“Until the end? Ah well, that won't be long now.”
He shuddered, a painful spasm that drew another groan from him. Sarah could only watch helplessly. Her ability to heal wasn't strong enough to help him, not when he was so badly wounded. She couldn't even ease his pain. Instead, all that she could do was watch as her best friend died in agony.
Damn it, it's not fair!
She continued to stroke his cheek. It seemed to calm him even if it didn't help with the pain.
Bobby's breathing slowed and Sarah roughly wiped the tears from her face. It wouldn't be much longer now.
Just then, the sound of a heavy footstep echoed down the hallway from the direction of the bunker. And then another. Something was coming toward them.
A third step made the ground vibrate slightly and Bobby forced his eyes open. Just as he feared. It must be another drake.
“Sarah, you have to go,” he tried to shout.
All that came from his lips was a tiny puff of air. He was too weak to speak.
But Sarah had heard and felt the footsteps as well. She stood up and moved to stand between Bobby and whatever was approaching. She raised her wand and waited, her jaw set.
Nothing was getting past her. Nothing would ever hurt Bobby again.
The far curve of the tunnel began to glow. A pearly light grew and infused the hallway with warmth, and Sarah gaped at the luminescence.
No way that's a drake, she thought in bewilderment. Whatever is coming is something else entirely.
The light continued to grow and Sarah imagined that she could hear music; tiny bells and distant sweet songs. But that was impossible. Wasn't it?
Finally, from the midst of the ethereal light, something appeared, moving toward them. No more footsteps could be heard or felt and the figure that was approaching looked almost human. Almost.
Tall, nearly tall enough to touch the ceiling with the top of her head, and covered in a pearl-white gown, they recognized the figure of Esmiralla.
Bobby made another groaning noise and Sarah turned and hurriedly knelt down beside him again. She tried to smile and pointed back down the corridor.
“Look who it is, Bobby,” she said to him. “It's the lady Esmiralla. Surely she can help you.”
The stately woman stopped just in front of the two corpses and looked down at them dispassionately. Her pale blue eyes glowed with their own light and Sarah wondered how she could have ever imagined that the lady was human.
“You have done well, Bobby Cornell,” she said with the merest hint of a smile. “Very well indeed. A new warrior with a new weapon, and yet you slew two very fearsome opponents. I am impressed.”
Bobby tried to speak, but all that he could do was move his lips. Sarah watched and felt her heart break for him.
“Can you help him, lady” she asked desperately. “Can you heal him?”
Esmiralla met her eyes and slowly shook her head once.
“No, I cannot. Your friend gave everything he had to save you and the others. His life is nearly spent. There is nothing that anyone can do for him now. But he dies with great honor, Sarah. Surely that counts for something?”
“Honor?” she spat. “I don't give a damn about honor. Bobby has his whole life ahead of him. We've only just started our adventure together. And we're going to need him going forward into the unknown.”
She took a deep breath and smiled down into his eyes.
“I'm going to need him,” she whispered.
He couldn't speak but Bobby's expression radiated happiness at that moment.
“He has done all that he can do for you, and for your friends,” Esmiralla told them both. “However, in doing so he has shown his worth.”
Sarah looked up at her, puzzled.
“Shown his worth? To who? You?”
“To me, yes, but more importantly, your friend has proven his valor and immense spirit to one far greater than I.”
Esmiralla gestured and the drake corpses slammed against the wall together and then flew back down the corridor behind her. With the way open, she stepped forward and towered over Bobby and Sarah. She looked down at him, her eyes like stars.
“There is a war coming, Bobby Cornell. Perhaps the last war that this world will ever know. And a war needs warriors; men and women of proven valor who will stand and fight for what is right. Are you such a one?”
Bobby couldn't answer. Instead he looked at Sarah, who nodded. She thought that she knew what he wanted to ask.
“What war? Between who? And why? I think Bobby wants to know those things.”
“Between the most powerful forces in the universe,” Esmiralla told them. “Light and Darkness. Good and Evil. Eternal Day or endless Night. A war between the gods themselves, to settle the fate of this new Earth for all time. Forces are gathering slowly on both sides and the time is approaching. I fight on the side of the Light and I have been tasked, with several others, to find worthy candidates willing to take up arms to defend this world against the Evil that seeks to infect it. Are you one of those candidates, Bobby?”
He frowned and tried to speak, but again all he could do was sigh. Sarah patted his cheek and looked up at the towering figure.
“Even if he was, you just said yourself that he's dying and that no one can save him. How can you ask him to join your cause now?”
