Mystery's Choice (Vengeance Of The Fallen Book 1) (46 page)

Ryan tried to think of a witty comeback, but he could feel the pain coursing through his body. He thought of Mystery. “Go screw yourself, Cain.”

Cain reached down and squeezed Ryan’s windpipe. “One last time, preacher man. Where is he?” He let go so Ryan could speak. Cain threw back his head and shrieked. Turning he saw Raevanne standing over him with The Spear of Destiny in her hand. “I am sorry, my love. I cannot let you kill Jeremiah.” Cain fell back against the wall.

“You traitorous bitch.”  Cain raised his hand and Raevanne slammed against the wall. He slammed her into it twice more. She slid down the wall and went still. Her pupils dilated until they dominated her green eyes.

“You can’t kill me, Father.”  Mystery came down the corridor. “The Roodmasi are destroyed. With mother’s death, their power went. In a matter of days, they will be no more.”  She raised her hand, her eyes glowing with power. “You never understood the love of a mother for her child. You underestimated my mother’s love for me and mine for Jeremiah. A mistake you will pay for with your life.” Cain began to writhe. “With your death there will be no one powerful enough to perform the Ascension. You have failed.”

“I might have lost this particular battle, but I promise you Father will win the war.” Cain said as blood foamed out of his mouth.

Mystery smiled, a mirror smile of her father’s usual amused sneer. “I doubt, grandpa, will allow you to be around to see the next battle.” She concentrated and there was a squishy sounding explosion deep inside Cain’s body. Blood poured from his ears, eyes, nose and mouth, he writhed trying to scream but no sound would come out.

“Goodbye, Cain. Tell Satan hello for me.”  She flung her hand in his direction and he exploded into a million pieces of dust.

Mystery hurried to Ryan, he was rasping and clutching his middle. He reached for her and she took his hand. “I thought the mark, made it impossible to kill Cain?”

“I didn’t kill him, I banished him to Hell, I made him suffer for killing my mother and Seth and then I banished him. The prophecy came to pass. When mother died, I inherited all the power of the Shivana, but without the ceremony being performed, it didn’t infuse the Life Force of the Roodmasi. I was already powerful, but he was no match for me, once I got mother’s gifts. Hurry, drink this.” Mystery took a vial from her cloak. Ryan managed to swallow it. “Mother made sure I would have the anecdote to give you.”  She struggled to pull Ryan to his feet and with her help he was able to slowly pull himself up. Together they fought to get him down the corridor and out into the main tunnel shaft.

Felicity looked up when she sensed them and only Mystery’s abilities shielded them from the power that Felicity flung their way. “Sorry. I didn’t have time to look to see who it was.” Felicity finished checking the charges and stood. “Mary Kate managed to set the charges, so, we should go.” Felicity turned and began to walk away, but she came back and put her shoulder under Ryan’s arm and together she and Mystery helped Ryan out into the smoky night air. They had almost made it to the boulders when the explosion shook the ground and sent them flying. Debris rained down and Mystery used her body to cover Ryan. The three of them watched in awe as the aerie collapsed in on itself. The screams of those trapped inside seared into their memories.

Felicity stood and tried to move Mystery back, Mystery fought her. “I need to tend to him and make sure he is alright, Mystery. Just let go for a minute.” A huge smile split Felicity’s usually solemn features when Mary Kate appeared on the other side of Mystery and tried to help pull her back.

“I wasn’t sure you made it. I knew you made it back past the tunnel, but then I couldn’t feel you anymore.”

“I almost didn’t make it out. It was way too close for comfort.” Mary Kate hugged Felicity and Felicity hugged Mary Kate back as Felicity wiped tears off her own face. “I am glad to finally be wrong.”

They both laughed.

“Now that you two are reunited. I can heal Ryan, I got my mother’s powers when Cain killed her.”

“I am sorry, Mystery. I know you loved her.”

“Yes. I did. Very Much. And she loved me, enough that she betrayed her people, her husband and her god, to save me and her grandchild.”

“Then I will say a prayer for her to have peace, wherever she is.”

“Thank you.” Mystery wiped at her own tears and turned towards Ryan. She lifted her hands over him and winced as she took in his injuries and he healed.

