"Father," Nikita said timidly. She flexed her writing wrist as she had been doing the bulk of the writing you see. Her father was just signing of his name and doing an odd letter when he felt like it, he was not much of a correspondent. She had already used up two pens and was now on her third. At least this was some form of escapism from all her other menial chores. Most of which the twins had guaranteed to do and surprisingly had done. Nikita had written the same menial message repeatedly. It was the only thing on her mind. That and what Abel was getting up to.
"Yes m'dear," her father replied just finishing adding his signature to the last letter. Today they would be sending out the messenger ravens to other Seasonal's around Talamh regarding the secreting meeting in Berries Field, Ardra, in less than a month.
"Why is there going to be a meeting of all Seasonals?" She had wanted to ask sooner.
"A great evil will rise," her father told her. "He will come on the back a great dragon and lead host of Demons to take over Talamh. If he succeeds. . . this will begin his thousand-year reign. . . or so he hopes."
"You mean Draven Hellbore? Dont you?" Nikita mused. Her father nodded to agree. "Are you going?" She asked him. She wanted to know the plans. She felt she was old enough to bear responsibility.
Her Father sighed, sat back in his chair, rubbed his beard and cleared his throat by taking another drink of his precious whiskey, that he rarely let out of his sight. Nikita would have attempted to hide the bottle if she could get near it that is. "We are all going, child," her Father admitted. "Demon Days are a 'coming. We need every good Seasonal to come together and fight a common enemy. We care not about prejudice, everyone has a part to play, a leading role. If we are to stand a chance and keep evil at bay, we must unite. According to Raziel, the army of the Damned is at full strength." Nikita gasped in horror.
"Can we stop them? The evil that stirs?"
"I hope so my sweet child. . . I hope so." Her Fathers lacklustre response was not overly inspiring, nor was it reassuring. Her Father continued. "If we dont unite we will all perish, sinners and saints alike."
"Who is going to train us then?" Nikita knew that at some point both herself and her sisters would need to learn the ways of a Seasonal. "Will it be Ahura Rwy'n?" She asked. "Or another one of the Enlighted? I mean that would sense. Right?"
"No... as a matter of fact. Eh, not at first at least."
Again, her Father continued with his intolerable drinking habit. She would have a word with him for sure at some point. it was really getting out of hand now.
"Then who is going to train us?" She put the question to him.
"Em. . . I have been chosen to train the Seasonal's," her Father admitted. "I will need a good right-hand man or. . . better still, right-hand woman," he looked at her curiously and she had a feeling what her Father was insinuating.
"Me?" She sounded shocked. She did not know if she meant that as a question or an exclamation. "You want me to help train Seasonal's? But you forbid me from using my powers."
"You have used your powers?" Her father raised a brow leaving his bottle aside for now.
"Well, yes at times, but I have only been able to create illuminating orbs, that is all you have taught me to do in truth."
"You're are powerful Niki, though you don't know it. The time has come my sweet child. A new Dark Age will begin soon, and we must be prepared for the worst. In real life, there are rarely happy endings. You have to be wholly ignorant to admit this saga will have one, my sweet - sweet child," He stretched his arm over to her and brushed the side of her cheek with his knuckles. His hand was warm.
"How do you know who to trust?" Nikita asked a just question. Her father pulled his arm back and had the look of someone who could not answer her. Again, it was her father who stoutly told Niki and the twins to not trust anyone so keenly. Very few people are trustworthy in Talamh. It's the choices that define us as sinners or saints.
With a sigh, her Father admitted, "I can only do my part and send out the ravens. I cannot predict the names Raziel gave me will be good people. I suspect it will take me most of the day and maybe tomorrow as well to get all this done. I'm going to begin training you Niki, and eventually the twins too, just as soon as I'm done sending out the ravens."
"And will the Keepers be in attendance?"
"I should think so," her father replied, he sounded unsure though. "Raziel informed me that there will be a grand meeting of the Order of Hope."
"Order of Hope?" Nikita repeated.
"I was bound by secrecy to not speak of the Order, but I think I can tell you," Nikita's ears perked up as her father continued. "It's a secret society predominantly made up of the Enlighted, but some Seasonal's are in the know as are the Keepers and even some of the Monks in Vashai are privy. I'm going to suggest you be initiated." Bob managed a smile. "There," he dropped his pen down, "that will do for the day. Dont you think? We can finish the rest tomorrow. What do ye say?"
