"There the girl was, strapped to the stake, naked, humiliated, and waiting for her inevitable death. She listened to mockery from the people she'd saved, the ones for whom she was willing to push herself to great limits, all for their salvation. They threw rocks as the fire began to burn beneath her, and before it reached her body, the shaman began to activate the magic spell that they had used her blood for. They told the townspeople that it was an act of proving that she was a witch, but really it was a binding spell."
"What?" I didn't fight the urge to gawk at her, my eyes beginning to pool with tears.
Lia needed a minute to continue, and her eyes peered at the now-midnight-blue sky.
"As if the punishment she'd experienced wasn't enough, they decided she deserved to be bound to the earth. The spell was to ensure that even after she died, her soul would never be able to move on. She would be bound to the very ground on which they raped, mocked, and killed her. Her soul wouldn’t be able to move on until the world itself ended."
I couldn't even say a word, thinking of how that ending must have been.
She'd lived her life trying to save people and make her mark on the land, but instead, she ended up being shamed, beaten, raped, and accused of dark magic.
The same people who thanked her for all she'd done were the same individuals who caused her downfall.
What kind of cruel fate is that?
My tears fell without my recognition, at least until Lia's hand gently stroked my cheek.
I lifted my head up to look at her, noticing how her eyes pooled with tears like mine.
"Witches and supernatural beings have suffered greatly from humankind's mistakes. Humans have gotten better, but there are still many things that need to be changed, and that wave of change is approaching. It is why they're doing everything to stop it."
"Stop it? What benefit would that bring to them?"
"They don't know," she replied.
"They don't know?" I repeated.
"See, with the story involving the witch with orange hair, they didn't know what her true intentions were. Sure, she was a healer and a woman who fought for change back then, but they feared she'd be far too powerful to control. It was already beginning to show in her rebellion against men. Without even trying, she'd made women and even many men see the unfairness that was brewing right before their eyes. She was going to be the start of a movement for equal rights for men and women, which would eventually bring the same level of equality to the witch and supernatural races."
Lia took a breath and continued.
"They feared her strength, skill, and ability to survive any trap they set for her. It was only when she let her guard down that they were able to take her. That mini mistake is what led to her downfall." Lia looked back at me, and a smile graced her lips. "But it also started a rebellion."
"It...did?" I asked.
"Yes," she replied. "When the woman's body was burned to a crisp, all that remained was her magic. Her soul was bound with the intention of it remaining at that very place. The purpose was to cause her everlasting suffering and to enforce a warning to any witches who wanted to try and overpower the humans. However, they didn't expect the six men to discover the site."
"They found out?!" I gasped.
"They did," Lia replied. "By the time they reached the site, it was far too late. All that was left were her ashes, and the place was cleared out like nothing catastrophic had taken place."
"No..." I whispered.
Imagining myself in that woman's shoes and my four men discovering the way I'd been killed made me want to break down for this woman.
How could she go through all of that? It couldn't have been part of her destiny, right?
"It was not." Lia spoke and pulled me out of my thoughts.
"What?"
"It wasn't a part of her destiny."
Moving her hand, she returned to looking to the sky, her wings outstretched behind her.
"She was destined to live a wonderful life after her struggles. Her path was to marry her men and live happily. She'd still spread righteousness and heal many more to come, but that path was blocked off entirely, and it angered a greater power than all of us."
"A greater power than all of us?"
"Yes." She nodded. "Mother Nature herself."
"Mother Nature," I quietly repeated. "What happened?"
"The binding that the shaman performed angered Mother Nature. No matter what race we are, be it human, witch, or supernatural shifter, we all carry souls. If our life ends suddenly, Mother Nature's duty is to bring us back to fulfill the remaining years we'd initially been granted. It's commonly known as reincarnation, in which a soul comes back to complete whatever tasks they had left to do on this earth. Once those are complete, the soul can move on and receive judgment from the gods above."
"Then what was the problem with the binding...wait. She can't ascend to judgment or anything because her soul was bound to the ground?" It finally dawned on me, and when Lia nodded in agreement, I placed my hand on my chest.
"No way. She was literally trapped. She'd never be at peace and would have to relive the same night over and over again?"
I was crying again, and Lia sighed and moved to hug me.
My wings retracted enough to rest against my back but didn't disappear. Lia's wings wrapped around me, aiding in comforting the sadness that lingered over this woman's death.
I was crying over a woman I'd never met, but her story had such an impact on my soul.
I wished she'd gotten the happy ending she deserved, or at least been freed from the endless suffering these people subjected her to.
Lia waited for me to calm down before she carried on.
"There's a happy ending to this, I promise," she whispered.
I looked up to her and nodded, waiting for her to carry on.
"Whether it was Mother Nature that helped gather the six men that loved the woman or purely fate, they gathered around her ashes. Among the men was a strong wizard with shaman assets. Each of the men had their own unique traits of magic, some which they had yet to discover, but the sight of their love being taken from the earth angered them. It awakened the magic inside them, and with it, an idea of how to save the woman from eternal hardship."
"What did they do?"
