Heaven's Trumpet - 4. A Deconstruction of Armageddon

[Chapter 4]

The tension in the air thickened with a swell of emotions that emanated from everyone like heat waves that cling to dry deserts. A surprise to no one, I was the first to break the shocked silence. It was either that or start throwing fireballs.

I didn’t take my eyes off her. I wasn’t taking any chances.“Nathaniel, do you know this woman?”

Smiling serenely she met my stare and I found myself drowning in her startling blue eyes. They were hypnotically enchanting to look upon and I broke our stare with some effort. I wasn’t attracted to her psychically, but the otherworldly beauty that surrounded her was impossible to ignore.

Nathaniel’s face was a mixture of awe and apprehension. “This is the Emissary.”

“We got that part,” Killian said, still looking miffed that the woman had stopped his beam so easily.

The Emissary smiled beatifically. “My name is Celestinai Cemmeria Clistos-Lal Emuria De Talot. And as you know, I am the Emissary.”

The words flowed from her lips lyrical and sweet, like honey. Her name was long but it sounded like quiet music as it lingered in the air. There was an old power behind her name and age, a great age that spoke of times long passed, stars gone cold, and toppled empires turned to dust and ash. I swallowed to clear my suddenly dry throat, feeling humbled to be in her presence.

“Well ‘Celeste’,” I countered, ignoring the undignified gawking from Nathaniel. “I can’t pronounce your name even on a good day, so Celeste will just have to do. Nathaniel knows what you are, but the rest of us don’t know jack. Care to fill us in?”

Celeste laughed and I shrugged off the tingling sensation the melodious sound invoked. “I heard you were amusing,” she smiled. “I’m the Emissary of the They Above All.”

Holy shit. My eyes widened and I took a step back. I didn’t know what to say to that. Standing before us was an honest to goodness being from the upper planes of existence.

She nodded, seeing the wheels turning in my head. “I’m the Voice of They Above All’s will on Earth and throughout the universe. Just as you Chosen, represent their Hand.”

“Are we in trouble?” Ryan asked hesitantly. He looked like a little kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

I hoped not. I wasn’t sure if we could take her.

Celeste shook her head. “Not at all, champion of soul. I’m here to act in the capacity as a senior advisor. They Above All have seen what is on the horizon.”

Nathaniel was for some reason still looking dazed and awestruck. I was beginning to wonder about him. He was usually cool as ice under pressure. “The database has many tales of the agents of They Above All. I wrote an essay about you during my studies in school.”

“But why are you here now? After all this time.” Adam asked. There was a look of mild anxiety on his face and his palms awkwardly skimmed the edge of the table like wasn’t sure what to do with his hands.

I was a little anxious to hear the answer to. This was monumental for her to appear on Earth. I had a feeling we weren’t going to like the answer.

Celeste smiled kindly at Adam’s questions. “There never was a time in the past that required my presence. Now things are different. You stand on the edge of a knife. The enemy you face is formidable. This time not only the Earth, but the entire universe faces annihilation.”

I didn’t like the way she said annihilation. The tone was final. It was like a steel edged razor. It cut into me and left a sinking dread that filled me up and threatened to swallow me. The whole universe was in jeopardy? It was almost an impossible concept to fathom. I was right. We didn’t like her answer.

Ryan was having difficulty closing his mouth. It took him several moments before he asked, “The universe?”

The Emissary’s tranquil face was now touched with grimness. “The skinwalkers you fought are part of a greater force, an organization that’s seeking the most powerful weapon in existence.”

Killian’s eyes were wide with shock. “Like a nuke or something?”

I turned disbelieving eyes on him. And he said I was dumb. Moron.

Celeste only shook her head with a grim frown. “Its power is beyond measure. This weapon is called Heaven’s Trumpet. It can rewrite the laws of physics, kill time, and destroy a universe in one solar second.”

“Oh,” I said dumbly. “Is that all?”

Adam was as white a sheet. “And these guys are looking for this weapon?”

“They are seeking its power,” Celeste moved to the monitor projecting the constantly scrolling Atlantean glyphs. She gazed at the screen curiously and then turned back to us. “There are three Keys that hold back the weapon. When they are gathered in one place the lock will break and Heaven’s Trumpet shall be summoned forth.”

