Guardian of the Sacred Fire Ch. 09-Final

"I am." Midael said, just happening to be carrying my super soaker.

"So I came here to be trained by the old general of God's army and I get a bunch of children." She said.

"Actually, we've been training for months and you just happened to come on my birthday and we're taking a day off."

"You can't take a day off, Lucifel's awakening is coming closer and closer, and you sit here playing with children's toys!" She screamed.

My anger flared then. It must of looked like I spontaneously combusted because I was suddenly seeing the red of my flames.

"You have not been here! You have no right to tell us what to do! You do not know what we have been through while you probably sat on your ass eating fucking bagels!" I screamed back. Her guardian moved lazily in front of her. He showed me a secret smile.

"Bah! Americans, always so vulgar." Rhea said and started to look around as if nothing had happened. "I want to be shown to my room now." She said and started to walk up the stairs.

"Give me any good reason not to put you in the basement." I said.

"Because you don't control it here, he does." She said pointing to Midael.

"I'm going to let Anna decide on this one." Midael said and cocked the super soaker.

"Asherah, I'd run if I were you." I said with a smile looking down at the girl. She grinned up at me and ran out the door. The men followed after her and left Adrian and I alone with the guests.

"You must be a good fuck to get an ex general to give you word here."

"And what makes you think I'm fucking him?" I asked. I really did not like this woman at all.

"Rhea, there is no need to be so mean. You started it." Furlac said finally.

"Show me to my room and I will leave you alone and in return I want to be left alone."

"Did I come at a bad time?" A woman with bright red hair and brilliant green eyes walked into the room. Her skin was paler than my own. She was followed by a man her height with the same red hair but his eyes were brown. They were carrying suitcases.

"No, not at all." I said. "Adrian, will you please show Rhea to the basement to where she will be staying and Furlac to one of the regular rooms please?" I asked and let my fire vanish.

"You cannot be serious!" Rhea yelled. "Wherever I go Furlac goes." She said.

"I think Furlac can decide for himself." I said and went to the new guests.

"Welcome to our island." I said and she held out her hand. She had a firm handshake but did not squeeze hard like men would usually do.

"Vesta!" Rhea screamed. "I will not be put in the basement!"

"Then you will apologize to Asherah and I."

"I will not apologize to a child!"

"Then to the basement you go." I said and turned my back on her. "Welcome, you must be Anemoi and Cedar of the Wind." I said.

"We are." Anemoi said and smiled. "I take it that Rhea has been a naughty girl."

"How did you know she was Rhea?" I asked.

"Well she called you Vesta and you said Asherah and I."

"Well I'm a smart one." I said sarcastically. "I hope you don't have a problem with children. Asherah is only ten years old." I said.

"Not at all, I'm the oldest of eleven children. I have a one year old baby brother."

"How old are you?" I asked.

"A woman never tells her age." Anemoi said.

"To men." I added.

"Oh I like you. I'm 19."

"I'm 23, my birthday happens to be today." I said and led them up the stairs. Rhea and Furlac had gone with Adrian.

"Well happy birthday." Cedar said.

"Thank you." I said. "What's your favorite color?" I asked.

"Is that important?" Anemoi asked.

"It is if you want to like your room."

"Purple." Cedar said. "Purple is her favorite color."

I smiled and nodded and led them to the second floor. Most of the rooms were taken now. I counted in my head how many people were here. Bernael, Permaz, Oriel, Midael, Adrian, Asherah, Bethor, Beast, Rhea, Furlac, and now Anemoi and Cedar, and not to mention me. Twelve people were staying here. It's the most I've ever seen under one roof. There were fourteen rooms all together, thirteen were now taken. If anyone else showed up I guess I was willing to give up my room. But who would I be willing to bunk with? Adrian or Midael? I didn't want to have to choose, that's why I kept my room. If it really comes down to it I'd share with Asherah since Bethor had his own room.

"You have your own bathroom. Do you bunk together or separate?" I asked.

"Together preferably. But could an extra bed be put in our room?" Anemoi asked.

"We can have one here by tomorrow." I said. I didn't ask why, it was none of my business. But Cedar answered for me.

"She's my sister, if you were wondering. I'm not truly her Sentinel, but mom wouldn't let her leave without someone to watch her."

"What about your Elders?" I asked.

