Imager: The Awakening

Chapter Six

Leo-----

We're all on high alert now that we know Obsidian is back. To top it off, I have been having visions about a girl that I don't even know. At this point my mind is on overload and I need some place to wind down. Adam, Riley and I are supposed to meet up at a popular bar called Sky Lounge but I have do something first.

I roll my truck to a stop on the dimly lit street. The trinket shop to my left is the only store with a light on. A small symbol shaped like a half moon sits in the upper left corner of the front door. The symbol lets people know that a witch practices here, that is, if you know what to look for. They prefer the term Seeress but they are one in the same to me.

Onyx is too big and too obvious to carry around so I leave her behind. I cautiously approach the door while checking my hip for my pistol. The glass door mimics my weary reflection.

I raise my fist to knock but the door creaks open by itself. I slowly cross the threshold making sure to leave on hand on my gun.

The store is decorated in small knick-knacks from key chains to snow globes. Some books line the shelves but most of them are for children. The place also has glass figurines lining the wall behind the wooden counter. Red discount and sale signs decorate the place as well.

"Leo, you can take your hand off the pistol."

"Tempest?" I question.

"Of course. Who else would it be?"

She emerges from the shadows. Her red long-sleeved dress accentuates her curves and reveals her legs up to her knees. Tempest's long tightly curled hair afro falls down around her face. Her cat-like shaped eyes and brown skin seem to glow under the lighting in the shop.

"Did you come back for more?" She smiles.

"No. I told you here is no more us." I warn.

"Well what are you doing here?" She smiles once more before running her hands across my chest.

I push it away in a hurry. "Cut the bull, Tempest. I came for something else. It's serious."

She huffs. "Fine."

Purple smoke circles at her feet for a few seconds before engulfing her completely. Once it dissipates she is dressed in a pair of jeans and a redshirt that stops at her toned abs. The shirt reads 'Try Me.'

I point to her shirt. "How fitting."

She ignores my comment. "You wanted serious so this is me being serious. So what do you want?"

"As of late I've been having these weird visions or dreams or whatever you want to call them."

"Visions about what?"

"A girl. Every time I see her she lays there dying. There is a man holding her as the last breath leaves her body. He loves her with everything in him but there is nothing he can do so save her. His despair weighs heavy on my heart as if all of his emotions are my own." I explain. "It's eating me up. I need to know what these visions are about."

"Leo, you've known me for a long time but you know the consequences if I help you."

"Tempest I know your help comes with a price but I need answers. These visions are messing with my head and interfering with my work." I admit. "I'm willing to pay that price."

She studies me intently. "Follow me."

The heavy red curtains lead to a back room in the store, which looks more like a medium sized closet. The place is completely empty aside from a tall glass case with no handles occupying the far wall. Black curtains hang inside the case to hide its contents.

She mumbles something inaudible and the case door opens itself as the curtains draw back. Hundreds of small vials of different colors with little labels fill the case.

It only takes a few seconds for her to pull out a vial with a brown cork filling the hole. The liquid is opaque until she turns the bottle upside down. It turns into a kaleidoscope of colors as it reaches the other end.

"This will give you the answers you are looking for." She advises. "Drink it before you go to sleep and by morning everything will be made clear."

I stretch out my hands mesmerized by the rainbow-colored liquid but she snatches it from my reach. "Leo, look at me. Are you sure you want to do this?"

The intensity in her eyes is unnerving but I need to know what's going, especially when my life is on the line. "Yes, I'm sure."

"I don't know what this will cost you when the time comes for me to collect. It could cost something substantial."

"Tempest, I appreciate the warning but I told you that I'm willing to pay the price. These visions have almost cost me my life on more than one occasion."

"Okay." She concedes. "It's yours. Just follow my instructions. I truly hope it's worth it."

"Thank You, Tempest."

"Don't thank me just yet. Let's hope what's requested from you is something you can afford to give."

I smile. "I knew that there was a piece of you that still cared for more than my good looks."

"It doesn't matter now anyway. A seeress can never have love."

"We did once." I reminisce.

"That was another time. Another me...before all this." She gestures at the case.

"Right..." I reluctantly agree. "Well, thank you again."

Without so much as a backward glance I stroll out of the store with the vial in hand. By the time I reach my truck the lights are out in the store and Tempest is gone.

I head to the bar not sure what to make of what just happen. What possessed me to say those things about our past? It didn't work between us then and it won't work now. Not when she chose to be a seeress over our relationship.

I can never forget how I begged, pleaded, and even shed a few tears to get her to stay. I even tried to make her feel guilty about choosing magic over me, but that's not something I'm proud of.

Guilt tripping her was not fair and to add insult to injury, it didn't even work. Not even seven years of a relationship almost turned marriage could have made her stay. She felt obligated to continue her family legacy and become a seeress. She always told me it's what her late mother would have wanted.

I could truly understand her wanting to continue her mother's legacy but at the same time I wanted to be selfish. I wanted to experience forever with only her even if that's not what she wanted.

It hurt me more than anything to see her leave that day but I had to let go. It was the only way either of us would be able to move on. From what I hear, if you love someone you let them go and if they come back then it's meant to be. I thought that had come true a few years back when we started to get back into the swing of things but it was never the same. I didn't like what she did for a living. People would come by all times of night to ask for her help. It took a toll on her but she wouldn't quit.

