Spirit Animals | Damaged

Chapter 3 | Magicical

It felt like a piece of me that has been missing for ages has been found.
It felt magical.

That smile looked so fake. I didn't smile back. I just quietly followed her to the stage. She gestured toward the platform. Indicating me to go.

I walked out onto the hard wood floor. There were scratch marks engraved in the wood. I shuddered, what if that was from a Spirit Animal Ceremony gone wrong?

I looked up at the sky which was now light gray. I felt a burst of wind that sent goosebumps down my arms.

Another young lady holding a glass bottle smiled at me. She looked younger. I didn't like how so many people were smiling at me. It felt fake.

There was a chair sitting in the middle of the platform. I figured it was meant for me.

"I'm Alia" She spoke in a soothing voice. "Only one sip. Whenever you're ready." She handed me the bottle.

My heart started racing again. What would it feel like? Would it hurt? Would it taste bad? I wanted to ask her, but decided to keep quiet. Never reveal fear.

The bottle was cold in my hands. The liquid was a transparent sparkly yellow. It looked like a mix between orange and yellow. I hesitated.

Then I took the sip. It felt thick like honey, but tasted like every sweet I could imagine combined together in one sip. I tried to savor the flavor, but just like that it was gone. With no after-tastes.

I had to use all my will power to stop myself from taking another sip.

I handed the bottle back to Alia. In the audience everyone looked hopeful. I saw Hazel and the empty seat where Wren should've been. I was about to stand up, When suddenly everything around me turned white. Everyone disappeared.

At first the light was blinding and I had to blink my eyes several times to see clearly. I lifted my hands and rubbed my eyes.

I heard the audience gasp in shock. I didn't know what they were surprised about. Until I saw the gigantic outline of a tiger. Where did it come from? I wanted to run. But I didn't.

This tiger was bigger than any I've heard of. I knew he was a male. I don't know how but I knew. His fur was white with soft gray stripes. And his eyes. They were a sparkly emerald green. I gasped. Only one Spirit Animal had eyes like that.

I had summoned a Great Beast.

Alia turned to me. "Do you know who this is?" I nodded. The look on her face was unexplainable. No one expected that. I didn't either.

I felt more powerful all of a sudden. It felt like it was just me and him.

"Olivia has summoned the Great Beast who was once forgotten, Nullet." Alia called out. There were cheers. Everyone started whooping and yelling in joy.

I heard several people saying things like:

"I can't believe it!"

"Impossible!"

"That can't be?!"

"No one's seen him in centuries!"

I scanned the crowd for Hazel. She gave me a look as if to say:

Told you so.

I grinned back at her. I turned back to Nullet. All the noise drained out. I looked Nullet in the face. He looked directly into my eyes. He walked towards me and calmly rubbed against my side. I heard a gasp from the crowd.

I thought I would be scared. Nullet was HUGE. And at first I was. But everything felt comfortable. All my fear was drained and refilled with excitement.

I squatted down and held out my hand for him to sniff. He cautiously extended his neck to sniff my hand. He gave me a look that seemed to say he excepted me. I wanted to hug him. But I decided to wait for him to get used to me.

It felt like a piece of me that has been missing for ages has been found. It felt magical.

Until the moment was broken by a tearful shout. "He's gone!" A woman yelled. A woman I knew well.

Immediately my throat closed up and my eyes threatened tears. My worst nightmare has come true.