《Forbidden Realms: Book 2 of the Great War Saga》


 Prologue: Prelude to War

    Forbidden Realms


    Book Two of the Great War Saga


    Michael B. Schwartz


    This novel has a religious motif. How could I not delve into religion without taking on the Forbidden Realms? My intent is not to offend anyone as this is a work of fiction.


    There are also key locations in the novel that I have deliberately altered in order to tell my story.


    There cannot be light without darkness; and there cannot be night without a new dawn.


    Forbidden Realms


    Book Two of the Great War Saga


    Prelude to War


    There was a cold atmosphere in the dining room as the two men ate dinner in silence. There was no anger or hostility among them; they had just run out of things to talk about ten years ago. In fact, Vince Hopman doesn¡¯t understand why his father keeps asking him over for dinner when all they do is eat and do very little talking.


    Rick Hopman glanced across the table at his son and wondered where the time had gone. It seemed like yesterday he had brought Vincent home in his pumpkin seat. In fact, he remembered even now that he had to leave Vince with the nuns so he could get a proper car seat. When he went back to the convent, Sister Helen had cautioned that the Great War was only beginning; she didn¡¯t know where and when, but she knew that only the first of three prophecies had been fulfilled.


    When he had gotten himself and Vince home, he knew there would be time to mourn Emily¡¯s death ¨C to this day he is still clouded on what really happened to Emily and Tracy. He realized that he must have been possessed by Orion, but everything then was a dark confusion.


    Rick had been fighting whether or not to tell Vince that he has been having peculiar dreams for the past twenty years. He knew that Vince would shrug it off and tell him that it was all because of raising a baby by himself.


    This could be true, however, but these dreams were mere memories of a war he had fought with his friends so long ago. When he was fifteen years old, on the eve of getting his driver¡¯s license it seemed, he met Tracy Kingston and together they went through hell and back in an attempt to stop a timeless master Dreamkiller. When they reunited as adults, his mind was no longer his and her mind was no longer hers. He soon realized that Queen Nanaac was controlling Tracy.


    All that he could remember was looking into Tracy¡¯s eyes and she had begged him to look after her son and he had agreed to the challenge. He would have died for her if he could.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t been sleeping these days,¡± announced Vince, startling his father, as he looked up from his plate. There wasn¡¯t much concern in Vince¡¯s eyes and this was why Rick said nothing. ¡°Have you?¡±


    Rick loved his son with every ounce of his being, but he looked down at his food nevertheless. ¡°The dreams¡­the memories¡­.they really haven¡¯t stopped.¡± He sighed and then looked back up. ¡°Look, I can deal with them ¨C Lord knows, I¡¯ve dealt with them for twenty damned years.¡±


    ¡°Dad, why did you want me over here?¡±


    Rick stood up and walked over to a tall china cabinet and draped one arm over the top. ¡°I can¡¯t escape my past,¡± he said and then looked directly at his son. ¡°I think it¡¯s starting to get into my head.¡± He turned and saw a picture of Emily taken a year before she died. He closed his eyes and then shook his head. ¡°They¡¯ve gotten so bad; they¡¯re making me see things ¨C things I¡¯ve never seen before.¡±


    Vince sighed and tried to swallow his pride. ¡°What things are you seeing?¡±


    ¡°Forests; castles,¡± he said and then looked into Vince¡¯s eyes. ¡°Your mother.¡±


    A chill went down Vince¡¯s back. He had always wanted to know about her. ¡°Tell me about her.¡±


    Rick smiled and went back to the table and sat down. ¡°Would you believe that I¡¯ve only known her, really known her, for under two weeks?¡±


    Vince lowered his eyes in suspicion and he slowly shook his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Rick replied and grabbed his glass of half-drunk wine. He finished it off in one last gulp and then put the glass back down. ¡°She came to me asking for my help.¡± He saw his son give a small snort under his breath. ¡°Oh come on, haven¡¯t you read my book?¡±


    ¡°Dad, please don¡¯t start on that again.¡±


    Rick sighed and then glanced out the window, saw that it was dark, and then pretended to look down at his watch. ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t mind, I need to get to bed,¡± he announced.


    He stood up and went to the living room and was stopped when Vince came up from the side. ¡°What about my mother?¡±


    Rick went over to the entertainment center and grabbed something off the top and tossed it to his son.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Vince caught it and looked down and was disgusted to find a copy of his father¡¯s book in his hands.


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out whatever you need to know about your mother in that book,¡± said Rick and then went over to the staircase. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, lock up on your way back to your dorm.¡±


    Vince watched his father disappear up the stairs and then sighed as he opened the front door. He often wished that he could have normal parents; one who hadn¡¯t written some ridiculous book (or, had it been a bestseller, he wouldn¡¯t mind if it were crap).


    He glanced down at his watch before exiting the house and saw that it was only quarter after eight. He had thought about paying a visit to Donnie and Samantha, and then changed his mind ¨C he never liked dropping in on people. Instead he decided on going back to his room at the university; he had to get his books ready if he was going to write a ten-page essay.


    *  *   *


    Rick wasn¡¯t lying about seeing forests and castles in his dreams. He was, in fact, dreaming of that same forest. But now things are different. He looked around the woods but could find nothing had changed or been altered ¨C it was just a feeling he had in his gut. But when he completed his 360-degree turn, the vision of Tracy Kingston appeared out of nowhere which caused Rick to fall over a downed log.


    She looked no different from when he saw her in that brief minute or so when he came to his own self and agreed to watch Vincent. She was even more beautiful, really, as he stared up at her angelic face. Tracy smiled and held out a hand to him, but was afraid that he wouldn¡¯t be able to touch her, so she pulled her arm back just before he could reach out for it.


    Rick stood up and was hesitant to approach her. He closed his eyes and a memory came into his mind: It was the last time he really saw her, when they were in the caves of hell and he had told her to get out. They had grown to adulthood before they were summoned together by forces they could not control. He always wanted to know.


    ¡°It was the Queen,¡± he said and she cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Who took over your body,¡± he explained and she nodded. ¡°Such a long time ago now.¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± she said, and the words pained Rick¡¯s heart to hear it. ¡°It only just felt like yesterday ¨C if you¡¯ll excuse the clich¨¦d metaphor.¡±


    ¡°I am dreaming, yes?¡± He still wasn¡¯t sure if he were talking to a real person; she seemed so damned real in this dream.


    ¡°You¡¯re dreaming, but I crossed the channel and intercepted your dream wave. I needed to talk to you.¡± There was much in the way she was talking that reminded Rick of the Tracy he used to know, but there was also that new Tracy ¨C somewhat celestial in an all-knowing sort of way.


    ¡°Why now?¡± He walked over to her but she took a step back. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come to me a long time ago? And why are you trying to avoid me?¡±


    ¡°Things have changed, Rick, and I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯d like them if you knew the half of it,¡± she said.


    He quickly reached out and took her arm in his hand and pulled her closer to him. ¡°Try me,¡± he said.


    ¡°I am the Guardian to the Forbidden Realms,¡± she answered and he let her arm fall from his grasp. ¡°James Whitaker came to me as I fell,¡± she saw the hurt in Rick¡¯s eyes. ¡°You didn¡¯t kill me ¨C that was Orion. James gave me a new life before I died. My prophecy was fulfilled then.¡±


    Rick didn¡¯t understand what she was saying. ¡°What prophecy?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t the nuns at St. Vincent tell you?¡± She saw that Rick shrugged his shoulders and he explained to her that he wasn¡¯t in full sound mind when he was with them ¨C he was found among the ruins of Darvon Keep after all. ¡°Well,¡± she began and sighed. ¡°There are three prophecies about the Great War of the Dreamkillers. Prophecy one was about me on my journey to becoming a Guardian. That leads to the second one which told of Vincent and his friends. The third prophecy tells of the last Dream Crusader and the fall of the Dreamkillers.¡±


    ¡°You still haven¡¯t answered my question,¡± he cut in. ¡°Why have you come now instead of in the past?¡±


    Tracy glanced over her shoulder with concern in her eyes as she thought she saw something or someone. She turned back to face Rick with dread in her eyes. ¡°The second prophecy has been set into motion. I wanted to tell you that I¡¯ll be contacting Vincent soon.¡± She looked behind her again, and then turned back to Rick with terror behind her eyes. ¡°And get rid of the book of the Forbidden Realms ¨C they can track it to you.¡±


    And before he could say anything else she had vanished from the forest, leaving Rick staring at the spot she had stood wondering what would come next. He wasn¡¯t too sure if he really believed anything that Tracy had said; he wasn¡¯t even sure if that was really Tracy or just another conjured image.


    What Rick didn¡¯t expect was a figure falling from one of the tall trees and landing inches from where Rick was standing. By Rick¡¯s confused expression, the young man knew that Rick didn¡¯t know who he was.


    ¡°You don¡¯t remember me, do you?¡± There was a devilish grin on his face. ¡°I¡¯ve waited twenty years to get to you. And now I¡¯ve got you where I want you.¡±


    ¡°Allen?¡± Rick took a step back as a fear he hadn¡¯t felt in twenty years resurfaced in a flood. ¡°I thought you had gone when Orion was stopped the first time.¡±


    Allen laughed and tilted his blackened head back and laughed. ¡°I was gone all right. But I was waiting, trying to find a way to resurrect him. And I did ¨C I used Bolan¡¯s blood to bring Orion back from that hell you put him in.¡±


    Rick glared at the same young man he once knew, who hasn¡¯t aged since they were at Lungland together. Rage was overcoming that new fear. So it was Allen that had brought Orion back ¨C he had actually killed Orion after all.


    ¡°Yeah, Sweet-ums, it was me who changed your world forever. Because of me, Orion was able to slip into your little body and make you kill your wife.¡± Allen grinned and was watching every nerve on Rick¡¯s face twitch. He missed this so much. ¡°I was told to wait for this specific time to kill you and Lil¡¯ Vinnie.¡±


    ¡°Why? Why does everything have to happen now? Here I am trying to get my son back, and everyone wants to push us apart.¡± Rick reached out and shoved Allen hard enough for Allen to have fallen onto the ground; and this shocked Allen more than it did Rick. ¡°You leave my son alone! I killed your boss, you little shit. I think I can kill you easier than him.¡±


    It looked as if he was convulsing, but Allen rolled over and began laughing hysterically. When he had stopped, Allen rolled back over and stood up and faced Rick with a look Rick remembered seeing when they fought at the entrance to the Forbidden Realms, just after Allen had killed James Whitaker.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be asleep any longer ¨C the sleepwalker will awaken soon. Tell your boy I need to talk to him,¡± said Allen and he bowed his head to Rick. ¡°And I¡¯ll be seeing you again real soon.¡±


    And like Tracy, Allen vanished from the forest; this time leaving a frightened Rick standing alone. He had to make sure Vince was all right.

 chapter 1

    Chapter One


    ¡°Vincent, thank God,¡± the voice on the other line sighed. Vincent held the phone in his left hand while his right had been quickly writing words on paper that he hoped his professor would accept.


    The mid-term paper was due in just two short hours. He did not feel pressure like many of his classmates ¨C he worked better under pressure. He had only written three of the ten pages required on the topic of Sleep Deprivation: Why so many young people are suffering.


    ¡°I had this odd dream last night ¨C I had to call and see if you were okay,¡± continued the urgent voice which made Vincent lay his pen down on the desk.


    ¡°What was it about this time?¡± he asked. In his twenty years, Vincent had learned to take what his father had told him as complete insanity. The only truth he knew was that his mother died in a car crash in Ireland and that his father was not known.


    While raising Vince, Rick Hopman had written articles for newspapers and magazines dealing with the possibility of a demon race controlling the realm of dreams, all under pseudonyms. But it wasn¡¯t until he published his own memoir, The Army of Dreamkillers, which told the tale of his best friend Connor Barker and his fateful run-in with Alexius and Orion that his life changed forever. His story told of Tracy Kingston and their institutionalization at Lungland Psychiatric Hospital. He had fallen in love with her sister, Laura, but she had died by Orion¡¯s hand.


    The tale concludes eleven years later, when he travels to England in an attempt to confront Orion¡¯s father, King Darvon. He seemed to have gone blank almost immediately after conjuring Darvon. He had a sickening feeling that his wife, Emily, had been killed ¨C he was horrified to think that it was his own hands that had been her demise. He had never thought that he was weak enough to become possessed.


    But he could come up with no other explanation for his memory loss. The one thing that he did remember during that time was that Tracy had begged him to look after her son, Vincent. Maybe it was out of regret that he had taken on the role of parent and guardian. He regretted Tracy and Emily¡¯s deaths and that there was nothing that he could have done to prevent it.


    The last thing he recalled, just before waking at the Convent of St. Vincent, was that he was standing alone atop the tower of Darvon Keep; fires were erupting all around him.


    But when he published The Army of Dreamkillers, his life was over. He felt that he could no longer write insignificant theories in science magazines, when he knew the truth as he had lived it with Tracy Kingston, Connor Barker, Laura Kingston, and Frederick Whitaker.


    A pause was heard on the other end and then his father cleared his throat of tar-thickened phlegm. ¡°It was ¨C I don¡¯t know. Some kid I knew when I was young. Name¡¯s Allen Corgan. The odd thing is that in the dream I¡¯m my present age, but this kid¡¯s still the same young age as when I saw him last.¡±


    Vincent sighed. There was one benefit of having a screwed-up Dad, even if he was only an adoptive father: He was able to use the old man¡¯s dreams as reference on his papers. ¡°So? That¡¯s not an uncommon dream.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s uncommon if the young fuck tries to kill me. He¡¯s been living in the attic for a long time waiting for me.¡±


    ¡°Why, do you suppose, does this kid wait? Why didn¡¯t he kill you a long time ago?¡±


    Another sigh. ¡°That¡¯s another weird part. Maybe he was told to wait ¨C I don¡¯t know. You¡¯re the Dream Researcher here, not me.¡±


    This brought a grin to Vincent¡¯s face. Yes, he was a Dream Researcher and soon to be a Doctor of Dream Research. Perhaps in a year or two he could get a grant from the government to test his father¡¯s dreams. But right now all he could do was sigh. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had the dream, but that¡¯s all it was. I think you should talk to a psychiatrist about it ¨C maybe he¡¯ll say you¡¯re repressing some feelings about this kid. But it¡¯s not one to discuss with a Dream Researcher,¡± said Vincent.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t call you for your damned advice. I called to see if you¡¯re alright.¡± Vincent sighed. ¡°And now I know you are, so good-bye.¡±


    Vincent didn¡¯t hate his father ¨C far from it. He just loathed anything that came from his father¡¯s lips because he didn¡¯t know what was true. In fact he came to believe that everything was a lie. Rick told awful lies claiming that the book he had written fifteen years ago was all factual; no evidence was found claiming the book, or any of the absurdities within, to be true.


    He had heard stories, too, that when his father was married he had written articles for a somewhat reputable tabloid magazine. Once the novel hit the shelves ¨C he had to self-publish the book; no publishing company wanted it ¨C he was fired and the only job he found was at a near-by paper writing silly little snippets about what was happening in the community ¨C and surrounding ones ¨C during holidays and other seasonal activities. No one cared about the Lebanon Apple Festival or the maple celebrations. No one cared about Richard Hopman, or his pathetic little articles.


    He listened to the dial tone for a moment ¨C feeling guilty at the way he had treated his father ¨C before turning off the phone and tossing it onto his unmade bed.


    He had never angered his father enough to make him cut off communication before. He didn¡¯t know why, but it was at that moment that he began reflecting on his father¡¯s life. He wondered what secrets his father held; what truths were hidden beneath all the lies. What was he hiding?


    With a final sigh, he pushed these thoughts away and picked up his pen again and set off with his paper where he had left off.


    An hour later he had finished his paper and stuffed it inside a folder before shoving it in an old bag next to his chair. He reached over and grabbed a can of soda from his night table and drank what was left.


    The door abruptly opened, almost causing Vince to choke on his drink, and in walked a man his own age. Karl Ramses plopped his body down on his own bed and looked over at his friend. ¡°You¡¯ll never guess who¡¯s got a bun in the oven,¡± he began as Vince turned around.


    ¡°Who?¡± Vince¡¯s female circle of friends was relatively small so he couldn¡¯t believe any of them would be pregnant.


    Karl¡¯s smile grew wider. ¡°Samantha,¡± was all he said. Vince practically fell out of his chair.


    ¡°No shit? I thought Donnie was acting spaced in Theories yesterday.¡± Vincent turned and sat down on his bed, recalling his friend¡¯s behavior. And then his thoughts trailed off in another direction and a solemn look washed over his face.


    It was as if his friend could read anything written on Vince¡¯s face and so he gave him a sympathetic smile. ¡°You need to get out there and get you a woman,¡± he suggested and Vince shook his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s too soon. I mean - me and Chris just broke up.¡±


    Karl shook his head. ¡°Yeah, five months ago,¡± he said and Vince threw him a hurt look. ¡°Besides, you can¡¯t go on living with Mr. Rosy Palm all your life.¡±


    Vincent reacted by throwing a pillow at Karl¡¯s face and they both laughed.


    ¡°Yeah, well,¡± Vince began. ¡°I¡¯ve always felt that if I dream of her, then I¡¯ll know what she looks like so I can find her,¡± he explained.


    ¡°Maybe from a wet dream,¡± Karl chuckled and then glanced over at the clock over the door. ¡°Hey, you got twenty minutes to hand that paper in,¡± he announced and Vince jumped off his bed.


    He grabbed his book bag and draped it over his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m going to see Samantha after class,¡± he said and then made his exit.


    Vincent sprinted across the campus toward his class and once he walked into the room he spied Chris Fergenson sitting next to the window. Crossing the room he took an empty seat next to her and she smiled when he sat down and dropped his bag onto the floor.


    ¡°Did you get all ten pages?¡± she asked as she pulled out her copy of the mid-term and laid it on her desk.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Reaching into his bag and pulling his out, ¡°Yeah. Not much of a biblio though,¡± he said and slid it over to her.


    She grabbed it and skimmed it over; she didn¡¯t register a single word that was written. ¡°Vince,¡± she placed his copy next to hers and looked at him with a look he had grown familiar with in the last five months. The same old look of pleading.


    ¡°Don¡¯t start, Chris. You know how I feel,¡± he said before she could even beg to be brought back into his heart.


    She brought the subject up, sometimes subliminally, during class; for it is the only time they share together. Sometimes she would bring back memories of the happy times they shared. Sometimes, if she were really desperate, she would bring back memories of the scary times they shared; her favorite was the time when they rented a cottage in the woods and the eerie sounds of the night kept them awake at all hours of the night.


    She would not, he swore, win him back. He broke up with her because of her mental instability. He almost came to believe that she had some bipolarity in her. It was bad enough that he had a screwed-up father, but he sure as hell did not need a screwed-up girlfriend.


    She flinched as if he had just said the most awful thing anyone could have said to her. ¡°Why not?¡± She looked into his eyes for some support. ¡°Gabby died Thursday,¡± she said and was surprised that he didn¡¯t immediately jump from his seat and whisk her into his arms in a tight embrace.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said. He never knew what to say to someone when they tell him a pet has died. In fact, he was never very keen when it came to death in the first place. ¡°She was a nice dog,¡± was all he could say and she nodded just as Professor Krieger entered the room and plopped his briefcase down on his table.


    ¡°I need your papers, please,¡± he announced when he took off his jacket and laid it across the table next to his case.


    Why did I even bother coming over here? I¡¯m too damned sentimental, he thought and grabbed his paper from Chris¡¯ desk.


    Krieger walked over to Vince and took hold of his paper. ¡°How¡¯s the ol¡¯ man doing?¡± he inquired.


    He had a strange admiration toward Richard Hopman. He had never met him, but he had read the theories regarding the Dreamkillers and the army under the leadership of Orion. He had frequently inquired about Vince¡¯s father, but he never really knew what his student felt about his own father.


    ¡°He¡¯s okay,¡± he began and thought of something. ¡°He tells me that he had an odd dream last night.¡± He almost felt foolish bringing this up, but now the cat was out of the bag, so to say.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to hear about it after class,¡± Krieger smiled and went about collecting the remainder of the papers.


    ¡°All right,¡± Krieger began when he reached the front of the classroom again. ¡°What¡¯ve we agreed to be the basic definition of dreams?¡±


    ¡°The memories of days past during the relaxed unconscious state ¨C sleep,¡± announced Kylie Atkins as soon as she opened her notebook.


    Krieger smiled and nodded. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s definitely a definition ¨C although too winded for my taste.¡± He saw that Kylie was turning pink in embarrassment. ¡°But realistically, dreams are nothing more than images that our minds conjure up when we sleep.¡±


    As the class continued Vince found his train of thought returning to his father and his ¡°odd dream.¡± If dreams are nothing but conjured images, then why doesn¡¯t the mind just conjure only pleasant images? Why nightmares?


    ¡°Nightmares,¡±


    Vince looked up as if Krieger had read his thoughts.


    ¡°Are nothing but our images let loose.¡± Krieger looked directly at Vince but kept his attention on his class. ¡°There are too many theories dealing with nightmares ¨C what they are and where they come from. I¡¯m not going to bore you¡­but I know that at least one of you has a father who published his own theories regarding nightmares,¡± Vince took the hint.


    ¡°Mr. Hopman, why don¡¯t you share with us your father¡¯s theory of nightmares,¡± he said. The hopes of making the second half of the semester a bit more exciting than learning the background of dreams, was too much temptation for Krieger; having a student like Vince whose father was none other than Richard Hopman, that was a rare treat.


    ¡°Sorry, Professor. I¡¯m afraid I haven¡¯t read the book and we¡¯re not exactly on great terms right now,¡± Vince replied. He hated sharing his private life in front of strangers, especially when it came to his father.


    Krieger grinned and walked around the table and sat down on the edge. ¡°The land of nightmares has been controlled by a mysterious human in a brown cloak. He chose the name Orion and he had converted hundreds of his followers into hideous creatures known as Dreamkillers. These Dreamkillers were created from the nightmares of his subjects ¨C they were nightmares turned into flesh.¡±


    The class had written down what had been recited and Krieger noticed this and smiled at his own embarrassment. ¡°No, you don¡¯t need to know that. But it does open the door to the second section of the semester.¡±


    Vince¡¯s temples throbbed. He had never read his father¡¯s book, but to have his own professor ¨C a man whom he respected a great deal ¨C so familiar with it enough for him to recite it word-for-word seemed weird, if not obsessive. And then Krieger dropped the bomb.


    ¡°Are the Dreamkillers real? Has this Orion actually existed? Can there possibly be a Dream Crusader; and if so, to what extent are their powers?¡± He had everyone¡¯s undivided attention.


    ¡°I want these questions answered by the end of the semester. To learn the answers doesn''t just mean you have to read the book, it means that you may have to dig deeper for terrifying truths. What I don¡¯t want is your own theories; you can publish those later. I want evidence to support why you think the things you think. My suggestion to you is that you start at the beginning.¡±


    What was Krieger trying to prove? Vince shoved his notebook into his bag. Before the class was excused, Vince stood up and stormed out of the room, ignoring the curious eyes of his classmates.


    As he walked across campus toward the parking lot, he suddenly felt all that he had admired about his professor sink into the sea of the dead. For someone to even suggest that his father¡¯s book was factual, they must be even more insane than his ol¡¯ man. That book was a waste of time and everyone he had gone to school with informed him of that every day of his damned life.


    And now the only way to pass the class is to write a paper on the exact thing he despises. Not only that, but to actually try and prove his father¡¯s theory, to give integrity to the insane ramblings of an insane man. Yes, he could walk up to Krieger and request a ¡°dropping course without grade¡± form, but if he wanted to work for his internship, he better suck it up and do as told.


    He walked out to his car, tossed his bag in the back seat, and sat down after a sigh. There was too much to think about and he didn¡¯t know what to do. He needed this class but he didn¡¯t want to write the final because that would mean reading his father¡¯s book and putting aside all the biased feelings he had grown up with.


    If there was one person who could cheer him up, Samantha would always be there for him. Many times she had helped steer his path for him in the right direction.


    He pulled out of the parking lot and headed in the direction of her house.


    *   *   *


    She heard the knock on the door and crossed the living room and opened it. She was surprised to see Vince standing there with a smile on his face. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    At that she reached out and embraced him. ¡°I just found out yesterday,¡± she said. They parted and Samantha stepped aside and he entered her house.


    The living room has never changed; wicker chairs and a futon being the only furniture. She was the only person he had known who actually boycotted television and had proven her determination by taking a baseball bat to her set in the middle of the street.


    He sat down on one of the uncomfortable chairs and leaned forward as she sat on the futon. ¡°How¡¯re you and Donnie handling all this?¡±


    ¡°Who says it''s Donnie¡¯s baby?¡±


    He threw her a shocked look and she threw out a grin. He shook his head and smiled. ¡°God, don¡¯t do that to me.¡±


    ¡°What? Can¡¯t a woman have more than one lover?¡±


    ¡°Not when that woman is engaged.¡±


    She nodded with a smile and then that beautiful smile faded. ¡°He¡¯s not dealing with it very well. He wants me to have an abortion,¡± she said.


    There was a pause that fell between the two friends. The air seemed to have thickened. ¡°I¡­what do you want?¡± he dared to ask. It wasn¡¯t that he was very religious, but the abortion subject was one that he tried to avoid.


    ¡°I¡¯m keeping it. It¡¯s a part of me and if I kill it, I¡¯m killing me.¡± And then her tears began to fall. ¡°You know,¡±


    Vince stood and sat himself down next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m starting to dream about her.¡± She looked into his eyes for any sign of contempt. She found none and this reassured her.


    ¡°Her?¡±


    She gave him an uneasy smile. ¡°Yeah. I just have this feeling; you know, mother¡¯s intuition?¡±


    He returned her smile and squeezed her shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ll have to get Donnie to join our side and stop worrying. Everything will be alright ¨C you¡¯ll see.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she smirked. ¡°You just try and tell Donnie that.¡±


    Vince stood up. ¡°You know, I think I will. Is he at the pool hall?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°Probably. Never goes anywhere else.¡±


    He bent down and embraced her once more before kissing her forehead. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon. Love you,¡± he said and saw himself out of his best friend¡¯s house.


    Saying those two simple words felt like second-nature now that they have been best friends since childhood. There was no doubt that she loved him in return; she would do anything for him as Vince would do anything for her. Except, his feelings ran deeper than her feelings.


    There was a hidden meaning whenever Vince said those words to her. He hasn¡¯t expressed his love for her for many reasons, but right now, Donnie was that reason.

 Chapter 2

    Chapter Two


    Rick didn¡¯t like ending his conversation the way he had. He promised himself a long time ago that he would never take out his anger or frustration on Vince ¨C even when there was no one to help him raise the boy. He made a promise to Tracy Kingston ¨C he had never learned that she was married at the time ¨C that he would look after Vincent and protect him should any harm come his way.


    On many occasions, however, he did search for Vince¡¯s biological father. All he found is that his name is Jack Andrews. He didn¡¯t know where the man lived and searching the Web turned out to create even more problems by supplying him with information about all the ¡®Jack¡¯s¡¯ and anything to do with ¡®Andrews.¡¯


    Rick could have let the nun¡¯s of St. Vincent raise the child, but he knew that a convent was no place for a boy to grow up. Besides, the two surviving nuns freaked him out. They had told Rick of prophecies and conveyed that Orion, Tracy, and himself were but the first prophecy. More was to come, they cautioned.


    Although he had written his dreadful memories down and published them, he had heard nothing of surviving Dreamkillers. If one had lived, then surely they would have tried to avenge their master. Nothing has happened since then; no Dreamkiller uprising. If there was anything left alive then they would have attempted to reclaim their place in the dream realm.


    His memory has become bleaker ¨C it is getting harder to remember clearly. He does remember meeting Tracy at the young age of fifteen, but he was having trouble recalling specific nightmares he and she shared. His first love, Laura Kingston, Tracy¡¯s older sister had been killed, it was Orion¡¯s will, although he couldn¡¯t remember the mournful words she spoke just before dying.


    And then his wife Emily ¨C he still wears his wedding band. There was a brief moment when he must have blacked out because he knows that she died but he could not remember why or how. It was as if his mind was not his own at the time of her death. He couldn¡¯t give details and that was appalling to him. He hated himself for not remembering that important information.


    But there was one memory, however horrid it was that he will never forget: Satan coming up from the ground, grabbing Orion, and dragging the master Dreamkiller down to hell with him. He often wondered, when he jerks awake at night, with sweat pouring down his face, why he was left alive.


    He must make peace with Vince. He can¡¯t risk losing everything on some damned dream. He will never force this chaos on his son. It was his nightmares, after all, that destroyed his life in the first place. Vince deserves more.


    *   *   *


    Vince pushed open the front door and took a ten-second scan around the place, and then walked up to the front counter where he smiled at Gwen.


    ¡°How¡¯s business?¡±


    She grinned and shook her head. ¡°Is that why you came here, Vince ¨C to talk of business?¡±


    ¡°Uh, no,¡± he replied leaning closer to the young woman. ¡°I¡¯m looking for Donnie. Have you seen him lately?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s he done this time?¡±


    ¡°Trying to weasel his way out of being a dad.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know Samantha was pregnant,¡± Gwen threw Vince a shocked expression.


    ¡°Just found out myself. Donnie ¨C you know where he is?¡±


    Gwen moved her eyes to her left and he followed them. He saw Donnie at a pool table with several of his friends. Without looking back at Gwen, ¡°Thanks,¡± he muttered and left her in anticipation.


    He walked up to the table and grabbed hold of the 8 ball before the game began. Donnie looked up and sighed when he saw it was Vince. But when he saw his friends¡¯ disappointed expression, he shook his head. ¡°Guess you heard?¡± he said and lowered his cue stick.


    ¡°You¡¯re not leaving Samantha, are you?¡±


    Donnie glanced at the two other men he was playing pool with then back at Vince. ¡°Maybe ¨C thing¡¯s haven¡¯t been all that kosher lately.¡± Then he saw the disappointed look become an irritated one. ¡°It ain¡¯t got nothing to do with the baby.¡±


    ¡°Seems pretty damned convenient. Why haven¡¯t you told me that you were having problems?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t tell you everything. It¡¯s none of you¡¯re fucking business.¡±


    ¡°Let me tell you what is my fucking business,¡± Vince grabbed a cue stick lying on the table and pushed Donnie up against the wall, pinning him in the neck. ¡°My best friend ¨C who I¡¯ve known for fifteen years ¨C is sitting in her house terrified of the thought of raising her daughter all by herself.¡±


    ¡°Daughter?¡±


    Vince didn¡¯t mean to reveal the baby¡¯s sex, even though he, himself, didn¡¯t know how she could know. ¡°You¡¯re going to go back and be a man. If you guys split, fine. But don¡¯t leave your child.¡±


    Donnie took hold of the end of the stick and pushed it aside and wiped the blue chalk from his throat. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what to do,¡± he said he turned his back.


    Vince reached for Donnie¡¯s shoulder and forced him to turn back around. ¡°Let me put it to you this way: if you don¡¯t go to her, I¡¯m going to be more pissed than I am now.¡±


    Donnie was, for the first time Vince had known him, speechless. All he could do was nod his head in submission.


    With the non-verbal agreement made, Vince nodded and released his grip and watched Donnie climb the few steps and disappear through the door.


    Vince looked around and saw that he had caused a scene. Glancing down, he suddenly became aware that he was still holding the 8 ball and the cue stick. Then he looked back up at all who was watching him. ¡°Okay, who wants a game?¡±


    As he drove back to campus, feeling satisfied with how the previous events went, he let his thoughts trail first to his final paper regarding proving or disproving the Dreamkiller theory. He had an angle that the rest of the class didn¡¯t: his father. And then the guilt feelings emerged. If he was to make any headway with his father he must apologize for not believing; although he still would not allow himself to.


    He would have to return home to get a copy of the infamously pathetic novel and learn it. From there he would have to grill his father for information withheld from the manuscript.


    With any luck he could complete the final in a week ¨C leaving five weeks left of the semester to concentrate on his other courses unrelated to dream research but related to the mind: Psychology and Psychological Behavioral-Related Crimes. The latter course he enjoyed, although some of the most notorious cases ¨C from Charles Manson¡¯s ¡°Family¡± who had murdered Sharon Tate to Lyle and Eric Menendez¡¯s murder of their parents ¨C made him feel unsafe in his world.


    He was anxious to begin his internship at a nearby Psychiatric Hospital in the Dream Research Unit, but he must first pass Krieger¡¯s class, and the only way to do that was talk to his father about the damned Dreamkillers. He would have to do it soon.


    Vince pulled his car into his pay-per-month campus parking space, sat there, car still running.  He sighed and pulled back out of the space as he had decided that now was as good a time as any to go and kiss his father¡¯s ass.


    *   *   *


    Rick Hopman had been busy. He had located all the notes he could find regarding the Dreamkillers and Orion. He tossed the lot into a metal trash can along with a lit match.


    He walked over and opened a window, only to go back to watch his burning memories and recalled a poem he had read as a younger man:


    Through bright embers of night


    I watch memories fade into oblivion


    The sweet smell of burning photographs


    The final lines of memory erased


    Just who had written the lines he couldn¡¯t quite remember. Who cares? It doesn¡¯t matter any more. What matters now is Vincent. Who cares if Connor had written those lines only days before his death?


    Connor? Rick fell down to his knees and put his hand over his eyes, hot tears fell. The memory of his friend, Connor Barker, came back to him in a tsunami of emotions. Then came the revelation that Connor was the sole person responsible for the first prophecy. He and Tracy were merely pawns set in the way of Orion¡¯s victory.


    If Connor had not challenged Orion to begin with, then perhaps none of this would have happened. Perhaps Tracy would still be alive and he and Emily would be raising a family.


    As he watched his memories fade into oblivion he knew now that he could never get rid of Orion and the Dreamkillers ¨C no matter how many pages he burned.


    And then the laughter sounded ¨C the same laughter he heard coming from the kid in his recent dreams. The laughter came from somewhere in the room.


    Rick stood up and turned, looking for some explanation but finding none. All that came by way of response was the heavy gust of wind screaming its way into the room.


    *   *   *


    Vince saw the smoke in the distance and thought nothing of it. Fires happen almost all the time; but when he got closer to his house, he could smell the smoke and he could almost feel the heat from the flames. A sickening feeling clouded his head.


    When he turned onto the cul de sac Vince turned down his stereo and just then he heard the sirens of fire trucks coming close. In a matter of seconds, two trucks screamed passed him and he watched them head on up the road and stop right in front of the burning house. To his horror, Vince suddenly realized that it was his house that was on fire.


    It took him a moment to pull his car over and hop out of it. Confusion and shock was plastered across his face as he stared up into the giant ball of flames. He didn¡¯t even register that the entire neighborhood had been out watching the fire. He kept moving his numb legs until his arm was grabbed and he was pulled aside.


    Vince blinked and saw that he was looking at a helmeted firefighter ¨C most probably the chief. ¡°No, son,¡± he cautioned. ¡°You don¡¯t want to go any further.¡±


    Vince turned his head. ¡°Dad¡­was he in there?¡± He stared into the hungry flames as they were being doused by the spraying water.


    The firefighter hesitated for a moment. ¡°I need you to step back so my men can do their job,¡± he said.


    Vince wasn¡¯t born yesterday. Yes, the men did have a job to do but right now Vince felt like telling them to let the fucking house burn to the ground ¨C just let him have his father.


    ¡°Is he alive?¡±


    Again the man looked as if he were trying to avoid Vince¡¯s questions.


    ¡°Please, I need to know.¡±


    The man lowered his helmeted head and shook it. Then he turned and looked Vince in the face. ¡°He¡¯s at Mercy Hospital. I¡¯m warning you ¨C He¡¯s in bad shape. Prepare for the worst,¡± he shouted and Vince turned and ran back to his car.


    During his trip to the hospital Vince had called Karl because he felt like he had to tell someone and he didn¡¯t want to upset Samantha, and told him what had happened and that he was going to the hospital. Karl wished him well and that he would keep them in his prayers. That was the one thing that Vince could never comprehend: praying; he never believed in an organized religion.


    He didn¡¯t know why but he also called Chris and relayed the information. He prayed that he wasn¡¯t opening up anything that she could misconstrue as an attempt to reconcile. Perhaps he had called her in the hopes of asking her to take extra notes for him for class. But he never got that far. Instead of prayers, Chris said that she would produce a couple of healing spells. Unlike Vince, she did believe in Christ but she also had a Pagan background. A little help from the herbs and plants of Mother Earth cannot possibly hurt. He thanked her and quickly turned off the phone. He never understood her beliefs; but any help is better than none.


    And then he saw the bright lights of the hospital coming up on his left side. The lights and signs of the hospital seemed to be almost larger than the hospital itself. He found a parking space and got out and cursed himself as the heavy drizzle started.


    He pulled up the neck of his jacket and sprinted across the near-empty lot to the entrance of the Emergency Room. He reached the receptionist and wiped his wet hands on his even wetter jeans.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°May I help you?¡±


    Nodding, ¡°Yeah. Rick Hopman. He was just brought in here,¡± he said.


    She typed in the name, read what was in front of her and grimaced. ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re allowed back there yet ¨C he¡¯s been transferred to the burn unit.¡±


    A feeling of helplessness embraced him at that moment. He knew that he would never be able to sweet talk his way into any special unit. Besides, he may not want to see what his father looks like. ¡°Can you at least tell me where I can wait for his doctor?¡±


    She gestured to the closed doors to his left. ¡°Go through the door, down the hall, turn right, and then left through another set of doors. That¡¯s the burn unit ¨C there¡¯s a waiting room in there,¡± she said behind a smile.


    Vince did not return the smile. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said and set off in the directions given to him.


    Like most people, he hated hospitals. It wasn¡¯t the sick patients that bothered him. It was the idea that the dead reside inside these walls. The patients who have died always stay here, for this is the location of the county morgue. He never had a stomach for death. He still gets squeamish whenever he reads about murdered people in his textbooks; the pictures were very graphic and left nothing to the imagination.


    The nurse never mentioned that the hall was dark and void of the bustling of doctors and nurses on their rounds. He almost hated this hallway as much as he hated hospitals in general. The fluorescent lights above were flickering, giving it a clich¨¦d look of a horror movie.


    Concentrating his mind inward he took steady long breaths to help him relax. When he walked half way down the corridor, an alien feeling pricked the back of Vince¡¯s neck. At first he didn¡¯t know what it was, and then the feeling intensified. He was being watched.


    He spun around and saw that he was very much alone. But the feeling didn¡¯t go away ¨C it only grew more powerful. ¡°Is someone there?¡± he called into the emptiness, feeling stupid as he did so.


    Vince closed his eyes and concentrated his audio senses on the silence. What he thought he heard frightened him. There was laughter in the air of the corridor, although it was no louder than a hushed whisper.


    The laughter belonged to no one; there was no voice to reveal a source. Vince was unnerved. He decided that it would be wise to leave the ghosts alone. There were ideas roaming around in his head that dealt with spirits. He didn¡¯t have faith in God, and so the dead are running around, sometimes trying to be noticed. Some of these spirits, Vince knew, weren¡¯t all that kind. But, right now, he had his father to think about.


    Several minutes later, he found the Burn Unit. The receptionist was doing her nightly paperwork. ¡°Excuse me,¡±


    She looked up at him and smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m Vincent Hopman ¨C Rick¡¯s son. He was brought here a little while ago,¡± he said.


    Like the other receptionist, she too looked down at her computer screen and nodded. ¡°Have a seat and I¡¯ll tell the doctor you¡¯re here.¡±


    Vince glanced behind him and saw the area of chairs and he nodded and thanked her before sitting down in one of the cushioned chairs. He leaned back his head and closed his eyes.


    When he opened them again he saw that he was no longer in the hospital. He was standing at the top of a large cliff overlooking the ocean, and behind him bright green meadows. He spread out his arms and tilted his head back and let the gentle ocean breeze excite his very existence. There was a feeling in the air. He couldn¡¯t explain how he felt at peace and was looking directly over the edge of a cliff.


    Before he could take in the serenity of the place, he was interrupted by a forbearing horn being blown from across the meadow. In the distance, he saw an army of armored soldiers marching with swords raised high. What a pitiful army, he thought as he saw the small number ¨C perhaps a hundred, maybe a little more ¨C of soldiers. And then he saw their armor. It looked as if they were wearing no more than metal garbage cans tailored to fit. Their swords were of the only importance; these were well-designed.


    And then he saw the advancing army which seemed to have come out of nowhere. He gawked at the many creatures marching toward the humans screaming in a language he did not know. These creatures were more advanced in terms of maintaining an army; they were marching in formation. These creatures, Vince saw, wore no armor. He realized that they did not need the armor; their gray-green bodies were enormous.


    The creatures varied in shapes and sizes, but for the most part, their eyes were either red or black, their claws black, and phlegm flew through the air as they screamed their war cries.


    The battle began. Blood spilled and beings died, human and creature. When the battle ended the remaining three humans were forced onto their knees while the creatures held their armored shoulders.


    Vince squinted, observing a single cloaked person glide over the corpses, approaching the three prisoners. What Vince saw next sickened him.  The Cloaked One reached down at one of the prisoners, grabbing him by the head. His hood was lowered and it appeared as if he pitied his captive. In an effortless jerk, he twisted the soldier¡¯s head, pulling as he did so, decapitating it from the rest of its body.


    The other two captives began to struggle but it was useless. The Cloaked One stood erect and addressed the creatures he ruled, leaving as he made his way back across the meadow and disappeared from view. The creatures then took it upon themselves to pin the two living men to the ground and began devouring them, as they screamed unending torture.


    His eyes opened. He was looking into the face of a nurse who was standing over him.


    ¡°Mr. Hopman, the doctor would like to see you,¡± she said.


    He didn¡¯t understand the dream he just had. Never in his life had he had such a dream; so damned realistic. He believed in his dreams yet didn¡¯t know where this particular one came from. It terrified him to know that there was once a Cloaked One who took pleasure in ripping off his victim¡¯s heads, but at the same time, he was not terrified of the dream. It was, after all, just a dream.


    He stood, stretched his back and thanked her. Vince followed the woman into another room behind the receptionist¡¯s desk and there he waited for another fifteen minutes. When the doctor did enter he looked rather grim when he saw Vince.


    ¡°Mr. Hopman, I¡¯m not going to play nice and say that he¡¯s going to be okay. Truth is he¡¯s in really bad shape.¡± He paused and let Vince sink that first bit of information into his head. ¡°He¡¯s on a respirator and continuous blood transference. His heart is regular but weak. As for the burns he¡¯s sustained: there¡¯s not an inch of his body which hasn¡¯t been burned. I¡¯m not sure even you would recognize him.¡±


    Vince had never met a doctor so straight forward before and he wasn¡¯t sure if he liked it. Yes, he wanted to know how bad it really was, but the doctor could have given him a little positive information. But like any good little boy he just nodded.


    ¡°When can I see him?¡±


    ¡°Right now, I suppose, but you can only see him for a little while ¨C my staff has very strict guidelines that they follow for a patient such as your father.¡±


    Doctor Adams led Vince into a large room full of computers, breathing apparatus¡¯ and anything to help his father¡¯s lungs, and the IV tubes which looked like a giant octopus with all the tubes of fluids and blood wrapped around his father.


    And then he saw the mummified body lying on a bed in the center of the room. He saw that the bandages had been moistened and he thought that his father¡¯s blood had been seeping through.


    As if he read Vince¡¯s mind, ¡°We douse him every thirty minutes with an antibiotic solution. It helps the healing ¨C although I¡¯m sure he can¡¯t feel much anymore,¡± replied Adams and he turned to leave. ¡°If you need anything just hit the Call button at the head of the bed.¡±


    With that he left father and son alone. Vince had an awkward feeling in the pit of his stomach. He didn¡¯t know what to do. The fortunate thing was that his father was not conscious ¨C he wouldn¡¯t have to fight to find nice little things to bullshit about. But at the same time he was also damning himself for the way he had treated his father only hours ago.


    He was full of conflicting emotions right now. He was mad that this had happened but he was also thankful that he was not dead; not yet, anyway. Truth be told, as he watched his father lying on the bed, not much was running through his head. He knew that he should feel guilty for not showing much emotion or for not having that much going on in his head, however he knew that there really wasn¡¯t anything he could do but wait for his father to recover.


    He walked over to his father and took a closer look. It did look as if blood had saturated the bandages, but it never went through them. Perhaps it was a good thing that he was completely covered. He had never seen a burned person and he was hoping to postpone this one for as long as he could.


    He walked over and sat down in the only chair in the room; by the discomfort of it, the chair was not designed for sleeping. As tired as he was, the uncomfortable chair did not allow Vince to remain awake for long.


    Once again he found himself standing on the same cliff where he had just witnessed the bloodshed. Only this time there were no armies. No armies and no corpses sprawled across the beautiful green meadow. No, this time he stood alone staring out into the ocean.


    At least he thought he was alone.


    He spied a woman sitting in the grass wearing a spring dress and staring out into the waters as well. He thought about his options and had decided on approaching the woman and sitting next to her. As one they looked at the endless ocean.


    ¡°Would you believe me if I said it gets pretty cold here sometimes?¡± She did not look at him.


    Vince shrugged. ¡°I suppose. But,¡±


    ¡°The only thing that keeps me warm is the fire. But even that runs the risk of going out,¡± she said and then turned to look at him but for a second before gesturing behind them.


    He followed her gesture and suddenly saw a tall fire. It was not catching anything else aflame ¨C just emitting its own heat.


    ¡°There are things you must understand, Vincent. I am the Guardian of the Forbidden Realms.¡± She had looked at him and formed an odd look in her eyes. The look was almost hunger.


    ¡°What do you mean? What things?¡±


    The woman hesitated before responding. The look of hunger had changed to that of hope. Hope of what he did not know. ¡°I am your mother, Vincent.¡±


    He had waited all his life to hear these words. Even when he was younger and could not believe his mother was dead. But now these words felt like drinking flat soda: sure the flavor is there, but the taste has gone to hell.


    ¡°And you¡¯re telling me this because -?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a young woman you must help. She is a Dream Crusader like I was, but she has something I didn¡¯t ¨C a chance.¡± Vivid memories of her sister entered her mind at that moment. ¡°Your Aunt Laura helped me when I was a young girl.¡±


    Now he stood up and looked down at his mother. ¡°Why? Why me?¡± There were probably a thousand questions he could ask her, but right now all he wanted to know was why she had wanted him to do this for her when she had never made her presence known to him sooner.


    Tracy Kingston stood up and faced her son with all the hope she could muster. ¡°There is a prophecy about a girl, Vincent, and the downfall of the demon tribe. As my son I was hoping that you could become a part of that prophecy.¡±


    Vince lowered his head and shook it. He turned and looked down at the meadow. ¡°Earlier I saw an ancient battle taking place. The demons versus armored men. These images ¨C were they yours?¡±


    She turned and placed her hand gently on his shoulder. ¡°I helped conjure them into your dreams, so yes.¡±


    ¡°Why did you want me to see some old war?¡±


    ¡°Old? My son, what you saw was the future.¡±


    He turned to his mother with wide eyes. ¡°It can¡¯t be ¨C it¡¯s all fake.¡±


    ¡°Now you know why it¡¯s important for this girl to survive. Mankind¡¯s hope lies in her life.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he replied and backed away from her. ¡°You¡¯re lying to me. You can¡¯t be my mother; she¡¯s been dead for a long time. It¡¯s a lie, damnit!¡± He didn¡¯t realize he was having these emotions suddenly.


    His eyes sprang open and he saw two nurses holding little sticks with large cotton balls on the ends. Between them was a bowl of antibiotics. They had dipped their small sponges into the bowl and then gently wiped Rick¡¯s bandages. ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll make it?¡± asked one of the nurses as she looked up at her co-worker, they had not noticed Vince waking.


    The other stopped what she was doing and glanced up with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯d be very surprised to see a man of forty-six, with all the hell he¡¯s going through live to tell about it,¡± she answered, paused, and then dipped her sponge into the water again.


    And then they heard a muffled moan coming from within the bandages. It was a light moan, but at least it was some proof of consciousness. One nurse looked down and gave Rick a warm smile.


    ¡°The bad part is, if he does come around. Can you imagine the pain he¡¯ll be in? God, I think I¡¯d kill myself rather than live with that kind of pain,¡± replied the other nurse and suddenly the warm-smile-nurse glanced behind the other and gestured with her head.


    Vince stood up and stretched. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, ladies. I need to get some coffee,¡± he said and walked past them without so much as a smile.


    Feeling ashamed at talking about his father like they had, they shook their heads once Vince was out of the room and went about their business.


    Vince just wanted an excuse to use his phone. He looked at his watch and saw that it was twenty after nine the next morning. He hadn¡¯t realized that he had slept most of the night in that very uncomfortable chair. He pulled out his phone from his jacket pocket and dialed Karl¡¯s number and waited.


    He waited about a minute and was irritated to find that Karl had turned off his phone. He thought of all the people he could talk to and then grinned. He dialed another number and waited.


    ¡°Hello?¡± greeted the tired voice of Samantha.


    ¡°Hey, Babe, it¡¯s Vince.¡±


    This news woke her out of sleep. ¡°Oh, God. I am so sorry about your Dad, Vince.¡±


    ¡°Not now. I need you to do me a favor.¡±


    ¡°Anything ¨C just name it.¡±


    ¡°I need you to get in touch with the fire house and see if you can find out what they¡¯re saying caused the fire. Can you do that?¡±


    Samantha smiled. ¡°Well, I was Queen of the debate team. Yeah; I might be able to get you something.¡±


    ¡°Thanks a lot. I owe you one.¡± And then he hung up his phone. He saw a couch against the far wall and walked over to it and sat down.


    Vince sighed and lowered his head in contemplation. There was a lot to think about. He was pretty sure that writing the final would have to come after he could talk to his father, but he didn¡¯t know when he would have to help this girl. For all he knew he might even meet with her tonight.


    What the hell am I thinking? No, she¡¯s getting into my head. I won¡¯t let this win me over.


    He couldn¡¯t just sit around doing nothing. He was one of those typical young men who had to keep busy. He stood up and found his way back outside to the parking lot and made his way to his car.


    Vince drove back the way he had come the previous night ¨C back home. He had to see what was left of the ruins. There was something he had to find if it hadn''t been destroyed already.


    He was relieved to see that his house wasn¡¯t totally gone. It was just the attic and a bit upstairs. Other than that the house looked pretty stable. He saw that the house had yellow ¡°Do Not Cross¡± tape put up in the front. He pulled his car off to the curb and turned it off.


    He sat there for a while just looking up at the old house. It was not a hateful house ¨C he knew that his father loved him with all his heart. It was just a lonely place ¨C one of isolation. He had isolated himself from his father when he was old enough to see how everyone treated the old man. He grew cold and unresponsive toward his father. He had never said nor done anything hateful.


    The past was beginning to pain him and so he had decided on leaving his car to go into the condemned house. Before he walked in he glanced around to make sure that the coast was clear and then slipped in through the front door.


    Once inside he realized that he should have known this wasn¡¯t such a good idea. If the odor of smoke was strong from the outside, then it was ten fold stronger from the inside. His eyes instantly began welling and tears ran quickly. He wrapped his sleeve around his nose and mouth, but the smell was not going away.


    Vince hurried his way to the stairs and went up them, making sure that they were sturdy enough first, and made his way to his father¡¯s bedroom. He pushed the door open, the fire had started in the attic ¨C the ceiling of this room had turned brown-black from heavy heat and smoke damage, and searched frantically in the dresser drawers and found nothing. Then he went to the closet and ransacked it in less than ninety seconds. Again, he found nothing of interest.


    Running out of ideas, he became irate and went to the bed and wanted to kick the living hell out of it. And so he did. He kicked the wooden frame, which cracked under his shoe. He kicked the foot board and snapped it in two. Although the breath was leaving his body, the power of destruction fed him and so he brought his leg up and kicked the mattress off the box-spring.


    And then he burst out in laughter once he saw a book which had been hidden between the two all this time. If this book was hidden, then it must be important to his father. He quickly retrieved it and ran from the house and to the safety of the outside world.


    It wasn¡¯t until he was sitting in his car that he took a better look at the book he had taken from his father. The way he saw it, he wasn¡¯t ¡°taking¡± it but only borrowing it for a while. He had no reason to keep such a book.


    He studied the craftsmanship of the small leather-bound book. Upon it Pison was carved in it as its title. And when he opened it he was surprised to find that there wasn¡¯t a word of it he could understand. It was written in a language he did not know; or for that matter, had never seen.


    Why would Dad keep this book? It¡¯s not like we can read it, he pondered as he turned the book over in his hands.

 Chapter 3

    Chapter Three


    Vince went back to his dorm and grabbed a quick shower before Karl returned from his class. During his shower he had to force himself not to burst out into tears. The guilt was lying heavy on his chest. He should never have been so rude to his father. He should have believed in what he had written. If the Dreamkillers themselves never really existed, he was sure his father believed in some creature controlling the realm of nightmares.


    He finished his shower and dried off. After pulling on fresh clothes he walked back to his room only to see Karl on his own bed talking on the phone. When he looked up, ¡°Hey, I gotta go,¡± and he quickly hung up the phone. As he watched his friend cross the small room he sighed. ¡°How¡¯s your Dad?¡±


    Vince flinched as if struck and he turned to look at Karl. ¡°Better off dead,¡± he said and grabbed his book bag. ¡°But he¡¯s alive.¡± He grabbed several books and shoved them into the bag and then reached for Pison. He glanced back at Karl. ¡°Know anyone who can read this?¡± he asked as he tossed the book next to his friend.


    Karl grabbed it and opened it. He flipped through the aged pages and shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Maybe Brenda ¨C she¡¯s into Cultural Economics. Maybe she¡¯s seen someone using this language.¡± He tossed the book back to Vince.


    Vince had never been very fond of Brenda. She was a long-legged, long-haired woman with dark eyes that seemed to pierce through your head the moment you walked within a yard of her. Big Brother doesn¡¯t have anything on this young woman ¨C she could probably spot thoughtcrime a mile away.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± was all Vince could think of saying. ¡°I¡¯m going to stay with Dad for a little while longer ¨C make sure he¡¯s in stable condition before I come back,¡± he said and headed for the door.


    ¡°Take care,¡± Karl called out and Vince nodded and then walked out into the hallway.


    It wasn¡¯t his father he was thinking of as he walked through the crowded hall of his dorm building; it was the mystery book hidden next to his back. Languages could be sifted through and then translated. One could look at early English literature and think that Beowulf or The Canterbury Tales, in their original text, was written by aliens from another world.


    And then a completely different thought found its way inside his already-overloaded head. He still had to contact the insurance company about the house fire. He looked down at his watch and saw that it was early afternoon. He still had time to make the call when he arrived back at the hospital.


    Instead of going straight to the hospital, he had decided to go to the library for the rest of the afternoon looking through the book. When it was time for Professor Krieger¡¯s class to let out, he waited until everyone exited the room ¨C turning his back when he saw Chris ¨C and then entered the large room.


    ¡°Professor Krieger?¡±


    Krieger looked up and stopped collecting his books and smiled as Vince walked up to him.


    ¡°Can I talk to you for a minute?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯m very sorry to hear about your father.¡±


    Vince didn¡¯t know what to say and settled on, ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°What can I do for you today?¡±


    Vince handed his professor the book he had been laboriously trying to comprehend. ¡°I just wondered if you could help me with this. I found it in my Dad¡¯s house, but I can¡¯t read it.¡±


    Krieger took it and studied the cover. ¡°Fascinating,¡± he whispered. ¡°It does exist.¡±


    ¡°You know it, then?¡± Vince was shocked and relieved at the same time. He had not expected anyone to have heard of such a book.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve,¡± Krieger cleared his throat and then talked as he kept his eyes on the book. ¡°I¡¯ve read it in another book. I knew it had to exist, but no, I¡¯ve never actually seen it.¡±


    ¡°Where have you heard of it before?¡±


    Krieger turned and looked Vince in the eyes. ¡°From your father¡¯s book. He wrote a lot about it.¡±


    Vince didn¡¯t want to talk about his father; not now, anyway. ¡°Is it possible for someone, dead, to come into dreams?¡± He thought of a different approach, knowing the answer to that question. ¡°I mean, to have a will of their own?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to answer that, Vince. Is your father already visiting you? Has he died?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s my mother.¡±


    ¡°Your mother?¡±


    Vince sat down in a chair by his table. ¡°I¡¯ve only seen one picture of her. An old school picture in a yearbook. She looks older in my dream. Can a person dream of a real person and never know what they look like?¡±


    ¡°Vince,¡± Krieger sat down on the table. ¡°The divine have powers we couldn¡¯t possibly understand. It¡¯s very possible that this woman is your mother. But why she has chosen an older image, I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°She claims not to have died ¨C not in a mortal sense.¡±


    ¡°What does she say happened to her?¡±


    ¡°That she¡¯s chosen a new path to follow. As Guardian to the Forbidden Realms. Whatever that means.¡±


    ¡°Dear Lord,¡± Krieger exclaimed and stood up. ¡°Do you know what this means, Vince?¡±


    Vince was getting annoyed by the cross examination and he stood up as well. ¡°No, Professor. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve come to see you. What does it mean?¡±


    ¡°The Forbidden Realms is not a metaphor. It is another way to address Eden. It means that Eden is a forbidden territory, or realm, that should not be entered by mortals,¡± explained Krieger.


    Krieger handed the book back to Vince. ¡°Something is happening to you Vince. I don¡¯t believe that it''s a coincidence that you find this book the same time your mother comes to you.¡±


    Vince took the book and looked down at it. ¡°What does it all mean?¡±


    ¡°Vince,¡± they looked at one another and Krieger could see the concern in Vince¡¯s eyes. ¡°I think you really need to listen to her. It¡¯s time for you to make a stand. You need to choose what you believe in.¡±


    When he reached the outside world he instantly looked up into the darkened clouds. They looked like rain clouds, but there was an uneasy feeling that washed over Vince. His stomach began quivering as if he were chilled. There was nothing unusual about the clouds. He cursed himself for being too sensitive.


    He walked up to his car and noticed that all four tires had been slashed. In bright daylight! ¡°Jesus Christ,¡± he murmured as instant anger overcame him and he walked around his car to survey the damage.


    He bent down and ran his hand over the front passenger tire and shook his head in disgust when he saw how wide the cut had been. In the process of standing he spied an object glittering in the sunlight just behind the tire. Grabbing it, he studied the peculiar blade in his hand.


    Vince corrected himself ¨C this was a dagger, not just a blade. He turned it over in his hand several times. The design was crude but beautiful. The blade protruded from the mouth of a golden snake with ruby eyes.


    Surely this was the same instrument that crippled his car. The perpetrator probably saw someone coming toward them and they dropped the dagger in an attempt to flee the scene.


    Right now he had to call AAA and have his car towed to a tire store, and then make a report to the police. Then he would have to make that all-important call to the insurance agent. All this didn¡¯t leave much time to himself to study his precious book until much later.


    The tow truck arrived later and he waited for another hour for his tires to be replaced. As he waited, he called the police and they met him at the tire store to fill out the report. He spent the rest of his time talking to the insurance agent about the fire. He told him that he would have to contact the fire house or police department about the cause of the fire as he wasn¡¯t informed yet.


    Finally he was ready to head back to the hospital.


    Like before he found himself sitting in that uncomfortable chair next to the window. The nurses came and went as the day drew into evening. He never talked to a single one of them ¨C there was no need. His own eyes could see how his father was doing; he didn¡¯t need sympathetic nurses to tell him that his father was still breathing.


    As the light in the room was extinguished, he turned on the small lamp next to the chair and pulled out the book he had been eager to solve.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Once again he studied the cover and came to the conclusion that nothing out of the ordinary struck him. He thumbed through the pages and stopped on one at random. He attempted to read what was written but sighed after several minutes and closed the book. What was so special about this book? It was like opening Pandora¡¯s Box, he thought.


    Then he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket. He pulled it out and read who was calling before answering and was surprised to see that Samantha was calling. He quickly answered her call.


    If she had not been spoken for, Vince knew that he would have asked her out on a date. The two of them were almost inseparable; at least, they used to be before she moved into her own place. She had moved into the neighborhood when she was twelve and they had become the best of friends once their parents began dating.


    Although their parents only lasted a short several months, Vince and Samantha remained friends.


    ¡°Hello?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s me. You wanted me to shove my nose into the fire ¨C it started in the attic,¡± she said all in a quick breath.


    ¡°The attic? Wonder what he was doing up there.¡± He let his eyes trail around the room searching for clues and finding none.


    ¡°They couldn¡¯t tell me anything definite, but they believe that the actual fire was started by your father and it spread out of control.¡± She let him ponder this before continuing. ¡°What¡¯re you thinking?¡±


    Vince blinked and then thought of something. ¡°He was burning something he wanted to get rid of, that¡¯s for sure. You want to go to the house with me in the morning?¡±


    ¡°What? We can¡¯t just walk into a condemned house ¨C it¡¯s not safe,¡± she said in hopes of getting through his head.


