Even though Anna had told him that he died in the attack ten years in her past, Roxton was still a little disconcerted to hear Marguerite say that he was the focus of the raid. He managed to produce an astonished face for Marguerite's benefit, and looked down at Sirdo. At least now they would get answers, which was a far sight better than what Anna had gotten.
"Ask him what makes me so important. Veronica's better known to the various tribes, and Challenger is revered by many as almost a mystic. Hell, Marguerite, your mind is far finer than mine." His wife smiled slightly at the comment. "I'm only a hunter. A good one, admittedly, but how would that make me a target for these people?"
She relayed the question to Sirdo, who paused before answering. His gaze raked all of the explorers, finally resting on Marguerite's face. More of the bravado dropped from his expression.
"You must promise to protect me from Kirdon," he insisted. Marguerite raised an eyebrow.
"Why would you care about that? He must think that you were killed in the attack."
Sirdo shook his head. "He will know. He will know that we failed, and he will come for me."
Marguerite shrugged. "As you like. If he comes, we will do our best to protect you."
Sirdo took a deep breath and began.
"Many cycles of the moon ago, our leader Kirdon was visited by a great god. This god told him of our destiny. He told Kirdon that we were his chosen few, and that when it came time for the god to break the barrier and enter our physical realm, we would receive our destiny. We would be the leaders of this place."
Marguerite shook her head. Power, of course. The ultimate prize. And obviously this Kirdon was a willing receptacle to whatever this "god" of theirs wanted with them. She wondered if his followers knew, as she did all too well, that the promise of power for many invariably collapsed into power for the few or the one. She turned her attention back to Sirdo. He glanced at her but shied away from the look in her eyes.
"Kirdon found those of us who could embrace the gift of our god's favor. Many among the Maanti refused to believe. Their leaders even prepared to cast us from the tribe. However, Kirdon saw their deceit. He prepared us, and we left. We found a new home, and settled to our satisfaction, and waited for instruction from our god. We tattooed our faces to show that we were true to our god. After many days, Kirdon came to us with a message. Our god told Kirdon that there would be those who would try to prevent his return. In truth, only two who could. The Protector and the Chosen One."
Marguerite finished translating, and then she and Veronica glanced at each other. Their respective roles as Chosen One and Protector of the Plateau were fairly new to them, Marguerite only discovering the whole truth shortly before Anna's birth, and Veronica assuming her role barely two years past. However, they both knew that their destinies were still being laid out, and here was another piece of the puzzle.
"Do you know who those are?" Marguerite asked, playing the innocent. She was fairly certain that Kirdon and his followers knew precisely who she and Veronica were, but just in case they didn't…
Sirdo threw her a look.
"You and her," he said, indicating Veronica with his chin. "We were told of you long before this attack. The god said that very soon you would be reaching the fullness of your powers. When the Chosen One's powers are complete, then she will be able to awaken the true potential of the Protector. With her abilities awake, and with the support of the power of the Chosen One, the Protector will stop our god when he tries to enter our world."
Marguerite translated for the group, and then frowned. "Then why not kill me or Veronica? Wouldn't that solve the problem better than killing Roxton?"
Sirdo sighed.
"I myself asked Kirdon that question. He said that the fates of the Chosen One and the Protector are closely watched by other powers. Should the Protector fall, her power will pass back to her mother, who our god knows is still in Avalon. And should the Chosen One fall, then there is another of her blood for the gifts to pass to."
Marguerite told the group what Sirdo had said, and she and Roxton shared a worried look. Anna! She was the only one related to Marguerite, and according to Sirdo, she would inherit the status of Chosen One should something happen to Marguerite. Roxton was even more certain than his wife. His eyes flickered briefly to his daughter lying still under the blanket. Marguerite was only hearing it now, but he knew that Anna had inherited some of Marguerite's gifts.
"But should the hunter, your Roxton, die," Sirdo continued, "then that would prevent the Chosen One from fully developing her powers. Her grief would cripple her, and without her powers, the Protector would not be able to hold back our god."
