02 Awaken-The Soulkeepers (39 page)

Demons are coming out of the woodwork, and I push through the forest to help the hunters. As I clear the trees, Wolfgang leaps through the air, knocking both of us to the ground. The pistol crossbows skid across the ice, out of reach. I’m stunned with sudden pain shooting through my chest. I can’t breathe. Wolfgang rises up and rakes his claws across my legs. I cry out in agony and roll away. Instinct kicks in, and I scramble up, holding out my left hand. The crystal dagger imbedded in Wolfgang’s chest retracts and flies back to me. Then I spin around, gaining momentum, and send it whirling through the air and into his chest again. It slams, dead center, in the place where his heart used to be. He throws his head back, roaring in disbelief. I call to the pistol crossbows lying in the snow. Once secured in my hands, I turn and fire. Over and over, I drive arrows into his torso and arms. He stumbles for cover behind the tallest nesting doll. Lesser demons surround Wolfgang, stopping me from advancing. I lower the pistols, trembling and fighting to catch my breath. My ribs throb and my legs burn like they’ve
been severed at the knees. I take a weak step forward. I can’t go on.

The hunters creep closer. They are crouched and ready for attack. Chang`e’s porcelain face is grave as she stares at me, anticipating my next move.
What is my next move?
I’m paralyzed with indecision. She gives me a nod of encouragement, and then looks down at my pistols. I understand there is more. They can do more.

Wolfgang is hiding, but my weapons will answer to my call.
My
call.

In that moment, I realize that I’ve forgotten who I am. I’ve forgotten the girl I felt hiding deep inside me when I defended myself against Psycho Steve. I am a spiritual warrior. I am made to destroy evil.

My spine stiffens, and I turn to the lesser demons and the large nesting doll that stands between me and Wolfgang. Calmly, I raise my crossbows and aim directly at the nesting doll. I fire, causing the lesser demons to flinch. But the arrows whizz in an arc around them and the smiling doll face, disappearing behind it. I hear a loud grunt so I fire more, up and around, and the arrows find Wolfgang because that’s what I’m calling them to do. I continue to pelt him until he staggers into the open and the lesser demons back away in fear. Wolfgang has more than thirty arrows draining his blood but his eyes blaze at me. I holster the pistols and then raise my hand, calling to the dagger still buried in his chest.

I run at Wolfgang as it flies through the air, glowing with supernatural light. In one continuous motion, I spring off the smallest nesting doll, snatch the dagger from the air, bound off another nesting doll, and come down at him from above. I swing my arm in a wide arc, slashing through his neck. I hit the ground, roll, and slide into a crouch, ready for retaliation. But the strike is fatal, and Wolfgang’s head falls to the ground. His knees buckle, and his body collapses forward, spewing black blood. When the lesser demons see Wolfgang dead and me surrounded by hunters, they back off and fade to nothing.

Kanati, Chang`e, and the hunters stare at me. No one is more shocked than I am. After all, I’m just a small-town girl. Who knew I could destroy a powerful Demon Knight like Wolfgang?

Chang`e’s face lights up with a smile. She points, and I look down. My left hand holds the dagger but my right hand is glowing with my Chelsea Light. It’s vibrant indigo and the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I suddenly feel as though my strength and my compassion have equalized within me. In my left hand, I hold the means to defend what is righteous. In my right, I hold the purest form of love. This knowledge radiates throughout me, and I finally understand what Rama has been trying to teach me all along—there is balance in the world, and it is
righteous
and
pure
.

I blink and realize that my eyes are not my own but that of the spirit warrior I had
glimpsed in the past. She is here and I am her. Slowly, I turn and gaze at my surroundings as though I’ve never truly seen before. Colors and shapes blend and then separate to form detailed objects with pristine clarity. There is a splendid measure of accuracy as everything solid becomes momentarily translucent. The faintest sounds annunciate their intentions with precision. They wash over my skin like a million feathers, surrounding me and then taking flight in a swirl of rich chaos. I look to the night sky, anticipating the oncoming snowflakes that I can hear gently floating from Heaven. They crash against each other, forming new shapes and sticking together where they land. I recognize the natural formation, a primordial purity of all things around me. My innocence falls away, and I am liberated from the cycle of life. I have no more lives to live but this one. It’s overwhelming and far more than I expected to experience. The transcendence brings serenity and order within me. It has brought my Chelsea Light to the surface.

