by Summer Lee
Saeem looked around. “Shouldn’t Sam have been back by now?”
Chapter the Nineteenth
SAM AND ITAI APPEARED at the base of Mt. Nebo in Israel.
Itai seemed less than happy about his situation. “Where have you taken me, mortal?”
Sam looked around apprehensively. “I believe it’s Mt. Nebo. Yes, it is definitely Mt. Nebo.”
“How could you have done this?” Itai asked, with more curiosity than anger. “You are a mortal. Are you not?”
“Maybe,” Sam answered, not wanting to give Itai too much information. “Are you going to attack me?”
Itai looked confused. “What an odd question. Are you going to take me back to Poland? That is what I want to know.”
Sam shook his head. “Why? So you can take the sword?”
“You know much too much for a mere mortal,” Itai replied, with a sneer. “I am not a combatant. I prefer to use my mind to achieve my objectives.” He glared at Sam as his curiosity increased. “I’m not a bad person. I only wish to protect the artifacts from humanity. The human race has proved that they are not responsible enough to protect the things that need to be cherished.”
Sam cocked his head to one side. “I understand that, but if you are the only one who has the items, then no one can enjoy seeing the world’s history, but you.”
Itai assumed he was slowly gaining Sam’s confidence by not attacking him. “It is a true shame when we lose track of certain artifacts. The Staff of Moses, for instance.”
“Really?” Sam said, nonchalantly. “That is a shame. What is the Staff of Moses?”
“Nothing too important,” Itai responded. “The Sword of Saint Peter is of utmost importance, though.”
“Oh yeah?” Sam said, acting oblivious. “Does it do anything special, or is just really nice to see over the mantel?”
Itai’s demeanor changed. His friendly facade was no longer needed. “You mock me? I have lived longer than your entire family line would or has!”
“I’ve been meeting a lot of people with those credentials, recently,” Sam said, sarcastically. He was even amazed at how calm he was around Itai.
Itai had a smile on his face that sent a chill down Sam’s spine. “Fool!” Itai said with vigor. “I conversed with you to give the Sentinels a chance to track us! Now you will answer to them!”
Five Sentinels appeared out of thin air around Itai.
Sam did his best to hide his fear. “Nice. Now since they are an honorable sort, I’m sure that they won’t attack me unless I do something to you. Isn’t that right? Isn’t their objective to protect you and your secret club? Well, I refuse to fight.” He folded his arms and looked to see if anyone was going to attack him. “Your Sentinels seem a little convoluted. I can tell by the way they attack or don’t attack. I could go through each fight and find imperfections in their ways of combat. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what they will do next. Isn’t that right, Itai?”
Itai swore, emphasizing the potty words. He did not seem like a holy man at all. Sam listened, thinking, trying to figure out just what the guy was up to. Apparently, the sword had a monetary value to him. That was all.
No one moved as Itai fumed. It was an awkward moment. It was more than awkward. The green clad ladies appeared nervous. They reminded Sam of robots. One would step close to Itai, and then they all would. One would frown, and then they all would. This entire episode was weird.
Finally, Itai asked again, “Why are we here?”
“You can walk anyplace you want to go. You need the exercise.” Sam tightened his lips. “There is a lot about you that I don’t know. It will give me time to figure you out.”
“Like what?”
“Just who are those girls in green? Where did they come from? Why does Achava know them so well?”
Itai laughed a hideous laugh as Sam walked away.
Sam had been enjoying his retirement when he was suddenly drawn into the drama by the green gals. Sam recalled sitting in his recliner, thinking about the greatest adventure he had ever had. Who would consider arguing that fact? He thought about the Staff of Moses and how often it leaned against the corner of the wall in his home. He was glad he had the instinct to hide it before the ladies appeared in his home.
Even the way Achava first appeared in his life was strange. He was just a pupil at Zion School for Biblical Studies and fascinated by the teachings of his mentor, Professor Albert Salinger. Achava had appeared out of nowhere and challenged the professor.
