Freedom Rising

(I am still only 21, my hair is short, my teeth are straight, and my acne, CP, shunt, tube, and scars are all still long-gone!! Marc is still very powerful, but he now exists only in my nightmares, and no longer as a physical person, because that aspect of him God had helped me to block, although he does have the power to make the nightmares real, using the same power that Maury Parkman could, which was to manipulate a person's perceptions of reality, to create the nightmares, based on their deepest fears. I still have Matt Parkman's telepathy, however. My friends and family have all been free for about ten years now)

This story was inspired by Azakir Devaris' story 'But then there was Hope', and also encompasses elements from the TV series 'Heroes', such as Peter Petrelli's electric manipulation & telekinesis, Matt's telepathy, and his father Maury's reality manipulation, and also Gambit's power from 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine'.

Moral: God will always be there for those who truly seek Him.








I could feel it coming, like cold hands on the back of my neck, and I was powerless to resist or stop it. As I fell asleep, the feeling of falling seemed to take hold of me, as did the abject fear. Suddenly I could have sworn that I was feeling the cold air rushing around me!! I opened my eyes to find myself falling through the air toward a desert of cold, ash-grey sand. The impact knocked the wind out of me, and the cold, coarse sand felt like tiny slivers of razor-sharp metal slicing into my back, arms, and shoulders! I gasped for breath, and sat up slowly, blinking hard to clear my eyes, and tried hard to ignore both the pain of impact, and of the coarse sand scratching my skin. As soon as I saw where I was, back in the lonely, endless desert with a fiery red-yellow sky, but more blood-red than yellow, I felt cold fear!! "Oh God, no! Not here! Not this again!" I thought desperately, but I knew it was as real as the pain I now felt, and I was no longer at home in my bed, simply dreaming of it, or was I? I couldn't be sure, but I knew that now it was more terrible than I could ever imagine, and I knew that Marc had the power to bring me into a world somewhere between myth and reality, but for the aspects and purposes of evil. I looked around, noticing I was sitting on a huge sand flat, with gigantic sand dunes far away in the distance, dark and ominous against the blood-red-yellow of the sky, almost like mountains, and far enough away that I could only just see them, and it was eerily silent all around. However, I could never have known that God had sent someone very special to help me, and he was somewhere out there, waiting.

Looking down, I noticed I was wearing my black runners and jeans, and my plain dark blue t-shirt, which I thought wasn't enough to make an imposing figure of myself, certainly not to Marc, I knew. I closed my eyes, trying to envision one of my friends, or anyone in my family, knowing that just having a memory of them would serve to comfort me, but nothing turned up, and the harder I tried, the more I got a headache, but I knew Marc had the ability to weaken my brain's functions, and hinder my ability to remember what I needed most. I tried with all my might, but instead of hearing a voice or seeing a mental image, I only received painful feedback in the form of the same psychic static that Matt experienced whenever his telepathy was blocked by either the Haitian, or another telepath. However, the feedback that I myself experienced was a combination of when Matt tried reading Peter's mind in the Heroes episode 'Fallout', and also of when Matt tried reading the Haitian's mind as both the Haitian and Noah Bennett were walking down the street(in the same episode). I tried even harder, my face twisting in intense concentration, but the static only became stronger; the humming, whirring, and screeching echoing around me like a barrier, which was what it actually was, working to nullify the thoughts I sought. Suddenly I gasped, grunting in pain as I held my hands to my temples; a dizzy sensation washing over me!! Then I felt something ooze from my left nostril, as I reached up to wipe it away, finding it was blood!!

I suddenly heard a cold, malicious laugh, that made the hackles on the back of my neck rise, but I fought down my fear, and slowly got up, turning to face my archenemy, who was none other than Marc de Manthaeus, the son of Satan!! Judas, Moloch, Curtis, and Dallas had all already been destroyed about 20 years before in my last battle with them, but I had already known the ultimate battle, which was now, had been yet to come, and Marc had, all along, been more powerful than all five of them combined!! He wore Sylar's black outfit from 'Five years gone', his black hair glistened like filthy oil, and the evil in his black eyes was colder than death itself!! Our first, of two battles, was not an easy fight for me, and I was badly beaten and tormented by him. He had left me lying on the sand, in indescribable agony and fear; my clothes merely rags, now bloodstained and dirty. I sobbed silently as the pain racked my body, and it soon overcame me, as I passed out. I was vaguely aware of the soft jazzy music from my radio, which slowly lifted me from my tormented sleep into the morning world. Everything seemed hazy as I slipped into the shower, and the warm water woke me somewhat, but maybe not enough.

