Chapter 52
Sherry was floating in a void. It was warm and comfortable, but she felt nothing but anguish. She was curled around herself as she tried to hold herself together. She hadn't known what to expect, but she didn't think it would feel so lonely. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice the presence beside her for some time. It wasn't until the being sighed that she jerked out of her little ball and looked around.
The darkness wasn't as black as she thought as she noticed a beautiful woman seated next to her. Or at least it seemed she was seated. It was hard to tell with the lack of general orientation to any kind of surface. Sherry tried to ignore that part as she focused. "Who are you?"
The woman smiled at her finally. "Do you not know?"
Sherry frowned slightly before her eyes widened. "Etro!?"
The goddess smiled a little wider. "See, I'm glad we chose so well."
Sherry looked around again before she looked back with confusion. "Where are we?"
Etro sighed once again and shrugged. "You tell me. You are the one sleeping after all."
Sherry frowned at the reminder of all that she had lost. She turned away and took a few moments to gather herself before she could manage to speak again. "Are they all safe? Did they make it?"
Etro placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "What you have given has not gone unnoticed. When you are ready, all of time and space will reveal what you want to see. If you want, I can help get you started."
Sherry took a deep breath. Was it possible? Could she really see her family and friends again? Was she ready to? Could she see them move on without her? She felt a deep ache in her chest but still managed to smile. For almost all of them, the answer was yes. She looked back at the goddess. "What do I need to do?"
Etro smiled again. "All you need to do is focus on who you wish to see the most. While I am here, I can help to manifest your visions. Over time, it will come to you easily without my aide."
Sherry nodded and concentrated on her brother's face first. She was shocked when it wasn't just an image that came to mind. She was suddenly surrounded by people. It was like she was seated in the back row of an auditorium and looking up at a stage. It took her a moment to realize she was watching a graduation. She gasped as the next name was called out, and a beautiful blond-haired young woman stepped forward in a black robe with honors tassels. "Stella Wilson."
She watched as her grown niece stepped forward with pride and accepted her diploma with a smile. As she did, she saw a slightly older version of Daniel and Sam near the front stand with applause. There was another girl with them that was younger but still just as beautiful as the one on stage. She knew it had to be Anna.
Once she had her diploma in hand, Stella walked off the stage and walked to where her parents were with flowers in her hand. She handed one rose to her mother and two to her father. Even though Sherry was on the other side of the room, she could hear them as Daniel gave his daughter a hug. "We'll take it to her later."
She didn't need it to be explained. Even though she was gone, they still knew she was there with them. They hadn't forgotten her and knew she would always be with them. No time or space could tear their family apart. That was a mantra she and Daniel had used often. She wiped away the tears that had started falling as she watched her family in their moment of happiness. She knew they missed her, but her absence hadn't crippled them, and she was thankful for it. They were stronger together, and she was glad to see that they had come out stronger for it.
Once Stella returned to her peers back on stage, the scene finally started to fade, and Etro came back into view. Sherry was still crying, and she wasn't sure if she could handle seeing more yet, but she desperately wanted to know how Kaylan was doing. The goddess didn't need to ask as the darkness started to fade once again.
Sherry barely had time to brace herself for whatever she was to face next before she found herself standing in between rows of what looked to be grapes. She leaned over to inspect the closest plant, but her attention was drawn by voices that were approaching. She stood up to see a woman that looked to be in her forties. She was lovely and smiling up at the man she was walking arm in arm with.
Sherry nearly jumped in shock when she realized it was Kaylan. She didn't recognize the man, but whoever it was, he was obviously someone Kaylan loved. Sherry felt a little weird following them, but she doubted Etro would have taken her to this point in the timeline for no reason, so she trailed a short distance behind them and admired her friend. She had grown into a confident and gorgeous woman. One that was well off also, if she understood correctly. They were walking through a small vineyard, and it was Kaylan's, not the man she was with. He was her husband, but they still looked like newlyweds.
It was a winding trip that took nearly half an hour before they reached a small white structure that was too small to be considered a gazebo, but Sherry wasn't sure what else to call it. Kaylan got a wistful look in her eyes as she set something down inside, and her husband put his arm around her shoulders. They stood like that in silence for several moments before he kissed the top of her head and spoke. "I wish that I would have had the chance to meet her. From everything you and Sam have told me, she sounds like an amazing woman."
