Date: Tue, 16 Oct 2001 17:04:14 -0400 (EDT)
From: Rune Therain <mist_dark@yahoo.ca>
Subject: Shadows of the Past 14

I'm very surprised I've found the time to write the author's notes.  Well,
not so much 'found the time' as 'putting off doing something else'.  Very
busy week for me.  Nothing like five tests and nine assignments due in a
week to get the old blood flowing.  Okay, I've complained about my school
workload.  I'm done with that...for now.  Anyway, I'll be sending off the
epilogue to my editor this evening.  I may get it posted before I go on
break.  Which means Shadows is officially finished.  This is the last
chapter and then there's just one more instalment.  It's been fun writing
it.  Not as much fun as Nsync Saga mind you, but fun nonetheless.

The disclaimer really hasn't changed.  It still means this story is
fiction.  Yes, that's right, I made it all up.  It does contain homosexual
themes, fancy that one a site like Nifty, which means you have to leave if
that offends you.  If you're too young, or it's illegal in your area (some
areas are still fairly backwater, or so I hear), leaving may be a good
idea.  There, all done, and it wasn't nearly as painful as the flu shot.

If you want to send me comments, good or bad, I've got two addresses you
can send them.  Mist_dark@hotmail.com or Mist_dark@yahoo.ca

Until next time,
Rune


CHAPTER FOURTEEN



	A very tired looking Deana appeared in the living room carrying two
boxes and several handguns.  She set them on the table and collapsed into
one of the chairs while the rest of the group assembled in the living room.

	"I'm sorry it took me so long," she said.  "It took me a while to
find the key to the armoury."

	"Don't worry about it," Jason told her.  He took the smaller of the
two boxes and opened it.  He pulled out a silvery bullet.  "Damn, there's
not many of these left."

	"Silver bullets?"  Lance asked.  "We're hunting werewolves?"

	"Quicksilver," the Oracle corrected.  "If quicksilver comes in
contact with a Fey's blood it temporarily negates the Fey's ability.  If
used on one of the animals it should permanently remove their power.  I'll
give these to you when we go to Atlantis."

	"Atlantis?"  Deana asked in a slightly worried voice.

	"Unfortunately so," Jason sighed.  "I know you're tired Deana, but
I need you to go to this address."  He handed the tired woman a slip of
paper.  "He owes the Oracle a favour and it's time to collect.  Tell him to
set sail for the coordinates on the paper.  Once you've reached them open a
portal back here and I'll tell you what to do from there."

	"I'll probably sleep the entire trip to these coordinates," she
told him.

	"That's fine.  You'll need the rest."

	She heaved herself to her feet.  "I might as well do this while I
can still move.  She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths.  It
took slightly longer for her to vanish.

	"Atlantis?  What does that have to do with Chris?"  Joey demanded.

	"Mara is going to release the Fey of the Night," Jason told him
levelly.

	"And this concerns us how?"  Joey wanted to know.  His moods had
been slightly erratic all morning.  He was happy-go-lucky one moment, and
then in a blind fury the next.  Jason had assured them that it would fade
before nightfall.

	"The Fey of the Night hate humans, Joey," Jason told him.  "And
they've been imprisoned for a very long time.  I doubt their feelings have
done anything but gotten stronger.  Once she releases them they will
eradicate humanity.  Only those with Fey blood will live."

	"But we all have Fey blood in us," Justin said.

	"Not enough.  They will burn away anything that's human.  If you
don't have at least a quarter Fey blood in you, you'll die.  Painfully,"
the Oracle looked at Joey.  "I assume that is sufficient to get your
attention on this matter."  He closed the smaller box after replacing the
bullet.  "It should only take a day or two for the boat to reach the
coordinates I gave Deana.  Which means you have very little time to master
your shooting abilities."  He looked at the two bodyguards.  "I expect them
to be able to hit a flea at fifty paces by this time tomorrow.  See that it
happens."

	"And just what will you be doing during this?"  Lance asked.  "I
know you're doing something to help, but it doesn't look that way.  I can
understand you've been shot, but still."