Veronica shook her head after Marguerite repeated Sirdo's words. "Tell him that there's not a chance of that happening to you. I know how much you love Roxton, but you're too strong to let his death destroy you, Marguerite. And we live with that possibility every day."
Marguerite smiled at Veronica's confident defense of her. They'd certainly come a very long way from when they'd first met. She relayed Veronica's words to Sirdo. He glanced at Veronica, then back to Marguerite and a little lower, his gaze resting on her abdomen.
"But his death would damage you enough that you would also lose the child you carry within," Sirdo said. Marguerite gasped and laid her hand protectively on her stomach. "The dual loss would be too much for even you."
Roxton gazed worriedly at Marguerite, and at the hand she'd placed on her stomach. Had Sirdo threatened the baby? If so, Roxton would cheerfully snap his neck. He touched Marguerite's shoulder.
"What did he say, love?"
She glanced up at him, then at Challenger and Veronica. Marguerite and Roxton had been waiting to tell the rest of the group, but it needed to be said now. She swallowed.
"He said that John's death would cause me to…cause me to lose my baby. And that the two losses would be too much for me, and I would never be able to fully become the Chosen One." She glanced up at Roxton, who squeezed her shoulder warmly.
Veronica closed her mouth with a snap. She'd suspected, but hadn't been sure…She knelt down.
"Oh, Marguerite, you're pregnant?" At Marguerite's nod, Veronica grinned. "I knew it!" The two women smiled, but it was short-lived as they turned their angry gazes back to Sirdo.
"How dare you threaten my baby!" Marguerite hissed. Shock over his revelation was quickly turning to fury. Her eyes were now snapping silvery-green fire at the man, and he shrank back in the face of her anger.
"Our god said it was the only way!" Sirdo whimpered. Roxton gently drew Marguerite back a ways, and leaned over to hug her shoulders.
"Hush, my love, it's all right," he said. "We won't let that happen. What I think is important now is to figure out just who this Kirdon is getting advice from." The others nodded, and Marguerite asked the question.
"Who is this god of yours?"
Sirdo's brow creased in puzzlement. "I was certain that you knew of him. Only Kirdon has actually spoken to him, but we thought that all of you had been given the privilege of knowing the great god Kayle."
As one, the explorer's jaws dropped open upon hearing the name Kayle. Even Anna, hidden in her blanket, widened her eyes in shock. Kayle. It had to be the same man, the one who had impersonated Challenger, the one from Finn's time. The one who had destroyed the world.
"K-kayle?" Marguerite stuttered, when she had recovered enough to close her mouth. She looked at Roxton, then at the others. They all shared the same look of disbelief. Kayle had already tried to enter the world, but he had been driven back, and Finn had told them that he appeared in her time, not now. Was he trying to change the future once more?
Sirdo nodded slowly. The explorers' reaction was confusing, to say the least. He had been assured that they knew about Kayle.
"Yes, the god Kayle. He will lead us to glory. We will be the leaders-"
"Enough!" a new voice called. The explorers brought their heads up and stared past Sirdo. They saw a new man emerging from the jungle. His coppery skin was strangely wan, and his features were pinched and wary. Though he appeared no older than Malone, his black hair was liberally striped with gray. Marguerite thought abstractedly that he might have been handsome, once. But his limbs were too spare of flesh, his features were not quite right, and there was an air about him that was wrong. She saw that Veronica was feeling it as well.
"Kirdon," Sirdo whispered. Terror was evident in his voice. Roxton saw that his features were tight with it also. Apparently, in spite of his obvious devotion to Kayle and his emissary Kirdon, Sirdo was also very afraid of the man. Roxton sighed. He was a man of his word, after all. He took a step and partially blocked Sirdo from Kirdon's sight.
Kirdon stopped and stared at Sirdo. "Kayle informed me that you had failed in your mission, Sirdo. He will exact payment."
"No, Kirdon, I beg of you!" Sirdo cried. He raised his hands and stared up at the sky. "Great Kayle, forgive me my mistake! I tried my best to carry out your commands!"