A sick thought formed in my head. “They Above All see this ending badly, don’t they? It’s why you were sent here.”

Celeste’s eyes were suddenly shadowed and face blanked, devoid of all emotion. “You cannot tell the depth of the river until you see the bottom,”

I frowned. What the hell did that even mean? Was this her way of dodging the question? Whatever. If she didn’t want to answer then it didn’t matter. My mind had already been made up. We were fucked.

“Heaven’s Trumpet is that dangerous?” Ryan looked like he was having trouble wrapping his mind around the information dump. I knew the feeling.

Celeste’s red lips thinned. Her expression was deadly serious as she replied, “Heaven’s Trumpet is the ultimate weapon and the ultimate failsafe. In the face of great evil, it is programmed to-”

Without warning, her body erupted into a bright glow and she looked up startled. “I’m sorry.” Her blue eyes were dark in concern. “I wasn’t supposed to tell you so much. It’s against the Laws of Balance. We shall meet agai-”

She suddenly exploded into bright light, so pure and majestic that it awed my soul. The light seemingly was yanked upward through the ceiling, leaving nothing behind. The afterglow that bathed the room faded and we were left standing in stunned silence.

Killian spun around to Nathaniel. “What the hell was that about? Why did she leave?”

Nathaniel was staring at the ceiling uncertainty, borderline worried. “I would wager she was only meant to lead us in the right direction. Any more than that was overstepping her bounds, so They Above All must have recalled her back to the higher planes.”

I took a step back and flopped down in the nearest chair. “This is heavy. What the actual fuck!”

“We’ve never had the freaking universe to worry about,” Killian followed my lead in sitting down. He put his head into his hands and began massaging his temples.

I shook my head. None of this seemed real. “A weapon that can annihilate the universe? That kind of power is unfathomable.”

Adam looked astounded. “You did destroy an entire dimension, darling.”

I raised my eyebrow. “The Ever After? That was different. First I was hopped up on power from the Giga Annihilation Program, and second, it was just a pocket universe linked to Earth. It probably wasn’t any bigger than Europe or Africa.”

They gaped at me and I rolled my eyes. Wow. A guy couldn’t destroy a small dimension without it ever being forgotten about. I couldn’t even begin to think about the power requirements that it would take to destroy the universe. It would require a power that is equal to or greater than the universe itself. That type of power was astronomical and innumerable to even form into a coherent thought.

“Ryan, can you start searching the database for Heaven’s Trumpet and what its purpose is, and maybe a way to stop it if it is summoned,” I said, feeling the urge to delegate once again. “Nathaniel, can you check with your contacts to track down these Keys? Maybe we can get to them first and hide them or destroy them if we need to.”

They didn’t argue and I was thankful. I was starting to feel a headache form between my eyebrows. Great. This was an excellent way to start off round two of Chosen vs. Evil Bad Guys. Defending the planet was hard enough, but now the whole universe rested on our shoulders. If this was a joke I wasn’t laughing. Why was it always us? I was barely wrapping my head around Pre Calculus and now this...

Times like this I wished to already be twenty one. I needed a strong drink.

In the end, it was time to call it a night. The computer was set on automatic search, its systems going through its massive database combing for specific queries that Ryan inputted into its sub routines. Killian practically had to pry Ryan away from the computer. That boy was such a tech geek.

Nathaniel promised to contact his sources who dealt with the preternatural and that was all that could be done. The only thing to do now was wait. I waved goodbye to Killian’s car as he reversed his Porsche and drove it out of the driveway. I leaned against Adam’s solid chest yawning a little, taking a moment to bask in the tranquil night and the serenity of the moment.

“We still have to have that talk.” Adam’s voice made his chest rumble and I could feel it against my cheek.

It succeeded in ending my basking and I looked up at him, taking a step back. “What talk?”

Adam chewed his lip. He looked sort of nervous suddenly, almost unsure. “You know... the one we said we were going to have earlier.”

“Oh...Oh!” I felt a blush creep up my neck.

That talk! I had completely forgotten. Although it seemed crazy that I had forgotten about our very hot and very public make out session. If we had been alone we more than likely would have jumped each other. There was no denying that. Considering that we haven’t done anything sexual yet, a talk was definitely needed.

