Saving Earth's Eternal Flame

by Janeen Abdo

  “Well, I have never known you to beg.” Zach smiles and with it, his blue eyes light up, “I like seeing you beg. I will return and we will see what we can do. I am assuming your gift is more than just being the greatest fighter but you can allow Timekeepers to be around you.”

  “Yes, I want an army of us to destroy that witch. The girls are together again. Well, kind of, Terra is helping Desdemona; but there must be more to that I do not know what it is yet.”

  A puzzled look comes across Zach, he looks to Zidon and Gem. “I don’t want to know about that yet. Are you two going to help us or am I going to go back in time and really screwing your lives up?”

  The two look at their friend and laugh, “And let the Timekeepers get all the glory. We are in and when the time is right we may have a few friends that will help.” Gem bellows.

  Zidon looks down at him, “I have a few friends, I am not sure what you have Gem. I believe you have a portal on your property don’t you.”

  “Yes I do my pointy eared fellow we can go through the portal in the barn and we will be on Earth in a blink of an eye. It does not always let you out in the same place on Earth.”

  I turn to them “thank you, my friends, we need to end up outside Bago. That is where Sera is.”

  The four walk back to the barn and Gem pulls back the hayloft and exposes a hidden white orb. “We all have to touch the orb at the same time and think of Bago.”

  We all hold our hands out to touch the orb and think Bago. A whipping stretching feeling comes over me. I feel as if I am being stretched and snapped like a rubber band. White blinding lights keep spiraling around me until I feel myself being slammed into the ground. That was the most miserable portal I have ever traveled. I look for my three companions and see Gem first, he looks fine. Zidon, I spot behind a bush throwing up and Zach is not far behind him and throwing up with him.

  “Gem why doesn’t the portal seem to have affected you as it was miserable for the rest of us.”

  “It is a Dwarf stone we have traveled through for centuries. I believe we are used to it, and you are used to your watery passageways not traveling by light.” He looks around and sees they are just outside Bago and can hear yelling, he looks at Wyatt. “Are we sure we want to go in there it sounds like something bad is happening?”

  Chapter 33: The Witch Reveals

  DESDEMONA WATCHES FROM afar as Terra sneaks off with her mother and sister. A small sadness fills her as she knows she never won the Elemental to her side. She shakes her head trying to understand why they do not want the humans to rule, neither does she, yet they fight us both.

  I guess they dislike the opposition of me and want to rule all by themselves, she mumbles to herself. A loud commotion breaks her silent thoughts and makes her realize she still has her coven to attend. Self-pity and loathing later, I must get my people under control.

  She wanders out of her caves and her young witches are climbing over each other to be the first to report to her. “Silence” I bellow at them. I take a deep breath to think the best ways to phrase things.

  “Witches we will go to war with the Elementals. We must be at our strongest. Terra has found Gaia; it will be only a matter of time and they will awaken her. We must gather all the non-magical humans, we must feed. Gaia cannot wake; She will make our lives difficult.”

  “I had tried to win Terra over and help her see that once we rebuild we will replenish the Earth and we would need her to help us. She did not believe we are the future. We are what will survive the desolation and rebirth of the Earth. I call out to you my witches, my sisters, my brothers find the non-magic’s and feed. Return with full of power and then we will fight. We will stop their storms and fires and we will win!”

  The witches band together and cheer as they turn on their non-magic followers to strike them down and drink their blood. The screams of the non-magic rip through the air and blood spills as the dark witches start their massacre. Witches are showing signs of insanity as they drink the blood. Desdemona makes it a point to decapitate these witches.

  One Witch is slicing the throat of a human and drinks his blood. As he is being drained, she reached into his chest and cackles as she rips his heart from his chest and bites into it. I stand over her watching as she eats. Pity reaches through me, so many will have to die. They are too weak to withstand the power of blood magic.

