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by Lady Demon
The distant rumble of thunder didn't alarm Kelsey. She glanced out the window
at the darkening sky and knew that she would have to go out and bring in the
horses soon. She went to the closet and grabbed her rain jacket and pulled the
hood up over her head as she headed out the door and into the rain.
Kelsey had remained on the farm with her parents because she loved horses and
hated the city. It was quiet and peaceful where parents' farm was and she
liked it that way. There wasn't much excitement and there wasn't that much to
do, but she had the horses. She had been raised taking care of horses and knew
nothing else...and didn't want to do anything else. This was how she wanted to
spend the rest of her life.
The wind picked up as she walked out to the large gate separating the fields
where the horses were. She slopped through mud caused by the heavy rains
common at this time of year. The rain had begun to fall harder and she could
see the horses standing at the gate, waiting to be let into the warm barn.
Kelsey unlatched the gate and opened it, letting the horses run to the barn.
They knew where to go and she didn't have to worry about them. After the last
horse bolted through, she swung the heavy metal gate closed. She saw the flash
of lightning out of the corner of her eye but didn't have enough time to pull
her hand off the metal gate. The lightning struck the electric fence and
traveled through the gate and into Kelsey. She felt a momentary shock and then
everything went blissfully black.
*The rain has stopped* she thought to herself. Her body hurt all over and she
wondered what had happened. The last thing she remembered was closing the
gate... She turned her head a bit to try and listen for the sound of the
television downstairs. Her father always had it on. What had happened? There
was no sound...no noise...nothing. Had she gone deaf? No, she could hear the
sounds of her own movement...but that was it.
Kelsey slowly opened her eyes and looked around and found that she was not in
her room at home, nor was she in a hospital. She looked around at the strange
decor of the room and became frightened. Where was she? Was she dreaming?
She pinched herself. No, she wasn't dreaming. Maybe she was hallucinating...
She looked around the room, taking in the odd furnishings. The furniture
looked antique, ancient almost. The bed was a large, four poster bed with a
canopy of red satin, which cascaded to the floor at the corners. The sheets
were red satin as well and the comforter that covered her was black satin.
There was no clock in the room so she had no idea how long she had been there
or even what time of day it was. She didn't even know what DAY it was!
There were two doors in the room, one open and leading to another, smaller
room. The other was closed. It was a heavy wooden door with ornate carvings
on it which appeared to be roses.
She heard a sound at the closed door and shut her eyes, pretending to be
asleep. She heard the door open with a creak and could hear the quiet
footsteps of two people...most likely women from the sound of the footfalls.
"Is she awake yet?" asked one.
"No, I don't think she is," replied the other.
"They'll want to see her as soon as she is well enough," said the first one.
"They will have to be patient," replied the second woman tersely. "She's been
through quite a lot and I can only imagine how she's going to take the news."
News? What news? Kelsey's curiosity got the better of her and she began to
stretch and move and then opened her eyes.
"She's awake!" exclaimed the first one.
"I can see that," replied the second.
Kelsey opened her eyes to see two young women standing next to her bed. Both
were dressed scantily. The skirts they wore were short...very short and the
tops were also short and made of an almost transparent material. They wore
knee high boots and both had their hair done up in intricate designs. Heavy
gold jewelry adorned their necks and wrists.
"How do you feel?" asked the blonde who was obviously older than the
dark-haired girl.
"I feel like hell," said Kelsey sitting up a bit. The blonde chuckled.
"I don't doubt that," she said. "Going through the gate is not a pleasant
experience," she added.
"Gate? What gate?" asked Kelsey. Surely she couldn't mean the gate to the
pasture. She had gone through that gate thousands of times with no ill effects.
"I'll let them explain that to you," she replied.
"Them?" asked Kelsey looking around. The blonde laughed.
"The Elder," replied the younger girl. The blonde shot her an angry look and
the dark-haired girl looked at her feet.
"It will all be explained to you soon enough. We are to help you bathe and
then take you to see them...if you're feeling up to it," she said.
"Yes, I'm feeling up to it, but I don't need help bathing. I can handle that
on my own," she said warily.
"As you wish. We will wait for you here," said the blonde. "Elanna will show
you to the bathing room," said the blonde. The dark-haired girl smiled and
motioned for Kelsey to follow her.
She carefully climbed out of the luxurious bed and followed the girl to the
adjoining room. Kelsey gaped at the elaborate decorations in the bathing room.
The walls and floor were made entirely out of rose marble. The carvings of
roses accentuated the polished stone surface. Her attention was then drawn to
the huge bathing pool in the center of the room. Elanna pulled a large towel
from a drawer and set it next to the pool.
"When you're finished, come out and we'll get you something to wear," she said
backing out of the room and closing the door behind her.
Once the door was closed, Kelsey looked around the room. There were no windows
and the only light came from hundreds of small candles lit around the room.
This HAD to be a dream. That was the only explanation for this unusual place.
She knew of no place like this in her hometown, which was small and rural. The
bathing pool was made of marble too and Kelsey removed her clothes and
carefully stepped into the warm water. It wasn't hot and it wasn't cold. It
was just the right temperature to relax her. The light scent of roses filled
her nostrils as she settled into the bath.
She didn't know how long she had been sitting in the water, but her fingers and
toes had pruned up and even though the water's temperature hadn't changed, she
was beginning to get cold. She climbed out of the water and grabbed the large,
soft towel and began drying herself off.
Kelsey took a moment to examine her hand. She remembered that the metal gate
was the last thing she touched before everything went black. She remembered
the lightning... The golden dragon ring she always wore on her left hand was
missing and there was a slight burn mark in the outline of the ring where it
had been.
