Harmonizer's Evolution (Balancer's Soul cycle)

by Lee Morgan

  “As time passed they and their children began interbreeding. You both have seen firsthand accounts of this. Now that wouldn’t bother me so much because it would be expected within a confined space, no matter how large the haven was. The problem that we face is how they think and how they see the world. They are all like brainwashed or fractured minded children who know not, except what they are told. They know of no other alternative path or way of thinking.”

  Sorono went silent for a moment and Mark took the time to ask “How do they think? What is this catastrophic picture your painting in my mind and who is pulling the strings?”

  Connor’s reptilian brother smiled at Mark and solemnly responded with “Everything you have asked can all be tied to one person…Ranvan. I thought he was going feral, but that was the worst assumption I’ve ever made in my entire life... When he found that sanctuary he knew just how to use it for his own purposes. Each and every Keeper in there hung to his every word like he was the Hallowed Mother herself. Most of the surviving Originals remember that their race once ruled over the entire planet and their fathers once ruled over it all.

  “It didn’t take much time or effort to instill them with the thoughts of reclaiming their rightful heritage.”

  “How are they going to subjugate the humans then?” Connor thought to them and it wasn’t a stretch to seek that conclusion. Mark’s eyes were wide and Sorono remained calm and collective.

  Sorono continued. “Connor, as you have concluded, they are preparing for a war never witnessed by the humans. Ranvan seeks to destroy humanity’s rule, their history and return them to the Stone Age. He sees humanity as nothing but a minor annoyance and like cattle. He and the others wish to reign in humans like breeding stock. He sees them all as one major thing, a short-lived food source.”

  “Oh, this cannot be really happening.” Mark said to them and to himself.

  “Sorry Bud, but everything now makes perfect sense. Remember how I said there was more to this than simply kidnapping Sorono? Well now my worries are now justified…unfortunately.”

  Mark looked worriedly at Sorono. “Do you know if they are clustered together so we can take them out all at once?”

  “I wish that could be said with a yes, but I’m afraid it would be a lie. From what I had learned from the moment in Ranvan’s mind, they have scattered all around the United States. They are going to take America out as their first target. America is one of the three military superpowers on this planet. After America is crippled they will go to Russia and then finish off with Asia. With them out of the way the other countries will topple over easily.”

  Connor had to ask. “If my country is first on the list, do you know when and where this attack will take place?”

  Sorono finally grinned proudly at him. “Indeed, I do know that much. In sixty nine days, on July forth, the attack will begin. Ranvan is targeting three main targets first. He is going to destroy Los Angeles California, New York City and Washington D.C. simultaneously on that date. He wants to disrupt the military’s command in D.C. Destroy the greatest financial capital of all the states in New York and make a detrimental example of L.A.

  “Later on, he and the others will destroy every military base, one by one. After America is crippled, they will move on. Time means little to them. The entire process will take years, if not decades, but humanity’s reign will eventually come to an end with little casualties to their own numbers.

  “On that very day, the world will learn once again that immortals still live. That will be the final day that we Keepers reveal ourselves to the world of man again. It will be a shock to the entire world, but we need to protect those who are helpless from the oncoming assault.”

  “If things are truly that bad,” Mark said. “then what could possibly be done to circumvent this approaching atrocity? From what you’ve said, we are vastly outnumbered. There are what, only over a hundred thousand Keepers, Balancers and Changers combined who are capable of fighting.”

  Connor then spoke in a commanding tone that boosted even his own confidence. “It doesn’t matter if we are outnumbered, we will face them on that day and protect everyone. Even if I must do it alone, I’ll take down as many murderers with me as possible. Luckily we won’t need to worry about that because we have plenty of time to prepare a counterstrategy. We know where they are heading and we will catch them unaware. Right now we have the advantageous position, despite the numbers that will oppose us.” He flipped over to fly with his back facing the ocean’s surface and to look them each in the eye. “Do I have support from the Keepers?”

