Eden (Eden Saga)

by Matthew Plourde

  “Here they come,” Koneh said.

  Alexandra stood next to her companion and studied her enemies’ approach. A moment later, the flying demons scattered and landed.

  “Stay close!” Koneh said as he released his dagger into the air, catching a demon in the head.

  Claws scraped against rock and the beasts were upon them. Koneh’s sword flashed in Alexandra’s peripheral vision as he decapitated one demon and impaled another.

  Alexandra parried a clawed attack by a red-skinned demon and then she slashed with her sword, missing the creature’s head. Moments later, Erzulie landed and ripped the red-skinned demon’s wing from its socket. Two more demons landed behind Erzulie, and the angel floated backwards while fending off her pursuers.

  Alexandra whirled in time to block a barbed whip wielded by a squat, horned demon. The demon snarled as it lashed out with its tail, but Alexandra was ready. Spinning from the tail, she wrenched the whip from the demon’s hand and impaled the monster on her blade. It crumpled to the ground. Two more horned demons appeared and Alexandra back-pedaled. The newcomers hopped over their fallen comrade and advanced upon her.

  “Koneh?!”

  One of the demons toppled face first into the hard ground, a dagger imbedded in its back. Then, Koneh appeared behind the other one and ran it through before the beast could swing its weapon.

  Koneh dashed to her side and asked, “Are you all right?”

  “I think so. Where’s Erzulie?”

  Koneh’s eyes widened and he pushed Alexandra to the ground. With a whoosh, a demon flew between them and Koneh ducked to avoid the creature’s sword. Then, Alexandra realized it wasn’t a demon.

  It was a fallen angel!

  The fallen angel, a male, landed and turned to face them. His face was chiseled and strong. Muscles bulged along his arms and legs. Like Erzulie, he wore charred armor. This was the same fallen angel who was with Lilev after Tampico. And, like that time, Ael locked his white-in-white eyes upon Alexandra.

  Grinning, Ael turned to Alexandra’s protector and said, “Koneh.”

  “Ael, I didn’t know you served the Unclean One,” Koneh said as he circled in front of Alexandra. “I thought you were merely Lilev’s dog.”

  “Jono Mih’darl,” Ael said as he lifted himself into the air and raised his sword.

  Koneh stepped backwards and then propelled himself towards his descending attacker. Koneh caught Ael in the breastplate with his foot and dented the armor. With a flap of his wings, Ael retreated into the air and gripped his sword like a lance.

  “Jaharl ono de lorien, Koneh,” Ael said as he again darted towards Koneh.

  This time, Ael landed and attacked Koneh with a series of swift sword strikes. Koneh back-pedaled and parried each one.

  Then, Koneh huffed and said, “You’re not the first angel to try.”

  As they fought, more of the squat, horned demons landed. Alexandra glanced at her friend during the second before she was forced to run from the swarm of new enemies. Looking back, Koneh caught her eye and nodded before he was forced to focus on Ael. For a moment, her heart worried for Koneh, but the immediacy of the battle pressed her forward.

  Allowing her intuition to guide her, Alexandra raced along the winding paths and attempted to lose her pursuers. There were just too many! A horned demon squealed and appeared from behind an outcropping. Alexandra stepped into the creature’s advance and swung her sword through its midsection. As the demon crumpled to the ground, she saw something in the corner of her eye.

  Ael landed in her path and raised his sword. Alexandra stumbled to the ground, but Koneh was there. Panting, he darted in front of Ael and parried the attack.

  “You cannot protect her,” Ael said, his voice strong and clear.

  Koneh gritted his teeth and turned to Alexandra. “Go!” he said.

  She circled around the two combatants while Koneh kept Ael at bay. When she cleared the area, she glanced backwards to see Ael soar into the sky and again land in front of her.

  There was no escaping an angel!

  “Your fight ends here, Lamb,” Ael said. “Accept your destiny and throw down your weapon.”

  Alexandra’s sword wavered and Ael smiled. He stepped towards her and then reeled when a knife buried itself in his breastplate with a loud clink.