I got cleaned up, got dressed again, and went out to sit on the front step. For a long while, I just sat, thinking of my family and friends, and how they cherished what I wanted most of all. Soon the memories became too much, as I put my head down in my hands, and quietly cried.

I could not have known at that moment that God had been watching me. He was very sad that I was lonely because of Marc and his friends, but vowed to change everything; that which would raise my very existence to a greater level of fulfillment and freedom than I had ever known!! I was later walking down the hill-road by the pen. It was completely quiet, except for the sounds of the crickets.

I found myself reflecting upon the nightmare I'd experienced the night before, as I felt faint psychic static. Just thinking about it made tears threaten to come again.

"Why does it have to be this way?!" asked myself. "What have I done to deserve this agony?" I felt a stray tear fall again, and choked back a sob, wiping my eyes.

Suddenly I heard a distant screech, like that of an eagle, and glimpsed a dark form soaring high in the blue afternoon sky. I simply passed it off as one, but was in for a big surprise!! I continued walking down the road, but suddenly heard running footsteps!! I ran faster, then jumped, planting one foot on one of the wooden posts of the fence bordering the pen hill, and kicked off, spinning and landing a flying back kick to Marc's chest. Yelling in agony, he flipped, slamming into the ground on his back, and coughed up blood from a cracked rib! I then spun, leaping up to land a fast spinning split kick between Judas and Moloch, sending both of them flying!! Finally, I spun and leapt, landing a flying round kick to both Curtis and Dallas, knocking them both down the road, where they came to stop both unconscious, at the bottom!! I then spun down to kneel over Marc, landing a lightning fast double head slug.

Suddenly I heard the eagle's cry once more, and turned my head slightly, focusing as I felt the faint psychic static of my telepathy. But then Marc managed to swing his left foot up into my temple, knocking me to the ground!! Suddenly, before I'd realized what had happened, Marc was on top of me, choking me with both hands!!

"Time to die, Charlie!!" he growled while grinning evilly. I hacked and gasped, before managing to glimpse the eagle flying straight for us. As he came closer, I saw that he was not an eagle, but a griffin!! I managed to use my telepathy to call out to him,

"Grip, grap, greep. Niffgri, eras, erlc, seke. Ehcop, sirhc, yert-yerak. Imas, aiam, nnif."

Suddenly the griffin screeched, and swooped down. One second I saw Marc choking me, and the next, I saw him being carried off by the griffin; blood oozing from his back, through his torn shirt, as he screamed in agony from the griffin's lethally sharp talons!! Suddenly, just before I passed out, I saw Marc falling toward the spike atop the pen's high tower, and the griffin flying toward me.

It seemed like an age before I came to, but when I did, I found myself in a soft, cool bed of grass in a forest I didn't recognize. Suddenly a strange face came into view above me, and when my vision cleared, I saw the griffin staring at me with a concerned expression. He had broad leonine hindquarters with hindpaws the size of dinner plates, and a long lion tail that had to be at least six to eight feet long; a large, soft brown tuft at the tip! His aquiline forebody had dark golden-brown feathers, strong, muscular forelegs, and gleaming sharp eagle talons! His high tufted griffin ears swivelled toward me, as he cocked his head in typical avian regard, but I sensed his immediate concern toward me. My telepathy instinctively scanned the griffin's mind, with exactly the same brief static that Angela felt immediately after Linderman healed her mind from Arthur's mental attack, as in the Heroes episode 'Villains'!!

"Are you all right?" he asked, in a soft, kind baritone voice, as I nodded.

"Who are you? Where am I?" I asked weakly.

"It's alright! You're safe now! Marc and his friends are gone now!" the griffin assured me. He then extended a claw. "My name is Aragorn!" I smiled.

"Pleased to meet you, Aragorn!" I replied, shaking his claw.

"I have something very special for you, Charlie!" Aragorn said with a smile. He then leaned close, and wept shining tears onto the wound in the side of my head, just as a phoenix would do. Instantly a wave of comforting warmth surged through me, as I felt the wound begin to heal itself, and the welt on my neck from when Marc had choked me heal and fade as well!!

