Cinderfella 2: A New Life - 56. Chapter 55

Seth was putting Dennis down as I put Toby in his bed. I looked at their precious faces. “I feel there is an end coming. Badly. I just hope they have a world to grow up in.”

Seth nodded. “It will end and it is bad, but we knew there will be an end.” He hugged me. “But they and others like our boys will make things better. You heard Demetrius and Dara. They are the future.” He kissed me gently then looked at me with a smile. “I’ll go light the tank. We could both use some time with just us.”

Hugging him tighter, I loved how he felt in my arms. “That sounds good.”

Entering the warm water began it’s magic as I relaxed. Seth came to my side of the tub and pulled me to relax against his chest. He kissed my neck as he also bathed my chest.

“We’ve had a pretty exciting life.” I said.

Seth chuckled. “Exciting? Sure, eventful most definitely.”

“I love you, Seth.” I felt his gentle kiss to my neck again.

“I know.” He said. “I love you, Erik.”

I smiled. “I know.”

It was very…different that we could wake up at home, go to A’Dore that morning and be back by nightfall. We got word from Samuel that things were becoming very violent in Blethos’ capital. A thousand miles away in A’Dore, things were also getting violent.

We arrived coming through the mirror/doorway, Seth and I found things very noisy and chaotic from the corridor. The room we worked in was being repaired after the wall had been broken open, but currently, it was empty…of anyone or equipment. We went in the corridor, I saw people moving fast in an almost panic.

I stopped a woman that worked there. “What’s happening?”

She looked at me like, how could I not know what’s going on? “The snakes! They’re everywhere! You had to see them!” She pointed to the village we could see through the broken wall.

I looked at Seth. “We need to find Christian.”

We both headed for the throne room where Christian always coordinated things. He was talking with some guards and other men.

“…and we need to find a way to keep them out!” Christian said in a voice that was a little more pressured than he usually spoke in. “They are what are carrying this plague! They won’t kill you, but they can hurt us!” He looked up and saw Seth and me coming over to him. “Erik! Seth! Are you having a snake problem in Royal Valley?”

“Snakes? No.” I answered.

He shook his head. “Since last night, they came out and are everywhere. They’re biting people all over A’Dore. Citizens are getting sick and dying that didn’t get the little warriors. The ones that have the little warriors are not being touched!”

Seth looked around as men came and went in a hurry. “What kind of snake? They’re poisonous?”

“They carry the plague we’re having.” Christian said hurried. “A bite brings death in minutes!” He threw his arms up. “I’ve never seen snakes like them. They’re pretty big and solid black. My men have killed a few, but they dissolve to ash after being killed. They must be how Len Na is spreading this plague.”

“Where are Ella and your children?” I asked.

“They’re in our family room, protected.” Christian said. “The snakes don’t come after those with the little warriors, I think they’re safe, but I have them under guard just in case.”

Seth looked at the activity around him. “What should we do? How can we help?”

Christian moaned. “Kill the snakes! As many as you can. I don’t know if we can stop them, though. If they come from Hell, they’ll just keep coming!”

I turned and shouted. “Demetrius!!” I looked as no one appeared. “This is not for me, this is for everyone. Help us!”

Others were there that hadn’t seen Demetrius or Dara or any of these people. There were cries of shock and terror when Demetrius appeared in front of Seth, Christian and me. Many of the men were running out of the throne room in terror.

“I know!” Demetrius said urgently. “This is the attack! It will happen in Blethos, too. Len Na is pushing these snakes to kill.”

“Is there nothing you can do?” I asked. “Anything we need to do?”

Dara appeared beside her husband. “We’ve done all we can.” She said. “We’ve given you the way to stop the deaths.”

Seth looked around. “We need swords! We’ll help kill them.”

The castle was pretty untouched, but going out to the village, we saw the snakes slithering in great numbers, going in homes as we heard screams from both pain and terror. There were people here that hadn’t taken the little warriors? I knew we were in short supply, but this close to the source of the warriors? The snakes were long, about three to four feet long and solid black, but the eyes were glowing red! One was right next to me and I watched as one came up on a man and I saw it open its mouth to strike the man. I swung the sword, cutting its head off. I gasped as I watched the snake literally burn in front of me. I watched as the ash blew away. I pushed the startled man away.

“Find safety! Fight them with whatever you can find.” I ordered and moved to the next snake. The weather even seemed to turn against us as dark clouds began to form overhead. Thunder boomed in the distance.

“How can God allow this?” Seth asked. “These are plagues like from the old scriptures!”

“He didn’t do this. Len Na did.” I said back. “She’s human.”

“But she is allowed to use magic to do this!” Seth said. “He can’t control her? This is almost more than we can handle.”

Then I saw a woman. It was her head we’d seen in the room we worked in to get the little warriors and who broke the wall.

“She’s here! Demetrius, Len Na is here!” I shouted wondering how they didn’t know that.

Len Na carried no sword or weapon, but was screaming in fury as the snakes came before her and seemed to spread from her. Her gown, dress billowed in a cold breeze. Her white hair billowed as she came. She screamed. “Die! The children of Eve will die!”

In the pandemonium, no noticed as Demetrius, Dara, Lukus and others just appeared on the street. Then I watched as other appeared around Len Na completely surrounding her. There were over a hundred like Demetrius and Dara. Their hands held out in front of them. They were accessing magic?

“Len Na!” Demetrius shouted. “This stops now!”

“What authority are you using to stop me?” Len Na turned to Demetrius shouted back.

“What authority are you using to kill people? Those snakes are demonic!” Dara shouted back. “Who are you?”

“I am judgement, I am bringing an end to the children of Eve. They destroy everything the touch.” Len Na said angrily. “And you support them!?”

