The PriZin of Zin

by Loretta Sinclair

  “Calm yourself, Ian.” Ryder checked the stairs, up and down, from their position. Once their safety was ensured, he turned to face the three charges.

  “Calm myself? Are you serious? After what I just saw?”

  Aeryn took Ian’s arm. “Ian, it’s okay. He’s okay.”

  “Okay, Aeryn? There’s nothing okay about where we are and what just happened!” Ian turned back to Ryder. “And how do you know me? How do you know me? And what was that?”

  “That,” Ryder stepped in close to Ian, “was a battle you could not possibly have won. That was an enemy far greater than you could ever possibly imagine.” He stepped in, nose-to-nose with Ian. “That was your life being saved.”

  “Who are you?” Ian calmed enough to stop screaming.

  “I’m Aeryn’s angel.”

  “Aeryn’s what?”

  “I’m Aeryn’s guardian angel.” The battle still raging below them, angry screams and painful groans assailed their senses. “Your angels are still battling back there.” A finger pointed downward. “We don’t have all day. We need to move.”

  “I have an angel?” Ian looked dumbfounded.

  “Yes, Ian. Nestor is your angel. And Hunter,” Ryder looked at him, “Mikey is yours. We are assigned by the Great Commander to keep you safe and battle for you when you cannot battle for yourselves.”

  “I am not alone?” Hunter asked.

  “Sometimes you see us. Most of the time you don’t, but we’re always here.”

  “How did I get you?” Ian’s mind was working overtime. Ryder could see his scrunched brows and tilted head. “I don’t understand.”

  “When you accept that there is a power greater than yourselves ruling this place we call home, you are assigned a protector, a guardian angel who is willing to give his life to keep you safe from the enemy. You don’t have to be perfect, Ian. You don’t need to carry the burdens of this life by yourself. You are not alone here. You have friends you never even knew about here to help you. Lean on us or, at the very least, stay out of our way so we can do our jobs.”

  “What about my dad?” Aeryn’s plea pierced Ryder’s heart. “Where’s his angel?”

  “He has not yet accepted this truth, Aeryn. We need to get to him before it’s too late. His angel awaits. Time is short. The end is coming for him.”

  Ian jumped, throwing his arms in the air. “Then what are we waiting for! Let’s move.” He looked forward and then back. “Which way?” Hearing the sounds of the battle wafting toward them again, he shrank back behind Ryder. “You can lead.”

  At the top of the dark, dank staircase sat an equally dark, imposing door.

  A closed door.

  Ian was the first to reach it. Grasping the knob, he wrenched with all his might.

  Nothing.

  “Open it.” Hunter was on his heels.

  “It won’t turn, man. I’m trying.”

  “Let me see.” Hunter grabbed the knob and cranked.

  Nothing.

  “It’s hot.” He jerked his hand back, rubbing it on his jeans.

  “This is the top of the volcano.” Ryder’s voice came from behind, “the place of no return. This is the entrance to the gates of misery and pain.”

  The three stared at him tucking his silver wings back, yet still holding his glistening silver sword.

  “Listen to me, and listen well, for this is the time when you must stand up for yourselves. The choices you make now will determine where, and if, the rest of your life will go on.” Ryder choked back a thick sob. Ear-piercing screams and the rumble of rock battled away beneath them.

  How can I make them understand?

  “Where’s my dad?” Aeryn’s pleading look stung his tearing eyes.

  “Listen to me carefully, all of you. Morgan is on the other side of that door. You will need to draw on everything you have learned to make him turn from this evil.”

  “How can we save him?”

  “You cannot save him, only he can save himself. You can lead him the right way, but the choice must be his and his alone. The time is right. His heart is open, but you must lead him away. It is a job that only you three can do. Others would fail. This is your time, and your destiny. It is what you were called for.”

  “How do we save ourselves?”

  Again Ryder’s heartstrings tugged at the look in her pleading eyes.

