The paramedics doom, p.12
The Paramedic's Doom, page 12
“But if you fail, Dean, all is lost.”
“I think the alternative is worse. The devastation of the world in the midst of a battle where no one on earth wins no matter who comes out on top is something I don’t accept. I refuse, so help me find these champions and defeat the Agents or get the hell out of my way.”
Gabe turned away and started to walk out of the room. Ashley and Jaz were returning from the kitchen with some more food for him.
“Where are you going, Cousin?” Ashley asked Gabe.
“I need a break. I don’t know how you manage to put up with these humans all the time. I couldn’t stand living here among them for any length of time.”
Gabe pushed past her and disappeared down the hallway.
Dean called out to him.
“I won’t change my mind just because you leave. I know what I need to do and I’ll do it with or without you.”
Ashley laughed. “I recognize that stubborn streak, Jaz, and you’re in trouble.”
“What do you mean?” Jaz and Dean asked in tandem.
“Never mind. Now, settle down and eat something or I’m not letting you out of this bed. You may have some grand mission or plan in mind, but until I tell you you’re well enough to get up, you are staying right where you are.”
Dean grumbled under his breath but leaned back against the pillows and took the plate of food from Jaz. He started eating under the watchful eyes of both women.
He didn’t care. His mind whirled while he chewed, trying to formulate a plan.
He had to stop the end of the world.
Chapter 14
When he’d finished the plate of food, Ashley let Dean up to walk around the apartment a little bit.
“Take it slow, Dean,” Ashley cautioned him as he started to get up.
“I’m fine. You and Jaz are worrying for nothing.”
Dean swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. He knees buckled instantly, the sudden weakness in his legs catching him by surprise. A wave of fatigue swept over him and he barely caught himself in time, pushing backward with one hand on the nightstand to land seated on the side of the bed.
“She warned you, Dean,” Jaz said.
“I don’t understand. I felt fine laying in the bed just now but my legs felt like limp spaghetti noodles when I put my weight on them.”
“Ash explained it to me as something like giving too much blood. You’ll get your strength back but you have to give it time for you to replenish the life force you spent bringing her back.”
Ashley nodded. “Gabriel shouldn’t have risked you like that. Your Eldara half allows you some limited regeneration. You’ll regain the life energy you spent, but it will take time. You remember what happened when I used too much of my power all at one time. I was bedridden for the better part of two days.”
“I don’t have two days,” Dean complained, levering himself back up to the top of the bed where the pillows helped to prop him upright.
“I don’t think you have a choice, honey,” Jaz said.
“I always have a choice. Gabe tried to tell me there was no way to stop the impending doom about to descend on the world. After I questioned him, I found out there might be a chance of heading things off before Armageddon begins. We need to find four champions to stand up to the four Agents of Chaos. If we can do that, then we can defeat them before the battle is joined.”
“Gabe knows what happens if we fail,” Ashley said, “We potentially doom the final battle’s outcome, too. That’s a big risk to take. The final battle decides the fate of everyone who ever lived on this planet. Is that worth risking everything?”
“All the more reason to do it in my book, Ash. I’m hoping, now that you’re back, you’ll know of a way we can locate the four champions. Gabe said it’s impossible. I don’t believe him. We just have to find a way to do it. That’s the key to this.”
Ashley shook her head. “Ordinarily in a situation like this one, I’d tell you to wait and keep your eyes open and the champions will reveal themselves to you. That isn’t going to work here. They are not the primary solution to the pending prophecy’s fulfillment. The final battle is what the prophecy of Revelations predicts.”
“That doesn’t help us a whole lot, Ash,” Jaz pointed out. “We need to find a way to circumvent the prophecy.”
“She’s right, Ashley,” Dean said. “We need a way to locate the champions without me having to get out of bed.”
The room fell silent. Everyone lost in thought as they worked through the possible solutions as that came to mind.
Jaz arrived at the answer first.”
“It’s a magical intervention we seek, one that will alter the events as they’re supposed to happen. Right?”
Dean and Ashley nodded.
“Asha has to be wanting payback on Malificar, the first horseman, for destroying her home. We ask her if she can help us find our champions, then.”
“Her temple is destroyed, at least for now. The casting circle and pentagram are covered in debris,” Dean said. “Where will she find another location for a casting like that?”
“Here,” Jaz said.
“What?” Dean and Ashley said at the same time.
“When I moved in, I put in a protection circle in the living room under the carpet. It took me a while but I painted the pentagram and runes myself. I took great care to make sure it was complete and intact.”
She stopped and looked at Dean and Ashley. Both seemed a little shocked at what she said.
“It’s a common practice in hunter families to have a safe room in the home where we cannot be touched by demonic powers. It should also be able to double as a casting circle, I would think. Asha can tell us for sure.”
“Just when I think I know everything about you, Jaz, you surprise me yet again,” Dean said reaching for his phone. It sat charging on the nightstand next to him. “I’ll contact Asha and see if she’ll agree to me us here. I still have her on my phone from when she sent Jo back to the future.”