Kirdon sneered, his upper lip curling slightly. "Our god cares only that you failed, Sirdo. Just one simple little task, and you failed. He sent me to set things right."
With that, Kirdon raised his hands. There was a faint glow emanating from them, and he pointed them in Sirdo's direction, closing his eyes and muttering unintelligible words. He suddenly clenched his fists, and Sirdo grabbed his throat, gagging as his air was cut off. Roxton's eyes widened, and he started towards Kirdon. The man opened his eyes, and the solid black depths were filled with an unearthly glow. Marguerite stood up as well and went to stand next to Roxton.
"Stop," Marguerite called out. "You have no right!" She and Roxton took a step towards Kirdon. With a wave of one hand, a force shoved at Roxton and Marguerite, and they were flung back, falling heavily. Roxton did his best to cushion his wife, and he cried out as the impact and angle of landing snapped his wrist. The crack was audible to everyone present. Kirdon turned back to Sirdo, who was gasping from the brief reprieve, and placed his closed fists one on top of the other. He twisted, and Sirdo slumped down, his broken neck turned at the wrong angle.
Anna was watching with horror, but underneath that emotion a darker one was stirring. Anger was rising in her, roiling hot anger. It curled in her stomach and spread white-hot flames of rage through her limbs. She saw Kirdon walk to where her parents lay, until he stood looming over Roxton.
"I have every right," he informed Marguerite silkily. She stared up at him with hatred, her hand resting protectively over the child in her womb. "I am my god's voice and his hand. I do as he wills." He spread out his hands again, the pale glow turning a sickly green and lighting his maddened features. "Now I must destroy the hunter, and your offspring as well, Chosen One." He opened his mouth to speak, but the words never came.
When Kirdon spread out his hands, Anna's anger coalesced into righteous fury. Power such as she had never felt spread all through her body. The force of it energized every cell in her being, changing her for the moment into something beyond herself. The ugly wound on her back closed over into thin pink line. Her clothes changed into flowing pale blue robes, and her long hair loosened from its braid and streamed over her shoulders and down her back. Her green eyes glowed with an emerald light. She stood up, throwing the blanket off herself. Light emanated from her, outlining every inch of skin and every strand of hair in a bright glow.
"Do not dare to touch them!" a voice called out, the bell-like tones vibrating through every person present. They gasped as they turned to see the apparition walking towards them. The bright light was nearly blinding, and Roxton could barely make out the form within. He gaped as he recognized Anna. But this was not the daughter he knew. This was something more. He was reminded of the time Marguerite had saved the Druids by finding their emeralds, but she had not been like this. He watched in dumbfounded amazement as Anna approached Kirdon.
She stopped in front of him, her blazing green eyes trained on his. He gazed at her in wonder, but the glow from his hands and eyes did not abate.
"Leave them be," Anna hissed. Roxton suddenly understood, to his astonishment, that he could understand Anna, and so could Kirdon. Somehow, his daughter was communicating in two languages at once.
"You have no place here," Kirdon spat out, his hands curling into claws. "I claim these for my god!" With that, he sprang at Anna.
Veronica and Challenger hurried over to Marguerite and Roxton. Veronica supported Marguerite, and Challenger did the same with Roxton. Marguerite turned and watched as the glowing figure neatly deflected every blow Kirdon aimed at her. Kirdon howled as searing flames touched his skin when he came too close to his opponent. The light and the figure's flowing hair obscured Marguerite's view of her face, but Marguerite had a strange feeling of familiarity as she watched the two opponents fight. The green glow had spread to cover Kirdon's body. The explorers sat huddled together as they saw a battle between what they knew must be light against the power of darkness.
Finally they stopped, Kirdon pulling several steps away from the other. He panted, his skin blistered in places from the woman's fiery light, blood dotting his face and body. She stared at him, her glow as bright as before. Kirdon spread his hands and threw his head back.
"My god will have what he desires!" he cried. The glow around him started to increase. Anna recognized what he was doing. He was completely opening himself up to the power of his god. Kayle might not be quite ready to come into the world, but apparently he could fill his vessel with his power. The strange power that filled Anna whispered to her what she needed to do. She nodded and reached down to gather all of her strength.
