”
Reuel stroked the bird, and the lightning stopped.
Gideon nodded to the couple standing closest to him. “Jared and Sophia. Please come and touch the Stone.”
Startled to hear that familiar name, Seth and Erin moved forward for a better view.
It was Sophia from Vukani’s house. She smiled at them. “So we meet again. Except from now on it’ll be my mind you’ll be reading, like I read yours.”
“Seems fair,” Seth mumbled to himself.
“Meet Jared,” Sophia said. “He’s my love.”
Jared took Sophia’s hand and kissed her wrist. Then he looked directly at Seth. “I’m Jared and this is Caleb.” He pointed to a spirit floating next to him. “The three of us – Caleb, me, and you – we were like brothers.”
“Brothers? But I’ve already got a brother. His name’s Kyle.”
Caleb and Jared exchanged troubled looks. “Seth, listen,” Caleb pleaded. “The three of us have been like a knot ever since I can remember. You’re our back-up plan. We’ll do our best to lift the curse, but if we fail you have to rescue us.”
Seth looked confused.
“You’ve always been the peacemaker, Seth,” Jared said. “Every time Caleb and I tried to extinguish each other, you straightened our heads out. You’re in the Mists of Time now, please, think back to before you were born, and it’ll all come back to you.”
But Seth was so cold all he could do was shiver.
“Caleb, introduce Seth and Erin to Talitha,” Sophia suggested. “It’ll jog their memories.”
Caleb leaned down to kiss the girl next to him. “This is Talitha. And she’s mine. Forever.”
Talitha smiled at Erin. “Hello, friend. Remember me?”
Erin’s eyes widened to their fullest extent; she knew without doubt that she was looking at her BFF. She opened her arms to embrace Talitha. It was a strange hug, holding light, but it filled Erin with the warmest glow she’d ever felt. When they parted, Erin asked, “Talitha, just something I don’t get. I mean there’s tons I don’t get – but how come we understand each other? I know English is a universal language, but this is just ridiculous.”
“It’s the Seer-Stone. It translates languages. There isn’t a language in the whole universe that you can’t understand if you have a Seer-Stone.”
They heard Gideon clear his throat. It was clear that he was ready to move on. He nodded to Sophia and Jared. “The Stone.”
Sophia gave Erin and Seth a parting smile, but Jared gripped Seth’s arm. “Remember, keep us together.”
Seth shook his hand away, and frowned as Jared led Sophia to touch the Stone.
“Caleb and Talitha, Daniel and Kezeah,” Gideon called out as the iridescent procession of couples moved forward. “Kyle and Aimee . . .”
“Kyle!” Seth exclaimed. Kyle smiled at him, giving Seth a thrill.
Erin grabbed Seth’s arm and whispered, “Aimee? Who’s she?”
Seth leaned down, brushing her ear with his lips. “She was Kyle’s first girlfriend. But she died in the fire – the one that killed my folks.”
Erin bit her lip. “So does that mean Izzy isn’t Kyle’s soul mate?” Seth saw Gideon watching them, and nudged Erin to keep quiet. Shaking off her worry for her sister, Erin craned her neck, waiting for the moment ‘her’ boy and his soul mate touched the Stone.
Finally one couple remained. They floated forward, holding hands, stopping in front of Seth and Erin.
But for now Erin only saw the girl. “That’s me! I can feel it in my heart – like she’s part of me.” Her spirit smiled at her, delighted with the recognition.
Seth’s gulp was loud in the silence that followed Erin’s outburst. He was staring at the boy holding the spirit-Erin’s hand. Without doubt, Seth knew that that spirit was hardwired into his soul. He started to move towards him, but a spurt of rebellion stopped him. His spirit frowned at him, his face questioning. But Seth looked away, not wanting to meet his eyes.
It was then that Erin noticed the spirit standing next to hers. It was the boy who had radiated such love towards her. “Seth! It’s you!” She spun round to look at Seth, and froze. There was no joy, only intense sorrow on Seth’s face.
Reuel’s full-bellied laugh was harsh. The Lightning Bird soared into the air, cackling.
With a fiery glare at both of them, the spirit-Erin took the spirit-Seth’s hand. “Come. Just ignore Reuel and his mutant bird. We decided long ago to do this together.”
With an equally defiant scowl at Reuel, the spirit-Seth tightened his grip around her hand and floated with her
to the pedestal.