	"The Oracle has always done what's needed to be done," Jason told
him.  "I will be preparing myself for the upcoming battle Lance, you
needn't worry about that.  I'll be in the small room in the basement.
Don't disturb me, I'll come up when Deana arrives."  He stood and picked up
the larger of the two boxes.  He disappeared upstairs for a moment.  When
he came back down he had the tattered remains of the robe he'd shown up in
and the large amount of silver jewellery.  "It's going to be hard," he told
them.  "But Mara will be stopped, or nothing will matter."










	"We can't get the doors to open," Katra said.  "They're stuck."

	Mara closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  Chris was amazed to
see how the anger seemed to drain out of her.  "Spirit summoner, find a
spirit to open that door."

	"I cannot," he told her.  "I told you I wouldn't be able to summon
any more spirits after controlling those four.  The strain is too much."

	"Then release them and get another one," Mara snapped.

	"I cannot summon another one so soon," he said apologetically.

	The man had no time to flinch.  The ball of fire leapt from Mara's
fingertips and incinerated him.  "I have no use for those that cannot aid
me," she said as the man's ashes flickered to the ground.  "Now get that
door open.  Break it down if you have to."

	Katra and Ian threw themselves against the door with renewed
vigour.  After several minutes the pair managed to punch several cracks
into the stonework.  Chris hated to see the beauty of this building
destroyed.  It appeared to be some kind of temple, but all of the buildings
he'd seen had been designed similarly.  Beauty had obviously been important
to the designers.  Even the fact that the entire island was void of life,
save the small group, didn't take away from the awe that the buildings
created.

	There was a groan of protest and the stone doors gave way under Ian
and Katra's onslaught.  There was a deafening crash and a huge cloud of
dust filled the air as the doors hit the ground.  Chris was surprised that
the water hadn't been able to get inside the temple.  It might have been
some sort of enchantment, or just very skilful work.  He suspected both.

Before the dust had even begun to settle Mara strode forward into the
darkness.  "Follow," was all she said.  The group hesitated for a moment,
but the recent memory of the Spirit Summoner's death drove them forward.
Chris had no choice, but to follow them.  Ian gave him a shove through the
dusty entrance.

It took some time for Chris' eyes to adjust to the gloom.  It didn't take
him long to realize that there was faint light coming from the walls.  Some
sort of fungi had grown all over the stone and it glowed faintly.  For the
life of him he couldn't figure out what it was feeding on though.  He
didn't have time to think about it though.  Mara had a fair lead on them
and they had to rush to keep up.

Mara led them through the temple with the determination of a mad woman.
There were a few alternative exits, but she kept to a straight path.  She
didn't even turn her head to take in anything else.  She finally led them
to a large room with a huge hole in the middle.  A path of floor ran around
the room to form a half-ring.  On the far end of the room was a huge pair
of ornately carved doors.  In the centre of the hole floated an island of
stone with a pedestal resting in the middle.

"Stop," the woman told them.  She waited for the group to come to a halt
before continuing forward herself.  She paid no attention to the lack of
solid footing and stepped out into the open air.  Before anyone else could
register what she was doing she was half way across the gap to the island.
It took her less then two minutes to cross the room like that.  She ran her
hands lovingly over the ornate symbols on the door.

"Soon," she whispered to herself and what lay beyond the door.  "Soon."










	"What's he been doing down there?"  Justin asked.

	"I don't know," Sean said.  "He hasn't come up since he went down
there the day before yesterday."

	"Whatever he's doing," Lance said.  "He hasn't stopped since he
started.  He's been chanting for a while now and whenever I'm near the
stairs I can hear it faintly.  Doesn't matter when I check."

	"I hope this is over soon," Joey said.  "I don't think I can take
this stress much longer."  True to Jason's word, Joey had recovered
quickly.  He apologized to everyone for his behaviour and didn't seem very
impressed with himself about how he'd been acting.