"I'm dead. That's what this is," she said to herself. "I was killed by the
lightning and this must be heaven...or hell," she said. There was a soft knock
on the door and it opened and Elanna poked her head in.
"Oh, good. You're finished. We don't want to keep them waiting," she said and
motioned for Kelsey to follow her out of the bathing room and back into the
bedroom.
The blonde was waiting and clothes had been laid out on the bed for Kelsey.
She fervently hoped they were a little less revealing than what Elanna and her
friend were wearing.
"We must hurry a bit. They are waiting," said the blonde.
"Who is the Elder?" asked Kelsey as she dropped the towel to the floor.
"They are...the Elder..." replied the blonde with a shrug. "That is who they
are," she said. She handed Kelsey the clothes and she began to dress.
The materials of the outfit felt thick and soft as she slid it on over her
slightly damp skin. The color was an emerald green, which accented her red
hair and blue eyes. The skirt was floor length for which she was thankful and
the top covered everything, but was still low-cut in the front. Elanna handed
her sandals, which she slipped on her feet. Kelsey took a moment to look at
her reflection in the full-length mirror and was pleasantly surprised at how
well the clothes fit.
"Please, we must go," said the blonde motioning for Kelsey and Elanna to follow
her. Kelsey followed the two women out of the room and down a dimly lit
corridor. The walls had intricate carvings on them, but in the dim light it
was hard to make out what the designs were.
Kelsey followed the women down an eternity of hallways until they came to two
large wooden doors. Large brass door-knockers hung from both doors with the
design of a rose at the bottom of each ring. The blonde took hold of one of
the massive rings and announced their presence with a loud bang. After a
moment, the doors slowly swung open and the three women entered the room.
Four men, dressed unlike any she had ever seen, sat around an ancient table.
Their faces were white with designs around the eyes. The first had a simple
black star around his right eye, his lips bright red. He wore a black outfit,
which was open in the front down to the belt, exposing his chest. The outfit
was covered in rhinestones.
The second had what almost appeared to be bat wings around both eyes, his lips
black. He wore what appeared to be metal armor that covered his chest,
shoulders and upper arms but left his midriff open. He had on a thick studded
belt, but the table blocked her from seeing the rest of his amazing clothes.
The third had silver around his eyes and was wearing a silver and black outfit,
almost like you would have seen on Flash Gordon. All over his clothes were
rhinestones in the patterns of comets.
The last one had black and green around his eyes and "whiskers" on his face,
giving him the appearance of a cat. He also wore black covered in rhinestones
and the neckline of his outfit went down to his waist, much like the first
one's had.
"She is well Lorelai?" asked the man with the bat wings on his eyes.
"Yes my Lord. She is well," replied the blonde.
"You may leave us," said the man with the star. Lorelai and Elanna bowed and
backed out of the room leaving Kelsey alone with the four strange men.
"Don't be frightened. We won't hurt you," said the man with the bat wings.
"What makes you think I'm frightened?" asked Kelsey in her most self-assured
voice. The man smiled.
"I can see it in your eyes and even though you're trying to be brave, your
voice betrays you," he said. Kelsey swallowed nervously.
"Where am I?" she asked realizing how cliche that question was.
"Where you are isn't important," said the man with the star.
"The hell it's not," said Kelsey angrily. "You expect me to just accept where
I am?" she demanded.
"Yes," said the man with the bat wings.
"Fuck you," she said. This was a dream...it had to be. So if it was a dream,
it didn't matter what she said or did. The man with the silver around his eyes
laughed.
"I don't think she agrees Demon," he said with a cackle. Demon? Well, the
name certainly fit. The Demon glared at the other and his laughter soon died
down.
"Do you know why you're here?" asked the man with the star.
"This is a dream," said Kelsey. The man with the silver eyes laughed again.
"This is no dream," replied the man with the star. "But I can certainly
understand why you think it is."
"Why don't you tell me why I'm here?" she asked folding her arms across her
chest.
"You're the Chosen One," said the Demon.
"Chosen one for what?" she asked, thoroughly confused. Another laugh from the
man with silver around his eyes, another glare from the Demon.
"You have been chosen to fulfill the prophecy," replied the Demon.
"Prophecy? What prophecy?" she asked becoming more and more frustrated with
the lack of an explanation.
"You have the answers but it's the questions you have to find," said the Demon.
"You know the secrets, but the truth lies deep in your mind." Kelsey stared
at him, mouth open in absolute confusion. He was speaking in riddles and she
was becoming more and more convinced that she was either dead or dreaming. She
was still hoping for dreaming.
"I don't understand what you're talking about. What do you mean?" she asked
angrily. The Four simply looked at her. "Why am I standing here listening to
all this bullshit?" she said shaking her head. "This is a dream and I can wake
myself up at any time," she said. The Demon looked at the others.
"It's obvious she is confused and requires clarification," he said. Kelsey
wondered what kind of "clarification" he was talking about. The other three
nodded. A moment later the doors opened and Lorelai and Elanna came in and
lead Kelsey away. The Demon sighed and shook his head.
"Are you sure she is the Chosen One?" asked the Cat Man.
"Yes, she is the Chosen One. Remember, not all of them know what is happening.
She needs an explanation," said the Demon. "I'm sure she's just confused
because of the unfamiliarity of her surroundings, and let's face it, we aren't
exactly normal-looking," he said with a smile. "I will go talk to her," he
said. There was a laugh from the Celestial. "Is something wrong Celestial?"
he demanded. The Celestial tried to hide his laughter.
"Are you just going to talk?" he asked. The other two laughed and turned to
the Demon.