“This is awkward...” Adam muttered looking at the ground as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

“No kidding.”

Adam stuffed his hands into his pockets. “I don’t know what to say...”

“Me either,” I said softly. “Maybe...maybe we don’t have to say anything.”

He frowned and finally looked at me, eyes filled with confusion. “Aren’t we supposed to?”

Shaking my head, I took his hand. “I don’t think so. We obviously want each other, but I feel like an idiot if we have to plan out our first time. I want it to be spontaneous, passionate, and memorable. All that cheesy stuff. Something special that when I look back on it I’ll smile goofily.”

Adam smiled, slow and sweet. “Some of the things that you say... I love you.”

The smile and the emotion lacing his voice made my heart stutter. “I love you, too.”

“I’m glad you don’t want to plan it out.” Adam was smiling more brightly than I had ever seen. “When we finally have sex it up. I want it to be at the right time and the right moment.”

I couldn’t help teasing him. “And what’s the right moment and time, Brokeback?”

His hazel eyes trailed over me and I shuddered under that heated gaze. “Trust me. We’ll both know when that moment comes.”

I nodded dumbly feeling my breath catch. Damn, this boy could make me of all people tongue-tied. Something most possible would’ve scoffed at being impossible a year ago.

“Suave, very suave, Romeo,” I slapped him on the arm, ducking my head to hide the redness in my cheeks.

Adam wrapped both his arms around my waist and pulling me into his much bigger and muscular frame. “Does that make you my Juliet?”

I snorted. “I ain’t drinking any poison. They had to be on crack to commit double suicide.”

“Crazy in love is more like it,” Adam smirked.

I rolled my eyes. “Oh, no... Please, don’t tell me you’re one of those who thinks that twisted, little snuff tale was a romantic love story?”

Adam grinned, shrugging a little. “I don’t know. It was them against the world and in the end, they only had each other. It was beautiful...”

I laughed and smiled at him enticingly. “What do you think of our own love affair? In love thousands of years ago in other life, killed, and then only to be reborn and given a second chance.”

Adam looked back down at the ground, stilling all movement. My eyes widened and I opened my mouth feeling like a fucking clown. I didn’t mean to hurt his feelings. He was usually so good at telling when I was joking. He routinely cut through my teasing and hit me back just as hard, but in good fun. I reached out a hand and touched his shoulder.

“Adam?” I said softly.

He pursed his lips, then sighed and met my eyes. I was floored at the emotion in his hazel eyes. They were completely open for me to read. Love. That was all I saw in his eyes, which were a dark green like the color of oak leaves. His emotions were laid bare and they were all for me. He would do anything for me. I could see it in his eyes. They promised me love, affection, honesty, devotion, caring... and so much more. They promised that whoever hurt me would suffer twenty times more and I believed it. Adam loved me completely, with his heart and soul.

I rubbed at my chest feeling like it was going to burst. It hurt so much. I looked at him and couldn’t resist my eyes from tearing up. Touched beyond words didn’t describe it. It embraced my soul and I welcomed it like the first rays of the summer sun.

With a smile so wide that my cheeks hurt I beamed at Adam. He wiped away my tears with the pads of his thumbs, with just a hint of shyness that sent my stomach turning over and over like I was flying.

“Adam I...” I choked up. “I love you so much, sometimes it’s like I can hardly breathe.”

Smiling glowingly, Adam shook his head with wet eyes and flushed cheeks. “I thought I was the one who said the sweetest things here.”

I laughed wetly. “I have my cool moments.”

“That you do.”

I rested my head against his chest again and wrapped my arms tighter around his torso. His heartbeat lulled me into a quiet, almost meditative trance. My eyes closed. I loved this boy so much. There was nobody else for me. I was sure of it. He was the one. The One. I knew he was my soulmate and every day I was learning what that meant. We were the better part of each other. I was complete when I was with him. It was sappy, but it was true. I was loves bitch.

The quiet sent me into such a lethargic state that I couldn’t resist the yawn that erupted from my mouth. Adam looked down at me, coyly raising an eyebrow.

“You tired of me already?” he asked teasingly.

