Even from the house, Caleb and Sarah could still see smoke billowing up from the smoldering remains of the barn. He knew what had happened the night before, but he had still come back one last time just to make sure. He had to see � had to know that his fears were real.
�Caleb, are you sure you want to do this?� Sarah asked, laying a reassuring hand on his arm.
�I have to. Wait here.� Without waiting for a response, Caleb climbed out of the silver Mustang and started toward the house. He could sense more than just Gorman in the house. His mother was there, and the rest of the Fathers and Sons of Ipswich. He reached for the door and hesitated a moment, wishing for the reassuring presence of Sarah by his side, but he knew this was not for her to see.
Before he could close his hand on the doorknob, it swung in and the weathered face of Gorman floated into his view. A look of understanding passed across the old groundskeeper�s face, but he continued to say nothing as Caleb brushed past him and up the stairs. He took them two and three at a time, anxious to get this over with. A small flicker of hope seated itself in his belly, and he found himself hoping he would open that door and the machines would still beep and buzz and the respirator would rise and fall.
Even before he rounded the corner into the room, he knew better. With the new power, his senses were heightened � the darkness a mere annoyance; the smell of dust and mold strong in the halls. It was too silent, and the breathing too heavy. And from too many. Pausing to take one last breath himself, Caleb stepped into the room and the oppressive silence. His mother came to him and put her arms around him. She was crying silently, and he could smell alcohol all over her. Caleb swallowed and smoothly removed himself from her grip.
Standing around the chair were his friends, Tyler, Pogue � who was leaning heavily on a cane for support, and Reid, and their fathers � all young, handsome men whom their sons all resembled. Caleb could hear their thoughts buzzing through the air � something he had not been able to do before. Whether it was an effect of his Ascension, or the other thing he did not know. It was only mildly distracting.
He had to do it. Knowing he was dragging it out far too long, Caleb straightened his shoulders and stepped forward. There, lying in the chair as always was James Danvers, his father, although somehow changed. He was no longer the aged, rotting shell of a man. In death, he had returned to his proper age, and was once again the handsome forty-four year old man he should have been.
Caleb shuddered. He let himself mourn only a moment, then turned and walked away without stopping to speak. Wondering what was up, his friends followed him, quietly questioning what was going on.
�I can hear you, you know,� Caleb commented as he made his way down the stairs. �I don�t need any of you to tell me what to think or how to feel. I lost him once, and I mourned then. If I let myself lose him a second time, I won�t survive it.� He reached the bottom of the stairs, and his eyes flickered orange. �But the truth is, he is still here. Inside me.�
�We know,� Pogue replied, stepping off the stairs to face his friend.
�He saved my life last night.�
�We know,� Reid echoed.
�There can�t be a funeral. Everyone else thinks he�s already buried.�
�So why not do it the way they used to?� Tyler said as he stepped up behind Reid and Pogue. �Burn the body.�
�What good will that do?� Pogue asked, rounding on Tyler.
�It gets rid of the body and lets the soul free,� Sarah commented, squeezing in the front door and scaring all of them. Caleb had not sensed her coming, and that alone frightened him. �No questions asked.�
�Caleb? What�s going on?� Reid asked. Sarah stepped up and took Caleb�s hand.
�Uh�� he replied, glancing down at her.
�I�m not as na�ve as you think, boys. I�ve done my homework.� The other three looked back and forth at each other, and shrugged in unison, an action that brought a smile to Caleb�s face.
�Well, that being said,� Reid commented, �since you are the last of the Danvers bloodline now, you may as well get started on that oldest son, Caleb.� He shot a playful glance at Sarah, who blushed slightly and looked up at Caleb.
�Shut up, Reid,� Caleb retorted, not taking his eyes off Sarah. His eyes flickered again, and she smiled.
�Maybe we should leave the room?� he responded, and quickly found himself lifted from the floor and spun around.
�Let me down! Let me down!� Reid screeched, and the others let out peals of laughter. Carefully, Caleb replaced his friend on the floor, his own shoulders shaking with silent laughter. �That�s not funny, dickhead.�
�Odd, I thought it was,� Caleb retorted. �Come on. Let�s get out of here.� They turned to walk out the door, when a voice overhead stopped them.