  Sorono’s hazel eyes hardened into piercing daggers. “We will fight!”

  Connor’s eyes moved over to meet pure silver. “And the Changers?”

  Mark grinned and hooked his fingers. “Our claws are prepared!”

  They grinned at each other for a moment and then resumed flying properly.

  Not long after they finally crossed onto land, Mark asked “Sorono, if they removed most of your bond with Veronica, how would you reestablish it?”

  “That is easy, all that must be done is to give each other energy at the same time to repair our bond’s connection. Unfortunately it is sacrilege to do that to a person who is unwilling to disrupt their connection their mate. We give the option to only those who are going to prison.” At the word, prison, something similar to hope flashed across his scaly features and then it disappeared. “No one can ever permanently remove a bond unless a mate dies, but it is a help to those who were incarcerated because many go mad knowing exactly where there mate always is, and not being able to go near them. It is the prisoner’s individual choice to give up the sense to feel their mate’s location, until the time of their release. It is both a punishment and a reprieve for them.”

  Twenty minutes later Connor felt his bond with Sarah easing and emotions swelling. “Hey guys, Sarah knows we are on our way because she is happy and excited. It also seems like they are all stationary because she isn’t moving towards us.”

  “Indeed, I too feel Veronica’s joy rising. She and the others must be together or else she would already be flying here to greet us.”

  Mark thought to himself, but its meaning is for, Kara. “Sweet… I’m coming home, Sweetheart!”

  These past few days Sarah has been half-sleeping at most or not sleeping at all. She’s worried for the Elder’s safety, but for her husband’s most of all. The only ones not asking for a constant update, every hour or so, were Jenny and her parents. Apparently they don’t need to constantly worry about their son or grandson. Kara had temporarily moved into the cottage and slept on the couch. She politely rejected Sarah’s offer to share the bed. She said it would be just too weird, but the living room sofa would do. Sarah was afraid Veronica would stay in the clearing of her home all the time, but she didn’t. She had repaired her cabin out in the old training clearing so she and Shannon could rest in a suitable shelter. Jillian and Jack had been somewhat more relaxed than Kara or Veronica, but more pushy than Sarah’s in-laws.

  Then there were Darrel and Pearl. The two of them were asking continually about their daddy. Pearl mainly wanted to know what he was feeling whereas her brother wanted to know which direction and how far away he was. Just before they were put to sleep that first night Sarah had given them a simple lecture on learning another language, they learned Russian fluently. Darrel grew fascinated on how some languages speak backwards from their own. Pearl liked speaking the syntaxes as her mind tried to punctuate the words properly. Their cuteness was only a mild distraction for the worried feeling in her gut.

  Sarah didn’t mind all the questions from everyone because they kept her mind occupied and not begin to think of any of the horrible things that might happen to her mate. Every time she’d lay in bed, that is where her mind would always lead to and that is the main reason it was difficult to get any form of sleep.

  The day her mate and his best friend departed she’d continually felt where he was heading. He had went to
South America and the further away he went the more minuscule his movements seemed to make. During the early morning hours he had changed course and went to the left, a little bit and then he stayed in one general spot. Veronica had explained that he must have found the clearing that she had. She even sent Sarah a mental images of what she had found for clarification.

  In the early afternoon she’d felt Connor’s emotions change to joyous. She’d explained everything as everyone came over to her home to listen for an update. She then felt her husband’s bond begin to move westward. When Veronica heard this, she wanted to depart and find her mate immediately. Everyone had Sarah’s back when she told Veronica how much of a bad idea that would be. She didn’t listen to any of them until Shannon told her mother that she should trust Connor like she trusts her mate. Those logical words finally placated the worried giant.

  When Connor stopped for a short time and then moved again, Sarah somehow snuck away from everyone for a moment. She had entered his private workshop and searched around until finally locating a map in a drawer. She judged where he was by her bond and mentally calculated where he would generally be on the map. Somehow he traveled into the Pacific Ocean, but there wasn’t anything land based and definitive on the map. With nothing concrete to tell the others, she returned to the circle outside her home.