A gentle laugh distracted Seth and Erin. Gideon was standing behind them with his hands on their shoulders. “See what fine spirits you have. You both have all the guts you need to defeat Reuel – if you listen to your inner voices.” Erin was about to fire questions at him, but he shook his head and walked back to the pedestal.
“Seth and Erin,” Gideon said, speaking to their spirits. “You have been chosen to be Custodians of the Seer-Stone. Recall my lesson: without the one, the other fails. This is so important to remember, because, as you have now learnt, every other Custodian who ever had charge of this Stone–”
“Has died a brutal death either by my hand or by my followers,” Reuel interrupted. “My advice to you both is to pick carefully whom you’ll follow in this war.”
Seth tightened his grip around Erin’s waist, almost crushing her. His instinct told him to draw his sword, but a glint in the Lightning Bird’s eyes stopped him; he had no doubt it would fry him if Reuel commanded it to.
“Yes, Reuel,” Gideon retorted. “Maybe in the past you and your followers have succeeded in killing our Custodians, but thus far you’ve failed with Seth and Erin – your tornado and hyenas, while novel, weren’t effective.” Gideon turned decisively back to Erin’s and Seth’s spirits. “It’s your job to protect the Stone from Reuel and his followers we call the Gefallen – with your lives if necessary. In return, it will guide and teach you all you need to know, not only to survive, but also to lift the curse.”
The spirit-Seth and spirit-Erin smiled at each other as though it was the best news they’d ever heard. Seth, watching Erin, saw that she seemed to share their excitement. He shuddered, hardly believing what he was seeing.
Gideon continued speaking to their spirits. “Seth and Erin, let me remind you that your efforts will not be without reward. Succeed, and you’ll be together forever. Fail, and you’ll face eternity alone.” He paused. “Are you willing to make this promise?”
“With all my heart,” Erin’s spirit replied without hesitation.
Seth’s spirit grinned. “Try and stop me!”
“Then seal your energy into the Seer-Stone,” Gideon instructed.
With determination blazing on their faces, their spirits touched the Seer-Stone. Thus the oath was sealed. A surge of light bolted through Erin and Seth. Erin opened her arms wide, basking in the radiance, but Seth ducked away from the starry shower.
“I’m not agreeing to this promise, regardless of what he may think!” Seth shouted, pointing to his spirit. “So forget the pyrotechnics!”
Everyone stared at him. His spirit flitted towards him, but Seth brushed him away. He hovered before Seth with a perplexed look on his face.
“Seth,” Erin whispered as the flares died. “At least wait and see what it’s all about before making decisions.”
“Erin, what’s happened to you?” Seth demanded. “How can you just go along with this?”
“I’ve seen something incredible and I want to be a part of it.”
“But you don’t understand – I can’t do this. I made a promise to myself and to my brother before I came here. Before I knew about any of this. And I never break my promises.” He turned away from her, wanting to get out, but saw no exit. Using all his force, he pushed his shoulder against the wall that moments before had parted like mist, but now the crystal was unyielding. “Gideon, you said I could go, but I understand it all now. My dreams. Everything. How could you do this to me? How could you trap me into making this promise?”
Erin tugged at Seth, trying to force him to look at her, but he shrunk away from her as if she were poison. She fell back, repelled by his expression; the pain that shafted through her was like nothing she’d ever before experienced.
Reuel’s mocking laughter sounded loud in the silence. “How sweet is the smell of victory.” He turned to Gideon and Nathan. “An emotion you’ll never know or understand.” With a click of his fingers, he and his Lightning Bird vanished.
Gideon strode over and grabbed Seth’s t-shirt. “Don’t you think that I understand about promises? I understand even better than you do.”
“But it’s an impossible promise to keep. And it will in all likelihood get me killed, too.”
“Do you think Nathan and I found it easy to keep our promises? You know better than that. But we made and kept them anyway – and let the chips fall where they may.”
Seth pulled away from him. “You know I can’t do this. You must know what promises mean to me. So you also must know why I can’t get into a war over that Stone.”
“Too late, Seth. You’re already involved. And–”
“No, Gideon! Where’s my choice in all this?”
“Seth, like all mortals your choices are limited between good and evil. It’s for you to decide which is which. And yes, you made a promise. But ask yourself – was it the right one?”
“So you want me to break my word?”
“You had already made a prior promise, Seth,” Gideon said, pointing to the pedestal. “Before you were even born.”
“No!” Seth shouted, desperate to make Gideon understand.
