Beyond (54 page)

Aliah placed the apple in front
of her and beamed triumphantly. It was finally happening, his day of glory. He would rule the world , and every living creature w ould call him God.

Claudia took the apple as everyone watched. She only needed to say goodbye to a few friends who meant so much to her.
Holly…thank you for always being there for me. I know it wasn ’
t easy watching over me, but I want you to know that I appreciate everything you ’ve done for me. Please take care of Austin.

Holly
bellowed, “
Claudia, no!
”
She tried to get to her, but the demons engulfed her.

Davin, Vivian and Caleb, you are my family. Though I don ’
t remember much of the past, I c an feel how much we meant to each other.
Claudia concentrated on Austin ’
s mind.
Austin, we have been through so much together. I love you always.
Last, she turned her thoughts to Michael as tears stream ed down her face , with the apple just a breath away from her lips . Michael, thank you for loving me the way you d o . Though I can ’
t remember, I feel it in my heart and soul. I know it was magical with you. Please forgive me for leaving you. This is my destiny. This is my will.

Claudia
didn ’
t even think twice. She had to be brave and just do it before she changed her mind.
She closed her eyes and s a nk her teeth in to the apple . Without warning, the s ky turned deathly dark . The clouds tumbled and turned with fast motion speed. Thunder roared in fury and lightning flashed angrily across the sky. The wind howled with such force that it was almost impossible to stand. When the demons turned against the win d , an opportunity opened for Mi chael .
Worried for his beloved, he fought back with all his strength and speed, but there were still too many. Before he could get to her, Aliah pulled her up with one hand and blew into her mouth.

B
lack smoke entered through her parted lips. Soon after, Claudia arched her back unwillingly above the gr ound. Their souls had united , and Callum ’
s body thumped to the ground , only to burn into ashes.
When Aliah ’
s soul enter ed Callum ’
s body, he had taken his time assuming control, but with Claudia, he would take it over as soon as he could.
With her powers, he could enter all the spiritual realms he couldn ’
t enter before.
And because of this, Claudia knew she had little time left before he would take over completely .

Claudia
’
s eyes had already darkened and she cou ld feel evil slit hering through her veins like snake s . She reached down, pulled out her dagger and searched for Michael. The ir eyes were deadlocked , and Michael froze when he realized she held what looked like the death crystal sword, but only a lot smaller.
How did she get a hold of one , he thought? It didn ’
t matter. He had to get to her.
He needed to be with her.

Claudia saw Michael coming for her. She watched his graceful motions, slashing through the demons furiously, frantically and desperately. How strong and brave he was. How she loved to watch his every move. She knew to the depth of her core , he loved her with everything , and he would give up his life for her. Though she couldn ’
t remember every detail of her past, it didn ’
t matter. Her mind may not know it, but her heart t old her she loved hi m too, perhaps even more than she realized.
With her last thought she said to him telepathically, Michael, I love you more , a nd gave him the smile that sa id I know you, the smile that sa id I care about you, the smile that sa id I did this because I love you.

Michael gasped in shock when he heard Claudia
’
s thoughts in his mind again. He was almost there, but it was too late. Just as he reached for her, she drove the da gger into her self . She burst out bright ly like thousands of Christmas lights bundle d into one. When it intensified even more, the light magnified and ruptured outward with a rippled effect. It blinded everyone as they hid their faces. The demons crumbled to nothing but ashes. They left behind dark markings on the ground a s proof they had existed.

The sky shot open
, w ith the clouds appearing in the shape of God ’
s hands and part ing the gloom. The sun ’
s ray s beamed down where they stood as they watched in amazement. The colors of violet and turquoise lit up the clear sky and ra in pelted to the ground, washing away the wron g, the evil and the markings on the ground.
Then a rainbow beamed across the sky as a reminder that good will always conquer evil, but nobody saw the beauty. Their eyes were now rooted on Michael and Claudia.

Michael cradled Claudia gently in
his hold with his wings curved around her , shielding her from the rain. Never did he imagine holding her like this .
The fabric of her red s hirt soaked in most of her blood so it was difficult to tell how much blood she had lost, but the proof was on Michael ’
s hands that were drenched.

As life slowly
drained out of her, she placed one hand weakly on Michael ’
s face. H
olding on to him as long as she could, she gave him a frail smile and whispered his name, “
Michael.
”

“
Shhh…
I ’
m here. You ’
re going to be okay, ”
he said , but the words were more for him as he tried to convince himself that she would be. Claudia ’
s eyes started to close as tears streamed down her face.

“
Claudia…look at me. No, no, no…don ’
t close your eyes. Look at me, my love. You promised me you wouldn ’
t leave my sight. Don ’
t leave me. I need you.
”

“
Michael…I…always…be…here…
, ”
she said feebly , and placed her hand on his heart.

