Elina smiles and she hears her father calling to her.
“Papi?” she whispers. Her father’s voice echoes in the depths of her mind.
“Only the Keeper of the Light is able to read the scrolls and return the parts to the Ketuwah, thus recreating the book.”
A shadow passes overhead and pain explodes through her body and mind but she does not scream. She must not be found yet.
“Elina?” Another voice calls out drawing her towards it.
“Brother!”
Alex stands in the center of the busy village waiting for her. He holds out a hand to her and she hesitates.
“No,” she frowns, “This can’t be?”
Alex drops his hand and sighs. A torch appears in his hand and he turns lighting the town fire.
“Once, long ago our maker cast to earth a fallen archangel. It was his punishment to walk among the people never belonging.”
His voice begins to change as he walks towards Elina. “In my rage I walked the earth destroying the light in whatever form I found it. I destroyed two of the twelve tribes before the others went into hiding, taking with them the secrets of the book. You are the only thing standing between me and conquering Heaven, Elina! I’m coming for you.” He shifts to his true form, the Mocker.
Elina screams as his clawed hand reaches for her throat.
Pain pushes its way to the front demanding her attention once more. Her leg is throbbing and she feels drugged and sluggish. Hands press on the wound causing her to moan and writhe in pain.
She opens her eyes to her heart pounding. Fear has her, pressing back into the bed.
Alex is staring at her with eyes identical to their father. “Elina!” he says relieved.
He leans forward, frowning when she jumps away from him as though afraid.
“Elina, it’s me Alex.”
Something presses on her leg again and she snarls looking down. Nameed is attempting to heal her wounded leg.
Their eyes meet and she allows the healing to continue. She relaxes and welcomes the soothing heat of the angels touch. The wound in her leg stops throbbing as tissue, muscle, and tendons knit back together. Elina closes her eyes in relief.
“Where am I?” she asks. “Where is everyone?”
Nameed looks up, “Peace Keeper, you are home. Malach is collecting himself and the others are resting. We have something for you.” Nameed finishes his task and helps her sit up. He looks at Alex and nods for him to come forward.
“We got it, Elina!” Alex walks forward, holding a silk wrapped item.
Elina feels the power emanating from the bundle before she touches it. Tears fill her eyes as she realizes how close they are to finishing.
“Thank you,” she says hoarsely. She starts to reach out to take it from him but pain shoots through her body as the raw open wound on her shoulder begins to bleed again.
Malach enters the ancient hut and looks at Elina. Everything fades except his presence. She looks up at him and smiles when he orders everyone from the room. “Nameed, Alex, this business can wait. I have a few things to discuss with Elina, alone!”
“You are angry with me again?” she asks after everyone clears the room.
Malach walks forward and gently pulls away the blood covered material of her shirt from the deep wound with shaking hands. He squeezes a wet rag over it to cleanse the gash before placing a hand softly on top. His face lifted to the heavens, a prayer quietly passing over his lips and the healing begins. It flows through her body, soothing and renewing before fading away. He waves a hand clothing her in a fresh shirt covering the new scars and emerald eyes meet turquoise.
“This was your plan, to allow him to hurt you! He nearly killed you Elina! Why would you block me from healing you?” he demands.
Her hand touches his face and she leans in and presses a kiss softly to his mouth ending his fury.
“I’m sorry, it was part of the plan. I needed him to believe that he was winning and if I have to explain everything I think or do, we will never get anywhere. It was a trap to lure him here. I will explain it when we are all together outside, Malach.”
Elina rises from the bed, tenderly testing her leg and rolling her shoulders to loosen them from the injuries. She looks at Malach once more and turns leaving him alone again.
Malach glances down at his hand holding the bloody rag and whispers “How many more times will her blood stain my hands?”
Outside, Nameed watches Alex looking around the village he was born in.
“It’s odd, Nameed, to be here where I was born, but feel no connection to it.” Alex looks around and all he sees is a run-down village that looks to be hundreds of years old. What used to be a wall surrounding the village has fallen over and is overgrown with brush. The remains of what looks like huts, are now collapsed ramshackle remnants of a prospering community.
He walks through the low branches with his hands dragging over the soft foliage looking and trying to remember anything about his earlier life here. All he can see are vague images and flashes of memories. The soft touch of loving hands, the sound of laughter, a pair of beautiful eyes looking at him with joy… frustrated he turns walking back to Nameed.
As he approaches Nameed turns to him with concern showing in his eyes. “Did you not find any answers to your questions?”
Alex lifts his eyes from thought looking up at the large archangel who has trained him and taught him so many things about life, but is not his true family.
“Why Nameed? Why you? Why would a great Archangel who has so much duty and responsibility help raise a child he did not even know? I mean, I
