rooted grounds and foundations
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decided / adjective
(of a quality) definite; unquestionable.
She picks up her bag and roams around in it until she has a small object in her hand, an old, falling apart book with a black bird on it. The dark silhouette forever imprinted in her mind. Her fingers slide gently against the faded out green cover as she closes her eyes, her energy picking the page. It leads to the same poem again, but only one part grabs her attention.
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.*
No, no mortal has ever ventured so far with their dreams as I have, but then again, I was not a mere mortal, a flesh of their flesh. I could be killed, yet my dreams and energy always soar far, right until they reach the purpose, a goal that I share with all of my kin.
Until the raven is nevermore.
Something in my mind snaps and I manage to jump back to reality. Mmm, let’s finish with these dark themes, for now. The past week has been stressful enough, filled with way too many unwelcomed surprises.
Currently, I’m in the park, sitting on a bench. Bare feet, cross-legged, expensive heels laying somewhere on the ground. I wiggle my toes and shift my body a bit, eyes wandering to an impressive pond in front of me, enjoying the sun on my bare arms and face. It feels good to finally rest, leaving the unnecessary tension behind; feeling the world around me and the atoms swirling... as if lazy bees drunk on the sun and drops of nectar; blissful moments, almost sensual in their heated core.
Suddenly I sigh frustrated because regrettably, the idyllic peace doesn’t last as long as I would want it to, a dark shadow shielding the sun, a true mountain man. My gaze shifts and wanders up to him.
Did you get them?
He hands me a paper bag with some coffee and bagels while the other hand holds a pair of ordinary-looking red sneakers. He holds them by the pristine white shoelaces; as if the object that he was touching was strangely repelling to him. My eyebrows lift as I grab on to everything.
They’re just shoes, Ramsey. Straight from the store.
I got odd stares at the cash register.
His face scrunches up as he stands there, covering the scenery. At almost 6′4, and impressive body weight, he was easily feared off. I liked that about him, he didn’t let others waste his time, a thing that we got in common.
But you survived, now sit down, you’re blocking the light.
He moves to the other side of the bench and as he sits, the wood under him creaks and moans. My body slides unwillingly his way, and I silently wonder if the steel on the sides might bend. Thankfully, it stays in place, so I let myself relax again.
Boss?
My head shifts slightly as the feeling of vitamin D slowly soaking into my pores, plays with my senses.
Yes?
Is she trouble for us?
I put a hand over my eyes and squint at him, there was no need to ask, knowing exactly who he meant.
That’s the million-dollar question, Ramsey. A question as to of yet, I still don’t have an answer to. She’s definitely not normal, with all the abilities that she seems to have and that still lie under the surface, not discovered but that want to get out. Desperately. The energy that she produces is remarkable, the current and sparks flying wherever she goes, trouble appearing to follow her every tiny step. It’s both fascinating and potentially very dangerous.
Is she the warrior that everyone speaks of?
Trust me, if I had that kind of assurance, the girl would already be dead, and the situation never an issue to begin with.
The way she looks.
The bench under him whines again as he shifts his body weight, crossing his arms - he doesn’t seem to notice.
Yes, a spitting image of our raven warrior, mostly concerning. That’s why we need to make sure who she really is. Even without the prophecy and the many facts that we have witnessed - her powers need to be examined and thoroughly looked into.
We should consult the elders then.
I slowly sip on my coffee before I answer him.
No. That is the only thing I fear off. The tension amongst our kind is already raised, a chance of war growing. Many fractions want to succeed with the upper hand, and this would only be another excuse to start a fight. This happens every time the prophecy is nearing. Think of what would have happened if our people knew? And this without any certainty that the girl is who we think she is? No, Ramsey, unnecessary chaos, no one can know for now. We don’t have the luxury to be reckless about this, there are too many lives at stake.
He nods and gets up, as the tortured bench moans with an offense at the increased struggle.
Is she still to be observed, with reports every couple of hours?
My eyebrows lift.
Of course, and will be that way until I say otherwise. Are you keeping tabs on her now?
Yes. She was taken by the owner of the diner to her place for a short time, and then from what we established, that woman’s own house.
I see. She should be safe there for the time being but keep someone there on stand-by, she needs to be watched at all times. It’s a precaution that needs to be followed.
Not a problem.
My eyes trail him as he walks away without any hustle. Maybe he wasn’t the smartest person I knew, and would never be the one to write a philosophy essay or use the social etiquette like one of the royals, but he was the closest that I had to a family - that I could stand. He had a street smart about him and the sixth sense to things that could go wrong. In some ways, he was more intelligent and resourceful than all the scientific minds that I have encountered put together. All in the almost 27 years, I have spent wandering this earth, waiting for the final outcome. To destroy or be destroyed.
