Chapter 32
The Deliverer
The time nigh, the Dweller smiled within himself, none would be able to stop him. After all the centuries of plotting and planning, and now he was soon to be released. Soon to be free. The prophecies had foretold the giving of the Offering, and though there would be those that would rise up to try and stop it. He had made sure of it. None would be able to hinder the ages old divination, not even the High Prince and His Knights. His time had come.
Morgan fell to the ground as a burning sensation began to take over his body. So strong it was that his flesh felt as though it was melting off his bones. Trying to scream out he felt a jolt shoot up through his spine just before he passed out, sinking into a deep fathomless oblivion.
Leor walked up beside Dryan and Chay, the three being the only ones there since Morgan had opted to stay at his house. She didn’t understand it but had said nothing about. Morgan was Morgan and he could do as he wished.
“Dryan I believe that the best thing for us to do would be to place the Book in a crossway of our own making.” The idea came from Hadarah as they stood together thinking of how they were to get the Book into a place that was safe.
Leora looked to her. “We would still need the consent of the leaders of Eldon to be able to create a crossway between Loam and its mid-plane.”
“When did you say that it would open?” Dryan asked then covering his mouth a yarn escaped him. “I say we take the advice that we had given to Amori and Cody, we go to our respective homes and rest we all need it.”
Leora did not want to agree with him, but she knew that Ryan was right, and so saying her goodbyes she headed back to Morgan’s house. The trek was quiet, nothing like what she was used to any longer having enjoyed having the company of others around her. Making it back to the house, she took note that all the lights were off, even though the sun was now setting over the horizon. Stepping through the front door Leora called out Morgan’s name but there was no reply. Reasoning with herself she made up her mind that he must have fallen asleep in his room. Still the feel that all was not right continued, until she had to go and see if he was there for herself. Knocking on the door first she waited for a reply, when there was none she opened the door and stepped over the threshold. Looking about she came to the sudden realization that Morgan was not there. Searching the house she called out to him but still he did not answer. Making it outside Leora continued her search, her worry for him growing with each passing minute.
Hugging her grandparents’ goodnight Amori entered her bedroom. She felt better after having shared with them all that had happened, at least from the moment her and Cody got into Ryan’s car to when her and Cody had made it to the Percival forest. It also made her feel better seeing them take it all in stride. If it had been her parents she knew they would have either equated it to the fact that she had been gone so long, or they would think that she had lost her mind.
Breathing in the lingering smells of dinner, which had consisted of fried chicken, mashed potatoes with a mouthwatering gravy, corn on the cob and homemade biscuits. She was glad that she was full, or else there might have been a need for a night time snack. Heading into the joining bathroom, Amori brushed her teeth, and combed out her messy hair. Saving the shower for last, oh, she had been looking forward to bathing again. As she waited for the water to heat Amori decided that she would no longer envy the characters in the movies that she loved to watch. The constant excitement and the not knowing whether you would make it home alive, or if you would come back at all, no longer held the thrill that it had originally held for her. Her simple normal life was all that she wished to get back to.
Getting dressed in her pajamas in the bathroom, Amori entered the main room her wet hair hanging loose about her. Moving to turn on the room light she was stopped by a hand that came out of nowhere and covered her mouth. Struggling against whoever it was Amori tried to break free but was unable to. Knowing that she was not going to be able to break free Amori began to bang her feet against the floor hoping to get someone’s, anyone’s attention. Obviously not liking the ruckus that she had started to back the person who had her, turned her so that the two were facing each other and slammed her against the wall, gleaming gray eyes locked hold with golden brown ones.
Placing pressure on her mouth and nose he held her that way, her body convulsing due to lack of air. His eyes didn’t leave hers and neither did his hand relieve the pressure, till she went limp in his arms having passed out. Slinging her over his shoulder Morgan stepped into the shadows, with an unconscious Amori in tow.
Not a second later Cody opened the door, with Amori’s grandfather following close behind. Cody searched the windows for a sign any sign of forced entry but found none. There was no sign that anyone had come in and taken Amori. This was one of the rare moments when Cody wished that he could hit something or, better yet, the someone who had taken Amori right from under his nose. His jaw ticked as he fought for control, he let her out of his sight for a hairsbreadth of a second and now she was gone, and he was the one to blame. Because he had been the one the others had entrusted with her safety. Spinning about he rushed out of the room and to his own. Grabbing his now charged phone he headed for the front door.
“Son, tell me how do you plan on finding her?” Zachariah asked, tossing Cody a jacket. “No need to freeze out there.”
“Thank you.” Sighing Cody ran a hand through his hair mussing it, “I have to do something, who knows what type of maniac took her, and I should have been there to prevent it.”
Resting a fatherly hand on Cody’s shoulder Zachariah spoke wisdom to the younger man. “If you blame yourself you might end up missing what’s right in front of you. It’s no one but the person who did this’s fault why Amori’s gone do you understand that.”
Cody nodded. Patting him on the shoulder Zachariah smiled, “Now why don’t we pray first before you go running off willy-nilly trying to find her, so you can have some divine guidance in your search, for my granddaughter eh?” Again Cody nodded a grin inching up on his face as well, as they bowed their head in fervent prayer.
Leora was at a lost; she had been searching for Morgan but had not been able to find him. She was now at the point of being far more than worried. With all the events that had transpired over the course of mere weeks, she knew that his absence did not bode well for anyone. So coming to a decision Leora went in search of him, hoping that he was somewhere nearby, but knowing how slim the chance of that being true was.
A sense of unease trundled through Leora, as she finally caught Morgan’s trail, and was at lost when it also blended over with that of Amori’s.
Her mind worked to pull all the scattered pieces together, from the look that the Dweller had given Morgan, to his oddness over the past couple days, and now to his unexpected disappearance and now his being with Amori. As the jigsaw pieces began to click in place, a sudden clarity ignited within her, Morgan was the Deliverer. Leora took to her wings now, with keen eyes she followed the trail Morgan had, what she believed, unknowingly left behind. One thing pounded in her mind as she made her way onwards, she had to stop him from delivering the offering. Some understanding finally came to her of what the Keeper had spoken all those nights ago.
Their time truly was short.