"They each stood at a point of a star, while the wizard stood in the middle in the ashes of the woman. They called for Mother Nature's strength and to make the very soil that was soaked with the woman's blood a monument of change. They asked that in exchange for their magic, the woman be freed from the shackles that chained her and given the opportunity to start over in a world that was more accepting of righteous witches. She was destined to do great things, but she was born in the wrong timeline to do so. They wanted her to have a second chance, and would give all of their essences to make it so."
"Wait." I scrunched my face in confusion. "Essence as in magic essence? Isn't a witch’s magic essence similar to blood in humans? Without blood, humans die because there's nothing to carry oxygen to the brain. Isn't it the same thing for witches and their magic essence? No more magic and they die. Even if we still have blood, our bodies are doomed if we can't produce magic."
"They taught you well," Lia said. "You're correct."
"They sacrificed themselves?" I wanted confirmation, my heart aching for them.
"Yes, they did. In order to seal their request and ensure no other shaman of great power could revoke what was asked, each man cut his wrist and poured his blood on the spot where he stood. That would create a new blood bond, one that connected the five men at their designated points and ran along the same lines of the magic star they had created. All the lines of the star surrounded the middle shaman, and he too, poured his blood into the soil. They initiated their request, and their blooded poured and poured until there was nothing left. Their bodies began to fade into nothing but magic essence. The shaman was left to watch the men he'd begun to acknowledge as comrades fade away, one by one, until he w
as left to complete the spell."
Lia released me and looked back at the starry sky.
"As the man began to fade, he realized how one race’s selfishness could result in unnecessary bloodshed. Six lives already lost that night, with him being the seventh, and all he could think about was how no one would remember the good this woman did. The lies these human men would spread across the land to taint this woman's sacrifice left him angry, and he wished for vengeance. He prayed that the bits of magic he had left would be gathered by Mother Nature herself and the men would be given the chance to come back to protect the girl if she was given the chance to return to the land of the living. He didn't want her to struggle in the new world, and even if it was one that showed kindness to those with magic, he wished for himself and his comrades to return and be her knights of protection. That was all he asked for and then he faded away like the rest."
"You said it would be a happy ending," I mumbled, tears already forming in my eyes once again.
Lia smiled and stroked my head. "Patience, child. This is only a part of the prophecy hidden in all of this."
"Prophecy?"
She nodded but returned to gazing at the sky.
"Mother Nature had been listening to that day, and her anger brought on a week’s worth of rain. It was no ordinary rain, but a fierce series of storms that resulted in many floods and killed many humans. Most of the humans back then weren't made to survive such intense weather conditions. The only ones who survived the sudden onslaught were the supernatural beings,"
"What happened to the witches?" I asked.
"The supernaturals heard about the disappearance of the woman. It became clear soon after that she must have been kidnapped and killed. Once families and kingdoms began to report the missing men, it was clear that the woman and her loyal men had all perished. The supernatural races may have not known the circumstances regarding how it happened, but they pitied the remaining witches that had been cowed into hiding. They sought to aid them, sending a signal only their race would understand. Both races came together and those who could fly or carry many individuals helped to bring all of the remaining witches to higher ground."
She paused to check on me, and I stared at her with great interest to know what would happen next.
"It was obvious that Mother Nature was punishing the human race, and they didn't want to be a part of it. However, while the humans scrambled for salvation, the witches and supernaturals came together and said prayers and sang hymns for the fallen woman. Both races easily bonded over the downfall of the woman and her men because the same incidents had occurred to one of their own previously."
"Wait. You mean it happened before?" I questioned.
"Yes. On the supernatural side, a woman of great power, leadership, and a pair of spectacular white wings rose to power, bringing new ideas for both men and woman of her supernatural race. With her rule, she aimed to unite the kingdoms and remove the acts of segregation among the different supernatural species."
"Hold on..." This sounded far too familiar to me, and my response only made Lia giggle.
"Sounds familiar?"
"You're not talking about you, right?" I hesitantly asked.
"Of course not," she playfully replied. "I'm talking about you."
"Me?" I pointed to myself for extra emphasis.
"Yes, you." she nodded.
"I'm not following," I admitted, feeling lost once again.
"A woman who will rise and unite the five kingdoms will start one of four revolutions upon the earth's surface. She would be one of four strong beings of strength, skill, and the ability to survive much turmoil, but all four will live short lives, and their ends will be the beginning of vicious change. Wars will be fought, lives will be lost, and a race will further in population. When the world becomes imbalanced once more, four women will come back from the dead, stronger and better than they once were," Lia prophesied.
Our eyes locked onto each other as she carried on. "The first woman will be one of great gifts. She will be able to command all the elements and be a prodigy in all things witchcraft. She'll be stubborn, and try to deny her fate, but her men who sacrificed their lives for her will return and guide her on the path she's destined to walk to the fullest."
Lia looked to the horizon where the vast water lay peacefully.
"The second woman will be a spirit of fire and with a hint of emotion, will be able to light a flame or create chaos in the midst of calm. She too will be gifted with elements and will be united to the men who are sent to protect her from the challenges that await her."