"Midael not tell you?" Anemoi said. "We were attacked a few days back. Only Cedar and I survived. The one that was supposed to be my Sentinel betrayed us. He sold his soul for power."

"I'm sorry to hear that." I said. "To warn you, we have a phantom here, He goes by Azrael. While he was among the living he was a vampire."

"What happened?" Cedar asked.

"I killed him." I answered. They quit asking questions as I came to their room. I opened the door and let them in. "Everything you need is in here. Breakfast is at 8 in the morning, lunch at one o'clock dinner at seven o' clock. Today and tomorrow we are resting. My idea for Asherah. But come Tuesday morning we begin training again. We train hard, but we have fun. There is a physical training arena in the back. The library is on the first floor all the way down the hall. We made a meditation or prayer room on the other end that is barely went to."

"Thanks." Anemoi said and put her luggage on the bed.

I nodded and closed the door behind me. I went down the hall and came to an open door. Rhea was pleading with Adrian not to go to the basement. I noticed she was using a womanly move and had her arms under her breasts, flaunting them if you will. She was much larger than me in the breast department but she was petite. Either she was blessed or they were fake.

"You don't have to apologize to me, but apologize to Asherah." I said.

"Fine." She said.

"Anna, are you coming to play?" Asherah came as if I called her.

"Rhea has something to tell you." I said and held my hand out to her.

"I'm sorry." Rhea said through gritted teeth.

"It's okay. I understand that some people in this world are just a bitch."

"Ha!" I laughed and clasped my hand over my mouth, not meaning to laugh. Rhea just narrowed her eyes at me.

"So she gets away with calling me a bitch?"

"Well you were being a bitch." Adrian answered for me.

"We should just leave Furlac." Rhea said and turned to her Sentinel.

"And where are we going to go? They can protect us. Or did you forget holding onto Marbas as he died?" Furlac said.

"What are you saying Furlac?" Adrian said.

"Vesta's Elders are the only ones left. We found Asherah's Elders as well in their stronghold. Each with a look of terror on their face."

I heard a sob beside me. She ran out of the room and I didn't follow.

"What does it mean?" I asked.

"Lucifel is rising early. We all had the dream of three years, but the signs are there, I give it until the end of the year." Rhea said.

"Shit." I said and walked out of the room. I ran down the stairs and ran into Midael.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

I explained everything to him. His smile had vanished and he just stared into my eyes. His silver eyes had always amazed me, but now they showed fear.

"The night we were attacked, we were supposed to die." He said. "They will attack again, especially since the others have arrived. Prepare for battle at any moment." He said and left me. He moved down the hall quicker than I had ever seen him move.

I walked up to my room and sat on the lounge chair. It was red to match the room. I felt a touch on my cheek and I looked up. Azrael was floating there.

"Why haven't you passed on?" I asked.

"I don't know." He answered. His voice was like a whisper and an echo at the same time.

"I wish I could hold you right now." I said quietly.

"Your wish is my command." He said and became a little more solid. He sat next to me and put his arm around me. I leaned against him and he seemed to become more solid.

"How are you doing this?" I asked.

"I can't fully come back; I don't have a body to return to. But your power gives me being. There is a way but you would never forgive me."

"Then don't do it." I said and got up. I went to the window and he followed me. I saw Asherah and Bethor at the shoreline. I turned and went to join them.

Asherah was screaming out at the ocean. The waves had become choppy and the tide was coming in early. I knew it was her doing. Bethor just stood there with his arms crossed. No show of emotion played across his face. I put my hand on the girl's shoulder. She turned at me with tear streaked cheeks. She wrapped her arms around me and cried. My throat felt tight. I had come very close to the child and I hated to see her that way.

"We must kill them. Kill them all." She said.

"We will." I answered and held her close. We eventually ended up in the sand watching the sun set.

"I'm sorry your birthday is ruined." Asherah said.

"It's not. I got to spend time with my favorite person." I said.

She smiled. "I'm not your favorite."

"Who says? I'd like to know, I'd beat 'em up."

"But Adrian and Midael-."

"I love them yes, but they aren't my favorite. I love you, but in a different way."

"A motherly love?" she asked.

"You can say that." I said. "You will understand when you get older."

"I don't think I'm going to get older. I was raised to fight demons, and we're fighting the devil. I don't think I will live pass that." She said and brought her knees to her chest.