"No," she said. The word was quiet, but as it passed her lips, a hush fell over the clearing. The explorers watched in awe as the light around the woman increased until they could not look at her. It was like looking into the sun. Their eyes watered, and they raised their hands to shield their faces. Only Roxton was able to keep his eyes open a crack to see what came next.
Anna, too, spread out her arms. Power raced along her body in tingling lines. She called on her innate self and to nature, and filled herself to bursting. She saw Kirdon drop his head and look at her with the first indication of fear. She locked her eyes on his and felt the power of her gaze sear away his sight.
"No," she said again, over Kirdon's wail of pain. She suddenly released the power she held, and it spread out from her in a blinding sphere of light. It passed through the explorers without harming a hair on their heads, but the power of it knocked them unconscious. The last thing that Roxton saw was the light heading for Kirdon. When it touched Kirdon, the reaction was mightily different than for the explorers.
Kirdon was briefly enveloped in the light, and his screams were high and shrill. For a few moments he writhed in his prison of light, his face contorted in pain as he cried to his god, then he was obliterated. Only a few fragments of dust remained of Kayle's would-be entrance to the world. The light also removed all traces of Sirdo.
Anna dropped to her knees, breathing heavily. She was bone-deep weary. The power had demanded much of her body. She watched as the light slowly bled out of her skin, leaving behind trembling limbs and clothing her again in her original garments. She arched her back in wonder. The healed skin didn't even pull. She looked over at her father. His broken wrist was already swelling. With great effort, Anna pulled herself up and went over to him.
She touched his face, and he woke with a start.
"Anna?" he said in confusion, looking all around him. "Are you all right? What happened to them?"
She bit her lip. "I'm fine. I healed myself. They're gone, Daddy. I destroyed them. I'm sorry, I had no choice."
Roxton shook his head as he used his good hand to push himself to a sitting position. "I know, Anna, and it's all right. They were evil men. You did what you had to do." He smiled at her in wonder. "I never imagined you would be able to do something like that."
She sighed. "Neither did I. I never thought I could." She looked down at his wrist, then back up to his face. "Daddy, the power's almost gone, but there's one thing I can do with it." She carefully lifted his wrist and held it between her hands. Roxton gritted his teeth as the broken ends of bone shifted against each other.
He felt a sudden warmth, and looked down to see a soft light surrounding his wrist and Anna's hands. The light swirled around his wrist for several moments and then faded. He lifted his wrist in shock.
It was completely healed. The bones had fused together and the swollen skin was back to normal. He gingerly rotated his wrist and was rewarded with easy movement without a trace of pain. He looked at Anna in awe.
"Anna," he breathed. She smiled at him.
"That was the last of it, Daddy. There's nothing left of it in me anymore. Are you well now?"
"I'm well, sweetheart, thank you."
She glanced around to notice that the rest of the explorers were starting to stir. Roxton noticed as well, and he indicated Marguerite with a nod of his head.
"Is she-"
"She'll be fine, and the baby too," Anna said. "I feel it." She took in a deep breath. "Daddy, I need to go back. Very soon. The cave I used is close by. Uncle George said that I couldn't stay too long here, or the shifting realities might not let me go back. I don't have the equipment there in this time that I used to come here. It's up to me, and I don't know how much longer I'll have the strength to create a portal back."
Roxton nodded. "I'll go with you. Go wait by the trees, and I'll let the rest know."
He stood up and helped Anna stand, and she walked to the edge of the jungle and waited. Roxton turned and crouched down to gently caress Marguerite's cheek.
"Come on, love, wake up," he said. "Naptime is over."
She drew in a sharp breath as her eyes flew open.
"John?"
He smiled as he helped her sit up. "I'm all right, Marguerite."
"What happened to Kirdon? And what about your wrist?"
"Kirdon was destroyed, and my wrist was healed, as was Anjes' injury. Listen, Marguerite, will you and Veronica and Challenger be all right for a little while? I want to take Anjes back."