“Ryan?” Mystery gently touched his cheek. “Ryan?” He moaned and slowly sat up. He fought to his feet and looked at the smoky crater where the aerie had stood. Debris and burned bodies filled it.

“You actually had me scared for a minute there, Ryan.” Felicity almost smiled.

“I had me scared for a moment there. I didn’t know you two had made it.”

“I shielded myself, so, if I was needed at the Eleventh hour, I would be a surprise. I figured it was the only way I could hope to take Cain or Raevanne out.”

“I hid.” Mary Kate smiled.

“Good move.” Ryan smiled at her.

“Thank you.”

“I’m glad you were wrong, Felicity.” Mystery said as she came to stand beside them.

“Me too.” She looked at what had been the entrance to the tunnel. “I just wish I had been wrong about everyone.”

“Sam and Lily are at peace. God does not punish those who fight in his name, especially those who think they have no hope of salvation.” Ryan put his arm around her shoulders.

“May we meet again my friends.” Felicity whispered and turned to walk back to the cars.

“Hold on. Is this over?” Ryan asked.

“Yes.” Mystery and Felicity said in unison.

“Can’t you feel the change?” Mystery asked him.

“I feel something. It’s kinda like being on shrooms. Not that I would know anything about that, of course.”

“Of course.” Felicity said and smiled.

“Everything is changing.” Mary Kate said in awe. She walked up the path to stand with them.

Ryan stood still; he could still feel evil seeping from the ground where the compound had been. He put his hands on Mystery’s arms. “I need you to do something for me.” She looked at him, puzzled.

“Okay.”

“I need you to ask Jesus Christ into your heart.”

Mystery closed her eyes, bowed her head and said, “I ask Lord, please forgive my sins and come abide in me and be my savior. I also ask Lord, you take care of our loved ones who did not make it through the battle. Amen.” Tears ran down her face as she felt the warmth and light of her soul again. She raised her face, her eyes twinkling at Ryan. He pulled her into his arms, and kissed her.

“I hate to break up the love-in, but can we please get the heck out of here.” Felicity said pretending to be cross. “Actually, all the goo-goo eyes are making me nauseous.” She smiled and went up the trail.

Mary Kate laughed. “I think it is beautiful.” She smiled mischievously at her partner.

“Ack” Felicity said as she moved up the trail.

Mary Kate burst out laughing and followed Felicity up the trail.

“She’s right. Let’s get Jeremiah out of here.” Ryan walked up the trail, went into the cropping of boulders where he had hid Jeremiah and gathered him up. Mystery ran to them and gathered her son into her arms. He wrapped his chubby finger in her hair and pulled her to him for a sloppy kiss. “Mama!” he said delightedly.

Ryan smiled and turned to face Felicity, his face going somber.

“What is it?” Felicity asked.

“I want you to keep this. So, when the next battle comes you will have it.” He pulled The Spear of Destiny out of his shirt. “You are the only one who can use it.”

“How is that possible, I am not even Christian?”

“Exactly. You are not fighting so your religion will prevail, you will not fight for revenge, you will not fight just to protect your friends, the only reason you would be at whatever battle is because you would be fighting so darkness cannot triumph over light.” He placed it in her hand, where it glowed for a minute and went back to looking like an ordinary dagger. “You came today, not to save Jeremiah, or to make Cain pay, or even because you wanted to help your friends. You came because, you could not stay away, you came to make sure the dark was held at bay and you were willing to die, to insure evil did not win.”

Felicity nodded at him. Then in her stoic way, said. “I will make sure it is safe until we need it again.” She strode around the mountain, taking the wider, safer path instead of the one they had used to go in.

Mary Kate caught up to her, stopped her and hugged her again. “Are you going to get Luna back?”

“Of course. We belong to each other. She was very upset with me when I explained what I was doing. She should speak to me in five or six weeks.” Felicity smiled her usual somber smile.

Mystery and Ryan shook their heads and followed her. They looked back. The trees had sprung up to cover the place where the aerie had stood, like it had never been there.

When they reached the cars, Felicity and Mary Kate were already inside Mary Kate’s, listening to some tinkling, watery music. They both had their sunglasses on and looked like they had on the day Mystery had first met them. Mystery walked over to the SUV, while Ryan fastened Jeremiah in the car seat they had brought with them.

