by V M Jones
The king shouted at her angrily, “You promised you would succeed. Now see what you’ve done. We are stuck here. You will pay!”
Faelan was red-faced with anger.
“No, said Faelan glaring at Dr. Ryan, “We still have others we can use. As for the prince and the others, I will punish them. They’ll wish they could die.”
She saw Father Fahey moving towards the bright, blue light at the doorway of the tower. She was furious that her plans had been ruined by these intruders. She was not going to let the priest leave the castle alive.
She noticed one of the king’s soldiers launching a spear towards the wall of shields. A flash of red light shot from the crystal in her staff which intercepted the spear. She guided it over the top of the wall of shields and aimed it directly at the priest.
Father Fahey had almost entered the portal when the spear pierced his back. He felt the sharp pain as he dropped to his knees and fell face-down onto the floor in front of the portal. Dr. Ryan and Dr. McNamara watched in horror as their friend fell to the floor. They dropped their shields and ran over to the priest and turned him onto his side. Dr. Ryan knelt down and laid Father Fahey’s head on his lap. Dr. McNamara knelt down beside him as well and grabbed his hands.
“Father, can you hear me?” asked Dr. Ryan softly as tears began to well up in his eyes.
Father Fahey began choking on blood as he looked up at his two friends. He tried to speak but couldn’t get any words out. He knew he would not be going back. Tevan was now safe with his family. That’s all that mattered. He looked around the room. It seemed to be growing brighter and brighter.
“We’re here Father,” said Dr. McNamara as he felt the priest squeeze his hands. Within a few seconds he loosened his grip.
Dr. Ryan couldn’t believe what was happening. He had helped save Father Fahey’s life twice only to see him die within a meter of entering the portal.
Dr. McNamara was devastated. He had dedicated his whole life to saving people from the paranormal. Now he had lost another to it.
The two men watched curiously as they noticed a small white orb appear over Father Fahey’s body and gently float up to the ceiling.
“Dr. Ryan!” yelled the Prince, “You both need to get behind the safety of the shields now!”
Dr. Ryan and Dr. McNamara quickly obeyed and grabbed their shields. They reluctantly left Father Fahey lying on the floor. They quickly got behind the protection of the prince’s men.
Faelan was still furious. She slammed her staff on the ground, raised her hand and made a horrible hissing sound while she recited a spell, “Demons unite with me and seal their doom!”
“This can’t be good,” said Dr. McNamara nervously to Dr. Ryan.
The Prince shouted to Caoimhe, Dr. Ryan, and Dr. McNamara, “Lie on the ground and cover yourselves with the shields. Wait till I tell you to move. They’re going to rush us. Be ready. When I tell you, run to the light.”
“Sorry Prince, I can’t leave you here by yourself. I’ve got to get the king, Faelan, and the rest through the portal. If we don’t get them through, we’ll have to deal with them later,” yelled Dr. Ryan as he stood defiantly.
“Watch out!” yelled the prince.
Caoimhe, Dr. Ryan, and Dr. McNamara fell to the ground. The crystal in Faelan’s staff began to glow a bright red, so bright that no one could look directly at it. The demons seemed to be growing. Everyone felt an eerie feeling in the air as evil seemed to fill the soldiers’ hall and supply room.
Suddenly a bright, red light burst throughout the hall and supply room like an explosion. It knocked over everyone in the room except Faelan and the demons. The noise that accompanied the burst of light was indescribable. It caused a burning in the head like a brain freeze.
All of the shields held by the prince and his soldiers glowed bright green.
“Grab your shields and hit them on my command!” shouted the prince as he glanced at his men. “Dr. McNamara and the rest of you, run to the blue light!”
King Dubhshlaine yelled at his troops, “Rush them now! Get the two intruders and bring them to me!”
The shields of the prince and his soldiers were glowing green from both sides as if the power absorbed by them would burst the shields. They were getting hotter. Dr. Ryan, Dr. McNamara, and Caoimhe rushed to the glowing blue light of the portal.
“Liam, take Caoimhe through the portal. I have to bring everyone else back,” said Dr. Ryan as he patted him on the back.