    He smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve already been there. ¡®Sides, it¡¯s perfectly safe, it just doesn¡¯t smell all that great.¡± There was a pause from her end. ¡°I need to find out what¡¯s going on. This isn¡¯t just your average fire. I don¡¯t know ¨C I have a feeling that he was a target for murder.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, by who?¡± she countered in a mocking tone.


    A tone in which Vince became irritated. ¡°Fine. If you don¡¯t believe me, fine. But I¡¯m going back in the morning with or without you.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­okay. You win,¡± she began and sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll go, but you pick me up.¡±


    ¡°Eight?¡±


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll be ready at eight.¡±


    Vince smiled at this. ¡°You know I love you, right?¡±


    ¡°You better. I don¡¯t go running into burnt houses just for fun. At least, not since the baby.¡±


    He chuckled and they said their good-byes. He smiled to himself at the many memories he and Samantha shared. But at the same time, he felt his finger running along the letters on the cover of the book in his lap.


    He placed his phone on the window sill and leaned back, as best as he could, in the chair and stared down at the book. Again he opened it to no page in particular and sat staring down at the alien script.


    His eyes followed the bizarre ¡°letters¡± until he felt them close while his hand held the book open on the same page.


    And then he felt a soft ivory hand fall down upon his and he jerked his eyes open. What he was looking at surprised him in ways he had never been surprised before. There was an air of angelic beauty surrounding her. And there was something else.


    She bent down; her long red hair had fallen into his face. He caught an instantaneous whiff of her before she pulled back slightly.


    ¡°Who,¡±


    ¡°Close your eyes,¡± she said and he did so like an obedient dog. With her hand, she moved his index finger over the letters on the page. ¡°Don¡¯t open your eyes to the letter, rather use your senses. Each page represents a series of letters ¨C nothing more. But a code is hidden inside. And that is what the Dreamkillers wanted the book for.¡±


    He let all feeling go and he let her hand guide his finger. There was an odd sensation that he had just drawn the letter G And then the letter L had followed. Vince opened his eyes and saw that, although he could see the alien script, he could also see how the script had connected to produce the two letters. They were hidden under so much nonsense that it was almost impossible to see. Actually, he would never have found it had this woman not shown him.


    He stood up and was about to inquire about her name, but when he stood up he suddenly became aware that he was no longer standing in his father¡¯s hospital room.


    One quick look and he knew that he was in his attic before it had been engulfed in flames. Vince glanced to his side and saw that the young woman ¨C here, too, he became aware that this was a girl no more than twenty ¨C followed him here.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± he finally asked and she looked over at him without emotion.


    ¡°Mykella.¡±


    Vince nodded and looked around the room. He saw a metal trash can in the center of the room and saw that it was empty. This must be shortly before the incineration, he thought. And this sparked another question and he turned to face the girl; it¡¯s odd to even call her a girl when she¡¯s about his own age. ¡°Do you know why we¡¯re here?¡±


    She turned pink in embarrassment and shook her head as she lowered it. ¡°I thought you knew,¡± she answered.


    He nodded again and looked around once again. His eyes reverted back to Mykella and he studied her more closely. There was something about her but he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it. There was something in her manner that he thought he recognized. ¡°Are you a Dream Crusader?¡± he found himself asking.


    ¡°A what? Dream Crusader ¨C I don¡¯t even know what that is,¡± she replied.


    He smiled at her na?vet¨¦. ¡°To be honest with you; I¡¯m not sure what that means either. My mother told me the other day that I was going to meet one, but she didn¡¯t tell me anything else ¨C like what she would look like,¡± he explained and saw that Mykella was automatically grasping a necklace in her tiny hand.


    He walked up to her and asked if he could see her necklace. She hesitated but let it slip through her fingers. Vince reached out and took the golden crucifix in his hand. He stared down at the crucified Christ and then up at the young woman. ¡°You think He saved my dad?¡±


    ¡°He survived, didn¡¯t he?¡± she rebutted. ¡°Besides, he escaped the sleepwalker; but soon the sleepwalker will awaken.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s this sleepwalker?¡±


    She shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Haven¡¯t a clue. But I do know he¡¯s after your father.¡±


    If it wasn¡¯t for his phone ringing, Vince might not have awakened in time to pick up Samantha. As it was, he answered the phone and jumped up when Samantha asked him if he was still going to pick her up. He confirmed that he was and turned off his phone and sprinted out of the room without looking at his father whose eyes watched his son run from the room.


    *   *   *


    They reached the house forty minutes later and he saw that she was staring up at the house with concern in her eyes. He smiled and opened his door. ¡°Don¡¯t worry ¨C it¡¯s perfectly safe.¡±


    She glanced at him in shock.


    She followed him inside the house, making sure she checked everything twice, including her footing. She watched him disappear up the stairs and she went after him behind reluctance. ¡°I really think this is a bad idea,¡± she called up to him.


    Once they met at the second floor landing, he reached up and pulled a cord which dropped the ladder into the attic.


    A new look of panic swept over Samantha and she reached for his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t make me go up there.¡±


    He looked up and began climbing the ladder. ¡°I¡¯m not making you do anything. You can stay here if you want,¡± he said and continued up until he entered the blackened attic.


    If the fire wasn¡¯t contained in a trash can, the floor might not have been saved. But all that was destroyed were the inside walls, ceiling, and the large circular window which had been shattered when firefighters crashed through.


    He made his way over to the window and looked down at the street below and then heard something behind him. He turned and saw Samantha crawling up onto the floor and he smiled.


    ¡°So, what the hell are we looking for anyway?¡± she asked when she stood up.


    ¡°Not sure,¡± he said and a glitter of gold caught his eyes. He looked at the shards of glass remaining in the window frame and saw a small golden crucifix necklace placed around one of the shards. He bent down and picked it up.


    He studied it for a while and then whispered, ¡°Mykella.¡±


    Samantha looked over at Vince. ¡°Who¡¯s Mykella?¡±


    He shook his head and put the necklace in his pocket. ¡°Not sure,¡± he said. He stood upright and turned back to the trash can and walked over to it.


    ¡°Pretty name, though,¡± she murmured and met him at the can and they looked in and saw that it was filled almost half way with ash.


    A moment of silence overcame the two while he stared into the ash. His eyes darted over to the closet at the other end of the room and then they fell back into the ashes. ¡°Someone else¡¯s been in here,¡± he almost whispered and then dove his hands into the can and began waving them around searching for a needle in the haystack.


    ¡°Well, yeah. Your dad¡¯s been here and the fire marshal too, probably,¡± she said as she watched him playing in the ashes. ¡°What¡¯re you doing?¡±


    ¡°No. The closet door is open ¨C it¡¯s never open. In fact, that door¡¯s been busted for as long as I can remember. It won¡¯t open,¡± he said and stopped moving his hands. ¡°And I¡¯m looking for anything that¡¯ll tell me what he was burning.¡±


    He pulled his hands out and shook them clear of excess ash and saw what it was he brought up. It was an entire piece of paper written in his father¡¯s hand of notes and dates. On the bottom of the page his father had written a simple question: Are they dead? Has Tracy and Emily really died, or are they someplace else?


    He folded the paper and shoved it in his pocket and looked around the room once again. He turned and walked over to the open closet and gently put his hand on the door. He paused and then swung it the rest of the way and moved back.


    Samantha walked up behind him and peered into the dark room. ¡°What the hell¡¯s been living in here?¡± she asked and quickly covered her mouth and nose from the strong odor rolling from the closet.


    Vince had to shield the awful smell, too, but he kept looking inside. From top to bottom and along all walls there had been yellow-green pus which had been splattered everywhere. There was not an inch of the closet which wasn¡¯t covered. The decayed bodies of moths, large crickets, and June bugs had been splayed about; their blood drained from their tiny carcasses.


    How he had never noticed the smell before he could not understand. He turned and looked over at Samantha who had stood by the open window. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here,¡± he suggested and she nodded and started for the ladder.


    Taking one final look around, he sighed and followed her down.


    After their departure, Allen stepped out of the shadows of the closet and chuckled to himself at how Rick¡¯s son had grown up. With his finger he wiped off some of the pus and brought it to his mouth and began sucking on it. Still sucking, he made his way over to the shattered window and watched Vince and Samantha leave the house and drive away.

 Chapter 4

    Chapter Four


    ¡°What did you say she looked like?¡± Samantha asked just before taking another bite from her cheeseburger.


    After their revolting trip to the attic, Vince decided on buying lunch for her in an attempt to apologize for bringing her there. And during lunch he had replayed everything that had happened in his dream.


    He told of Mykella¡¯s red hair and soft skin and green eyes and Samantha grinned. ¡°I got an aunt who looks like that, but I haven¡¯t seen her in years,¡± she said and folded up her wrapper into a ball and laid it down on the tray.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone¡¯s got a relative with red hair and green eyes,¡± he smiled and finished his lunch.


    After he had thrown the garbage into a near-by trash can he went back to their table and pulled out the book and slid it over to her. She grabbed and then opened it. She flipped through the pages and then looked back up at Vince with a smirk.


    ¡°What¡¯re you getting at?¡±


    ¡°What d¡¯ya mean?¡±


    She shook her head and slid the book back to Vince. ¡°There¡¯s not a letter on here that¡¯s of any sense,¡± she explained and he smiled with a nod.


    ¡°See, that¡¯s what I thought too. Only,¡± he took the book and stood up, only to take a seat next to her. ¡°There¡¯s only a couple of real letters on a page.¡± He looked down and flipped to another page. ¡°Here ¨C this is the one Mykella showed me. There¡¯s a G and an L on the page and that¡¯s it.¡±


    She shook her head while looking at the page. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be shitting me. I don¡¯t see anything but things that try to be letters.¡±


    He shut the book and put it back into his bag after a sigh. ¡°Don¡¯t worry ¨C I¡¯ll take care of the book. You only need to take care of your baby. Deal?¡±


    She smiled at him and nodded. ¡°Yeah, but it looks like you¡¯ve got the easy end of the stick.¡±


    He went back to sit with his father and when he got there he was surprised to see a change. Not only was his eyes open, but he was also moving his head, albeit slowly, and he was even attempting to lick his lips.


    He rushed over to his father. He wanted to hold his hand, but the fear of causing more pain stopped him. ¡°Dad?¡±


    Rick moved his head and a tiny pained smile creased his burnt lips. ¡°Ince,¡± he murmured. The word was spoken as if through a breath. But it was still a word; and Vince knew it. It was his name.


    Tears welled in both men¡¯s eyes as they stared at one another.


    There was a pact made between the two of them which needed no words. No longer would there be any misjudging. No more not believing just because your friends, or their parents for that matter, hated Richard Hopman and his theories of Orion and the Dreamkillers.


    But still, a revelation must be told to his father no matter how much pain he was in. Vince looked down at his father. ¡°I had a dream last night ¨C my mother was there,¡± he said and he saw his father¡¯s eyes move rapidly in his direction once again, but he wasn¡¯t sure if he saw panic in them. ¡°She told me that she wanted me to help a new Dream Crusader.¡±


    This time he did see panic; for his father¡¯s eyes were moving back and forth quickly. Vince wasn¡¯t concerned that his father seemed worried. But he wished for more information although he knew he would get nowhere. ¡°I wish I knew what a Dream Crusader was,¡± he said.


    Rick¡¯s eyes darted back to his son. ¡°Death,¡± he murmured in complete clarity that sent chills down Vince¡¯s back.


    If a Dream Crusader brings death, then whose death does it bring? Vince shook his head and turned around and walked over to the chair and sat down. Within a minute he could hear the rhythmic sound of his father snoring, and as calming as that sound should be, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder how well Rick Hopman knew his mother. Without any documents to survive the blaze, he had nothing to tell him.


    He closed his eyes for a moment, only to open them again at the voice of a woman whispering his name. Once again, he found that he had traveled around the world to the same beautiful cliff with meadow and ocean. And he could also see his mother coming toward him from across the meadow. He wished he could feel that warmth a son should feel when he sees his mother coming for him, but there was no such feeling. Instead there was that remaining black emptiness he often felt growing up motherless.


    When she met him, he did not go to meet her; there was a look of concern on her face. She did not attempt to embrace him; she did not attempt to hold his hand. This was business; nothing more, nothing less. ¡°You¡¯re being followed now. I was hoping he wouldn¡¯t find you,¡± she began while looking around them.


    ¡°Who¡¯re you talking about?¡±


    Tracy looked back at him with a renewed look of fear she hadn¡¯t had since her living days. If she hadn¡¯t been found at the last second of life, she would surely have perished. But, she was found and the rest is history. But now, the future of humanity is at stake. ¡°The sleepwalker,¡± she replied.


    The sleepwalker? Where had he heard that term before? And then he remembered Mykella saying that his father had escaped the sleepwalker. ¡°I think he¡¯s been on to us for a long time ¨C he knew Dad,¡± he said and Tracy gave him a nod.


    ¡°His name was Allen Corgan. He gave himself up for Orion a long time ago. I thought he died when Rick and I were young, but I guess I was wrong.¡± Tracy paused and looked out across the ocean. ¡°Must¡¯ve jumped the time circuit or something.¡±


    Vince shook his head. ¡°How could he be waiting for us all this time without us knowing about it?¡±


    She smiled. ¡°He¡¯s a ghost. He sacrificed himself and has lived ever since in whatever hell Orion lived in.¡±


    ¡°So the fucker¡¯s been living in my house for some time now? Now I feel violated,¡± he grinned. ¡°Still, I need to know how to get rid of him.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry too much about Allen. You need to use all your energy on protecting the Dream Crusader.¡± Tracy cautioned and Vince thought of something.


    ¡°Speaking of which: what¡¯s this Dream Crusader look like? What¡¯s her name? I think I need to know this if I¡¯m going to find her,¡± he asked as he, too, looked out across the raging rapids. ¡°I think,¡± he replied as an afterthought and sighed. ¡°I¡¯m beginning to believe in what you¡¯ve been saying,¡± and he turned to look at her. ¡°And who you are.¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Tracy looked at her son behind a grin. ¡°Her name is Mykella and your job is to see to it that she lives ¨C that¡¯s all. For roughly seven-and-a-half months. Do you think you can do this?¡±


    ¡°Seven-and-a-half months? An odd number.¡± Vince glanced at his mother for further explanation. But she turned back toward the meadow and began walking.


    ¡°Please ¨C just see to it that she lives,¡± she called back and then disappeared before his eyes.


    Vince awoke early the next morning. He stood up and stretched his back. He saw that his father was still asleep and decided on using this time to visit the library for some uninterrupted alone time with the book.


    Once he arrived at the library he grabbed a table in the complete back of the second floor ¨C totally secluded. He opened the book, this time, to the first page and closed his eyes and concentrated on his breathing.


    He closed off all other senses and only concentrated on sight. When he was at peace with his surroundings, he opened his eyes and looked down at the first page and studied it carefully. The pay-off worked, for he saw the letter G quite quickly.


    Several more minutes he found the letter L hidden inside the text as well. He took a sheet of paper and wrote down G, L. He stared at the letters he had found and didn¡¯t see any pattern in what he had discovered.


    He turned the page and stared a bit harder into the text. He found an O and wrote it down as well. But he was lost when he couldn¡¯t see any other letter on the second page. Am I missing it?


    He must have stared at the second page for an hour before his eyes began watering and his head began throbbing from straining his eyes. He admitted defeat and closed the book after a sigh. He leaned back in the chair and rubbed his eyes.


    ¡°He¡¯s going after your father ¨C you need to go to him,¡± whispered Mykella as she leaned over Vince¡¯s head.


    He jumped up and stared at her for a moment. He didn¡¯t ponder the fact that he must have fallen asleep in the library. ¡°It¡¯s you I need to protect,¡± he said, trying not to sound too corny.


    Mykella shook her head. ¡°He¡¯s weak; he can¡¯t defend himself. Go!¡±


    Vince fell out of his chair and jumped up before arousing too much suspicion and he sprinted out of the building.


    He returned to his father¡¯s room to witness a horrific, yet awesome spectacle. He saw the spirit world become flesh, so to speak, and was closing in on his helpless father whose eyes were wide in terror. Allen was hovering over Rick who had been trying to scream with his hands around Rick¡¯s throat.


    Vince ran over to the poltergeist and grabbed the thing¡¯s arms. The thing turned and looked at Vince behind hatred. ¡°You cannot save him. My Lord gave me this job before you were even born,¡± it said and wretched its hands free.


    Vince shook his head. ¡°Not this time, Allen.¡±


    He looked at Vince with confusion in his eyes. He stepped back and straightened his stance. ¡°How is it that you know who I am? Like I said, you weren¡¯t even born in my day,¡± he asked and shook his head.


    ¡°My mother told me,¡± Vince said and Allen burst out laughing.


    ¡°Your mother? Shit, Boy. Your Momma¡¯s been dead for at least twenty years. There¡¯s no way she coulda told you of me.¡± Allen turned his back on Vince.


    Vince charged forward and shoved Allen up against the wall. Allen turned around with a grin on his moist lips. ¡°Your ol¡¯ man couldn¡¯t stop me ¨C what makes you think you can?¡± he said.


    ¡°Because I got something he didn''t,¡± Vince spat as rage erupted, which made Allen laugh again.


    ¡°Yeah, Kid? What¡¯s that?¡±


    Vince leaned forward. ¡°This,¡± he grunted and lashed out at Allen with the dagger he recently obtained.


    Allen looked down, horror-struck when he saw the dagger that ended his life so many years ago, and saw his gushing side. What was coming out was definitely not blood, rather grayish pus. He put his hand over the wound and sneered at Vince.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back later ¨C you can count on that,¡± Allen said and then vanished from the room leaving Vince trembling with the dagger at his side and his father who had begun weeping.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be here,¡± Vince whispered and walked over to his father. ¡°Was that the guy you dreamt about?¡±


    Rick nodded as best he could and Vince returned the nod with one of his own as he turned and sat down in contemplation.


    Vince pulled out his phone and called Karl. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s me. I need a big favor,¡± he waited and then continued. ¡°I need twenty-four hour protection for Dad ¨C I can¡¯t do it all myself. Can you help me?¡± After he received an affirmative, Vince sighed. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said and turned off the phone and let a long sigh escape his nostrils.


    ¡°Okay. I gotta protect Mykella from something and I gotta help Dad against Allen,¡± he whispered behind sarcasm and closed his eyes. Lord, if I¡¯m ever going to believe in you, now¡¯s the time.


    He opened his eyes and saw that his father was trying to sit up. He sprinted to his side and held out his arm. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s such a good idea,¡± he said and reached out for the Nurse Call button but his father stopped him by grabbing Vince¡¯s hand.


    There was a new look in Rick¡¯s eyes that Vince had never seen before: Determination. Perhaps even desperation. But whatever was on the outside, Vince saw that his father was mad as hell and it was this anger that enabled him to sit up and look at his son.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been in worse shape,¡± Rick murmured beneath his bandages. He held up his right hand and Vince knew that he meant his artificial hand. ¡°I had caves crash down on me. I even had an entire castle fall on top of me,¡± he grinned and shook his head.


    ¡°Dad, I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t believe you,¡± Vince said and Rick shook his head again.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is that we find out why Allen is here. Why is he in his future,¡± Rick replied.


    Vince agreed but thought of something. ¡°How¡¯re we supposed to find a ghost?¡±


    ¡°He must have been hiding all these years ¨C watching us,¡± Rick mused and his son lifted his head.


    ¡°In the attic. I saw that the closet was open. A bunch of nasty shit was all over the walls,¡± he said.


    ¡°Must be his nutrients.¡±


    He looked down and then Vince brought up the dagger. ¡°Can you tell me about this ¨C when I showed it to him, he had this petrified look in his eyes.¡±


    ¡°He killed himself with that same blade to be with Orion forever,¡± he said and studied the dagger more closely. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen that thing in years. Wonder how you found it,¡± Rick replied and let his thoughts run.


    ¡°My tires were slashed yesterday and I found this under one of them.¡±


    ¡°Where were you going then?¡±


    ¡°To see you.¡±


    Rick nodded. ¡°Had to have been someone trying to stop you from coming here. Someone like ¨C ¡°


    ¡°Allen,¡± Vince pulled back from his father and headed for the door.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Vince stopped and looked down at the golden dagger and tightened his grip and then looked at his father. ¡°I¡¯m going home.¡±


    It¡¯s not a wise idea.


    Vince shook his head. Shit, now she¡¯s talking to my head when I¡¯m awake.


    You shouldn¡¯t go back ¨C not until we find out what he¡¯s up to.


    ¡°How the hell am I going to do that without finding the bastard?¡± He didn¡¯t care if he were screaming.


    He¡¯s sitting all alone in the dark. He¡¯s wondering why his master deserted him. His Lord has left him to make his way in this cruel world, alone.


    Vince¡¯s mind no longer thought along the lines of hatred. His Lord left him here alone as well. These two lonely beings, mortal and immortal, would have to find a way to survive once their battle has ended. When the battle was to come, Vince didn¡¯t know. All he did know is that he must destroy Allen before he kills his father.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter Five


    Vince turned the car around and had instead decided on going to visit Samantha. The drive was somewhat pleasant ¨C he didn¡¯t have to listen to Mykella interrupting his thoughts. As much as she was trying to help him, he was beginning to find that she was becoming very irritating.


    When he arrived at her house, he found Samantha to be in a depressed state. When he asked her what was wrong, she merely grunted and moved aside to let him in.


    ¡°He¡¯s gone.¡±


    They made their way into the back yard to sit at the patio table.


    ¡°Who? Donnie?¡±


    She moved her eyes away from his, as if in embarrassment. ¡°The one and only,¡± she said.


    Even though she was trying to hide her face by looking away, Vince could see her tears being reflected by the sunlight. He stood up and went around to her and looked down at her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I really thought he would come around,¡± he said and this caused her to look up at him.


    ¡°He told me that he couldn¡¯t be emotionally attached to both of us. He says it¡¯s either one of us, or none,¡± she said and then lowered her head again. ¡°When I told him I was still having our child, he told me it¡¯s over and he walked out.¡±


    ¡°Come here,¡± he suggested and held his arms open and she stood and let her friend embrace her. He held her tightly, thoughts not so lovely toward their ex-friend at the moment running through his head. ¡°We¡¯ll get through this,¡± he whispered in her ear.


    She looked up at him with a different look in her eyes. ¡°We?¡±


    Looking down into those confused eyes, he smiled and laid his hand upon her neck. ¡°It¡¯s always been us,¡± he replied and she smiled.


    He inched his lips closer to hers and within several centimeters of hitting his target, a sharp pain screamed through his head. He winced and fell backward onto the ground with his hands covering his forehead.


    Samantha reached down to help him back into a chair. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    He sat down, rubbing his head, and looked over at her. ¡°I think I better get going,¡± was all he said and stood up and saw himself out through the side gate that led to the front yard.


    Leave my mother alone!


    Vince grinned as he drove back to the library; he needed to decode a couple more pages. ¡°I thought it was a coincidence that you show up at the same time she¡¯s pregnant. And now I find it¡¯s no coincidence at all,¡± he replied.


    He waited for a response but received none. ¡°I¡¯ll help you in any way I can, but you can¡¯t tell me or your mother who to date. Got it?¡±


    I don¡¯t need your help! I don¡¯t even know why I was sent to you. I¡¯m no one special.


    At that she felt a tug of pain in his mind. This concerned her.


    What do you know? Please, tell me.


    Vince pulled the car into the parking lot and closed his eyes. ¡°You are destined to become the final destroyer of the Dreamkiller army. You, alone, will have the power to save mankind from extinction. That is why you are so special.¡±


    I...I think we should talk in person ¨C so to speak ¨C tonight. I can¡¯t. And then she fell silent to his mind.


    He didn¡¯t need to know how she felt; he could hear it in her voice, in those several words she spoke. Sure, there was confusion. But there was also terror in the way she spoke. For these reasons he did not reply to her and let her go wherever unborn children go when they aren¡¯t pestering living beings.


    Thirty minutes later he had been in the same darkened corner of the library with no thoughts on decoding. He kept losing himself in his sudden attraction for Samantha. He knew he always wanted her, but he was also a respectful soul and would not go into territory belonging to Donnie and Samantha.


    But now things have changed, and quite drastically so. Now she knows how he feels about her, and by her reaction, he was safe to assume she shared the same feelings, but what she doesn¡¯t know is that he is protecting her unborn child from evils yet to surface.


    Mykella walked over to him from across the room. ¡°You should stop falling asleep in the library ¨C people are going to get upset,¡± she brought up as she walked past him.


    Now that he thought about it, Mykella and her mother shared an identical scent. Is it possible that Samantha can transfer some of her Vanilla body wash to her daughter still in the womb?


    He couldn¡¯t reply to her greeting. He didn¡¯t know what to say; he felt awkward being here only an hour after telling her that she was to become mankind¡¯s savior.


    She sat down at one of the other tables and looked up at Vince with the weight of the world in her eyes. ¡°Tell me more about my destiny,¡± she almost whispered.


    He shoved his hands into his pockets. ¡°I had a dream the other day about this gigantic battle. Blood was everywhere and the demons were winning. Then my mother appears and tells me that this battle has yet to take place.¡± He walked over and sat down opposite her. ¡°She tells me that it is you who will finish the war and that I need to help you live.¡±


    Mykella shook her head. ¡°Come on. Do I look like a warrior? I¡¯m only¡­I don¡¯t even know how old I¡¯m supposed to look,¡± she said and glanced down at her body. ¡°Twenty? Do I know anything about fighting? I¡¯m not even alive yet.¡± She was on the verge of hysterics.


    ¡°Yes ¨C you are alive.¡± They locked eyes for a moment and she nodded. ¡°I made a promise to my mother that I would help you live. So for the next seven or eight months, we¡¯ve got to be friends.¡±


    ¡°Who are you supposed to be helping me from?¡±


    Vince shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t know. Hopefully nobody.¡±


    ¡°So what are you going to do? Teach me how to fight?¡± She smiled at him which could have melted ice.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea,¡± he said and began feeling his conscious mind interfering with their conversation. ¡°We¡¯ll see each other later, I suppose.¡±


    When he was awake he had decided to go to his house for more clues and possibly some miracle man to show him the way. It was during this drive that he felt everything lying on his chest. Dad, Samantha, and Mykella. And on top of that, he still had to write that final paper due in fourteen weeks and pass all the other classes he was taking.


    And when he got to the house he was greeted by no miracle man. Instead he found even more mysteries. These mysteries were found in his father¡¯s bedroom beneath several sweaters lying in the closet. He saw several papers sticking out from beneath the sweaters.


    He tossed the sweaters onto the bed; the mattress was still laying up against the dresser where it had landed when he kicked it, and brought down the papers.


    Dear Mr. Hopman,


    You had contacted me awhile back concerning my father. Doing a little snooping myself, I found that it is the same Jack Andrews you have been looking for. When I was six or seven, Dad moved us out of state, he has never told me why.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    I was surprised to find out that I had a brother. When I approached him about this, Dad denied the whole thing. I¡¯m not sure why he has these severe hatred feelings about Mom (I wish I had memories of her ¨C I have but one photo of her and a couple of her friends when she was a young girl).


    When I persisted, Dad became irate and so I dropped the subject altogether. However, I am very interested and would love to meet my brother at the earliest convenience.


    Sincerely,


    Alexandria Kimberly Andrews


    Vince stared down at the two pages in his hand and stumbled back, leaning against the mattress. He looked at the date that Alexandria had written the letter ¨C it was a year and a half ago. The nostalgic feeling he was suffering had changed to that of anger. Why didn¡¯t Dad tell me he found at least one person I¡¯m really related to?


    Burnt or not, Vince stormed out of the house to interrogate his father about this whole damned mess.


    When he returned to the room, he found Karl standing outside his father¡¯s room with the most pathetic look on his face he had ever seen. When he saw him, Karl wanted to turn his head, not daring to look his friend in the eye.


    ¡°Karl?¡±


    Vince looked over his friend¡¯s shoulder into the room. There he saw that all of the IV tubes, the blue stand holding the bags of sugar water had been removed from the room. At first Vince was relieved; perhaps Dad has gotten better faster than they had expected. And then he saw his father sleeping on his bed.


    No, he wasn¡¯t sleeping. Sleeping patients do not slumber with their white sheet up over their heads. But this time, Rick lay on his bed with his sheet over his head.


    This can¡¯t be happening, Vince thought and pushed Karl aside to enter the room.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Vince,¡± replied Karl as he watched his friend enter the room for the last time.


    He approached the bed and lowered his head. ¡°Did he say anything before he died?¡± He did not look back.


    A bit surprised that Vince was not angered at not being called; Karl walked into the room and produced a piece of paper. ¡°All he said before¡­going¡­was St. Vincent, Ireland.¡± He showed the scribbled name he had written. ¡°I had to write it down so I wouldn¡¯t forget,¡± he said and handed it over to Vince.


    Vince realized at that moment his destiny had been altered. He no longer needed to be a guardian for his father. He is now Mykella¡¯s guardian and Allen¡¯s wrath.


    There was one thing he needed to do first and that was decided as he was looking down at his hand; he was still holding the letter his sister had written. He saw that she had written her address on the second page on the bottom right ¨C she lived just a couple of states away. He could still be back to bury his father in time.


    ¡°Tell Samantha that I¡¯ve got something to do ¨C that I won¡¯t be back for a couple of days.¡± Vince would not look up, but Karl nodded anyway. ¡°And tell her I love her.¡±


    There was a heart-felt pang stinging inside Karl¡¯s being. He was happy that he had finally been given the chance to love Samantha the way he knew his friend wished. But still, they were discussing this standing over a corpse.


    With a final sigh, Karl watched Vince turn and walk out of the room. He remained there for about a minute and then left the room; he didn¡¯t want to be in a room with a dead guy any longer than he had to.


    Heading back to his car, Vince found that he couldn¡¯t keep his thoughts clear and straight. One minute he was making strategy plans for killing a ghost and the next minute he was trying to imagine what things he may have to protect Mykella from.


    He made his way through the faceless doctors and visitors and out to his car. After sitting down he noticed that his hands were shaking. And then the sick feeling began to creep its way up through his convulsing stomach. He tried to tell himself to keep it under control, but it was of no use; he had to open his door again and throw out his head and he vomited into the parking lot.


    He sat there for several minutes and when the sensation of vomiting again had receded, he turned the ignition and drove out of the parking lot in the direction of Ohio.


    Vince was on the highway for only two hours when he heard his phone ring. He rolled his eyes in annoyance and picked up the phone which he laid in the passenger seat.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± He was in no mood to be polite or cherry.


    ¡°Just what the hell do you think you''re doing going away for a couple of days and not taking me with you?¡±


    If the circumstances had been different, hearing Samantha¡¯s voice would have put a smile on his lips. But his circumstance told the tale of a chaotic spiral spinning out of control.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your Dad,¡± she said when she realized he wasn¡¯t going to comment on her greeting.


    ¡°Listen, in the next couple of months you¡¯re going to be hearing real strange things. You¡¯ll probably even have some fucked-up dreams to go with it.¡± He didn¡¯t know why he was telling her this; it wasn¡¯t like she could know what her unborn child knows.


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡±


    Vince shook his head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Nobody will understand until, oh, I¡¯d say in fifteen years from now.¡±


    ¡°Have you been drinking?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Drugs?¡±


    ¡°I wish.¡±


    ¡°Then what the hell¡¯s going on with you ¨C why can¡¯t you talk to me?¡±


    There was something in his head that snapped. ¡°Dad died taking a secret with him. I have a sister and she wanted to meet me.¡±


    ¡°Wow. That¡¯s great. How did you find out?¡±


    Vince paused for a moment to change lanes and follow the changing interstate signs. ¡°I found a letter stashed in his closet under some clothes. It was written a year and a half ago.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to meet with her?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°If she¡¯s still at the same address.¡±


    There was a pause from Samantha and she finally sighed. ¡°Good luck. And I love you, too.¡±


    At that moment a strange sensation overcame Vince. He wanted to turn the car around and go back to her. He wanted to wrap his arms around her. He wanted to kiss her passionately. He wanted to ¨C


    Don¡¯t even think about it!


    Vince laughed out loud. ¡°Damn, she¡¯s determined,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Look, I¡¯ll be back soon. I¡¯ll call you when I find her.¡± And they said their good-byes and he tossed the phone back onto the seat.


    He looked up into the rear view mirror and almost ran the car off the road. In that brief glance he saw Mykella sitting in the back seat shaking her head with a disappointed look on her young face.


    He slapped his face and understood that he must have fallen asleep for a second. He looked around and saw an exit coming up. He left the highway and easily found a diner to his left and a motel to his right.


    Vince decided he wasn¡¯t too hungry so he turned into the motel parking lot. He got a room and when he opened the door, he found the bed made and very inviting. After he entered he kicked the door closed with the heel of his foot and made his way to the bed and laid down.


    There was a large part of him that wished to be left alone during this sleep. But there was also this strange need to be with Mykella. He didn¡¯t understand his emotions. All he did know is that Mykella is Samantha¡¯s daughter and if he loves her he should love Mykella as well.


    But there was something else; a bond, perhaps. He didn¡¯t look much older than her, although he is twenty years older than her. Deep down he felt that she trusted her life to him.


    Prophecies can be misinterpreted, he thought just as his eyes closed.


    ¡°She won¡¯t believe you when you tell her,¡± explained Mykella as she came into the room from the bathroom.


    He sat up and looked at her with a quizzical expression. Do spirits piss?


    ¡°Do you think you could help her see? Can you pop into her dreams, too?¡± Vince asked.


    She shrugged her tiny shoulders. ¡°I could try. But I¡¯d be afraid of Mom thinking she¡¯s losing her mind if I tell her who I am and who¡¯s working with me.¡±


    This put a smile on his face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about your mother ¨C I can handle her. But I do think we should begin your training soon.¡±


    Her eyes seemed to have sparkled and she smiled at him. ¡°When?¡±


    ¡°When I get back. I don¡¯t think my sister needs to see me sleeping on her couch attempting to train someone in my dreams.¡± He paused and lay back down on his pillow. ¡°Besides, I need to get a plan and then we can get to work.¡± And then he thought of something. ¡°Do you mind if I can use the rest of the time to dream for myself?¡±


    She tossed him a smile and nodded. ¡°I guess so. But my Mom can¡¯t be there; I¡¯ll be watching you.¡±


    After she had vaporized, he thought she was beginning to be odd. No matter where he goes or what he dreams, she¡¯ll always be looking over him. She¡¯ll never leave him alone.


    No matter how odd it felt, he knew that it must be so. She is only a spirit waiting to be born into this evil world; a world where Dreamkillers will have control someday; a world where she must defend humanity throughout the Dream Crusades.

 Chapter 6

    Chapter Six


    He didn¡¯t think he could feel pain once he was dead. But as it happens he could not only feel pain but he could also feel the emotions wrapped up with pain. He didn¡¯t wait all this time just to be the victim of the fucker¡¯s son. And Allen would be damned before he let his vulnerability show again.


    He didn¡¯t need to hide in the tiny closet anymore and so he kneeled next to the window and he glanced down at his wound. The dagger had opened his spirit better than he thought possible. His matter, which would have been blood if he were alive, continued flowing.


    Orion must have failed. He clearly remembered when Orion ordered him to time jump to the present day to battle Rick and destroy his son and some young woman; Orion claimed this woman to have the ability to become a Dream Crusader. If he, Orion, was successful in finding their book and opening the gate to the Forbidden Realms then there would be no need for Allen to fight anyone because time would have been altered.


    And it seems as if his master has failed. He had been here for the past twenty years. He hid and watched the Hopman¡¯s with a close eye. He watched his future world pass him by without being allowed to join it.


    If he had not succumbed to Orion¡¯s passion, he would still be alive and enjoying this present time. For the past twenty years he sat alone hating Orion for what he had made of him. And now he was left with the empty feeling of loneliness and desertion. Without anyone giving him orders he felt like a lost lamb without a shepherd.


    There had been many nights when he thought that pretty soon this lamb would be lost forever and even the greatest of the shepherds couldn¡¯t bring him back home.


    Vince awoke feeling rejuvenated. How long has it really been since he¡¯s had his own dreams? He sat up and looked over at the digital clock and registered that it was ten thirty and he only had another half hour before check-out time. He cocked his head to the right and felt it pop and then he stood up.


    He went to the bathroom to relieve himself and then took a quick shower. Feeling better than he had in a long time, he got out, dried off, and put his clothes back on and hurried out the door.


    He had decided to pay a visit to the diner before heading back on the highway. Stepping inside the bright diner he scanned the area and found a booth next to the window overlooking the parking lot. He sat down and the waitress approached him the second he got comfortable.


    ¡°What can I get for you?¡±


    ¡°Uh,¡± Vince did a quick scan of the menu and then looked back up. ¡°I¡¯ll have a Number Two, sunny-side-up eggs, sausage links, and a black coffee.¡±


    The waitress smiled and turned around and headed to the back of the counter where the cook¡¯s station was and slipped her ticket across to the cooks.


    Vince let his mind go over several things he could teach Mykella during her training. He was wondering if he should begin with defense moves then go to offense, or the other way around. He had taken karate such a long time ago that he could no longer remember any good moves, both offensive and defensive. He¡¯s seen enough of the old Rocky films to teach her a basic technique of boxing, but that was the movies.


    He glanced up from his thoughts and almost jumped back in his seat. For a fraction of a second he thought he saw his mother standing by the door with her profile toward him. And she was gone just like that.


    The waitress returned and put a cup of coffee down on the table in front of him. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said, only half-looking at the young woman.


    She smiled back and as she turned he saw something even stranger than seeing his mother in this diner. As the waitress turned, he saw that her eye had twitched as if she were thinking (or, for that matter, remembering) of something that she knew she couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on.


    And then she was there ¨C his mother ¨C standing next to the old juke box resting next to the door. She vanished as soon as the waitress brought Vince¡¯s food to him.


    As she placed the plate down, she looked at Vince with an embarrassed expression in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she began and pulled away as she stood up. ¡°You look very familiar.¡±


    So she was trying to recall something, he thought and smiled up at her. ¡°Have you been to Chicago?¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    She shook her head. ¡°Not since I was about five or six.¡±


    Vince stole a glance up at her name tag and squinted in confusion. ¡°Xan? I¡¯ve never heard that name before.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°It¡¯s short for Alexandria. I shortened it when I was in high school.¡±


    They stared at one another for a short time and they were brought back to whatever present time this was by the sound of an older man from behind the front register.


    ¡°Xan, table three needs refills,¡± he called to her.


    She turned and nodded and quickly picked up her tray and headed off to table three where she picked up two coffee cups and two juice glasses.


    Once she had disappeared into the back room, Vince grabbed his fork and shoved an entire egg into his mouth. Odd woman, he thought and shoved a sausage link into his mouth. While chewing he kept thinking about the waitress¡¯s eyes. As he shoved his second egg into his mouth he recalled her hands. And as he finished off his second sausage, he thought only of her face and he had come to a conclusion.


    He stood up, reached down and grabbed his coffee and downed it in one gulp ¨C he almost cried out when the scorching liquid went down his throat ¨C and headed over to the back room and waited for Xan to return.


    What he did not expect was to be standing on the wrong side of the swinging door and when she pushed it open, he fell onto his back as it hit him in the face.


    ¡°Oh my God!¡± she yelped and quickly put the tray down on a near-by table and bent down to help Vince up. She helped him to a chair and sat down next to him. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She had turned bright pink. ¡°I am so sorry. I didn¡¯t see you there.¡±


    Vince had been rubbing his forehead while listening to her apologies; he was feeling a bit embarrassed as well. ¡°It was all my fault ¨C I was standing on the wrong side it seems.¡±


    ¡°Why were you there? Did you need something?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I wanted to know if you are my sister.¡±


    Everything seemed to have stopped, including their hearts. Several customers seemed to have been watching the scene as Vince could feel their eyes on them.


    ¡°I¡­thought¡­maybe,¡± She was shaking with anticipation as she looked at Vince. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She looked away as if in some mental anguish she did not want Vince to see.


    He reached into his pocket and laid a paper down on the table. ¡°Did you write this?¡± He slid it over to Xan.


    With tears welling in her eyes she glanced down. There was no need to read it. She had written that letter a long time ago in hopes of finding a family. And when it was never answered, she thought that either her brother was dead or else she had the wrong person. She put her hand over the paper and nodded.


    Vince stood up and walked to her. ¡°I¡¯m Vincent Hopman. I just found your letter yesterday ¨C I didn¡¯t know my dad was actually trying to find my real father.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter now. We¡¯ve gone our separate ways ¨C sort of a falling out, you could say. But let¡¯s not talk about that. You should come to my house when you can,¡± she reached into her apron, pulled out a piece of scrap paper, and scribbled down her address.


    He grabbed it but kept staring at his sister like this couldn¡¯t be happening. ¡°My dad died yesterday.¡± He didn¡¯t know why he was telling her this ¨C especially now in a place not too intimate.


    Nonetheless she pulled him to her in a warm embrace. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said.


    It was at this moment, being held by blood, Vince broke down and wept. It took him several moments to get control of himself and when he did he pulled away with an apologetic look in his eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean,¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Really.¡± She looked back at the man behind the register; he too had been watching the scene ¨C tears were brimming in his eyes as well. ¡°Can I leave a little early,¡± she asked.


    He grinned at her. ¡°Just work a couple of hours over next week,¡± he replied and she nodded and turned back to Vince.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±


    ¡°I was looking for you just as much as your father was looking for us.¡± Xan returned to the living room and dropped a photo album down next to Vince. She had just gotten over the lengthy story of the time their mother left their father. Jack had decided on taking Xan with him to another state without telling Tracy where he was going. She was pregnant at the time.


    ¡°How¡¯d you know about me?¡±


    She sat down and opened up the album and laid it in his lap. ¡°During one of our many moves I found old prenatal check-up receipts and knew they weren¡¯t from when I was a baby. When I asked Dad about it he gave me the cold shoulder.¡±


    Vince looked down and saw his mother when she was alive. How young and beautiful she looked while holding the baby Alexandria in her arms. So full of life. He looked up at her. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t my father want anything to do with me?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°My guess is that he suspects Mom may be with you and he doesn¡¯t want that confrontation.¡±


    He lowered his head, turned a couple of pages, and laid his hand on a picture of Tracy and Xan when she was five. ¡°Mom died right after I was born,¡± he whispered and suddenly felt an enormous cloud overcome his soul.


    She couldn¡¯t see or feel that cloud, but Xan did notice a different appearance in her brother. ¡°You okay?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s things happening in this world, Xan. Things that one couldn¡¯t possibly comprehend.¡±


    She leaned forward and looked at him. ¡°What things?¡±


    He turned his head and had a terrified look in his eyes. ¡°Bad things. Evil things.¡±

 Chapter 7

    Chapter Seven


    She found herself walking in some strange land with nothing to see except the desert and her bare bleeding feet. She suddenly felt afraid without the company of Vince, who right now was probably having the time of his life with his newfound sister. Mykella was happy for him but right now she felt a strange sensation of isolation.


    Why am I walking like I have no control over my own legs?


    But she went with absolutely no idea where she was going. She entered a village and she peeked in the large tents as she passed them. It seemed as if the tenants either didn¡¯t see her or else they were ignoring her. They were dark skinned, these men and women she saw, some wearing turbans of different colors.


    And then she found herself leaving the village behind her as she entered the desert once again. She looked down at her bleeding and aching feet. How much blood can a spirit lose before it¡¯s gone forever?


    On and on she went. It could have been hours; she didn¡¯t have any idea of time. She saw a tiny spec of something on the horizon ¨C a city. As she drew closer she saw that it was a monster of a city with high buildings and statues of gods and emperors.


    But when she came within a mile or so she felt a different calling sending her ethereal spirit off to the west.


    ¡°Something¡¯s happening.¡± Vince was pacing back and forth nervously in the guest bedroom while Mykella watched.


    ¡°What? What do you think is happening?¡±


    Still pacing, he shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It feels like something coming closer to us ¨C something big.¡±


    She didn¡¯t tell him of her journey. This was a puzzle unto itself. ¡°You look scared,¡± she said.


    This caused Vince to stop in his tracks and he glared at her. ¡°Let me tell you something: I¡¯m in college ¨C I¡¯m no warrior. I say to you that I promised my mother that I would protect you, but I don¡¯t personally want to die. Yes, I¡¯m scared.¡± He plopped down on the bed and sighed.


    Mykella paused for a moment and then sat down next to him and looked him straight in his eyes. ¡°Then teach me to be a warrior. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s supposed to be protecting mankind, right?¡±


    Vince just stared at her. He did not smile or shake his head. If he only knew when this battle he had witnessed would take place, he could put his mind at ease. But with the inevitable looming at the front door, he would not let his mind ease up any. Sister or no sister, he had to train Mykella. Now. But how?


    For the past ten years he had grown a passion for his hatred toward Orion and he had thus planned ways to exact a malicious revenge. What better way to do this than finding the book and opening the Forbidden Realms before Orion?


    Allen watched the flickering stars through the broken window and wondered where the book was and why it was so important. Was the key to Eden somewhere within the pages? There are ways to find out, he knew, but they would require him to return to the coldness of a hell he had been trying to forget.


    If Orion is truly dead and gone then this trip back would be without conflict. And right now that is what Allen needed.


    He wondered once if the chamber would still be there, but then he would answer himself with ¡°as long as there¡¯s time, the place will remain.¡±


    Allen stood and walked out of the attic to the first floor. As he made his way toward the basement door he passed several pictures of Rick and Vince. He stopped and picked up a picture of a tired-looking Rick holding Vince no more than a year old. At first, he caught himself smiling at the picture; and then the rage erupted. He threw the picture across the room and the frame shattered when it hit the wall.


    Allen crossed over to the broken picture and glanced down. Ah, there was a picture hiding behind Rick-holding-baby. Curious, he bent down, picked it up, wiped off the glass and felt feelings he thought he had long forgotten resurface.


    He looked down and saw Tracy Kingston, Rick Hopman, Steve, Laura Kingston, Vincent, Britney, and himself staring up at him ¨C the Lungland children. The picture was taken just before the slaughter began. There may not have been a slaughter had Tracy not had the gift of the Dream Crusader. She led her friends to the slaughter.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Allen closed his eyes and let the picture fall from his fingers. ¡°Rest in peace, my friends.¡±


    When he opened his eyes he saw the basement door, opened it, and then walked down into the damp and cold dwelling. He found the old furnace; it was an old coal furnace with double doors which had been later replaced by an electric model and positioned at the other end of the basement. He ignored the newer furnace and walked over to the old one.


    He opened the door with a loud scream of needing oil and he peered inside the blackness. He closed his eyes and pictured the place he wanted to go and then stepped into the furnace.


    When he opened his eyes he saw that he no longer sat in a dingy furnace. He was standing inside a chamber of rocks. The power he felt in this chamber was enormous. Whatever powers Orion may have had at one time did not make this room. The Time Chamber was created by far more powerful Oracles.


    The Oracles.


    He watched as the squares of time swirled around his head. He watched many of them but nothing he saw about the book. ¡°There¡¯s gotta be something that Orion missed.¡± He studied the pictures more closely but was having no luck.


    ¡°There has to be something here about the book!¡± He didn¡¯t mean to yell, for fear of pissing off the Oracles, but it must have done the trick.


    He watched as every square of time overlapped one another like a deck of cards and a single square shot out of the deck and swung into first place. What he saw only mildly shocked him (nothing these days shocks him anymore).


    ¡°Take this. And Brother Judas, make it so no one shall find the key.¡±


    ¡°Amen, I say to you, Messiah. It will be done.¡±


    *   *   *


    She had been weeping now for some time and she didn¡¯t even realize that she had the capacity to shed tears. When she agreed to become a guardian she thought that she would be giving every emotion to the dead. But no. She had fears just as she did when she was at war with the Dreamkillers. In fact, she was more scared now than when she faced Orion in the flesh.


    For some strange reason hidden to Tracy, the Oracles were showing Allen everything he needed to know about the book, except the precise location of the key. She knew that the location of the key was hidden somewhere in the book. She didn¡¯t know where it was either, but she had a pretty good idea and she would never reveal it to her son. They threw forth riddles of sand and wood and that was pretty much it.


    Although she could not witness the scene taking place, she could feel it and it was the fear of Allen moving closer to the key of the Forbidden Realms that made her weep. He wasn¡¯t after the book anymore; he was going straight for the key. Humanity was that much closer to annihilation.


    Vince had replayed the horrific battle he had witnessed. In his mind¡¯s eye he saw the hooded thing rip the head of a soldier right off the rest of his body. Who this person was he didn¡¯t know, but he knew that it was this thing he had to protect Mykella from.


    ¡°It¡¯d be easier to show you how to wield a sword if it¡¯s that kind of war, but we¡¯ll have to make due.¡± Vince looked around for any kind of weapon to train her with but since this was his sister¡¯s house, he didn¡¯t think she would have anything but maybe some sharp kitchen knives.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be that kind of war. But all you need to do is close your eyes and picture you with a sword,¡± she said and crossed the room toward the window.


    Vince shook his head with a sigh but closed his eyes nonetheless. He calmed his mind and when he opened them once again he saw a long blade lying on the bed ¨C its steel reflecting off the light above them. Bewildered, he turned to Mykella. ¡°How¡¯d you know ¨C how¡¯d I do that?¡±


    She was grinning from ear to ear. He would have fallen madly in love with her beautiful face had she not been his best friend¡¯s daughter. ¡°In this reality, anything can happen just using your mind. I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t know that ¨C being a Dream Research major.¡±


    He lifted his finger at her. ¡°First, I thought you didn¡¯t know things like college and stuff. Besides, school doesn¡¯t prepare you for everything, my dear.¡± He lifted the sword (it was heavier than he had expected ¨C there was no way she¡¯d be able to swing it around).


    Vince was still holding it, staring at the hilt thinking, and Mykella took it upon herself to walk over to him and snatch the sword from his grasp. He stumbled to the floor when she took it and when he looked up his mouth fell open. She was not merely swinging the sword around; she was swinging it above her head and swinging it around her entire body.


    Vince sat on the floor watching Mykella¡¯s moves and felt his heart sink into the pit of his stomach. Yes, he thought, she is our protector. There is no weapon she could not learn in several seconds, he knew. Why she was chosen and by whom she was chosen he did not know but they must have known what kind of person she would become. A tear fell from his eye at the thought of her fate. He wished she would not have to fight for humanity. He wished he did not have to tell Samantha that her daughter is to become our warrior.


    When Mykella stopped, sweating with her long hair clinging to her neck and forehead, she looked down at Vince and tossed the blade down to him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked and knelt down in front of him.


    ¡°You already have what it takes,¡± he said and then looked into her young face. ¡°I don¡¯t know why my mother wanted me to protect you when it is you who will be protecting all of us.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± she began and then sat next to him. ¡°Maybe she thought I might need a friend.¡±


    He turned to her, silent for a moment, and then wrapped his arm around her shoulder and gave it a small squeeze.

 Chapter 8

    Chapter Eight


    When he woke he found that his sister was already dressed and eating breakfast in the kitchen. She smiled at him when he entered. It was not a very convincing smile ¨C it looked tired. Vince detected it but said nothing except a simple ¡°good-morning.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s cereal in the cupboard ¨C I¡¯m not a very good cook,¡± she said and gestured to the cupboard.


    ¡°I don¡¯t eat breakfast.¡± He walked over to the small table and took a seat opposite Xan. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    I thought I was a good actress, she thought but smiled anyway. ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°I may not have known you all that long, but I can see it when there¡¯s something going on in your mind.¡±


    ¡°Last night I thought you were having some messed-up dreams. You kinda woke me up and when I went to your room, I saw you standing and moving around like you were talking to someone in the room.¡± She turned red and wished she had never revealed this to her brother.


    Vince chose his words carefully and when he looked at her he gave her his full attention. ¡°Yeah, I have strange dreams sometimes. I guess I was sleepwalking or something ¨C no one¡¯s ever told me I do, though.¡±


    ¡°What were you dreaming about?¡±


    ¡°The end of the human race.¡±


    She grinned. ¡°Well, I guess that was a pretty strange dream.¡± She stood and emptied her bowl into the sink and turned back to Vince. ¡°There¡¯s coffee brewing. I think I need some to get the day started ¨C what about you?¡±


    Vince nodded and smiled. I¡¯m going to have to be more careful what I do in my dreams now.


    They spent the afternoon talking about his birth father and how Jack had been a poet whose success was mediocre. He was able to send his daughter to college; and that was pretty much his entire writing success. Vince asked when everything changed between Tracy and Jack and all she could remember was Egg-Man and that it was cleaning day. She had gone to school and when it was over, Mom was running a little late.


    *   *   *


    She was walking again. This time she found her way through the village quicker than the last time ¨C she had to get to the city. She didn¡¯t know why but she felt it was of the utmost importance that she visits the city. When she finally approached the city wall, she was greeted by no one. She took that to be an open invitation and so she let herself through the large wooden doors with large cast-iron locks.


    There wasn¡¯t anything all that interesting when she entered the city. There were little hovels which people called their homes lining the sides. In the middle of the large open road contained close to fifty tiny markets selling anything that one could want.


    As she walked further she saw that a barrier wall separated the little hovels from the larger stone houses. But the markets continued even in the middle class section of wherever she was.


    And yet another wall separated the middle class from the large homes; some of which had marble flooring and large columns in front of the doors. She couldn¡¯t understand the division of classes. She didn¡¯t understand why anyone had to say that so-and-so makes more than you so therefore they will live separately from you in a large house in a nicer neighborhood.


    She looked up from her thoughts and found herself standing at the steps of a large temple. It wasn¡¯t the city that was calling Mykella exactly; it was this temple and what it was to become.


    She looked around and wondered why she was the only one in the city. There were tiny markets full of goods to be sold and houses of all sizes which needed to be taken care of. Where was everyone? Is this a place to be?


    As if in answer she heard the screams of women. And then the loud protests poured out. The voices were too many spoken at once for her to distinguish what they were saying. These sounds were coming from the far end of the city wall ¨C just outside the city.


    Curiosity got the better of her and she headed in the direction of the angry mob. When she got to the wall she slipped her way out as easily as she had entered. Here she found the entire city, or so it seemed. Everyone was in a procession, slowly heading up a hillside.


    Quite a few of the spectators were angered and pleased at the same time. She couldn¡¯t see how someone could be both, but she didn¡¯t ponder it. She looked around and saw a lot of the people weeping with their heads down. She noticed, too, that those who were weeping were praying as well.


    The crowd stopped walking and those who prayed fell to their knees. Those who were angered stood and watched with satisfaction what Mykella could not see. And then she saw it. She stared up at the top of the mound as the large cross was erected.


    From her distance she could not see clearly but she could make out an outline of a body hanging from the cross of wood. Then she noticed two others on either side. But it was the one in the middle everyone watched in anticipation.


    Who this person was and why all these people came out to see him crucified, she did not know, although she felt it in her soul that not many people have witnessed this moment. She would have to ask Vince if he knew anything about this and as she watched (she didn¡¯t understand why she was watching some person hang on a cross ¨C probably bleeding or suffocating themselves to death) she reached down and began rubbing her necklace. She looked down and there it was!


    She looked down at the cross she held in her hand and then looked up at the crucifixion taking place. The man she was holding in her right hand was the man dangling from his cross right in front of her.


    But why? Why was she summoned here to see this when she was supposed to be training to defend humanity?


    *   *   *


    Even if he jumped the line back to the time of Christ, Allen knew he would never be able to sneak inside the streets of Jerusalem without being noticed. Besides, he didn¡¯t really want to go that far back in time. If he could, he would sit here for all time and find the missing pieces to the location of the key to the Forbidden Realms. He now knew that Jesus had given it to Judas. All he had to do was find out where Judas had taken it.


    He never liked puzzles. During his childhood, he remembered, he would always get frustrated when doing one and end up throwing all the pieces across the room just because he didn¡¯t have the patience. But this is one puzzle he couldn¡¯t afford not to solve. It would take a lot of patience ¨C probably more than he had. If for nothing else, he had to find that key just to prove to the memory of Orion that he had what it took ¨C and that he could be a badass when he wanted to be.


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    *   *   *


    Later that evening Xan invited Vince to stay for dinner and he accepted only with the understanding that he was leaving shortly after. When she protested, he lifted his arms. ¡°I gotta get back for Dad¡¯s funeral.¡±


    She nodded and went into the kitchen. He followed and when he found her she was thumbing through a stack of menus from various restaurants. ¡°What are you in the mood for? Chinese or Italian?¡± she asked without looking up at him.


    ¡°Chinese.¡± He sat down at the table and could read her hurt expression. ¡°I¡¯d like you to come back with me and meet someone,¡± he said and she placed the menu down on the counter.


    ¡°Who?¡± she asked and grabbed the phone and began dialing.


    ¡°She¡¯s very special to me. Her name¡¯s Samantha.¡±


    At that she hung up the phone and took a seat next to her younger brother. ¡°Now we¡¯re getting somewhere,¡± she said with a smile and propped her chin in her hands. ¡°Are you guys in love? How long have you been seeing each other?¡±


    Again he lifted up his hands. ¡°One at a time. I¡¯m not really sure if we¡¯re seeing each other.¡±


    Xan tossed him a confused expression and he smiled. ¡°We¡¯ve been best friends since we were kids. I¡¯ve watched her date other guys all our lives and I¡¯ve always been excited when they¡¯ve split up ¨C I was the shoulder to cry on. And since her recent boyfriend has dumped her, I guess I let my feelings out.¡±


    ¡°Did you tell her you love her?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that easy, Sis.¡±


    Xan shook her head with a grin. ¡°Sure it is. Lots of guys have expressed their undying love for me.¡±


    ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you married?¡±


    She leaned back in her chair and shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t know. No one¡¯s ever popped the question. Last guy I saw said he had to go back to California to aid his sick mother.¡± She remembered Leo just as he had been the night before he said his good-bye. She thought they were the most compatible pair since butter on bread. Reflecting on the six-year relationship, she came to the conclusion that it was she who was smothering him.


    ¡°She¡¯s pregnant.¡±


    The words brought her back to the present in an instant and her eyes widened. ¡°That does pose a problem. What¡¯re you gonna do?¡±


    Vince thought about it for a moment. This was a thought that he had never reflected upon. What was he going to do? If he asked her out and they hit it off, then he must support both her and Mykella. Was he ready to make that kind of a commitment? Mykella. How much does her mother need to know? And when must he tell her?


    Vince looked up at Xan. ¡°I love her. I¡¯m going to protect Mykella for as long as I can.¡±


    Her head snapped up. ¡°Mykella? I thought you said her name was Samantha.¡±


    ¡°Mykella is ¨C will be, I should say ¨C her daughter.¡±


    ¡°Okay ¨C now you¡¯re starting to scare me a little,¡± she said and leaned forward. ¡°Why do you think you need to protect the child? Does Samantha smoke or drink?¡±


    Vince shook his head. ¡°How much can I tell you without making you think I¡¯m a complete schizoid?¡± He paused and glanced around the room. When his eyes stopped on the phone, ¡°You should call for dinner ¨C the story may take a while.¡±


    She stood up against her will and went over to the phone. ¡°What do you like?¡±


    There was no hesitation. ¡°I¡¯m partial to moo goo gai pan, myself,¡± he said and then she dialed the number.


    After she placed her order she hung up the phone and went back to the table with a sigh and sat down. ¡°Okay, now let¡¯s have your incredible story.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not my story ¨C not really. It actually began with our mother a long time ago.¡± He thought for a moment about how to say what he needed to say. ¡°You might want to read my dad¡¯s book someday ¨C it¡¯ll help clarify everything. I used to think the book was complete bullshit, but then I met Mom in a dream.¡±


    ¡°You mean your adopted mother?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°It was our mother ¨C Tracy Andrews. Dad remembers her as Kingston, though. She tells me this strange story about a girl and her prophecy, if you believe in things like that.¡±


    There was something sincere in his talk which made Xan believe in the tale so far. Besides, he had nothing to lose after all.


    ¡°Mom wants me to help this girl.¡±


    During his pause she sat up. ¡°What did she want you to do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to help this girl live.¡± He thought even harder about what to say next. ¡°Mom says that this girl will become mankind¡¯s savior.¡±


    ¡°I know we¡¯re in the crapper, but it¡¯s always been that way,¡± she said behind a smile that resembled their mother¡¯s. In fact, thought Vince, she looked almost like a twin of their mother.


    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not sure who she¡¯s supposed to protect us from, but I know that they¡¯re not human.¡± And now he saw it ¨C the look of disdain. I should have stopped or played dumb. ¡°And you know the weirdest part?¡± He tried to draw her attention away from nonhuman creatures killing off the human race.


    ¡°Now this ought to be good,¡± she replied with a grin. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Mykella is the girl I¡¯m protecting and she¡¯s also Samantha¡¯s unborn child.¡±


    Eight ball, corner pocket. Game. Set. Match.


