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THE SOUL GATHERER (A Preview)
© 2001 By Rory V. Pascual
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Folks have written to me, asking when I am going to come up with the next story in The Teddy Bear Tales. And with very good reason, since I did leave "Elysium" on a hanging note. More questions were asked: What's the title of the next story? What is it going to be about? Will Duncan fulfill his promise to Inno and give him a baby sister? Or will it be a baby brother?
To answer only two of these questions, the next and FINAL story in The Teddy Bear Tales is entitled THE SOUL GATHERER. It will be a dark tale because it will focus on the Gathering and Armageddon. As for the details of the story, sorry to say, but I have to keep them to myself for awhile. Definitely though, "The Soul Gatherer" will be coming out in 2002.
The next obvious question is: Will this be the end of the The Teddy Bear Tales? Although this story arc will end next year, I've already started on a project called The Teddy Bear Variations -- stories which are true variations of the themes presented in the original story arc. The first tale, entitled MARIONETTE, is presently running on HLM. It will be posted in this site in its entirety early next year.
Anyway, because so many of you were nice enough to ask, here's a preview of "The Soul Gatherer". Sorry if it will leave you with more questions. Just remember that old saying...Patience is a virtue.
Seacouver was nothing more than a city of devastation. Everywhere he looked, magnificent buildings were flattened to the ground. Steel frames jutted out of the landscape like misshapen skeletons, around them rubble that were once its cement innards. The roads were cracked, the gaps spewing out flames. Not far from him, a traffic light blinked red on and off, causing a wave of nausea to rise up his throat. Before he could quell the urge to vomit, his stunned doe eyes fell upon a tiny doll. Its rubber and plastic frame was drenched in blood. The pretty dress that was once a bright yellow was now crimson. The doll's eye hung by its spring from the gaping hole that was its socket. At once, the image of the doll's owner washed into his head. A little girl was playing with it -- she couldn't have been more than five -- when the quake struck. She died instantly when the building behind her collapsed, crushing her to a pulp.
Images of a child squashed like an insect on a boot heel overwhelmed the Highlander that he violently threw up. But his mind was being pummeled by similar visions of violent deaths from all quarters.
When he could spew out no more, Duncan raised his head, only to see the little girl staring back at him, fear in her pretty blue eyes.
:Please, Mister!: she begged him earnestly. :Please don't let him take me!:
Before he could answer, however, a great cry rose in the city. The child whirled around, her mouth agape in terror. Duncan too stared in horror at the gruesome scene the little girl was looking at.
Throughout the city, the souls of the dead were rising into the sky as white pillars of mist. He could see the stricken faces of each and everyone of the dead, all begging to be saved from a fate worse than what they had just suffered. All the pillars converged at a spot a few blocks down the street. It should not have surprised the Highlander. The cataclysm, the deaths -- HE was here.
:MISTER!: There came that mind-piercing shriek. Duncan saw that the little girl was floating into the air. :HELP ME! PLEASE!:
"NOOO!" Duncan reached out his hand, but the child's fingers just went right through him.
:MISTER! DON'T LET HIM TAKE ME!: the little girl screamed out again.
As she rose into the sky, a familiar figure wrapped his arms comfortingly around the child. The Highlander gasped in shock, seeing the kindly, grizzled face of his best friend.
"NO! JOE!" shouted Duncan, as he desperately ran after the soul that was once his beloved Watcher.
:Help us, Mac!: cried Joe Dawson, tears streaming from his eyes. :Only you can save us! Do not let him bring us to Hell!:
In his desperation to reach his friend, the Scot did not see the piece of metal that was jutting out of the pavement. With a surprised cry, Duncan fell to the ground. Looking up once more, he saw Joe and the child a distance off from him.
Casting his eyes to the heavens, Duncan shouted, "FATHER, WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO? HOW CAN I SAVE THE SOULS OF THE PEOPLE I LOVE? WHAT AM I GOING TO DO, FATHER?"
:Don't be afraid, Duncan,: The Highlander immediately recognized the voice of the man he loved. :Wait here and I'll go get them.:
Duncan felt a force pull out of him. Turning, he saw Methos hovering above him, a kind smile on his face. With a quick salute, the ancient flew off in the direction where Joe and the little girl had gone. In a few minutes, Methos returned, with the Watcher holding on to his left hand and the child to his right.
:Go to him,: Methos said gently, urging them forward.
Duncan gasped as the souls of Joe and the child entered his body. The Quickening inside him crackled from the added energy.
"Methos..." A tear fell from the Highlander's eye. "I thought I would never see you again. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
:It had to be done, and you know that,: the Old Man reassured him. :But I told you that I will always be with you. We may be parted in flesh, but certainly not in spirit. When all this is over, when we have accomplished our task, we will be reunited again. This, I swear to you.:
Duncan shook his head in despair. "Methos, there must be some other way! I can't do this! You can't ask me to do this!"
:You have no choice,: Methos replied in deep sorrow. :If it's any consolation to you, even I do not want to do this. But the whole world has been destroyed. We failed to save all humanity. Our only hope now is to save all souls before they are taken into the pit of Hell.:
"Including him?"
:Especially him. Now is the time of the Gathering, Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod. It is your time to face your destiny as the One and True Champion. Don't be afraid. We're all here to help you.:
For a moment, a moving mist seemed to form behind the ancient. As his vision cleared, the Highlander saw the souls that have gathered behind Methos -- Connor, Richie Ryan, Amanda, Nick Wolfe, Fitzcairn. Surprisingly, also among them were his ex-adversaries -- Methos' former comrade Kronos, Silas and Caspian, Jacob Kell... Immortals he had absorbed in century upon century of Quickenings. All cleansed by the purity of his heart and soul. All united in the final battle that was to come. To his surprise, among them also stood the souls of the mortals he had known and loved -- Joe now whole, standing tall and proud like the soldier he once was, Charlie DeSalvo, Anne Lindsey and little Mary, and his beloved Tessa. He knew they would help him meet this most difficult challenge of all.
"DUNCAN MACLEOD!"
All turned to look at the lone, black-clad figure at the end of the street. The air around him was crackling with the energy of the Quickening and the souls of the helpless mortals he had absorbed. His black hair fluttered in the wind that blew briskly around him. His once green gold eyes shone with a sickly malevolent light. In his hand, he held a blood-stained katana, the sword that had once belonged to his mother's kinsman. And there was the hatred on that handsome face... Duncan had seen that hate once before, when he had been overcome by the Dark Quickening.
Never did he expect to see that look on the face of his own son.
:Have faith, Duncan,: Methos reassured him. He embraced the Highlander lovingly and kissed him on the lips. A smile quirked up Duncan's mouth, feeling that tender caress. Nodding, the ancient repeated, :Have faith, my love. We're here for you.:
At once, the souls of his lover, friends and former foes transformed into twinkling stars that entered his chest one by one. He felt their love and strength pour into him, giving him the courage to face his final adversary.
Still, Duncan had to try to sway his foe from this fatal course. "We don't have to do this!"
"There can be only one," the Other told him. "You know that, Mama."
The Highlander slowly raised his sword, ready for battle. "I LOVE YOU, INNO!"
Tears fell from Inno's eyes as he charged at the Immortal who was his mother. "I LOVE YOU TOO, MAMA! FORGIVE ME!"
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Watch out for the complete version of THE SOUL GATHERER in 2002!