I slowly looked up at him, and smiled weakly, but the warm smile Aragorn returned gave me comfort, and, deep within my tormented mind, a tiny blue flame of hope was lit! He crouched before me, and gently lifted my chin so we looked eye-to-eye! "I can understand what you felt, Charlie!! I was there, in your nightmare, but Marc kept holding me back!" I looked at him in astonishment.

"You...were, Aragorn?!" I asked. He nodded.

"I tried to help you as best I could, but Marc's powers were strong enough to keep me from reaching you! He kept me out of sight so you wouldn't see me, and I sensed the psychic power you tried to use to connect your thoughts with someone to help you!! I tried to control the energy you were releasing, but Marc was somehow able to nullify the effect, and thus, I could feel the pain you experienced as my own, and could also feel the psychic static when your telepathy was blocked!! He also kept you from witnessing the pain I was in when he blocked your powers because of your connection to me!"

I considered this for a moment, then looked up at him, stunned. "But I didn't even realize it, Aragorn!! I had no idea you were capable of something like that!! Besides, how could you have possibly known that I have telepathy?! I never told anyone, ever, and anyone witnessing me using it wouldn't know anything, unless I told them!!" I replied.

"But I did, Charlie, because when you tried to connect to me, I had a brief vision of you, and saw everything that had happened, and in that moment, God revealed to me your true powers, Charlie!! Marc was forcing you to not notice, or even recognize, me, and even though any of us would be powerless against him in body, we would forever prevail over him in spirit!!"

Suddenly I looked up at him, as a dawning realization hit me! I theorized that, because he had used his tears to heal me, that in some aspects, Aragorn was like the phoenix, which was renowned in mythology for its extraordinary healing and regenerative powers. He seemed to be reading my mind, because he suddenly looked up at me, and smiled knowingly, as I stared at him in amazement!! Aragorn let me scan his mind, and therefore revealed to me that God had indeed bestowed upon my friend the phoenix's healing capabilities, which in short made Aragorn more powerful than any other griffin that had ever existed!!

Suddenly I heard running footsteps, then my dad, Brandon, Barb, and my friends all came running up!! "Charlie!" dad gasped, as I smiled weakly, then we hugged each other. "Are you all right?" I nodded, and smiled.

"Yes, I am now, dad!" I replied. He then turned to Aragorn.

"You have my sincere thanks for keeping Charlie safe, Aragorn!" dad said with a smile, as Aragorn nodded.

"You are most welcome!" Then everyone noticed I was staring at my dad in surprise.

"You know him, dad?!" I asked, as he smiled.

"Of course, Charlie! God let Aragorn come to us long before he ever found you! He promised that he would befriend and protect you as long as you lived, and now that he has healed you with his tears, you and Aragorn are bound to one another!! In short, you are immortal, as long as he lives, and vice versa!!" I stared at dad in disbelief, as he smiled!

I pondered what Aragorn had said about Marc for a moment. "If Marc could hide things like that from me, then why do I still believe he's as strong as he claims to be, or even the devil for that matter?!" I asked. My friend smiled.

"You know the truth, that both Marc and Satan aren't, Charlie, and neither of them ever will be again! As God told Joshua, 'I command you, be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go!!' That is God's assurance to every person who trusts in Him, that He will forever be at their side as well as in their heart and soul, and He will give us strength through His love for us, and that we believe, and trust, in Him!!" he said with a smile.

Then Aragorn smiled. "God told me He had given you great strength, wisdom, and courage, and so He gave you the Symbol signifying both your great power, and your true nature!!"

"The symbol?" I asked, confused. "What symbol?" Brandon smiled.

"It's on your right forearm, Charlie!" As everyone watched, I lifted my arm, turning it upward, then gasped! Burned into the skin just below my wrist was a celtic griffin emblem!!

"You're kidding!!" I replied with an amazed look! But Brandon and Katherine both grinned, and chuckled.

