“Thank you, Daddy,” she whispered to herself while opening her eyes to the real world.
Now powerless, only truth was left. That was enough.
She awoke to serve the balance once more. She had a job to complete and it was barely started.
“There,” said Nixon after a moment of searching. He pointed to the valley between two distant hills to the southwest. Aryu could see nothing from such a distance. “They come, and in great numbers. Seems our friend wasn’t lyin’.”
Nixon was an expert at dealing with each new situation as it arose. This wasn’t the first time he’d had to run away to get where he was going, and thinking on his feet was essentially what he was made to do. Thankfully, in the aftermath of the loss of the Haven, it was quickly discovered that Nixon still had full command of his facilities and could still summon the Divine power within him. Yet further proof that his God was truly infallible. Yet more proof that he should have killed Aryu when he had the chance? No, he thought each time it occurred to him. Since the arrival of His Son, God is also merciful. I must honor that as well.
Nixon did admit, however, that they were between a rock and a hard place, and that made Nixon a very nervous man. He had been trying to pay particular attention to the appearance of any small black flying drones but had seen none. That was not a mistake worth repeating.
As they looked, pondering the next move, Crystal awoke in the arms of the giant phoenix, drawing all their attention back to her. Aryu expected the screaming to start all over again.
“Please, set me down, Nixon. I’m fine now.”
Nixon did as was asked but kept a close eye on her. Crystal gingerly walked around, stretching her legs and making sure all was as it should be in the physicality department. It was Sho who spoke first, asking the question on everyone else’s mind.
“How do you feel? That was quite a fit you had back there, Mom.”
Crystal, as if realizing for the first time they weren’t at home, looked around to get her bearings. “I’m fine,” she said, looking for some sign of their location.
“Fergive me, m' dear, but after wha' I know ya went through, no one alive, even you, would be fine,” Nixon spoke assuredly, as a man who knew more than any what mysterious feelings she had just had as the reality of the world hit her.
“We are east of home, aren’t we?” she asked, ignoring him. Sho nodded in agreement, but Nixon stood firm, awaiting her response. “I’m fine, really,” she said again. “Well, maybe not ‘fine’ fine, but I’ll be alright. It will just take a moment to put the pieces together.”
“What was yer trigger? I’ve not seen many go through what ye did. Two, maybe three others, long ago. Each time their minds focused on a trigger, a moment or object that grounds ‘em and helps ‘em through to clear their mind and restore the balance.”
“What difference does it make? I’m here, I’m fine, who cares?”
“I care,” he insisted, pushing her with his intense red eyes. “It’s important fer me t’ know so tha' I know ya aren’t walkin' around moments away from another breakdown. If ye’re 'ere again because of some false hope or shallow memory, it’ll only be a matter o' time before ya lose it again, and as we are currently bein’ chased by a very dogged army wishing t’ do us 'arm you’ll forgive me if I dunna' want t’ be carrying yer arse up a mountain!”
Crystal looked at the big man, seeing his seriousness. Not many knew more about the Omnis and the Est Vacuus than Nixon. No one alive, anyway. “My father,” she said, serious and truthful. She agreed with his reasoning and had no desire to deceive him. “Words from my father helped me through it.”
Nixon needed no further words on the matter. He saw no lies in her eyes, though he supposed she could hide them if she wanted to. He believed her to be honest. “Bless tha’ man yet again,” he said to end the subject. “May he rest in peace.”
Crystal nodded her thanks. “Amen.”
Sho had turned his eyes back to the place Nixon had indicated, desperate for some sign, seeing at last a series of trees fall in unison near the top of the rise. They were coming, and they were doing nothing to hide their approach. “Alright, my friends, we need a way out. Any thoughts?”
Aryu spoke first. “Let Nixon handle them!” he said, as if it was the most obvious answer in the world. “He still has his abilities! He could destroy them, or at least make them think twice before continuing to chase us.”
Sho and Crystal looked as though the counter argument was obvious, and all at once Aryu wished he were traveling with Johan instead of three supernatural beings. He suddenly felt very insignificant.
“Sorry, Aryu, but I won’ be doin’ tha’. They think I am as powerless as these two, and I’m in no rush to tell ’em otherwise. If they see I am still a threat t’ em, nothin’ will stop 'em from tryin’ t' destroy us. Likely wit' weapons yer very familiar with. Unless I have a damned good reason, I need to play tha' card close.”
Aryu could think of counter arguments to this as well, but out of fear of more looks from the others at his seemingly ‘pathetic’ reasoning, he kept his mouth shut and decided to trust Nixon yet again.
“How