"Yes..." he said glaring at them. "Starchild, prepare what I will need for her
training," he said and left the room.
Kelsey followed Elanna and Lorelai down the maze of corridors back to the room
she had woken in. She sat down on the bed and waited for the women to leave
but they didn't.
"What is going on? Can you please tell me what they're talking about?" asked
Kelsey, tears of confusion stinging her eyes. Elanna looked at Lorelai for a
moment and when Lorelai nodded, she turned back to Kelsey.
"You are the Chosen One," she started.
"Chosen for what??" she asked exasperatedly.
"Chosen to save us," she said. It was obvious to Kelsey that Elanna was
surprised at her lack of comprehension.
"Save us from what? Does everyone speak in riddles here?" she asked hoping
she'd get an answer.
"From the Evil One," she said.
"Throughout time, the Elder have trained warriors to protect the world from the
Evil One. This time, you have been chosen," said Lorelai.
"Me? I'm no warrior! I just want to go home," she said.
"You can't until your task is done," said Elanna. Kelsey was about to ask how
when there was a knock on the door. Lorelai ran to open in and was surprised
to see the Demon standing there.
"Please come in my Lord," she said bowing and backing from the door. The Demon
stepped through the door and into the room. Kelsey had been able to tell he
was a big man...but standing he was HUGE. He stood at least 7 feet
tall...partially because of the boots he wore which reflected his Demon
personality. The tops of his boots stopped mid-thigh and had the appearance of
scales.
Now that he was standing she could see his entire outfit. The large studded
belt he wore attached to a codpiece that covered his groin area.
"I wish to speak to her alone. Leave us," he said. Lorelai and Elanna bowed
and left the room, shutting the door behind them. Kelsey was scared now. No
matter how hard she tried to calm herself, she was scared shitless. She folded
her arms across her chest and put on her bravest face. "You have nothing to
fear from us," he said, his voice deceptively soft for his appearance.
"Why am I here? I want straight answers. No riddles," she demanded meeting
his gaze steadily. The Demon sighed.
"You are the Chosen One. We were a bit surprised when we found out it was a
woman...but you have been chosen and we cannot change what the Caretaker has
done," he said.
"That still doesn't explain it," she said flatly.
"There has always been good and there has always been evil. The Caretaker
chose the Elder to watch over mankind and to help when necessary," he said.
"It is up to us to train a warrior to rid the world from the Evil One. You are
that warrior," he said pointing to her.
"Me? I'm a woman! I'm no fighter and besides, what makes you think I'll do
it?" she asked.
"You have no choice. It's your destiny," he said with a sad smile. "I know
it's a lot to take in and accept, but you have to believe me when I tell you
that you have nothing to fear," he said.
"What about from this Evil One?" she asked.
"HIM you should fear...but don't let the fear rule you. Use it as a weapon,
but don't let it be used as a weapon against you," he said.
"Don't let it rule me? I don't know where I am, how I got here, how I'm going
to get back and what you want me to do! How can fear NOT rule me?" she asked
with a heavy sigh.
"You must control it. If he knows you're scared, he has already won," said the
Demon softly. Kelsey looked into his deep brown eyes, trying to decide if what
he was telling her was true or it was just some big practical joke. He smiled.
"I'm telling you the truth," he said.
"It's just so strange," she said. "One minute I'm standing in an open field,
the next minute I'm here," she said. "How did I get here?" she asked, hoping
he'd at least answer that question.
"The lightning opened the gateway. We didn't think you'd be standing quite so
close," he said with a bit of a laugh.
Kelsey could see that the Demon was very sincere in what he said. She even
thought he might be nice...if he wasn't trying to be so intimidating. Kelsey
was startled out of her thoughts by the Demon's hand on her face.
"You'll be okay, but you must follow what we tell you, not matter how strange
it sounds," he said with a smile.
"I'll try," she said.
"Have some faith in yourself. You can do it," he said. He smiled again and
then left, leaving Kelsey confused but determined.
The Demon left the room, closing the door behind him. He didn't blame Kelsey
for being scared and confused. She certainly wasn't the first one who didn't
believe what was going on and she certainly wouldn't be the last. He was still
surprised that a woman had been the Chosen One. It had never happened before
in the 2000 years that the Order of the Rose and the Elder had been in
existence. The Demon sighed as he continued down the corridor. Had it really
been 2000 years?
"So, did you convince her that she wasn't dreaming?" asked the Starchild as the
Demon came back into the room.
"She's still a bit confused, but willing to try," he said sitting down.
"It's gonna take time for her to fully understand what her destiny is," said
the Cat Man.
"Do you think she has what it takes?" asked the Celestial. The Demon looked at
him.
"I have no doubts," he said.
"Good, because you're gonna have to reassure her when she starts to doubt
herself," he said.
"Me? Why me?" asked the Demon. The Celestial smiled.
"We all will, but she trusts you more than she trusts us," he said.
The Demon thought about that for a moment. She didn't trust him. In fact, he
was pretty sure she was afraid of him. He would earn her trust.
Kelsey lay down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. What had happened to
her? Her life had been so simple and now...now she didn't know where she was,
what she was doing. The Demon had tried to reassure her, obviously not wanting
her to be scared. His explanation of her situation was less than enlightening,
but she could understand that something like this couldn't be explained easily.
She would just have to take a leap of faith and trust what the Elder said and
do what they asked her to do.
Elanna came back into the room. She was carrying a tray of food, which Kelsey
eagerly accepted. She set the tray down on the bed and began to eat.
"Are you feeling better now?" she asked as Kelsey shoved a piece of bread in
her mouth.