"No, we're not, Charlie!!" Katherine replied. "Because, if you think about it, you really are the most powerful man on Earth, whom God made you so!! You can heal both yourself and other people, regardless of how bad an injury or disease they may have, turn yourself invisible, visually, thermally, and audibly, you can read people's minds, memories, and dreams, control a person's perceptions of reality, implant and erase thoughts, control a person's physical actions with your telepathy, move and control physical matter with your mind, see the future, both in your dreams and through visual art, control any natural force you choose, and also replicate the effects of any power source you encounter, using it even long after exposure by simply remembering the source itself!! But what really matters is that God Himself gave you these extraordinary powers to use for the good of mankind, and we know you have, Charlie!! He chose the griffin as your symbol because it represents two halves, namely humanity, and also His divinity. The lion represents strength, courage, and honour, whereas the eagle represents salvation, rebirth and redemption, and so the griffin is often symbolic of Christ's death and resurrection!!"

I smiled, and closed my eyes, as I breathed calmly. Then they suddenly heard strange, low, steady humming sounds around them, each of a different pitch, intersected by a strange, low buzzing, whirring sound, like the static heard from a radio trying to tune in to a signal when communicating to another!! It was in fact the unconscious part of my mind coming to the surface for the very first time, in the real world, resulting in a psychic emanation I was sending out, exactly like the psychic static that Matt experienced when he was in his car with Audrey, and he tried reading the Haitian's mind, as both the Haitian and Noah Bennett walked down the street, as in the Heroes episode 'Fallout', and as the emanation continued, they realized they were hearing the static of my telepathy manifesting itself, searching for a connection to another mind. I suddenly heard a whispering, echoing voice in my mind amid faint psychic static, and knew I had connected to Aragorn!!

I opened my eyes, and turned to him, as he smiled, nodding knowingly!

We then heard footsteps behind us, as I turned to look, but no one was there, although I was the only one who knew that Marc was now invisible, trying to trick me, but I knew. I then concentrated as I did before, but this time did not get a headache or a nosebleed. I manifested my telepathy again, hearing my psychic voice echo around me amid faint static. "If you're there, Marc, stop being a coward and face me!! Show yourself!!" I willed the static to fade, then looked up to see him standing a few feet away, staring at me in shock, as I grinned menacingly, before everything around us began to blur and shift, soon becoming the familiar landscape of the schoolyard once more.

I was not at all surprised when Marc didn't vanish back into the Nightmare as I had returned to the real world, since I knew that his father Satan had somehow enabled him to overcome this hindrance that I, with God's help, had placed over him. But despite this, I knew, and believed, that God would let me destroy him for good this time!

Glancing sideways slightly, I spotted a large push broom that one of the school custodians had been using to clean the sidewalk, leaning against one of the concrete benches. Suddenly everyone saw me grin slyly at Marc, whose face slowly darkened with rage. But before he could react, I thrust my right arm out, opening my hand wide, my telekinesis swiftly unscrewing the handle from the broom head with the same sound of a deep wind gust, as on 'Heroes', as it flipped through the air toward me, with the sound of a retracting measuring tape, just like Sylar's telekinetic ability!!

Catching it in my outstretched hand, everyone suddenly saw it shimmer and fade with the high humming sound of my invisibility, as I myself then turned invisible, exactly how Claude did with the broom handle!! I rushed at Marc, who manifested his form of invisibility, which was just like Susan Storm's from 'The Fantastic Four', then everyone suddenly heard loud crashing and whacking sounds, followed by grunts and yells, as we battled one another, exactly how Claude and Peter did on the rooftop of the Deveaux Building, in the Heroes episode 'Unexpected'!!

For a full five, nerve-wracking minutes, everyone stood in stunned disbelief as they heard the violent commotion of Marc and I fighting!! But then there were running footsteps, followed by a loud WHACK, before Marc shimmered into view with a soft whistling sound, exactly how Susan could when using or stopping her power in 'The Fantastic Four'!! He fell, crashing to the ground from the roof over the hallway doors, then there were running footsteps, followed by the high hum of my invisibility deactivating. I ran toward the roof edge, and leapt off, whirling the handle above me with both hands like a helicopter blade, exactly how Gambit did with his metal fighting staff in 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine', when fighting Logan in the alley!!

Everyone stared in stunned disbelief as I slowly descended due to the handle being spun at such a high speed, then Marc ran at me, but just before he reached me, I landed kneeling as I slammed one end of the handle into the ground so hard that a faint silvery-white pulse of telekinetic energy flashed out from the handle, slamming into Marc, and sending him flying, as everyone watched, awestruck!! I then stood up, and expertly spun the stick around in my hand, before spinning it around myself while turning, kneeling into a crouch while holding the stick behind my back with one hand, exactly how Gambit did just before he fought Logan!

