The Unveiling

by N. V. Rose

  Brielle’s eyes flew open and her chest rose and fell with the heaviness of her breathing. She looked in Maude’s direction and found her teacher calmly looking at her. Without words, Maude lifted herself to standing and slid her feet back in her slippers.

  “We’ll try it again, tomorrow.

  Chapter Six

  “She’s been in there all night.”

  Maude watched Brielle as she remained folded in the position Maude had left her in the day before.

  “Her mother’s fate fuels her,” Zephryn said. She stood next to Maude also watching Brielle through the monitor in the council’s headquarters. “I know what you’re thinking,” Zephryn continued.

  “That’s because you’ve been in my head again.”

  “I would’ve known without being in your head.”

  “That is still to be determined.”

  “You’re worried about her.”

  “I’m worried about us all. Despite what you may think, I’m still a mortal.”

  Zephryn raised a sharply arched brow. “Since when?”

  “Since, I can be killed like anyone else.”

  “Is that what bothers you. Your death?”

  Maude removed her attention from the manifested screen to Zephryn.

  “Death is a part of life. One fears it because they don’t know what takes place in the here-after. I don’t fear death. I fear the extinction of our race and everything in between.” Maude paused. “But, you already knew that.”

  Zephryn smiled just as the door slid open bringing in two other council members.

  “She didn’t do so bad in Fairburn,” Reign suggested.

  Zephryn and Maude held steady waiting for Bailyn to speak.

  “I don’t agree,” Bailyn said. “If Jefferson and Markus had not been there to assist her, I’m not convinced Brielle would’ve survived her first encounter with Simeon.”

  They all thought the same except Reign. Being the eldest of even Maude and Zephryn, Reign carried his eyes over the three of them and breathed in a deep breath before speaking.

  “We all know how this works. It’s happened every century for as long as there has been a governing world. The prophecy picks the savior. We watch over her. When it’s time we pull her in. She trains. She defeats our enemy. We reign until it’s time to do it again.” Reign paused. “There will always be a Kaine Kross. Once he is killed, someone will eventually take his place. Brielle will succeed. It’s her destiny.”

  “Except… you’re leaving one thing out,” Bailyn entered. “It is possible for her not to win. The prophecy is not one-sided. We’ve seen what will happen should she fail.”

  “But she won’t,” Reign added.

  “Like Vita?” Bailyn countered. He couldn’t help himself. Reign was someone Bailyn respected highly, but it was almost as if he didn’t remember that Vita was also picked, and she failed. The difference was another savior had been picked before Kaine could completely infiltrate the white realm. But he was getting closer with each day that passed.

  “My dear friend,” Reign acknowledged Bailyn full on. “You and I are the same but different in many ways. You like to look at the negative thing and find a way to keep it from happening. I, on the other hand, will always find the brighter side and magnify it ten-fold to gain that end result. There’s something about the way one's mind chooses to think. If you think you will fail; you already have. And you, my friend, haven’t given Brielle a chance to show us what she’s made of before you’ve completely written her off.”

  Reign took his eye around the room again.

  “We all know what happened with Vita. She was surprised in the middle of her training. She wasn’t prepared to beat Kaine, although she tried and was very good at it.”

  “Still,” Bailyn interrupted. “What if the same thing happens to Brielle? We have to be prepared for it.”

  “The difference between then and now is Brielle is training within the safety of the white realm,” Maude intervened. “Vita was not.” Maude turned her attention back to the monitor. “Zephryn is right, Katherine’s fate fuels her.”

  “Is that why you told Katherine to reject Brielle’s invitation to stay? Because she could’ve stayed here. Katherine is strong and has been around for centuries. But, if none of us can kill Kaine Kross, Katherine wouldn’t come close.”

  It was Bailyn who had spoken. Maude turned a sharp eye on him.

  “Yes,” Maude said. “When someone you love life is at stake, you will do whatever it takes to make sure they survive. Unfortunately, Brielle doesn’t have the same time to train that Vita Sorex did. It’s not a matter of if Kaine Kross will infiltrate the white realm. It’s when. Contrary to what you may think Bailyn, Brielle’s wind power is close to mastery because of her fear of her mother’s demise. The last time any of us watched someone in meditation this long was…”

  “Danas,” Zephryn spoke.

  The room became silent as each of the council members remembered their council leader, Danas Conclay.

  “You think she will master his power,” Bailyn said. It wasn’t a question but a statement.

  “She will be greater,” Zephryn intervened.

  Bailyn’s mouth dropped then closed as he pondered on the magnitude of his fellow council member’s statements.

  “When I found you, you were broken, scared, and malnourished. You lived in that cell for months cowering at the people around you. When the entire time, you had just as much strength and willpower in you as I,” Reign said.

  Bailyn knew his friend was right. But even then, he didn’t believe until Reign showed him.