  Koneh rushed towards Ael and said, “Go now! Run!”

  As Alexandra stepped to the side, Ael mirrored her movement and disarmed her with a swift flick of his sword.

  “I cannot kill you,” Ael said, “but I will disable you until my master arrives.”

  Ael swung his sword towards her leg, but he never finished his stroke. Koneh leapt in the air and sliced one of Ael’s wings clean off his back. The fallen angel tumbled to the ground and Alexandra retrieved her weapon.

  Koneh pushed her in the direction of the flickering light and said, “Now!”

  Alexandra ran.

  This time, Ael was forced to deal with Koneh and couldn’t take to the air.

  The air!

  Alexandra scanned the sky for some sign of Erzulie. Was her angelic friend still alive? Some loose stones fell on the path and Alexandra spotted Erzulie struggling with a large, winged demon on the rock above.

  Alexandra ran to the base of the outcropping as the demon slammed Erzulie into the surface of the jagged rock. The demon raised his weapon and Alexandra threw her sword to her friend.

  “Erzulie!”

  In one smooth motion, Erzulie caught the sword and plunged the tip into the demon’s chest.

  More demons landed closeby. Erzulie shot into the sky, but she didn’t fly far as she was forced to fight her way through the enemies still in the air. Alexandra backed away and decided she couldn’t get any closer to Erzulie. The only clear path was to the massive silver gates. Now without her sword or her companions, Alexandra ran through the narrow canyons.

  The demons closed the gap, but Alexandra pulled Benjamin’s pistol from her belt and fired at the nearest enemy. The demon tumbled to the ground from several gunshot wounds. Alexandra emptied the clip into the closest demons and then threw the weapon aside.

  After widening the gap with her pursuers, she found herself running on a flat expanse towards the glimmer she saw in her dreams. The jagged rocks behind her, Alexandra found new strength in her muscles when she realized where she was. Demons hopped, flew, and raced towards her from all directions.

  Alexandra reached the gates. She looked over her shoulder, but couldn’t see her friends. Were they still alive? Should she run to them? Could she still help?

  A horned demon crashed into her and sent her tumbling across the rocky ground. She rolled to her feet and grasped at her empty scabbard. Erzulie had the sword.

  “Damn!”

  Alexandra calculated the distance between herself, the horned demon and the gate. The math wasn’t in her favor.

  At the edge of her vision, she saw a large pack of demons embroiled in a melee. Her friends were still alive. Alexandra crouched, ready to sprint for the gate when the horned demon moved.

  The creature leapt into the air and Alexandra dashed below its claws. She reached out to touch the gate.

  A moment later, she fell to the ground. The grassy ground. Alexandra blinked as sunlight filled her eyes. The bitter cold of the rocky plain was replaced by a comforting, warm breeze. Through squinted eyes, she saw a green meadow stretch before her. A stream ran through the grass and into a lightly wooded forest. In the distance, snowcapped mountains reached into the blue sky. Blue Sky!

  At last. Eden!

  Chapter 36

  Alexandra’s wounds and weary bones no longer cried for attention. Instead, she felt like she was swimming in a warm bath. Her pain melted away with every breath she took. A deer drank from the stream and lifted its head when Alexandra rose from the grass. Overhead, clouds drifted in an ocean of blue. The breeze reminded her of those perfect endless days she knew as a child.

  “So, this is Eden.”

 
; She turned and noticed that the gate was gone. Rolling green hills extended into the horizon where the gate should have been. Serenity reigned here. Alexandra struggled to remember how she arrived and why she came. She knew she was someone important, but why was she here? The question was replaced by a sense of peace and wholeness.

  With a child’s innocence, she shed her winter gear and grimy clothing. Naked, she dipped herself into the stream. The water was cool, but not cold. Her cuts, bruises and wounds became a distant voice. She lost track of time as she lay in the grass and allowed the sun to dry her body. An eagle flew overhead. The warm breeze washed over the grass and lightly touched her bare skin.