We went from seeing each other every day and date nights to casual s*x a couple times a week. Eventually, we just stopped talking altogether, until tonight. I was hoping I would meet with someone else but it happened to be her. I know we still share a spark but anything more just wouldn't work.

As soon as I step into the Sky Lounge some of the stress started to melt away. There are people milling about on the dance floor a few feet ahead of me, although only a few of them are dancing. The bar is packed with partygoers ordering everything from drinks to hot wings.

"Hey Leo!" Bud yells over the thumping bass.

I nod in his direction.

Bud automatically starts making my usual, Hennessy and coke, with more Hennessey than actual coke. He is a regular bartender and is usually working when I'm here. Then again, I don't get to hang out as often as I used to with the eternal courts working us half to death.

I scan the place for Riley and Adam. It's easy to spot them out, especially since Adam's fair skin is covered in colorful tattoos that run along his arms, neck, and chest. I slide into the half circle booth next to Riley.

Riley leans in towards the round table so that we can hear him over the pumping bass. "Damn! It's some nice looking girls in here!"

He is the youngest of the team and the rowdiest. He loves women but can never seem to settle on just one. I'm guessing it's because of his boyish good looks. Standing at about 6'2 in height, he towers over his women. He is a little lanky compared to the rest of us but can hold his own during battle. His hair is cut low around the back and sides with a growing patch of curls in the top. His skin is almost perfect except for a three-inch scar that lines his jaw. The women never seemed to care though as the scar only seems to make them want him more.

"You are definitely right about that!" Adam chimes.

Adam is not much older than Riley so the two are as thick as thieves. It's not very often that one of them does something without the other. They've been that way ever since they joined The Order. Only difference is Adam can keep a lasting relationship, whenever he feels the time is right.

At this point in time though he is using his good looks in is favor to play the field. The women fall head over heels for his ash blonde pompadour hair accompanied by a thick beard. Although his bright blue eyes might be in the running for first place.

"Eh, the pickings are slim but at least there is something to choose from tonight." I add.

I'm usually up for the hunt when it comes to getting some play but tonight my mind is elsewhere. The only woman I can think about is the one in my visions. I manage to push thoughts of her aside and head out to the dance floor before the others can start up a new conversation.

The mellow music is guiding my head to the beat. I can feel eyes on me from across the room sizing me up. The woman in the green dress approaches me before I can make any moves. The music changes to a slow rhythmic song and before I can ask her name she is pressed against me. Her hips sway in tune and I'm mesmerized. The sweet aroma of her perfume pulls me in deeper.

I look down to see nothing but long curly black hair that flows down her back. For a second she looks like Tempest but her eyes are a bit darker which makes the attraction even stronger.

We dance for another thirty minutes before we're rushing to my car. We can barely make into my room before our clothes are on the floor. She shimmies the tight dress down her body and my eyes grow wide.

I roll over to the clock as it blinks 2:30 a.m. The girl from tonight is no longer at my side. There is a note on the night stand instead

Thanks for an amazing night. We should do it again sometime. Call me. 555-662-8538.

-Ryan

I slightly smile to about the note when I remember the vial. It completely slipped my mind once I arrived at the bar. I hop out of bed and rip through the pockets on my jeans. The warm glass rolls into my hands and I let out a sigh of relief. I pull the cork expecting to smell something but the liquid is odorless. The thick tasteless liquid slides down with ease and it's as warm going down as it was in my hand. I climb back into bed and drift off to sleep.

The empty grass covered field is flooded with water as it continues to rain. I stand untouched by the giant droplets of water. This doesn't seem real but I can't tell what's real or not. Something whizzes past me in a blur while I stand there debating on whether this is reality.

I urge myself to follow the blur but when I get close I see a man slumped over a limp woman. The woman is the one from my visions.

Now I'm truly convinced that I drank the warm rainbow liquid.

I stalk a little closer because I hear a faint sound. He is weeping over her body and whispering to her as the rain soaks them. The feelings of self-loathing, regret and shame tear into me. Am I feeling what he is? Is it because she is dying or is she already dead? Why doesn't he do something to save her?

I have always seen her face but I've never known who the man is that holds her. I slowly walk around to get a good look at him..

Suddenly the unknown man has a grip on my wrists so tight that I can't move. The unknown stranger stands and his height matches mine but his head still hangs hiding his face. I look over at the woman as she takes her last few breaths and I try to piece together what is happening.

The field is now alight with fire dancing high in the trees but the rain continues to fall. I fight to move but my body is like a rock; heavy and motionless. The man slowly lifts his head until I'm staring eye to eye with myself. He snarls at me bearing his teeth before gripping tight to my shoulders.

"This is all your fault. You killed her. It will always be you that ends her." His voice distorts to a sound that is no longer recognizable as the fire burns everything in sight, despite the rain. I remain untouched by the flames as the fire gets so bright that I can no longer see.

I open my eyes once the light dims and I'm standing in an empty library. Shelves upon shelves as tall as the ceiling line the floor. A book falls from a shelf nearby. I instantly get into fighting stance ready to attack whoever may be stalking in the shadows. Another book hits the floor behind me, then another, and another, until books are falling left and right. This time my feet obey and I run for the exit.

Yanking on the locked double doors doesn't help. I watch as the avalanche of books rapidly approach. The avalanche is so strong that the building quakes. My arms cover my face for protection and I wait for the impact. Instead a single book lands at my feet. The title reads Time Jump.