Iona Portal (17 page)

She concluded, “To put it simply, Lys, a synaxis is a group of ordinary humans who choose to align themselves with the Irin.  In the context of that synaxis, their depleted life-force is renewed and their lost abilities recovered.  Through this, they gain the power to stand against the forces of evil that threaten your world.”

Eliel glanced around at the members of the group, then smiled warmly at Lys.  “That’s why we’re all here tonight.  This is our synaxis.  It’s the first synaxis to meet in your world in more than a thousand years.

“The Archon’s goal is the total destruction of the human race, and they won’t settle for less.  But through this group, and others to follow, you will gain the power to resist them and drive them from your world.”

Lys was still in shock.  “When will all of this begin?” 

“It’s already begun,” Eliel responded.  “Last week we began the process of activating your gifts.  Last Wednesday night, Piper learned she’s a healer.  We discovered that Reetha’s an empath and that Marty has the ability to see into other dimensions.  They’re just beginning to learn how to exercise these gifts, but as you saw tonight, the gifts are already powerful.”

“In the coming months we’ll continue this process.  For this synaxis to be fully functional,
all
of you need to be equipped to use your gifts.” 

Eliel glanced again at the members of the group.  “Michael, we never got to you last week, but you have the ability to dispel shades.  Patrick and Erin, you both have the gift of second sight—the ability to sense future events before they happen. 

“Just by being here—being part of the synaxis—these gifts will begin to stir.  As you continue to meet with the Irin, your life force will grow stronger.  Each of you will learn to recognize your gifts, and discover how to use them.

“Over the next few months we’ll also add new members to the group.   In a synaxis, each member draws on the abilities of the others.  Each of your gifts strengthens the gifts of the others.  Because of that, there’s a power that comes when you’re gathered in synaxis that you can never have individually.  It’s generally felt that the minimum number for a fully functional synaxis is ten.  The ideal number is twelve.

“But beyond unlocking your gifts,” Eliel continued, “this synaxis has a second purpose.  And that’s to open a portal between
Basilea
and the earth-realm.”

“A
portal?” 
Lys asked, looking genuinely perplexed.  “What’s that?”

“A portal is a passageway between dimensions,” Eliel explained. “Your physicists would call it a
wormhole.
 It’s an open doorway that allows free movement from one world to another. 

“The Archons have been able to open many portals between the earth and Hades.  Through these they’ve assembled a massive force in your world.  Thousands more are added each month.  As a result, the Irin here are greatly outnumbered.  If we’re to successfully resist the Archons, we must open a portal to Basilea.” 

“What prevents more Irin from coming now?”  Michael interrupted.

“Only a few of us can travel freely between dimensions as I do.” Eliel explained, “It’s a unique ability, even among the Irin.

“A few more are able to cross over at ‘thin places’ like Iona, where the barrier between our worlds is more easily traversed.

“But to stand against the overwhelming power of the Archons, we must create our own portal… a doorway connecting your world to
Basilea. 
When that wormhole is established, many more Irin can enter your world.  With their help we can establish many groups like this.

“This synaxis is just a prototype,” Eliel continued.  “To overcome the Archons, you’ll need thousands of groups like this one, all over your planet.  You who are here tonight will one day lead those groups and train many thousands of your people to use their gifts.  Together you will drive the Archons from your world.” 

As Patrick listened to Eliel, he had a flash of insight.  “That must be what Columba did!” He blurted, “There must have been a
synaxis
on Iona!” 

As everyone turned to Patrick, he looked at Michael.   “Michael, you once told me that—according to the ancient legends—the angels came to Iona and revealed secrets hidden since the beginning of time.  Columba and his followers then went out with miraculous powers throughout Europe, all through the dark ages.  Everywhere they went, a new group of twelve was created.  A new
synaxis.  That’s
how the Irish saved civilization.”

“That’s exactly right, Patrick.” Eliel affirmed. 

Seeing the puzzled looks on the faces of the group, Eliel added, “This may sound like ancient history, but it’s vital that you understand what happened on Iona.