  He had stayed put for several hours and moved for a few more. Everyone had gone home to get some rest for the night. Since Kara had taken up residence in the cottage Sarah confided in her when something had changed. His emotions were mild and fluctuating. That all changed when Connor’s emotions turned to a sickening horror and anger. Kara listened and patted her thigh saying that whatever happened ‘Brother can always deal with anything that’s thrown at him.’ Her calm silvery eyes fortified her sister-in-law’s emotional climate. Sarah hoped that Connor could feel her emotional warmth that would help him get through this. Later on, his emotions calmed again and then began calculating.

  Everyone stayed the entire night on the next day when Sarah felt something big happening within her mate’s emotions. She’d already put both of the children to sleep for the night and focused on how he felt at any given moment, without much distraction. For quite awhile, she’d keep her eyes closed and tried her best to describe what she’d felt to the others. It was her father who explained that he understood what it was that she’d felt from Connor. His voice took on a calm and almost reassuring tone. “Sarah, what you’re feeling from Connor is the preparation to take another’s life. It will be quick, but tell me when his rage spikes for a single second.” When she’d felt it, Jack’s Azure eyes locked on hers and stated “It is over. Connor won that fight.” He’d been right, like usual when a fight is involved.

  For the next hour Connor forced himself to keep calm and focused on some kind of task. Then he became furious for the next five seconds. Not long after, his emotions were replaced with shocked relief.

  A minute or so later, Veronica’s head jerked straight up. She stated “It is Sorono. He’s awake and extremely weak and hungry … hold on … Now he’s happy?” Her scaly brow drew together in the firelight.

  Sarah felt her own bond and grinned up to her. “Veronica, Connor is relieved too. Can you guess what that means?”

  Veronica’s large golden eyes found hers and they slowly began to widen in hope. “Does that mean…?”

  Kara jumped up by their side and grinned. “Has Brother and Mark…?”

  Sarah nodded vigorously.

  Veronica threw her head back and roared out in pure joy and happiness. The nighttime animal sounds silenced from her cry of relief. Shannon also did her best to roar like her mother. The rest of them were shouting in bliss and hugging one another. Nothing could calm them to go home and go to sleep. Thanks to all the noise, both of the children had been woken up. Kara and Sarah retrieved them and told them the good news. Darrel smiled brightly and giggled without a single tooth and mentally shouted for all to hear “I knew you could do it Daddy!” His shout sent out another joyous emotion throughout the entire group.

  Pearl simply began shedding tears of joy.

  About an hour later, Sarah announced to everyone when she’d felt the bond between her and her mate coming closer. “They Are Coming Home!”

  There wasn’t a single thing that could dampen their spirits.

  Just as the first signs of sunlight starting overtaking the dark Minnesota night, Sarah announced with Pearl in her arms. “Everyone,” They all turned to her and her smile grew. “I can feel that they will be home in a few minutes. Wait here for us.” She made eye contact with Veronica and Kara. “Would you two like to come with me and meet up with our men?”

  Veronica patted Shannon’s head and stated “Stay here for a minute, hatchling. I’ll bring your father back very soon.” Shannon nodded and walked over to stand beside Rhoda. Then Veronica started summoning her energy.

  During Veronica’s speech, Kara’s eyes had been alight. Jenny and Darrel moved over a little as she took off her pink cotton shirt, that covered her leather top. Kara had worn her leathers for almost two days, ready and prepared for anything. Soon, Kara’s human form was replaced with a beautiful wolf with the striking wings of a hawk. She had blondish brown fur and feathers and looked absolutely magnificent. Her pointed ears flickered southward as her animalistic yet feminine voice announced “Honey, here I come.”

  Just as Veronica began rising off the ground, Kara expanded her wings. Just as Kara ran past, she beat her large wingspan twice and soared above the treetops.

