From Origins (Descendant Prophecies Book 3) (8 page)

Mason pulled away, trying to catch his breath. “I don’t think I’ve used that much voltage on you before.”

“That’s because I can take it and give it back,” I returned, coming out of my daze.

“You sure can, Echo. You’re brave, strong, and can beat the crap out of anyone, even a god. I’m very proud of how much you’re taking in all of this supernatural craziness.”

“I have no choice, Mason. But I can, because I have you and your family. I don’t know what I would have done or where I would be if it wasn’t for you.”

“I could say the same thing, Sky.” Mason took my hand and kissed the back of it.

“You also wouldn’t be in this mess if it wasn’t for me. All the craziness started again for your family when I entered your life.”

“You didn’t pick me, Sky. Fate picked us. You don’t get to choose who enters your life, just as much as you don’t get to pick who you fall in love with. It just happens.”

Mason was right. Just like I didn’t get to decide if I wanted to be the keeper of life or have any of the powers I possessed.

“How did you become so wise?” I teased, running my hand along his bicep and stopping on his lightning tattoo.

“The day I met you, Echo. The day you started repeating everything I said.” His chest shook from laughing.

“Come here,” I said, with a wicked tone, even though he was right beside me.

“I’d rather you come here.” Mason wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me to his chest. “Go to sleep. We need our rest. I’m going to turn off the lights.” Mason extended his arm and shot out his volt to turn off the light when the door thrashed opened.

“Whoa, it’s just me, Mace.” Nick raised both of his hands to surrender.

Mason’s eyes glowed in silvery lights. They always lit like that when he was in a protective or fighting mode, or when he was excited with me.

Mason and I sat up. “Is everything all right?” Mason asked, planting his feet on the ground, seemingly ready for whatever Nick was about to say.

Nick shrugged his shoulders, looking sheepish. “There’s some kind of noise in my room. It’s annoying.” He glanced around. “Your room doesn’t look spooky like mine.” Though there wasn’t much to see, the room was big enough to have a sitting area. Off to the side were a brown sofa and an oak coffee table.

“Are you scared?” Mason chuckled.

“What? Me? Of course not.” Nick pointed to the sofa. “I’ll just sleep on that thing.” Nick was about to close the door when Amanda stepped in, forcing the door to stay open.

“Hi.” She looked nervous, inching her way toward us. “My room is really big, and you know how I don’t like sleeping on other people’s bed. So I’ll just sleep on the edge of your bed if you don’t mind, since Nick is occupying the sofa.”

“Everett, I know you’re there. Show yourself,” Mason grumbled, ignoring Amanda. Mason not saying a word, Amanda took it as a permission to do as she pleased. “What is wrong with my family? They can defend themselves from vultures, but they can’t sleep alone. Go figure.” Running his hand down his face, he waited for Everett to show himself. He didn’t have to wait too long. I could see Everett’s shadow. He was most likely waiting to see how we would react to having Nick and Amanda in our room before entering.

“I was just following Nick and Amanda. I thought you needed my help.” Everett closed the door behind him. “I think it’s best not to mention this to anyone. I don’t want to offend the Oracles. My room had a funny smell.”

“Oh, yeah, mine too,” Amanda added. “But your room smells…” she inhaled a deep breath, “just right.”

“I see.” Mason’s eyes roamed from Nick, to Amanda, to Everett. “Just right, huh?” He paused. “Mason and the three dorks. Come on, Sky.” Mason held my hand and helped me off the bed as he led the way.

I had to laugh at Mason’s comment. I knew he was referring to
Goldilocks and Three Bears
, but I didn’t think his family understood, since they had no comeback.

“Where are you going?” Amanda shuffled under the blanket.

Mason opened the door and looked over his shoulder. “To my room. You three can have Sky’s room. Keep each other company. We’ll be across the hall, just in case you need us. Sleep tight and don’t let Nick’s snoring bug you.” Mason shook his head, chuckling.

“I don’t snore. Maybe I’ll purposely snore loud, so you can hear me,” Nick snickered.

“Goodnight.” I giggled just before Mason closed the door.

“I love my family, but sometimes they can be suffocating,” he murmured, under his breath.

“I love you too, Mason.” I heard Nick’s voice through the wall.

“Don’t listen to my conversation.” Mason tried to sound stern, but a small chuckling sound escaped out of his mouth.

“Be nice or I’ll be knocking on your door.” I heard Nick’s voice again.

Mason rolled his eyes and opened his door. “Goodnight, Nick, Amanda, Everett.”

“Goodnight,” they said in unison.

“Don’t be surprised if you wake up and see me next to you.” Nick gave a boisterous laugh.

Mason pursed his lips, trying not to laugh, but I couldn’t control it. “I’m going to lock the door.” Mason winked at me and carried me to bed.

“Do you think
it will work?” I asked, studying the stone on the palm of my hand that Zara had given to me that morning.