“By the sixth century the Archons had so undermined the Roman world that Roman civilization collapsed.  The legions deserted.  Rising violence brought commerce to a standstill.  Thousands starved.  Many times that number were slaughtered by the roving gangs and warlords who rose up to seize power.  Into that chaos rode barbarian hordes from the east to loot, rape and kill.

“The Archons had hoped to bring human society to such a place of devastation that they could easily seize control, and they almost succeeded.

“But in 563 a man named Columba, with a group of twelve followers, sailed from Ireland to a small rocky island off the western coast of Scotland—a place called Iona.  There a synaxis was formed and a portal opened.  Through that portal, thousands of Irin were released into the earth-realm; and with their help, the monks of Iona went out by twelves across Scotland and England.  Every group of twelve formed a new synaxis. 

“During the dark ages, emissaries from Iona traveled throughout Europe and beyond, driving back the Archons and restoring ancient knowledge.  Slowly order was re-established.  From that one small island, the powers of destruction were turned back for the whole planet.

“Yet forces of superstition eventually came, even to Iona.  The power of synaxis was replaced by religion and ritual.  The portal was allowed to close, and the Archon powers began to rebuild.

“If your world is to survive, the Iona portal must be re-opened.  That’s the other goal of this synaxis.  When your synaxis is complete, you must all travel to Iona and re-establish the ancient wormhole to
Basilea
.

“That’s where Patrick comes in…” Eliel explained, “Patrick is a direct descendant of the line that first established that gateway.  Because of his ancestry, Patrick has the authority to reopen the Iona portal.”

Listening to Eliel, Lys was feeling overwhelmed.  It seemed like a whole new world had opened to her, but she wasn’t sure how she fit in. 

“Eliel,” she finally asked, “This is all incredible, but it’s a lot to process at one time.  Are you saying that
every
human being has the potential to do the kinds of thing Reetha and Piper did tonight?”

“Yes, Lys,” Eliel answered, “every human being has that potential and more.  In fact, what you saw tonight was just their
first
level of gifting.  You each have
many
gifts.  And you’re each unique… each one has a different
set
of abilities.  That’s why you need each other.  As you learn how your gifts work together you’ll see things far beyond what took place tonight.”

“Can you tell what
my
gifts are?”  Lys asked.

“Lys, you have one of the most powerful gifts, and it’s why the enemy has targeted you.  You’re what we call a
singer
.”

Lys was puzzled.  “My gift is
singing?”

“It’s not a matter of music,” Eliel explained.  “Something in your life-force produces a sound that can resonate between the dimensions.”

Lys was still puzzled.  “How does
that
work?”

“Remember as a little girl, you liked to sing ‘made up’ songs? 

“You’d begin to sing nonsense syllables, and suddenly words you never learned began to flow from your mouth.  It was a beautiful melody, and you sang and sang.  You thought it was silly, but that was your gift beginning to stir.  You’re a singer of songs.   The sound of those songs has power.

“The sound of your song can alter reality.  It can change the structure of matter.  And most importantly, it can open a portal to a different world.   That’s why the Archons have tried to kill you.  Patrick has the
authority
to open the Iona portal, but only
your
gift can make it happen.”

Lys was shaken.  “You’re saying
I
have the power to open a doorway to another world?”

“You not only have that ability, Lys,” Eliel smiled reassuringly.  “It’s your
destiny
.  It’s part of what you were created for.  You’re the only one on earth right now who can open the Iona portal.”

While Eliel and Lys were talking, Erin was pondering the comment Eliel had made about her gift.  “Eliel,” she ventured at last.  “You said I have the second-sight—that I can sense things before they happen.

“The last few nights I’ve had another recurring dream, and I haven’t been sure what to do with it.  I wonder if it can be significant.”

“What was the dream?”  Eliel asked.

“It was a very pleasant dream at first,” Erin glanced nervously around the room.  “We were having a picnic at a beach.  It was a beautiful sunny day.  We were talking and laughing.  It was a wonderful time, and all of us were enjoying the afternoon.  Then we heard a sound behind us.” 

