Chapter 7

Back in my old town, the tall sandy-haired woman was just waking up. She had a small smile on her face, she was starting to remember even if only a little.

She knew that the last seizure she’d had could’ve killed her. They managed to tell her in the hospital that she had struck her head a lot harder than they at first thought. They had said that the retrograde amnesia wasn’t what they had thought at first

They had finally done several tests that they hadn’t years ago, finding that she was hurt far more than they thought. They were amazed that she’d gotten the little back that she had.

She was glad that she finally remembered that there was someone out there that was related to her. As hard as she could, she couldn’t remember where he was or why she hadn’t seen him in a long time.

She walked to the picture again, smiling at the other three people that were in the picture. She stared at the picture for almost an hour before she replaced it on the mantle.

A sad feeling passed through her as she wished that she could remember her parents. Thankfully, she thought she remembered John but not them. Heading toward the kitchen, she stopped as a thought came to her.

Mother, a smile came to her face, then a flash of memory hit her. A pain like a hot knife went through her head. More flashes came to her of a beautiful woman that was hugging her. Then the sound of a crash and the woman screaming as she was.

The woman sank to her knees as tears started to flow from her eyes, “mother? Mom!” A moment later, the woman was screaming as she grabbed her head again. “NO, momma! She said as she sank to the floor.

“Johnny, help me please,” she started to say. “I need you Johnny, why can’t I find you, please.” With that the woman sank all the way to the floor.

Across the world, I sat up as I felt a few moments of panic, what in the hell had that been? I shivered, it felt almost like what everyone always says, that it felt as if someone walked over their grave.

I sat up suddenly, which seemed to alert Catherine. “Master? Are you alright?”

I shook my head, what in the hell had that been? I looked at Catherine, almost not recognizing her.

I shook my head again, “I’m not really sure, I had a feeling of being lost and sobbing. For the life of me, I can’t seem to find where it is coming from.”

Catherine came to me, searching all around, then shook her head. “I am not feeling any enemies near us, magical or otherwise, master.”

“We need to go and find more protection. I really don’t have much to go on with this Jinn. I want to be as prepared as I can be, OK?” I told Catherine.

“Of course, Master, this I want also, I told you I will do all I can to protect you,” Catherine said, then snapped her fingers with us blinking out.

A moment later, we appeared outside another, what looked like a cave. “More crystals,” I asked?

Catherine nodded, then whispered, “Yes, master, though these are more dangerous than the last.”

“Great, I thought, as I was about to ask Catherine how, when I was suddenly sucked into the cave.

“You have picked the wrong cave to rob human, for your reward is death,” a deep voice said.

I sighed, why are all the magical places thinking that I am a thief? I started to open my mouth when I was cut off.

“That is because almost all humans are thieves, prove that you are not,” the voice boomed.

“How? You pulled me in here. I did not enter of my own volition,” I said.

Another voice sounded, “you know he’s right, he didn’t even step toward the mouth of the cave.”

“It doesn’t matter, he is here to steal, you will face it,” The first voice started.

“No, that’s not how we do it. There’s a process now.” the second voice started.

“He will die now as all thieves do that try,” the first voice said.

I sighed again as I crossed my arms and sat lying my head against the wall. A few moments later, the two voices were in a full debate, ‘til they noticed me again.

“So,” the second voice said to me. “What is your opinion on all this?”

“What, I have a say to the two of you deciding to kill me even though I haven’t done anything? I’m beginning to wonder why she brought me here,” I said, shaking my head.

Suddenly, two older-looking male visions appeared before me. “She? Just who are you referring to human,” the first voice said.

“Oh, my jinn Catherine, I guess she can’t enter now that you sealed the cave off,” I said.

“Jinn? I didn’t see nor detect any Jinn. Are you sure that you aren’t a dense human? I mean looking as bored as you are, do you have a death wish?” The second voice said.

“OK, first off, I don’t know where in the hell I am. Second, I am only here because she thought that you might be able to help me against an evil Jinn,” I said, slightly exasperated. “If you can’t, then I’ll leave.

I hadn’t noticed that both male visions had gasped and were whispering Elvantor Hajib! “You truly wish for our help to defeat him?

