Page 44 of Visions & Shadows

Thana sighs heavily, and worry tenses her features before she says, “The end of the human world is coming, Alchera. Armageddon is upon Earth, as it’s been written in so many scriptures. Until you receive your visions, we won’t know who the chosen ones are, but they will be the only ten humans who’ll be saved and brought here.”

My lips part with a gasp as shock shudders through my body.

“All living species on Earth will come to an end. All except for the chosen ones you’ll bring to Vaalbara – thenewEarth. You can only return to Vaalbara when you have all of them.”

My mouth falls open as I stare at her in utter shock.

This has to be some cruel joke.

How can they expect me to only save ten people out of billions?

Fear shoots through my body. “I can’t be responsible for saving the human race. That’s insane!” I shake my head wildly. “You can’t expect me to do that. Are you all crazy?”

My eyes dart from her face to Raighne’s. He watches me with a worried look carved into his handsome features.

Realizing they’re serious, horror slams into my gut, and I keep shaking my head at them.

This has to be a nightmare. It just has to. I have to wake up!

“I know it’s going to be difficult, but we all have our parts to play,” Thana says, her tone filled with sorrow. “You’ll have Brenna and Raighne by your side throughout it all.”

My face must show the horror I’m feeling as I gasp, “How can you just stand there and tell me it’s the end of the world without at least trying to stop it?” I look at her in disbelief. “Surely there’s something we can do.”

My heart races in my chest.

Wake up!

You have to wake up.

“The human race has brought this upon themselves,” Thana says, her tone suddenly harsh.

I stare at her as more shock pours into my chest, frazzling my already overwhelmed mind.

I can’t believe she just said that. So many innocent people will die, and none of them deserve it.

Thana lets out a heavy sigh. “They’ve been warned by so many different religions and visions we’ve sent over the centuries, yet they refuse to change their destructive ways.”

I raise my eyebrows at her as I cross my arms over my chest. My voice trembles as I snap, “It’s going to take more than that shitty excuse to convince me it’s okay wiping out an entire planet.”

“They’ve ignored all the warnings, Alchera,” she exclaims before her features soften again. “I feel for them and wish there was another way, but we can’t stand in the way of Awo. They've destroyed their Earth and must face the consequences of their selfish actions.”

She places her hand on my arm, and I watch as some of her light transfers to my jacket.

Her voice is filled with anguish as she says, “In less than three months, the worst natural disasters Earth has ever experienced will be unleashed on them. There’s nothing we can do but to preserve the human race by saving the chosen ten.”

Thana pulls her hand away from me and brushes her palm over her forehead, looking as tired as I feel.

“But there are so many good people,” I argue. “There are certainly more than ten.”

“I know, but it’s not for us to question the ways of Awo.”

“Why me?”

I’m not happy with taking on this responsibility.

Hell, I’m not even twenty-one yet.

“Awo has spoken it,” is all she says.

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