Vaalbara; Visions & Shadows (10 page)

“You got bigger.” It was something to say, something to take my mind off the situation I found myself in and what was still waiting for me outside this small, safe room.

“Actually, no. You are smaller.” I could hear the old teasing note in his voice. “You are not alone in this. I am here for you. I will help you through the change and the training.”

I didn’t know how long we stood like that, but when I heard a female voice from the door, I pushed him away from me so fast I almost lost my balance.

“Alchera, am I disturbing your rest? I could return later.” Her voice was soft and soothing, and the first thing I noticed was the golden glow that hugged her frame. She was the most beautiful person I’d ever seen.

She had light yellow hair which suited her smooth, fair skin and she moved with so much grace she seemed to be gliding. There were golden lights that seemed to cloak her; they were like fireflies playing around her form with every step she took. I all but stared at her, my mouth hanging open. It felt like I was looking at some mystical creature.

“You are not intruding, your Highness,” Raighne bowed. “I will leave you alone.”

I reached out and grabbed his arm. There was no way in hell he was leaving my side. My eyes pleaded with him to stay with me. I felt silly for hanging on, especially after fighting with him, but there was really no way I was going to face this woman alone. I whispered, “You’re all I know.”

Raighne nodded his understanding and moved closer, taking a place beside me.

The beauty simply smiled. “Peace be, Alchera. I am your sister, Elora. “Alandra and I have been waiting for your arrival with great excitement.” Reaching in, she hugged me to her. She smelled like a hot summer’s day, and blossoms in the spring. I picked up a hint of honey - light and sweet. She was so unbelievably soft to the touch; I was scared I’d harm her, so I hugged her back lightly with my one free arm.

“Welcome home, my sister. May Awo’s blessings be upon you.” She held me at arm’s length, as if inspecting me. “You are more beautiful than I remember, and so grown up. It is such a misfortune we could not celebrate your eighteenth birthday with you today.” She looked at me with so much love I could barely breathe.

“You are my sister? But you’re so…stunning.” She laughed at my description. It sounded like chimes in the wind. I was so awe-struck by the fact that she was my sister I all but missed the part about my birthday.

“You are so delightful. It is only normal for you not to remember a great deal of us. You were so young when you were taken.”

“Why didn’t they send you away? Why only me?” I was hoping someone would give me a straight answer for once. Maybe that someone would be her.

“We are not so much a threat to Adeth as you are, but that is not the answer you seek. Awo gave you the blessing of visions, of the dreams and hope for mankind.”

She looked at me through honey-golden eyes now filled with sorrow. It confused me. If they were blessings, why did she look so sad?

“Unfortunately, only you can perform the task that is at hand. The hope of the human race lies in your hands, my sister.” I didn’t like the sound of that. My day seemed to be getting worse.

“What do you mean?” Raighne rubbed my hand with his thumb, reminding me he was still there.

“You had to go to Earth to live as one of them,” Elora began. “You had to feel how they felt, to learn their ways. You needed to be tempted, as they are tempted, by human sins in order to feel compassion for them. You needed this so you would be able to understand The Chosen Ones when the time came to retrieve them.” Elora moved away, leaving golden streaks of light trailing in her wake.

“What do you mean…‘retrieve The Chosen Ones?’” I moved closer to Raighne without noticing, needing to draw on his strength and warmth.

Elora sighed. “It is the end of the world as we know it, Alchera. Armageddon is here, as it is written in so many scriptures. All living species will come to an end except for the ones we bring to Vaalbara – the
new
Earth.
You
need to go and collect The Chosen Ten
.
You can only return to Vaalbara when you have all of them. The ten you save will be the only hope for continuing the human race.”

Fear shot through my body. “No, that’s not possible! I can’t be responsible for…saving the human race. You can’t expect me to do that. Isn’t there something we can do to save Earth?” My eyes were darting from her face to Raighne’s. He lifted his head slowly to look at me, but his eyes had lost their sparkle; they were now burdened with the sadness I felt.

Crap, this had to be a nightmare! It just
had
to.

“I know it is going to be difficult but we will help you. Alandra and Raighne will be by your side through it all.”

“How can you just stand there and tell me it’s the end of the world without at least trying to stop it?” I looked at her in disbelief.

“The human race has brought this upon themselves.” Her voice hardened, as the heavenly light turned a bit red around the edges. “They have been warned by so many different religions - by so many visions we have sent over the centuries - yet they refused to change their sinful ways.  They have ignored all the warnings. I do feel pity for them and wish there was another way, but we cannot stand in the way of Awo and Mother Nature. What must be, must be, my sister. They have destroyed their Earth by their own doing, and now they must face the consequences of those actions.”

She placed her hand on the wall as if she needed support to stand. A light began to glow in the wall. Normally something like that would have amazed me, but I hardly noticed it now.

Her voice was filled with anguish when she spoke, “In less than three months the seventh seal will be opened leading to the worst natural disasters Earth has ever known. Mankind has seen nothing in comparison with what is to come. There is nothing we can do but preserve the human race. You are allowed to retrieve only ten humans, and they have to be the ones from your visions. They will start a new life here…a new Earth.” She stood with her back to me; her shoulders slumped as if this truly did weigh heavily on her soul.

“But there are so many good people. Certainly more than ten!”

“There are many good people. I will not argue that point with you.” Elora turned her head slightly towards me. “It is not for us to question the ways of Awo.”

“Why me?” I was not happy about the fact that I, Aislinn, who had just turned eighteen, had been handed such a responsibility. They clearly didn’t know me.