"Yes. The Demon explained a little bit about why I am here and I guess I'm
just going to have to trust them," she said.
"Good, I'm glad you have at least accepted your destiny. I know it must not be
easy," she said.
"So, Elanna, what is your job here?" asked Kelsey.
"Lorelai and I are servants of the Elder. There are many others, but we take
care of the Elder," she said.
"Take care of? In what way?" asked Kelsey, wondering what would be expected of
her. From the way Elanna and Lorelai were dressed, she wondered if at least
one of their duties was sexual. Would the same be expected of her? Destiny or
no destiny, she would be no one's sexual slave.
"We bring them meals, dress them...entertain them," she said with a smile.
"They are very nice and treat us well," she said.
"Entertain?" asked Kelsey.
"Yes, we entertain...in many ways. But you will not be expected to do this,"
she said quickly. "You are different. As the Chosen One, your heart must
remain pure," she said quickly.
"I see. Any idea what my training will entail?" she asked.
"I'm sorry. I don't know... The last one was long before my time," she said.
"How long?" asked Kelsey.
"Almost 100 years," replied Elanna.
"One hundred years? Who were the Elder before the Demon and the others?" she
asked.
"There were no others. They have always been the Elder...for almost 2000
years," she said.
"What? You can't tell me that they are 2000 years old. That's impossible!"
she exclaimed.
"With the Caretaker, anything is possible," said Elanna. "You must be tired
and you will begin your training tomorrow. Get some rest. Lorelai will come
for you in the morning," she said taking the tray and leaving the room.
Kelsey stared at the door long after Elanna had closed it and then sighed,
climbing into bed. With any luck she would wake up in her own bed, this whole
thing being a dream. With any luck...
Kelsey awoke to the sound of a knock on her door. She opened her eyes and
realized it was no dream. The door swung open and Lorelai came in.
"The Elder wish to see you as soon as you are ready," she said.
After bathing and dressing Kelsey followed Lorelai down the maze of corridors
to the room where the Elder had been the day before. Lorelai knocked and the
doors opened.
"Did you sleep well?" asked the Demon.
"As well as can be expected," replied Kelsey.
"Are you prepared to train, to fulfill your destiny as well as the Prophecy?"
he asked.
"I guess so," she said. She really wished they'd stop talking in riddles. It
was getting annoying.
"Yes or no. You must be certain," said the Starchild.
"Yes," replied Kelsey glaring at the Starchild.
"Good. This is the Order of the Rose," said the Starchild indicating The Four
sitting around the table. Kelsey sighed and nodded. "When you complete your
training, if you are found worthy, you will join," he said.
"Do I have to dress like you?" she asked skeptically. All four of them laughed
at that.
"No, you don't," said the Demon. "I will begin your training immediately,"
said the Demon. "Don't take it lightly. You will need it against the Evil
One," he said.
"I understand," she replied. The four men stood and the Celestial, the Cat Man
and the Starchild left the room leaving Kelsey with the Demon. He stared at
her for a moment until she began to feel uncomfortable under his scrutiny.
"You still doubt us and yourself," he said motioning to the chair across from
him.
"How would you feel in my shoes? I lived with my parents on a farm. Nothing
exciting happens there and certainly nothing as STRANGE as this! How would you
handle it?" she asked sitting down in the ancient chair.
"I guess I can understand that," he said. The Demon was surprised at how
outspoken Kelsey was. She may be unsure about what her destiny was, but there
was no insecurity when it came to speaking her mind. "You have a strong will
and you must learn to focus it in a POSITIVE direction," he said with a smile.
"How can I do that?" she asked.
"Patience, trust and a pure heart," he said.
"How do I know if I have a pure heart?" she asked.
"The Caretaker knows and he wouldn't have chosen you if you didn't. But you
have to focus on the quest and not allow anything to deter you," he said.
"So how am I supposed to defeat the Evil One?" she asked.
"I don't know...but you will know when the time comes," he said. "It is my job
to start your training...teaching you to focus your mind," he said.
"Focus my mind...and how am I going to do that?" she asked.
"Meditation," he said.
The Demon took her through the first type of meditation. Just getting her to
relax was an accomplishment all its own.
The harder Kelsey concentrated, the more her head began to pound. She was
concentrating so hard that she was afraid her head would explode. The Demon
kept telling her to relax and she really was trying to, but it wasn't easy.
Though she was intelligent, she had never been the intellectual type. Now she
was being asked to concentrate and think about feelings and emotions...finally
all she could concentrate and think about was the massive headache she had.
"The more you hurt the less you feel the pain," said the Demon. Kelsey opened
her eyes and looked at him. "The concentration is not easy...but the more it
hurts, the less you will feel it," he said. Kelsey took a deep breath and
willed her tense body to relax. "I think you have had enough for one day," he
said.
"That's it?" she asked. The Demon laughed.
"Yes. I don't want your head to explode! We've got a long way to go," he
said. "Get some rest and we'll do more tomorrow," he said. Kelsey nodded and
got up and left. The Demon sat at the table deep in his own meditation when
the door opened. It was the Starchild.
"How did it go?" he asked. The Demon sighed.
"She needs to learn to relax and allow her mind to focus. She's got so many
stray thoughts running around in her head that she's having trouble
concentrating," he said.
"She will learn," said the Starchild.
The following day Kelsey was back with the Demon, working on focusing her
thoughts again. This time she didn't worry about anything but focusing her
thoughts. She listened carefully to what the Demon told her. Her head was
beginning to hurt and she took a deep breath, concentrated on something
positive and the headache went away instantly. She smiled, her eyes still
closed.
"You are learning," said the Demon with a smile. She opened her eyes and
looked at him.