“I’ll call her, Dean,” Jaz said. “You aren’t doing anything but resting. You look pale enough to be death himself. If you lie down again, you’ll be asleep in a matter of minutes. Ashley and I will take care of getting her here. Hopefully, you’ll be stronger and can come participate, but only if you rest now.”
Dean wanted to argue, but the wave of overwhelming fatigue swept in again. If he hadn’t been laying down instead of standing, he’d have ended up on the floor.
“Just keep me in the loop,” Dean said. “I want to know what’s happening.”
Both Ashley and Jaz smiled and agreed. He settled back into the pillows and fell asleep wondering if they were just telling him what he wanted to hear so he’d rest as they wanted.
* * *
“I can adapt my spell to work within this circle,” the Wiccan High Priestess Asha said, looking over the circle of runes painted on the floor. “You’re right. I’d like a chance to pay back that creature that destroyed my home and killed sisters from my coven.”
“Thank you, Asha,” Dean said. “I’d hoped you’d agree to do this.”
“This spell is not without its risks. You’re essentially forcing a fork in the timeline. If the world was supposed to end at this time and place and we alter that, there could be repercussions down the road we don’t understand. Things might happen in the future none of us will live to see or understand.”
“I can watch out for that,” Ashley said. “If I see something in the future, I can try to work out a way to bring things back into line again.”
“It’s a chance I’m willing to take,” Dean said. “Anything has to be better than the end of the world.”
“Let’s hope you’re right, Dean,” Jaz said. She pointed to the pentagram surrounded by a circle of runes on the floor. “Is there anything we need to change with the runes or circle itself?”
The carpet was rolled back and lay against the wall in the corner with the living room furniture. The gold leaf paint Jaz used to build the circle reflected the light in different patterns on the ceiling as the large candles flickering at the points of the pentagram cast their illumination on it.
“No, it is better if I alter the spell itself as I cast it to provide the best chance of success.”
“Okay, Asha,” Dean said. “We’re yours to use as you need.”
The High Priestess shook her head. “The three of you will only be in the way. Stand over there by the door and be ready to run if it looks like things are breaking down with the casting.”
Jaz shot Asha a stern look. “I thought you said you could adapt the spell to my circle.”
“I can and will. It’s the spell itself that is problematic. The powers above and below will seek to counter it because we seek to alter fate’s course.”
“We understand the risks, Asha,” Dean said. “Go ahead and attempt the spell.”
Dean moved with Jaz and Ashley across the room to stand against the wall by the door. He moved with care, trying not to show the twinge of weakness and trembling he still felt in his legs. It had been two days since his collapse and he felt better, but he was in no way at a hundred percent.
He leaned up against the wall, using it for a little extra support as Asha closed her eyes and started chanting.
At first, there was no effect he could see. Asha kept chanting, repeating over and over a series of unintelligible phrases while walking around the inside perimeter of the rune circle. She paused each time she reached one of the five candles. When she did, she passed a hand over the flame, palm down. The fire rose a few inches higher with each pass around the circle until the tongues of flame from each candle extended a foot in the air and resembled the blue flames of five blow torches rather than the simple yellow fires of lit candles.
The chant continued in the midst of the flickering blue light from the tall candle flames. As it did, a soft white glow about the size of a baseball grew in the air, hovering above the center of the circle. As Dean and the others looked on, it grew and divided three times until four identical glowing balls of light hung there.
The lights circled around the center of the circle’s pentagram, about five feet off the floor. Then one peeled off from the other three and sped across the apartment, passing through the glass of the double window in the far wall and disappearing into the night.
This happened two more times until there was a single ball remaining, hovering in the center of the room. Then it, too, began to move, this time away from the window. Dean was sure it was heading right for him but it swerved to his right at the last instant to hover above Ashley’s head. It flashed brighter three times before fading from view.
When the glowing light above Ashley faded, the candles returned to normal with the flickering yellow flames they’d had when the spell began.
“Huh,” Ashley said with a sigh. She had a strange look on her face. It seemed to be a mix of grim determination and apprehension.
“What just happened?” Dean asked.
“The spell located its first champion,” Asha said. “Apparently, you already found her.”
Dean pointed out the window.
“But, the other lights, we should have followed them somehow.”
“No, they have not yet found their intended targets,” Asha said. “I sensed uncertainty in their purpose as if the subjects of their search were not yet decided at this time.”
“That doesn’t help us at all,” Dean said. “Gabe was clear when he told me what was needed. We have to have all four champions gathered together to have a chance of defeating the four Agents of Chaos.”
“Perhaps,” Ashley suggested, “it can’t find the other champions yet because only one of the demons has come through the portal to this world.”
She placed a hand on her forehead and nodded. “I have a feeling why I was selected. Malificar is also known as pestilence. He spreads disease. I’m a healer. It makes sense that one such as I must confront him. Perhaps, once the other demons arrive, we will identify similar connections to them as each champion is revealed to us. Then each champion can counter their demon’s evil purpose.”
