He was running. Faster than he'd ever ran. God, it felt like he'd been running forever. Michael prayed that he had been pointed in the right direction. He couldn't see anything when he got here but he could have sworn the fog was thicker. It was just as blinding as being in the dark, except it was bright blinding white. Michael tried to remember the last time he hadn't been running from this blanket of darkness. The Shadow reached closer. He had to make it to the gate, he thought, or all of this was for nothing. It couldn't be for nothing. That was when he tripped.
A rush of wind whipped past him. Memories came flooding to the forefront of his mind. Why these memories? Why now? Were they significant?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Memory one: He remembered good times.
Michael sat down with Zach at their usual table, "The next rounds on you," he said handing Zach a frosty pint of lager.
"Not likely," Zach replied, "I'll be off when Linda arrives. I think she'll really be your type."
Michael sipped at his beer, thanking the liquid courage the icy bitter taste brought to him. Zach had told him so much about this Linda that he practically revered her as a celebrity by this point. Michael was certain his tension was causing him to sweat. Zach must have been sensing his nerves because he placed a friendly hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Calm down mate. Last time you got too anxious, you lost control of your power and blinded everyone in our last local. It cost a fortune to get the ambrosia to wipe their memory and besides, I like it here," Zach said quickly followed by necking his pint, "Chin up pal, she's here!"
Zach quickly departed and Michael was sure his stomach just dropped to the floor and the sense of nerves in the pit of his stomach made him wonder if he should leave this set up and run to the bathroom to throw up. Before he could do that, he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see a pretty twenty-something beaming at him.
"You must be Michael," came a cheery voice befitting of this lady's beauty, "Great to finally meet you, I'm Linda."
"I'm Michael," he said quickly embarrassing himself as he realised she already knew his name.
"I know," she replied tentatively with a crooked smile, clearly aware of his obvious nerves. He was cute when he was nervous, she quickly decided. Although, she did wonder if he was going to break his glass with that iron grip of his.
"Aren't you going to buy me a drink?" Linda asked playfully whilst taking the seat opposite.
Michael white as a ghost said, "I'm Michael," and Linda giggled to herself. Definitely cute, she decided.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Memory two: He remembered bad times.
Michael was panting as they arrived at the gate. He stood back-to-back with Zach as the foul-smelling ghouls attacked from all sides. Their pale skin and tiny stature made them hard to see in the dark but only heightened the sense of smell that was so offensive about these monsters. It was a close one, but they'd made it.
"We have to go!" Michael shouted as he forced a pulse of white light from his finger tips to make the small ghoul light up the darkness. Its wail echoed through the night.
"We can't." Zach said as he zapped one of his own with a ray of electric energy from his palm, "They're still coming! I know it."
Michael laughed at this as they moved in circles back to back waiting for the next wave of the foul creatures, "And if they're dead?!"
Zach shrugged at this, "Then we might as well give up now! But since I was never much of a quitter let's assume they're still alive."
Suddenly there was a loud boom as two men holding another man landed from the sky above them unceremoniously.
"Next time I'll take a damn taxi!" the carried one complained.
"Please do Aaron! Save us carrying your deadweight through the sky," one of the men replied.
"Deadweight?!" Aaron complained as a ghoul started to approach, "You and Christian would be deadweight if I hadn't opened the ground beneath that horde of ghouls!"
"I'd hardly call twenty a horde," Christian replied as he created a gust of wind that blew the ghoul in to the air, far away.
"Kurt, would you call twenty a horde?" Christian asked.
"Well-" Kurt began.
"Are you bickering now?" Michael interrupted, "We could die at any moment. So maybe save the testosterone for five seconds while we get the hell out of here."
"How many?" asked Zach.
"Three," replied Aaron, "It was chaos. We got three out. They're just kids, It was a slaughter."
"We can't talk here," Michael insisted, "We need to go."
The five men agreed and grasped each other's hands. The world span around them and they vanished.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Memory three: Finally, he remembered saying goodbye.
Then, Michael was back with Zach. This time, Zach had a solemn, worried look on his face.
"Look man," Zach said looking over his shoulders, "You have to run."
"Run where?" Michael asked rhetorically.
"That's just it. Don't stop. He must keep his attention on you. You have to run. It's the only way to keep its attention away from Linda, if he's chasing you." Zach said with a tone of frustration, obviously wishing for a more deserved goodbye than this one, "Linda is pregnant Michael. Pregnant. You know what that means, don't you? There's hope."
"She's due any day," said Michael, "I wanted to meet him before I had to go." They had met on top of a hill, overlooking a scene of fallen stone. The ruins of a once thriving city now lying derelict beneath them. The sight made their stomach's turn. A city destroyed from within. A city destroyed by betrayal. "You're the only one I can truly trust," muttered Michael taking in the sight.
It was raining, quite heavily and both men wore cloaks. Zach half thought he saw Michael shed a tear as he stared at his muddy boots. Michael hugged his friend, "Take care of my son."
"I will" promised Zach, accepting his friends embrace, "He'll be hidden away until we can get back, just like the other three. Just, keep running. Don't die. We'll need you both, when the time is right."
"How far is the Henge?" asked Michael.
"Too far to go alone," Zach said as they released each other, "I'll stay with you until then my friend."
"Thank you, Zach," Michael said before pausing and then adding, "I'm scared."
With that, the two friends began their descent down the hill.
"Me too mate," Zach replied, "Me too."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Michael felt himself be lifted from the ground, his saviour invisible through the fog enveloping him.
"One more step," a calm safe voice encouraged, "You're nearly there. I can hold off the shadow for a few moments more."
"I'm afraid," Michael admitted, "No elemental has ever been to beyond."
A feeling of warmth surrounded him.
"Well then, time enough," the voice replied as Michael took his step forward and felt the familiar energy running through him. This was a gate, he realised. The gate to beyond. Michael heard the shadow rage furiously as the world started to spin and he was transported away from this place.
YOU ARE READING
The Ethereal Saga - Volume One - The Child of Light
FantasyA mother who refuses to remember, an all too familiar school counsellor, and a teacher hiding a terrible secret. Alex never knew his father. A fact which he has allowed to define him for his whole life. He always believed there was more to the myste...
