and ours. We call it the awakening. It has happened this night but it went wrong. The man who it was supposed to be turned out to be an agent of the Dark.”
Nicola stared at him transfixed, for his words matched things that Paul had said. Her heart lurched as she thought of him.
“There is always one who is to be awakened.”
“That’s what Paul said,” Nicola whispered as the realization began to hit her. She felt giddy, the moonlit horizon beginning to sway alarmingly, her mind wheeling as it tried to come to terms with this new revelation.
“It is you Nicola.” Falk watched her intently. “The power has awakened within you but it is not finished. The essence and knowledge of all Warders before you must pass into your mind. Only then can the connection be made.” He could feel the seconds tick away, knew that time was running out, yet he needed her to believe. “Paul has a sister. Her name is Alex. Gwen placed the knowledge within her. I have to take you to her.”
“It cannot be,” she whispered, trying to get a hold of herself. She looked at him, focusing on him as if for the first time, everything standing out in harsh-edged clarity.
“This presence in my mind, my body,” she questioned. “That’s it, it will never go away?”
“It is the energy of life,” he said simply. “You will learn to embrace it as Gwen did. As I have.”
“You mean Aunt Gwen, don’t you?” she said. “He spoke about her, Paul.”
Falk’s eyes widened.
“You knew him?” he asked incredulously.
“Yes. Just for a day, this day, but it’s like I’ve known him for a lifetime, I can’t describe it,” said Nicola, her voice full of emotion. “He said he was to be awakened but that he did not believe. Then something happened to me and he said I had been awakened not him. I am scared for him.”
Falk remained silent for a moment.
“It is true,” he said, “Paul was to be awakened. Gwen knew him for many years, trained him for this moment.” His voice shook. “She was wrong. Now many have paid the price for her error.”
“What do you mean? What has happened to him?” said Nicola afraid of what she would hear.
Falk bowed his head in sadness.
“Gwen was tricked by the Dark Lord himself. There is a prophecy we have of the one who will unite us and defeat evil forever. Myrkur made us believe that one was Paul. Now he knows everything about us. Our magic can no longer protect us.”
“Has Paul been captured?” asked Nicola trying to control the emotion in her voice.
Falk looked across at Nicola, despair filling his eyes.
“Paul no longer exists as you knew him. He has taken the form of the Rider and is now forever bound to Myrkur as his servant. He came to kill you Nicola.”
Nicola recoiled in shock.
“No, I don’t believe he...”
“Yes Nicola,” said Falk cutting in. “Many of our warriors died saving you from him. Their sacrifice is the only reason you are here now.”
“No,” said Nicola, her heart dying inside of her.
“He will come here Nicola, searching for you so he can fulfill Myrkur’s command.”
“No, he is a good person,” said Nicola desperately. “He could not do these things.”
“Why do you defy the truth?” cried Falk, his voice rising in anger.
Nicola could take it no longer, and with her body literally overflowing with energy she turned away from him and began to run as fast as she could in the opposite direction. As she ran she was amazed at the speed she could reach. Her legs felt full of power, the wind blowing past her exhilarating, and for a moment she believed she could escape. Then, he was beside her, his hands reaching out to grip her forehead and, as he did so, everything fell into darkness.
*****
Cursing himself, Falk caught Nicola’s limp body and lifted her up onto his shoulder again and began to run back the other way towards the village. He had already lost too much time and that had not gone well. He wondered what other disasters could befall them this night for already he had lost nearly everything.
Forcing himself to focus, he approached the first row of houses and slowed, reaching out with his mind and searching them until he found one that was empty. He stole silently across the back garden to the back door which opened for him and he was inside. He raced up the stairs to a bedroom