The Forgotten One

Chapter Four

Canaan watched as Mariah paced the hallway outside of Catherine's bedroom, her frustration and anxiety slowly seeping out of her once calm natured body. It had been two hours since Catherine fell unconscious and has not awoke, Mariah was worried and scared.
"Why is she not waking up?" Mariah asked frustrated. "This is not making a lot of sense at all!"
"I do not know." Canaan stated as he leaned against the banister of the staircase. "We will not soon enough once Philip comes out of her room, but you have to be calm Mariah."
As soon as the sentence left Canaan's lips, the door opened and a tall, well built man stepped out. He had pale skin and dark brown hair, dull green eyes. His face showed no emotion as he looked at Canaan and Mariah through his glasses, he ran a hand through his hair as he blew out a sigh. With his low voice, he began to speak.
"I believe Catherine is locked inside her own mind." Philip stated.
Canaan looked at him confused. "Locked in her own mind?" He asked. "How is that possible? She does this all the time with her visions."
"Probably the vision scared her that she did not want to face reality or it could be foul play." Philip suggested.
"Meaning someone locked her there." Mariah said.
"Correct." Philip said. "I suspect foul play Canaan; Catherine is a strong girl and nothing would scare to the point she would hide away in her mind. Did you not say somebody was hunting your family down?"
"Not necessarily." Canaan said. "But we do know that this thing will come for us, we were just getting a head start of it."
"Well by the looks of things Canaan, they were ahead of you." Philip said. "They knew if they inhibited Catherine, then you would not leave. Whoever this is Canaan, I would stay cautious."
Canaan shook his head. "That is kind of hard when you do not even know what he looks like, who is with him and what his plan is." Canaan said as he placed his face in his hands.
"Who is this 'he' Canaan?" Philip asked. "I have a right to know since I am here to step in your absence."
Canaan nodded. "Yes you do." He stated. "However, I am afraid you will not step in if I tell you the evil I am facing."
"Tell me Canaan." Philip demanded.
"It is Matthew again!" Canaan yelled. He watched as Philip's eyes widened at the dreaded name of Canaan's brother.
"Have you not told the Council?" Philip asked.
Canaan nodded. "Yes they know he is back." Canaan stated. "However, they think it is better for us to run and hide until he is captured again or destroyed once and for all."
Philip looked away slightly, debating what he should do. He shook his head, terror filled his eyes slowly.
"I will do what I need to do to help you Canaan." He said. "However, I do have a family myself as well. If I die, my family will struggle greatly with my loss and the burden of my death will fall on them. You understand that?"
Canaan nodded. "He is not just here to destroy me Philip, he is here to destroy anybody I love and care for." He stated. "That is including you and your family Philip. I will not have you and your family perishing for my demons. Please, go back to your family."
Mariah's eyes widened as the sentence left Canaan's mouth. However, a look of relief fell upon Philip's face. Canaan knew Philip did not want to face Matthew alone and possibly die, but he was willing to. He wanted to save Canaan's family, but he had his own to look out for as well just like Canaan has to look out for his own family.
Philip nodded his head as he stood. "Thank you." He politely said as he made his way on the front door.
Mariah looked at Canaan with terror in her eyes. "He was our only hope." She stated.
"I do not want him to die for our family Mariah." Canaan snapped. "Matthew is our problem, not his or his family's. We will not ask so much of them and return what may be just his body."
"So you are asking for our family to suffer?" Mariah snapped back. "To have our daughters die a warrior's death before the age of maturity? To have me, your pregnant wife, stand with a sword to guard our family from a demon who only seeks to kill us all!"
"No Mariah!" Canaan yelled as he stood up. "You think I wanted to make that decision? That was hard to send our best chance away so he can keep his family safe! You would do the same thing and you know it!"
"No I would not!" Mariah screamed as she stood up, tossing a glass of water against the wall. "My duty is important! Philip is the coward who thought of his family first before his duty, his duty was to protect us then his family! If it was the other way around and I had to protect the Chosen Family, I would happily die for them!"
Canaan stood there silent, his wife shaken with anger as she stared him down. Mariah was a warrior, she always thought of her duty to Heaven before anybody, including herself. The only except when she did not think about her duty was when she was bring Canaan back into her life. She sacrificed everything to make sure he was safe and his memories were brought back to him. He felt like a burden to her because of her honor and loyalty to Heaven.
"I am sorry." Canaan said quietly.
"About what?" She snapped.
"Being a burden to you." He stated.
Her face fell and she was no longer shaking with anger. Tears slowly filled her eyes.
"You think you are a burden to me?" Mariah said. "Are you stupid? If I thought you were a burden, I would have not saved you eighteen years ago and gave up everything to be with you. Even though I feel my duty is important, my family is to. Yes I would go and die willingly for another family if I was called to do so, but I would do it to save you all."
Canaan nodded. "I love you very much Mariah." He stated. "I never want you to think that we are in danger, I want you to feel safe and secure. I want our daughters and soon to be son feel secure and safe, that is my duty to you. I have to stop Matthew. I have to do this without help though."
Mariah nodded with tears streaming down her face. Canaan walked toward her and embraced her, listening to her soft sobs. He never wanted to make her cry or hurt her, but sometimes it just happens. He had to save his family, the danger would soon be upon them and it was up to him to stop it.
For twenty minutes, he continued to embrace Mariah until she stopped crying. Eventually she pulled away from him and kissed him gently on the lips. He grabbed her hand and quietly walked to their bedroom.
Once they made it to the room, Mariah went over to the closet and opened it. She walked all the way to the back of the closet and pushed away the clothes, on the wall was a hand print scanner. She placed her hand into the scanner and it beeped once.
"Access Granted." The electronic voice said.
The back wall opened up like a door and lead to another room. Canaan walked in, weapons filled each wall in the small room. Canaan walked over to a metal box that was built into the wall, he typed a code in the key pad. It beeped once and the case opened, he reached his hand in and picked up his sword. A double edged sword with a black leather hilt, engraved in the sword was Mariah's initials . He placed the sword into its sheath and placed it on his side.
He also grabbed two hand guns and the strapped a knife to his leg. Once he was finished, he walked out of the room and the door in the wall shut behind him. Mariah stood beside the closet door waiting for him, he walked out and faced her.
"I will come back." Canaan stated as he placed a hand on her cheek, leaning his head against her forehead.
"You better." She stated.
He kissed her gently and walked out of the bedroom to the front door. He walked outside and started walking to town. He did not know where Matthew was, but he was sure Matthew would find him first.