The Order

80,000 Years Ago

Creation sang with the first human soul born into the physical realm. The Hall of Wings in Heaven, full of unborn souls since the beginning of time, was one less. The first of his kind, a male child, bridged the gap from having an animal spirit to a human soul. In harmony with creation and animals, he was the first original man, and the creatures of the world did not fear him, would not attack him, and would obey his will.

The second human soul was born soon after, and the firstborn had a brother. Their life on Earth was harsh and brutal, made more so because the two boys were different from the rest of their tribe. Their minds were open, and they were able to see the thoughts and feelings of the primitive race that spawned them. The two boys were smarter, and as a result, shunned and feared as outcasts.

Because they were so alike, the two brothers understood each other and spent time in each other’s company so they wouldn’t be alone. They were close, at first inseparable, and a great love grew between them. Their tribe lived in the valley of Yggdrasil where food was plentiful, so they were able to live at a young age, even as outcasts.

Language of the tongue did not yet exist, but with their minds touching, it was easy to communicate. They felt special being so much smarter than their tribe, and even as young as they were, they managed to survive.

One day, the firstborn heard something in his mind he had never heard before – a voice that spoke! At first the strange sounds terrified him, but with his mind open, he understood the meaning behind the sounds, and before long he spoke them in his mind as well.

The voice warned him not to talk aloud, telling him it would be dangerous, insisting he not reveal any of what he heard, especially to his brother. Speaking often, the voice taught him many secrets, and he grew in strength and power. Spending more time alone, his brother became saddened and hurt by his behavior.

One day the two brothers fought, which they had never done before. The voice whispered in the firstborn’s mind, telling him his brother was jealous, wanting all the secrets for himself. Over time, the voice twisted and bent the firstborn, planting a seed in his mind, suggesting his brother needed to be killed.

At first, the idea was inconceivable. Even though they fought, the two boys were close, but more and more frequently, the voice predicted his brother’s behavior, convincing the firstborn that his brother plotted to take his secrets and kill him. Incessantly whispering, the voice guided and shaped his thoughts, corrupting and deceiving him.

The seed took root, and the plan of The Dark One grew. The voice taught him how to hide his thoughts, shielding them from his brother so he would not see the plan to kill him.

On their own and away from their tribe, the boys had to gather their own food. At the direction of the voice, the firstborn called his brother to pick nuts and berries as they often did. His brother seemed happy as they entered the deeper part of the valley, close to the water that fed the tree of life, and as part of his plan, they became separated.

The firstborn found a stone with jagged edges, roughly the size of his fist, and used it to cut his leg. Writhing on the ground, he howled in pain, pretending he had fallen off a ledge. Unsuspecting, his brother ran to him and saw him on the ground, bleeding.

The sky, sunny only moments before, turned dark, filled with clouds and wind. Thunder rumbled across the valley, but the voice told him not to be afraid.

The secondborn never had a chance. The stone struck his temple even as he rolled his brother over in concern. The blow stunned him, and while dazed, his brother’s fist, gripping the stone, struck again and again. His brother cried out three times before falling silent.

Releasing the primitive rage within him, the firstborn struck his sibling, feeling powerful. He lost himself in the violence of the act, but when he came back to himself, fear and shame replaced the rush of power, and he looked on his brother in dismay.

His brother’s face was nearly gone, crushed and caved in by his brutal attack. Blood, hot and sticky, was everywhere, covering both of them. His brother still twitched, and pain, unlike anything he ever felt, filled the firstborn's heart. The blood on the stone started to steam and smoke.

What have I done!?

He had no words, but his soul shouted to the voice. It tricked him! It said he would feel powerful! He did for a moment… then he saw his brother, broken and lifeless, and the stone in his hand that performed the deed. Unbearable loneliness overcame him… his brother was gone. His brother, who had spent so much time in his mind and heart, was absent. Sensing the finality of his action, he knew it could not be undone.

Thunder and lightning filled the skies, and rain poured as Heaven wept. Creation groaned, and the laughter of The Dark One echoed through the valley.

The violence and betrayal of his act changed everything. The wrath of Heaven came down, Cursing the firstborn and all mankind through him. Gripping the stone, steaming with power and covered in his brother’s blood, he ran away, ashamed of his actions and filled with self-loathing and regret.

Fleeing to the caves beneath Yggdrasil to the water of life, he attempted to cleanse the blood off his hands, but the stain would not go away. Wanting to be rid of the stone, as if by its absence his shame and guilt would go with it, he flung it into the depths of the water. The magic of the water infused power into the stone, feeding and strengthening the Curse, altering it.

Uriel appeared to collect the soul of the secondborn, but it was nowhere to be found. At that precise moment, by the power of the water of life, through the stone, the soul of the secondborn was reborn into a male child of the tribe, beginning the cycle of life and death of the secondborn. Uriel wept, thinking the soul lost forever, taken by the Curse as it came into being.

Resting in the water of life, the stone remained hidden for tens of thousands of years until the veil was called into existence. When the physical and spiritual realms separated, the stone slipped through the veil into the Pale, where it lay on the ground in the barren rocky landscape, seemingly a common stone among many.

Every seventh year on the anniversary of the secondborn’s death and rebirth, the stone would glow, evidence of the Curse and the tragic cycle of death surrounding it, calling to the secondborn as he re-entered the world.

Nearly eighty thousand years later, on the day of Drew Hastings's birth, an Eschphene child saw the stone on the ground where he played. Curious at seeing it glow, he picked it up and smelled its power... and so, the stone came into the hands of the Eschphene.

The Eschphene leader believed it was the balance asserting itself, giving him the means to accomplish something always thought impossible; to identify the secondborn. Through the stone, he vowed to break the Curse and restore equilibrium and, more importantly, regain his people's position as a preeminent race in creation.

 

The Present

Waking with a start, The Master’s harsh breath hissed through his crooked yellow teeth. He despised that sound as much as he despised his physical appearance. Once, he attempted to have his teeth straightened, but the Curse would not allow it. Another time he had his legs broken and set so he could walk fully upright, but again the Curse refused the alterations, preventing him and trapping him in his original adult form.

His body’s primitive ugliness made him hate the physical beauty of the new warriors of The Order even more. Their perfection mocked him, and he wanted them dead, desiring the flesh of their Avatars to adorn his new throne. His final confrontation with them was approaching, and he would kill them himself and strip the flesh off their perfectly muscled shoulders.

Wondering at the significance of his dream, memories shut away for eons haunted him, becoming more vivid with each reoccurrence. He realized his brother's presence was responsible, yet he also knew there was more to it than that.

Rising, The Master lumbered naked to his throne room. The seat of his throne, upholstered with the flesh of his enemies through the ages, was comfortable, reminding him of his strength and the promises of The Dark One. Dominion of the physical realm was to be his forever, once The Order was defeated and their light eradicated from the world. In every fiber of his being, he felt his final victory approaching.

He had only been seated a moment when a servant appeared, hovering at the entrance to the throne room and awaiting permission to enter. The Master sensed his excitement. Not fear or anxiety as had been the norm recently, but enthusiasm, perhaps over good news for a change.

Wanting solitude to ponder and meditate upon the meaning of his dream, he knew the servant would remain until given permission to speak.

Irritation in his voice evident, his deep voice rumbled, “Enter.”

The man could hardly contain himself as he nearly shouted, “Master, we found it!”

Knowing instantly what his servant referred to, his heart leapt in his massive chest, and he sat up, immediately tense.

The valley!

When the veil was called, the archangel Michael hid the valley. Searching for its location ever since, it was the place of his birth, but even more importantly, it held Yggdrasil, the tree of life. Unimaginable power resided in the tree if he could tap into it… or destroy it and deny its power to the light. He wondered if life could continue without the tree and if he would die too, or if the Curse would protect him even from that?

Aside from the tree, the valley was sacred, holding many secrets and profound mysteries. Hunting its location his entire life, it eluded him. Yes… he would destroy Yggdrasil along with the new warriors of The Order, vanquishing their light forever.

It brought him great pleasure and satisfaction that the new warriors were the reason for his discovery. When he invoked the blood curse upon Kenneth Habersham, the warriors took him to the valley to slow its effects. At one point, Brad Wilson summoned an immense amount of power, surprising even The Master at its strength and intensity, trying to reconnect his soul with Ken’s and stave off the effects of the blood curse.

It was a futile attempt, showing his foolishness, but potent enough for The Master to sense, giving him a general idea of where they were, and he dispatched servants to explore the area.

Excitement ran through him.

Yessss!

He knew the valley would have heavy protections, but he would overcome them. The Order did not know his true power. He rarely invoked the Curse directly because he did not need to. The strength of his soul and the arcane power he wielded, gleaned over his lifetime under the tutelage of The Dark One, was impressive by itself, but the Curse was an elemental force tied to the fabric of creation. If he invoked its power directly, it was unstoppable.

Sensing the approaching confrontation and his victory with it, he would destroy Yggdrasil and The Order in a two-pronged attack. He would call all the armies of darkness at his command as he had four years earlier on the morning Ken Habersham, Brad Wilson, and the others underwent their final transformation, awakening their Nephilim heritage. On that day, the Four Corners protected them, additionally receiving unexpected assistance from the bard Taliesin. The Bard had resurfaced recently, and The Master’s servants were also under orders to discover his whereabouts and capture or kill him.

Without the Four Corners to protect them, the Nephilim abominations would be obliterated. He studied their Avatars, garnering some of their secrets. When all ten were together, their Avatars locked by Ken Habersham, they were incredibly powerful. Their Avatars were unique, growing in power as needed to equal any challenge. It was possible, though unlikely, that they could match the power of the Curse for a time, but not indefinitely, and then only if they were all together.

He would divide them, forcing them to defend Yggdrasil in the valley and Drew Ross in Atlanta. The Master would destroy his brother, the tree, and The Order on the same day, making his victory in the physical realm complete and irrevocable, and realize The Dark One’s prophecy.

It would take time to summon all his servants. Many demons and creatures of darkness under his dominion were scattered across the infinite universe of the physical realm. The impending confrontation, the decisive battle which would be final and unalterable, called to him. Darkness would rule forever, and with his victory, the light would finally be eradicated.

Lounging on his throne, one leg draped over the arm of the chair, he displayed his grotesquely muscled body. News of the valley’s discovery and his thoughts of victory over The Order excited him, as was evident by his towering erection. With a gesture of his clawed hand, a group of whores came forward and began pleasuring him.

Almost as an afterthought, he addressed the servant who brought him the news.

“You have done well. Leave me.”

The servant left, and when the echoes of The Master’s deep voice stopped, the only sounds in the room were the women working him to release and the harsh sound of his breathing from the pleasure he received.

Mid-October

Pressing the remote to the garage door as they turned the corner onto their street, there was a small window of opportunity to hit the button or the signal bounced, failing to reach the house. If it didn’t work, he had to wait until they were in the driveway. It was a challenge Ken didn’t like to lose, and he played it ever since they moved into the house. As Ken and Brad pulled into the driveway, the garage door was open as the two men got out of their Explorer. Ken’s little kid grin appeared, and he pumped his fist, exclaiming, “Still got my touch!” Smiling, Brad shook his head, still amazed at how the smallest things made Ken happy.

The sky was grey and overcast, and the first chill of Fall hung in the air. As the two men looked around, leaves and twigs covered the yard, the grass needed mowing and edging, and the hedges trimming.

Slowing his perception of time, Brad watched the leaves blow, feeling the chill breeze on his face. The day looked much colder than it was and seemed to be affecting his mood. He wasn’t depressed or sad exactly… he just felt ‘blah.’

Ken seemed unaffected as they entered the house through the laundry room, going into the kitchen. Flipping on the lights in the den and kitchen, Brad looked around, and it took him a moment to realize what bothered him; the house no longer felt like home. His thoughts wandered back to a day nearly four years prior when he and Ken had made out. It started out the same as most days during that time in their lives, but that particular day was significant.

He stood in the same spot as his memory, putting groceries in the refrigerator when Ken came home from his workout at the lab.

He remembered Ken calling out, “Hey, B!” and him replying, “Hey, sissy!”

He hadn’t called Ken 'sissy’ in ages, and the memory made him smile. It was a term of endearment he used for Ken at that time. He thought it funny because Ken was so rugged and manly, and it made them both smile. He loved Ken’s smile. Seeing it, especially when he was the cause and it was directed at him, sent a warmth deep down in his soul.

The scene in Brad’s head came as much from his memory as from his Avatar. The part of his Avatar that came from Bill read the impressions in the house. Brad wanted it to feel like home again; he needed to know there was someplace, some life, outside the lab he had with Ken and his brothers. Something more than just the battle they were in.

His thoughts continuing, he remembered Ken trying the new bonding technique. It was that night, looking back, that sparked the events of Ken’s capture and rescue from his torture by Dr. Cromwell and the awakening of their Nephilim heritage. The part of Brad’s Avatar that came from Lane saw the ripples that started that night nearly four years ago and were still moving and affecting the present right up to that very second.

While Brad stood in the kitchen, lost in his thoughts, Ken moved to the backyard. Brad watched his husband walk around, picking up twigs and tossing them into the fire pit. He and Ken arranged for time out of their rotation to winterize the pool and check on the house. It seemed trivial with everything going on, but it needed to be done. Ken brought it up in their meeting a few days before, and all the guys needed to do the same thing with their own homes.

Brad had a fleeting thought, wondering if they should just sell the house, but realized they couldn’t. With the modifications the doctor made for their safety, it was too risky. They would have to destroy it themselves if it came down to it. Besides, their tree was in the backyard, their personal defense against the darkness, tied to their Avatars and one of their most potent defenses besides the runes in the lab. Not living in their houses, though, made the trees seem useless.

Moving to the sliding glass doors, he watched his husband skimming leaves out of the pool with a net.

Why are you doing that?

I don’t know, B. I miss doin’ it. It’s somethin’ ‘ta do that feels normal.

After a slight pause, Ken gave a small chuckle.

Not much feels normal anymore.

Ken wore one of those tight body-hugging knit workout shirts, the kind that didn’t leave anything to the imagination. It was long-sleeved and had a hood on it, and it accentuated his physique to an almost criminal level. Seeing him in that shirt and shorts with a day’s worth of scruff on his cheeks and wearing his baseball cap, Brad thought to himself: Fuck, was he always this handsome?

Picking up on Brad’s thought, Ken turned, smiling at him. Again, Brad slowed his perception of time to just look at his husband and soak in the sight of his smile. Ken’s smile faded slightly at the unease he sensed in his husband, and setting down the net he moved over, putting his hands on Brad’s shoulders, gripping him gently with his warm, strong hands.

B, what’s the matter?

I don’t know… I just feel…

Pausing, after a heavy sigh, he thought: I don’t know.

Come here.

Ken pulled him into their signature full-bodied hug with their chins resting on each other’s shoulders as their arms encircled each other. Burying his face against Ken’s neck, Brad breathed in the scent of his man, soaking up Ken’s strength and sturdiness, feeling his warm, rock-hard body against his own. They both got hard, and they both smiled.

Fuck, Ken. I’m not sure what’s up with me today, but looking at you… God, you’re more handsome and desirable to me than ever.

Grinning, Ken thought it was the new shirt.

It’s not the shirt, you douche. I was thinking back to four years ago when all this started. That night you tried the bonding technique. I thought you were the best-looking man on the planet then, but now… just damn.

Ken was unassuming about his looks, but he was also acutely aware of the effect he had on his husband. Brad had the same effect on him, and being in each other so often and sharing a soul made it evident. Blushing at Brad’s thoughts, Ken squeezed him a little tighter.

Activating the pairing of their nervous systems, he gently ground his hips against his husband, and his little kid grin appeared.

Which bonding technique? That one?

Brad smiled.

Yeah, that one.

Fuck, B, I want you so bad. We came ‘ta work on the house, but I don’t think we can until we get this out of our systems.

Red fire erupted from their core energy centers, and their libidos ignited.

Let’s go back ‘ta the bedroom. We can take care of the house after.

Even as big and muscular as Brad was, he jumped, and Ken caught him as if he were a child, cupping Brad’s ass as his legs wrapped around Ken’s trim waist. Closing their eyes, they kissed. At first it was gentle, even tender, but it was also like pouring gasoline on the fires inside them.

With Brad wrapped around his upper body, Ken walked them back to their bedroom. Brad stripped Ken’s shirt off and then his own, but they continued to hold and kiss each other. Feeling each other’s bodies, their warm skin, Brad’s hairy chest against Ken’s mostly smooth one; it was all so comforting and perfect, they couldn’t get enough of each other.

A bright yellow rope of energy arced between their bare chests, connecting them, and as Brad brought their souls together, sweat popped out across their skin. Continuing to hold each other, they occasionally caressed or touched each other in a particular place or manner they knew would drive the other crazy, and with the bond active, it affected them both.

Climaxing in their shorts before they even got undressed, they didn’t stop. Their first orgasm just warmed them up, and then they each became ‘that guy’ for the other.

Three hours later, Ken, naked and trembling on top of Brad, squeezed his eyes tightly shut. Their souls were still entwined, and Ken didn’t want to go back to himself, wanting to stay lost in his husband forever. Holding Ken, Brad caressed his sweaty, muscular body, giving him as long as he needed, or wanted, to recover. Fulfilled by the other in every way, Ken was still hard and inside Brad, and both of them were in each other's mind, heart, and soul.

It took a while before they finally separated but continued to cuddle, the physical intimacy too comforting to stop.

Brad: Do you think we’ll ever come back here, Ken? Even once we defeat The Master? We’re so used to living in the labs and being merged with the rest of the guys. I don’t know if we can come back to this.

Ken: Do you want to, B? I want whatever’ll make you happy, you know that. As long as I’m with you, I don’t care.

Falling silent again, Brad listened to Ken’s strong, steady heartbeat. His head rested on half of Ken’s solid chest while he slowly caressed the other half, circling a nipple every now and then.

I honestly don’t know Ken. I want to want it if that makes sense. We’ve all gone through so much pain… it’s changed us. We knew there would be costs, and we’re paying them. We’ve come close to losing almost every one of us at some point, but we’ve managed to survive. We always manage to pull a win out of our asses, even when it seems hopeless.

Images of Henry’s brutal, near-fatal encounter with the Eschphene leader in the Pale ran through Brad’s mind. The pain of that encounter was the most recent, less than a week old.

Reaching down, Ken felt around Brad’s ass like he was looking for something.

What are you doing?

Checkin’ for a ‘win.’ I hope there’s some left in there!

The absurdity of Ken’s statement made him laugh, which is what Ken wanted. Ken was acutely aware of how Brad’s compassion made him more susceptible to the effects of the war they were in. Shielding Brad, Ken filled him with his own presence, walling off and putting a barrier around Brad, pushing everything back until he was strong enough to fight it off on his own.

An incredibly strong man both inside and out, Brad still needed a reprieve once in a while to get his bearings. Ken didn’t see it as a weakness; in fact, he loved his husband all the more for it, seeing it as a strength. It was a part of his Avatar and what made him Brad.

Every one of them faced a downside to their Avatars in some manner, and compassion and empathy were Brad’s. Like Patrick’s, Brad’s Avatar wore on him all the time and wasn’t something he could turn off. Lane’s or Loy’s Avatars usually hit them hard all at once, and Bill’s was a blend of both and seemed the worst of all.

With Brad, Ken used the analogy of holding a glass of water at arm’s length, seemingly weightless at first, but after a while the strain of holding it up becomes intolerable, and the glass has to be set down for a few minutes to recover. If repeated often, the length of time the glass could be supported becomes less and less without a longer rest period. Brad was in a mode of needing an extended rest period.

The two men stayed together a few more hours, holding each other and talking quietly, and Ken soon had Brad laughing. They would laugh, then kiss, then cuddle, and then be quiet… not always in that order, but the process repeated a few times until the practical side of Brad asserted itself.

Thanks, Ken. I love you.

Kissing Brad, Ken’s grin appeared again: We’ve been over this.

Brad grinned back: Shut the fuck up, and let me say thanks.

Tweaking one of Brad’s nipples, Ken made him jump.

Brad: Let’s get up. It’s almost dark out. That will make taking care of the yard easier to cover up in case Gladys Kravitz is spying on us.

They referred to Leslie, their neighbor, as Gladys Kravitz from the old TV show Bewitched. A great friend and neighbor, she helped them with their mail and the newspapers that collected in the driveway while they were away, but she was also very nosy and liked to peek through her curtains to see what they were up to. Brad was convinced she really wanted to catch a glimpse of them naked.

Ken: I’ll make Bry proud. I’ll take care of the yard if you get the leaves and crap out of the pool and filters. We’ll slide the cover on, and then we can head back ‘ta the lab.

Reluctantly, they got dressed and went back outside. Using the part of his Avatar that came from Bryan, Ken gave the yard a makeover. With his shirt back on, his Avatar shone brightly on the ball of his shoulder through the thin material. The material muted the colors somewhat, but it was still vibrant.

After a few minutes of intense concentration, the yard looked immaculate. Retracting the growth of the grass and hedges, the yard looked freshly mowed, edged, and trimmed. Brad double-checked to make sure none of their neighbors saw anything suspicious, especially Leslie.

In the backyard, Brad used his mind to pull leaves, bugs, and twigs out of the pool and the filters, putting everything in a pile for Ken to decompose. Pulling out the pool cover from the shed, they had it secured in a few minutes. What would typically take them all day only took about twenty minutes.

Ken: Not bad! If all else fails, we can open a pool and lawn service.

Brad: Yeah, if you wear those box-cut swim trunks I got you and go shirtless, we’ll have more business than we can shake a stick at.

Grinning, Ken asked: Are you objectifyin’ me?

Brad: Hell yeah, if we ever have to make a living that way, I’ll do way more than that to you.

Ken raised his eyebrows: I don’t even know what you mean, but it sounds hot!

Ken’s stomach chose that moment to let out a cavernous rumble. He managed to look chagrinned, and Brad shook his head and smiled.

Brad: Sorry, that’s my fault… we took so long here because of me. I’ll do the chivalrous thing and spring for dinner on the way back to the lab. Let’s head out.

Ken: Do you know how long it’s been since we’ve had P.F. Chang’s?

Pausing for a second, Ken laughed when he realized who he was talking to: Wait, don’t answer that.

Grinning, Brad thought: That sounds perfect. Just like old times.

Closing up the house, they set it in ‘vault mode' and headed out.

Holding Brad’s hand as he drove, Ken rubbed his thumb over the back of it, or fiddled with his wedding ring. Brad felt better, which made him feel better too; making Brad smile was his second favorite thing to do with his husband. Well, really his first favorite, if he was honest.

Sex with Brad was over the top, but ever since the first time they merged, the emotional and spiritual well-being between them became the emphasis for fulfillment in their relationship. Sex made them stronger as far as their powers and abilities, but their genuine happiness came from each other and their brothers through the intimate bonds of their shared souls.

Smirking to himself, he thought: But the sex sure doesn’t hurt!

Brad heard Ken’s thoughts and grinned too.

Yeah, the sex sure doesn’t hurt.

<><><> 

A strong tremor in Henry woke Drew, and his eye’s fluttered open. They had fallen asleep together, sitting up in bed while Henry read “The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe” to Drew. Henry tried to read a chapter a night before Drew’s bedtime if both of them could manage to stay awake. Loving it when Henry read to him, it was one of Drew’s favorite things. His mom used to do it for him, and he missed it.

When Lane found out they were reading that particular book, he told Drew to start calling Loy and Rick Mr. and Mrs. Beaver. The look on Loy’s face was priceless the first time it happened, and he told Drew there would be severe repercussions in the form of a tickle monster every time Drew called him Mr. Beaver from then on. The other half of the joke that went without saying was that Rick was Mrs. Beaver, which got no end of laughs out of everybody but Rick.

At first, Henry wasn’t very good at reading bedtime stories… his reading voice used to be flat and monotone. It was Drew’s Grandpa Tag who taught Henry how to really read a story. Tag put so much life into the characters; he could make Drew giggle, scared, or sometimes even cry.

Teaching Henry to get over his embarrassment and make it all about Drew, now, Henry was almost as good as Grandpa Tag.

Drew also loved the story they were reading; Doctor Aaron suggested it, but it could be any book, and Drew would love it because of the one-on-one time with his dad and getting to snuggle together in bed. Reclining against Henry, Drew held his dad’s arm wrapped around him, never feeling scared or alone, even when the stories should make him that way, even when he thought about his brother, The Master.

Henry’s trembling worsened, and it snapped Drew back to the present. He wondered again if he should try and wake his dad up.

<><> 

Dreaming, Henry faced off against the Eschphene leader. The magic creating the dome completed, it would only open when one of them was dead. Every detail was the same as he remembered, except for an overpowering sense of failure.

The fight started, and at first, Henry fended off the giant creature, using every ounce of skill he learned from Ken, his brothers, and Albrecht. Grace in motion and at the height of his power, his movements were physical perfection, and he re-lived every second of the fight; the pain, the sweat, the blood, and his desperation to save Drew from the Eschphene plan to turn his son into a monster.

Fighting with everything in him, he was a wall between Drew and the Eschphene. In the leader’s mind, Henry saw the creature they intended to turn Drew into, aging him prematurely and, by their magic, transforming his son into one of them.

The image in the leader’s mind showed Drew’s deformed body, unrecognizable except for his eyes. His body massive, covered with sigil-covered bone shards, the stone was embedded in his heart, fueling the magic that would create him. They planned to merge every incarnation within Drew into one creature under their control with the sole intent of destroying The Master. They didn’t care for Drew or his life; to them, he was just a tool to be used and discarded.

Seeing that image kept Henry fighting, but he wasn’t enough… every blow he took ripped another piece of his heart out as he failed his son. Drew’s greatest fear was being abandoned and left alone, and after Liz’s absence in his life, Henry vowed to always be there to protect him. He knew Ken and the others would take care of Drew if anything happened to him, but it wasn’t the same as having his father.

Every time Henry was knocked down he got up, but each time slower and more damaged. His body bloody and bruised, he was covered in lacerations where his skin was exposed.

Finally, a blow landed that knocked Henry senseless, and he knew it was over. His bones were shattered, and his body broken. Trying to drag himself up, he was too slow.

He failed.

Through the pain-filled fog, Henry heard a deep guttural growl. Filling the dome, it drove the haze from his mind. The wolf-spirit appeared in front of Henry, between him and the Eschphene leader. He had never heard the sound that came out of her before, and it was terrifying. Her eyes glowing brightly, her form grew until she dwarfed the Eschphene leader. The nape of her neck, where her hackles were raised, reached the top of the dome.

Brutally attacking, she grabbed the Eschphene in her jaws, savagely shaking her head side to side, and Henry heard the bone shards in its body crunch and splinter as she bit him in half. Black blood sprayed the inside of the dome and dripped from her muzzle.

Looking on in disbelief, relief filled him.

He knew the wolf-spirit didn’t have the gift of speech, but they were in the realm of dreams where anything was possible, and she was powerful there. That was the reason Loy bound her to Drew. Her soothing voice and spirit washed over him.

You were enough, Henry Ross, and you vanquished your foe. You protected your cub and your pack. Do not let fear or despair into your heart. It will weaken you and your ability to defend the child.

You were victorious. You were the wall, and you held. Do not tell yourself you failed. You are alive, and your enemy is dead. Your cub is safe once again. You are strong, Henry Ross, and worthy of his love.

More of his lingering trauma left as if she took it away, and he felt a warmth from the white lock in his hair. Listening to her wisdom, his unconscious mind incorporated it into his psyche.

<><> 

Sitting up, Drew put a hand on either side of Henry’s face, cupping his cheeks and feeling the roughness of the day’s growth of facial hair. Sweating from his dream, Henry’s skin felt damp and Drew brushed the short hair off Henry’s forehead like his dad did for him when he was upset. It always made him feel better.

The white lock of hair on Henry’s head, bright in the dark room, was easy to see. As Drew reached to touch it, the wolf-spirit emitted a deep guttural growl, and Henry’s trembling stopped, but Drew was still worried. Henry was a heavy sleeper, but Drew’s touch woke him as the wolf-spirits words echoed in his mind.

You are worthy of his love.

Henry started, and his eyes shot open, looking directly into Drew’s face, inches from his own. His voice still heavy with sleep, Henry mumbled, “I’m sorry, honey, I was having a bad dream. I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

“Are you okay, Daddy?”

Yawning, he said, “Yeah, I’m fine.”

Grinning, he continued, saying, “You know what? I’m better than fine because I got my boy looking out for me. Come here.”

Pulling Drew’s little body against him, Henry wrapped him up in his big arms.

