After landing in Hawaii, we decided to stay there for a few days to recover from our terrible ordeal in Mexico. While we enjoyed our time on the resort, Alex and Benjamin became friends. While I was happy for them, I was less pleased about the rift between Alex and I. Being brought back from the dead, and witnessing my transformation, had changed Alex's attitude, causing him to withdraw from me. Perhaps he was right, maintaining one's morality was the only way to fight evil, but I had chosen another path. I sipped my Pina colada, and I was submerged in deep thoughts.
I thought back on my time in Mexico, I secretly wondered if I had made the right choice, to choose love over my duty. I had failed with the goal that I set out to do. The crystal was now de-energised, the beautiful luminous glow that it once had, was now gone, and it had turned dull. It had looked just like the boring blue stone that was sitting in my safe for years. Rangda was still a threat to the future. Had I chosen the right path when I forsake my duty to save my loved one? Or was, choice an illusion? Was I just following the path that the True Maker had chosen for me, and was I meant to save Alex?
I read a news article about the civil war in Mexico. The fighting had ended after less than 72 hours, when Jesus Ortega was found dead, mauled by his own dogs. I had caused that to happen, and my choice to influence his dogs to kill him had saved countless lives. Yet, it made me feel horrible. I knew the decision to release the dogs and influence them to attack Jesus made me a murderer. I could have found another way to get out of Jesus' compound without causing his dogs to kill people, but I have chosen that road. So, was I good, or bad, or, something in between? Perhaps, I was just a tiny force with a crazy delusion of grandeur, believing in my ability to alter the future
I heard a noise, and I turned around. "Alex, is that you?" I heard myself asking until I realised who the person in front of me was. It was Martin Al-Sham. I could see that Martin wore the same type of monocle as the other conspirators had worn.
"Humph! I reckoned that you would show up, eventually." I said, puzzled by Martin's motive.
"Did Benjamin Cook, that son-of-a-bitch, tell you to come here?" I continued.
Martin looked flummoxed and replied, "Benjamin Cook? Who is that?"
"Pierre Beaumont's helicopter pilot, whose life Alex spared. I suspect he must have told you about our whereabouts", I replied.
"I have no idea who that is. I have other ways of finding you, and we got a job to do." Martin replied.
"What do you want me to do? And why are you wearing the same monocle Pierre wore?" I asked.
"Never mind about the monocle. I need you to fulfil your destiny. I need you to activate the portal with your Zeto Crystal and travel to the Divine Dimension. This is crucial for our destiny." Martin replied.
"So, you want to help me stopping Rangda?" I asked, hoping that Martin was not an enemy.
"Yes… I want to… stop Rangda" Martin replied with a deceptive tone.
Martin's tone of voice gave me a sinister feeling, so I decided to grab his hand and use my empath powers to find out if he was hiding something. Just like with Pierre Beaumont, I couldn't access his mind. Martin shook his head and spoke, "I wouldn't try those empath powers if I were you. This artefact blocks your powers."
Martin pushed away my hand and retreated a few steps. He tapped the monocle gently, and removed it, revealing his purple right eye.
"So, you really are one of them!?" I burst out.
Martin shook his head and replied: "I'm not one of them. Nine individuals came across advanced alien artefacts that heightened our awareness. I am one of the nine. We do not share the same goals, although we are aware of each other."
"So, what about your right eye? Your eyes were blue, and I had never seen you wearing that device in the past?" I asked sceptically.
"I was wearing tinted lenses, don't ask stupid questions, Sabina." Martin scoffed at me
Martin re-attached the monocle to his eye and spoke again. "But enough talking for now. I have a task for you. The others hold Alex in captivity, so we better get going."
"What? Is Alex kidnapped? But my crystal is de-energised!" I replied.
"I found a solution to that while you dealt with Pierre and Sandra in Mexico," Martin replied.
"How are you going to charge the crystal?" I asked.
"You'll see, I'll show you once we are in Kiribati. But for now, I need you to follow my instructions." Martin requested.
"What if I refuse to help you?" I asked.
"Then I'll let you go, but Alex will die. I am not foolish enough to attack a woman protected by the True Maker. How unlucky that Alex doesn't have divine protection." Martin said and smirked at me.
"Okay, I'll come willingly. We share the same goal. You did ask me to stop Rangda and save the future for all of us." I replied.
"Excellent! I have a plane waiting for us at the airport. We leave at once!" Martin said.
Five hours later, I was on a plane heading towards Kiribati, on a mission to the Micronesian island's ancient underwater sunken pyramid. As I studied the beautiful beaches and lagoons from above, I thought about the destiny that lay ahead of me. Would I manage to stop Rangda and save the future? Would I ever meet my beloved husband again? The questions were many and the crystal was still out of its supernatural energy. I sighed and prayed to The True Maker. Without Alex by my side, I felt empty, but I knew what I had to do. What I was born to do! My future lay ahead of me, on the island of Kiribati, deep under the surface of the Pacific Ocean.