  I will need to search harder to build my army. “Mya” I stay calm as she turns to look at me. Insanity in her eyes, her breathing is now a pant and her grin covered in blood. I have seen this happen so many times in the last five hundred years. Out of one hundred witches only seven are strong enough to overcome blood magic and become powerful. I raise my sword and bring it down on Mya's slender neck. She was beautiful is all I can think.

  I call to the seven who are showing strength, “Dark Witches! Kill the weakened ones. Chop off their heads and do not feed on the brothers and sisters. They tainted.” The seven take their swords and slay the witches that have lost their mind.

  Shaking with anger, I returned to my cave. Did not expect Terra find Gaia and run immediately. I expected her to stay until I make her immortal and convince her to love me. We would have invincible together.

  I sit in the room where Gaia slept, Haresh will be back soon. He will clean up my mess. He is the only non-magic that will survive this war. I will see that his loyalty goes rewarded. I look to my crystals to see if Bago has turned on Sera and can’t help but smile. She is tied to the pyre. They think they can burn the Elemental.

  The boy, tied to a tree he must live long enough for me to control Sera. I close my eyes and visualize a bubble around the boy.

  “No magic ex sanguine conficiunt circulum unum tueri. Cor ignis est iste puer, et succendatur, et roboraretur formam ignis.” I say this chant over and over and see light surround the green eyed boy. As I watch the destruction begin, I know the humans will hate the Elementals again after tonight. Haresh needs to grab this boy soon.

  A tall shadow stands in the doorway, I can see his long bony fingers. He cleans up my massacre. “You will be busy tonight Sephitis. I did not think the master of Death escorted humans anymore. I thought you let their souls wander forever now.”

  He turned to look at me, lowering his hood, “The wars had slowed down, only murders are consistent, humans still have not learned. But this, so unfair even to them Desdemona, why destroy so many before the war erupts?”

  “I need only the strongest; I had to weed out the weak and the fastest and most effective way.”

  “Why do you not consider joining the Elementals, they tire of the humans?”

  “I tried to convince Terra to join me, she betrayed me. That is what the Elementals do. I will rule and they will sleep. With all of their magic funneling through me, I will be unstoppable. I will rid the Earth of the humans and own this planet with my dark witches.”

  Sephitis looks outside the cave and sees his wife Adaliah collecting and guiding souls. He watches her with pride; she guides the poor souls with gentle compassion and grace. The truth of their skills lives with her; she has not forgotten the true meaning of death. “We will not escort the dark witches, the Fates will snip their threads.”

  I watch as the skeletal creatures leave my cave and return to assist his wife. If a couple that is best suited for collecting the rising souls it is them. I look at my fallen witches and think who are they to judge.

  Chapter 34: The Inferno

  SERA’S EMOTIONS RUN through her as the actions of the town people move without delay. It tears me apart watching them place the noose around Connor’s neck. I see the fear in his eyes. He is not ready to die and for a cause that is not real. I go into my trance and warn my sisters. “You will not make it in time. This town will burn; they will feel the wrath of Seraphina. Connor will not die today.”

  The town’s people scream “witch” as they see Sera’s eyes go white. Then as color returns to her eyes the flames form her in her hair as she transforms into her Element
al being.

  “Release Connor and you will be spared; I am the daughter of Gaia, The Mother Earth. The Eternal Flame Seraphina!” my voice puts fear in all the villagers they turn to the reverend for explanation. He has tried to convince the Elementals never existed.

  Isaac Screams “She is the devils Spawn! Kill the boy! Make her suffer!”

  A glowing light surrounds Connor, protecting him from the town people and relief rises in me as I take my full form and look down on the villagers. The pyre I was tied to takes flame. The fires come from my body and I attack just the reverend. He is to blame, keeping the people from having a choice. It is his type that creates hate and wars in the world and punishment shall be his.

  The screams of the reverend are deafening as the flames consume him. I look to see Connor still safe in the bubble of light. “Thank you Adara for protecting him.” I say to myself.