“I love you so much, Drew. Do you know that?”

Nodding his head up and down, his voice muffled because it was pressed against Henry’s chest, Drew said, “I do, Daddy.”

“Do you know how much?”

Sitting up, Drew held his arms out as wide as he possibly could. It was a game his Uncle Tag started with him, and it stuck.

“That’s right, but even more than that. Now let’s try and go back to sleep. We have a long day tomorrow.”

Leaning forward, Henry repositioned the pillows, fluffing them so they could lie down.

Getting on his side, Drew spooned against him, with Henry’s arm around his son, holding them against one another.

Drifting back to sleep, Henry whispered, “You’re such a good boy, Drew.”

After kissing the top of Drew’s head, he started snoring softly.

Drew was still wide awake. Usually, Henry’s snoring lulled him to sleep. It wasn’t loud, but it was a sound he became accustomed to, and it proved beyond any doubt his dad was with him and he wasn’t alone. It was a comfort he had come to rely on.

Glancing at the foot of the bed, Drew saw the wolf-spirit, translucent and barely visible in the dim light of their room. Her eyes gleamed as she looked back, watching him. He had come to love and rely on her, too.

Snuggled against his dad, Drew rested against the warmth of his body. Turning over, he put his arms as far around Henry’s thick torso as he could reach. In one of his ‘adult modes’ he knew the wolf-spirit somehow helped his dad. She helped his Uncle Kevin too, after his brother Archie’s death. The wolf-spirit talked to him in his own dreams, telling him many things.

Drew’s thoughts wandered as he lay wide awake. The incarnations were awake too, and restless. Feeling sad, he missed his Grandpa Tag and Auntie Olive. Images of Henry getting brutalized and almost dying in front of him a week ago kept flashing through his mind, and tears fell down his face onto Henry’s ribcage from the memory and trauma of that day.

Drew felt he had to protect Henry from The Master; the urge to do so was overpowering. He had to, especially after the words of the Birdman. Watching his dad and his uncles, he listened to them. They joked and teased each other, but Drew saw the love between them. To him, it was tangible, and sometimes he felt he could almost touch it. It was strong and powerful between them, and they would do anything for one another.

He watched his dad being beaten by the Eschphene leader and even die for a few seconds. Some of his uncles came close to dying as well, and they lost many people they cared about because of Drew and who he was, and his brother, The Master.

Watching and learning from their example, he knew Henry and his uncles were there to protect him, but he couldn’t bear to see any of them hurt again because of him. He would do anything for them, just as they would for him. He had to find a way to do what he needed on his own and remove the threat to them. He had to. He had to protect them from his brother.

His mind went back to his conversation with the Birdman at the wedding, distinctly remembering the voice in his mind.

Come.

<> 

Drew knew where to go, and the man waited in the grass, smiling at him. Drew stopped a few feet away, unsure if he should get closer. Drew only ever heard him as a voice in his heart and had never seen him in person.

When his arms extended in an open invitation, Drew rushed forward, throwing his arms around the man’s neck. The man wasn’t as big as his dad or his uncles, but Drew felt how strong he was. His hug was like warm sunshine and a cool breeze at the same time on Drew’s soul. He smelled like nothing Drew had ever experienced before; sun, and grass, and aftershave, and sweat, and love… it was one of the most soothing and comforting smells ever, and it washed through him along with the hug.

“Hello, Drew. It’s nice to see you in person.”

Nodding his agreement, he cried, but his tears were happy tears, and he couldn’t help them. It was like his eyes couldn’t contain the joy that bubbled up inside him by being with the man.

“Have a seat. We don’t have a lot of time, and there are some things I want to tell you.”

“Okay.”

Drew sat on his knees with his legs folded under him right in front of the man.

Looking long and hard at one another, Drew saw so many things in his eyes, and they became misty as his expression turned serious.

He finally said, “I’m sorry, Drew, for the life you’ve had. I know it hasn’t been easy.”

Pausing for a moment as if choosing his words carefully, he continued, “I sent Henry to you, and I think you approve.”

“He’s the best daddy in the world. I love him more than anything.”

“Yes, I know you do, and that makes me very happy for you both.”

“The time is coming, Drew, when you will face your brother. You know what has to happen.”

“Can you help me? He’s mean and strong. He wants to hurt me.”

“Yes, he does. He is everything you say. He doesn’t remember himself when he was like you. That’s the part of him you must find. It’s deep within him and will be very hard to get to. He will do everything in his power to keep you from doing that.

“You know, you two were much alike in the beginning. He was older by almost two years. You were the first two human souls born in the valley. You played together and laughed, even hunted and gathered food together. Life then was not pleasant, and the fear of death constant, but you had each other and learned to survive.”

He paused again before continuing, “You are still alike in some ways, you know.”

Drew didn’t believe him and asked, “How?”

“Do you know what his favorite drink is?”

“No.”

“Grape Nehi, the same as yours, but he won’t tell anyone, and he won’t drink it because of how he thinks his servants would see it. But deep down, it’s his favorite. He also likes Count Chocula, but he won’t eat that either.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really. He buries those things… he must, or he would not be who he thinks he needs to be. That is at the heart of it all… who he thinks he needs to be, rather than who he is. Another of my children helped your brother forget all those things.”

“The other bad man?”

“Yes. You know of him as well.”

“I do. Some of the voices told me about him. I remember him, too, but I don’t know how.”

“You remember many things you haven’t mentioned to your father or your uncles and know how to do things you haven’t told them about.”

Looking chagrinned, Drew meekly said, “Yes, sir. I don’t want them to be disappointed in me.”

“Drew, they love you. They have nothing but your survival and best interests at heart. You should trust them. They will not be disappointed in you. They can’t be, any more than I can.”

Trying to change the subject, Drew blurted out, “Can you help with my brother?”

“No, Drew. I am simply telling you more about him. I am stretching things by saying as much as I have. What you do must matter, and it has to be on your own and by your choice.”

Starting to cry, Drew blubbered, “But, I can’t.”

“Believe in yourself, Drew. Your father does. Your uncles do. Doctor Aaron and Mister Albrecht do. Miss Sally does. Your Grandpa Tag and Auntie Olive do. The young soldiers in Australia do. You see? Everyone who cares about you believes in you. I do too.”

“My uncles told me they can’t beat him until I win.”

“No, they can’t, and it’s very important, Drew, that Henry not be a part of what you have to do. You know he will want to. He will want to stay by your side and protect you, but he cannot. He will keep you from doing what must be done. You mustn’t tell him what we’ve talked about, and if you say anything to him about what we have talked about here, there is a good chance you will lose him forever.”

His words stung deep, and Drew cried. He didn’t understand why he had to be alone to confront his brother. His deepest fear was being alone, and he knew the Birdman was aware of that; Drew told him every time he prayed.

Drew was terrified of losing Henry, especially after losing his mom. That thought was the scariest part of everything he heard; Scarier than fighting his brother.

“I can’t do it by myself!”

Starting to hiccup from the intensity of his crying, the fear he repressed ever since first learning of his task bubbled up. Suddenly, he wanted his dad very badly, reverting back to a six-year-old boy, terrified and out of his depth.

The man’s warm hand reached out, cupping his cheek.

“Be brave, Drew. I’m sorry this falls on your shoulders. That was never my intent. I did not plan on any of this, and I fashioned your uncles to correct it all. They are random and not tied to me. I have never done that before, and I took great risk in their creation, but I have faith in them. It pains me what you have gone through and what you still must do. I will be with you every step of the way, but I will not be able to help you. You must do it on your own.”

“I don’t know how!”

“You will know the way when you see it. You are a very smart young man. You are loved so much by everyone around you, and that makes you strong, much stronger than you know. Believe in yourself.”

Hearing Henry calling for him, he called back, wanting his dad to meet the Birdman. Henry’s reaction wasn’t at all what he expected, though; he seemed afraid.

Drew wasn’t sure how to interpret the expression on the Birdman’s face as they parted. He looked sadder than before, and Drew wondered if he had done something wrong. He wanted to ask, but Henry was upset and picked him up, afraid for him, and they ran away.

<> 

Emotions from his memory ignited a fire among the incarnations. His fear of confronting The Master and what he had to do… the terror of almost losing his Uncle Darren in Thomin’s cave… his Uncle Ken when The Master called the blood curse down on him… his Uncles Loy and Rick in Africa when they found the creature in the pocket dimension… seeing his dad so brutally beaten and watching him die, even if it was only for a few seconds… all of those feelings hit the incarnations and were magnified and reflected back at him.

Starting as a wave that slowly built, it quickly became unstoppable. The manifestations were already restless from his worry over Henry’s nightmare, and Drew’s emotions triggered a tsunami inside him.

He sat up, rigid and wide-eyed, paralyzed from the intensity and suddenness of it. Grabbing at his centering flame, they snuffed it out faster than he could focus on it. After the Eschphene etched the sigils on the stone, their efforts were more coordinated than before.

When he was calm and practicing with his dad or Mr. Albrecht, he could talk to them one at a time, but if they got upset, especially all together as they were at the moment, they were learning how to overwhelm him.

Trying to draw breath, he hiccupped. Tears spilled down his face as he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to hold the wave back. He reached for Henry in desperation. Henry didn’t have much hair on his chest, but Drew’s fist clutched some, and when his fist tightened it pulled hard, waking Henry up.

<> 

Opening his eyes, Drew stood alone on the rocky plane outside the valley of Yggdrasil. The sky was black, full of boiling, seething clouds and lightning as far as he could see. The wind was cold, gusting so hard it nearly knocked him over. Thunder rumbled from the lightning, barely discernible over the wind.

The incarnations were off in the distance, rushing towards him across the plane the same as when Henry and his Uncle Brad were with him in Africa. Panicking, he could only stand and watch the storming mob come to overwhelm him.

The wolf-spirit appeared in front of him, her hackles high as she faced the coming tide. Putting his hand on her back, her rough fur felt comforting.

The light of his father nearly blinded him as Henry’s arms suddenly wrapped tightly around him from behind. Henry’s deep voice whispered in his ear, “I’ve got you, Tiger! You’re safe!”

Howling, the wolf-spirit summoned her pack, and they appeared around Henry and Drew, surrounding them and adding their strength to Henry’s. The rushing tide hit the wall of Henry’s shield. They were stronger than before, surprising Henry, but he steeled his will as they beat against the wall, pushing with relentless pressure. They were an out-of-control mob ruled by emotion, and there were over eleven thousand of them.

The closest of them were only a few yards away when Henry noticed something new; their eyes held the red-orange gleam of Eschphene magic, the same as the sigils carved into the stone.

Henry connected the dots… the Eschphene operated under a ‘hive’ mentality. The incarnations in Drew were similar in that they were all a part of him, except he wasn’t in control of them. They were susceptible to Eschphene magic, and that was what the stone must have done when it was altered!

The pressure on his shields continued to mount as the spiritual storm the incarnations invoked began manifesting around them. Vortices formed, dropping from the sky as tornadoes birthed in the clouds.

Loy and Rick were just down the hall, and Henry wondered why they hadn’t felt anything. Calling to Loy, he knew the triggers in his mind would wake him.

Loy! Rick! We need you!

Immediately his two brothers became one with him, bolstering his soul, and his shields brightened, and the pressure lessened as Loy and Rick’s strength added to his.

Loy and Rick appeared, moving to either side of Henry and Drew, their arms outstretched, back-to-back, keeping their brother and his son between them, ready to defend them from anything that might happen. A thick white rope arced and crackled between the two men, encircling Henry, Drew, and the wolf-spirit.

White tendrils sparked off and into the wolves, and they grew in size and power as their steward strengthened them with his presence. Loy’s Avatar shone brightly on the ball of his muscled shoulder in the dim, grey landscape, and the hot wind of their power counteracted the cold of the place they were in.

A few seconds later the rest of the team appeared, shining towers of light and strength. Adding their light to the bright rope as they all came to be one, the events of the last few minutes became a part of them.

As the Seer and Oracle of The Order, the dreamer, what was happening in Drew’s mind fell under Lane’s province. While the men formed a wall around Henry and Drew, Lane knelt inside the circle in front of them.

Ken put a hand on Henry’s back, touching him and affirming his presence. All of them added to the white rope as it became thicker and more potent with their combined might. They were one, greater by far than the sum of their individual selves, and Henry made them even more so.

Lane didn’t merge with Drew but went deep within him, pulling him down with all of the men. By Lane’s will, the wind died down as he exerted his influence, offsetting the incarnations, and the pressure of the storm lessened.

Drew’s hysteria was painful to them, and they wrapped him in the warmth of their souls. Once Lane saw some semblance of recognition in Drew, he cupped Drew’s face in his hands. Henry still had his arms around Drew, holding him tight.

Finally, his uncles' comforting attendance and Lane’s touch, along with his dad, began to calm him. The wolf-spirit stood beside Lane, pressed against him.

“Hey, Tiger. Look at me.”

Lane’s voice, calm and soothing, echoed with power and cut through everything happening. The only thing that mattered to Lane at that moment was Drew and his well-being, and Drew knew that. He felt it. Drew’s face moved slightly, turning towards Lane, his eyes still glassy.

“Look at me, buddy. It’s me, Uncle Lane. We’re with you, kiddo. Come back to us.”

Henry felt it first… the hysteria was still there, but changed. The grip of the incarnations was pushed back, and Henry knew when it was just Drew in his arms. The connection with the broken fragments of his soul was undone, and he was Drew again but in the middle of a breakdown. The chaos in him was still overpowering; it was the most severe attack he had yet, and Henry wondered why and what set it off.

With tears streaming down Henry’s face, he looked pleadingly at Lane.

Do something, Lane! Please help him! I don’t know what to do for him!

You’re doing exactly what you need to be doing, Henry. Hold him. Hold him with your arms and your heart as tightly as you can. We’ll figure this out.

Each of the men added their voices to Lane’s and Henry’s, talking to Drew in his mind and heart, calming him and bringing him back to himself. The incarnations did not go away, but they began to calm down, and the red-orange light in their eyes faded until they eventually stood motionless, looking at Drew.

Observing everything with his Understanding, Pat knew what needed to be done. He had never encountered the incarnations directly before, so he had never seen what he Understood at that moment. The issue wasn’t with Drew; it was with the manifestations themselves. Eschphene magic was potent and subtle and very different from Nephilim magic. Unbeknownst to any of them, the stone infected the incarnations like a virus.

Drew finally turned, grabbing Henry around his neck, crushing his face against his dad as he sobbed and hiccupped. Henry ran his hand up and down Drew’s back soothingly, continuing to talk to him, along with all of them. They felt Drew’s pain, carrying it with him, and wanted so badly to merge with him but knew how harmful it could be, so they refrained.

In Drew’s mind they were all naked, just like their souls. Everyone plus Henry was fully merged, and Lane held Drew on the fringe, as deep as he thought safe. The naked warmth of his dad comforted him. It wasn’t sexual but Drew pressed himself against Henry, feeling the strength of his body, the warmth of his skin, and his big arms around him.

In their own private link, Ken pulled them together, and Henry’s helplessness was apparent. They also saw Henry’s revelation about the Eschphene plan to use Drew and how the stone altered the incarnations. Pat’s Understanding confirmed it all. Pat was beating himself up over not seeing it before, but Brad interjected.

There’s no way you could have seen it, Pat, so don’t feel like it’s your fault. You know we aren’t supposed to merge with Drew. We’re pushing it being as deep with him as we are right now, but there’s no choice at the moment. The only way you would have seen them is in this circumstance.

More pieces of the puzzle snapped into place, and Henry went ballistic. The white lock in his hair blazed in the muted colors of the barren landscape, and his voice railed at God.

Did you cause this just so Pat would see what’s going on!? Did Drew have to go through this!? Do you want to destroy him before he even has a chance!?

None of them had seen Henry so angry, and it was frightening. Long ago, in a conversation with Brad, Ken said their capacity to love was vastly increased by who and what they were, and their capacity for the opposite was also. Henry had so much love for Drew in him, much more than a normal human father. He was awake, an original man, living in his Nephilim brothers and touched by God Himself. His capacity for anger was stretched just as much as his capacity for love, and he never realized just how much until that moment. Brad shielded Drew from the intensity of it even though it wasn’t directed at him or any of them.

Brad: Henry! Tone it down!

Brad’s words were like a glass of cold water in Henry’s face, and he immediately pulled Drew back enough to look into his eyes. Henry’s expression softened, and putting a hand on the back of Drew’s head, he cupped it, pulling their heads together forehead to forehead.

Drew felt the tension in Henry’s body; his muscles were hard as steel under Drew’s hands, but it was still a comfort. The warmth and strength Drew felt just by his dad’s presence helped to calm him. Surrounded by his uncles, hearing their voices and feeling their hands on him worked their own magic.

They stayed with Drew until he calmed down. The wall of Henry’s shield was still bright and powerful, and the incarnations stood outside it, looking like ghosts, real but not real.

Ken had his arms around Henry and Drew both, willing them to calm down and filling them with a sense of well-being. The wolf-spirit sent her pack away so as not to scare the incarnations.

Bill set up a private link with all of them but Drew.

Guys, I need to read one of them. Just like Pat didn’t see them until he was here, I need to touch one of them and find out what the stone did to them.

Lane: I See this happening again. Drew will be torn apart by his next birthday if we don’t find a way to stop it.

Ken: Henry, I know it’s a lot ‘ta ask, but we need Drew ‘ta focus and pull one of them in here, and we need ‘ta stay shielded from the rest as a precaution. Do you think he’s up ‘ta that?

Brad: I know he’s been through the wringer tonight, but it would be best to get this over with. In your practice sessions the incarnations are calm, and whatever effect the stone has on them seems to be dormant and undetectable. It would be best to handle this now while it’s visible.

Bryan: He’s strong, Henry. You know I’m not just saying that. The little guy is just as strong as any one of us in his own way. He can do it with your help, and we’re with you both.

Sniffing, Henry nodded his head.

“Hey, Tiger, look at me a second.”

Slowly, Drew raised his head off Henry’s shoulder, his face red and splotchy with spittle running down his chin.

Gently ruffling Drew’s hair, Henry smiled at him, saying, “There’s my boy. Are you feeling better?”

Drew didn’t say anything but nodded. Ken, still close, leaned down and kissed Drew on his cheek.

Henry continued, “Drew, I need you to do something for me. It’s very important. I need you to grab your centering flame and call one of them in here with us.”

None of them felt any anxiety spike or disturbing emotions. Instead, there was a numbness, a resignation in Drew after all that just happened that worried them. They all felt it at one point in time or another in themselves as soldiers, but seeing it so clearly in Drew at his age was heartbreaking.

“Can you do that for me, honey?”

Nodding, Drew swiped at the tears in his eyes. Lane summoned a warm, damp washcloth and Drew scrunched his face, knowing what was coming.

Lane got a smile out of him, and Drew looked better, saying, “Thanks, Uncle Lane.”

“You’re welcome, Tiger. You got this, no sweat.”

All of them were surprised at how fast and steady Drew’s flame appeared. Suddenly, a small Pakistani boy stood among them inside Henry’s shield. Looking around at the tall, powerful men, he bathed in the light radiating off them. His eyes, big and soulful, were filled with wonder.

Smiling, he held up his arms, wanting to be picked up. Taking the opportunity, Bill lifted the boy by his armpits, pulling him into a hug.

Bill’s eyes closed tightly as he read Rhavi’s entire short life. It was pure misery, and tears leaked from the corners of Bill’s eyes as he fell to one knee in reaction to what he experienced. The breath caught in all their chests as every moment of Rhavi’s wretched life was made known and became a part of them.

Brad’s compassion flared, filling them all, pushing back Bill’s pain and Rhavi’s suffering. Their love shone on this one child as it only had one other time in his existence, the time Henry held him just as Bill did.

What drove home the severity of the Curse and the weight it put on Drew was the fact Rhavi was only one of over eleven thousand children who suffered just as much, and each and every one of them was a part of Drew. Drew had his own suffering under his father Doug, but what he carried inside him was staggering when they were so starkly confronted with it.

An epiphany struck Brad and Bill simultaneously about the orphanage and how dealing with the broken children prepared Bill to deal with the pain of the incarnations in Drew.

Puppet strings.

In the middle of their thoughts, Bill read how the Eschphene magic infected Rhavi and the other incarnations. Profound and subtle, they now Understood what it was, and Kevin’s Avatar glowed, responding so quickly he barely kept it in check.

Ken made the decision at the speed of thought: Do it, Kev. Get that fuckin’ infection, or whatever the hell it is outta that kid, then we’ll get the rest.

Kevin moved behind Rhavi, so the boy was sandwiched between the two big men. A wave of light from Kevin passed through Rhavi, and Kevin felt a slight resistance as the Eschphene magic washed out of the boy.

Rhavi was calm, wanting to stay where he was forever, and his desperation was evident as Bill set him down. Hopping up and down and holding his arms up, he wanted to be held. As painful as it was, they couldn’t hold all of them. There were just too many.

The cleansing Kevin effected caused no discomfort to Rhavi, so they drew in as much power as they could hold. Calling on their sources of power, they channeled it all, with Kevin being the vessel for all of them.

Ken locked their Avatars, and the light that came out of Kevin was a silent explosion. There was much more resistance because there were so many children, but Ken helped steel Kevin’s will. He was a wall behind them, but his focus was on Kevin, backing his brother up.

Ken learned about being a wall from Henry and made sure Henry knew it as they were one and eradicating the Eschphene magic out of his son, reiterating how much a part of them Henry was, and how important.

In seconds it was done. Kevin was drenched in sweat and breathing hard, but he smiled. They didn’t know exactly what it meant for Drew, other than the incarnations shouldn’t mob up on him or try to control him anymore, and he should find it far easier to deal with them moving forward. Henry’s gratefulness was apparent, and the shit talk began as they razzed him about saying thanks. Giving as good as he got, the banter helped lighten the mood.

Less than a few seconds passed in the physical realm. Brad sent them all back to their bodies, but not before Ken said: Alright ladies, take an extra few hours in the morning and sleep in. Take care of yourselves; you know what I’m talkin’ about. Be ready ‘ta start trainin’ at 1000 EST, no matter where in the world you are, unless you’re on ZEUS. If you’re on ZEUS… well, we know what you’ll be doin’.

Drew, still in bed with Henry, was about to pass out, exhausted by the entire ordeal. As tired as he was, Henry had a hard time going back to sleep. Every time Drew went through such severe trauma, it killed Henry a little more inside, and he stayed awake holding Drew, just loving him. Drew was still and slept like a rock as Henry watched over him.

It wasn’t even an hour later when Henry heard Loy in his mind.

Henry, you want to come in with us? I can hear your thoughts spinning from here. You need your rest, too - open invite.

Grinning, Henry asked: No peeing or any of that shit, right? Just sleep?

Loy burst out laughing in his mind.

Nothing pervy… Unless we can help you with your tantric exercise in the morning. You know I’d love to feel that hard dick of yours in my hand. My ass is yours, too, if you want it.

Henry’s eyes about bugged out of his head, and Loy and Rick burst out laughing. There was a seed of truth on both sides about the possibility of it happening one day. The curiosity was there in Henry, and Loy and Rick were both open to it, but there was no pressure. Their offer of sleep was genuine and out of care and love for Henry and Drew. Henry needed comfort, and they offered it. The proposition of sex was an undercurrent they might act on one day, but not that night. It was all said as shit talk, and they knew it.

Henry: You fuckers. You wish! You need to ask Sally how it feels to hold the python in her hands.

Loy: Python? Damn, Henry, that’s throwing down the gauntlet for me, but we promise not to touch you that way tonight. Tonight, we just want you to be with us so we can all sleep better. Grab Drew and get in here.

Henry: Be right there.

Henry picked up Drew, who never woke up, and padded naked down to the room Loy and Rick were in. Rick pulled another bed in, and even then it was snug for the three big men and the boy, but it was also a comfort to hold each other and be held as brothers. They had each other's backs. Loy had great hands and rubbed Henry’s back and shoulders soothingly until he fell asleep.

Waking up some hours later, Drew had to pee and realized he was with his uncles. Rick felt him moving and got up with him to use the bathroom. Rick didn’t have to go himself, but he didn’t want Drew to be alone, even for a few minutes. He carried Drew, who almost fell asleep on his shoulder as he walked through the Lab. Rick chuckled to himself as Drew swayed and almost fell over as he relieved his bladder.

When he was done and cleaned off, Rick took him back, and they crawled into bed.

Kissing the top of Drew’s head, Rick whispered, “Sleep tight, Tiger.”

Drew kissed Rick’s cheek, and his “I love you, Uncle Rick” was barely audible as he fell back asleep.

Drew snuggled against Rick, sandwiched between his uncle and his dad. Feeling like he had two walls around him, he slept the rest of the night, knowing he was safe.

Between Loy, Rick, Henry, and Drew, there was no room for the wolf-spirit on the bed. She never slept, so she sat guarding them, watching over their dreams.

<><><> 

Taliesin’s doorbell rang. The last time he had visitors it was Aaron, Albrecht, and Giovanni, so he was curious as to who it might be. Cavall was at the door in a heartbeat but made no noise, looking expectantly at the door. Looking at the security camera, Taliesin was surprised to see Lane. Knowing he was on camera, Lane waved and smiled.

Rushing to the door, Taliesin opened it, saying, “Hello Lane! This is a surprise!”

“Hey, Tal. I hope I’m not interrupting?”

“No! In fact, you just missed a tutoring session.”

“You tutor?”

“Yes, after the wedding… so many things are different now. I thought I would give it a try.”

Lane’s mischievous grin appeared.

“And….?”

“Well, I only just started, but you might need to heal the bleeding in my ears from the young lady who just left. As long as I have lived, I have never heard a violin make such a noise.”

They both laughed.

Sniffing Lane, Cavall’s tail wagged ninety miles an hour, and Lane knelt for a face lick, scratching his ears.

“Hey boy, it’s great to see you!”

It struck Taliesin that Bryan wasn’t with Lane.

“Where’s Bryan? I’ve never seen you two apart.”

“Well, yeah, I’m breaking a bit of a rule by being here on my own. I promised Bry I’d be right back. He and I are on ZEUS today and tonight. I dropped by to see if you want to join us? Orophir’s there too. I think the doc and Albrecht filled you in on who he is. Anyway, if you don’t have anything going on and want to join us, I thought we could play some. I can have you back anytime you need to be here.”

A strange look passed over Taliesin’s face. Lane wasn’t sure exactly what it was… some remnant of his former self, perhaps. The look vanished quickly, replaced by a warm smile that lit his face.

“That sounds marvelous! What do I need to bring?”

“Well, we swim naked and have plenty of towels. You might bring some shorts and whatever instruments you want. It depends on how serious you want to get about playing versus chilling out.”

“Come give me a hand.”

Moving down the hall to an extra bedroom that was more of an office, Taliesin opened one of two large armoires, revealing several instruments on hooks. He had leather cases for most of them but couldn’t find the cover for his lute.

Lane asked, “Is it in this other cabinet?”

Tal said, “You can look, but be careful when you open the doors.”

Opening it, Lane was stunned. An incredible array of bladed weapons hung in the cabinet. It looked like a secret ninja assassin locker you would see in a movie.

“Damn, I didn’t know you had these!”

Smirking, Taliesin said, “Old habits die hard. I like to keep in practice. It was ingrained in me for so long that it’s a part of me. I put that together since the wedding. Áedán seems to like to keep in practice, too.”

Lane raised an eyebrow at his comment.

“It’s strange having him as a part of me now. He doesn’t exactly talk to me, but it’s like I have his thoughts. It’s very comforting and a little unnerving at the same time.”

“I see. I don’t want to overstep any bounds here, but if you need help with that, you can come to me. You know that, right?”

“Yes, Lane, I know, and thank you. Aaron is aware, but this is new territory, even for him.”

Finally finding the lute case, he threw some clothes in a pack and was ready to go in a few minutes.

Powering up, Lane took the two of them and Cavall halfway across the world to ZEUS, where Bryan breathed easier once his husband was back.

Bryan was quiet around Taliesin at first, although not because of any hard feelings. He worked through everything when they merged with Taliesin at the wedding.

As the day wore on, Bryan opened up more, and he and Taliesin gained a newfound respect for one another. Bryan was as surprised as Lane when he realized Taliesin was well on his way to being a good friend.

Lane had a great day, and Bryan loved seeing his husband in ‘music mode.’ He and Taliesin became engrossed in some in-depth discussions on musical theory, taking occasional breaks to play together. Lane knew all the songs from Taliesin’s past through their merge, and they performed some beautiful duets together.