With another long inhale and short exhale, she continued.
"The third woman will be gifted to us from the gods themselves. They will pity what the humans have done to what was perceived as the weakest race. This woman, she will be like the others, with magic so strong that people will wish to isolate her. She will be strong-willed and stride through life until she's of age to be around those with similar power. There she will meet the men who will protect her, and together, they will work on finding the truth of her creation and what she really is."
Lia turned her gaze to the throne on our left, and I followed her gaze as we stared at the golden chair.
"The final woman will be the one to lead them on a journey to defeat those who are fighting endlessly to rid the world of balance. She will have long silver hair with bits of turquoise, white, and gold. She will be one of magic and carry a gene that will center her in the middle of the supernatural races. Her uniqueness, determination, and big heart will be the start of this very prophecy, and with a special ring, she will rise through challenges and claim her title of Bringer of Justice once more. Those who don't want the prophecy to be fulfilled will destroy any evidence of such predictions. They will fight the very organization that keeps words of scripture safe and will try to keep this woman from finding the other three. For if the four women come together, they will lay the foundation of a new world and humans will be the weakest link. The roles of power and hierarchy will be reversed."
I needed a good minute to absorb all of that, and Lia gave me that chance before she gave me the final clue.
"The organization assigned a group of agents to keep the scriptures and ring safe. The scriptures were collected in a leather-bound book covered with a magic circle. It was sheltered in a place surrounded by angelic beings, and close to one of the portals that connects to the gods up high. The ring was sought by powerful beings, ones contracted by those who knew of the prophecy and its greatness. Upon its kidnapping, agents were sent to retrieve it and though it was retrieved, sacrifices were made."
Lia noticed my eyes grow wide, the dots finally connecting in my mind.
"Dimitri's mom," I whispered.
"Her path was destined to end there, to die with honor while protecting a magic artifact that would help the reincarnated individual who carries the rare gene. The gene known as the Shape Shifter Strand or in abbreviation, S.S.S. Its name was picked up by the leader of the organization, their family being designated to protect this prophecy until the time was right to reveal it. It was ordered that the ring should be placed in safekeeping, and the task was given to Dragon King and Queen. It was locked away among other rare magic artifacts and a quest was created. The quest was placed on a bulletin board in a school environment designed for only the supernatural race, which meant only students of the prime ages of eighteen to twenty-five would be able to enter. The quest also required a witch with human traits to be on the team, and because the school only accepted members of the supernatural races, it was an impossible quest to accomplish."
Her lips curled up as she stared into my eyes.
"Until the reincarnated woman dared to try with a team of various supernaturals. All of them from different avenues of life: one blessed by the angels of light and dark, another that breathes fire and will become King of Dragons, a third whose calls come from the moon, and one with the power to summon the flames of hell itself. They will unite and obey
a witch, one with no supernatural gifts. Together, they will take the quest, complete the task, retrieve the ring, and set off the destinies of the remaining three women. The witch will have to fight for her place, but once she does, she will find the truth of her return and journey across the world to retrieve the remaining three girls. When this has occurred, the true test will begin."
"I'm the fourth girl," I whispered. "Wait...but doesn't that mean...I'm..."
Trailing off, I looked back at the throne. Swallowing down the lump in my throat, I walked forward, heading to the throne that seemed to call to me.
Reaching the golden chair, I turned around and sat, my eyes scanning the room while I tried to keep my breathing even.
I'd sat in this throne before, but as the seconds ticked by, I knew it wasn't from my life now. It was from centuries ago, when my rule had aimed toward the path of peace and balance.
Lia smiled as she walked off the patio and into the throne room.
"It suits you well," she whispered.
"This very throne was once yours," I whispered. "Or I guess...mine."
"You won't recall those memories yet. Not until you've graduated from the very school that is trying to protect you."
"S.S.S. is protecting me?" I questioned.
"They are shielding you from the fate I was too foolish to see coming." Lia sighed. "I trusted the wrong people. Assumed that everyone would want peace and the balance the world needed. I trusted people I'd been friends with for centuries, who I’d fought wars with and thought would never betray me. Generational friendships that I perceived would remain that way, forever and ever until the world itself ended. I was wrong and became a target for my foolishness. The same friends that laughed and cheered for my revolution, were the ones who joined with those who are against us. They plotted to take away the pillars of strength and loves of my life. One by one, each king fell, whether it was in their sleeping corridor or out on their way to spread the word of peace."
I watched her tears fall and yet, she kept that radiant smile on her lips.
"At first, I thought it was all a lie until I found each of them myself, the last one protecting me with the very wings we'd been blessed with. To see each of my men die because of my foolish actions was hard, but to watch my angel die on my behalf was the last straw. I was now alone, all four kings having fallen. I knew my time of ruling was short and I realized if anyone claimed the golden ring that granted me the power to deliver justice, our kingdoms would be forced to wage a useless war and only contribute to the imbalance that was growing."
SSS: Year Three (Supernatural Spy School Book 3) Page 11