With that thought came a fear of losing Achava. “I want to be by the side of the woman that I love.” He closed his eyes and said, “I want to go to Achava.”
Chapter the Twentieth
ACHAVA AND SAEEM waited for Sam in an alley.
“He will be here soon,” said Saeem. He was exceptionally patient, while Achava mumbled unintelligibly. Saeem kept possession of the sword, while the laptop Sam recovered was in a pack on his back.
Achava was pacing as Sam appeared. “Sam! You’re back!”
Sam smiled. “You missed me?”
Achava didn’t have the smile that Sam expected. “You’re not trembling? How did you do it?”
Sam’s smile faded. “It’s not a big deal. Once you get used to it, it’s actually quite a rush.”
“Enough!” Saeem snapped. “We will talk about this soon, but now is not the time. Sam, if you would be so kind as to take us back to the Garden of Gethsemane, we would be appreciative. There, you can tell us what happened to Itai.”
Achava grimaced as Sam clasped her hand. Grabbing Saeem’s hand, he closed his eyes. Holding hands with Achava and Saeem, he said, “I wish to be in the Garden of Gethsemane.”
Nothing happened, so he said it again, thinking hard about the Garden. They all three disappeared. They soon reappeared in the Garden. Achava waited while expecting to have some kind of side effect from the Soul Merge. But she felt good.
Achava glared at Sam angrily. He mastered something that only she had just discovered how to do. She was nowhere near as efficient as Sam was at performing it. That infuriated Achava. It only added to other negative emotions that raced through her mind.
Anger, frustration, and envy were at the top of her most used list lately. She couldn’t shake the negativity, no matter how hard she tried. She was, in fact, starting to accept her new-found cynicism. Something else that irritated her.
Saeem faced both of them as he took his pack off and set it on the ground. The sword gave off a warmth that he could feel even through the wrap.
“You realize that the Sentinel left that pack on purpose. Don’t you?” Achava scolded.
Saeem nodded, but said, “I need to address a more pressing concern.”
“What is that?” asked Achava.
“I can no longer be a part of this search, if you two continue to act this immature way.”
“Whoa!” Sam interjected. “I’ve been doing just fine!”
“No, you are right, Saeem,” Achava said with a sinister smile. “We’re acting like children.”
“Not me,” said Sam.
Saeem huffed. “Really Sam? You know Achava has been going through a troubled time and yet you are doing nothing to console her.”
“I comfort her when she is sad.”
“That is only because you want to put your hands on her. Haha.”
“You are not funny.”
“You mentioned that you do not have as much faith as Achava, but think about how that makes her feel. She feels that her faith is weak at this moment. By you saying that to her, she feels she still has to be the strong one. Do you realize how long she has had to be the strong one? And on her own?”
“Is that true, Achava?”
“It is hard dealing with weird people. Saeem has known me for a long time. And he is usually right.” Achava waited for Saeem to rip into her, but he didn’t. She noticed Sam looking ashamed and regretful. “Don’t feel bad, Sam.”
“This kind of adventure is not r
eally my thing,” Sam said. “But I am giving it my best shot.”
Achava blinked back tears. “Tell me Saeem, what has happened to me?”
“Achava,” Saeem continued, “I am more than surprised at you. You have the wisdom of one with more years than mortals and yet you now act like one of them. No offense, Sam.”
Sam shrugged his shoulders. “I understand. I guess.”
“You are a protector of Israel, Achava” he added. “I understand that you are having feelings that you are unaccustomed to, but part of what makes you who you are, is the fact that you have, and can again, overcome amazing trials and tribulations. Your ancestor, Achsah, was an amazing woman in a time when women were less than nothing to everyone except those who worshiped God. She overcame her enemies. What would she say if she saw you today, Achava? Would she be proud of you letting negative emotions consume you like a fire?”
