The Woodland Visitor Ch 20: Fate or Destiny
#21 of The Woodland Visitor
Well here goes nothing. This chapter definitely isn't my best work. I had too many things I needed to put out for the next phase to occur. Unfortunately it didn't turn out as well as I wanted but I got it all out and couldn't straighten it out. Now that I scattered all the pieces of the puzzle out, I hope I can put it back together again. Between being deployed to Iraq (For the third time) and writing some more of my book I wanted to publish. My mind has yet to settle down. I am now working on a couple of supplemental chapters explaining things that I totally skipped over previously (My bad) I apologize to those who noticed them and had to ask. It's that dreaded disease creeping up on me (Ya know CRS)
I do apologize though to everyone who has followed the story. I will be back on track with the next chapter. And thank you for all the votes.
The Woodland Visitor Ch 20:
Fate or Destiny
I slowly came back to consciousness and found myself surrounded by my friends. Sienna was holding my head in her lap and amber was pushing at me with her head.
"Tom, are you alright?" Sienna asked.
Slowly I sat up and ran my hand across my head. Then I quickly spun around looking at where Pearl had stood.
"They're gone."
"Gone?"
"Pearl said that you had everything that you needed to know. Tanya added that they couldn't stay. They had to get ready for your call. What did she mean by that?"
"I don't know." I said as I stood up and swayed with the dizziness. Steve grabbed my arm steadying me. I waited until my head was clear and slowly straightened up. "I'm okay. I just felt a little dizzy." Sienna stepped up to me and looked into my eyes. She just hugged me for a few moments. Feeling movement by my side I looked down to see Amber had come up to me.
I reached over and lifted Sienna's chin up so she was looking at me and kissed her. When we parted I smiled then reached down and picked up Amber who had wrapped herself around my leg.
"I... I'm scared d... daddy." I held her tight and tried to comfort her as best I could.
I leaned in closer to her. "You wanna know something? I'm scared too. But no matter what happens, I will never let anything happen to you or mommy."
She curled her tail and neck around me and as she wrapped her wings around me too, I heard her whisper. "I know."
I felt a hand settle upon my shoulder and looked up to find Sienna looking at me with a question in her eyes. As best I could do with Amber in my arms I pulled her to me and hugged her. We only parted when we felt Amber move. I watched as she pulled her wing back and wrapped it around Sienna, drawing her in closer. I wrapped my arms around both of them and just held them tightly.
Sienna looked up at me then gently kissed me again. "Let's get everyone inside. It's starting to get light out."
As we made our way back inside I motioned for the Wolfpack to gather. Slowly everyone filtered inside and found places to sit or stand awaiting me. I made my way over to the hallway and stood waiting for Sienna to come back. She came up holding Natasha and slid right under my arm, snuggling as close as she could to me. Clearing my throat, I waited for the team to quiet down before I began.
"I'll be the first to admit that, that was some pretty strange shi..." I looked down to Amber who was looking up at me. "Stuff that just happened. Don't ask me about it because I don't even know what happened. I will tell you what happened to me and then maybe we can figure out what's going on. I mean, I'm as stumped as you guys are. But some things have been brought to my attention that makes me think that something big is about to happen and that I cannot stop it alone. In short, I need your help and after I explain what little I know, I will understand if you choose not to."
I explained everything I saw in the 'dream' or was it a vision? Maybe I actually went there to meet with the dragon. It took some time to explain everything because I also had to try to explain my emotions for them to understand what I was talking about.
When I finished there were more than a few jaws that hung open. However one person stood up and moved to the center of the room. He stroked his jaw before he turned to me.
"Okay, now let me get this straight. In your 'vision' you appeared as a silver..."
"More like chrome, my skin actually rippled kinda like mercury would." I said.
"Okay, you appeared as a chrome dragon, and you felt comfortable like that?" I nodded and he continued. "You also appeared flying through, for the lack of a better term, nothing. In this nothing was an island with a single tree and a golden dragon that glowed. You said that you felt like the dragon should be worshipped and the tree itself was beyond that." Again I nodded.
"Pearl said that the tree of life created the first guardian, the one they call the 'Father'. Now the father created the guardians who in turn created the universe. Excuse me spread the seeds that the tree had given to them to create the universe. Then they were given the task of protecting the life that they created. Pearl also said that according to legend they took on a different shape to walk among those they were to watch over."
Everyone sat mesmerized as he continued. "I'm gonna go out on a real thin limb here and say, what if their true form was that of a dragon? What if the golden dragon that you saw was the one they call the 'Father'? And the tree that you saw was the 'Tree of Life'? That would explain a few things."
My eyes were as big as dinner plates as what Brenah said sunk in. when I could finally speak I couldn't believe what he implied. "What are you implying?" I asked, already knowing the answer.