  Then, she noticed a strange looking animal hide resting at the water’s edge. Wait, that wasn’t an animal’s hide. It was a tattered jacket. Her jacket! She remembered.

  Koneh!

  Alexandra grasped the jacket and held it close. Her friends, Koneh and Erzulie, still fought on the other side of the gate. They fought so she could reach Eden. Her heart thumping, she struggled to maintain the memory of her friends. She didn’t want to forget again. She pulled her black fatigues over her legs and strapped her bra into place. She grabbed her jacket, but left the rest of her ruined clothes on the grass.

  Where did she plan to go?

  She scanned the horizon in all directions, but didn’t see the silver gates. Then, a light flickered in the distance on the slope of the closest snowcapped mountain.

  Well, it’s something, she thought to herself.

  Alexandra followed the stream to the base of the mountain. The sun remained fixed in the sky, so she wasn’t sure how much time had passed.

  The climb was gratifying, but not strenuous. Within a few hours, she reached a plateau and her destination – a silver tree. Her stomach growled when she spied the translucent fruit hanging from the branches. Then, another feeling welled in her stomach when she noticed the lone person standing near the tree.

  It was her mother!

  Recognition didn't register at first in her mind. She appeared exactly as Alexandra remembered and her smile caused her knees to buckle.

  Chapter 37

  “Mama..?” Alexandra didn't weep, but her eyes welled. Could this be real?

  “Alejandra, my dear,” her mother said. “I’ve missed you so much.”

  “I've missed you too-”

  “Shh,” her mother said as she gathered Alexandra into her arms and stroked her daughter's shortened hair. “I can sense your regret, but that isn’t necessary. Not now. You are here and all will be made right.”

  Alexandra looked at her mother through swollen eyes. Yes, this was real. “How?” was the only word she could manage.

  “I have been waiting,” her mother said. “God brought me here and He told me you would come. You once said to me that my faith was a one-sided contract. Do you still believe this?”

  Alexandra shook her head. “I'm not sure of anything anymore.”

  “Did you at least follow my advice?” her mother asked. “Did you look upon the world with new eyes each day?”

  “I still don't know what you meant by that.”

  Her mother smiled. “You were chosen to be the caretaker of Eden,” she said. “God sent you to redeem the world, and here you are. All you need do is touch the tree and Eden will be open for the pure of heart. I was preparing you for your task, nothing more. The choice is a simple one, but only you can make it,” she said gently.

  Her mother motioned towards the brilliant tree.

  “Is it that easy?” Alexandra asked.

  Nodding, her mother said, “God loves us all, and this is His gift. Do you have doubts?”

  “No,” Alexandra said, “this is why I'm here. It's just all so unbelievable-”

  “I have watched you over these past few months,” her mother said. “You have endured pain, hardship and loss. Yet, you also found love. In Eden, love is all you'll ever know.”

  Love? Did she find love? Were they meant for a life together?

  “Wait,” Alexandra said, her face growing cold. “You've watched me? How?”

  Her mother pointed to a silvery pool beyond the tree. “From there. It shows me whatever is in my heart at the moment I gaze upon its surface.”

  She stumbled to the pool of still water. Almost immediately, Koneh's image danced on the surface. He was in pain. Alexandra dropped to her knees. The vision was too dreadful to watch. She didn’t want him to suffer. The very thought caused aching in her heart.

  “The man you love will be here with you,” her mother said, “soon.”

  Alexandra turned her tear-streaked face towards her mother and said, “No, he won't! He can't die, you know that!”

  Her mother's face filled with sympathy. “I'm so sorry you love him,” she said. “But he chose his path, just as you did.”

  “I must go to him,” Alexandra said as she wiped the tears from her face and stood.

  Her mother shook her head and embraced her daughter. Sobbing, she said, “If you leave, Alejandra, you cannot return.”

  She broke from her mother's arms and said, “What?”

  “You cannot return. At least, not in the flesh.”

  Pausing to understand her mother's words, Alexandra blinked away her new set of tears. “You mean I have to die to return to Eden?” she asked.

  Her mother nodded. “Your place is here.”

