Ar’ch frowned. “She’s not doing so great, Rafe. She promised me that she would hold on, but we need to rescue her and fast.”
“I know.”
“Let’s go find the others and find out how my father’s invention is coming along.”
As they walked to Nolan’s office, Ar’ch looked out the windows and stopped in his tracks. His face paled, so Rafe followed his gaze and noticed that it had turned completely silver. Ar’ch’s reaction made it clear that something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong.
“What is it?” he asked.
Ar’ch shook his head. “Let’s go find the others.”
They found them in the dining area having breakfast. Ar’ch and Rafe each fixed himself a plate before sitting with their family. Rafe shared with them what had taken place from his perspective, and then Ar’ch shared what he had learned.
“Sofia is very weak. She didn’t want to believe that I was there or that Rafe was helping me. Once I convinced her, she broke down. Damiana is using that cell to drain all of Sofia’s energy. Somehow, Damiana is able to use that energy to strengthen her own skills. Sofia had stopped eating. She had given up. Now that she knows that we are coming to save her, I think she will fight more.”
“That poor child,” Nolan said. “What about Damiana and Drake?”
Ar’ch looked to him before speaking. “I did not attempt to enter Damiana’s mind. I had no real need to. She showed us that the only way to open the cell is with her hand. She told us of her eagerness to kill all the Diasodz. She was an open book.”
“And Drake?”
Again, Ar’ch looked at him. “I did tap into his mind,” he began. Rafe looked at him in shock, but this time, Ar’ch kept his focus on his father. “Drake is full of anger and he wants revenge, but his thoughts were focused completely on Damiana. He was really concerned about Rafe and Sofia and their well-being. I caught a passing thought that he had in which he had a moment where he wanted to delay the war because he worried that his children and Valerie might die.”
Everyone looked at Valerie who took a deep breath but stayed silent. Rafe looked at his mother and wanted to explain to her that Drake still loved her, but he didn’t think that anyone else at the table would be happy to hear that information. He then looked at Ar’ch and wondered why he couldn’t see that his father had changed if he could see in his mind that he didn’t want revenge on them anymore.
“Drake said he was leaving tomorrow to continue gathering troops, but I got the feeling that he isn’t in any hurry,” Ar’ch said. “We should plan this rescue as soon as possible because Sofia will continue to get weaker with Damiana draining her.”
Everyone nodded and then Angel asked, “What about Liana?”
Rafe shook his head solemnly. “I couldn’t risk asking to see her since that would make Damiana question my motives. She believes that I hate Liana for giving me up just as much as I hated Valerie.” He turned to Valerie with an apologetic expression. “I didn’t know you then.”
She smiled, but it did not reach her eyes. “It’s alright. I understand.”
He turned to Angel. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. You did the right thing. Damiana definitely would have found it odd for you to ask about her.”
“How is the teleporter coming along?” Ar’ch asked. “We will definitely need it to get out of that place, especially now that we are going to have to rescue Sofia and Liana from different places. Sofia is in a new throne room that has top-of-the-line security. No one can exit without family. I picked that out of Drake’s head,” he smiled. “That won’t be a problem because Rafe will be there, and he is family.”
Rafe nodded. “Liana is still in the dungeon. That security isn’t as tight, but only a few people can access it. I have access, but I can’t be in both places at the same time.”
“We will figure that out, but for now, I need to know that your device is going to help us escape once we have Sofia and Liana out of their cells,” Ar’ch said to his father.
Nolan smiled. “The device is done. I just need a final test.”
-o-
“Are you sure that you want to volunteer? We aren’t 100% sure that it will work,” Valerie said.
“I am 100% sure that it will work. Have faith, my love,” Nolan said.
Rafe watched his mother run her hands through Nolan’s hair and smiled. He could see their love for each other and took a moment to appreciate what true love and harmony looked like. He had never experienced such peace before, and he knew that he wanted to have that in his life one day.
“I am sure, Mother. I owe this to Sofia,” he said.
She nodded and turned to her husband who said, “This device will destroy any protective barriers in an area, so it’s important that it does not get into the wrong hands. You can go anywhere you want, even if there is no portal on the other end. So, where do you want to go for the test?”
Rafe smiled. “Earth.”
“That’s what I’m talking about,” Mel said.
Valerie shook her head. “No, that’s too far. We don’t even know if it will work. What if he gets stuck in a void? Why not just try to go to our yard or your room or somewhere close?”
He shook his head. “Go big or go home.” Mel laughed. When the rest of them looked at him with confused looks, he shrugged and said, “Guess it’s an Earth thing. Look, if I feel stuck, I’ll come back, but we need to make sure this is powerful enough to handle a big jump. After all, it will have to get through Damiana’s fortress of security.”
Nolan nodded. “Very well,” he said and handed the device to Rafe. “Focus on a location that is secluded so that you don’t scare anyone by appearing in front of them from out of nowhere.”
Rafe held the transporter in his hand. The sleek, silver device was bigger and heavier than the erport, but he figured that was necessary if it had to complete a more complicated function. He placed it in his pocket and looked at the four who were looking at him with apprehension.