  The town’s people fell to the ground asking for forgiveness. I flame down and return to human size. “Rise people of Bago, nothing to forgive. But learn from this. Your faith is good and it follows your beliefs coming from your heart, but do not judge on a rumor or by one man’s words. He did not lead you; he controlled you. I must join my sisters now.”

  “This town has restored a faith in humanity; you took me in as a stranger and while you tried to burn me, you did so because you protected each other. That is what we want to see in the humans love and protecting each other, not destroying.” I look to Connor and see he is still enveloped by the light.

  “Adara?” I reach out to her in my mind.

  “I am here; please say you have not destroyed Bago. Your sisters are arriving now.”

  “Bago is fine; you can release Connor from your sphere of light.”

  “I do not have him in a sphere of light. My mind did not work that quickly.” Adara sounds puzzled with this information.

  If Adara is not protecting Connor, who is? The gimp is here, he is cutting the rope from Connors neck. Anger fills me; he was working for Desdemona this whole time. He was playing me with his kindness. Anger fills and pain shoots through my heart. He is a true human, a betrayer until the end. I look and see these little humans staring at me in fear. I rise to full form, I look to Connor and he is yelling as if he can stop me.

  “Did you all know, did Desdemona promise you glory to trick me into believing your little village is a good place? How could you have all fooled me so well? You humans are treacherous liars. Pain is all you will feel as this town will burn for the betrayal you have brought on.”

  I rise to my full height and my fire engulfs my true form as lava rises from the Earth. The steel beams melt and the concrete crumbles. Fires erupt and people scream and engulfed in the flames. Connor is screaming from within his bubble for me to stop. I see the gimp trying to get them out of there.

  Adrianna appears first and takes her full form to bring the rains. They cool the lava and douse the fires. They are too late, Sera destroyed the town. Adrianna stares at me with disbelief. “How could you do this? One human man and you kill thousands. I thought you could control your gift better than this. I thought the seer’s prophecy was wrong. Your words Sera, you did this with your petty temper tantrums.”

  V and Terra arrive and I see the pain in Terra’s eyes. The anger is all for me. I do not know why I did this or if it can be fixed. I look to the tree Connor was to be hung, he and gimp are gone. Dropping to the ground and my tears cannot stop; “I do not know why or how, I just erupted once I saw that Connor had played me. My ego and pride won over me. I cannot fix this. I am so sorry.” Guilt has weakened me. I stay on the ground.

  Wyatt is the first to approach me. “I do not think it was Connor who played you Sera. I believe it was Desdemona.” He places a hand on my shoulder and looks at me with sorrow in his eyes. “We failed you; we could not get here in time. Zach and I are Timekeepers and we did not get here in time to help you. We failed you.”

  I look to Terra with my eyes full of tears and wonder if she will forgive me. For the last five hundred years she has lived many lives in this village and gone now. The seer warned me, but I would not believe a mere human could hurt me. The thought of his betraying me to Desdemona was more pain than I thought I could endure. I have never felt so much pain.

  Terra approaches me. “We need to return to Blackhawk and awaken mother, in time, I may accept what you have done here. But right now please do not ask that of me.”

  I look to Adrianna, sympathy in her eyes. “My little sister, the heart can be cruel and you have never felt love outside of family. I think you were falling for Connor and the witch could see it before you did. I do not give you this as a crutch to accept as an excuse for your actions. But in time you will learn to find forgiveness and redeem yourself. We have a duty right now and we need to set this aside and allow Mother to waken and seek your punishment then.”

  V walks over and hugs me; “I know how tempers can take control. I have lost mine and caused damage such as this. It is devastating and it will take time to heal.” She looks to Zach and back at me, “I know when your heart has been betrayed, hard to see forgiveness in the light. I am not sure I can forgive. But Adrianna is right we must continue.”

  Zach looks to the ground knowing V is referring to him. Guilt fills his heart and he knows he left her when she needed him most. “V, I understand, I do not deserve your forgiveness. I am here to offer all I can to bring Desdemona to her end.”

