Chapter 1;The Judgement and The Warmth
Trust is like an eraser, it gets smaller and smaller after every mistake. - Anonymous
"YOU ARE HERE TO BE JUDGED, WHETHER YOU WILL RECEIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE ONCE MORE OR NOT, RELIES ON YOUR HEART. MAY IT BE JUDGED AND MAY YOU LIVE ONCE MORE." They said as as scale with a shimmering sapphire blue feather appeared, "PLACE YOUR PALM ON THE EMPTY SCALE." I frowned lightly but did what was asked. A resounding gong sounded through the room, warmth encased my being as I slowly dissolved into glittering particles of sea foam blue.
"ACCEPTED."I caught them saying as my mind blanked out.
Shooting pain rushed straight to my brain from several places, my left eye being one of them. It was dizzying, as my mind finally snapped out of the trance-like state of calm it had gone in after I had died, the warmth that had appeared as soon as I had laid my hand on the scale placing second in my list of things that I had immediately taken note of upon awakening. Along with the haunting voice of a young female.
"My love, my love
My fearless love
I will not say goodbye
Sea may rise
Sky may fall
My love will never die
Go on, go on
Go bravely on
Into the blackest night
Hold my breath
'Til your return
My love will never die
My heart, my heart
My drowning heart
Oh all the tears I've cried
Oh I may weep forevermore
My love will never die
My love, my love
My fearless love
I will not say goodbye
Sea may rise
Sky may fall
My love will never die
Sea may rise
Sky may fall
My love will never die
My love will never die."
Slowly I cracked an eye open, wondering briefly why I still had my memories or if perhaps I had merely dreamt everything up as I had blacked out. But the room -if you could even call it that- wasn't the familiar white of the hospital, but a dirty brown, soaked with still drying blood. If anything this place seemed far worse than that the crash site. The place was circular, with a brick stone marking a slight sinking of the ground all around me. Brittle wood dug sharply into my bare and quite badly bleeding back if the liquid gushing down my spine was any indication. Another wound I noticed right after that was a head one, staining white strands of hair a crimson red, the wound gushed a copious amount of blood, going down my face in a jagged pattern that stopped just above my eyebrow before continuing down my left eye. My front was badly scarred and in some cases badly wounded too, if anything it was a miracle that I was still breathing. A breeze had my body giving a wretched shudder that caused more harm than it would have had I not been tied. I was in my birthday suite, plus my backside was hurting. My mind shuddered and recoiled at the thought that someone had done THAT against whoever had owned the body previous to myself. Sure I was as gay as they came, but doing that against someone's will? No. Just no. The tent- because that was what the place was- flap fluttered gently in the wintry breeze, and out there against a totem pole, a completely naked 15-year-old girl was tied up, yet singing, as they - bandit-like people, with old clothes straight out of a renaissance- carved words and oily patterns on to her pearl-like skin. I watched in horror as they cut off her breasts and haunting icy but warm blue eyes met mine.
' Be calm, Elias, the body you now inhabit is my friend Caspain, the Scales have made its choice. He had suffered as much in his short life as you had. But only his opposite could right what had been done. As only your opposite could do the same for you. Do not look so worried for me.' I was startled as her voice spoke softly in my head. Staring worriedly at her as the life in her eyes slowly faded. ' My life was always meant to end here so that I could become your guide before I could join my friend in your old world. ' She said, her voice becoming clearer the longer she bled. But the one singing slowly died out. I didn't want that. I realized with a jolt. I didn't want a guide in exchange for someone just losing their life like that. Sure I knew, I knew how it felt to want to die so that you could join your friend, but even so...
'Hush, it has always meant to be so, our lives had been written down to a tee by the Scales of Fate, Death, and Life, from the moment I was born I knew you'd come as all seers would have. I had been prepared and do not be sad. For everything has to end at some point. Even the planes would stop spinning and the suns would burn out one day. But trust in me to know what I am doing. Now grab the warmth you feel, it is a gift from the Scales to you.' She said. I hung my head, not able to watch anymore. Silently I did as she asked, grabbing with mental hands at the silk of warmth that flowed like a river through my blood and body, yet it moved in another direction from that which my blood follows. Pulling it gently to the surface of my body, watching in detached curiosity as sparks ignited around me. ' You have magic, that is your gift, you are a wizard, use your magic, escape. Find a way out. I cannot guide you further than this. When you meet Caspian's family, claim you do not know who you are, or better yet, do it from the start. Claim amnesia. Learn about them, and protect them. For they are innocent in this game of dancing pawns and scheming kings. Be the queen, or even the bishop, or rook, but be free and be you. Practice your magic, it has no limits, know how to control it right this instant. LET GO.' I inhaled deeply as a rippling echo of pain coiled tightly around me. Feeling both mentally and physically as she left, and in my sadness for the life of someone so sweet and willing to help a complete stranger, I let the warmth enfold me like a blanket, only to let it billow out like the curtains during a storm. Screams of pure agony howled through the night, a symphony of despair and anger rippling much like a wave through what I assumed to be a camp, as the bright indigo fire spread out and around me faster than even the wind could pass it.