    Xan was shaking her head. Maybe she wasn¡¯t ready to hear about the end of the world as we know it. If only she had witnessed the battle as he had, she may have a different view. But as it was, he had no way to convince his sister of the awful truth. And why bother? What is this prophecy to her anyway? She, like all of humanity, will sleep forever while everything around them dies.


    ¡°If there is a way to convince you, will you go back with me?¡± he asked. He wasn¡¯t sure why he was so urgent to have her as a companion. He never knew this woman and now that they¡¯ve come together, a tiny hole in his soul has been covered.


    She studied his face for a short while and read no lunacy in it and sighed. ¡°All right ¨C I¡¯ll give you two days. I¡¯ll go with you to Chicago.¡±


    Vince nodded and two words crept into his mind: Dream Crusader. He didn¡¯t know why he thought of it just now, but he felt that the term might shed a little light on this topic if only he knew what the hell a Dream Crusader was. He damned himself for never reading his father¡¯s book. ¡°Do you have a bookstore that sells older books ¨C fifteen years old or so?¡±


    ¡°Loden¡¯s should have whatever you¡¯re looking for,¡± she said and agreed to take him to the store and when he walked in he saw shelves upon shelves of books ¨C old and new alike. Hardback and paperbacks were stocked in volumes in alphabetical order by author.


    He made his way over to the cashier, who looked up at him behind a tired smile and a ¡°can I help you?¡± He returned the smile and glanced around the store. ¡°Yeah, I was wondering if you sell audio books.¡±


    She pointed to the far corner of the store with a nod. ¡°Over in that area,¡± she said and then he saw the large sign over the section with AUDIO written on it in large letters.


    Rather embarrassed, Vince made his way over to the section and ran his eyes across the H¡¯s. Like finding a needle in the haystack, he found his father¡¯s book ¨C on an audio cassette no less.


    He snatched up his copy of The Army of Dreamkillers and found his sister. When he found her she glanced down and grabbed the cassette. ¡°The Army of Dreamkillers?¡± She looked back up at Vince with one raised eyebrow.


    With a nod, ¡°If there¡¯s going to be anything to convince you of my story, we should listen to our mother¡¯s own testimony.¡± He walked back to the counter, paid for the cassette and headed back to her car.


    Still standing inside the store, she sighed and shook her head. After a minute she followed after him and met him in her car as he was unwrapping the tape. She watched her brother with a pitiful expression on her face. She was saddened at his loss of sanity. Did he believe all this shit is real?


    Once open he placed Cassette One of Two inside her cassette console and turned on the stereo.


    ¡°The Army of Dreamkillers ¨C Richard Hopman. Author¡¯s Note: This book is for my son Vincent. I pray that you never have to go through what we went through so many years ago. This book is also dedicated in the loving memory of Tracy Kingston. Dreamer¡¯s live forever, Trace.¡± There was a pause as the narrator could be heard turning the page. ¡°I met young Tracy when we were both fifteen years old and I can honestly say that I shall always love our friendship ¨C no matter what created it and under what circumstances. In the end we were two more victims of an evil as old as time itself.¡±


    They listened to the voice drone on and on about how Rick had met Tracy and fell into the Great War of the Dreamkillers. They listened to Rick¡¯s description of not only Orion ¨C the Cloaked One, but other Dreamkillers such as Alexius. The narrative got a bit choppy when the last third of the book was written. Rick seemed to have lost his memory during a lot of the final battle; he claimed that his mind was not his and his body was no longer under his own possession.


    Before he could change to Cassette Two, Xan stopped him by turning to look at him; she had pulled the car into her driveway but they continued listening to the tape. ¡°Let me pack some clothes and we¡¯ll be on our way.¡± She opened the door and did not see his smile as she got out of her seat.

 Chapter 9

    Chapter Nine


    Vince kept looking in his mirror making sure Xan was still behind him and about two hours into their trip he felt a stirring deep in the back of his mind. Along with the stirring there came a strong sense of dread. He tried to pinpoint what was making him feel this way as the tiny hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.


    Mykella, you okay?


    He passed three exits before he received a response. In fact it was not really a response at all ¨C all he could hear was her weeping. Why would she be crying? She already knows the fate of the world and where her destiny lies. What else does she have to be sad about?


    ¡°Why are you crying?¡±


    Father, why hast thou forsaken me?


    He didn¡¯t expect a reply such as this. He had gone to church enough times in his life to know the words of Jesus on the cross. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he couldn¡¯t keep everything in his mind. If a spirit such as Mykella needed to recite Christ dying on the cross then something wasn¡¯t right and he needed to find out what.


    I need to see you. I saw something ¨C terrible ¨C and I need to know why I saw it.


    Vince nodded and reached over and picked up his phone. He dialed his sister¡¯s number and she answered on the second ring. ¡°I need to get a little sleep¡­At the next exit turn left and keep going straight until you see it on the right side.¡± He ended the call and tossed the phone back into the passenger seat.


    They reached the motel and each received a room and Vince was asleep almost as soon as he entered his room.


    He saw her sitting in the chair next to the window with her knees up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them with her chin resting on them. She wasn¡¯t crying any more but she still looked disturbed. She reached back with both hands and unclasped her necklace and tossed it onto the bed next to Vince who looked down at it.


    Her eyes went from the crucifix to his puzzled face. ¡°Why did I see him?¡±


    He sat up and pulled his legs over the side of the bed and faced the young woman. ¡°See who?¡±


    ¡°Him! I saw them raise the big cross into the air and I saw him hanging from it. It¡¯s the same man that¡¯s on that. Why?¡± She began shaking as hysterics overcame her emotions.


    He could never know the power she must have felt. Did God plan all unborn children to witness the ultimate sacrifice? Or was there something behind this? He didn¡¯t have an answer to her question. He wished he had because he wanted to know it himself. But as it was, they are left with nothing except a young woman witnessing the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth.


    He took her cross and held it out to her but she refused to take it. Vince thought it was he who was having problems believing in God. Everyone had to believe in something otherwise there would be no life left on Earth. And if there be no life then there would not be a battle waiting to be fought. If there be no battle then there would be no reason for Mykella to be born.


    ¡°Take it,¡± he said and saw her turn away from it. ¡°Listen,¡± he reached out and touched the soft skin of her cheek. ¡°You wore this out of faith and out of faith you were conceived. I question my faith but you shouldn¡¯t. I know your mother is a very strong woman and she¡¯s always told me that there¡¯s a place in heaven waiting for her.¡±


    She looked at him with tears in her eyes and half smiled. ¡°Really? Has she really said that?¡± He nodded with a smile. ¡°Can you tell me about this man? Who was he and why did he have to die and why were there so many people who cared to watch?¡±


    ¡°You really should be asking your mother these questions ¨C I didn¡¯t do very good in Catholic school.¡±


    There was a pause between the two and then she closed her eyes, and a minute or so later he could feel a sudden thickness in the air as they sat there side by side in the small motel room.


    He glanced over at the bathroom and saw fog ¨C or was it steam? ¨C emanating from it. He heard bare feet walking on the linoleum floor and then he saw what he never expected to see in his entire life. There were a thousand thoughts and emotions which played inside Vince as he watched a confused Samantha walk into the room.


    She first saw the young woman and then registered Vince and it was he who she paid all the attention. ¡°Vince, what¡¯s going on? Why am I in this dream ¨C I¡¯ve never seen her in my life?¡± She looked at Mykella and studied the odd familiarity in which the young woman sat herself.


    An overwhelming flood was about to break through the dam as Mykella stood up. ¡°Mom.¡± Tears welled in her eyes.


    Her eyes. They look like my eyes. ¡°What the hell¡¯s going on, Vince?¡±


    He had to admit, this was a strange reunion. They had never met and here they are now with several months before they actually meet. ¡°It¡¯s a very long story. Long, and hard to believe.¡± He smiled and stood up. ¡°This is your daughter, Samantha. This is Mykella.¡±


    Samantha was shaking her head before Vince had concluded his explanation. She would not listen to this bullshit. She had to wake up. ¡°No!¡± She turned and looked at the bathroom door. ¡°Stop telling me lies,¡± she almost whispered and walked away from them.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    She entered the bathroom from where she came, and when she saw that her mother had left her, Mykella turned and buried her face in Vince¡¯s chest and burst into tears once again.


    He held her for a few minutes wondering how it was possible for Samantha to have entered his dream. And all that time she thought it was he who was in her dream. He didn¡¯t push Mykella for explanations ¨C it was too soon. Perhaps she didn¡¯t know how she pulled her mother into the dream. And then a different thought entered his head. She had some kind of gift to bring people into others¡¯ dreams; this could become useful in the future.


    But did she understand the gift? Could she travel inside other people¡¯s dreams? Maybe this is the kind of training he was meant to teach her. After all he was a Dream Research major, wasn¡¯t he? Perhaps he could even get a little assistance from Professor Krieger.


    And then she was gone. What an odd sensation ¨C to have someone just vanish while you held them. The air he held was still warm and he could still smell her presence. He sat there in silence for a while and it was his larger conscious self that made up his mind to awaken and he too vanished from the room.


    He heard a knock at the door and glanced out the curtain-drawn window and saw Xan standing outside. He stood up and opened the door and she walked in behind him carrying a cup of cappuccino in her right hand. ¡°Morning, Sunshine,¡± she greeted and sat herself down in the same chair Mykella had sat in his dream.


    ¡°Glad you didn¡¯t say ¡®good morning¡¯.¡± He sat down on the bed and rubbed his hands through his sandy-blonde hair and sighed.


    She was about to inquire what was wrong and as she placed her cup on the table, she noticed that he had been writing on the motel¡¯s notepad. ¡°What is the role of a Dream Crusader?¡± she read aloud and glanced up at her brother. ¡°A Dream Crusader is someone who has the power to travel inside the world of dreams. They can bring people into their dream or they can enter someone else¡¯s dream.¡±


    He looked up with a surprised expression and she smiled at him. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep last night so I listened to the rest of your father¡¯s book. Pretty weird shit.¡±


    ¡°Last night she brought her mother into my dream.¡±


    Xan formed a confused expression on her face. ¡°Vince, Mykella¡¯s not even alive yet.¡±


    He shook his head and snickered. ¡°I don¡¯t think Dad¡¯s ever met a Dream Crusader whose power surpasses life and death. I know she¡¯s alive, but can an unborn child dream? She even talks to me while I¡¯m awake. What kind of power is that?¡±


    ¡°The book never mentioned anything like that. It only says that Connor was trying to communicate with our Mom but even your dad wasn¡¯t sure that he was really dead.¡±


    ¡°He had to have been. He never came back to life did he?¡±


    She thought about it for a moment and then shook her head. ¡°No. In a living form, he never came back. But, what of this Orion?¡±


    Vince stood up off the bed and began pacing to and fro. ¡°He has always been mortal. He was alive only through time ¨C he was trapped in a way.¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Everything.¡± He turned and sat down again. ¡°Mom tells me of the future. Her body was never recovered. Allen sacrifices himself and is alive twenty years after his master finally dies. Was Connor trapped in time as well?¡±


    Xan shook her head in a negative way. ¡°His body was there. Mom saw him shoot his brains out.¡±


    His brain was beginning to hurt. ¡°There¡¯s something not right. It doesn¡¯t make sense. Connor kills himself and he¡¯s the first known killing as far as we know. Then we meet Laura. She has this whole back story to tell about being given the book by her doctor when she was a young child.¡±


    ¡°So, what doesn¡¯t make sense?¡±


    ¡°The timeline.¡± He shook his head and stood up, walked over to the table, sat down in the other chair, grabbed an empty piece of paper and began scribbling down what he knew. ¡°Mom and Aunt Laura fought Orion with my father when they were fifteen, Aunt Laura was about twenty, and when they met up with Orion later, eleven years had elapsed and Mom had no recollection of anything that had happened. They fight again and this time Mom and Orion perish leaving Dad and myself to live.¡±


    ¡°Okay? What are you getting at ¨C you¡¯re starting to lose me?¡±


    ¡°Every time this book was the central purpose.¡± He reached down into his bag, found the book and slid it over to his sister. She thumbed through it and he continued. ¡°Mom had it, or Orion thought she did, and he went after her. Eleven years later, she had it and he found her. And the funny thing is, now I¡¯ve got it and Allen¡¯s after me.¡±


    ¡°How do you know this book is the source of Orion¡¯s will?¡±


    He shrugged and reached up and pulled open the curtain. ¡°Beautiful day,¡± he murmured.


    ¡°Vince?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± He didn¡¯t even turn to look at her ¨C he was too immersed in his own thoughts. He was wondering what Mykella was doing right now. Was she safe, wherever she was?


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible that you¡¯re the Dream Crusader?¡± He snapped his head and looked at her. ¡°I mean if Mom and Aunt Laura were one, I think it¡¯s safe to assume it¡¯s in our lineage.¡±


    He had to admit that he never thought of that possibility. But no, it wasn''t him. ¡°Mom told me that it was Mykella who was the Dream Crusader. It is Mykella who will be our savior.¡±


    ¡°Savior,¡± she repeated behind a hidden sigh. ¡°I hope you got your saviors in check.¡±


    He felt as if he had been personally injured. ¡°What the hell¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°All I¡¯m saying is that I hope you¡¯re not mistaking Our Savior from someone who¡¯s just going to stop a race of demons.¡±


    ¡°Just going to? It sounds like you don¡¯t believe in any of this. It was our mother who told me about it! I didn¡¯t invent the fucking thing off the top of my head.¡±


    ¡°Think about what you¡¯re asking me to believe in! From a dream research perspective, will you?¡± She looked down into her cup for a moment and then sighed. ¡°I may or may not believe in the Dreamkillers ¨C that¡¯s my choice ¨C but I have to believe in hope. I don¡¯t want to believe that a war is going to break out some day between humans and nonhumans.¡±


    Vince looked back out into the world on the verge of a nightmare and he nodded. ¡°You should go home.¡± He turned and looked at her behind a distorted expression she had never seen. ¡°Go live in your hope. Maybe the end won¡¯t be so painful for you.¡±


    Every known feeling save for happiness ran through her being. It felt like he had just skewered her with a sword and kept turning it in her heart. She couldn¡¯t stop the tears ¨C she didn¡¯t give a damn that she was showing them! ¨C as she stared at her brother behind glassy eyes. Maybe she shouldn¡¯t have rejected his thoughts so soon. But it was too late for reconciliation now. Without meaning to, she had ended their brief reunion and made it into more of a meeting between two acquaintances.


    She slowly stood up and opened the door. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± was all she could say and then left him alone as she walked into the beautiful day.

 Chapter 10

    Chapter Ten


    Vincent laid his father to rest the next morning ¨C he had left all arrangements to the funeral parlor ¨C and went back to his warm room in the dormitory. It felt like an eternity since he had talked with Karl. Maybe Xan was right in a way. Perhaps it was all right to live life with the hope that everything will be alright. Maybe I won¡¯t have to fight after all.


    Maybe the army of Dreamkillers will never arise.


    He laughed to himself when he thought this. He couldn¡¯t let his guard down ever again ¨C not even for a second. If there was going to be any peace he would have to go to Samantha¡¯s house and talk to her about his feelings.


    There would be time later to clean out the house and place everything in storage, but right now he had to see Samantha ¨C he would omit anything about the dream and her daughter being in it; she might think it was all made up in her unconscious mind.


    When he arrived at her place he was surprised to find that she was reluctant to see him. It was only after he told her that he had important things to talk to her about did she move aside and allow him entrance into her house.


    They moved into the dining room and they took chairs opposite one another across the table. He folded his hands on top of the glass table and cleared his throat as he tried to get some vibes from her. All he was reading was that she was cold as an iceberg. ¡°Uh, how have you been?¡± The nerves were beginning to get the better of him. Some combat trainer I¡¯ll be.


    Samantha was looking at him but not really registering his existence and she said simply, ¡°Fine. You?¡±


    This wasn¡¯t what he was looking for. It might have helped if she had thrown herself at him when she opened the door expressing how much she loved him and she missed him so much. But no such luck was to be found here. ¡°This is stupid,¡± he announced and stood up. She expected him to walk out of the room but he had taken a chair next to her instead. ¡°Samantha,¡± he began and stopped the second she reached out and brought her clenched fist to the side of his head.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me all along that she was seeing you?¡± The rage was simmering down to that of betrayal. ¡°Vince, I thought you loved me.¡±


    He shook his head and looked at her in confusion. ¡°What the hell are you talking about? Who?¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    It was her turn to shake her head. ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb. Mykella ¨C my daughter. The girl who¡¯s inside me right now.¡±


    Check mate. He wasn¡¯t expecting the conversation to turn this drastic. He was here hoping to announce his love pledge and here she is now telling him she knows all about her daughter paying visits to him. ¡°I met her, I think, the night I found out you were pregnant,¡± he conceded.


    She sat back and crossed her arms. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    After a sigh he nodded. ¡°I need to know how much you already know.¡±


    ¡°Last night she came to me ¨C she¡¯s so beautiful isn¡¯t she? ¨C and told me not to be frightened. Things are about to change for everyone, but don¡¯t be frightened. No harm will come to those she loves.¡± She looked into his face and he could see that she was shaking. ¡°What does it mean? What¡¯s going to change?¡±


    So she hadn¡¯t told her the entire truth. There is still a little ignorance left in the woman who is to bear humanity¡¯s savior. ¡°She¡¯s a Dream Crusader. A prophet. She can travel inside dreams.¡± He couldn¡¯t risk the consequences of a pregnant woman knowing the fate of humankind. He wasn¡¯t so sure she would have kept the baby if she knew what her child was to become.


    ¡°She sees the future?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°As well as the past. I don¡¯t know why, but she told me that she was a witness to the crucifixion of Jesus. I thought maybe you could talk to her about Jesus because she had questions for me that I felt uncomfortable answering.¡±


    Samantha smiled a little at the thought of teaching her child something already. ¡°I guess I could talk to her about it, if she comes to talk.¡±


    He wrapped his arm around her shoulder with a reassuring smile. ¡°I know she will.¡±


    *   *   *


    Rage was driving his energy as Allen watched scene after scene as he followed Judas through time squares but he was having no luck discovering where Judas had hidden the key to the Forbidden Realms.


    And finally he saw the squared crucifixion of Christ. Where Judas was he didn¡¯t know. Between the final night in the garden and the crucifixion at nine the next morning he lost all trace of Judas. It must have been during this time that he had hidden the key. He saw that Judas was dead shortly after his messiah died and so it must be that the key resides somewhere in Jerusalem. Where, he had absolutely no clue ¨C the Oracles would not release this vital information.


    Well, I suppose I¡¯d better get going. It¡¯s a long trip to Jerusalem.

 Chapter 11

    Chapter Eleven


    Samantha was relieved when she looked on her calendar and saw that she had just completed her first trimester. In that three months she had helped Vince with his papers and helped him study for finals. There was one thing, however, that she could not help him with. Since she had not read the book, she couldn¡¯t help him write the final for Professor Krieger.


    And during that fast three months Vince had been training Mykella how to concentrate and use her mental abilities rather than using a weapon. If she can travel inside the dream web then they should practice surfing the web of unsuspecting people.


    Once they had gone inside Karl¡¯s dream and were quickly sorry for doing it. Vince had no idea his friend had very erotic ¨C bordering on pornographic ¨C dreams about several women on campus, and all at the same time. When they walked in on him, they saw Karl and three other women naked on the bed. Vince quickly turned and placed his hand over Mykella¡¯s eyes and turned her around and they exited the room.


    The next night she had pulled Karl into Vince¡¯s dream. He was, as usual, confused to be standing in the same room with his friend and some pretty young woman. Vince explained that it was merely research for his class ¨C trying to lure people into his dream. He thought Karl bought it.


    There had also been other insignificant travels, professors and fellow classmates, but it was Karl they frequented as well as Krieger. Why these two he didn¡¯t know. Maybe it was because they had the easiest channel to get to.


    He was grateful that neither man ever inquired about who Mykella was and why she was in every dream of Vince¡¯s.


    In fact, this thought put an idea into his head and he approached Mykella one night. ¡°I want you to try something totally different this time,¡± he began and she nodded. ¡°I want to see if you can transport me into someone else¡¯s dream tonight. I need to know if you can move only me. Do you understand?¡±


    She hesitated for a moment. What would she do without his guidance? But she nodded nevertheless and asked who he wanted to meet tonight.


    Vince thought about it for a moment. Mykella was technically three months old now and she is due to be born roughly six more; his mother made a comment ¨C he recalls now ¨C that she was to be born in seven or eight months ¨C depending on how one looks at it mathematically. He needed allies now. When the war breaks out he knew that he and Mykella would need all the help they could get.


    ¡°See if you can connect me to my sister.¡± It was a long shot, but maybe if she had a little visit paid by him she¡¯d change her mind on some things.


    She stood up off his bed with a cautionary look and shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can do that ¨C she¡¯s so far away.¡± Truth be told, it was the fact that she didn¡¯t really like or trust Xan Andrews. She didn¡¯t believe her brother when he most needed a friend.


    ¡°Dreams are never really that far away if you think about it. Try, please.¡±


    She caved in with a sigh and relaxed her muscles ¨C do spirits have muscles to relax? ¨C and closed her eyes. Through her inner eye she saw clouds racing across the sky and then she felt Vince¡¯s energy. She had never really seen his sister so she didn¡¯t know what she looked like. Using the electric vibes she was receiving from Vince she began feeling something moving with the clouds at a rapid pace. She opened her eyes and saw that she stood in Vince¡¯s room alone.


    She sat down on the bed and felt the sudden weight of the world lying on her shoulders. Yes, she most likely made a positive connection, but so what? What good would it do to know how to travel inside of dreams when the human race will be dead anyway? And who was she, little Mykella Brown? Savior of what? Does humanity deserve to live? She has in her hands the ability to destroy it by letting the Dreamkillers have their way.


    It was too much for her to think about. She turned and buried her face in his pillow and burst into violent tears.


    Alexandria was surprised to see her brother once again. She was not shocked or excited, but she acknowledged his presence when he approached her in her bedroom. She had been sitting at an old vanity brushing her hair when Vince materialized in the middle of the room.


    She didn¡¯t turn to look at him; she merely looked through the mirror. ¡°Has it begun yet?¡± she asked without emotion.


    He knelt down next to her and looked at her profile. ¡°Xan, I need your help.¡±


    This did not change her manner. She did not even ask what kind of help he needed.


    ¡°Please. You¡¯re all I got ¨C you¡¯re my sister.¡±


    She flinched and turned at him suddenly. ¡°Yeah? Then you shouldn¡¯t have told me to go running home like a little bitch that can¡¯t take care of themselves!¡±


    It was Vince who flinched next. He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was upset that day.¡±


    ¡°Has it begun yet?¡±


    There was a new look in her eyes that he couldn¡¯t determine. ¡°What? What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°The war.¡±


    He stood up and told himself that now was a great time to wake up; he was beginning to feel very uneasy here with this person who looks like his sister. Something was keeping him here at this moment.


    He looked down and saw that what he first thought to be a brush was indeed no brush but a hand-sized garden rake. He saw the three gashes going down the side of her head; her blonde hair had been matted by dried and fresh blood.


    ¡°The second brigade is still waiting to be launched.¡± She licked her blood-red lips and smiled up at him. ¡°Fair warning, my beauty:¡±


    With a motion so fast he could not calculate, she jumped up and pinned Vince up against the wall, the garden rake pressed up against his neck. He could feel the three points stabbing him like needles. There was no time to breath as he stared into what he thought was his sister¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°We will be more numerous and more knowledgeable than the first, shall we say, unsuccessful brigade. We will not be so easy to see like my ancestors were.¡± Spittle flew from her lips as she spoke.


    Ancestors?


    He couldn¡¯t believe that he was looking at his sister. No, this cannot be her. This was just some evil spirit who has invaded her dream. It has to be; Xan would do nothing to hurt me. And then logical sense came into play. If this was an evil spirit waiting for this dream, then they must have known he was coming. It was waiting for him. But why?


    To warn him of the future like Mom has already done?Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Vince closed his eyes and forced a smile. ¡°If you¡¯re referring to the next battle, and it will be the final battle, I already know about it,¡± he said and Xan tossed him a wicked sneer.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been contacted, I see. No matter. Victory will be ours.¡± She drew back, letting Vince free.


    He stared at her while rubbing his neck ¨C it had not been punctured ¨C and came to a revelation. He straightened his back and then bowed his head to her with a smile. ¡°Until we meet again,¡± and then he vanished from the room as suddenly as he had appeared.


    His eyes snapped open and he stared at the clock on his nightstand. He didn¡¯t want to wake Karl just because he was awake. This had been the first time in a long time that he woke without saying good-bye to Mykella. He didn¡¯t know why but he suddenly missed being with her.


    If he had had a dream like the one he just had five months ago he probably would have been frightened out of his ever-loving mind. Being as it is, he knew something the demon didn¡¯t realize that he knew. It couldn¡¯t kill him ¨C not without an order to do it. And it also seemed as if it did not have a master yet.


    Vince closed his eyes again and felt a different drawing as he felt his conscious mind slip away. ¡°Mom?¡± He looked around and found her, once again, standing on the cliff.


    She walked toward her son and they met one another beside a tall fire. ¡°You need to be more cautious. It will read your mind if you give it half the chance.¡± She turned her head and looked out into the sea. She sighed; Vince thought it sounded like disappointment.


    ¡°Tell me, what was it?¡± If he was going to do as he was asked to, he needed to know what he was up against.


    ¡°Dreamkiller.¡± She turned back and looked at Vince with fright in her eyes. ¡°I should never have asked you to do this. I don¡¯t want to lose you, too. I thought that if I accepted my new fate as guardian I could protect everyone.¡±


    Lose me, too? Such an odd statement to make. ¡°Who,¡±


    Tracy shook her head. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter anymore. I think you should stop helping Mykella. It¡¯ll only get you killed. She can take care of herself.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing and he shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can do that. She¡¯s like my family now ¨C I love her mother. And no, I don¡¯t think she can take care of herself; she¡¯s just a child for Christ¡¯s sake.¡± He stopped and lowered his eyes from his mother. ¡°No. I¡¯m going to see this through to the end. If all of humanity is destined to be wiped out by Dreamkillers, it really doesn¡¯t matter if I stay by her side now.¡±


    Tracy thought she had everything figured out when she had taken that eternal fall from the tower so many years ago. It was James Whitaker who pleaded with her to take his place as guardian ¨C Allen had sliced his being in two just before dueling with Rick. She agreed with the assumption that there would be nothing to confront her and attempt to gain access into the Forbidden Realms. Unfortunately, James explained, there will always be someone trying to get into Eden. It¡¯s in nature, both human and otherwise, to wish to possess the ultimate knowledge ¨C to know God so to speak.


    But she didn¡¯t expect it to be Dreamkillers again. And they have evolved into something more sinister than what Orion once created. Several have been created, still, from the nightmares of innocent humans like before which turned them into their living nightmares. Others, and these are the ones she feared most, had been created through the natural process of evolution. Mortals wishing to gain supernatural strength no matter the consequences. And these are the young ones who want to take over the world and they believe that they cannot die.


    Tracy looked up at her son and nodded. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll look out for you anyway.¡±


    Vince smiled and turned to leave but she reached out and put her hand on his arm. He turned and she gave him that frightened look again. ¡°I¡¯ll keep you posted if I hear anything from this side of reality.¡±


    He wanted so much to embrace his mother but he thought it would show a weakness that the Dreamkillers would pick up on. And he would never lead them to this place, wherever this place is. This place ¨C why does she bring me here all the time? Is she trapped here for all eternity?


    ¡°No,¡± she said, reading his mind. ¡°I chose to remain here. You see, my job description is quite simple. Once Allen found his way to the chamber, the location needed to be relocated ¨C that was my first job. I wanted a nice location.¡± They looked out over the sea. ¡°The physical location of Eden has never changed ¨C only the entrance changes. The guardians have been empowered to do so. We are the angels protecting the garden from any evildoers.¡±


    He gazed at his mother with pitying eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Tracy tossed him a puzzled look and asked what for. ¡°Why do I need your apologies? I¡¯ve never done anything I haven¡¯t asked for.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that you chose this position in life. I don¡¯t much believe in heaven but I know there¡¯s gotta be somewhere better than here if you were to¡¯ve died.¡±


    She touched his neck and smiled. ¡°You¡¯ll understand someday, my beautiful son. We all have a calling. I¡¯ve heard mine and this is where I am. You will have a calling to listen to as well someday.¡±


    ¡°I thought my calling was to protect Mykella,¡± he asked behind confusion.


    ¡°No. That was only a favor you¡¯re doing for mankind. You have written yourself into the prophecies but this is not your true calling.¡±


    He didn¡¯t much like the sound of this but he agreed to it nonetheless. ¡°I¡¯ll be seeing you soon, I suppose?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°As soon as I hear anything I¡¯ll let you know.¡±


    *   *   *


    Karl never did understand why his dreams had been invaded almost every night by Vince and that girl named Mykella. He enjoyed his own personal dreams. In fact, once they entered his dreams, he woke up more tired than if he had never gotten any sleep at all. Vince was his best friend, but damn it, enough¡¯s enough.


    And when they awoke the next morning it was Karl who approached Vince on the subject. He didn¡¯t know how to begin without being so blunt, but sometimes being straightforward cannot be compromised. ¡°I need my own dreams back,¡± he brought up as they were getting dressed that morning.


    Vince looked up, about to protest, and then thought better of it. He didn¡¯t respond right away.


    Karl took the silence as offensive. ¡°I have a private life, too. I don¡¯t need you and that girl keeping me company anymore ¨C I¡¯m starting to find it freaky.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t see you last night.¡±


    Karl stopped and looked up at him. ¡°The hell you didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°You may not have been there but she was.¡±


    Vince stared at Karl for a moment, wondering if he were telling him the truth. Why would she want to see him? Alone? ¡°You¡¯re shitting me.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah? Then why the hell was she all over me like a cat in heat? You need to keep that pussy on a leash, man.¡±


    Vince could feel his temples begin thumping and his entire body shoot up thirty degrees. He shook his head. ¡°You¡­why are you lying to me?¡±


    ¡°Lying? Hell, the one thing she didn¡¯t try to do is give me a blow job.¡±


    ¡°Knowing you, why didn¡¯t you just let her?¡±


    Karl grunted and turned his head. ¡°I¡¯ve got pride, you know. ¡®Sides, like I said, all this shit¡¯s freaking me out.¡±


    ¡°You might want to leave now ¨C before I beat your fucking head in.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Karl looked offended. ¡°Ask her yourself, you bastard.¡± He grabbed a shirt and left Vince to himself before any further words were said.


    He stood, staring after Karl, for a couple of minutes and then almost fell down onto his bed and rubbed his hands over his face. If all of this was true, what did it mean? Why was she acting like a slut all of a sudden? Surely these feelings didn¡¯t come into play until they were at least fifteen or sixteen years old. Why was she all over him?


    And then he forced his mind to give him the benefit of the doubt. He never once thought that Karl could be lying ¨C even when he first heard it.


    He stood and left the room only to go downstairs to the dorm commons store. He looked up and down for any sleeping pills, but then had to settle for liquid nighttime cold relief. He paid for it and went back up to his room.


    It only took him about twenty minutes for the cold medicine to kick in and he was fast asleep by twelve forty that afternoon.

 Chapter 12

    Chapter Twelve


    The bad side to falling asleep with the aid of any cold medicine or other sleeping remedies is that one never has complete control over their dreams. Vince never once thought about this but when he began seeing strange distorted images, he began wondering if he should try to wake up.


    The Dreamkiller image of Xan was standing behind his mother glaring at him behind an obscene smile as she licked her lips. And then the scene quickly changed and he became a witness to Mykella, naked, sitting on top of Karl. Their thrusts became rhythmic to the pounding going on in his drugged mind. He put his hands over his ears, trying to block out the violent grunts and moans of the lovers, and he shut his eyes as tight as he could.


    No research in dreams could prepare one for this torment. His world and everything in it began spinning faster and faster until he thought he would vomit before it stopped, and then a gentle hand was felt on his shoulder. Everything stopped. The Dreamkiller and mother stopped. The lovers stopped. Sound stopped.


    He turned and opened his wet eyes and was taken aback to see Mykella (clothed) standing before him. He opened his mouth but she put a soft finger over his lips.


    ¡°You need to sit for a minute.¡±


    He agreed and found his bed in the room which was still spinning (his head was slowing it down a little) and sat down. She sat next to him and remained there in silence, waiting for him to speak.


    When he finally looked at her there was a new look in his eyes. There was a look of disappointment and resentment. ¡°Did you,¡± he couldn¡¯t finish the question ¨C he felt dirty even thinking of it.


    She studied him. ¡°Did I do what?¡± And as she watched the lines of his face alter she finally understood his question and she looked away from his eyes as she lowered her head and hung it there in embarrassment.


    There was no need for an answer; her reaction was all the answer he needed. ¡°Karl told me this morning.¡± And then he heard a hushed sniffle coming from her. ¡°Why? That¡¯s all I want to know.¡±


    There was a pause in the room and then she finally turned and looked at him. ¡°I wanted to know why humans hungered for the flesh. Why does your friend want to be with so many different girls? Why did you want me to put you in your sister¡¯s dream, alone?¡± There were tears in her eyes and she had begun to tremble as she spoke.


    He had to admit, he had not expected to have this conversation until she was much older. But he had to clear up a few points first. ¡°I want you to know that I needed to see my sister for a completely different reason. I love her in a brother-sister way, not the way you see Karl with women ¨C he doesn¡¯t love them that way.¡±


    ¡°What way does he love them?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°Look, maybe love is too harsh a word. He likes these girls a great deal ¨C enough to be with ¨C but he doesn¡¯t love them. The kind of love between siblings is unconditional. I¡¯d die for her and she¡¯d do the same for me.¡±


    She was thinking about this a moment and then she looked into his eyes. ¡°Would you die for me?¡±


    That was another question he never thought about before now. If it came down to it, would he put his life on the line for her? He stared deep into her eyes and was safe there. And that was when he had decided. ¡°Yes. I would die for you. Would you die for me?¡±


    A single tear fell from her eye. ¡°I already have.¡±


    *   *   *


    It had taken him two days to reach the walls of Jerusalem and in that time he had seen just as much (or even more) bloodshed than he had ever seen in his brief association with Orion. His family he felt needed to die in order to promote his soul to a different plane of being. The sword duel with a young Rick way back when was pure fun; the way he had severed his hand and watched the fear build up behind Rick¡¯s eyes.


    Bombs were exploding everywhere he looked and he began thanking whatever brought him to this reality that he was all spirit. He yearned to have flesh once again but at the moment he was quite satisfied at knowing that the explosions went through him.


    And just how was he going to get information about the key of Eden in this day and age? Only two scenarios played out in his mind. He could inhabit someone¡¯s body in the hopes that either that person would know or else they might know someone who knew. The other was more simple although more time consuming ¨C to snoop around inside people¡¯s houses and listen in on conversations hoping that he might get a clue or two through idle chit-chat.


    He sat down on the rocks with his back to the city (the place thought to be the same where Judas hung himself) and lowered his head. Again he was alone even in this most holy of places. Surely he would have felt God here to save his soul if he truly did exist. But no. All he felt was the nothingness he had grown accustomed to over the years. It was during these moments ¨C which were beginning to appear more and more as his years wore on ¨C that he wanted his mortality back. What he would give if he could just once more walk barefoot on the grass; to feel the sun warm his face; to be held by someone who loved him.


    He bent his head skyward. ¡°I¡¯ve made my choice! Why do you curse me with these feelings?¡± Tears fell from the corners of his eyes and he knew they would never hit the earth. He studied the sky and watched the clouds pass by. What he was looking for he didn¡¯t know.


    And then the answer arrived to him. In the garden he would have the pleasure of eating from the Tree of Knowledge and everything would be all right. He would know how to regain his flesh. And he would know how to raise a new breed of Dreamkiller and take over the world. Yes, and he knew he must be quick otherwise Rick¡¯s boy may try to find the key as well.


    *   *   *


    Vince awoke in a very depressed attitude later that day. Not only has he discovered that Mykella wants what humans want, but she has also claimed to have died for him. What she meant he had no idea ¨C maybe she thought of the sadness she felt when she reached inside his soul. He was godless, he knew, and it was very possible to connect with this since she was, herself, the spirit of an unborn child.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Not only that but now he has to find Karl and apologize for not believing in what he was told from his best friend.


    He stood up (he was still dressed from earlier this morning) and went out to find Karl, only to discover that he was in the Commons eating a sandwich by the window.


    Vince approached him cautiously and sat down opposite and looked down. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being a total shit to you earlier,¡± he said without looking at his friend.


    It took him a few moments but he finally spoke his mind. ¡°Yeah, you should be. Where do you get off not believing me anyways?¡± He placed his sandwich down on a paper plate and glared at Vince.


    Vince looked up. ¡°I thought I knew everything about Mykella. Man was I way off. I didn¡¯t think she knew how to have those feelings.¡±


    Karl tossed him a confused look. ¡°What d¡¯ya mean by that? You didn¡¯t think she knew how to have those feelings?¡±


    Vince didn¡¯t mean to have let anything slip, but now that it has, he knew he must choose what to tell him and what not to (much like Samantha). But unlike Samantha, Karl may be a very important ally if things start to get heated up. And if that were to happen then he needed to be as open as he could without making Karl think he was nuts.


    ¡°I met her right after we heard Samantha was pregnant; Mykella¡¯s her daughter.¡± Here he paused in an attempt to read Karl¡¯s body language and when there was nothing to read he continued. ¡°She will be hunted by a race of demons ¨C from hell most likely ¨C and I¡¯m trying to teach her how to survive. Her knowledge of moving through the dream world has grown faster than I had expected ¨C that¡¯s how we first entered your dreams.¡±


    After he stopped Karl sat motionless for a short while and then finally crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair. ¡°Why are you telling me this? Why not just come up with something entirely more believable? Why this story?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s the truth as I¡¯ve known it for the past three months. I don¡¯t expect you to believe me; I just want you to understand that sometimes I might do weird shit but it¡¯s only because of events occurring in the dream.¡±


    At last Karl nodded and sighed. ¡°Okay, but if you start attacking me,¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d never want to fight you ¨C you¡¯re my friend. We¡¯ve been best buds since we were kids.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m afraid of,¡± Karl said as if he could read through Vince¡¯s lines of what he called the truth.


    Vince stood up. ¡°I need to go to the library. I¡¯ll see you later,¡± and he turned and walked out of the Commons before Karl could explain that the semester was over (Vince even had graduation to think about).


    He found his usual table vacant and went over to it and sat down and opened Pison to a different page. He studied the page for quite a while wondering if he could actually make out what was written on the page (even if it was gibberish). Was there another code hidden in this text? Was he, Vincent, on the verge of solving another Da Vinci Code?


    He knew this book to be at least as old as Orion was young. If he would have to guess, from what he heard in his father¡¯s book, an approximate year of Orion¡¯s reign must be somewhere between 1150 to 1250 A.D. But was the book older than that?


    Maybe Mykella will get to find out when she¡¯s older. He would have to tell her to let him know if she does.


    But for now all he knew to do was figure out the hidden letters like always. And like always he had unearthed several more letters. All the letters he had found meant nothing to him ¨C it just seemed like some alphabet written by a dyslexic. He scribbled down the two new letters and stared at all the other letters.


    GC OA LL GV OA TR HY A


    There was nothing he could make out with this assortment. He realized, as he thumbed through the book, that these were all of the letters. The other pages contained sketches of people praying to their god Orion. But these were the only hidden letters to be found within the covers of the book.


    He leaned back in his chair and sighed as he stared at his paper from a long angle. Still there was no sense in the letters. Feeling helpless he scanned the shelves of books around him with little interest. Books of Theology, Christ, and pagan rituals congested the rows nearest to him.


    Vince squinted his eyes and cocked his head to the side as he read the bind of one of the books about Jesus of Nazareth. On it was simply a printing company¡¯s version of a cross. And as he looked at the cross in the book he thought of Mykella and how she told him that she saw the actual crucifixion of Jesus.


    He looked down at the letters and thought of the crucifixion and wondered what they held in common. Come on, Vince, think. An odd thought entered his mind and he stood up, walked over to the book on the shelf, grabbed it and walked back to the table.


    He found the index and ran his finger over the headings and found the pages discussing the crucifixion. He turned to the first page and there it was. The mound where the crucifixions took place: Golgotha (Calvary).


    He looked hard at the names of the location and over at the letters. Every letter represented a letter of the location. When he first found that there were hidden letters in the book he thought he would be overjoyed when he solved the puzzle. But now, with the puzzle solved, he almost had an empty feeling in his being. Okay, so the book is trying to pinpoint the location of the death of Jesus. So what? What does it mean?


    Take me there.


    Vince almost jumped in his chair when he heard the voice of Mykella whispering in his head. He pondered the idea of a trip to Golgotha and laughed to himself. ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going there.¡±


    Why not? It¡¯s there I think we need to be.


    He stood up again and replaced the book of Christ. Why ¨C to be blown to bits by religious freaks who¡¯ve been fighting some holy war since the times of Christ himself? I don¡¯t think so.


    You know what¡¯s funny about you, Vince?


    He could detect the malicious sarcasm in her voice. What¡¯s that?


    Unlike you, my dear, I don¡¯t need flesh. I can go there just as easily as the wind blows. And I¡¯m going. I want you to go with me.


    Vince sat back down and dropped his head down on the table next to his notebook. There were many conflicts tearing his soul apart at this moment. He tried to quiet his mind (everything was screaming in his ears and he couldn¡¯t single out one rational thought) and felt the tears falling on the table next to his fist.


    If it¡¯ll make the hurt go away, I¡¯ll follow you anywhere.


    If she had a heart right now, it would be breaking as all she wanted to do was hold Vince in her arms and whisper nothing except promises of eternal happiness.


    Go back to your room and tell Karl that you¡¯re taking a long vacation this summer. You and I will see this mystery through, Vince. He nodded and she continued. We need to make a stop on the way there. I need some answers and I think a convent ¨C St. Vincent ¨C in Ireland can answer them.


    There was something about the name of St. Vincent that caused a spark in his mind. He searched his memory and it stopped at his father¡¯s death bed. Karl had told him that his father¡¯s last words dealt with St. Vincent in Ireland.


    Why do I have to make my father¡¯s story (was it his prophecy?) come full circle? Why is it me who has to unearth further mysteries of the Christ? Why was I chosen for this prophecy?


    Because this is your prophecy. Just as the final outcome to my survival is mine. You are written as the one who protects the Child. Someday, before I come into the world, I will tell you the full prophecy and what all three said about the Dreamkillers. But right now, rest assured, it is your burden because you are the chosen one.

 Chapter 13

    Chapter Thirteen


    It had been easy to tell Karl that he was going away on vacation (that he was going to be gone probably the entire summer), but it was more difficult convincing Samantha of his trip. She didn¡¯t understand why he had to go alone and when he explained to her that he wouldn¡¯t be alone ¨C he had her daughter with him after all ¨C she was not at all relieved.


    ¡°I¡¯m going with you if you like it or not.¡±


    Vince had been pacing the back porch and when he heard her profess her feelings for going, he stopped and turned to her while shaking his head. ¡°No. There¡¯s no way I can risk your life by going there.¡±


    ¡°You sound as if there¡¯s more to this trip than just a vacation.¡± She studied his face for a while. ¡°What has my daughter said about this trip?¡±


    With that he sat down; there was no more use trying to paint a pretty vacation picture. ¡°You remember that book I showed you a while back?¡±


    She was about to say no, she had not remembered it but then it came back into her mind. Yes, she did recall that strange book. And when she confirmed this he continued.


    ¡°I told you that there were some secret letters hidden inside the text. Well, I finally figured it out. It spelled out Golgotha ¨C Calvary.¡±


    She narrowed her eyebrows as he told his story.


    ¡°Everything that¡¯s happening to us seems to revolve around the crucifixion. Mykella¡¯s having dreams of actually being there and the book tells us that there¡¯s something going on there and that it must be kept secret ¨C otherwise the words wouldn¡¯t have been hidden.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going there in hopes of finding out some answers?¡± He nodded and she shook her head behind some pity. ¡°You¡¯re going to the most sacred place for all the wrong reasons.¡±


    Vince stood up and looked down at the woman he had fallen in love with. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I have to know why all this has to happen to me.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize to me, Vince. I¡¯m not the one who¡¯s going to judge you when you die. But, as it is, I¡¯m still going with you.¡±


    He watched her pack a suitcase full of shirts, pants, panties, bras, and several items of toiletries and shoes. He was amazed at how easily the case closed; if it were him he would have had to sit on it in order to close it. She went over to her dresser and reached in the top drawer and pulled out her passport and shoved it in her back pocket. Once complete she tossed the case in the back seat of his car and they headed off to his dorm in order for him to pack his belongings.


    He hadn¡¯t packed nearly as much as she did but he didn¡¯t really care. He wasn¡¯t planning on being there all that long. Mykella wanted to stop in Ireland first but that trip too, shouldn¡¯t last more than a day or two.


    Oh, how optimistic he seemed about the journey.


    They hadn¡¯t spoken much during the drive to the airport. Vince had abandoned his negative attitude toward the trip (he didn¡¯t care what was to happen ¨C just as long as he kept up his end of his prophecy and kept the child alive), but Samantha felt something heavy weighing down on her chest. She was beginning to feel that her daughter¡¯s instincts were right about going, but she was also beginning to feel that by going she may have to give up someone she loves.


    She turned her head and watched the traffic speed past her as tears fell down to her chin.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been on a plane before.¡±


    Vince turned and saw Mykella sitting in a seat several rows behind him. He unlocked his seat belt and went over to her and took an empty seat next to her. ¡°I¡¯m surprised that you didn¡¯t try to fight your mother on this.¡±


    She cocked her head to the side. ¡°On what?¡±


    ¡°Going. I thought you didn¡¯t want to risk your mother¡¯s life like this.¡±


    She smiled. Her eyes glimmered from the overhead lights. ¡°I¡¯m not risking her life. But I¡¯m showing her my life. You saw one of the greatest battles and you could never convey what it must have meant ¨C not really. And so I could never project the importance of my destiny to her through what you saw. All I can do is show her but one person who has sacrificed his life for all.¡±


    They sat there in silence for a while and then he turned to look at her once again. ¡°Why do we have to go to Ireland? What do you hope to get answered by some nuns?¡±


    Again she tossed him that angelic smile of hers. ¡°The prophecies aren¡¯t entirely clear to me and I believe it is these nuns at St. Vincent who have studied the prophecies probably longer than most have lived.¡±


    ¡°And then I¡¯ll know.¡±


    She looked at him and read the conflicting emotions that arose in him as they had at the library. ¡°Do you no longer want to know?¡±


    Vince lowered his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Can I possibly handle the entire truth? If there¡¯s going to be a death among those I love, is there nothing I can do to stop it?¡±


    Sadly she shook her head. ¡°You know that answer as well as I. Prophecies can be misread, yes. But the ones that are true can never be changed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m not so sure I want to hear what the prophecies are.¡±


    ¡°All I know,¡± she paused and saw that he had looked away. ¡°Vince, look at me.¡± He turned to her behind reddened eyes. ¡°All I know is that, yes, some people we love may die. But it is for everyone that I live. I¡¯m forever grateful for your guidance and training, but now I must rely on those who have watched the prophecies unfold through time. My training now is that I learn all that I can about my place in the prophecy.¡±You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    He could feel his heart breaking. Was she telling him that he was going to die? Was she telling him that she must no longer see him? There was very little emotion in what she said ¨C it was said like she was trying to subdue all of her emotions ¨C so it was difficult to assume what she meant by her lines.


    His eyes opened and he turned his head and saw that they were still flying over blue waters. He looked over and saw that Samantha was still asleep and he wondered now if Mykella ever paid her a visit without him being there. Was she talking to her now? He tried to love her (he does, really) but he found it difficult to want to open his heart to this sleeping woman when the world is going to hell in a basket.


    As if that were its cue, the plane jerked as it hit a bit of turbulence and this caused Samantha to open her eyes. She blinked several times and then smiled at Vince and stretched her neck. ¡°Where are we?¡±


    He looked back out across the ocean and in the distance he saw a high cliff signifying land. But as he watched the cliff he found that he was thinking of his mother who stood forever on that cursed cliff. ¡°Don¡¯t know ¨C I just woke up, myself.¡±


    She leaned over his lap and looked out the window. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve found land, though.¡± She smiled and stretched her legs out. ¡°Why are we visiting some convent again?¡±


    Vince shrugged. ¡°Hey, that was your daughter¡¯s idea ¨C not mine.¡±


    They smiled at one another. That was the one thing they had in common. It was Mykella who had bonded them together. If it had not been for her, Vince would never have had a reason to go to Samantha because Donnie would never have walked out on her. She reached out and took his hand in hers and squeezed it. There was an understanding that happened at that moment. Things were going to change soon for them as well as for everyone else, but for now they had to make the best of what they had.


    Vince knew that Samantha didn¡¯t quite know the full scale of what was happening but he knew that she could detect that something was going to happen; she could almost feel it in her veins, so to speak.


    If only he could tell her everything he knew. If only they could just say to hell with everything and just run away. If only the powers that be would never have given him this prophecy. If only,


    ¡°You okay?¡±


    He blinked and looked at her. ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re all pale and your forehead¡¯s all sweaty. Are you getting sick?¡±


    He felt fine. Sure, he had a million wishes and questions, but other than that he felt perfectly normal. This he told her and this did not convince her. ¡°Once we land you¡¯re going to see a doctor. I¡¯m not going to be shacking up with some contagious man for a couple of days.¡±


    He really didn¡¯t see the point but he agreed anyway.


    Another hour passed and the plane had rolled into the airport on time. Vince and Samantha walked arm-in-arm through the boarding/exiting corridor and when they came into full view of the airport they looked around for a customer service desk. They found one and went over to it and requested a rental car and if it were possible, a hotel reservation.


    They were fortunate to have received what they had asked for and when they headed for the luggage department Vince stopped and almost fell over several chairs but he was caught by Samantha as she reached out and grabbed his arm.


    ¡°Jesus, Vince,¡± she almost shouted and helped him into one of the chairs he almost toppled over. ¡°You¡¯re whiter than a ghost.¡± She reached into her purse and pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed his forehead with it. ¡°I need to get you to a hospital.¡±


    Vince quickly shook his head. ¡°No. I¡­I need to get there ¨C now.¡± With her help he stood back up and wrapped his arm around her shoulder for support. ¡°I got this strange feeling of deja vu.¡±


    They walked out of the airport and found their rental car moments later. After he was safely in the passenger seat, ¡°You stay here and I¡¯ll go get our luggage.¡± She reached in and kissed his forehead.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± he said and then leaned his head back against the headrest. When she had gone, he kept wondering why he felt like he had been here before. ¡°I¡¯ve never been here ¨C never would have even considered it.¡±


    ¡°But you have been here,¡± said a familiar voice inside his head. ¡°You were inside me the same time I came here. I was so sick, and that¡¯s probably why you¡¯re sick.¡±


    His eyes snapped open. ¡°Why were you here?¡± he asked without caring that he was speaking out loud to no visible person.


    ¡°I thought I came here to get away from it all. My car crashed and I was taken in by the Sisterhood of St. Vincent. Strange, I never thought in a million years I¡¯d see my old school nurse there at that convent.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Sister Catherine. She was my old school nurse. I learned that she left the year after I went into high school. Never thought she¡¯d go to Ireland. She¡¯s since passed on, I¡¯m afraid, but her two companions in Christ are still there.¡±


    Vince almost jumped out of his seat when he heard the trunk open and then slam shut. He turned around and saw that Samantha was heading around to the driver¡¯s door. When she sat down and started the car, ¡°This is where my mother was when she was pregnant with me.¡±


    ¡°Hello to you, too,¡± she said with a smile and then pulled out of the parking lot. ¡°Where to?¡±


    He heard his mother say left and so he told her to turn left. They had followed the same road for quite a while without any further directions. Vince began having doubts that his mother knew what she was talking about. ¡°I think we need to stop and get directions.¡±


    She glanced over at him and nodded. ¡°We need to get gas anyway.¡±


    They found a gas station about ten minutes further up the road and she pulled the car in and parked next to a pump. Samantha got out and began pumping the gas. Vince opened his door and stood up and wrapped his hands behind his head and stretched. He turned his head and then saw something he couldn¡¯t quite believe.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s that?¡±


    Samantha turned and almost dropped the handle of the pump. How close to the main road this castle was, she pondered. Sure, a fog had rolled in, but we would surely have seen a structure as large as this castle standing by the road. How could we have missed it? ¡°What is that?¡± was all she could think to say.


    An older mechanic happened to walk by them when Samantha had asked the seemingly obvious. ¡°That there¡¯s St. Vincent. Kinda creepy the way it lunges out at ya, huh?¡±


    Vince grinned at the man and nodded. ¡°Can you tell me about the nuns who live there?¡± He was looking at the castle instead of the man.


    The mechanic rubbed his head with a greasy hand. ¡°I heard there¡¯s only two sister¡¯s who run the place nowadays. There were three, but the oldest died about twenty years ago. They don¡¯t come out very often and when they do they don¡¯t speak much to anyone.¡±


    ¡°Is there somewhere we can park? We actually were invited to visit the convent,¡± Samantha lied and was taken by surprise when the mechanic said that they could use his lot to park in and all they¡¯d have to do is cross the street ¨C the walkway wasn¡¯t all that far to the door.


    They thanked him and she parked the car behind the station.


    ¡°You sure you think you can walk?¡±


    Vince smiled and nodded. ¡°Been doing it since I was about seven months old,¡± he said.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with, then.¡± She opened her door and hopped out. She was joined by Vince as she went around the front of the car. ¡°We¡¯re doing this for Mykella, right?¡± she asked behind worried eyes.


    He wrapped his arm around her shoulder once again; this time it was not from lack of balance. ¡°I don¡¯t think she has an evil streak anywhere in her veins. She wouldn¡¯t need to go if it weren¡¯t important.¡± They began walking and then he stopped and looked at her. ¡°Besides, we¡¯re talking about nuns here. How weird can nuns be?¡±

 Chapter 14

    Chapter Fourteen


    Being discreet he was never good at. Being sinister he was. Allen could easily listen in on conversations but he would end up knocking something over in the process; like a vase here or a plant there. He paid closer attention to what was said and not on what was around him.


    It had been a while since he first arrived in the Holy City, yet he was completely unsuccessful at discovering the key. He was quickly tiring of people¡¯s lives and so it happened one day that he had chosen to inhabit someone¡¯s body with the hope of getting information through the mind instead of silly neighbor gossip.


    Allen should have thought harder on this before doing it. When people noticed that the body of their beloved wasn¡¯t doing what he¡¯d normally be doing (praying, moreso), they became suspicious and thought that something evil had taken their friend away from them.


    He was trying to get out of the body he was using but he could not escape the carcass. Either he had forgotten the lesson of exiting the body, or else this being did not want to let Allen go.


    And this is when all hell broke loose. The more he tried to exit the body, the more the body tried to keep him and it looked as if he were beating himself up as Allen used the man¡¯s arms and kept hitting him with them. To the street wanderer, seeing this man gyrating and throwing curses in a foreign tongue out in the middle of the street, this man was definitely possessed.


    A lynch mob seemed to have formed out of nowhere and they were all running at the man Allen was trapped inside. He knew that if he could not beat himself out of this body, this mob would do no better. But, what would happen to me if they slaughter this poor shit? Would I perish along with it? In fear, Allen made the body run as fast as he could.


    They followed in pursuit with their clubs, hammers, and even weaponry the likes of knives and pistols raised in the air. Allen seemed to have been running around block after block (still, the mob would not give up) and he saw that the gates to the city were open and so he sprinted to the safety of the outer-city. His victory was short lived because as he turned his head ¨C he was several yards from the city proper ¨C he met the end of a large club in the eye.


    He was knocked to the ground and happened to see the blood being dried as it sunk into the earth. This could have been my blood, Allen thought. He stood up and saw that the mob was coming closer with angered faces. Allen looked through his borrowed eyes at the man who had hit him and instead of running, he reached out and took the man¡¯s head in his two hands and quickly twisted it around until he heard that lovely song of it snapping.


    He dropped the man¡¯s lifeless body and began running again. He didn¡¯t get very far before he was overtaken by the crowd of angry faces. They didn¡¯t seem to want to take turns; whoever was closest would strike him with whatever they had with them and by the sixth or seventh blow, Allen could no longer look at them as he shielded his eyes with his hands.


    They were even pulling handfuls of his black hair out as many hands came to tear one man¡¯s soul apart. When the heavy hitters had gone away, they left more flesh for those who wanted to use their hands as weapons. It was these people Allen watched with fascination in his soul. These men didn¡¯t care if there was an evil spirit living inside their neighbor; they were enjoying what they were doing.


    At a different time and place, Allen would have liked them. But as it was, Allen tried to stand up, his legs not working any longer. Why was this fucker holding on so tight? He tried to stand again, but only fell back down. The men surrounding him all laughed.


    Fear, an alien concept to Allen, crept into his soul at that moment. He was definitely going to die for good this time. He surely wasn¡¯t going to heaven, and he feared hell. He didn¡¯t want to die. He had to get moving somehow, and so he dragged himself by his fingers and elbows.


    Laughing, they kicked Allen along whatever path he chose to take. And then salvation came.


    They had approached holy doors; doors of which Allen crawled through. He didn¡¯t care where he was, just as long as he was no longer being hit. He collapsed onto the ground when he reached the center of the enormous room.


    Several minutes later he was able to open his eyes and move his head a little. He found that he lay in a circular room with benches throughout. A church most likely, he thought. He moved his hand with the hopes of pulling himself up, but as his borrowed hand slid across the floor, an electric pain shot through his entire being. He closed his eyes and saw nothing but white.


    He could not remove his hand. A message seemed to be coming through his soul. A picture came with that message. Brief scenes of Judas directly after Christ had been sentenced to be crucified. Judas ran ahead before the Romans got to the mound. Judas tossing something into a deep hole and covering it with only a handful of sand and rock. And nothing more.


    Allen regained power over his borrowed hand and he let his head drop to the ground and tears fell from his eyes. He didn¡¯t care any for the significance of Christ or Judas. What he wanted, he had found. He began clawing at the ground with such vigor he thought almost impossible, especially in the condition he was in. He dug with his hands for about a half hour, maybe longer, and then he felt something.


    Allen wrapped his hand around the clothed item and pulled it up. He didn¡¯t unwrap it here and now ¨C it was still too dangerous a place to remain. Perhaps this was why I couldn¡¯t leave this pathetic body ¨C I needed flesh to hold the key.


    But then he felt something happening to his body. It was healing itself of its wounds. His legs had found strength and he could stand once again. Reaching up he found that his face hadn¡¯t bruised, or at least they were healed, and he had total vision in both eyes.


    And when he stood he felt his eyes changing. He didn¡¯t know for sure, but he felt that his new eyes were those belonging to Allen Corgan. And when he stood up, a powerful feeling overcame him ¨C much like when he had first received his first powers of dream travel and the capability to convert others into Dreamkillers. His black eyes formed a new triumphant gleam and he stretched out his arms to full width and he bent his head back and roared in laughter.


    No, this was not the flesh he had wanted ¨C he would find a different form when he reached the Forbidden Realms.


    He walked to the front door and shoved it open and he found himself standing before the lynch mob who seemed to have been waiting for his death. Well, he thought, I¡¯m sorry to disappoint them.


    They turned and looked at the new man behind eyes of terror. A miracle has happened, yes, but they were the ones who had tormented him in the first place. Fearing for their lives, the men turned and ran back toward the city.


    Should he kill them? Maybe one or two would be fulfilling. He spread out his arms to them and formed an odd image in his darkened head. And just as he imagined them, the horde of locusts came from behind Allen and flew past him and hovered above the mob and then when he threw down his arms, the horde went in for the kill as the terrified victims had no defense but to cover their eyes as the insects found their way inside the mouths of the screaming men.


    Allen watched the miracle for a moment and then sent the horde away when he was sure the mob had died. He stood there wondering what other powers he had. He had sent a wrath upon the men and none survived. Do I really need my new Dreamkillers? Could I take full control over the world?


    Yes, I could take over the world. But that isn¡¯t enough. If I control the world, they would always have this fantasy place called dreams that they can escape to every night. So, I do need my Dreamkillers. Once I have total dominion over the realm of dreams, I can control everything.


    *   *   *


    The large door opened and Vince poked his head into the dark room. The nun who had opened the door had stepped back into the darkness and when she saw that it was a young man, she stepped back toward him and held out her arms when she saw his pale complexion. But when she was about to assist him, Samantha entered right behind Vince and the nun almost shrieked and scurried out of the room.


    Vince turned and tossed Samantha a confused shake of his head. She smiled and helped him into the convent.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Moments later they were greeted by an older nun who helped Samantha by grabbing his other arm and they walked into an adjoining room. The young nun had returned with a cot and this she opened and helped her superior lay Vince on it.


    ¡°You may stay until you are well,¡± said the older nun and Samantha smiled and nodded her head.