Kaylan laughed and kissed his cheek. "She was. If it weren't for her, we wouldn't be the people we are now. But it's okay. I have a feeling she's still watching out for us now and then. I miss her, but I know she'll never really leave us. She was too special."
Something in the way Kaylan said that made the man look at her strangely, but Sherry smiled. She reached out and touched her friend's shoulder. She knew she wasn't really there, but she hoped that somehow, Kaylan would still at least know she was there for her. She had been right about that. If Etro had been telling the truth, this would not be the last time she would see the ones she loved. For the first time, she didn't feel so bad about the whole situation.
Kaylan shivered at the touch and jerked her head up in shock. She looked around before she sighed. She smiled a sad smile and leaned her head on her husband's arm. It was enough for Sherry. She closed her eyes and let the scene fade. She knew she would see her friend again.
Once she was back in the darkness, she sat back down and looked over at Etro. "You showed me their futures. Is that all I can see, or does that mean I can see any point?"
Etro smiled at her chosen champion. She knew the woman was hurting. There was still more she was not ready to face, but she was doing what she could to keep from falling apart. The goddess nodded. "Any point in the future or past is open to you. Time is a relative thing, as is space from here. You are limited only by your imagination."
Sherry took a few minutes to try and grasp what all that might mean. She was silent for so long that Etro finally spoke up again. "Are there any others you would like to see? That you might be worried about?"
Sherry frowned over at her. There were several others, but at least one of them she didn't want to face yet, and that precluded facing several of the others just in case he was near them. Still, not all of her friends were even from the same planet. She finally nodded. "Can you show me how Caius and Noel are doing? Are they both okay?"
Etro sighed. She knew this was going to be the next question, but she had hoped the woman might have picked another. She didn't yet know what she was asking. Still, she nodded and stood. "Come, I will show you."
Sherry stood and took the goddess by the hand, and they walked a short distance. As they walked, walls of red stone came up around them, and green sprang up beneath their feet. Sherry looked around in awe and recognized that they must be in the passes near Paddra. The vibrant life around them was even more breathtaking than she had expected. No wonder Caius had spent so much time outside. She didn't blame him at all.
As they rounded the last corner, the city came into view, and it took Sherry's breath away. It had the traffic of a modern city, but there was an organic feel to it that was foreign to her. It was exotic and beautiful.
She hadn't realized that the goddess had walked them across the open air and above the city until she looked down to a commotion below them as they started to descend. Her breath caught as she saw Caius in the middle of the group. He looked relieved to be there as many people surrounded him. She heard questions asked about his whereabouts for the few days that he had been gone. She knew she had to look just as confused as he did.
Everyone fell silent as a harsh voice rang out through the clearing. "Caius!"
The crowd parted, and Sherry saw a bear of a man heading toward Caius with purpose. Her first instinct was to step out in front of him, even if she knew she wasn't really there. She ended up not needing to as a small hand shot out and grabbed the man's arm. As soon as it touched him, he froze.
Sherry looked on in shock again as she watched Yeul, the first Yeul, walk out from behind the man. Caius was on his knee with his head bowed instantly as Yeul approached. There was complete silence, and it wasn't until she was nearly in front of him before she bade him rise. When he did, their eyes met, and the world seemed to flicker around Sherry. It took her a few moments to realize that it wasn't the world, but her perception of it, as things around her were changing. Yeul was seeing all of the changes, all at once.
Sherry felt terror grip her as the meaning behind that filled her. When the flickering finally stopped, she rushed forward, but it was too late. Yeul collapsed into Caius' arms. His eyes widened as he caught and gently lowered her. All else disappeared to the two of them as the young seeress cupped his much larger cheek.
"Caius, you have done the impossible. Do not mourn my death. Another seeress will be born, and you will become her guardian. You will do what is necessary and fulfill your focus."
Sherry's heart broke as she watched her friend lower his head in pain. He had already been through so much, just to lose Yeul as soon as he returned. It was too much. She dropped to her knees beside him and put her arm around his shoulder. She knew he couldn't feel her, but she hoped that somehow he would know he wasn't alone.