"That's it? That's all it takes?" she asked.
"So many people don't know how powerful a positive thought or suggestion can
be. But just remember that a negative thought is twice as powerful," he said.
"So how will this prepare me?" she asked.
"The Elder don't know what it will take to defeat the Evil One. We only know
what we must do to train you," he said.
"So you're flying blind too," she said with a smile. In a strange way it made
her feel better knowing that The Elder knew as little as she did about
fulfilling her destiny. At least she knew they weren't keeping her in the dark
on purpose.
"Yeah, you could say that," he said. "I think that's enough for today. You've
made good progress so there's no need to stress you out," he said.
"Thanks," she said getting up from the table. Kelsey went back to her room and
lay down. Her mind was exhausted but her body wasn't. Still, when she lay her
head down on the pillow, she fell quickly to sleep.
Kelsey had been training with the Demon for a few weeks now and was making slow
progress. She was still exhausted by the end of a day and quickly fell asleep.
Kelsey awoke from the dream with a scream that sent Elanna running into her
room, lighting one of the candles next to the bed.
"What is wrong?" asked Elanna.
"I had a dream," said Kelsey. "I was on a ship and we were sailing, but no one
knew where we were going. They kept telling me I knew how to get us
there...but I didn't even know where we were going," she said.
"It is symbolic of your life right now. No one is sure how to defeat the Evil
One, but they know you can do it," she said with a smile.
"It's frustrating," said Kelsey angrily. She had been training with the Demon
and yet felt that she had accomplished nothing. She still got frustrated and
she still got occasional headaches.
"You will understand when the time comes," said Elanna. Kelsey sighed.
"I really wish everyone would stop speaking to me in riddles. It's getting
annoying!" she said. Elanna smiled and left the room.
Kelsey sat there for a few minutes, thinking about what was going on. She
quietly got up and dressed and then leaving her room, she crept down the hall.
She wasn't sure how to get out, but she knew she had to leave. She couldn't
take it anymore...Prophecy or no Prophecy. She was leaving.
"Leaving here will not change your destiny," said the Demon's voice from the
dark. Kelsey jumped and turned in the direction of the voice.
"I can't do it anymore," she said. "I can't do what it is you want me to do,"
she said.
"Yes you can," he said stepping into the light. Kelsey wondered if he ever
slept, or if he did, did he wear those clothes to bed?
"You may think I can, but I can't. I can't do it," she said, tears streaming
down her face. She missed her family and the simple life she once had.
"You must have faith in yourself. That's why you get frustrated and the
headaches. If you believe that you can do it, you will be able to," he said.
"If that's the case, then YOU do it," she snapped. The Demon laughed.
"I wish it were that easy, but it's not," he said.
"If you can't do it, then how come I can?" she asked.
"I can't explain that, but it is the way it is," he said.
"More riddles," she said.
"Please, just give yourself more time. You can't expect things to happen over
night. Have faith in yourself and believe that you can do it," he said.
Kelsey sighed.
"Okay," she said.
"Good, now I suggest you get some sleep," he said.
He watched Kelsey walk back toward her room and he sighed. He had been
spending a lot of time with her over the past few weeks and he knew he was
beginning to have feelings for her. He buried them deep in his heart, not
wanting them to interfere with the training. She needed to keep her heart pure
and he wasn't about to let his own feelings mess things up.
The Demon made his way to his bedroom where he had left Lorelai sleeping. She
was a nice girl, a pleasant diversion, but not what he truly desired. He knew
what he truly desired but knew he could never have it. He was going to talk to
the Starchild tomorrow and have him take over Kelsey's training. He couldn't
take the chance that his love for her would jeopardize everything.
Part 4
TWO WEEKS LATER
Kelsey returned to her quarters and lay down, exhausted from the excitement of
the day. She lay her head on the pillow and was quickly asleep. A noise in
the room woke her but she found herself no longer in her room. She was in a
dark, cold room with no windows or a door. What had happened?
She looked around at the cold blank walls and shivered This place was nothing
like the room she had become so familiar with. This room was more like a jail
cell than a bedroom.
Elanna ran quickly down the hallway and banged on the door until the Demon
opened it. He glared down at her until he saw the look on her face.
"He has taken her," she said. The Demon knew that the Evil One would try
something drastic, but he never thought he would go this far.
"Get the others," he said and left his room.
The Starchild, the Celestial and the Cat Man came into the room, wondering why
the Demon had summoned them so late at night. When they saw him pacing the
room, they knew something was wrong.
"What's wrong?" asked the Cat Man.
"The Evil One has taken Kelsey," he said.
"What?" asked the Celestial. "How?"
"I don't know, but he has taken her," said the Demon trying to keep his anger
and frustration under control.
"We have to get her back," said the Starchild. "She's not ready!"
"I'll go to Morpheus and speak with him," said the Demon leaving the room.
It wasn't often that the Elder had a reason to speak with Morpheus, the
Caretaker and the Demon was nervous. He knew that Morpheus would know his
feelings for Kelsey but at this point he didn't care. He knew what he had to
do.
The Demon knocked on the door and waited to be admitted. The door slowly swung
open and he went in, waiting to be acknowledged by Morpheus.
"I know why you are here, Demon," said Morpheus. He was an older man whose
eyes held the infinite wisdom that only eternity can provide.
"You must allow me to go after her," he said.
"You will not," said Morpheus and the Demon stood there for a moment, stunned
by the quick and negative response of the Caretaker.
"But she might be killed. She's not fully prepared," he argued.