“Will I see you soon?” Mystery asked her friends.

“Yes. I will be right where I have always been and you are always welcomed in my home.” Felicity said with more emotion in her voice than normal.

“Of course. I am not letting you walk out of my life, now that we have you back. And I cannot wait to see the little man all grown up.” She blew Jeremiah a kiss and he blew one back.

“And you are always welcomed in my home, wherever it may be.” Mystery realized they had no home to go to.

“Don’t be sad. You will find the perfect place to raise Jeremiah and his brothers and sisters.”

“Brothers and Sisters?” Mystery held her belly.

“Yes.”

Ryan walked up and put his arm around Mystery’s shoulders. “Take care of yourself Mary Kate.”

“Will do.”

“Be blessed, Felicity.”

“You too, my friend.” She nodded at Mystery and Ryan and they drove away.

Ryan turned and said a quick prayer for Sam and Lily, and they got in the car and drove away.

Epilogue

It had been twelve years since that terrible night. Ryan and Mystery had married as soon as was possible. She returned the money paid on her life insurance policy. And was surprised to find out that Raevanne in some private moment at the end of her life had left the combined wealth of the Roodmasi and all of her personal holdings to her beloved daughter. Mystery could not keep money she knew had come from suffering of others and from illegal enterprises such as human trafficking and slavery. So, she handed the money over to various charities that helped women and children stay safe from those who had hurt them. Her mother’s estate, it turned out was Khatima’s estate and her mother had always kept the funds separate from Roodmasi funds. So she used some of the money to purchase land outside of Las Cruces, New Mexico. The rest she invested and put into trust for her son and any future children.

She had finished her degree and now taught at the University in town. She taught Ancient Mythology and her class was popular, as people couldn’t wait to hear her twist on the stale old myths. It was not long before she was a tenure professor, who had a full schedule of classes she taught all centering around ancient world history, mythology, and religions.

Ryan had planted half of his land in cotton and the other half in a special chile` he had cultivated from mixing habanero and jalapeno chile. It had won World’s Hottest Chile two years in a row, coming in second the last four years to an East Indian chile variety. He had an orchard of pecans on one side of the land and an orchard of apples on the other side of the land. The farm and orchard did very well for themselves. He openly discussed religion with his children and he even attended non-denominational church services. But he had seen too much to comfortably settle back into organized religion fully.

Jeremiah had grown into a rambunctious teenager who excelled in school and loved horses. He had conned his parents into buying a horse for each member of the family. He had developed the powers that his grandfather had said he would. He was gifted beyond what his parents had thought he would be. And he remembered just enough of his time in the aerie to understand someday he would face off with his sister, who he had no love for. He felt guilt for not being able to love her. His parents reassured him that it was normal and natural to feel no love for such pure evil.

His brothers and sisters shared his kinetic and psychic abilities. And Mystery and Ryan had their hands full as each child went through their toddler years.

The world had changed dramatically. Peace ruled everywhere. There was a woman in the White House and she and her fellow world leaders had seen to it all weapons of mass destruction were disassembled and the pieces jettisoned into space. People had finally adopted a live and let live attitude. Churches were rebuilt and believers lived in harmony with non-believers. Radical groups had been abolished as the need for them had faded. Police forces were decreased and the military forces all over the planet had shrunk in size as they were no longer needed.

Scientists from all over the world had banned together and conquered Cancer and AIDS. They had put people on a space station, where they lived and studied. Solar and Wind Power cleanly and efficiently managed what had once been fueled by gasoline. The air had cleared and the ozone layer had stopped deteriorating. The planet was healing itself.

Good news and human-interest stories filled the nightly news. Earth was slowly becoming the Utopia the Renaissance writers had waxed poetic about.

However, late at night, when the moonlight caught in Mystery’s hair as they held each other, they both knew it wasn’t over. Somewhere, out there Serafina and Kasdeya waited for their chance to poison the Earth and start the countdown to another battle.

Until the time came, Mystery, Ryan, Jeremiah and his siblings would enjoy life and hoard their power. And when the battle came they would be ready.

THE END