Lukus came closer. “We said we will stop you.” He held his hand out. “The judgement will be yours.”

Now the skies were angry as the clouds got darker and now the thunder boomed and lightening flashed, the wind increased speed. It was fast becoming hurricane strength.

“We are what God intended. Not these children of Eve. They are cursed.” Len Na said angrily. “What I have started, no one can stop!”

The others who were children of Lilith were posed to do whatever it took, and killing Len Na was the answer.

Then as things looked like all would be destroyed, the clouds suddenly lightened, the wind died. I was astonished as I saw all the snakes suddenly burn where they were and vanish.

“What!?” Len Na shouted looking around her. “Who’s doing that? You can’t stop me!” She looked at all the children of Lilith. “Who dares stop me?”

Then, not loud, but clearly heard, a woman’s voice came. It was calm and soothing. “I do.” Then another woman appeared in front of Len Na. Unlike Len Na, this woman was beautiful and almost radiant. Black flowing hair cascaded below her shoulders. Her age…well, it might have been a mature twenty something, or a youthful forty something. “This must stop.” She said smiling at Len Na, but her face held no anger or hatred. “My child, you have lost your way.” She said sympathetically.

Len Na looked furious. “Who are you?”

“Search your heart. You know who I am.” She said calmly. “You and all these who call themselves children of Lilith know who I am. I am your mother.”

My eyes widened. “Lilith.”

“She’s real!?” Seth gaped. “The Garden, Adam and Eve all of it real!?”

Lilith, if she heard Seth didn’t answer, but kept looking at Len Na. “Your mind is clouded. You have been filled with hatred for centuries. Placing blame and now condemning people for no real cause. Now, it stops.” She waved at Demetrius and the others. “Your brothers and sisters were willing to do what otherwise would unthinkable to stop you. I won’t let them do that.” She held her hand out to Len Na. “You’re going away. You will not be allowed to come back again.”

“But this world was created for us!” Len Na protested. “We lost the Garden because of Eve and her children!”

Lilith laughed as a mother does to a child that is being stubborn and unreasonable. “I don’t recall hearing any stories about you were there. How do you know what happened?” She shook her head. “How do you know what the plan was? Things happen. Life is change. My children were allowed to access the power to help these children. Do you know what the path for these children are? I don’t. Man is destructive.” She nodded. “Both the children of Eve and Lilith are destructive. We have parts to play to shape the world. You have made decisions and taken actions that were just not right.” She waved at Len Na and Len Na vanished. She turned to Demetrius. “Your time is short here on Earth. You have done some good things to help your half-brothers and sisters. You help shape minds and given them the means to better themselves.”

I walked forward to her. “The stories…the scriptures…they’re true? You’re Lilith?” I was in awe of her, but I wasn’t frightened of her. If she was Lilith, she was the second human to be created.

Now she did look at me. “Am I?” She smiled. “I won’t answer your questions. Is the story true? You tell me. Or is there something else going on. Man just put the story together to make things make sense. That’s true for you and Demetrius, Dara and the others. You and Seth began a life together and are forging the future for yourselves. Will it be good or bad? Teach your children. Love each other.” She smiled patiently. “I am no god. I’m just a woman capable of accessing power, the power that brought you together.” She looked at Seth. “To cure.” Had she been the one to cure Seth of those scars? She sighed. “What I am, who you are is up to you to find out. You haven’t gotten to the point you can figure that out. I will not confirm there is a God or anything else. I will say; you have the power. You can make the world a better place, or destroy it. That choice is up to you.” She turned to Demetrius. “Enjoy the life you have left. Continue to access the power…” she laughed. “…what you refer to as magic. Shape them. I see great potential in the children of Eve.” She frowned. “I also see great darkness. You can guide and help them.”

Dara walked up to Lilith. “Is that what we’re supposed to do?”

Lilith looked at Dara with that smile of patience. “You know the answer to that.” She looked again at me. “Len Na has been stopped. This plague; as your brother said it was a plague, has been stopped. Your future can be determined by only you.” Then she simply vanished.

Demetrius shook his head. “Well that was a little anticlimactic.” He groused. “No explosions or anything!”

Lukus nodded. “Yes! It was exciting at least!”

Dara huffed. “You two are so embarrassing.”

“We are not!” Demetrius said back haughtily.

I touched Demetrius’ shoulder. “Does this mean it’s over?”

Demetrius shrugged. “The Len Na part yes.”

Seth smiled. “We’d better tell Christian. He looked like he was heading for a heart attack.” He said pulling me close to him.

Dara smiled. “But the struggle continues. There is still some guidance we can do.” She looked back as others that came with them vanished. She looked back at us. “Now, get back, console your brother and then go back to raise those two boys.” She smiled. “They will tell stories about you two. You’ll inspire many out there.”

I frowned. “That sounds like a good-bye. Like you won’t be around as much.”

Lukus looked shocked. “Good-bye!? Heavens, no! We’ll be around. You’ll see us.” He vanished.

Demetrius chuckled. “You can’t get away from us. I’ve gotten very fond of you two.” He grinned hugging me and then Seth. “The truth is, you’re my two favorite children.” He held a finger to his lips to indicate to keep it quiet. “We’ll see you later.”

Dara hugged us, too. “When you hear the bell; we’ll be coming.” She warned and then she and Demetrius vanished.

I took a deep breath. “Lukus was right about it being exciting.”

Seth grinned bringing me into a hug and kissed me hard. “I love you, Erik.”

I laughed. “I know. I love you, Seth.”

Seth nodded. “I know.” Then he rubbed his stomach. “I’m hungry.”