Cassandra's Point of View
My finger tips played with the corners of the envelope and then scraped against the wax seal that kept the envelope closed. The wax seal still felt warm against by skin which means he decided to grace me with some inspiration today. I laughed under my breath at the stupid joke. The front of the paper was inked with my name and droplets of ink littered the front - my father's handwriting so elegant but so messy.
I separated the wax from the paper with my fingernail and took the letter out. The printing of letters were engraved and leaked to the back of the page - just abuse the page why don't you dad? I unfolded the paper and traced my fingertips on the writing.
Cassandra,
I was thinking and your mother and I thought the way we left you was kind of harsh to say the least. This is the safest thing to do for you at the moment until we figure out what the end result of Cordelia's plan. Riley will look after you and you can go to him for anything - he does seem kind of brutish at first but he opens up.
I rolled my eyes and could almost hear the annoying words come from his mouth. I sat up from the table letter in hand and opened up the kitchen drawer that was not more than a couple feet from my. I took out the joint that has been just waiting for me. I put it to my lips and lit it - ah, sweet reprieve. My eyes attached themselves to the letter again puffing on the rolled paper in my finger tips.
In the mean time you need to learn how to get in control of your powers. They are far too erratic and they need to be able to protect you.
Power is not always everything either - Riley is a great swordsman and you should take the time to learn a few things.
What the hell : Was this like medieval punishment? I puffed again and looked out the window leaning my head on my hand. This is all too much, way too much.
Continue your studies and put down the recreational drugs too - they make your brain mush.
My eyes went wide and i threw the half lit paper into the sink turning on the water. The red hot tip sizzled and then smoked. You win for now. I held the letter to my chest and continued staring out the window at the drizzling rain. The scent of my mother's perfume escaping the paper. What a nice little touch. I threw the letter to the counter - it's time to stop being pitiful.
I grabbed the leather bound book from the table. My nails hitting the wax dripping on the cover. And threw a blanket over my shoulders. The warm breeze and droplets of rain hit the tin roof with force and made it sound even more aggressive when I opened the front door.
I reached my hand out, lighting the candle wicks instantly. The wax melted on the wooden planks of the porch. I sat criss-crossed on the porch with a creak sounding from the wood beneath me. I laid the book down in front of me and instantly the pages fluttered open. To another day of doing this.
The Cleansing Incantation...
Thanks book for turning to the spell I obviously needed. I looked across the field, staring at the droplets of rain - "you need to clear your mind for this to work." My mother's voice chimed in my head like a broken record. Having a protective plane based on the reflection of you is quite - difficult.
In the distance I could see the figure of the man in the tall grass. His sword swung and swished in the air before hitting the dummy that stood in front of him. His shirt was soaked and his body showed from underneath the opaque white shirt. His face screwed into a face of concentration before starting his next attack. The rain dribbled down his face and soaked his curls making him wipe his face.
I pulled my attention away from clanking of the sword and looked over the inked words of the page, searing it into my brain. Reading them and doing them once was enough - it seemed like this was like riding a bicycle that I forgot to ride without ever knowing I knew or forgot to ride one.
I closed my eyes and took a cleansing breath before repeating the words. Instantly, the pressure of the plane relieved and birds began chirping like the spring awoke them. I opened one eye to ensure I didn't set the plane on fire - which has happened before.
I could see the man relax his stance and look up at the sky. His eyes closed and he took a deep breath before letting out a small laugh. The rain ceased and the sun made his skin glow like gold. He dropped the sword to the ground before taking a seat to the ground and laying down. His chest rapidly going up and down from the work he was putting into the sword.
"I could feel your eyes," I heard him yell from across the field. I pulled my eyes away from his body laying in the grass. "Come, you have to be bored with keeping your nose in that book." He sat up, looking at me - his lips tugged up into a smirk. His head came up looking at me from a distance. I huffed before slamming the book shut - arrogant aren't you?
I walked the wooden steps and walked towards the man in the grass. The grass scraping against my leg before taking a seat a few feet away from him. He looked up at the sky and huffed trying to figure out the words to make it less awkward between us.
"We did not get off to the right start," a slight accent fell from his lips as his eyes grazed over my face. He reached his hand over to me, holding it out to me to take. "I'm Riley Thornton," his lips grazed the top of my hand before letting go of it. My cheeks burned at the gesture - my father warned me that he grew up in a world of old ways and chivalry. His eye brows knitted up, "I'm sorry." He let out a chuckle.