    ¡°I hope we¡¯re not intruding.¡±


    ¡°Of course not. Our doors are open to everyone.¡±


    During the exchange of words, Vince was watching the younger nun. She had a disturbed look in her eyes whenever she looked at Samantha. And when he looked up at the older nun, ¡°Sister Helen?¡±


    The older nun glanced down at him with old soft eyes. ¡°Yes, Child.¡±


    She had been his grade school teacher and when he went to junior high, she became his principal at the new school. Looking back, Vince could have sworn she was following him.


    Again she smiled at him as if she could read his mind. ¡°Yes, I have been following you. That is, until you graduated.¡± She looked back at the younger nun and made a small gesture and, silently the younger one left the room. Looking back at Vince and Samantha, ¡°We will discuss this further, but for now you need your rest. Tomorrow we shall catch up on old times, so to speak.¡±


    Samantha stepped in before Vince could protest (he did, after all, feel perfectly well) with: ¡°Thank you for your hospitality. We won¡¯t stay long.¡±


    Again Sister Helen smiled. ¡°It is no inconvenience. Good night.¡± She bowed her head with one final look at Vince and then turned and took her exit.


    When they were well out of hearing range, ¡°How weird can nuns be, you said,¡± she commented behind a smile.


    He returned the smile and leaned his back against the wall and sighed. ¡°I think I should get some sleep if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    She nodded with a saddened smile. ¡°I wish she¡¯d come and see me, too.¡± She didn¡¯t wait for him to respond. ¡°Say hello for me,¡± she said and then turned and left him alone.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can face her knowing what I know and what she doesn¡¯t.¡±


    Vince sat up and acknowledged her presence as Mykella walked into the room. Every time she appears from a different room, he wonders where she came from. Does she just sit around in some void or does she run a productive preexisting life? He would probably never know.


    ¡°Can you blame her for wanting to know you?¡±


    Mykella lowered her head and crossed the room. ¡°Would you really want to know me if you knew what was to become of me?¡±


    Vince tried to stifle a chuckle. ¡°Yes, I would like to know you. You have a gift and to share it with just one person,¡± He couldn¡¯t find words to express how he really felt whenever he was near her. He once told her that he would die for her and she had replied that she had already died for him. For some strange reason he now understood what she meant ¨C he felt as if he had already died for her as well.


    She reached out and gently touched his cheek and smiled down at him. ¡°You¡¯re too kind.¡± Mykella sat down next to him. ¡°No. I don¡¯t think I could live knowing that she knows what will happen to me.¡±


    Vince understood what she meant ¨C she was more or less human, too. She was a spirit who already had a soul and her soul had feelings. Thinking of souls, he let his thoughts drift over to his sister. He didn¡¯t understand her dreams but he knew that she was no more evil than the Pope.


    Mykella was studying his face while he was thinking. She read something different about his appearance.


    ¡°I was wondering if you could do me a favor,¡±


    Here it comes, she thought. ¡°What?¡±


    He was trying to find a proper way to ask. ¡°When I¡¯m awake, you wouldn¡¯t check up on my sister would you?¡±


    Her eyebrows lowered as she tried to find any hidden meaning in the request. ¡°Why do you want me to do this? I mean, she doesn¡¯t even think I exist.¡±


    ¡°Then prove it to her. I need her to understand what we¡¯re up against. She won¡¯t listen to me ¨C I drove her away. You can persuade her, I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    ¡°You never did tell me what happened that time I sent you to her dreams ¨C what happened?¡±


    Vince lowered his eyes as if ashamed. ¡°I¡¯d rather not talk about it.¡±


    She could smell the fear emanating from his soul. ¡°The Dreamkillers are rising aren¡¯t they?¡±


    He didn¡¯t know how to answer her. He had never thought too hard about what had happened. All that he knew was that she couldn¡¯t harm him without an order to do so.


    ¡°It¡¯s too late ¨C why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    ¡°They can¡¯t do anything yet. They don¡¯t have a master.¡±


    ¡°Tell me what she told you.¡±


    Vince closed his eyes and tried to remember the words the Dreamkiller said to him and he was having difficulty; memory was never his strongest trait. ¡°She said that the second battalion will be stronger than the first.¡±


    Mykella was looking into his eyes and she caught something there. ¡°That¡¯s not all,¡±


    ¡°No. My mother told me that these Dreamkillers will become more deadly than the first wave because they look human and they have the taste and liking for the kill.¡±


    She reached up and grabbed her crucifix in her right hand and squeezed it as tears fell from her closed eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t ¨C I can¡¯t do this. No, there has to be someone stronger than me. I can¡¯t,¡±


    His heart was breaking as he watched this young woman fall apart and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. ¡°I wish there was, because I love you. I don¡¯t want to see you go through this. But, you have to. I¡¯ll be with you as long as I¡¯m allowed by fate.¡±


    She looked into his eyes. ¡°You¡­love me?¡±


    He smiled at her naivet¨¦. How could he describe all the different kinds of love? ¡°I do. You¡¯re the daughter of the woman I think I want to spend the rest of my life with. I guess I¡¯m having that paternal kind of love ¨C like father and daughter.¡±


    There was a part of her which was saddened ¨C she had to tell herself that he would be at least twenty years older than she when she enters the world ¨C and the other part of her was overjoyed. For this reason, the two have already died for one another. She has died because she knows her destiny and he has died because he has chosen to be by her side no matter what.


    She leaned closer to him and put her soft lips on the tip of his nose and kissed it and then she put her finger up over his eye lids. ¡°Sleep.¡± And then she vanished from the room before he opened his eyes.


    Was the war closer than he had thought? He couldn¡¯t believe that it would begin before Mykella was even born. But, if it did, then that would mean that he would die before she lives and that Samantha is kept alive only for the purpose of fulfilling the prophecy.


    She had not promised Vince that she would do it, but Mykella found the dream line connecting to Alexandria and she was hesitant before continuing any further. It was like looking through a keyhole into Xan¡¯s mind. What she saw was Xan laying on her bed looking asleep (asleep in a dream?).


    Pushing just a little harder she entered the room, trying to be as quiet as she could be; she didn¡¯t want to disturb her in this odd state. She whispered the woman¡¯s name but received no reply. Fearing for the worst she moved closer to the woman laying on the bed and she looked down and saw pink and yellow rose petals scattered around the bed on the floor.


    Mykella looked down at the peaceful face of Vince¡¯s sister and almost envied this woman. Xan had a body that Mykella did not. What it must feel like to reach out and really feel Vince¡¯s cheek against hers. This woman lying dead-like was perfect. Mykella slowly reached down in an attempt to feel this body, but she was terror-struck when Xan¡¯s hand reached up and took hold of Mykella¡¯s wrist.


    Xan moved her head and her white eyes locked on with Mykella. ¡°You can¡¯t feel me, but I can feel you, my sweet.¡± She sat up without releasing Mykella. She watched the young woman struggle in vain and saw the tears running down her cheeks. There was panic in the woman¡¯s soul ¨C and Xan loved it.


    With a simple wave Xan sent Mykella spiraling across the room only to crash through a night stand. There¡¯s more to this small confrontation than Xan was willing to disclose to the young woman. Her intent was not to kill ¨C no, not now anyway.


    Mykella did not move; she just remained crouched beneath the shattered table with a sore back and tears running out her eyes.


    Xan stood up but did not advance and she looked down at the weeping girl. ¡°This? This is what we¡¯ll be fighting? This scared little child?¡± The sarcasm in her tone was both menace and laughter. ¡°I¡¯m sure we can do better than you.¡±


    Unlike the living, Mykella couldn¡¯t just wake up; she had to wait for the mortal Xan to wake from dreams Mykella was sure she wouldn¡¯t remember. She didn¡¯t understand how a soul can be tainted by such an evil entity and the living person having no idea of its being there.


    If only she could reach out and wake her up. If only she wouldn¡¯t have come here upon Vince¡¯s request. If only she could refuse to fight these evil creatures. Maybe she would have a year or two of peace in her life before evil conquered everything. Or maybe not. The way it was sounding, it was as if Xan was sure the battle was going to be soon.


    She had to find a way back to Vince. If she were to live tonight, she had to find him. She had to go to him and beg to be released from this burden. It was only yesterday that she had preached to him that it was her burden to fight for all mankind. But now she was looking for any way to get out of it.


    Through her sobs she heard the faint sound of voices coming from a distant place. Xan looked up and then back down at Mykella. ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t go running with your tail between your legs, we¡¯ll meet again.¡± And she vanished from the room leaving Mykella who had closed her eyes in relief.

 Chapter 15

    Chapter Fifteen


    Sisters Helen and Agnes had been sitting at the edge of the hearth in the kitchen where they had been keeping warm ¨C even in a castle it gets cold and damp at night. Sister Agnes was staring into the fire wishing she were someplace else.


    Sister Agnes didn¡¯t understand why her elder told lies to Tracy Andrews Kingston way back when. None of the Sisterhood had any blood relation to the Queen of Grendels. When Sister Catherine had explained to Tracy that the three of them were the last of the Grendel lineage, Sister Agnes asked her later that night why she lied to Tracy.


    ¡°Would you want to stay here if you knew that our only purpose was to make sure Nanaac¡¯s prophecies unfold and that our master confronts Orion in the Forbidden Realms,¡± smirked Sister Catherine behind wrinkled eyes.


    Sister Agnes shook her young head. ¡°I just don¡¯t understand, Sister,¡± she said and Sister Helen smiled and placed her hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°How long has it been now since Ilias called upon you? Three years?¡±


    Sister Agnes smiled and nodded her head.


    ¡°It took me fifteen years to learn and accept all that was to take place,¡± explained Sister Catherine. ¡°Can you imagine what it must have been like for our dead Sisters? Having to look after Tracy¡¯s ancestors, knowing that the first prophecy wasn¡¯t even to take place until generations after them,¡± she said.


    Sister Agnes had glanced down at her clothes and took hold of her habit. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why we have to wear these ¨C I haven¡¯t stepped foot in a church in years.¡±


    ¡°That, Sister Agnes, was all Ilias¡¯ idea.¡±


    And now, after twenty years, Sister Agnes was staring into the fire wishing to be anywhere else but here. She really didn¡¯t understand the point of waiting half your life for one tiny moment in time. Like when Tracy vanished, Sister Catherine had waited forty years for that one moment, only to have Sister Helen plunge their sacred blade into Sister Catherine¡¯s heart.


    ¡°What do you plan on telling Vincent and Samantha,¡± she finally asked as she broke the familiar silence and Sister Helen looked up from her cup of coffee.


    ¡°I shall continue with the notion that we are descendants of Queen Nanaac, bent on preserving her prophecies. I shall say nothing of Ilias ¨C it is Samantha¡¯s child who will have to learn what Ilias has planned for humanity.¡±


    Sister Agnes turned back to the fire and gently shook her head in disgust. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why everyone has to be kept in the dark about Ilias¡¯ plan to overthrow Orion,¡± she whispered but Sister Helen sighed; they had been over this argument a hundred times already and she didn¡¯t want to start it at this time of night.


    ¡°In the morning, I want you to prepare breakfast ¨C make it a simple one ¨C for our guests. I will talk to them while we eat.¡±


    Sister Agnes nodded her head and lost herself once again in her own adventures as she longed for something more than this hellhole.


    ¡°Where to begin?¡±


    Vince, Samantha, and Sister Helen had been sitting around a large table with sandwiches in front of them. Earlier that morning the younger nun had brought a hot breakfast of eggs and toast to them and later informed Sister Helen that Vince looked much better than yesterday.


    ¡°Where is the other sister?¡± asked Samantha, half-way through her meal.


    ¡°Sister Agnes? I sent her away to the grocery store.¡± Helen folded her hands and placed them in front of her plate once she pushed it back. She turned and fixed her attention on Vince. ¡°You must understand, Vincent, that I can only discuss your prophecy. What happens when your prophecy is concluded is for Sister Agnes to tell.¡±


    He nodded and was sure that wherever Mykella was she wasn¡¯t too pleased to hear this. She wanted to know more about what her prophecy was. Later he knew she would hound him into talking with Sister Agnes. ¡°Just tell me what you can.¡±


    Samantha listened in silence as she knew this meeting was more between them than anyone else. She felt lucky she hadn''t been sent to the grocery with Sister Agnes.


    ¡°There are three prophecies pertaining to the race of Dreamkillers. Your mother was the first prophecy; you are the second; and Mykella, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve met her by now, is the third and final prophecy. With the three prophecies come us three sisters who have learned of the prophecies long before even your mother was born.


    ¡°We are the last that remain of the Grendel lineage. We are direct descendants of Queen Nanaac. It was Nanaac who had foreseen the prophecies and written them down and it was our ancestors who had preserved the scrolls and when our queen perished we made a vow to make sure her prophecies came to pass.¡±


    Vince glanced over at Samantha and he could see that she wasn¡¯t too sure she believed the tale. ¡°Do you know why my mother was envisioned? What was her prophecy exactly?¡±


    Sister Helen smiled at the question. ¡°I only learned of it shortly after Sister Catherine passed on. Her prophecy was to bear the man-child who would become mankind¡¯s guardian.¡±


    ¡°But I thought Mykella was chosen for that role.¡±


    ¡°No. She has a different prophecy which will take her on a different path than yours ¨C but I don¡¯t know much more than that of her prophecy. Sister Catherine was chosen to keep watch over Tracy. I am your watcher and Sister Agnes will be Mykella¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°This explains why my mother knew Sister Catherine and I knew you.¡±


    ¡°What happened to Sister Catherine?¡± Samantha chimed in and Sister Helen turned and looked at her.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°She passed at the same moment Tracy concluded her prophecy.¡± She turned back to Vince. ¡°As I shall when your prophecy concludes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame that your Queen Mother died with the visions of the end of the Dreamkillers.¡± Vince shook his head. ¡°But I still don¡¯t understand why she saw so far into the future.¡±


    Before Sister Helen could reply, Samantha turned. ¡°There¡¯ve been prophets predicting the coming of Christ hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus.¡±


    Sister Helen grinned and in her heart she knew that this truly was the Mother. She had been careful what to tell them and what not to. What was she to tell them if they became suspicious when Sister Agnes came back empty-handed? She must not think that far in advance. She had to brace herself for whatever they asked her.


    There was a pause at the table and Sister Helen was about to assume that the meeting was over. She moved her hands on the table and was about to stand.


    ¡°My mother didn¡¯t die.¡±


    Sister Helen fell silent. She was wondering what he was getting at ¨C this wasn¡¯t the typical thing someone says. ¡°No, she didn¡¯t.¡±


    She was holding something back; he could see the reluctance in her eyes. Samantha moved her eyes between the two and she could almost feel the air thickening.


    He didn¡¯t take this any further. He would have to be on guard as long as he was here and tonight he would tour the convent with hopes of answering Mykella¡¯s questions without having to talk to them again.


    Sister Helen was one of the nicest teachers Vince had ever had and when she had become his principal, she had not suspended him for missing too many days of school. And now, this Sister Helen was veiled in a mystery Vince had to uncover before Mykella came into this world.


    ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, I must pray the hours. You¡¯re welcome to worship with us,¡± Sister Helen said as she stood up.


    ¡°Sister Agnes came back pretty fast,¡± Vince said while keeping a suspecting eye on the old nun.


    Without another word Sister Helen turned and walked out the door leaving behind her a grinning Vince.


    Samantha looked at him in confusion. ¡°Why do you look so happy?¡±


    ¡°I came here and unraveled their little world.¡±


    ¡°Did you see the way she was looking at me? She was making me nervous.¡±


    With a smile, ¡°You are the mother of the final prophecy.¡±


    She lowered her eyes and shivered at the thought of her daughter being involved with anything that dealt with Dreamkillers. ¡°I only wish I knew what was going to happen to her.¡±


    Vince moved his chair over to her and wrapped his arms around her. ¡°Everything¡¯s going to be all right. I¡¯ll see to it that Mykella never gets hurt by anyone. Does that sound good to you?¡±


    She wrapped her arms around his neck and burst into tears. ¡°If only you could swear to it.¡±


    With his index finger he lifted her chin up and their eyes met. He looked deep into her eyes. ¡°I swear to it. Your daughter will not get hurt.¡±


    As he promised himself he waited until it was after midnight and he heard the soft snores of Samantha as she lay asleep on a cot on the other side of the room. He quietly stood up and almost tip-toed his way out of the room and cursed himself for not bringing a flashlight.


    There wasn¡¯t much he could see in front of him. He walked with his back against the walls, sometimes running with his hand against it for support in an unseen world. Every corridor seemed to have the heavenly sight of the moon shining its light into half of the corridor.


    There wasn¡¯t anything suspicious and he must have walked for about an hour through darkness before he decided to call it quits and head back to his room. It wasn¡¯t until the third turn that he could no longer remember where to turn next. He stopped and saw that there were three adjoining corridors: Left, right, and a third jutting off diagonally to the left.


    He didn¡¯t remember ever walking through anything that looked like this. Maybe he made a wrong turn previously. Well, he had to make a choice and so he chose the diagonal corridor because he felt that he hadn¡¯t made any turns around here.


    The moment he stepped foot into this section of the convent a different feeling came over him. It wasn¡¯t the claustrophobic feeling one gets when walking alone in a darkened castle at midnight. It was the feeling that nothing was right and everything was wrong ¨C including everything he was told.


    After a short while walking he came to a staircase of stone and took his time climbing the steps; he knew he had not come this way, but there were other emotions driving his suspicious mind. Once at the top of the landing he saw another corridor but this one was well lit and wiped clean of webs. Even the floor looked as if it had recently been swabbed.


    He didn¡¯t know why but when he came to the fifth door on his right he turned and pushed it open. He saw a large bed ¨C very well-made ¨C and a vanity carved into the wall. A tall wardrobe lined the entire wall opposite the vanity. He went over to the wardrobe and opened it and ran his hand across the long sleeves of the gowns which were hung by order of color (greens, reds, yellows, blues, and grays). No trust, came to his mind at that moment. Trust no one.


    Vince went to the large window and pulled back the long tapestry and looked down into the garden. He saw the glowing figure of his mother standing, looking up at him behind worried eyes. To her side stood another glowing figure that had wrapped her arm around his mother¡¯s shoulder and was smiling up at him. He had never seen the young woman before but he knew in that instant that it must have been Queen Nanaac.


    He looked hard into his mother¡¯s worried face and saw that she had lipped the word vanity. He didn¡¯t want to leave this moment but he knew that she was trying to tell him something and so he went to the vanity. There was nothing unusual about it. He ran his hand across the sides and found nothing. He ran his hand across the glass and was about to pull it back but he felt something along the border between the glass and wood frame.


    With care he pulled out the small folded paper and looked down at the foreign object he now held. He pulled out the chair and sat down and then unfolded the paper and saw that it was a letter addressed to him!


    My Dearest Vincent,


    During the days following your birth a battle had been waged. I was inhabited by Queen Nanaac¡¯s soul just so she could continue her war of vengeance. My mind is beginning to no longer be mine, so I pray you can pull out of this what you need. I have learned through Nanaac that Orion¡¯s father has been called back to a spirited form so I¡¯m not sure who she¡¯s after: Orion or his father? But hear me please: Nanaac is bent on vengeance! She was never here to stop the war. She knew the war would continue ¨C she saw it in her dreams. She thinks you are to become a guardian of humanity ¨C the nuns think you¡¯re the son of Orion. I don¡¯t know what to think. All I do know is that you are my child, my son. Never lose sight of your dreams and always remember: dreamers live forever. I¡¯m sorry I won¡¯t be there for you but I hope Rick will do as I wish. God bless you, Vincent, my son.


    He closed the letter and put it in his pocket. He sat there for a few moments before standing up and walking back to the window. He was disappointed to find his mother gone but he knew why. There was nothing more she had to do here.


    He turned and walked back to the door and when he opened it his heart jumped into his mouth. The sensation only lasted a second and then anger filled his soul. ¡°Come in, Sister. We¡¯ve lots to talk about.¡± He moved aside and Sister Helen entered the room without any facial expression whatsoever and went over to the window.

 Chapter 16

    Chapter Sixteen


    He had the key and he had a body. All he had to do now was find the Garden of Eden. Allen stood in the middle of the street watching the fires burning and felt no remorse for those writhing to their deaths inside their once-safe homes. Jerusalem, up in flames. He smiled to himself. In a matter of a couple of days, it won¡¯t matter anymore.


    He knew the entrance was not in this burning city and so he felt he would like to burn every damned city until he found it. He didn¡¯t know why, but he remembered someone telling him (eons ago, it seemed) of an angel guarding entrance into Eden. A prelude to war? What the hell.


    Once the fires burned out Allen decided to head North and hope to find the entrance almost the same way he had found the key. He did hope, however, that it did not take another three months because he was beginning to become impatient. And when he becomes impatient, more cities fall and innocent bodies burn to their deaths.


    *   *   *


    She watched the bright moon hanging above the large trees for a moment before turning with a look of contempt at Vince. ¡°What exactly do you want to talk about at this hour?¡± Sister Helen had folded her hands beneath her robes.


    Vince cocked his head to the side and looked at her behind a sarcastic grin. ¡°Well, for starters, why are you skulking about at this hour of night?¡±


    ¡°I have a job to do: Keep our mother¡¯s chambers spotless. What about you?¡±


    ¡°My trust in you has faltered, Sister. If I can¡¯t get honest answers from you then I need to find them on my own time.¡± He sat down at the foot of the bed and thought about what to ask next. Behind the most serious faces he could give her: ¡°Am I Orion¡¯s son?¡±


    He saw the tiniest twitch come from her eye at the mention of Orion. Now we¡¯re getting somewhere.


    She crossed the room and sat by the vanity. ¡°I really don¡¯t know where you get your information,¡±


    ¡°Answer the fucking question!¡±


    ¡°Very well. It seemed odd to us. Our enemy ¨C Orion¡¯s father ¨C had raped our mother and out comes the devil¡¯s child which you had only read about. You could not know the evil Orion possessed. His father was evil, yes, but Orion slaughtered his own father. He had him impaled just as he had our mother. To make it poetic, he made sure the two were impaled, rotting next to one another for eternity.


    ¡°Your mother came to us already bearing child but our mother wanted her nonetheless. If you trace Tracy Kingston¡¯s ancestry, you would be surprised to find that she has Nanaac¡¯s blood in her. I don¡¯t think your mother even knew it.


    ¡°You look doubtful. Doesn¡¯t matter now.¡± She paused and he shook his head. When she continued, she was looking out the window once again. ¡°She came here with Orion in tow. She was pregnant and had our blood flowing within her veins. It all seemed too circumstantial to believe that you were anything but the child of Orion.


    ¡°Orion had no physical contact with another woman, not that we know of anyway, so we knew that you weren¡¯t a physical offspring. But souls can shift. Even now I¡¯m not satisfied to know that you are the guardian of humanity. You could very well be humanities destructor.¡±


    There was no way he was going to believe it. No, he was not the destructor. Someone else would lead the war on humanity ¨C not me! He would not allow himself to believe what the bitch was saying ¨C especially what she had said about him being the offspring of Orion.


    ¡°Your precious mother returned through my mother to continue her war. It was not to stop the war. She wanted vengeance.¡±


    Sister Helen stood up as if offended and glared at Vince. ¡°I don¡¯t know where you get your information, young man,¡±


    He cut her off and tossed the letter at her in disgust. She quieted herself and read the letter and grinned when she concluded it. ¡°A voice from the grave.¡±


    ¡°My mother isn¡¯t dead.¡±


    Sister Helen folded the letter back and tapped Vince on his chest with it. ¡°You¡¯ve said that before. Now, let me ask you a question. Your mother fell from the tallest tower of Orion¡¯s keep. Through flames no less. Tell me, young Vincent. How is it that your mother is not dead?¡±


    ¡°When she fell from the tower, she chose a different fate than death.¡±


    ¡°And what fate was that?¡±


    ¡°She is a guardian.¡±


    ¡°A guardian? Of what?¡±


    ¡°The Forbidden Realms. The Garden of Eden.¡±


    At that Sister Helen fell back and hit the vanity. She knocked off several bottles of perfume as her hand went down to support her balance. There was a look in her eye which Vince had never seen before. It was as if she were looking at the devil himself. She brought her other hand to her mouth. ¡°Does anyone know the location of the gate?¡± she asked.


    ¡°What¡¯s this got to do with anything? All I want to know is what you¡¯re all about. Mykella wanted me to bring her here and so I did. She wanted to know more about her prophecy, but it looks like you¡¯re not up to talking, so I think we¡¯ll be leaving first thing in the morning.¡±


    He headed for the door, but when he reached out for the handle, Sister Helen grabbed his arm. ¡°Do you realize what would happen if someone with evil intentions forces their way into the Forbidden Realms? Think, Vincent. Armies could be created within hours. This must have been what our mother was frightened about. I pray that your mother does not fail in her new position.¡±


    He looked into her worried eyes. ¡°Who do you pray to?¡±


    ¡°Once you complete your journey through the Holy Land, come back here. Your circle will be complete and I shall be lifted of this burden forever.¡±


    He knew what she meant but he was too afraid to say a word about it. Everything ends here. She knows it. But why didn¡¯t he care too much? He may know what she believed, but is it really true? Will his prophecy end when he comes back here (if he comes back here, that is)?


    Still, he didn¡¯t know what to believe. Was she telling him the full truth? Would she have the willpower to lie again when she knew she had been caught? He doubted it, but there was still that small voice in the back of his head telling him to be cautious of this woman.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be coming back here,¡± he said and turned back to the door and opened it. ¡°It¡¯s a little too creepy here.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    Sister Helen watched Vince walk down the corridor and disappear down the flight of stairs. She balled her hand into a fist again and hit the wall with it repeatedly until she saw blood running down her wrist and into her sleeve. ¡°You¡¯ll come back,¡± she whispered and wiped the tears from her eyes. ¡°And death will be following close behind.¡±


    *   *   *


    ¡°At least we could have stayed for breakfast; I¡¯m starving. Do you have any idea what it must feel like having to feed two?¡±


    Vince drove out of the gas station where they had parked their car and headed back toward the airport. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but there¡¯s no way in hell I¡¯m staying in that castle any longer.¡± He glanced into the rearview mirror and watched as the towering structure shrunk itself and finally disappeared from view altogether.


    ¡°Okay, but can we at least get something to eat before hopping on another plane?¡±


    He turned to her and smiled. ¡°Yeah, Hon. We can stop anywhere you want.¡±


    Samantha cocked her head and grinned. ¡°¡¯Hon?¡¯ You¡¯ve never called me any term of endearment before.¡±


    He returned his gaze to the road ahead. ¡°Well, I figure I¡¯m staying with you for a long while ¨C you may never be able to get rid of me.¡± The idea of staying with her forever made him think of Mykella and he realized that he had not spoken with her last night. He wondered what she may have been up to while he was lost in dreams he could not recall.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she began with a smirk. ¡°Now you¡¯re beginning to sound like a stalker. The question is: Do I want you to stay around for a long time?¡±


    Vince knew she was only playing but there was that feeling in the back of his mind that said she may not really want to be with him at all. He looked over at her and noticed her mischievous grin and he smiled and grabbed her hand.


    ¡°Yes. I want you around for a long time and I¡¯m sure Mykella would want that too.¡±


    A pause fell between them and when he turned he spotted a diner up the road and pulled into the parking lot.


    After sitting down and placing their orders, ¡°So, why do you think Mykella wants us to go to Jerusalem anyway?¡± asked Samantha as she stacked her Half-and-Half creamers on top of one another, creating a pyramid of creamers.


    ¡°My guess is that we¡¯ll find the gate of Eden there.¡±


    As she suddenly looked up she knocked her pyramid over. ¡°You gotta be shitting me.¡± She placed the creamers back in their bowl. ¡°The Eden? The Garden of Eden?¡±


    Vince nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of any other.¡±


    The waitress brought their food (he had one plate whereas she had four full plates) and when she left them alone, ¡°I need you to drive the rest of the way. I need to talk to Mykella before we get there.¡±


    She had already shoved her two eggs into her mouth before nodding and he had to put his fork down as he watched the young woman piling everything into her mouth mercilessly. When she saw that he wasn¡¯t eating, ¡°You gonna eat that?¡±


    Vince grunted and shook his head. ¡°You can have it; I¡¯ve lost my appetite,¡± he said and slid his plate over to her.


    An hour later Vince was asleep in the passenger seat as Samantha drove to the airport. Every now and then she would glance over at him wondering if he were talking to her daughter. She envied him to no end. Mykella had the power to enter her dreams yet she did not.


    When she pulled the car back in the same location she had recently gotten it, she nudged Vince and he jerked awake, hitting his head against the window in the process. Once she had gotten his attention, ¡°Well, what did you find out?¡± she asked and he shrugged.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t seem too interested in seeing me I suppose,¡± he replied and rubbed his eyes. He looked around and saw that they were at the airport. ¡°Do we need a bullet-proof vest before entering the Holy City?¡±


    She grinned and shook her head. ¡°Really Vince. There are more violent places than Jerusalem I¡¯m sure.¡±


    They went through all the proper security precautions and when they were on the plane Vince told her that he wanted to try once again to talk to Mykella before they touched the ground of the Holy City.


    When he was well inside his dreamland, he stood and walked up and down the aisle of the empty plane. ¡°Mykella,¡± he called as he looked in all the seats. There was no sign of the young woman. He walked up and opened the cockpit door and peered inside. Again he saw no one inside.


    A disappointed sigh escaped him and he turned back and began walking up the aisle again. He stopped and fell into an aisle seat and put his head in his hands as he bent forward. With his head still in his hands, he turned and saw a shadow beneath a seat across the aisle.


    He stood and crossed over to the chair and bent down. What he saw shocked and worried him. He saw Mykella crouched there in a fetal position (arms tightly wrapped around her legs) with her back against the wall of the plane. If she were sitting, she would have been rocking back and forth, but instead, she looked as if she were writhing rhythmically on the floor.


    ¡°Dear God,¡± he cried out and reached out to her. ¡°What happened?¡±


    She wouldn¡¯t accept his help and it appeared as if she were not registering his appearance at all. ¡°Can¡¯t,¡± she mumbled just under her breath. ¡°Won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Mykella, what happened to you?¡±


    Mykella stopped and her eyes darted up and looked at Vince. ¡°Your sister is lost. She wanted to kill me.¡±


    He saw that she was trembling and he bent down again and pulled her out by taking hold of her legs.


    This brought her to hysterics and she covered her face with her hands and screamed: ¡°No, please don¡¯t!¡±


    As if he were hit, Vince let her go and watched her. ¡°I¡¯m not going to do anything to you. It¡¯s me damnit. What happened?¡± he repeated, using more authority than he thought was right for him.


    It seemed to help as she stopped and looked up at him again. ¡°She¡¯s a bad, bad person Vince. She wants so dearly to kill me.¡±


    Vince nodded. He understood now that she had suffered a similar fate he had when he tried to reach his sister. ¡°That was a Dreamkiller. It wasn¡¯t my sister; she¡¯d never hurt a thing.¡±


    ¡°Whatever it was, it doesn¡¯t like me one bit. I hope I won¡¯t have to see that creature again.¡±


    Vince recalled his duty as protector and guardian of humanity. She was being attacked, perhaps not physically, and it was his job to put an end to it so she would live. He wrapped his arms around her shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I doubt you¡¯ll be seeing her again.¡±


    Could he destroy a Dreamkiller who is his sister in an unconscious state? If he killed the Dreamkiller, would it also kill Alexandria? Could he even destroy a Dreamkiller to begin with?


    ¡°I need you to be strong for me. Don¡¯t do it for everyone, do it for me,¡± he said when he brushed the hair from her eyes and looked into them with soft eyes of his own. After she nodded he smiled. ¡°Now, I need to know why we¡¯re heading to Jerusalem. What¡¯s so important there?¡±


    Mykella shrugged. ¡°If we get there soon enough I think all our questions might be answered,¡± she said and felt a jump from beneath her feet. ¡°You might want to wake up; I think there¡¯s a bit of turbulence.¡±


    ¡°In a minute. What questions do you think will be answered?¡±


    Vince never got the answer to the question as the noise of the plane woke him before Samantha was able to.


    The entire plane seemed to be screaming in terror. And then a cacophony of noises almost caused Vince to lose his hearing entirely. He dared turn his head for fear of what he might see. He saw the right wing and half of the rear of the plane burst into flames.


    Although the plane leaned violently to the right, Vince took hold of Samantha¡¯s head and thrust it down to her knees seconds before flames the size of the passenger''s hold screamed from the rear of the plane and ceased just inches shy of the flight attendant station.


    They may have been extremely hot, they were not harmed when the flames came through; and as he looked, he saw that at least ten people were screaming as their heads and back sides had caught fire. Never in his life had he seen such an atrocity. Never in his life was he in a situation as dire as this. Surely they were about to die, there was no chance for them.


    There was nothing he could do ¨C he was no savior of people on a plane set for a crash course. He leaned over and kissed Samantha with trembling lips. It had just occurred to him that he was afraid to die. He had never thought about it, thought that death would not be for him for decades to come. And now as he sits here in this burning casket he suddenly felt the need to fear death.


    He took her hand, squeezed it, and just held it as they put their heads down, staring into the others¡¯ eyes for as long as life would permit.

 Chapter 17

    Chapter Seventeen


    It was the loud whine of a close plane which caused Allen to look up. He was almost knocked to the ground from the vibration screaming through the earth. And then he saw it; the flames jutting out from the side and back of the shooting star.


    ¡°Holy fuck!¡± This was something you didn¡¯t get to see every day. Eden could wait one more day. He began to run in the direction of the falling plane in hopes of seeing death in many various ways.


    He didn¡¯t have to run all that far. This time he was knocked to the ground as he felt the plane go down. He wondered how far the fire trail would be and how many bodies had either fallen out on impact or else were being dragged by the dead plane.


    When he reached the site he saw that the nose of the plane had, as most planes do, smashed into the ground first and had slid for roughly a mile before it had slowed enough for it to stop. Allen jumped down into the pit created by the plane and took a large inhale.


    He closed his eyes and smiled and reached out his arms in the direction of the wreckage. He kept telling himself that he wasn¡¯t sick; he just enjoyed death. Nothing wrong with that. No sir.


    He passed seats, burned corpses, and other metallic debris before reaching the actual rear of the plane and when he got there he was shocked at the sight of two survivors. He has heard stories of people living through crashes (Tarzan came to his mind right away), but there was no way in hell anyone could have survived this crash; the entire plane was ripped to smithereens by the time he got there ¨C and it was still burning from the cockpit.


    He watched as a man and woman crawled their way from the side of the torn plane and up the embankment created by it. Once they were safe on the same ground as Allen, they stood up and both fell back onto their knees.


    Curiosity got the better of him and Allen decided to walk over to them. ¡°You guys okay?¡± he called out to them when he approached from behind.


    He watched as they coughed, gagged, and vomited before the man finally turned and looked up at Allen.


    Allen lost balance and fell back onto the ground next to them as he looked at the man behind shock and surprise. There was no way in hell,


    ¡°Is there help coming? She¡¯s pregnant,¡± said the man and Allen nodded an affirmative. ¡°Name¡¯s Vince. Thank you.¡±


    Why wasn¡¯t he up on his feet right now trying to kill me? He looked down at his dark hands and realized that Vince would never have recognized him now that he has a nice new body to play around with.


    ¡°Jonah,¡± Allen stood back up, held out his hand, and Vince grabbed hold.


    Vince stood up and helped Samantha to her feet. ¡°She needs a hospital. Quick.¡±


    Allen nodded but realized that they would have to return to the inner section of Jerusalem for a better hospital. ¡°Follow me,¡± he said and began walking back toward the city he had recently destroyed. He hadn¡¯t leveled the entire city, just small parts of it just to show his power.


    Vince picked Samantha up and carried her as they walked.


    When they reached the inner city all was dark and a warm breeze blew throughout. Allen walked several paces ahead of him, but Vince couldn¡¯t help not to walk slowly as he studied the buildings. Not a single structure here wasn¡¯t burnt to some degree. No life was found here as he looked through the blackened windows. There was a strong feeling of sorrow as they walked through the city.


    ¡°What in God¡¯s name happened here, Jonah?¡±


    ¡°Terrorists,¡± Allen replied as he looked back at Vince; Samantha had witnessed the views as well, but she was too out of it to fully feel its impact. ¡°But don¡¯t worry; the hospital¡¯s in a better location.¡±


    It seemed as if they had walked for another hour or so before they arrived at the hospital and once inside, Samantha was hurried into another room. Vince took a seat in the waiting room and found a television in the far corner. He went over to it and turned it on to see if there had been any reports about the crash.


    Allen had become intrigued that Vince had survived such a devastating plane crash and he wondered if there wasn¡¯t in fact some divine intervention going on here and so he sat and waited with him through the long hours.


    Although he had just woken up a couple of hours ago, Vince nodded back off several hours later and he did not have to look for her this time.


    ¡°What happened? I feel like I can¡¯t breathe,¡± whispered a frightened Mykella and Vince rushed to the girls¡¯ side.


    ¡°There was a crash on the way to Jerusalem. Your mother¡¯s in a hospital. She was alive when we got here, but she was going in and out.¡±


    ¡°Will we be okay?¡±


    Here Vince could find no answer. He wished they would be but he wasn¡¯t very optimistic about it. All he could do was look at her and wrap his arm around her trying his damnedest to comfort her for whatever was to come.


    He felt her trembling in his arms and felt every gasp of breath she took and feared that the next one would be her last. And as suddenly as it had begun, her breathing returned to normal and they both let out a sigh of relief. They smiled at one another and he drew her closer to him and embraced her.


    She gasped and patted him on his back. ¡°Vince, I just got my breath back. Don¡¯t squeeze it out of me.¡±


    He released her with an apologetic smile. ¡°I was just terrified to lose you.¡±


    Mykella smiled behind a blush and looked him up and down. ¡°My mom is very lucky to have you, Vince. Don¡¯t give up on her just as you haven¡¯t given up on me.¡±


    Vince opened his eyes and saw that Jonah was standing over him. ¡°Your lady friend is all right.¡±


    Vince sat up and stretched his arms with a yawn and a ¡®thanks.¡¯ He stood and rubbed his bruised face. ¡°How bad is it?¡± he asked and looked at Jonah.


    Allen thought of a million horrible things to say to this pathetic mortal but settled on: ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve looked better.¡±


    Vince smiled and patted Jonah on his back. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said and made his way over to the nurse¡¯s station and inquired if he could see Samantha. He was led into a room at the far end of the corridor and he almost cried when he saw the battered young woman.


    He was damning himself for allowing her to come here with him. If she was back home she would be waiting for him to return. Truth be told, if this were the case, he would probably not have survived the crash and never go home.


    He went over to her and placed one gentle hand on her blackened cheek and his other hand on her large abdomen.


    ¡°They will be alright.¡±


    Vince turned and saw that the doctor had entered right behind him.


    ¡°The baby lost some oxygen but we were able to moderate this. It was a good thing you brought her here when you did; any later and they both would have died.¡±


    He was telling Vince nothing that he didn¡¯t already know but Vince nodded and thanked him nonetheless. And then the doctor turned his attention to Vince''s wombs.  ¡°I think you need to have yourself looked at, too,¡± he said.


    Vince shook his head. ¡°I feel pretty good considering my plane fell from the sky.¡± He looked back at Samantha. ¡°Will she have a complete recovery?¡±


    ¡°You must understand something Mr¡­?¡±


    ¡°Hopman. Vincent Hopman.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Hopman, Samantha has hit her head pretty hard on something ¨C I couldn¡¯t say what, it could have been something that had fallen on top of her. I felt a deep impression on the back of her head. I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s any damage done to the brain. You should take her back home and have MRI¡¯s, EKG¡¯s, and EEG¡¯s done as soon as you get there and have a neurologist take a look at them. Then you will know how much damage has been done.¡±


    Vince nodded and the doctor excused himself out of the room. Alone, Vince sat down next to the unconscious young woman and took her hand in his. Ashamed, he could not look at her face. It had been his fault she was here now. He wasn¡¯t strong enough to stop her from coming.


    ¡°I am so sorry. I never wanted anything to hurt you.¡± He bowed his head and let the tears flow as the guilt crushed down on him, suffocating him.


    Beneath his hand which lay on her abdomen, he felt a sudden thump and he looked up in surprise. Never before had Mykella ever kicked him. He smiled and gently laid his head down on her stomach and told Mykella how sorry he was as well.


    An hour later Vince learned that he was to leave the hospital (he was not related to her, after all) and so Jonah was kind enough to offer a room to Vince during their stay in Jerusalem. At first he was going to decline the invitation but Jonah kept insisting and so Vince finally agreed and they left the hospital together.


    They walked another quarter mile before they reached a house that was built underground. When he entered Vince had to crouch through most of the house (he felt like he was visiting a Hobbit house) and when he was ushered to the spare room, Vince knocked his head on the top of the door frame.


    Jonah repeatedly apologized and beneath the deceit, Allen laughed to himself.


    Jonah suggested that Vince get washed up and sit in the living room and have a bite to eat before retiring to bed for the night. Vince accepted and found his way to the bathroom to freshen up.


    After he had closed the door Vince turned and looked at his face in the mirror for the first time since leaving Ireland. He had received countless cuts across his head and face, he must not have lost that much blood, however, because he never felt light-headed, and he wouldn¡¯t be surprised to find his nose had been fractured. Do I look like mankind¡¯s guardian?Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    He grinned to himself and shook his head. He never questioned why he didn¡¯t feel the pain he most likely should have felt. In fact, he never wondered why he and Samantha had even survived the damned plane crash when, surely, everyone else perished.


    Mykella.


    She was why they had lived. But does this mean that he believes in fate? That someone has a plan set out for them? Could everything be so simple?


    Mykella. If he were to be her protector, why hasn¡¯t he protected her yet? Samantha was nearing her final trimester and his mother didn¡¯t think she would make it to full term. There was a part of him that wanted something bad to happen so that he would protect her. Then there was that other part that wanted nothing to do with fighting and war.


    He closed his eyes and pictured Mykella as he had first seen her crouched beneath the seat of the plane, terrified beyond anything she had ever known before. And why? Because of some Dreamkiller taking on the form of his sister? He didn¡¯t get the chance to tell her that this Dreamkiller couldn¡¯t harm them without a master to control them. If this were true, is it possible, then, to kill this fiend at all?


    Why am I here, Mykella? What is it you want me to do here?


    He turned on the cold water and splashed his face with a couple of handfuls. He found a towel on a rack next to the sink and he dried his face and hands with it. One last look in the mirror and he placed the towel down on the vanity and then left the bathroom to find Jonah.


    He found the small living room with ease and saw that his host was sitting on an easy chair in front of a coffee table. Vince walked over and sat down on the blue couch opposite the table. Jonah smiled and gestured to the plate and cup on the table. ¡°Tea and cake.¡± Allen thought for a moment and then smiled. ¡°It¡¯s from my nephew¡¯s bar mitzvah.¡±


    Vince nodded and grabbed the cup and brought it to his lips. ¡°I want to thank you again for taking me in like this.¡±


    Jonah lifted his hand and waved him off. ¡°Think nothing of it. I am here to help everyone in need.¡±


    Vince smiled at the older man. ¡°I need to go to the police department and make a report about what happened tonight.¡±


    ¡°You can go in the morning when you are well rested. Now, we drink.¡±


    Vince sat back and laid the small plate on his lap and began taking bites of his cake. ¡°It¡¯s very good, thank you.¡± Jonah smiled and nodded. ¡°So, what is it you do?¡±


    Allen thought about this for a moment. ¡°I work with my hands,¡± was the best he could come up with.


    ¡°You¡¯re a carpenter?¡±


    Jonah smiled. ¡°So to speak.¡± He looked down into his cup. ¡°What do you do?¡±


    ¡°Would you believe I¡¯m on a mission from God?¡± Vince smiled. He didn¡¯t really want to tell the man that all he was was a student.


    Jonah cocked an eyebrow with suspicion.


    ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to believe me, but I can communicate with a spirit and she told me to come here. Why, I don¡¯t know,¡± he said, now regretting he had said anything at all.


    Jonah sat back and stared at Vince with glassy eyes. He was breathing hard, yet regular. If he were hyperventilating, Vince couldn¡¯t detect it. ¡°What is this spirit called?¡± he finally asked.


    Vince took another sip of his tea. ¡°Mykella.¡±


    Allen closed his eyes for a moment. ¡°Let me hold your hands a moment, please.¡± Reluctantly, Vince held out his hands and Allen grabbed them and ran his thumbs in circles across the backs of his hands. He could see the young woman! He could see her red hair and see her green eyes. He could see even further; he saw how fragile this woman was. ¡°I would like to see her. Please, introduce me to her.¡±


    Vince pulled his hands back quickly. ¡°You saw her, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Jonah nodded and smiled. ¡°It is a gift as well as a curse.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think she can let herself be seen by other mortals.¡±


    Allen smiled at the sound of this. ¡®Other mortals.¡¯ Does he not know who I am? All I have to do is wish to see her and so I shall. This is the same woman I saw so many years ago with you, my lovely. So many fucking years ago in the time chamber with Orion. What was it he told me? He smiled again. Oh yes. This woman has the ability to become a Dream Crusader and she could become a threat to us all.


    ¡°I insist that you introduce us at once.¡±


    Vince stood up, hitting his head on the ceiling. ¡°Who the hell do you think you are? You can¡¯t just tell people what to do.¡±


    Jonah leaned back in his easy chair behind a larger smile. ¡°I can do things to you you¡¯d never believe possible, Vincent. I could make you powerful and I could also squash you under my foot whenever I want.¡± He stood up and it seemed that no matter how tall he was, his head never touched the ceiling; it was as if this man was made of a different material than Vince.


    Intimidated as he was, Vince stood up to the thing which stood just inches from his chest and pointed a finger at him. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you want, but you¡¯ll never get close to Mykella. I don¡¯t know what kind of devil you are ¨C you just don¡¯t understand prophecies and who I am. I will stop you before you lay one goddamned finger on her head. Understand?¡±


    Allen tilted his head back and roared in laughter and he extended his arms. Before he knew what was happening, Vince saw the house changing material as the man did. It had a new elasticity which was beginning to shrink in size. The walls were becoming rounded and closing in on them as Allen folded his hands into fists.


    Vince quickly looked around the room and thought that this was not a real house at all; just some hallucinatory place created by this stranger. He was frantically looking for a way out of this place; he wasn¡¯t sure if the door and windows were real at this point.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see there¡¯s nothing you can deny me? Your Daddy couldn¡¯t deny me his life, so why are you denying me this little meeting?¡± Allen shouted over the sounds of the room mutating into something different and, obviously, smaller.


    Vince stopped looking for an escape and turned back to Allen with a confused expression. He tried to see through Jonah. ¡°Allen?¡±


    Allen laughed again. Damn, this is fun! ¡°The one and only!¡±


    Two emotions were battling inside his head at this moment. He wondered if he would be able to kill the motherfucker right here and now; to tear his head right off his shoulders. He was also wondering if he should flee this place and live to fight another day.


    He glanced down with his eyes and saw that Allen was standing on a large area rug and he instantly bent down, grabbed a corner, and gave it the largest tug he could muster out. This did what he was praying for.


    Allen fell onto his back and the room ceased its collapsing motion and Vince headed for the door. He pulled it open, dislodging it from its frame, and stumbled out into the night air.


    He didn¡¯t stop here to rest. No, he ran with all his strength back to the hospital. What he hoped to do there he wasn¡¯t sure. If he didn¡¯t go back, then Allen would most likely kill Samantha. If he did go back, he would try to kill them both anyway. Maybe he could try to get her relocated until he could get clearance to get her the hell back to the States.


    He didn¡¯t have enough time to ponder what to do. He ran into the Emergency Room entrance, almost out of breath. When he approached the desk, ¡°I need help,¡± he said and the nurse came quickly to his side. ¡°My girlfriend¡¯s here. I went to this man¡¯s house for a bit to freshen up. And now I find he¡¯s a madman who may be coming after me. I need you to call security to watch the doors so I can talk to her doctor.¡±


    The nurse put forth a very disgruntled expression. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I think you¡¯re a madman. You should leave before I call security.¡±


    ¡°Yes! Call security. Tell them to get their asses down here.¡±


    It took her but a moment to make the call and less than that for four officers to come to her aid. They looked from the nurse to Vince and then headed toward him with their hands on their guns.


    Vince raised his hands and headed to the door and then stopped when he saw a familiar stranger coming toward the hospital in long, yet unhurried, strides. ¡°There he is!¡± he shouted and the officers took a mindless glance over Vince¡¯s shoulder at the man coming their way.


    The shortest of the four saw the approaching man and grunted behind a smirk. ¡°That¡¯s just Jonah. He runs that small shop down in inner-city. I seriously doubt he¡¯s here to start some mean business.¡±


    The others laughed and nudged Vince in his back. What they had not noticed (only if they looked real hard at the man who looked like Jonah) was the heat rolling off the man¡¯s shoulders and head. As Vince stared at the man, he was startled when he saw the eyes of his predator staring right back at him with malice in them.


    Vince couldn¡¯t take any more chances; he was, after all, the guardian of mankind; the protector of mankind¡¯s defender. He spun around before any of the officers saw him and he brought his hand down and grabbed the pistol of the officer closest.


    He didn¡¯t allow them any time to pull their weapons; he was already through the doors heading toward the elevators. Nerves made his finger press the Up button repeatedly until the door opened and he went in and quickly pressed the number 3 floor. He looked down and noticed that his left knee had been thumping from anxiety.


    Once he passed floor 2 he knew that Allen had entered the hospital. He heard a loud explosion from below and felt the elevator tremble as it ascended to the next floor.


    Before the door opened to its full width, Vince ran out and down the corridor to Samantha¡¯s room. He saw that she was still unconscious, sedated he thought, and turned around to leave the room to search for her doctor, but before he could, her doctor was standing in the doorway with a worried expression on his face. ¡°I thought you¡¯d come back tonight,¡± he said.


    ¡°I need to get her out of here. It¡¯s a long story, but someone¡¯s after her baby,¡± he began and then they both heard the screams from below. ¡°He¡¯s here. We have to get her out of here, fast.¡±


    The doctor looked down at the pistol tucked into Vince¡¯s waistline and then back up at Vince¡¯s terrified look. ¡°You¡¯re not going to shoot me. Are you?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not. But I will if you stop me from taking her.¡±


    At that the doctor came into the room and helped Vince unplug the IV¡¯s and other vital statistic monitors and the oxygen clip on her finger. Vince picked the woman up and headed for the door after nodding to the old man. ¡°Thank you. You will not be forgotten.¡±


    As he watched Vince carry his prize down the corridor in the opposite direction, he couldn¡¯t stop pondering the young man and his final words. You will not be forgotten. No matter what religious background this young man may have and no matter how different they may be, he couldn¡¯t just dismiss the divine intervention brought before him. ¡°Celia¡¯s going to kill me,¡± he mumbled aloud and then ran after Vince, barely catching him before he entered another elevator.


    He held out his hand to Vince and said: ¡°Dennis.¡± Vince shook the man¡¯s hand as he adjusted Samantha¡¯s weight and then the doctor entered the elevator with Vince. He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a ring of keys and then put them in Vince¡¯s breast pocket. ¡°Take my car. Get to the airport (I¡¯ll look for it there) and take yourselves back to the States ¨C get as much space between you and that creature.¡±


    There was nothing Vince could say to the man to elaborate how much he appreciated the gesture. Instead he nodded his head.


    ¡°Now, I¡¯ll take you to the back door where the smoker¡¯s eat lunch and then to my car. That¡¯s as far as I go, my friend. Whatever war you have brought here, I want nothing of it.¡±


    As the elevator opened, ¡°I¡¯m afraid you don¡¯t have much of a say in that. The war will be at your doorstep soon enough I¡¯m afraid,¡± said Vince as he followed Dennis through a darker corridor which was lined by unused stretchers and extra beds.


    Dennis stopped when he reached his car and opened the door for Vince and they put Samantha in as comfortably as they could and snapped the seatbelt. He met Vince at the driver¡¯s door and stopped Vince as he opened the door. ¡°If a war is truly coming, then we as humanity must put aside our petty differences like religions and races to stand together as one to fight.¡±


    Vince grabbed Dennis¡¯ hand and shook it. ¡°I wish it were that easy. I think that¡¯s why one person was chosen to fight the battle alone and not all of humanity.¡±


    Dennis turned his head and saw smoke issuing from the hospital windows and turned to Vince. ¡°You¡¯d better get going. She should regain consciousness in several hours ¨C you might want to find a hotel in the meanwhile. I wish you well, my friend.¡±


    Vince closed the door and opened the window. ¡°Thank you again for everything,¡± he said and drove toward the Entrance/Exit of the parking lot. He happened to glance in the rearview mirror just in time to witness Allen emerge from the hospital and spy the car he was driving.


    Enraged, Allen lifted his arms and lifted several cars and sent them through the air in Vince¡¯s direction. They had crashed into other cars just yards before striking their mark, causing the parking lot to become inflamed as the cars exploded. Allen turned and saw Dennis standing next to an empty parking space.


    He knew that this man had given Vince his car ¨C he could read his mind after all. Pure hatred filled Allen¡¯s soul as he stared at the frightened man standing alone in his white jacket and leather shoes. Allen reached out his hand and before Dennis knew what was happening, his heart had exploded out of his chest and landed in Allen¡¯s open hand.


    It took several seconds before Dennis fell to the ground, but before he did so, Allen suggested that this doctor try and save his own life. Allen walked over to the man lying dead on the ground with a look of pure satisfaction. If it took a million people to die just to get to Vincent and this Mykella, the happier he would be. The more blood on his hands, the less Allen becomes himself and begins to become something new; something evolution should have created generations ago.

 Chapter 18

    Chapter Eighteen


    He didn¡¯t know what possessed him to make the call, but when Vince found a decent hotel, he called Professor Krieger and asked if he believed in what his father had written in his book.


    ¡°I believe that it is very possible that Dreamkillers are real and that a man named Orion once lived,¡± Krieger answered. ¡°But why are you asking me this now? If memory serves, you told me you didn¡¯t find time to read the book and that you and your father didn¡¯t talk all that much.¡±


    ¡°My father was murdered by Allen Corgan. You remember the name?¡±


    There was a pause between them. ¡°The name sounds vaguely familiar.¡±


    ¡°He killed himself to serve Orion.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah. Allen, now I remember. Are you sure he killed your father? I thought his lungs collapsed.¡±


    Vince grimaced at the memory ¨C he never found out what actually caused the death; now he knows Allen either smothered him or else he found a way to crush his lungs. ¡°Is there any way that you could do a background check on Allen for me? Find out what he was like when he was alive?¡±


    ¡°I guess I could try. But why do you want this info? What could you use it for?¡±


    Vince turned and momentarily watched Samantha sleeping in the bed. ¡°I want to know how the bastard lived. I might be able to find some way to stop him before he gets,¡± he suddenly stopped and remembered he had not told Krieger everything.


    ¡°Wait a minute. What the hell are you talking about? He¡¯s dead.¡±


    Vince dropped his head and shook it. What to tell him?


    In the next hour ¨C he couldn¡¯t wait to see this phone bill ¨C Vince had opened up completely and told Krieger everything that he knew and what had happened in the past several days. He confided that he didn¡¯t know how a spirit could gain powers that Allen seemed to possess.


    ¡°If what you say is true, then it really doesn¡¯t matter how he got the powers. What matters is how do we stop him now that he has these powers?¡±


    Vince stood up so fast that the chair fell onto its back. ¡°What do you mean by we? All I need you to do is research Allen. That¡¯s it.¡±


    Krieger sighed. ¡°All right. You should be back in a day or two. When you get Samantha into a hospital and have her checked out (I pray she¡¯ll be all right) we¡¯ll get together and discuss what we¡¯ve got. From there we will discuss a battle plan.¡±


    ¡°A battle plan?¡± Vince repeated; he didn¡¯t especially like the sound of that.


    ¡°Well, a being as powerful as you say Allen has become cannot be defeated by just a fistfight. A large-scale assault is the only way to possibly stop him. At least it will put a dent in his future plans.¡±


    He glanced back at the sleeping woman and felt bad that she had to go through this. The rest of humanity has pretty much gone to hell; but he wished that Samantha and Mykella could be saved. ¡°Fine. I can¡¯t really hang around waiting for this son of a bitch to come tearing down my street killing everyone just to get to Mykella.¡±


    ¡°Call me when you get in.¡±


    Vince hung up the phone and sat down at the foot of the bed watching her sleep wondering what she was dreaming about. He lay down next to her, remembering that her doctor said it could take several hours for her to regain consciousness, and closed his eyes.


    ¡°How bad is she?¡± Mykella asked.


    Vince sat up and saw Mykella sitting in the chair next to the window and table (the one with the telephone sitting on it). ¡°I really don¡¯t know. Her doctor wasn¡¯t very hopeful. But he did say that he was no brain specialist.¡±


    She nodded and looked out the window with thoughts of the future. She was trying hard not to cry at the thought of having a brain damaged mother to live with. And then she had to push these thoughts away knowing that they were selfish thoughts. Besides, she really didn¡¯t know how long she would have to live with her before the war drafted her.


    ¡°Mykella, why am I here? In Jerusalem?¡± he had been dying to ask her this. ¡°What is it you want me to see?¡±


    She closed her eyes and nodded her head just barely. There came a strong emotion entering her soul. ¡°I suppose it is time.¡±


    ¡°Time? For what?¡±


    ¡°I wanted you to come here so I could show you what I saw. You may not see everything that I did, but I think you¡¯ll get the idea.¡± Mykella stood and gestured to Vince to do the same. ¡°Follow me.¡±


    He watched as she opened the door and stepped out into the cold night air ¨C he didn¡¯t think she could leave the realm of his dream. Or, is this what he is dreaming? Curiosity grabbed him and he walked out behind her and saw that she was walking through a street lined on either side by high walls.


    And then he began seeing people appear out of nowhere. They were screaming and damning someone he could not see. He saw that Mykella had disappeared into the crowd of mean-looking faces, all darker skin than his, as if they had been tan from working in the hot sun all day, and their clothes were varied to show different distinctions in classes. But they came together today ¨C why had the sun suddenly appeared in the sky too? ¨C to mock and throw stones at someone he still could not see.


    He looked to his right and saw another street and saw two women and a man in the middle. One woman had fallen to the ground and had been weeping violently. He turned back to the mob and craned his neck but could not see who it was he was following. There was a giddy feeling creeping in his stomach.


    Finally they had stopped and all he could see through the crowd was a large mound. These crazy bastards, he thought. There was nothing out there to look at.


    Moments later he found himself standing alone and still saw nothing and was wondering what Mykella was getting at.


    ¡°Do you need to see it? Is that what must be done?¡±


    Vince turned and saw Mykella standing behind him. He had not noticed it earlier, but a large wind had erupted out from the north and he had to squint his eyes. ¡°See what?¡± He looked around him and was confused.


    She walked up to the summit of the mound and looked down at Vince, her hair and skirt flailing in the wind. ¡°Come, Vincent. Behold my Savior.¡±


    He was reluctant. He was frightened. He did not deserve this honor. No, this was for someone else ¨C not for Vincent Hopman.


    ¡°Come, Vincent,¡± she repeated, trying to get the sound of her voice over the roar of the wind.


    His legs were no longer his, he felt, and he found himself walking up the mound with nothing going on in his head ¨C he left it completely empty. When he approached her, Mykella looked down and he followed her eyes.


    First he noticed they were standing in blood and then he noticed the large cross laying in front of them, void of any living tissue (save for the scraps of flesh around the holes on the cross beam where the hands had been). The wood of the cross had been stained red. He followed the cross up to the top where he saw the board of conviction. He couldn¡¯t read what was inscribed but he knew what it said.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    Everything was going berserk inside his head at this moment. Images of his past embracing his eyes; the feeling of an empty upbringing made him weep; Images of the only father he had known lying dead in the hospital bed and the feeling of hatred toward Allen; The love he felt when he looked at Mykella; The ultimate sacrifice.


    Vince fell to the ground onto his knees and cautiously reached out and grazed his fingers across the cross. That was not enough; he put his palm flat down on the shelf that held the feet of Jesus of Nazareth. Breathing heavily, he brought his hand to his face and smeared what blood he could across his face with tears in his eyes.


    ¡°Why?¡± he screamed as loud as he could while looking up at the clouds. There were a million why¡¯s that he wondered, but one was sufficient enough. ¡°Why, damnit?¡± He lowered his head again and sobbed as he let the tips of his fingers graze the cross.


    He felt a warm and strong hand fall onto his shoulder and then turned his head with eyes that screamed guilt. There was no one there, even Mykella had vacated the area, leaving him alone, and he felt everything he ever knew crawl back up his throat. He turned back around to face the cross and let everything go. The emotion he had the most trouble with was Allen. He knew he must let the hatred go or else there would be no hope to stop him in the end.


    Vince closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He held it for a while and then exhaled, letting everything go. He felt the strong hand move from his shoulder to wrap an arm around his shoulder and then he began weeping again ¨C this time he felt an enormous love that he had never felt before.


