Immortali

Chapter 19-The Dawn

She'd remained quiet for the duration of the walk. All three of them had, stuck in their own thoughts, not knowing what to say or whether or not to say it.

Raina in particular felt lost. Samael had said many confusing things. He'd called her a Saviour, a hero. Someone who was supposed to save the world. And then he'd mentioned the Prophecy of the Dawn, as though it were something she should've known about. Was this what Alrick and Arriana had tried to hide from her?

Finally, when they had arrived at Arriana's house and had closed the door from prying eyes, Raina's curiosity could no longer be contained.

"What's the Prophecy of the dawn?"

For a long moment, nobody spoke. Alrick and Arriana stared at each other, but never at her. Never at Raina.

"The Prophecy of the Dawn was made at the beginning of the war between the Circle and the Lost. It was made by Sybella," began Alrick.

Raina nodded. She remembered Sybella, the cloaked figure, from the night she'd initiated.

"It was a simple Prophecy, or, at least, the part that she told us was. There were more. More that she'd written down and stored in a place that no living soul knows of. The first part, however, goes like this:

'A night shall come where there is no day,
Where Memory and Truth shall light the way,
And where a power unparalleled,
Shall face a Darkness once expelled.'

At first... we'd seen it as our only hope. The person who could destroy Samael. But then... then we realised that the Prophecy referred to 'a darkness once expelled.' Samael was, then at least, yet to be expelled. That was when we knew that we would defeat him, but that he would one day be freed again. And when he was, the power unparalleled, the dawning of the new day, will save us."

"And you believe that that's me? That I'm your all-powerful saviour?" Raina asked, unable to believe what she was hearing.

"It was... no coincidence that you Initiated at approximately the same time as Samael's resurrection. And... the prophecy refers to 'memory and truth' both being gifts that you have," Arriana simply said.

Raina shook her head. "So, this whole time, you didn't feel like telling me that you were training me to be some kind of hero? Some kind of saviour? Why? I at least deserve to know the truth!"

Alrick sighed. "We wanted you to learn to use your powers, to grow up, to feel as though you're just an everyday Immortali... well, as everyday as any Immortali can feel," he hastily added as Raina raised an eyebrow and glared at him. She then put her head in her hands and groaned.

"How can you be so sure it's me? Ok, so I have the same gifts, and I Initiated at the same time as Samael's wake up call. So what?"

Alrick rubbed the back of his head and gulped. "The katanas."

"What?"

"The katanas. Apart from the prophecy, other Seers over the eons foresaw your arrival as well. One of them painted a very obscure likeness to you. In it, a female figure wearing dark clothes and a hood with twin katanas strapped to her back stares towards the rising sun."

Raina just stared at him. "Are you kidding me right now?"

Arriana gave her a wan smile. "Unfortunately not."

Raina buried her face in her hands. Without moving, she continued to speak to the older Immortali. "So, Samael knows it too? He knows who I am now? And he wants to... what exactly? Kill me? Take my powers?"

An uneasy pause followed before Alrick spoke again. "I believe that taking your powers would be a last resort. As for killing you... I don't think you can be killed. If the prophecy is correct, your power unparalleled. You are the most powerful being in any existence. Therefore, the amount of power it would take to remove your soul simply doesn't exist. What Samael would truly want to do with you would be to use your power to further the cause of the Lost."

Raina snorted, in spite of herself. "Yeah right, like that's going to happen." Alrick and Arriana said nothing. "Right? He can't make me do anything I don't want to do, right?"

Arriana hesitated before answering. "Technically, no. You cannot be manipulated because of your ability to always see the truth. He can however persuade you to do what he wants by..."

"By what?" Raina asked.

"By threatening to hurt those you love. That is most likely why he had you followed today."

"If that's true, then why didn't he just attack my family when I left the house?"

"Attacking them when you are inexperienced and clueless would do him no favours. It would only make you hate him more. No, he needs them alive. Which means... which means we're going to have to be careful. Perhaps..." she turned to Alrick. "Perhaps we should get a team of protection agents? Have them put up protection wards around the house and Raina's family?"

Alrick nodded attentively. "That's a good idea. I'll go and ask for one from the Circle right now," he said as he stood and moved into another room, leaving Arriana and Raina alone.

"Are you... alright?" Arriana asked.

Raina sighed and looked away. She honestly didn't know how to answer her mentor. She honestly didn't know how she was going herself. Was she ok? She didn't feel ok. She felt overwhelmed and... afraid.

Ironic, isn't it? The most powerful person alive is afraid, she thought bitterly.

"I don't know, Ari. It's all a bit much for me at the moment."

"I know. It would be for anyone."

"Ari, even if he can't get to my family, he'll still come after me, won't he?" Raina asked.

This time, Arriana sighed. "Yes, he will. Perhaps, with this protection team, we could ask them to act as bodyguards for you and your family. Make sure they watch you and keep you safe at the first signs of trouble."

Raina nodded, but she wasn't quite sure she liked the idea of being constantly watched. In fact, she was trying to decide which was worse; being stalked by protection agents form the Circle, or being captured by Samael.

A few minutes passed. Finally, Alrick walked through the door.

"How did it go?" Arriana asked.

Alrick smiled, but it was a stressed smile. "I'm the leader of the Circle, they have to do what I say. But, that's not what you were really asking. In case you were wondering, I got the full package; protection wards, bodyguards, etc. If Samael tries to so much as sneeze in this town, we'll know."

"Great to know that evil incarnate has hay fever," Raina mumbled.

"Actually he can't, Immortali aren't allergic to anything. We don't have things like hay fever," Alrick explained.

Raina rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

She noticed that Alrick looked alarmed. He then also not so subtly pointed at her and mouthed 'what's wrong with Raina?' to Arriana, who didn't bother being subtle.

"Naturally, she's upset, Alrick. It's been a long day. I think she needs to go home-"

"No!" Raina exclaimed abruptly. Alrick and Arriana snapped their heads in her direction. "No, I'm not going home, at least, not tonight. I'm supposed to be at Layla's house but... after everything that's happened, going to her place would only put her in danger. And I'd feel the same way at my house as well. Can I... can I maybe stay here tonight?"

Arriana glanced once at Alrick, and then back at Raina. "Of course you can. I understand. Walk down the hallway, first room to your left."

Raina nodded and moved away. She didn't want to think about them right now. She didn't want to think about her family, or school, or Layla, or even Samael. She just wanted to go to bed and wake up as Raina Mads: average 14 year old.

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