"Nice stick, Charlie!" Marc mocked, as I grinned.

"Well, I take it you know about Gambit, Marc?" I asked slyly. He grinned, but then his expression dropped into a look of shock!

"Gambit?!" he gasped. "Couldn't he...!!" But Marc's exclamation was cut short as I thrust my left hand out, a red diamond playing card suddenly shooting into my hand from my jacket sleeve with a loud thwack!!

"Yeah, Marc!" I replied with a menacing grin. "He could!!"

Suddenly everyone gasped as my irises suddenly blazed bright red, and the diamonds on the card glowed as well, before I launched it right at him with a flick of my hand. Before Marc could react, the charged card, brimming with raw telekinetic energy, slammed into his chest with the force of a bullet, and a blinding red flash, sending him flying back almost twenty feet, as everyone stared in awe!! Marc fell, slamming into the ground, and sliding back to hit the steel wall of the arena!!

I grinned again, before running, and executing a spectacular cartwheel, using my staff to gain extra speed and leverage, as a bright telekinetic flash blasted out from the point where the stick's bottom end hit the ground, the released power causing a foot-deep dent to smash into the ground!!! I flipped onto my feet again, and expertly spun my weapon around, before releasing and drop-kicking it into Marc's head, sending him flying back!!

However, it landed close to where Marc had, as he grabbed it, and flipped up onto his feet! Running at me, he spun, too fast for me to dodge, and used the stick to trip me, as I crashed to the ground on my side, rolling over just in time to see Marc run at me. I managed to get up on one knee, as Marc swung the broomstick with all his might, but just when everyone expected it to hit me, the stick suddenly stopped dead, exactly how Peter did to the stick that Claude tried hitting him with, in the Heroes episode 'Unexpected'!!

They all stared in amazement as the broomstick bent, creaking and groaning from Marc trying to force it through my telekinetic barrier, but it was too strong!!

"You really thought trying to beat me would be THAT easy, Marc?" I asked with a chuckle. "I don't think so!!"

His face twisted in rage as he tried forcing the stick toward me with all his might, but to no avail!! Suddenly everyone noticed my irises were glowing red again, then they suddenly blazed like fire, as the stick suddenly snapped in half, Marc dropping it from shock!! I grinned as he looked up at me in disbelief, before I suddenly clenched my right fist, and stood up fast, but at the same time kicked off hard from the ground. Everyone stared in disbelief as I executed a spectacular flying Tornado Round kick, sending him staggering and spitting blood.

"Charlie, catch!" My friend Katherine tossed me something, as Marc's eyes narrowed. I swung my hand down to my side, as everyone saw a full deck of playing cards in my hand.

"I ain't in the mood for card games, Charlie!" Marc sneered. But I suddenly grinned menacingly.

"You clearly underestimate me, Marc!" I replied coldly. Then, so swiftly that my enemy couldn't react, I flipped the deck out of the pack, letting the box drop to the ground, before I easily spun a full 360; my telekinesis rapidly leeching into and charging every single card in the deck, making the diamonds, hearts, and spades all shimmer with pure telekinetic energy, as they all flipped into the air in a wide band, all seemingly connected by a chain of glowing energy!!!

Everyone gasped, staring in utter shock as my eyes suddenly glowed fiery amber!!

Glancing up at Marc, I grinned at his stunned expression, before I spun, and thrust my right hand toward him; the charged cards all flying at him in a chain, slugging Marc square in the chest like a battering ram; the force of the blow sending him flying back almost fifteen feet, as everyone stared in amazement! Slamming into the ground, he slid back hard and fast enough to make it explode into a huge mound of earth, exactly how Smith did to the road in 'The Matrix Revolutions', after he and Neo slugged each other!!

Spinning swiftly, I launched two separate chains of fully-charged cards at both Judas and Moloch as they ran at me from either side, blasting them both across the schoolyard like rag dolls, as they screamed before slamming into the walls and collapsing in crumpled heaps to the ground!!

Spinning again, I flung two more cards at Curtis and Dallas, clotheslining them both and sending them crashing into two of the concrete and stone courtyard benches with enough force to knock them both out cold, as everyone laughed uproariously!!

