Synergy (See #3)(54)

“She is chaos.”

“Explain yourself, “I said as my eyes rushed across his serious expression.

“She’s growing stronger, seeing more. Her touch already reveals the set course of the future. It reflects the past, too. She fears no evil - not because it’s within her, but because she sees us all as one. Right now, she’s fighting with her emotions, fearing for the ones she loves, but when she loses that fear, she’ll become a divine witness, an example for each soul to follow. But before she reaches that point, she’ll be dangerous if she falls into the wrong hands.”

“How could she be dangerous?” I asked, trying to grasp what he was saying.

He let his hands fall from my shoulders. “She’s a child right now, and she has a choice to abandon her course at any time. The next phase of her power will allow her to show everyone their fate, which will be chaos; instead of following a course that was chosen by each soul for itself, they’ll run from it in fear. Only a few would be strong enough to face it, to run right into the course before them.” He looked down. “Monroe is strong. She’ll hold her power within her and use it wisely until she gains control of it. The phase after that will be the one that’s the most dangerous.” His eyes met mine again. “She’ll have the power to wipe away all emotions from those she chooses.”

“She could create evil?”

“Evil has emotions, dark ones. She could take theirs away, too. She can take away the good ones as well. If she falls into her father’s hands before or at that point, he could use her against you and Willow; the family of souls she built will have no merit. You won’t fall into a blissful feeling of one; you’ll fall into the nothing that creates The Realm.”

“Does she know this?”

“If she does, she doesn’t clearly understand it. More than likely, she feels the power building. She needs to be in Chara. She needs to be around people that understand her.”

“I’m taking her there now.”

“No. Willow isn’t taking you to Chara; she’s taking you to Esterious.”

“Then I’ll get Austin to take her there.”

“If you have one focus, it needs to be to get her there.”

I nodded, grateful for a straight answer, at least a plan. “What else do you know? Where are you going now?” I asked, seeing the familiar certainty in his eyes.

“To help those I told Landen I would.”

“You mean the people that are supposed to die? Become like you?”

He nodded. “I’ll be in The Realm with you when you find Landen. I won’t let anyone hurt you,” he promised.

“You won’t let anyone hurt me, but you’re about to watch people die. Has the thought crossed your mind to stop it?” I asked as anger engulfed me.

“I’ve had a long time to think about what Landen said to me. Trust that this has to happen.”

“Do I know them?”

“Not in this life.”

“Where are they? Are they in this dimension?”

“Charlie, you aren’t going to stop it. You have enough in front of you without worrying about people you’ve never met.”

“Tell me where you’re going,” I demanded.

“Call, and I’ll be at your side.”

“Tell me,” I said, gripping his arm.

“New Orleans.”

I sighed, knowing that that was thousands of miles from here. He was right: I didn’t know whomever he was going to help, but that didn’t make me feel any better. “Tell me they want this, that they won’t be in pain or feel cursed.”

“They already feel cursed; this will cleanse that,” he said, looking away from me.

“Are you lying to me?”

“No,” he said quietly as his eyes found mine again. “They may not understand, or even be frightened like we were at first, but that’s why Landen asked me to be there. They won’t wonder the way we did; their transition will be immediate, no long, confusing dreams that take years to play out. I will be their guide; I’m helping, not hurting -- I promise.”

I looked down. “Fine. I’ve got to go. I have to get Monroe out of here.”

He leaned forward and let his lips touch my forehead. “I love you, and when this is over you will discover that you still love me,” he said, then vanished.

As I walked back to the car, I studied Britain and Madison’s silhouettes; they looked like they were fighting, which wasn’t surprising with the mood Madison was in. When Madison saw me getting closer, she reached her arms around him and kissed his neck, then climbed into my car.

Britain turned to see me walking closer. “Don’t do this, Charlie.”

“Do what?” I asked weakly.

“Leave.”

“Britain, I don’t have a choice,” I said as I walked to my driver’s side door.

He leaned over my car and pointed down to where Madison was sitting. “She’s a sacrifice, and you know it. If you’re not going to stop it -- then I will.”

I stared at him and tried to understand if he was afraid of losing her because he loved her or because he’d lost his source of light, if he was just worried about his own life. I finally said, “If you want to stop something, get those boys away from Bianca.” I opened my door, climbed in, and turned the key. “Last chance, Madison. Get in the car with him - take a vacation. I’ll come back for you.”