    ¡°Go back and there you will find what you seek.¡±


    Vince dared not turn around when he spoke. ¡°My Lord, I seek nothing. I only want to take Samantha home.¡± He felt like an idiot saying this (does he really need to speak? Does the Lord not know what we feel?)


    ¡°You will conquer the snake, but you must first let it follow. My Father does not want the snake to eat His garden, but if it is His way, then it will be done.¡±


    A new feeling of contempt arose in Vince. ¡°I will not allow that to happen!¡± He stood and turned around only to find that he stood alone. ¡°No. If I let him into Eden, millions will die. I cannot let that burden on me. No.¡±


    He walked down the mound and found his way to the city and once inside he found the door of his hotel room still open with the inviting light coming out into the darkness. He went back to his room, closed the door behind him, and fell down onto his bed and wept into his arm when he rolled onto his side.


    He felt a presence watching over him. No; he felt two watching him. He knew them both as the one he was to protect and one who was to protect him.


    He closed his eyes and let a new unconsciousness fall over him. He was already asleep but this was a different kind of sleep. It was almost like a sense of hypnosis. He didn¡¯t care what happened to him anymore. The only thing that kept him alive was his vow to keep Mykella alive as long as he could.


    *                            *                           *


    Allen smiled to himself as he watched the two sleeping in their bed. He knew that there was nothing going on inside the woman¡¯s head (hell, she may as well be brain dead for all the world cares) so he knew there was no enjoyment out of these two sleeping in the same bed. He was curious at how Vince was moving in his sleep. He watched as the young man mumbled words in his sleep. He saw words like Samantha and Eden. Ah, he knows where it is. This¡¯ll make the journey a lot easier.


    Allen soon became bored of watching Vince sleep and he caught himself yawning despite the fact that he was no more than spirit matter. He often found it amusing how much damage he can inflict being only spirit.


    Instead of lifting himself to the top of a nearby tree, he enjoyed sitting near the tops of trees ¨C it made him feel more relaxed with his surroundings, he merely sat down on the lounge chair that was resting beside the unused pool and leaned back and closed his eyes. He never would get used to the idea of resting; he still required down time every now and then. He knew that his body could go days without rest but then there are those days ¨C such as these ¨C where he knew he must rest because he wasn¡¯t too sure when he would get another chance.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked when he saw the ancient man enter his bedroom.


    The man reached up and withdrew his hood to reveal a smiling man no more than twenty-five years of age. His face was distorted; a distortion young Allen contributed with from birth.


    His eyes were lower on his head, showing an enormous amount of forehead. His nose had a slight slant to it and was a little pointed at the tip. Allen also noticed that his ears looked like they had never grown outward like everyone else¡¯s ¨C they were merely two holes stuck on either side of his head.


    ¡°I will become your closest friend, Allen,¡± said the man and walked over to the window and looked out into the raining world. He turned back around and grinned at Allen.


    ¡°I want to offer you something, young Allen,¡± he began and Allen furrowed his eyebrows.


    ¡°How do you know my name?¡±


    The man seemed to like this question. He must have heard it a million times in the past and it never gets old.


    ¡°I am Orion, Master Dreamkiller,¡± he said and bowed his head.


    Allen had that worried look that all nine year old boys get when they know they might get caught by their parents doing something they shouldn¡¯t be doing.


    Orion moved closer to Allen and reached out his empty hands to the youth. ¡°I want to offer you something,¡± he repeated. ¡°Something you really shouldn¡¯t pass up on.¡±


    There was something in the way that Orion was talking that made Allen sigh, feeling everything bad he had done come crashing down on him. Tears fell from his eyes as guilt embraced him. He didn¡¯t understand where these emotions were coming from and why he couldn¡¯t control them.


    ¡°Let it out, my child,¡± whispered Orion and placed his arm around Allen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°This will be the last time you ever weep.¡±


    There was that sudden feeling of dread looming over him but Allen had to ask. ¡°What do you want to give me?¡±


    ¡°Power and immortality,¡± was all he said and Allen looked confused.


    ¡°What¡¯s immortality?¡±


    *                           *                                *


    Vince opened his eyes early the next morning and cursed himself for sleeping so long. He wanted to catch the next flight back to the States but instead he had fallen asleep and dropped his guard. He sat up and turned to look at the woman next to him. He smiled when he saw that her eyes were open.


    ¡°Hey, you okay?¡±


    Samantha looked up at him with a confused expression on her face. She didn¡¯t know what to say. Hell, what did he just ask her anyway? How many words he had said to her all seemed like one long word of nonsense.


    He seemed to have understood that she didn¡¯t understand what he was saying and he just smiled and nodded his head. He stood up and looked out the window. No, I will not leave her. There was an evil future ahead and he couldn¡¯t just leave her to it unloved. He turned and walked to the bathroom, leaving the door ajar in case she made any attempt to leave the room, and splashed cold water on his face. When he returned to the main room he found that she was sitting at the window looking out into the morning world.


    He sat down opposite her and followed her gaze. He didn¡¯t know what to say to her or even how to say it to her. He wanted her to understand that they were going back home, but he knew that she didn¡¯t know where she was to begin with. For all she knew, she was already home. How to approach this without frightening her?


    After a while he stood up and looked at her. She returned his stare and saw that he was holding out his hand. Such a polite gesture, she thought, and she stood up and took his hand. He smiled and they went to the door.


    He opened it and he led her to the car and opened the door for her. She smiled at him as she sat down and snapped herself in. When he sat next to her he turned to her and asked if she understood anything that he was saying to her. He watched her eyes roaming, attempting to avoid him at all costs and this confirmed that she did not understand a single word he said.


    He sighed and pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward the airport, unaware that the car driven by the devil himself was following several yards back with a grin on his devilish chin.


    Allen glanced in the rearview mirror and winced. ¡°I will have my old flesh back soon enough,¡± he whispered to the image staring back at him.


    Vince was relieved that he had no trouble getting Samantha onto the plane (he thought he would be detained because of her condition), but as if a guardian angel were watching over him, they entered the plane without any problems and when he sat down in his seat, he leaned back with a sigh ¨C deep down he was praying that this plane would not crash; he didn¡¯t know if he could take that again.


    Samantha looked over at him and wished that she could remember who the hell he was. He looked vaguely familiar ¨C like out of a dream ¨C but she could not place him. She smiled, nonetheless, as she watched him. Hopefully everything will come back to her in due time.


    Once he stepped onto the plane, Allen lowered the brim of his fedora and walked past Vince and Samantha without so much as a glance from either of them. He grinned and took a seat five rows behind them and he too closed his eyes.


    When he felt the engines fire up and the plane vibrate Vince whispered a silent prayer again that they wouldn¡¯t die. Then he let his thoughts return to his conversation at the cross. He had told Sister Helen that he would not be returning to that damned castle (convent, as some had referred to it) and he had even told Jesus himself that he was not at all interested in finding Eden. He would never go back.


    Allen was smiling to himself, despite the fact that he was wondering what Eden and some convent had in common.

 Chapter 19

    Chapter Nineteen


    The plane landed as peaceful as Vince could have hoped for. He had not let himself fall asleep during the flight. He wasn¡¯t ready to confront Mykella about what he had witnessed during the revelation and he also didn¡¯t want Samantha to feel alone during the flight. He didn¡¯t talk to her all that much (he told her that they were going home) but he held her hand during most of the trip back to the States.


    He drove her back to her house and when she was settled into her surroundings (she seemed more comfortable here, although she still could not remember anything), he looked up and then called a neurologist and set up an appointment for the next day as long as Samantha had a CAT scan and an MRI done first. So he had to set up those appointments and then drive her to those before midnight tonight.


    The CAT scan Samantha was able to get at the local hospital rather quickly, but he wasn¡¯t able to get an appointment for the other until nine o¡¯clock that night and by the time they had arrived back at her place, they were too tired to attempt any further communication; Vince had gotten pretty good at her nonverbal skills such as pointing and shrugging.


    When they met with Doctor Yan, they feared the worst and by the time Yan had gone over the results of the previous tests, he too had feared the worst. He came back into the little exam room which consisted of nothing except a bed, two chairs, and several posters depicting the brain in various angles.


    He sat down on the short rotating stool and looked at them individually in silence for a moment and then he took off his glasses and placed them in his breast pocket. ¡°Samantha has sustained irreversible damage to roughly half her brain.¡± He stood up and put up one of her x-rays on the light board and then turned it on. With his pen he was making circles about her brain. ¡°There are indents here¡­and here where the front plate of her skull caved in.¡±


    No matter what Yan had said, there was only one thing on Vince¡¯s mind and he had to ask it now before he lost his sanity. ¡°Will she be okay? Any further recovery?¡±


    Yan stared at Vince for a moment and then sighed. ¡°You love her, yes?¡±


    Such an odd question, especially since he had asked one first. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°You must learn to communicate with each other in new ways, Mr. Hopman. She will have days when she may remember some things, but those days will be very few. With the damage sustained, I¡¯m very surprised she made it out of the crash alive.¡±


    The image of the two staring at one another with their heads down, holding each other¡¯s hands, during that awful moment when certain death was to meet them and claim them. But it had not; they were the only survivors of the downed flight. And it was not death that had claimed him; it was Allen Corgan.


    Vince looked over at the speechless woman sitting next to him and he grabbed her hand like he had before. To hell with the rest of the world. He would find ways to protect both Mykella and her mother.


    ¡°I could put her on some medication to help with the pain she¡¯ll have with a constricting brain, but it could do more harm than good. Over-the-counter pain medication would be wiser.¡±


    Vince nodded and stood up. He turned to Samantha and held out his hand and she took the hint and stood next to him. ¡°Thank you, Doctor. It may not have been what I wanted to hear, but at least I have answers.¡±


    ¡°Samantha will need to have the same tests every other month to make sure no leakage occurs.¡±


    ¡°Leakage?¡±


    ¡°Brain fluid could leak from these wounds causing a stroke. She needs to be monitored to make sure that doesn¡¯t happen.¡±


    Damn, can it get any better? ¡°Thanks again.¡±


    When evening came, Vince was beginning to tire of the quiet. He stood up to go into the kitchen for a drink, but as he stood, she grabbed his arm.


    She looked up at him with concerned eyes and a knitted brow. ¡°Mykella?¡±


    He didn¡¯t know if he should be excited that she had spoken. Instead he knelt down beside the woman and grabbed her hand. ¡°She¡¯ll be okay,¡± he said and then nodded as if to confirm this.


    She relaxed and smiled as she leaned back into the chair and closed her eyes.


    He watched her for a moment before getting back up and walking to the kitchen. He intended to get a soda out of the fridge but instead found himself staring out the window above the sink. Memories flooded his mind and he could not stop them. He saw times when they were only children playing in his backyard. He saw different faces of her boyfriends over the years and felt a fresh jealousy. He saw the many different ways she smiled at him (from sarcastic, to pure pleasure) and that was when he felt the tears coming again. There was no way to avoid them as there was no way to avoid the memories.


    He lowered his head and wiped his eyes so many times they had begun to sting. When he lifted his head he saw a glimmer scurry across the window toward the back yard.


    All emotions put aside, he sprinted out of the kitchen and to the back door from the dining room. He turned on the porch light and let himself out the door into the darkness, save for the small amount of light the porch light shone. He wasn¡¯t one to call out ¡®who¡¯s there,¡¯ so he went looking for whatever made the glimmer without sound.


    He went around the glass table and down the three steps to the grass. He wanted to make his rounds of the open yard first and then, only if he had to, venture toward the trees where the tall shed sat.


    He was having no luck although his adrenaline was still pumping hard and his entire body was sweating despite the coolness of the air.


    But after twenty minutes of searching and failing to find its source, Vince turned back and headed to the house; there was a hint of disappointment in his heart at not finding something out here. When he entered the dining room he locked the door behind him and pulled the blinds.


    And when he went back to the living room where he left Samantha, he almost jumped back out of himself. If the plane disaster wasn¡¯t bad enough, there were no words to describe the sheer horror he felt now.


    ¡°So, why am I following you?¡±


    Vince saw the terrified gleam in Samantha¡¯s eyes as she was sitting on the couch with Allen Corgan straddling her from behind with his arms dangling over her shoulders.


    You will conquer the snake, but you must first let it follow.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Vince stood next to the television-less entertainment center watching Allen while no words were coming to his mind. He knew he must not fight the bastard, yet he was beginning to feel that grip weakening. He knew the wheel of fate said they would meet again.


    But, damnit, he was using the mother of our future savior as either a shield or a hostage. He must do something.


    ¡°Why am I wasting my precious time with you, Hopman? Can you tell me what you¡¯re worth?¡± Allen was grinning as he spoke.


    Vince looked into the snake¡¯s eyes and then sighed. He advanced slowly and then sat down in a chair opposite his enemy with a grin of his own. ¡°Why don¡¯t you inform me. I mean, who made you come all the way here from the Holy City? No one. You¡¯re following me because it¡¯s what you want.¡±


    Allen sneered at the young man and then looked down at Samantha. He leaned in and sniffed her hair and brought his tongue to her cheek. She tasted so sweet, almost like a cream-filled doughnut. ¡°There¡¯s something you know and I want to know it.¡±


    Vince tried not to be distracted by Allen¡¯s vulgarities as he did his best to ignore the creature¡¯s behavior. ¡°If I have some information that you¡¯d want so badly, then I don¡¯t know what it is.¡±


    That was it. Absent of any thought, he pushed with his mind and they watched Samantha rise into the air only to come crashing down on the rocking chair which almost broke under her abundant new weight. ¡°Don¡¯t be such a prick, Vincent. You know the location and I want it.¡±


    Again, Vince tried not to get up and strangle the creature. ¡°What location?¡±


    He thought he might tear the house down. ¡°The Forbidden Realms, damn you. Eden. Where is it?¡±


    So this is how he gets into the sacred garden. Well, then, he¡¯ll just have to keep following. Funny thing is, he made a vow never to return there. He wasn¡¯t sure if he should bluff a location; Allen was, after all, supposed to follow him. ¡°I will never give you that ¨C you already know that. I can¡¯t stop you ¨C I already know that.¡±


    Allen was staring at Vince with a new look of interest. He was getting at something.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want her harmed. I allow you to follow me ¡®til my dying day. But I should warn you: I made a vow never to go there.¡± How long will he have to run? Where will he run to? He looked over at Samantha and knew that Mykella wasn¡¯t going to last much longer in her womb. Dear God; it¡¯s almost over.


    Allen stood erect and glared at Vince. ¡°I can¡¯t kill you ¨C you¡¯ll die with the information. And I can¡¯t kill her either ¡®cause you¡¯ll wind up killing yourself to save mankind. Oh, think of the martyrdom, Vince. You¡¯d go down to a new religion.¡± Allen smiled and almost laughed. ¡°But I accept your game. I shall be looking through your windows when you sleep.¡±


    A chill went down Vince¡¯s spine at the thought of Allen peering into his bedroom while he slept. He had to sleep; otherwise he would not be able to train with mankind¡¯s daughter.


    Vince nodded and went over to help Samantha onto the couch. ¡°I hope,¡± he said as he glanced back at Allen. ¡°That you¡¯re ready for a long life in that ugly body because I¡¯m never going to the Forbidden Realms.¡±


    Allen grinned and bowed his head to his host and before Vince could see it, Allen had moved to the door with inhuman speed.


    When he was out of the house, Vince fell to his knees and lowered his head. He had been trembling. He didn¡¯t know if he had the strength to take on such a journey. He would have to leave Chicago almost at once ¨C he had too many friends here and he didn¡¯t want anyone harmed ¨C but he didn¡¯t know what to do with Samantha.


    Maybe he would stay a week and in that time, he could find someone to stay with her. Perhaps he could ask Krieger or (if all else fails) Donnie, who is, after all, Mykella¡¯s father.


    He closed his eyes and laid his head down on Samantha¡¯s stomach and he listened for any signs from Mykella. He might not have been able to hear a heartbeat (his hearing wasn¡¯t Doppler after all) but he did feel another kick. Relieved, he smiled and lifted his head and looked up into Samantha¡¯s eyes. She was terrified, but she could sense that the current trauma was at an end.


    Maybe he could take her back to the convent. It was where he was born. No. This is what Allen is hoping for. I will not take him there.


    After she had stifled a yawn, Vince helped her to her feet and escorted her to her bedroom. Once she was safe in her bed and the covers up around her shoulders, Vince went to the window, made sure it was locked, and then drew the blinds.


    Before leaving her room, he kissed her on her forehead and told her that everything will be alright. He will make sure that no harm will come to her or her baby. That he swore to her.


    *                              *                                 *


    He paced the back yard with violent steps that caused deep footprints in the ground. He was sweating and breathing hard. His chest was heaving as evil images entered his wicked mind. Uncomfortable with what he was wearing, he tore off his shirt and let it fall where he stood. He looked up at the large pine tree and smiled.


    In the next instant, he was staring down at the house with an obscene smile on his lips. With a cat¡¯s grace, he had balanced his body on the top of the tree and had extended his arms and let the cold Chicago breeze chill his sweating body. He leaned his head back and laughed as he looked up at the cloudless sky.


    *                                  *                                     *


    ¡°Yeah, I suppose Heather won¡¯t mind if we took her in for a little while.¡±


    Vince sighed in relief. Finally, some good news. ¡°Thanks.¡± Then he thought of what they had discussed earlier. ¡°Did you have a chance to look into Allen¡¯s past?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a little gory story. Bring Samantha here later and I¡¯ll tell you what I¡¯ve learned.¡±


    Later that afternoon, Heather Krieger had offered everyone a drink and then left them to tend to her chores. She loved her husband dearly, however there were times such as these that she would love nothing better than to shove the toilet brush handle up his ass. He sat there on the couch looking as if he ruled everything in this house ¨C including his wife.


    But this was not entirely true, either; he ruled over the two cars out in the driveway, too.


    He did love his wife and he would die for her, but he too thought that at times she could be such a nagging bitch.


    ¡°Allen Corgan slaughtered his entire family. He was fifteen when he killed his mother, father, and little sister in their sleep. The odd thing is that Allen was asleep, too,¡± Krieger began and Vince looked around the room for a moment in contemplation.


    ¡°Sleepwalking?¡±


    Krieger shrugged his shoulders. ¡°That¡¯s what the report said and it was this report that sent him to Lungland Psychiatric Hospital where he met up with your mother and Richard. It is that report that Richard based what he knew about Allen into his book; he didn¡¯t do deep digging.


    ¡°Orion was in control of Allen¡¯s mind for a while before the murders. What the report fails to mention is that Allen¡¯s aunt, uncle, and eight cousins had all died suspicious deaths. Poisons, exploding cars, hangings. Such a tragic family.


    ¡°The obituaries were dated several years apart and five years before he went to the asylum. He was killing when he was a little kid. A loving family, eh?¡± He smiled at Vince who had grimaced.


    ¡°But, what would make a child kill?¡± Vince didn¡¯t even like to say such words. He had visions of seeing hand guns in his high school way back when. He knew that these guns were just accessories to young punks.


    ¡°It has been in Allen¡¯s blood since birth. Orion was reenacting what he wished would have happened during the Great War.¡± Here Krieger paused and brought out a notebook, slipped on his reading glasses, and turned to a page which had a Post-It on the top. ¡°Orion had Queen Nanaac¡¯s blood in him and he was the rightful heir to her throne. He would take it, kill the Grendel family, and control the world.


    ¡°Allen was killing his entire family just as Orion wanted to do to his own. Huge coincidence, don¡¯t you think?¡± He looked at Vince and cocked an eyebrow.


    Vince looked into his professor¡¯s eyes for a moment and then sat back with a concerned look in his own eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not suggesting that Allen is Orion?¡±


    Krieger nodded with a smile. ¡°It would make perfect sense.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s impossible. I mean, Satan himself took Orion¡¯s soul down to hell with him ¨C my father watched the whole damned thing.¡±


    Krieger paused for only a moment and then sighed. ¡°Are you one-hundred percent positive that it was Orion¡¯s soul and not Allen¡¯s that was taken to hell?¡±

 Chapter 20

    Chapter Twenty


    Allen stumbled back and fell over a lawn chair just after hearing what the two of them had said. No, it isn¡¯t true! It can¡¯t be true. I am Allen Corgan, damnit.


    He looked around the yard in a panic and found the swimming pool, staggered over to it and looked down at his reflection. He saw the man who he had become and nothing more. There was nothing left of Allen Corgan to reflect.


    He screamed out and dug his nails into his face and began tearing at his flesh. ¡°Oh, God, no! I¡¯m Allen Corgan!¡± Tears ran down his face, mingling with the new blood he had drawn from his cheeks and temples. Insanity was on the brink of controlling him forever. He had to get away from here; had to get away from Vincent and that damned professor.


    His mind was racing in so many different directions that he couldn¡¯t use his power to move the slightest thing like opening a gate by will alone. He ran toward the gate and once he approached it, landed one hand on the top and hoisted his body up and over like a thief pursued by the police. Allen ran as hard as he could and tried to keep his mind focused.


    He kept telling himself that there was no way he could be Orion; the soul being he loathed with all his being.


    While he ran, Allen tried thinking about his past. Sure the central ideas are easy to remember (one simply never forgets their first taste of blood ¨C unless they were completely insane to begin with), but the memories about his actual boyhood are as gray as the blackboard in his elementary school when he used to write ¡°I will not pull up girls¡¯ skirts¡± two hundred times. He could remember standing behind some attractive black haired beauty and then hiking up her skirt, exposing her blue panties before the entire third grade.  But he could not recall her name or even what she looked like; all he did remember was that she had black hair and that she had on blue panties. There was no memory of her face when the act was performed (well, he was behind her, wasn¡¯t he?) or even what the other kids said at that moment.


    He couldn¡¯t remember the kid¡¯s name in fifth grade who claimed to be his best friend, only to trip him in the cafeteria, sending a lasagna lunch flying into the air.


    All he had to do was keep telling himself that he was Allen. No matter what he could or could not remember, he was Allen Corgan.


    He stopped when he reached Samantha¡¯s house and it was then that he realized that it was already sunset. He had been running for so long that he seemed to have lost track of Vincent. Was he here already or was he still at the professor¡¯s house? He didn¡¯t really seem to care at this moment. He had a lifetime to follow Vincent, didn¡¯t he?


    Allen went over and grabbed the lounge chair and dragged it across the patio, over to the pine tree he so loved when looking down upon his world and wondered when his army would arise. He laid down on it and stared up at the yellow-orange sky through the tree. As dirty as his mind was, watching the sunset always brought the feeling of sorrow. He closed his eyes, hands locked behind his head, and tried his damnedest to find some memories that he could recall.


    He found the key! The excitement was overwhelming as he approached the large door in the cellar level. He opened the door fast before anyone could catch him inside and slipped his thin body into the room and closed it gently. When he turned and saw what the room had to offer he was let down. There was another door on the other wall (obviously leading up into the garden in the front yard) and a stone slab in the center of the room which looked as cold as the large dark fireplace which looked as if it had not been used in twenty years. He noted the shackles on either side of the fireplace.


    He tried to contemplate why his father took all of the important prisoners here where there is nothing. He walked over to the fireplace and saw a chair which was turned, facing the fireplace.


    And when he looked into the fireplace he saw them; the large metal spikes hiding at the side of the wall.


    The door crashed open and in rushed a large man and three other men behind him. ¡°What do you think you are doing here?¡± asked his father.


    They brought him to the room again when he was sixteen years of age. This time he was not chilled by the drafts of air seeping through the stone walls because he was wearing his father¡¯s cloak. He loved the cloak; it was the one thing his father had given him out of love.


    The royal guards ushered him into the room and his father gestured the fireplace. He followed the gaze and was taken aback to find a naked woman standing, shackled, in front of it.


    He had never seen a naked woman and he found himself a little embarrassed while staring at her pale breasts and down between her legs. Although covered in soot, he found himself getting excited and then he felt his father nudge him from behind. ¡°She¡¯s yours,¡± he says to him.


    As he approached the woman she threw curses at him and damned him for what he was going to do. He had lowered his pants and opened his cloak and wrapped the woman in his darkness while he held her wrists (bleeding from so many times she tried to free herself of the shackles) and went on with his thrusts, never hearing her sobs.


    When the act was complete he walked back to his father and simply asked who she was and then laughed when his father told him that it was his mother. She had been locked away in a cell for the past sixteen years.


    He walked back to his mother and with one hand touched her cheek and slid his other hand into the dark fireplace.


    His father had knelt down in front of the slab, propped his elbows up on it, and began praying to the god of Orion begging for acceptance of the sacrifice.


    He watched as his son walked around to her back, rubbed his hand between her wet thighs, and leaned forward. ¡°I will always love you,¡± he whispered in her ear and then drew back. Before she had time to say anything further, he had run a metal spike through her back and out her chest.


    He hated reliving the past; even if it were just a dream. But when he learned who he really was, everything came flooding back to him in a tidal wave.


    The first contact he had with young Allen Corgan was when Allen was only nine years old. He let the Oracles show him someone who was just as wicked as he was. And when he saw the young boy in the Time window crying as he lay on his bed, he let his heart go out to the boy.


    There were plenty of times when he hid away from his father and wept in the garden behind the castle. They were so much alike, Allen and Orion. There was no way Orion was going to pass up this opportunity.


    ¡°I can give you power and immortality, Allen,¡± he called out to the boy several days after he watched him crying in his bed.


    Allen looked up into Orion¡¯s hood, not afraid of the man who came to him in his dreams.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    ¡°What¡¯s immortality?¡±


    Orion smiled beneath his hood. It was an alien feeling to his soul. He couldn¡¯t remember a time when he actually let a smile fall across his lips. And it felt good.


    ¡°Immortality is when you never die, Allen,¡± he said and bent down. ¡°I can give that to you. You don¡¯t have to be afraid of your parents anymore. They won¡¯t hurt you now.¡±


    ¡°What do I have to do?"


    Should he tell Allen the whole truth, he wondered. Would young Allen fully comprehend the entire truth if explained to him?


    ¡°All we need to do is share bodies, you and I,¡± said Orion.


    ¡°How do we do that?¡±


    ¡°I shall put my mind and soul inside your body and at that time you will put yours into mine. A small trade-off.¡±


    Allen looked skeptical and he shook his blackened crown. ¡°When do we do that? Can it happen? Will it hurt?¡±


    Orion stood up and ruffled the boy¡¯s hair. ¡°My, aren¡¯t you full of questions,¡± he said. ¡°Yes, it will hurt a little, I suppose. I¡¯ve never done it myself, so I really can¡¯t say how much it¡¯ll hurt. We shall switch when the moment calls for it ¨C when I am in need of your body. And yes, it can happen.¡±


    Allen stared at Orion for a moment and then finally smiled. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll help you if you help me with my mom and dad,¡± he said with a dark gleam behind his eye.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, Allen. When the time calls for it, this will be yours for the taking,¡± Orion said and showed Allen a dagger with a snake hilt.


    He snapped awake and felt his heart racing and beating hard. These were the memories he could smell. The feel of his wet mother was still fresh on the tips of his fingers. He could count the stones on one wall of his bedchamber if he thought hard enough. Two hundred eighteen.


    He wrapped his hands around his shoulders and suddenly missed his cloak. He could remember the smell of ale and dirt when he wore it.


    ¡°I named myself after a god. Soon, I shall become one.¡± Orion stood up off the lounge chair and looked at the house and thought of Vincent. He formed a devilish smile on his lips. ¡°The Sleepwalker has awakened!¡± he screamed in hopes that wherever he was, Vince could hear his excitement.


    *                              *                                 *


    He may not have heard the words, but Vince felt the earth tremble as he and Krieger had busied themselves with coffee and plans. Vince had told Krieger all that had befallen them and asked for a little guidance on what he should do. He wanted to know if he should go and let the devil follow, or should he just remain here, driving the devil crazy while watching him live his life?


    This was not an easy question to approach without caution on either end of the scenario. On one hand, if Vince went on a journey, where would he go and for how long would he go? He could end up driving himself (and his money) into a pit.


    However, if he just stayed here in Chicago, there was a possibility that the creature might go after Samantha and kill her. And they both know the consequences of the death of the Mother.


    Vince had decided, after much deliberation, to try the journey.


    ¡°Do you want me to go with you? Heather is more than capable of watching over Samantha.¡±


    Vince smiled and shook his head. He would not risk anyone¡¯s life just because he refuses to show the devil the Forbidden Realms.


    How long can he keep Orion from the Forbidden Realms? If he truly is as powerful as he boasts, then he can surely read his mind. It would lead him back to the convent. The fact is that he really doesn¡¯t know where Eden is; just that the Convent of St. Vincent was said to be his prophecy¡¯s final stop.


    Vince stood up and extended his arm and Krieger shook the young man¡¯s hand. ¡°You don¡¯t know what this means to me. Tell her that I love her more than anything,¡± he said and Krieger stood and went around the table.


    He patted Vince on his back with a smile. ¡°You can rest assured that she will hear it every day that you are gone.¡±


    Tears welled in his eyes but Vince held them at bay with a nod as they headed for the front door. There were no further words between them and there didn¡¯t seem any proper enough to express how important their new missions were. Vince was to keep Orion away from the Forbidden Realms and Krieger was to keep the mother of Mykella alive ¨C at least until the Child is born.


    After he closed the door he locked it and then turned back and almost jumped when he saw Heather standing beside the couch with a disturbed expression on her face. There was no way he could convey all that he and Vince knew. But, for the sake of his marriage, he had to find some words or else sleep in the garage for the rest of the week.


    ¡°The world is going to end soon.¡±


    She shook her head in disgust as he walked past her to the kitchen. She followed her husband and watched as he got himself a beer from the fridge. ¡°You¡¯re a professor; I¡¯m sure you can do better than that.¡± She threw him that look of contempt he had grown to know (and often, love).


    He sat down at the nook overlooking the dining room. ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to understand anything I¡¯m going to tell you.¡± He paused and drank half his can in several gulps. ¡°There are forces looking for the gate to the Garden of Eden. Sadly, Vince knows where it is ¨C more or less. He¡¯s being followed and he¡¯s trying to lead them away from the gate. He asked me to watch over his lady ¨C she had suffered a severe head injury a couple of days ago ¨C so that she would be safe.¡± He thought that was a pretty good explanation as he omitted all there was to do with Orion and the Dreamkillers.


    A pause fell between them as she stared her husband down without emotion on her face. After a short eternity, ¡°That¡¯s the biggest load of crap I¡¯ve ever heard.¡± She stood up and looked down at him. ¡°I¡¯ll help you take care of Samantha ¨C God knows she needs someone she can trust. When this Vince comes back, you¡¯ll be leaving with them.¡±


    He knew this day would come. He didn¡¯t expect it to be over something good he was doing, though. He loved her with his whole self, but he knew that she had lost her love for him. It must have been five years ago when he had that feeling. He looked up at his wife and all he could think of doing was finishing his beer in front of her without saying anything in defense.


    She was irate (he knew this would make her mad) and she stormed out of the room.


    *                        *                         *


    Vince sped back to Samantha¡¯s house ¨C he had a lot of his belongings there since they returned from Jerusalem ¨C and he was not surprised to find Orion laying on the lounge chair in the backyard. It sickened him, yes, but he wasn¡¯t surprised. He did tell him he was allowed to follow him after all.


    He didn¡¯t turn on any lights but made his way to the living room in darkness. He found the couch, table, and the drawer in the table. He opened it and pulled out a piece of paper and a pen. Using the light from the moon, he scribbled down possible routes. Many of the places he chose were places he had always wanted to go to when he was a kid. And several were places he actually went to on vacations with his father.


    He wanted to head back to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee to see how it had changed since he had last visited it ten years ago; so this would be his first stop. So many people, it would be a miracle for anyone to follow anyone there.


    When he would tire there, he would choose his next location. But for now, he had his first destination picked and he wondered how long it would take Orion to get pissed enough to return to Chicago to kill Samantha. Well, he grinned, I can¡¯t let his trip get boring, now can I?


    Outside, Orion lay there with his eyes closed honing his mind on Vince¡¯s. He smiled at the thought of a trip to Pigeon Forge. He had never been there and thought it might be fun to take in some sights. Maybe he should take a hike through the Smoky Mountains. Come to think of it, he couldn¡¯t think of any times where he actually stood on the side of a mountain ¨C even when he was learning to travel inside the dreams of others.


    Oh, those nights were so much fun! He could remember the look on Alexius¡¯ face when he appeared in the poor boy¡¯s dream. He was irate with his father and had told Alexius that no one needed friends because friends will stab you in the back. He had been pacing back and forth and then he saw the young Lady Leigh. Ah, this was the Lady¡¯s room and Alexius was here. It was a sudden act of power that made Orion leap over to the frightened woman and wrap his gloved hands around her neck. Alexius was too frightened to be of much help to the woman he loved (he knew there was no way he could fight Orion) and all he could do was watch, paralyzed, as Orion strangled her to her death. Smiling he dropped the lifeless woman back onto her bed, turned to Alexius, and then began preaching about power.


    Ah, Alexius, my very first Dreamkiller. How I miss you so much. We would have had such adventures in this time.

 Chapter 21

    Chapter Twenty-One


    He left early the next morning ¨C he had not slept the previous night, he was too busy packing up everything he owned into his car, and had been driving for a while before he felt the power of sleep trying to claim him. He found a cheap motel, found his room, and quickly laid down before he passed out on the floor.


    It felt like an eternity since he saw the young woman. The last time he saw her she was showing him his true life and what it meant to him. She left him in the hands of Christ himself and he wasn¡¯t sure if he disliked her for this or not. He soon came to the conclusion that he was grateful for this; for it showed him that there was someone looking out for him as he is doing for her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I haven¡¯t slept in a while.¡±


    Mykella smiled warmly at him and he could almost see her tears. ¡°I know. Thank you for taking care of my mother.¡± She sat down next to him on the bed and looked at him. ¡°Now I know why you were chosen for me; you must have been strong to keep loving her.¡±


    ¡°Love,¡± he said and looked out the window. ¡°I¡¯ve learned eternal love. But, I don¡¯t seem to be getting that other love.¡± There was a heated feeling creeping into his soul. He knew that he was loved by the eternal Father, but he didn¡¯t know why He had taken Samantha¡¯s love away from him. It didn¡¯t seem fair.


    As if she could read his mind, Mykella put her hand on his shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re strong, Vince, but you need to be stronger.¡± She turned his face to hers. ¡°You must understand that you will always be loved. The love of God outweighs any love people can show one another. I only wish I had that love when I¡¯m alive. It would really suck to have to fight for humankind when I think we¡¯re all a bunch of worthless things meant for death.¡±


    Vince sighed but nodded anyway. He knew what she meant but it didn¡¯t make him feel any better. He really did want to feel Samantha¡¯s love and it hurt him not to be with her. He was beginning to regret not being there at her side as she slept. He began to feel that he had placed a huge burden on Krieger.


    He wasn¡¯t all that far away; he could just turn around and go back to her.


    ¡°No. You have a mission.¡±


    He looked at her and shook his head. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t¡¯ve left her. She needs me.¡±


    ¡°You did the right thing by placing her in their care ¨C they will watch her. But you know what you are doing. Stay on the path and you will find your way back to Ireland.¡±


    Vince quickly stood up. ¡°Hell no! I don¡¯t know what that damned place and the Forbidden Realms have in common, but there¡¯s no way in hell I¡¯m going back there. There¡¯s some whacked-out nuns living there, you know.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know. And I¡¯m not sure why you left without letting me ask them some questions first.¡±


    Oh, yeah. That¡¯s why we went there in the first place, wasn¡¯t it? ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. But they were really starting to freak me out and I got chicken-shit and got the hell out of there as fast as I could.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t satisfied by that reply but she accepted it anyway. Still, she thought, there will be more chances in the future to ask them about my fate. ¡°It¡¯s almost time, isn¡¯t it?¡± she asked and he gave her a cautionary look.


    There were many things she could have meant by this statement. Is the world going to end soon? Are the Dreamkillers going to rise soon? Is the final battle soon? Or even, am I going to die soon? When he thought about all these he only thought that they were all connected and yes, everything will happen soon.


    ¡°Your mother said that I¡¯d only be in my mother for seven months or so.¡±


    Vince nodded as he remembered what his mother had told him when they first met.


    ¡°She¡¯s got to be at least five months along by now,¡± she said and he smiled at her.


    ¡°Six and a half, Thursday. Want me to throw you a big birthday party?¡± He grinned and let himself chuckle and he stopped when he saw her worried eyes. ¡°I was only kidding.¡±


    ¡°If my birthday is soon, then that means that Orion will raise his army of Dreamkillers soon.¡± She paused and then stood up and walked over to the window. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m ready; I need more time to,¡±


    Vince stood up and went over to her and put an arm around her shoulder. Together they watched the dream world go past them in silence. There was nothing he could say to comfort her because he knew that, yes, the time is drawing closer. Ready or not, he wasn¡¯t sure if he was prepared for the horde of creatures to take over the world.


    His eyes opened and he rolled onto his side. He saw through the drawn curtain that it was night. Vince sighed and closed his eyes again (he really didn¡¯t want to finish his driving during the night ¨C the headlights of passing cars hurt his eyes) and fell asleep just as fast as he had awakened.


    But this was not the kind of dream he had been expecting. He was standing in the middle of some stone chamber. He spied two doors, a fireplace, a chair, and a stone slab next to where he stood looking confused. At first he thought he was at the castle/convent in Ireland, only to be proved wrong when a door opened and in walked Orion.


    ¡°It¡¯s one thing to be a Dream Crusader. Sure you can travel the dream web and visit different people¡¯s dreams. But it¡¯s a whole different thing when you can pull someone into your own dream.¡± Orion gestured to the room with his hands. ¡°So, Vincent, what do you think of Daddy¡¯s little playroom?¡±


    ¡°What is this place?¡± Vince knew that throwing Orion colorful metaphors would be a waste of time and mental effort. If he was to even try to fight Orion, he needed to know all he could about the crazy fuck.


    ¡°This is where Daddy ¨C King to you and everyone else ¨C impaled his prisoners. Such a beautiful sight, really.¡± He walked back to the fireplace. ¡°You know, Vincent, I really don¡¯t need you to show me the way to the Forbidden Realms ¨C there are other ways to get that information.¡± He was talking to Vince with his back to him and he had reached back into the fireplace. This time he pulled out a large metal spike and he turned around to face the young man.


    Vince tried not to concentrate on the dried blood on the tip of the spike as Orion slowly approached him. There had to be a way out of this nightmare. He looked around and saw that a door stood just a few paces from him. He turned and looked at Orion again. ¡°I¡¯m not your enemy,¡± he said and Orion laughed.


    ¡°Well, we ain¡¯t exactly friends, either.¡± He still had not raised the spike for the purpose of attack.


    He was close enough and Vince brought up his leg and planted his foot in Orion¡¯s stomach, sending him several feet back and he fell to the stone floor. That done, he sprinted over to the door, pried it open, and bolted out and up a narrow set of stones that had at one time been steps.


    Orion did not pursue Vince and he laughed to himself at the thought that Vincent had been relieved that he thought he had gotten away from him. He stood up and rubbed his stomach where he had been kicked with a satisfied smile. There will come a day when he would find it a pleasure to open this room once again and Vincent Hopman would be his first impaled.


    And then it occurred to him as he made his way back to the fireplace (to replace the spike) that his castle was no longer standing. A battle had been fought between two evil forces and the devil had taken one of them to hell with him. Before he had done that, the devil made sure to destroy the only place he had ever called home.


    When he was seventeen years of age he had fallen in love with a servant; he had kept their affair from his father and her family. He couldn¡¯t even remember her name; just that she had blonde hair which she had kept back in a braid. He would take her to the sacred impalement room at night and they would use the shackles unsparingly. They were animals of raw desire, these two, and nothing was taboo for them. Bloodshed had been spilled in some erotic sexual macabre.


    Tears fell from his eyes at the thought of when the king finally did catch them. It wasn¡¯t the fact that Orion had kept the affair a secret, but she had been punished simply because she was a servant girl and had wooed a prince. For this crime, she had been executed; and for his crimes of passion, he was the one to execute his love.


    He didn¡¯t even say that he loved her just before plunging the spike through her heart.


    Orion wiped the tears from his memory and put the unused spike back in its hiding place and turned back around to look at the familiar room. No, this was not his realistic home, but he could make it so. As soon as he storms Eden, he will have the power to make things happen, he would have thought impossible eons ago when he had killed his loving father.


    * * *


    Vince forced his eyes to open and when they did he turned and saw that light was shining through the curtain and he sighed in relief as he wiped his eyes. He sat up and tried to get the image of the evil garden out of his mind but there was nothing he could do; it was forever branded into his mind.


    He suddenly realized that he was neither afraid nor intimidated by Orion. There was nothing that creature could do to him that knowing the future hasn¡¯t. The horror of knowing what was going to happen in the future was far more intense than meeting the master Dreamkiller himself. Actually, he rather looked forward to his next encounter with Orion; then he would have more clues on how to stop the bastard.


    He was back on the road after he had gotten a shower and a shave and had ordered breakfast from a drive thru and ate his sausage and egg biscuit on the way down south. What he had trouble with was reminding himself that he was not in any hurry; this was a journey and not the Indy 500. There was time for everything including sightseeing.


    Another four hours and he was pulling off the interstate and followed the signs to Pigeon Forge.


    He drove through the main strip of the tourist area. There were gargantuan hotels lined on either side of the road just after every other business. He smiled to himself as he took in the sights (he couldn¡¯t wait to walk down the walkways to see everything up close) and shook his head as he recalled that almost nothing had changed through time.


    He drove past the miniature golf course that still promoted live rabbits hopping freely around the courses. He saw the mining place where you would use a wooden sifter to look for valuable minerals and gems; you never found anything worth a lot ¨C especially since it costs more to have the stones cut. And then he spied the tall hotel he and his father had stayed in for a week.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Vince pulled into the large parking lot and walked into the main lobby. Scanning the area, he walked up to the receptionist and explained that he needed a room. He told her that he wasn¡¯t sure how long he would be staying.


    She gave him a wink and a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯d be a problem. You might have to pay a slightly higher price.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all right,¡± he said and signed his name on a registration card.


    ¡°Oh, our swimming pool is under construction. The Averly across the street is one of our hotels so feel free to use theirs whenever you want to.¡±


    He nodded and grabbed the key card with a ¡®thanks¡¯ and made his leave to find his room.


    When he opened the door, he was not at all disappointed. He first noticed the large bed which matched the orange and red flowered curtains. He turned and saw a small dining table which looked to seat four at the other end of the room next to the (here he almost laughed out loud) small kitchen.


    He went over to it and saw a refrigerator, stove, microwave, and even a dishwasher. Vince propped his elbows up on the ledge of the counter and sighed. This was not the way his life was supposed to be. He was destined to train the Dream Crusader; not be living it up at a fancy hotel while her mother is pretty much brain dead back home.


    That was when he had decided that he would find a way to make this trip ¨C and all the other¡¯s that he takes ¨C work. He would find ways to train his mind not to fear the future. He would use whatever knowledge he gains of Orion to train himself to become a better fighter.


    Whatever it takes, he would not let Samantha, Mykella, and all of humanity down. Everything was dependent on the survival of Mykella and it was his prophecy to protect the child.


    Vince went over to the window and pulled open the curtains using the handle and he looked out at the world. To his right he saw the mists of the Smoky Mountains. To his left he saw nothing but shops and tourist attractions.


    When he was here so many years ago, he and his father went out after midnight and walked to an all-night arcade where they played air hockey until three in the morning. That was the only summer Vince didn¡¯t give a shit about anything. He was in love with life because he felt the bond between father and son.


    But now? What was there to feel? He spotted the location of the same all-night arcade. Other than his professor, Vince was the only live person who knows what will befall humanity and it sickened him that he couldn¡¯t run out there and warn everyone. They¡¯d just look at him like he was insane.


    What will it be like when Orion has control? Really feel like? He envisioned everyone walking around like zombies with nothing in their eyes except the whites. Skin gray and discolored. We will become slaves, no matter how grotesque we look.


    Then he looked down at the parking lot and pinpointed the unmistakable outline of Orion leaning against a car, obviously stolen, looking up at the building. No, he was looking up at Vince¡¯s window.


    Orion was smiling when he saw Vincent open the curtain and take notice of him. If there was one thing he loved the most, it was the hunt, other people call it the old cat and mouse game, and Vincent knew that he was being hunted which made this game even that much more exciting.


    Besides, such a lovely little city we have here. There are lots of people with lots of dreams. These innocent and na?ve people will soon learn what it feels like to have their nightmares come true. The evolved Dreamkiller needs to wait until he reaches Eden, but that doesn¡¯t mean that he can¡¯t make a few Dreamkillers in this nice little city ripe with thousands of nightmares.


    He knew Orion would not kill him, not yet anyway, and so Vince decided to leave his room to go in search of food. He briefly debated if he should eat in the hotel dining room or go out to eat. He chose to leave the hotel; it would give him the chance to walk around and take in the sights.


    He found a restaurant almost as soon as he left the parking lot on foot. Everywhere you look, there¡¯s a food place almost as frequently as there are tourist attractions. He looked over his shoulder and saw that Orion had followed him into the restaurant and had taken a table at the other end of the place. Funny that he knows he¡¯s being followed but he still chooses to remain seemingly out of sight, yet close enough to remind Vince that he¡¯s still close by.


    More than once Vince thought about joining his nemesis for a drink, only to decide against it. He didn¡¯t want to seem too buddy-buddy with the creature. He was still his enemy after all. So he sat alone eating his flame broiled double cheeseburger while keeping an eye on Orion who was looking out the window. He would turn and look at Vince every now and again, but for the most part he kept his eyes on the outside world.


    When he finished his drink Vince looked out the window and saw that the sun was setting ¨C he will never forget the sight of the sun setting over the mountains, such an awesome sight to see. He stood up and walked over to the cashier and handed the check over to her. She took his money and he then gave her more money. ¡°This is for that guy over there in the green shirt,¡± he said and she leaned over and saw Orion.


    She nodded and gave him his change with a ¡°thank you¡± and ¡°come again.¡±


    He had to admit, this young lady had the sweetest bit of southern charm about her. Blonde hair. Deep accent. Large brown doe eyes. What wasn¡¯t there to like about her? She could make any man fall in love with this tiny place. He nodded with a smile and then left the restaurant.


    He walked about a block and then looked over his shoulder. To his surprise he did not see Orion anywhere. He stopped and took a sharper look around him and saw that Orion was not following him this evening. Interesting.


    * * *


    He had different plans tonight. He walked around reading people¡¯s minds. He first read the cute cashier at the restaurant as she informed him that a man had already paid his bill.


    She may have been beautiful, but oh what fears she had! As she spoke to Orion, he smiled at the young woman thinking that she would indeed make a perfect Dreamkiller. What would she think when she next looks in a mirror? He would not miss the opportunity. When she said ¡°come again,¡± he almost laughed and told her that he would indeed come again.


    He found another potential subject twenty minutes later when he watched a young man air paint several tee shirts. He didn¡¯t watch him work; he watched the man himself. The man had long stringy brown hair which hung over his eyes at times and had a rather muscular build.


    Orion glanced over and saw the painter¡¯s van. He walked over to it and viewed the artist¡¯s work which had been made all over the side of the van. There were red and black dragons breathing fire. Naked women in poses so seductive women in his time would have been slaughtered if they exposed themselves these ways. He looked more closely at the collage and found hidden pictures between the larger ones. These were the horrifying images that played with the mind. These images had to be painted with or without the painter knowing he was doing it.


    One memory came back to him as he walked away from the painted van; converting a human into something the likes of a Dreamkiller takes quite a while. In his prime, he had gotten pretty fast at the conversion process, but he was way out of practice. He would stop at two tonight and play with them just to see if he still had the knack.


    At this point he didn¡¯t care where Vincent was or what he was doing. He was on Cloud Nine, so to speak, and nothing could bring him down. He would catch up to the little trouble maker soon enough. Right now there was fun to be had and Dreamkillers to be made.


    * * *


    There wasn¡¯t all that much to do when you¡¯re in Pigeon Forge by yourself. In fact, only a couple of hours and Vince was already feeling lonesome. He could only be a spectator in the things he and his father had done together. He really couldn¡¯t play miniature golf and enjoy it without someone there with him.


    But still, there were other things to do like going to nightclubs (things he never would have dreamed of when he was younger) and,


    ¡°Vincent!¡±


    He dropped to his knees and covered his ears. The voice literally knocked him down. He felt the hands of others trying to help him up but he shrugged them off without acknowledging the help. He didn¡¯t want to get up; he had to calm himself if he were to recognize the voice.


    ¡°Vincent.¡± It was the voice of his mother calling out to him. She didn¡¯t wait for him to respond. ¡°It¡¯s beginning again.¡±


    ¡°What? What¡¯s beginning?¡±


    ¡°The end is at hand. Tonight, the Dreamkillers will arise.¡±


    Now he stood up, feeling nauseated as he did so. ¡°No. That¡¯s not possible.¡± He paused and then thought of Mykella. ¡°She¡¯s not even alive yet. It¡¯s not supposed to happen until then.¡±


    ¡°You dear boy. You have misread everything.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know if she was mocking him or being sincere; he had not known her long enough to know her voice and how she used it.


    ¡°You know that the Dreamkillers will take control and that Mykella is to be born to defend mankind.¡± He gave her a mental nod and she continued. ¡°No one ever told you when the Dreamkillers will rise. All you know is that the child will be born. In fact, we don¡¯t even know if she will prevail ¨C only God knows that.¡±


    ¡°How¡­how do you know the Dreamkillers are coming tonight?¡±


    ¡°Orion learned that he didn¡¯t need access into Eden just to do what he has done so much in the past.¡±


    ¡°But,¡± he was beginning to lose his mental capacity to think straight. ¡°What do I do? She¡¯s not here to fight.¡±


    He could sense his mother sigh. ¡°Your mission is to protect the child. As much as it pains me to say this, but you¡¯re doing the right thing. Let them and they will follow you. Lead them away from her so that the child is in no danger.¡±


    He found a bench and almost fell onto it. ¡°So instead of just Orion, now I¡¯m being hunted by these creatures, too.¡± Somehow he knew this day would come, but he didn¡¯t want to admit to it. He really did think Mykella would be alive before the Dreamkillers came into the scene. He desperately wanted the girl to have a normal life for a while.


    ¡°Is there anything I can do to stop him tonight?¡± If he could only stop the bastard tonight, he might have a chance to postpone the inevitable.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid there isn¡¯t any way, Vincent. You cannot stop the prophecy no more than you can stop people from dying. I¡¯m sorry but Orion will have his way tonight. We must learn from this so that we can fight the evolved Dreamkillers ¨C they will be more deadly than the ones he is creating tonight.¡±


    ¡°I wish,¡± he began and shook his head and lowered it in shame.


    ¡°That I was there to fight beside you?¡±


    With a grin he nodded. It wasn¡¯t until just now that he realized how much he missed his mother. He wanted to feel her wrap her arms around him and tell him that everything will be alright.


    ¡°I am very sorry, Vincent. But me choosing this life was the only way for me to be near you. Otherwise I would have died.¡±


    ¡°I know. I guess I never thought that I¡¯d have to go through this alone.¡±


    ¡°Stand up.¡±


    Reluctantly he did as she ordered and he raised his head. He ignored the passerby who occasionally glanced in his direction. She told him to walk back to his room and lay down to rest his head because it is that which he will need to fight the Dreamkillers.


    He really couldn¡¯t wait to get back to his room; he needed to warn Mykella.


    ¡°No; you will not worry that child to death. She has more to deal with than having the knowledge that her enemy is strong again.¡±


    Vince shook his head and wished that there were certain things that his mother wouldn¡¯t do ¨C like read his mind.


    He heard her chuckle and said, ¡°Fine. I shall leave your mind to you alone.¡± He smiled when she said this. ¡°But I strongly hold to what I said about warning Mykella. She doesn¡¯t need to know.¡±


    ¡°All right. But how do I not tell my best friend that evil is already here?¡±


    ¡°Easily. You just don¡¯t talk about it. You go about your normal dreams like always.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and then these damned creatures come popping into my dreams. Then what?¡±


    Tracy had not thought of this point. Her son was right; the child should be warned. ¡°You can warn her, but also tell her that everything is under control.¡±


    He almost laughed. ¡°Is it?¡±


    There was a pause during the time when he arrived back at the hotel and when he arrived in the elevator. ¡°I will try to get some other help ¨C it didn¡¯t do too good when my predecessor raised his guardians against the Dreamkillers though. I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±


    He felt a little better knowing that his mother is going to help him. But, as she said, help from guardians does very little. He opened his door, went inside, and walked over to the kitchen after closing the door. He opened the refrigerator and found an inviting bottle of beer and he grabbed it.


    When he closed the door, he saw a sign explaining that all alcoholic beverages were five dollars each. He looked down at the beer for a moment. ¡°What the hell,¡± he said and twisted off the cap. ¡°The devil¡¯s on his way so what does it matter that I spend a shit load of money?¡±


    He made his way over to the bed and laid down on it and turned on the television by way of remote control. He didn¡¯t find anything too interesting and so he finished off his beer and tossed the empty bottle into the wastebasket next to the bed and laid his head back on the pillow and closed his eyes.

 Chapter 22

    Chapter Twenty-Two


    He had almost forgotten the ecstasy created when entering someone else¡¯s dreams. He could smell the light scent of strawberry shampoo whenever he came into view of the blonde woman whom he claimed as his first. No, this was not the chase; there would be no need for a chase. Here, he followed the woman wherever she went. And within two hours of senseless wandering, she came to a park and sat down on a bench and opened a paperback book.


    She was beautiful, the way she flicked her hair over to the side as she flipped the page. He leaned closer and saw that she was reading The Mists of Avalon.


    Interesting, he thought.


    Was there a way to incorporate King Arthur into this woman¡¯s fears? He watched her for some time thinking how alike she and Tracy Kingston were. Their primal fear was being alone. Arthurian aloneness?


    Sure he could lock her in a dungeon but that was so boring. He had done it too many times when he was younger and those women almost never cracked. He lowered his head and formed an evil grin as he stared lovingly at the woman.


    Orion stood erect and made his appearance known to her as he walked around the bench and knelt in front of her. ¡°M¡¯Lady, I am in need of your help,¡± he said, fighting back the urge to laugh out loud.


    She stared down at him for a moment and then placed her book on the bench next to her and took Orion¡¯s cold hand. ¡°What is it you need, Sir?¡± She could play along with this dream just like the best of them.


    Orion coughed, stifling back another laugh. ¡°It is my King. He has begun torturing and killing his own people. I managed to have escaped; only to have found you alone. Will you help me in overthrowing my King?¡±


    She stood up and, with her hands, gestured to him to do so as well. ¡°Tell me, good Sir: who is your king?¡±


    Orion inched closer to the woman. He could smell her breath and, if he tried, her perspiration. ¡°Arthur of Camelot.¡±


    She stepped back and almost fell over the bench. There was a new fear coming from her eyes as she looked at him and shook her head. ¡°King Arthur? No, there is no way I can possibly help you. No one can kill Arthur. He¡¯s immortal.¡±


    He reached out and snatched her wrists. ¡°Then you will be the first to battle an immortal.¡± He pulled the woman to him. He caused his face to change.


    No words could describe the fear she felt when she looked into the face of King Arthur himself. She knew this was the man because this was the same one she conjured night after night to save her from the real world. But now the man was looking down at her with contempt in his eyes. She pleaded with him to let her go.


    ¡°Why would I let you go? You had been conspiring to assassinate the King of Camelot!¡± Orion smiled and picked the woman up and hoisted her over his shoulder and began walking with her over his shoulder for a short time. Several moments later (he put it in her mind that they had traveled for a long time) he opened the door to his most loving of places and carried her over to the fireplace.


    She had been weeping by the time he shackled her wrists to the wall but she had not broken like he had expected. He went over and placed the old chair over to the stone altar and sat down and propped his feet up on the slab of an altar and just watched her.


    This woman was a lot stronger than he had expected. Have women changed that much in twenty years? He remembered that Tracy was just a child herself when he began tormenting her (and to think, the bitch never did have that book anyway) and her sister and friends died just to show Tracy his power.


    Orion stood and went over to the woman. He leaned close to her and smiled as he tore off her clothes. That done he went back to his chair, sat down, and continued watching her. Having his way with her now would not break her; it would make her stronger and want to fight back.


    ¡°There¡¯s no one close to here. Scream if you want. You¡¯re all alone down here.¡± He paid close attention when he saw a slight twitch in her eyebrow.


    It took another two hours for the young woman to break. During the time she had been trying to tell herself that this was only a dream. For two hours she kept telling herself that. Completely drained, she dropped her weight and dangled from her shackles, head drooping.


    Orion smiled and went over to the shell of a woman. He looked down and saw that she had emptied her bladder onto his boots and he laughed to himself at her last bit of retaliation. He reached out and placed his hand upon her cheek. ¡°My child, I have the power to save you.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she murmured in a daze. ¡°Only my God.¡±


    He leaned down to her and brushed the hair out of her eyes. ¡°I am your God.¡± Maybe she will resist in the end. He reached into the fireplace and pulled out a spike. ¡°Do as I ask and I shall free you.¡± He tightened his hand around the steel.


    She surrendered, not fully understanding what it was he wanted. He put a hand to the back of her head and brought her face to his chest and embraced the woman.


    ¡°I want you to recognize your fears and come to terms with them. Release these terrors you¡¯ve been burdened with for however long. Only without these fears can you become a cleansed and free soul.¡±


    He took a step back and watched as her stomach began rolling and convulsing. Here it comes, he thought, as he saw her double over as best she could and open her mouth as wide as it could.


    First came the spittle and a foul odor. And then out it came; the black shadow fiend ¨C very similar to the one he sent after Connor Barker ¨C squeezed its way out of her mouth and fell to the floor with a wet thud. Once the fear had been removed from her, there was nothing left of the once-beautiful blonde woman from Pigeon Forge.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    All color of flesh and eyes dulled to an ash and she let herself dangle almost lifelessly from her shackles.


    Orion watched the woman for a moment and laughed at the thought of her comatose real body and what will become of it once she is found. She¡¯ll probably end her days in some mental institution. But that is of no care to Orion. His Dreamkiller is his new child and it must be looked after and trained.


    He smiled and helped the poor creature to its new legs and saw that it had no balance yet. Orion saw Alexius when he looked at the new Dreamkiller. Alexius was his best friend, even if the bastard was a traitor in the end, and it pained him almost as much as it pained Alexius when the very first Dreamkiller was born.


    ¡°Rest easy.¡± He walked the creature over to the chair and helped her sit down. ¡°Do you recall what your name is?¡± He didn¡¯t want to go on calling it ¡®it¡¯.


    The Dreamkiller paused for a moment and then looked up at Orion behind her blackened eyes (the Dreamkillers get their red eyes only when they are trained killers) and nodded. ¡°Beth,¡± she said.


    ¡°Well, Beth,¡± Orion began and bowed his head. ¡°Shall I say, happy birthday. We will go through many adventures together and don¡¯t worry,¡± he looked down at Beth and smiled. ¡°You will have brothers and sisters.¡±


    Orion looked around and agreed that this would be as good a place as any to leave Beth hanging out until he could obtain more Dreamkillers. He was, after all, going to win over the painter. He didn¡¯t think there was enough time to do it tonight, but by tomorrow there should be one more Dreamkiller.


    And from there who knows how many he will make in this nice little place? He knew he needed to wake up and tail Vincent again but he was having way too much fun right now playing with his new baby.


    ¡°I need to go somewhere right now, Beth,¡± he said as he knelt in front of the Dreamkiller. ¡°But I will be back very soon ¨C I promise.¡± Once he had gained trust from his child, he went over to one of the doors, opened it, and vanished just as he stepped through.


    With her black eyes, Beth sat there and looked around the room and had a strange taste coming into her mouth. Whatever the salty taste, she knew she had to quench it because it was beginning to create a nervous feeling inside her body.


    She stood up, balancing herself, and headed for the same door her father went through. She opened the door and saw that it led up a flight of stairs outside. The taste was maddening. With one final look behind her, Beth turned and headed up the steps out into a new world.


    It wasn¡¯t long before she met someone at the base of a mountain trail. He was a large man wearing a larger jacket which made him look too bulky in the arms. He had a gray hat over his long-in-the-back-bald-on-top black hair. When he saw her coming closer to him he gave out a yelp and backed away, tripping over his camping gear.


    ¡°What¡­what the fuck are you?¡± There was nothing human which he saw in her. Whatever it was, it was coming closer to him and he didn¡¯t like it one bit.


    Beth studied the man without making any further movements. She watched the beads of sweat trickle down his forehead and she knew this was the smell of fear. She took a step closer to inspect the beads of sweat, but before she could, the man had found his shotgun and had pointed it in her direction.


    He gave out a loud war cry and pulled the trigger and watched as the bullet flew from the barrel and into the creature¡¯s chest. What he was not hoping for happened, and he watched the creature feel the hole where the bullet went in and continued with her advances.