“As we turned around, we saw that, just behind us, massive storm clouds had gathered.  Huge thunderheads towered over our heads.  Wind-driven rains were rapidly approaching.  The storm was almost upon us.  We quickly scrambled to pick up our things and find a shelter.  That’s where the dream ends.

“I’ve had that same dream the last three nights,” Erin said.  “Each morning as I wake up, I hear the words, ‘It’s the calm before the storm.’”

 Eliel looked around at the group and then at Erin.  “You can’t imagine a how accurate that dream is, Erin.  The storm
is
coming, and your world has no idea how close it is.”

After the meeting ended, Eliel waited until everyone but Holmes and Piper had left and then gave Holmes an unusual instruction.  “Holmes, don’t go to the lake house this Friday.  Stay close to home.  You’ll be needed.  And be alert.  You must be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice.”

***

Saturday morning at 3:00 AM, Holmes’ cell phone rang.

“Hello… Dr. Holmes?” a breathless voice gasped, “This is Erin Vanderberg. 
Please help me.”
 There was a brief hesitation.  It sounded like Erin was sobbing.  “I’m at a convenience store on Highway 380, just north of Dallas.”  In a weak and faltering voice Erin described her location, then pleaded, “I’m sorry to call at this hour, but there’s no one else I can turn to.  Please
come!”

Within minutes, Holmes and Piper were headed north on the Dallas North Tollway.  They turned west on Highway 380 toward the convenience store Erin had described.

Piper and Holmes rode in silence.  They’d both heard the desperation in Erin’s voice and sensed the tension of the situation, though they had no idea what they’d find.

The Mercedes pulled into the convenience store’s parking lot at 3:37 AM.  The place looked deserted. 

Pulling to a stop well away from the building, Holmes and Piper got out of the car and glanced around.  The night was humid and hot—over 80 degrees even after midnight, with no discernable breeze.  The asphalt under their feet seemed to radiate with the built-up heat of the scorching Texas summer. 

Two rusty gas pumps stood near the west side of the building, their nozzles covered with black plastic bags.  A hand-scrawled “out of order” sign was taped across the front of each. 

Broken glass from long-smashed beer bottles and the bodies of dead crickets crunched under their feet as Piper and Holmes approached the building.  The only other sound was the occasional
whoosh
of cars speeding past on Highway 380. 

 The store exuded a musty aura of dirt, faded paint and disrepair.  The long-unwashed windows served as a bulletin board for hand-lettered signs seeking the return of lost puppies and offering well-used pickup trucks for sale.  A long crack in one window had been inexpertly patched with a strip of now-peeling duct-tape. 
A fine establishment specializing in cheap beer and fish bait,
Holmes thought.

He tried the front door, but it was firmly locked.  The faint illumination provided by two security lights revealed no one inside the store. 
Where is Erin?

They continued around the building, seeing no one.  Finally, from the shadows along the east side of the store, they heard a faint noise. 

By the light of the full moon, they could just make out something dark crumpled on the ground between the side of the building and a broken-down pickup truck.

As they approached, they realized it was a woman, but she was scarcely recognizable as Erin Vanderberg.  The Erin Vanderberg they knew was an elegant and beautiful woman, the envy of Dallas society. 

What lay on the ground before them looked more like a homeless derelict clothed in rags.  Erin’s silken, chestnut-brown hair was now a dark, tangled mass, caked with blood and dirt.  Her once-elegant clothing hung in filthy shreds from her bruised and lacerated body. 

Seeing them approach, Erin struggled weakly to get up but fell back to the ground.

Piper knelt down and checked her vital signs.  Erin was in bad shape but didn’t require immediate medical attention.

As Holmes and Piper helped Erin to her feet, she looked at them with terror in her eyes.  “Quickly,” she gasped, clenching Holmes’ arm in a claw-like grip. “We must get away from here. 
Now!
 They may come at any moment!”

Chapter Sixteen:  Erin’s Story