Read Online Men of the Cave (Symbol of Hope Series) by Marisette Burgess - Free Book Online

the cave and we awoke. We had no idea what happened. Max went into the city to find out if the Emperor still wanted to persecute us. He was shocked to discover that there was a new Emperor, Christianity was the main religion, and it was one hundred and fifty years later.”
    I rubbed my eyes and shook my head. This couldn’t be true. He’s making up stories, isn’t he?
    He sighed but continued, “Rumors and tales about us began to circulate the city. The Emperor summoned us to appear in front of him, and declared that our story was truth after investigating us. We were very popular and for what we did, were heroes of Christianity. We did not notice that we were not aging. About five years after our awakening, we realized we were not aging at all. We had to leave before people became suspicious. We faked our deaths and left the city. They canonized us as Saints. They call us the Seven Sleepers, even though we have never physically died. I know that the men we were, and the spirits we had been, before all this happened; are still buried in that city,” he swallowed remembering something very painful.
    “Seven Sleepers? There are only five of you.” He has to be making this up.
    “I have two other brothers. We parted ways a long time ago. We do not agree on how we should live our eternal lives,” he said.
    “What do you mean?”
    “We five try to uphold good values. I can only say they walk a different path. As I said, we all buried the men we were. They often choose to misuse their powers.”
    “Whoa,” I chuckled, “Powers?” He’s just making it up as he goes.
    “Ah, yes, I forgot to mention. Along with immortality we were given special abilities.”
    “Like what?”
    “Max- Maximian can heal with his touch. Antony- Antoninos, can speak with animals. John- Joannes sees the future and Martin- Martinianus sees the past or present, but they can only do it when they focus together on an area or a person. Sam-Sambatus my older brother can leave his body in spirit form and move around in a ghost like way. James-Jamblichos my younger brother can move objects with his mind. Me- Dionysius, I am fast,” he smiled.
    My head started to throb. I closed my eyes.
    “Are you all right Kasey?” he asked.
    “I don’t know Dion. Your story is the most outrageous thing I’ve ever heard. How can you possibly think I’d believe you?”
    “Here I shall show you. I am so fast I can run on water.”
    He jumped into the ocean below us. I screamed after him, “Don’t…” his body glided down like a kite and fell with a splash into the water. He swam slowly accelerating until he emerged, like a speedboat. As if running on dry land, he ran away from the rocks on top of the water. My heart pounded so hard I thought it would burst through my chest. I gripped the edge of the wall I was sitting on with all my might. He stopped for a second, turn, and headed back in my direction. Dion approached the rocks and like Spider Man climbed up the cliff in seconds. He sat beside me barely damp.
    “What do you think?” he asked.
    I looked at him. What is he? Can I trust my eyes? Or him?
    “Kasey, you are looking at me as if I am some kind of a demon.”
    I didn’t know what to think. The pressure in my head traveled down my body and through my arms. My view of Dion turned black and white, like an old movie. Sounds were distant and blurred. Then blackness.
     

7. Dion A Monster or A Knight
     
    Thank goodness she fainted backwards so I could catch her in my arms, or that could have gotten tricky. Her body drained of color resembled a corpse. My stomach knotted. Lifting her close, I ran. The surrounding scenery sped by me as I passed at an accelerated speed. In a few seconds, I opened the red wooden door to our home.
    “Maax…,” I screamed, hoping my brothers were back at the house. Antony and John came out from the kitchen. Max and Martin raced down the stairs.
    “Set her down,” Max ordered.
    I placed Kasey on the black leather