He smiled and said, “See you in a little bit.” Then, before anyone could change his mind, he pressed the button on the device and closed his eyes, concentrating on landing at Sofia’s willow tree back on Earth.
When he opened his eyes, he had transported to exactly where he had hoped to go. Breathing a sigh of relief and laughing at its success, he spun around in delight. He took a deep breath of the air and prepared to head back home, but then he hesitated. He put his hand on the transporter again and closed his eyes, but instead of envisioning his home, he thought of an alley off Main Street.
He heard the busy street before he opened his eyes. Luckily, no one occupied the alley that he had chosen. He walked out of the side street and into the sunlight. He embraced the bustle of the people walking in and out of the stores, the sounds of the music in front of the ice cream store, and the water flowing out of the fountain. He went into the ice cream parlor to savor one of his favorite specials.
“Hey, bro, I haven’t seen you around. What happened to you?” Rob, a former schoolmate said.
Rafe smiled. “My mother and I moved in with my father, but he lives in another town. I’m just here visiting. How’s everything been?”
Rob shrugged. “Same ole, Same ole. Just working here during the summer to save up money for college, you know?”
“I hear ya,” he said and gave his order. When it was ready, he nodded to Rob and said, “Good to see you, man.”
He took his sundae and sat outside by the fountain and just watched people going about their daily business. He reflected on what life had been like before his death day. Some of his old friends came out of a store at the end of the block. He probably would have been hanging out with them and thinking about what they were going to do that night if he had never left. Or maybe he’d be getting ready for a date or packing up to go to college. Life was so much easier when he lived on Earth. His only worry was what to eat at his next meal. Now, he worried about killing and dying and destroying th
e world by not saving it.
He looked around and, for just a moment, thought about staying on Earth. He could pick up his old life and just start over. Then, he thought about Sofia, Drake, Valerie, and Angel, and he realized that they were too important to him. He realized that he didn’t want to disappoint any of them. He didn’t want to live his life without them in it.
He took one more bite of his sundae and took a deep breath. While he walked back to the alley, he looked around, hoping to imprint every detail into his memory because he doubted he’d ever be back. Once he was cloaked in the shadows, he pressed the button on the transporter and thought of home.
He felt pain on the way back, but he assumed that had to do with passing through all the new levels of security that Nolan had placed upon their home. He had full confidence that the transporter would work. He believed in Nolan’s device, and he realized that he trusted him completely. Sofia had been right about them, all of them, and Rafe was happy to call them his family.
“Yes!” Nolan yelled when he returned. “I knew it would work. How are you feeling, Rafe?”
Mel punched him. “You took too long. You had me worried out of my mind.”
“Ouch! I’m fine, but that punch might leave a bruise,” he said and smiled at her. “I felt a little bit of pain on the reentry, but it was manageable.”
Nolan became concerned. “We will lower our security measures when you go to rescue Sofia and Liana, but you all may feel pain from Damiana’s place. I’m concerned about Sofia because of her weakened state.”
“It’s worth the risk. If she stays there, she will die. Whatever the pain is, she will handle it,” Ar’ch said.
Angel embraced Rafe. “I’m glad you made the right choice,” he said.
He looked at him, puzzled. Then, he looked at Ar’ch. “You followed me?”
Ar’ch shrugged. “Father actually made two transporters. I took the other one and followed you. If it didn’t work, I wanted to make sure you were okay. For Mother and Angel.” Rafe looked down, ashamed of his thoughts. Ar’ch put a hand on his shoulder. “You should not be embarrassed for thinking your thoughts. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wished for a different life of sorts. That is normal. It’s the choices that you make that determine your true self. And you came back. You are here. Welcome home, brother.”
Rafe stood there, wide-eyed and speechless. He looked to Valerie who had tears in her eyes. Before he could react, Ar’ch hugged him. Then Angel hugged them both. He took a deep breath and embraced their acceptance and love.
When Ar’ch pulled away, he cleared his throat and then said, “So, let’s do this. Let’s go save Sofia and Liana.”
Rafe cleared his own throat of the emotions that were overwhelming him. “How exactly do we do that?”
“How are we going to get Sofia out of that cell? Didn’t you say that only Damiana’s palm can open it?” Angel asked.
He nodded. “We could take Mel with us. She can transform into Damiana. She did it once to help me sneak in and see Liana.”
Mel’s eyes went wide. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. My parents might feel my presence and alert her.”
“We might just have to take that chance,” Ar’ch said. “Sofia needs you to take that chance.”
Mel pressed her lips together and folded her arms, making it clear that she hated the idea, but in the end, she nodded. Rafe knew that she’d agree to the plan. She’d do anything for Sofia. They all would.
Chapter Fifteen
Kai barged into the training center, anger caressing his bald head. “How can you think of taking Mel back there?”
Ar’ch completed his set of curls and then said, “We are all risking our lives, Kai. We need her.”
“No,” Kai said. His neck muscles were taut, and his hands were balled into fists.
