Chapter 16 #3
“Then you must understand that those who harness Source Light may receive an additional gift from the Goddess… An enhanced sense of power to wield. Some gifts are as common as the flowers in the meadows, while others are exceedingly rare. I,” she emphasized, stretching her arms wide to showcase her presence, “have been bestowed with psychic abilities.” A sly smile crept across her face as she added, “But be warned: some visions may not manifest as we expect them to.”
She winked at me, and a wave of dread coursed through every fibre of my being.
“I have the ability to harness Source Light from our great Celestial body, much like many beings across the universe. However, the unused Source Light within me undergoes a transformation in my brain, where it binds to my cells, allowing Amantius herself to communicate with me through it. She speaks to me in visions—manifestations of images, puzzles, phrases, and sounds. Twenty years ago, shortly after the fall of Domus, King Remaculus came to me, desperate for answers, searching for hope as our entire galaxy began to unravel. It was only after our close ally, Domus, was harvested and annihilated that the king understood the gravity of our situation. He implored me to know if Ornath would suffer the same fate. So, I entered my meditative state and reached out to Amantius herself, seeking a sign, a resolution, a plan—anything. And Amantius answered.”
Vindina sprang from her plush seat and dashed across the room to a striking red wooden dresser.
She rummaged through the top drawer, tossing aside various trinkets until her fingers finally brushed against a small, withered piece of paper.
Cradling it tenderly, she kissed the note before bringing it to me and placing it in my palm.
The Other defiles an abode of blue
The heir to the throne, the only one who
Through sacred unity, bring forth peace
Bound to the Last Daughter of Domus, the Tenebrae cease
I stared at the note in my hand, my brow furrowing as I read it over and over. Finally, I raised my chin to meet the eyes of both Jion and Vindina.
“This doesn’t make any sense. Nowhere does it mention anything about being wed. How did the king come to believe that our marriage is the key to defeating the Tenebrae?” My voice rose with every syllable I spoke.
Jion found the courage to speak again as he pointed to the word on the paper.
“Unity,” he stated thoughtfully. “The king and his council deliberated for weeks, agonizing over what ‘unity’ meant in the context of the heir to the throne and the Last Daughter of Domus. Their conclusion was that unity represented a relationship, a marriage. Here on Ornath, we often refer to marriages as unions.”
“That’s absolute bullshit!” I shouted, my anger cutting through the benevolence of the air.
Vindina recoiled in surprise, stumbling back against her cushion.
“Unity could mean anything!” I yelled, my frustration spewing out of me like lava. “It could signify a dozen different things! Nowhere in this prophecy does it even mention marriage. Jion, this is absurd!”
He raised his hands defensively. “Jane, this is how the council interpreted it twenty years ago. This prophecy holds immense significance for the council and for the people of Ornath.I can’t explain how they reached this particular conclusion.
I was just a child at the time. But I do know this is the only hope my people have. ”
Vindina slumped, almost lifeless, in her seat, crashing to the floor with a resounding crack.
Without hesitation, Jion and I rushed to her side.
Her eyes were closed but flickering beneath their lids, and then, with a jolt, they shot open wide.
The golden hue of her pupils had transformed into a striking fluorescent pink, and her skin radiated a vivid magenta glow.
As she tilted her head to face me, I could feel an electric energy present in the air drifting towards me like the heat of a fire.
Jion and I stumbled back onto our bottoms where we watched the possession unfold in horror.
“Amicamea. The Last Daughter of Domus. Daughter of Abbas and Ina. I see you. I have watched you.” Her voice resonated with an otherworldly presence, transcending Vindina’s usual demeanour.
“Now is the time to seize your Light and use it to stop the Tenebrae from annihilating my universe. You are ready. Reach inside yourself and uncover the love I have for you. Trust in your power, for it is my own Light within. Do not fail me.”
The oracle collapsed backward onto the floor, slipping into unconsciousness once again. A few moments later, she stirred, groaning as she cradled her head in her hands, murmuring something indistinct under her breath.
Jion rushed to Vindina’s side again, helping her to her feet as I instead paced the room anxiously, hands pressed against my temples.
“What was that?” I demanded, though I already knew the answer.
Vindina shook the fog from her head as she muttered with fatigue, “It’s not a matter of what was that, but who was that. And that, my dear girl, was Amantius.”