"I'm Cassie." The words escaped my mouth quick before looking at the ground next to me. He lifted himself off the ground before getting to his feet and walking away closing the distance between him and the small barn next to his dwelling. He came back with something wrapped in a purple cloth. He sat criss-crossed from me placing the item in front of me.
He looked at me, gesturing his eyes toward the item before letting out a slight breath and reaching down. I reached down quickly - our hands slightly grazing each other. Before being able to pull my hand away from his my vision pulled - images flashing before me like a flash back.
Hands covered in mitts pounded the sword that glimmered a bright orange - burning from the heat it just came from. The vision panned out showing a blurred image of Riley wiping sweat from his brow with his forearm. Black streaks covering his cheeks from a long days work.
More images flashed before me showing a dark figure making his way through the dark with the moonlight leading his way. He made it to a mouth of a cave putting the sword down in the dirt before stepping away. A long slim hand cloaked reached out. Grabbing the handle and the flat aspect of the sword.
The sword was placed on an offering table made of all sorts of wild flowers and gemstones. Mumbling took over my ears and mind before water that glimmered a translucent glowing purple poured over the sword. Causing the sword to transform. It was then quickly covered and handed back to masculine hands.
My hands pulled away as well as his before he looked at me. "I'm sorry," I mumbled to him before he scooted away from me. "What was that," I questioned keeping my hands off the weapon that was exposed to me. He cleared his throat before looking at me. I squinted at him trying to make the story fall from his lips. "Was that you?" I questioned further.
"You have the book of antiquity?" His voice fell looking past me in the distance. I stared before reaching my hand out, palm facing the sky. I closed my eyes, a burst of energy bursting through my arm. The book appearing in my hand, I quickly caught it with my other arm catching it before it fell to the ground.
He took it from me before placing it in his lap and flipping through the pages. Struggling to find the correct part in the thousands of parts in the book. "Place your hand over the book." I instructed him, he gazed at me before lift his hand over the book palm down. I placed my palm over his hand, energy flowed between our hands causing the book to flips pages before stopping.
"Wow," His eyes pulled from the book like saucers before smiling at me. "That felt powerful." He shook his hand in the air trying to clear the feeling from his skin. The feeling was uncomfortable and all at the same time freeing - to wield forces with just your palm or fingertips. I let out a slight giggle, as he seemed child-like in his pleasure.
His tongue clicked and he flipped the book to me tapping the top of the page which stated, "The Trial and Feat of the Protector." I nodded before pulling my eyes from his face and grazing over the pages.
The protector must complete the trial of showing ultimate strength to protect the unalloyed - this is the feat that would prove worthy to be appointed such a task. The prophecy of this higher being proves she has to be adept in both wielding power in both divination as well as weaponry. It is up to the protector to fabricate a weapon dignitary for the unalloyed to use. The true protector will be the only one to truly fabricate a genuine piece fit for the unalloyed - proving he is fit for this duty. The feat can only be determined by the unsullied found under the East moon. Where they will bind the old world and it's elements which can only be successful if the protector was triumphant and genuine in his efforts.
The unalloyed will be trialed by the protector himself to show succession of the protectors efforts - showing the ultimate gift of gratitude.
I squinted at him before closing the book and throwing it to the ground next to me. He let out a soft groan before reaching over the book, dusting it and lightly placing it back to the ground. "I know you do not know much about this history. This is my history. This is going to be your history once you know what it is. You need to respect it as such." His words were gentle and full of integrity - maybe he isn't arrogant, just polite and - chivalrous.
"I'm sorry." He nodded, silently accepting my apology to him. Riley reached over slightly grabbing my hands and opening my fingertips. Pulling them over to the sword in between us. I gasped slightly at the coldness of the blade - pulling my fingers away from it. He assured me it was okay before directing my eyes to the blade.
I reached again skimming my fingers across the blade. The blade was littered with different types of gems, stones, and flowers. The metal shined with a deep amethyst - the handle glimmering a silver. With it I felt a deep connection to it - like I was reconnecting to something I deeply missed but couldn't place a finger to it. I closed my eyes trying to picture where everything was resourced and feeling home sick.
I looked at Riley, "I need to do something," He gazed at me and nodded in agreement. I reached my palm over to his face, placing my hand on his cheek - his cheek bone hard against my palm. "Clear your mind." His eyes were fire before his nose flared and he gave in under my touch.