Suddenly everything around both Marc and I began to fade into grey, as everyone else disappeared, and we were soon back in the desert where I had found myself in the nightmare, but even if I was alone now, I didn't feel lonely or scared at all!! I knew that the time had come, and that battling Marc was enough to destroy even his father in the end, alongside himself!! He still wore the same clothes he'd worn in my nightmare.

I reached up to gently grasp Grandpa's cross in my right fist, and looked skyward, into the deep blood-red. "If the time is now, let me fight and win for You, Lord, for I trust in You alone to use me to Your will!! Give me the strength to bring peace in Your power!!" I prayed silently. Suddenly I felt a deep sense of comfort I had never dreamed could be for me to dwell upon for strength, but it was there, as real as I could ever imagine!!

Suddenly I heard Aragorn's gentle voice in my mind, alongside weak psychic static! "You are my dearest friend, Charlie, and I will always be here for you, as both God and your family are!! I sincerely promise that as long as you have me, I will be a part of you, both in your heart and at your side whenever you want me!!" I then looked down as a warm golden light slowly began to flow across my feet, and slowly up over my body!! When it faded, I now wore a brown tunic, weathered gray pants, steel-toed boots, and a long, thick brown-and-green weave cloak secured with an Elven brooch, and my hair was now long and slicked back like Peter Petrelli's from the Heroes episode 'Five years gone'!!!

I was also secretly surprised to find I now wore a sterling silver ring with a dazzling blue sodalite gemstone within a silver cage atop it, which I recognized as the ring of Thorin Oakenshield, from 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey', upon my right middle finger!!

My courage and determination was so strong now that my eyes glowed with a fierce and unconquerable flame!! I also knew that everyone was still watching us, even though we were alone!!

I then spoke to Marc telepathically, my voice icy. "I knew you'd try to fight me, Marc, because only a fool would!! You're a coward, and you know it!!" His face twisted in rage, as he slowly got back up.

"Oh, really, Charlie?!" he sneered. "I still remember only a short while ago I'd left you weak, scared, and alone!! And I relished it!!" I stared at him menacingly.

"Then I will relish seeing YOU weak and helpless, ready to die, once and for all!! You alone, Marc, have brought more pain and suffering, and more misery, to the human race than ANYONE ELSE in recorded history, more than Hitler, Bin Laden, Hussein, Himmler, Stalin, or any other tyrant!! That makes sense since you ARE Satan's son, but it was known that at the end of time, Jesus Himself would stand against your father!!" I replied coldly. "But there has been recorded accounts of a SECOND showdown before the end, which I alone would be chosen to fight, for my heart, mind, and soul are as pure as gold!! Jesus knew that He could let me be the one to bring an end to you, and thus allow the Lord to finally bring an end to your father's Reign of Terror!! I swear, I WILL smite you, Marc de Manthaeus, so help me God!!"

Marc and I slowly walked toward each other, then suddenly ran at each other. I sprang off the ground about a meter from him, landing a fast, hard jump front kick, then I landed. I dodged Marc's first swing, then landed a fast triple punch, followed by a hard double jaw-slug, and a fast snap front kick!! He tried a swinging punch to my head, but I easily blocked it, and landed a jump front kick, and a double slug with both fists together!! This sent Marc reeling, then I twisted around as I spun off the ground, swinging my cloak in a huge swish over Marc's head, momentarily stopping him, but then I landed a perfect high side kick directly to his jaw, sending him flying back, as blood sprayed from his mouth, alongside a few of his teeth, as I swung my foot slowly down.

He slammed into the sand, sliding back, but managed to roll over, and get back up. Running at him again, I leapt up for a flying side kick, before landing and spinning to dodge his fist. I grabbed his arm, and landed a fast karate chop to his elbow, making him yell in agony!

As he dropped to one knee, Marc spun, grabbing my forearm with his good hand, but was unprepared for what happened next. There was a sudden low humming sound, as the gemstone in my ring suddenly glowed like blue fire, before there was a blinding flash coupled with a force like two parallel magnetic forces repelling each other!! The momentum sent us both flying back, but I executed a swift back flip, landing kneeled on the ground, swinging my cloak like a cape to deflect the force of momentum!

I glanced up just in time to see Marc slam into the ground, sliding back and leaving a huge trail in the sand!! Grinning, I slowly stood back up.