Achava stood up straight and faced the barrage of harsh words. She knew that he was right, but pride had set in and wouldn’t let her acknowledge it.
Saeem kept his distance from Achava, because he obviously wasn’t trying to threaten her, which is exactly what that gesture would have implied. “I have known you as long as I think I have a memory, Achava. You are fighting these feelings that you have for Samuel Godfrey. You find every reason not to accept it and are now surrounded with an all-consuming negativity that you cannot get yourself out of. Yet, he is exactly the only person who can get you through this, emotionally.”
Sam looked at Achava and smiled. She smiled back. He put his arm about her waist, pulling her close.
Saeem continued talking. “Only God can give you the strength and wisdom to make the right decisions. When you think in your own strength, you are as weak as any mortal. You will have to live with the consequences, if there are any. You also must remember that life is a day-to-day journey. You take chances. If you stay hidden from what life offers you, you will never know the wonders of your possible experiences.”
Sam said, “I know that we grow through our struggles and pain. All of life is a learning experience for me.”
“For me as well,” Achava said.
“Correct,” said Saeem. “Who you are, is always who you will be, unless you allow new experiences to change you. God gave us all the opportunity to make right decisions and explore life.”
“Thank you,” said Achava. “I understand.”
He nodded. “Yes, you will get hurt sometimes, but that is part of growth.”
Tears filled her eyes. Achava felt shame and did not want to face Saeem. She turned away. “I’ll try to make better decisions.”
Sam reached over and squeezed her hand. “It is harder for you because you are so special,” he said.
“You felt that you didn’t need change, because up until now, you didn’t have the need to,” Saeem said. “You were comfortable in your role as the lone warrior and protector. Remember your ancestor was so courageous. As strong as Achsah was, she still needed someone.
“Achava! You can be complete again in a whole new way.” A tear rolled down the cheek of Saeem, as he clasped her arms. Achava could not fight the power of his words. She, too, felt the urge to release all of the bottled up emotions.
She fell to her knees and cried like she never cried before. She reached skyward. “Forgive me, Father in heaven! I am a fool and ask for your forgiveness. I also ask for forgiveness for giving Samuel a gift you gave me. I am humbled before Your ever presence. I will serve and protect Israel and the world under Your supervision until the day that I am no longer needed.”
Saeem picked up the sword and placed it in the arms of Achava. He then stepped back several feet. Sam followed suit.
Achava’s aura was golden as it surrounded every part of her. She felt the healing life force of God, as she stood with her head still bowed. The power of the Lord was overpowering for both Sam and Saeem. In spite of everything Sam had experienced with retrieving the Staff of Moses, he never saw anything like what was going on with Achava and the Sword of Peter.
Both men looked at each other. Sam could swear they both saw the spirit of another woman slowly appear into Achava. The spirit of Achsah!
“Did you see that?”
“Yes, I did. Amazing.”
Saeem dropped to his knees, bowing his head to the ground. Sam assumed it was a practice left over from his Arab’s religion. Sam pushed the negative from his mind as he, too, dropped to his knees. The golden aura spread through to Sam as Achava touched his shoulder. His entire being felt like it was set free from the trappings of the world. Achava then went to Saeem and touched his shoulder. There was no golden aura for him.
Saeem made no attempt to move as she tried again. She knew it was not her. It was something else. Her glow remained, but Sam’s was absorbed into his body and soul.
Something was different about Saeem. He appeared sad. A tear ran down onto his cheek and onto his neck. “It is alright, young lady,” he said.
“Do you have a word for me?” she asked.
Saeem stood as tears continued to flow. “You gave Sam something that was not yours to give, Achava. He got The Soul Merge because you had a bad attitude.”
“I ask God to forgive me,” she said.
“The Soul Merge will be yours again now, but only because you are worthy again.”
Achava had a look of surprise and horror, which caused Sam to have a look of surprise. “Achava, what is it?” Sam asked.
