The Rouge Omega Caster

Chapter 1: One of those Mornings

Cadence’s POV

Suddenly, I woke up, a little disoriented and panting. My eyes darted around before I started to remember where I was. I was inside of my room. I then noticed a wet sensation on either side of my face. Tears are streaming down my temples and into my hairline. Sighing deeply, I wiped them away, feeling slightly irritated. I lay in bed and realize it’s still dark outside my window.

Reaching for my phone, I press the power button to check the time, only to let out a disheartened groan when I see it's only 5:45 in the morning. Feeling frustrated, I flop backward on my bed and cover my eyes with my arm. I had hoped that with time, my emotional scars would heal, and I would come to accept my reality, but I didn't. My heart gradually got used to it but never accepted it. Those were two different things entirely. I reached for the crescent-shaped pendant that rested on my chest and rubbed the cool stone with my thumb reminiscing about the night I got here.

The night I was stumbled upon in the woods marked the beginning of my journey with the Coven Nan Woulèt Elementè, which translates to the coven of elemental casters in Haitian Creole. It was my Grandpa who discovered me, drawn by the familiar magic of his long-lost daughter. Without hesitation, he rushed towards the source, unaware of what awaited him. When he found me, a tear-stained and dirt-covered 5-year-old, he immediately scooped me up and brought me to the manor, where a doctor examined me and asked questions about how I had gotten to the forest in the first place. They couldn't get much from me at first, with how much shock I was in. However with time, the information that they did get quickly put my grandfather into action.

Determined to find his missing daughter, he dispatched his most skilled warriors and trackers, but their efforts yielded no results. For an entire year, search parties were sent out, but she was nowhere to be found. In her absence, I became an unexpected addition to our family. Through legal means, my grandparents gained custody of me, and ever since, I have resided with them in our coven nestled on the outskirts of Savannah, Georgia. Of course, under the circumstances of which I had arrived, it took me some time to get used to my new home and the family I had acquired. Now, at 17 years old, I couldnt imagine my life without either. So even with that, why is difficult for me to piece my life together?

“It's hard to fix something when a big piece of it is missing..” I whispered to myself, instantly regretting the words as the tears threatened to surface and my throat tightened with emotions. No, I refuse to let this morning be one of those mornings—the kind of mornings where everything beautiful and worth cherishing becomes dull and insignificant.

I threw the covers off and forced myself out of bed, knowing that going to sleep was out of the question. I make my way to the bathroom and step into the shower, letting the scorching water wash away the lingering emotions from last night's dream. As the water beats down on me, I feel a sense of relief and renewal. Once I finish, I wrap a towel around my waist and use a softer one to pat my dreads dry gently.

I wiped away the steam the hot shower had created in the bathroom mirror and gazed at my reflection. As I peered into it, I noticed the transformations that time had brought upon me. My reddish-brown locs, which used to reach my chin barely, now hung down the middle of my back. The shape of my face, still somewhat round and heart-shaped, had acquired a touch of sharpness.

Surprisingly, though, instead of becoming more masculine with time, my facial features, as did my stature, had become more delicate. And not a day goes by that I don't get teased about the two by my older cousins, but that's neither here nor there. In a way, I'm grateful because I look like Her. Though with slight variations.

While she had vibrant Brown eyes, mine were a softer shade of green with brown specks in the irises. Unlike her, I had subtle freckles that lightly dusted across my nose, a small dimple on my chin, and my hair was more red than brown. I could only assume that these features were from my father, but I didn't want to open that complicated can of worms.

After my morning routine, which included brushing my teeth and washing my face, I decided to wear a comfortable outfit. I opted for a loose, flowy shirt paired with jeans that had a bit of slack. I wore my trusty high-top vans to complete the look and threw on an oversized cardigan. I tied my locs back into a bun at the base of my neck and was ready to go. It was already 7:27 by the time I finished getting ready, and I stood there thinking of what I could do to pass the time. I’m homeschooled, but it was summer break for us, so classes hadn't yet begun. “Guess I'll draw for a bit then before breakfast.”

Without even looking, I reached out my hand toward my desk, and with a slight twitch of my finger, my sketchbook soared through the air and into my hand. Then, using my other one to gesture towards the door, it opened without me touching it. I smiled, making my way downstairs, enjoying the perks of being a Caster.