  “Believe me again,” Reign said. “Brielle will succeed.” Reign glanced from Bailyn to Maude, then back to Bailyn. “However, if that is not enough for you, I’m willing to calm your quarries.” Reign addressed Maude. “Perhaps allow Brielle to train with Vita. Vita’s had over a century to prepare for a fight she may never have to endure now that Brielle’s been picked. Vita is stronger than ever. Allow her to teach Brielle a thing or two and don’t hold back.”

  “Brielle is working to master wind not fire.”

  “Who says she can’t with Vita?” Zephyrn added. “I agree with Reign. When Brielle comes against Simeon, it will not be the wind that she’ll face alone. Simeon will harness his water. Although he’s able to use other powers because of his osmosis, his love for water supersedes them all. Brielle will have to use wind to fight off his water, and fire and earth should he decide to use them all.”

  They all watched Brielle through the monitor. At present her hair floated from her shoulders. Her eyes were closed yet in her dream state she fought with someone since the glow of her green irises spilled from the corners of her eyes.

  They watched as her body began to tremble then suddenly she shouted.

  “Aaaah!”

  Brielle’s eyes opened, and her breathing was labored as she took in her surroundings. Blinking rapidly, Brielle continued to sit until the realization that she was still in the white realm returned to her. She breathed out a long languid sigh.

  “She’s exhausted,” Bailyn said. “She’ll go to sleep now.”

  But Brielle did just the opposite. Settling her arms back on her thighs and keeping her legs folded, she pulled her shoulders back, closed her eyes, and went back into her meditative state.

  A grin tapered across Reign’s face and all three of them turned to look at Bailyn.

  “Believe me,” Reign said.

  Gideon paced the length of the room; his robe swishing across the cemented floor as he brooded. His companion and fellow council member, Yarla, watched from their bedstead as her mate’s thoughts tumbled.

  Speaking telepathically, Yarla reached out to him. “You can’t think clearly when your mind is in turmoil. Calm my love, there’s no need for worry now. Everything has been set in place.”

  Gideon halted his patrolling and rotated slowly around to face Yarla. Without speaking, he took in her silhouette in the darkness of night. Gideon conside
red Yarla always his voice of reason. Most living beings had two even sides of themselves; one that gave counsel and the other that disregarded it. Gideon’s two sides were always merged. It was hard for him to be swayed one way or the other. Once a decision was made in his mind, he usually went with it. Yarla, on the other hand, had become Gideon’s bright-side conscience. It was what originally pulled him towards her and caused them both to find pleasure in each other’s arms.

  Had it not been forbidden for one council member to marry another, they would’ve been wed long ago. But rules were rules for a reason. Marrying a member of the supreme government could cause conflict when important decisions needed to be made. Each member brought a clear concise decision to the table. When a mate entered the equation, those verdicts could be swayed, and for that reason alone it was prohibited. Yarla left the bed and glided into the moonlight to stand next to Gideon. Her long silver strands flowed over her shoulders down to the middle of her back. With crème colored skin, smooth like butter, Yarla reached for Gideon’s hand as her deep-set eyes stared into his strong face.

  “We’ve talked about this. With each version of the fulfilled prophecy, Kaine doesn’t penetrate the white realm until Brielle is ready. The only thing we can do now is help prepare her. Maude is doing an excellent job with that.”

  Gideon didn’t respond verbally or telepathically, only nodded in agreement.

  “Let’s go back to bed.”

  Yarla tugged at his hand and together they left reality for the dream world.

  Chapter Seven

  She would fight him again. This time, without the assistance of anyone, Brielle would fight Simeon. She sought him out, going to the place she knew he couldn’t resist… the water. There were those, mortal and near mortal that doubted her appointment as the savior. She heard them, even in her meditative state, contemplating her fate as though there was a wager placed with those betting on whether she would win or lose. Brielle didn’t want to wait to assist them in winning or losing the bet. She would either beat Simeon in single combat, or she would lose and no longer be considered the savior. They still had time to pick someone else. The prophecy could still be fulfilled if it wasn’t her; hopefully, in enough time to defeat Kaine.

  This might be the dumbest decision of her savior life, but Brielle was committed. Standing on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, transporting herself there on a surge of wind, Brielle waited. She would wait as long as it was necessary, but Brielle knew, Simeon would come. He’d been caught off guard in Fairburn. He would want retribution and an opportunity to prove himself, that he was the better warrior. So, she stood there, inviting Simeon to come to her.

  “Brielle.”

  “Simeon.”

  It didn’t take long for Simeon to manifest himself. He, like Brielle, had significant power and he, like Brielle, couldn’t resist the fight. Not this one.

  “You’re brave enough to come, to face me alone?” Simeon asked as the water behind the two began to stir unnaturally.

  “You were brave enough to bring my mother into this.”

  The wind rustled as Brielle spoke; bending to an unspoken command keeping it in tune with her emotions.

  The laugh that grew and then exploded from Simeon shook the sand underneath their feet.

  “Your mother is fair game, savior.”

