The Gathering (25 page)

He touched her face again and lifted her head.

“I’m sorry, it’s my fault.
 
Are you alright?”

She nodded and moved her neck from side to side.
 

“What caused that?” she asked.

Scott shrugged and told her about the strange air and how Sam couldn't breathe and how he had gotten a horrible pain in his head, then neither of them could see until they thought of happy things and people they loved.
 
Then they could see, but he still had the pain.

It was then that she felt the shadow of foreboding, followed by the shriek of a falcon.
 
She looked up at the sky and then at Scott.
 
There was a black aura all about him and Sara’s eyes widened.

“What?” Scott asked.
 
“What is it?”

Sara reached behind her neck and unlatched the pendant she had been wearing.
 
She produced a talisman made from turquoise, onyx and rose quartz.
 
She held it before Scott.

“This is a talisman my mother made for me a long time ago to protect me.
 
We all have them.
 
I want you to wear it.”

“Why?”

“I'm not sure, but there’s something you need protection from.
 
Please, for me?”

Scott smiled and shrugged.

“Ok.”

Sara slipped the chain around his neck and clasped the chain.
 
She then slipped the pendant into his shirt and looked into his eyes.
 
Almost immediately, Scott reacted as though he had been hit in the back of the head and fell to his knees.
 
He grabbed his chest and then his head.
 
He screamed in agony.
 
Sara knelt down next to him, crying, she screamed.

“Mommy! Sean!
 
Help me!”

Lights from the castle and visitor quarters began to flash on as voices rose in surprise and confusion.

“Mommy!”

Alia had not moved that fast in years, but she and Sean came running from the side door of the castle and Alia almost slid into her daughter.
 
Scott’s screams grew louder, but he couldn't stop himself, as the pain was becoming unbearable.
 
Sean grabbed Scott’s shoulders and pulled him back.
 
Alia took the boy’s face in her hands.

"Do something, Mommy, please!" Sara pleaded.

Jeb and Beth Forrester ran out and stopped just beside their son.
 
Beth tried to grab him, but Jeb stopped her.

“Let Alia look, Beth.”

Joe and David Levine came running up as well.
 
Many of the dignitaries had come out or were looking through their windows.
 
Joe looked at his parents and ran over to them.
 
The crowd was growing larger as Alia asked Sara, now on the verge of hysteria, what happened.
 
Through tears and hyperventilating, she recalled what had ensued.

Then without warning, Scott stopped screaming and his eyes rolled into his head.
 
He fell forward, unconscious.
 
Sean rolled him over on his back, looking at Alia.

“Scott!” yelled Beth.
 
“Scott!
 
Do something Jeb!
 
Alia!!!”

Jeb Forrester stood there, unable to move, his eyes pleading to Alia and as she looked into them, she felt that old pain.
 
The same pain she felt the day they had brought Paul and the children home.
 
She heard Sara’s screams and it was more than she could stand.

She put her hands on Scott’s head.
 
She didn't know whether or not he was dead or just unconscious, but she knew that she wouldn't let him go without a fight.

She visualized his soul and began the chant, first a whisper, then louder.

“Remove the pain, remove the offense.
 
I cleanse the soul, I cleanse the mind, evil I remove and bind!”

She repeated over and over, her eyes closed.
 
From beneath her hands came a bright blue glow.
 
Suddenly, Scott’s eyes opened and he screamed again, low and guttural.

Alia’s eyes remained closed, now deep in a trance, she continued.

“By the power of the most gracious Morrighan, I command you to release him.
 
By the power of three times three, let it be, let it be.”

Sara had gotten some control of herself and Coeli, Kaley, Chris and Tanner had now positioned themselves next to Scott, all chanting, “By the power of three times three, let it be, let it be.”

Alia began to lift her hands and from underneath them black ooze was being pulled from Scott’s head.
 
Alia opened her eyes and looked down at the young man.

“So it shall be, so it is now!
 
Release him!!”
    

She raised her hands, still pulling the ooze as the crowd stared in horror, some screaming.

Scott’s last scream was one of pure agony.
 
Then he stopped and looked up at Sara, then over at his parents and brother, and finally Sam.

Beth Forrester fell to her son’s side and put her head on his chest weeping.
 
Sara covered her face and sobbed.
 