"I forbid you to go. This is her destiny and she must see it through," said
Morpheus. The Demon was about to argue. "You will not go after her. You know
the consequences if you do," he said. The Demon nodded and turned to leave.
"I know you love her, but there is nothing you can do for her now," he said.
Feeling defeated, the Demon left and went back to where the others were waiting.
"What did he say?" asked the Cat Man knowing it couldn't be very good by the
look on the Demon's face.
"He has forbidden us from helping her," said the Demon angrily. "He's just
gonna let her die," he added angrily. "He said it's her destiny."
"Morpheus knows better than we do," said the Starchild. The Demon glared at
him before looking away.
"Get some sleep Demon. There's nothing we can do right now," said the Cat Man.
The Demon growled and stalked out of the room.
Kelsey jumped at the sound in the room. She sat up and was surprised when a
large man stepped out of the darkness. He wasn't as large as the Demon, nor
was his face painted, but he was certainly intimidating and there was something
about him that she didn't like.
"What am I doing here?" she asked trying to control her fear. The man
smiled...but it wasn't a pleasant smile.
"I think you know the answer to that question Kelsey," he said.
She thought for a moment and then realized that this must be the Evil One. For
some reason she had thought he'd have horns on his head but he didn't. He
looked like an ordinary man, which surprised her.
"The Elder will find me," she said defiantly. The Evil One laughed.
"They are forbidden to help you," he said. Kelsey felt her blood run cold.
She couldn't do this alone. She felt her fear beginning to rise and tried hard
to push it down, to focus her mind like the Demon had taught her. "I must say
that I'm pleasantly surprised that the Chosen One is a woman," he said running
his finger across her cheek. She tried to control her shudder but it was
useless.
"What do you want with me," she asked still trying to gain control of her fear.
"That should be obvious," he said with a laugh. "I'm going to kill you," he
said. Kelsey took a deep breath to calm her fears. She focused her mind on
the Demon. She had spent a lot of time with him while training and, despite
herself, had become quite attached to him. She had always wondered if he was
lonely. Sure he had Lorelai and Elanna, but was he still lonely? She felt a
calm descend over her as she continued to think about him.
"You may kill me, but you won't win," she said. The Evil One laughed and
Kelsey continued to look him straight in the eye. His laughter faded.
"You are the one who won't win. You're weak," he said. Kelsey folded her arms
across her chest.
"We'll see," she said. A wicked smile spread across the Evil One's face.
"That we shall," he said. A moment later Kelsey felt the worst pain she had
ever experienced. Her head felt like it would explode and she closed her eyes
hoping to relieve some of it.
"The Elder sent you to destroy me, but it's you who will be destroyed. Feel
all the hate this miserable world has to offer," he said. Kelsey could feel
every angry thought, every curse, every lie and then she felt the tears in her
eyes. A moment later the pain stopped and she slowly opened her eyes. "That
is what you're trying to save. All the hate and anger this planet has and you
still want to save it?" he asked.
"Yes. It is my destiny," she replied regaining her composure.
"You people make me sick! You cheat and you lie and then you wonder why you
can't sleep at night. They're cold and mean and yet you are still willing to
give up your life for theirs," he said. Kelsey looked him in the eye.
"Yes," she replied. The Evil One laughed and then disappeared. She sat back
down and waited. She knew he would be back. She hadn't seen the last of him.
The Demon returned to his room and tried to sleep, but every time he closed his
eyes he saw Kelsey's face. She was being held in a dark room with no windows
or doors. He could feel the pain she was experiencing and he was surprised
when it brought tears to his eyes. She was going to be tortured...he knew it.
He felt guilty for being part of the reason she was in the situation she was
in. He hadn't chosen her, but he still felt guilty. Things would be so much
easier if he didn't love her. He cursed himself again, wishing he didn't…but
he did and nothing could change that.
The Demon got up and quickly dressed. He knew that if he defied Morpheus, he
would no longer be an Elder, he would be mortal and that he might be killed.
He didn't care. He knew he loved Kelsey and couldn't just sit there and let
her suffer. He was going after her. He quietly left his room and began
walking down the hallway.
"Demon, don't do it," said the Starchild. The Demon stopped, cursing under his
breath that he had been caught. What was the Starchild doing lurking in the
hallway at this time of night anyway?
"I can't let her die," he growled, whirling around to glare at the Starchild.
"If that is her destiny, then there's nothing you can do to change it," he
said. The Demon stalked over to him.
"Then I will die trying," he said angrily stalking away.
"Demon, please don't do this. You are always telling Kelsey to have faith in
herself...to trust that she can do it and yet YOU don't trust that she can do
it," said the Starchild. "How is she supposed to have faith if you don't?" he
asked. The Demon stopped He knew the Starchild was right. How could he
expect Kelsey to have faith in her own abilities if he didn't? He sighed.
"I don't like this anymore than you do," said the Starchild.
"I know...but you don't love her...I do," he said before walking away to his
room.
The Starchild stared after the Demon for a moment. He knew that the Demon had
feelings for Kelsey but he didn't think they were as strong as love. The Demon
had had many women in his life...they ALL had, but never in the 2000 years that
he had known the Demon had he ever admitted that he loved one of them He shook
his head sadly wishing there were something he could do to help.
Part 5
He knocked on the door and waited to be admitted. The doors slowly creaked
open and he walked in swallowing his apprehension.
"Starchild, this is certainly a surprise," said Morpheus. "I did not expect
you here so soon," he said.
"Morpheus, you can't just leave Kelsey to die. Please let us go and help her,"
said the Starchild.
"How dare you presume to tell me what I can and can't do," the Caretaker
replied angrily. The Starchild stood his ground.
