MERIKH: THE BLACK POWER

Episode 4: THE UNKNOWN

The chill breezes carried the smell of decay and wet soil, caressing my body leaving quiet goosebumps in its way. I placed the rose flower near the foot of the tombstone, and sat down beside it.

“Eden Avenell, the honored light,” I read the tombstone running my hand over it, “I missed you father.”

I turned back to look at Celia who was sitting near the foot of Deus’s statue, her gaze fixed at father’s tombstone. She didn’t want to come too close.

“Celia missed you too,” I said turning back, “She… she don’t have the courage to come to you…. So, I would talk to you on behalf of both of us.”

My voice started breaking, my vision blurred with water. I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand and took a long breath.

“Tomorrow your death would complete five centuries and yet we are unaware of your culprit. The Citadel no longer gives any information about the investigation. Maybe they dropped the case,” a bitter smile crossed my face which had no scape here, “I am sorry…. I… we could not give you justice. I don’t know what kind of person you were but what I know is no one deserves what you faced. I wish I could do anything for you.”

I lost count of the time as I sat there as a stone. My legs felt numb when I stood up. Celia had already went for her training with Bernard. I turned back and lost my balance. Pain passed throughout my body as I closed my eyes shut. A sharp, splitting pain tore through my head. I felt my brain would split apart. I clutched my hairs until my knuckles turned white.

Something strikes the ground as if a drop of water surrendering to gravity. Another followed and it kept on falling until it reached me. I slowly opened my eyes as something warm and wet touched my feet. At first, I couldn’t see anything but darkness but soon everything came into view. I looked around in bewilderment as I was not in the graveyard but a place I don’t recognise. It was filled with broken stones and cliffs. The sky was entirely dark as if the sun or moon were not allowed here. I looked down at my feet. Warm crimson fluid marked my feet. I pressed my hands over my mouth to stop screaming and stood up suddenly, widening my eyes and breathing heavily. The place was so silent that I could clearly hear my fast heartbeat. Sweat flowed down my forehead and nape. It felt like the temperature kept on increasing. I ran towards the edge of the cliff searching for an exit. Till the place my vision reached all I could see was cliffs and lavas everywhere.

“Is anyone here?” I screamed at the top of my lungs. “Help! Can you hear me?”

Shhhhhh!!!

I flinched at the sound and took several steps back as stones at the edge of the cliff fell down. The end of the cliff wasn’t even visible.

Is this some different realm? Am I stuck?

I had always tried to master my powers but it’s something that’s beyond my will. I get teleported to different realms without my will and the worst part, I can’t go back willingly.

I had been to few places of isles of Death, the realms of different guardians and many more. But I never came to such a place. Though I think I had glimpse of this realm when I was in Dejia.

I started walking down the cliff. Everything looked same. The place was filled with lakes of lava with bubbles on its surface as if someone is drowning. I looked at the ground where I could see my shadow moving alongside me, I suddenly came to a halt. Immortals don’t have a shadow. I shallowed. I could feel the hair on the back of the neck stand up. I slowly turned back.

Nothing there. Just the same broken cliffs, the same orange glow of lava beneath. But the shadow remained where it was, still facing the direction I had been walking, as if it hadn't noticed I stopped. I took one step to the left. It didn't follow. I stopped breathing.

I continued walking as if it was nothing. There was not a single soul in the entire place. Suddenly the place started fading and a new place took its form. I rubbed my eyes and focused on my surrounding. Celia and the others were hovering on me as if I am some artifact placed in the museum.

I tried to wake up but my body felt weak. Jane and Celia helped me sit against the pillowed. I was in the medical wing of the Academy.

“Are you hurt?” Celia looked over me to search for injuries.

“I am fine.” I said holding her hands.

“Was your bedroom under construction?” Calix asked putting his hands in his pocket.

I frowned. “No, why?”

“You were sleeping in the graveyard of all places so I was curious.”

I threw a pillow on his face which he catches easily.

“Be a little serious, Calix” Jane said, barely holding her laugh.

“Look who’s speaking.” Calix put back the pillow on the bed, “I am genuinely curious Odessa.”

"I wanted some quiet. It worked until you showed up."

“So, we were worried for no reason?”

I shrugged.

"Jokes apart. What actually happened?" Kyren said.

Four pairs of eyes waited for an answer. Even Celia was being patient about it in that specific way that meant she was storing questions for later. I didn’t wanted them to be worried for me. It was better to keep the realm a secret. Celia placed her hand over mine looking for an answer.

"I fainted," I said.

"In a graveyard," Jane said.

"Grief is unpredictable."

"Odessa—"

"I'm fine." I said it the way you say things when you need them to be true. "I just need to sleep before tomorrow."

Nobody looked convinced.

“Is that all?” Jane said from beside me, “Nurse told you are not recovering. Your body is continuously going weak.”

“I am just exhausted.” I forced a smile.

Celia squeezed my hand frowning at my answer. I had already used the excuse to her. No one seem to be satisfied with my answer. Jane was about to say something when there was a knock on the door.

Melantha stood in the entrance. “Can I have a minute with you, Odessa?”

I looked at the friends and then at her and nodded once. As everyone leaved the place, Melantha sat on the edge of the bed.

“How are you feeling now?” Her voice was laced with concern.

“For now, I am alright.”

The room feel silent. Melantha didn’t say anything. That told me something was wrong.

"How long has it been happening?" she asked finally.

I frowned. "How long has what—"

"The traveling. The realms you don't recognize." She said it quietly, like she already knew the answer and was giving me the chance to say it first.

I looked at her.

"How did you know?"

"Your energy feels different," she said simply. "It has for a few weeks now." She paused. "Where did you go this time?"

Melantha was my instructor. She always guided me about different realms. Hiding anything from her was useless. I described the cliffs. The lava. The silence. I almost didn't mention the shadow — but something in the way she was listening made me say it.

Her expression didn't change. That was somehow worse than if it had.

"Melantha."

"You came back," she said. "That's what matters right now."

"That's not an answer."

"No," she agreed. "It isn't." She stood slowly, smoothing her robes. "Resume your training after Novara. And Odessa—" she paused at the door, "—if it happens again. Come to me first. Before you tell anyone else. Take rest and resume your training. Well wishes for Novara."

She left before I could ask why. As she exited Celia entered and stood near the bed without uttering a word.

“Don’t ask,” I closed my eyes, “I will tell you everything.”

She helped me lay down on the bed and caressed my hairs. I couldn’t sleep.

“Celia?” I called to her slowly. “Can I ask something?”

“Was that even a question?” her gazed was fixed on the wall in front of us.

“Do you believe Deus?” My voice was barely audible.

I didn’t know why I asked the question but it felt like I always wanted its answers. Celia’s hand stopped between my hair. “Why?” she looked at me frowning her brows.

I sighed. “I wonder why did he wrote such a fate for us? He took away our father and distanced us from our mother…”

“Everything has a reason, Odessa?”

It felt as if she was saying that to herself. I knew even she didn’t have an answer.

“What reasons?”

“For someone too exhausted, you are asking a lot of questions. Being the elder sister, you should be searching the answers for me.” She raised her brows.

“Sleep Odessa. Novara is probably going to be too hectic for us.”

A bitter smile crossed my face. Outside the window the academy was already being decorated for tomorrow. Lanterns being strung between the trees, tables being arranged in the gardens. What worse would happen than seeing everyone happily celebrate the day my family broke.