Still his mind was not falling under my influence so I can see clearly. I took his hand with my free hand and placed it on the blade. His hand was warm compared to the weapon that was cold - all my senses on overload. Instantaneously, my vision flashed with bright colors and I could feel his hand attempt to recoil. I rubbed my thumb on his hand assuring him it was okay.
Calloused hands gently touched bright colored gems and a variety of hued florals. They were being grazed and examined by careful fingers and eyes - proud of the collection.
The vision panned to hands covered in leather, pounding fired material. Sweat glazed Riley's forehead which he wiped with his forearm.
Abruptly, the scenery changed to a full moon and a dark figure climbing a mountain that had difficult terrain. The figure came to a mouth of a cave where wrinkled hands reached for the weaponry.
The woman bought the sword to a stone that toiled with a deep, glowing blue and purple. Her mouth was moving as she was enchanting before reaching to the same calloused hand and cutting the palm with the blade making drops of blood fall into the stone. She dipped the weapon into the liquid before pulling it out and wrapping it in the purple velvet covering.
I pulled my hand away and his eyes were saucers, looking at me. I took his hand that I held against the blade turning his palm up. The scar glowed a golden which was quickly fading. He pulled his hand away from me, rubbing his palm taking in a sharp intake of breath. "You made this?" I questioned before he looked up at me and nodded, no words falling from his lips. He took in another sharp intake looking at this palm once again which exposed a reopening of the wound.
I looked down at the blade glowing under the sun reaching my palm down. Sliding my palm against the sharp blade I cut the skin. "What are you doing?" Riley's words were sharp as he took my hand with his hand looking down at the wound I just created.
"The unalloyed will be trialed by the protector himself to show succession of the protectors efforts - showing the ultimate gift of gratitude." I repeated the text to him before reaching my bleeding hand to his and holding it. Immediately, a wave overcame me that overtook me. Riley's eyes went wide before reaching over to me. His mouth moving but my ears went silent, ringing. Wind pinching my cheeks and blowing through my hair.
I could see him mouth an explicit before standing up quickly and grabbing his own sword. In return I went to my feet my hands holding the custom weaponry. Every nerve in my body sending electric through my extremities to fight him. "I don't want to do this." I tried to say but I could hear nothing.
"It's okay." I saw him mouth giving me eyes of reassurance and comfort. I ran with full force towards him and swung. As soon as our blades meant my hearing came back to the sound of the impact. The swinging of the blade felt natural to me as it kept hitting his. Sweat rolled down his forehead and his lips turned up in concentration.
The swinging of the sword and my movements felt familiar and even natural - like I have done this for years. His swinging was just as hard but I knew just how to defend myself from his assaults. It felt as if minutes of struggling was hours, I needed it to stop. I swung my leg tripping him; his body hit the ground with a thud allowing my to stand over him.
My nerves wanted my hands to push down to his head - it was an impulse to finish the fight by killing him. I fought hard, my hands shaking. "Riley, Riley." I cried out trying to control my hands. His eyes were wide as the tip of the blade was a mere six inches from his head. His chest heaving up and down - I could see him take a breath of acceptance before closing his eyes.
The impulse was strong in my hands and it took everything in my being to fight against me. My hand pushed the handle down and I fell to the ground as I felt the impact of the blade hit the dirt. I could see Riley's eyes slowly open before sitting up and facing me.
His face slightly bleeding from the laceration of the blade that I shoved into the ground next to his head. I cried out, the feeling of something controlling me releasing me. Riley shushed me before reaching his hand to my arm before I shoved him away. "I need too... I can't." I gasped for air and for the words to finished my sentence.
I stood up from my spot leaving the blade where I left it and making my way to my house. Riley calling my name which caused me to rush faster into the house. I slipped the steps and as fast as making my way into the door I locked it behind me. My head waved and pounded - my hands putting pressure on it trying to relieve it. "Fuck." I screamed out, going into the bathroom to grab some medication.
The mirror grabbed my attention which showed a girl that was not me. My eyes glowed a purple - like someone held a flashlight behind my eyes. "What the hell." I whispered looking back, examining my eyes. What is this? What is going on?
"It's the power." I heard a deep voice rumble from behind me. Riley looked back at me in the mirror. I turned to him holding on the sink with my palms. Adrenaline filling my veins and running to my head. My vision blurred as the feeling of unconsciousness took over and I saw Riley quickly step forward.