Awakening

Chapter 15 - Edited

A Traitor

Slowly he laid her on the king size bed. He was aware that she was pale and with low vital signs, but she was alive. Behind him, Heraclius and Heptanius were discussing what to do with Buer together with their trusted men while Pronab was on the phone talking to Elaine.

"Whatever you decide to do, it must be now, and we have already lost a large amount of time."

Heraclius nodded. "Brother, please decide now, let's put an end to this. Let me do it."

"In times of war, some lives must be taken..." another one spoke.

Heptanius nodded slowly to each of his advisors but his gaze was set on Amra, who sat next to Caliope. Their greatest hope was now under the influence of a piece of a puzzle that no one prevented. He was unsure of their whole future and everyone now was looking at him for some light in their uncertainty.

Amra finally spoke. "He will be taken down to the prisons until Caliope wakes up, something happened and it is of great importance that we know what first... if you just get QUIET... and leave us alone... please..."

The anger in his tone of voice made everyone rush out. As they started to leave the room, Amra stood up and signaled Pronab and Heptanius.

"I need you both to stay..."

They nodded and stood inside, Pronab made sure the door was closed before he walked towards the center of the room. Amra closed his eyes and sighed.

"I was hoping never have to influence her with my powers, I promised her I would never do anything to interrupt the normal cycle of things... but this is something that requires a new approach... please hold on to something..."

As he mentioned these words, Pronab and Heptanius looked at each other confused. A couple of seconds later, as Amra continued with his eyes closed, he lifted both arms and a large tremble shook them all in the room. It was as if something had moved the very structures of the residence. Amra was glowing, a thin light that irradiated warmth. He rested a hand on Caliope's head and the glow expanded to her as well. Another tremble shook the floor again, and they could hear the others knocking on the door alarmed. They were not imagining this, it was happening.

"Wake up, my Asteria..."

Amra's words were more like a plead. Slowly, the glow disappeared and Caliope started to blink, opening her eyes. Pronab and Heptanius walked almost next to them.

Her sight was a little blurry, but she knew Amra was in front of her, and he was worried; a sad face as he was looking down at her. That sad face made her heart shrink with sorrow; she felt it was somehow her fault that he was suffering.

"I am sorry..."

Amra smiled and sat quickly next to her. The door opened with a slam but both Amra and Caliope were lost in their world as they gazed upon each other. Rednius, followed by a handful of men came inside.

"We have no idea what that was, My General! We are under attack!"

Pronab turned around and frowned at the intrusion, and Heptanius walked towards them trying to calm them down. He put a hand on Rednius shoulder and spoke to him lowly in order not to interrupt Amra and Caliope.

"It was just Amrafel's powers, there is no imminent danger my warrior, do not be afraid..."

He calmed down and felt embarrassed, apologizing with his eyes on Pronab. Amra took Caliope's hand and kissed her knuckles softly, watching her blush. It was his Caliope again, the one who blushed at his touch, and whose smile made him feel as if the world was in peace.

"You had us all worried, my Asteria... are you ok?"

Caliope nodded. "I am well, I really am... I am very sorry I worried you..."

Pronab walked closer and smiled at Caliope, who turned her head towards him and smiled back.

"I am sorry I made you all worried..."

"That is ok, I am glad you are back with us."

"What happened there Miss Caliope? What happened when you touched Buer?"

Amra frowned at Heptanius and he lowered his head instantly. Rednius witnessed this and felt angry, it was not easy for him to observe his great general lower his head towards anyone, like he just did. Caliope bit her lips and felt something squeeze her heart after hearing that question.

"She will talk when she feels ready..."

Caliope took his hand and squeezed it. He looked back at her and smiled, releasing a sigh, and nodding.

Caliope stared at Amra while sighing. "I am not a paper doll... I am stronger than you think... I am ok now..." and she smiled at the others "I do not know well what happened, it was so fast, and took me by surprise... Best way I can describe is, like a dream... I was falling into darkness, I couldn't find anyone, or anything around me... I was just falling and falling, I could not see the end... then it was light! And I could see everything around me... I was at some restaurant... and I saw Buer meeting..."

Caliope frowned; she shook her head and tightened her hands into fists, lifting her head with horror at Pronab. She had just woken up and did not have time to think about all of this for a second.

"He was meeting some one! It was the Hotel he mentioned, it must have been! I saw his past! How can this be?!"

She realized that the information she had was even more important, she saw the face of the higher rank Buer met, and it was someone inside the residence; but how much could she trust those in the room was still unsure. Her eyes pleaded for some help as she turned to look at Amra. She remembered how he spoke in her mind and read what she thought as well.