Orophir and Cavall became fast friends as well. Orophir was not used to animals; in the Pale most creatures would attempt to kill you on sight, so such a friendly dog was a surprise. After interacting with Cavall, Orophir felt a sharp sense of remorse for the animals he ordered killed in Syria while still under his father’s direction. Cavall stayed by his side most of the time, nudging Orophir’s hand to continue scratching his ears if he stopped.

Lane and Taliesin’s music enraptured Orophir, and Bryan was always happy when Lane was happy. It turned out to be a fantastic day, and they were sorry when it was time for Taliesin to return home. The last thing Lane did before returning Taliesin was heal his sunburn into a nice tan.

<><><> 

The next few weeks seemed almost normal. Well, as normal as it gets for ten half-Nephilim hybrids and their extended family.

Surprised at Henry’s resilient recovery over his fight with the Eschphene, the doctor voiced his concerns to Henry, wondering about his interaction with God as well as the wolf-spirit in his dreams. More happened to Henry than they were aware, but he seemed to come out on the better end of whatever it was.

Henry was different in subtle ways… the white lock of hair had no inherent power they could detect, but Henry saw things differently. Reading Albrecht’s books made more sense… it wasn’t that he was smarter, but he had a depth of perception and wisdom he didn’t have before. Aaron was sure that was what allowed him to see through the Eschphene glamour of Liz.

The doctor made Ken and the rest of the men aware of it in his meetings with them. If anything, Henry seemed stronger and more self-confident, and Ken was happy. He was concerned about the unknowns, but he saw Henry's changes as they trained together, and in him when they merged.

Brad summed it up best when he said Henry seemed more… Henry. Everything that made him Henry, their brother, seemed more solid and sure. He wasn’t stronger or faster because of the change, but he was more of himself, making him stronger as a man and within his heart. He was brighter than before, his light stronger and even more of a comfort to his brothers when they merged.

<> 

Time passed, and they were six months away from the confrontation. There was no nervousness, but there was restlessness and apprehension for Drew and what he faced.

Drew’s training proceeded rapidly. With the Eschphene magic washed out of the incarnations, his progress advanced faster than expected. At the same time, something seemed wrong that none of them could put their finger on.

Drew expressed an ambivalence in his efforts that was uncharacteristic and unnerving. He excelled at everything, both physically and psychically, but something was wrong. He applied himself to his lessons with Sally and was soon ahead of Brett and even Tommy on his reading and math lessons. He didn’t brag; he simply did his work and pressed on. Taking everything in, he couldn’t get enough knowledge, yet he was entirely unenthusiastic about it as if it were a duty. He rarely seemed to have fun anymore.

Henry and his uncles praised him, and he would smile and laugh when they blew raspberries on his stomach, but his smile faded quickly, and there was no happiness in his eyes to go with it.

Absorbing anything and everything he thought could help him against The Master, everything else became unimportant. He stopped watching Thomas the Tank Engine, coloring, and making Hot Wheels tracks. One thing he didn’t give up was his reading time with Henry or one of his uncles. Most like his old self when they read to him, he seemed to live for those moments.

None of them merged with him, and he learned how to hide things in his mind when they were linked. He figured out the year before how to conceal his presence from The Master or even The Dark One, psychically. He learned how to do it with his thoughts and not just his presence, similar to when his uncles put ideas for presents in a box in their minds, except his box was invisible.

In his adult-like moments, he thought long and hard about his dilemma. In the times when he was a six-year-old boy, terrified and out of his depth, he cried inside and prayed to God.

He sought to formulate a plan to defeat his brother and not endanger his father or his uncles. The stone was set as a trap; he just needed to figure out how to face his brother alone and use it.

The idea of Henry or any of his uncles being out of his life like his mother was incomprehensible, and he pushed himself harder than ever to get stronger so that wouldn’t happen. Aware of what Drew was doing, it pained them that he learned it from them.

When merged and talking about it, their eyes were bright, and some of them shed tears over Drew’s plight. He was a little boy, and they were supposed to protect him, yet he saw it the other way around, and the pressure he put on himself was immense. No child should have to bear what he did or what he faced, and their hearts ached for him even more, but none of them knew what to do about it.

At the same time, they were proud of him; his actions were heroic, and he showed more courage and resolve than most adults ever exhibit in their lifetimes. He was turning into a soldier before their eyes, and there was nothing they could do about it. In fact, it needed to happen if he was to have any chance of success, but it didn’t change the fact that they cried for him every day in their hearts.

Feeling more pressure about coming up with a plan, once again his uncles solved his problem, but this time without their knowledge. Overhearing a conversation between Henry and Brad about using their unconscious minds to ‘incubate’ an idea sparked a thought in Drew about the incarnations and the combined experience they had. Many of them had been thieves and street urchins in the times they lived.

He began talking with them, one at a time, at night when Henry was asleep. The incarnations spoke with one another, and once they collectively knew what Drew wanted to do, with their assistance, a plan began to form. He hated being deceitful and cried, thinking of how everyone he loved would be disappointed in him, but he braced himself against those thoughts and began his preparations.

<><><> 

Halloween was almost on top of them. Time seemed to move faster as the confrontation approached.

Seeming indifferent about Halloween, Drew hadn’t mentioned anything about the holiday or a costume. Henry assumed he wanted to wear the Iron Man armor Lane cooked up for him the year before.

That afternoon, Henry asked, “So, Drew, Halloween’s a little over a week away. Do you want to go as Iron Man again this year?”

Drew’s response was so quiet that Henry couldn’t hear him. The shower was on to get the hot water flowing, and the noise of the water drowned out his response.

“What was that, honey? I didn’t hear you.”

“I don’t want to go this year.”

“What? Drew, why not? Halloween is your favorite holiday besides Christmas! You had a blast last year. Remember all the candy you got?”

Surprised and shocked at Drew’s response, Henry was worried.

Lowering his head, Drew said, “I just don’t want to.”

Naked and getting ready to get under the spray of the showerheads, Henry knelt, so he was at eye level with his son, and gently said, “Drew, look at me, honey.”

Keeping his head lowered, Henry saw tears dripping down Drew’s cheeks.

He softly cupped Drew’s chin, raising his face. Drew’s breathing increased, and Henry recognized the signs of a major episode. It seemed so clear to Henry what the issue was. Before, he would have pressed Drew and asked him questions that would upset him more. With his new insight and wisdom, Henry quietly picked up his son and hugged him tightly, whispering in his ear.

“It’s alright, honey. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. We can talk about this later.”

When Henry picked him up, Drew latched onto him, and by the tightness of his grip, Henry knew how upset he was. Henry continued holding him, letting him cry until he calmed down. While he held Drew, he moved them under the hot water, knowing it would be soothing and distracting.

Holding back his own tears, Henry didn’t want to upset Drew more than he already was. Neither Henry nor Drew’s uncles put any pressure on him directly, but their entire mission, day after day, was to defeat The Master. Drew saw that as pressure on him to do what he needed to do because his uncles couldn’t succeed until Drew did his part first.

Henry desperately wanted to merge with his son and shower him with love and support, soul to soul, and help him carry his burden, but it wasn’t allowed and could even be detrimental, so he refrained. He couldn’t imagine the pressure Drew put himself under. Smart, he listened and watched everyone the last few years, hearing the consequences of their failure to the world.

Fuck! He’s only six years old! How can he deal with this?

All Henry could do was hold him and tell Drew how much he loved him, hoping it made a difference. Once he felt it was okay, he set Drew down and said, “Let’s get cleaned up for dinner, Tiger. You hungry?”

Drew nodded his head ‘yes’ but didn’t say anything, so Henry began washing him. Soaping up his hands, he washed Drew’s body and his hair. Sometimes when Drew was distraught, he reverted back to the time after Liz’s death when Henry did everything for him, and he let Henry’s powerful hands and presence soothe him.

Focusing on his son, Henry continued talking about nothing. He picked up several tricks from Ken and Loy on how to talk about nothing to keep a conversation going. He wanted Drew relaxed and not focused on what was bothering him to normalize his emotions and planned on a discussion before bed when he would be more receptive.

Lane and Bryan were in Atlanta that night, along with Darren and Pat, and Henry sent them a private thought about not bringing up Halloween at dinner. Merging with them helped his apprehension after he shared his take on what he thought was happening.

They weren’t surprised in the least and were impressed with Henry’s insight into the situation. For never having been a father and not even wanting or liking kids until Drew came into his life, Henry had become the epitome of fatherhood.

Wrapping a towel around his waist, Henry bundled Drew up in another and took them back to their room to get dressed. He noticed Sally eyeing his towel-covered ass as he walked through the kitchen on the way to his room. Winking at her, she blushed. Bryan noticed and winked at Henry, giving him a mental fist bump.

As Henry and Drew finished dressing and were about to head back to the kitchen for dinner, Henry ruffled Drew’s hair and said, “Mr. Lane needs to give you a haircut soon; you’re getting shaggy again. Maybe he can do that tonight if he has time. Do you want to ask him?”

“Okay, Daddy.”

Making their way back to the kitchen where everybody was gathered and chatting, they waited for dinner to finish cooking.

All the men high-fived Drew, complimenting him on what a great job he was doing with his exercises. They focused on him without focusing on him, trying to keep him engaged and not withdraw into himself. Lane and Darren saw through their Avatars that he was on the verge of pulling back emotionally.

Bryan was the star of the night, though. All the guys were great, but Bryan cooked up something new for Drew, making a big deal of needing help with a name for it.

Standing in the kitchen, Bryan wore sweatpants and his “World’s Greatest Uncle” t-shirt while he made dinner. The shirt stretched over his chest, shoulders, and arms snugly like he had been poured into it.

Picking Drew up, Bryan made a seat for him out of his crossed forearms. Drew sat facing him, putting his hands on Bryan’s upper chest for leverage.

With a serious look on his face, Bryan said, “I really need your help, Tiger. I’ve got a huge problem.”

“What’s the matter, Uncle Bryan?”

“Well, you see, I made up this new dinner tonight just for you, but we have a problem. One of the number one rules in the Navy with food is you can’t eat something that doesn’t have a name, and I’m all out of ideas. We have to figure it out before we can eat, or we all go hungry.”

Drew knew it was a game; his Uncle Bryan was trying not to smile.

“See, Drew, they aren’t corn dogs, and they aren’t hushpuppies. They have cheese in them, too, your favorite kind by the way. What do you think we should call them?”

Bryan took pieces of hot dog, cut up into small squares, dipped them in sweet cornbread batter, and deep-fried them. Drew loved corndogs, and this was a basic variation on that, but Bryan wrapped the hot dog pieces in cheese first. Bite-sized for Drew, Bryan knew he would drown them in ketchup and devour them.

Drew came up with the name “Hush Dogs” since they were half hushpuppies and half corn dogs.

Wiping his forehead like he was sweating, Bryan exclaimed, “Whew! You pulled my butt outta the fire, kiddo. Thanks!”

Bryan’s antics had the desired effect, and smiling and giggling, Drew seemed more himself. Giving Bryan extra hugs and kisses for making him a special dinner, he got a few raspberries on his belly button in return.

Whenever Bryan was on the roster with Henry at either base, Drew took to sitting on Bryan’s shoulders while he cooked. Sitting so high, he was tall enough to open cabinets and reach for things or hold utensils for Bryan. They both loved it, and Drew felt like he was helping his uncle cook.

When idle, he often rested his cheek on top of Bryan’s head or kept his hands on Bryan’s head for leverage. Bryan could also turn his head, grab a kiss every now and then, or sneak Drew a bite of whatever he was cooking and get a hug in return.

Lane gave him a haircut, and everyone complimented him, saying how handsome he looked. Once the kitchen was cleaned up and after-dinner coffee imbibed, it was time for Drew and Henry to go to their room for the night.

Drew was allowed to watch one television show, and then Henry would read another chapter in “The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe” to him. Once Drew fell asleep, Henry had his own reading assignment from Albrecht to work on.

As they were heading back to their room, Bryan called out to him, “Hey, Henry!”

An unopened box of tissues was tossed his way. Winking, Bryan sent his support and encouragement through their link. All of them were with him, their hands on his back and shoulders, available for any reason, in any capacity.

Lane held up a hand before Henry started to form the word ‘thanks.’

Don’t say it!

Everyone chuckled, and smiling, Henry moved down the hall to his room.

After hugging his uncles goodnight, Drew’s mood became increasingly somber. He would miss their arms around him, making him feel special and loved in a way he could never have imagined only a few years before. With the weight on his shoulders, their constant love and affection created a barrier he wasn’t consciously aware of.

Drew remembered the day in the Mall of Georgia when his Uncle Brad beat up Doug, his real father. Doug was sent off to jail that day. Brad’s arms holding him, whispering in his mind and heart for the first time, made him feel safe in a way he never had before. Laughing and giggling, he kept poking Ken’s chest when Brad told him Ken was Iron Man and had his armor on under his t-shirt. That joke faded, but in Drew’s mind, they were all his heroes, especially Henry.

Wanting to cry, he stopped himself, reining in his emotions, determined to proceed with his plan, as painful as it would be.

Henry wasn’t surprised when Drew didn’t want to watch television. Usually, he was all about The Cartoon Network. Lane turned him on to some vintage cartoons and Drew loved watching Space Ghost and The Herculoids.

Undressing with Henry, they crawled in bed together. Henry fluffed their pillows so they could sit up and read, but before Drew snuggled against him, Henry said, “Sit on my stomach for a minute so we can look at each other. I want to talk to you before we start reading.”

Already having a hard time with what he was about to say, Henry karate chopped his inner crybaby. He realized what Drew was doing, and Drew needed him very badly, even though he didn’t realize it.

Drew sat on Henry’s lap, and Henry looked at his son, the beautiful little boy who had come into his life. Through all the pain and suffering in Drew’s life and the additional tragedies of his past lives, Drew trusted and loved Henry enough to be his father and care for him and love Henry back, especially after losing his mother.

Looking into Drew’s eyes, Henry recalled his statement in the shower about Halloween.

I don’t want to go.

Smiling, Henry said, “Come here, Tiger,” as he pulled Drew forward to rest across his warm, solid chest. Wrapping his big arms around his son, Henry wanted nothing more than to protect him and keep him safe, but Drew was pulling back, and that was the last thing he needed to do. Pulling Drew into a deep link, Henry’s love washed over his son, reinforcing what he was about to tell him. When Henry replayed the memory from the shower, Drew nearly panicked, but his dad never saw the invisible box that his plan was hidden in.

Don’t pull back, honey. Please don’t pull back from your uncles or me. Don’t distance yourself from the people you love and the things you love doing that make you happy. You need those things. You need your uncles and me, or you won’t be able to stand against everything that’s coming. You have to keep living and loving and not shut out everything that makes you strong.

God, I love you so much… you’re the best and bravest boy in the world.

As Henry spoke in Drew’s mind, he rubbed Drew’s back and kissed the top of his head. Every now and then, he would just hug him. God, he wanted to squeeze him to death to let him know how much he cared. Drew remained quiet, resting against his dad’s warm strength. Henry let him be for a long time before he spoke again.

Does that make sense, honey? Do you understand what I’m trying to tell you?

I think so, Daddy. I’m sorry.

There’s nothing to be sorry for, honey. Don’t think of it that way. I know it seems pulling away will make things easier, but it won’t. You only hurt yourself when you do that. You can’t cut things out of your life or people who care about you who make you strong. I’ll never leave you, Drew. I’m with you to the end no matter what, good or bad. You know that, right?

Nodding his head, Drew knew Henry meant every word, but it was breaking his heart. Henry couldn’t be with him, and if he said anything, it would be worse. Henry couldn’t be with him when he faced his brother, or he could lose his dad like he lost his mom. He wanted to tell Henry everything that the Birdman said to him, but he couldn’t, to protect his dad.

In one of his adult modes, Drew understood everything Henry said. It was a difficult concept for a six-year-old to grasp, but Drew fully understood what Henry meant. What he heard, though, tore him up inside, and Henry’s words, as well-meaning as they were, caused him more pain. He realized he had to behave more normal around everyone, or he would draw too much attention to himself.

Let me be clear, honey. I won’t make you go trick-or-treating if you really don’t want to. I just don’t want you not to go because you’re pulling away from something you care about. I think if you don’t go, you'll regret it afterward, and the chance will be gone. I know Tommy and Brett will be happy if you go. The three of you will have a great time together.

Drew’s mental voice was a whisper.

I’ll go, Daddy. I want to go.

Setting his hands on Henry’s upper chest, Drew pushed himself up and kissed Henry on his cheek and then put his head back down and let himself be held. Henry had to chop his inner crybaby again, hiding from Drew the fact that this could be his last Halloween, and he wanted it to be a happy memory. Christmas was going to be the same, and he needed to make it special as well.

Through the hurt, Henry smiled at Drew, glassy-eyed from their conversation and his own thoughts and anxiety, and gave Drew an Eskimo kiss, rubbing their noses together and making him smile. Henry tickled him just enough to get a giggle and lighten the mood.

So, do you want to go as Iron Man? Or do you want to change things up and do something different? You can be anything or anybody you want.

Can Brett go as Bumblebee? Could Uncle Lane do what he did for me? Tommy and I want all of us to be Avengers, but Brett wants to be Bumblebee.

I don’t know; we’ll have to ask Lane, but I bet he can.

Tommy wants to be Captain America.

That’s cool. I’m not sure what I’ll go as. I’ll see if Kevin and Bill have any ideas since we’ll be together. I’m sure all the guys will want to go like we did last year.

Drew fell quiet, content to be with his dad.

Henry didn’t want Drew to remain in a melancholy mood, so he asked, “Are you ready to read another chapter? We need to find out if Aslan is going to show up.”

Repositioning himself against Henry like he always did for their reading time, Henry’s arm went around him, and Drew put his little arms around his dad’s big forearm. Henry held the book in one hand and Drew turned the pages. In that position, it was easy for Henry to lean over and kiss the top of Drew’s head.

The emotional stress of the night wore on Drew physically, and only a few pages into the chapter, as much as he was into the story, he fell asleep. The warm strength of his dad’s body and his loving care were too relaxing and comforting.

With Drew asleep, Henry delved into his brothers. Pat, Darren, Bryan, and Lane appeared with him naked in the place where their souls were one. Henry cried, and they cried with him, yet reassured him they were doing everything possible to ensure Drew’s safety and success. Henry knew it; there was no doubt in him about their efforts, but their words still gave him comfort, just as their arms around his shoulders did.

Taking the idea from Loy and Rick, Bryan and Pat pulled a few beds together. After the renovations, the rooms were mini-apartments with room for two beds. The four big men welcomed Henry, who brought Drew with him. Surrounding their brother and his son, their adopted nephew, their auras shone bright, warming their souls as they held each other. Aware of it in his sleep, Drew basked in it, and the incarnations were soothed, feeling the unconditional love of the men.

Henry stayed awake for a while. Darren spooned him, his arms wrapped around Henry with their legs partially intertwined. The physical intimacy was so comforting that they got hard and laughed. It was their bodies reacting, coupled with the emotional intimacy they shared while merged, as if their bodies wanted to merge as well. Pulling Henry closer in a brief hug, Darren rested his forehead against Henry’s shoulder with a contented sigh. Pat was on the other side of Darren, doing the same thing; Henry felt Pat’s hand around Darren’s waist against his lower back.

There was no embarrassment, but there were a few jokes. The ease and comfort of their friendship and their ability to be so open and honest with one another became stronger every day. They felt blessed with and within each other and were fulfilled. There were no secrets between any of them… except for Drew and his plan to save them by running away.

<><> 

The only problem with sleeping together was waking up with morning wood and the private time needed to prepare for the day. Waking early, Henry moved Drew back to their bedroom and then went to the exam room to perform his tantric exercise.

Bryan and Lane went back to their room, and the two of them, along with Pat and Darren, went through their morning rituals as well. Sleeping with Henry and each other affected their libidos, and they used that extra energy to their advantage.

Their love for one another fueled everything, charging them up, and no one was embarrassed about it. In fact, they smiled because it made them even hotter to one another. There was still a deep-seated root of sadness over Henry not having someone special in his life, but that wasn’t something any of them could do anything about. Once the situation with The Master was resolved, and then Luke, they hoped and prayed someone would come into his life to fill that role. Until then, he had his brothers to hold and care for him when he needed it.

<><><> 

Halloween arrived, and Drew went as Iron Man, Brett as Bumblebee, and Tommy as Captain America. With Brad’s help, Lane fashioned external constructs for all of them. There was some concern about Bumblebee being too realistic, but they decided not to worry about it. The plan was to keep a compulsion around the three children to prevent pictures or recordings of their costumes.

The guys left everything up to Lane and Brad, who were named the ‘costume gurus’ after the previous year. They wanted Drew, Tommy, and Brett to get as much candy as possible, and they weren’t above pimping out their dad’s bodies to do it. The weather was colder than the previous year, but Henry, Bill, and Kevin wouldn’t feel it all that much with their extra body heat.

Taking the boys and the fathers into the gym, Lane and Brad told everyone else to wait outside, but it wasn’t long before Lane called them in.

Okay, everybody! Come in and check these out! Hold onto your skirts, and don’t run screaming like little girls. The boys are going to have more candy than they can shake a stick at!

Living in Lane’s beautiful soul so often, everyone knew how creative he was, and Brad’s ability with constructs was unparalleled. Lane had a flair about his efforts and details that were sometimes touching, like carving the elephant sculptures for Loy or his drawings for everyone the previous Christmas. Brad brought Lane’s imagination into the world, and the two men made a great team. It wasn’t that Lane couldn’t have done it, but Brad excelled at it as Lane did with healing, and their combined efforts were better than either one of them doing both tasks by themselves.

When they filed into the gym, the guys were blown away. Lane had the boys and their fathers posed for the maximum effect, and his grin ran ear-to-ear.

“What do you think?”

For a few seconds, everyone was too stunned to react, and the looks on their faces were priceless. Even with everything they had seen on their journey thus far - Demons, Eschphene, even Allenor - they were still blown away by what Lane had come up with.

Kevin, physically the largest and beefiest of the guys, was Colossus from the X-Men. He only wore bright red and yellow briefs, leaving the rest of his muscular physique bare. His metallic body gleamed in the bright light, his musculature accentuated by the articulations of the metal his body was now made of. He looked stunning.

Standing with his feet wide apart, Henry held a gleaming golden trident. He was Aqua-Man, wearing the bright orange, scaled bathing suit with gold wristbands and armbands accentuating his huge biceps. His body lightly oiled, his deeply tanned skin glistened perfectly, and the white lock in his dirty-blond hair was evident, making him devastatingly handsome. His eyes the color of the ocean, he was perfect.

Bill, the tallest of the three, was He-Man, wearing the leather harness across his chest and the Sword of Grayskull strapped to his back. The three men were comic-book characters brought to life through Lane’s imagination.

Tommy was Captain America. Lane padded his suit to make him look very muscular for his size, creating the traditional skin-tight comic book costume rather than the contemporary body-armor style from the movies. The gleaming red-white-and-blue shield rested on his arm, and he struck a heroic pose.

Drew was Iron Man, hovering off the floor in a classic Iron Man pose as his boot jets and Repulsor rays stabilized his flight; Brad and Lane held him up, but Darren took over once he was in the gym. The constructs for Iron Man, Bumblebee, and Colossus included sound effects, and as Drew, Brett, or Kevin moved, they made the same sounds as in the movies. Brett was an exact replica of Bumblebee, except he was only four feet tall. He was perfect!

As a group, the guys cheered, clapped, and whistled. Now they were in the gym and all together, Brad pulled them into a link, and the boys' excitement became evident. A private link was set up for the adults, and the shit-talk started flying about Henry, Kevin, and Bill.

Nice glass-cutters there, Henry!

Where’s Skeletor?

Can Loy be Battle-Cat?

The jokes started flying, and Henry, Bill, and Kevin milked them for all they were worth. Drew’s facemask was raised, and Henry saw his smile. His face seemed happy, but his eyes didn’t hold the sparkle they usually expressed.

Brad noticed it too, thinking: Something’s not right, Henry. I see it too. We’ll figure it out. Let’s make tonight as fun for him as we can. For all the boys… You included, smoking hot Aqua-Man.

Henry grinned: Thanks, Brad. Help me keep an eye on him. I’m worried but don’t know what to do for him. We had a talk, and he said he understood what I meant about not pulling away, but something’s still not right.

Brad spread the word with everyone. No facial expressions changed, but all Drew’s uncles became more attentive, worried about him, but not letting on.

Darren: Okay, guys, the D Express is boarding! I’ll take everyone to Kev and Bill’s house so we don’t have to pile in the Suburbans and caravan over. Then we’ll all come back here and join the party.

The three dads and their boys made the rounds in Kevin and Bill’s neighborhood, and as Lane predicted, they got more candy than they could ever have imagined. The mothers and even some of the dads couldn’t help but stare at Henry, Bill, and Kevin, who kept their muscles pumped using their core energy centers. It also kept them warm against the chill of the night.

Drew, Tommy, and Brett had an absolute blast. They were polite and loved the attention over their costumes. When Brett spoke, his voice came out as the radio voice just like in the movies, and it was a big hit.

Tommy and Brett had never experienced a real Halloween night of trick-or-treating. When they got back to the lab and Lane dropped the constructs, the two boys couldn’t stop talking to their dads, or anyone who would listen, about all the other costumes they saw and what a great time they had.

The other men saw how happy Bill and Kevin were for their sons, but also the worry in Henry over Drew. Everything was shared and carried between them: the joys, the sorrows, the pain, and the concern. It was the way they survived, and truth be told, they wouldn’t have it any other way.

<><><> 

The rest of the Halloween party was a huge success. Darren pulled the young soldiers along with Kelly and Chloe from Australia to Atlanta. Kent and Marge Peterson came, and the other wives, but Glenn Hampton and the fathers declined once again.

Taliesin wasn’t able to attend due to a school function he couldn’t get out of. Lane was disappointed but understood completely and said he would take a rain check on getting together again soon. Even he was surprised at his newfound friendship with the ancient bard, and he was sorry Taliesin couldn’t make it.

Giovanni was in the middle of everything. For a former Monk, he knew how to have fun. Quick-witted and deadly with his dry sense of humor, he never failed to make whoever was around him laugh.

The young soldiers were grateful to have a night out. They didn’t want to go trick-or-treating with the kids, mainly wanting a change of scenery and some beer.

Sally ordered a pumpkin costume for Chloe, and she looked like a big orange ball the entire night with a vine hat on her head. Every one of the guys made a point to play with her and hold her. Most of them held her and danced to the music. They adored her, and she was all smiles and gurgles most of the night, only getting a little cranky near the end because she was so tired, and Kelly had Darren send her back to Australia. Kelly insisted Jacob stay with his brother and family, but he bowed out and went back with her. She didn’t seem at all unhappy with his decision.

The doctor and Albrecht remained scarce during the party. Neither cared much for large gatherings and stayed in their quarters.

<><><> 

Drew was patient, and the thought of protecting Henry and his uncles gave him the resolve to carry out his plan. Doctor Aaron gave him, Tommy, and Brett iPads to use for their school lessons, and he used his to gather information and organize his plan.

No one thought it odd that he carried the tablet with him wherever he went. He was a kid, and kids loved electronic gadgets. Careful and meticulous, it sometimes took days to get even one thing on his list. The incarnations taught him how to do things or arrange circumstances to facilitate gathering what he needed.

Deep within himself, he cried almost all the time but hid that part of himself, so the outside Drew everyone saw appeared normal. To Henry and his uncles, he expressed a stoic resolve in the face of what approached. Everyone noticed it, and they were all worried about him, especially Henry.

Picking him up more often, his dad and uncles held him, and he got more hugs and back rubs. Their touch was so comforting that his resolve sometimes wavered in the face of their fierce love. Feeling wretched for deceiving them, he prayed to the Birdman, asking, begging him for his uncles’ forgiveness, especially Henry’s, for what he was about to do.

Finally, he had everything he needed except the courage to start. The next night that he and Henry were on rotation in Atlanta, he would execute his plan.

Drew felt the stirring around him, the ripples and constant vortices encircling him in the spiritual realm. He stood at the center of a Nexus, a point that could potentially change all creation depending on the outcome of the confrontation with his brother. He also realized it was soon, sooner than his next birthday. It was on top of him, perhaps only days or weeks away rather than months, and he had to get as far from his loved ones as possible to protect them.

Terrified, the one thing above all else that mattered to him was not being alone, and the only way he could carry out his plan and save everyone was to leave and be alone. Of all the pain and tragedy he faced in his young life, leaving would be the hardest thing he had ever done.