"You think that too?"

"I have dreams about it." She said and drew circles in the sand.

"Me too." I said.

"You're my best friend Anna. You're my only friend. You don't treat me like a child like the others do."

"You're not a regular child. Name one that can change the tides?" I said.

"I wish I was normal." She said.

"I miss my old life at times. But being normal isn't the greatest thing in the world." I said.

"Anna, Asherah, dinner is ready if you want to eat." Bethor called.

We both got up and dusted off our butts. "I'll talk to the others about treating you like a child." I told her.

"Don't worry about it. I'm ten years old, even when and if I turn 20, they'll still see me as the ten year old girl standing in front of you now."

I just nodded. In a way she was right. My cousins whom I changed diapers I still see them as little kids even though they are getting up in age. It was how humans were I guess.

Everyone ate in silence. The table had gone from a simple dinner table when I first arrived to a long one like you would see in castles. Asherah had taken her usual place next to me on my right and on my left was Adrian. Midael always sat at the head of the table. He looked as though he was deep in thought. He had his hands clasped together and wasn't touching his food. He glanced around the table, his eyes settling on each of the Guardians for a minute and then he would look down at his plate.

"Anemoi, I was told today that you did not have a Sentinel." He said.

"My brother protects me for the time being." She said after swallowing a mouthful of food.

"A true Sentinel will gain you power. I understand the bond between your brother and you. With your Elders dead I have no choice but to protect you. You may have a choice between Permaz, Bernael, and Oriel." He said and motioned to the three.

"What about you?" Anemoi asked.

"I am bound to Anna." He said.

"But how is that? She has a Sentinel already." Rhea said.

"That is none of your concern." He snapped.

"How about the one you call Beast?" Anemoi asked looking at my best friend.

"I am not as strong as them." Beast admitted.

"Not metaphysically." I said. "But physically you are." He smiled meekly at me.

"I don't see why not." Midael said.

"You do know; in order for the bond to be complete you have to have sex." Rhea said.

"I know." Anemoi blushed to almost a shade that matched her hair. I noticed Beast blushed too.

"Would you allow it Anna?" Anemoi asked.

"Why are you asking me?" I said and almost choked on my food.

"I just thought-." She didn't finish the sentence.

"Oh no, no, no, no." I said. "He's my friend. That's all." It was my turn to blush.

"Sorry." She said quietly.

"No apology necessary." I said with a smile.

"Beast? Would you like to be Anemoi's Sentinel?" I asked.

He nodded without a word. We continued our dinner quietly. I noticed Beast and Anemoi stealing glances at each other. I felt like I was back in high school over again.

"Well I'm going to bed." I said and scooted my chair back. I got up and picked up my plate and glass. I was always used to back home and I took the plate to the kitchen myself. I had made the others do it too. Why do we get to sit around and not do chores while Oriel's people clean up after everything we do? I didn't think it was right. Oriel appreciated it. Bernael on the other hand never really did like me much. I wondered how he felt at being shot down for a lesser being to be a Sentinel. He was probably pissed. I knew Oriel and Permaz wouldn't care. They loved what they did by training us and didn't want to get too involved with anyone.

I walked into the kitchen and saw something fly over my head. The dishes were doing themselves. I knew they weren't doing themselves, that the faeries only were to be seen if they wanted to be seen. I went to the kitchen and asked out loud, "Do you mind if I wash my own plate?"

The plate that was being washed was put back in the water and the sponge was in mid air for me to grasp. I didn't want to hurt anything I couldn't see so I let it drop it in my hand. "Thank you." I said and smiled. I washed my own dishes and put them up. I dried my hands off on a towel that was handed to me.

"You're an odd one." Something tiny said in my ear. "Most Guardians are mean. You're nothing like Ariella was."

"I take that as a compliment. I'm getting sick of being compared to her." I said quietly. I felt a weight on my shoulder and I looked down at a golden Barbie-sized faerie sitting there. "What's your name?" I asked.

"Drop." She said.

To me it was an odd name. She wore a dress that looked a little too big on her. She rose up in the air and fanned out beautiful golden glittering butterfly wings. Her skin was gold like Oriel but her hair was silver. She had bright green eyes that reminded me of spring grass. Her face was very smooth with a pointed chin. The words that came to my mind were delicate and dainty. "Nice to meet you Drop, I'm Anna."

