PROPHECIES AND OMENS
1051 Words
Seraphina tossed and turned in bed, her mind still racing from the fight with Ezekiel earlier that day. The adrenaline was gone, but something about him lingered—like a shadow she couldn’t shake off. It wasn’t just the fight; it was him. The way he moved, the way his eyes locked with hers. She couldn’t even explain it.
Her sheets tangled around her legs as she stared at the ceiling. She tried to shut her eyes, but the moment she did, she was back there.
The battlefield.
Chaos everywhere. Blood, fire, screams. But in the middle of all that, she heard it. A child’s cry. Small. Desperate. Like it was reaching for her, calling her name. She couldn’t see the child, but she felt them. The pull. The urgency.
“Seraphina…”
The wind howled around her as the scene changed. A figure emerged from the shadows, someone familiar, yet not. The air felt cold, and a shiver ran down her spine. The man’s face was hidden in the dark, but she could feel his presence.
Then, just as quickly, the vision shifted again. She saw Ezekiel—his dark, intense eyes locked on her. The air thickened, tension crackling. He was standing over her, looking down at her like she was prey. But there was something in his eyes. Something... unreadable.
What is going on?
Before she could react, the vision was gone. She woke with a gasp, her heart hammering in her chest. Sweat clung to her skin, and for a moment, she didn’t know where she was. She sat up, breathing hard, trying to shake off the heaviness that lingered.
“That was... way too real,” she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.
It was just a dream. Right?
But the feeling wouldn’t go away. The child’s cry. Ezekiel’s eyes. The darkness.
---
The next morning was no better. The dream, or whatever it was, clung to her like a bad smell. She tried to push it down, focus on the day ahead. She needed to train, to keep her mind sharp. But everywhere she went, the vision kept coming back.
She walked into the mess hall, grabbing a quick breakfast, but she barely tasted the food. Liora noticed immediately, of course.
"Hey," Liora said, nudging her with a knowing grin. "You look like you just saw a ghost. What happened?"
Seraphina shook her head, forcing a smile. "Nothing. Just tired, I guess."
"Mm-hmm," Liora raised an eyebrow. "Tired, huh? I bet it’s because of your new crush."
Seraphina nearly choked on her drink. "What?! I don’t have a—"
“Oh, come on,” Liora laughed, winking. “You’ve been all dreamy-eyed since yesterday. Spill, girl. Is it the brooding, tall-dark-and-deadly Ezekiel?"
Seraphina flushed. “No! I just—he’s… he’s just different, okay?”
Liora's eyes sparkled with mischief. “Different, huh? Sure. Whatever you say.” She leaned in, whispering dramatically. “I bet he's already got a spot in your heart, huh?”
Seraphina groaned, covering her face. “Stop it, Liora.”
Liora chuckled but didn’t press further. She didn’t need to. The teasing was enough to pull Seraphina out of her head, just a little.
---
The day dragged on, but Seraphina couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. She found herself constantly looking over her shoulder, half-expecting to see the figure from her vision. It wasn’t just paranoia; it was like the world itself was pushing her towards something she wasn’t ready for.
Later, as she walked across campus, she spotted a familiar face. Ezekiel.
He was standing off to the side, his back turned, as usual, his arms crossed. When he felt her gaze, he turned to look at her. The intensity of his stare made her stomach drop.
“Hey, Nightvale,” he said, his voice low. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Seraphina swallowed. I wish it was just a ghost.
“I’m fine,” she said, forcing a smile. “Just… tired.”
He studied her for a moment, his expression unreadable. “You sure?”
“Yeah, I’m good.” She didn’t want to talk about the vision. Not with him. Not now.
He gave a small nod, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips. “If you say so. Just don’t run off into a battlefield by yourself.”
Seraphina blinked, caught off guard. “What?”
Ezekiel took a step closer, his voice barely above a whisper. “You’ve got that look in your eyes. Like you’re seeing something that isn’t really there. Trust me, you don’t want to be in a fight you’re not ready for.”
Seraphina’s heart skipped a beat. How did he know? Had he seen the vision too? Or was it just a lucky guess?
Before she could say anything, he turned and walked away, leaving her standing there, her thoughts spinning faster than before.
---
Later that day, she found herself at the training grounds, sparring with Liora. But even the training couldn’t shake the feeling that something big was coming.
As she landed a hit on Liora’s side, the fairy winced but didn’t back down. “You’re distracted,” Liora said, her voice soft but firm. “What’s going on? You’re not usually off your game.”
Seraphina hesitated, then sighed. “I don’t know. I’ve been seeing things... hearing things.”
Liora raised an eyebrow. “Like what?”
Seraphina hesitated again. The visions, the child, Ezekiel—it felt too much to explain.
But before she could answer, she felt a strange pull. A pressure in the air that made her pause mid-swing. Liora noticed it too, her expression turning serious.
"What's that?" Liora whispered.
Before Seraphina could respond, Nyx appeared, floating towards them, her eyes narrowed with concern.
“You’ve seen the future, haven’t you?” she asked, her voice soft but tinged with urgency.
Seraphina nodded slowly. "Yeah... but I don’t understand it."
Nyx’s gaze turned even darker. "You will. The child you saw... They are key to everything. You must protect them. The war depends on it."
Seraphina’s heart pounded as the oracle’s words echoed in her mind. Protect the child. She didn’t know how, or why, but she knew it was her destiny.
- Writer