I didn’t want to bring up the dreadful topic until after breakfast. As we gathered in the meeting room, memories of my dad came flooding back. I felt so guilty and ashamed for treating him the way I had. I acted like a child instead of an adult…I couldn’t help myself. Every time he was around, I was eight years old all over again—the age I was when he left me. I guessed I had never gotten over it, even though I’d told myself that I didn’t care.

“With our help, it should work,” Zara confirmed, shifting in her chair. “This crystal is the same crystal you are wearing now. It once belonged to my sister, Cara, but we took it from her the day she betrayed the gods. We painted it black and magnetized it so when Hephaestus uses it, it will do what the real one would have done. Lodestone encompasses a variety of magnetite. It’s a powerful positive-negative polarity. To realign energy flow through the body, healers use the stone; the reason why Hephaestus and Hades want it…
need
it, but each for a different purpose.”

“So what happens next?” Nick looked over my shoulder. He got out of his seat to get a better look at the stone.

“Then you all step in.” I stood up, shoving the stone into my front pants pocket. “You’ll have to distract him while Zara and Tara help me release my dad and everyone else that have been cast in iron. We have to get them out as fast as we can. I won’t have time to kill Hephaestus, especially since he disappears like a coward. But he’s stronger and different than before. He has experimented on himself; therefore, we don’t know what he’s truly capable of. I think it’s best to get out and have Hades deal with him.”

“He’s crazy.” Noah placed his arm around Amanda’s shoulder. “Make sure to stay close to me.”

“There’s one problem.” My words stopped everyone in their tracks and froze their smiles. “I need to get the other two lodestones from Hephaestus.”

“But he’ll have them in his possession,” Colin said, twirling his sword. One thing about Colin, he was never without his sword. “You want us to help you get the stones while fighting the vultures and trying to get out of there fast as we can? We need another plan.”

Ever since I’d met Colin, he was all about the plan. Perhaps it was because he was a descendant of Ares, and good at strategizing.

“You can use my cape. It will make you invisible.” Zara took off her cape and wrapped it around me. Again, like before, the color changed from purple to red.

“Wait.” I gave it back to her. “He might be suspicious if he sees me wearing it. I’ll use it when it’s necessary.”

“Good, because I was going to say the same thing.” Colin broke in, dropped his sword, and leaned in closer. “So…this is my proposal. Ian can lead the way since he knows that place inside and out. I know it sounds impossible, but what I’m about to tell you will work…if we work together. We can do this.”

After Colin explained, we were on our way.

We stepped into
the portal and landed in the same spot we had escaped from the last time. It was the exact location where Hephaestus had taken my mom. Since Zara knew precisely where we needed to be, we didn’t have to go through the Night Forest like the last time. The structure of the rocky walls looked the same and intact. Recalling the last time we were there, Mason had started an avalanche when he called upon the lightning to help us escape. It was as if nothing had happened.

Walking down the narrow path, my stomach churned and did funny flips from the anticipation of seeing what state my mom would be in, and whether Zara and Tara could help me release not just my dad, but the others as well. Colin’s plan was simple, but executing it was a whole different story.

The narrow path started to open up and the area got brighter. Knowing we were getting closer, my heart pounded faster, heat flushed my face, and I was unable to steady my pulse. What made it worse was that everything was so quiet, except for our feet crunching the pebbles on the ground, and the sound of water flowing along the rocky walls. It was like watching a scary movie and waiting for something evil to pop out from the screen.

“I’ve got your back.” Mason kissed my forehead as we continued to cautiously creep forward. “Stay with the plan. Don’t do anything risky, and watch Hephaestus’s every move. He might already have a scheme of his own.”

“What if I have the opportunity to kill him?” I whispered, feeling like the walls were closing in on me. Though I had no proof, an eerie feeling swept through me. I was sure the vultures were watching us. When I turned to look at Mason again, he didn’t look happy about my question.

“No.” Mason’s tone came out as a whisper, but it was stern. With one fast sweep of the premises, he spoke again. “Think of it this way. If you put yourself in danger, you’ll be pulling me in with you. I go where you go.”

Mason was right and it wasn’t just him. Everyone came along with me.

“Everyone stay here,” Zara directed. Standing by the huge boulder, we huddled closely. “Tara and Sky will follow me. We’re going to release her dad first.”

“How about my mom?” Ian stepped forward, pushing everyone aside.

“I didn’t forget,” I said. “Why don’t you come with me and help us find your mom? We’ll release her after my dad and before the others.”

With that, Ian took off searching.

“Everyone, get ready.” Zara tightened her cape. “Once we start the process, it’s going to get loud.” Then she turned to me. “Let’s do this.”

“It’s too quiet,” I whispered, as Zara, Tara, and I searched for my dad. I tried to remember where he was located, but it was difficult when there were so many of them. Last time I was here, there were only a handful. Maybe I was wrong about the number of them, or maybe he’d imprisoned more. The statues were in rows, the way I’d seen the terracotta army lined up on the Internet.