Smiling, I shook my head.

Adam ran a soft hand through my hair and I reflexively moved into his touch. “I don’t know about you, darling. Call me selfish. I’m not ready for you to leave. I always want more time with you.”

“You sap.” My voice was thick with emotions that I could barely get it out.

Adam hummed happily under his breath and it was almost musical. I listened closer and thought about his voice. It was an almost deep baritone vocal range. I looked at him, thinking curiously.

“Sing me something,” I said suddenly.

Laughing lightly, Adam shook his head. “What brought that on?”

I shrugged. “Just thinking. I always hear you humming, like you want to sing, but you never do. I can tell you have a good singing voice.”

“You a talent scout in your free time?”

I snorted. “Nope, I just know sounds well. Portals are based off sound. The harmonics of a portal resonate on a certain frequency and each portal is attuned to-”

“Okay, okay,” Adam conceded, laughing. “You got me. No need to school me on magic. Some of us are null in that area, thank you. I can sing. You figured me out, Dick Tracy. I like musicals.” He admitted with an embarrassed blush. “I sing a lot of show tunes when I’m by myself.”

What? How did I miss that one? “You like musicals? Since when?”

Still blushing, he shrugged. “It’s not something I advertise. Most people don’t like them. They think they’re stupid. But when I was blind I would listen to them all the time. It’s hard to watch a movie when you can’t see, but with musicals, it’s completely different.” His face lit up with unrestrained excitement. “In a musical, the whole thing is acted out through dialogue and the songs... the songs actually enhance and tell the story... and when I was blind I felt like... like I could actually see in those moments...”

Surprised, I shook my head. “I wish you would have said something earlier, baby. I never knew.”

“Again, It’s not something I advertise.”

I pressed into him with my body. “Sing me something. Please.”

Adam pressed a kiss on top of my head. “Since you insist,” he said with fake annoyance. He paused, tilting his head thinking for a moment, and then sang, “Maybe I’m wise. But you’ve got me seeing, through different eyes.”

“Nice,” I chuckled.

He playfully rolled his eyes and swatted at my shoulder. “Somehow I’ve fallen, under your spell. And somehow I’m feeling, it’s up that I fell...” He trailed off, staring at me with twinkling hazel eyes, and then started again. “Just for this moment, as long as you’re mine.”

“Only yours,” I giggled, feeling light and giddy as his rich tenor voice washed over me.

His eyes shined with warmth and I sighed in contentment, as he continued singing, “Come be how you want to. And see how bright we shine. Borrow the moonlight, until it is through...”

He trailed off at that note winking at me devilishly, as I literally grasped a shaft of moonlight in my hands, folding it and twisting it with magic. I crushed it into its most basic form and blew the silver particles, resembling fairy dust, across my open palm. They danced in the air between us and Adam caught one on his fingertip as the rest fell to the ground.

“Stop distracting me. Let me finish for you,” Adam laughed, light and quick. He grabbed my hands and I held on tight, enjoying the show that was only for me and me alone. He started to sing his last line, putting so much feeling into it that I stopped and stared. “And know I’ll be here holding you. As long as you’re mine.”

I gaped at him, still feeling the energy from the song after he was done. “And you hid that from me. That was amazing.”

Adam grinned, self consciously. “You think?”

“I know.”

And we kissed.

***

I fell onto my bed, sprawled over it like a cheap hooker invited back to a fancy hotel room. I salute you, Juliet Roberts. The events from the past few days were catching up to my weary body.

I never could have imagined that when we resumed our duties it would start off so hardcore like a Final Destination film. Peace just wasn’t in the cards for us. As long as we were Chosen, there would be assholes clawing around in the dark ready to challenge the light.

“At least I'm getting better at being leader,” I mused aloud, smiling lazily at the ceiling.

For a while there I was beginning to think that I was the only Chosen that retained nothing from their past incarnation. I finally was getting the payoff. It was a little late, but it was better than never. Now if I could just duplicate those fancy backflips the others could do so easily...

“Forking, fake Power Rangers.” I slipped off my shoes and stood up.