"Do you think he will be alright?" She asked him, she loved him, Abel that is, but still, she kept this to herself. Her father had no idea what had occurred when they slept together, but she had an idea that her sisters knew. They had hinted as much.
"He is with Raziel," Bob informed her what she already knew. "He is smart Raziel," her father winked at her. "If all works out, we will meet Raziel and Abel very soon. Have faith my child."
"Oh, I hope so," Nikita added wistfully.
The scrolls they had written were in a small wicker basket and Bob picked this up. "Come. . . we need to send out the ravens. No time like the present, say what." They walked out through the back door and she saw the twins messing about with Bandit who was bounding between them after a tennis ball. They went to the back of the garden. There was a secret passage between the bushes that no one could spot. Bob had several ravens caged up and all of them were to be used to send messages. Nikita knew her father only used messenger birds when he wanted to deliver some top-secret news.
"Is that everything?"
"Yes m'dear, until later."
A few hours had passed, and Nikita was in the kitchen preparing supper. She had seen the sonic ravens come and go all day. He must be done by now. The thick venison soup was just about done. She had a wooden spoon in hand and tasted it, "mmm. . . just right," she gloated. "Nice and warm, perfect for such a dreary Spring day."
"Is supper ready?" Mary asked.
"I'm starving?" Jane added.
Nikita picked up the ladle and dipped it into the steaming stew and began pouring into white ceramic bowls. "Then you're fortunate," she commented. "It is ready." She gave a bowl to Mary and then a bowl to Jane and they sat at the table and began slurping. Nikita opted not to eat she was not particularly hungry. She made her way to the door but stopped for a moment.
"Where are you going?" Jane asked her.
"I'm just going to tell father supper is ready," Nikita informed her little sister. "Is it good?" She asked the pair.
"Very good," the twins both said in their own unique way, as they lifted their heads in sync and smiled.
Thank Jennifer they have their hair a different colour for I'd never tell them apart. Nikita strolled over to where her father was. He was just sending out the last raven that had a small scroll attached to its little leg, another had just returned. All the sonic ravens were put in their cages and her Father ensured they had plenty of corn and water. "Supper is ready," Nikita informed him sweetly.
"How convenient," her father smiled. "I'm just finished for the day, as it so happens. we will have to get the rest done tomorrow I guess." In his hand was a little bit of corn and the raven nipped at his palm as it ate.
She gave a perfunctory nod of the head. "Well, I made venison stew, are you going to come in now? Eat it before it gets too cold like. It's better hot. The twins approve."
"I'm sure they do. You're just the spit of your mother you know," Bob informed her but she could always tell he would get depressed when he thought of Elia, his wife. Nikita smiled and blushed. She wished she could remember her mother, but before the last fifteen years since her fever, her memory was a blank.
"I'll be in in a bit," her Father assured. "Let me just care to this lot."
"OK," she said. As she went back into the cottage, Mary and Jane were done and they had not cleaned up after themselves. Nikita tutted. "Come here you two," she called out as she sat down to finish her cup of coffee which had cooled significantly.
"What?" Mary and Jane said at the same time.
"What do you do with your bowls?" Nikita asked them in a motherly manner. "When you are done with them?"
"Clean them," Jane commented.
"Then put them away," Mary added with a roll of her eyes.
"Then do it," a stern Nikita said looking at Jane in the eye and then Mary. Her gaze was rather scary, but in a nice way she would like to think. The twins did what was asked of them without fuss.
Later her father came in, Nikita had her hands wrapped around a nice warm mug of coffee. It was the only thing that kept her awake. Whilst her father was addicted to whiskey, Nikita loved her coffee. "Do you want some soup?" Nikita asked her father as she stood to her feet ready and willing.
"That is just great," he said as he sat down and took off his mucky boots. He skipped breakfast and she knew he needed ballast to counteract all the drink he had consumed this day. "I might head into town tomorrow," he mused out loud. "Get some more drink. . . I - I think I have enough to do me today." Nikita brought him over a bowl of stew and some bread and Bob wasted no time what so ever in eating, dipping the roll into the stew and taking a bite. Bob made an admission, "you have outdone yourself this time Kitty," She smiled as he continued. "Best venison stew I have had for many a year. Just like how your mother made it." Again, she smiled but her father would not put away his alcohol.
"Are you sure that is wise?" Nikita asked him as she pointed to the black flask that had whiskey in it. "I mean if you have been chosen to train the Seasonal army you will need a sober mind I should think."