Suddenly I felt a strong, comforting hand on my shoulder, and turned to see Bowen from 'Dragonheart', as we smiled at each other!! We stood side-by-side, two dear friends, facing Marc, who stared with cold malice at us!! "So, Charlie, you and Bowen think you can both beat me!?" he laughed.

"God is more powerful than you could ever imagine, or even hope to be, Marc!" Bowen said coldly. "Charlie is my friend, and I am forever willing to help him, as is his friend Aragorn, to the very end, and with God at our side, we will always win!!" Suddenly both Bowen and I ran at Marc from either side, then we both leapt off the ground, and landed 2 fast, hard flying spin kicks; both our feet slamming into Marc's head at exactly the same time!! He flew back with a scream, and slammed into the sand so hard that the razor-grains slashed into his back enough to create white sparks underneath him, as he slid back!! When he finally jolted to a stop against a large sand dune, blood was oozing from beneath his jacket, staining his coat!! He rolled over, and slowly rose to his knees, and the look of pain and near-defeat on his face gave both Bowen and I more courage than we could know!! God was at our side, and this day, we would win, as we both knew!! Marc slowly got up, for the last time.

Bowen and I ran at him, then we both leapt up to land a bone-cracking flying side kick to both his head and chest, as we heard a sickening crack, then we both landed on our feet! Marc stared blankly into space; a horrible gash on the left side of his head, blood oozing from his shoulder, staining his coat even more, and a faraway look in his eyes. Blood then began to ooze from his nose. I grinned menacingly, then thrust my right hand out, opening it wide as the stone in my ring suddenly blazed bright icy blue; electricity suddenly coursing from within the gemstone, over my hand; a bright blue-white ball of electricity forming!!

I ran at Marc, and sprang off the ground, executing a spectacular flying side kick, sending him flying back, before I thrust my hand at him, blasting a blinding electrical bolt into his chest, as he jolted backward with a gasp, then he cried out in agony, looking down at the sparking ball of electricity in his chest, as we both saw a blinding white light blaze out from his chest and back, then he hunched over, and grabbed his head in his hands while screaming in agony, as we both saw slivers of light slash out from his back, then he jerked up, as the electricity suddenly flashed all across his body, similar to how Nathan was electrocuted by Sylar to weaken himself, in the Heroes episode 'Thanksgiving'!!

Suddenly Bowen and I saw bright white light begin streaming out from the corners of Marc's eyeballs, before they were gone, replaced by blinding cords of light that shot into the sky like bullets!! Marc continued screaming in agony as the light suddenly spread, shining through cracks that had formed across his body, exactly like Smith in 'The Matrix Revolutions', but then that was it. With a sound like a cannon shot, Marc exploded in a blinding white flash, after which absolutely nothing remained of him!! Bowen and I looked at each other, and he smiled, before we both turned to look behind us, as the dull grey desert began to fade into a glorious golden sunrise!!

I then slowly clenched my hand into a fist; the electricity swiftly fading away as the stone in my ring faded back to normal!

God had now allowed everyone, including Aragorn, to come and see me for the last time. Both Bowen and I smiled at everyone, who stared at us in absolute wonder, then they all began cheering!! Then we turned and walked together toward a huge hill in the east, where a pale golden light shone, as everyone followed!! When we finally reached the top, we saw a vast, endless ocean, and a huge pier, with a large balsa wood canoe moored to it's end, silhouetted in the light of the oncoming sunrise, over the distant horizon!! We looked at each other, and smiled. "The journey is now, Bowen, my friend!" I said warmly, as he smiled.

We bade everyone farewell, and I bade warm farewells to my friends and family, as did Aragorn. "I know another way to reach Avalon, Charlie!" Aragorn explained with a smile. "He and I will met you soon, Bowen! I know of another route!"

He smiled. "Very well, Aragorn! Then I will meet you and Charlie later!" Bowen walked down, and boarded the canoe, as I mounted Aragorn, then Bowen untied the ropes, just as a gentle breeze lifted, and Aragorn spread his huge wings, taking off, and flying in the opposite direction, back across the desert. Bowen travelled away, off toward the horizon, waving to everyone, as I waved to my family and friends.

Aragorn flew like a bullet across the land; the desert whipping by beneath us in a tan blur! Suddenly, with a loud screech, he rocketed upward, as I cried out in exhilaration! Soaring high above the sunlit clouds, I was mesmerized by the sheer beauty of such a view from up this far!! The sun danced across the huge billowing clouds, throwing off dazzling colours!! Some of the clouds darkened as Aragorn continued flying further, with occasional brilliant flashes of lightning blazing through the dark storm clouds far below!! "C'mon, Aragorn! Let's see what you've got!!" Then I suddenly heard him chuckle mischievously.

