Guardian of the Sacred Fire Ch. 09-Final

The rest of the way was silent. It was about an hour and a half to Lawton from Mangum. The thing about most Oklahomans, we measure distance with time. Instead of saying it was 90 miles, it was an hour and a half drive. Take for instance, you say you'll be in town in about ten minutes, you're about ten miles out depending on if you're going the speed limit. I don't know if it's just us, but it's easier for some reason.

We reached a bridal place and I cringed. I was never really a girly girl. Not since I was thirteen. I liked dresses, but I didn't like wearing them or shopping for them. Then again I didn't like shopping period.

"So what is your limit?" My mother asked.

I grabbed the card and untapped a note.

$5,000 have fun.

"A lot." I answered. How could I tell her we had just under $100,000 in a backpack in the motel room? Maybe he did something with it. I knew he was smarter than to keep it on him. People kill over the damned green paper. I know he could heal, but I didn't want to risk it.

My mom had me try on about fifty dresses. I was probably exaggerating on the amount but that's what it felt like. We finally picked the first one I tried on. I was highly annoyed by that. It was a strapless with ornate designs through the gown with fake diamonds and pearls. I refused to buy a veil or a tiara. The dress made me feel enough like a princess I didn't need to add to it.

"What about shoes?" She asked.

"Flip flops or sneakers." I answered.

She held out high heels. I sighed. I always gave into my mom. At least they weren't ridiculous and they had a wedge heel so it wouldn't feel like I was about to break my ankle.

We headed back around two after we stopped for lunch. She hounded me more on what her future son-in-law was like before we reached her house. There was a field in her back yard that I saw Adrian, Erin, and my brother Kaleb out there. Lucky bastard. There was a tuxedo shop in town for the local high school when they had formal dances. They had prom dresses as well, but alas they didn't have wedding dresses.

My mother dragged me into her room and locked the door as she sat me in front of her vanity.

"Can I take a shower first?" I asked.

"Hurry up." She said and started pulling out a blow dryer, curling iron, and make up.

I remember as a child I had always loved my mom doing my hair and makeup. That hadn't changed since I had grown, but now I did my own make up. I remembered watching her put on her own makeup in awe of her beauty.

I turned on the hot water as I undressed. I sighed and sat on the toilet lid and put my face in my hands. What the hell was I doing? I was going to be married in just a few hours when I should be out saving the world from the devil himself.

I got in the shower and quickly shaved my legs and washed. I got out and wrapped a towel around me and then my hair. I wiped the fogged mirror and jumped when I saw a figure behind me.

"Can I come?" Azrael's ghostly voice said quietly.

"If you aren't seen." I whispered.

"You know I thought it would have ended up with us together."

"Sorry." I said and meant it.

"Don't apologize. Maybe I can move on now. I wonder what's waiting on the other side for me."

"I wish you the best of luck." I told him.

His ghostly lips kissed my cheek and he vanished.

I walked out of the bathroom and went back into my mother's room. Two of my aunts were in there. The thing about my mother's side it was mostly female, there were a handful of males born to the family, and the rest were female. It was the opposite of my father's side. I was the oldest girl in my generation of five girls. On my mom's side I lost count. I was somewhere in the middle. I had a very large family.

"It's about time." My mom said and made me sit in front of the vanity.

She unwrapped the towel from my hair and started with the blow dryer. Soon I had her doing my makeup and one aunt doing my hair.

Before I knew it we were slipping the dress on me. Most of the family had shown up. My father sat awkwardly in the living room. He hadn't seen my mom's side in almost twenty years.

"I hope you know Erin is giving me away." I told him.

"I understand."

"Anna that is no way to talk to your dad."

"Mom, Erin has done more for me since I was 17 than he has done for me in my entire lifetime." I said and headed towards the back door. The sun starting to lower in the sky but there were still hours of daylight left. It was 5:45. I saw Adrian in a tux walking around and greeting my family. He was talking to my great grandmother and she was smiling. He seemed to tower over her small frame. She was only 5'0". I smiled as he took her to a front row chair. I felt bad because I didn't think any of his family was there when some people I didn't recognize went into the backyard. The man had the same chestnut hair. The woman had blonde hair. The three younger people that were with him all had the same features. Two teenagers and one woman. Probably his brothers and sister. The sister was blonde like her mother and the boys had the same chestnut hair as their father. I couldn't see their eyes from this far away but I was betting they were jade green.

