“Yoda?” I asked.
“Is he for real?” Krystan asked, her head rearing back and looking at me like I’d grown another appendage.
“Believe it,” Emma said with a sigh.
I suspected I was being insulted again.
“Travis, you need to know the truth,” I said, turning away from the feelings that arose at having Emma tease me. “They were indeed coming after you. I’ve never seen demons attack so openly. This is unprecedented.”
Krystan eyed the damage that many of the cars sustained in the fight. “No joke. It’s gonna be impossible blaming this on a hail storm.”
I continued, ignoring her. “You are the Propheros. The soul eater claimed you to be so back at the liquor store. You are a figure of great importance and the object of a prophecy written a thousand years ago that says you will prevent the coming darkness.”
Travis’s face emptied of emotion and blood. Then he leaned over and threw up. The girls stepped back, though they were already out of range. I went to his side and patted him on his back until he was done.
When Travis straightened, he wiped at his mouth, his body shaking from more than the cold now. “How in the hell am I supposed to do that?”
With the ultimate sacrifice.
I couldn’t tell him the truth though. It wasn’t my place.
“Only my Masters can direct you to fulfill your destiny. I am only here to protect the Propheros as well as the innocents from the manifestations of the Stygian.”
“The who from the what?” Krystan interrupted.
“The manifestations, like the soul eater and the Crib we just fought.” I explained. “The Stygian is the dark realm from whence they came.”
Krystan looked at Emma, mouthing the word ‘whence’ silently. Emma shrugged.
I went on, ignoring their silent communication. “It is best compared to what you would know to be hell.”
Emma swallowed. “Flying demon baby creatures, yeah I could see them being from a special kind of hell.” She didn’t notice that splotches of their ichor had flown up onto her face and hair.
It was distracting. I wanted to wash it off her. Take her away from the darkness and put her back in the light where she belonged. But it was too late.
Emma caught me staring and returned my look with an unreadable expression.
Krystan put her hands on her hips. “Wait, so why is my girl involved in Travis’s prophecy crap?”
I didn’t look away from Emma. “We were attacked by a soul eater. It has her scent and it will come for her no matter where she goes now, like a bloodhound. Just like Travis, it’s best she stays under my protection.”
Krystan scowled and floated her fingers around in the air. “So, do I need to come be under your protection, too?”
Turning to Krystan, I said, “No. The Crib are dead and the soul eater does not have your scent. Just lay low and keep an eye out for anything strange.”
Krystan saluted. “Aye aye, captain.” Despite her strange, casual response, her eyes were wide enough to swallow the rest of her face, and her hands shook. “On that note, I’m going to visit a more densely populated city where there are far slower meat snacks lumbering about than me.” She laughed, but it was only to cover up the clacking of her chattering teeth.
I’d seen it more times than I cared to count. Krystan was going into shock. The totality of what she witnessed slamming into her, breaking down her mind and the rules of her world.
Emma gave Krystan a big hug. “Thank you.”
“It’s what I do, boo. Love you,” Krystan said, holding Emma tight, her eyes clenched shut for several long minutes. When she released Emma, she whipped around, heading to her vehicle at the far end of the lot. She threw up a middle finger for Travis as she walked away. He seemed disgusted by the gesture. I didn’t understand why. I’d ask later.
I wondered if Krystan would be okay. Often, I left right after having done my part as people devolved into the throes of shock after they witnessed the unexplainable. I was told not to linger after a mission was complete and to immediately return to the Temple for further instruction. Why now did I care how Krystan would process information?
I shifted my weight to catch Emma looking after Krystan’s retreating form, one hand gripping the other while worry tightened her face. As if sensing my observation, Emma dropped her hands and forcibly relaxed her shoulders back.
“So,” Emma said, now eyeing the still oozing bodies of the Crib. “Road trip?”
