The Girl with Red Hair and Sapphire Eyes Part 5


1 year, 8 months By Allyson

In: The Girl with Red Hair and Sapphire Eyes | fantasy | fiction | leviathan

Candace looked at Eamon and then Xalay. “What do you mean, Leviathan is coming? I thought she was defeated by Gabriel.” Xalay’s shoulders drooped as she responded, “There is more than one.” “There’s more than one Leviathan?” asked Candace confused. Xalay ignored Candace saying, “Are you certain it’s a Leviathan?”

Eamon nodded his head, “I’ve had scouts tracking him all morning. There’s no question. Crocodile in shape, and only a little smaller than Lycius’ compound. Xalay’s head dropped recovering memories of what she knew about Leviathan. She recounted, “blinding light comes from the eyes, flames from his mouth, even his breath ignites air, smoke from his nostrils, and scales that are impenetrable, and a stone heart. Built to be invincible.” Eamon grimfully responded, “You are correct, Miss.”

Xalay looked up, “And all we have are 7 warriors, a prophet, and a shield bearess?” Eamon nodded again. “Xalay shook her head. This isn’t good. How many hours till it gets here?” Eamon looked up at the sky, “at its current speed, 16 hours.” Xalay began to pace, gears turning in her mind. She inquired, “Has word been sent to other warriors? Does anyone else know this is coming?” Eamon nodded, “Yes, I’ve sent word. But I don’t know how many will make it time. The prayer coverage in this area is limited.”

Xalay continued, “Candace, I’m going to send you back to the natural realm. When you wake up, immediately go to Sarandin and have her gather as much anointing oil as possible. Bring it to the garden. The stashes that you have, I want you to use on every window and every door of the compound. If Leviathan is coming for me, he’s also coming to destroy everything around me, anything I hold dear. There isn’t enough time to get out of this area and try to reroute him to another location with less people. The battle will have to commence here.”

Candace interrupted Xalay, “How can you do this with only 9 people?” Xalay responded, “You let me worry about that. Candace, I could do nothing and be killed, or I can fight and possibly win or be killed. But I have to at least attempt to win.” Xalay’s hand rose, and she touched Candace’s forehead, “Return.”

Candace dropped to the floor, blinded by bright light. She pinched her eyes closed rubbing them fiercely. After a moment the bright light dissipated and she was back in the guest bedroom. She lifted her head and saw Xalay still standing in the same position. Candace stood up and walked around to the front of Xalay. Her expression was blank, and her unusually blue eyes had turned milky white. Candace waved her hand in front of Xalay’s eyes but she did not respond.

Candace put Xalay’s arm around her shoulder and slowly began to move Xalay across the floor. Surprisingly the prophet’s legs did not resist the idea of walking. They allowed Candace to guide her to a wooden cushioned chair next to the bed. Candace carefully put her in front of the chair and then gently moved her into a sitting position. Her body responded by crossing her legs in front of her and folding her hands in her lap. Her head continued to look straight ahead into nothingness. Once Candace was certain that Xalay would be safe, she ran out of the room and down the hall towards the medical facilities where she could find Sarandin.

Eamon knelt down in front of Xalay, putting himself at eye level with her. He looked into her cerulean blue eyes, and placed his hands on her shoulders engaging her earnestly, “We have a plan, but it’s dangerous. Specifically for you.” Without missing a beat she finished his thought for him, “You want me to go inside through the eyes; cut my way to the heart and free it from the body.”

With solemnity he whispered, “I sometimes forget you’re a prophet.” She looked away from him, “Can I survive inside?” Another one of the heavenly warriors stepped forward, “We speculate that you can if you cut through the demon’s skin, from the inside out.” Eamon quickly began, “But, even if that works…” Xalay again finished his thought, “You can’t guarantee my sanity. You can’t be certain if it will still be with me when I come back out.” The other warriors who had been previously talking quietly among themselves, stopped abruptly. All of the warrior’s eyes were on Xalay.

She gazed up at them, “Don’t look at me as though you are waiting for me to say yes or no if I’m going to do it. My answer is yes. You already know that.” Eamon solemnly smiled, “I’ll return you so that you can pray and bring you back in 12 hours time.” Xalay nodded.

The milky white color dissipated from Xalay’s eyes and she gasped air as though she’d just broken the surface of water. She stood up and made way to the kitchen. She would need to eat and drink a large meal, then head to the garden for prayer. As she walked down the hallway she ran into Candace. “Is everything all right?” Xalay nodded, “I’m going to eat and then pray. Do you have the anointing oil ready?” Candace nodded, “Almost. Sarandin has quite a bit stockpiled but she is procuring more. How much time do we have before you need it?”