�Just a minute, boys.� The four turned as one and looked up. Pogue�s father stood on the landing just above them. �There�s something that needs to be done first.� The other fathers appeared behind him then. Sarah glanced up at Caleb again. She squeezed his hand gently and took a step back. �I�m afraid you are involved, my dear,� he added, nodding to Sarah. �Bring her along, Caleb.� Obediently, the sons followed the fathers, Caleb taking Sarah�s hand again and tugging her along.
Reid�s father reached for the wall beneath the staircase. It gave way to another, older stone staircase leading down into the earth. As they reached the bottom of the steps, candles flickered to life, revealing a gold pentacle etched into the floor. A candle sat at each of its five points. Sarah glanced around in amazement, stopping on the last step to watch as each of the sons took his place at a point, the candle at his feet bursting to life with a hiss of colored smoke. The fifth candle remained dormant.
The fathers then took their places behind the sons, hands on shoulders and arms outstretched toward the center of the circle; seven sets of eyes glazed and black.
�Come to us, and complete,� someone vibrated. She could not tell who it was. Cautiously, Sarah stepped forward, the tips of her shoes on either side of the still unlit candle. A voice rang out across the room, and she vaguely recognized it as Caleb�s.
�Brothers in the Elements, come forth and bring to us the missing flame. Earth.� Sarah watched, terrified, as Pogue knelt, his father kneeling as well, hands still on shoulders. His eyes flashed orange, and wisps of brown mist spiraled from his fingertips to linger in the center of the pentacle. �Air.� Silver mist spun from the tips of Tyler�s fingers to mingle. �Water.� Blue mist from Reid�s hands braided itself around the others. �And Spirit.� White mist moved from his own fingers to swirl with the others, creating a bright silver light. �Go forth and bring to us our brother in Fire.� The candle at Sarah�s feet leapt to life, burning with a tall, green flame. Each of the men in the circle focused on her.
�He is still alive,� one of the others hissed.
�Not in material form,� one of the fathers added.
�He waits for release from his spiritual prison,� still another murmured. The fire burned at Sarah�s feet, lapping at the ripped hem of her dress. The blackened eyes lolled and eyelids fluttered closed.
�Brother in Fire,� Caleb continued, his eyes opening, �by the power of the Covenant, we summon thee.�
�We summon thee,� Pogue echoed, eyes opening.
�We summon thee,� Tyler added, lowering his head and looking toward Sarah.
�We summon thee,� Reid finished, following Tyler�s lead.
�We summon thee,� the fathers said in unison over the heads of their sons, their eyes lifting and focusing on the candle at her feet.
Sarah swallowed and looked down as well. �By the power of the Covenant, come to me,� she said, her voice barely above a whisper. The candle�s pale green flame flared up, turning orange. She wanted to scream, but was frozen as the fire twisted from the wick and wrapped itself around her. It was cold, and it drained her energy.
Sarah could hear a voice in the distance. It was familiar to her, but she could not make out its owner. She watched as the flames rose around her, encasing her, but not burning. Her mind was completely clear, open and waiting.
The next thing she knew, Sarah was lying on the ground, Caleb lying next to her with his arm around her waist.
�What�s going on?� she asked, not remembering anything.
�The fire was consuming you,� Caleb replied, breathless and still clinging to her. �I wasn�t going to let it take you, even if it meant finding Chase.� A moment passed, and Caleb stood, pulling Sarah with him. �I think its time to leave.�
�At least we know he is still out there,� Pogue said, limping toward them, leaning more heavily on the cane than he was earlier. It was obvious he was tired. �I need to get to the hospital to see Kate.�
�Come on, I�ll take you,� Reid commented, heading for the stairs.
One by one, they filed out of the basement, until Sarah and Caleb were alone. She was shivering, and still confused by her absolute lack of memory. Caleb continued to look at her, his eyes softening when he heard the door close behind the final father.
�Are you alright?� he asked her after a moment, taking her by the shoulders to turn her toward him.
�I don�t see why not. I don�t even remember what happened, Caleb.�
�I think Chase might be coming after you.�
�Me? Why?� Caleb hesitated. �Caleb? Why would Chase want me?�
�Because I love you.� Sarah could do nothing but stare at him and wait for his next comment. �You are my biggest weakness, and he knows I would do anything to protect you.�
�Caleb��
�I�m serious, Sarah.�
�I love you too.�
TBC...