The End is Near

Chapter 30

18 July 2045 – Nightfall - Banff

It was still night when Mickael returned to the clearing. He had taken seconds to cross multiple time zones and had left Athena on the other side of the world.

Shio and Laila were no longer present and no one was sitting around the water anymore. The rulers had brought their thrones back and were seated closer together than they had probably ever been in hundreds of years. Kiera was standing in front of them with an intent look on her face, but it wasn't clear whether she had been listening or speaking. Her face revealed nothing else, when he appeared, except a mild inquiry.

The Seventh reappeared just then, "They are settled and she is asleep. It seems best for now."

She nodded, without looking at him. "Athena?" she addressed Mickael.

"She stepped into the waves and nothing happened, so she said she had to go deeper and that she would find me after she found them."

"And you let her go!" King Mullon's voice expressed shock and outrage.

"Would have had me restrain her?" he asked mildly. A week ago and my heart might have stopped at the thought of addressing just one of the rulers and now I'm facing them down.

"He did what needed to be done," Kiera said, "now, answer me clearly. Will you?"

King Mullac settled himself in his throne a little more and he shook his head side to side. King Lilon looked away, muttering to himself.

"How can you feel you even have a choice?" She asked quietly.

"There is no choice when what you propose is impossible!" King Mullac's voice was desperate.

"What I propose?" she shot back. "The vision was given to all of us."

"Yes, and how do we know if the vision was real when you were the one guiding everything?" Lord Lilon asked.

The Seventh growled low in his throat and Mickael looked at him in shock. "You dare to accuse the Chosen One of duplicity? Dare assume that such a duplicity would not have been detected by the seers?"

"That is why we sent them away," Lord Lilon said. "so they can meditate on the visions in silence and away from influence. Who knows if what we saw is really what we thought we saw."

Mickael looked around the clearing again. I didn't even notice the other seers were missing.

Kiera narrowed her eyes at the rulers. "Very well. They have twenty-four hours."

She turned her back on the rulers and spoke to the Seventh, "We need you to watch over Shio and Laila. Mickael and I must return to that human place from which he escaped. It is time humanity learned their role."

"How?" the Seventh asked. "If Laila is to be a key part of it, don't they need to see her?" Mickael had been wondering the same thing.

"Mickael told me they were watching Shio and Laila for years. I am sure they can figure out a way to ensure all the necessary persons know who to focus on," she said with conviction. As she turned away from him, the Seventh reached out and grasped her arm, "Be careful."

Mickael looked at his sister's arm where the Seventh maintained his grip. There was tension in those fingers. The seers always held themselves apart, never showed emotion. Down was up and up was down it seemed.

Kiera inclined her head in acknowledgment to the Seventh and faced Mickael. "Shall we?" she asked.

He fisted his hand. Focus! Battle is joined. I can analyse and process later.