Xalay responded, “Twelve hours…” Candace began down the corridor, but Xalay touched her shoulder. Candace turned around to look at her. Xalay whispered, “Thank you.” And with that she hugged Candace, and began going the opposite direction down the hall.

Hours later…

The day had worn on, and evening was approaching. Lycius and Marcus were on the patio discussing business matters of the compound that would occur over the next month. They were laughing and drinking wine and generally having a good time. However, they stopped abruptly when they felt the ground shake. The table with their food and wine rumbled and tilted one way and then the other before finally settling down. Lycius laughed, “You’d think I’d be used to those things by now.” Marcus followed suit in laughing, but was confused. They’d always had tremors was what his mind was telling him, but something about the statement seemed odd. As though it didn’t quite fit.

Outside the sky became overcast with thick gray clouds. But they showed no signs of lightening even though Lycius and Marcus thought they could hear thunder. The air became stagnant and still, it almost seemed to crackle from dryness. Again the ground shook, the sky’s clouds roared, and then a piercing scream echoed through the hall. Marcus’ eyes grew large and round like saucers, “Xalay!” Both men scrambled to get up and began running out the front entrance of the patio onto the courtyard and then through the garden entrance.

Xalay was on the ground, surrounded by a pool of blood. It had soaked into her crème colored gown and bodice. She was kneeling in it. Marcus drew his sword and began pacing up one side of the garden and down another, looking for intruders. Lycius ran to Xalay’s side. He put his hand on her shoulder carefully lifting the upper portion of her body into a straight up position. He touched her chin and lifted it, pushing her hair back from her face. He gasped at the sight. Blood ran from her eyes, her nose, and her ears. It was on her hands, and down the front of the bodice of her dress. Her eyes were closed and she was crying but no sound came out of her.

Candace and Sarandin came running into the garden. Both of them stopped short at the sight of Xalay. Marcus was also staring at Xalay, barely above a whisper he reported to Lycius, “The perimeter is clear, sir. No intruders.”

Lycius helped her into a standing position. Xalay’s crying had ceased but she didn’t seem to register the people around her staring at her. She was looking at her hands, viewing the blood. Lycius looked at Candace who was still stunned, “Candace, early this morning she said she needed to pray. When did she finish getting ready with you and come out to pray?” Candace was shaking visibly, “Sir the last time I saw her was an hour after we had spoken with you. She was going to have something to eat and then come here to pray.” Lycius shook his head, “Candace, that was over 11 hours ago!!!”

Xalay jumped at the rise in Lycius’ voice. Marcus interjected, “Sir, Ms. Xalay may have a sensitivity to sound at this time if her ears are bleeding. We should let Sarandin take her to the medical facilities and clean her up.” Lycius was breathing irregularly. Anger was welling inside of him. “Marcus, you and Sarandin go with Xalay. Candace, you will stay here and discuss this with me.”

Sarandin took Xalay’s left arm, and Marcus took the right, and they walked her through the entrance towards the courtyard. Lycius’ expression turned dark. Like an animal he zeroed in on Candace’s position and began to advance towards her. She backed away slowly. “Don’t move away from me.” She stopped. He gripped her hand, but didn’t look at her face, “Answer me why you left her alone for so long? Why did you not check up on her? That is the task I gave you. One simple task, Candace.” He began to squeeze her fingers. She winced in pain, “Sir,” her voice faltered, “I know what you said. But, I was following what Xalay had asked me to do.” In quick motion Lycius fingers wrapped around her throat and pushed her 5-foot body against the stone wall, “You follow MY orders. From now on any requests go through me. Do you understand?” Her fingers had wrapped around his wrist, she couldn’t respond or breathe, and tears ran down her cheeks.

From behind him he heard a stern voice yell, “Un-hand that girl!” Lycius whipped around releasing his grip on Candace to see Xalay standing in the garden entrance. The blood had been removed from her face and hands, though it still stained the front of her dress. Lycius’ mouth dropped open. She appeared to have regained all of her faculties. Though she was always pale, what little color she did possess had returned.

She ran over to Candace and helped her up off the ground. Lycius ran over to Xalay and stood her up, caressing his hands on her face. “Where are Sarandin and Marcus,” he questioned. A moment later, they both appeared in the entrance, breathless. Marcus hurriedly explained, “We turned our backs for two seconds and she was gone.” Xalay had broken free of his embrace and was now fussing over Candace as though she were a child. Candace was leaning against the wall, and Xalay had her forehead pressed up against Candace’s. Her fingers were gliding down her cheek and she was saying something too softly for any of them to make out. Candace had large bruises on her neck from Lycius’ rough grip, but they were lightening and disappearing with Xalay’s gentle touch.

Lycius, Marcus and Sarandin all stared in awe.



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