“I’m not sure,” she said.
Saeem continued. “Sam. You thought you had no faith, but you believed in Achava, even when she did not believe in herself. You do have faith in God. You only denied it, because of the great faith you saw expressed around you. You need not be afraid anymore, Sam.”
“Thank you.” Sam felt strength.
“Achava, the Sentinels are tracking you through the backpack they left at the museum. That is why they left it. Also, there is no need for the laptop any longer, because you both know what must be done. It will tell you nothing that you don’t already know. Now you can complete your mission.”
Achava could barely speak through her tears. She nodded. “I shall.”
“You both must retrieve all of the artifacts stolen by the Antiquarians. They were not meant to be locked up, but displayed for the world to see them and appreciate what they represent. Itai knew that the Sword of Saint Peter was the one artifact that could help to retrieve the other artifacts. It is in your possession now. Use it wisely.” Saeem took on a gray appearance; his skin looked dead.
“What is happening to you?” asked Sam.
“Nothing.”
“Yes there is,” said Achava. “What is really happening?”
“I don’t have much time left.” Saeem was choked up as he spoke. “I died a year ago, saving some bad people. I was brought back to life, but not given much time. That’s why you didn’t hear from me for so long. I was involved with horrendous acts of violence and was ashamed to face you.”
“Was it because you had been taught to hate the infidels?” asked Sam.
“Yes,” he said. “I begged our Father in Heaven to allow me to attempt to save my children from following my footsteps. God told me that He will watch over them and guide them away from their potentially troubled lives. I learned about the love of God. When I believed in Jesus, I was allowed to try to bring you back on your path, Achava. Let your newly restored faith guide you. You don’t need me anymore. I must now make amends and receive atonement for my sins. It will be worth it, knowing my children are safe. Achava. Please tell my children that I love them.”
Achava nodded as she embraced Saeem. “My promise to you, Saeem, is that I will let your children know about your new spiritual path.”
Saeem smiled as a golden aura consumed him. It was so bright that both Sam and Achava had to cover their eyes. Once it was gone, Saeem was gone with it. Sam asked, “Did we just experience a dream or vision?”
“No, this has all been real life.” Achava
picked up the Sword of Peter. She heard a voice in her head say, Welcome, protector of Israel.
All doubt and fear was gone from Achava. She felt renewed confidence, especially with Sam at her side. She smiled at him and kissed his cheek gently. “We must prepare now, Samuel Godfrey, for the next battle. Itai and the Antiquarians will not go down without a fight.”
He agreed. “Actually, I was the one who deposited Itai at Mt. Nebo. Some Sentinels showed up. They just stood there staring at me, because I wasn’t a threat. Itai looked upset, but even he didn’t do anything to harm me.”
“That is because he did not want to show the Sentinels his violent tendencies,” she answered. “If they were to see that, then they would perhaps rethink wanting to protect such a hostile entity.” She smiled a knowing smile.
“Really?” Sam couldn’t help but smile as well.
“I think it’s safe to assume that our destination lies within…” she paused to give Sam a chance to answer.
“…the Black Sea,” he responded, without hesitation.
Grinning from ear to ear, she grasped the Sword of Peter and held Sam’s hand. “We’ve got to both close our eyes.”
Then they both became invisible.
Chapter the Twenty-first
SAM FELT HE WAS bigger than life as they soared over the countryside.
He felt he was over his head in mysticism, but he started to believe it was his calling to be even more spiritual as Achava held his hand. He already believed in Achava. He even figured out that when he performed the Soul Merge, he could only go to places he had seen or actually been to before. Since the Soul Merge was a part of him for a brief time, he also understood that when Achava performed it, she actually traveled along the earth being guided to her goal.
He thought that was incredibly amazing, since she was able to stop along any point on earth, en route to her desired destination. It was like getting a tour of the planet in a short time. Her Soul Merge trips would be taking a little bit longer because of that fact.