"I am sorry. I don't presume, but certainly you must understand the severity
of her situation," pleaded the Starchild. "She's not prepared for this."
"I do," replied Morpheus. "And you don't understand how strong Kelsey really
is," he said. The Starchild stared at him for a moment.
"Will she die?" he asked.
"That has yet to be determined," said Morpheus. "The decision is hers to
make," he said.
"He loves her," said the Starchild sadly.
"I know, and if it is a pure love, then it will only serve to strengthen her,"
said Morpheus. The Starchild nodded and turned to leave. "Tell the Demon not
to worry," he said.
I don't think that's going to do much good," said the Starchild before he
walked out. He slowly walked back to his room feeling sad for the Demon. The
life of an Elder was a lonely one most of the time. Sure there were women, but
they were mortal and it was too painful to become attached to someone who would
grow old and die before your eyes.
Part 6
Kelsey fell into a troubled sleep. She saw the Demon and the Starchild both
reaching out to her and for a moment she was comforted by that, but then she
was pulled away. She called out to them but they disappeared into the
darkness. Kelsey called to them but heard nothing but the sound of her own
heart beating.
Suddenly she heard a voice behind her and turned to see the Demon standing in
the doorway, his arms folded, shaking his head.
"The Caretaker was wrong about you," he said looking disdainfully at her.
"What do you mean?" she asked, curious as to why the Demon would say something
to her like that.
"He was SO sure you could defeat the Evil One. I tried to tell him that you
were nothing but weak little girl, but he never believes me," he said with a
smirk.
"I'm not weak," she protested.
"You ARE weak! The Evil One will destroy you and this place will be so much
better without you," he said. Kelsey stared at him in disbelief and felt her
anger rising. How could he say something like that to her? She knew she cared
for the Demon but she wasn't going to let him treat her like that. A smile
appeared on the Demon's black lips and Kelsey suddenly realized what was
happening.
"It won't work," she said smiling. "You are not the Demon. I know him and I
know he would never say anything like that to me," she said defiantly.
Suddenly the face of the Demon melted into that of the Evil One.
"You are perceptive and entirely too trusting," he said. "But perception is
only part of it. Something you perceive as good may really be evil. And
something you perceive to be evil may be good...you never know," he said.
"That may be true, but you are evil and there is no mistaking that," she said.
"And I will give my life if I have to, to make sure that you don't win." The
Evil One laughed.
Suddenly the bed she was sitting on burst into flames. Kelsey could feel the
heat from the fire and panicked. Her greatest fear had always been being
burned alive. The fire inched closer to her and she had no where to run, she
was surrounded by it. She began coughing and choking on the smoke from the
fire and curled up in a ball in the middle of the bed. Tears ran from her eyes
only to dry on her face from the heat from the fire.
Kelsey felt her clothing catch on fire and she began screaming. The louder she
screamed, the more it hurt and she just wished that she would die and it would
all end. Her last thought was of the Demon.
"I love you," she murmured and managed to smile.
Kelsey sat up with a gasp. She looked around and realized she was in a
hospital room. Had it all been a dream?
Part 7
Kelsey looked around the room and wondered why she was in a hospital. The last
thing she remembered was the flames and the heat. She looked down at her arms
and was relieved to see no scars. She looked out the window at the rain
pelting it and shook her head.
"Was it all a dream?" she asked out loud. There was a sound at the door and
Kelsey turned to see it open and her mother walk in with a man she didn't
recognize.
"Kelsey! You're awake," exclaimed her mother happily. "We were so worried,"
she said.
"What happened?" she asked.
"You were struck by lightning," she said. "Lucky for you Mr. Simmons was
driving by and saw it happen," she said indicating the tall man standing next
to her.
"Then I guess I owe you my life Mr. Simmons," she said with a tentative smile.
"Please call me Gene," he said. "I'm just glad I was there to help," he said
and she instantly recognized the voice of the Demon.
"Thank you Gene for saving my life," she said with a smile. He was handsome
and had the most perfect lips she had ever seen. His dark hair was long and he
was dressed in jeans and a button down shirt.
"I'm gonna go find your father," said Kelsey's mother. She quickly left the
room and Kelsey was alone with Gene. She stared at him for a moment, trying to
picture his face as she had come to know it.
"Welcome back," he said.
"How long have I been out?" she asked hesitantly.
"Two days," he said.
"Two days? It seemed longer than that! It seemed like two months," she said.
"I can understand why it would feel like that," he replied making Kelsey wonder
if it had all been a dream.
"So what happened?" she asked wondering if what she had experienced really
happened.
"You defeated him," said Gene with a smile.
"I did? I defeated the Evil One?" she asked. Gene smiled.
"Yes, you did," he replied. "And now that the Prophecy has been fulfilled, you
are home and the Elder are no longer needed," he said with a touch of sadness
in his voice.
"I'm sorry to hear that," she said.
"I'm not," he replied. "It means I can lead a normal life," he replied.
"And what do you plan on doing with your normal life?" she asked.
"This," he said leaning down to kiss her passionately on the lips. Kelsey
moaned involuntarily as his lips met hers in a searing kiss. "I love you
Kelsey and have for a long time," he said.
"I love you too," she replied. "How do we explain us to everyone else?" she
asked. He laughed.
"We don't," he replied with a laugh.
"What about the Starchild, the Celestial and the Cat Man? What happened to
them?" she asked.
"They are mortal too. You'll meet them later," he said with a smile.
Kelsey's mother came back into the room followed closely by her father. Both
were excited and relieved that she had woken and told her what had happened
since the accident.
After a while, her parents left. They had been awake for several days and were
exhausted. Gene sat by Kelsey's side, holding her hand and talking to her.