  “You know the way, Aeryn. Trust your instincts. Step out in faith.” Ryder squeezed Hunter’s shoulder. “The enemy is a fierce hunter, ready to strike. Strike back when you need to. Do not be afraid.” He placed a strong arm around Ian’s shoulder. “Do not let anger cloud your judgment and your senses. Lean on one another, and when the time is right, let go and fly.”

  A fierce, snarling growl echoed up from the stairwell. Clashing metal and searing flames burst up through the darkness towards them.

  “Go,” Ryder urged.

  “That’s Mikey!” Hunter turned back from the group. “I need to help him.”

  “Michael is a trained warrior. He is fulfilling his destiny, as you must now fulfill yours.” Muscular arms raised overhead, Ryder struck the door with his sword. It blew from its hinges, flying through the air, barreling end over end, and splashing into the bubbling molten lava, bursting into flames and disappearing in a brilliant flash.

  “GO!” Ryder ordered. “NOW!”

  Towering silver wings shot outward striking the volcanic walls. Rocks and ash fell to the ground under the sheer force of the blow. Ryder turned back, and raced toward the battle raging below.

  Chapter 45: Freedom

  Free·dom [free-duhm] noun

  the state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint; the power to determine action without restraint.

  “What do we do now?” Ian shied back from the lava boiling through the open doorway.

  “I don’t know, but Dad’s in there,” Hunter said. “We have to get him out.”

  “We’ve come so far. We can’t stop now.” Aeryn wiped at the tears erupting from her beautiful brown eyes.

  “We can never survive the volcano, Aeryn.” Hunter tried to reason with his sister. “Dad can’t, either. He may already be dead.”

  “No!” she screamed. “He’s not!” She backed away from the two boys. “That’s a lie!”

  Ian stepped in now. “Aeryn, we don’t have the resources to do this on our own. Ryder deserted us up here. We’re all alone.”

  “No, he would never do that,” she insisted. “We can do this.”

  “That’s boiling lava. It’s like nine billion degrees. Did you see what happened to the door?”

  She backed up from Ian even further. “No, we can do this.”

  “We don’t have any help. They’re gone. They’re all gone. We can’t do this alone.” Ian still tried to reason with her.

  “’Step out in faith’, Ryder said.” She looked at the door. “Things are not always what they seem.” As she reflected inwardly on her thoughts, her feathers popped out, one at a time. “’Step out in faith’, he told me. So here goes, Ryder.”

  She bolted for the door and launched herself from the edge, disappearing into the steam and smoke rising from the glowing red bubbling rock.

  “No!” Hunter screamed and bolted after his sister, grabbing Ian’s arm on the way.

  “Oh, no!” were Ian’s last words before hurtling through the doorway toward their torturous death.

  THUD.

  THUD.

  “AAAYYYIIIEEE NNNOOOOO!”

  Hunter and Ian slammed down onto a rocky formation just under the doorway.

  “What was that?” Ian demanded. “Are you trying to kill me?”

  “No, you idiot, I’m trying to save you.” Hunter turned to face Ian on the rocky outcropping.

  “St-o-o-o-o-o-o-p.” Morgan spied the boys. “You have to le-e-e-a-a-ve this pla-a-a-a-ce. Not sa-a-a-a-fe.” He tried to move their direction, but was still chained to his fellow sheeple. One by one, they were being
led over the brink and falling into the volcano’s flaming pit. “Where is A-a-a-a-a-e-ryn?”

  “AAAYYYIIIEEEE!” The scream came from above. Morgan and the boys looked up to see her wildly flapping her wings, flipping over and over in the heated updraft from the pit’s liquid heat.

  “Hu-u-u-u-u-nter. Do-o-o-o-o so-o-o-o-o-meth-i-i-i-i-ing.” Morgan’s eyes teared as he stood on the rocks, inching closer and closer to the hell pit below.

  “There’s nothing that can be done,” a wicked voice snapped.

  The serpent’s head and long neck rose from the liquid center of the volcano. Droopy lips drew back in a wicked smile, revealing the razor-sharp teeth within.