"I know." She said with a giggle.

"It's a great honor for Drop to show herself to you." Oriel said coming into the kitchen. "She is sometimes known as 'The Great Mother'."

"Why is The Great Mother washing dishes?" I asked.

"Because I like to." She said and landed on Oriel's shoulder.

"I meant no offense." I said.

"None taken." She said and suddenly vanished with a giggle. The dishes started to wash themselves again. Oriel came up to me and smiled.

"You are sweet for a human." He said and brushed a strand of hair out of my face.

"I see no use to be mean unless it is needed." I told him. "My mother taught me that."

He nodded and laid a light kiss on my forehead. It wasn't meant as anything. Just a nice gesture. He walked around me and back into the dining hall.

"He's lonely." Drop said while still invisible. "He can't change into our size anymore after siding with Ariella. Humans won't give him a second glance because how he looks."

"I would have." I said and suddenly wished I didn't. Oriel was handsome yes, but I already had two men in my bed. In my standards that was too many. I walked out of the kitchen before another word could be said. I could feel the blush on my face as I headed towards my room. I saw Oriel on a daily basis; he taught me new spells and magic almost every day. We skimmed through the stuff Ariella had left me with. If I were to be reborn and haunt another young woman's mind I wanted to give her as much knowledge as possible. Compared to what I was being taught Ariella knew nothing. I hated admitting it because I always thought of her as a strong woman, but in the long run she wasn't. She had died easily at the hands of a vampire. I have technically died twice and still came back. Once by the hands of Uriel then in a shared dream with Midael.

I walked into my room and headed to the bathroom like I did every night. It was my routine shower. Sometimes Midael joined me, sometimes Adrian did. Tonight I wanted to be alone. It was my birthday right? I was allowed some things. After brushing my teeth and other human bodily functions I got into the shower. I turned on the hot water. I liked it straight hot now. When the men showered with me they turned some cold on, but for some reason it was just too damn cold for me. I never complained though.

I fondled the ruby amulet that I hardly ever took off. I knew Adrian only took his off when it was a medical emergency. I sat down against a wall and drew my legs up and just let the water run over me. I was really missing my mother. I knew if I was back home I would have gotten a homemade birthday cake and a card. I never wanted presents. She always made the cards. I had a collection of them since I was born that she had saved until I was responsible enough. I had 22 cards up until a few months ago. They were lost to the fire now. That sent a pang through my heart. I wanted to know how she was doing at least. I closed my eyes and let tears quietly fall.

I could see her in my mind's eye. I could smell her perfume. She had natural strawberry blonde hair and blue hazel eyes. She came from an Irish heritage and we both had the pale skin tone.

I saw her sitting on her couch watching television. It was like I could really see her. "Mama?" I called out. I never called her Mom; it was always Mama for as long as I could remember.

She looked around and her eyes went to a picture of me on a bookshelf. It was my senior picture in high school.

"Anna?" She said quietly.

The shower door open and I snapped my eyes open. Oriel stood there with his hands over his eyes.

"Anna please stop." He said and turned around. "It will just hurt her even more."

"What was I doing?" I asked and stood up. I turned off the water and he blindly handed me a towel.

"When emotions are high we can all do things we didn't know we could. You have just found out you can see great distances. I don't know if you will be able to do it again." He said and looked at me when it was safe to look.

"Do any of the others know what I just did?"

"I don't think so. It is a very subtle power. Only I can do it." He said.

"Did you-?"

"I saw a woman. You have very strong feelings for her."

"She's my mom." I said.

"You want to see her again?" He asked.

"I would like to. At least to tell her I'm ok, that I'm alive."

"But Midael is right; it will just cause her more pain when you have to leave again."

"She will understand. If I tell her the truth, she will understand." I said and looked at the ground.

"Then let's go." He said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Get dressed and I will show you."

I got dressed as quick as possible. I rushed to his room and he was next to a floor length mirror. He was putting runes against it. The surface of the mirror suddenly rippled like water.

"Ready?" He asked.

I nodded my head and he took my hand.

"I'm going to hear about this when we get back." He said and sighed. He pulled us both through a mirror. It was an odd sensation of floating for a brief second and then crashing to the ground.