  “There's no way to return?”

  “Maybe, in time, you could learn how to accomplish such a miracle,” her mother said. “But I know of no way.”

  “I don't have any time,” Alexandra cried. She couldn't abandon Koneh. “Tell me how this works.”

  “Alejandra,” her mother said, her tone the same as she remembered from her youth. It was the voice she used when young Alexandra was up to something naughty. “This is very important. You are very important!”

  “I know who I am,” Alexandra said. “And I'm not going to abandon my friends when I can still help them. Tell me what I need to do to open Eden.”

  “All you need do is touch the tree,” her mother said. “The knowledge will become yours.”

  Alexandra stepped towards the tree, hesitant. “How does it work?”

  “Those pure of soul will be allowed to enter,” her mother said. “They have been waiting for quite some time.”

  Alexandra inched closer to the tree. “What about people who are alive? Can they come here too?”

  “Yes,” her mother said. “This is a crossroads of sorts. This is how He intended it to be. The pure souls may enter, though once they leave they cannot return until they have passed on.”

  “Same rules for the living?” she asked. “They cannot enter unless their soul is pure?”

  “Correct.”

  Dropping to her knees, Alexandra searched her heart for the answer. How could she open Eden to only a few? What would happen to everyone else? Were they doomed for a life of pain and suffering while the moral elite enjoyed paradise? How was that fair?

  “What about everyone else?” she asked.

  Her mother said, “They will be reborn and given another chance when their life of sin has ended.”

  “How?”

  “Think of it like a circular stream,” her mother said. “The purest souls are diverted to a shimmering lake, to a place of peace and warmth. The sinners are brought back around again to flow down the stream once more. God has given us all a second chance, even those full of sin. There’s just one thing left to do. Release the dam, my daughter. Release it and allow the pure of heart their reward.”

  Could she do it? The tree was within reach. Koneh believed in Eden, why did she have doubts? Was Eden part of the natural order of things?

  Alexandra shook her head. This decision was almost too much for her. She needed time to analyze the consequences of her action or inaction. She needed facts! Unfortunately, her time had run short. Koneh needed her. Eden was their goal, and she had only one thing left to do. Everyone had suffered enough. The world needed
Eden and Alexandra decided she wasn’t going to be the one to deny paradise to mankind.

  Inhaling, she touched the shimmering bark and a flood of images assaulter her consciousness. The images came so fast, she couldn’t separate them. Everything jumbled together in one bright flash of light. At once she saw the gates of Eden open upon her command. People flocked to the paradise. From the silver tree, Alexandra ruled everything. However, the laws of Eden were resolute. She couldn’t break them. If she left now, there was only one way to return. Then, she also saw beyond the gates of Eden. Outside, in the rocky badlands, Koneh and Erzulie suffered.

  Why did the old crone want Eden destroyed? As the thought turned in her head, Alexandra saw a burning tree. The souls of Eden melted away and the Earth reclaimed the paradise into its rocky depths. No, that wasn’t a path she could follow. Eden must be reopened!

  She was suddenly thrown from the tree. For an instant, her wounds yelled so they could be heard, but they faded into the background as Alexandra and her mother turned to the bright light on the horizon.

  “The gates are open,” her mother said with awe in her words and on her face.

  Alexandra felt empty. She had accomplished her task. Eden was open. Why did she feel like she made a mistake? How would the rest of the world fare while the moral elite lounged in paradise? Did it matter? Could she really stay in paradise while Koneh was on the other side? Forever apart?

  “No!” Alexandra said.

  Her mother turned towards her with a puzzled look on her face.

  “I have opened Eden, but I cannot stay,” Alexandra said. “My place isn’t here. My place is with him. It was always with him, I just didn’t realize it.”

  “Alejandra,” her mother said, “you cannot leave. We have much work to do.”

  “Por favor, Mama, lo siento-”

  Alexandra touched the bark of the tree again. After looking at her mother’s confused face once more, she focused on the location where Koneh and Erzulie were in pain. With a flash of light, she appeared outside in the dark cold of the razor rock ravines.