    Questions ran through her mind as she stared at the man. She wanted to know why she had not died when the bullet ran through her chest. She also wanted to know why this man was so afraid of her. She was angered that something about her made the man cower from her the moment he laid eyes upon her. He even drew a weapon and used it against her without knowing anything about her. Why?


    She knelt down and grabbed the man¡¯s throat with such force that it was nearly crushed inward. He stared at her and felt his pants get wet. She looked down and saw his soiled pants and inhaled the smell of urine. No, it wasn¡¯t this smell she wanted so badly.


    She looked back at his face and with her other hand had wiped the sweat from his brow. Bringing it to her mouth, she licked at her sweat-covered fingers. Yes, this had a salty taste, but it wasn¡¯t the salt she had in her mouth earlier. She studied the man for a moment and then, using three fingers plunged them into his throat.


    A geyser of the man¡¯s life jutted into the air and she smiled and cupped her hands to fill them with his blood. Beth drank for the first time the life of a human and she suddenly became aware that this fount was not nearly enough.


    Like a ravaging animal she clawed at the carcass with nails she didn¡¯t know she had. She wouldn¡¯t stop grating the body until nothing but red was all to be seen. She lay her body down, stomach-to-stomach, on the body and wrapped her arms around it and then brought her face down onto its chest and began licking and sucking at the various open wounds.


    Orion went back to his loving torture room earlier than he had expected. When he left Beth he had forgotten what young people of the twenty-first century were like. The airbrush artist would have been asleep until noon at least which allowed him plenty of time to convert the man.


    ¡°Easy, my child.¡±


    Beth turned her head and saw her father coming into the room with another being much like herself. Momentary joy came to her and she stood up and walked over to them just as they entered the room.


    Orion turned to his youngest and then gestured to Beth. ¡°Eric, this is Beth, your sister.¡±


    He did a double-take and looked at his first brood again, this time with an inquisitive look in his eyes. There was a new appearance in her. She had more color to her flesh than the typical Dreamkiller. Her body had become a reddened pale and not gray-green. She had even managed to have grown hair on her head. And, although not pointed like all other Dreamkillers, her eyes glowed red.


    Orion turned to Eric. ¡°Please sit over there,¡± he said and gestured to the chair and watched as Eric made his way over to it. Before anyone could have taken another breath, Orion lashed out at her, grabbing her throat, and pinning her up against the wall. ¡°You left this room, haven¡¯t you? You have shed blood.¡±


    She did not speak (and even if she wanted to, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to; Orion¡¯s hand had been cutting off her voice box), but stared at him behind puzzled eyes. She did not understand why her father was so upset.


    He let her go after a minute and stared at her wondering what he should do with her. He could not destroy her ¨C not his first child ¨C and he could not let her go without knowing how dangerous it is out there without having your family with you for help. What should he do with her?


    As if she read his mind, Beth reached up and wrapped her hands behind his head and brought her face to his. ¡°What,¡± he could not complete his question for she had pushed her tongue deep into his mouth.


    It was seduction more than passion that fueled this exchange. She may be his creation, he sure as hell wasn¡¯t about to end this moment too soon. But he had to. For his sake or else go mad.


    He shoved her back against the wall and smacked her across her face. ¡°If you attempt that again, I shall enjoy cutting out your tongue. You are my child to serve me, not be my lover. You will become but a number once my army has risen and it will be my army that I will control with.¡± He glanced back at Eric who sat emotionless; he too had a blackened featureless form. ¡°Keep the poor bastard company.¡±


    He went to the door and turned back to look at Beth with a threatening look. ¡°If you leave, you shall never make it back here alive,¡± he said and then left the two children to their own devices.

 Chapter 23

    Chapter Twenty-Three


    He shook his head in disgust and dropped the newspaper down on the table. There was no way Vince could believe some vicious animal came out of the dark and slaughtered some poor hunter. Why weren¡¯t there any witnesses to the attack? Surely if this man was killed in a campsite at the foot of the mountains, someone must have seen the animal as well.


    No, this was no normal animal. In his gut, he knew the death-bringer was nothing short of a Dreamkiller. Just as his mother had warned, the killings have already begun. The difference between then and now is that back then Orion was waging a war to reclaim his book and now he wants to claim the Forbidden Realms.


    He had deliberately avoided making contact with Mykella last night. He didn¡¯t want to tell her that hell had risen and that mankind would end sooner than they had expected.


    He had decided that he would leave Pigeon Forge later today and head out west in an attempt to make the gap between them and Samantha larger. If he had to go to Miami, then so be it. If he had to go to Hawaii, then that¡¯s where he¡¯ll go. No matter how far he had to go, he must not let the Dreamkillers near the women he loved.


    There were plenty of times last night when all he could think about was finding ways to strike against Orion. All he had to do was find where the bastard is staying and then slit the fucker¡¯s throat in his sleep.


    But he had kept his word. He would not go back on his promise to his mother and wage a war against Orion when it is really not his war to be waged. Unfortunately, he did not make the rules in this sick game.


    He tossed what clothes he had used into a bag with the intent to wash them later, went down to the dining room and shoved down a quick breakfast of two bagels and cream cheese; he would get a coffee at a gas station on the way. He stood and tossed down several dollars for a tip and left the hotel.


    Once he sat down in his car he glanced in the rearview mirror and saw what he expected to see. Orion was sitting in his car across the street watching every move he made and when he saw that Vince had started his car, he did the same. ¡°This is going to be fun,¡± Vince whispered and drove out of the parking lot in the direction of the interstate.


    He glanced down at the fuel needle and saw that he still had more than half a tank and so he decided on avoiding the gas station until later. He could do without his morning coffee for one day. The day.


    Vince took in as much of the sights as he could. He paid attention not to the attractions but to the people and noticed how happy they appeared. He expected to see the mushroom cloud on the horizon killing millions within a few seconds.


    How happy they looked. How naive.


    He looked in his mirror and saw that Orion was still on his tail and he smiled as he turned onto the entrance ramp. ¡°Okay, motherfucker, let¡¯s see if you can keep up with my ass now.¡± The grip on his steering wheel loosened and his right foot floored the accelerator.


    Vince had been swerving in and out of the cars in front of him going better than a hundred miles per hour. Every now and then he would look in his mirror and keep track of where Orion was. He had been able to keep up but he was pretty far back, perhaps eight or nine cars back.


    He looked and saw that Orion had slowed and he was about to contemplate this action, but when he looked forward, he realized his mistake. He must have passed the State Patrol going at least ninety and it took him a while to slow his car down to be able to safely pull off the road.


    When he stopped, ¡°Shit!¡± he said and shook his head in disgust ¨C with himself ¨C and watched the patrolman exit his car and approach him.


    ¡°In a hurry?¡±


    Vince looked up and shook his head.


    ¡°License and registration and proof of insurance, please.¡±


    Vince leaned forward and pulled his wallet from his back pocket and before he could do anything else, he happened to glance once in the mirror. He saw Orion cut over three lanes, taking out the police officer before the poor man could see what was coming.


    Vince was still staring out his window, hands trembling on the steering wheel, as he watched the dead man fly into the air and come crashing down several yards away into the middle lane like a rag doll. If Orion did not kill him, the other cars that hit him before realizing what it was surely did the job.


    He closed his eyes for a moment (this is not the way he wanted to begin the day) and then opened them with a new-formed hatred in his soul. He had never realized what kind of hate he could have for this being until now. Yes, Orion would bring the end of the human race as everyone knew it, but when he saw the bastard actually kill an innocent man in cold blood,


    He opened his eyes and saw Orion¡¯s car up ahead and let his foot drop on the accelerator. Whatever he had promised his mother ¨C and maybe even to God ¨C he had to break. Orion must be stopped; he could not bear to see more people die like this.


    He crossed over into the middle lane and caught up with Orion; and when they were side by side, Vince looked over and glared at Orion. He had every intention of pushing Orion¡¯s car off the side of the road, but when Orion began yelling at him, he changed his mind. He wanted to hear what the beast had to say.


    ¡°Take me to the Forbidden Realms, Vincent!¡± Orion was grinning; he never once looked in front of him. ¡°I will let the human race live if only you take me there now.¡±


    Vince looked and saw that Orion wasn¡¯t even driving the car. Where the bastard¡¯s hands were, he didn¡¯t know.


    Orion was staring hard at Vince for a short time and then smiled. ¡°I will not harm Mykella or her mother. I give you my word in the name of the god Orion.¡±


    He was staring back at the monster with tears in his eyes as he knew he betrayed the ones he loved. In his peripheral vision he saw an exit coming up and so he slammed on his brakes, nearly avoiding getting hit in the rear, and crossed over and pulled his car onto the exit ramp.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    If this had been Vincent¡¯s mother, Orion would have been irate at what had just happened. Instead he laughed out loud and took the next exit without so much as a further thought, turned his car around, and went back to where he broke from Vincent.


    At the moment, Vince didn¡¯t know where he was. He scanned the area and saw a gas station and headed in that direction.


    He pulled the car up to a pump and sat there for a moment. He knew that he had to call Krieger and warn him of what¡¯s coming his way. He should probably call Karl and tell him what¡¯s going on and ask him if he could be persuaded into helping Krieger if the worst was to happen.


    Maybe I could surprise the bastard after all, he thought and then grinned. A decoy in the west and the slaughter of Dreamkillers in the east. If he pisses Orion off enough, surely he would send his Dreamkillers to attack Samantha. But what if they were waiting? What if they launched a counter-offensive before those damned Dreamkillers knew what was hitting them?


    While he was standing beside his car, letting the Total Gallons/Total Price meter on the pump roll past the forty dollar mark, he was planning what to tell Karl; he did not expect to stay away from Orion for very long. As he thought about this, he began regretting their last departure.


    He had not trusted his best friend. He didn¡¯t want to believe that a spirit ¨C the  innocent girl he was destined to protect ¨C would desire anything of the flesh. Doesn¡¯t matter now; Dreamkillers on the rise and the Forbidden Realms to protect.


    He returned the pump and happened to glance into the side mirror and spotted Orion standing across the street, arms folded in front of his chest, leaning against his car.


    ¡°You kinda look like the Grim Reaper, the way you¡¯re staring at me!¡± Vince grinned and shook his head. He slid his credit card back into his wallet and then put it into his back pocket. He opened the door and sat down and remained still for a moment. He didn¡¯t know where he should go from here. Perhaps he should drive to Miami; at least he would have a good amount of distance between everyone.


    No, he thought. This is not a vacation. This is war.


    He looked into the mirror and saw that Orion had returned to the seat of his car as well.


    And the enemy is right behind me.


    He slammed the door, turned the ignition, and drove out of the station and passed Orion. Upon passing, ¡°I don¡¯t have to be in Chicago just to get to them. You know that, right?¡±


    Vince slammed his fist into the dashboard. ¡°Shit!¡± He was already ready for the onslaught there and Orion followed him here. He had forgotten that the bastard could just simply go into Samantha¡¯s dreams whenever he wanted to.


    He drove past without saying a word. One swing. Just one; then I¡¯d be happy. He shook his head in disgust and began training his brain to think of alternate scenarios. Now he had to come up with a way to keep Orion with him. He had to find a hotel so he could call his friends and prepare them for battle.


    He would also have to confront Mykella on this issue. Maybe she would have a suggestion or two. He glanced up from his thoughts and, as if God had listened to his silent prayers, he noticed a small motel off to the left.


    As he pulled into the dirt parking lot he grinned and saw that he didn¡¯t have any trouble finding a parking space in this deserted lot. He remembered an old movie his father used to watch a lot. Psycho by Alfred Hitchcock. Lovely little film, really.


    He stepped out of the car and headed for the admissions desk. ¡°Norman? Is that you?¡± he whispered behind a grin and found the desk but did not find anyone to book him a room.


    He saw one of those loud and obnoxious silver bells with ¡°Ring for Service¡± stickers attached to it. He put his finger on the top and pressed the bell and no more than a minute later a tall man in suspenders came walking into the room.


    ¡°What can I do ya for?¡±


    Vince had to admit that when the man would speak, he thought he would smell the foulness of either alcohol or something he had eaten just before. He was pleasantly mistaken when all he could detect was a breath mint.


    ¡°I need a room for the night ¨C maybe more.¡±


    The man nodded and looked past Vince. ¡°Anyone else stayin¡¯ with you? Lady friends?¡±


    Vince shook his head with a smile. ¡°No. She¡¯s back in Chicago right now. It¡¯s just me.¡±


    The man reached below the counter and pulled up a large book and opened it. He turned it to face Vince and laid a pen down on the page. ¡°I¡¯ll need you to sign this log,¡± he said and Vince nodded as he took the pen and signed his name below the name above his. ¡°Will it be cash or charge?¡±


    With his head looking down at the book, ¡°Charge,¡± he replied and the man went into a small room behind the counter.


    He laid the pen down and looked around the room. This was a motel in the middle of Nowhere USA. There were no posters advertising anything on the dark-paneled walls. As he looked, he also noticed that there weren''t even any stuffed heads hanging for all to see. Like the fictitious Norman Bates, this poor soul probably lives here at this motel.


    He happened to look over his shoulder and caught a glimpse of Orion¡¯s car as it drove up into the parking lot next to Vince¡¯s.


    When the man came back, carrying a small credit card carbon copier, Vince gestured out the door without looking too suspicious. ¡°There¡¯s a man going to ask for a room after me. Please don¡¯t put him next to my room.¡±


    ¡°There isn¡¯t going to be trouble, is there?¡± the man replied as he took a glance over Vince¡¯s shoulder.


    At that Vince caught a fraction of a glance at the crucifix dangling around the man¡¯s neck which he hadn¡¯t seen before because of the man¡¯s high-collared checkered flannel shirt. He looked up into the man¡¯s face. ¡°I didn¡¯t bring trouble. I can¡¯t say anything for that man.¡± He paused and handed over his card and the man copied it and handed it back with a room key. He took it and turned. ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d pray that everything will be alright. If we both live tomorrow, it will be a blessing from the Lord.¡±


    The man smiled and nodded. ¡°Amen to that.¡± And just as Vince pushed open the door, ¡°You have a good day, Sir.¡±


    Once he was safe inside his room he locked the door and went over to the phone and plopped his tired body down on the bed. He dialed the number and waited for Krieger to answer his call.


    When he heard the tired voice of his professor on the other end, ¡°It¡¯s Vince. I think you¡¯ve got hell coming your way.¡±


    Krieger cleared both his throat and his thoughts. ¡°Vince. What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Orion has been busy making new Dreamkillers and I think they may be coming after Samantha.¡± He didn¡¯t waste time with any pleasantries; he didn¡¯t have time. ¡°I¡¯m still letting Orion follow me and we¡¯re pretty far from you guys now. But the creatures could be used in his place.


    I¡¯m going to call Karl and see if he¡¯ll help and by the time they get to you two, they won¡¯t know what hit them.¡±


    ¡°What? Now wait just a damned minute! You wanted me to watch over Samantha ¨C that¡¯s it. And that¡¯s what I¡¯m doing. I¡¯m no warrior.¡±


    Vince smiled in spite of his heavy thoughts. ¡°I don¡¯t think the creatures are strong enough for any serious fighting. I don¡¯t think it would be hard to fight them.¡± He looked out the window and saw the shadow of Orion walk past his window. ¡°Besides, we¡¯ve all got to learn to be warriors. The battle has begun.¡±

 Chapter 24

    Chapter Twenty-Four


    He couldn¡¯t control where his dreams were taking him tonight. In fact, he really didn¡¯t care. He had been fighting this war for too damned long and soon it would all be over ¨C finally over. And to think that he left Allen in charge of doing battle with Richard and Tracy! He wasn¡¯t too surprised to find that Allen had failed and had been taken down to hell.


    He had to admit, it was great fun dueling it out with Richard with those swords.


    And now he was seeing the time he first encountered the young boy called Allen Corgan. He was your typical black haired youngster; full of life with not a care in the world. What attracted Orion to this young child was that Allen reminded him of Alexius. They two shared a unique bond in that they were very young and that they were easily manipulated.


    It was easy to tell young Allen to slip rat poison into his aunt¡¯s drink; and when Allen was told what he had done (Orion told him it had been a sweetener), he was horror-struck with fear that he might go to jail. But wait! Here is your good buddy Orion. He¡¯ll make sure no one knows what the poor child did.


    And wouldn¡¯t it be a blast to leave a trail of gasoline from the garage, can still in it, and out to the driveway? Better yet, why not drop a match down onto the trail ¨C you might want to step back, son.


    This time he promised the child that no one will ever find him. Allen must let Orion slip into his body and give the child his old one so that no one can find him. It hurt to leave his old body, but if it would save a life of a friend, he would do it again.


    Orion¡¯s dream changed and he was looking, almost like being a fly on the wall, at the first moment Connor Barker had met him in the old torture room back home. It was Alexius which he feared most. He could read Connor¡¯s mind; it was the almost-human form of the shadow which terrified him. At first Connor had not fought back when Alexius dove in and took control of his new body.


    It was a pity (or a waste ¨C depending on which way you view things) that no one knew that when Connor finally broke free of Alexius¡¯ hold, his soul went back to his body and, like almost all the other Dreamkillers, regained a heartbeat but not consciousness. There probably isn¡¯t anyone alive today who would give a rat¡¯s ass that Connor Barker¡¯s heart is still beating.


    Are these dreams trying to tell him something? Is he supposed to get inside Vince like Alexius had done with Connor and he had, himself, done with Allen? No, Vincent is too strong-willed for that. But perhaps he could let another one of his children take the helm of a different body. Perhaps, just perhaps, he would get better control over Beth if she had a new body.


    But who? Who should the new host be? This Professor Krieger would be a great possibility, but his wife might get suspicious.


    And then Orion opened his eyes from his dreams and he let a malicious smile fall across his clean-shaven face. It was a risky move but one that he was willing to take. He had never even considered using a vegetable brain for a host; it should be amusing to see what becomes of Samantha when Beth evicts her.


    *                         *                       *


    It seemed as if sleep was becoming more of a challenge to obtain as the nights progressed. He was tired as hell but when he laid his head down on an inviting pillow it took a very long time for even his eyes to close.


    Nonetheless, when Vince closed his eyes tonight he had to search for Mykella. He remembered that he was no Dream Crusader and that she met him whenever she wanted to. But he did find her a while later; he really didn¡¯t know how much ¡®a while¡¯ really translated to in real-time, but he knew that he was tired just from looking for her.


    This was a different dream realm as well. When he opened his eyes in his dream, he sat up and then stood up almost immediately. As he stood up the bed had vanished from beneath him and when he turned back around to look at his surroundings, he was taken aback at the discovery of a jungle.


    ¡°Mykella?¡± he called out as he looked around without moving his legs. He didn¡¯t want to get lost in this jungle; even if this jungle is inside his mind.


    Was it really in his mind or did Mykella conjure this scenery up?


    ¡°I guess she wants me to find her,¡± he whispered to no one in particular and he took his first step into the dark jungles of someone¡¯s mind.


    He used his outstretched hands to divide the thick vines and he tried to find some kind of a path but realized that there was none to follow. Vince walked further into the darkness, every now and then calling out to Mykella.


    It was the faint sound of water flowing that caught his attention and he took the direction he thought the flowing water was originating from. In a matter of several minutes he happened upon a large creek with a wide embankment.


    Vince stood next to the water''s edge and looked up and down stream for any sign of the Dream Crusader. He bent down and put his fingers into the water and that was when everything changed.


    The creek, the embankment, and even the jungle behind him vanished and he found himself squatting down beside an ancient altar of stone in some old room that should have belonged in a castle and not in someone¡¯s dreams.


    ¡°What am I doing here, Mykella?¡± He stood up and found a chair in a corner of the room next to a large fireplace. He went over to it and sat down.


    He didn¡¯t see Mykella anywhere but he did feel a presence in the room, and it wasn¡¯t a friendly presence. The feeling was suffocating him and he began massaging his chest.


    ¡°You feel it, too. Don¡¯t you?¡±


    Vince turned around and looked over at a door which had just been opened. He nodded when he saw Mykella walk down a couple of steps and enter the room. She closed the door behind her and made her way over to Vince.


    ¡°This is where the Dreamkillers stay while their master is away,¡± she said behind worried eyes.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Orion.¡± Vince stood up and turned toward the fireplace. ¡°You can say the name ¨C it won¡¯t hurt you.¡±


    She smiled and followed him to the blackened mouth. ¡°Orion¡¯s got plans for them, doesn¡¯t he?¡±


    Vince lowered his head, nodding, as he put a hand on the wall for support. ¡°I wish I knew what it was, but yes. He¡¯s got some plans brewing.¡± He closed his eyes. ¡°What was that jungle all about anyway?¡±


    Mykella shrugged. ¡°Dunno. I just thought that you deserve to know what I dream about when you¡¯re awake. These are my dreams, now. I no longer need yours so I¡¯ll pull you into mine. I see that jungle all the time. Maybe you can help me out solving the mystery of the dreams.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not one mystery; it¡¯s another.¡± He grinned and looked around the room. ¡°What is this place?¡±


    Mykella walked over to the altar and ran her fingers across the top. ¡°I wish I knew. I can¡¯t control my own dreams yet.¡± She glanced over her shoulder at Vince. ¡°Mortal dreams are easy to manipulate; you just have to have a direct line with their minds. But, I don¡¯t have a mortal mind yet.¡±


    ¡°Mortal,¡± he whispered and walked over to her and looked down at the altar. ¡°Have you seen God?¡± After what he had witnessed in Jerusalem, he devoted himself to the Great Cause. What was commanded of him by the Holy One, he will do without question.


    She shook her head and looked into his face. ¡°Please, don¡¯t ask this of me.¡±


    There was a hint of panic in the fine lines of her face. Dread in her eyes. But, why would she be so frightened to talk of God? He nodded and turned to the door she had come through. ¡°Where¡¯d you come from anyway?¡±


    ¡°The Garden of Evil,¡± she said and followed his gaze and went around the altar to stand next to him.


    Vince glanced down at the young woman and then turned back to the door. He crossed the room and went to the door, opening it, and poked his head out into the world he did not know. From where he stood all he could see was a long flight of steps carved from stone and a bright sky above the steps. He looked back at Mykella. ¡°Where¡¯s this going?¡±


    ¡°I already told you. The garden.¡± When she saw that he had decided to climb the steps, ¡°There¡¯s really nothing there of interest.¡± But it was too late; he was almost to the top step before she came out to follow him.


    When he reached the final step, saw what she was calling a garden, Vince felt his stomach churning. Yes, there were rows, but not of flowers or vegetables. Here he saw large spikes supported by the earth and dangling impaled upon these spikes were skeletons of various ages of decay. Here the bones of one had dried; there one had patches of flesh dangling from its body. The earth was still covered in the feathers from the birds that fed on the carcasses.


    ¡°Dear Jesus,¡± Vince exclaimed and dropped to his knees and scanned the enormous garden. There had to be at least a hundred, if not more.


    Mykella approached him from behind, knelt down as well, and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. ¡°I come here often.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°It reminds me of why I have to do what I have to do.¡±


    ¡°Is this Orion¡¯s doing?¡±


    ¡°No. Unfortunately this had nothing to do with him.¡±


    Vince turned and gave her a puzzled look. ¡°Then why this place?¡±


    ¡°This is what he¡¯s capable of doing. If I don¡¯t put an end to him, this is what humanity will look like.¡±


    ¡°Who did this, Mykella?¡±


    She seemed as if she did not want to answer this just as she had not wanted to talk of God. Only when he repeated the question, ¡°His father did it. Orion¡¯s father liked to see his victims.¡±


    He turned back to the rows of lifeless beings. ¡°It¡¯s the opposite of a garden, Mykella. In a garden, things grow. Here, things corrode, whither, and die.¡± He stood up and put his hands into his pockets. ¡°Did the bastard ever love anything besides death?¡±


    He opened his eyes and saw that it was morning. Vince lay there for a moment in an attempt to rid his thoughts of the garden of rotting corpses. There was plenty to do today and he didn¡¯t need disturbing images to haunt him all day long. He had to somehow convince Karl to go to Krieger¡¯s house and prepare to do battle with creatures from hell called Dreamkillers.


    He was about to sit up and grab the phone but his cell phone rang instead, which made him jump. Who the hell would be calling me? He stood up and found his phone in the pocket of his jacket he had previously flung over the back of the chair next to the window. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Vince?¡±


    He cringed when he recognized the voice. Now was not one of those times he wanted to talk to Chris Fergenson. In fact, he wished that he would never talk to her again. ¡°Yeah, Chris. What do you want?¡± He didn¡¯t give a rat¡¯s ass how rude he sounded.


    ¡°I talked with Karl yesterday and he seemed really worried for you.¡±


    He grinned. ¡°Oh yeah? What¡¯s he worried about this time?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just concerned that you haven¡¯t been yourself lately. And since I haven¡¯t seen you around lately either, I was wondering, too.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t he tell you I was vacationing?¡±


    There was a pause and then a sigh before she answered. ¡°Yes, he did. He also told me your dad just died.¡±


    ¡°Damn, how long did you guys talk?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t funny, Vince. I need to know if you¡¯re alright. Really all right.¡±


    Just then impossible thoughts were running through his mind. Orion is a mortal man just jumping the lines of time; and in someone else¡¯s body. So, why can¡¯t he attempt to do it, too?


    ¡°Vince?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here, Chris. How much do you like me?¡±


    ¡°I think you know the answer to that one without me saying it. Why?¡±


    Vince held his breath for a moment and then exhaled. ¡°I was wondering if you would be able to help me. But, you have to let loose all you know and have complete trust in me. Can you do that?¡±


    ¡°I,¡± she paused, and then, ¡°I suppose. What can I do?¡±


    Vince smiled and sat down in the chair. ¡°I want you to try an experiment tonight. It¡¯s very simple and it¡¯s not dangerous. Just before you fall asleep, I want you to think about Professor Krieger. Concentrate hard on him. I know this sounds bizarre, but if everything goes as planned, you¡¯ll be calling me first thing tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°What am I to be dreaming about? Krieger?¡±


    Vince smiled and leaned back in the chair. ¡°If all goes as planned, I believe you will make contact with his dream line.¡±


    ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s pretty out-there, but if you think it¡¯ll help you with whatever you¡¯re going through, I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, and Chris,¡±


    ¡°What else do you need?¡±


    ¡°If this works, would you tell Karl and have him call me?¡±


    Another pause. ¡°Yeah. If this goes like you hope it will, I¡¯ll talk to him.¡±


    ¡°No, I need you to make him understand that there¡¯s more to it than just dream connecting. This is just the first step.¡±


    ¡°First step? Of what?¡±


    Vince sighed and cursed himself. He had already said too much. ¡°Just see if you can connect with Krieger first and call me tomorrow morning.¡±


    They said their good-byes and he leaned his head back and studied the ceiling for a moment. What he was doing he wasn¡¯t sure; maybe he was just buying himself more time. Or, perhaps he had just sent his friends to an early grave.

 Chapter 25

    Chapter Twenty-Five


    Orion woke with a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach. Tonight he will order Beth to go to Samantha and take over her soul. As for Eric, he would send him with his sister just in case Samantha puts up a fight.


    He sat up in bed and immediately wondered how far Vince would take them today. He stood up and went to the window and pulled back the drapes and looked at Vince¡¯s green door. Such a lovely creature hidden behind that green door. He has shown more strength than his father ever had.


    Unfortunately, Vince will not be alive when the Great War ends. He will see to it that Vincent Hopman dies slowly. Maybe he will impale him and hang him in his new garden.


    *                              *                       *


    Vince grabbed his jacket and headed for the door. ¡°Here we go again,¡± he whispered and then opened the door and headed for his car; turning just in time to see that Orion had been looking out his window.


    After he turned the ignition he saw the beast exit his room and hop into his own car. There was a grin on Orion¡¯s face which told Vince that he liked this cat-and-mouse game. At this point, it didn¡¯t look like Orion cared if he ever found the gate. He could burn down the entire city with just his mind and it wouldn¡¯t bring him any closer to the Forbidden Realms; Vince knew that the chase was all the fun.


    And just where shall we go, he thought as he stared out at nothing. And as if in answer, he heard a voice inside his head telling him to go to Ireland. He almost laughed out loud and shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s nothing anyone can do to make me go back there.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that if I were you.¡±


    Vince jumped and turned to face his mother as she sat next to him. He looked puzzled and then he found words.


    ¡°How can you be here? I¡¯m not asleep. Am I?¡± At this point he wasn¡¯t sure which end was up any more.


    Tracy smiled and shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re no more asleep than the rest of the world. I can be anywhere anytime I wish; just as long as that anywhere and anytime can be pulled into my world.¡±


    Vince shook his head. ¡°Now wait just a minute; are you telling me that we¡¯re in your world?¡± She didn¡¯t reply to this; merely stared into his eyes. ¡°Dear God,¡± he said with wide eyes. ¡°That means we¡¯re at the gate of Eden. And you¡¯ve pulled him with me,¡± he said and glanced over at a clueless beast who sat in his car in a comatose state.


    She looked into the mind of the young man she once knew. ¡°And all that time he was really Orion?¡±


    Vince nodded and touched her shoulder. It was like touching a feather; for there was almost no solidarity to her being. ¡°Why did you bring me here?¡±


    There seemed to be a long pause before she answered. ¡°I know how you feel about it, but you must bring Orion to the gate. It¡¯s the only way that he can be destroyed.¡±


    He tried to read his mother but it was as if she were blocking out all emotions. ¡°I can¡¯t take that risk. You know that.¡±


    ¡°You must understand, Vincent, that when he arrives here, it will be the beginning of the end and that the final prophecy will have begun.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about prophecies. The first prophecy didn¡¯t help you stay alive.¡±


    She gave him a sorrowful smile and placed her hand on his cheek. ¡°The first prophecy told how I was to become a new guardian and Rick was there to see that it happened. My death began my new life. I wish I hadn''t died by Rick¡¯s hands, but he made sure I¡¯d become a guardian one way or another.¡±


    ¡°So I suppose it was Allen who really took control of Dad and killed you.¡± Vince let a sigh escape and he looked out the window. There was too much for him to think about and he didn¡¯t know where to begin.


    ¡°Suppose I bring him to the gate,¡± Vince began while staring at the man sitting behind Orion¡¯s wheel. ¡°What can I expect?¡±


    ¡°He will not give in without a fight ¨C you know that. It is my job to fight him and protect the Forbidden Realms at all cost. I don¡¯t like it any more than you do, but it is my job. My burden.¡±


    ¡°Where can I find you?¡± he asked behind a hardened soul. He didn¡¯t want to take the bastard there, but if it called for his end,


    ¡°You already know. St. Vincent Convent. You¡¯ll have to dig; it¡¯s pretty far below the surface.¡±


    Vince nodded and then turned to look at his mother. ¡°All right. As soon as I can, I¡¯ll bring him there. But do me a favor.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± she replied with a smile.


    ¡°By bringing him there, it begins the final prophecy where he is in control.¡± She nodded. ¡°Then that means you die.¡±


    ¡°My dear Vincent. I¡¯m already dead.¡±


    He stared out the window at the motionless beast. ¡°Let me fight the fucker. You watch out for Mykella and I¡¯ll fight him.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that. My job description,¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know. You have to protect the gate. Is there anything I can do?¡±


    She stared at her son for a moment and then grinned. ¡°Do not be afraid to love; it is the one thing worth living for.¡±


    Vince blinked his eyes and turned back to face his mother but she was nowhere to be seen. In fact, when he saw that Orion was looking around too, he realized that he was no longer at the gate.


    Such a lonely job, he thought. Just waiting your entire existence for someone to come knocking on your door. He sighed and pulled out of the parking lot without bothering to see if Orion was in tow.


    He knew that he would have to begin heading back east, but he also knew that there were plenty of airports that would take him to Ireland. Just as soon as he heard from Karl he would purchase a ticket and go back to St. Vincent Convent; back where all this shit began.


    Around six that evening Vince returned to his motel room without doing all that much during the day except locating the local mall and busying himself by walking around and eating. There really wasn¡¯t much this tiny town had to offer. If he were still here tomorrow he would venture out to the movie theater.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Orion had different plans for tomorrow. Tonight he would confront Beth and give her the orders and tell Eric to join her. Tomorrow he should no longer be following Vincent as closely; he would have complete control over the body Mykella was in. Without a protector, there would be no hurry to find the gate.


    *                              *                                  *


    When Orion opened his eyes he found his way to his favorite room, ready to have his fatherly talk with his children. He was infuriated, however, when he realized that both his children were missing. After bending several spikes with his hands, ¡°Where have I gone wrong?¡±


    Alexius was his most trusted servant. And the others after him showed no desire for rebellion. Why these two? What was so different between then and now?


    Orion stared at the altar for a while and shook his head. Alexius had been Orion¡¯s friend so there would have been no need to fight back at his maker. As for the others; they were obedient only because he was their king once he had killed his father. That was why.


    Beth and Eric were creatures in this time and age with independent minds.


    ¡°This is going to become a problem,¡± he said and stormed out of the room to go in search of his children. As he climbed the steps outside he was wondering how he could find creatures he had created with minds of their own.


    By the time he reached the last step, the answer was laid out before him. He looked up and noticed that every single head dangling from their spikes were all turned in the other direction and he followed their death gazes. Then he looked down and saw a line of blood. He shook his head with a disgusted expression on his face. ¡°Just follow the blood trail,¡± he said and headed off on the trail.


    He would have to wake up and follow their trail. But, what of Vincent?


    *                       *                    *


    He found Mykella standing beside the creek wearing a long yellow summer dress. She turned when she heard him approaching.


    He grinned when he saw what she was wearing. ¡°What¡¯re you wearing a dress for?¡±


    She shrugged and turned back to look into the water. ¡°I guess my birthday¡¯s coming up.¡±


    ¡°But, it¡¯s not time yet. You¡¯ve got at least another month.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what your mother thought.¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t know everything.¡± He walked over to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder and realized that she had been trembling. A crashing feeling came over his mind as he knew what was making her tremble. There was nothing that either one of them could do to stop the rise of the Dreamkillers. That¡¯s why Mom was asking me to take him there soon; she knew that the birth was near.


    ¡°I¡¯m going back to Ireland.¡±


    She pushed out a long sigh just as a child might when losing a pet. ¡°I know. I just thought I wanted more time.¡± She turned and looked into his eyes. ¡°I need more time.¡±


    He squeezed her shoulder. ¡°I wish I could give it to you, but it¡¯s not mine to give.¡±


    ¡°Promise me that when you get to Ireland, you¡¯ll tell me before searching for Eden.¡±


    He grinned and made that promise as he kissed her forehead.


    *                              *                          *


    Orion opened his eyes and was as irate now as he had been asleep. He would have to put everything on hold as he went in search of his children. He did not like it one bit. He waited a long time until he found the Kingston girls. Now he had to wait even longer to find the gate.


    He sat up and rubbed his black hair and looked over at the window. Soon Vincent would wake up and be off on his way and he would have to remain here searching for clues as to where Beth and Eric were hiding. He knew that it wouldn¡¯t take that much time, but in this part of the game, time means everything.


    Standing up he grabbed his pants and slipped them on and went out of his room to where he found a newspaper stand next to the management¡¯s office.


    He took it back to his room and opened it and scanned the articles for any bizarre and brutal killings. And there it was, three people slain just last night. Two men and a woman who were killed in their own beds. They had been severely cut up but it did not look, to the police that is, to be connected to one another.


    Orion grinned. Sure, the article mentions all three deaths in the same article, but the cops don¡¯t think they were done by the same people?


    Was there a connection or were they just out for blood? He couldn¡¯t even think that far back into his past when he made that first kill. He knew he must have been overjoyed, but not because he liked the feel of blood. No; he loved the feel of power that came from spilling blood.


    Is there a way to see who they will kill next? He thought this over in his head and shuddered. He would have to return to his burned homestead in England and attempt to find his hidden entrance to the lower ground. It would take time, but if he were successful, he would have all the time in the world at his disposal.


    How to get there was of another concern. He could purchase a plane ticket and get there in a day or two or he could use his new-found preternatural abilities. He had after all destroyed an entire hospital and sent cars flying after Vincent. Why couldn¡¯t he use his gift for travel? He lowered his eyes as he stared at the beautiful green door from his window and let a malicious grin form on his lips.


    *                        *                           *


    It took a few minutes before Vince could comprehend that his cell phone was ringing. He opened his eyes and rolled onto his side and grabbed his phone laying on the nightstand. He closed his eyes again when he turned it on and acknowledged his presence.


    ¡°What the hell happened last night?¡±


    Vince opened his eyes and sprang into a sitting position. ¡°Chris? What did you see?¡±


    ¡°You damned bastard. What have you done to me?¡±


    He could tell that she was mad as hell but for the life of him he didn¡¯t understand why. He asked her to explain what had happened last night in a calm tone; and this she did not appreciate either.


    ¡°Don¡¯t patronize me, Vince. Professor Krieger knew what he was doing, not me. What happened to Samantha?¡±


    He suddenly realized that Krieger was dreaming of Samantha ¨C why he didn¡¯t know ¨C and he let his eyes fall. ¡°Long story, Chris. Look, tell me what happened last night in the dream.¡±


    There was a short pause and then she began.


    ¡°I did like you told me. And sure as shit, I found him in his dreams. He was confused at first until I explained our conversation. Then he got frightened. He wanted to know what you were up to but I told him I didn¡¯t know. He closed his eyes and that¡¯s when I saw Samantha laying in bed. When she saw me she couldn¡¯t remember who I was.


    ¡°He asked me who else you had told of this and when I told him no one, he became suspicious of me. He asked me if I was some sort of Dreamkiller.¡± She paused. ¡°What¡¯s a Dreamkiller, Vince?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough. What else happened?¡± He didn¡¯t want to reveal too much; otherwise there was a possibility that she would not help him.


    ¡°Not much really. He tells me to wake up and that I should tell you to call him immediately after I talk to you.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Chris. Will you still talk to Karl for me? I need his help on this, too. A lot falls on us four people.¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°The Apocalypse,¡± he said and looked out the window at the bright sunny morning. ¡°I know I sound like a psycho, but I really need your help. I don¡¯t know where else to turn.¡±


    He knew that she was weighing her heart during her pause.


    ¡°All right, Vince. I¡¯ll do whatever you ask just as long as you swear it¡¯s for the greater good.¡±


    He smiled. Maybe it will be a happy day after all. ¡°Thank you, Chris. Talk to Karl; make him understand how important this is.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll talk to him. I can¡¯t promise anything, but I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    With that she hung up her phone and he held his phone for a minute before turning it off. Krieger and Chris. If I get Karl, that¡¯ll be three. My little army is coming together.

 Chapter 26

    Chapter Twenty-Six


    The meeting was planned for, Karl and Chris met one another at Krieger¡¯s front door. They looked at one another without saying anything. He had known her to be a little on the unhinged side since she and Vince broke off their short-lived relationship. She looked at him behind piercing eyes. She always felt it was Karl¡¯s doing that eventually ended the relationship.


    At last Krieger opened the door and let them inside his house. He led them to his office in the back, past the kitchen.


    He took his chair behind his desk while the other two took chairs opposite his. They seemed to have a similar fixed gaze on the black telephone sitting at the corner on the desk next to his computer.


    No one said a single word to one another until the phone rang ten minutes later. Krieger jumped and grabbed the receiver. ¡°Hello? Yes, I¡¯m going to put you on speaker,¡± he announced and pressed a button on the phone and hung the receiver back up.


    ¡°Karl? Chris? You guys there?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Vince. We¡¯re both here. What¡¯s up?¡± Karl called out to his friend.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be brief; there are Dreamkillers coming your way. I don¡¯t know how many. But I believe the three of you can destroy these sons of bitches. You can send them back to hell.¡±


    Krieger was studying their faces. He was curious to know how they would receive this news. They must have talked before now because neither Karl nor Chris seemed at all surprised at the news. ¡°You do know what you¡¯re asking?¡±


    Vince was surprised that Krieger was the one to put up this point. He had expected it from Karl. ¡°Yes. This is an urgent matter. I don¡¯t think they¡¯re strong enough yet.¡±


    Krieger slammed his fist down on the desk. ¡°They¡¯ve already been killing, damnit!¡±


    ¡°What? How? How do you know?¡± Vince did not see this one coming.


    ¡°I can read. I¡¯ve been tracking murders all across America and until last night, only one other man died in his sleep. Three people last night were slaughtered in their sleep.¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    Vince paused; he had not heard of this. Maybe if he had read the newspapers this morning and caught up on current affairs, perhaps he would have been able to spot this. ¡°I didn¡¯t know.¡±


    Everyone was surprised when Chris spoke up. ¡°These Dreamkillers, they like killing people, right? Well, if it¡¯s us against them then I say so be it. If they¡¯re out there and we know about it, we need to do something about it.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s more to it than that, Chris,¡± Vince said and Krieger nodded. ¡°Samantha must be protected at all costs. She is to bear humanity¡¯s protector. Like it or not, our fight is as protector to Samantha.¡±


    ¡°Why? Why her?¡± asked Chris. She didn¡¯t understand anything of the prophecies, and it didn¡¯t look like she was about to be filled in right now.


    ¡°God chose her. Only he knows why.¡±


    There came a longer pause as Karl studied Krieger and Chris. He wasn¡¯t sure if he bought any part of this ludicrous story. Sure, he witnessed first hand how Mykella had entered his dream and tried to have sex with him. He believed in the will to travel within the dream world, but he wasn¡¯t too sure of the existence of demons called Dreamkillers.


    Krieger looked at him and could easily read his face and he nodded. ¡°Let me say this to you, Karl,¡± he said and Karl looked up from his thoughts. ¡°I knew of the race of Dreamkillers long before I taught this class. It was my passion to prove their existence. I asked my class to write a paper on whether or not they were real and why so or why not. I was amazed that no one thought they were real. Then Vincent came to me with this story of Orion and I knew I was right ¨C here was the proof I needed.¡±


    Karl shook his head disapprovingly. ¡°You haven¡¯t even seen this Orion in the flesh. How can you say he exists? For all you know, Vince could be Orion.¡±


    Krieger smiled at what Karl had said. ¡°Son, do you believe in God?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. So?¡± Karl was getting irritated with this conversation.


    ¡°If you haven¡¯t seen or touched God, how can you say he¡¯s real?¡±


    Chris smiled as she watched the two of them stare at one another.


    ¡°Because I believe in him,¡± said Karl.


    Krieger nodded. ¡°And I believe in Vincent.¡±


    Another pause filled the room; along with a cold chill emanating from the two men as they stared each other down.


    ¡°Excuse me, guys, but this call is costing me money here ¨C and a lot of it,¡± said Vince from hundreds of miles away.


    ¡°All right, Vince. I guess. Don¡¯t ask me to sacrifice myself for these two, though,¡± announced Karl and Krieger smiled.


    ¡°You already have, my friend. I owe you all my life.¡±

 Chapter 27

    Chapter Twenty-Seven


    He closed his eyes and let his mortal body float up into the evening air. It was bone-chilling as the breeze came in from the Western Coast. Orion didn¡¯t know which direction he should head; in his present location, England was probably an equal distance. In fact, he didn¡¯t make the decision in the end ¨C the current did it for him. He was being taken by the west-east current across the sleeping nation.


    When he crossed the ocean, he loved the cold wind ripping through his clothes and he wondered just what he looked like from someone below, perhaps on one of those luxurious cruise ships that never sleep. A winged demon silhouetted against the moon. How little the world knew of real demons. Wasn¡¯t it just a powerful demon who had entrusted Orion with these magnificent powers?


    He was over land once again in a matter of an hour and he had pinpointed his old homestead almost as easily as he had walked home. Sadly, it wasn¡¯t home that he was after, but of something far below the surface of the earth.


    He stood before the ruins with his arms down at his sides and just looked at his old home. A million emotions came and went through his mind. He could have controlled this keep had he not become possessed by greed of eternal power. He would not be alive today, yes, but he would have at least been known as a true King. King Orion. Kingdom of hell.


    Orion lowered his head and found that he had clasped his hands together. He said a silent prayer; but who and for whom he was praying, he wasn¡¯t fully aware of.


    He might have said a prayer to his father or he may have been paying homage to all he had murdered.


    Orion stood there for a while with his head down, arms at his side. At last he brought his hands up in front of his body and outstretched his fingers and created an earthquake beneath his boots. He willed the ground to split and he was quite satisfied when he saw the earth separate inches in front of him.


    He wasted no time and he jumped over the edge into the darkened canyon created with just his mind. It felt as if a short eternity lasted before he found the ground he wanted. He stood erect and painful memories came back to haunt him as he looked around the chamber.


    He stood just outside the Time Chamber, where he and Allen had their brief conversation. Even as he pondered the scene in his own twisted head, it was confusing. It was Orion, himself, that had made the decision to send himself into this pathetic future; he knew the true Allen Corgan would never be able to handle such a delicate mission.


    Orion closed his eyes and forced his mind to close on itself and when he opened them again he was looking at the entrance to the Time Chamber. He peered inside, knowing that he could alter the Time Squares, but he knew that the Oracles would not be so easy to manipulate.


    The Oracles controlled the Time Channel and, in the end, decided who traveled inside the Time Channel and who did not.


    Maybe they could supply him with the information he needed pertaining to his Dreamkillers, but he doubted very much that they would help him. He abused the System too many times, he knew.


    He was almost afraid to step foot inside this chamber. There was no way that the Oracles could hurt him ¨C they were spirit material and therefore could not lay one finger upon his flesh. But they did have ways to make your life hell if they chose to do it. He had heard stories when he was a young boy that the Oracles were infuriated with some sailor that they actually caused a hurricane to destroy his ship, sinking it like it was some toy boat in a pond.


    With one last breath, he stepped into the chamber and was relieved that nothing had happened right away. He moved to the center of the room and brought his arms up as if embracing the ceiling and down came the squares of Time. Every being on the earth has a square, or squares, which show various frames of their development.


    ¡°I wish to see my new children,¡± he called out in anticipation that the Oracles would show him what he sought.


    ¡°No, Father,¡±


    Orion quickly turned round and was aghast when he saw Beth standing by the entrance. She had formed an almost human face now. There were the subtle similarities of still being a Dreamkiller; her eyes were human-shaped, but they were red. Instead of the typical hue of a Dreamkiller, Beth¡¯s skin was deathly-white. The expression on her face was too human to be monstrous. She stared at her father with a look of contempt in the lines of her face.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Next to her stood Eric. He looked more demonic than his sister; his flesh was greener than hers and his eyes were more pointed and black. But still, he seemed to be watching his father for the slightest change in appearance. He was listening to Beth and watching how Orion was taking it.


    ¡°You have come looking for us; here we are. But I believe it is us who were waiting for you,¡± she began and Orion gave her a cautionary look. ¡°We have come here almost immediately after you left us.¡±


    Orion shook his head. ¡°This is most impossible. There is no way in hell you could have known of this place.¡± He looked up at the squares of time. ¡°Explain this to me. Now!¡±


    ¡°Time is eternal, Father.¡± Eric stepped forward now, his brownish mane falling into his face. ¡°Everything and everyone eventually ends up here.¡±


    Orion began pacing as he weighed the words. ¡°I suppose,¡± he replied and then stopped and turned to them again. ¡°It still doesn¡¯t explain to me how you discovered the Time Chamber.¡±


    It was Beth who had stepped forward and she walked over to her father with a deep seduction emanating from her eyes as she swung her hips from side to side. ¡°Oh, Father,¡± she whispered as she approached him.


    Orion began feeling nervous ¨C a feeling he wasn¡¯t very appreciative to have. He had felt nervous plenty of times when he was a child. He was a father now; nervous feelings he could not allow.


    There was also a different feeling emerging from his being. He subconsciously reached down and put his hand in his pocket and tugged to release the uneasiness of a cramped hardening member. This, too, he would not allow. There are more pressing things at the moment than having a female.


    She came up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck and pushed her body up against his, making sure to grind her crotch against his. ¡°The Oracles came to us,¡± she said and he shook his head disbelievingly.


    ¡°They never leave this place ¨C that¡¯s absurd.¡±


    Beth smiled and nodded. ¡°Oh, yes, they did. And believe me, Father, they have told us very bad things about you. You will become the devil¡¯s prince. Your schemes are too many,¡± she explained and he looked down into her face, trying to ignore his bulging crotch.


    ¡°Too many schemes?¡±


    Beth nodded. ¡°You need to limit your priorities; otherwise it will become your undoing. The final Dream Crusader will be born very soon and she could easily destroy you because you have too many agendas.¡±


    With that, Orion pushed her away and looked up. ¡°Do you really think I believe in that ancient prophecy? There is no one who can destroy me! And once I have the Forbidden Realms, the world will be mine!¡±


    Orion suddenly turned and noticed that Eric had stepped forward with a look of caution. ¡°Father, don¡¯t make us your enemy. We don¡¯t want to fight you. Step down, leave Eden untainted,¡± Eric said as Beth watched him.


    Orion grinned and shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t you think I know what you''re doing? You don¡¯t want to be replaced by the new breed of Dreamkiller. Understandable. But, please, don¡¯t ever suggest fighting me.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Beth cut in. ¡°This has nothing to do with that. This has to do with you biting off more than you can chew, so to speak. You can¡¯t handle the responsibility of two armies, the Dream Crusader, and having infinite knowledge ¨C it will destroy you,¡± she explained and Orion almost laughed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I am very close to the Forbidden Realms and when I get what I want, I shall enjoy killing this Dream Crusader with my own hands. That should prove to you and the damned Oracles that you shouldn¡¯t believe in everything you hear about prophecies.¡±


    At that, Orion turned when he heard a loud sound. He looked at the far wall and saw that a large crack had formed and then it split open and out poured a blinding light. ¡°King Lars,¡± announced several voices in unison.


    Orion watched as four celestial entities in white walked into the Time Chamber. He shook his head. ¡°I am Orion; you of all things should know this.¡±


    The Oracles had no faces, only heads on their formless bodies. Their hands looked as if they had been sewn together. ¡°You were to be named after your mother¡¯s husband, Lars. You were to rule the Grendels as she had,¡± replied all voices as one.


    Orion shrugged his shoulders. ¡°And you¡¯re telling me this because - ?¡±


    ¡°You can still rule that kingdom. You do not need the Forbidden Realms.¡±


    Everything stopped in his mind. Orion stared at the quartet of Oracles. ¡°You¡¯re telling me I could have a second chance at life?¡±


    ¡°There was a time when Barbus Whitaker tried to take you away from Darvon Keep. You could be sent back to that precise moment with the knowledge you have now and leave with him.¡±


    ¡°Will I eventually forget everything about this life?¡±


    ¡°As you mature in that time, yes.¡±


    Orion lowered his head in contemplation. ¡°To live a normal life,¡± he whispered. He rubbed his mouth with his fingers and then looked up at the Oracles. ¡°A very tempting offer. But, once I have the Forbidden Realms, I will have the power to destroy you.¡± He looked back at Beth and Eric and raised his arm and sent them flying across the room and hitting the other side. ¡°You see,¡± he turned back to the Oracles. ¡°Not even you have the power to persuade me,¡± he grunted and with his mind he sealed the Oracle''s newly-formed doorway, trapping them with him.

 Chapter 28

    Chapter Twenty-Eight


    Vince found himself wandering through the thick forest again and this time it took him almost no time to find the creek. He sat down and crossed his legs and picked up several flat rocks. He looked up and down stream and did not see Mykella anywhere. He sighed and tossed the rocks into the creek and was mildly surprised that every one of them had skipped far past his eye could see.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± he whispered and then heard a rustling in the foliage behind him. He quickly turned and looked where he thought he heard the sound.


    ¡°Vince?¡±


    He jumped and quickly stood up and spun around. He gave another sigh ¨C this time out of relief ¨C at the sight of Mykella standing only inches from where he had been sitting. ¡°What¡¯s going on around here?¡±


    She lowered her eyebrows. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± She looked around and did not seem to notice whatever made Vince so jumpy.


    ¡°The laws of physics don¡¯t seem to apply in the dream like they used to.¡± He looked down stream where he had tossed the rocks. ¡°I¡¯ve never been able to skip rocks that far,¡± he said, almost to himself. ¡°And just now, I heard a noise and you show up in the opposite direction from where I heard the noise.¡±


    Mykella smiled and walked up to Vince and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about physics, whatever that is, but I can tell you that nothing different is happening.¡± He looked doubtful and he glanced down at her. ¡°Besides, you¡¯re in my dream and I won¡¯t let anything hurt you.¡±


    Vince grinned and shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand. I have a funny feeling about this.¡±


    She walked over to the closest tree and looked back at Vince. ¡°If things are all screwed up, I should be able to put my arm right through this tree,¡± she said and turned back to the tree. She grazed the bark with the tips of her fingers first and then pushed.


    She wasn¡¯t expecting her arm to go straight through it, but she was also amazed when it did. She quickly pulled her arm back and looked at Vince with a puzzled expression. ¡°What does this mean?¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    He walked over to her and reached down and took her hand. Although this was a dream, her flesh felt softer than usual. Her fingernails had become transparent and even her beautiful red hair had become a dull red.


    ¡°I have my suspicions,¡± he said and looked out at the creek.


    ¡°Please, tell me.¡±


    He turned back to her. ¡°I think your birthday¡¯s coming soon.¡±


    ¡°What makes you say this?¡±


    He didn¡¯t want to say it because it almost sounded like a bad thing. ¡°Because you¡¯re beginning to fade from this world.¡±


    Mykella knew what this birth meant. It was not just a normal average birthday. Her prophecy was about to be fulfilled and she didn¡¯t know if she wanted it to begin so soon. She turned and headed for the embankment and began walking downstream.


    Vince followed her in silence as he watched both Mykella and the minnows swimming in the water. He couldn¡¯t begin to imagine the weight on her shoulders. He couldn¡¯t imagine the sacrifice she was going to make ¨C and has even made. Tears welled in his eyes as he watched Mykella from behind. What was going on in her mind, he could not know, but he was certain that whatever she was thinking about, pain went with it.


    Mykella was watching her bare feet without registering the fact that they were moving. If she was walking, she couldn¡¯t tell. She was not afraid to die; she already knows what is waiting for her when she does cease to live. She is comforted by the knowledge that God will be waiting for her whenever He chooses to take her back home.


    She was afraid to live. She already knows what¡¯s waiting for her when she lives. Orion is waiting for her, even now. And once he reaches the Garden of Eden, he will raise his new Dreamkillers ¨C the next wave ¨C and the end of humanity will be at hand.


    She admired Vince for wanting to stop Orion before all this happened. They both know it must take place.


    ¡°I won¡¯t leave you alone,¡± he called out and she stopped and faced Vince behind tear-filled eyes.


    ¡°I know,¡± she said and looked down into the water. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m afraid of.¡±


    Vince shook his head and walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her as she sobbed into his arm. If the world is about to end, then dammit, I¡¯m not going to let it end for her alone.


    While he held Mykella, Vince took another look around the area. He had wondered why she was dreaming of such a place at one time when she had pulled him into her dream. It was a very beautiful location; a nirvana of sorts to the truth that waits for their wake. Was she dreaming of things to come? But why?

 Chapter 29

    Chapter Twenty-Nine


    Orion paced the antechamber outside the Time Chamber and pondered all that he had just gone through. He angered the Oracles, so what? He had shown them that he had been granted powers beyond their knowledge. Who, exactly, had given him these powers, he wasn¡¯t sure. If it was God, then perhaps he was being given a second chance at redemption.


    He highly doubted God would do that for him.


    He suddenly felt a twitch in the blackness of his soul. Everything was coming to a close. He must get back to Vincent at once. The Forbidden Realms was at hand and there was no way he was going to pass up the opportunity of gaining access.


    *                           *                                *


    Vince woke the next morning with dread in his soul. He knew that the time had come to lead Orion to the gate, but he was sickened at the thought of allowing an entity as evil as Orion to set foot in Eden. There was a moment when his mind told him to just keep running the other way. No, he countered, the prophecy must be fulfilled.


    All he could do was pray that Mykella gets some kind of life before the battle begins. Deep in his gut, Vince knew that the war would be fought before she entered the picture as a warrior.


    War.


    He didn¡¯t like to think of that word any more than he liked thinking of Orion entering Eden. But he knew the truth as well as Mykella and he accepted that harsh truth. Besides, there isn¡¯t anything that he can do about it anyway.


    He could lie to himself ¨C and there have already been times of doing so ¨C and say that everything will be alright, that humanity will go on killing itself like it has been doing for centuries. But why bother?


    Vince sat up and rubbed his head and looked to the curtain-drawn window. There was no need to inform Krieger, Karl, or Chris. Once he found Eden, everything he knew as reality may cease to exist for him and all of humanity.


    It was as if he were no longer making the decisions anymore. It felt like there were pieces of his mother and Mykella inside his soul along with his, and they were making his decisions for him.


    He had what belongings he brought with him packed into his bag and he had tossed it in the back seat of his car. He closed the door and headed to the manager¡¯s office where he found the same man who had checked him in. He nodded to the man and pulled out his wallet.


    ¡°Checking out already?¡± Vince nodded and the man smiled. ¡°Well, I hope you had a comfortable stay here.¡±


    ¡°It was fine, thanks.¡± He slid the key across the counter and as he turned to leave, ¡°Keep praying, Man. Pray for ignorance.¡±


    He went back out to his car and entered it with confused thoughts running in circles around his head. Which route to take to Ireland and exactly how was he to help Mykella? He had promised not to leave her alone when the end of the world comes knocking on their door.


    And then his thoughts went back to the brief encounter he and Samantha had had with the nuns of St. Vincent. Sister Helen was getting on his nerves and he wasn¡¯t about to let the old woman win him over to some sinister cult. Sure, his mother may have trusted them, but that didn¡¯t mean he had to.


    She seemed to have known all along that he was bound to come back sooner or later. Okay, so she was right. So what? I¡¯ll just make sure that it¡¯s on my own time ¨C not hers. That way, I¡¯ll feel like I have some control over my fate.


    Vince laughed to himself as he stared through the windshield at the thought that he had even the slightest control over his own destiny. It was as if God had a predestined course for him since conception.


    He pulled the car out of the parking lot and headed east and didn¡¯t want to stop until he found Ogunquit, Maine. There he found happiness as he, Samantha, Donnie, and Karl and Chris took a couple of weeks off five summers¡¯ ago and vacationed on the cooler beaches. Vince didn¡¯t quite like the warm beaches; he didn¡¯t like all the attention they received. Sure, he liked looking at practically-naked women, but those beaches were almost always overcrowded.


    He sighed under his breath. Although he found the highway rather quickly, he soon realized that he had several days of driving time ahead of himself. He even began wondering if he should stop in and check on Samantha when he got closer to Chicago. He would have plenty of time to ponder this issue before he even got close to Illinois.


    He had been driving for three hours before needing a drink and he found a fuel station at the next exit. And it was then, when he decided to fill his gas tank that he realized that he wasn¡¯t being followed. Orion was nowhere to be seen.


    Vince couldn¡¯t think of anything else that would be occupying the Master Dreamkillers mind except the Forbidden Realms. Why would Orion leave his post? Krieger had informed Vince of the newborn Dreamkillers. Had they anything to do with Orion¡¯s absence?


    He replaced the nozzle, went inside the shop, paid for the gas and a soda, and went back to his car. Vince sat there for a while pondering the absence of Orion. A frightening possibility came into his mind which dealt with Orion going straight to Samantha and using her as bait.


    If that¡¯s the way it¡¯s to be, then it worked. He had decided on heading to Chicago as fast as his vehicle would permit, but just as he headed out of the station, his phone rang and he jumped at the sudden sound.


    He found his phone in his jacket pocket and he was confused to hear Krieger on the other end.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Vince asked in a worried voice.


    ¡°Nothing yet,¡± Krieger assured. ¡°But I don¡¯t know for how long.¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Vince turned his car in the direction of the highway. ¡°Why? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I had visitors in my dream last night.¡±


    ¡°Dreamkillers?¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d you guess?¡± Krieger chuckled. ¡°But, funny thing about them, they don¡¯t want to hurt us.¡±


    Vince was finding it hard to concentrate on driving and having a tense conversation. ¡°That¡¯s a new one. Can you trust them?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Krieger replied and sighed. ¡°Beth seemed too damned sincere and Eric, well, Eric seems to be very na?ve. They tell me that they are not taking orders from their father. The Oracles are the ones telling them the truths that they seek.¡±


    ¡°Come again?¡±


    ¡°All I know is that Beth will do everything in her power to protect us. Orion has chosen to become their enemy.¡±


    Vince hesitated. This was something entirely alien from what he was led to believe about Dreamkillers. They were supposed to be lethal blood killers. Monstrous creatures who kill for one purpose: To please their Master.


    ¡°I want to meet them,¡± he finally said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Vince cut in and shook his head. ¡°You must see to it that I meet them. Otherwise, they are my enemy as well and I will find a way to kill them.¡±


    ¡°All right. If they come into my dream tonight, I¡¯ll tell them you wish to meet them.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡± Vince didn¡¯t seem to be registering his surroundings. He kept thinking about ¡°nice¡± Dreamkillers. ¡°And, Professor, thank you for calling me. How¡¯s Samantha doing?¡±


    ¡°She has good days, but mostly bad. There are times when she can¡¯t remember her name. But, then there are those moments when she can remember every name of every pet she had growing up. Go figure.¡±


    Vince smiled, although it pained his heart to hear this news. She couldn¡¯t remember her own name, but she was filled with a ton of useless information. ¡°Does she ever mention Mykella?¡± He hoped.