  The green in Brielle’s eyes began to glow. Her emotions were getting the best of her. She knew calm was necessary. She couldn’t approach a fight like this riding off a wave of emotion. As the wind picked up, the hair on Brielle’s head lifted as well; sending invigorating energy through her. She and the wind were one. Simeon sized her up. Brielle looked weak and frail. She was a girl after all and no match for his power. As his anger brewed inside him, the water swirled vigorously; waves emerging and crashing against the seemingly unending expanse of water.

  It was a standoff.

  Maude considered everything that was said the night before. Vita may be good for Brielle. Vita’s experience in real battle against the likes of Kaine Kross could prove invaluable if Vita could harness the feeling of defeat and turn it into a teachable moment for the new savior. But as Maude approached Brielle’s sleeping quarters, she sensed there was a problem.

  “Where are you?”

  Maude tried to contact Brielle silently as only those with near mortal strength could. When no response returned to her, Maude refused to panic. She knew the answer even though Brielle offered no reply. The question was, what Maude intended to do about her student’s unexpected absence. Placing her fingers on her temples, Maude zoned in on Brielle’s exact location. The water, the precise location came to Maude and she moved to where her student was.

  Simeon was the first to act. lifting his hands from his sides, Simeon turned his eyes toward the sky and a wall of water lifted behind him. The green from Brielle’s eyes intensified as she responded in kind; lifting a single hand towards the wall Simeon intended to manipulate. The wind produced from Brielle’s singular movement, kept the wall from advancing forward. She held the water at bay. Simeon’s hands started to shake as he commanded the water to respond to his directive. But his demand was no match for Brielle’s resolve. Simeon threatened her mother. He crossed the line; a line Brielle refused to allow him to come back from.

  Brielle felt centered, grounded in her power and she lifted her hand high, causing the rush of wind to push the water back and reduce it to nothing more than a ripple fading into the water. Simeon looked behind him, seeing what she had done. He raged higher, his eyes clouding with anger. Slowly, Simeon began to turn in tight circles with his hands extended. The water moved at his behest, circling around him, creating a watery typhoon that began to move in Brielle’s direction. In response, Brielle turned her palms down creating a surge of wind that shook the sand and lifted Brielle off the ground. Simeon’s watery cyclone moved toward Brielle. She lifted herself higher missing his attempt to drown her where she stood. Simeon lifted within the turning water and they both opposed each other suspended in midair.

  Faster than the eye could see, Simeon moved on Brielle, pulling her into the edges of his swirling water.

  Not today, Simeon, Brielle thought as she powered her hands sending a blast of wind that threw the water back with Simeon inside.

  “ARRRRRRRR!” he bellowed as he thrust the water at Brielle, sending high-powered streams of water from within the turning cyclone. The water struck Brielle hard; sending her spinning heel over head in the air. The wall of stone that edged the outer surface of the beach looked to be her destination. Furrowing her brow and honing in on her strength, Brielle stopped the tumbling movement and righted herself. Simeon laughed, thinking he got the best of her. But when a wind so powerful to strip him of the water that surrounded him, struck like a mac truck, the laughter stopped, and Simeon crashed in the waves he commanded.

  Descending to the ground, Brielle crouched and then pounded her fists into the grainy sand. The earth beneath Brielle vibrated and shook from the force of her will. Sensing the surge of energy moving through her, Brielle lifted her eyes along the sand and watched as it moved under her thoughts. The ground shook violently sending grainy waves toward the blue water, causing a quake at its depths. It was new to her, but not new. She felt a connectedness to the ground that lent itself to her will. Green iridescence poured from Brielle’s eyes onto the sand around her. The water began to recede under the power of the earth Brielle wielded.

  Simeon was completely caught off guard as the rumbling ground underneath the water refused to allow him to right himself. He flipped and turned in the water, crashing hard against water crests and white waves. Standing to her felt, Brielle lifted her hand and the ground moved with her pushed by the wind she still reigned. Brielle walked with authority as the sand growled with her, pushing the water further and further away; earth in sandy form replacing the water as she moved. And then, Brielle lasered her focus; green light shooting from her eyes following the direction of her extended hand. She pulled Simeon up
in her light from the depths of the water. Brielle held him suspended with the power of the air and the intensity of her gaze. She wanted Simeon to feel and see her strength. His eyes were wide. Brielle could see that from where she stood. Brielle’s hair trailed behind her until she commanded the wind to move with her. Simeon tried to fight the forces that entrapped him. He pushed toward the water that had been underneath him. But there was no water there, just the sand Brielle wielded.

  See you later, Simeon, Brielle uttered as she waved her hands mightily, sending Simeon flying across the air into a space far away from where he was. It didn’t matter to Brielle where he landed; only that his threat to her mother and to the white realm was neutralized. She sent him, hundreds of miles away on a wave of her power and energy. And when Brielle was satisfied, she lowered her hands and returned the water to its original state. The ground beneath her strength lost the vibration and rested calmly where she stood. The green from Brielle’s eyes receded as well. She stood there, empowered.

  Well done, savior, well done.

  A smile eased across Brielle’s lips. That voice was the voice of her teacher. She really didn’t need to turn around to see that Maude was there, but she was.

  To be continued…

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