Adrian greeted them with a hug and his father a handshake. He showed them to chairs on the other side of my grandma. I wished the grandma that raised me could have been here. My father's mom. She was in a nursing home in Oklahoma City.

"He did a pretty good job of putting this all together, don't you think?" My mom asked and came behind me. She handed me a bouquet of daffodils. "Freshly picked from the garden." She said. "It don't match a damn thing, but I know how much you love them." She had done her makeup and slipped on a nice dress.

"Who is your maid of honor?" My aunt asked.

"The party has arrived, a bit late, but never too late." Anemoi walked into the dining room in a silver dress. Rhea was behind her followed by Asherah. Their Sentinels were all in tuxes. I couldn't help but smile.

"Who are they?" My mother asked.

"Friends from school." I answered quickly and looked at them with a wink. They just shook their head.

"And the little one?"

"My little sister." Rhea answered. They both had the same blonde hair.

"Is Midael here?" I asked.

"He, Permaz, and Bernael unfortunately couldn't make it." Anemoi said.

"Mom can I talk to them privately?" I asked.

"Sure." She said and headed outside.

"I thought you were going to Ireland." I said.

"We couldn't make it because of the hurricane. It was horrible. We went to the states instead. Adrian got a hold of Midael early this morning and we got a flight as quick as we could." Rhea said.

"Why couldn't they make it?" I asked.

"They thought they would stand out. Where is Oriel?" Anemoi asked.

"He decided to stay in his home. I can't really explain what it is. It's like a different realm, but Earth all the same." I said.

"Is the island really gone?" Rhea asked.

"As far as I know it is." I looked at my feet.

"What are we going to do now?" Asherah asked.

"I don't know honey." I answered.

"We continue to do what we were, we just have to be careful." Anemoi said.

"There are miles of farm land around here, I bet we can find something." I said.

"It's time." My mother said and came up.

I nodded and situated Anemoi with Beast. They went first followed by Rhea and Furlac. Asherah followed them with a basket of flowers, Bethor had already taken a seat. Couldn't explain why he was with a ten year old. I heard the wedding march and I walked outside. Erin met me and took my arm.

"You ready?" He asked.

"No." I answered. "Let's go."

It made him smile as we went down the aisle. I watched Adrian watch me as I came towards him. It was a good thirty feet to him. It was a very big back yard. The preacher smiled at me as we finally made it.

"Who gives this young woman to this man?" He asked.

"Her mother and I do." Erin said and went to take his seat next to my mom. I handed my bouquet to Anemoi and took Adrian's hands. It was the usual wedding vows.

I smiled as Adrian said "I do." He looked a little pale to me. Was he as scared as I was?

"Anna, do you take this man to be your husband?" the preacher asked.

"I do." I said and watched his face brighten.

"If anyone has any objections speak now or forever hold your peace."

I just kept thinking, Azrael don't say anything, don't appear. Over and over again.

"I know pronounce you man and wife." The preacher said after a brief silence. "You may kiss your bride." He told Adrian.

Adrian leaned down and kissed me with passion. The family applauded as we turned toward them.

That's when everything went to hell. Clouds appeared in the sky quicker than they should have. I started to panic. It was Heiglot and I knew it. That's why the hurricane dissipated, he was coming here. He could destroy this tiny town in a heartbeat. I knew what was happening and the others didn't.

"We have to go, now!" I whispered to Adrian.

"What is it?" He asked.

"One of the Fallen." I answered and nodded towards the forming clouds.

"Can everyone move inside for cake." My mother said and looked at the clouds. She looked back at me, her face was just as scared as mine. We were from Oklahoma, the weather is always weird, but not this weird.

She came up to me. "Anna, I remember you and the other man coming, it wasn't a dream was it?"

"No." I answered. "I have to protect our families now." I said. "Keep them inside at all costs. If things get bad go to the basement. You know what to do." I said. We have been through some pretty terrible storms.

"They all can't fit in the cellar." She said.

"Get who you can down there, those who want to stay above ground can." I said and continued to look at the black clouds coming closer. I turned to the others. "This is our first actual fight. Are you ready?" I asked them.

They all nodded.

"Get them inside now mom. I'll try to lure him away from here but I don't know if it will work." I said and started running for the car. The others followed and got into an SUV. I got in the driver side and Adrian didn't complain. I sped out of the driveway and toward the highway. My heart was pounding as I reached 100 miles per hour. I stopped when we were a few miles outside of the town.