"So you want speed, eh? Then here we go, Charlie!" he laughed, before diving straight down, as I cried out!! I suddenly started laughing as I felt the pure thrill of such a white-knuckle adrenaline rush!! Aragorn grinned, then laughed again as I gripped his back feathers, flinging myself up into the air to feel the wind rushing past me! "Just hold on, Charlie!" he laughed, as my eyes watered from the wind!!

Amazingly, even though bolts of lightning blazed and flashed all around Aragorn and I as we flew down through the clouds, not a single bolt hit us, nor came closer than half a mile!! I wasn't surprised, however, since I knew that Aragorn possessed a weak form of ballistic telekinesis, which was the most powerful form of the ability that existed. However, since it was a nascent form of that power, Aragorn could control it consciously, thus allowing him to manipulate all forms of energy and matter with varying degrees of control, which in turn allowed him to unconsciously deflect the lightning from as far as two miles, which thus protected both of us!!

Soon we emerged over a massive glacier, as he shot straight down, before levelling out, then going straight for the ice wall!! I gasped as we knifed through a narrow crevice in the glacier, into a long, narrow winding cavern!! The ice far above softened the sunlight shining down through the caves, turning it a dazzling shade of icy blue! Aragorn occasionally would execute fast swerves and spins to dodge falling chunks of ice, but it made for a heart-pounding, blood-pumping white-knuckle thrill ride that I enjoyed every second of!! However, there were some larger chunks that did come rather close, but I simply used a powerful telekinetic vector to either blast it to bits, or completely slash it into harmless slivers, like a razor-blade!!

Suddenly I looked up to see another crevice far ahead, as Aragorn screeched, suddenly soaring upward, as I cried out! He then flew above a huge bridge of ice, but the momentum from his abrupt climb forced my grip off of his feathers, as I flew down and landed on the ice bridge, rolling, and quickly rising into a crouch just as I felt myself begin to slide!!

I swiftly slid down toward the edge of the ice bridge, then I suddenly heard a low rumbling like thunder behind me! Glancing back, I gasped as several massive ice stalactites suddenly dropped from the ceiling, shooting down toward the bridge!! They smashed into it with the force of ten battering rams all being used at once; most of the pieces flying harmlessly to either side and down into the abyss, but some rather lethal-looking spears came flying at me like bullets!!

However, I simply thrust my right arm up and out, making a slashing motion with my hand, as a powerful telekinetic vector either blasted the ice to bits, or launched it sideways into the cave wall faster than a bullet, exactly how Percy used his sword to deflect the lightning bolts that Luke tried blasting him with as he'd slid down the glass roof of the Empire State Building in 'The Lightning Thief'!!

I saw the edge coming fast, and leapt, flying off the edge just as the ice spears all smashed into the cliff edge, but I was now too far away to be hit!!

Aragorn saw me falling, and shot toward me. He executed a spectacular roll to easily dodge another ice bridge, smashing it in the process, as the pieces all fell into the abyss, before opening his talons!

It felt like falling into a soft velvety cushion as I landed in Aragorn's open eagle talons, which then quickly but gently closed around my waist, holding me safely, as he then spun upright, before rocketing upwards, and emerging out the other side of the glacier, into a spectacular, lush-green forested valley about twenty-five miles in diameter, with flowing rivers, lakes, waterfalls, and stone cliffs!! I marvelled at the beauty of Avalon for the first time in my life, and knew it was something I would never forget!!

We now knew that we had left the 'old world' of our pain and fears behind forever, which actually was the 'other reality' that Bowen and I had entered to fight and destroy Marc, but everyone, back on Earth, now enjoyed eternal world peace!! The Isle of Avalon was unlike anything I'd ever seen, and I knew both Aragorn and I would truly enjoy our new home, forever, and Kara and Draco were here to welcome us, as were Brother Gilbert, Bowen, Geoff, Brother Mansel, and also Drake!! Kara and Draco both took an instant liking to Aragorn and I, as did Geoff, Mansel, and Gilbert, and both Draco and Drake were very happy to befriend a griffin.

                The End!!