	A rush of heavily incensed laden air filled the room.  "You'll get
your wish, Joey."  Everyone jumped at the sound of the Oracle's voice.  No
one had heard the basement door open, let alone hear him coming into the
room.

	"You walk like a cat," Justin told him.  "Make some noise next
time."

	"I'll keep that in mind," Jason said dryly.  "Get dressed in
clothing that will allow for ample movement.  Deana will be here shortly."

	"Wasn't that ruined?"  Josh asked as he motioned toward the
Oracle's robes.

	"I fixed it," Jason replied.  "We don't have much time to work
with.  Get dressed and be back here in five minutes."

	When the six men returned Jason was setting the quicksilver bullets
on the table.  There were already a few pieces of silver jewellery on the
table.  "We're ready," Cody said.

	"Good."  The Oracle motioned to the jewellery on the table.  "With
the exception of Cody and Sean, each of you, take a piece that fits.
They've been enchanted for protection."  He stepped aside and let each of
the singers try the jewellery on until they found a piece that fit.

	"Um," Josh said.  "None of these will fit me."

	"I was afraid of that," Jason sighed.  He stared at the remaining
anklet on the table for a moment.  "Well, there's no help for it."  The
Oracle took the anklet and put it around his own bare ankle.  When he'd
done that he straightened and removed the eye amulet from around his neck.
"Wear this."

	"But that's the Oracle's amulet," Cody interjected.

	"Yes it is," Jason told him.  "And I'm the Oracle, so I can do what
I want with it.  It'll offer the protection that Josh needs."  He placed
the amulet in Josh's hands.  "I'm assuming that you've learned how to shoot
properly."

	"They've learned," Cody assured him.  "It took some time, but they
will be able to hold their own with a gun.  Justin is the best of them."

	"Good, because they only have six shots each to work with," Jason
said.  He divided the bullets among the singers.  "Justin I'm giving you
the extra six bullets.  Either use them yourself or give them to the others
if they're needed."

	Lance took a deep breath.  "Is there anything else we should know
before we go into the lion's den?"

	"Several actually," Jason said.  "But not enough time for them all.
Erin, the red haired woman, is a telepath.  She's very strong and has no
remorse.  Kyle, her brother, is an empath.  Joey has first hand experience
of what he can do.  Sheryl is an illusionist.  Her abilities do not create
real effects, but you will still react to them as if they are real.  Ian
and Katra are the two animals.  Both of them are stronger, faster and have
more endurance then a normal human.  Ian has been infused with the snake,
and Katra with the cat.  Mara herself is incredibly powerful.  She will be
able to perform great feats of magic at a whim.  However, she should be
occupied with trying to open the gates around the Fey of the Night, so her
power will be divided.  All I can recommend doing is hitting them as hard
as we can.  They already know we're coming.  Get Chris out of her hands as
quickly as possible and she'll have one less chip to bargain with.  Kill
Mara and all of this will be over."  The Oracle paused and looked around
the room.  "Any questions?"

	A pale portal opened behind him.  Deana stuck her head through and
then entered the room.  She looked well rested and back to her usual bubbly
self.  "The boat's in position."

	Jason nodded.  "Good, we're done here anyway.  Everyone through the
portal.  We will be on the island within half an hour."








	"They're huge," Josh croaked.  He was the first one to have
recovered his voice after seeing the lost isle.  "What are they for?"

	"They were a weapon in the war of the Fey," William said.  He
seemed completely unphased by the fact the Oracle had called in a favour
and he had had to sail his boat into the ocean.  "I don't know much more
then that."

	"They amplify magic," Jason said.  "When the Fey of the Night were
sealed away the statues were used to sink the island.  Each of them makes
the magical feat a hundred times easier.  It would be impossible for the
island to be raised without them in this age."

	"How close to the island do you want me to get?" William asked.

	"A little closer then this," Jason said.  "Deana will jump us to
the island.  Not too close to the statues.  They start to glow if magic is
used near them and I don't want them to know where the boat is."  A silence
descended over the boat as William navigated closer to the island.  It took
about ten minutes before Jason told him to stop.  "This is close enough."