I walked into a field, getting dust all over my dress. "Heiglot! I summon thee!" I said loudly. A loud crack of thunder and lightning flashed in front of us. Heiglot stood there, this time I could look at him.

He smiled at us. "I found you." He said.

"What do you want?" I asked.

He started laughing. "Were you getting married?"

"What do you want?" I said again.

"For you to die. I was given orders to kill Vesta."

"Well what your master doesn't know is there are four of us this time." Rhea said and took off her shoes. She touched the bare grass and I felt the ground tremble. A wind blew strands of hair into my face. I brought forth my fire and Asherah drew up water from the ground.

"It doesn't matter, I will kill you all and be greatly rewarded." He said and I smelled ozone again.

I lashed out with my fire and he moved quicker than I could follow. A chasm opened up in front of us and I felt Rhea's true power for the first time. I looked at her with wide eyes. She had her hand on the ground with an evil smile on her face. Vines shot forth from the chasm and grabbed Heiglot. He just laughed. He was either crazy, full of himself, or really powerful. I was betting on powerful.

Another blinding flash of lightning and he was gone. The clouds overhead became pitch black. I could barely make out the people in front of me with the light of my fire.

"Will you not face us?" I called out. "Can I call you a coward?"

"I am no coward!" Heiglot's voice boomed with the thunder.

Great Anna, piss him off, make him give you the wrath of an egotistical storm lord. Rain poured down and my fire slowly faded. It wasn't a normal rain.

"Your power is useless Guardian." Heiglot's voice said.

Adrian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me out of the way as lightning hit where I was standing. I didn't even smell the ozone or my hair stand on end. One word: Fuck. I looked at the girls, they all stood there looking up at the sky.

"Asherah, you think you can stop the rain?" I asked.

"I don't know." She answered. "I can try." She held her hands up and concentrated. I smelled the salty air of the ocean and my fire came back.

"Invoke your rights as Guardian of Water." I told her.

"What will that do?"

"Bring forth your true power." I said.

"What do I say?"

"Whatever comes to you." I told her.

"I am Asherah, Guardian of the Sacred Water!" She screamed out.

I wave of power knocked all of us but her to the ground. That didn't happen with me. The rain lightened and was just a sprinkle. I heard a roar of anger from the sky. With a flash of lightning I saw in the distance that sent a chill to my bones. A tornado was about a mile away and headed for the town. It was huge.

"Anemoi!" I said.

"On it." She said and got into the SUV. Beast followed her and they sped towards it. I was pissed now. Beyond pissed.

"Heiglot!" I screamed. I sent a pillar of fire to the sky. I saw the other cover their eyes and back away. I had to protect my family and my new family. I sought out Heiglot with my fire and found him above the storm.

I saw his smile fade as the fire hit him. "You will die!" he screamed at me and hit me back with his lightning. I gritted my teeth at the pain. It hurt like hell but I couldn't give up. I prayed.

"Dear God, don't let me fail them." I prayed quietly.

I felt a hand on each of my shoulders and one in the middle of my back. I looked back and Adrian, Midael, and Oriel stood there.

Power roared through me and I forced it at Heiglot. I watched as he fell. He landed about fifty feet from us. The earth shook under us and a hole opened up near him.

"Damn it, I was close." Rhea said as she concentrated again.

"Wait!" I said and started running towards him. He lay on the ground coughing. "You are the one that will die." I said.

He lashed out at me with lightning from his hand. I didn't know he could do that. I flew back and hit the ground. The air was knocked out of me. Pain seared through my stomach and I looked at it. It was charred black and the dress was smoking. I saw the starting of blood soaking the dress.

"Anna!" Adrian screamed and he started running for me.

"No!" I yelled and got up to my knees. "I am Vesta, Guardian of the Sacred Fires of Heaven, you are one of the cursed Fallen. You chose your path when you followed the Angel of Light." The words spilled out of my mouth without me thinking about it. A sword of fire came to my hand. I was honestly amazed. I was learning something new about my power. I didn't know I had that in me.

I stood up and walked over to him.

"Who made you my judge?" He said.

"God." I answered. "I am your judge, jury, and executioner." I said and put the flame sword through his chest. I watched as his eyes widened and the flame sword spread out and cover his body. Rhea came next to me and the ground opened up and swallowed Heiglot. She closed it over him.