Ultimately, Drew realized he was not going to survive. With the stone, he would do what he needed to do, but after that, he suspected he would die and take the incarnations to Heaven with him. A compassionate boy, far more than he should be for his age, he had the experience of over eleven thousand tragic souls inside him.

The incarnations were anything but compassionate. In fact, most of them were spiteful, hating his brother, forcing Drew to shield that part of them. They wanted Henry to be their dad and love them, but many were unbalanced, twisted, and insane. There were a few like him, like Rhavi and Ferguson, and the first version of himself, but not many.

In his heart, Drew already had already forgiven The Master. After his talk with the Birdman, he realized that The Dark One tricked and used his brother. It wasn’t his brother’s fault, and through his own suffering, Drew could never blame him for being out of his depth. With the stone, he would get inside his brother and find the part of him the Birdman spoke of. It would be dangerous, and his brother would fight him the entire time, but it was the only way.

Once Drew found that part of The Master, if it still existed, he would have to convince him to ask Drew’s forgiveness for killing him. Then, his uncles could step in and stop his brother. Once that happened, though, and Drew was in front of The Master in the real world, he would surely die.

Not afraid to die… Drew had been killed over eleven thousand times, each time brutally, but if he were successful, this would be his last, and he would go to Heaven, and the incarnations would finally find peace. Weeping at the fact his mom wouldn’t be waiting for him, he would see Henry and his uncles eventually when they got to go Home, but he had no idea how long that would be because they could live forever.

Finally, the day arrived. It was a Friday in Atlanta. Throughout the day, he did horribly on his lessons with Miss Sally. He was glad Tommy and Brett were on ZEUS and not with him. Sally knew something was bothering Drew because he acted so out of character. Trying her best to cheer him up, she even changed her plans mid-afternoon because of his behavior.

Quiet through dinner, he hung on every word from Henry’s mouth as he read another chapter out of “The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe” before bedtime. He felt like Edmund, the brother in the story who betrayed his brother and sisters.

His head ached from masking his emotions all day while linked with his dad and his Uncles Lane and Bryan. They asked him several times during the day if he was alright, and he nearly broke down when Bryan picked him up, holding him and telling Drew he loved him and what a good boy he was. Bryan made cheesy spaghetti for dinner that night, and it was the best it had ever tasted. He even put the yellow cheese Drew liked on the bread instead of the white powdery kind.

That night Drew didn’t sleep. Waiting until it was late and Henry was snoring, he crawled out of bed.

Stopping by the wolf-spirit, he whispered, “My tummy is upset, and I’m going to the bathroom. Stay with Daddy in case he needs you.”

He knew she understood him, and she stayed on the bed with Henry. As soon as he closed the door to their room, tears dripped from his eyes. Hurrying to the bathroom, he continued through to the locker room and quietly opened his locker. His uncles made sure he had one in the middle of theirs so he would feel included. Lane put masking tape on the locker and wrote ‘Drewmeister’ in big black letters.

Looking at their lockers, he smelled them. The room sat heavy with the scent of their musk, sweat, and deodorant, and it was like they surrounded him even then, protecting him. It wasn’t a part of his plan, but he opened Henry’s locker, grabbing a still damp workout shirt Henry hadn’t thrown in the hamper.

Pulling out clothes from his own locker, he quickly put them on. He only had a few non-superhero t-shirts and jeans, but he didn’t want to wear anything easy to spot. He had a plain red hoodie that he never wore, which was practically brand new. His backpack was Marvel, but he couldn’t help that.

Quickly he double-checked everything. He took snacks from the kitchen, a small stash of food, and a water bottle he could refill. He had clothes. Panicking, he didn’t see the small bundle his entire plan rested on, frantically searching his backpack, feeling around for it.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he finally felt it. He put it in the side pouch so he wouldn't lose it and then forgot. One of Lane’s favorite phrases came to mind.

Think, you dumbass, think!

Drew knew it had a bad word in it, but it made him smile anyway. His Uncle Lane was funny.

Unwrapping the amulet, he hung it around his neck. It was one of Orophir’s amulets that the Enemy used to avoid detection and protect themselves from mental attacks. It was the one his Uncle Brad’s friend Tony had around his neck when The Master killed him. Doctor Aaron and Mr. Albrecht kept it and a few others like it stored in a vault in the lab.

Drew’s plan rested on that amulet because it would keep anyone from finding him or talking to him in his mind. He was lucky to have gotten it… While formulating his plan, Doctor Aaron took Drew into the vault when he summoned the stone for testing and to map the Eschphene sigils etched into it as the trap for his brother.

He was so nervous when he took it that he almost threw up. There were several amulets in a small black velvet pouch, but he only took one. Doctor Aaron had to use the bathroom and asked Drew to stand outside the room until he returned. The doctor trusted him, and he betrayed that trust, feeling awful. Betraying everyone he loved by running away ate him up, but he didn’t know what else to do.

Along with the amulet, he took one of the special bank cards from Miss Sally’s desk. Sally kept the PIN on a post-it note attached to the card. Most importantly, next to the amulet, he had Doctor Aaron’s security code for the door out of the lab. It took Drew weeks to figure out the numbers because the doctor punched them in so fast, but by slowing his perception of time, he finally got them.

He had only been gone from his room for a few minutes, but had everything together. Making his way to the door, he stopped to look around. The comfort and familiarity of the lab wrapped around him. The lab had been his home the last few years, and now that the time was upon him, he didn’t want to leave. It was his home where he felt safe, with everyone and everything he cared about. He had never been out in the world on his own before.

Using his iPad, he pulled up a list of things he had to do fast so they wouldn’t find him. He used his iPad to find the places he needed to go first and drew a map on a sheet of printer paper. He couldn’t take his iPad because he was sure his Uncle Bryan or Doctor Aaron could find him if he kept it with him. Also, he left a message for Henry on it. Running back to the locker room, he put the iPad in his empty locker, knowing they would find it, then returned to the main door.

Carefully punching in Doctor Aaron’s code, he heard the light ‘click’ of the magnetic locks releasing, and opening the door he moved out into the chilly Atlanta night. It was cold and windy outside the heated building, and he was glad he wore his hoodie. The sound of the door closing was final, and he watched the light turn red as the door resealed.

He was now on his own. Hurrying down the steps and through the parking lot, hot tears spilled down his cheeks with every step.

<><> 

After ten minutes, the wolf-spirit cast out her senses to check on Drew. Her head snapped up when she didn’t find him, and she quickly moved through the entire facility, but the boy was nowhere to be found. Her howl of fear and anxiety filled the lab, echoing in the spiritual realm and calling the steward. Lane and Bryan shot out of bed at her howl, and Loy’s voice immediately entered their minds.

What’s wrong!? Where’s Drew?

Lane activated Henry’s trigger, waking him with a start, and an icy ball of fear hit him hard when he realized he was alone in bed.

Henry: Drew!

Every bit of power in Henry went into his call, but there was no response.

Lane and Bryan rushed to his room. Henry’s eyes were filled with tears.

“Where is he!? He has to be in the lab somewhere!”

Running to the gym, Henry saw Drew’s locker open and empty except for his iPad. His backpack was gone. The presence of his brothers filled him as Darren teleported them from all over the world in the blink of an eye. In a matter of seconds, they knew Drew was gone. Speechless and terrified almost to the point of being debilitated, they forced themselves to remain calm and operate as soldiers and do whatever was necessary to find him. Sally woke up when she heard the commotion, and Darren brought the doctor and Albrecht from Australia.

Henry could hardly breathe, and the guys were just as upset. Brad pulled them all down into the place where their souls were one, where Ken took command before emotions ran too far, too quickly.

Guys! Listen! There’s no way he was taken from the lab. That means he left on his own, so he can’t be far. Bill, read the entire lab. There’s gotta be an imprint you can pick up on. B, start skimmin’ anyone around the area outside the lab and see if anyone’s seen him.Everyone stay focused. We can’t panic! We have ‘ta find him and get him back here, ASAP!

Staying together, their souls tightly knit, Ken locked their Avatars so they would operate at the maximum of their abilities. Brad, Lane, Loy, and Bryan drew from their sources of power, filling them up. Sally put on coffee, knowing it was going to be a long night no matter what happened.

Moving to Henry, Ken gripped his shoulders, “Don’t worry, Henry. We’ll find him.”

Henry’s voice trembled as he quietly said, “God, Ken, why did he leave? Why would he do that?”

Bryan broke the short silence that fell after Henry’s question.

“Because the little fucker loves us so much. He’s trying to protect us.”

After another slight pause, Brad said, “You’re right, Bry. He watches us, and he’s learned how we interact. But there’s more to this than just that; I’m sure that’s the main reason, but I feel like there’s a piece we don’t have.”

Henry’s expression turned into a scowl, saying, “It has to be whatever God said to him at the wedding. Drew got upset every time I pushed him to tell me what they talked about.”

Bill’s eyes had been white the entire time as he read the lab.

Returning to their normal color, he said, “Get ready, guys.”

An image formed in their minds of everything that transpired. Watching Drew’s movements up until the time he put on the amulet, they had the complete picture. Hearing his words to the wolf-spirit, they watched Drew run to his locker and quickly go over everything in his backpack, seeing his iPad, the debit card from Sally’s desk, his clothes, and food. He had been planning this for some time. Henry’s gut clenched when he saw Drew open his locker and take out his sweaty t-shirt and stuff it in his pack.

In tears, Sally thought she should have seen it coming. Drew acted so differently during the day, and she saw it but didn’t mention it to anyone. Henry was beside himself. As long as Drew wore the amulet, they couldn’t sense him or reach him.

Loy cast his presence into animals for miles around, and the wolf-spirit sent her pack out roaming, but after an hour they still came up empty.

<><><> 

Drew ran as fast as he could. Three blocks away was an ATM machine he found on his iPad while planning the details. Withdrawing the cash limit for that bank, he stuffed it in his pack.

Waiting until he saw a car, he sent a compulsion to the driver: Stop. I need a ride.

Making the driver stop at two nearby ATMs she knew about, he pulled out more money, then switched drivers, compelling the first one to forget everything. He had never used his powers in such a manner, and it felt wrong. It made him feel dirty, and he cried, but he had no choice if he was going to keep his dad and uncles safe. An hour later, he was thirty miles away in Buckhead.

He made the driver drop him off at a hotel and then forget everything. Controlling the agent working at the front desk of the Courtyard Marriott, he made her put him in a room he paid cash for. She put the room in her mother’s name using her credit card for room incidentals. He made her get him change so he could use the vending machines for Cokes and snacks, not wanting to use the ATM card again unless it was an emergency.

He had to read the mind of a man in the hallway outside his room to figure out how to use the door key because they were different from the ones in the lab. Entering his room, as soon as the door shut, he cried again, praying to the Birdman to keep everyone safe and have them not worry about him.

He fell asleep on the bed still in his clothes, wanting nothing more than to feel Henry protecting him or to sleep between any of his uncles.

<><><> 

Checking Drew’s locker, Lane found his iPad, and when Lane saw it, his gut twinged, knowing it was important. Reading the device, he got Drew’s lock code. His stomach went cold when he saw the video icon. His chest tightening, a chill ran through him as his Avatar glowed softly, realizing what it was.

Henry sat on the couch by the kitchen area with his head in his hands, surrounded by everyone. Ken sat beside him with an arm around his shoulder, but there was no consoling him. His son was missing and would be hunted by The Enemy, either killed or captured if he was seen.

As Lane came in with Drew’s iPad, Ken said, “We’ll find him, Henry. He has somethin’ in mind; we just need ‘ta find him before he can do whatever it is. If he can hide from us, he can hide from Them, too.”

Lane interrupted, saying, “Henry… I found this in Drew’s locker. He left a message.”

Henry’s head snapped up, his eyes bloodshot. Looking pale, his body was tense. Staring at the iPad, he dreaded what he was going to hear but knew they needed to find out what was on it.

Flipping the case over, Lane set it on the coffee table and double-tapped the icon.

The video opened to a close-up of Drew’s face as he started the recording. The camera moved around a few seconds while he repositioned it. He made it in the room that he and Henry lived in.

“Hi, Daddy.”

As soon as he said those words, he started to tear up.

“I’m sorry for running away, but I don’t want you or my uncles getting hurt because of me.”

In adult mode when he started, he quickly broke down and was more his normal self.

“I love you, Daddy. I love Uncle Ken and Brad and Bryan and Lane and Rick and Loy and Pat and Darren and Kevin and Bill. I love Dr. Aaron and Mr. Albrecht, and Miss Sally. You all protect me, but I know how mean and strong my brother is. He’ll hurt you if you fight him, so you can’t do that.”

Henry cried so hard he could barely breathe. Ken and all the men had tears running down their faces; their hearts wrenched from what they saw and heard. Drew was terrified, but he was doing what he thought best to keep them from being hurt.

Drew started crying heavily, “I’m sorry, Daddy. I don’t know what else to do. You have to be alright. You’re the best daddy in the world. I know you’ll be mad, but I’m trying to do the right thing.”

Drew’s voice cracked, and Henry lost it

“Please don’t be mad at me.”

There was noise in the background that sounded like Henry laughing, coming down the hall and getting louder. Drew started, not wanting to get caught and the image filled with Drew’s tear-ridden face as he leaned forward to turn off the video. A long silent pause followed where the only sounds were heavy breathing and sniffling.

Finally, Henry broke the silence, quietly saying, “I remember that. I was coming back from the shower, and when I walked in, he was crying. He told me he was upset about his training.”

There was another pause, and Henry whispered, “He’s never lied to me before.”

Ken could hardly talk and had to clear his throat.

“Guys, everybody get on this. Any ideas you have run with ’em. We know Drew’s smart, but he also learned everythin’ from us. If he left any breadcrumbs, we need ‘ta find ’em fast before they go cold.”

B, pull us all down quick. Take us deep.

Appearing naked to one another, their souls became one, sharing their pain and anxiety and carrying one another, especially Henry.

Ken: Henry, there’s no blame here. Before that thought takes root in you, or any of us, nip it in the bud. This isn’t your fault or any of ours. Every one of us is gonna try ‘ta figure out a way ‘ta blame ourselves, and I want none of that. This was an inside job, and Drew pulled the wool over our eyes. He got away with this because we trust him. He didn’t betray our trust either... he’s desperate. He’s so desperate not ‘ta lose you or any of us that he’s willin’ ‘ta do whatever it takes ‘ta stop us from bein’ hurt or getting’ killed. He’s bein’ a hero, just like his dad.

We need ‘ta focus on gettin’ him back safe. Then we focus on his part of the fight. We’re ready for our part once Drew’s done his. Then this SNAFU will be over. It won’t be a cakewalk after that, but it’ll be one giant fuckin’ step in the right direction.

You gotta be strong here, Henry. Don’t fall apart… fallin’ apart isn’t gonna help Drew. I’m sorry if that’s harsh, but you can’t fall apart on him or us. You’re strong. You’re a wall, and you need ‘ta keep bein’ that wall, even through this, do you understand me?

While Ken spoke, everyone surrounded Henry, pressing close, their arms going around him and each other. Hearing Ken’s words, at first he was scared, then he was angry; everything he felt, they felt with him. At first, he wanted to punch Ken to shut him up. His emotions were a father’s instincts to save his son, but as they rested in one another, he calmed down, and then anxiety and fear took over.

Henry: He’s never been alone like this, Ken! It’s the one thing he’s more afraid of than anything in the world, and he runs off without us! I feel so helpless!

Darren: He’s facing his fear, Henry. He’s brave! He learned it from you and from us. I know this sounds weird, but I’m also proud as hell of him. He’s standing up for what he thinks is the right thing to do.

Brad: I think I know what God said to him, Henry. At the wedding. Not exactly, but the gist of it… It has to do with you. I think he said something will happen to you if you fight The Master. I think Drew is so scared of that happening, he’s willing to do what he is to save you. Maybe this is God’s way of trying to save you, too, so when we defeat The Master, Drew will still have you. Even if we win, but you were gone, what kind of life would Drew have? He would have all of us, and you know we love him as our own. We would take care of him, but it wouldn’t be the same. You’re not replaceable, especially after Liz.

Henry: Fuck me.

Ruffling his hair, Loy asked: You change your mind on me?

The sudden irreverent question shocked Henry, but it did the trick, snapping him out of his dark thoughts. Loy pulled him into a tight hug and thought: Never forget we’re in this with you, Henry. You’re one of us whether you like it or not. This will all work out somehow. It won’t be easy, but have confidence in Drew, yourself, and us.

Ken: That’s right. We have ‘ta be confident we’re gonna win. Losin’ is not an option. So, let’s get movin’ and find the little shit. If we win, he’s grounded for the next year.

Managing a smirk, Henry thought: How about grounded for life. Fuck me, if I didn’t have this white mark in my hair, I’d be getting grey from this stress.

The time together helped purge the worst of their initial reaction, and they were more able to focus on the mission. They were soldiers and on target to get Drew back.

<><><> 

They didn’t find Drew that night or the next. Or the next. A week passed, and there was no sign of him. Two weeks went by. Every one of them tried to keep hope alive, but it was slowly dwindling.

Ken called off their training to focus on finding Drew, but all their ideas were exhausted. As long as he wore the amulet, Lane couldn’t dream about him and none of them could contact him. He was smart and being careful.

Thanksgiving came and went, uncelebrated. None of them felt like it, and a somber air hung over the lab. Taking care of each other helped fend off the negativity, worry, and anxiety. They clung to one another as they made love, needing to keep their abilities at their peak, but it was more than that. The bonds between them as husbands and brothers were all that kept the situation from tearing them apart. Staying strong in one another, they supported Henry.

Twice, Bryan found a glimpse of Drew on security camera footage, once in Decatur and once in Norcross. Both times, they were there in an instant, reading the area and the people, but Drew was long gone. The camera footage was hours old. Brad found evidence in a few minds of Drew’s tampering with their memories, but there wasn’t enough to do anything with other than sense his presence.

Orophir was upset that one of his amulets had been used. He had come to like Drew very much in his short time with him on ZEUS and felt a rift between him and his Nephilim hosts over the matter. He could offer no assistance; the amulets were powerful and designed well for their purpose, and there was no way to circumvent them.

Late one night, Ken went into the gym to work off some of his anxiety. Brad was in the Yoga room, meditating and scrying for Drew in case he slipped up and took off the amulet even for a few seconds. Entering the gym, Ken found Henry passed out on the floor beside a destroyed punching bag.

White as a sheet, Henry had dark circles under his eyes. He woke up as Ken picked him up and carried him to the shower. Aware of everything through Ken, Brad rushed to the gym.

Henry was a mess. His hair stood on end, he smelled, and he was physically exhausted, having barely slept since Drew ran away. He tried to stay strong, but he was losing hope and taking his frustrations out on the punching bag he collapsed from exhaustion.

Brad started the hot water, and the two men washed their brother. Henry’s body was hard as a rock from the tension in him, but they managed to soothe him. Putting his therapeutic training to good use, Brad worked Henry’s body, rubbing the stress out with his hands. Henry’s bloodshot eyes looked at them pleadingly, and they tried their best to comfort him, but he was losing hope that he would ever see his son alive again.

Taking him to bed they stayed with him while he slept, holding him, not knowing what else to do. They took turns with the guys waiting with Henry around the clock after that, no matter what time of day or night.

<><><> 

After making fierce love to one another, Lane and Bryan slept. It was their way of fighting off their fear and anxiety over Drew and what they were all going through. They couldn’t imagine what was going through Drew’s mind and heart, knowing he had to be terrified and lonely while doing what he thought was right.

They taught him bravery without realizing it, but he was also a very young boy faced with an inconceivable task, and their thoughts were always with him, even if he couldn’t feel them. Drew was unaware of the hole he left in them when he ran away, but even if he was, he would feel worse because he would have run away regardless.

After exhausting themselves, Lane and Bryan stayed together, sweaty and recovering, resting quietly in one another, their souls inseparable. Eventually they slept, with Lane’s head on Bryan’s chest, listening to his husband’s heartbeat and the music of his soul.

Seconds after he fell asleep, Lane’s Avatar came to life, and he dreamed. He dreamt of darkness… not The Enemy, but of the nothing before creation. After Allenor’s creation but before his own. Watching the archangels come to be, he saw Luke before his fall, content with himself, the Morning Star and Brightest of them all.

After witnessing the implosion of nothingness that brought creation into being, he watched Luke’s fall and the split of the infinite Hosts, starting the war of the rebellion. He watched as Michael, Uriel, Gabriel, Raphael, Barachiel, and many others fought, crying over the countless angels and demons who killed each other brutally. They were all brothers before they were enemies, and it tore his heart to witness their deaths.

Surveying the formation of the universe as gas clouds condensed and cooled, forming planets and moons, he observed the laws of the physical realm asserting themselves, living billions of years and seeing everything through the eyes of God.

He saw and felt the ache in creation as Luke’s fall changed everything. Free will was the root of the fall. Being outside the Arc of Time, God knew all of this, already accounting to correct what he foresaw would happen. He planned for the creation of new beings, part Nephilim and part original man, to be the saviors of his creation.

Making them random and unfettered, even he could not see everything around them. Their Free will would counter Luke’s actions… or so he hoped. He had to have faith that his creation was worthy and righteous enough to survive. Free will was at the root of the fall but would also be its salvation.

Lost in the years he lived, the grip of Lane’s Avatar was so powerful he could not wake up. His loneliness was soul-crushing, but he could only suffer through it. His unconscious mind knew he slept with the other half of his soul, and when his loneliness became unbearable, the part of him that was Bryan poured itself over him and gave him the strength to continue.

More time passed, and while creation settled, Lane witnessed many secrets and mysteries hidden from mortals. He was present at the birth of the firstborn, the first human soul, and also the secondborn, the second human soul.

He watched helplessly at Luke’s interference and the death of the secondborn that brought the Curse into being. He felt and observed the groaning and agony of creation in the heart of God through all of it. Seeing the Curse, he understood it, following the pattern and cycle of the secondborns’ recurring deaths. He saw how small, seemingly insignificant happenings or objects could change cosmic events and the pattern of how everything connected.

He saw the morning he and Bryan and all his brothers planted the seeds of Yggdrasil in their backyards and watched when Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael moved The Master’s body forward through time, hiding it to give Lane and his brothers time to complete their task of planting the Seeds.

He saw the Arc of Time between Drew’s first birth and his most recent, and more importantly, the compression of time from the various events. It was small by the standards of the universe, even minuscule, but to time in the mortal world of the physical realm of Earth, the discrepancies of those compressions magnified to become days, even weeks.

Back in the present, he observed the vortices surrounding Drew and The Master, watching the ripples from both sides affecting reality and events trying to sway the balance to its own side. He saw the time of the confrontation, and it was upon them!

Looking into the future, he saw a time, only a few short days away, when Drew would stand before The Master, alone! His dream ended as if creation itself didn’t exist beyond that point… and realized it didn’t. His earth was the first of all worlds in the multiverse, and what transpired there would affect all the reflections.

He watched Drew, small and frail, wearing a bright red hoodie, standing a short distance from his brother, The Master, whose grotesquely muscled body towered over him. Time stopped in his dream with that image frozen in his mind and heart.

<><> 

Lane shot out of bed.

Bryan felt his trembling; it lasted all night, which had never happened before. Time moved differently in dreams, and Lane traveled farther and longer than he ever had, carried by Remiel to places few had ever gone, even among the High Hosts.

Tense and drenched in sweat, Lane’s terror ran down to his soul. They had a week at most before Drew faced The Master! His birthday was months away, but events and corrections over the last eighty thousand years had altered the present!

<><> 

Screaming in his mind, Lane was so full of power and emotion his thoughts were heard around the world by his brothers, and they were instantly in him.

Appearing as one, physically and emotionally naked, everyone was instantly aware of what transpired in the gym with Henry, and they closed around him. Holding him with the strength of their arms and their hearts, they all suffered inside, as badly as they ever had.

Through their trials, they were familiar with the anxiety of not knowing if one of them was going to live or die. Their suffering was far-reaching, and because of how deep their bonds ran, it affected them far more than normal humans. Their capacity for emotion was stretched so far beyond what they were born with.

As their Nephilim heritage unlocked and they began their trials, they grew in unimaginable ways, making them stronger. Being who and what they were made them powerful but vulnerable. They were beautiful and strong in one another, yet as Ken surmised, also fragile in certain ways because of how much they loved and cared for each other. Living inside another’s soul had that effect.

Lane’s dream became a part of them, and Henry groaned.

Calling on their sources of power as soon as they heard Lane’s call, they filled themselves with light.

Their Avatars reacted instinctively, and Ken’s locked them into the master rune, and they were more than the sum of their individual selves, with Henry adding to them even more. What were they going to do? They had exhausted all the ideas they had so far, and all of them, especially Henry, felt they were failing Drew. How could they not have seen this coming? Ken’s words about there being no blame echoed through them, and Brad brought forth the memory, emphasizing it. Brad pulled the Doctor, Albrecht, and Sally in with them. They were a team, and everyone needed to be in and together if they had any hope of finding Drew.

A pervasive feeling of helplessness ran through them. Unless Drew made a mistake or contacted them, there was little chance of finding him in time. They would not stop trying, but it didn’t look good. Ken’s Avatar glowed brightly, magnified by the other bodies, and his will and conviction strengthened. Pushing it to the forefront of their minds and hearts, he infused it into all of them.

We’ve come too far, guys, through too much for us ‘ta give up. We can’t give up on Drew. We owe him that. He has a plan, and if we can’t find him or get to him in time, then we do what we can ‘ta help him succeed with whatever he’s got up his sleeve. We’re with him, no matter what.

We need ‘ta focus on trackin’ any Enemy movements around the city. If the confrontation is gonna happen, we need ‘ta be ready. We watch and stay alert, and at the first sign of anythin’ unusual, we need ‘ta be there. If we see anythin’ start, my bet is Drew will be in the middle of it. It will be last minute, probably last second, so we stay alert, focused, and ready.

Brad interjected: We still have some time left. It’s unclear based on Lane’s dream exactly how much time we have, but it seems to be a few days at least. If we slow our perception of time, we have the equivalent of years to work on this. Ken’s right; we can’t let Drew down. All our efforts have to be on either getting to him or helping and supporting him. We don’t know his specific plan other than he will have to face The Master. He will have to summon the stone, and it will have to be in The Master’s hands for the trap to go off. We have no idea how long that will give us, but we only need a few seconds. We can’t track Drew, but we can track that ugly, red bastard.

Ken: Henry… stay focused and stay with us. We gotta be ready.

Henry: I still feel like this is my fault, Ken. I can’t help it, but I’ll be ready.

Ken: The only thing you might be guilty of, Henry, is that you love him too much. You did too good a job after Liz was gone. That little boy loves you so much, and us, that he’s doin’ this ‘ta protect us. He’s terrified, but he’s doin’ it anyway because he loves you and us.

Henry: But he’s just a kid. He doesn’t understand. When it comes down to it, and he faces The Master… he’s going to be so scared.

Bryan: I think he does understand Henry, and he’s doing it anyway. The little fucker is scared shitless, but he’s doing this anyway. I think he’s going to surprise the fuck out of The Master. That doesn’t mean he won’t need our help, especially yours. So, all of us need to do what we can to be ready, so we can be there when he needs us, and we’ll be there. Nothing can stop us from being there when he needs us.

The doctor, moving to Henry, cupped his face with both hands. Both men had tears in their eyes.

My boy, you are as much my son as everyone here. Do not think of Drew as only a boy… he is much more than that. Having all of us in his life, especially you, Henry, has made him much more than just a six-year-old boy. He is a hero, and he learned to be a hero from you… from all of you.

Ken: You too, doc. Don’t deal yourself out of this. We won’t let you. He’s learned as much from you and Albrecht as any of us.

Ken’s Avatar drove their collective optimism into Henry, and he heard them. He was still terrified for Drew, but they were right. He wouldn’t… he couldn’t give up on Drew. He would be ready and hold his shit together. He would be the wall for his son.

Before Henry thought, ‘thanks, guys,’ Lane’s arms encircled him from behind.

You’re welcome, brother. 

Coden, Alabama - Mid-November

Sitting in their recliners in the living room, Tag and Olive watched TV after dinner. Bullet was upside down between Tag’s outstretched legs, his soft pink tummy ready and available for any rubs that might come his way. Squirming regularly to remind Tag he was there, he pumped up his cuteness factor, trying to get Tag’s attention.

Tag held back a grin that threatened to show despite his efforts, teasing the puppy. He would often pretend to fall asleep and stop rubbing, and Bullet would watch him intently for any sign he was faking. It was a game they played nearly every night after dinner once Tag retired to his recliner.