****

"Well, well, look who decided to greet the day bright and early," a deep, melodic voice with a slight southern drawl teased, a hint of amusement evident as I entered the kitchen. My grandfather smiled at me before looking back at the paper he held.

Taking a seat beside my grandpa, I observed him engrossed in his work documents while leisurely sipping his coffee. His neat gray dreads were pulled back, and his beard was nicely trimmed; he wore a crips baby blue button-down shirt cuffed at his forearms with a light grey vest and dress pants to match.

With a muscular build for his age, Matthias Dubuios was undeniably a force to be reckoned with, possessing an incredible power that could shatter objects with a mere touch and freeze scorching lava with a single icy glare. I can personally attest to the authenticity of these extraordinary abilities. In the past, he was an integral part of the Trilogy, a group that single-handedly saved thousands upon thousands of lives during the Moonlight War. His invaluable assistance and the immense love he received from many made it an obvious choice for him to become one of the chair members of the Table later. Despite his remarkable talents, my grandpa remains a genuinely kind and compassionate person.

"Bonjour Grandpapa.” I greeted in Creole, “I must admit, I'm starting to see the appeal of being more like you," I teased, smirking.

My grandfather chuckles and says, "You're a hundred years too early to try and match me, son" He then strikes the most over-the-top and obnoxious pose. Nearly choking on air, I couldn't help but burst into laughter, causing an embarrassing snort to escape.

"Alright, alright, you win," I managed to say between gasps. "But mark my words, one of these days, I'll surpass you. And when that time comes, there will be no mercy.”

"Please," he exclaimed, dramatically stroking his beard. "The day I get dethroned is the day a mysterious tsunami wipes out all of Georgia and most of the United States, for that matter."

Although I knew he was just joking, the thought sent shivers down my spine, considering how it could actually happen in his world of possibilities. Changing the subject, I glanced at Grandpa's documents and remarked, "You know, Grandma doesn't like you having your work at the table."

He chuckled and replied, "Well, she doesn't like you having your sketchbook here either, but as long as we tidy up afterward, how will she know?"

“The same way I always do.” a woman’s voice says, soft and low like a cello's sound. And I knew that we had just been caught. Suddenly, my attention was drawn to my grandpa, whose shoulders seemed surrounded by a shimmering light. My grandmother materialized next to him out of thin air, surprising us both.

When my grandpa encountered Grandma, Amelia Dubois, he found his equal and his soulmate. She was just 5 feet 2 inches tall and possessed both fierceness and beauty. Her big, round Hazel eyes sparkled with wrinkles, showcasing a lifetime of smiles. With a pixy-like nose and full lips, she exuded charm. Her glowing chestnut skin complemented her jet-black hair, which she kept short to embrace her natural curls, with streaks of gray adding character.

"Oh my love, when did you get here?" my grandpa nervously chuckled, trying to hide his surprise. With a mischievous glint in her eyes, my grandmother replied, "I've been here since the very beginning, dear." she said in a sweet tone, but it was clear that she was not pleased with my grandfather, as she gave him a nasty side-eye. And then, in the blink of an eye, she snapped her fingers, causing both my sketchbook and Grandpa's papers to vanish from the table.

My grandpa sighs and admits, "I should've given this more thought." My grandma chuckles and agrees, "Oh, dear, you should have." She then planted a gentle kiss on his lips and then gave me one on my forehead.

"While you two are here, why don't you help me set the table?" she said, tying an apron she had just conjured around her waist. I grimaced slightly and asked, "Get the table ready for what?" I already know the answer, but I secretly hope for something different. "Family breakfast," my grandma replies, "Josephine and the kids are coming over this morning." I inwardly groan, already picturing the chaotic breakfast the Twins would have in store for us in my mind. And by the look on Grandpa’s face, I can see he was imagining it too, messaging his temple with his fingertips. “Here we go…” I mutter under my breath.

“What was that, Cade?” she shot me a look indicating that she heard me, but for my sake, I had better correct myself before she did. “I'm on my way, ma’am,” I called, getting up from the table. It might not be one of those mornings, but it would be something for sure