"I'm not that drunk."
"You tend to have a drink every day," she rolled her magma coloured eyes.
"You're just as bad as Raziel," her father commented. "Did he put you up to this? Hmm? Did he?"
"I have been watching you drink almost every day for the last fifteen years. You're setting a bad example for the twins - "
"Have I ever harmed you?" Her father cut of her words.
"Well, no," she replied. "You're the kindest man I have ever met. You're harming yourself!" She stressed. "Can you not see it?"
"Let me drink what I have left and then when we get to Berrie's field I will try to stop, but I'm not going to promise you or anything. I'll try and cut down. A bit, at the very least," he smiled wistfully.
"Do," she added sternly.
Bob picked up the bowl with both hands and opened his mouth wide and finished off the stew in one heavy gulp. Of course, a lot of the drippings stained his beard. Bits of meat, carrot and turnip also clung to his wild beard.
"So, when are you going to train me?" She asked him. She was timorous as her knees clicked together under the table.
"Let us train now," her father suggested as he cleaned his beard as best, he could with a handkerchief that was fast to stain a Dijon colour. "It's about time you learned how to use your powers." She felt butterflies dance in her gut. "Are you ready to train?" He asked.
"You will go easy on me - "
"Training?" The twins overheard them talking.
"Nosy you two are," her father pointed out.
"Are you going to train us how to use our Seasonal abilities?" Mary asked.
"About time," Jane remarked.
"You may watch and learn," Bob informed them. The only ability her Father had told his daughters was the shining light ability, a gift to all Seasonals by the Divine, Grace. Her Father had also taught his daughter, the Ward, a defence incantation.
"What is Niki going to do?" Mary asked.
"She is going to duel me," Bob pointed out.
What a way to dive into the deep end. "Say what?" She particularly stuttered the two words out of her mouth. "I-I dont know about this," she put in. "What if I harm myself? Or worst still, hurt you?" She was forever thinking about the worst possible outcome.
"Dont be so negative," her father stated. "Come on. No time like the present, say what," her father commented as he pushed his stool back and stood to his feet, still barefooted, his girls followed him outside. "Right," Bob said, he looked at Mary and Jane, "you two stand in the shed and watch." The twins gave a perfunctory nod of the head and walked to the shed Bandit padded alongside with them. The twins looked rather disappointed Nikita noted, they really wanted to train. Father was overly protective she knew that, and he had been that way for as long as she could remember. "Right then," Bob looked at Nikita. She was ready. "You know about your spiritual power? Am I right?"
"Yes," she simply replied. She was used to feeling the flow of her chakra due to endless hours of meditation. She would be up long before the crack of dawn and she would mediate first before her chores. Nikita would always feel a mellow endorphin rush when she mediated, she would have you know. Enough to make her totally relaxed and a tad bit happy.
"Good," Bob said drawing out that one word. "Now then, there is a word that you must think, but perhaps it's best you utter. When you create an orb in your palm say Igni and the orb should turn to flames. Understand?"
"Got it," Nikita replied it was a rather straightforward request. She was already allowing her chakra to flow through her body. She felt lese tense now and was ready.
"I'm only going to defend, Kitty," her Father called out. He had taken significant strides away from her and the shed. "It is up to you to attack me. Got it?"
With a nervous gulp, she replied. "Got it!"
"Focus," her father called out. "Whenever you're ready. . . attack." He seemed insistent.
Nikita thought of the word trabem and she created an illuminating orb, but in sunlight it was not at all bright. Then she said "Igni," and amazingly hovering above her palm was an orb of green fire. Lush green. It was as simple as that. Off course, Igni is the common word in order to create a flame.
"Good," her father called out. "And on your first attempt no less. Now then. . . attack me." He insisted. He stood in a combative stance. He had one hand behind his back and the other was out stretched with his palm facing her.
"What if I burn you?" She was apprehensive, petrified to the core of the worst-case scenario. That was her in a nut shell. It might prove to be her downfall. Her worrisome nature could arguably be her greatest weakness.
"Burn me," her father instructed fiercely. So, she attacked with this orb. and it raced forward toward her father, but Bob welcomed the attack with a wistful smile and called out. "Protector Eorum," and some invisible shield dissolved the lime green flame Nikita had created. That was the defence incantation at work. She had been trained to wield a Ward, but she had never seen how effective it can be. Until now, that is.