Bullet stole their hearts the minute he came into their lives, and they were glad of Loy’s gift of him. Bullet was a gift in every sense of the word, but he was also a means for Loy to keep tabs on the elderly couple that didn’t break their security protocols.

Growing like a weed, Bullet wasn’t exactly a puppy anymore. A mutt, he wasn’t going to be a huge dog, but by the size of his paws, he would probably be a solid fifty or sixty pounds when fully grown. He was already getting heavy, but Tag loved having the dog in his lap.

Using his Avatar to alter Bullet, Loy made him smarter, and the older couple could sometimes tell when Loy watched them through Bullet’s eyes. It made Olive homesick for the lab that had been their home the last few years when that happened. Olive and Tag missed their ‘boyz’ something fierce, and Drew not the least. It was a hard decision for them to move out of the lab and get back on their own, but they felt it was the right one.

Happy in their new home, Tag fished nearly every day the weather and tide permitted. Olive was thrilled to find a market that sold half-gallons of milk in the older rectangular paper containers. She went every week to get one, saving the cartons. When Tag brought home a mess of fish, she froze them in the paper containers, making bricks that stacked nicely in the extra freezer in their garage. Her mother taught her that trick. She saved the fish, hoping one day to have a huge fish fry for all the boyz if they came for a visit, even though it was unlikely.

Working on her needlepoint, Olive listened to Wheel of Fortune. Tag loved his game shows. He was so excited when he realized they got the ‘Game Show Network’ on their cable plan, she was sure the doctor arranged that.

The dishes were already in the dishwasher, while two pans soaked in the sink. She didn’t like to leave them too long, so putting down her needlepoint, she went to the kitchen. Glancing over, she noticed Tag’s head lolled to one side, lightly snoring. Bullet finally fell asleep too but woke at her movement.

Patting his soft pink belly, she whispered, “Go back ‘ta sleep, sugar. I’m gonna go in the kitchen and finish cleanin’ up. You stay in here wit Papa.”

It was just after dusk, and with the light over the kitchen sink Olive couldn’t see outside the window into the front yard. Once she finished and flipped off the light, she noticed a man across the street looking at her, pacing and moving oddly.

A trickle of fear ran down her spine. The man looked directly towards her, and something about him caught her attention, and attention wasn’t good. She moved into the living room, not hurriedly. With the lights on in the house, anyone outside could easily see her movements through the windows, and she didn’t want to seem panicked. He might just be a man, and no more than a man, but with everything she and Tag knew about the world and the battle between the light and the dark, she couldn’t take a chance.

Back in the den, she turned off the TV. The sudden silence woke Tag, and he knew something was wrong as soon as he saw her face. Before he could ask what was going on, she put a finger to her lips, indicating silence.

Picking up on their tension, Bullet jumped down and ran to the door. They had a fenced-in front yard and a dog door for Bullet, and he took off like his namesake through the door, racing towards the man.

Olive hollered, “Bullet, git back here!” but the dog ignored her.

Running to the edge of the fence, he stopped abruptly, standing tense and still as stone. The man knelt, and Bullet shoved his snout through the slats to lick his hand. Bullet’s reaction made her feel somewhat better, and they stepped out onto the front porch. The man stood under the street light, and once they were outside they got a better look at him. Large and powerfully built, he sweated profusely. Their fence wooden, his hand gripped the point of one of the slats so tightly it broke off, leaving a trail of blood down the white paint where his hand rested.

Olive started forward, but Tag held her back, whispering, “Momma, it might be a trap!”

“He’s hurt, Taggart! Bullet thinks he’s alright, and that’s good enough for me!”

The old couple rushed out to the man, who seemed on the verge of collapse.

Olive said, “You need help, mister. Come inside, quick!”

Opening the gate, Bullet scuttled out and around, sniffing at him and whining encouragement. The man looked at Olive and Tag, and they got lost in the depth of his ageless eyes. He was an angel in human form, and his presence and what it might mean unnerved them.

“You are Taggart and Olive Keenan?”

Tag replied, “Yes, sir, we is. You need ‘ta come wit us, so we kin help you!”

In a strained voice, gasping in intense pain, the man said, “I cannot; your house is warded against my kind.”

Ready to collapse, he steeled himself and continued, saying, “You must flee. Now. Take only what you have with you and tell no one you have left or where you are going. Your friends will desperately need you soon.”

Tag reached for the emergency cell phone in his pocket the doctor gave them, instructing them never to be without it.

“No! Do not contact them, I beg you! You will endanger them and ruin everything!”

Olive said, “We don’t understand, mister. Let us help you, and then you can explain.”

“I am paying the price for what I have done, for what I have seen. My kind are not meant to travel where I went, but it allowed me to see. As a result, I will cease to exist in a few moments. It should not have been possible except for the Remnant’s presence. You must leave immediately. There is no time to explain. Go, please... I beg you, do as I say. You must get there in time!”

Holding out a scrap of paper smeared with blood, Olive took it with shaking hands and looked; it had an address written on it.

“Run! Now! You must be as far away from here as possible in the next few moments! I am not sure what is about to happen, but it will not be pleasant.”

Tag said, “I’ll git the car.”

“No! Travel on foot! Now! You must be at that address in two weeks, or your friends will die! No one can know, especially your friends! It is imperative! If you tell them, the ripples will be too severe… it will be catastrophic.”

His desperation and urgency convinced them. Sucking in breath, he was losing his fight against the pain. As he moved, his jacket opened slightly, and Olive saw his shirt was soaked in blood.

Tag believed the angel. If his friends needed his help, he would be there no matter what. The circumstances were strange, but no stranger than his leg growing back or the fact that Drew was supposed to save all of mankind. It seemed the battle was not done with them.

Taking Olive’s hand, Tag said, “Come on, Momma. We gotta git. Bullet, you stay with us you little bugger. I’m not playin’!”

Seeming relieved, the angel closed his eyes, saying, “Thank you. Go now with what you have on you. Do not go back into the house. Leave and be at that address in two weeks' time.”

Bullet let out a low growl from deep in his chest, and the angel said, “It is almost time. I will try to hold another few moments to give you time to get away. Do not look back; mortals are not meant to see what is about to happen. Go, with what blessing and protection I can bestow upon you. Now flee!”

The angel gestured, and Olive and Tag felt something strange in their minds. Bullet yelped in surprise. As they moved away, Tag saw the angel collapse on the ground. His form began to glow, and his wings appeared as he rallied what strength was still in him to give Tag and Olive the chance to leave and save everyone they cared about.

Olive knew more about the bible than Tag. She knew if an angel told you not to look, you didn’t look, and smacking Tag on his arm, he jerked his head around.

“He said don’t look!”

Seeing real fear in Olive’s eyes, Tag took her hand, and the old couple and their dog ran.

They had only been in the house a few months and called it home, but it wasn’t the same as having the boyz, Drew, and Henry in their lives on a regular basis. They were old, and their main reason for leaving was not to be more of a liability than they felt they already were. The boyz needed to focus on the battle and not be worried about them.

The men had done so much for them, and they felt blessed to know them and be a part of their lives. Loy and Rick led Tag out of a dark place in his life, and all of them healed him in more than just his body by regenerating his leg. Healing his soul and mind as well, they cleared him of the PTSD and drug addiction plaguing him since the war and the loss of his leg.

They didn’t keep score, but that was a saying from his days in the Army that could also have a reverse meaning. By saying it didn’t matter, it meant it did. In fact, it meant everything, and Tag and Olive would lay down their lives for their friends if it came down to it. They hoped it didn’t, but if it did… well, they had lived a long time and counted themselves blessed. If it was their time to go, it was their time to go.

After a few blocks they heard a strange ripping sound, accompanied by a flash of light that filled the sky, and a pervading sense of otherness that was disturbingly uncomfortable hit them. Hiding in an open garage for a short time, they waited until the feeling went away. Once it stopped, they continued, headed on foot back to Atlanta with no food or water, and only a few dollars in Tag’s pocket. His wallet and her purse were back in the house.

They had nothing but each other, their faith, their dog, and the love for their friends to give them the strength to do what needed to be done.

<><><> 

Raphael appeared even before the light faded. What just occurred was as wrong as anything he had ever felt. A large area of the physical realm ceased to exist.

Residual power emanated from the center of the anomaly where a house once stood, and he was sure it was what remained of an angel. He knew the house belonged to the old black couple, Taggart and Olive Keenan. With their home protected by Enochian runes, there was only one power in creation that could have accomplished what seemed to have happened.

Gabriel appeared beside him. Then Michael.

Gabriel whispered, “How can this be?”

Raphael replied, “I do not know. What was here is now gone. Not disintegrated or atomized but gone. Unmade. That should be impossible.”

Michael asked, “Could The Dark One be responsible?”

Raphael replied, “This is beyond him or any of us. I must go Home and seek an answer to this.”

Transforming into balls of light, the archangels slipped out of the physical realm. Unnerved, they had no answers as to what transpired, something that should have been impossible.

<><><> 

Lane’s dream affected them in many ways. As scared as they were for Drew and what he faced, it strengthened their resolve to be ready. As always, they would be whatever they needed to be and were prepared to react within seconds.

The Australian residents maintained they would be fine so the team could stay together in Atlanta.

Ken insisted Albrecht remain in Australia anyway while the doctor and Giovanni remained on ZEUS with Orophir. The rest of the guys would be in Atlanta with Henry and Sally.

Lane still had no idea what part Taliesin would play but knew the Bard had some significant role to fill. Contacting Taliesin, Lane made him aware of Drew’s absence and told him about his dream. Well aware he had a role to play, Taliesin was as clueless as Lane as to what form that would take.

Through centuries of carrying the Gift, Taliesin learned that sometimes he needed to let the universe guide him. If he was open to anything, he would end up being wherever he needed to be to do whatever he was called upon to do.

While at the lab, Ken insisted everyone stay suited up. Bryan and Bill continued monitoring the internet and satellite feeds. Sally maintained her lessons with Tommy and Brett, although they were scared for their cousin and distracted. Mainly, she wanted to keep them occupied so Kevin and Bill could stay focused.

She kept food ordered around the clock to relieve Bryan from any responsibility of cooking. All of them hugged her, kissing her on the cheek many times during the day for her presence and efforts in keeping everything moving and enabling them to maintain an even sharper focus on Drew without minor distractions. She marveled more than ever at how much coffee they drank when they were uptight.

Amidst everything, Sally also found time to help Henry relieve some stress. Her approach awkward, she made sure he realized she asked for his benefit and not hers. He needed to maintain his tantric practice so his powers would be at their peak. Knowing the guys were so highly sexed, it was a stress reliever on top of enhancing their powers.

Surprisingly, Henry took her up on her offer. He was distracted, but her actions soothed him. Initially helping him with his tantric exercise, after that, she wanted to help him relax.

Extremely wound up, he surprised both of them with how many times he came. She would walk funny for a while, but they both got a laugh out of it. Genuinely grateful for her offer, he made sure she knew it.

After lunch, Sally had just started a new reading assignment for the boys when her computer chimed with an alert. The doctor’s latest operating system had distinct notification sounds, and that chime indicated something critical.

Clicking on the alert, it was a communication error with the system at Tag and Olive’s house in Alabama. Seconds later, the doctor’s face appeared in a window on her screen, in the secure video chat system he created. She could see Giovanni and Orophir behind the doctor on ZEUS.

“Sally, did you see the notification?”

“I just did.”

“There are many levels of redundancy to that system. For it to fail, something catastrophic must have happened. Alert Kenneth immediately, please, and keep me informed.”

“Yes, sir.”

Sally told Tommy and Brett, “Keep reading, guys. If you finish before I get back, keep reading into the next chapter, alright?

Rushing to the conference room, Brad saw her coming and had the door open for her. His intuition and her body posture said something was wrong.

“Guys, we just received a critical notification from the system in Tag and Olive’s house. The doctor said it has to be something extreme for that to happen.”

Bill and Bryan had every available computer in the lab monitoring security camera footage, using the doctor’s advanced facial recognition algorithm to look for Drew. Bill switched one of the video feeds to a Headline News channel.

The current headline marque read “Mysterious event in Coden, AL – at least two people suspected missing.”

An aerial shot of the neighborhood showed a massive crater where Tag and Olive’s house used to be. Stunned, a smattering of ‘fuck me’s’ and ‘oh shits’ were heard around the room.

Brad moaned, “No… not them. They can’t be gone! Why didn’t we feel anything?!”

Hitting them hard, the scene was another blow to their hearts, widening the cracks already present from their recent troubles. The old couple had seen so much together, had touched their lives so profoundly… they couldn’t be gone!

Looking at the screen, Brad asked, “How?”

Ken exclaimed, “Fuck! B, skim the people down there and find a place ‘ta teleport. Dar, send me, B, Bill, Kev, Lane, and Bry as soon as B gets you a clear shot. The rest of you stay here and keep lookin’ for Drew.”

Darren had to wait for Ken to finish speaking, as Brad had already cast his mind across the state to Alabama, locating someone at the scene.

The six men appeared in their black Kevlar Assault Suits within a hundred feet of the roped-off area. Brad emitted a compulsion to ignore them, effectively making them invisible.

Ken, Kevin, and Bryan moved to the edge of the crater in a matter of a few seconds, vaulting over the police cars forming a perimeter of the property.

Ken’s mental voice was controlled but intense as he thought:  Bill, see what you can read in the area. We need ‘ta find out if there’s any chance Tag and Olive are still alive.

It went without saying there was little hope of their friend’s survival. There were too many backup systems and ways for them to contact the team in an emergency. Ken hoped Bill could shed some light on what happened. Brad already tried to find their minds, and there was nothing.

Moving past the police tape, Brad, Lane, and Bill were ignored by everyone as if they weren’t there, and people unconsciously shifted out of their way to make it easier for them to move around.

Bill: Guys, something powerful happened here, but it’s odd… I’m reading nothing. And by that, I mean there’s nothing here, not even these people around us or where the house used to be. It’s like there’s a huge blank spot we’re standing in where nothing exists!

An odd sense of vertigo struck Lane as he moved forward. It only lasted the length of a heartbeat, but he knew what it was. He had a similar sensation in Allenor’s cave when they freed him. It was how his Gift reacted to the energy of the previous creation.

Lane: Fuck! This is bad. Bill, use me to look through. Sync us all up, even Loy and Dar in Atlanta. Look again but focus through me.

They were merged, and Bill realized as soon as Lane felt the strange sensation what he needed to do. Synchronizing their Avatars, when he read the area through Lane, a vague picture began to form. It was fractured, but with great effort and concentration, along with Brad’s help, the image cleared some.

<> 

An angel in human form, injured, stood at the edge of the protection of the runes surrounding Tag and Olive’s house. Holding onto the fence trying to stay upright, he fell, and screaming, his aura disintegrated. Energy from the previous creation destroyed him from the inside out, and in a blinding flash of light he ceased to exist, taking out the house and a large area around it.

<> 

No sign of Tag, Olive, or Bullet remained. They had no idea what an angel would be doing at their house, or how he could have died in the manner he did. Allenor said he would seek out God and ask to be unmade. The existing creation fought against him as if he were a contagion, as the two energies were incompatible.

If Tag and Olive were in the house, there was no possibility of survival. Their souls would have been obliterated along with their bodies in reaction to the previous creation's energy. Grief hit them hard once they saw the vision. Tears filled their eyes at the thought of the old black couple being gone from their lives forever. It was another blow they didn’t expect, and their deaths made no sense.

If Tag or Olive survived or managed to escape, they would have contacted the lab by now. Brad cast his mind out, searching again, unable to believe they were gone. Unfortunately, the angel shielded Tag, Olive, and Bullet to protect them, and Brad couldn’t sense their minds. Fresh tears filling their eyes, silence fell among them.

In Atlanta, Darren, Pat, Loy, and Rick were one with their brothers. All of them cried, and as soon as Sally saw them, her hand went to her mouth. Stunned, Henry sat quietly as another piece of his heart was ripped out, his eyes red while hot tears spilled out of them.

His voice a whisper, he said, “God… not them. What am I going to tell Drew?”

Ken didn’t know what to do. Tag and Olive’s deaths didn’t make any sense or seem in any way connected to Drew or what was happening. Luke couldn’t be responsible.

Almost distractedly, Ken said, “B, let the doc and Albrecht know.”

Brad: Lane, is there any residual energy here you can detect? If there’s a danger to the people who live here, we need to get them away.

Lane: No. None that I can sense.

After another brief pause, Lane continued.

There’s no sound here. There’s nothing. Pat needs to be here to look at this.

Ken: Dar, get the rest of you here. Henry, stay with Sally and the boys.

Darren, Pat, Loy, and Rick appeared immediately. Pat synchronized the Avatars of the bodies, and his face assumed a look of intense concentration while the rest watched everything through his eyes and Avatar.

Just to be sure, Loy cast his awareness around the area, looking for Bullet but didn’t find him. Animals all over the area were on edge over what happened, and while his presence calmed them, his heart remained heavy.

A piece of the physical realm was gone. It didn’t disintegrate. According to the laws of physics, matter existed and could change form but could not be created or destroyed within the physical realm. It was a primary law of the conservation of energy. Other realms had different laws, but that was a constant within the physical realm, so what they saw seemed impossible.

The other creation's residual energy was the key, but how did it come to be there? Allenor absorbed the excess energy from the shackles to replenish himself once they freed him before leaving to seek God.

They wondered if there was some catastrophic side effect of freeing Allenor that they were unaware of. Were they ultimately responsible for killing Tag and Olive?

Hearing their thoughts, Brad said: No. Even if Allenor is responsible, or us freeing him, there’s no correlation between that and Tag and Olive living here. There has to be another explanation.

Squaring his shoulders, Ken took a deep breath.

If there’s no more danger here, take us back to the lab, Dar. As sad as it is, we can’t be distracted by this until the issue with Drew and The Master is resolved. Box this up, fellas, as much as it hurts. There’s nothing we can do about it.

The words were painful to say, but as their leader, Ken had to keep their focus on Drew. They would have to delay saying their emotional goodbyes to their dear friends until after the confrontation. It hurt, but they were soldiers and did what they had to do.

Vanishing, to the police investigators and bystanders, they were never there.

<><><> 

Tag and Olive decided to walk at night when it was cooler. The heat of the day in southern Alabama, even with Fall approaching, was too much. With the few dollars in his pocket, Tag bought three bottles of water to keep and refill. One for each of them and one for Bullet.

Olive was a strong woman but wasn’t used to living outdoors or walking for hours at a time, and even at night the temperature in southern Alabama was warm and muggy. Drawing from his memories of living on the streets, Tag coached her on how to take it easy. They didn’t make good progress the first night, and by the following day they were starving. Bullet stayed close to Olive, inherently knowing she didn’t feel well. He was hungry, too, but knew his humans would feed him at some point.

“Try not to think about yer stomach, Momma. It just makes it worse.”

With a rueful laugh, Olive said, “We got used ‘ta the good life livin’ with the boyz. We got fat and lazy, Papa.”

“That we did. Maybe we shoudn’ta left, but who knows what woulda happened if we stayed. Everythin’ happenz for a reason, right?”

Squeezing his hand, she didn’t reply, thankful her husband had enough life experience to get them by. No matter how he came by the knowledge, it saved them, and she wasn’t above believing his days living in a box prepared him for this, even though she would never tell him that.

Tag knew how to scavenge dumpsters for food and tell if what they found was safe to eat. Sometimes the smell put off their appetite, but Tag would save the food for later. Restaurants threw away a lot of food because of government regulations, but it was often still edible, and they managed to collect enough to keep them going.

Stopping at a campground midweek, they used the showers and rinsed out their clothes. They had to put them back on wet, and they chafed at first but dried quickly in the heat.

After the first few days, they both lost weight and were ill. Olive was feverish, often needing to stop and rest, forcing Tag to think long and hard about what to do because they were not making good progress. The trip was over four hundred miles, and the angel said they had to be at the address in two weeks.

There was no way to get to Atlanta on foot in two weeks, especially at their age. They had been on the road half that time and weren’t even to Montgomery. The angel said to go on foot, but there was nothing for it but to try and hitch a ride or they would never make it, especially with Olive feverish and exhausted. Tag was tired too, but his years in the military helped, and when the team regenerated his leg, they healed his body too, and he was in much better physical shape than she was.

He was worried, tired, and scared for himself, Olive, and his friends. They needed him, but he couldn’t leave Olive, not even for them, and he knew they wouldn’t want him to. He didn’t know what happened at the house, but he figured by now they knew he was missing, and he wondered why they hadn’t contacted him. The angel said something terrible was going to happen to them, so maybe it had already started.

He asked Bullet to contact Loy, but the dog stared back blankly. He either didn’t understand, or it just didn’t work that way. He hoped maybe Loy would take a peek at them through Bullet at some point and realize the pickle they were in.

It would be easier to catch a ride in the day, so he had to find a place for them to sleep. They were in an area called Hope Hull just outside Mobile, a few miles north of Interstate 65.

“Momma, stay put for a bit. I’m gonna find us a place to sleep.”

Olive was too exhausted to argue, even though she knew they needed to keep moving. In her mind, all she could think about was needing to be back in Atlanta in time to help her ‘boyz.’ She owed them her marriage and her husband’s life and couldn’t bear the thought of failing them. Bullet stayed with her without Tag saying anything.

Half an hour went by, and Olive fell asleep on the bench. Tag was worried; her complexion was chalky, and she was sweating. When he returned, he gently woke her and said, “Come on, Momma. I found us a spot.”

Not saying anything, she took his hand, and he led her a few blocks away to a big department store parking lot. Making sure no one was around, he led her behind the building to the warehouse doors. There was a trash collection area with empty appliance boxes from deliveries, and he led Olive to a large refrigerator box.

It was the best he could do on short notice. With a last glance around to make sure no one saw them, he knelt down and crawled inside.

“It’s not the Ritz, but it’ll do ’til tomorrow. Come on in, Momma.”

Moving down to the end, she rested against the wall, leaning her head back. The box was big and she was a small woman; her head didn’t hit the top when she sat up. Bullet scuttled in and curled up at her side.

“Momma, I’m gonna find us sumptin’ ‘ta eat. You lie down and rest. It’s Sunday, and the store is already closed, so no one should come messin’ ‘round back here. It should be quiet ’til mornin’, and we’ll be gone by then anyhow.”

Before he finished talking, Olive was softly snoring. Concerned about leaving her, even for a few minutes, he was more worried about getting her fever down and some food in her. He knew Bullet would stay with her, and that gave him a small semblance of peace.

Tag was ashamed of what he had to do. Going to a supermarket he picked up a handbasket and put in some liquid Tylenol for Olive’s fever, a loaf of bread, some peanut butter, a coffee cake, and three bottles of Gatorade. Setting the basket on the floor by the men’s restroom, he went in to pee and wash his hands. As an afterthought, he took a roll of toilet paper that was half used up and stuck it in his pants.

Knowing he looked suspicious when he entered the store, he smelled and was dirty. He looked almost but not quite homeless; he hoped he looked like a laborer buying groceries on his way home from work.

The doors were electronic, and he waited until they were open when someone walked out and made a mad dash out the door. Before anyone realized what he was doing, he was past the corner of the building. Being Sunday afternoon, there were only a few cashiers and a floor manager on duty, and the manager was an overweight woman. Trying to run after him, she soon gave up.

He quickly snuck his way back to Olive before any sheriff or police showed up at the grocery store and looked around. They stayed in the box, hidden and out of sight. Waking Olive, she was grateful for the food and the Gatorade. Drinking some of the Tylenol, she made a face. She didn’t ask Tag how he came by any of what he got.

Falling asleep together, Tag wrapped Olive in his arms trying to comfort her, and Bullet slept against her legs to help keep her warm. She slept fitfully, but her fever broke in the middle of the night.

She was overjoyed about the toilet paper the next morning.

<><> 

A few miles down the road, the sun was bright and it was already hot. The night had been chilly and they woke shivering, but once the sun came up it quickly became hot. Tag knew they would never make it to Atlanta on time if they didn’t hitchhike; there was just no way around it.

Taking them down to Interstate 65, he hoped someone would stop to help an elderly couple walking along the road, but no one stopped for the first few hours. Olive was still not fully recovered, and they walked slowly. Stopping, they ate another sandwich and finished the last of their Gatorade. Bullet kept close to Olive, never leaving her side.

After lunch it was just too hot, and Tag needed to find some shade for them to rest. There was construction on the interstate and no place to sit or get out of the sun. The trees off the road were dense and thick, and Tag wasn’t sure Olive could crawl over the concrete dividers to get to the trees anyway.

He wasn’t panicked, but Tag was anxious for his wife and angry at the entire situation, not at the boyz, but at the angel who told him to leave his house and God for not providing a way when Olive was sick.

We’s doin’ what we was instructed, dammit! Make me suffer all’n you want, but don’t make her suffer too! She’s a Godly woman and don’t deserve this from you!

Almost in response to his rant, Tag heard a horn, and as he turned to look, a large panel van was pulling off between the barrels. A young Hispanic man rolled down his window and asked, “You folks need a lift?”

Tag said, “Do we ever. We’s headed to Atlanta, and if’n you ain’t we’ll go as far as you kin take us in the direction you’re a’goin’.”

“Hey! You’re in luck! I’m headed to Atlanta. Hop in. It’s too hot for you guys to be out.”

“Mighty obliged, son. Momma here’s not feelin’ well, and the hot sun ain’t no place for her ta be.”

“I got plenty of cold water if you want some. Get in here where it’s cool. I got the AC on high.”

Tag helped Olive up, and she was so tired she didn’t say a word. The truck had one bench seat that went all the way across, and Tag sat her between him and the young man. Bullet curled up on the floorboard at Olive’s feet.

Once Tag got Olive situated, he held out his hand.

“Taggart Keenan, Tag for short.”

“Raphael, but you can call me Raph.”

Shaking hands, Raph had a firm grip.

“This is my wife, Olive, and that mutt there is Bullet.”

“Bullet, huh? Great name!”

Bullet’s ears perked up at the mention of his name. Raph held his hand out, palm facing down, and let Bullet sniff him. Bullet nosed at his hand for a head scratch.

“Nice to meet you, too, Bullet, and nice to meet you, ma’am.”

Pulling back out into traffic, they headed for Atlanta. The AC felt wonderful, and Olive soon fell asleep with her head on Tag’s shoulder.

<><><> 

Drew was good at hiding. His Uncle Bryan was good at finding people with cameras, and there were cameras everywhere, so Drew used compulsions to make people buy him food. He gave them money, so it wasn’t stealing, but he felt dirty inside for making them do things. That was his brother’s way, and his uncles and Doctor Aaron told him over and over that it wasn’t right to hear people’s thoughts or make them do things except in absolute emergencies.

He also knew looking inside people hurt, especially his uncles and his dad. It didn’t seem to bother him as much, but he didn’t understand most of what he heard or saw. It terrified Drew to think he was ugly inside now and would hurt them if he linked with them.

The incarnations were restless. His worry and anxiety agitated them, and they missed Henry’s presence along with his uncles. Drew didn’t realize how much it calmed them down when he was linked with everybody at the lab.

Everything he thought and felt drove home how much he missed them. The previous day, Drew decided he wanted to go back home and realized he didn’t know how. He didn’t know where the lab was, and he panicked.

He didn’t have a phone and didn’t know a number to call if he did. One afternoon, he had a meltdown, crying so hard he couldn’t breathe. He wasn’t thinking clearly and eventually remembered all he had to do was take off the amulet, and they would find him. Then he remembered how much danger they would be in because of him and his momentary lapse passed.

Completely miserable, Drew wanted his dad. Clutching the rings around his neck, he remembered, but for the first time his mother’s presence didn’t soothe him. He knew it wasn’t really her, only memories of her. Pulling out the shirt he grabbed from his dad’s locker, he smelled it. It smelled like Henry and Drew cried again, wanting his dad’s arms around him even more. He wanted his Uncle Ken or Loy or Bryan or any of them to hold him and feel their warm, solid strength. His world was cold and empty without them and he realized even more intensely what Henry tried to explain to him.

I feel you.

Sitting up, Drew’s eyes flew open. It was his brother’s voice! Drew was wearing an amulet that should prevent that!

Soon, we will meet face-to-face, and I will destroy you. I will consume your soul, so you can never again return. I will end you and defeat the Nephilim, and my reign in this realm will be complete.

The adult part of Drew’s mind woke up, and he knew his brother couldn’t sense him; he was broadcasting his thoughts across the city so Drew would hear him. Drew felt the tug of the confrontation, the same as his brother; they both started feeling it days before. The vortices swirling around continually tugged them together, and that was why he could hear his brother.