I lower my chin to find the demon hunters sharing expressions of shock and awe. In the distance are Michael and Raph, walking into the square. Michael has a look of reverent understanding. He knows what has transpired here, and he hesitates the moment my second heartbeat strikes.

Raph is laughing. He rushes over and grabs me in a fierce hug. “You did it, Sophia! You killed that son of a bitch
and
got your Chelsea Light.” I laugh, too overcome to speak. Michael stops and frowns down at Wolfgang’s headless body. I don’t understand why he shouldn’t be happy.
Isn’t decapitating a demon a good thing?

A faint sizzling sound rises from Wolfgang’s remains, followed by green smoke that drifts up and around. It quickly dissipates in the wind, and all that’s left is a pile of clothes.

“Good riddance,” Raph mumbles, and then Chang`e says, “What’s with your hair?” and everybody looks at me. Raph pulls my ponytail over my shoulder; the dreadlocks are glowing indigo. I clutch them and flush with embarrassment. Biting into my smile, I look at Michael, hoping he’ll at least approve of this. But his eyes are wide and his face has gone pale.

A voice behind me says, “They are special for my
wahine
,” and I whirl around. Rama is picking his way through the snow and the piles of leftover demon clothes. He has a dopey grin. He understands what’s happened, or maybe he witnessed the whole thing, who knows. All I know is that I’m overcome with gratitude. And since I can’t help myself, I throw my arms around him.

“Oh, Rama! I have so much to tell you! Something has changed inside me and … and …” I choke up, and my eyes fill with tears.

Rama fidgets awkwardly, patting my shoulders and trying to hold back his own
emotions. He unwinds me from his neck, sniffling and nodding. “Azright. But … save it for the ceremony.”

I say “What ceremony?” and Raph wails, “You mean you didn’t tell her?” He throws his hands up and shakes his head at my incompetent Ascended Master. He has no patience for it, and wraps an arm around my shoulders. While Raph explains about the official ceremony I’ll be attending later tonight, I watch Michael, wondering what he could possibly think of me now.

* * *

The barn has been transformed into something out of medieval times. Colorful tents are scattered along the perimeter, and people in current fashion stroll among knights in black and gold armor. I recognize them as Halos of the Son.

A stage has been set up in the center of the meadow with rows of benches and an aisle up the middle. The Halo candidates are lined up at the foot of the stairs, stage left, and will receive their honors before us spirit walkers. Two others have joined me: a guy named Marco from Turkey and a girl called Nayelli from Spain. We’re at the foot of the stairs, stage right, and wait quietly for things to begin.

I scan the crowd, finding Rama seated among the Patronus family. Even Uncle Pavvo, Aunt Sasha and Milvi are here. Uriel has a bird on his shoulder, and Raph a smile on his face. Michael’s parents must have left the dance early; they’re still dressed in their formal clothes. Seeing their smiling faces, I can’t help but feel a pang of regret. I have no family here. Not even Mom, whom I’ve been searching for on the off chance she might appear. No luck. Of course, Dad, Bailey, and Ka are still at the dance and couldn’t be here anyway. But it would’ve been nice to have someone close to me to witness this most, un-freaking-believable event.

Kanati and Chang`e have taken seats in the crowd, and wave to me. Chang`e was nice enough to show me the dressing chamber where I changed clothes and washed off the demon blood. I’m wearing brown ankle boots, a brown leather vest that laces up the sides, two leather cuffs laced around my wrists, my black sheath and leg holsters—empty of weapons because they are waiting on the ceremonial table on the stage—and indigo shorts that match the dreadlocks glowing in my hair. My ponytail is high and the center dreadlock wrapped around it like an indigo crown. I’m feeling like anything but a princess. Lethal. Ready.

Drums begin, announcing the start of the ceremony. A slow, deliberate rhythm
sets a serious mood, and my eyes snap to Michael’s. He’s directly across from me and first in line like I am. We hold a steady gaze as my second heartbeat thrums gently beneath my breast. I want so much for Michael to be happy for me; I’ve become what I was meant to be. But the blank look in his eyes says he has deadened his emotions. I could wait in vain for a sign of life from him. His own trials have made a man out of him. He seems hardened like a seasoned warrior already. Michael has wanted to be a Halo all his life, and I can’t imagine what he’ll think when he sees me standing on the same stage.

