“Now, Miss Saydi...let’s play!” he thundered, cinching his sharp claws around my neck. They dug into the soft flesh of my throat as he held me up to the Rondure.
“It will be mine!” The laugh that came from him was deep and dark.
What seemed to be a million voices pierced the air.
Nathanael’s was clear. “Saydi! Let her go!” I could feel him. His insides were in an upheaval, scared, sick, hurt, tired, and utterly terrified for me.
Saydi, stay strong
, he cried in my head.
I tried to soothe him. “It’s...oka...” It came out a garbled mess.
Even from two feet away, Braxton’s breath was hot, blowing on my back as he talked. “Now that I have your undivided attention, I would like you to meet my reinforcements. I call them the ‘lie in wait’.” His laughter made my skin crawl. “You’re not that bright sometimes, John, you and your troupe. Didn’t you even wonder once why we were allowing this little love nest between our children? Not once didn’t you ask yourself? You would think by now you would know how we fight...dirty, of course. Anyway, let’s get on with it, shall we?”
He paused, his breathing heavy. “Let’s start at the beginning.”
“If you...hurt...Back off, Joshua!” Nathanael yelled.
“Now, now boys, let’s not have a family quarrel in front of our guests.”
“I’ll kill you myself,” Nathanael bit out.
Braxton’s voice discharged with authority. “You can’t! So let’s move on.”
He was imperious and mocking. “Where was I? Oh yes. John, the Tovs’ interception of the scroll was a little too late. We had already been enlightened to the fact the vessel could destroy it. As a matter of fact, you did us two favors at that time, your fellow Tov giving us the information and you relieving us of our duties to have to kill him. It saddened us to know the Rondure could be destroyed. That information should have been known to us right from the beginning. However, it was also wonderful news, when...” He trailed off, pausing as if to give effect.
Braxton held me high with nothing in my sight except the Rondure and the sun coming up over the horizon. I could hear weeping from all around me.
Then a deep, gruff voice came from my left. “Father, you will die!”
“Oh son, it is finally nice to see you in your true colors. What? Is this the second time in your life you changed? And all in one day. It’s really too bad it will be your last. Now let me continue...”
Something bumpy that felt like sandpaper stroked up my neck—Eww! His tongue! A very weak demand left my lips. “Don’t.”
“Don’t touch her!” Nathanael’s deep voice commanded.
“Come now, I already am. As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, this battle, in essence, was a farce. It had to be so the truth would be revealed. Without it, that truth never would have been told. Mind you, it was fun murdering some of you, but alas, I grew tired of the charade.”
He snorted and tightened his claws. A gurgle rippled in my throat as the taste of blood trickled down.
Gasps could be heard, along with one very weak plea. “Father, please!”
He ignored them. “As I said, we knew all along she could destroy the Rondure. It played well for our side. Yes, we took a chance her Spirit Light might be strong enough to destroy it, however...” He shook me like a rag doll.
A sharp, tangled pain shot up my neck and a small moan fell out of my mouth. There was nothing left in me even to cry out.
More gasps and sobs erupted from the clearing.
Again Braxton paid no heed. “We also knew the only choice for her would be to release her Spirit Light willingly with the very hope of destroying it. What a wonderful twist, don’t you think?”
His voice went darker, deeper and raspy. “When we saw her, we knew her Spirit Light was not strong enough.” He ran his long, pimply, tongue up my neck, putting his sour breath on my ear and whispering, “I love the taste of your blood.”
I dangled from the end of his claw and for the first time in a long time, felt the wind caress my face. I no longer had control nor command, and even when I closed my eyes, the battle was lost to me. A warm liquid trickled down my back as the diamond around my neck floated out toward the Rondure, and with each breath I took, it sharpened the brilliance of the light in the middle.
“Ah! See Nathanael? Watch the light of the one you love be snuffed out.”
“No! Saydi! No! No!” He began to cry.
I’ve always believed the soul connects us together. Being able to feel emotion, love one another, hurt one another, laugh, cry...all the things that make us human. Did I believe my soul was an actual physicality of my human make-up? That it could be whisked off into the darkness by a demon? No. To me, life held enough hurt and pain without having to worry there were forces of evil crouched in the shadows—waiting for me to swear, or something along those lines.
There was nothing more humbling than to be wrong.
As the warmth of the morning sun brushed against my face, I heard the cries and whimpers of the ones I loved. Truth be told...dying would be better than the alternative. The darkness descended within me. An abyss of torture lay waiting as I prayed for death to take me rather than let me live with what lay at the bottom of an empty soul. And with that prayer, when it was close to the last lighted breath, I thrust my hand out, releasing the light from the diamond, handing it over to the Rondure—it penetrated with ease and at first it was bright, then began to fade.
“Ah-ha-ha-ha, it’s working!” Braxton roared.
“Nathanael,” I whispered with a few last wisps of breath. “I wasn’t strong enough.”
Somewhere from deep in the corner of my mind, just before the darkness took me, I heard,
They will be of both. Saydi, Nathanael, you are of both. To be of both, you must be one, the warrior.
A growl roared, echoing so far off in the distance it pulled me up for a split second. As I drifted back down, I felt light as air, being lifted up to a place that was calm and peaceful.
Take me...
Warm hands feathered down my arms and a warmth surrounded me, interlacing through my fingers. It was wonderful. I succumbed to its wishes, and out of a darkness came his soft, sweet voice. “Saydi, feel me.” A small light pushed me forward.
“Feel us,” he murmured. Then wrapped his arms around my waist, completely immersing me into him—it was only us, our hearts beating as one, gently kissing, our souls united, his filled mine completely and a faint light glittered in the depths. Slowly at first, he glided our hands through the air. I lay my head on his chest, listening to our two hearts beat together for the last time. Then the darkness once again took hold. A spark flickered. I took a quick breath. It ignited into a perfect white flame and the darkness cowered against it.