Knowing his brother was mean and wanted to frighten him, anger hit Drew from out of the blue. Anger at his brother for making him scared and for wanting to hurt everyone in Drew’s life that he cared about. He would run to be sure but threw his thoughts back at his brother.

Shut up! I know you like Grape Nehi! I know you like Count Chocula! I’m going to stop you, so you can’t hurt anyone else ever again!

Grabbing his backpack, he ran out of the hotel room and down the street, not stopping until he couldn’t breathe anymore. The amulet should keep anyone from finding him, but just in case he wanted to be away from where he shouted.

<><><> 

Brad and the other mentalists heard The Master’s voice when he sent his thoughts across the city.

I feel you. We will meet face-to-face soon, and I will destroy you. I will consume your Soul, so you can never again return. I will end you and defeat the Nephilim, and my reign in this Realm will be complete.

Their eyes nearly popped out of their heads when Drew shouted back!

Shut up! I know you like Grape Nehi! I know you like Count Chocula! I’m going to stop you, so you can’t hurt anyone else ever again!

Reaching for Drew with all their strength, they couldn’t find him, and Henry’s heart nearly burst in his chest. Drew was okay, but his challenge to The Master confirmed his plan. They didn’t know the details of what he planned, but he confirmed their thoughts.

They couldn’t talk to Drew in the same manner and wondered how The Master could; the amulet should prevent it. Brad deduced it must be because of his connection to Drew that allowed his thoughts to be heard.

Henry shouted in the lab, “Oh God! Drew! Honey, no! Don’t talk to him!”

Ken, closest to Henry, grabbed hold of him.

“Henry, we know he’s okay! That’s good news! He’s out there, and he just threw out a challenge, yeah, but I bet The Master just stopped dead in his tracks. Think about it!”

Chuckling, Bryan said, “How in the hell did that little fucker know The Master likes Grape Nehi and Count Chocula? Way to go, Tiger… all his servants now know his favorite cereal and soda. So much for being badass.”

Darren interjected, “Henry, listen to Ken. We know he’s okay! He’s still out there and ready to fight. It scares the shit out of me, too, but we know he’s alright. He’s made it this far on his own.”

Calming down, Henry sighed, lowering his head and saying, “Yeah, I get it, guys. Hearing his voice… it hurts. On one hand, I want to grab him and hug him so tight he can’t breathe, and on the other, I want to spank his bottom so hard he won’t be able to sit down for a month!”

Kevin chimed in, saying, “Bill and I know that feeling all too well, Henry, but take this as a positive. We’re all scared for him, but we’re ready. Sounds like he’s ready, too.”

Henry said, “I know what you’re saying, guys, but I know him. He was mad and lashed out, but right now, after that outburst, he’s scared again. His temper is like that, and I’m not there for him to hold on to.”

Henry’s voice quiet, he whispered, “He needs me.”

Coming up to Henry, Brad put a hand on his shoulder.

“He knows you’re with him and thinking about him, Henry. I know it’s not the same, but he knows how much you love him.”

Sitting with his head in his hands, Henry exclaimed, “Fuck, this is killing me!”

Brad took them to the place where they were naked together, their souls one. Forming a ring around Henry, they spent as much time as he needed. No one thought him weak, or over-reacting, or being a baby; they were all worried sick about Drew and the fact he was alone and on his way to face The Master.

Their loving support helped calm Henry, and their arms around his shoulders as well as their tears carried him until he was strong enough to carry on again.

<><><> 

Drew stopped, breathless. He didn’t know what direction he ran in and didn’t know where he was. Henry was right; Drew was terrified. The adrenaline from his outburst wore off quickly, and he felt exposed and vulnerable, wanting the safety of the lab more than ever and to be with his family.

Continuing down the street, he saw a Burger King. He noticed cameras, but after looking in the mind of the lady wearing a headset behind the counter, he knew only two of the cameras were real, and the rest were fake or broken. Sitting at a table out of the sight of the cameras that worked, Drew sent a compulsion to a man at a nearby table and gave him money to buy lunch.

Drew didn’t notice a tall, well-dressed man on the street who happened to catch a glimpse of him running and going into Burger King. It was pure chance, and at first, the man didn’t think it could possibly be the boy his Master sought.

The man’s finger went to his temple, and his eyes turned white.

Master, I see the boy! He is unguarded and alone!

Bring him to me alive!

The Master’s command went out to all the ‘suits’ and protectors in Atlanta. There weren’t many in the immediate area, but there were more than enough to catch Drew if he was alone.

<><> 

When Drew realized the toy in the Kid's Meal was from the latest Disney movie, he commanded the man to buy five more so he could have the complete set.

By the time the man returned, Drew finished his meal but wanted a milkshake and sent the man back one more time. Later, when the man returned to work, he couldn’t remember why he spent his entire lunch ordering food for a little boy. He was in a horrible mood the rest of the day because he was starving and had a headache.

Half an hour later, stuffing the toys in his backpack, Drew left the restaurant, unaware of the six black Escalades parked along the street or the well-dressed men and their protectors getting out.

<><><> 

Tag’s dream bordered on a nightmare. It was four years ago, and he was in Atlanta, back in his box, strung out on meth. Rick and Loy’s voices faded in and out of his hearing. His dream hazy and unfocused, he heard other voices too. One of them sounded familiar, but he couldn’t place it.

The truck lurched forward, jarring him awake. Traffic was heavy and moving slowly through the construction.

Sounding sleepy, Tag asked, “Sumptin’ wrong?”

Raph scowled, saying, “Yeah, I need to pull over and check.”

Pulling off the interstate, he raised the hood of the truck and spent a few minutes checking the engine. Tag stayed in the cab with Olive, who woke up when they pulled over. Feeling better after her sleep, she was still tired and kept her head on Tag’s shoulder with her eyes closed.

After a few minutes, Tag heard Raph cursing in Spanish, and the truck rocked when Raph kicked the front end. Coming around, he opened the door.

“Bad news. The transmission line has a leak and the fluid drained out. I need to call a tow truck. Depending on how long it takes, we might still make it tonight.”

Tag wasn’t happy but didn’t have any alternatives other than trying to find another ride.

Seeing Tag’s concern, Raph said, “Look, Tag. I’m going to Atlanta anyway. I promise I’ll get you there if you hang with me. It may just take a little longer than I thought.”

Thinking about it a second, Tag said, “If’n it’s alright, we’ll stay wit you. You was good enough to give us a ride, and we’re grateful.”

Grinning, Raph said, “Good deal. I’ll call a tow truck and make sure we can all get a ride.”

Bullet’s ears perked up, and Raph chuckled at him, saying, “Yeah, you too.”

Tag let Olive rest, and Raph stayed outside the truck most of the time on his cell phone. He called for a tow truck and then called his boss to fill him in. The conversation didn’t sound good for Raph, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Two hours later they were at a service station on the outskirts of Montgomery. The news wasn’t good… the station had to order a part. It would arrive first thing in the morning, but it meant spending the night. There was a cheap hotel right beside the service station.

Raph said, “Okay, Tag, we’ll have to bunk here for the night, and we should be on the road no later than mid-morning. That will put us into Atlanta late tomorrow afternoon.”

Embarrassed, Tag told Raph, “Look, son, me and momma don’t got no money for a room. You go ahead, and we’ll figure out sumptin’ and meet you back here in the mornnin.’”

With no hesitation, Raph said, “Well, if you don’t mind sharing a room, you can stay with me. My company is paying for a room; I can chip in a few bucks and make it a double.”

Touched deeply, a tear came to Tag’s eye, grateful for the young man’s generosity.

“Thank you, Raph, that’s mighty generous. If Momma wasn’t feelin’ so poorly, I’d probably not do it, but I appreciate it. I’ll pay you back when I can.”

Raph replied, “Don’t worry about it, Tag. I’ve been in a tough spot before, and some strangers helped me out. This is my way of paying it back… or forward… however the hell that works.”

He was chuckling at himself by the time he finished mixing up the phrase.

Raph not only paid for the room, but he also bought a family dinner at the Kentucky Fried Chicken next door to the hotel. It was the first substantial meal Tag and Olive had eaten in days. Bullet ate the leftover biscuits and lapped up the gravy but was upset about not getting any chicken bones.

While eating, a thought kept nagging at the back of Tag’s mind. After his dream, some dots needed connecting. Opening one of the little strawberry shortcake desserts that came with the meal, he dug his spork into it. He loved strawberry shortcake, even the processed kind jammed into the small plastic container. He remembered Bryan’s, though, and it brought a smile to his face. Once Bryan found out strawberry shortcake was Tag’s favorite dessert, he made it on occasion just for Tag.

Raph, making small talk asked, “So Tag, what takes you two to Atlanta? You got family? Is there someone waiting I can leave you with?”

“No blood family, but we got some friends who are closer than blood. We heard they is in trouble, and we need ‘ta help ’em out.”

Raph laughed, “No offense old-timer but you two have no money and no ride. How are you gonna help?”

Tag laughed and said, “Yeah, we’ll just hafta see when we git there won’t we? I just know it’s important we git there by tomorrow night.”

Tag’s expression turned serious, and Raph glanced at him, his look smart and observant.

Nodding his head, Raph said, “Yeah, I know about family and friends and hard times.”

Tag’s eyes squinted slightly as the dots started connecting.

“You said someone helped set you straight?”

Raph sighed and leaned back, patting his full stomach.

“Yeah, about four years ago, I was in a gang. I was young… well, younger,” he laughed, “and stupid. I got mixed up with the wrong people. I was lucky to get out alive. Two men I tried to kill kicked my ass and set me straight. I didn’t know it at the time, but I owe them my life.”

The final dot slammed into place, and Tag shrewdly asked, “Was them two men named Loy and Rick, by chance?”

Raph’s eyes went wide, and he said, “Holy shit! Yeah! Do you know ’em?”

“They’z two of our friends we’re goin’ ta help. They is gonna need our help bad really soon, and we gotta get there.”

“Fuck!”

When Raph realized he used an f-bomb, he apologized.

“I’ve never talked to Loy or Rick again, but I remember that morning like it was yesterday.”

Tag knew the story from Loy and decided to take a gamble, “If they helped ya, you know they’z special, right?”

Raph’s face got serious, and he asked, “What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean. Did they talk in your head?”

Raph got spooked, asking, “Tag, what’re you getting at?”

“Calm down, sonny. Am I right?”

“Yeah, you are. No one else would believe me if I said that, but yeah. Loy showed me all kinds of things in my head. He’s the reason I turned my life around.”

“You remember what you were doin’ there that morning?”

“Yeah, there was an old black man, a homeless dude with one leg living in a big cardboard box. Some men paid my boys and me to chase away anyone asking questions. Loy and Rick were there, and we tried to kill ’em.”

“That old black homeless dude was me.”

The strangeness of the situation hit him, and a chill ran down Raph’s spine.

“What the fuck is goin on here?”

Glancing at Tag's legs, his eyes widened.

Holding out his hand, Tag said, “Calm down, Raph. I don’t know, but I don’t think it was chance dat you picked us up. We is headed back because an angel told us Loy and Rick and the rest of our friends need our help. We gotta get there, or they is gonna die.”

“Jesus, Tag! If anyone else told me that I’d drop them and run, but something weirds going on here!”

Raph sat up suddenly as Tag’s words hit him.

“What do you mean they’re gonna die if you don’t get there?”

Tag sighed and said, “I don’t know how. I just know what I was told. Loy and dem boyz has the light ‘a  Heaven in ’em. They gave me a new leg. They changed the way you see Momma and me, but to us, we look da same as always.”

Quiet up to that point, Olive spoke up.

“Thank you, Raph, for helpin’ us. The boyz mean the world ‘ta us. There’s a lot more to ’em that you don’t know. You barely scratched the surface with ’em, but they need our help, and we can’t let ‘em down. We owe ‘em our lives, too.”

Looking shaken, even a little pale, Raph said, “I used to not believe in stuff like this. But Loy went in my head, in my memories, and showed me things. He showed me all the wrong decisions I made and how they affected not only my life but my family. He told me to be a man and to stop pretending to be a man. I was a dumbass kid in a gang trying to feel important by holding a gun.

“It took me months to figure it all out, and turning my life around wasn’t easy. The people I was mixed up with don’t let you just walk away. Some of my friends didn’t make it, but I was lucky and finally got out. Ever since, I’ve tried to be on the up-and-up. As funny as it sounds, I feel better about myself. Earning a living rather than stealing one from strangers is… well, better. I don’t know how else to say it.”

Tag smiled, saying, “You is doin’ right by Loy and Rick, Raph. They’d be proud ‘a you if they could see you. If we help ’em, you’ll get the chance. I don’t know what’n the world you or us’ll see when we git there. We’re walkin’ into some kinda hornets’ nest.”

“Well, I’ll gladly take a sting or two if they need me. I’ve still got chills from thinking about this. Meeting you and Olive and the connection we have that we didn’t even know about until we started talking, that’s just spooky.”

Smiling, Olive patted his hand, saying, “You’re a good man, Raph. Loy and Rick’ll be proud!”

Once the decision to help them was made, Raph didn’t want to continue talking about it all and spook himself even more, and the conversation turned to lighter matters.

Turning on the TV, they found a show they could all watch until it was time to turn in.

<><><> 

Taliesin was in a foul mood. The young girl he tutored didn’t tell him until after her lesson that she didn’t have a ride home. Apparently, her parents expected Taliesin to drive her to Buckhead to their home.

He couldn’t throw the child out of his Condo and wish her a good day, but he would have a serious talk with her parents as soon as he had the chance. Throughout his lifetime he had dealt with that type of upper-class arrogance before, and would make sure it didn’t happen again. He learned centuries ago how to put uppity nobles in their place, and the girl’s parents would get an earful.

Part of his mood was worry about Drew and everything Lane shared with him. The Enemy hunted the boy, which put Taliesin at risk of exposure if he was out and about. The girl and her parents didn’t know that, of course, but their actions affected his safety.

After Lane told him about Drew, he hid weapons in his car. He had weapons within arm’s reach all through his Condo, just not visible to the naked eye. He had weapons on his body under his clothes. He was a walking arsenal.

“Come on, Chelsea, let’s get you home. Cavall! Come, boy!”

Cavall bounded out of the bedroom. The dog stayed in the back room during the girl’s lessons, and Taliesin called him a coward in ancient Gaelic but knew his companion was lucky to escape the dreadful noise the girl coaxed out of a most exquisite instrument. Her parents, typical of a wealthy family, purchased an instrument far beyond her skills. Truthfully, her talent would never be worthy of the instrument. When she eventually failed or became disinterested in her lessons, he would offer to purchase the violin at a substantially reduced price and add it to his collection.

Trotting out, Cavall hopped in the back seat of the car when Tal opened the door for him. Cavall, like all dogs, loved riding in the car.

Chelsea sat up front, and Tal drove through horrific mid-afternoon Atlanta traffic down to Buckhead. As a Bard and performer for thousands of years, Taliesin was a good entertainer and made Chelsea feel comfortable while subtly discouraging her from continuing her musical path. It became clear shortly into their conversation that it was her parents pushing her in that direction. Her mother, a failed Cellist, was attempting to live vicariously through her daughter, who, of course, must be a child prodigy because the mother herself was so talented.

After dropping Chelsea off and running into more construction, he diverted in frustration. He had no idea where he was, but he was moving even if it wasn’t entirely in the right direction. One of the most fabulous inventions of the twenty-first century according to Tal, aside from air conditioning and refrigerators, was the GPS. Bringing up the in-dash GPS, he pressed the ‘Home’ button, and the car began talking, telling him where he needed to go. Taliesin, like Aaron, embraced technology and was admittedly a tech junkie.

He hit another detour, and the car was practically screaming at him to do a ‘legal U-Turn.’ Frustrated, he began cursing in ancient Gaelic. When he looked in the rearview mirror, Cavall’s deadpan expression looked back at him, and he was sure the dog was laughing at him. His eyes said so, anyway. Taliesin called him a mangy mutt in ancient Gaelic, but the hound ignored him, sticking his nose out the window.

Ever since Lane, Bryan, and the others put half of Áedán’s soul in him, his life turned around. The love Áedán held for him all those years ago, the love he never knew about, or not in the way that mattered, now resided within him. Taliesin picked up the habit of speaking to Áedán directly and holding conversations with himself. Áedán never talked back in words, but Tal felt emotions he interpreted as responses.

Taliesin’s step had a bounce to it he hadn’t had in a very long time… he couldn’t remember being as happy or content. His love for Áedán and Áedán’s love for him finally washed away the ugliness of what Charissa did to him. Through the actions of his new brothers, the old pain of what Charisa did to him was gone, and he was finally free of her webs and manipulations and any lingering emotions.

To pass the time, Tal played a game with Cavall, something Áedán used to do. Tal noticed many mannerisms of Áedán’s he had picked up. Instead of being weirded out by them, they were a comfort. They were a part of the man he loved who was now inside him. Happier than he had been in his entire lifetime, happier than he ever thought he could be, he owed it to Lane and the other members of the new Order.

To stop the GPS from continually yelling at him, he turned on the satellite radio in his car. The number of available stations were astounding, yet there were few he liked. Mad World by Gary Jules played on one. It was an odd song from a dark movie titled “Donnie Darko.” The lyrics were sad, yet they always resonated with him. As many songs often did, whether intended or not, this one spoke to much of his life.

And I find it kind of funny, I find it kind of sad, these dreams in which I’m dying, are the best I’ve ever had… 

Taliesin, lost in his thoughts, sang the lyrics while making random turns, trying to avoid more traffic, when he noticed a little boy in a bright red hoodie running down the street. The boy seemed in a panic and caught Taliesin’s eye.

Memories of his life as a street urchin before Albrecht found him flashed through his mind. Knowing fear when he saw it, the boy was clearly running scared. Taliesin’s training as an agent of The Order, one of the best in their long span of years, took over. His unconscious mind picked up details around him, ever on guard for his own safety.

He noticed four well-dressed ‘suits’ and a dozen protectors of The Enemy, following the boy. What surprised him even more was that he recognized the little boy as Drew Ross, the brother of The Master. The boy who could break the Curse on mankind. The boy who was missing and about to be captured by The Enemy if Taliesin didn’t act quickly!

There were too many of The Enemy around to collect Drew and escape by car. Now that he was alert, Tal noticed how many Escalades were about, and he didn’t know the area well enough, especially with the traffic.

“Cavall, be ready! We have to save that boy!”

<><> 

Realizing he was being chased, Drew panicked. He was smart for his age, but only six years old; eleven thousand times over, but none of his incarnations had ever lived past their seventh birthdays. Not knowing the area any more than Tal, he simply ran away from them.

Horns honked as Taliesin dodged oncoming traffic, jumping his car over the curb. Cavall went flying in the back seat with a yelp of surprise.

“Sorry, Cav! Hold on!”

In one fluid motion, Taliesin slid the car sideways and opened his door. Rolling out, he grabbed the hilts of the swords hidden in the upholstery of the seats, drawing them as he rolled. The familiar sound of the blades leaving their scabbards was music he never got tired of hearing.

Cavall jumped out behind him as Taliesin rolled to his feet and took off running, abandoning the car.

A few minutes earlier

Walking out of Burger King, Drew stopped, not sure which way to go. Excited about having the entire collection of toys, he held one in his hand, looking at it. Not paying attention to where he walked, he bumped into a big man and nearly fell down.

Looking up in surprise, he started to apologize. The man was big like his dad and his uncles with a leering grin on his face. With his mind open, Drew saw the evil behind the smile.

Blindingly fast, the man grabbed him. He was a protector of The Enemy. They found him!

Drew didn’t panic, but adrenaline born of fear hit his little body.

Let me go!

His compulsion struck a shield; however, Drew was strong, and the shield shattered, but it stopped most of the strength of his command. The sneering grin faded, replaced with a look of conflicted confusion. All of Drew’s training, learning to be a slinky, running and flipping, his mental disciplines, all came into play. His dad and Uncle Ken told him that he had to fight dirty and hard to get away if he ever faced one of the protectors.

The hand gripping his shirt relaxed, and Drew threw himself backward onto the ground. As he fell, he brought his leg up, and the momentum of his fall sent all the strength in his lithe body through his leg and into the man’s balls. His backpack absorbed most of the impact and kept his head from hitting the hard concrete of the sidewalk. He executed the maneuver flawlessly.

“Get him, you fool!”

Drew heard the shout directed at the protector he just kicked, but the man’s face was purple as his hands moved with all his enhanced speed to clutch his aching testicles. Protectors didn’t feel pain as ordinary men, but their balls were vulnerable, and Drew’s training maximized the blow's effectiveness. Nimbly rolling to his feet, Drew took off running.

Running as fast as he could, more ‘suits’ and protectors followed, herding and driving him where they wanted him to go. The amulet protected his mind from attacks, but he was vulnerable to the protectors' strength and speed. If all the protectors had shields he could be in trouble, and more and more of them were showing up.

It wasn’t time to face his brother yet, and Drew started to panic. The forces pulling the two of them together were strong but not finished. Briefly, he considered pulling off the amulet so Henry and his uncles could find him, but without it he would be more vulnerable to their attacks. He didn’t want everything to escalate and cause The Master to face his uncles too soon, or they would surely die.

He stopped when he saw more protectors in front of him. There were too many, and he seemed surrounded. The incarnations, agitated and unrestful, started pushing, distracting him from thinking, and he yelled at them.

Stop it!

Surprisingly, they quieted. Not entirely, but it gave him a respite to focus on his escape.

The protectors were extraordinarily fast, faster than any human, but held back in public. People were staring, and Drew saw phones being pulled out by bystanders, recording what they saw but not willing to help a little boy being chased by dozens of big men.

One of the suits shouted, “Never mind the cameras, just get the boy!”

“Drew!”

Drew’s head whipped around when a familiar voice shouted his name. At the mouth of an alley between two storefronts stood Taliesin with a sword in each hand and Cavall by his side.

“Quickly, Drew! This way!”

The protectors slowed, unsure of the new development. Recognizing Taliesin, he was wanted by their Master almost as much as the boy, and they knew he was dangerous. To kill the Bard who slew countless numbers of them over the years and to capture The Master’s brother would be a great day!

Running as fast as he could, Drew threw his arms around Taliesin’s waist in a fierce hug. Relief ran through him; a friend was there to help, and he wasn’t alone anymore!

Taliesin saw the tears on Drew’s face. As the protectors halted, Taliesin knelt to be at eye level with Drew.

“I will do my best to keep you safe. Come with me!”

Winking at Drew, Taliesin grinned, hoping to put Drew at least somewhat at ease.

Sniffing and nodding, he followed Taliesin. The alley was a dead-end, but it had a few doors, probably rear exits from businesses. Taliesin wasn’t looking for an escape route for himself, only for Drew.

The alley entrance was narrow enough to only allow two or three protectors to come at them at a time. It was the most defensible position he could find on such short notice. With the reach of his weapons, he could form a barrier they could not cross.

Cavall stayed slightly ahead of them, his hackles high and teeth bared, his low guttural growl a clear warning not to come any closer. Taliesin spoke in a low tone so the approaching protectors wouldn’t hear him.

“Drew, there are some doors further in. If you see your chance, run, and I will hold them off. You must escape if the opening presents itself, do you understand?”

“I won’t leave you!”

“You must if you wish to survive, child. If the fight drags out too long, you know The Master will arrive, and unless you wish to face him today, you will have to flee. I am not trying to be cruel, Drew; I am being honest. If you wish to survive to meet your brother on your terms, which I assume you do since you ran away from everyone you care about, you must run if you get the chance. I will do my best to give you the chance to carry out your plan.”

The smile on Taliesin’s face was one of remorse.

“I know all about running to survive, Drew. Trust me on this, child.”

While Taliesin spoke, the ‘suits’ and protectors gathered at the entrance to the alley. There were perhaps thirty in all, at least two protectors for every ‘suit.’

At that moment, Drew realized Taliesin wouldn’t survive, and Taliesin’s death would be his fault for running away and needing help. The impact of that hit Drew hard, and it was a weight he didn’t expect.

Reverting to a little boy out of his depth, he cried. He didn’t wail, but he couldn’t talk from breathing heavy and hiccupping. His vision blurred with thick tears, and he felt a rough tongue on his face as Cavall licked his tears as if telling him everything would be alright.

“Watch for your chance and be ready. Be brave, Drew, and bring all this to an end. You are the only one who can.”

Taking up his stance, Taliesin’s goal wasn’t to survive; it was to kill and maim as many of The Enemy as possible to give Drew a chance to escape.

His stance, he noticed, was more Áedán’s than his own. Áedán fought with a double-edged long sword, but Taliesin preferred the single-edged katanas he now wielded. They were weapons of a samurai, and Taliesin was a blade master. However, Áedán was arguably the best swordsman who had ever lived. Áedán often teased him about the ‘willow wands’ he fought with rather than a real sword, and that thought made him smile.

Finding his centering flame, Taliesin’s mind calmed. No longer able to slow his perception of time, he missed that ability. He could use the Gift; if he still carried it, he could quickly destroy all of them. It was the first time since Lane accepted the Gift from him that Taliesin wished he had it back.

His centering flame didn’t waver, but he felt a strange tug in his mind. It was the familiar presence of Áedán, and his eyes widened in surprise.

<> 

Deep within himself, where his soul resided, Taliesin appeared naked. Áedán was there waiting for him. Unable to speak at first, Taliesin could only stare at the naked body of the man he loved, the man he now shared a soul with. Áedán’s handsome face and muscular body had never looked so virile or desirable, and he was so beautiful and manly that he almost seemed otherworldly.

Months ago, Taliesin looked on Áedán’s face as he lay entombed in Avalon, preserved by Charisa’s enchantment, and his heart leapt in his chest at the sight of the man he hadn’t seen in fifteen hundred years.

That moment was harsh and beautiful. At the time, Taliesin’s mind and heart had been in chaos as emotions of centuries caught up with him. Crying when he looked upon Áedán’s body, so lifelike he could have been asleep, Taliesin’s heart shattered when a single tear caused Áedán’s body to fall to dust.

Taliesin didn’t understand what was happening, and his brow furrowed questioningly. His face broke into a smile when Áedán’s deep voice, speaking ancient Gaelic, filled his ears; the sweet music of his voice Taliesin hadn’t heard in ages.

“I’m with you, Tal, but I do not see a way out of this. It has been a long time since we danced in this war together. Let us fight one last time in a battle so glorious we will be remembered for eternity.”

Taliesin’s voice trembled as his own hot tears spilled from his eyes.

“I only just found you, Áedán. I don’t want to lose you so soon. I can’t!”

Embracing, the two felt the hardness of their muscled bodies press together, a blissful feeling they had never experienced in life. Áedán wiped Taliesin’s tears away with his thumbs, and they smiled at one another. Áedán kissed him, and they became aroused. How Taliesin longed for that kiss, and when it finally happened, it was in his mind, but real enough to touch his soul.

“You will not lose me, Tal. We are bound as one and will go Home together. We must do what we can and give the boy a chance. Too much rests on his survival.”

Taliesin realized the moment of Lane’s dream was upon him. The purpose Taliesin had to fill to bring about The Master’s defeat. He had to give Drew a chance to live and escape so he could fight his brother on his own terms.

A final sense of completion washed over him; there was no better way to die than in battle against The Enemy, side-by-side with the man he loved and fulfilling a purpose that would affect not only the world but all creation. If Drew escaped and won and his new brothers were able to revoke the Curse and bring mankind back to what it was meant to be, it would rest on his act of bravery, and in his mind, he felt that would finally atone for all the years of his life. He knew he had been forgiven, but his actions through the centuries still weighed on his soul.

“I am with you, Tal. Let us dance.”

<><> 

Putting a fist against Drew’s chest, Taliesin firmly pushed him back. Drew wasn’t sure how, but something in Taliesin changed. Cavall sensed it too. He felt Áedán, his old master. Looking with his silver eyes, both his masters stood before him, as one. Áedán smiled at him once again, and the unconditional love for his first master filled him.

Giving him the command to aggressively defend their position, Cavall bared his teeth in a savage snarl, and the growl that came out of his body reverberated through the physical and spiritual realms. The ‘suits’ were shocked at what they heard, and it sent a chill of fear through them. That was something they had not encountered before.

Unique among animal kind, Cavall was blessed as a puppy by the angel Ariel. His silver eyes saw both the physical and the spiritual realms as one, and he was mighty in each. Raphael never knew the purpose of his instruction to dispatch Ariel and bestow her blessing on the single pup out of an entire litter, but it was to protect Drew Ross centuries later.