  Sarah walked up to her mother and transferred Pearl over.

  Without another word Sarah grinned, turned around and jumped while pouring energy down her legs.

  Within seconds she had caught up with the two hopeful women. Since they didn’t know exactly in which direction they were coming, they were waiting together for her, about a hundred feet above the ground.

  “Follow me Ladies.” She said while flying exactly where her mate approached from. They were both flying by her side, grinning. Veronica and Sarah flew slower so Kara could keep pace.

  As they flew, she felt Connor’s emotions radiating joy.

  Not a minute later Sarah sensed two separate energies being used, one stronger than the other. From the look in Veronica’s eye, she felt it too.

  Then as the three of them saw three separate dots in the distance, The three women yelled simultaneously “MARK!” “CONNOR!” “SORONO!”

  Within seconds, the six of them had come together.

  Sarah flew straight into her mate’s powerful arms. He wrapped them around her as hers wrapped around his torso. Connor might not have bathed in days, but his smell and warmth were all too real. She then broke away to look up. His piercing hazel eyes made her entire skin tingle and turn into bumps. Her heart began racing and her breath felt short. He hadn’t shaved his jaw line since he’d left, but that made him look so handsomely rugged. His lips turned into the smile that is hers alone. It wasn’t until he spoke that she knew that this wasn’t just a hallucinating dream from lack of sleep. “Princess, I’m hom…”

  She couldn’t stop herself as she rose higher and crashed her lips upon his. He stopped talking as her fingers began entwining in his hair and he wrapped his arms around the small of her back. An electric sensation shot through her entire body and it made her toes curl inside her shoes. It really is him because his lips were made for hers and moved in a way that sends continuous shivers up her spine. No one could match this level of passion for her. This really was her husband and the father of her amazing children. This is the only man she’d ever share her life with and he felt exactly the same way for her.

  Sarah didn’t know how long the kiss lasted, but it broke when they finally heard a snapping sound up here in the air. They turned to see that Mark held Kara’s arm and she had returned to her human form. Mark then jerked his clawed arm and tossed Kara higher in the air. She flipped gracefully and landed perfectly on his back, like they’ve practiced the mov
e a thousand times. Mark flapped his wings a few times and then Kara leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his furry neck, from behind. Sarah watched as she kissed the side of his head, but unable to hear what they said from where they flew. From the lustful look in Kara’s eyes, Sarah flushed for some reason.

  Then they heard a faint sound like a hissing purr.

  The four moved around to see Sorono tightly holding Veronica to his breast and she was crying in relief. It was a reunion of lovers who had been cut off for no good reason. Then Sarah saw how the Head Elder looked. His robe appeared tattered and ruined in what she didn’t even want to know. His face was slightly swollen and covered in dried blood. Despite how ragged he looked, he was overwhelmed with relief and happiness. They were both too choked up for anything else except holding one another. She couldn’t have been any happier that they were able to come together again. It made Sarah’s smile grow even more.

  “Sorono!” Connor shouted while also breaking the joyous atmosphere. Sarah looked at him like he’d lost his mind. After all they been through they could have had a few more minutes together. He only kept his piercing eyes on the reptilian couple. “You told me to remind you if you did something like this! Don’t forget what we planned to do on the way here!”

  Veronica pulled away and hissed at Sarah’s mate. She didn’t enjoy the interruption. If she was in her position she’d probably do the same.

  “Veronica,” Sorono said lovingly while also using his index knuckle to move her chin to look at him. “do not be upset with Connor. I really did tell him to interrupt us if we just stayed up here and held each other for too long. There is much to do, but my heart is at ease seeing how beautiful you look.”

  “Sorono,” Veronica said emotionally while looking up into his large hazel eyes. “I’ve been so worried for you. Tell me that you’ll be alright.”

  He smiled down at her after his leathery lips pulled back. “Indeed my mate. I will feel better shortly, but first would you like to reestablish our bond?”