	"Good luck," William said.  "You'll need all the help you can get."

	"Thank you," Jason said.  "Deana, please jump us to the island
now."






	"Is all the stonework here this beautiful," Joey asked.  He was
staring at a fountain in the centre of a square.  Four angels stood in the
centre with their wings spread upward.  Each of them had a jug from which
water was pouring.

	"From what I've read in the histories, yes," the Oracle told him.
"Don't drink from that fountain.  The waters heal any wound, but you are
forever trapped on the island.  It was used to make sure prisoners couldn't
escape."

	Jason only responded to questions directly asked of him.  Now and
again he would mention something he thought was important.  Most of it
being about the upcoming battle.  He never stopped walking and everyone had
to rush to keep up.  Even when he was speaking he kept moving.  He led them
through the city at a brisk pace, not slowing for anything.  When he
finally did stop it was in front of a large temple.  The stone doors had
been broken and the darkness lay beyond.

	"They're in here," he told the group.  Without turning around he
continued.  "You know the plan.  I know you are all capable of doing this.
I wish it hadn't come to it, but it has.  All we can do now is fight, and
pray."

	No one said a word.  The singers gave each other quick hugs before
following the Oracle into the temple.  The bodyguards had followed on their
leader's heels an instant after he crossed the threshold.  The Oracle's
pace through the temple was as swift as it'd been through the city.  The
only time he detoured from his straight path was when he had to step around
a fallen piece of stone.


	Mara was waiting for them when they entered the room.  She was
different then the group had anticipated.  She wasn't ugly or floating with
malevolent red eyes.  She was actually a striking woman in a black pants
suit.  She held a three foot long red staff in her hand.  Chris lay
semi-conscious at her feet.

	"You are late, Oracle," she said calmly.  "I am a busy woman, and I
have plans for the future."

	"I will not allow you to succeed, Mara," the Oracle said as calmly.

	The woman laughed.  "Such big words for such a little man."  Her
laughter cut out abruptly.  "You are not the only one with the sight,
Oracle.  I have it as well.  And I know you are not the one that fate has
chosen to be the champion of humanity."  She swung her gaze to Cody.  "But
he is."

	"True," Jason replied.

	"Then let us dance half-breed," Mara sneered at Cody.  "Come defend
your lover and save his species."

	Cody spared a glance at the Oracle.  When he saw the other man nod
he turned back to Mara.  His shoulders glowed as the tattoos grew into
wings.  He held his staff in each hand and launched himself across the
chasm toward Mara.

	At the same time Deana appeared next to Mara.  The bodyguard
touched Chris and vanished before the Fey could react.  Both Chris and
Deana reappeared near the door.

	"What are the rest of us supposed to do?"  Justin asked Lance.

	"Deal with us," Ian smirked.

The illusion Sheryl had around them flickered out and the rest of the
occupants of the room became visible.  The two groups spread out and tried
to cover as much space as possible without getting near the gap.


Cody crashed into Mara at full speed.  The woman took a step back and
pushed into him.  His momentum was negated as the fight erupted around
them.  Mara smiled grimly as she brought her staff down to strike at Cody.
Since it was smaller she could wield it one handed, which left her other
hand free for spell casting.  Cody side stepped the blow and kicked her in
the stomach.  The woman grunted, but didn't double over.



Katra's whip cracked against the floor.  Joey jumped back to avoid the
blow.  "Isn't it cute that you think you can stop me."  The blonde woman
laughed.  "With a gun no less."

"I think it might work," Joey said.  He levelled the gun at her chest.  "Do
cats really have nine lives?"

"Let's find out," she smirked.

	She didn't try to dodge.  She thought the bullets were lead.  The
quicksilver cut through her flesh like a hot iron.  Pain laced its way
through her nervous system.  Her skin felt as if it were on fire as the
quicksilver ripped the magic from her body.  She let out one cry of pure
agony before the pain wouldn't allow her to formulate words.  Blood ran
down her chest as she fell to her knees.