As the dog grew, he was discovered by Áedán, and they became fast friends. Cavall was always a loyal companion and never just a hound. Living and hunting The Enemy with his master his entire life, across fifteen centuries, led him to that point in time to defend Drew Ross by the side of his masters. Cavall saw the vortex surrounding Drew and its connections to all of them.

Loyalty to their Master overrode any fear in The Enemy Agents, and they moved forward, not realizing it was Áedán Mac Artur of legend they faced, alongside Taliesin, the Bard of Avalon. They didn’t know what to make of Cavall, with his silver eyes that saw everything.

The ‘suits’ attacked in unison, sending a bolt of mental energy at them. Drew’s amulet protected him, but Taliesin no longer carried the Gift and had no shields. Brad placed protections over his mind to divert any attacks to him, but Tal had no idea if they would survive a concerted attack against so many.

With a howl that pierced their minds and ears, Cavall stopped their attack, shattering it with his own power. The hound had been the companion to Áedán and now Taliesin, but his role was ever to defend Drew at that moment in time. Watching from the Heavens, Raphael saw the end result of his instruction all those centuries ago and smiled.

Smiling grimly, Taliesin took up a fluid, graceful stance. Like Ken and his brothers, Áedán and Taliesin had studied with Albrecht, the greatest warrior in human history, and were his best pupils.

With the mental attacks blocked by Cavall, Taliesin and Áedán would have to defend Drew from the protectors, inhumanly fast genetically enhanced beasts of men, with an incredibly high tolerance for pain. The protectors were far faster than Taliesin, but Taliesin had thousands of years of experience, and Áedán was the best swordsman who had ever lived. With the two men one, their skills blended seamlessly together.

To deal with an opponent faster and stronger, Taliesin had to predict where they would be and not where they were. The narrow alley only permitted a few protectors to attack at a time, restricting their movements and making that prediction easier.

Knowing what to do through Áedán, Taliesin began whirling like a dervish, his blades flashing so quickly they were nearly invisible. Watching the approaching men, with Áedán’s guidance, he swung his blades precisely along the trajectory of where their arms would be a fraction of a second before they were.

The katanas he wielded were honed razor-sharp, the metal folded countless times, sharpening the edges nearly to the width of a few molecules. Drew was stunned when the arms of the two protectors attacking Taliesin separated from their bodies and fell to the ground. Their faces registered surprise when they realized their arms no longer obeyed their will, and a fraction of a second later they fell to the ground, cleanly severed.

Taliesin’s face hardened upon drawing first blood, but it was Áedán who threw out the challenge in ancient Gaelic. None of those present spoke the ancient dialect, but his challenge was clear. To Drew, whatever he said was impressive, giving The Enemy pause.

“Come face my blades, you filth of darkness! I cleansed the world of your kind in my lifetime, and I will do so again!”

Cavall howled, and the ‘suits’ grabbed their heads, screaming in pain as the hound attacked their minds, preventing them from aiding the protectors.

For a moment Drew had hope that Taliesin would hold them off, but similar to when Henry fought the Eschphene leader, he was ultimately overmatched. As good as Taliesin and Áedán were together, the Enemy's strength, speed, and numbers overran them. The telling factor was the willingness of The Enemy to sacrifice themselves for their cause.

Some of the big men towards the rear threw others over and behind Taliesin, forcing him to face them on two fronts, making him hold Drew closer and hampering his movements.

Beautiful and terrifying to behold, Taliesin’s blades became a whirlwind of death around him and the bodies piled up, but it didn’t take many blows to critically injure the Bard; the protectors were just too strong physically.

Once he was knocked into the side of the alley wall, and his face came away bloodied. Soon after, he was struck a blow that fractured a leg, further impeding his movement. They whittled away at him, yet he continued to fight, successful in his goal of attrition; there were far fewer of the Enemy than when the fight began. Corpses and body parts lay strewn about the entrance to the alleyway, obstructing the area. It was already a Pyrrhic victory for The Enemy, and he wanted to make it even more so.

Taliesin’s bravery was absolute, but he knew he was overmatched. He took another intentional blow to clear the way behind Drew, seeing one of the doors cracked open, hiding a man who watched the fight.

Through Taliesin, Áedán spoke in Gaelic to Cavall, “Stay with the boy and defend him to the last. I love you, my faithful Cavall, and will await you in Heaven. Go now and protect him with your last breath, as do I!”

Immediately after his command to Cavall, Taliesin spoke to Drew in low tones, hoping he was not overheard.

“Run, Drew. Cavall will protect you as long as he can, but you must escape. Run through that door at the rear of the alley. Hide well. It has been an honor to know you, child. Much rests on your shoulders. Honor your father and his brothers by not failing them, as I have you. Go now and run!”

Crying hard as he watched Taliesin beaten down, covered in blood and sweat and his clothes torn. Fighting as hard as Henry had against the Eschphene, Taliesin was not enough. Drew realized Taliesin’s sacrifice, made for him, and it made his heart want to burst. Drew wanted to tell him he hadn’t failed; his bravery and sacrifice touched Drew, igniting the fire within him to want to succeed and honor what he saw.

Cavall growled to get Drew’s attention, and he turned, running down the alley. The sounds of fighting continued behind him. As he got closer, Drew saw the door cracked open with a man peeking out, watching everything wide-eyed and afraid.

Reaching the door, Drew glanced back and wished he hadn’t. Taliesin was on the ground being torn apart by the remaining protectors. All but three protectors were dead, and most of the ‘suits’ were unconscious, with the few still conscious trying to shield the remaining protectors against Cavall.

The three protectors stopped, looking down the alley, making eye contact with Drew. Their minds were shielded, and he was strong enough to break them, but his goal was to escape and run away. He couldn’t dishonor Taliesin’s sacrifice by disobeying.

The man tried to close the door, but Drew compelled him.

Let me in!

The door opened, and Drew ran in, but Cavall didn’t follow. Defending the door, he barred it from The Enemy, to give Drew a chance to escape as he had been commanded to do. He would fulfill his purpose or die trying.

Slamming the door shut, the man locked it as Drew heard Cavall’s growl of defiance. Drew heard one scream cut off and then a yelp of pain from Cavall. Drew’s eyes filled with more tears and his small body jerked at the sound. Turning, he looked at the man.

Show me a way out where they won’t see!

The man shuffled Drew through the storage area of the building and through a few more doors. There was another alley on the far side of the building that faced the other side of the block, away from everything that happened.

The sun bright, Drew squinted as he exited. He didn’t hear anything but didn’t stop running. He ran for blocks and blocks, with a constant compulsion around him.

You don’t see me! I’m not here!

<><><>  

Everyone was in the lab occupied with various tasks related to searching for Drew. Bryan reviewed security footage from hotel computer systems, Bill monitored satellite feeds, and Brad scried for Drew, hoping he would take the amulet off at some point. Loy was inside animals all over the city, looking through their eyes. It was slow and painstaking, as it had been in Arizona because of the sheer number of animals and the different species. He had to be thorough and not miss something critical.

Monitoring social media outlets, Darren almost jumped out of his chair when he got a hit.

Guys! I got something!

Henry was the first to reach his side, rushing to look over his shoulder. Everyone else was right behind him.

“I’m throwing this up on the Ops Board so it will be easier to read. Shit!”

A dozen Tweets all hit within seconds of one another, showing pictures of a large mob and rumors of a sword fight at Peachtree Road NE in Buckhead. There was no mistaking the well-dressed men and muscled protectors.

Before Ken formed his thought, Brad was in the mind of a bystander, and Darren had a visual. Disappearing from the lab, they appeared on the sidewalk. Bodies and blood were everywhere.

Sending out a mass compulsion, Brad cleared the area. Ken and the bodies heard police sirens in the distance headed their way.

In the alley, in a blinding flash of light, Uriel appeared, with Taliesin’s body at his feet, torn apart by The Enemy. Body parts of protectors littered the area around him. Pat saw the connections, and there were seventeen corpses in a pile around Taliesin.

Tears filled their eyes as they rushed over, but Uriel already held Taliesin’s soul. It was beautiful, and the men saw Áedán and Taliesin in it; two men yet one.

Moaning, Lane’s voice caught in his throat.

“No! Tal! No! Not you too!”

Uriel rarely spoke when fulfilling his province, but looking at Lane, with his deep gentle voice, he said, “He is finally at peace, Lane. He died gloriously, in battle with The Enemy as he and Áedán wished. He fulfilled his purpose, and Drew escaped. Drew lives because of his sacrifice.”

Knowing Uriel’s words were true, Lane’s heart found some comfort in them, but Taliesin’s music was now gone, and the world would be a lesser place because of it. Taliesin finally found happiness, and it showed in the way he played with Lane on ZEUS that day. Lane was sad another light in the world was snuffed out, but more than that, another friend was gone from his life, one he had only recently found.

Before Bryan could respond to Lane’s thoughts, it was Loy who said: Lane, his light isn’t gone from the world, brother. It’s in you now. We all merged with him, but you’re the one who can keep his music alive. Do that, and it’s not really gone. Make him matter, and we’ll all remember him.

Henry fell to his knees in relief at Uriel’s words about Drew. He had been searching among the bodies of the protectors, praying his son wasn’t among them.

A crack of thunder rolled across the city as Uriel’s wings turned raven black, sweeping across the bodies of the slain protectors, collecting their black souls.

None of the ‘suits’ were dead, and the three still conscious were attempting to flee, but Brad grabbed their minds, holding them. As painful as it was, Brad delved into their recent memories. Ken moved behind him, wrapping his arms around Brad, filling his husband with his essence to fend off the worst of the pain.

Bill read the area. The violence and intensity of everything that occurred made impressions clear to his Avatar. Drew himself was fuzzy because of the amulet he wore, but with Bill’s Avatar synchronized with his brothers and the power and significance of what happened, he discerned everything.

At the edge of his hearing, Ken picked up another sound. At first, he wasn’t even sure he heard it, but it happened again. A whimper in the alley!

Rushing with all his enhanced speed to the source of the sound, by a doorway, under the bodies of three dead protectors, lay Cavall. His sides barely moving, his body was crushed, but the throats of the three protectors were ripped out, nearly beheaded. As his master commanded, Cavall defended the boy with his last breath.

Loy!

As one, even as Ken called out, Loy appeared by his side. Instead of Ken lifting the bodies off the wounded dog, Loy teleported Cavall into his arms. White healing enveloped Cavall, restoring him to full health and well-being. Wiggling and thrashing as he healed, he tried to escape Loy’s arms and return to Áedán and Tal.

Setting him down, he ran to Taliesin’s corpse, sniffing him. His head hung low for a moment, and then he howled, his cry filled with honor and grief, a farewell to his two beloved masters. The sound echoed in both realms, and the sorrow in it tore at their already battered hearts.

Sensing the pervasive loneliness in Cavall, whose intelligence was near-human, his heart was broken by the loss of the two men, his best friends in life. Resting his head on Taliesin’s bloody chest, tears ran from his silver eyes. Moving to him, Loy scratched his ears, filling the dog with his presence.

I’m with you, boy. You were so brave. Drew escaped because of you. Your masters were brave too, and I’m sorry they’re gone. I’ll keep you now if you’ll have me, and if that is what you wish. I will love you.

Launching himself into the sky, Uriel transformed into a ball of light. In honor of Taliesin and Áedán’s sacrifice, their combined soul appeared like a shooting star for anyone to see in the afternoon sky as he shot back to the heavens.

Brad took them deep where they were naked together, and their souls one.

All of them cried, yet there was tremendous relief in them that Drew escaped and was still alive. However, after gaining Taliesin as a brother when they helped him on their wedding day, losing him was another blow to their hearts they didn’t expect, and it was brutal. Lane especially felt the hurt; he had discovered a kindred musical soul in Taliesin, and they had been well on their way to becoming good friends.

Taliesin had been a tragic figure through the many years of his life, but he finally found peace, even happiness with their help. Sadly, Taliesin’s happiness was intense but short-lived. Puppet strings abounded through his life, adding to their anger and frustration over his death. Lane dreamed years earlier of Taliesin, and it was the only dream he ever had that remained unclear until that moment.

Seeing Taliesin’s soul in Uriel’s hands, it dawned on Lane why his dream was never clear. It was Áedán’s soul. Because they were free and unfettered, their lives were mostly invisible to the High Hosts. The spontaneous attempt to travel back in time and collect half of Áedán’s soul caused an ambiguity in Taliesin once his soul merged with Áedán’s. Lane himself, and his brothers created the lack of lucidity. Many paradoxical ripples flowed around those events, and his Avatar’s lack of clarity on that dream was one of them.

It was not lost on them that Taliesin was the one person, aside from themselves, Albrecht, or the doctor, who could have saved Drew. Without the Gift, his mind closed and no longer immortal, he faced and killed seventeen enhanced protectors that were accompanied by ten ‘suits.' They were astounded at Cavall’s ability, unique in creation, and his bravery was no less than that of his two masters. He just happened to get lucky and live.

Sitting in a circle, side by side with arms around shoulders, they held and carried one another. It seemed as if they spent more time than ever in their special, private place, supporting one another. It was the only way they survived and found the strength to continue. They wondered when the tears would stop, and in a moment of weakness, if they ever would.

They were strong, part Nephilim and soldiers, but they began as men, and their hearts and souls were battered and bruised from each blow when they lost someone in their lives. The battle raged around them. Drew was still gone but alive. Tag, Olive, and now Taliesin were dead. Loy’s half-brother Alariel was another hole in their hearts, especially Loy’s. Sally’s fiancé Carlo, Greg Rawlins, Ken’s brother Richard and his mother Gladys, Kevin’s brother Archie and his entire family; the list had grown long in the four short years since they became aware of who and what they were, and their purpose.

Liz was the most tragic loss of all, gone forever, and they would never see her again. Sacrificing her very soul to give Drew a chance to live and face The Master, she made them all promise to look after Henry and Drew and prevent the Eschphene from turning her son into a monster. They held to their promise, but Drew’s fate was still uncertain as he ran to face his brother.

The sorrow and loss of so many friends and family wore on them, but weathering the storm as soldiers do, didn’t mean they weren’t suffering. Carrying the burdens and the cost of what they signed up for when they joined The Order, they did so willingly, telling the doctor it was what they were meant for, and none of them stopped believing that, even for a moment.

One thing they never expected, though, with their capacity to love and to hurt so much higher, was to feel the losses as acutely. Ken wondered how high their capacity for pain was and hoped they never discovered that threshold.

At the start of it all, before everything, they had each other as brothers in the Navy as SEALS. They were now husbands, original men, and Nephilim, their bonds more rooted than ever; now they were more than brothers, living within each other. There was no way they could survive without one another. As painful as their losses were, if any of them died or were lost, the rest of them weren’t sure they could continue. If they failed Drew and Henry, they weren’t sure they could carry on.

One with them, Henry felt their thoughts. He never thought he could have brothers as he now did, living in them. He didn’t have ties to Taliesin as they did, but he felt the loss as strongly, and this time he carried them. Even through his worry over Drew, he was enough for them.

The strength of his soul and personality, of ‘Henry,' had grown so much since he met them. He was a gift to them and wrapped them in his arms along with his mind, heart, and soul, giving them comfort. It was unique with Henry because none of the men grew up with fathers, and Henry offered a sense of that to them, very different than what the doctor offered. They were all far older than Henry in years, but the maturity that came from being a father had changed him, making him stronger in other ways. Offering his strength and comfort helped fill the emptiness from the loss of another brother and a friend.

Brad had them so deep that no time passed in the physical realm, and they felt no pressure to leave. There was no embarrassment over needing each other, and they stayed together as long as necessary to process and honor Taliesin’s sacrifice.

Once they were able to move forward, Bill read the area, seeing everything that transpired. Drew was visible to them, upset and scared, but he did what Taliesin told him. He ran instead of fighting, honoring Taliesin’s sacrifice.

Through Bill’s Avatar, they saw both Áedán and Taliesin in the fight. Áedán was a master swordsman, and he and Tal killed all but the three protectors. Cavall was a shock; even with Pat’s Understanding, they never realized how powerful the dog was until they saw him in action.

Cavall was all alone now, and Loy vowed to take him back to the lab with them. They could not abandon him after everything he had been through. Cavall was willing to sacrifice himself for Drew just like Tal and Áedán, except he lived. Loy wanted Drew to keep him once everything was settled, but if not, he would take Cavall for his own.

Finally, there were no more words or tears, arriving at the point where they could laugh at some of their frustrations over Taliesin. They spoke of their journey with the Bard and his connections to them. He helped save their lives on the day of the first awakening of their Nephilim heritage, his aid changing the tide and giving the Four Corners the extra power to fend off the darkness that day. The threads of their lives had been intertwined for thousands of years because of the Gift. He saved their lives on the day of their first awakening as he had saved Drew’s life presently. His impact on them was profound and they would make sure history remembered his actions.

The next time they had a casual get-together, whenever that might be, they vowed to toast their lost brother with a beer in his honor and remember him.

Finally separating, Brad took them back to their bodies. There were still many unconscious ‘suits,’ and the three Brad held with his mind. Full of power, their auras flared, turning the ‘suits’ to ash. There was no mercy or sympathy in any of them for willing servants of The Enemy. The protectors' bodies and all the pieces also burned to ash from the strength of their light, clearing the evidence.

Brad erased the memories of everyone in the area who witnessed the fight. The few people that Tweeted, he compelled to delete their messages. The doctor had an application that could root out the re-Tweets and scrub the internet. There would be people around the world that saw the images, but there would be no proof of the event once the digital trail was gone. The conspiracy theory hackers would have a field day, but there was nothing to be done.

Bryan moved to decompose Taliesin’s corpse, but Lane thought: Bry, wait.

Looking at Darren, Lane thought: Would you help me cremate him? I want to save his ashes. I want to take him back to Avalon and scatter them there, so they can mix with Áedán’s. I think he’d like that. I know Uriel took him Home, but I… well, I just want to do it for him.

More tears flowed at Lane’s request; it was insightful, beautiful, and thoughtful.

Hugging his brother, Darren kissed Lane’s cheek.

You don’t have to ask.

Becoming the vessel for their power, Darren’s Avatar glowed, and a thick white rope arced through them. A hot wind blew the hair off their handsome faces as they poured themselves into Darren. In less than a minute Taliesin’s remains were reduced to ashes, and Darren collected them with his mind shaping them in a ball until they could get to the lab and find a proper container.

Ken gathered Taliesin’s katanas, not wanting to lose them.

<><><> 

Michael became aware the moment The Enemy set foot in the valley. He was the defender and keeper of that sacred dwelling… the place humans referred to as Eden. It was part of his province.

The valley rested, hidden since the veil was called. He moved the valley to a place he thought impossible for humans to find. Humans thought themselves clever with their growing technology, but it was easy to keep the valley hidden even from their satellites.

It seemed inevitable after the creation of their Nephilim grandchildren that the valley would eventually be discovered. Traveling there often, they were careful, but it was bound to happen. Uriel’s Nephilim grandson Bryan was the earthly protector of the valley, Yggdrasil, and the Midgard Serpent, and it was his duty to protect the valley from man and The Enemy under the dominion of The Master.

The discovery was not intentional, but it happened and could not be undone. The timing was terrible, on the threshold of the confrontation over humankind's fate, but at the same time appropriate as the birthplace of the Curse.

Uriel appeared by Michael’s side, responding to his call.

Gabriel and Raphael appeared as well, and soon the other six – Barachiel, Raguel, Remiel, Saraqael, Selaphiel, and Jegudiel.

Raphael spoke, “It does not surprise me the presence of The Enemy in the valley occurs on the eve of their confrontation with The Master. Without Luke’s involvement, we cannot aid them. The Four Corners cannot be summoned, and they must stand on their own.”

His expression sad, Michael thought: Great times are upon us brothers, and the future of mankind rests on the shoulders of our grandchildren, the secondborn, and his father. We must be ready for their success or failure, as the Oath forced upon The Dark One will no longer bind him once the fight is over, and he will strike swiftly. Gather your forces and be ready.

Raphael: I have faith in our grandchildren. Even though we cannot see, I believe they will succeed. At what cost, though, remains to be seen. They have suffered much, yet I feel there will be more losses.

Uriel: Such is the way of war, among our kind or man.

Gabriel: Shall I warn Bryan of The Enemy encroachment?

Michael: No, brother, I will speak with Ken. Your voice is needed elsewhere. We will all be hard-pressed with what is coming.

Raphael: Even though we are blind to their actions, we know what is in their hearts. We must have faith in them, and trust.

Michael: You are right, of course. Sometimes your wisdom vexes me, brother. I cannot imagine what it would be like to be correct throughout eternity.

The two archangels smiled, their banter a reflection of an unexpected side-effect of their grandchildren. It was nice, a comfort, and something they quickly became accustomed to.

<><><> 

They had only been back in the lab for an hour. After processing the worst of their grief over Taliesin, what was left was a quiet sense of… something. Ken searched for a word… not calm… not unease… not trepidation… sighing, he gave up thinking about it.

The doctor and Albrecht, devastated at the news of Taliesin’s death, retreated to their rooms to process their sorrow, leaving the men to continue their efforts to find Drew. They were available if needed, but if not, they preferred solitude. They had known Taliesin for thousands of years, and their lives were intricately intertwined. As when Charissa, Jonathan, and the other elders of The Order died, the impact on their mentors was significant.

Drew was still missing, but they knew he was alive. Cosmic events were on top of them, and they had days, perhaps hours, before The Master and Drew would meet and the event they had been training for over the last four years, the first purpose of their existence, would occur.

None of them were nervous for themselves, but there was a thick thread of anxiety and worry over Henry and Drew. Ken didn’t want Henry involved because of what they were sure God told Drew. If Henry helped Drew in his part of the fight with The Master, he would most likely die. None of that was inevitable, but Brad put the pieces together, and it made sense based on Drew’s actions.

Henry was a steamroller in park at the moment, ready to fly to his son’s side the moment they discovered his location. It didn’t matter if The Master was there or not; Henry needed to be there. Torn, Ken knew how much Henry wanted and needed to be with his son, but as the leader and keeping everyone’s best interest in mind, Ken didn’t want Henry anywhere near The Master.

Ken’s tactical side and his heart battled, conflicted over the best course of action. With his husband, Brad let his thoughts process before interjecting his own opinion.

The beep of the proximity alarm in the back parking lot pulled Ken out of his thoughts.

Fuck! What now?

Sitting at a monitor, Sally switched the feed over immediately.

“Ken, it’s Michael!”

“What the hell?”

Getting up, he opened the door, with Brad right behind him. Everyone else was with him in their link but stayed inside, ready if Ken called or needed them. Moving down the steps, Ken rushed across the parking lot. Michael stood just outside the influence of the runes, as close as he could get. Embracing his angelic grandfather, Michael hugged Ken back.

“It is good to see you, Ken.”

Looking at Brad, he smiled, “You too, Brad.”

The two men separated, but Michael kept a hand on Ken’s shoulder, saying, “I bring grave news.”

Ken’s smile disappeared.

“I am aware of your losses, Ken. At this time, my brothers and I cannot be involved because Luke is no longer a part of what is happening.”

After a short pause, he continued, “I am very proud of you, though. You know I understand the loss of brothers and allies in battle. You are standing strong in the face of incredible pain. I want to acknowledge to you that I am aware.”

Ken knew Michael existed before creation, and as the leader of the High Hosts, he lost more brothers than Ken could imagine. What Ken was going through seemed paltry in comparison, yet he appreciated Michael’s words.

Don’t think like that, Ken. You know Michael and the others don’t feel emotion like we do. I’m not saying they don’t hurt, but until recently and how they changed because of us, it hasn’t been the same. It’s not about who hurts more anyways, and I love you, you handsome bastard.

Blinking at Brad’s last words, his expression lightened.

I love you too, B.

Bryan interjected: Are you two making out in the parking lot in front of your granddad?

Ken and Brad both laughed in their minds at his comment.

Ken asked, “So what is it, grandfather?”

“The Enemy has discovered the location of the valley. I felt it as soon as they attempted to enter. Those who tried perished. There are heavy protections, but now they know where it lies, it is inevitable they will try to destroy it.”

Ken felt the tension in Bryan at Michael’s statement.

Michael continued, “There is no need to be concerned at the moment, but I wanted to alert you immediately.”

The pressure on Ken’s shoulders increased with the news, and at the same time the support of his brothers increased with it.

“I am the defender and keeper of the valley, though my province is against The Dark One, who is removed from the battle for now. On Earth and against The Master, Bryan is tied to Yggdrasil and is protector of the valley, the tree, and the dragon. If The Master or his servants attack the valley, it will be up to Bryan to stop them. If Luke is not involved, I will not be able to intervene.”

Ken’s jaw tightened. The rules of the High Hosts sometimes grated on his nerves.

“Thanks for lettin’ us know. Do you know how they discovered it? It’s been hidden forever. Why now? And how?”

Michael hesitated as if he didn’t want to respond.

Knowing why, Brad said, “It’s my fault.”

Ken spun around with an incredulous look on his face.

“What!?”

Nodding his head, Michael said, “It is Brad. Not intentionally, but yes.”

Brad continued, “It was the blood curse, Ken. When you were in the valley I attacked the curse, and as its summoner, The Master must have felt it.”

Michael said, “I doubt that was part of his plan with the blood curse. His anger at your survival confirms it. The Dark One is capable of such subtlety and layered deception, but The Master is not.”

With a heavy sigh, Ken said, “Alright. Anythin’ else?”

Squeezing Ken’s shoulder, Michael replied, “It always seems darkest before the storm, Ken. You are strong.”

Nodding towards Brad, he continued, “You all are. You are random and unfettered, unpredictable. You will prevail. You must.”

Lowering his head, Ken said, “Yeah.”

Michael said, “I must go now. Be well Ken.”

Embracing his grandfather one last time, Ken said, “I love you. Be careful out there doin’ whatever it is you do.”

Turning into a ball of light, Michael vanished, leaving Ken and Brad standing in silence.

They both said, “Fuck me!” at the same time.

Ken said, “When it rains, it fuckin’ pours. One more thing ‘ta worry about.”

Brad said, “We’ll deal with it. We don’t have a choice, but we’ll make it. Like he said, we have to.”

Ken asked, “Did I sign up for this? I thought this was the Army that had the cushy condos and six-week vacations.”

Chuckling, Brad said, “I’d say you got taken.”

With a sideways glance and a grin, Ken said, “Speakin’ of taken, I could use a little stress relief after this.”

Bryan’s voice came back in their minds.

Fuck! I knew you ladies would manage to make it about fucking. You two fuckers are amazing. Michael got it wrong; you two are very predictable.

Ken and Brad both turned towards the building, sticking out their middle fingers.

I saw that.

As stressed as Bryan was about Leroy and the tree being in danger, he cared for his brothers, wanting to lighten the mood of Michael’s news.

Putting an arm over Brad’s shoulder, Ken kissed his cheek.

“Come on, B. Let’s go be predictable.”

<><><>  

Tag was worried, and keeping faith things would work out, Olive kept squeezing his hand, trying to comfort him. Sensing Tag’s unease, Bullet occasionally nudged his other hand wanting his ears scratched.

Frustrated and upset over the delay of the truck repair, Raph was enough of a mechanic to know the service station was trying to hook him into additional repairs and delay him in hopes of milking him out of more money.

What should have taken at most an hour and a half took half a day, and they weren’t back on the road until after lunch. Still a good two hundred miles out of Atlanta, it would take them at least four hours or more.

Raph knew Tag was nervous about arriving on time. He felt the same thing… after meeting the old couple, something inside him changed. The chances of them all knowing Loy and Rick and running into one another in such a seemingly random manner so far away from Atlanta… Raph wasn’t a religious man, but he didn’t see what happened as random. Feeling it was meant to happen scared him, and the thought gave him goosebumps.

The situation made him think more about what Loy did for him and how he was able to do it. Walking with Raph in his memories through most of his life, Loy lovingly showed him where he went wrong and what he did right.

In retrospect, Raph felt ashamed that the ‘right’ list was appallingly short compared to the ‘wrong’ list. He didn’t understand how Loy could do what he did, but Raph took it to heart, and it changed his life. Tag told Raph stories to pass the time as they drove. Since Raph was now involved, Tag explained in a very general manner about the battle between the light and the dark, The Order and The Enemy, and how Loy and the rest of the team were part angel, beings called Nephilim.