"That is amazing! It must be what he feared, somehow you are connected with the dark Angels and you could see them!"

Caliope was not paying attention at the overjoyed Heptanius; she was now focused on trying to speak in Amra's mind. She looked at his eyes with desperation, and squeezed his hands as she started to think. 'Please, please tell me you can hear me now... I need you to hear me now!' Amra smiled softly at her and caressed her face with his free hand.

"Do not worry; you are safe now, calm down..."

He was not speaking to her mind, those were spoken words that everyone heard. She used all her strength to squeeze his hand tighter, making him now alarmed at her reaction. And then she heard him in her mind.

'My Asteria... what is wrong?'

She nodded calmer now that his attention was where she needed it. She did not know how it worked, she only knew he could hear her thoughts right now so all she did was to think about what she wanted to express 'I saw the man Buer encountered, is one of the people in the meeting! I do not know how many of them we can trust!' She did not have to wonder if he heard her, his face now was as hard as a rock, anger in his eyes. He turned his head at Pronab.

"I want this room empty... now... only us 4, no one else!"

Pronab nodded and turned to escort the others out. Heptanius looked puzzled but nodded as the others looked back at him before finally leaving the room. Quickly Pronab locked the door and returned to them; he was worried as he knew something had happened that he was not aware of.

Amra looked at Caliope and nodded, encouraging her to speak now that it was only them in the room. She turned her gaze at Heptanius.

"I saw the person with whom Buer was shaking hands to, it was Keltop!"

Heptanius dropped his jaw open and gasped; Pronab frowned and turned his head at him.

"How long have you had him in your army?"

"It can't be, it's not possible, he has been with me since the beginning! You must be mistaken child!"

Heptanius gave a step closer, causing Caliope to gasp in fear. Amra turned his gaze in anger at him. Pronab held him still surprised after watching Heptanius defy Amra. He did not put resistance but was still in shock.

"You won't get a step closer to her, unless you wish to cease to exist..."

Heptanius watched Amra in horror, his worst nightmare would never come close to what he was now facing. Caliope had a hand in her chest pressed as she used her other hand to pull on Amra.

"Please Amra... stop!"

He turned his head at her still in anger. She pleaded to him with her eyes and her mind 'Please be more reasonable, he doesn't know me! And yet he knows him from all his existence! He is surprised and scared! Calm down!'. Amra closed his eyes and shook his head. After some impossible seconds, he finally opened them and looked back at Pronab, signaling him to release Heptanius. Once he was released, his face now showed pain and suffering. Amra locked his eyes on his as he spoke softly and calmly.

"Will you trust it if you see it with your own eyes?"

Heptanius hesitated at first, but then he nodded. Amra gestured him to come closer, and though he was hesitant at first, he walked next to him.

"Pronab, grab her hand."

Caliope extended her hand to Pronab. She trusted him ten thousand times more than Heptanius. Caliope stood up from the bed and they formed a circle. Amra spoke to her slowly.

"Close your eyes and re live all that vision in your head, step by step, the more details the better..."

She nodded and took a deep breath. Her eyes closed and only then, Amra closed his eyes as well. Pronab and Heptanius were shaken by the tremor that ran thru their bodies. They had their eyes opened but they did not see things clearly, it was a dark twister around them that was swallowing them. Heptanius whimpered and almost slipped out of Amra's grip, but he did not let him go. The dark vortex was endless and it seemed to consume the light around them, they could feel each other but thru their eyes it was another world they were seeing.

Caliope was breathing heavy, as she was reliving the nightmare of that experience. She would have wished to forget all about it, but not now, it was important for them to see what she saw. Later there would be time to forget all about it.

The vortex ended as suddenly as it came, the light almost made them blind. The restaurant was filled with faces of strangers. Pronab wanted to look around to familiarize with the place but he was forced to only look one way. It was as if he was not in control of where he was going and how. He was seen things how Caliope was remembering. Right there he saw Keltop shaking hands with Buer, the vision so clear it was undeniable. The vision continued for a couple of more seconds and then everything stopped.

"We will make an example out of him... gather an urgent meeting now."

Heptanius was appalled, but he did not offer resistance anymore, he was shaken by the betrayal of one of his best soldiers. He walked to the door, unlocked it, and ordered an emergency meeting.

Caliope sat down on the bed as she was rubbing her eyes. Amra kneeled next to her and caressed her knees softly, allowing her some time to recover.