Chapter 7

Vince could barely see his hands in front of his face as he staggered through the raging storm. After several hours in this weather, he had lost his bearings and became disoriented.

In some places, the water was up to his knees making it almost impossible to walk.

He glanced down to look at his watch and wiped the face clear with his hand. He had been looking for Mykella now for three hours. And he had become fatigued from the inclement weather.

Have to go on, he reminded himself.

The temptation to go back, against the downpour, and return to his apartment was becoming unbearable.

He knew defeat when he thought of his mothers face just as Orion had entered the Forbidden Realms without a fight. It was her duty, she said, to fight anyone who dared enter through the gate. She had been distracted by her son and Orion took the advantage.

Vince didn’t know if she ever forgave herself; he had not seen her since that day.

But now; now he needs her like a child who needs their mother when they get hurt. Only his hurt grew deeper than a scratch or a fall. His hurt was mental.

“Mom,” he whispered, barely able to hear his own voice. “I don’t know what to do.” The tears felt hot against his cheeks. He suddenly felt like that hurt child, crying for its mother and not the forty year old man he was.

“If you can hear me, tell me what to do.” He had dropped to his knees, not caring for the puddles of water he was kneeling in.

* * *

Tracy had been weeping for her child for as long as she saw him walking alone in the storm. She turned and looked at the tall figure by her side. “Let me go to him, please.”

Ilias was a large male shape that seemed to have no blemishes to his beauty. His caring smile and soft voice was what won her over to him. For twenty years they watched both Mykella and Orion, wondering who would strike first. He was waiting for the first sign of weakness from Orion. He couldn’t let his guard down for a minute – like he had done with Agnes.

Ilias had created the Sisterhood of the Tainted Angel so long ago that he was surprised that Agnes had left the Sisterhood when she had, and no sooner.

The three Sisters – Catherine, Helen, and Agnes – had done well and served him as he had wished. Time has changed and he knew that the Sisterhood was no more.

Ilias had turned his body to face Tracy and she couldn’t help but notice the long scars running down either side of his back where his wings had been at one time. It never bothered nor embarrassed her that he remained without clothes. Clothes, he explained to her at the very beginning of their partnership, were not divine.

“You must think I’m the Devil, then,” she had responded to his explanation. He merely smiled at her and told her that there was nothing that could be done that could not receive forgiveness.

“You will go to your son,” he finally said. “But do not show him the way to Mykella. It is her prophecy and she must face Orion alone.”

Tracy nodded, tears still in her eyes and she thanked him for his generosity.

“No, Tracy,” said Ilias as he stopped her just as she was about to vanish. “Your devotion to me and my cause is most generous.”

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She smiled and then made herself leave this ethereal world.

Tracy had been a quick learner when it came to traveling in the realm of spirits. It took her more time, though, to master the art of traveling around other spirits, rather than going right through them; the spirits became disgruntled when another spirit entered through them and then out again.

She had actually enjoyed this mode of travel; she could see the world in ways humans could not – colors enhanced, the air more pure.

But it was to Vincent she concentrated on, kneeling alone in the rain and praying to her.

* * *

Vince heard the voice before looking up. In a loud voice, trying to be heard over the raging storm, it commanded him to “Get up.” He recognized the voice from his dreams and he stood up and was looking into the face of his mother, who didn’t seem to get wet despite the rain.

“Please,” he began but she shook her head.

“You don’t need to beg, Vincent. I am here for you.”

He realized then that she hadn’t aged since he saw her last at the gate of Eden. The gate, he thought.

“No,” she replied, reading his thoughts, which was easy to do in her present form. “I was the last. Since Orion has tainted Eden, there is no need for another Guardian.”

Vince understood and nodded. “Do you know where she is?”

“Yes,” she replied and gave him a sympathetic smile. “But I advise you – as your mother – not to go to her. Not yet, anyway.” She didn’t know what else to say. She was beginning to regret her actions of coming here. “I think you should go back to your friends.”

Despite the circumstances, Vince chuckled. “You sounded like I was a kid again. My friends.”

“Let’s walk,” she suggested and began doing so in the direction of his apartment. “When you left me to go to Mykella at her birth, a new path befell me.” She looked at Vince, who was walking by her side.

“What happened?”

“An angel came to me asking for help.” She smiled to herself at the memory. “Well, he was an angel at one time.” She pictured Ilias in her mind as they parted the gate forever.

Ilias had told her then that the war would take place when Mykella was in her twentieth year and he had to be ready when it happened because, as he said, Orion would be at his weakest – relying heavily on his Dreamkillers to fight the battle for him.

“Who is this angel?” Vince thought he knew the answer before he even asked the question and Tracy smiled at him.

“Ilias,” he replied and she nodded. It had been a long time since he heard the name, or rather, spoken it. He was wondering what this angel had to do with the war as he looked around at the disheveled structures that were once buildings and houses.

“There’s something else,” she cut into his thoughts and he turned to her. “We know of your plans to launch an offensive attack at Orion. We don’t know when you’ll do this, though.”

He was surprised by the change in conversation, but he listened nevertheless at what his mother had to say.

“Abandon the plans. Let us handle it.”

Vince thought it over in his mind. What would happen if his mother and this angel struck at Orion? Would they, being of nonmaterial, be able to stop him? Orion was human, more or less, and he didn’t think she and Ilias would have enough energy to do whatever they planned.

“No,” he finally said. “Orion is expecting an attack by Mykella – not us. If we gather the rest of what’s left of humanity, I think we’ll have a good chance to at least ease Mykella’s battle.”

Tracy thought about what he said and then nodded. “I know there is nothing I can say to persuade you otherwise,” she said and then looked straight ahead. “This is your place.”

He felt a sudden loss. She was going to leave him, he knew.

“You better go now,” she said. It pained her to say this; there was more she wanted to say, more things she wanted to talk about. When the war was over, and if she was allowed by the laws of either God or Ilias, she would return to her son and talk until the end of time.

He almost cringed when she told him to go. It was the same thing she said to him at the gate twenty years ago. He hadn’t seen her since and he didn’t know if he’d be alive twenty years longer to talk to her again.

Vince obeyed his mother against his will and headed to the front door of the run-down apartment building. He stopped and when he put his hand on the door knob, he turned back around to tell his mother that he loved her, but he was standing alone.

A disappointed sigh escaped him as he opened the door and headed to the stairwell. What would he tell the others? He told them that he would find Mykella and now he’s come back, several hours later, alone.