    Krieger paused and then sighed. ¡°You¡¯ve only been gone about a week. She needs more time for everything to come into memory, especially being pregnant.¡± He paused again and then continued. ¡°I¡¯m sure she knows that something¡¯s going on in her body, but she can¡¯t quite put her finger on it. It¡¯s like, she¡¯s got to know she¡¯s having a baby, but there¡¯s something even further back in her brain that¡¯s making her forget the second she knows it.¡±


    Vince shook his head. If she doesn¡¯t even know she¡¯s pregnant, then there¡¯s no way in hell he can ask her to recall anything that Mykella had told her in her dreams. He wasn¡¯t going to ask Samantha to help fight in the war; that she must do when Mykella is alive.


    ¡°Professor,¡± he lowered his voice almost to a whisper. ¡°Can you tell her that I¡¯m coming to get her and that I love her?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about, Vincent?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t leave her there anymore.¡±


    ¡°Here, she¡¯s in the safest place possible. Orion doesn¡¯t know she¡¯s here.¡±


    Vince smiled and chuckled. ¡°Yeah, but for how long? If Beth and Eric found you, how long do you think it¡¯ll be before Orion sniffs you out?¡±


    ¡°I agree, but Karl and Chris have been by her side every night in their dreams. And now we have Beth and Eric to watch over all of us. What more can the Mother need?¡±


    ¡°Her memory,¡± said Vince and it pained him to say it. Krieger was right; Samantha had more people watching out for her than he had looking out for himself. ¡°Fine, but I¡¯m still stopping there on my way to Ireland.¡±


    ¡°Ireland?¡± repeated Krieger after a gasp. ¡°What the hell¡¯s in Ireland?¡±


    ¡°I think you know,¡± Vince said behind a sadistic grin. ¡°The end of the world,¡± he replied and then hung up the phone.


    Orion found himself walking the sidewalk in a daze. He wasn¡¯t even sure where he was going and what he was going to do next. He had to get into the Forbidden Realms, that much was certain. But, exactly where to go from here, he didn¡¯t know.


    He finally looked up and spied a shop down the street with a sign above its door which read ¡°You want it, we gothic.¡± He smiled when he approached it and saw that it was a gothic clothing store. Feeling amiss without his cloak, Orion entered the dimly lit store and began looking around.


    There were all sorts of symbols lining the walls and glass counters displaying chains with skulls, pentagrams, and the like. In the back, large black and purple strobe lights flickered and danced to music by some Goth band.


    ¡°Can I help you?¡±


    Orion turned and saw a tall man with black spiked hair, black clothes, piercings in many places about his face ¨C and most probably in places he didn¡¯t want to see ¨C and tattoos up and down his arms displaying graphic mutilations of people. All in all, in a different time and place, Orion felt as if he would much like to have this man in his army.


    ¡°My cloak was burnt in a sacrifice and I need to replace it,¡± lied Orion as he looked around the shop.


    The man smiled and laid his hand on Orion¡¯s forearm. ¡°This way, please. We have a large selection, probably the largest in the area,¡± he said and led the way near the back of the shop.


    ¡°Mind you, I had my cloak as a child. I want my next one to become as special to me, if you understand,¡± explained Orion as he walked behind the man.


    ¡°Here,¡± the man stopped and gestured to a long rack. ¡°And the next two are nothing but cloaks. Take your time and get me if you have any questions.¡± The man nodded and walked away to greet another customer who had just entered.


    Orion turned and studied the many black and brown cloaks. He even noticed a handful of white and purple ones as well.


    After what felt like an hour, he finally saw one that came close to what was given him by his father. He slipped it over his head and let it fall over his body and then put the hood up over his head and then he walked over to the full length mirror and studied his reflection with devilish approval.


    He turned and glided back to the front of the store. The clerk looked up from the cash register and smiled. ¡°I see you¡¯ve found what you were looking for? Will that be cash or charge?¡±


    Orion walked past the man without so much as glancing in his direction; he continued toward the door and didn¡¯t stop until he reached it.


    ¡°Hey, Man, you gonna pay for that or what?¡± the clerk asked as he placed his hand beneath the counter where he found his gun.


    Orion turned his head and looked at the man and grinned. ¡°I had no intention on it, no. And don¡¯t even waste that bullet, Son,¡± he said and then opened the door and took one step outside.


    The clerk pulled out the gun and pulled the trigger once he pointed it at Orion, who merely turned with speed the clerk had never seen before, and lifted his hand and caught the bullet just before it hit him in the chest. Orion smiled and squeezed the bullet until it was nothing but powder and then wiped that powder off onto his new cloak.


    ¡°Here comes the part I love the most,¡± Orion said and then lifted his arms into the air and then brought them down, and when he did so, the entire ceiling caved in. Orion stepped back and, with his mind, continued leveling the building until there was nothing left for anyone to call it a building. Every wall had collapsed. Even the structure itself didn¡¯t stop collapsing when it hit the floor; it continued falling until it was beyond the basement by at least five feet.


    Orion stood and watched his miracle and laughed out loud. It wasn¡¯t until he heard the sirens that he decided on fleeing the scene.

 Chapter 30

    Chapter Thirty


    She found herself walking around in the same jungle and still, she didn¡¯t understand why she was having this dream. Was it a dream of things to come, or was it a memory of the past? Whatever the case may be, she had to find out soon because she was about to be born and she could now feel it.


    Perhaps if Mykella walked far and long enough, maybe she would find the source of the dreams. Maybe she wouldn¡¯t have to ask Vince again why she was having these dreams.


    There were beginning to be too many questions that she wanted answered before she was born. The crucifixion of Jesus, she could understand. But why was she damned to walk these jungles for eternity?


    The dreams always begin the same: She finds herself standing at the bank of a creek. She usually drops down onto her bare knees with tears in her eyes and digs her fists into the wet sand and looks up into the sky above the trees and watches the birds fly from treetop to treetop.


    Then she stands and begins walking deeper into the jungle. Soon after, silence befalls her. And it is this silence that frightens her; why, she doesn¡¯t know. She begins running without knowing where she is running to.


    Every now and then, she would trip over an uprooted branch and fall onto her hands and knees. The times she does not fall, she runs deeper into the jungle, never expecting an answer to why she is here.


    And when she gets too frightened, then, and only then, she brings Vince into her dreams and he seems to be the only one who calms her down.


    In fact, she had recently left him in this same jungle as he held her as tight as he could. It was Vince who had explained to her that her flesh was more pale and softer. When she looked down at her reflection in the creek, she saw, too, that her hair had dulled and that she could no longer see her fingernails.


    Am I to be born that soon? I don¡¯t think I ¨C


    She glanced up from the creek and was taken aback when she was greeted not by Vince, but humankind¡¯s nemesis. Mykella stood up as fast as she could and felt her heart racing in the next instant.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    He walked past her but she could not see him as he hid beneath a cloak. He was silent as he walked over to her and then placed his feet into the water and walked around the frightened young Dream Crusader.


    This isn¡¯t the way it¡¯s supposed to be. He can¡¯t be here; I¡¯m not even alive yet.


    ¡°So,¡± he hissed as he stopped behind her and reached up and grabbed a low-lying branch and hung his weight against the tree. ¡°I believe an introduction is in order, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Mykella shook her head as tremors raced through her body.


    ¡°You will address me as King Orion,¡± he began and bowed his hooded head. He could already sense her protest. ¡°Oh yes. I am a King. Rightful heir to both King Darvon and Queen Nanaac. You choose.¡±


    She could almost feel the beast smiling at her and it disgusted her. ¡°Why are you here?¡± she found herself asking, and was excited that she did so.


    ¡°Come now; is that any way to talk to your elders?¡± Orion stepped closer to her and he could smell her soul and it delighted him. ¡°I came to see you. I was curious to know you and what I have in store for me in the future, so to speak.¡±


    She tried to picture Vince in her mind but Orion placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. ¡°No, it won¡¯t work. For one, I¡¯m here with you and I will not allow Vincent to come to your aid. Secondly, he¡¯s awake now.¡± He grabbed her other shoulder and turned her around so that he could see into her frightened eyes. ¡°Yes, my Love. I am stronger than you. In a fortnight you shall bear witness to a new reign in a new kingdom. Unfortunately you will not be old enough to remember it as a babe.¡± He looked around the wilderness she had come to know. ¡°This is why I gave you these dreams. As an unborn child, I wanted you to know what will befall humanity. You will be born into a world I created.¡±


    She shook her head as tears fell from her eyes and she watched in silence as he pulled back his hood. He looked like Ordinary Man; there was nothing terrifying about him, actually. His darkened skin and dark eyes.


    ¡°What you see is my temporary self. I had to borrow this body once I unearthed the key to the Forbidden Realms. But once I have the Tree of Knowledge, I shall have my old form back.¡± He leaned closer; she could smell dirt on his breath. He bent down and brought his lips to hers and kissed her.


    There was no fear in that brief exchange and when she opened her eyes, she was alone in the wilderness of her pain. There may not have been fear in his kiss, but there was a familiarity. She couldn¡¯t put her finger on it yet.

 Chapter 31

    Chapter Thirty-One


    Vince drove straight through the night; which he swore he would never do again on two hours of restless sleep. He saw the exit to Chicago and blessed the sign when his dreary eyes saw it.


    He really didn¡¯t know how long he would stay, perhaps a day or two. From then, he would say bitter farewells and head on to Ireland to meet humanity¡¯s fate.


    Instead of going right over to Krieger¡¯s house, he decided on checking in at a motel to get some rest and a shower. There was no way he was going to meet his team looking like he just got run over by a train.


    He got a room at a nearby motel and lay down almost as soon as he shut the door. As his head hit the pillow, he let his mind run over ¡°his team.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure if he would trust his life to Karl.


    They had known each other for a long time, but since the recent turn of events, he felt a lot of hostility coming from Karl.


    And then there was Chris. Her bipolar personality was something he could live without, but he knew for a fact that she would give him her every effort. He knew that she still loved him, even after he told her the feeling was not reciprocated.


    He wasn¡¯t too sure about Krieger. The man believed in Orion and the Dreamkillers long before anyone else, except Rick Hopman. Did this make him a better companion, or does this make him just as bizarre as Chris with her personality?


    Mykella and his mother would most definitely be there for the final fight, but he also knew that Mykella would not be able to do anything until she was much older. He wasn¡¯t sure what kind of damage his mother could do, although he knew her inevitable outcome as well.


    Where does that ultimately leave Vincent Hopman?


    Just as his eyes closed, he had completely forgotten to include Beth and Eric; the Dreamkillers bent on fighting Orion, their father. There was no way he was going to trust them. The Dreamkillers caused too much death and destruction in the past. He knew God preached forgiving your enemies, but Vince wasn¡¯t ready yet to forgive the monsters that killed his reality.


    It was the Dreamkillers that twisted his fathers mind, forcing him to write the damned book about Orion. No one believed it, causing ridicule his entire life. If the Dreamkillers never existed, he may have had a normal life.


    However, if the Dreamkillers never existed, then perhaps he may never have existed as well. He never knew his mother and father, so who¡¯s to say the marriage wasn¡¯t during difficult times? Did his father ever hear the tale of the Dreamkillers?


    He opened his eyes and saw two figures sitting in chairs by the window. They were watching him, he knew. He sat up as fast as he could and then stood up. He was about to grab the phone and call the police, but one of the figures raised their hand and the phone was ripped from the wall and flew across the room.


    Vince could feel his heart pounding as he stared at the silhouetted figure. He lowered his eyes. ¡°Beth?¡±


    The figure stood up and he saw it nod and cross the room toward him. The other figure took the hint and stood as well. ¡°Don¡¯t be frightened,¡± came a soft voice.


    Vince nodded and sat back on the bed, yet he did not remove his eyes from them approaching him. ¡°I talked to Professor Krieger,¡± he began and the shapes began to become distinguishable.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    She approached him and he put up his defenses when he saw her naked body. She looked human with a ghostly hue about her. Her hair was blonde and her eyes were bright red. There was something devastatingly beautiful and terrifying about her at the same time. And then he realized that he had seen her when she was alive; the cashier at the diner in Pigeon Forge.


    ¡°We weren¡¯t always like this, you know,¡± Beth whispered and came to Vince and sat down next to him.


    Eric would probably never receive a ghastly appearance; he merely looked dead. There was nothing terrifying about him; except maybe his dark eyes.


    ¡°What happened?¡± was all Vince could think of asking. He could have asked a hundred different questions, those of which included Orion, but all he settled on was what happened.


    ¡°I began looking too human. That¡¯s all I can tell you. That¡¯s probably why Father hates me so much,¡± she replied and then gave forth a devious smile and shook her head. ¡°We¡¯re here to help you any way we can, Vincent,¡±


    ¡°During your transformation. It just doesn¡¯t make sense that all the other Dreamkillers are evil, but now, all of a sudden, you¡¯re good. Explain this to me,¡± Vince replied and kept his gaze on her red eyes.


    ¡°When it came to us, we were made out of regret and sorrow,¡± said Eric when he saw his sister look up at him.


    Vince shook his head. ¡°I doubt there was any regret or sorrow coming from Orion. There¡¯s nothing that man¡¯s done that he regrets.¡±


    ¡°Not his sorrow; our sorrow,¡± replied Beth and Vince gave her a confused expression. ¡°When we were made, he used our fears and turned them against us. At the exact moment our souls gave in to the torment, we regretted what we let happen. But it was too late; Orion had us.¡±


    Vince stood up. He wasn¡¯t feeling too good about this conversation; it still felt like something wasn¡¯t right, that they were holding something back.


    ¡°No,¡± she shook her head. ¡°There is nothing we will hide. We will fight for you, by your side or otherwise.¡±


    ¡°It just doesn¡¯t make sense,¡± Vince began. ¡°Why now? Why you, me? What makes you so damned sure you can help fight Orion, the Master Dreamkiller?¡±


    Eric walked closer to Vince and stopped when they were mere inches from the other. ¡°Have you ever heard the tale of the Oracles?¡±


    Vince dug deep into his memory and could not solidify anything concerning Oracles. He knew of Oracles, but these were merely fictitious characters in Mythological stories. Surely Eric is not suggesting that they are of the same myths he read when he was younger.


    ¡°I believe your father may have suggested them, briefly that is, in his book. Or perhaps not, even I don¡¯t have their powers of perception,¡± Eric replied.


    ¡°What the hell are you getting at?¡±


    ¡°Perception, Vincent. Everything that is, is perceived on how we react to the moment. You, for instance, are frightened of us and cannot forgive the race of Dreamkillers for tainting your past. Therefore, you perceive us as evil without giving us the chance.¡±


    Vince nodded his head in guilt. How many times had he heard as a child, ¡°you can¡¯t judge a book by its cover?¡±  ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I,¡± he began but Beth raised her hand to silence him.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is that Father is getting closer to the Forbidden Realms and everyone should be prepared for the battle,¡± she cautioned.


    ¡°All right, now answer me this: You do know what the outcome of the prophecy is? About how Orion¡¯s supposed to get in? I¡¯m the one who has to take him there, so, yeah, I know he¡¯s getting closer,¡± he began and the two siblings gave him a sympathetic expression. They did, in fact, acknowledge that they knew the outcome to the story. ¡°Now, it seems as if you have gone off the trail of the Oracles,¡± he said.


    ¡°The Tale of the Oracles,¡± Beth whispered and sat back down on the bed. ¡°You might want to make sure you have enough time to sleep for this, it may take awhile,¡± she said and Vince nodded.


    This is going to be interesting, he thought and took a seat opposite the Dreamkiller.

 Chapter 32

    Chapter Thirty-Two


    ¡°Since the beginning of Time there had always been four Oracles, those who had been chosen by God himself to guard all Time. They were granted infinite power. But what happens when one of them wants even more power? That is what happened thousands of years into Time.


    ¡°Ilias, who had been one of the Lord¡¯s angels before granted the title of Time Controller, didn¡¯t like where Time was heading. He knew what was to become, what wars would be fought, and so forth.


    ¡°He took it upon himself to use mortal dreams to travel within Time. By using the Time Circuits and people¡¯s dreams, he found that he could live forever. There had come a time when Ilias had forgotten just how powerful he was and that he was, in fact, immortal. He must have known that God was angered by his acts and that must have been the reason he sought immortality.


    ¡°It was the other Oracles who had challenged Ilias, not God. They were so immersed by the notion that Ilias and the dream net could become useful. They confronted him on the issue and that was when Ilias revolted and segregated himself from the others. He fled the Time Circuit Chamber where God had placed them and was never seen again by the three others.


    ¡°There being four seasons, there needed to be four Oracles. God replaced the rebellious one quite quickly as if nothing had happened at all.


    ¡°And that was what infuriated Ilias. God acted as if nothing had happened; as if Ilias had never happened!


    ¡°Ilias came up with the perfect plan to strike back at God. He met a young child tending to his garden one afternoon and struck up a conversation with him. He liked the boy a great deal.


    ¡°He told the boy that he would give him powers unimaginable. He would be able to travel within people¡¯s dreams. He would be able to convert others to do the same. He would be able to convert those chosen to become his army. And with that army, he will have the power and strength to take over the world.


    ¡°Ilias explained to the young child that, in time, he will become the first Dream Crusader and have many battles.


    ¡°What young boy wouldn¡¯t want to fight like his father in the King¡¯s army? Of course the boy accepted the gifts which Ilias had proffered.


    ¡°Being controllers of the Time Circuit, the other Oracles were deeply concerned with the boy. They came to the realization that he had been given gifts beyond mortal abilities and knew that it must have been either Ilias or Satan himself who had given them.


    ¡°They took it upon themselves to keep watch over the young boy who, as he was growing to adulthood, had named himself Fear. Once they had witnessed what the boy had done to his father, the boy changed his name to Orion.


    ¡°They came to the Dream Crusader one night in his own dreams and invited him to visit them in the Time Chamber. They had promised endless use of its power of Time-seeing. And like the first gift, he could not pass up this offer as well.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°The Oracles knew that they would have a better chance of watching this person if he were on their territory. It was their intention to lure Orion to use his powers to do good. Perhaps they wouldn¡¯t have to be too concerned about the Forbidden Realms being tainted; because they knew it would happen.


    ¡°Unfortunately for them, Orion began misusing the Time Circuits and he began to become like Ilias. They tried many times to lock the door to the chamber, but Orion continued to force his way in and eventually created an antechamber where he could remain if he wished, almost as if torturing the Oracles.


    ¡°There came a time when they realized that Orion could not be the one to spread good into people, as they had hoped for him. They stepped aside, fearing that he was given powers of the immortals, and let him have his way with the Time Chamber.


    ¡°They continue to control the Circuit, but they keep a close watch on Orion.


    ¡°Then comes us. When Orion made Eric and me, the Oracles came to us the moment Father left us alone. They believed that, being newly born unto Orion, that we would be able to save Orion¡¯s soul and coax him to listen to them.


    ¡°It might have been easier had he not found the key to the Forbidden Realms, because when we tried to reason with him, he showed them his new powers of the divine. He leveled the chamber with just his mind.


    Yes, the Oracles are still in charge of Time, and always will be, but they fear tainted blood eating from the Tree of knowledge. What would happen?¡±


    Here Beth ended her tale and let Vince absorb all that had been said.


    He sat quietly for a moment and finally nodded. He stood up and walked over to the window and looked out into his night world. It felt strange to have all this conversation and it still being his dream. He glanced back at them. ¡°With this information, how do you think you can help fight Orion?¡±


    It was Eric who had approached Vince and he placed a hand up on Vince¡¯s shoulder. Eric could feel Vince tighten from the uneasiness and he gently squeezed his shoulder. ¡°You do know that I could turn this shoulder into dust if I squeeze harder?¡± Vince looked into the Dreamkillers eyes, the anger returning to him, and he nodded. ¡°And you will now understand that I will never do that. Mykella Brown will become a new Light and you are the Light¡¯s Protector. We will never hurt you,¡± he said and slowly felt Vince¡¯s muscles relax.


    ¡°The truth is, Vincent, we don¡¯t really know if we can help. Prophecy and Time both suggest that Orion will enter Eden. What we are offering is to become your protectors. Perhaps we can, after all, win back Orion¡¯s clean soul. Who knows?¡± he explained in a sympathetic voice.


    ¡°Go now,¡± Beth said as she stood up. ¡°You need to get to Samantha. She is still safe, but I fear Father is up to something again.¡±


    ¡°What more can the Bastard do?¡± asked Vince behind a sarcasm that brought a smile to her reddened lips.


    ¡°Tell your Professor that you have met us and that we will be ready when war breaks out,¡± said Eric and Beth walked up next to her brother.


    ¡°I will. And,¡± Vince nodded and looked them both in their eyes individually. ¡°I am sorry that I didn¡¯t trust you.¡±


    ¡°Trust us?¡± It was Beth¡¯s turn to be sarcastic. ¡°I am still a ruthless killer ¨C I killed a dozen people before tonight. I don¡¯t care for those I slaughter and writhe in their blood. It¡¯s you and Mykella I care about. Maybe if Orion is out of the picture, there will be a better place for my kind. But, then again, maybe his way is better.¡±

 Chapter 33

    Chapter Thirty-Three


    He pulled his car up to the house, not bothering to park in the driveway, and after he turned off the engine, sat there in silence. He was thinking about what to tell his comrades about the tale he had just heard. Would it matter to Krieger, to Chris, or even to Karl how Orion had obtained the power of dream travel?


    If his father were still alive, he would want to know. But do they need to know? Would it change anything in the war? He doubted it.


    Mykella, young innocent Mykella Brown, on the other hand would need to know. Just as soon as he meets her again he shall tell her the tale. For her, that bit of information might be useful in her struggle to regain mankind ¨C if that is what her prophecy foretells.


    Vince gave a deep sigh and opened the door. He stepped out, closed the door, and headed up the walkway that led to Cape Cod.


    Before he could ball his hand into a fist to knock on the door, it was opened by someone and he soon found himself looking into the smiling face of Chris as she tried with all her might not to throw herself at him. But will power failed and she opened her arms and wrapped them around his neck and gave him the tightest embrace he had ever known her to give.


    ¡°Are you okay? Professor Krieger told us that you were coming. You¡¯re not hurt, are you?¡± All this had been said in one breath and with such speed that he found it all one long word.


    Vince tried to smile but it wouldn¡¯t come. ¡°Is everyone here?¡± he asked as he looked over her shoulder.


    She felt hurt by his introduction. He didn¡¯t ask if she was all right or even said ¡®hello¡¯ for that matter. ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re in the kitchen,¡± she said and let him out of her embrace and turned to walk away.


    He had just now seen what his introduction had done to her and took her hand as she made a step toward the hallway. ¡°Hey, how are you holding up?¡±


    This seemed to have done the trick. In those few words, her spirits lifted and she looked back at him with a smile. ¡°There¡¯s a lot to talk about. Are you hungry?¡±


    He followed her through the hallway, only to stop once to catch his image in an oval mirror which hung on the wall. There was an alien look in his eyes he had never known before: Fear. He knew now, as he reflected on the bloodied cross he had briefly touched, that even Jesus Christ had feared death. Vince knew what he must do in order to end the war, but he was terrified beyond comprehension. He knew that his friends would not notice the fear reflected in his eyes.


    They came into the kitchen and the conversation had died once Krieger noticed Vince and he stood and extended his hand. ¡°Are you doing all right?¡±


    Vince shrugged. He walked past his professor without taking his hand and took a seat opposite Karl yet kept his attention on Chris, who had seated herself at his right. ¡°I met Beth and Eric last night,¡± he began and Krieger raised his eyebrows.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Vince studied the older man who seemed surprised by this. He had not known Krieger to be a mysterious man. ¡°Why are you so surprised? I wanted to meet them, remember?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Krieger replied with a nod. ¡°But, it seems that before they met you, they told me they would not meet you until you arrive here.¡±


    ¡°I got into town yesterday morning. I needed some rest, so I got a motel room for the day.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so you met ¡®em. So what?¡± Karl blurted out behind sarcasm and felt Chris kick his leg from beneath the table. She threw him an icy glare when he looked at her. ¡°No, Chris,¡± he sat up and leaned onto the table. ¡°This is one time I will not sit back like an obedient dog.¡±The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Vince leaned forward as well with an emotionless expression. ¡°What¡¯s your jive, Karl? Ever since this entire thing came about, you¡¯ve been a complete shit to me. Why?¡±


    ¡°My jive, Vince? Ever since this Mykella girl has been in your dreams and after you tell me, I can¡¯t stop thinking about her. I thought this whole thing was totally bogus, something you made up. Then she comes into my dream.¡±


    Vince, Krieger, and Chris all glanced down at the table. They were either embarrassed or embarrassed for him. They would not look into his face.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m in love with her, Man. That¡¯s my jive. And you tell me that she¡¯s supposed to be some Super-warrior. No, I won¡¯t see her die.¡±


    Now Vince looked up with a sympathetic smile. ¡°Hey, I love her too. I don¡¯t even know what her fate is to be. I¡¯ll do everything I can to see to it that she lives, and that¡¯s why I¡¯ve chosen you guys to help me. You are the only ones I trust that will protect Mykella as long as you can.¡± He looked around the table. ¡°We¡¯re no longer her protectors; we are her Watchers from now on.¡±


    Each one had their own idea of what it would be like to be a Watcher. Karl pictured himself as an old man keeping in loose contact with Mykella only when danger comes too close. Krieger knew that he would have to be in charge of watching the prophecies as closely as he could. He would have to watch his new family. To Chris, it really didn¡¯t matter who she was watching, just as long as she was watching Vince at the same time.


    Vince looked around the table, feeling almost like Frodo. What an odd band of fellowship members. Didn¡¯t matter; he trusted them.


    He chose to tell the Tale of the Oracles to them, in a condensed version, and once it had ended, ¡°They hope to win Orion¡¯s soul back to good.¡±


    Krieger sat back and pondered all that he had heard. ¡°It¡¯s a risky move, but it could work. There¡¯s no way you or I could do it, but maybe his own kind.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Vince formed a thought in his head. ¡°Do you have a copy of my Dad¡¯s book?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Krieger nodded, stood, and exited the room, only to return in under a minute. ¡°What do you want from it?¡± he asked and handed it to Vince.


    Vince began thumbing through the middle section. ¡°Here,¡± he almost shouted. ¡°My mother actually freed Alexius¡¯ soul. There could be a possibility that it can be done by us.¡± He scanned the passages referring to the time Tracy and Rick met and turned Alexius. ¡°It says that my mother found Alexius¡¯ weakness and used it against him, thereby rendering him full of guilt.¡± Then it hit him. ¡°That¡¯s why Beth and Eric despise Orion. They were full of guilt just before turning.¡±


    ¡°Now they¡¯re full of rage,¡± Karl grinned as he looked up from his thoughts. ¡°They¡¯re really pissed at Orion.¡±


    ¡°That is to our advantage,¡± Vince said.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± mused Chris. ¡°But, what happens if Orion can turn that rage on us? What if his conversion isn¡¯t as complete as he would have liked, but then it happens? That¡¯d be three of them against us.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Orion has any more patience for them,¡± said Krieger with a smile.


    ¡°They thought that he was up to something, but didn¡¯t know what.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Krieger stood and stretched his back. ¡°I can hardly wait to meet this Orion. In the meantime, I¡¯m getting some more coffee.¡±


    ¡°Are we all meeting tonight?¡± Chris asked as she looked up at Krieger, who looked at Vince.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Krieger said. ¡°It all depends on how long you¡¯re staying.¡±


    Vince sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely be here tonight. So, yeah, I guess we¡¯ll all meet tonight,¡± he said and stood as well. ¡°Besides, we need to get a battle plan set up.¡±


    Everyone agreed. Krieger went about making his coffee. Chris and Karl said their farewells and left Vince to himself.


    It was time, he thought and left the room. He found the back bedroom and gently knocked on the door before entering. His heart sank as he saw the woman sleeping silently in her bed.


    What dreams was she having, he wondered. Was she dreaming about Mykella?


    He quietly slid into the darkened room and sat at the foot of the bed, watching Samantha as she slept, like he had done that night when he realized what he must do. He watched her as Orion was watching him, waiting for Vince to take him to the Forbidden Realms.


    He saw her hands twitching from beneath the cover. He saw her head give tiny jolts. Whatever she was dreaming, it couldn¡¯t have been good. Vince reached out and barely touched her shoulder and then her eyes snapped open.


    She sat up, stifling a scream, and looked into his face.


    He was petrified at this moment. He would be horrified if she did not remember him, but he knew, realistically, that she probably wouldn¡¯t.


    She stared at him for a long moment and then tears ran down her face. ¡°Vince,¡± she let out a sigh and fell into his awaiting arms.

 Chapter 34

    Chapter Thirty-Four


    ¡°Can you remember what you were dreaming about?¡±


    Samantha looked up into Vince¡¯s face once the tears dried from her eyes. At first, he thought she wasn¡¯t going to be able to tell him. Then, she turned and looked over at the gray lamp sitting on the dresser. ¡°All I can remember is trees. Cold water.¡±


    His heart was breaking but he nodded. ¡°I understand,¡± he said and grinned at her. So, Mykella was trying to contact her, he thought.


    But that wasn¡¯t all she could remember, thus she continued, ¡°A young girl.¡± She closed her eyes. ¡°Reddish hair. And someone else walking around her. Dark person, I think wearing a robe,¡± she said.


    A chill ran down his spine. ¡°Could it have been a cloak?¡± He was afraid of the answer and when she looked back at him, she nodded an affirmative, which put Vince over the edge.


    He stood up so fast that it frightened her. When he reached the door, he turned and looked back at her. ¡°I¡¯ll be back,¡± he said and then disappeared through the door.


    Krieger turned off the television and looked up at Vince behind a confused expression. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Vince had explained the dream to Krieger as soon as he met the man in the living room sitting on the couch drinking his coffee. ¡°I¡¯m positive. You said it yourself; she doesn¡¯t have the mental ability to make things up like that.¡±


    ¡°Do you realize what this could mean?¡± Krieger replied and stood up just as fast as Vince had done off Samantha¡¯s bed.


    Vince walked over to the large bay window and watched the traffic pass the house. ¡°I have my fears, yes. But, what does it mean to Mykella? Why hasn¡¯t she told me?¡±


    Krieger reached down and picked up his coffee cup. ¡°Has it ever occurred to you that, maybe, you haven¡¯t been asleep after her encounter with Orion?¡± He took a sip from his cup. ¡°But, as it is, I think he¡¯s just trying to frighten her, make her weak.¡±


    ¡°It just doesn¡¯t make sense to me. Why go through all the trouble with connecting to her dreams? I mean, right now, she¡¯s an unborn child. What could he gain?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t see it yet, do you?¡± Krieger asked in awe.


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s gaining everything.¡±


    Vince gave the Professor an inquisitive expression.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°He has proved to Mykella that he can enter her dreams whenever he wants to. With that embedded in her mind forever, she is more likely to become afraid of him sooner.¡±


    Vince shook his head and went over to the couch and sat down. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand it. I know he¡¯s making the rules, but he could at least give us a clue as to what his rules are.¡±


    Krieger smiled and took a seat next to Vince. ¡°Well, Son, I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to get that lucky,¡± he said and placed his cup down on the table. ¡°Tell me more about the Oracles and how Orion got the gift.¡±


    ¡°You want me to repeat it? I don¡¯t know how it can be of help.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll help or not. But right now, I need something to hear that¡¯ll help me think of a plan.¡±


    Vince smiled at the other man. ¡°You can do that? Hear one thing and think of another at the same time?¡±


    Krieger sighed and locked his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. ¡°How do you think I get through my lectures? Sometimes you kids ramble on blowing fluff up my ass all day long. I need something else to think about, otherwise I¡¯d go crazy.¡±


    Vince laughed and almost fell off the couch. ¡°All right,¡± he agreed and began telling the tale of Ilias and the Oracles once again.


    When the tale was completed a second time, Heather entered the room escorting Samantha to a chair. ¡°She¡¯s not feeling too good right now. I told her to sit and rest,¡± explained Heather and helped Samantha into the chair and then glared at Vince and her husband. ¡°If either of you upset her, you¡¯ll have me to answer to,¡± she said and then exited the room after giving Samantha a reassuring smile.


    Almost at once, Samantha turned and faced them. ¡°When¡¯s my baby due?¡±


    Krieger turned and looked at Vince, who looked at him in return. Vince didn¡¯t actually know the due date; he wasn¡¯t there when she went to the doctor and she had never told him. ¡°Very soon,¡± was all he could think of saying. It wasn¡¯t a lie. It would be very soon before Mykella enters the horrible world.


    ¡°Are you going to be there?¡± She was looking at Vince now.


    There were a million things he wanted to say to her, but he knew she shouldn¡¯t know the things he knew. Besides, he didn¡¯t think she would remember anything he told her anyway. He really did want to be there with her when he got his first glimpse of humanity¡¯s warrior. But he knew deep down that that may not happen. He may still be in Ireland. Or, he may be ¨C


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be there for you,¡± he said behind that large rock in his throat.


    Krieger looked at him and felt sorry for him, for he knew, too, the struggle Vince was facing. He never understood the depth with which Vince¡¯s feelings went. He and Samantha knew each other their entire lives; he offered up his undying love to her, Mykella entered his world, and then the plane crash that took her mind away from everything they had worked upon. He didn¡¯t know how deep his feelings went in regards to Samantha and Mykella and his part in the Great War.


    Perhaps if he had known how deep the emotions ran, Krieger would jump ship. Vince had vowed to take his part of the war to his death. If his friends were by his side, the end won¡¯t be as painful to endure, but to face it alone ¨C he would do it if God demanded it.


    ¡°Will you,¡± she began. They knew she was about to say something uncomfortable to her. ¡°Will you take care of Mykella for me?¡±


    This he had not expected. ¡°I¡¯ll be with you, taking care of her.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she shook her head with tears in her eyes. ¡°Does it look like I can raise a child? I can¡¯t even remember my damned name some days. Is that a way to bring up a child? She needs someone to watch over her, to teach her how to survive.¡±


    They stared at her for a while. How much does she really know? Was this just all coincidence?


    Vince could think of nothing to say, except, ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll watch over her. I¡¯ve already promised her.¡±

 Chapter 35

    Chapter Thirty-Five


    When he left her, Orion felt a jubilant fervor he hadn¡¯t felt in a long time; perhaps even before encountering Tracy Kingston and Rick Hopman. He was satisfied when he left Mykella standing alone in the hell he had created for her.


    She would, in time, come to understand these dreams and why she was placed in this realm. But, for now, he was beyond satisfied.


    In fact, he was so satisfied that Orion had decided to attempt to make more Dreamkillers. This time, he would do it right. This time, he would use hatred instead of fear. He made a mistake when making Beth and Eric; he used visions of total control to turn them, which created pleasant pictures in his own mind. Not this time.


    No.


    Pure hatred. Blackness. These are what he started with such a long time ago. These are what he will use now. And when he meets Vincent Hopman again, there will be no one to stop him from taking out the little pawn this time.


    *                          *                            *


    Krieger made up the basement for Vince to sleep in for as long as he needed. Vince planned for only that night, and then heading out to Maine first thing in the morning.


    It would take him about three days to get there, he figured, and he planned on driving a day and a half ¨C if he could ¨C without stopping at a motel.


    Vince thanked his professor for his hospitality and opened the sofa bed up once Krieger went upstairs. He sat down and the weight of the world came crashing down on him and he put his face in his hands and wept.


    He wasn¡¯t sure how long he had wept, but some time later he settled down and laid his body under the blanket and closed his eyes.


    Vince expected to be walking along the familiar stream, but he was mistaken when he found himself amongst his friends in the living room.


    He seemed disappointed at first and then he witnessed the form of Mykella appear, ghost-like, in the far corner of the room.


    Chris was the first to approach the frightened newcomer, as she backed herself further into the corner. ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± Chris said with her hands up. ¡°We¡¯re here to help you.¡±


    After what she had seen last night, Mykella wasn¡¯t so sure of that. She looked around and her eyes found Vince and she seemed to relax when she saw his smile. She ran past Chris and embraced him. ¡°Oh, God,¡± she almost collapsed before reaching his warm arms.


    ¡°I know. I know what happened,¡± he whispered in her ear, which only seemed to make her weep even harder. ¡°I won¡¯t let him hurt you.¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    She looked up into his caring eyes. ¡°You can¡¯t promise that. He came into my dreams,¡± she replied behind a sorrowful smile. ¡°Vince, he tells me he won¡¯t let you in anymore. If he can reject your entrance, you can¡¯t promise me that you won¡¯t let him hurt me.¡±


    This was something new. All right, so he may not know what was said between the two of them. ¡°Hey, I made a promise to your mother that I would watch over you. She made me promise it. I will die for you if I must.¡±


    ¡°Stop saying that,¡± she cried out. ¡°You keep saying that. I¡¯m nobody. He¡¯s right; he¡¯s stronger than I am. He will win if I try to fight him,¡± she paused and buried her face in his chest. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die.¡±


    ¡°You see these people?¡±


    Mykella turned and looked at them as they watched her and Vince. She nodded.


    ¡°Professor Krieger, Karl, and Chris. The four of us are going to make sure you don¡¯t die. We are your Watchers now.¡±


    Krieger walked up to the frightened Mykella and bowed his head. ¡°It will be an honor, not an obligation, to watch over you.¡± He reached out and gently grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips.


    Chris walked over to them and took the same hand and shook it. ¡°I don¡¯t understand the full scope of what the hell¡¯s going on, but, if Vince believes what he says, then I believe him.¡± Like Krieger, she bowed her head as well.


    Karl stayed back for a while, watching everything that was being exchanged. He was looking at the girl in a different light than he remembered that night when she pleaded with him to have sex with her. There was almost an angelic glow surrounding Mykella. He hated himself for being the Doubting Thomas. He sprinted over to them, took Mykella¡¯s hand, and dropped down on one knee. ¡°You have my life,¡± he said, head bowed in fear of looking into her beautiful green eyes.


    This act of chivalry sent chills down Vince¡¯s neck. He had never seen his friend this way. He didn¡¯t have too long to ponder this over in his head.


    The front door opened and they turned and saw Beth and Eric come running into the room. Vince glanced down and noticed that Mykella wasn¡¯t frightened of them. ¡°He¡¯s coming.¡±


    Vince noticed that Beth was wearing jeans and an oversized flannel shirt.


    ¡°I see you¡¯ve decided on clothing for tonight¡¯s rendezvous,¡± Vince said as he looked at Beth.


    ¡°Just something I picked up from last nights¡¯ encounter with a stranger,¡± she said and saw that he had looked away, obviously appalled by where she went shopping.


    Karl stood up and put himself between Mykella and the Dreamkillers. He extended his right arm and out of nothing, a long sword appeared, glistening in the light.


    As if that were their cue, both Vince and Chris did the same and, like Karl¡¯s, swords appeared in their waiting hands as well. This was just a dream, Vince reminded himself. Anything can happen.


    All eyes were watching the door. Everyone made a tight circle around Mykella, making it impossible for anyone to get to her.


    And then they heard the heavy footfalls of something coming their way.


    No one in the room had ever placed eyes on any Dreamkiller before now, and the shock at what came clawing its way through the front door, sickened most in the room. It was a four-legged creature which resembled a dog, but the flesh it had was yellow-green and dripping with pus and other bodily fluids. Its front teeth were jutting out its mouth. Its red eyes weren¡¯t focused on any one person, just total destruction.


    Followed close behind it were three more grotesque Dreamkillers, one of which held a long chain which was wrapped around the dog-like creature¡¯s neck. They didn¡¯t seem to be in any hurry. They were merely awaiting their orders as they watched their enemies.

 Chapter 36

    Chapter Thirty-Six


    The four-legged Dreamkiller had been doing its rendition of barking for a while before the Cloaked One entered the room. And when he entered, everything became silent. Orion looked at each one in turn, only to fall upon Mykella last.


    ¡°I see you have found a way to get to them anyway,¡± he said and gave forth a small chuckle.


    ¡°We won¡¯t let you kill her,¡± Vince called out as he moved closer to Mykella.


    ¡°Kill her?¡± Orion laughed. ¡°My Boy, I don¡¯t care about her right now.¡± He moved deeper into the room. ¡°It¡¯s you I want.¡±


    Vince stared at the Master Dreamkiller, the first Dream Crusader. ¡°Why?¡±


    Such an odd question, thought Orion. One word that could mean a million things. Why? ¡°With you not in my way, my fight with Miss Brown will be a lot easier,¡± he said and shook his head. ¡°Why else did you think I wanted to kill you?¡±


    ¡°Because of my father and mother.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Orion nodded and thought this over. ¡°Tracy Kingston. Whatever became of her? Is she in Heaven? I don¡¯t think she¡¯s keeping Allen Corgan company in Hell.¡±


    So, he doesn¡¯t know that Mom¡¯s a Guardian?


    ¡°And Rick Hopman would have died sooner or later ¨C his life was ending fast, was it not?¡±


    Chris and Karl kept a fixed gaze on the Dreamkillers standing beside Orion. They were praying that Beth and Eric were as strong as they looked.


    Krieger grabbed Mykella¡¯s hand for support as he watched the scene unfold.


    ¡°No, they meant nothing to me. I really didn¡¯t care for them way back when.¡± Orion began pacing the floor, keeping his hooded head turned in Vince¡¯s direction at all times. ¡°You see, if I keep you alive, then you will be in my way when my battle takes place. I don¡¯t need any more obstacles.¡±


    ¡°Tell me about the jungle,¡± called Mykella from behind Karl.


    Neither Chris nor Karl understood the question. They haven¡¯t seen any jungle of which she could be speaking.


    ¡°No,¡± said Orion. ¡°You will know what it is when the proper time comes. I gave you those images as a gift.¡±


    ¡°Ilias gave you a similar gift. Didn¡¯t he?¡±


    Orion quickly turned on Beth. ¡°You know nothing of that name. He was a great Oracle. God became jealous of him!¡±


    Beth could feel the heat emanating from Orion. There was too much hatred in his soul to even attempt reclamation. She nodded and fell silent once again.


    ¡°If you must know, Ilias gave me images of Time and Power.¡± Orion turned his attention back to Mykella. ¡°I offer you images of things to come. Not merely Time images, because Time can be changed and altered. But the images will take place. In my future, where I am finally sitting on my throne.¡±


    Karl shook his head and sighed. ¡°You know, if we¡¯re going to bullshit like this the whole time, I¡¯m going to get pretty damned bored. You came for a fight. Let¡¯s get it over with,¡± he said behind a devilish grin.


    ¡°I couldn''t have said it better myself,¡± replied Orion and he glanced at his new Dreamkillers and nodded.


    The Dreamkiller that was holding the ¡°dog¡± at bay let the chain fall from its claw and before anyone heard the clank of it hitting the floor, the four-legged creature was howling toward Chris.


    It leapt into the air and before Chris had time to defend the attack, it used its front legs and pushed her to the floor as it hit her in the chest. She rolled to the side, but the thing jumped onto her back.


    Karl heard one scream as it dug its claws into her flesh, and he went to her aid, kicking the beast in its stomach, barely missing Chris¡¯ head in the process.


    As Orion watched in pleasure, one of the others went after Krieger, but Beth blocked the attack. She reared her fangs, phlegm dripping to the floor, and began clawing at her enemy.


    Eric wasted no time as he went for the last Dreamkiller who had not attacked, but was waiting for orders from its master.


    Orion nodded and the two Dreamkillers locked arms in a struggle to sever the others¡¯ heads.


    Eric seemed to be gaining the upper hand as his clawed hand found the beast¡¯s throat. But as he grabbed for the artery, the beast smiled ¨C or so Eric thought ¨C and Eric¡¯s battle was lost as the Dreamkiller formed a new limb from its side.


    This limb, to Eric¡¯s dismay, was sword-like and dripping with pus. Nevertheless, it was sharp and the Dreamkiller swung up with its new appendage and severed Eric¡¯s arm ¨C the one holding its throat.


    Blood, both red and black, flowed from Eric¡¯s shoulder. He screamed but he did not give up the fight. With his remaining arm, he reached for the weapon, held it steadfast as long as he could, and then retreated.


    He let go and quickly swung himself around to the beast¡¯s back side and wrapped his arm around its neck.


    Vince ran over to their fight, sword held high, but was afraid to strike for fear of killing Eric.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate,¡± screamed Eric. ¡°Don¡¯t think of me. Do it!¡±


    The beast struggled, but in vain as Vince plunged his sword deep into the Dreamkillers chest. As expected, the sword went through both the Dreamkiller and Eric and when he withdrew the blade, they fell to the floor, Eric landing on top of his foe, both dead.


    Orion was outraged as he watched this. He turned his attention back to Chris and Karl as they tried to fend off the ¡°dog.¡±


    It continued to jump at them, trying to sink its claws and teeth in whatever flesh it could grab. Karl¡¯s sword was knocked from his hand and slid across the floor. Orion was ecstatic.


    When he saw it, Vince tossed Karl his own blade and called out to him. It landed in Karl¡¯s open hand and he swung down in the same motion and cut through the creature''s back.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡± Karl asked as he turned Chris around and saw her cut shirt. He noticed three long cuts, but other than that, she had to count herself lucky.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she smiled and embraced him.


    Vince smiled as he watched them and then he heard the snarls and turned his attention to Beth who was standing, guarding Krieger and Mykella. He ran up to them and stood close to Beth. ¡°Do you think you can hold it off for a little? I need to get her out of here before Orion decides to end her life early,¡± he said.


    She turned and looked at him behind a grin. ¡°After what they¡¯ve done to my brother, I could hold the bastard off all night,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Mykella, I need you to take us somewhere. I know you¡¯re not going to like it,¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t leave everyone here,¡± she began to protest.


    Vince shook his head. ¡°We¡¯ll be right back. I¡¯m going to try to get Xan to help us.¡±


    A different look of fear fell over her. She had never told him what really happened that night when she had her little talk with her. She shook her head when the vivid memories came back to her. She could clearly see Xan throwing her across the room, and she had cowered behind a table. ¡°I can¡¯t. Please, Vince, don¡¯t ask me to do this,¡± she begged.


    He had never seen this behavior in her before. He had seen her frightened, but this was a new look altogether. ¡°We¡¯ll be right back, I promise.¡±


    ¡°What are you up to?¡± called Orion as he watched the small group.


    Vince turned to face Krieger. ¡°Tell Karl and Chris that I¡¯m not deserting them. We¡¯ll be back as soon as we can,¡± he said and Krieger nodded. Vince stared at Orion with an emotionless expression. He took hold of Mykella¡¯s hand and gently squeezed.


    Before he knew what was happening, Orion watched the two figures begin to fade from the room. ¡°No!¡± he screamed and glanced at the remaining Dreamkiller. ¡°They¡¯re getting away! Get them before they disintegrate!¡±


    It appeared to Vince that Mykella had gotten the dream surfing down pat. During the sudden gust of wind that would transport them to Xan¡¯s dream, Vince realized that Mykella is the final Dream Crusader and Orion was the first.


    And just as the thought occurred to him, Vince found himself looking at a very strange scene.


    It was his sister¡¯s bedroom; he remembered seeing it when he visited her way back when. It was now ornamented in some type of shrine. Candles burned around the dark room. He saw her kneeling at the foot of her bed praying to some unseen god. Her eyes were open, her lips moving, forming words, but she had not acknowledged their presence yet.


    ¡°Xan?¡±


    ¡°Give me strength, Lord, to endure the pain I¡¯ll have when I am called upon to kill my brother. He knows not what or who I am, so forgive him,¡± she whispered, eyes now closed and her breathing heavy.


    His heart was breaking every moment he watched her. Called upon to kill my brother. Who is her Lord? He was going to be sick if he didn¡¯t have some resolution.


    He reached down and took hold of her shoulder.


    He stumbled onto the floor as she turned on him suddenly with blackened eyes and fangs.


    ¡°What the hell are you?¡± Vince cried out.


    ¡°Does it matter?¡± she asked and then she noticed Mykella, who had taken several steps back the moment she was detected. ¡°Well, well,¡± she smiled and stood up. ¡°We meet again so soon.¡±


    Vince looked up at Mykella and saw the terror in her green eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t hurt me,¡± she whimpered and Xan tossed her head back and laughed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t hurt me,¡± she mocked and looked down at her brother. ¡°See what the world¡¯s coming to? She¡¯s a coward. How can she even think of saving the human race?¡± She laughed again and Vince stood up.


    ¡°How do you know she¡¯s here to save the human race? She could be here to save souls into Heaven, you know,¡± he said and then sighed. ¡°Would yours be ready for her when she comes to get you? She could very well be your savior.¡±


    Xan wasted no time as rage overcame her and she lashed out with her right hand. Four long cuts raced across his face. He reached up and felt the blood but merely shook his head in disappointment.


    ¡°Who were you praying to?¡± he asked. ¡°Who is this Lord?¡±


    Xan shook her head. ¡°No one is allowed to know his name. He appeared to me once in my sleep ¨C he¡¯s so beautiful. All white,¡± she looked as if she were in a drug-induced euphoria.


    ¡°An angel,¡± Mykella said.


    Xan turned to her and sneered. ¡°Once, maybe. He looks as if he may have been clipped at one time. He may have been an angel, but he no longer has wings.¡±


    Vince turned and looked at Mykella in panic. ¡°Ilias,¡± he whispered. Mykella had not heard the tale yet. And now was not a good time to address the issue. He looked back at his sister. ¡°Do you know of Orion?¡±


    She laughed. ¡°I have heard of him. Who hasn¡¯t? He serves my master and always has. As I will eternally serve.¡±


    ¡°Come with us. Let us save you,¡± he implored with his hands out. He didn¡¯t want to let his sister go, he had just met her. ¡°I can¡¯t stand by and let you be brainwashed by Ilias. He had turned on God. He will turn on you, too.¡±


    With a speed too quick to be seen by Vince, she reached out and took hold of his shirt and sent him flying across the room. He hit the wall, putting his elbow through the plaster. He stared at her with her words in his mind: Give me strength to endure the pain I¡¯ll have when I am called upon to kill my brother. She still loves me, he thought. There will be an internal struggle when Ilias calls her.


    ¡°If your soul is not to be saved,¡± he began and walked over to Mykella, trying to block out the pain. ¡°I hope you go straight into hell without mercy. I shall pray for you when you die. You see,¡± he looked at Mykella and smiled. ¡°She is the last Dream Crusader and she is sent by God himself to battle Orion. If God¡¯s intent is not to save the human race, then so be it. He has other plans for her victory then.¡±


    Xan glared at him but turned her head to look at a candle. ¡°Be ready for the second wave, then. Once the order is given, our gluttony will be humanity¡¯s blood,¡± she whispered and waved her hand which caused Vince and Mykella to vanish from her room.


    They weren¡¯t expecting to be pushed out of a dream like that, but when they looked around, they found themselves standing in the familiar jungle.

 Chapter 37

    Chapter Thirty-Seven


    As Orion watched Vince and Mykella vanish from this dream world in disappointment, he pondered his alternatives and came up with one and smiled beneath his hood.


    ¡°Cease!¡± he called to the remaining Dreamkiller, who halted any further advances and turned to look at his master. Orion walked over to them and almost laughed when he saw Chris and Karl lift their swords.


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± Orion said and lifted his hand.


    They had no strength to keep their weapons in their hands. All they could do was watch as their swords flew across the room and hit the wall next to the door.


    ¡°You must understand that there is absolutely no way you could stop me; let alone kill me,¡± said Orion as he addressed his frightened audience. ¡°My powers are beyond your physical definitions.¡± He reached up and then lowered his hood so all could see him. ¡°Are you so prepared to die?¡±


    ¡°For Mykella,¡± said Chris as she glared at Orion. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°And Vincent?¡± Orion said with a smile. ¡°The one who abandoned you? Again?¡±


    Krieger took her hand and felt her shaking. He knew she was battling past feelings of Vince breaking up with her. He had known the two of them to have dated for a while during the school year.


    Orion could see it in her eyes as well. And in those eyes he had glimpsed her past. He saw how, on that rainy afternoon ¨C he wasn¡¯t sure if it was summer; a fan was going and the window was ajar ¨C she and Vince were in a heated argument. They were about the same age as now; so he knew this must have recently happened. He saw Chris¡¯ angered tears as Vince tried to tell her that he didn¡¯t think it ¨C they ¨C would work out. He had plans for his future (he was lying of course; Orion could see it in his eyes as well) and he didn¡¯t think she would be satisfied in their relationship. She had almost begged, but he wouldn¡¯t budge.


    Orion smiled as he looked at Chris. He saw the mental anguish she was now suffering. ¡°He¡¯s left you now as he left you then. Join me and you shall never be alone again,¡± he said and held out his hand.


    Chris stared at the inviting hand and felt Krieger¡¯s grip tighten. She closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them as she looked Orion in the face. ¡°No. He had his reasons, but he¡¯s still my friend,¡± she said then added, ¡°I¡¯ll fight with him and Mykella because we¡¯re fighting extinction.¡±


    ¡°Well put,¡± whispered Krieger.


    He paused and then Orion laughed again. ¡°Doesn¡¯t anybody here realize I can kill you with just the thought?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you realize we don¡¯t care?¡±  Karl asked behind sarcasm.


    As if he did not hear that statement, Orion turned and opened his mind. Silent. He saw a jungle ¨C the jungle. He chuckled and then looked back at them. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me,¡± he said and then began to vanish. ¡°I¡¯ll see you all later.¡± And then he disappeared.


    ¡°Why did you bring us here, Mykella?¡±


    She began walking the same worn path as always. ¡°This is the only home I¡¯ve known for the past few months.¡±


    Vince understood what she meant and nodded as he followed her.


    They walked in silence for a while. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll figure this puzzle out before I¡¯m born?¡± she asked as she glanced behind her.


    ¡°What?¡± he said and looked around. ¡°This place?¡±


    She nodded with a smile. This was the smile he had fallen in love with. He could remember the first time he met her. He knew it was strange at first talking to his friend¡¯s unborn child. But now, it was almost second nature.


    He stopped walking and sat down beside the stream. ¡°I didn¡¯t want the job at first,¡± he said as he looked into the clear water. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    She looked back and went over to him and sat down next to him. ¡°What job?¡±


    ¡°When my mother came to me and told me about this girl who needed to be watched over, that she was to become this spiritual Dream Crusader, I thought she was nuts. I fought her on it. I mean, I wasn¡¯t too sure that it was really my Mom after all. And then I found the sacred book that you helped unscramble. That¡¯s when I understood my place in the world.¡± He looked at her with tears in his eyes. ¡°I hate myself for even doubting you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re only human,¡± she said and smiled.


    ¡°What would happen if Orion enters Eden and there is an angered angel running loose with equal powers?¡±


    She looked at him with a confused expression.


    ¡°The other night, Beth told me the Tale of the Oracles and I think you would find it rather useful,¡± he explained and then began what he had learned and repeated to Krieger and his friends.


    When he concluded his retelling, he didn¡¯t feel any better as he watched her contemplative silence. He wondered what kind of feelings she had toward him now that she knew that he had doubted his mother at the beginning. She told him that he was just human, but what did she really think under all of that politeness?


    She looked at him and smiled warmly at Vince, as if she could read his thoughts. ¡°I probably would have done the same thing,¡± she said.


    It wasn¡¯t enough to lessen the guilt he was feeling. He had just sent his friends into a battle and he didn¡¯t stay around long enough to see if anyone of them survived. How was he to survive in the future world?


    ¡°It¡¯s all right, Vince.¡± She stood up and held out her hand. He looked up into her green eyes and saw Samantha smiling through them. ¡°God has chosen a path for you. It may not be easy, but all of your guilt will be gone soon.¡±


    He stood up and no sooner had they agreed to walk on, a disturbance in the water occurred; it was a whirlpool spiraling heavenward. But as the whirlpool subsided, it was no angel who stood in the stream.


    Vince jumped in front of Mykella as Orion turned and looked upon them with satisfaction. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the end of the world will look like for you, but this is very amusing,¡± he said.


    ¡°I will not let you hurt her!¡± Vince was defenseless, but he felt a power surging through his being nonetheless.


    ¡°How many times do I have to say it?¡± cried Orion. ¡°It¡¯s not her I want, it¡¯s you.¡±


    Mykella closed her eyes and envisioned a dagger into Vince¡¯s hand.


    He looked down and was shocked to see it materialize in his clenched fist.


    ¡°If you hurt him,¡± she called out and threw herself in front of Vince. ¡°I¡¯ll kill myself now.¡±


    Orion stared at her angered face. The prophecy. He was supposed to fight her in the end. ¡°What kind of bluff is this?¡± he asked in a cautioned tone.


    She turned to face Vince. ¡°Forgive me,¡± she whispered and then pushed herself at him. She winced as the blade entered her side, just above the hip bone.


    Orion made no further advances and spoke no further, but he vanished just as suddenly as he had appeared.


    Mykella fell to the ground and Vince caught her. ¡°It was the only way,¡± she said and closed her eyes.


    When Vince looked up, he was being watched by his friends who hovered over him and Mykella. There were gasps and gawks all around and he looked down and saw his bloodied hand lying on her side.


    Tears were running down his face but he knew that she would not die now ¨C the prophecy foretells it, but he couldn¡¯t help feeling the sorrow and guilt. Mykella had made her first sacrifice.


    Mykella opened her eyes and took a deep breath. She looked up into Vince¡¯s face and when she exhaled, she whispered the word, ¡°Go.¡±


    ¡°I love you,¡± he whispered to her and she smiled. He stood up and faced his friends.


    ¡°Karl, Chris,¡± he paused and studied his hands, his bloody hands. ¡°I need you guys to go with me to the gate. It¡¯s the only chance we have to save my mother.¡±


    They had pledged their lives for this mission. Their only response was but a nod in agreement.


    He turned and looked at Krieger. ¡°I¡¯d like you to stay with Mykella for as long as possible.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be an honor.¡± Krieger glanced down and saw Mykella with her eyes closed. He could have sworn he saw a dim light surrounding her as if she were being protected from death by the divine.


    ¡°Well,¡± Vince straightened up and looked at Chris and Karl. ¡°Are we ready to wake up?¡±


    Karl hesitated, a look of concern on his face. ¡°You had months to understand your destiny,¡± he said. Everyone knew what he was trying to say.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right, Karl. You¡¯ll have a day or two until we reach the gate. Then it won¡¯t matter anymore.¡± Vince tried to grin, but he found it impossible to be sarcastic.


    They all looked at Mykella once more, Vince said a silent prayer, and one at a time the three of them woke up.

 Chapter 38

    Chapter Thirty-Eight


    Orion knew his time was finally coming. It had been a long and tiresome search. And now his search has reached its crux. He tried to imagine how he would feel when he crossed the gate into the Forbidden Realms. Would he feel the same as he did when Ilias gave him the powers such a long time ago? Time. It has a new meaning now.


    As he woke the next morning, not sure what Mykella was trying to prove, he wondered if he would ever see his old mentor again. What was Beth trying to get at when she brought up his name? Surely he hasn¡¯t angered his teacher?


    But what if he had? Would Ilias be at the gate ready to bring him down and take away the powers he had grown into?


    That would be absurd.


    It wasn¡¯t that Orion hated God. All he wanted was to control what God had created; give the old man a rest, so to speak.


    Orion noticed that Vince had returned to his hometown, probably to say his final farewells. He smiled at that thought. It seemed his plan had worked after all; he wasn¡¯t sure how strong Vince would be. But here they are now, preparing for their exodus into the Forbidden Realms. Well, his exodus, anyway.


    It will be His feet to cross the threshold ¨C not Vince, Mykella, or even whatever Guardian awaits them.


    He sat up in bed and was satisfied where his story was heading. Soon the world, and all realms included, will be his. His fingers itched with this knowledge and he rubbed his hands together.


    Orion looked around at the vacant lot he had been sleeping in. It was once a tall structure, only to have its walls crumble to the ground twenty years ago by Satan.


    Soon, he thought. Soon I shall resurrect my new temple.


    He stood and took one final look at the place he had called home. He almost felt guilty that his visit here was not to pay homage to his sacred place, but only to visit the Time Chamber.


    Well, I¡¯ll never need that place again, either. He smiled at the memory of showing the Oracles his new powers. Powers that were not given by angels, but from God himself! Never again will there be anyone to oppose me, he thought with delight.


    And then the memories of the previous night came to him. It was so easy to find the victims. He calls them victims because he would never want to succumb to becoming a hideous Dreamkiller; he adores who he is. So why change perfection?


    Scott and Lindsey Beckett. Married. And spiraling toward a nasty divorce. They were their first punch shy of physical violence. That¡¯s what brought Orion to them while Lindsey slept in their bed and Scott on the sofa.


