Dark Awakening: Echoes of Destiny (The Children Of The Gods #88)

14. Rob

14

ROB

R ob settled into his seat in the assembly hall, acutely aware of Lusha's presence on his left and Mia's comforting familiarity on his right. The air buzzed with anticipation, a palpable tension that seemed to vibrate through the crowded space. He couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed by it all—the sheer number of people, the diversity of the crowd, and the weight of importance that hung over the proceedings.

"There's Alfie," Lusha whispered, nudging Rob gently and pointing toward a group of imposing figures near the front of the hall. "He's the one with the wavy light brown hair."

Rob followed her gaze, his eyes widening as he took in the sight of the Guardians. They were a formidable group, each one looking like they'd stepped straight out of an action movie. But these weren't actors playing at being heroes. These were the real deal, immortal warriors with powers Rob couldn't begin to imagine.

"They're something, aren't they?" Mia murmured.

Rob nodded. "They look fierce. I'm glad that they are the good guys."

Lusha chuckled softly. "They are incredible. These guys are the most dedicated individuals you'll ever meet. Alfie included." There was a touch of pride in her voice as she said her partner's name.

"No lady warriors?" Rob asked.

"There is one," Mia said. "Kri is a Head Guardian. She is the blond sitting on the podium next to the chief. She can kick ass with the best of them. As for the other clan ladies, most seem satisfied with self-defense classes, if that. They are not interested in decades of grueling training to become Guardians."

As Rob admired the female Guardian, a hush fell over the assembly. He turned his attention to the main doors, where Kian was entering, flanked by two ladies.

But it wasn't Kian who caught his attention. It was the petite glowing apparition beside him that made Rob's breath catch in his throat.

"That's the Clan Mother, Annani," Lusha whispered. "Isn't she magnificent?"

The Clan Mother looked like an angel, that is if angels existed and were radioactive.

Toven had turned on his glow when demonstrating his abilities, but unlike Toven, the goddess didn't seem to switch it off. It was a constant, ethereal luminescence that both awed and unsettled Rob.

As one, the entire assembly rose to their feet, heads bowed in respect. Rob followed suit, feeling a bit clumsy in his movements compared to the fluid grace of those around him. When he dared to look up, he saw Annani returning the gesture with a dip of her own head and a loving smile that seemed to encompass everyone in the room, making each individual feel both seen and loved.

"Breathtaking, isn't she?" Lusha whispered as they retook their seats.

Rob could only nod, not trusting himself to speak. He was transfixed, barely noticing as Kian began to address the assembly.

Kian's words washed over Rob, only half-registering in his mind as he struggled to process the scene before him. He caught snippets about thefts and sabotage and about an investigation that would involve everyone in the village. Mia had mentioned that, but it hadn't seemed like a big deal and certainly did not require his attention when he found it hard to focus on anything beyond the surreal nature of his current situation.

Here he was, sitting in a secret village, surrounded by immortals, gods, Kra-ell, and a few humans, listening to their leader discuss internal strife as if it were a town hall meeting back in his old neighborhood.

The sheer normalcy of it all, juxtaposed against the extraordinary nature of the participants, was difficult to reconcile.

As the details of the situation became clearer, Rob found himself frowning. Trouble in utopia. It seemed almost inconceivable that anyone would want to disrupt the peace of this hidden paradise. Who would be foolish enough to test the patience of these powerful beings?

"It must be some stupid teenager," Rob muttered quietly.

Lusha turned to him, her eyebrow raised in question. "What makes you say that?" she whispered.

Rob shrugged, suddenly self-conscious about his theory. "Well, who else would be stupid enough to poke the bear like this? It sounds like attention-seeking behavior to me. Classic teenage rebellion."

Mia hummed thoughtfully. "You might be onto something there," she whispered so low he could barely hear her. "Although we don't have many teenagers in the village."

Rob nodded, his eyes scanning the crowd. Now that Mia mentioned it, he realized there were indeed very few of them in the assembly. He could count on one hand the number of individuals who looked to be in their teens.

"That narrows down the suspect pool quite a bit," he mused to himself.

When Kian's speech came to an end and Toven delivered his short announcement, Rob expected the somber atmosphere to continue. But then, to his surprise, the Clan Mother rose to speak, and the change in the room was instantaneous.

She lifted her arms and delivered an inspirational speech in an angelic voice that raised the small hairs on his arms.

"It has been some time since I've presided over a wedding, and evidently, I've missed delivering inspirational speeches," the goddess added at the end of her speech.

Where there had been tension, there was now laughter, and the tension that permeated the assembly hall had dispersed.

Rob was stunned by the levity in her words. She spoke of hosting groups for questioning, of Odus preparing cookie boxes, and somehow managed to make the whole process sound more like a social gathering than an investigation.

The crowd loved it, and as laughter rippled through the assembly, Rob found himself chuckling along, caught up in the infectious joy that seemed to radiate from the goddess.

"She's incredible," Rob whispered to Lusha.

Lusha nodded. "The Clan Mother has a way of brightening everyone's mood. Even Kian the grouch is smiling. Just look at his face."

She was right, and Kian wasn't the only one smiling.

It was leadership on a level Rob had never witnessed before. This wasn't just respect or admiration. This was love. These people didn't just follow their Clan Mother because she was powerful or because tradition dictated it. They followed her because they genuinely loved and trusted her.

"Well, that was certainly something," Mia said as the assembly drew to a close, and they began to file out of the hall. "What did you think, Rob?"

"Frankly, I'm awed and inspired."

Lusha smiled knowingly. "That's the effect the Clan Mother has."

As they stepped out into the cool night air, Rob took a deep breath. The village around them hummed with activity, voices carrying on the evening breeze as residents discussed the night's revelations. There was also an undercurrent of optimism that Rob hadn't expected, given the circumstances.

"Goodnight." Lusha put her hand on his arm. "I'm going to find Alfie."

"Goodnight, Lusha." Rob turned to Mia. "Are you and Toven heading home?"

"In a bit," she said. "He will probably stay a little longer to chat with the other council members."