Dr. McNamara took Caoimhe by the hand and led her through the portal. Dr. Ryan watched as they disappeared into the light.
“Release the power from the shields now!” commanded Prince Nuallan.
The prince and all of the soldiers clanged the green crystal in the sword handles against the shields. The resulting wave of green light made a low deafening sound. The low noise of the shock wave shook everyone through their body as it passed through them. The green light was so bright that everyone was blinded. The blast was so powerful that it knocked everyone backwards like the aftershock of an explosion. The king’s men had attempted to rush the prince and his soldiers but were thrown backwards against the rest of the men from the shockwave. The stone man cracked into pieces. The demons dissipated.
Dr. Ryan was thrown against the wall of the tower. He opened his eyes and was worried that the portal had been destroyed. He was relieved to see the glowing blue light of the portal still intact.
Prince Nuallan and his soldiers slowly pushed themselves up from the ground. Dr. Ryan ran over to help the prince up.
“It’s time for all of you to go,” said Dr. Ryan pointing to the portal. “You’ve weakened King Dubhshlaine and Faelan.”
They looked over at the king and his soldiers. Faelan was lying on her back, her staff broken into pieces on the ground next to her. The red crystal had been shattered but she was still clinging to a piece of it. The king was on his stomach with his face on the ground. The soldiers were scattered about the room.
“Somehow we have to get all of them through the portal as well,” said Dr. Ryan to the prince.
“That may be difficult,” said Prince Nuallan shaking his head.
Everyone in both rooms from both armies was coming to their senses. The king pushed himself up on his knees and looked around.
“Seize all of them and bring them to me!” he shouted pointing to them. “After them!”
“Everyone to the stairway!” shouted the prince to his soldiers.
They all got to their feet and followed the prince to the entrance of the tower stairway and the glowing blue light.
“Everyone, walk through the blue light now!” he commanded as he gestured to the portal.
The soldiers obeyed and disappeared into the blue light of the portal. Only Dr. Ryan and the prince remained at the base of the tower.
Faelan had regained consciousness and stood next to the king. She screamed and ran towards Dr. Ryan and Prince Nuallan near the tower with King Dubhshlaine and the rest of the guards closely behind. As Faelan neared the tower she glanced at the blue light. She stopped and turned around to the others.
“Stop! Stay where you are!” she shouted anxiously. “It’s a trap. I don’t trust it.”
The king and the soldiers stopped.
Dr. Ryan was disheartened. There was no way he was going to lure them into the portal.
Tevan and Patrick passed through the portal and entered the real world. They made their way up to the middle tower room. The moonlight was shining through the top of the tower illuminating the stairs.
Tevan couldn’t believe he was going home. He couldn’t wait to see his mother. He walked slowly up the stairs in disbelief with Patrick right behind him. He started climbing faster and faster until he reached the top. He stepped out of the tower door and into the evening air.
Ansley stood up and ran to her son. She grabbed him and hugged him. Tevan hugged his mother and refused to let go. Ansley turned with tears in her eyes and hugged Patrick with Teva
n still holding onto her.
“Thank you,” she said with tear stained cheeks.
“What’s a father for?” he replied with a shrug.
She kissed him and laid her head on his chest. Then she turned to Tevan and hugged him again. Declan and Siobhan joined in for a family hug along with Patrick. The family carefully climbed down the ladder from the top of the tower to the ground below. Ansley held onto Tevan’s hand and wouldn’t let go.
“Garda Bracken, this is Tevan,” said Patrick introducing him to the policemen.
“Welcome home young man,” said the Garda as he placed his hand on his shoulder. He still was having a hard time realizing what had happened to the lad.
Dr. McNamara and Caoimhe came through the portal next. As she made her way up the stairs to the top of the tower, Dr. McNamara noticed that she began to glow a bright white. When she exited the tower door into the night air Father O’Brian, Aine, Brody, and the rest watched in awe as the white glowing figure walked onto the top of the tower. Dr. McNamara followed her up the tower and out into the night air. Aine ran over and gave him a big one-armed hug.