Marguerite looked over to see the girl again hiding in the jungle.
"Was it her, John? She did that? She destroyed Kirdon and healed herself?"
Roxton nodded. "Yes, it was Anjes. She healed me as well. We owe her our lives, Marguerite."
Marguerite tried to peer through the shadows of the jungle. "Do I know her, John? I have the feeling that she's familiar, somehow."
Roxton looked over at Anna. He grinned. "No, Marguerite, you don't know that young woman over there, but she knows you. She risked her life for you, for all of us. I need to see her on her way back."
Marguerite reached over and hugged Roxton. "I understand, John. Go. We'll be just fine. We'll break camp and be ready when you come back."
Roxton kissed her, savoring the feel of her mouth under his. She kissed him back and twined one arm around his neck. He pulled away reluctantly, but couldn't help dropping a gentle kiss on the end of her nose just before he stood up.
Marguerite sighed as she watched him join Anjes, and the two walked off into the jungle. She was beyond grateful for the help of the young woman, and wondered if she would ever know why Anjes had risked herself to save them. Marguerite knew that she would silently thank the girl every day from now on. She laid a hand on her belly and smiled.
"Well, little one, let's go see to your Aunt Veronica and your Uncle George, and then we will all wait together for your father." With a lighter heart, Marguerite turned to her friends.
Roxton and Anna walked silently through the jungle. Anna had found her hat not too far into the jungle, and she was ceaselessly turning it over in her hands as she walked. Her thoughts were completely jumbled in her head, and she couldn't think of what to say. From the look of him, Roxton was having the same problem. Anna couldn't believe that her time with her father was almost over. She found herself nearly dreading reaching the cave.
However, less than half an hour later they were standing in front of the cave entrance. They looked in quickly to make sure that no animal was resting inside. They stepped back out, and Anna checked to make sure she had everything with her.
"You have everything, Anna?" Roxton asked. She nodded. "Then I suppose you're ready to go home."
She looked at him with some uncertainty. Sensing her hesitation, he cocked his head.
"Don't you want to go back, Anna?"
She bit her lip.
"I do, of course I do, it's just that…you're alive here, and…I've changed things. I don't know what will happen tomorrow."
He smiled briefly and reached out to grip her shoulder firmly.
"Neither do we," he said, looking at her intently. "We just live each day and try our best to make it through. But I know what's at stake, my darling girl. I will be careful, I promise."
She stepped closer to him and his strong arms engulfed her slender form in a tight, reassuring hug. She closed her eyes and breathed in the scent so uniquely Roxton, so undeniably Daddy, and willed herself not to cry. She pulled back and attempted a smile.
"I have missed you, Daddy," she whispered. "I am so glad that I was able to see you here. Please stay safe. I couldn't bear to lose you again."
He touched her cheek. "I know, Anna. I don't want to put you through that either. Just remember that no matter what happens, I love you, and I always will."
She tried to smile with trembling lips. Quickly, before her resolve failed her, she placed her hat on her head and stepped into the cave. She concentrated again on creating a portal. She could feel the sweat beading on her face. Finally, a ragged swirl of light appeared. She saw the inside of the cave through it, but this cave was littered with equipment, just like the one she had left, not the clean cave she was presently standing in. She breathed in deeply, and just before she stepped through, she turned her head back.
"Goodbye for now, Daddy," she said softly. "I pray I'll be seeing you shortly."
She stepped into the light.
After several minutes, Roxton poked his head into the cave. If it hadn't worked, then he would take Anna back to the treehouse, and they could try to figure out how to send her home. He found himself almost hoping that she hadn't made it through. He would be proud to introduce Marguerite to their grown-up daughter.
The cave was empty. He looked in every corner to make sure, but he knew in his heart that Anna was gone.
"Goodbye, Anna. I'll be seeing you."
Almost there! Just the epilogue to go. Will Anna make it back? And will Roxton still be alive? What changes are present? All these answers and more await you in the epilogue! Oh, and PLEASE, READ and REVIEW! Hit that little button down there. Sure, I knew you could.