"Woman, you scare me." She said.

"So do you." I told her.

We started laughing. I don't know why we were laughing. We had just killed one of the fallen. I guess it was either laugh or cry. I would rather laugh.

The clouds slowly disappeared to a starry night. Adrian came up to me and I collapsed.

Chapter Nineteen: Goodbye

"We can't stay in the town." I heard Adrian whisper to someone. "Too many lives can be lost. If Anemoi hadn't have stopped the tornado, I fear what would have happened."

I opened my eyes and turned my head towards them. Pain seared through my entire body in a burning pain. All of them were standing there. Anemoi had stitches in her cheek and arm. Her silver dress was muddy and ripped. I looked at all of them. They were all muddy and wet. I hadn't been out long.

I looked around and was in my old room at my mom's house.

"Oh baby girl, you're awake." My mom said.

"I'm fine mom, really." I said and tried to sit up. Damn it hurt.

"What happened?" She asked.

"I was struck by lightning." I answered.

"I told you to take her to the hospital."

"How would I explain this mom?" I said and finally sat up. My stomach was bandaged and blood had soaked through it. "Plus I've healed worse."

"Worse? How much worse? Anna I don't want you to do this anymore."

"Adrian, can you answer her? She'll scream at me."

"She had her throat nearly ripped out." He said.

I watched my mother pale. "The scars?" She said and lightly touched her finger tips to my neck. "There was no car accident. Don't lie to me anymore Anna. You haven't been off at school."

"Technically she has." Midael said. "We have been teaching her how to fight off those that would see humanity destroyed. Like the one tonight. That hurricane was his."

"They can control the weather?" My mom sat down.

"I can control the Earth." Rhea said.

"I control wind." Anemoi piped up.

"Water." Asherah raised her hand.

"And you have fire." My mother said and looked at me.

I called the flame to my palm and quickly put it out.

"I need a drink." My mom said and got up. She left the room and closed the door behind her.

"Where are we going to go?" I asked.

"Ireland is still an option." Rhea said.

"I'm not going." I said. "This is my home." I looked up at Adrian.

"We all want to go home Anna, don't you think I want to go back to France?" Rhea asked. "I miss my sister and baby brother."

"I've never had a home." Asherah said and sat down next to me.

"I miss my papa." Anemoi said, tears glittered in her eyes. "You and Adrian are from here, but we aren't."

"I think it is time we go our separate ways for now." Furlac said. "There are reports of strange phenomenon happening all over the world. We can protect our homes at least."

I agreed with Furlac.

"What about training?" Oriel said.

"We have learned all we can from you. We must learn from ourselves. I didn't know I had a flame sword. What else can I do?" I said.

"I couldn't control natural wind, but I can now." Anemoi said. "I stopped a tornado. I didn't know I could do that."

"Then everyone agrees." Midael said. His voice seemed a little sad. He grabbed a bag and handed us all a cell phone. "These are only programmed to call each other. They will work even if regular cell phones won't. You won't have to worry about a signal."

"I thought you didn't like technology." I said.

"Some things come in handy. Especially with a little magic involved." He answered.

Adrian and I stood at the edge of town. We had said our goodbyes to the others. We watched as the SUV drove out of sight. We had changed out of our ruined wedding garb.

"This'll be a day to tell the kids." Adrian said.

"I don't want children until after this is over Adrian. I don't want to be fighting and have to worry about their safety."

"I didn't mean now Anna. I want a few years with you to myself."

"I want to sleep." I said.

"All right." He said and took my hand. We went to our car and headed back towards the motel. I fell asleep before we even made it to the parking lot.

Epilogue:

Weeks passed on quickly after we bought a house with three acres a couple of miles outside of town. It had dwindled our cash down to barely a couple thousand. We had put that in a bank account along with my insurance money, which wasn't all that much. Adrian had went back to work at the underground hospital. He loved his job and I wanted to see him happy.

The initial shock had finally worn off my mother after the first week. I brought her out to show her what I could do. I told her she could either accept it or stay away. I told her about Adrian and he showed her his shifting abilities. (With clothes on of course.) She nearly fainted at that. I hadn't heard or seen Azrael since the wedding. Maybe he had moved on. I hoped so. It was getting a little creepy when I didn't know he was there and suddenly appear at awkward times. I could swear he did it on purpose.