“You made it,” she said with a sigh of relief.
“Aye,” he said softly with a sad face.
A few minutes later, the prince’s men appeared on the top of the tower. They too were glowing white.
“Welcome back to the real world,” said Father O’Brian as he held out his hand.
He greeted each one as they came through the door.
“We’re glad to be back,” said one of them in response. They stood on the tower deck and waited for the prince.
Father O’Brian watched impatiently at the tower opening waiting for Father Fahey to come through.
“Where’s Father Fahey?” he asked.
Dr. McNamara turned to him and shook his head. “He’s not coming back. Faelan killed him,” he said somberly.
Father O’Brian dropped to his knees and covered his face with his hands. Dr. McNamara placed a hand on his shoulder, “I’m so sorry.”
The joy in rescuing Tevan was now tempered by the death of Father Fahey.
Brody had been patiently waiting for the others to come through the portal. Dr. McNamara could see Brody’s concern.
“Dr. Ryan and Prince Nuallan will be trying to lure the king and the others into the portal. It looks like they are taking longer than I thought. I hope everything is alright,” Dr. McNamara said as he began to worry they had been captured.
He looked up at the moon and could see that the lunar eclipse was almost over. Several more minutes passed without any sign of Dr. Ryan or Prince Nuallan. He looked over at Father O’Brian and Brody somberly.
“I think it’s time for plan B,” he announced with a nod.
King Dubhshlaine, Faelan, and the guards had all entered the supply room as there was no opposition. Dr. Ryan and the prince stood in front of the glowing portal. Yet because of Faelan’s warning to stay away from the glowing light, the king and his men stood cautiously away from the stairway.
“Prince, it’s time for us to go,” said Dr. Ryan with his hand on his shoulder. “I’ll be right behind you.”
The prince turned and walked through the glowing portal and disappeared. Faelan could see an opportunity to salvage her plan. She held up a piece of the broken crystal and quickly recited an incantation. A faint flash of red light encircled Dr. Ryan’s legs and knocked him to the floor. The king and his men quickly surrounded him.
“The others may have gotten away but I have you,” she said with a smile to Dr. Ryan.
“It doesn’t matter now,” said Dr. Ryan shaking his head. “We’ve always had a Plan B. At this moment the protective symbol is being replaced over the tower opening and the curse is being recited. You lost. You can go ahead and kill me now. I’m ready for whatever awaits me in the afterlife. Are you?”
Faelan glared at Dr. Ryan for a few moments. “I killed your friend," she said with a sly smile. “Now I’ll kill you.”
Dr. Ryan was on the ground watching the witch defiantly as she began an incantation. He put his hand inside his shirt and clutched his wife’s diamond ring he wore around his neck. He gently rubbed the ring as he closed his eyes. He would soon be with his beloved Tara.
The broken crystal in Faelan’s hand began to glow a bright red. Within a few seconds, a red bolt of light seamed to leap from the red crystal towards Dr. Ryan.
He opened his eyes and was surprised to see slivers of bright white lights emanating from his clutched hand. He instantly let go of the ring which was glowing a blinding white. It encircled Dr. Ryan just as the red light from the crystal struck. The white light grew larger as it repelled the red bolt of light until the white beam of light pushed it back to the crystal. The crystal shattered into small pieces. Faelan was speechless.
Dr. Ryan sat up and pushed himself up off the floor. The diamond was still glowing white.
“Never underestimate the power of love,” he told the witch with a big smile.
"You’ll soon become cursed just like us,” she scowled. “I’ve waited this long. Sooner or later someone will find this castle just as you did and will remove one of the protective symbols. When they do, I’ll be ready.” She smiled as she could see the concern on his face.
“And I’ll do whatever it takes to stop you,” he replied defiantly.
As she stood glaring at Dr. Ryan, she noticed a small, glowing. blue light forming near her. She looked curiously at the light then her face faded into a look of horror. Dr. Ryan looked at the growing blue light and realized what was happening.
“My mistake,” he said as he smiled at Faelan. “I guess they changed Plan B. I didn’t see that one coming. Thank you Liam and Brody.”