	Mara knocked Cody's staff aside with her hand and brought her own
staff toward the man's head.  He caught her staff in his hand.  A look of
triumph passed over her face.  The symbols on the staff flared as Cody's
hand touched the red stone.

	"Thank you," she laughed.  Mara knocked Cody backward and pivoted
her upper body to face the doors.  She pointed the staff at the doors and
laughed again.  A beam of red light shot from the staff to the doors.
Tendrils of the light worked their way out from the point of contact,
filling the carvings on the stone.




	"I see you've recovered nicely from you gunshot wound," Erin said.

	"I've been blessed with regenerative abilities," Jason said with no
humour in his voice.

	"Let's see how your mind recovers," Erin said.  She reached out to
punch the Oracle's mind.  Her blow never landed.  It was knocked aside by
an equally powerful mental force.  A moment of doubt touched her.  She
shook it off and continued her assault.  Each of her well-placed attacks
was deflected.

	"I'm the stronger of us now," Jason said.  He mentally slapped
Erin.  The woman staggered backward.  "I will not allow Mara to succeed, or
any that stand with her."  He slapped her again and again she staggered
backward as if struck by a physical blow.  This time there was no floor
under her.  She slipped and fell over the edge of the hole.  No scream
accompanied her disappearance.

	Jason sighed deeply.  Red light caught his eye.  He turned in time
to see the light fade from the staff.  The Oracle watched in fascinated
horror for an instant before reacting.  The light has finished covering the
symbols on the doors.  A pale red light was becoming visible between the
crack in the doors.

	"Damn it," he cursed softly.  He raised his arms upward and closed
his eyes.  His robes billowed around him as if touched by a strong wind.  A
nimbus of pale light surrounded him and the doors stopped opening.



	A wall of fire shot up in front of Justin and Josh.  The pair
jumped back from the sudden wave of heat.  Sheryl laughed from her spot
beyond the flames.  "I'm going to enjoy this.  Even more then stringing the
group of you along.  Especially playing you for a fool, Justin."  She waved
her arms and the wall shifted position into a circle.  The heat was
starting to stifle them.

	"Shut up," Lance shouted at her.  He fired off two shots.

The woman laughed at him as the bullets passed right through her.  "You
didn't seriously think that I'd actually show myself to you, did you?"
Sheryl flashed and appeared off to their left.  "This is just an illusion.
But," the flames leapt higher and the heat grew to match.  "Illusions can
be so real."

"Justin," Lance said.  "Any ideas?"

Justin hadn't said anything.  All emotion had drained from his face the
moment he saw Sheryl.  Even his eyes had become vacant.  He looked from the
image of Sheryl to Lance.  He held Lance's gaze for an instant before
turning to face Sheryl's image.  He looked back at Lance and turned to
point the gun behind him.  Without breaking his friend's gaze he pulled the
trigger.

The flames vanished.  The heat went with it.  Sheryl lay with a bullet in
her heart and a shocked look on her face.






	Ian grabbed Sean's leg and threw him over his shoulder.  Sean flew
for several feet before stopping.  He had never been a violent man by
nature, but he knew the stakes.  He had already exhausted his throwing
stars.  Ian had thrown several of them into the rock.  They were buried far
to deeply to be of any use.  The bodyguard mentally moved himself so that
he and Ian were circling each other.

Sean glanced around the room for something to use as a weapon.  The only
thing he could find were several large chunks of rock that had fallen out
of the wall.  Several of them rose into the air and hurled themselves at
Ian.  The snakeman easily dodged each of them.  Ian grabbed the last rock
as it flew by.  Before he touched the ground again the animal threw the
rock at Sean.

The rock slammed into Sean's midsection.  His concentration had been
focused on gathering more missiles.  The bodyguard fell out of air and
landed heavily on the ground.  He thought he'd heard a snap when the rock
hit him, but he definitely heard something break when he hit the ground.



