Crown & Prophecy

8. Prophecy

Calum had no idea how much time had passed. He had been sitting in the same spot, by Douglas's lifeless body, and the bodies of his two friends, for hours. It only seemed like a few minutes to him. He had cried more tears than he would ever admit and thought multiple times about killing Raveena right where she lay. She was still lying there in the grass about ten feet from them. She hadn't moved since Calum used the last bit of magic against her. A part of him wondered if she was dead, and a part of him didn't care if she was. She had caused so much pain and devastation, not only to him but to all those with magic. It really didn't matter to him whether she lived or died.

He glanced over at Douglas and resisted the urge to touch him. He looked so peaceful lying there. At least his eyes were closed.

"You can't stay here forever, Calum."

Calum glanced up in the direction of the voice, startled. He thought he was the only one in the forest. When he saw the person standing in front of him, he knew he was still alone. The person in front of him was dead. It nearly took his breath to say his name.

"Douglas," he choked out.

Douglas smiled at him. He was transparent, but he was there. "It's amazing you can see me, Calum. It just proves what I've always known. You truly are a powerful wizard."

"I-I don't know."

"After what you did to Raveena? I know you are. She'll be out for at least a couple of hours, maybe longer."

Calum slowly rose to his feet. Surely, he was hallucinating. Ghosts weren't real...were they? Even so, it wouldn't hurt to talk to hallucination. He was alone. "You saw that?"

"We all did. Well, all of us here."

"Where is here?"

Douglas frowned. He always looked like he was thinking, whether he was or not. "I'm not sure. The stop before whatever's next. Sort of the place in between Heaven and Hell I suppose. Most of the fallen went on, but a few of us stayed behind. Some of us out of fear, some of us for other reasons." He smiled. "I stayed because of another reason."

Tears brimmed in Calum's eyes. "And what was your reason?"

"You. I've always been there to guide you, boy. Just because I'm dead, doesn't mean I still can't be there. As long as you want me, I'm here for you, Calum."

"You don't have to. I would never ask you to stay. Not like this."

"I'm afraid I do. Unfinished business and all. I'm not going anywhere until I see this thing through. Until WE see this thing through."

Calum smiled, despite the tears rapidly rolling down his cheeks. "I wish I could have saved you."

"It was time for me to go. I'll always be with you." He laid his hand over his heart. "In your heart. Now you have to get going."

He frowned. "Why?"

"Because you're not alone here anymore. Another with magic is close. I can't tell who it is, but I can feel them. As it turns out, my senses as a ghost are even more potent than they were when I was alive. I'll be around if you need me. Just call for me and I'll come."

"I appreciate it."

"Do me a favor?"

"What?"

"Don't cry for me anymore. I'm still here for a little while." Douglas's wistful eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled.

"Until the end?"

He nodded. "Until the end."

Calum wiped the tears from his eyes. Douglas faded right before his eyes, but he could still feel him. He had wanted to ask him about Amelia and Blaze, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to know. They had probably gone on. Otherwise, they would have appeared to him, too. Wouldn't they? He realized he really didn't know. There was no way to ever be certain.