She was thankful because she didn't want to ever let him go.
Just then there was a knock on the door. Kelsey looked up to see three men
standing at the door.
"Come on in guys," said Gene. They came in and Kelsey could tell there was
something familiar about them. "This is Peter," he said pointing to the
shortest of the group.
"Good to see you again Kelsey," he said with a wave.
"You're the Cat Man," she said instantly recognizing his rough voice. His hair
was lighter and he was wearing street clothes, but it was obvious now, even
without hearing his voice, that he was the Cat Man.
"And this is Ace," he said pointing to the thinnest of the three. He laughed
and then hugged her and she immediately recognized the laugh. Who could
mistake it?
"Celestial!" she exclaimed.
"Absolutely," he replied with another cackle, giving her the "thumbs up" sign.
"And so you must be the Starchild," she said indicating the remaining one.
"I'm Paul," he said leaning down and kissing her cheek.
"I'm so glad that is over," she said. She took a moment to look at the four
men. Without their faces being painted and the strange clothes, they seemed so
normal. Who would ever think that these guys were over 2,000 years old? No
one!
"I bet," said Ace with another laugh. "I don't mean to laugh. Gene told us
that what you went through was pretty scary, it's just such a relief to
be...well, normal," he said with another laugh.
"You'll never be normal Ace," said Peter with a roll of his eyes. Kelsey
laughed.
"Guys, if you'll excuse us, we have things to talk about," said Gene.
"Are you just gonna talk?" asked Peter with a laugh as the three headed for the
door.
"That's none of your business," said Kelsey with a wicked smile. Peter looked
surprised and then smiled and walked out. Gene walked over and locked the door
to the room.
"It's a good thing you have a private room," he said with a smile as he sat
down on the bed next to her.
"And why is that? I thought we were just going to talk," she said.
"But I've always believed that actions speak louder than words," he said with a
wicked smile.
The End
Kelsey remained in the hospital for several more days. The doctors wanted to
keep her under observation to monitor her brain activity. While she had been
unconscious, her brain had shown incredible amounts of activity including the
use of parts of the brain that were not normally used by humans. Gene stayed
with her the whole time, leaving only when forced to by the hospital staff. He
was always back the next day as soon as visiting hours started.
Kelsey's parents didn't quite understand why Gene was still hanging around but
they saw that it made Kelsey happy so they didn't say anything.
"Kelsey, I want you to come to New York with me," he said one day as he sat
there holding her hand.
"New York?" she asked. "What's in New York?"
"A new life for me...for us," he said. Kelsey looked at him for a moment. She
loved him and knew she would go anywhere to be with him.
"My parents aren't going to understand and they won't like it, but I'll go,"
she said with a smile. Gene leaned down and kissed her.
"I'll talk to them if you want," he said.
"No, I better. I think the only reason they tolerate you being here is because
you saved my life," she said. "They don't normally want me associating with
guys with long hair," she said with a laugh.
"I see. Well, talk to them. As soon as you're out of here and feeling well
enough, the five of us will go," he said.
"Five of us? You mean Peter, Ace and Paul too?" she asked.
"Yeah...is that okay with you?" he asked, wondering if she would agree.
"Of course! I would be upset if you left them behind," she said.
Peter, Ace and Paul came by to visit Kelsey every day in the hospital even
though they stayed only a short time. She always enjoyed their visits, usually
because Ace would make her laugh until she had tears in her eyes.
Kelsey's parents came to see her and Gene and the guys excused themselves so
she could talk to them alone. Gene knew it wasn't going to be easy for Kelsey.
"Mom, Dad, I have something I want to tell you," she started.
"What is it dear?" asked her father.
"I'm going to move to New York with Gene," she said waiting for the response
from her parents.
"New York? Why would you move to New York with a man you hardly know?" asked
her mother.
"Mom, I love him and he loves me," she protested.
"How? You hardly know him," said her father.
"I know that I love him and I'm going to New York with him," she said
stubbornly.
"Did you know Gene before the accident?" her father asked. "You two seemed
familiar with each other right from the beginning."
"Maybe in another life," she said glaring at him. It was a half truth. "Dad,
we love each other and I'm moving to New York whether you like it or not. So
you can either be mad at me or you can accept it and be happy for me," she
said. Her parents exchanged a sad glance and sighed.
"Then I guess we'll have to help you pack," said her father with another
resigned sigh.
Kelsey slowly began to settle into the hustle of New York City life. The pace
was fast and furious but she welcomed the excitement. Kelsey had gotten a job
working for a small ad agency and had gotten a small apartment with Gene.
One day she came home from work and opened the door to see The Elder standing
there in all their glory. She dropped her brief case and stared open-mouthed
at the four men standing in her living room. The Celestial laughed at her
awestruck expression.
"I wish I had a camera," he said with a cackle.
"What's going on?" she asked regaining her composure. The Demon laughed and
walked over to her. He towered over her in the boots he wore.
"Don't worry, it's makeup," he said touching his face and then showing her the
white on his hand.
"I don't understand. Why are you dressed like this?" she asked. It was
strange seeing their faces as she had known them from the beginning. Even
though she had gotten to know their mortal looks, seeing their faces painted
was like seeing old friends again.
"We're forming a band," said Paul. "A rock band," he said.
"Yeah, and we figured this look would be just what the music scene needs to
knock the world on its ass," said Peter.
"A band? I didn't realize you guys played any instruments," she said shaking
her head.
"Yeah, it's a gift we were all given," said Ace picking at one of the
rhinestones on his clothing.
"And what is the name of this band going to be?" she asked.
And the rest is KISStory!