Her father looked smitten for some reason. He was used to it obviously and was showing of his powers, just a bit. "Again," her father urged her. Again, she attacked with an orb of green fire, but again her father defended himself with his defence incantation. "Try using both your hands," he suggested. "Try using a steady stream of undeviating flame." Her Father proved insistent. "And move about Niki, dont stand stationary. Damn it. When you come up against Rogue Seasonals they won't be standing on the spot when they attack. I guarantee you that."
Her Father was taking this a little too seriously she felt. "Igni," Nikita said with more passion. She took a couple of sidesteps and aimed an attack at her father and a green flame surrounded him, but again he had used a ward to shield himself. She was attacking with a stream of fire now. Nikita was powerful and she kept attacking her father and now he was in a ring of green fire.
She had no idea what happened next. All she knew was this, a whisper, "you need to master me." she heard a soft feminine voice say. Was it in her head? Was it real? She could not say. Suddenly, her senses were increased. She smelled fresh cut grass from miles away. Her peripheral vision was increased too, there was just one blind spot dead centre of her skull. Her ears heard thoughts emanating from where her sisters stood. She felt her father's pain. Nikita then said one word of the Divine tongue, "Meritum." Now she attacked with more intensity. Her flame was no longer a lush lime green but red like the colour of blood or a polished ruby. The twins stepped out of the shed. Bandit barked. She levitated a few inches, someone or something had control over her, that was the only way she could describe it. Nikita was long gone. Her black as ink hair now had a few strands of red in it.
Her father still held his weakening defence incantation but was quick to react. Now she was a little drunk on power she never knew she had. Her father took out a tranquilizer gun that was stuffed at the back of his combat pants. He shot Nikita in the neck with a dart. She felt a prick and then the next thing she felt was drowsy and then she began to fall back down to the ground. Thankfully, she had not levitated too high to fall too far and hurt herself.
Her Father ran over to her as did the twins and Bandit padded along. She had hit her head on the concrete. She was bleeding, but she was still breathing, faintly. She was just extremely drowsy the tranquilizer dart was strong and fast acting sedative.
"Whats wrong! Whats wrong!" The uneducated twins asked.
"I-I did it," she said, and her head fell back as her father picked her up and carried her toward the cottage.
That was all she could remember.
She blanked out as she entered the cottage.
Several hours later. Nikita woke up with a splitting headache. She was in her own bed tucked up all cosily. She didn't have any recollection of the power she had awoken. Her twin sisters were also in the room.
"Alright Kitty?" Mary asked.
"Feeling better? Jane added.
"What happened?" Nikita asked wearily she felt the side of her head and noticed a linen bandage was wrapped around her pate.
"You let out some ancient power, child," her father told her. "Go on girls go out and play with Bandit. I want to have a word with Nikita."
"Fine," was the dejected reply from the twins. "See ya Kitty," they said in sync heads low as they passed their father and no doubt giving him the cold shoulder and a dirty glower.
"What. . . did I do?" Nikita asked. She feared she did something terrible. She was shaking as she observed her hand. "I felt a sinister presence in me something I-I can't. . . explain. It consumed me. It was. . . spectacular, I never felt so powerful."
"You have nothing to worry about child," Bob added as he sat down at the foot of the bed. "Nothing at all."
"I'm sorry," Nikita said again. "It was like some power took over me - "
"No, I'm sorry," her father cut in. "You have an immense power within you m'dear an ancient and uncanny power. Long have I feared the day this power would awaken in you." She was bemused, to say the least. She knew now her father was withholding some worthwhile information. "I-I should have told you sooner child."
"Told me what?" Nikita asked not sure if she was going to receive good or bad news. She figured the latter. She perked up to hear what her father had to say. Sitting up right some more.
"The spirit that resides in you is known as the Phoenix." She looked stunned to hear that, for she had heard many tales about the fabled Divine. "A legendary spirit in truth," her Father admitted. "Or so my research has led me to believe. You harbour arguably the most powerful spirit to have ever existed, she was a Divine at one stage, you know. Some even believed she came before Hope. Phoenix is harbouring your body. This is of great significance. Why? I have no answer. Very little is known about Phoenix. This ancient spirt only manifests itself when dark days are coming. Some believe she is from the Harmonic Realm. A step above Nirvana. Home of the Creators. What it truly means I dont know. All I know is this. You have powers none can fathom. If you use them for good or bad who is to say. All I know for sure is this, a new Dark Age is a 'coming. The Age of Villans is nigh."