His head was pounding and body heavy, he opened bleary eyes to see very strange surroundings, walls crazy colours, beings of different shapes and sizes all appearing to be in the same confused state he was in, it was too much, he sank back into slumber.



Later, it could have been hours or days he didn’t know, he came suddenly awake. A pair of kind eyes staring at him and a gentle touch on his hand. He smiled crookedly at Mercy, “So we lived through another one huh” Ms Kwan’s eyes changed, became guarded, the touch on his hand intensified. Instantly alert he tried to sit up eyes wildly casting around him, he did not recognize the room, and for some reason his legs weren’t feeling right.

“I’m so sorry” whispered Ms Kwan

“NOOOOOO I will NOT” he cried in anguish

“You are worthy my dear friend, you have no choice”

“NO!!! I failed him! You have made a mistake! I was to die in dishonour! I FAILED HIM!”

Ms Kwan clutched his hands that were tearing at clothes and wringing in distress. “No my dear Leo, you did not fail him. You were and are his best warrior, his first choice of defender. You gave yourself selflessly, you always considered the needs of others before yourself, you are more than worthy”

“But she was TAKEN”

“Yes she was, but it was hardly your fault. In fact Martin too was tricked, demons are so devious you cannot be blamed, besides errors are human. The Celestial has deemed you worthy as such you are to be raised.”

He looked around desperately and noticed his legs, again they were not moving. He had a startling memory of the tunnels, being thrown and the loud crack of his spine. He turned to Ms Kwan in horror “I’m a CRIPPLE!!!!! I can’t be of use like THIS!!!! NO I will NOT be raised, and live forever a crippled useless hulk NO I WONT!”

“Ahhh Leo, have you learned nothing from those you love, you can of course change how you look, or your physical attributes. You also have your other lion form available to you, that is not hurt. You will need training of mind and body but of course you will be able to be of use. Even without the use of your legs you are the most admirable fighter with a mind well able to be trained. I understand that it is a huge adjustment but it is inevitable that you will be in service to the Celestial.”

His shoulders sagged, but his face was mutinous. He would fight the decision with all his might.

“They need you." she whispered, "Simone needs you. Mr Chen has gone, and wont be back for some time. You are their strength. Emma is relying on you to come back and help her, she has suffered more than you know, she has had to make the phone call and as we speak sits with One One Two." He groaned in agony at hearing this news. "She has had to make her choices to keep Simone safe, now my dear man you need to make yours.”

He looked away, his eyes troubled, his mouth set, Ms Kwan knew she had a fight on her hands, but she had made a start. This was likely to take a while.

This is good. Is there going to be more?

possibly, ive decided to use my quiet periods at work to write them, lol, so who knows what could be next

it's good! :D

Hey isn't it 122?

That was great, PhoenixMum!

I wish you many, many more quiet periods at work! :D

:blink: We are getting all the good bits in between :lol:

Question: if Leo isn't so stubborn and agrees to be Raised, how long does it take for him to be Immortal and be at Simone and Emma's side?

Very good one, once again, PhoenixMum. Looking forward to the next one already! :D

good question yuna
and excellent work again PhoenixMum, lolz im going to laugh if this is really how it happens in the book

It will be freaky.

Hmmm, PhoenixMum were you there at the Gencon to hear the extract of book 4?

No I wasnt at Gencon, why? and thanks everyone for the feedback, there is more brewing but i havent got anything more yet, and i may just go on a different tangent, will see,
so how was the 4th extract i wish i could have been there but u know mum stuff and being in melbourne prevents alot lol

Oh and when gold and jade died it took about 3-5 months from memory, maybe a newly raised soul takes longer though?? im sure there was something about the stages of hell that u have to go through

phoenix

Because Emma and Simone know that Leo has been arguing for the past eight years in hell about being Raised and is still at it. It was in another post somewhere. You have to read youself, I'm on the other side of Australia, lol.

If Raised, it shouldn't take more than a few years right? I mean Leo would have missed alot if it took like a hundred years or something and I kinda like him as a character, don't quite want him out of the picture yet. :lol: . As for the stages through hell, this is Leo we're talking about shouldn't take too long right?

Found it!

http://z6.invisionfree.com/Dark_Heavens/in...topic=230&st=45

It's about half-way down the fourth page.

My apologies to Venoltar.

ohhh no i hadnt seen that post lol i just wrote it at work the other day coz i was bored out my brain!
anyone want to employ me ive had enough!! lol

omg EIGHT years, man he IS stubborn isnt he lol, i can see emma has some serious butt kicking to do - wooo hooo bring it ON woman gotta love a good butt kickin!

phoenix

lol :lol:

I'm looking forward to that too!

Thats great, I was thinking of writing something about leo stuck in hell. But was a little scard to do it, but yours was eierly along the lines of what i was thinking :D great mind think alike, so they say. Or maybe Kylie has just created the caracter Leo so well we can eaisly imanage how he would react to the prospect of being raised, thats probably more the case than my first thought.

It was time.

It had taken years but at long last he had had to accept it.

It had taken a visit, which in itself was a feat of diplomacy between Emma and George, from Emma herself to finally get him to come around. She was simply formidable when she was angry or determined, nothing would stand in her way.

"What do you think you are doing?" She had started with, and he knew there and then he was beaten, there was no anger in her voice just disappointment. He had given her the same arguments he had given the Celestial, no good broken, paralysed, unable to fight, had let them down, all of them he had used and she had countered each attack using guilt love and honor and loyalty as her weapons and he had had no come back. The clincher had been the look of dispair in her eyes as she showed him what 112 had done to her, the snake mother.

He had no choice and in all honesty his fears for Simone and the need to be with her and protect her had become overwhelming. She would be 16 now, a hard age for girls, and boys when it came to that. Emma would need his help, Simone was trouble as a child, stubborn and determined, Emma would need a mans help, he wasnt at all convinced that the White Tiger and Michael were the best influences on her.

So it was with great trepidation he stood before the demon judge and admitted defeat, that he would be raised, though he pleaded to be whole not the paralysed. That argument lasted a week, but was finally agreed to.

He was whisked through the 10 stages, a mere formality as he was in his own private hell anyway. The demon king himself was the last demon to speak with him before his departure.
"As you know I am a creature of my word, and I will say this, Even paralysed you are a formidable opponent, I have never seen anyone stymie the system for so long with your stubbornness. I salute you Lion. Keep your wits about you, for they will be needed, not only from my children but trust me 16 year olds are demons all on their own" he laughed heartily and touched Leo on the shoulder, Leo blinked and there he was in front of Mr Chen's apartment block.

He was met at the door by his family. Simone, beautiful, willowy, all grown up, Michael a man now, his shock of white blonde hair cropped short, body lean and muscled. Gold with a small boy standing beside him shimmering, Jade, also with some children around her tears in her eyes, and finally Emma. Emma with tears in her eyes, who simply put her arms around him, "Welcome home my dearest friend"

nicely done PhoenixMum! :D

WOW its good. Is there going to be more??

Hmmm, I don't seem to have much difficulty imagining that last picture, everyone all grown-up, it's like a snap-shot family picture right there, just missing the four winds I think.

Keep up the great work, PhoenixMum.

Nice work, I can definitely picture something like that happening :)

Fantastic once again, PhoenixMum!

You can't see, but I'm standing as I applaud. :D

good story and nice thought out