A procession of Halo Masters files up the center aisle and takes seats up front. Chief Master Sachiel is waiting on the stage. He begins by greeting the guests assembled for the special evening. He apologizes for the last-minute arrangements, but as these ceremonies are always last minute, it should be expected and he doesn’t want to hear complaints.

There is a smattering of polite laughter before he gets down to business. He says the Halo trials and the Awakenings were especially grueling this year. The spiritual family should be very proud of those who have prevailed. He goes on to detail events but I’m drifting, wondering what will become of me and Michael now. Will he be deployed with a squad right away? Will he stay local or be sent into other realms? There’s so much we never discussed. And I suppose we never will.

Squad Master Camael joins Sachiel on stage, and they call up the Halo candidates first. Michael and two others climb the stairs and face the mass. Camael asks that they receive the Sigil of the Halos, and he stands before each candidate in turn. The candidates open their shirt collars, and Camael places his hand over their hearts.

“Receive the Sigil of the Halos to mark you as one of us, a spiritual warrior and a Halo of the Son.” Beneath his hand, a white light glows and stirs their spiritual energy. Michael’s eyes sparkle with a prism of colors. When Camael removes his hand, a circular rune with ancient markings is left behind. When the last candidate has received his spiritual mark, Sachiel steps forward, holding his hands over a table laden with armor. He blesses the holy weapons.

“You may now receive your spiritual armor: the Shoes of Preparation.” Each candidate steps up and takes their shoes from the table. They slip them on and then stand at attention again.

“The Belt of Truth,” Sachiel says, and the candidates wrap black belts around their waists. “The Breastplate of Righteousness.” They strap on gold breastplates with black markings that match their sigils. “The Helmet of Salvation.” It’s the same gold and black helmet I saw on the warriors at the Borderland. The warriors tuck them under their arms. “The Shield of Faith.” Small and round, but bigger than the one I used. They look
indestructible, like the warriors themselves. “And the Sword of the Spirit,” Sachiel says, backing away from the table. The three warriors gather their swords and hold them across their bodies. They now look every bit as lethal as they are.

“Fully armored, do you pledge to stand against evil, protect all heavenly realms, and fight the powers of darkness?” Sachiel asks, to which each candidate replies, “I do.”

A cheer goes up and Michael’s family jumps to their feet, clapping and beaming with pride. The vast meadow fills with whistles and calls of encouragement. The warriors have not cracked a smile.

Then Sachiel turns in our direction and announces the coronation of the spirit walkers. Rama and two other Ascended Masters take the stage. They make their brief introductions, and then we are called up. I take a deep breath and mount the stairs. I know I should be nervous because that’s how I am, but right now I feel a depth of calmness I’ve never experienced before. I have crossed the threshold and am reborn with the understanding that I have not added anything
to
myself but revealed the mystery
within
myself to me. I’ve moved beyond the functions of thought or belief, and transcended to a sense of knowing certain things. With my Chelsea Light—the driving force of all good things—I have the ability to override all physical and theological laws. And this understanding settles inside me, where it belongs.

I stare at Michael’s profile as we approach. His eyes remain fixed ahead, and I give up on changing his mind. I don’t even wonder about him tugging on my heart. I’ve made my choice, and he’s made his.

We line up opposite the Halos, and Rama walks down the center of the stage to face the audience. He has remained in his beach attire, which stirs comments among the crowd. He glances back at me and winks. I smile. I’ve never been more proud to have him as my Ascended Master.

“This is a day of celebration,” he announces, “For those who have accepted and fulfilled the Awakening of the Heart have embraced and responded to their Metaphysical calling. They have: Purified the Soul, Illuminated the Way of Compassion, and Empowered the Physical Form.” He turns to us and recites the oath: “Do you swear to protect lost souls to the best of your ability? To defend against evil entities above and below?”

“I do,” I say along with my fellow spirit walkers. Then each Ascended Master stands before their student. Rama lays a hand above my heart, and I feel the spirit walker sigil tingle along my skin beneath my vest. It’s warm in a circular formation and starting to tickle.