“Hephaestus is nowhere to be seen. Step one of the plan is in progress so far. We must work quickly.” Tara looked pale and stressed. I could understand the reason. She had been Hephaestus’s prisoner for years, and I was sure being back here brought terrifying memories.

“There.” The crystal in the palm of Zara’s hand was leading the way.

“Dad.” I murmured softly, feeling like my heart was shattering all over again, bringing back the memories of how he’d given up his life to save Mom and Mason. The tear he’d shed just when the iron covered his face was still there. “What do I do?”

“Tara and I will give your dad our energy, and at the same time, you must give him yours…all three powers of the gods…water, fire, and lightning. You must give it in that order. Once you do this, we are going to direct the energy to others. You must focus and stay on task. You are the keeper of life, Sky. You can do this.”

Zara must have seen the doubtful expression on my face, because at the moment, those words were exactly what I needed to hear. Without time to waste, Zara and Tara wrapped their arms about my dad without touching him. I placed my hands on top of my dad’s head…it was cold to touch. Oh, my heart was breaking to see him locked up like this. I wondered if he was cold, in pain, or hungry.

“Sky, now.” I heard Zara’s voice.

Giving all of me, water poured down from my hands, then fire. The water was keeping my dad cool and safe, while the fire melted away the iron. Then came the lightning. It sped up the breakage and jump-started his heart. Then Zara directed this energy to the rest of the statues, but the key to getting all of them was for me to keep my hands on my dad, the source. That was what Zara had told me earlier.

From the corner of my eyes I could see Ian standing next to his mom, ready for her. As the energy bounced from one statue to the next, light grew brighter and sizzled, creating a lot of noise.

“Well, well, well.” I heard the sound of clapping, and Tara hid behind the boulder, as planned.

Frightened at the thought of knowing who it was, I released my hands and saw the light vanish. The iron had already melted from my dad, and just as he was about to collapse, Zara and I caught him. He was weak and cold, but breathing, and that was a good sign. And the others that were released before I had to stop looked dazed and confused. It was up to Colin and Sarah to guide them to the portal.

Hephaestus had shown himself, just as Colin had predicted, but even knowing that he would, he still scared the life out of me. He was hideous in appearance, as I had remembered him to be. With disfigured face and his back looking like
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
, he was not a pleasant sight.

“Have you no shame, Sky?” Hephaestus approached closer. “Where are your manners? You come only when invited. I didn’t invite you or your friends. You shall be punished for that.” He paused and looked at my dad. “You can’t take him unless you give me what I’ve asked for. Did you bring me the stone and Hades’s head?”

I gestured for Zara to take my dad to where my friends were hiding, while I moved to the center to direct Hephaestus to me. “I have what you want; but first, where’s my mom?”

“You have Hades’s head?” He sounded surprised.

“No, I have the stone. I can’t bring you Hades’s head because he’s dead. He burst into ashes…but you already knew that was going to happen, didn’t you? It was a test and I passed. Now…where is my mother?” My tone was forceful at the end. Hephaestus always pushed me to my limit and brought out the worst in me.

“I can’t believe you killed my uncle.” He looked so proud. “I knew you could do it. I knew you were the chosen one. I believe you because you wouldn’t know for sure how a god dies unless you witnessed it. Now…give me the stone first,” he growled.

“No.” I was just as stubborn as he was. I knew how badly he wanted the stone, so I knew I had leverage.

“Very well.” Seeing a wicked smirk on his face, I knew he was up to something. “Come out, come out, my loves,” he sang, sending chills down my spine. I couldn’t stand his voice, and hearing him sing only made me want to vomit.

The red pairs of lights I was familiar with appeared from the darkness all around the cave, not just on the ground, but from above in multiple leveled floors of the cave. Looked like Hephaestus was hard at work, creating more of the human vultures. What happened next was not a sight I had imagined was possible.

“Mom….” I gasped.

Two vultures were on either side of my mom, holding her by her arms. What shocked me the most was the way my mom looked—dazed and confused. She wasn’t fully turned into a vulture, but I could see the changes in her body structure. She was between the stages. The vulture on her left was holding a syringe, ready to inject her with the second dosage of serum that would transform her for good.

“What did you do?” I yelled at Hephaestus in anger. “How could you do this to her? You love her.”

“Isn’t that strange? You and I must have a different definition of love. The only love I learned from my parents was to use and destroy.” Hephaestus started pacing. I hated when he did that. He was making me nervous. “You see, Sky, I loved your mom so much that I’m going to use her. I’m going to turn her into someone like me, so that we can be together forever. Isn’t that what love is all about?”

“You’re crazy!” I spat. “Let her go. I’m here to give you what you want.”

“You make the choice. Your mom and I will be together forever in this form, or in human form. I think she would look attractive either way. Now that’s love.”