With a strangled yawn I yanked off my shirt and slipped out of my jeans, humming under my breath and remembering the sweet song Adam sang to me. I couldn’t resist a giddy sigh. I was definitely in love. Where’s my traperkeeper so I could doodle his name in the margins? I needed to do this properly.

Another yawn escaped and I shook my head quickly, trying to shake off the exhaustion. My feet padded softly against the carpet as I made my way to the bathroom. I took out my contacts and stared at my blurry reflection in the mirror.

A shower would be good, but that would have to wait until morning. I was too exhausted to entertain thoughts of standing for much longer. I needed to wash the gel from my hair but sacrifices must be made in the name of sleep. Sorry, my beautiful locks. Take one for the team.

I only managed to bump into one wall on the way back to my bedroom. It was a miracle that I didn’t fall and kiss carpet. When my head touched the pillow, with the blankets tucked around me, it was almost heaven. A little happy smile curved at my lips as I closed my eyes, surrendering to the pull of sleep.

Darkness.

A mind numbing dark towered above, below, and around me. Clutching at my sight like a monstrous entity from a never-ending nightmare. Everywhere I looked there it was. It clung to the farthest corners and the deepest pits of thought. It surrounded me like a cocoon and I was trapped in its tendrils.

Light broke the through black veil, piercing through the darkness and shining radiance upon the ocean of crawling dark. The light struck me and my eyes closed automatically at the intensity.

When I opened my eyes what greeted me was worse than total darkness. Destruction. The city of Centennial lay in ruins. I stood on top of a building, one of the few that remained standing. The sky was blood red with thick clouds tinged with gray, and ash fell silently across desolate the landscape. My mouth dropped open as I gazed at the toppled buildings. Most were barely standing, some were reduced to rubble, and everywhere I looked devastation met my gaze.

That took second place to the countless number of dead bodies that covered the street. The bodies were broken, bloody with rotting skin, revealing inner muscles and bits of pearl, white bone.

My head was swimming as nausea overcame me. “Oh, God.”

What was this?

What was going on? Was I dreaming?

Yes. I was. I knew that. But this seemed and felt so real. I looked at the sky, shuddering at the malevolence that reeked from the hidden depths behind the clouds. They swirled and churned above my head. I knew without a doubt that something evil looked behind their dark folds. I couldn’t turn away, couldn’t run and knew whatever lurked above could find me anywhere. Something in the back of my head, that ancient part that was programmed to sense predators, warned me, screamed that if it saw me, I would die. I knew it as surely I knew this was the end.

This was Judgment Day. I was witnessing Armageddon. Something whispered against my spirit and I turned around.

“Not the end. Only the beginning,” Prince Emrys said, staring stoically into my panicked face.

“What’s going on? This is Armageddon!” I screamed at his blank face.

His royal highness didn’t flinch or even blink at my raised voice screaming not more than five inches from his face. He stared at me calmly and his mouth was turned in a barely perceptible frown. If he wasn’t me, I wouldn’t have even noticed.

My past incarnation, with his older features, said cryptically, “Blood, blood, blood, blood. My blood. Your blood. His blood. One, two, four, all into two, back into one.”

“What?” I frowned at his meaningless words. “What is this?”

“A memory of tomorrow.” His blue silk robes shifted as he lifted his arm and pointed to the horizon. “Angels are singing. It comes.”

I followed to where his finger pointed. “What comes!”

“Heaven’s Trumpet.”

From the east light exploded in a brilliant display of silver luminescence. It rushed across the land in a sea of blinding holy light that burned everything it engulfed. Everything it touched was turned to nothing and then less than nothing. The light raced toward us and I threw up my hands to shield myself.

Darkness rolled over me once again in its folds.

A Voice thundered through the ocean of blackness and it hammered against my mind, inside my very being.

FROM THE VOID IT RESTS, IT COMES, IT CONQUERS. ALL SHALL TASTE FEAR. THE UNIVERSE SHALL WEEP IN DESPAIR.

I jolted awake screaming, screaming so hard that my throat roared in agony. Blood spill from my nose and I shook away my mother’s hands and insistent questions of concern. The horrors of my dream gripped my waking thoughts flooding my body with remembered sensations, and haunting images of the end of the world. I thought it earlier. But now I knew it for sure.

We were screwed.