	Deana helped Chris to his feet.  She was exhausted from the last
few days.  It had taken everything she had to get to Chris and jump him to
safety.  The man had been dazed and hadn't been able to rouse him.  It was
the lightening that had brought Chris around.




	"I honestly don't know your species has managed to keep alive this
long," Kyle told Josh.  "You are weak and destructive."

	"We are not weak," Josh told him.  He could feel the anger rising
in his chest.  He wasn't sure if was his own emotion or Kyle's meddling.
The emotion kept building inside him until he began to see red.  He'd never
experienced anger to his level.  A small part of his mind was screaming at
him.  'This isn't natural.  This isn't you.'  With a great deal of strain,
Josh managed to stop seeing red.

	Kyle laughed.  "You do have some strength in you.  Not enough, but
some."

	Without thinking Josh aimed and fired his gun.  He didn't know why,
or even how, he did it, but he did.  His aim was off.  The bullet struck
Kyle's thigh.  The man cried out in pain and shifted his weight to his left
leg.  The anger immediately faded from Josh.  Kyle looked surprised, then
annoyed and then afraid.  His powers were gone.




	Mara kicked Cody twice and then stepped out of the man's reach.
She raised her staff and moved in to strike at him.  The fight hadn't been
going on long, but she looked immaculate.  Every hair was in place and her
nails still looked perfect.

Cody was slightly dishevelled.  He was kneeling with his staff clenched in
one hand.  His hair hung over his face as he looked at Mara.  He wiped a
trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth and threw himself at her.

The pair struggled together.  Cody landed several solid blows on the woman,
but she continued as if nothing was happening to her.  The bodyguard was
steadily growing weaker from the repeated attacks that Mara seemed to
release with ease.

'I have to kill her,' he thought.  He had tried everything he could think
of.  All of his tattoos were useless or had no effect.  His staff was only
useful to parry Mara's blows.  He couldn't spare a look around the island,
and even if he could, there wasn't anything there.

He caught a glimpse of the doors slightly opened behind Mara.  In an
instant he knew what was behind the door, and knew he didn't want it to get
out.  After a few more turns he saw the Oracle standing there with his arms
stretched toward the glow.  The Oracle would know how to kill Mara, but he
was busy keeping the doors from opening.  If he could stop the doors from
opening, Cody could get help from the Oracle.

Without thinking about what might happen Cody dropped his staff and grabbed
Mara's.  The woman hadn't been expecting that venue of attack and the red
staff slipped from her hands.  Shock registered on her face as the Half-Fey
inverted the staff and shoved it up under the woman's ribs.  Somehow the
staff punctured the woman's skin and travelled through her chest cavity to
pierce her heart.  She lashed out at Cody.  The man fell backward and
stared up at what he'd done.

The runes on the staff burned with crimson light.  The lighted symbols on
the door faded.  The door swung shut and the white light from beyond it
faded from view.

Mara's screams echoed through the chamber.  Red lightening crept along her
skin and shot outward.  It crackled along the walls and leapt from one
pillar to the next pillar.  One bolt snaked out and caught Ian in its
grasp.  The man's screams echoed Mara's.  In an instant the lightening had
reduced his body to a blackened mass.

The screams stopped the fight.  Everyone stared at Mara.  She raised off
the ground.  She was still screaming.  It was a scream of pain.  Of agony.
Of defeat.  Of horror.  She shot backward and the staff impaled her on the
door.  The red lightening snaked along the door, burning the stone wherever
it touched.

The temple shook violently.  The lightening and magic released was
weakening the temple.  Stone blocks started to fall from the ceiling.  Sean
deflected a few around him, while he staggered toward Lance and Justin.

	A huge block fell from the ceiling.  To everyone in the room it
fell in slow motion.  It fell on the island.  Cody made no sound.

	"GET US OUT DEANA," Jason shouted at her.  He turned and was
running toward Chris and Deana.

	"I can't," Deana said.  "I'm too tired."

	"We have to get Cody," Chris shouted back.  Another few blocks were
shaken loose from the ceiling.