    He had approached Scott first and used his anger toward his wife as an angle. How much these two were alike; Orion used Lindsey¡¯s anger toward her husband against her. How very easy it was to turn them, these two, that Orion had chosen to try a different approach.


    He had never even considered an animal as a Dreamkiller until that night. The canine, a rabid Golden Retriever, had been an experiment. And Orion was pleased with the outcome.


    But now, as Orion stood up, feeling the sorrow of his fallen kingdom, Scott and the dog had perished through the night. Lindsey would be a lost entity without her orders.


    So what? he thought. Let her be lost. He was on to something larger than her. And then he realized that it was good that they had not killed Vincent. Without him, Orion would never know the location of the Forbidden Realms.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    He began walking toward the coast, grinning the entire time. ¡°That was a close one,¡± he mused and then lifted his feet off the ground and took flight heading east, against the wind.


    *                                      *                                 *


    Vince wasn¡¯t sure which of them woke first, but once his eyes opened, he grabbed his bag and pulled out a new shirt. It was still dark in the house, so he knew that he had awakened sometime before dawn.


    After slipping on his shoes, he climbed the stairs and entered the kitchen, trying to be as quiet as he could. He didn¡¯t want Krieger to wake, because he needed him to stay with Mykella. How long can he keep dreaming?


    He tip-toed his way down the hall and opened Samantha¡¯s door. She lay asleep in a slumberland Vince could never know. He went to her and gently kissed her forehead. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon,¡± he whispered and made his way back to the door.


    ¡°Hurry.¡±


    Vince turned and saw that Samantha¡¯s eyes were still closed. He thought of Mykella trying to cross over into the real world, but found it impossible. Whether he heard the voice or not, he knew that both Samantha and Mykella needed him to come back to them as soon as he could manage it.


    He closed the door and then slipped out the front door without waking anyone and jumped into his car. He turned the ignition, turned on the headlights, and sat there for a moment staring straight ahead. There were a million thoughts running through his mind. But the thing that surprised him was that in all that he was thinking, never once was he afraid to die.


    He shoved his car into Drive and then accelerated into the dawn to gather his friends, the Watchers, for their destiny.


    He reached the dorm first and saw that Karl was ready to go as soon as Vince walked into the too-bright-for-this-time-of-the-morning room.


    Karl climbed into a jacket and sighed. ¡°I guess I¡¯m as ready as I¡¯ll ever be.¡±


    Vince looked at his friend, his friend for as long as he could remember, and nodded. ¡°I want to thank you for doing all you¡¯re doing. It means everything to me.¡±


    ¡°After what I saw last night,¡± said Karl as he headed for the door. ¡°I ain¡¯t doing it for you. It¡¯s for mankind.¡±


    He may not like it, no more than Vince did when he first learned everything there was to know, but at least Karl has come to grasp what was going on and what it was he had to do.


    There had been no further talk as Vince drove to Chris¡¯ sorority house. And as they approached the large columned house, neither Vince nor Karl dared enter the house to get her.


    Then they saw her emerge from the darkened house just as quietly as Vince had done at Krieger¡¯s. No one needed to know of the horrors to come.


    She climbed into the backseat once Vince let her in. And as before, he thanked her for what she was doing after he got back in and closed the door.


    ¡°How far are we driving?¡± she asked and lowered her window and lit a cigarette.


    ¡°I was hoping to see Ogunquit one last time and then hop on a plane in Portland,¡± said Vince.


    ¡°Any reason?¡± Karl asked while watching the world speed by.


    ¡°We had great memories there. Don¡¯t you remember?¡± Vince smiled and knew that Karl and Chris were trying to think back to when they had vacationed in the little cove city.


    ¡°There¡¯s two not going to be there,¡± said Chris.


    ¡°Donnie and Samantha,¡± replied Karl with a nod.


    Vince cringed. ¡°Donnie¡¯s been out ever since Mykella was conceived.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I heard about that little tiff at the Pool House between you two,¡± Chris said behind a grin.


    ¡°Hey, someone had to put him in his place, didn¡¯t they?¡±


    *                             *                               *


    He took notice of Vincent¡¯s car almost at once as Orion flew over the college campus. He smiled and became very appreciative of his young nemesis at how quickly he could get himself moving.


    He was expecting to have to wait while Vince and his friends dicked around for a while until the sun rose. He had to admit, he was surprised to see that Vince was leading him to the gate. But, instead, here they were, driving off to the east. He chuckled to himself and wondered if he should have just stayed where he was and let Vincent come to him.


    Didn¡¯t matter. He enjoyed the trip as much as the next person. As he watched and flew above them, Orion knew that he would not need any more Dreamkillers. Once he gained the knowledge he desired, then he will begin to create the next wave ¨C and he promised them to be more deadly than the first wave.


    He glanced behind him and smiled as he saw the rising sun. It seemed as if Vincent were running away from the sun. ¡°Go Boy,¡± Orion whispered with a sadistic grin. ¡°Where you¡¯re going, the sun never rises.¡±

 Chapter 39

    Chapter Thirty-Nine


    There was no way to avoid the daylight forever. The sun came up and Vince, tired beyond anything he had ever known before, glanced over and saw that Karl had been asleep for some time. He looked in the rearview mirror and saw that Chris was asleep as well.


    Maybe I should get one of them to drive soon, he thought and then he saw a gas station at the next exit. There he could allow himself a break and get some coffee in his system.


    He yawned as he pulled the car into the station. When it stopped, Karl opened his eyes and looked around. ¡°Are we there yet?¡±


    ¡°About half way. You¡¯ve been out for a long time,¡± said Vince as he looked at Karl with a grin.


    ¡°You look like shit, Man,¡± said Karl and straightened his back.


    ¡°Yeah, what do you expect? I¡¯ve been driving for twelve hours now.¡±


    ¡°Want me to drive a while?¡± Karl asked.


    Vince yawned and stretched his back. ¡°I¡¯d like that. Let me get something to drink ¨C maybe a quick piss, too.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I think I should, too,¡± replied Karl as they both got out of the car and winced at the same time from their stiff backs. ¡°Should we wake up Sleeping Beauty?¡±


    Vince looked in and saw that Chris was in a peaceful slumber. ¡°Let her sleep,¡± he replied and they entered the gas station.


    *                                *                            *


    As he watched them enter the station, Orion grinned and descended next to the car ¨C he didn¡¯t care if anyone saw it or not. He looked in and saw the sleeping young woman and formed a devilish smile.


    He made himself transparent and willed himself through the back window and sat down next to Chris. He nudged her leg with his boot and she jerked awake.


    Orion was prepared to hear Chris scream, but he was surprised when she did not. She merely stared at him in utter disgust.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look too surprised to see me,¡± he commented behind sarcasm.


    ¡°Why should you surprise me?¡± Chris spat out. ¡°What surprises me is that you come to torment me when I¡¯m alone. You¡¯re afraid to show yourself when we¡¯re all together. You know we¡¯re stronger than you.¡±


    Orion reached up and grazed his index finger across her chin. ¡°Don¡¯t be so na?ve. I could have easily crushed this car with you all in it. But I need Vincent; he knows where the Forbidden Realms is and I don¡¯t.¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡°So, in your rage, you almost forfeited everything and tried to kill him last night.¡±


    Orion nodded.


    ¡°You really need to keep that in check. See, I keep my fear in check ¨C that¡¯s why I¡¯m not afraid of you.¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t care if you are or not,¡± Orion said and shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re going to be dead in a matter of a couple of days anyway.¡±


    Chris shook her head sympathetically. ¡°You sad little man,¡± she said. ¡°I am prepared to die. That doesn¡¯t frighten me either because I know where I¡¯m going when I die.¡± She looked him in the face. ¡°Do you?¡±


    Orion sat back in the seat and relaxed himself. In an earlier time, back when he had mortal dreams, he would have fallen in love with Chris. She knows how to get to the marrow without so much as flinching. She challenged him, also, in ways no one ever has. He tried to think back as far as he could.


    ¡°When I was a young child,¡± he began. ¡°Before my training had been complete, I truly believed I would go to Heaven because my father told me that all we did, we did it for the Glory of Orion.¡±


    And when he thought of this, a new scheme entered his wicked brain. ¡°Glory,¡± he repeated. ¡°For whose Glory do you sacrifice yourself to? God? Vincent? Mykella?¡±


    ¡°I sacrifice myself for the whole human race,¡± she said without a smile. She loved to say it. She loved to hear herself say it; but she would not let the beast know it.


    ¡°There are wars everywhere, Christene. Men killing babies. Diseases and hunger throughout the world. Is that worth saving? My kingdom will put an end to it all.¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± she replied and sat up. ¡°So you¡¯d put an end to war? Even you can¡¯t do that! The prophecy tells of the Great War between you and Mykella.¡±


    Orion flinched as if he had been struck. ¡°Well, my sweet, you shall see ¨C no wait, you won¡¯t. You¡¯ll be dead.¡± He smiled. ¡°Tell Vincent I¡¯m right above and I¡¯m watching every move he makes.¡±


    With his boot, he pushed the back of the passenger seat forward, reached for the door handle and opened the door. ¡°Adieu, my Love. Until we meet again,¡± and then he exited the car and ascended into the sky once again.


    Moments later, Vince and Karl returned to the car and Vince saw that Chris was awake. He placed several plastic bags filled with snacks onto the passenger floor and was about to say something cute to her, but then he saw her drained face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he dared to ask.


    ¡°Orion paid me a visit while you guys were in the store,¡± she said.


    Vince and Karl glanced around the area. Neither could find where the enemy was hiding and they looked back at Chris with confused expressions. And then she pointed skyward.


    Horrified, Vince looked up and there, dangling on the flagpole was Orion; cloak blowing as fierce as the flag which hung beside him.


    Orion looked down and gave them a small salute. Instead of returning the same gesture, Vince raised his fist and extended his middle finger and Orion burst into laughter.


    ¡°What did he want?¡± asked Vince as he got into the passenger seat. Karl agreed to drive the remainder of the trip if he could.


    ¡°Nothing, really. Just making sure I know what I want to do, I suppose.¡±


    Vince nodded; he understood these games now. ¡°He was trying to get you to leave us. Wasn¡¯t he?¡±


    They were back on the highway when she answered with an affirmative. Vince thanked her again and she smiled at him. Way back in her mind she was hoping that this might win his heart back to her. But, as Orion had said, they would probably be dead anyway. So what did it matter now?


    And deep down, she believed the monster.


    Well, she thought, they¡¯re not gonna take me without a fight. I¡¯ll show ¡®em what Chris Fergenson is all about.

 Chapter 40

    Chapter Forty


    He didn¡¯t know what he should do. He had been asleep for so long now ¨C he couldn¡¯t even recall how long anymore ¨C and he began to wonder what the outside world would think to find ¡°Ol¡¯¡± Professor Krieger who has been laying asleep for God only knows how long.


    In fact, he didn¡¯t even know how he was managing to stay asleep so long. Was Mykella helping him out on this?


    She hasn¡¯t opened her eyes since Vince and his friends left them to go in search of the Forbidden Realms. He knew that she wasn¡¯t dead; if she had died, she would have simply dissolved out of this reality.


    He must have paced the floor a hundred times. And on every turn, he would take a glance down to see if Mykella was still laying there. And it appeared that, upon every twentieth or so, she had become paler, as if her complexion were disappearing from herself.


    ¡°You¡¯d better hurry, Vince. I don¡¯t know how much longer she¡¯s going to stay inside her mother,¡± he whispered to no one in particular.


    *                             *                         *


    ¡°I¡¯m going as fast as I can,¡± Karl almost yelled as he studied the road in front of them.


    ¡°You do know He¡¯s right above us?¡± replied Vince behind sarcasm.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be a dick, Vince. I know where he is.¡± He turned to look at Vince. ¡°Don¡¯t you think he can just squash the living shit out of us in a second if he wanted it? So it really doesn¡¯t matter how fast you want to go. He¡¯ll always be there.¡±


    ¡°You know,¡± interrupted Chris as she poked her head between them. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s such a great idea to stop in Ogunquit. I mean, I¡¯d love to, but with Orion following so close,¡±


    There was an ache in Vince¡¯s chest, but he knew she was right. There would be no going back to that one safe place he had loved. He wasn¡¯t sure, but he thought that it was Ogunquit that he truly fell in love with Samantha. Maybe, deep down, that was why he wanted to go back so badly.


    ¡°No,¡± he whispered. He looked over at Karl. ¡°She¡¯s right. Skip Ogunquit and head straight to Portland. We¡¯ll get a flight to Ireland there.¡± And then he glanced down at the speedometer. ¡°Hey, slow down. You¡¯re doing eighty. Let¡¯s not get pulled over,¡± he said with a grin.


    Karl grinned back and shook his head. ¡°If I wasn¡¯t driving, I¡¯d hit you right now.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just be friends,¡± laughed Vince.


    ¡°Can I be in the middle?¡± asked Chris with a smile.


    They turned to face her. ¡°Well, I think you already are between us,¡± Karl replied and Vince laughed.


    Karl slowed the car just as they entered Maine.


    ¡°Got time for lobster?¡± asked Chris.


    Vince smiled and shook his head. ¡°Great. One wants to hit me, and one is a lobster-lover who wants to be between us. Is this all I can find to save the human race?¡± He chuckled and saw the signs leading to the airport.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    *                            *                           *


    Krieger was beginning to tire of being asleep and he wondered how long the record was for sleeping. He even began thinking about his marriage to Heather. There was no way he could mend what was unmendable, but he still loved her madly. He had decided that, if she and he made it out of this alive, he would give her whatever she wanted. He couldn¡¯t tie her down with this burden. He was Mykella¡¯s Watcher, not she.


    A knock was heard at the front door, causing him to turn his head in surprise so fast that he thought he may have sprained his neck.


    The door opened.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to startle you by just appearing,¡± announced Beth as she walked over the threshold.


    ¡°A Dreamkiller knocking?¡± he smiled. ¡°I think that may be a first.¡± At least I¡¯m not alone anymore, he thought.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been asleep longer than most people should,¡± she began as she crossed the room.


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll watch her from here now. You need to tend to her mother. She is going to give birth soon.¡±


    ¡°When?¡±


    ¡°Soon,¡± she said and shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you any more than I know. Someone should be by her side when it happens, don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    ¡°All right.¡± He took one last look at the pale body lying on the floor. ¡°I can trust you?¡± he asked and looked back at the Dreamkiller.


    ¡°With my life and yours.¡±


    Krieger nodded and vanished from the room.


    *                           *                           *


    They reached the airport and were surprised to discover that a flight out of Portland and arriving in Ireland would be departing in half an hour. That gave them enough time to get drinks and use the restrooms.


    There was no sign of Orion in the semi-crowded airport. Somehow, Vince didn¡¯t think there would be any.


    Soon they boarded their plane without incident and as Chris sat down in her seat, she wondered if Orion could fly as fast as the plane.


    There would be plenty of time during the flight to discuss battle plans, but for now, Vince sat back and closed his eyes, praying that this plane would not crash over Ireland.


    Orion had contemplated joining Vincent and his gang on the plane, but there were two factors, however, that made him stay away from them. He had no money to purchase a ticket and he had no legal documentation of who he was, therefore shunning his chance to obtain a passport.


    Still, he mused, it would have been an interesting flight.


    He knew where their destination airport was and he decided on meeting his friends ahead of time. He would never allow Vincent a moment of victory thinking they had out-run the Master Dreamkiller.


    He might even grab a bite to eat before they landed; he was human after all.


    Vince didn¡¯t sleep during the flight. He was afraid he would see Mykella, lying on the floor, bleeding as she struggled to stay alive long enough to be born.


    He rested his body, as did Chris and Karl. None of them knew what battle was to be fought and how it was to be fought once they reached Vince¡¯s mother at the gate.


    Since she was the Guardian, they had agreed that she would be their General and take orders as she saw fit to give.


    As he thought of his mother, Vince tried his damnedest to love her like any good son should. He had never known her other than what she is now ¨C not as a mother.


    He loved his sister with that unconditional love, but he pitied her more and prayed that her soul could be saved. If only Christ could touch her as He had Vince, maybe she would have a chance of redemption.


    But she was worshiping not Orion, but Ilias. Who knows what the fallen Oracle would do to her.


    His eyes began to water as he thought of his sister fighting an archangel alone. He turned his head and looked out the window and saw that they were almost over Ireland.


    The end is upon us, he thought.

 Chapter 41

    Chapter Forty-One


    They received a rental car and Vince almost laughed when he saw that it was the same he had rented with Samantha. He got into the driver¡¯s seat and looked at them. ¡°I know my way to the convent,¡± he said and then added, ¡°Kind of.¡±


    ¡°By ¡®kind of,¡¯ do you mean you don¡¯t know shit about where you¡¯re really going?¡± asked Karl behind a grin. He had hopped into the back seat to let Chris ride shotgun.


    ¡°Well, I know we stay on this road for a while and it sort of creeps up on you,¡± said Vince and pulled onto the road.


    ¡°It looks like we¡¯re heading into nice scenery, though,¡± replied Chris as she looked ahead and saw the tall trees. It looked like a forest from their distance.


    ¡°When me and Samantha were here last, there wasn¡¯t much to see. We got hit by a large fog.¡±


    Karl was taken by the beautiful landscapes and thought about writing his poetry about Ireland sometime. Of course, there may never be a sometime.


    ¡°Oh, when we get there, there are two weird nuns. Sisters Helen and¡­Agnes. I think that was her name,¡± announced Vince.


    To think, the final battle begins right here in this beautiful place, thought Chris.


    And then it struck her. She looked up into the sky and was not surprised at the sight of Orion hovering above them. ¡°Well, he made it here,¡± she said behind a sarcastic grin.


    ¡°Oh,¡± said Vince. ¡°I guess he couldn''t have gotten lost on the way.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the way the game¡¯s to be played,¡± said Karl from behind Vince.


    As they neared the thickest part of the wooded lot, ¡°I¡¯ve got a bad feeling about this,¡± said Chris with frightened eyes.


    ¡°What? The end of the world as we know it isn¡¯t good enough for you?¡± smiled Karl behind a sarcasm he didn¡¯t think he could show, as he was as frightened as Chris.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be mad or disappointed if you guys decide not to help me,¡± Vince said as he glanced at them.


    Chris looked ahead and in the near distance, she saw the tall tower of the castle Vince had described to them. She didn¡¯t know what to expect, and maybe it was the unexpected that she was afraid of. ¡°I¡¯m going all the way,¡± she said. ¡°If the world¡¯s going to end, I want a front row seat when it does.¡±


    ¡°Uh, I wouldn¡¯t put it quite as colorful as she, but I won¡¯t turn back now. I made a promise to Mykella and I¡¯ve never gone back on my word,¡± said Karl.


    ¡°If Orion¡¯s got more Dreamkillers, when we go in, we go in fighting like wild animals. But, the truth is, I haven¡¯t got a clue what we¡¯re going to face.¡±


    Chris and Karl could see the look of concern on Vince¡¯s face. They knew he was just as frightened as they were, and it was this that made it so easy for them to join him on this quest; Vince was no more human than they were.


    Vince didn¡¯t really care about how it was to end, or how it would end. What scared him was Mykella and that she was going to live in whatever reality Orion chooses to create for humanity. Even Vince couldn¡¯t guess what that could be like.


    ¡°For your touring pleasure,¡± Vince brought up as he glanced at his friends. ¡°This was once Grendel Keep, kingdom of Orion¡¯s mother.¡±


    ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll really find the gate here?¡± asked Karl as he watched the ominous structure block out any further landscape. The tallest of the trees only came up to half the height of the castle.


    Vince thought for a moment. ¡°I really don¡¯t know,¡± he confessed and then spied the gas station he and Samantha had parked their car at. ¡°But Sister Helen told me, just before I left, that I would return and that the second prophecy will end here.¡±


    ¡°And the beginning of the final prophecy,¡± added Chris behind worried eyes.


    Instead of using the same gas station, Vince decided on turning onto the gated path leading to the St. Vincent Convent. He wondered, as he drove up the path, how these women survived without modern technology.


    He stopped the car several feet from the main entrance and they all sat in silence, looking up at the enormous structure.


    It was Karl who broke the graven silence. ¡°Okay, so Orion¡¯s mother lived here.¡± Vince nodded. ¡°Was she a good person, or did the bastard get his bad traits from her?¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s beside the point,¡± replied Chris. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be seeing his mother at the gate. We¡¯re here to,¡± she paused. Truth be told, she wasn¡¯t exactly clear why they were here. If the end of the world is coming, why do they have to be here?


    ¡°If at all possible, I¡¯d like to try to save my mother,¡± answered Vince. ¡°She told me that she would die and that Orion would gain access. I may not be able to alter any prophecy, but I¡¯d like to see her live.¡±


    ¡°If he gets inside, that means the Guardian has failed,¡± said Karl, as if reminding Vince of the truth.


    ¡°The prophecy states that Orion will get into the Forbidden Realms. It says nothing about who will die and who won¡¯t.¡± Vince felt as if this conversation was getting them nowhere. ¡°Come on,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re wasting time.¡±


    He opened the door and got out and stood before the tall wooden door. It all ends here, he recalled and then grinned. ¡°No,¡± he whispered to himself. ¡°A new beginning starts here.¡±


    *                         *                             *


    Once they had entered the mouth of the castle, Orion descended and stood next to the car. ¡°After all the damned searching, this is where the gate is? My mother¡¯s home?¡±


    He would wait for a sign. He didn¡¯t know what kind, but once they were in place, he would know it. He waited his whole life for this moment; he didn¡¯t want to take any chances. Deep in his self being, he would know when his friends have reached the gate to the Forbidden Realms.


    He almost felt like a giddy child being told to take whatever he wants and is let loose in a toy store. Where does the child go? There are too many choices and the child becomes overwhelmed. Just thinking about what the Forbidden Realms will be like was overwhelming him now. What would he do first? Would he choose to destroy Vincent and his friends right then and there, or would he choose some other task first?You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    He suddenly felt his chest and was relieved to feel the five-digit key he had taken out of the Holy City. He had entirely forgotten about it until just now.


    *                                  *                            *


    ¡°I knew you would return,¡± Sister Helen announced as she led the way through the large corridor. She didn¡¯t bother looking over her habit to see if the others were following. She knew that the time had come. It didn¡¯t matter whether she believed or knew that they were following her. The final prophecy was at hand and she knew that this is why they are here now.


    ¡°Tell me, Sister Helen,¡± Vince said as he took a look around the place. It hadn¡¯t changed since he and Samantha had been here; he doubted very much that it had changed at all since the times of Queen Nanaac¡¯s reign. ¡°Tell me how you came upon the prophecies. You were related to Nanaac, yes?¡±


    Sister Helen sighed and opened a door to the right. ¡°Do we have time to tell stories?¡± She glanced over at the far end of the room and Vince saw Sister Agnes standing, ready to greet their visitors. She was much younger than Sister Helen, perhaps by an entire generation. ¡°Sister Agnes is the last of the Grendel lineage. She is to look after Mykella as I have done you,¡± she said and glanced over at Vince, who had entered the room last.


    He looked at her in surprise. ¡°Some good you¡¯ve done, looking out for me.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Where the hell were you when I needed a mother? The least you could have done was tell me where she really was.¡±


    ¡°Vincent,¡± Sister Helen crossed the room and approached him with caution. ¡°I, we, didn¡¯t know what her fate was. We thought she had perished when your father was fighting Orion twenty years ago.¡±


    Vince paused for a moment and then shook his head.


    ¡°Sister,¡± Chris stepped in front of Vince. ¡°Can you tell us what you know about the role of Guardian?¡±


    Sister Helen reached out and touched Chris¡¯ cheek with a gentle palm. ¡°It all began with the Creation of the world, Child. When Adam and Eve were cast out of Eden, God sent an angel to watch over the entrance to guard it from any evil trespassers.


    ¡°Enter Barbus Whitaker. He loved his Queen probably more than anyone. He trained Orion to become what he has become, and had also gained his trust. Seeing what had befallen his pupil, Barbus had gone to the angel and begged him to let him guard the gate for all time, that his own lineage would make it a vow to protect the Forbidden Realms. After a while, the angel agreed.


    ¡°And then Tracy Kingston-Andrews enters the picture. ¡° She looked over at Vince. ¡°She was a great fighter, but she must have known that she could not defeat Orion in this realm. She chose to become a successor to James Whitaker, the last true Guardian.¡±


    Karl went over to a window which looked out into the gardens. ¡°How do you know so much about this? All this happened long before you were born, right?¡±


    ¡°The chronicles of Barbus Whitaker and his lineage have been documented. It¡¯s a very interesting read, if you have time. But, I don¡¯t think we have. He¡¯s waiting outside, we must hurry.¡±


    ¡°Why? Are you so anxious to die?¡± asked Chris.


    Sister Helen threw Chris a smile of mockery. ¡°I don¡¯t know how long you have been a part of this charade, but Child, you must know by now that once the Queen¡¯s son steps into Eden, the end is upon us and we shall no longer live in fear.¡±


    ¡°Tell me, Sister, what would happen, hypothetically speaking, if Orion fails in his quest? That we find some way to end his miserable life?¡±


    ¡°Then the prophecy is void,¡± replied Sister Agnes. There came a look of anger from Sister Helen, who appeared to disapprove of Sister Agnes talking at all. ¡°Please, Sister, allow me to convince them.¡±


    Sister Helen stared at her for a moment and then sighed in defeat. ¡°Very well, Sister Agnes. Speak your will.¡±


    Sister Agnes crossed the room to approach Vince. ¡°If Orion does not enter Eden, then all we have fought for, including your mother and Richard, is laid to waste. If Orion had never traded with the body of that young boy, Allen Corgan, perhaps he would have been taken to hell instead of Corgan. Then the prophecy would have ceased.¡±


    Vince shook his head. ¡°What would really happen if I kill him today? What harm can come from it?¡±


    ¡°Get it out of your mind, Boy.¡± Sister Helen was becoming more agitated as each moment passed. ¡°Here¡¯s what we have to deal with: The Oracle had given him the powers of a Dream Crusader. Now, Orion has been possessed by the hand of God himself. We have no chance of stopping him. Only a Dream Crusader can stand up against their own ¨C especially one whose own blood flows within the other.¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you saying?¡± Vince became angered by her last statement.


    ¡°That is not my prophecy to oversee. I cannot say further, except that I shall die the moment He sets foot in Eden and you are still alive.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re no holier than thou, Bitch,¡± cried Vince. ¡°Where is the gate? Let¡¯s get this over with before I kill you myself.¡±


    Sister Helen smiled and looked down at the stone floor. ¡°We are standing above it.¡±


    ¡°In the cellar?¡± asked Chris.


    ¡°No. Several miles below the earth, I should say.¡±


    ¡°How do we get there?¡± asked Karl as he ran his foot across the floor.


    ¡°We have no further need for this place. Bring the castle down and you shall find your passage.¡±


    They heard Vince cough and laugh to himself. ¡°Yeah, sure. We travel everywhere with heavy explosives,¡± he said to himself and then looked at the old nun. ¡°How the hell do you expect us to blow up this place?¡±


    Sister Helen folded her hands and went to the window and stood next to Karl. She looked down at the garden and tears fell from her eyes. ¡°I am human, flesh and blood. I am afraid of death.¡± She opened her eyes and looked back at Vince. ¡°Now is the time you must decide what the prophecy means to you and whether or not you believe in it.¡±


    ¡°Sister?¡±


    ¡°Outside, your enemy waits. And this entity has the power to destroy Grendel Keep with just his mind. If you truly believe all that has been placed before you, and you believe what the end war is all about, then you must put your trust in your enemy for his help.¡±


    So, thought Vince, it all comes down to this. Man against devil. He didn¡¯t expect Orion to turn the offer down, especially when he¡¯s been given a free ride to the Forbidden Realms.


    He nodded in understanding and looked over at Chris. ¡°How do you think we should approach him?¡±


    ¡°Right up the ass. That¡¯s what I think,¡± said Karl behind a grin.


    ¡°We go out waving the white flag,¡± countered Chris as she looked at Karl with a sneer. ¡°That way he won¡¯t object to the offer. Whereas, up the ass, as Karl suggests, would signal violence on our behalf.¡±


    Vince looked around the room and then nodded. ¡°Anyone got a flag or a hankie?¡±


    *                            *                     *


    She didn¡¯t want to meet her maker right now. There was a part of her that wanted a new life when everything was over. She had been locked away in this tomb for nearly sixty years; she wanted something different for a change. At least young Sister Agnes will have a chance to taste the difference once this place is destroyed.


    Sister Helen turned around and went over to the large fireplace and placed her fingers on either side of a long wood box which lay on the mantel. She opened the lid and pulled out the long dagger and watched the fire flickering in the steel.


    ¡°Sister, must I? Is there no other way?¡±


    Sister Helen turned to face Sister Agnes with a grim smile. ¡°I¡¯m afraid this is the way it always is. Since the beginning of Time. I have enjoyed my time on Earth, now it must be ended. I served our Master well.¡±


    ¡°Swear to me that Master Ilias can open the gates of Heaven to us. We¡¯ve served him so long that I began to believe he has abandoned us on this wretched earth.¡±


    Sister Helen placed the dagger into Sister Agnes¡¯ palm. ¡°Have faith, my Love. When you have confirmation that Eden has been tainted, drive it into my chest as I have done to Sister Catherine.¡±

 Chapter 42

    Chapter Forty-Two


    He walked around the house all that morning in a daze of sorts. Maybe too much sleep could have that effect on a person. Or, perhaps, his sixth sense was screaming something alarming that he couldn¡¯t quite figure out.


    But, by mid-afternoon, that daze lifted when he heard his wife yelling his name from the back bedroom. Samantha¡¯s bedroom.


    He dropped his juice glass into the kitchen sink and ran through the house. His foot slipped on the rug in front of the door and he fell onto his knee. ¡°Damn,¡± he groaned and massaged his knee as he righted himself again.


    By the time Krieger opened the bedroom door, he found that Heather had placed a wet washcloth over Samantha¡¯s forehead and had placed a towel over her legs.


    Heather looked up and shrugged. ¡°Her water¡¯s broken,¡± she said.


    ¡°Hospital, we need to get her to the hospital.¡± He had never been in this situation before. He and Heather had always agreed upon having no children, so he never had the chance to think about how he would react when a woman in his house goes into labor.


    ¡°It hurts,¡± Samantha cried out as she shook her sweat encrusted head.


    ¡°I know, but it¡¯ll be over very soon. I promise,¡± whispered Heather while holding Samantha¡¯s hand and her husband ran from the room to get their car ready.


    *                           *                           *


    He watched the front door open and quickly jumped into a nearby tree to watch from above. What confused Orion was that he saw Vince emerge first waving a white handkerchief, followed by his friends.


    ¡°We need your help,¡± called Vince as he waved the cloth. He really didn¡¯t expect Orion to believe a word of what he was saying.


    Karl shook his head. ¡°Hey, Monkey-Boy! If you really want the Forbidden Realms, then you have to listen to what Vince says. We need your help, if you want it so badly.¡±


    Chris was knocked off balance in the next second as Orion flew past her and came up to Karl and wrapped his hand around Karl¡¯s throat. He turned and looked at Vince. ¡°What does this mean, Vincent? What help could I offer?¡±


    Vince dropped the cloth and walked up to Orion and looked into his hood. They stood less than an inch from the other. ¡°I don¡¯t like you and you don¡¯t like me. Do we agree on that?¡±


    Orion released his hold on Karl¡¯s throat and nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t take it too personally, Vincent. It¡¯s not just you; it''s humanity itself, and what¡¯s become of it. That¡¯s what I don¡¯t like.¡±


    Vince had no plans on standing here discussing Orion politics. He turned his head and looked at the castle. ¡°See it?¡± Orion nodded. ¡°I was told that the gate to Eden is somewhere under it, far under it. We don¡¯t have the tools to bring the castle down.¡± He looked back at Orion. ¡°That¡¯s where you come in.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°All my life,¡± whispered Orion just loud enough so Vince could hear. ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to do this. She destroyed my life, now I want to end everything that was left to memory,¡± he said and then turned his body.


    From behind the castle, sitting on a stone bench in the garden, Sisters Helen and Agnes watched the awesome powers of Orion at work as they saw that the tower was knocked down first. It shook the ground below their feet.


    Stone by stone, the castle crumbled leaving nothing but small stones and pebbles. Orion was having the time of his life as he watched, with pure satisfaction, the fall of the House of Grendel. He wondered if his mother would be proud of the powers he had inherited from God.


    Probably not. The last thing he remembered of his mother was just before making the final switch with Allen Corgan. He was fighting his mother using whatever powers they had. Hers was electricity, his was telekinesis.


    But now, everything belonging to his mother is finally destroyed. Nothing could have survived this devastation, not even the smallest painting of her.


    Once the castle was down, he lifted his hands into the air and the rubble lifted from the ground with them. He pushed everything off to the side and laid it gently down, and before everyone¡¯s eyes lay a darkened opening no wider than several feet.


    Vince and Orion paused for a moment and then walked over to the hole and looked down into it. From what they could see, it was a straight drop down into darkness.


    They looked up at one another and Vince grinned. ¡°This isn¡¯t going to be easy, Pal,¡± he said behind sarcasm.


    ¡°Ease is only in your mind, Vincent. Will has a power all its own, you only need to learn how to control It instead of It controlling you.¡±


    Vince had to admit, he was shocked that Orion was trying to give him advice. He wasn¡¯t sure how to take it. Is there, perhaps, one small ounce of good in this beast?


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t think too hard about me, Boy. I am beyond your comprehension,¡± replied Orion reading Vince¡¯s thoughts.


    They stared at each other a while longer and then Orion stood up and gestured the hole with his hand. ¡°Well, are you going?¡±


    Vince looked over at Chris and Karl and read the terror in their eyes. He straightened his back and addressed them. ¡°You don¡¯t have to go with me, if you don¡¯t want to.¡±


    They walked over to him. ¡°It¡¯s not over until he¡¯s dead,¡± replied Chris as she looked at Orion with hatred. ¡°Whatever I can do, I¡¯m here.¡±


    Karl nodded in agreement. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to be sick, but I¡¯m with you guys til the end.¡±


    Vince smiled and walked several feet away from Orion and the hole and gestured to his friends, who followed him. ¡°He told me something a minute ago,¡± he said and lowered his voice. ¡°Will has a power and we need to learn to control that power. I think this is going to go smoother than we had anticipated. We need to have control over our will by the time we get to the gate.¡±


    ¡°Easy for you to say,¡± said Chris. ¡°I¡¯m scared shitless here. I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m going to get control over my bladder let alone my will power.¡±


    Vince and Karl chuckled. Leave it to Chris to come up with the right things to say at the wrong times. Vince glanced over and saw the Sisters sitting in the garden, watching everything that was happening and he bowed to them ever so gently.


    Sister Helen raised a hand in a small wave and then they stood up and walked the opposite direction until they were out of view.


    Vince sighed, feeling everything lift from his chest. ¡°I think we should get this over with.¡±


    Before they started walking back to the hole, ¡°I think we need to keep something in mind down there,¡± Vince said and they looked at him. ¡°Whatever happens, everything may change once he gets into the Forbidden Realms. Even our own mind set might change. Hell, we might not even remain there once he gets in, he could alter Time, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what happens,¡± replied Karl. ¡°All I know is the present and what will happen. I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll have the power to stop my dreams. I¡¯ll know what¡¯s real and what isn¡¯t, and I might even remember that there¡¯s some girl who¡¯s going to change everything back to normal once again.¡±

 Chapter 43

    Chapter Forty-Three


    By the time they had arrived at the hospital, registered her in, and obtained a room for Samantha, she was already seven centimeters dilated.


    During the registration process, she had been taken by one of the orderlies up to the labor-delivery floor ¨C Heather went with them, and Krieger took the moment to explain about Samantha¡¯s brief medical past. He wasn¡¯t sure, he told the registering nurse, if she could concentrate long enough for the delivery process.


    It was confirmed that the operating room would be on stand-by if an emergency Cesarean would be needed.


    He thanked her and went to find the elevators, and once inside he said a silent prayer for both Samantha and Mykella. Then he said one for Vince and his friends. He didn¡¯t want anyone to die if it could be avoided.


    Almost immediately upon entering the dim delivery room, Krieger had been given the news of Samantha¡¯s dilation. He noticed that Heather seemed agitated about something and when he asked for the cause, she went from Samantha¡¯s side and ushered her husband out the door.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mind looking after her. But no one said anything about her baby. I¡¯m worried for them; we don¡¯t have anything to care for an infant. Or the room.¡± She was quick to get to her point.


    ¡°Things will change, Heather. I promise,¡± he assured.


    ¡°You said that already. When?¡±


    He glanced into the room and saw Samantha breathing heavily. ¡°Very soon,¡± he said, and then as an afterthought, ¡°Sooner than I expected.¡±


    *                           *                            *


    The descent was treacherous, but not impassable. They took their time, grabbing hold of stones, rocks, and roots whenever they could. Vince led the way and he couldn¡¯t stop thinking about how close Orion was to him. If it weren¡¯t for Chris behind him, followed by Karl, he would have sworn he could feel the fiend¡¯s breath on his neck.


    ¡°Let go, Vincent.¡±


    Why was Orion talking? Why was he telling me what to do?


    ¡°You want me to kill myself?¡± Vince called back to Orion with sarcasm in his throat. Surely, he thought, the remainder of the drop would end my life if I were to let go.


    ¡°Surrender to the power! Command your will!¡± There seemed no malice in Orion¡¯s voice. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want you to die. You¡¯ve actually become interesting to me.¡±


    Vince laughed at the remark. ¡°You swear I won¡¯t die?¡±


    Chris became the voice of caution. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him. We don¡¯t know how far down it goes.¡±


    From their distance below the earth¡¯s crust, Vince could barely see his hand in front of his face. But he looked up nonetheless, not expecting to see Chris, and paused his descent.


    ¡°You will not get hurt. Trust me as you have before, Vincent.¡±


    Whatever the world will be like after Orion gets what he wants, Vince felt as if he would live to see Orion again. ¡°I¡¯m going to let go,¡± he called up to Chris and Karl. He just prayed that he had the strength to control his own will power.


    ¡°No!¡±


    But it was too late. Vince closed his eyes and took one deep breath and held it. With his mind, he saw the floor of whatever world they were in and let his hands slip from the roots he was holding.


    Chris heard the fall and she shouted his name once in desperation. It felt like an eternity she held onto the rocks; she was debating if she should do the same as Vince. At last, temptation won and she looked up. ¡°I¡¯m going too,¡± she said to Karl.


    He nodded into the darkness. ¡°I¡¯m right behind you.¡±


    Once she let go, Chris told herself that she was light as a feather and an alien feeling overcame her; she descended onto the ground just as a feather would.


    It took Karl a few moments to gather his inner strength, but once he did, he too let go and when he found the ground, he bounced up a few feet just as he had told his feet to do.


    Orion remained alone as he was surprised to see their control. This will be a very interesting battle, he thought and then let go just as they had, except he had mastered his power months ago and had slowly dropped to the ground.


    When he landed he was looking into the faces of Vincent and his friends as he knew he would. He lowered his hood and beamed at Vince. ¡°I knew you had it in you.¡± Then he shook his head. ¡°If only you would become the first of the new wave, I would make you an admiral.¡±


    Vince shook his head and the memory of Xan flashed before him. He needed answers to put his mind at ease. ¡°Tell me about my sister,¡± he said once he let go of his power.


    Orion was puzzled and he shrugged his shoulders. ¡°That, I don¡¯t understand. I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve ever met her.¡±


    Vince nodded as he believed what the Master Dreamkiller had told him. ¡°Then Ilias has.¡±


    No one knew the road Xan had chosen and Vince didn¡¯t feel they needed to know. Not yet, anyway. He saw that Orion¡¯s eyebrows had risen slightly at the name of his old mentor. What does it mean, Vince wondered. Was there to be a war greater than Mykella and Orion? A battle of immortals?


    Orion raised his defenses and found he could no longer read Vincent¡¯s mind. He looked at Vincent and saw that he was smiling.


    ¡°You¡¯ve taught me how to control my power, remember? I knew that I could block you out of my mind,¡± said Vince and looked around the place they stood.


    ¡°Where is it, Boy? Where¡¯s the gate?¡± Orion was looking around as well and could only see the darkness.


    Chris and Karl moved closer to one another as their instincts told them danger was lurking in the air.


    ¡°Mother!¡± Vince shouted and heard his voice echoing off the walls.


    There came a strange silence unlike any they had ever heard. And followed by that brief silence came a feeling of an earthquake and the pebbles bouncing to the vibrations. ¡°Look!¡± Chris pointed and they turned and saw what she saw.


    The ground had opened several feet and had glowed yellow. Before Vince could walk over to investigate the glow, an enormous fire erupted from the hole, knocking Vince to the ground.


    Vince shielded his eyes with his hand, the flames had grown hot, and he saw the silhouette of a person standing in the fire.


    His mother emerged from the eternal fire and walked over to Vince. She smiled down at him and held out her arm. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    He took her hand and stood up. ¡°Mom, I,¡± he couldn¡¯t find words to convey the hundreds of emotions he was suffering right now.


    Tracy lifted her hand and placed her index finger over his lips. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± she whispered. ¡°I know you hate yourself for bringing Him, and I know that you¡¯re glad to see me. Everything in between must go unsaid.¡±


    Orion stood watching the exchange and then he smiled and walked over to them and extended his own hand. ¡°It has been a long time for us as well, Tracy,¡± he said and she just stared at his hand.


    ¡°If you think I¡¯m shaking that thing, you¡¯re mistaken,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve been preparing for this day for twenty years, Orion. I haven¡¯t stopped thinking about what you have done to me, Richard, and Laura.¡±


    Orion laughed and dropped his arm to his side. ¡°You can¡¯t let by-gones be by-gones?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t stopped hating you,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll probably be in Purgatory for a very long time, learning to forgive you before I can get into Heaven.¡±


    ¡°Hate is fun, isn¡¯t it, Tracy?¡± Orion came closer to her. It suddenly came clear to him that Tracy had taken the same form she had twenty years ago, as he watched her being thrown over the side of the Tower. ¡°You haven¡¯t aged a bit, Deary.¡±


    ¡°By choice.¡±


    Orion glanced into the fire and looked down. He saw the gate and then looked back at Tracy. ¡°I never could understand why God only placed one angel as Guardian,¡± he said and then grinned.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡°Are we going to talk or,¡± Tracy began and then felt a punch thrown into her stomach which sent her stumbling several feet back.


    Orion laughed. ¡°You haven¡¯t heard, have you? I have been blessed with powers by God himself.¡±


    Tracy stood up and held her stomach. She looked at Vince and then back at Orion with worried eyes. ¡°That can¡¯t be true. He would never,¡±


    Chris and Karl rushed to Tracy¡¯s side and, with Vince, faced Orion with a look on their faces Orion had never seen before: Determination.


    ¡°You will never win,¡± Orion said to them and laughed. ¡°Even the prophets knew this would happen.¡±


    Tracy shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn about what prophet said what. All I know is that my job is to defend Eden. I know what has been said, but if I don¡¯t fight, I am not worthy of Heaven.¡±


    ¡°Mom,¡± Vince turned to her. ¡°We aren¡¯t here to stop Orion, either. We¡¯re here to protect you.¡±


    Her heart was breaking and she reached up and placed her hand on his cheek. ¡°My dear Child. I¡¯ve given my life for yours; don¡¯t do the same for me.¡±


    Chris cut in with a smile. ¡°Too late,¡± she said and they smiled.


    ¡°Do what you must, but I have a job to do,¡± said Tracy and then turned back to Orion. ¡°Are we to fight using telekinetic powers? I need to know your plans.¡±


    Orion looked at the four that stood before him, making a defense line in front of the flames. With his hands, he parted an invisible wall and Vince was shocked when he and Chris were thrown one way by invisible hands and Karl and his mother were thrown the other, giving Orion passage to the fire.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you understand, I can kill you with just my mind?¡± Orion walked past them and stood before the fire. He reached his arm to it and was surprised to feel invisible hands pulling it away.


    Orion looked back and saw that Tracy and Vince were concentrating hard and he realized that they were pulling him away. ¡°You idiots!¡± He wasn¡¯t expecting to feel the invisible hands throwing punches into his stomach and on his face.


    He reached up and felt the blood from an open cut and he glared at Chris, who was grinning at him.


    He was trying to concentrate on her but just as his mental wave was thrown from his mind, Tracy threw herself in the path of the blow and she caught it in her back.


    She fell to the ground, writhing in pain. Chris bent down to her. ¡°No,¡± screamed Tracy and then she looked back at Orion who was laughing. ¡°This has been my prophecy as well as his,¡± she said and then stood up.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know when to stop, do you,¡± replied Orion with a grin. ¡°You should have died when you were in that damned hospital.¡±


    ¡°Actually,¡± Tracy said. ¡°I did.¡±


    Orion nodded. ¡°Ah, yes. I do remember you and Richard killing yourselves. If you don¡¯t want to die again, you¡¯d best step aside.¡±


    Tracy shook her head in sorrow. ¡°You know I can¡¯t do that. If it is your prophecy to taint Eden, then it is my prophecy to die trying to stop you.¡±


    ¡°Mom,¡± Vince ran over to her. ¡°Let him have the Forbidden Realms. I¡¯m sure God will let you into Heaven no matter what happens now.¡±


    ¡°Vincent,¡± she turned to look at her son with pity in her eyes. ¡°You cannot change the course of destinies. I wish I could live to learn to know you. I chose my path to protect you because I knew that if Orion thought I was dead, he wouldn¡¯t think of going after you.¡±


    ¡°But he did,¡± Vince reminded her.


    ¡°Only after I made contact with you,¡± she paused and then took his hand. ¡°Besides, you have a new mission,¡±


    Orion was watching the fire instead of listening to what they were saying.


    ¡°You are now Mykella¡¯s Watcher. All of you.¡± She looked at Chris and Karl. ¡°Thank you for trusting in the prophecy and letting Orion fulfill his, but now I believe you must leave and become Watchers.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°Vince, I think your phone is about to ring.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Vince, although he knew pretty well what his mother meant: The phone call that would eventually save mankind.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think about saving me,¡± Tracy began and gave her son a sympathetic smile. ¡°I¡¯m flattered by the gesture, though.¡±


    During the exchange, no one took notice of Orion who had walked back to the flame. There had been nothing written on how to extinguish the flame. He noticed that no heat emitted from it and he took his right hand and slowly put it into the fire.


    He had expected to feel excruciating pain but only felt soft warmth. And moments later, the flame died down to nothing. Pleased with himself he looked down and saw the gate, which was nothing but a wooden design with a criss-cross pattern.


    Now the key, he thought and opened his cloak and reached into his shirt. He turned his head and saw that the others were still in a debate about Tracy¡¯s fate and he smiled to himself.


    He pulled out the hand of Christ and studied it for only a moment. There had been plenty of times when he had looked at the coarse flesh and calloused fingers. He had even wondered how Christ had given Judas this key to hide, but still had retained all of his limbs, even during his crucifixion.


    He knew this to be the hand of God and knew also that God could make anything possible; even that which seemed impossible.


    Orion held the hand in his, palm down, and touched it to the wooden gate. Nothing happened at first, which made Orion curse himself for his failure and stupidity. And then he saw the cross beams begin to shift. They were moving into the ground on all sides. At last there was an opening big enough for him to enter and he took one last look at the others.


    ¡°No!¡± It was Tracy who ran toward Orion with outstretched arms. She had caught a glimpse of him during their conversation and she just happened to look over her son¡¯s shoulder.


    Orion gave her no chance as he smiled at her and threw himself through the opening of the Forbidden Realms.


    Vince didn¡¯t move. There was a sick feeling in his stomach that forbade him to move. He had saved his mother not in bravery like he had hoped, but by keeping her preoccupied in a senseless debate.


    Tracy fell to the ground and dug her fingers into the edge of the opening. She knew that God would be furious with her for not even fighting the demon. There is no place in Heaven, she thought and let the tears flow down her face.


    Karl, Chris, and then Vince walked over to her and Vince placed a reassuring hand on her back.


    ¡°I¡¯m damned to hell,¡± she whispered and looked up at her son.


    ¡°No. You did all you could,¡± he said. ¡°You might even live again.¡± He felt a vibration coming from inside his pocket but he ignored it as he looked at his mother.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand, I was supposed to die,¡± she replied behind a shaky voice. ¡°After twenty years of this, I want to die. I want to go to Heaven.¡±


    There was nothing anyone could do to console her. She had sacrificed herself expecting to die at the end of the prophecy. Vince had forfeited her of that rapture. If anyone should be damned into hell, it should be me, he thought.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± was all he could think of saying.


    Tracy sighed and stood up. She faced her son and finally took him in her arms. This is what he had been waiting his entire life for, and he found himself weeping as she held him.


    ¡°The war,¡± she whispered in his ear. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to tell you to expect. All I can say to you is trust no one but these people here with you now.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to die,¡± he cried into her chest. ¡°I thought I was strong, that I could help Mykella become this ultimate warrior; I was wrong. I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    ¡°Hush, Child. She has been chosen and she shall fight. I don¡¯t know who will win, but she knows her destiny.¡± She looked up and felt her heart breaking. ¡°Besides, it looks like you need to go to her now. Her birth has just passed.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    She smiled at him. ¡°Check your phone.¡±


    Reluctantly he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He saw that he had a missed call and saw that it was coming from a hospital, long distance. ¡°How did you,¡±


    ¡°The prophecy, Vincent. It clearly states that the moment the demon enters the Forbidden Realms, a savior shall be born unto the world.¡±


    Vince closed his eyes and felt Karl and Chris place their hands on his shoulders. ¡°We need to get to her before things start changing around here,¡± said Karl and he squeezed Vince¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°I can¡¯t leave you,¡± said Vince once he opened his eyes and looked into his mother¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯ll be around,¡± she smiled. ¡°It looks like I¡¯ll be around for a little while longer, thanks to you.¡±


    He nodded and embraced her one last time before leaving this place.


    *   *   *


    It pained her to watch her son turn his back and walk away from her and out of her sight. Once he reached a certain distance, even Tracy, as Guardian, could no longer see him in the darkness. Tears fell from her eyes again and she fell to her knees.


    ¡°Be consoled,¡± she heard a soft voice from the darkness. ¡°For I have come for you.¡±


    She dropped her hands onto the ground and looked around. She could see no one. She heard the footfalls before she saw the beautiful person coming toward her from the darkness.


    He approached Tracy and wrapped a warm arm around her shoulders.


    She closed her eyes and felt the love of God enclose her.


    ¡°I am her for you, Tracy,¡± he said in a soft voice.


    ¡°When do I get there?¡± she asked and he looked down at her behind a puzzled expression.


    ¡°I am not here to take you, Child,¡± he replied, realizing what she meant.


    She stood up and turned to him. She studied him closely and saw that he had, at one time, had wings ¨C large ones by the looks of his scars ¨C but they had since been ripped from his body. ¡°You were an angel?¡±


    He nodded with a smile. ¡°Once, a long time ago, yes. God and I didn¡¯t get along very well, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    ¡°Satan?¡±


    He laughed and shook his beautiful head. ¡°Good God, no. I was once an Oracle who had made a mistake. I gave my powers to an entity which should never have had them. I¡¯ve come back to retrieve my powers, and I need you to help me.¡±


    ¡°What is your name?¡±


    He paused for a moment and then touched her cheek with a soft finger. ¡°I am Ilias. Will you, Tracy, help me in my quest?¡±


    ¡°Where will my soul go when your quest is complete?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t the slightest idea, Child. That has never been my assignment.¡±


    ¡°Why me?¡±


    ¡°You have known Orion almost as long as I have. I think it is appropriate for you to assist me.¡±


    ¡°Will I be able to see my son?¡±


    Ilias smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m positive about that. In fact, he¡¯ll probably come looking for you.¡±


    Tracy looked into Ilias¡¯ eyes and then she nodded. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    ¡°I knew you would,¡± he said and embraced Tracy and she could almost feel the velvetiness of wings enclosing her.

 Chapter 44

    Chapter Forty-Four


    His eyes welled and he did not care to let the tears flow. There has been no sight such as the one he beheld now and Orion was damned to let it go. He loved to watch his victims impaled a long time ago, but now that love has been altered.


    No, he hasn¡¯t given up his destiny. The world would be his now, but he just didn¡¯t want to ignore the beauty of this garden. Nothing came close to the content feeling he now had.


    The grass was a green he had never seen before and the flowers of all different shapes, sizes, and hues. The trees weren¡¯t all that tall, perhaps a little taller than the typical fruit trees he was used to seeing.


    Animals scurried here and there, oblivious to the new stranger. Deer frolicked in a near-by pasture, the wolves not paying them any mind. He noticed a wide assortment of canines and felines roaming the endless garden.


    Large rocks were placed, about waist high, sporadically throughout; he thought they were here to give the only Man inhabitants a place to sit.


    Although Orion was overcome by its beauty, he was in search of the one tree, the Tree of Knowledge. And he would eat from its fruit until the secrets of the Universe opened up before him.


    He roamed, like the animals of this kingdom, for hours before he found what he sought and he stood in silence, staring at the tree for another hour. A million thoughts entered his mind as he looked at the luscious apples which hung from its branches. Should I attempt to eat? Would I be punished?You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Orion laughed out loud and pushed these senseless thoughts aside. He happened to look down and saw a single apple lying on the earth. Curious, he thought.


    He bent down and picked it up and turned it over in his hand. He saw that two bites had been taken from the fruit.


    Adam and Eve. Small bites. The single bites that gave them the knowledge that they were naked. Embarrassed, they ran and covered themselves with fig leaves. One single bite!


    ¡°Ha!¡± Orion tossed the apple aside and reached up and pulled another down from one of the lower branches. ¡°I shall devour all. No matter how long it takes me, the secrets will be mine.¡±


    There came an alien feeling by the time he had eaten almost all of the apples. His brain hurt, he felt as if it was being torn apart by invisible hands and he screamed. He wrapped his hands over his ears and fell to the ground in agony. ¡°I have angered thee,¡± he screamed as tears fell from his eyes.


    The pain subsided slightly and he opened his eyes and fell silent. Images raced through his head. He saw the universe being created. He saw the earth being created. He saw everything that God created flash through his eyes at lightning speed, yet he retained everything he saw. He saw everything that he could ever want to know. Except how to create them for himself.


    ¡°More,¡± he groaned. ¡°I must eat more.¡±


    A sick feeling went through his being and he felt as if he would vomit, but he forced himself to relax for fear of losing any knowledge.


    He stood up and grabbed another apple and had to force himself to put it into his mouth. He made sure to eat everything, including the core. He would not be satisfied until the Tree of Knowledge has been depleted.

 Epilogue: The Final Battle Begins

    The Final Battle Begins


    During the trip back to the airport, and throughout the entire flight home, a silence fell amongst friends. There was no need to talk about what had happened; they saw Orion enter the Forbidden Realms. They knew that, pretty soon, the world would be living in the cause of what had happened.


    As for Mykella, they had promised to be her Watchers.


    Vince closed his eyes and tried to forget what he saw once they emerged from the hole under the castle. He was first to come up and when he looked around, he saw Sister Agnes standing in the garden behind the destruction, her hands and clothes caked in blood. She held a long dagger in her shaking hand which was equally blood-stained.


    She looked up and saw Vince and a look of panic entered her eyes. ¡°She tried to fight it,¡± she said to him with a trembling voice. ¡°Said it would be painless and quick. But she fought in the end.¡±


    He looked down and saw the mutilated body of Sister Helen.


    He stared at Sister Agnes with pity and he shook his head. ¡°My prophecy has ended, I suspect?¡±


    She nodded and then wiped the blade with her skirt.


    Vince didn¡¯t care what movie was playing on the trip home; all he was hoping for was to get some sleep, sleep he hadn¡¯t had in a very long time. To hell with Orion and his Dreamkillers; it was my time to get some dreamless sleep for a change.


    Chris watched him with his eyes closed and knew now that he will never be hers again, no matter how hard she tried. She accepted the realization and wondered what her future world would be like. If she were to be Mykella¡¯s Watcher, would she have to wear some god-awful clothes the nuns had to wear?


    She turned and saw that Karl was still awake and she went over to him ¨C the plane wasn¡¯t very crowded ¨C and sat down next to him. It was no secret that she didn¡¯t think too highly of him, so what she was about to tell him, it was taking a large amount of effort on her part.


    ¡°Can I tell you a secret?¡± she asked and he gave her his utmost attention; who doesn¡¯t love secrets?


    ¡°You can tell me anything, Chris.¡±


    She smiled and knew that, several months ago, he would never have said such a thing. ¡°Remember our trip to Ogunquit?¡± He nodded and she took a deep breath. ¡°About half way through the trip, Samantha tells me that she has been in love with Vince for a long time.¡±


    Karl sat up and threw her a puzzled expression. ¡°But, she was into Donnie,¡± he said.


    ¡°She said that I couldn¡¯t tell anyone; she was going to try to tell Vince before the trip ended, but she never got the chance.¡±


    They sat in silence going over the trip in their minds. Perhaps if she had told Vince and Donnie her true feelings, Mykella would have been Vince¡¯s daughter.


    Karl stood up and went over to Vince. ¡°No,¡± she whispered but he paid her no mind. He tapped Vince on his shoulder.


    Vince shook his head and opened his eyes. He turned his head and saw Karl sitting behind him with a grave expression on his face.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Hey, I just wanted to apologize for Ogunquit,¡± said Karl and was about to walk back to his seat.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Karl shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m just sorry that you didn¡¯t make it back for that last visit that you wanted,¡± he said and went to his seat and sat down.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Vince called back to Karl, who nodded.


    The plane landed in Chicago, and all they could think about was the future. He didn¡¯t think much would remain the same.


    The future. Vince thought that not even the great Oracles could foresee what would happen when one human stands alone to challenge the Dreamkillers. Vince knows now that the future will be painful but he now believes that if, like Mykella had shown him, hope and faith can be a comfort, he will no longer abandon these to emptiness.


    It wasn¡¯t until he, himself, saw the cross of our savior and saw his blood on the cross that he found faith ¨C true faith ¨C and that no matter what happens during the conclusion of the Great War, he knows that loving arms will always be around him to protect his soul.


    As for Orion gaining access into Eden and eating from the Tree of Knowledge, Vince wondered, then, what the Tree could do for Mykella. If eaten also, could she find a way to destroy Orion and his Dreamkillers?


    Perhaps.


    He had called Krieger just before entering the hospital and he could hear the infant crying in the background. Krieger had told Vince that the baby hadn''t stopped crying yet, not even for her mother.


    ¡°We¡¯re coming right up,¡± said Vince and turned off his phone.


    Vince came to realize that, given the recent traumatizing events, Samantha would have no recollection of what they had gone through. As far as Vince knew, all she recalled was having instantaneous dreams where she caught only glimpses of whom she thought was her daughter. She knows nothing of the war to be fought and who it was that will be the opposing force against Orion.


    As they entered the elevator, Vince pondered his own uncertain future. Where are Samantha and Mykella in his life? He has watched over them for a while now and he wondered if he was ready to let them go. He would never leave Mykella, though, as he is her Watcher. But what of them as a part of him?


    He found the room by following the cries of the baby and he pushed open the door and Krieger stood up from a chair when Vince, Chris, and Karl walked into the dim room.


    Vince looked over and saw Samantha sitting up in her bed, the back reclined, and holding the tiny babe in her arms with a pink blanket and pink hat.


    ¡°She won¡¯t stop crying,¡± she began while shaking her head. ¡°I even asked if it was colic.¡±


    Vince turned and tossed Krieger a confused expression. Should she know what colic means in her state of mind?


    ¡°Ever since she was born,¡± Krieger said as he walked over to Vince. ¡°Samantha¡¯s been able to remember things. It¡¯s almost as if she¡¯s recovering,¡± he said and shrugged his shoulders. Then, as an afterthought, ¡°How¡¯d it go at the Forbidden Realms?¡±


    Vince looked back at Samantha. ¡°Talk to Karl and Chris; they¡¯ll fill you in.¡± He turned his full attention on Samantha and leaned down and kissed her forehead. ¡°I love you,¡± he said and she looked up into his eyes and almost began weeping for joy.


    ¡°You¡­you¡¯re not leaving us, then?¡± she asked and he shook his head with a smile. ¡°I love you, too.¡± With that she handed the crying baby over to Vince.


    He was reluctant to take her at first but then he accepted and when he took Mykella in his arms, he looked down into her tiny face as she looked up into his own tired face.


    The two stared at one another for a while and then Samantha shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it,¡± she said and Chris and Karl walked up to them, standing right behind Vince so they could look at the baby. ¡°She¡¯s stopped crying.¡±


    A warm feeling swept through Vince as he stared down at Mykella. There were a million things he wanted to say to her ¨C a million hopes and prayers for her ¨C but he just settled on: ¡°Good luck¡± and he kissed her forehead¡­


    There cannot be light without darkness; and there cannot be night without a new dawn.


    End of Book Two; to be continued with


    The Dream Crusades


    Book Three of the Great War Saga