  Chapter 35: Time Leaves for Nature

  WYATT STEPS BACK TO watch what is happening around him. At the base of the Blackhawk Statue, a glass sarcophagus entombs the Great Mother. Her long red hair swirls along her sides as she slumbers. Her small features are petite and strong. When the father of time and creation created her, he did so with perfection in mind. The four Elementals stand at each corner. Adara arrives with her Druid and Wiccan Seer.

  After the devastation in Bago the silence has been overwhelming. I have never seen the girls with such heavy hearts. I have been there to watch over each creation. Desdemona has caused more damage than I ever thought possible.

  I watch Terra as she fidgets next to the Mother, I know she wants to be her true form again and Adara has promised her this. I see Adara approaching, everyone is concerned she may snap after the massacre. She has not spoken or looked in Sera’s direction since we left Bago. They were inseparable before the punishment. Sera appear as if she is broken, she was the fighting spirit and to see her like in pain is heartbreaking to say in the least.

  V is angry; she wants vengeance on Desdemona for breaking her family. Adrianna looks focused; I have always known she was the grounded one. This time she is burying her pain in her work. Never have I seen such tension between these four sisters and Gaia will have work cut out for her, to bring them back together.

  Adara takes Terra aside, “We must make you whole to awaken the Great Mother. Only you can do this.”

  Terra takes a step back, “What do you mean, I have tried to use my powers. I become weak. What more can I do?”

  “Nothing, it is not your actions that make you who you are. It is not what we see, it is all what you know and believe. I know we have had our differences, but I have seen how you have grown and who you have become. It is time for you to see it.” Adara speaks understanding this is hard for Terra. I wish it were that easy for me to become my natural form again.

  Adara turns and smiles warmly at me, “It is that simple Timekeeper.” She is always in my head listening.

  Terra looks confused, “I do not understand; are we punishing ourselves?”

  All I can do is look into her deep green eyes and nod yes, not believing it myself. All these centuries and we had to remember who we are and let go of the anger. “It is my fault, Sera I am so sorry. I have been trying so hard to save and protect Terra; I have lost sight of my duties. The guilt of loving her and knowing I should not. I am the original Timekeeper; I must set things right before I can take my true form.” The riddles of the Fates are making sense.
“Zach, please watch over them and be better than I was.”

  Terra looks at me, “You’re just going to leave now? I need you; I cannot do this without you.”

  “No, Terra, you can’t do this with me. I am holding you back we are our crutches. If we would have let go of each other and stayed true to whom we are. The world would not be in such pain. I will always love you, and I will find you again. Right now I need to find me.” I watched the tears stream down Terra’s face. But I see it in her eyes acceptance and understanding as I walked away I can hear Terra yelling out.

  “Tempo é eliminado, destinos teñen enganado. A Terra, os animais virán para miñas chamadas, Vou ir e loiter, Eu son natural, son da Terra e eu prevalecerá.”

  I can see her shadow grow behind me as she takes her true form. She is whole again, I cannot look back. It will crush me; all I can do is continue on my journey alone. Not sure where to go I walk toward Orleans, the swamps will take me anywhere I need to go. I must find Father. He is the only one who can guide me now. I look out to the stars and try to remember who I was before Terra’s creation.

  The Fates last riddle comes to mind, “Patience Timekeeper; that will help you the most. Stay a human until Gaia is free, the Earth will become herself to find her path back to you. The Druid has his importance but the Seer will bring life back to her broken heart. The human that can tame Fire will save Water. Time will reset once again for this to happen, but Earth must be herself before this happens or she will start again.”

  Earth is on her way to finding herself. I will stay human until Gaia is free. The Druid I get, how does the seer bring life to her broken heart. She loved Kaleb and he is gone now. I am not sure how to mend that unless it has something to do with resetting the time. Horardo was the only keeper messing with the time. I wonder if it was not Kaleb’s time and the Fates are showing me a new path. I pull my trusty sleeping bag out and set up camp. It has been a trying day and sleep may help bring things to light again.