Before anyone could move, the small blue light expanded until it filled the entire supply room where Faelan, the king, and his soldiers were standing. Dr. Ryan could see the fear in the faces of each one of them as they disappeared into the blue light. He felt a tingle in his body as he passed into the real world.
The supply room was now showing signs of decay but was still glowing blue from the portal. Dr. Ryan turned and slowly walked over to the tower stairway. He could faintly make out the maze of mesh wire and crisscrossed electrical wire attached to the ceiling and walls of the supply room. Dr. McNamara and Brody had used the extra mesh and wire to create a second portal in the supply room.
Suddenly, an eerie red glow began to encompass the room all around Faelan, King Dubhshlaine, and the others. Dr. Ryan took a step back up the tower stairway. A dark mist rose from the floor and sides of the room.
Shrieks began to emerge from doomed souls. Dr. Ryan could hear the mournful cries of the group as the room grew darker and darker. Soon the blackness enveloped them. The room became so dark and black that Dr. Ryan couldn’t see anything in it. Screams and shrieks continued to flow from the obscurity of the supply room. The sound reflected the fear and anguish of the condemned. Dr. Ryan could not bear to listen to it any more as he put his hands to his ears.
In a flash of red light the blackness dissipated along with Faelan, the king, and his men.
Dr. Ryan glanced over to where Father Fahey’s body lay. He slowly walked over and pulled the spear from his back. He knelt down and looked at the lifeless body of the brave priest. He gently picked up the large man in his arms. He staggered under the weight. He struggled as he lifted the body of his friend up over his shoulder.
As he slowly made his way up the stairway he was met by the prince who had been waiting part way up the stairs.
“I started up the stairs when I noticed you weren’t behind me,” said the prince as he tried to help with Father Fahey.
“I was attacked just as you passed through the portal,” responded Dr. Ryan trying to keep his balance.
“I heard the shrieks. I assume the king, Faelan, and the guards have all been taken to where they belong,” said the prince with a feeling of relief.
“Right where they belong,” responded Dr. Ryan wit
hout pity.
“I’m so sorry about your friend. He was a brave man. He was a big help to the lad while he waited to be rescued,” said Prince Nuallan solemnly.
As they neared the top of the tower they could see the bright moonlight shining down onto the stairway. The prince began to glow a bright white as he ascended the stairs. As he came through the doorway of the tower he gazed up at the night sky and stood staring at the stars and the bright full moon.
“I haven’t seen the stars for centuries,” he said as if seeing an old friend. “They’re truly amazing.”
Dr. Ryan reached the opening to the tower. He gently pushed the body of Father Fahey through the opening. Dr. McNamara quickly put his hands underneath Father Fahey’s arms and dragged him over to the side of the tower.
Dr. Ryan slowly climbed up onto the tower deck.
Father O’Brian quickly rushed over to the lifeless body of his friend and mentor.
“You were brave to the end my friend,” said Father O’Brian as he quietly knelt and said a prayer over the body.
Prince Nuallan rushed over to Caoimhe and took her in his arms.
“We’re free,” he said looking into her eyes then giving her a long kiss and embrace. They grew brighter and brighter.
Brody shut off the motors of the two portal generators. The night became very quiet. Suddenly, the group noticed something coming out of the tower door. Small bright orbs began pouring out of it and the tower loophole. Dr. McNamara, Dr. Ryan, and Aine recognized them right away as the orbs they had encountered in the castle. As the orbs floated into the night sky, the orbs popped like bright bubbles and turned into bright, white individuals floating toward the sky.
“They are now free to move on. They have waited a long time for this moment,” exclaimed Dr. McNamara watching in amazement.
Everyone watched in awe at the beautiful scene before them.
“Aye, they are free,” agreed Dr. Ryan nodding his head.
Far up in the heavens a light began to descend. It grew brighter and brighter until it shone on the top of the tower. As the orbs changed, they moved slowly up through the light. Prince Nuallan, Caoimhe, and all his men were a bright white. From the top of the light, the crowd could see movement. They could see people in white coming down the shaft of light.