Raph believed every word of it. Tag went on to tell him about Drew… who he was, and the importance of the young boy. Everything he heard terrified Raph. There was an entire world overlapping and coexisting with his that he was, for all intents and purposes, unaware of.

He wondered at how the world seemed to overlook all of it while an epic battle was occurring just under the surface over people’s rights to be assholes and watch reality TV. A cosmic event was about to take place, and the world seemed to ignore it like an ostrich sticking its head in the sand.

Something about it all didn’t sit well with Raph. It made him angry in a way he didn’t really understand. Once they got on the outskirts of Atlanta, Raph used Google Maps on his phone, entering the address from the scrap of paper Tag handed him.

“What? This can’t be right.”

Tag asked, “What?”

“This address. It can’t be right.”

“What’cha mean?”

“It’s a Waffle House!”

“Oh, Lord! Yeah, I believe it!

<><><> 

It was time. The vortex surrounding him was almost visible in the physical realm, a tangible feeling. The connection between him and his brother was complete, and the pull overwhelming; he wasn’t sure he could deny it even if he wanted to.

The Master stood, casting his thoughts across creation.

Come, my servants! It is time to annihilate the light! The Order will fall by our hand today! Take the valley! Destroy the tree and everything there!

To his earthly servants, he commanded: Sow the seeds of chaos across the Earth! Draw The Order out to stop you! Distract them until I have slain my brother, and then I will deal with them myself!

Getting up from his throne, he stood naked except for an amulet he wore to prevent The Order’s interference until his brother was finally destroyed. As much as he hated the sight of his grotesque body, he would embrace his primitive nature and pull from his savage strength to destroy the new warriors. His brother was inconsequential, a boy of little or no meaning.

Confident of his victory, he still knew they were powerful, and he would need all the power of the Curse and his followers to vanquish them. The smoky darkness covering his face swirled and seethed and the black points where his eyes should be were as black as ever, windows to his soul. Unveiling himself for the first time in ages, the temperature in the room dropped, and ice crystals formed as his darkness manifested.

Lumbering to his Escalade, his driver, loyal but still terrified, opened the door. Shifting his sight, The Master observed the swirling vortices around him. Chaotic, they added to his already considerable power.

A thick translucent thread emerged from his chest. Following it until it was out of sight, he knew his brother was at the other end, tied together until the outcome of the confrontation.

His hot breath steamed around his chill aura, and his deep rumbling voice said, “Drive. I will tell you where to go.”

“Y.. y…yes, sir.”

Unsure if his servant was terrified or simply chilled by his Aura, it didn’t matter; under the seething darkness covering his face, his lips pulled back over his crooked, sharp yellow teeth in a smile.

<><><> 

Through Atlanta and across the world, ‘suits’ and protectors emerged from hiding, wreaking havoc, killing normals, starting riots, and setting fires. The entire planet became covered in dark boiling clouds as lightning and thunder filled the skies in response to the event about to occur. The physical and spiritual realms reflected the conflict and would remain in a state of flux until either the light or the darkness won.

The Curse on man more evident than ever, The Master’s servants started the violence and chaos, but it was merely throwing a spark on the fumes of the Curse residing within humans… the ‘fucked-upness’ was there, just waiting for a match. People went berserk as the constraints they kept on their inner selves were broken and their base natures released.

Not all men were dark inside… many tried to be good, but the Curse was still in them. A very few tried to stop what was happening while others locked themselves away, not participating and trying to stay safe. All humans felt the rushing tide of the approaching confrontation, even though they didn’t know what it was or understand it. Standing on the edge of a precipice, they waited to be pushed off by The Master or pulled back by Drew, Henry, and ten men who were one, a paradox; part angel and part original man, created to give them another chance and restore balance to creation.

The High Hosts stopped, watching. The confrontation was at hand. Mankind’s fate would be determined in the next few moments. Creation paused, holding its breath, waiting to see what would unfold…

<><><> 

Across the cosmos, the dark cloud formed. Four years prior, it had been pushed back and dissipated by The Four Corners with the help of Taliesin, Istariel, and his three cousins.

Now Taliesin was gone, Alariel not present, and the Four Corners could not be summoned.

Formed again, manifested into one vessel, the cloud contained all the power of the dark spread throughout creation under dominion of The Master. All the powers and principalities The Dark One granted him to establish his rule over the physical realm he called.

Undulating as it grew, The cloud blotted out stars and suns in its immensity as it sped towards Earth. The Four Corners would not be present to prevent it this time, and the valley of Yggdrasil would be devoured.

Watching events unfold, The Dark One desired nothing more than the destruction of The Order, but he wanted it to be by his hand. He wanted revenge. He wanted their suffering… and the only way for that to happen was if The Master failed. Powerless to interfere, bound by the Oathstone, he was forced to watch events unfold rather than affect them.

<><> 

Sitting in bed in a hotel room watching TV, Drew’s eyes went wide, and he sat up suddenly. Looking down, a thick clear thread emerged from his body, going through the door and into the hallway. Instinctively he knew it tied him to his brother, and the time had finally arrived.

Startled by a loud crack of thunder, his eyes misted over; now that the time was at hand, he wanted his dad badly. Pulling out Henry’s shirt, he covered his face with it, inhaling and smelling it, drawing strength from it. The smell of his dad’s sweat and aftershave was the same as Henry’s powerful arms around him, and he felt Henry kiss his cheek. He had to be brave and knew he had to do it alone.

Climbing off the bed, he left his room, walking through the lobby to the front desk.

“I need a ride, please.”

A compulsion accompanied his request, and the hotel shuttle pulled around a few minutes later. Other people checking out moved to get in, but he stopped them.

Stay here so you’ll be safe.

Climbing into the front seat, he wasn’t sure where to go but felt the tug of the vortex. It wasn’t the same place the thread led to, but that was fine. He knew his brother would find him.

The driver asked him, “Where to, son?”

Pointing, Drew said, “That way.”

As they pulled out of the parking lot, Drew witnessed the chaos starting around him. Screams, explosions, and gunfire erupted everywhere as he watched it through the window of the van as they drove. The sky dark, violence spread like a plague around him, ordered by his brother. He saw car wrecks and fires and people running around acting crazy and knew his brother let the insanity residing in ordinary people loose.

Shielding the driver, Drew compelled him to ignore everything and drive.

Twenty minutes later, the van pulled into the Waffle House parking lot on Buford Drive, across from the Mall of Georgia. Recognizing the mall gave him a slight sense of comfort. Seeing a familiar place, Drew recollected meeting his Uncles Ken and Brad there for the first time, shopping last Christmas with all his uncles, and Lane helping him with his Christmas presents. All were good, happy memories, but he was too scared and nervous to smile.

<><> 

The entire team felt it; darkness throughout creation gathered, and echoes of The Master’s servants sowing chaos around the world rang in the back of their minds. Starting quickly, it built into a storm of unparalleled magnitude. Many people thought it was Armageddon, or Ragnarök, the end of the world, and it might be depending on the outcome of what was about to happen.

Henry’s gut went icy cold. With Drew’s fate unknown, the feeling he should be by Drew’s side was overpowering. Alone by choice, Drew thought he was doing the right thing, but Henry’s instincts told him his son would need him very badly, and he felt helpless. His chest was so tight he could barely breathe.

One thing the men did not expect amidst the chaos running rampant was a glimmer of hope at the edge of people’s thoughts. There were some, not many, but some, who opposed what was happening. Perhaps the veil was so thin it let them hear and feel the prayers of those precious few. It was a small light amidst the vast darkness, but it only took a little light for there to be no darkness at all. It gave the men hope that there was something in man worth fighting for, and they were doing the right thing. It gave them strength.

Calmly, they stood, filing into the gym, and Ken put his arm around Henry’s shoulder as he walked with them. Placing themselves at the vector points of the master rune of their Avatars, Ken kept Henry by his side, holding him tight with his arm, but their souls wrapped around him even tighter.

Sally, the doctor, and Albrecht followed, standing close. Their eyes were bright, and the men felt the thoughts and prayers of their beloved mentors. Albrecht and the doctor stood arm in arm; the culmination of their lives, their fight against The Enemy on Earth in the physical realm, was upon them.

Ken: This is it, guys. power up.

He didn’t have a speech, but no words were necessary. They were in each other, their souls one. More than the sum of their individual selves, in the moments ahead they would fulfill the first purpose of their creation or fail. However, failure was not an option; even the remote concept of that thought hit the wall of Ken’s will and conviction, smashing against it into nothing.

They were soldiers, Navy SEALS, brothers, confident in their training and abilities. They trained endless hours to be ready for anything, to be anything needed to fulfill their purpose. They would be whatever necessary for Drew, and then mankind once Drew was successful, no matter the cost to themselves.

Shining towers of light, they were handsome beyond words, their auras bright and powerful. Their very existence was the antithesis of darkness, and it was by their choice.

Yggdrasil appeared over and around them, more tangible than ever as the conflict between the spiritual and physical realms was on top of them. Spirits from across the planet swam in the air. The wolf-spirit sat by Loy’s side as her pack swam among the other spirits.

Fluttering their souls across the veil, Brad found it almost effortless. The veil wasn’t gone, but it was thinner than ever. Listening, Lane turned the discordant, chaotic noises around the world into something beautiful, filling them with power.

Cavall pressed against Loy’s other leg, and with a mighty howl the Hound of Áedán mac Artur sent a challenge to the darkness. His power, not inconsiderable, joined theirs, unexpected but welcome.

Pillars of light, they filled themselves to the point of pain. Their muscular bodies stood tall, their angelic heritage fully apparent, standing ready to face the darkness, the ten of them plus Henry, with Cavall by their side, against everything The Master was throwing at them.

The white rope of power flowing and crackling through and around them was thick and bright, and the doctor and Albrecht had to shift their sight to keep from being blinded.

Ken: Hit ’em, B.

His eyes flashing white, Brad leaned his head back, his neck thickening, veins at his temple and neck visible from the effort he put forth. A hot wind blew the hair on their heads as a white burst of power came out of Brad, fueled by all of them, like a nuclear bomb. Stretching out and around the globe, it shattered the shields of the ‘suits’ and knocked normal humans out. People in the throes of committing violent acts dropped like rocks, and people driving or flying aircraft received a compulsion to park or land safely and then fall asleep.

Unleashing his full power against the darkness felt right, and there was no telling how many lives his act saved. It was their first blow and challenge to the darkness, and The Master felt their power.

<><> 

 Raph, Tag, and Olive witnessed the chaos starting to spread. Traffic stopped as cars hit each other. Their truck was rammed, and they locked themselves in as people exited their vehicles, running around screaming. Seeing fires and hearing explosions and gunfire in the distance, the old couple knew what they saw, and their sense of urgency grew stronger.

Suddenly, everyone fell unconscious. Brad’s compulsion washed over them, but the angel who sent them set protections on their minds, and they were unaffected. Bullet yelped but he was protected as well. Looking over, Tag saw Raph was unconscious.

“Momma, help me switch places wit him.”

Setting Raph between them, Tag pulled off the road, driving in the emergency lane. The scene looked like a combination of The Walking Dead and Mad Maxx. People sprawled everywhere, most alive and asleep, but some were corpses, killed by other people. The skies black, lightning filled the darkness, reflecting the confrontation and clash of powers.

Uriel was already hard at work, his wings sweeping the globe and collecting souls. With the protections on their minds, Tag and Olive saw into the spiritual realm, and they were terrified. Humans were not intended to witness the confrontation in both realms, yet they did. It wasn’t the first time they saw through the veil, and Tag kept his wits about him even though he was scared.

Seeing a glow in the distance, Tag and Olive knew it was their boyz. Their light was bright enough to see even as far away as they were. They were fighting back, and Olive knew everyone falling asleep was their doing. Tears fell down her face at what she saw and elation filled her at seeing their light shine forth, exerting their power against the Evil she knew existed. Olive prayed for them, their well-being, strength, and success, and for Drew and Henry, too, knowing what was about to happen.

Tag drove as fast as he could, speeding to where they needed to be.

<><> 

Brad’s wave of power passed through Drew as well, but the amulet protected him. It still left a warm sensation in him; it felt nice, like his Uncle Brad.

Pulling over, the shuttle driver went to sleep, and Drew had to wake him up. Drew felt his uncles not far away, their auras sharp and bright, and knew his dad was with them. A thrill ran through him at the sound of Cavall’s challenge to the darkness.

Cavall was alive! Drew’s breath caught, and his eyes misted as it struck him that not everything or everyone had to die fighting his brother. Henry lived through impossible odds, and Cavall too. Many did not, but some did, and maybe Drew didn’t have to die either, or Henry.

It wasn’t long before the van pulled into the Waffle House, and Drew hopped out.

Go across the street and park and go back to sleep. You’ll be safe there.

Drew shut the door, and the van drove off.

A woman stood in the restaurant staring at him, and he thought it odd. She was a waitress, and he wondered why she wasn’t asleep with everyone else. Her nametag, too far away for him to read, said “Lula.”

With everyone asleep, the world fell eerily quiet. There were occasional distant explosions and rumbling thunder and wind, but no human noise, physical or psychic. The silence Drew felt was deep; it was the quiet before the storm as all creation stopped while the High Hosts watched from above, waiting to see what happened.

The sound of tires on the pavement as a black Escalade pulled into the parking lot made Drew turn. The thick transparent rope coming out of his chest went into the vehicle, and Drew knew his brother had arrived.

<><><> 

The Black Cloud made its way through the universe to Earth. The boiling, seething clouds parted as a black funnel descended, striking a massive emerald dome protecting the valley, lighting up the sky.

Bryan’s head snapped up, and his Avatar flashed emerald green.

The valley was under attack!

Ken knew immediately that The Master wanted to separate them, thinking they were weaker apart. He didn’t realize the paradox of their existence and how they lived in one another when they were merged and one. Distance didn’t matter and was irrelevant.

Ken: Fuck! Bry go! You and Lane go and stop them! The tree can’t fall, and he can’t wake Leroy! Call us if you need help!

In an emerald flash, Bryan vanished, and Lane used his husband’s eyes to follow. In the blink of an eye, the two of them were across the planet, standing at the base of Yggdrasil.

Looking up, they saw the gigantic tail of the black funnel cloud striking the emerald canopy. The shield over the valley withstood the initial attack, but The Master called on all his servants throughout creation, and Bryan saw with his Understanding how powerful the cloud was.

However, Bryan now stood in the heart of his power in the valley and at the tree. Lane’s Avatar was different. Music was the source of his power, and as long as there was music he was strong. The music of Bryan’s soul was right next to him, and he knew he would need every ounce of power he could muster to add to his husband.

The clash of the emerald shield and the black funnel over the valley caused a massive storm. Lightning filled the skies, and the rain was almost horizontal. Standing together, Bryan and Lane held each other tight, rooted in one another and their brothers. Their Avatars shone brightly on their muscled shoulders, shining through the Kevlar of their assault suits. Lane asserted his will, and the rain and wind lessened around them.

Bryan raised his arms while Lane’s wrapped around his thick torso, calling on the life energy of creation, channeling it into the shield over the valley. Lane augmented Bryan’s power with his own, with the music of Bryan’s soul, and their Avatars made them equal to the task. The green of Bryan’s eyes matched the canopy of the tree, and Lane’s brown eyes were filled with the light of Bryan’s soul. Their eyes were ringed with the color of the other in an outward expression of their perfect blending and their love for one another.

Holding the defense, Bryan and Lane were enough. It wasn’t easy, but they sufficed, yet looking up, the black cloud seemed endless, making Lane wonder how long they could hold against it.

<><> 

Ken smiled grimly while Lane and Bryan defended the valley and the tree. Only sending the two of them, he knew they would be enough. They weren’t alone and never would be, even though they were the only two physically present in the valley.

Ken’s hands were on Bryan’s back, supporting him, along with Lane’s strong arms around his chest.

Ken’s confidence filled them, helping fuel their defense.

<><>  

In the valley, amidst their defense of the tree, Lane’s eyes flashed white. His Avatar flared as a vision filled his mind. He saw Drew in a parking lot, wind whipping his hair, wearing a bright red hoodie, jeans, and a t-shirt, with his Marvel backpack slung over his shoulder.

Small, frail, and utterly alone, his cheeks looked red and splotchy, and Lane knew he had been crying. His heart ached for Drew and what he must have gone through the past few days and what he was about to face.

Lane’s unconscious mind wondered how he could see Drew while he wore the amulet. The thought occurred to him that the severity of the cosmic event happening charged the ether so powerfully it allowed his Avatar to see through the area of the amulet. He cast a thought to Drew but wasn’t surprised that Drew didn’t hear him.

Lane’s stomach lurched when a black Escalade pulled into the parking lot, still a good fifty feet from Drew. In the background of his vision, he saw the chaos covering the area and all the unconscious bodies that Brad had knocked out or put to sleep.

The door of the Escalade opened, and The Master’s clawed foot stepped out onto the pavement. The rest of his massive body came into view, and he was naked; his grotesquely muscular form, ruddy-skinned and covered in brownish-red coarse fur, looked immense as if he expanded once he exited the vehicle.

Lane’s vision panned around to the silver amulet around The Master’s neck.

Fuck!

<><> 

Lane’s vision filled their minds. As long as The Master wore that amulet, they could not touch him or teleport to him, and a tremor of fear ran through them. There was no one nearby to piggyback off of because all the normals were unconscious.

They watched Lane’s vision, happening in real-time as The Master lumbered over, stopping only a few feet from Drew, who looked up at his brothers' grotesquely muscled form towering over him. Drew only came up to mid-thigh on the giant.

Drew backed a few feet away, and they saw his expression.

The Master’s deep voice echoed through both realms, and the powers heard his words.

I told you the next time we met, I would destroy you. I will eat your soul and use its power to kill the Nephilim abominations!

<><> 

Deep in themselves where they were naked and one, Henry blurted out, “Darren, send me! The amulet won’t stop you from sending me!”

They knew, especially Henry, that Drew thought Henry would die if he were a part of what was going on. They also knew Henry was willing to sacrifice himself for his son, making it apparent when he fought the Eschphene.

Through their trepidation, a thought echoed in Brad’s mind… Henry lived. Against all odds, Henry lived and had grown even more since then.

Time wasn’t moving, and the image of The Master towering over Drew was frozen in their minds. They only had seconds to act once they decided on a course of action. With one clawed hand, The Master could end it all if Drew wasn’t fast enough. He wasn’t holding the stone yet, and they didn’t know why.

Pulling Henry into a fierce hug, Ken’s throat was so tight he couldn’t talk, but Henry heard his thoughts.

I’m sorry, Henry, I don’t know what else to do.

Even Ken’s mental voice cracked from the harsh emotions running through not only him but all of them.

Henry knew Ken was likely ordering his death if Darren sent him in, but there were no other options. Once things started, they would have seconds, if that, to act, and the amulet limited their options.

A knife cut through Ken’s heart as he spoke the words.

Send him, Dar. Henry, Drew is your first priority, you know that, but if you can get that amulet off The Master, do it.

<> 

In his body, Henry took off running across the gym with all the speed in his enhanced form as Darren used the image of Lane’s vision to send him to his son. Reaching his maximum velocity, he dematerialized…

<> 

Drew was alone, just like he feared. His brother seemed a giant, and he froze, even though he thought he was prepared. The amulet around Drew’s neck prevented his brother from attacking his mind, but he could crush Drew with one clawed hand.

The adult-like part of his mind wasn’t present, overrun by the terror of a six-year-old boy.

Raising one clawed fist, his arm, thick with muscle, The Master swiped down to rip his brother in half…

<> 

Henry appeared, moving at his maximum speed. As he materialized, Darren changed his trajectory to better advantage, but not his velocity. Henry’s perception of time slowed until he was almost frozen, allowing him to utilize every bit of precision and skill. Seeing through Pat’s Understanding, he knew precisely what he needed to do and how to prevent any injury to Drew.

Drew didn’t have time to be surprised. The next thing he knew, he was on the ground fifty feet away in the arms of his father. The voice he wanted to hear so bad, the arms he wanted around him more than anything, were there, and he felt safe again.

Henry’s warm breath tickled his ear as he whispered, “I’ve got you, Tiger. I’m with you!”

Snatching the amulet from around Drew’s neck, Henry snapped the chain and tossed it away. Without the amulet as a barrier, he merged with his son, taking them deep in one another. Appearing naked to one another, father and son became one, each basking in the presence of the other. He knew the doctor said it was dangerous, but he felt he had no choice, and their love for one another was a comfort beyond words. They both cried as Henry held Drew against him in relief.

Time wasn’t moving in that special place as Drew’s arms flew around Henry’s thick neck, and Henry’s arms wrapped tightly around him. Clinging to Henry like a spider, Drew started to cry as all the pent-up emotions from the time he left the lab to the present came pouring out.

“It’s okay, honey. It’s okay.”

Everything Drew had been through was there, and Henry saw it all. His reasons for leaving and how torn up he was inside over it all. Every lie to Henry and his uncles and Doctor Aaron and Mr. Albrecht and Miss Sally; they all ate at him. Using his powers on people to buy him food and drive him around, the dirtiness he felt inside for acting the way he did was there. Aside from that, his greatest fear was disappointing everyone he loved.

Oh God, Drew! I’m not disappointed, honey! Never that! You were brave, and everything you did was to protect the guys and me. We love you so much… it hurt when you left, but we all understand why you did.

Seeing the pain he caused Henry and his uncles made him hysterical, and all he could do was cry and beg Henry to forgive him.

With the amulet gone, his uncles' presence followed as Henry pulled them in with him and his son. Wanting Drew to feel their love and know there was nothing to forgive, he wanted his brothers to see everything he did. He also wanted Drew to feel them.

The familiar voices he missed, their strong arms and warm bodies, all hit him at once as his uncles wrapped him up with their hearts and minds forming a wall around his soul. Their relief that he was okay and with Henry washed over him too.

It took a long time before either Henry or Drew were able to talk, but the intensity of their emotions finally ran their course, and after the initial relief of feeling Henry with him, Drew pulled back in a panic.

Daddy, you can’t be here!

I know what the man said, Drew. We figured it out. You didn’t tell me what you weren’t supposed to, so that part doesn’t matter anymore! You did what he told you to!

Henry spoke the truth, but the Birdman still said Drew might lose Henry if he was present when Drew confronted The Master. They saw and heard the exact words in Drew’s memory now that they were together.

He said you might lose me, Drew. Not that you will. I’m taking the risk, honey, and we’ll be extra careful. You and I are gonna do this together, alright? Don’t fight me on this! I know we can do it. You can do it! I wasn’t supposed to live when I fought the Eschphene leader, but I did. I lived because I had to. I can’t leave the most wonderful boy in the world, the boy who I love more than anything, alone. I’ll do whatever I have to Drew to get us both through this alive and safe.

Drew’s relief at Henry’s words was overpowering, and Henry’s rock-solid presence took away his fear. Henry was a wall, and right now that wall was backed by Ken’s Avatar, synchronized with his brothers and their ten mighty souls surrounding him.

Drew sniffed, and Henry wiped the tears away with his thumbs. Looking at one other intently, Henry cupped Drew’s face in his big warm hands.

Okay?

Okay, Daddy.

Good boy. Now let’s get this over with.

Hugging Drew against him one more time, Henry kissed the top of his head.

You’re such a good boy, Drew. I know I said it before, but I don’t know what I did to deserve you. I understand why you ran away, honey, and I’m not mad. I’ve never been so scared, knowing you were all by yourself. You should know by now you’re never by yourself. You’ll always have me with you. Don’t run away from me again, and together we can do anything. Do you understand?

Smiling, this time Drew cried happy tears. The sincerity and the depth of Henry’s love for him were manifest. Being one, Henry’s confidence became a part of him.

Ken and each of his uncles had their own words for Drew, telling him how much they loved him and how confident they were in him. Each one held him and hugged him as long as he needed them to. The adult-like part of Drew returned, and he realized how foolish he had been to pull away. How could he have run from them? From the love they had for him? He should have trusted them from the beginning.

Drew didn’t know how everything was going to work, but whatever happened, they would face it together.

<><> 

Screaming his rage, The Master shouted, “Betrayer! I will kill you both!”

Henry whispered in Drew’s ear, saying, “The stone, Drew! Summon the stone!”

Holding out his hand, the stone appeared as it had so many times before.

Make this look good, honey. He can’t suspect anything, or he won’t grab it.

Holding the stone, Drew thrust his fist in the air in the same defiant gesture his first self did in Thomin’s cave. A bolt of power shot out, hitting The Master square in his chest and knocking him back nearly twenty feet. The smell of singed hair was brief before it was blown away by the wind. The Master’s burned and blackened skin healed immediately, filling in as The Curse asserted itself.

Bellowing, The Master released his primitive rage. Flexing, he threw his arms to his sides, bowing his body. Invoking the full power of the Curse, his form grew as power swelled within him. Raphael said the Curse was tied to blood magic from before creation, and it was powerful. That power burned against Henry’s shields, but he held against it because he had to.

The nimbus of darkness around The Masters face expanded, engulfing him in a black cloud, and the ground trembled with his footsteps. Thrusting out the stone again, another bolt of power burst forth, but this time The Master stopped it with a clawed hand.

Do you think that paltry stone gives you the power to defeat me!?

Slowly he lumbered forward, seemingly unaffected by Drew’s attack.

Henry’s hand covered Drew’s, hiding the Eschphene sigils as The Master towered over them. Reaching down, his clawed fist enclosed theirs, intending to crush the stone and their hands with it.

Turning their hands over, palm up, exposed the stone as The Master grabbed them, and as soon as The Master’s fingers wrapped around their hands, the stone touched his flesh.

The Eschphene sigils ignited, and Henry and Drew disappeared in an orange-red flash of power. As soon as they vanished their souls left the merge, leaving the team stunned and not understanding what happened.

Pulling back and looking around, The Master thought he had been tricked. The stone rested in his hand, but somehow his brother and the Betrayer were gone! The primitive rage he embraced filled him, and he went berserk.

His clawed hands ripped into the pavement, tearing up chunks of concrete. Striking a nearby car, he sent it flying back into the dumpster. Moving over, he pounded his fists against the dumpster, pummeling it and crumbling the massive steel structure like it was tinfoil, screaming the entire time.

Consumed by rage, he ripped off the amulet, shouting with all his power, his voice echoing across the realms, “FACE ME!”

<> 

Lane’s vision showed them everything, and they watched Henry and Drew disappear. They had no idea what happened. Howling, the she-wolf vanished from Loy’s side.

The Master’s amulet flew through the air, and with their perception of time slowed, it seemed forever before it was far enough away from him to be out of its influence.

Light erupted as eight bolts of lightning struck around The Master as Ken, Brad, Pat, Darren, Rick, Loy, Kevin, and Bill materialized with Cavall at Loy’s side.

The Master screamed at them, “WHERE IS MY BROTHER? I WILL DESTROY HIM AND ALL OF YOU!”

There was an undercurrent of nervousness over what had happened with Henry and Drew. The way they were severed from the link so abruptly was startling, and their absence left a hole in them.

Ken: B?! Bill?! Pat?! Where’d they go?

Bill read the area, and Pat watched through Bill with his Understanding.

The Eschphene sigils opened a portal to The Master’s inner psyche through the realm of dreams. Németh learned many secrets, gleaning much wisdom in the eighty thousand years of his exile. His Magic potent, he accomplished something none of them thought possible; he enabled Henry and Drew to enter The Master’s mind in their physical forms. It was a paradox and should not have been possible, but possible and impossible didn’t seem to matter much anymore.

Henry and Drew were inside The Master’s psyche, where Drew had a chance to reach the part of The Master he needed to. Time worked differently in the realm of dreams, and they had no idea how long it would take Drew and Henry to do their part. They only knew enough to understand that if either of them died there, they would be dead in the real world, too.

<><> 

As Lane’s vision gripped him, he and Bryan were hard-pressed to maintain their shield over the tree while Ken and their brothers faced off against The Master, who now invoked the full power of the Curse.

Sweat poured off the two men as the light of their power shone bright enough to hold the darkness at bay. Looking up, they saw through the clouds in the sky, and the dark cloud seemed endless, and its attack relentless.

Apart from the cloud, the entire team felt the Curse's strength, and their Avatars glowed in response. The powers of light and darkness clashed, but the light could not prevail until Drew managed to find his brother in the realm of dreams.

Even once Drew and Henry found The Master, he had to willingly ask Drew’s forgiveness for killing his first incarnation eighty thousand years ago. Drew had already forgiven his brother, so that part was done, but it was meaningless without the first part, and Henry and Drew were on their own.

Ken braced himself, backed by seven of his brothers present with him and two from across the world, as The Master turned to face them…

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