“That makes sense,” Asha agreed. She closed her eyes and tilted her head as if listening to something. After a few seconds, she smiled and opened her eyes. “The spell is still active and searching. When the other Agents arrive, your other champions will be revealed, too.”
Ashley walked over to the window and looked out into the sky, across the expanse of the city outside the apartment. She pointed to something in the distance.
“It’s strange,” she said. “I have a sensation pulling me to the south. It’s a sort of tugging on my consciousness. I don’t know how to describe it.”
“Are you alright?” Dean asked. He worried the spell might have had an adverse effect on her.
“I’m fine, I think.” Ashley put a hand to her head. “There’s something there to the south, not too far off. It’s like I can point to it, whatever it is.”
Dean had moved to stand next to the Eldara where she stood by the window. A familiar clicking of metal sliding on metal sounded from behind him. He turned around.
Jaz slipped on her shoulder holster and racked the slide on her second pistol after sliding a magazine into the grip.
“Isn’t it obvious?” the hunter said. “The spell has given her the ability to track the demon. A hunter can spot a tracker from a mile away. Ashley can lead us to him, and this time, I don’t intend to go in unprepared. I’m bringing extra firepower.”
“But Gabe said we couldn’t take them out before all four had assembled,” Dean said.
“Why should we take his word for it?” Jaz said. “Gabe has an agenda of his own. He wants the last battle to come. He told you he didn’t want you to do it this way. Maybe that was a distraction to keep you from tracking the Agents of Chaos down as they arrived.”
“He’s an Eldara, Jaz. He can’t lie to me.”
“No, she’s right, Dean,” Ashley said. “He can’t lie but he can bend the truth pretty far. It’s possible he misled you. I agree with Jaz. I have to see where this pull takes me.”
“Asha?” Dean asked the High Priestess.
“I’ve finished everything I can do. If you want, I can pass a blessing from Gaia to you if you’d like. It will help fight against the demon’s ability to infect you with its disease.”
“That’s perfect. Between you and Ashley’s healing ability, we should be safer this time,” Jaz said. She picked up her Katana and slid the scabbarded sword over her shoulder into the loops on the back of her harness built to hold it in place. She pulled open the apartment door. “Come on. We’ll walk you down to your car on our way out. You can pass on your blessing there. It looks like we’re going on a demon hunt.”
Chapter 15
In the parking garage beneath Jaz’s apartment building, the trio paused while Asha passed on her blessing spell. Dean felt a warmth wrap around him and through him as she completed the incantation.
When she lowered her hands, Dean realized he felt better than he’d felt in days. He caught himself smiling despite the seriousness of their mission.
“That should offer you all some protection for at least a few hours from the effects of most types of infectious disease. If nothing else, it will slow the progress of the illness long enough for Ashley or someone else to effect healing.”
“Thank you, Asha,” Dean said. “You’ve been a big help.”
“I’ll continue to do what I can. Contact me if you need anything else. In the meantime, I still have to prepare our coven for the possibility of a world-ending event.”
Jaz pulled out the keys to her SUV. “Hopefully, Asha, before you get home we’ll make sure that doesn’t happen. Be safe on your way, though.”
“You all be safe. I’m just driving across town.”
Asha got in her small compact car while Dean, Ashley, and Jaz climbed into the black SUV parked in the reserved spaces next to the elevator. A line of similar vehicles sat next to it, all part of the fleet of Errington security vehicles.
A thought occurred to Dean that hadn’t while he’d been upstairs.
“Jaz what makes you think we can take on Malificar now when you and a team of Rudy’s werewolf security guys, including the pack leader, couldn’t do it several days ago?”
“Two reasons. First, we have Ashley with us now. She has a heavenly blade, remember? I suspect any demon, even one as powerful as this one will be more than a little afraid of her. Second, I’ve upgraded my standard loadout since the last time.”
“What did you add?” Dean wondered aloud.
“You’ll see.”
Jaz fired up the engine and followed Asha’s car out of the underground garage. She reached the street and turned south on the avenue running next to her building.
“Ashley, I’m heading south in the direction you indicated, but you have to tell me when we’re getting close and when to turn, alright?”
“I’m still trying to make sense of what it is I’m feeling. It seems like we’re headed the right way, though. I’ll try and tell when we need to alter our course.”
Jaz continued driving south for about a mile then Ashley pointed to her left. Dean saw her point from the front passenger seat. Jaz didn’t. She was driving and couldn’t see Ashley seated directly behind her.
“Go left, Jaz. Ashley says go left.”
“Uh, yeah, sorry, Jaz,” Ashley said. “I forgot you couldn’t see me. I’m trying to concentrate on the tugging I feel. The sensation is centered in that direction now.”
Ashely shook her head as if trying to clear her mind. “I’m not usually this scattered. It’s like there’s another presence in my mind, talking over the input from my normal senses. I’m working on filtering it out. Give me some time.”
“Do I need to pull over? We don’t want to miss the location.”
“No, but it would help to slow down a little.”