My eyes narrow, then I look to both sides first to make sure that nobody was watching, and releasing a small electric surge, blue light delicately cascading from the fingers of my right hand. As if liquid smoke, or gas matter floating around in serpent-like waves. The light moves ahead until it reaches my very noticeable friend, and moves around his ankles; exploding and disappearing before anyone can even blink. I watch as he looks down not surprised and then at me. I smile and for a moment close my eyes, blue energy moving from both my hands and gliding under the bench, my mind envisioning the task and making it a reality. My muscles flex as the delicious energy moves throughout my heated veins; just pure, sweet pleasure. All those multi vibrant sensations under my skin... The light shifts below my heels, sliding under them like a flying rug, causing them to levitate and hover just above the surface of the grass. My eyelids flutter and I watch the shoes glide with grace and then bump gently against his legs, lending on the ground.
He shakes his head in an amused way and picks them up, then he frowns but doesn’t’ say anything. Ramsey doesn’t complain, only his face is proof of any distaste, an open book at times. The corners of my lips lift, as it’s not hard to see what he’s thinking. Another pair of women’s shoes in his hands today.
“Just put them in the car”.
I mouth and he nods. Walking away without any protest, tucking them under the side of his jacket as if he had a dangerous weapon there. My mouth twitches. He was a peculiar man; tough and ruthless when the time demanded it, and mild as a lamb when there was no threat in sight. Most of the time silent and always knowing exactly how to behave, and when to say what needed to be said. Loving the speed of the chase and fast cars, but respecting the rules on the road and the limits put by other people, sometimes driving like an old nagging lady. A smile covers my lips as I finish the food, and drink the remainings of the coffee. Ramsey was unique, and everything I wanted him to be, even the thing I always thought I didn’t need. A loyal friend and a companion.
_____
I walk through the streets heading for the less populated part of town, where the old red-bricked warehouses were. I had a visit planned, and today of all days, I felt like I also needed to be there - a small feeling at the back of my spine, soft but pulling, suggestive nudge to guide me where my spirit should sway. Our kind was more sensitive to the needs of a soul, our bodies connected in the same energy. The energy that filled the matter of this universe. Some of us ignored such pulls, being more familiar to the humans, lingering in their presence. There were even those that had left us to roam around them and mix our blood with those who never felt stars in their bloodstreams - creating new families. Those were few exceptions, while most stayed in our circle. We did not approve of such behaviors, yet neither did we stop them, believing that our energy always guided us in the right path.
I gaze up at the sun from under my dark shades and notice that its powers are fading, late afternoon soon preparing for the evening. My jacket is left in the car, and so are my other things. I walk slowly, strolling through the streets in the new shoes that did not hurt my feet or made me feel like throwing them against the nearby wall. My whole arms are bare, only the thin material of the shirt covering my skin. With hands in my pockets, I casually start to wonder about my destiny, as I had, some times before. But this time it’s different, with new puzzle pieces shifting in my hands. I was given new elements that I was not prepared for, yet I held them tightly, grasping them without any doubt. This was not how I was instructed many years back, but I would not stop in my steps, or surrender to the changing surroundings. It was still the same picture, I only had new pieces to fit into it - but rest assured, they would fit, I just needed clearance before I walked forward to where I was always meant to be. Destroying my enemies, thriving.
As the bright light follows my steps, still relentlessly heating my skin, I let my mind swim around in memories, dance on the surface of old waters.
The prophecy stated, that the star born filled with sapphire light will be challenged to fight when she would finish thirty-five rising springs and thirty-five fallen winters; embracing the warmth and the cold of the world in a living body, preparing for the inevitable. I was chosen for this task. However, here I was, eight years too early, still in the training process. Trying to find out if the girl that I met was my fatal enemy, and if so - where we had made the mistake. The prophecy had never failed before as timing goes, only the outcome itself never came in our favor as we lost our battles, this being our fifth attempt at victory. In the five hundred years that we have occupied this galaxy, in the third orbit from the sun, we had yet to earn the claim over Earth. But each time, our warrior would become stronger and gain more strength, reincarnating in a new body, my ancestors passing along new abilities, sending us hope for the future. I am sixth in line; new body, old soul. As soon as I was born, the energy shifted slightly in the cosmos, almost unnoticeable in the vast space that surrounded us all.
__________________
*Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven
(book) https://theprose.com/book/1661/worlds-colliding
and the previous chapter since it's been a long time ;)