“Awo has spoken it.”

I definitely needed to meet with this Awo guy. He was screwing with my life and I didn’t like it one bit. “Seriously? This…Awo speaks and everyone just jumps up and does what he says?”

“I beg your pardon?” Elora looked at me and Raighne stiffened; his hand squeezed mine so tight that it started to hurt. Okay. Apparently I’d said something wrong,

Changing my tone, I asked her politely, “Who’s Awo?”

“Awo is the
Almighty Wise One
. He is known to some as God - to some as Teacher - to others as the Past, the Present, and the Future. He is the Beginning and the End. He is every breath we take - every sunrise, every sunset. Awo has created this new Earth so that his love for mankind can never end.”

Oh crap. Perfect! Just bloody perfect. Only something like this could happen to me. Not only have I insulted my sister, I’d managed to insult God. It was time for one of those quick silent prayers asking for forgiveness.

“Do I get to meet Awo?” I wasn’t sure I had the guts to meet with Him, not after smart-mouthing Him.

“You are welcome to speak to Him at any moment. You can just not see Him.”

“What do you do? What is
your
destiny?”  I was in desperate need to shift the spotlight away from me.

Elora smiled. “I, my dear sister, listen to the Angels. When a seal is broken and the Angels receive their orders, I will be the one to do their bidding. I have the power to control water, wind, fire, and earth. It will be my destiny to ensure Earth’s return to dust.”

“I’m…sorry to hear that.”

             
“There is nothing to apologize for, sister. It is my destiny and I am proud to serve it. But that is enough information for now. Come, it is time to take you to camp where you can wash up and eat something. Then you should rest.” She headed out the door and left me with Raighne.

             
“Elora is right. You need to get some food in you and get cleaned up.”

             
He didn’t let go of my hand as we left the clinic, and it was a good thing. I didn’t know what was waiting for me outside the door. But, whatever it was, I knew there was no chance of escape.

~*~

My eyes took some time adjusting to the sunlight, as I slowly began to focus on my surroundings. The first things I noticed were the lush fields and hills, and the different colors of the wild flowers that were swaying gently in the playful breeze. There were trees on the outskirts of, what I assumed, was the camp; high trees formed an intimidating entrance to the forest.

             
Brilliantly colored birds were bathing in a small pond nearby, using smooth pebbles to clean their beaks. The camp, itself, was made up of tents nestled together in a circle, with a larger tent set in the middle.

An enormous tree stood next to the one tent near the pond which had caught my eye. It reminded me of the oak trees back on Earth. I was so amazed by what I saw that I hardly noticed how crappy I looked with my messy hair and wrinkled clothes. It only got my attention when I noticed how many people were gawking at me like I was something the cat had just dragged in.

Another stunning girl approached me, only this one was sexy as hell. She was so hot there was no way
any
of the girls back at school could’ve competed with her. The cheerleaders from hell would’ve wept. Sid’s tongue was definitely hanging out right about now, drooling his butt of.

Thick auburn hair reached down below her shoulders, and her eyes were shiny onyx stones. Not to mention her body came straight out of a
Sports Illustrated
issue. And, boy, did she look scary. I bet she could teach
Conan
a thing or two.

             
“You have finally decided to grace us with you presence.” Her sarcasm burned my ears, as she bowed low and showed off her voluptuous breasts. Not that I was staring, it’s just that you couldn’t help but notice when they were shoved in your face. I knew it must take some powerful magic that held them in her tiny leather top.

             
“Alandra!” Raighne’s voice cracked like a whip between us, making me shriek from fright. “Watch yourself. You of all people should know she had no say in any of this. That comment was uncalled for.” I could only watch as he scolded her.

             
“Guardian, you watch your tongue or I will sever it from your mouth.” Her face was mere inches from his. I knew I had to jump in and say something but, hell, what kind of a match was I against her?

             
“Your Highness has no say over Princess Alchera.” He placed so much emphasis on her title, he might as well have sworn at her. “Please remember that my wardship over her makes me more than a mere guardian.” He towered above her. Although Raighne made no threatening movements, his words carried more authority than I ever heard him speak with.

             
A man came up behind the voluptuous vixen and placed his hand on her shoulder. Her head whipped around as if to attack but, oddly, she immediately calmed down at the sight of him.

             
“Alandra, this is a time we are to be happy, or at least tranquil.” He took her arm, pulling her to the back of the crowd while whispering in her ear.

A light went on.
She
was my other sister!
She
was the one who was supposed to train me.

“No. Way. In. Hell.” I wasn’t even aware that I’d spoken the words out loud.

“Excuse me?” Raighne was already leading me to the tent I had seen tied down next to the huge tree.

“That was my sister?” I shook my head in denial, unable to absorb what had just happened. “That warrior Barbie doll in leather who wants my blood, is my
sister
? There is no way she’s training me. She’s going to kill me!”

“She is just upset. She is an emotional one, but she will calm down and then you will become the best of friends.” Even he sounded doubtful. “Concentrate on the present and leave the future for later.”

I just snorted at his so-called wise words and followed him into the tent.

Best friends! You hear that, Sid? Best friends my ass.

~*~

The tent was much bigger inside than it looked. There was a room with cushions that were so big they could almost pass for beanbags, with smaller pillows and soft looking blankets scattered everywhere. The whole room was bathed in soft violet and green pastel colors. It looked very cozy. I assumed it would pass as the living room.

We moved further into the tent, which opened into a smaller room. It was the bedroom, boasting a very welcoming bed. I could hear it talking to me, clearly saying,
come, sleep, now
.