Coeli got up and she and Kaley tried to pick Sara up, but she shrugged them off and laid her head on Scott's stomach.
 
Sam knelt down and put his hand on Scott's shoulder.

Alia was now standing and in her hands was no ooze as everyone had seen previously, but a small black creature, no more than eleven inches long, with three long talon fingers on each hand and yellow glowing eyes.
 
It was hissing at her and trying to bite and scratch her.

From behind her came Elena Petrulengo.

“Some kind of imp.”

Alia looked over at Elena.

“Do you have an onyx, Elena?”

From her pocket, Elena produced a small polished onyx and held it for Alia and the creature to see.

The creature began to squirm and writhe, screaming in fear, trying to break Alia’s grip.
 

“Well, it doesn't like the look of that, now does it?
 
Now, Elena, do it now!”

Elena moved forward and quickly forced the black stone into the creature’s screaming mouth and down its throat.
 
The yellow eyes grew large and then turned orange, then red and the imp began to convulse.
 
It threw its head back and opened its mouth.
 
Huge flames rose in the air and Alia ducked
,
 
then
felt nothing but flames.
 
She released the creature and stepped back.
 
It became engulfed in fire, and then was gone.

“Is that what was giving me a headache?”

Scott was now standing up, his mother trying to convince him to sit.
 
Scott gently took her by the shoulders and stilled her.

“Mom, I’m fine."

Beth shook her head.

"You said you were fine all day, but that wasn't fine, Scott."

Scott smiled at his mother and kissed her cheek.

Alia walked over to him and grabbed his face, looking into his eyes.

"Look at me, Scott.
 
Is the pain gone?
 
Do you feel strange in any way?"

"No, Ma'am.
 
I actually feel really good, thanks to you."

He turned to Sara.

"And you."

He smiled at her and could see her tear-streaked face as she began to cry again, shaking her head in disbelief.

“I almost killed you!"

Scott shook his head.

"No, you saved me."

"I can’t, Scott, I just can’t.”

Sara ran towards the castle.

“Sara!
 
Sara!”
 
Scott called after her.
 

Kaley turned to Scott.

“I’ll take care of her, Scott.
 
Tomorrow, ok?”

Alia watched her daughter run into the side door and turned back to Scott.

"Sleep has a way of making things clearer, Scott.
 
Kaley's right.
 
Tomorrow."

Scott turned to Sam.

“You alright?” Scott asked.

Sam was now standing before him and grabbed him into a hug.
 
Scott looked at Coeli, who was now standing behind Sam.
 
Scott patted Sam on the back.

“I’m ok, Red…really.”

Sam let go.

“You scared the hell out of me, you know?
 
You better get some rest and take care of your mom, Bud.
 
She’s totally freaked out.”

Scott smiled and nodded.
 
He turned to Coeli and was about to take the talisman off, when she shook her head.

“Keep it.
 
She gave it to you for a reason.”

Scott looked at Coeli and took her hand.

“Tell her I’m not letting her push me away like she does everyone else.
 
You’ll tell her, right?”

Coeli nodded.
 

“I’ll tell her, Scott.
 
I promise.”

Scott started to walk back to the family’s quarters.
 
Corey was waiting for Sam and Elena to come with him.
 
Sam held up his hand letting Corey know he would only be a minute.

Sam turned to Coeli.
 
She looked up and smiled at him.
 
Then she started to unclasp her pendant, but Sam took her hands down.

“If you think you’re going to give me that talisman to protect me, no way.”

Coeli started to protest, but Sam put his finger to her mouth.

“I don’t need it, Shay.”

He reached around his neck and produced a pendant made with many of the same stones as the one Sara had been wearing.
 
Coeli smiled and then shook her head.

“My dad may be an atheist, Shay, but the rest of family isn’t so sure there’s not a god out there somewhere.”

Sam pointed to Elena and smiled.

“My grandmother.
 
Pastry maker and gypsy.”

Coeli smiled.

“I better go help Kaley with Sara,” she said.
 
“I had a great time.
 
I’m not gonna wake up tomorrow and realize this was all a dream am I?”

Sam laughed, leaned over and kissed Coeli, passionately and deeply, so that both Elena and Alia looked over when Sean cleared his throat.
 
Sam pulled back and kissed Coeli’s hands and looked at Elena.