“
No, no, no…don ’
t you leave me !”
he said sternly.
“
We have a long life to live together.
I just found you again. You can ’
t…you can ’
t…
no, no, no…
.
”

With a sharp gas
p, Claudia ’
s body went limp and her face turned pale.

“
No…
!
”
Michael cried out in agony with so much pain it was as if he had died too. His heart and soul ripped apart as guilt rushed through him for not saving his beloved. With his face buried in her chest he cried harder and louder , and the sound of his grief echoed through the vast ness of the mountains and beyond . His whole body trembl ed , trying to grasp the fact that she was gone.

Why did she have to be so brave? Why did it have to be this way?
As these thoughts circulated though his mind, t he alkins, venators, watchers a nd the Twelve enclosed them . Their heads were low, mo ur ning for their hero who had saved them from destruction.

“
Healing crystal, ”
Katherine reminded.
Katherine ’
s ring sparkled from the sunlight as she reached for her son. She slid the ring off her finger , pulled out the crystal , and placed the stone on top of his bloody chest , where i t melted into his body. He lit up with a low glow. Katherine knew it was working , and Austin was starting to heal. Before he fell back into unconsciousness again, he painfully breathed one name .
“
Claudia.
”

Everyone was
so distracted, they had forgotten about the healing crystal. After the reminder from Katherine, Davin placed his in front of Michael. Though he had one, he used Davin ’
s since it was already in front of him.
Michael nodded and took it. When he placed it on Claud ia ’
s wound, it slipped in and dissolved into her.
Like the ring of a halo, s he lit up with gold and yellow .

“
Let ’
s take them to Island of Eden, ”
Katherine said, holding her son.
“
They need time to heal.
”

Not knowing if Claudia would live, their m
ind s and heart s held hopeful thoughts for her.

Chapter
3
5

White light glowed around me as
a sense of serenity settled in. There was no sound and I had no sense of where I was, but I knew I was utterly alone. My mind was at peace , and I had no thoughts. I knew who I was, but I had no memory o f anything or anyone, like a blank page with no words. Then I felt something warm, some kind of unknown energy , traveling from my head down to my toes. With a flash of light, I remember ed everything.

I remembered everything about Ava, Gamma, venator
s, my friends, and the alkins.
Mostly, I remembered Michael. All those special memories came pouring through. All the emotions that I could feel, I felt them all at once as they came crashing through , and tears streamed down my face.

Sobbing harder, I woke up. My eyes popped open
. From a distance, I saw a small golden light that glowed, increasing by the seconds.
I stood up from where I la y . To my surprise, Gamma was now in front of me. She looked exactly the same as when I saw her last in my dreams, wearing the same long white gown.

“
Gamma, ”
I said happily and ran to her.

She held me tightly with all of her love. It felt so good to see and touch her again , as if she was here , back in human life. She placed her arms around my waist and led me out of the light. Gradually we appeared in another world that was just how it was in my dreams, with purple mountains and vibrant wild flowers everywhere I looked. Butterflies danced freely, fluttering their bright wings. The smell of j asmine , lavender and other fragrances lifted my spirits. The sun was out, but I felt no warmth or heat from it. In fact, I didn ’
t know if I was hot or cold.

I bent
down to brush the tips of the flowers with my fingers. I loved the way they felt, so soft and silky. It suddenly reminded me of Michael ’
s wings and I inhaled sharply, like I had forgotten something, like I was suppose to remember something, but I didn ’
t know what.

“
I ’
m so proud of you, ”
Gamma said, breaking my thoughts. She cupped my face into her hands .
“
The human world is safe for now.
”

Her words startled me with a jolt.
The human world is safe for now . Was I dreaming? Like a flash shot of a vision in front of me, I saw Michael hol d ing me in his arms, crying out my name with so much pain. I felt it for a split second, the pain and the sadness , and I sucked in air. It suddenly dawned on me .
I was…dead .
OMG! I ’
m dead !

Gamma looked at me and knew what I was thinking.
“
Yes. You have left your human world.
”

I didn
’
t know what to say. I wanted to stay, but at the same time I wanted to go back. Michael and I had just found each other again.

Gamma sat down on a wooden bench that wasn
’
t there a second ago.
“
Sit down with me.
”
She tugged my arms.
“
God ’
s first angels cannot take over another God ’
s first angel ’
s body.
H
aving a h oly s oul prevent ed him from taking yours. Aliah can enter an angel ’
s body if permission is granted, just the way he took over Callum ’
s. In order to take over yours, you had to take a bit e of the forbidden apple. Taking a bite caused you to fall. Once you bec a me a fallen like Adam and Eve, you we re vulnerable. Because there are no forbidden apples in Island of Eden, he had to bless it by taking another life that possessed the Holy Spirit s oul. I believe that’s the reason he got a bunch of Earth angels looking for someone like you.