It filled me, all of me—Nathanael’s soul was mine. Behind my eyes, the sight expanded. It was beautiful. I could see the whole clearing. The water of the swimming hole swished as it rolled within itself. I saw the battle as Tovs fought to keep the Pyre away. My eyes opened to a whole new world, part Pyre, part Tov.
Then I saw it. The diamond around my neck illuminated with a pure white mass. Its rays, brighter than the sun, danced on the breeze.
Nathanael whispered, “Do you feel us?”
“Mm-hm.”
“Feel us, Saydi. Fight for us.” He swayed our bodies softly and elevated our arms, brushing them across the sky. The Rondure spun softly on his command.
“You are mine,” he breathed.
The clouds broke, allowing the morning sun rays to flow as he said, “I love you.”
The last glint of light in the Rondure quivered, fighting to stay alive. With a sudden move, Nathanael pitched our hands toward it. The diamond disbursed from the chain and at the speed of light, shattered against it.
I watched in horror as it dimmed. “Nathanael!” I cried.
“Faith, Saydi. Faith,” he encouraged.
Then it grew brighter and began to feed, swallowing the vile blackness. The evil shrank against the pure power it held. The pureness of the light expanded until there was nowhere for it to go except out. It started to burst through the walls and rays of light filtered out of the Rondure. The cracks got wider and wider.
“Nooo!” A deep dark voice growled.
And when there was no space left, an explosion ricocheted against the sky. Nathanael threw himself over me, ducking us to the ground and covering our faces. With my eyes closed, I could see the beauty, everything on the earth was touched by it. The dark clouds dispersed in every direction. Trees bent toward it, craving it. It moved onward, its reflection leaving a glow on every branch, every leaf, every piece of soil it touched. It was there and would stay in everything it kissed.
Nathanael lifted himself up, then helped me. A tear ran down his cheek when he reached out and without touching the gouges in my neck, he waved his hand over me as Dad did earlier.
“Nathanael?” My voice broke.
He choked back a rough sob. “I can heal you, too.” Touching my neck. “They’re gone.”
Reaching up, I felt where it hurt before. I tenderly took his hand in mine and turned his palm onto my cheek, smelling his skin. He was mine.
“He broke through!” someone yelled.
We turned a second too late. I was ripped from Nathanael’s arms, my neck seized, my body jolted away with such force I could feel the muscles in my shoulders tear...literally hear them tear. “Ahhh!” I screamed. I was again dangled off the end of Braxton’s claw.
Nathanael crouched, ready to strike. Dad and all the rest who could, stood behind him in the same stance. I closed my eyes. Job, Joshua, and a handful of others stood behind Braxton.
Braxton rolled his arm above his head. The earth shook, the sky closed in.
I snapped my eyes open. Nathanael and Dad, along with the others, were glancing at each other, some giving nods here and there.
Braxton’s voice was barely audible with how deep and raspy it was. “This...time...I will...not...be...kind.” A deep terrifying laugh came from deep in his nonexistent soul as his claws clenched once again, tearing at my skin.
The earth opened up. I closed my eyes, squeezing the tears out and watching my family, they were communicating without talking. Nathanael nodded, then Zack. My mind turned its attention behind me. Job, Joshua and the others squatted down as if to leap, for the war was not over.
Then without warning, they leapt into the air, Braxton taking me with him, and propelled straight down toward the cavern, putting me out front. My mind told me to quit.
Don’t look, just faint.
My body collided and flew through the air. I landed on my back and slid across the ground, fully aware of the dirt grinding like salt in the fresh wounds on my body, and trying hard not to cry out in pain. When I came to a halt, the burning was not only on my neck but also on my back and arms.
I took stock of my injuries and, favoring my one shoulder, I lifted a piece of limp fabric from my arm and blew on the few cuts I could reach. But something wasn’t right; it was too quiet. You could hear the water ripple against the shore line.
I closed my eyes.
All Pyre and Half Nights were in human form, surrounded by people, many people. I could only assume they were Tovs, and ones I knew for sure hadn’t fought with us. Nathanael and Mora held Joshua and Job, keeping them away as they tried to lunge to help their father. Nathanael looked in the opposite direction. My dad, along with people whom I had never seen, formed a circle holding hands, eyes closed and heads tilted back. A reflection of light hovered in the middle of them. Braxton was under it, in human form.
The earth began to shake again. I could see the tears reflected in Nathanael’s eyes and my heart hurt with his. The loss of a parent, regardless of who they are, was wrenching. Nathanael loved him unconditionally, never once asking him to change and accepting him for who he was. Still, Nathanael always knew the day would come. He locked his eyes on mine, even though mine weren’t open.
Close your mind’s eye, Saydi! You don’t want to watch this.
A hand touched my leg and when I turned, sitting beside me were Zack, Pearle and André. Zack held up some gauze with a grin. The earth bounced with force underneath us. My eyes snapped closed again so I could see the whole view of the circle around Braxton. The dirt below him glowed ominously, then...it broke free, splitting in two. Smoke billowed out and a roar of excruciating pain filtered through the air.
Saydi!
Nathanael bellowed in my head.
Just before I closed all my eyes, I saw Job and Joshua reach for their mom and brother. They held each other tight, not able to watch either.
“Ow!” I heard Joshua yelp from the bedroom.
“Oh, stop it! It’s not straight,” Mora sniped back.
I knocked gently, then pushed the door open. “I’m assuming the groom is decent.”
“Saydi! Mother is strangling me,” he whined again.
“Oh no, Mora!” I walked toward them with my hand out. “Here, let me help.”
Mora laughed, backing off.