"I'm saying that the reason that you were chosen could be because you are actually a guardian."
I bowed my head. "No... that can't be... that's impossible. I can't be a guardian."
Sienna reached over, turning my head so I was looking into her eyes. "That would explain a lot. Like why you were chosen to raise Amber. And why Pearl gave you the knowledge she did. And why the message that you received was given in the way it was. And why you were told that your services were needed again."
"But... but... I'm not special, I'm just a normal person."
Steve busted out laughing. "No Tom, you are far from normal. It makes sense. Only someone as powerful as a Guardian is said to be could have eluded our best efforts to find you. And your abilities, I could only hope to be half as good as you are."
Sienna smiled. "Even if everything isn't true... you will always be special to me."
I stood up not really hearing what she said and slowly walked the length of the room. Turning to look back I saw every eye upon me.
I knew then that like the Wolfpack's motto, every one of them would follow me to the gates of hell and back. But this time, how many of them wouldn't make it back. I don't even know who the enemy is this time.
I started getting a tightness in my chest and was finding it increasingly difficult to breathe. Turning I mumbled that I needed some fresh air and hurried out the door. Once outside I turned and ran into the woods.
Back inside Sienna stood up and without thinking handed Natasha to Amber and ran out the door after me leaving everyone else to stare at each other wondering what just happened.
Five minutes later Sienna came running back in and in a panicked voice all but screamed, "He's gone, I can't find him anywhere."
Steve stopped as he ran by. "We'll find him, wait here in case he comes back." Sienna nodded.
Everyone was up and out the door leaving Sienna with Amber and Natasha. Amber slowly and carefully walked over to Sienna. "Mommy, where did daddy go?"
Sienna sunk down to her knees and Amber could see that she was crying. "I don't know."
Amber wrapped her wings around Sienna and held her as she cried. "He's okay mommy. He promised to protect me and you. He won't forget his promise."
Sienna looked up into Ambers eyes. Seeing the fear in them she smiled. "He did promise us that, didn't he?"
"Yes he did."
Sienna slowly stood up and moved over to the couch, motioning for Amber to sit beside her. Reaching down she took Natasha and waited for Amber to climb up beside her before she wrapped her arm around her and settled down to await my return.
* * *
I don't remember how I got there but I found myself standing near Tanya's grave. Slowly I sunk to my knees and tried to deny everything. It can't be true. I couldn't be a Guardian, but there was no other explanation. Everything fit. Thinking back on it, I know some of the wounds I've received would have killed someone else but yet I survived. And when we rescued Sienna, I told no one this but it felt like something took over and helped me.
"I can't do this." I said as I cradled my head in my hands. "I just can't!"
~You can't or you won't? ~
"Why me? Why was I chosen?" I asked as I looked up to see Tanya setting in front of me.
~You weren't chosen. You have always been one. Even before you were born Thomas Drysdale. Even before the universe was created, you were a guardian. It is now time to become one again. It's time to fulfill your destiny. ~
"My destiny?"
~Yes, you have a destiny to fulfill, to protect Sienna, Natasha and Amber and to protect life on this planet among others. The same destiny you had when you became a member of the Wolfpack. To protect those who need you from those who would destroy all we believed in. It's just that the people have gown to every living thing. It's something I know that you can do. It's something you will do anyhow because that's just the kind of person you are. ~
"But what if I fail?"
~You fail? You have never failed before. ~
With tears in my eyes I looked up at her. "But I lost you."
~You didn't fail, you were just set back. ~
"I failed you. I failed to do my job before the attack. I failed to get us out of there at the first sign that something was wrong." Burying my head in my hands, I doubled over and cried, "I failed to protect you."
~You loved me, there's no way you could have failed me. The whole mission was a setup. Even if you knew, it would have happened sooner or later and the results might have been worse. ~ Tanya slowly lifted my head up. ~I was never meant to stay in your world. I can see that now. I was destined for greater things, as you are. We are all needed to play our part. And you are the leader of it all. Without you then we will all fall to the evil that's awakening. ~
"So I have no choice in this?"
~You always have a choice. But you know as well as I do that what we said is the truth. ~
"I know."
~And I know in my heart that you will never turn your back on someone in need. ~
"You know me too well."
~Yes I do. ~
Suddenly I felt a stirring of power behind me and saw Tanya look up. I turned quickly and saw an old man with a cane walking out of the woods. He looked up at Tanya. Turning back to her, I watched as she dropped down to one knee and bowed her head.
~As you wish. ~ She turned to me. ~I will see you again. ~ Was the last thing she said before she faded out.
I turned back to the old man and watched as he made his way towards me. When he was only a few feet away he raised his hand and I watched as the ground began to flow up like water. Slowly it formed into a couple of chairs and the old man took a seat in one of them. Turning to me, I saw a smile form on his face.
"Please, have a seat my son..."