	"We're leaving," Jason said firmly.




	The world shifted.  The temple faded out and they were standing in
the square with the angel fountain.  Everyone except Cody was standing in
the square.  Eyes turned to Deana.

	"How?"  Chris said.  "You said you..."

	"I didn't," Deana started.

	"I did," Jason said.  "Mara has lost."

	"But Cody.  He might be still alive," Chris said.

	"That block weighed so much," Lance said softly.

	"I don't care," Chris said.  "We have to go back for him."

	"The temple is coming down," Jason said.  "Whoever goes back will
die."

	"Please," Chris pleaded.

	"Christopher," the Oracle started.  "Throughout our history the
love of a Fey and the love of a human has never worked.  It has always
ended in tragedy."

	"So that's it?"  Chris shouted.  "I give up because it might not
work out?  I don't give a damn.  If I can't spend the rest of my life with
Cody I want to be able to spend as much time as I can with him."

	"Return to the boat Chris," Jason said.  "Know that Cody's magic
would always interfere with your love."

	"Is that suppose to help?"  The singer spat at him.

	"Return to the boat," came the reply.

Slowly five figures faded from the island.  When they were gone only Josh
and Jason remained.  Josh looked around him bewildered.  He was still
trying to understand what was happening.

"I want to thank you," Jason said softly.

"For what?"

	"For your gift," Jason told him.  "For your friendship.  No one has
ever truly been my friend.  Or even tried to be.  Thank you."

	"You're welcome," Josh stammered.  He had no idea what to say.

	Jason stepped forward and kissed him softly on his cheek.  "Thank
you," he said again.

	Josh saw him turn and walk away as the world faded.  When it
cleared he was standing on the boat.  Chris was being held on the deck by
William.  Sean and Deana were fiercely discussing why neither of them could
use their powers.  Everyone else wore dazed expressions.

	"What happened?" He asked softly.  "What's going on?"

	He got his answer twenty minutes later.  Chris had stopped ranting
and had started crying.  William finally let him up.  Everyone was staring
at the island in silence.  The silence had been brought on when the
statutes had glowed faintly for a minute.  No one said anything after they
had stopped glowing.

	"What's going to happen?"  Lance asked uncertainly.

	No one answered him directly.  William pointed to a cliff that hung
over the buildings.  A white figure was walking toward the peak.

	"Jason," Josh said under his breath as the figure came to the edge
of the cliff.

	The statues began to glow faintly.  A ball of light appeared over
the Oracle's head.  As the ball grew brighter, so did the statues.  The
ball floated upward until it covered the entire island with its light.

	"Clever boy," William said softly.  "He's going to use those
statues for whatever he's planning.  It'll make it easier for him.  He's
doing something big though."

	The statutes pulsed with light equal to the light of day.  The four
of them were blinding.  Then there was a bang and the light from the
statues was gone.  And so were the statues.  There was no falling debris.
There wasn't even a ripple in the water.  The statues were just gone.

	"How can he be doing this?"  Joey asked.  "He can only see the
future."

"He can't be," Deans breathed.  "It's only a story."

	"What's happening?"  Lance asked.  The wind had picked up and storm
clouds were building over the island.

	"The legends say that in times of great need the Oracle would call
upon the Fey," Sean told him.  "In these times the Oracle would wield the
power of the Fey.  All of it.  The Oracles would use it to perform
miracles."

	"Shit," Joey said.

	White lightening snaked out from the ball of light.  It struck
buildings and burned them.  Wherever the lightening touched flames
sprouted.  In a matter of minutes the entire island was aflame.

	The island shook violently and began to sink.  The water rushed
inward, but didn't extinguish the fire.  The descent was slow and steady.
It took over half an hour for the island to be submerged beneath the waves.
Another twenty minutes before the light from the fire faded as well.

	Everyone stared at where the island had been moments before.  Chris
and Josh both had tears in their eyes.  Chris, for what he had lost.  Josh,
for what he had never had.


TBC

Almost done folks, let me know what you thought.
Rune