“I’m your guardian angel, Seth. I’ll be with you every step of the way. If you let me,” Gideon said. “That’s the only way you can lift the curse so you can be with the one person – the only person – who can make you truly happy. Forever.” He pulled Erin over and stood her in front of Seth.
Seth’s face was tortured. “I’m sorry . . . As much as I like you, I can’t choose this.”
Erin watched as he threw himself with all his might against the crystal wall. Like a curtain, it parted and he disappeared.
Gideon shook his head. “Like it or not, Seth, the better part of yourself has already promised to protect the Stone and to lift the curse. Now the greatest war you will wage will be within your own soul.”
Chapter 5
THE WRONG PROMISE
Seth’s flying leap tumbled him onto the pan. It had been night when he’d entered the Mists of Time, but now it was the middle of the day, and the sun beat down mercilessly on the salty white crust. He turned towards the campsite, planning to get the spade so he could free the truck and drive to Kyle’s camp.
But there was no spade. There were no tents, either. The campsite – every trace of it – was gone.
He walked a wide arc, searching the sand for tracks and the blackened remains of the fire, but all he could see was the pan stretching ahead to the horizon – every grain of its crust unblemished.
All around him heat waves and mirages quivered. On his left, in the distance, lay the darker shadow of the grassy shoreline. Only one unfamiliar landmark rose out of the haze: the plump silhouette of a lone baobab tree. He knew it hadn’t been there the night before.
“Oh man, I’m lost.” He sank to his knees, feeling sweat trickling down his back and sides. “I’m in serious trouble here.” He eyed the baobab tree with its promise of shade. Although it was far away, it seemed his only hope. He stood and pushed his body through the wall of heat, heading towards it. As he walked he tried to think of rescue solutions, but knowing he was miles from civilization, his mind drew a blank. Focusing on the tree kept panic at bay.
For hours he walked. But the longer he trudged, the further away the shadowy tree seemed to shrink, always retreating from him. No life stirred. No cooling breeze blew. It was just him, Seth, alone, adrift, in a vast white sea of burning reflection.
I could die out here and no one would ever know. Except maybe Gideon and the other dead guys.
He tried to pick up his pace, but it was barely possible. That shocked him. He had been a star player on every school basketball team he had ever played for – and there had been a lot of schools. But none of that counted against the heat that seemed to want to push him down and bury him.
Oh man, how did I get myself into this mess?
“Because you chose to duck out of our responsibilities,” his spirit replied.
Listen, he pleaded with
himself, this is no time for a conscience. We have to survive this.
“Then ask Gideon for help. He said he’s our guardian angel. He said he’d help and we sure could use some now.”
Seth stopped walking and swabbed his sweaty face with his t-shirt. Gideon’s the reason I’m here. And he won’t help unless I do what he wants. And you know that’s impossible.
“Stop being an idiot and ask for help.”
“No!” Seth yelled at the top of his lungs. But the sound, swallowed up in the wide space of the pan, emerged as nothing more than a whisper. His shoulders sagged.
“Ask for help. Now.”
Seth considered his options. Whichever way he turned, they seemed hopeless. He swallowed hard, but his mouth was so dry that no saliva soothed his throat. You know I can’t. Just like you know why I promised to help Kyle get the diamond when I came here.
“Yes, but . . .”
No buts! It’s going to be tough enough telling him that I had it – and lost it. Man, I wish I’d never heard of that stupid rock. Turning all of his anger and fear at his spirit, he again shouted, “I at least know where my loyalties lie!”
He forced his legs to start moving again, concentrating even more intently on the tree.
But his spirit wasn’t finished. “What about Erin? Now you know why you’re in love with her – she’s our soul mate.”
In love with Erin? You’re crazy!
“And you’re a liar! You want her. She’s right here – buried deep under your skin.”
“That’s just garbage. I’ve known Erin for precisely one day. One day! And I’ve known Kyle my whole life.” He stopped walking. “So where was Erin? And Gideon, for that matter, when Kyle was dragging me out of all those lousy foster homes, fighting that evil bitch from social services so he could keep me with him after mom and dad died?”
To block out his spirit’s reply, he started thinking about the lyrics of his favourite songs by The Killers. But after another hour in the searing sun, holding onto those thoughts proved too difficult. Never had he been so tortured by physical exertion; never had he felt as though his life was actually ebbing out of him. But, as if pulled by some unstoppable force, his feet continued their march towards the ever-retreating tree.
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