“Because this war will not take place here on Earth,” Esmiralla replied. “Instead, the forces will clash somewhere in the Void; that place that exists between the physical plane and the plane of the spirit. Those who dwell there are neither flesh nor spirit, but a combination of both. In the Void, Bobby will be made whole and well again. He will learn the proper way to use his new sword and he will stand with other heroes when the time comes to battle Evil. What say you, Bobby? Your time is very short now. You must choose quickly.”
Sarah felt a rush of excitement. Bobby didn't have to die! Well, not really. He would live and fight like the hero that she knew he was.
She looked at him closely.
“Do you want to do it, Bobby? I can't tell you what to do; this is your decision alone.”
One of his hands quivered and he moved a forefinger slightly in her direction.
“What would I do?” Sarah asked in surprise. “I would accept the offer, of course. Not because of my fear of death, but because of the adventure. Think of it, Bobby! Standing shoulder to shoulder with heroes, fighting against evil. Who wouldn't want to do that? But still, that's only what I would do. This is your choice.”
Bobby raised his eyes to look at Esmiralla. His head moved a fraction in an almost nod and the woman smiled warmly.
“You honor us with your decision, Bobby Cornell. And you, Sarah, should be proud. Not just of your friend, but of yourself. You are becoming a leader among your people and that role will only grow over time.”
The woman reached down and lightly touched the wand in Sarah's hand. The yellow gem flared for a moment like a tiny sun and then darkened again.
“Learn to use that wand well,” Esmiralla advised her. “You have only scratched the surface of its potential. That wand has killed dragons in its time and, if used properly, it will do so again.”
Sarah gasped and looked down at the wand.
“Dragons!”
“Oh yes. It has a great history. But there is no time to discuss that now. Perhaps we will see each other again, some time in the future.”
Esmiralla leaned down and Sarah hastily moved back to give her room.
The woman picked up Bobby as if he weighed no more than a child. He gasped in pain at first, but then as she cradled him in her arms, his expression grew peaceful and he closed his eyes and went limp.
“Oh no!” Sarah exclaimed. “Is he...?”
“Have no fear. He is only sleeping. Entering the Void is a wrenching experience the first time, especially for one so close to death. It is best that he sleeps during the journey.”
“Thank you, lady, for what you are doing,” Sarah said gratefully. �
��Bobby is loyal and brave. He will be a strong fighter one day.”
“Of that I have no doubt. And what of you, young lady?” Esmiralla asked curiously. “Will you be able to put this sadness behind you and head off on this adventure of yours?”
Sarah smiled at the peacefully sleeping face of her best friend.
“I will now, yes. Bobby's given us a chance to get away, to start a new life. I intend to see that the Changlings don't waste that chance. And I'll practice with my wand, I promise you that.”
“Good. Well, we must be off.”
Esmiralla began to turn away and then stopped and looked back at Sarah.
“Oh, by the way, an old friend sends you his regards. With all that's happened, I almost forgot to pass them along.”
“An old friend?” Sarah repeated in confusion. “I don't have any old friends, except for Bobby and the others.”
“Actually you do. One, at least. I'm speaking of Simon O'Toole. He wanted me to assure you that Bobby would be in good hands if he decided to join us.”
“Simon!” Sarah gasped. “Simon the wizard?”
“The very same. He leads the forces of Light in the Void and he tells me that once, a long time ago, you saved his life. He is pleased to be able to return the favor through Bobby.”
Sarah smiled widely in amazement.
“Wow. Well, now I know that Bobby really will be okay. Imagine that? One good turn deserves another, I guess.”
“Indeed it does. And perhaps some day, I will have occasion to make you the same offer that I made to Simon, and to Bobby. Until then, be well, Sarah, and care for your people. I will be watching.”
Before Sarah could reply, the woman turned and strode down the hallway. The luminescence surrounding her brightened until it was blinding and then in a flash, both the light and Esmiralla were gone.
Sarah stood there alone, stunned at what had just happened.
It's like something out of a fairy tale, she thought numbly. And I wouldn't even believe that it had happened except that those drakes are dead and Bobby is gone.
She turned around and began climbing up the ladder, eager now to get out into the sunlight and away from the stench of death.
As she reached the top rung and climbed out, she saw someone leaning against the wall next to the open door of the barn, waiting for her. It was Magnus.
“Is he gone?” the shaman asked sadly.
Sarah was surprised that he wasn't aware of what had just happened. But like Magnus had always said, his was a different kind of power.
“I'm afraid so,” she answered truthfully. “But he managed to kill the two drakes that were following us. Bobby gave us our chance. We'd better get going and make sure that we don't waste it.”
“You're right. May the spirits watch over him on his journey to the other side.”
Sarah hid her smile as she walked out of the building and into the sunlight.
“Yes, I'm sure that they will,” she replied.
The End
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Links and Stuff
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Links and Stuff
The Changlings (The New Earth Chronicles Book 2) Page 34