“I am hoping to, I am but a human with no power, but I still wish to defend my Jinn against his evil. I have already gotten help from the sun crystal cave,” I told the visions.

Again, they both gasped as they both slightly bowed to me, then the cave opened. “Please enter Catherine, Jinn of the warrior Ryan.”

Catherine entered her eyes wide as she looked at the two, then at me.

I grabbed her hand, which seemed to make her blush a beautiful shade of red. “Please take these twelve gems to protect and help defeat the evil one.”

I bowed to the two after I gathered the gems, causing them to gasp again. “We are honored to be able to help you, warrior. Please visit our brother and sister caves. Tell them that the gem brothers have blessed you,” the first voice said.

I nodded to them as Catherine snapped her fingers and we vanished. Though I wasn’t really knowing what to expect at our next stop.

We appeared a good distance away from a rather small cave opening. I had started to move toward it when Catherine grabbed my arm. I immediately saw the maw of a huge crater that I had almost stepped into.

Well, shit I thought these caves were better guarded than I thought. Catherine put a finger to her lips then pointed to a path along the edge of the crater. I briefly looked into the crater a mistake as I saw that I couldn’t see the bottom.

I stepped back almost too far as I almost went over the other side. Shit! I needed to wake the hell up before I was dead, before all of this started.

I walked for what seemed an hour as the path twisted more than a few times. As we neared the entrance, Catherine again put a finger to her lips. After two times? I wasn’t going to make a peep.

Though as we both stepped in (yeah, I was surprised also) I learned that all was not as it appeared. The mouth of the cave snapped shut almost like a real mouth.

“So, came a meek sounding voice. “We have a new toy to play with. So young one, what has brought you here to die? We promise that it won’t be too painful.”

“I was told to say that the gem brothers have blessed me. That you could help in my quest to defeat an evil,” I said, then was cut off.

“The Gem brothers? Blessed you? Well, human, you do tell a good yarn, our brothers do not bless humans. Especially since the last time that they died a truly horrible death,” many female voices said, seeming to come from everywhere.

At least this time they didn’t seem to be arguing like the last two were. Great I thought, killed by the first serious guardians just when I thought I had it made.

Yeah, I thought nothing ever seemed to go my way except when I met Catherine. “Sister!” One voice rose above the rest, “this one has a Jinn! Show yourself,” the voice demanded.

“You will not harm my master!” Catherine said as her hands started to glow.

From my back I felt a stirring as Felensar was suddenly in my hands, he was also glowing. From the bag on my shoulder a bright glow started. There was a chorus of screams, then silence.

A moment later, five seeming to appear to be ancient crone females appeared. “We bow to you warrior, to have this many items and no malice is a blessing. How can we aid you?” The leader of the crones asked.

For a moment, I could only stand there with my mouth open. I then shook my head, looking at the five before me.

“I am a man with no power, I am trying to save my Jinn from a truly evil Jinn,” I said.

All the crones gasped and said, “you wish to defeat Elvantor Hajib truly a noble undertaking. You will need the necklace of protection. Once you place it around your neck, don’t remove it ‘til he is defeated completely. To do so beforehand is to invite certain death as a human.”

A highly colored necklace appeared, falling gently into my hand. “So,” I started, “when exactly should I put it on?

The leader of the crones smiled up at me, “you will know, master of Catherine. Though this is not the only mission that you must accomplish. There is another that, as yet, is unknown to you and just as important.”

I nodded a moment, then walked to the leader and bent to lift her to her feet. Then I leaned in and lightly kissed her wrinkled cheek.

She pushed herself back from me as she stared at the light that was coming from her hands. The other four had light coming from them, suddenly they were all young looking. They all looked at me with astonishment.

“Sisters! It is he! The master of legend. Thank you, sir, for thousands of years we have been cursed and banished to this cave. Any aid you need, call upon the sisters of light, we will appear immediately,” the now young-looking leader said, then they all vanished.

“Oh master! You broke the curse; it has been thousands of years since they have been seen. I am so proud to be your Jinn,” Catherine said as she threw her arms around me. Damn, I had to admit that it felt so good.