  “You see,” the serpent said, “humans are easy prey. You are my targets.” It smiled, looking more like a snarl. “Once I set my sights on you, there’s nothing you can do. Your free will is gone. There is no more freedom of choice. You are mine, and there isn’t a blasted thing on this planet that you can do about it.” It laughed. Deep and guttural, the growling sound pleased its owner. “Leap,” he commanded, and the first sheep with its human head teetered off the volcanic ledge and into the flames below. The line moved forward. “See.” he said. “Helpless.”

  The sky began to rumble above. Sinister dark clouds formed, hovering directly overhead.

  “Useless.” Another sheeple fell off, and the line stepped forward.

  Lightning ripped across the sky. The following roar of thunder shook the lava ledge they were perched on.

  “Weak.” One more sheeple disappeared. Morgan stepped up. “Stupid.”

  “No!” Hunter screamed.

  Lightning struck the mountaintop. Thunder clapped. Morgan teetered on the edge of the ledge, unbalanced and falling forward.

  Aeryn dove, fighting the thermal air pockets to get to her father. An updraft caught her, sending her flapping off away from him. At the last second before he fell, Morgan turned, locked eyes with the boys, and disappeared over the edge.

  “Dad!” Hunter screamed, diving toward the edge, grabbing Ian on the way.

  “No!” Ian screamed.

  “He-e-e-e-e-lp me-e-e-e-e. Ple-e-e-e-e-a-a-ase!” Morgan screamed.

  A blinding flash of lightning tore open the sky one more time, and the thunderous roar of the earth crying out followed.

  And then, the whole world went black.

  Again.

  Lightning slashed through the darkness, lighting up the night sky in its blazing fury. The electric blue arc crackled and buzzed, splitting into five separate jagged bolts, still attached at one end. The bolts raced toward the falling four, plunging high speed toward their certain death. Passing them, the bolts expanded in yet another blinding flash, to form a giant hand. Grabbing the four, it slowed their descent, cradling them gently, protectively, until settling them safe on the ground. One final brilliant flash tore open the darkened sky, and the hand from above retracted, then disappeared.

  Morgan, Ian, Aeryn, and Hunter all sat quiet, staring at one another, no one able to trust their legs or find their voices.

  “He has many names,” a voice from behind said. “Great One, Master, Healer, Father. He cares not what you call Him. His favorite is Father, or Dad, if you will.”

  The group looked around. Morgan was on his feet— two of them, the sheep’s body now gone. He spun around, seeking the source of the voice. Seeing it, he froze.

  Out from the shadows, stepped a magnificent, perfect, eight-point buck with deep, royal purple eyes. It spoke again. “He wants you to know that He loves you, and will protect you when you call upon Him. You are His, and He is yours—forever.”

  “How—, wha—” Morgan broke off.

  Hunter stepped forward. Reaching out, he nudged the snout of the giant creature. It reciprocated the affection, turning its giant head toward the young man. “You have come far, young Hunter. You have overcome your fears and learned to face your enemy without flinching. You are a great warrior, but you are only great because you know that you cannot do this alone. He is very proud of you. You have learned much, about yourself and about others.” The buck turned to the others.

  “Miss Aeryn, you have learned to let go and truly soar. There are no limits for you now. Be proud. The Great One sees you, and He likes what He sees. Did you know you smile when you fly?”

  She beamed, blushing.

  “Master Ian, master of adventure, master of your own anger. You have done well. It pleases Him to see you step back and think your way out of things, rather than fight. You have used your brain well. Do not stop now. There is much yet to do.”

  “And Master Morgan,” he said. “You, sir, are forgiven for all wrongs and shortcomings. You have shown your sorrow and shame. Your ransom has been paid. You are free to go.” He blinked back at the others. “You must all go back to your world above and tell them. Tell them you are not alone. Tell them there are helpers here to fight for you every single day of your lives. They will not rest until they know you are safe. There is evil in this world, but that evil cannot prevail. You must tell them. Make haste. Time is growing short.”

  “How will we get there— home, I mean?” Morgan looked skyward, to the rock ceiling above. “And how will we know our helpers can actually help us?” Morgan asked.

  Aeryn took her father’s hand. “You have to trust them, Dad. They won’t let you down.”