“If she were trapped there, you would risk everything to save her, right?” Kai looked away. “Don’t worry. She had a good point that they might sense her, and if I can avoid giving them a head’s up, I will. She’s going to stay here.”
Kai released his anger with his breath. “Thanks.”
Ar’ch put a hand on his shoulder. “She’s a Diasodz, Kai. She’s going to have to fight, so you need to make sure that she can hold her own.”
He nodded. “I have every intention of doing that. I just don’t want her to have to deal with her parents or Damiana. Not yet.”
“I understand,” Ar’ch said and picked up his weights again. “I asked Z to plan a date with Khameel. Hopefully, he shows up tonight.”
-o-
Rafe sat beneath the baby willows and stared at his comm port. He had gone back and forth about whether to reach out to his father, but he feared what the consequence might be. In the end, he couldn’t stand the way he had left things with him, so he tried to contact him, praying that he wasn’t with Damiana.
“Son, is everything well?” his father asked when he answered.
Drake’s love and concern for him filled his eyes, and it made him feel even worse for betraying him. “Yes, Father. I am fine. I just needed to tell you that I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you about following through with Damiana’s plans earlier.”
Drake’s shoulders fell and he shook his head. “I am not angry with you, son. I’m happy that you have met your real mother. She is an amazing woman. I see a lot of her in you, and that makes me very pleased. I fear that Damiana is becoming unstable, so I am grateful that you are not around her right now.”
“I’m worried about her, too, Father. What is that contraption that Damiana has created and why is Sofia in it? I’m really worried about Sofia. She looks so weak.”
His father’s face flushed with anger. “I am working on getting her out of there.”
“How, Father? Damiana doesn’t seem to care what anyone else thinks right now.”
“I know. I’m almost done rounding up our allies for the war, and then I’ll be able to demand your sister’s release.”
“When do you think that will be?”
Drake exhaled his frustration. “Maybe another week or two, son. I need to make sure that our allies are loyal to me, not Damiana.”
Rafe nodded. “I agree, Father. You are our leader, and they need to follow you, no matter what Damiana says.” He pretended to look off into the distance. “I think someone is coming. I need to go.”
“Of course, son. Take care.”
“I love you,” Rafe said and then ended the connection. He looked down at the comm port in his hand. Someone was approaching him, so he put the port in his pocket.
Angel stepped into the canopy of willows and smiled. “I felt your distress and wanted to check on you. I hope I’m not overstepping my boundaries.”
He shook his head. “No, that’s fine.” He felt the comm port in his pocket. “I just spoke with my father.”
“Oh,” Angel said. “Has something happened?”
“No. Everything is the same. He said he won’t be back home for another week or so, so we are good to go forward with our plan.”
“Then, why do you feel so depressed?”
He sighed. “I feel like I’m betraying him. I am betraying him, and even though you all hate him, he has been nothing but loving to me. I’m afraid he will hate me after this.”
Angel wrapped him into a hug. “Everything will be fine. Parents always love their children no matter what they do. Let’s focus on saving Sofia, and then we will figure out what to do about Drake.”
Rafe returned Angel’s hug and then froze. This was the second time Angel had hugged him, and he found himself wanting Angel’s affection, but what did that mean really? And was he sending Angel the wrong message? He was lost in trying to analyze how he felt about Angel when Angel pulled away.
“How about we go find the others and share with them what you’ve learned?”
“Won’t they be angry that I contacted my father?”
“I think they will understand why you did so. Plus, you learned valuable in
formation in the process. It’ll be okay. Like I said, parents love their children.”
“Damiana doesn’t,” Rafe said and then looked down, remembering Sofia in the cell.
“True. Alright, good parents love their children and forgive them for their mistakes. And if Drake loves you, then you have nothing to fear.”
Rafe took a deep breath and nodded. “I hope you are right. Now, let’s go find everyone else.”
-o-
Ar’ch took the stairs up to his room to shower after his workout. At the top of the stairs, he looked out to his and Sofia’s willow tree and frowned. The once beautifully golden willow tree now shone a shiny silver, and he hated it. As he stared at it and contemplated why it had changed, he gasped in horror when an entire branch broke off and crumbled to the ground. The tree had never even lost a leaf, and now it was starting to fall apart.
The oracle appeared next to him and said, “The savior is dying.”
Ar’ch jumped back. “Woman, you startled me!”
She placed her hand on his arm and looked at him with such a deep sadness that he felt it in his core. “The savior is dying.”
He couldn’t breathe. “What do you mean?”
Cybil looked out to the willow tree. “That willow tree once looked like a normal willow, beautiful but just as ordinary as any other. When our savior was born, it turned completely golden and has stayed that way until recently. The silver leaves began when Damiana captured Sofia. The tree’s life is linked to Sofia. When Sofia loses her energy, the tree deteriorates. We are running out of time.”
“No, I won’t let that happen,” he said. “I won’t let her die.”
Cybil looked at him with so much sadness in her eyes. “I am afraid history may be repeating itself.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Do you recall the story of how we came to be?”
He nodded. “Lucifer killed the angel Sophia, and the Goddess made us to honor her.”
The One Awakened Page 10