Orphaneus and I wait under the shadow of a tree, watching the clouds pass over us. I am stuck thinking about the colors flickering within the darkness. I close my eyes and lie down in the grass, imagining my core. I exhale, relaxing my muscles, hands on my stomach.
I feel something…cold…no, it's getting warmer.
I place the palms of my hand on the grass, trying to cool it down. My eyebrows furrow, as the heat intensifies. Wincing, and grumbling through pain, I stay persistent. A voice humming behind my skull. I can feel an inner change.
My body hovers over the grass, and a small black flame begins to grow in my mind.
I can see it, I reach my hand out to the darkness, and it does the same.
A void steps out from the dark in human form, eyes white, body hazy. It's saying something, but the words don't reach my ears. Everything is incoherent. The void steps right though me, I gasp, holding onto my chest. I whip around, all of a sudden, I am met with a flash of light.
"My eyes," I cover my face.
Open. Watch. The voice is firm.
I slowly open them, and I see grass. I look around, a surreal moment. I see the house from my dream again. The same woman, standing next to it
Not this again, I sigh.
"That's not my mother. I'm not falling for this a second time," I stand my ground, watching it with caution.
It's waving, and walking toward me. In a blink of an eye she is standing in front of me. I stand looming over her.
Were you always this small, I feel pity.
She looks up at me. Her jaw barely hanging on the joint, she groans trying to speak. I hug her, what is left of her.
"Mother," I say, somber.
She points to something behind me. I hold onto her hand, as I did in childhood. I can't see through her disfigured face, but I can't tell—she is looking at me with that same innocent, sweet smile.
We walk hand in hand, toward a cliff in the distance. I let her lead the way. Arriving upon the cliff, we both sit down, feet hanging on the edge. Mother tilts her head looking at me. She reaches out her boney fingers and brushes my hair. Caressing my face, mother, pulls my head toward her. She places her forehead on mine for a moment, then lets me go.
A glow of white light engulfs her,
Truly, you are the most beautiful mother.
I can see her again, she looks mesmerizing. She looks alive. Her golden silk-like hair flows freely in the cliff breeze. I can almost hear her laugh, the way she used to. A warm smile tugs at my lips,
"You can rest now," I whisper.
Mother turns towards the view off of the cliff, and points to the sunset. A shade of rogue that can only be created by nature. She walks to me, and gives me a final kiss on the forehead as she breaks into white spider lilies— dispersing into the wind.
I watch the flowers fly off to the sky,
"Goodbye," I rise to my feet and turn around.
The scenery has changed. I'm in a field of spiderlilies– some white, some red.
"Ah…", I break down, grief flows like a torrent for the last time.
The mark on my shoulder glows, revealing my power. I hold my hand out ready to cast.
Just feel it, low and steady, the voice resonates.
I take heed to advice. No incantation— only pure intent. A black flame blooms like a flower, from the palm of my hand.
I laugh in disbelief, and try again.
"It works!"
The administrator is wrong. I don't have just any dark attribute— I have black flames.
Somehow I still feel incomplete.
It's time to awake, the voice buzzes.
I regain my consciousness, and slowly open my eyes. It's dark, the night sky is filled with stars.
"Oh, you are awake", a man's voice, next to me.
I spring up, heart racing.
"You shouldn't lie out in the open when monsters roam," he says in a cunning tone.
It's him…the strange informant…but why is he here?...
His eyes are an eerie amber in the dark, like an animal.
He sits in front of a fire pit, slicing an apple with a dagger. The blade glinting with each slice. I don't take my eyes off of him, as my hands creep to my dagger. My fingers brush over the empty sheath.
It's not here.
"You should keep better track of your things," he says, returning it to me with a grin.
I take it from him, hands steady, showing no fear in my demeanor.
"Do you want the fruit?" he tosses it to me, without my agreement.
I slowly bring my hand behind my back, under my cloak, readying to cast magic.
His smile, his face, his mannerism, all raise the hairs along my neck. He is no ally.