  “Nothing is impossible for those who believe,” the buck said. “Your helpers will bring you home. It has been a long journey, but the journey is just beginning. It will not be enough just to get home. Home is where the real work will begin.”

  “Thank you.” Hunter nodded toward the buck.

  “Just remember,” the final warning came. “We are everywhere. Look carefully. What you think you see, and what you actually see are, at times, two different things. Perception is the difference. Learn to discern.” The buck winked a purple eye at the group and turned back toward the shadows.

  “Wait.” Aeryn stepped forward. “Will I ever see you again?”

  The buck nodded, giant antler rack lowering almost as if in a formal bow. “We are a forever family now. Nothing can separate us for the remainder of all time.”

  “Tell Him, thank you,” Morgan asked the buck, “please. Umm. Father, I mean.”

  “He hears you, Master Morgan. Just speak as though He was standing right next to you, for in actual fact, He truly is… for all time.

  “ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit †, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

  ~ Jesus of Nazareth,

  The Holy Bible, Matthew 28:19-20 NIV

  Epilogue

  “I thought he said that our helpers would guide us.” Morgan looked around, a bit nervous still.

  “They are.” Aeryn was in the lead.

  “Where?” Ian shot forward. “I don’t see anything but green leaves.”

  “Look closer.” She stopped. Youngest of the group, but by far the most confident now, she winked his direction.

  “I’m sorry. What was that?” Ian demanded.

  “What?” She smiled.

  Hunter and Morgan caught up with them.

  “Why did you do that? Why?”

  “What’s wrong?” Hunter asked, looking back and forth between his little sister and his best friend.

  “She winked at me. Your kid sister winked. At me!”

  “Did not.” Aeryn smiled.

  “Did, too.”

  “Did not. “

  The leaves rustled behind them, slightly at first, but then a little louder. “She, in fact, did not, sir. She winked at me.”

  The group turned and faced a large Praying Mantis resting on a low hanging branch of a giant redwood-type feathery tree.

  Ian’s hand flew out to smash it. Aeryn screamed, and a dozen more large insects converged on the scene. An even larger mantis addressed the
group. “I wouldn’t do that. Not if you want continued protection up in the world.”

  “You-You’re, a, a-” Morgan’s mouth hung open. “Helper?”

  “Some of us are, sir, but not all.”

  “Wow.” Ian withdrew his hand. “Sorry. I should have known better.”

  “Yes, Master Ian, you certainly should have. You, of all three young ones, embraced your life down here. You did not fight against it as the others did.”

  He smiled, and nodded.

  “You truly loved your pirate friends, did you not?”

  Another nod.

  “And one should love their friends as they love themselves. It is the right way.”

  A little green flash trailing hysterical laughter dashed by in front of them. “I found it. It’s mine! Mine, I sayz. Alls mine!”

  The mantis heads all turned to follow Alistair’s little leprechaun body toward the end of the rainbow that still hung over their heads, their multi-faceted eyes reflecting his little running body in the sunlight.

  “GGGGOOOOLLLLLLDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!” The scream wafted back on the wind.

  The bushes rustled again, and there was the buck, purple eyes glistening, just the hint of a smile on his face. “Take our friends safely home, please. Daylight grows short, and the darkness will bring danger.”

  “Danger?” Morgan’s face grew weary, eyes darting, hands clenched.

  “Worry not, Master Morgan, for you have seen the light. This does not mean that you will be free from troubles in your life, but you will have others to call upon during times of crisis. Never forget this. And never,” the buck turned to Ian, “forget your friends.”

  “Be we together, or be we apart,” Ian whispered.

  “None kin tear ye and yer brothers apart!” The chorus drifted down from above. Ian jerked his head up to see the Wayfarer floating in the clouds above, every pirate hanging over the side, yelling and cheering at their friend below. He leapt into the air, waving frantically at his friends on high. “I telled ye ye’s could comes back iffin ye did weel, laddie.” A rope dropped from the sky. “Man overboard! Drop the sails and hold the riggins. Get ye yungun up here’s so’s we kin get! Thar’s sailin’ to be’s done!”