Beating (Book 1: Acts of the Hearth)

Chapter 8.1

In the dimly lit room of the Seer’s Chamber. Papers and scrolls lay across the floor scattered in a clustered mess. Logan looks around through his files for any traces that could explain, both what occurred with Damen and why he knew about that blotted out event of the past.

     “Why? Why?! He shouldn’t have any knowledge of what took place on that day!” Logan speaks to himself while flipping through the old notebook he previously let Damen borrow.

     A flesh like petal falls from the pages of his log. He looks down at it and remembers the strange petals from beneath the large tree at Di Shola.

     Bending down to pick it up becomes a task, as his vision begins to blur from the physical trauma to his head. “I’m far too old to rough house with children. Damn that boy for overpowering me.”

     Logan remembers back to the events of that day and sighs. “We should have intervened the moment we saw him holding Travis upon his return. Zeres was the only one who thought that woman was of the Zae.”

     “Fortunately, the woman was mysteriously killed right after their wedding night.” he says coldly. The burden of all the secrets and knowledge he withheld brings him to the cusp of madness.

     The man sobs quietly to himself and prays. “By The Only, please give me sight and insight as to what is troubling my apprentice. He is still new to the task of the job at hand. So, please, bless me with a vision of guidance. I am lost without your visions.”

     “How is it that he knows about that man Derrick? He has even managed to speak and act as that man did… What is provoking him to emulate the dead?”

     Vivian and Travis pull themselves up from the outside of the window sill and slide from behind the curtains in the chambers. The two walk towards Logan and stand before the man who has begun sobbing on the floor pitifully.

     “So you do know what happened to my mother?” Travis addresses to the man. Logan attempts to speak as Travis immediately interrupts him.

     “Whatever you have to tell me about my mother can wait. We first need to figure out what’s going on with Damen.” he speaks firmly. “You said he was emulating the dead?” Vivian ponders, crossing her arms and rubbing them as if she were cold. “I think…I know what’s going on.”

     Vivian tells them a story about a past event. “So, back when I first started bounty hunting with my men. I had a lot of restless nights. Mainly because I was worried about my father. No one had any news about his whereabouts and that more than bothered me.” she continues. “Some years into my career we met Damen…”

     Travis takes a seat on top of Logan’s desk, instead of pulling up the chair. “Damen said he could promise success and less casualties on our missions, because he had visions of the future. We all doubted him—of course, but still gave him a chance to prove himself.” Vivian continues.

     The woman looks away from the two as tears well up in her eyes. “On our first mission with him, we were faced with a slick monster that could get at our backs before we blinked. The creature slapped away my men with its multiple tails and the slime from the body was everywhere.”

     “It managed to cover the entire field in this slippery film and I eventually slid and fell upon stepping in to attack. My saber slipped from my hand as I fell. Spinning in the unjudging air, it’s blade was about to slice at me along with the monster that saw an opportunity to take a shot at me. At that moment…”

     “Damen, he…he grabbed my Saber—a memento of my father before it hit the ground and…struck down the beast we were fighting with a single thrust into its neck...” she says as the well of tears pours over. Travis chimes in. “I didn’t peg you as the type to cry over potentially dying…”

     The young woman speaks over choking up from her memory of the story. “I’m not crying over possibly dying! It’s because of who spoke to me as that idiot was holding my saber!” Vivian aggressively wipes away the tears. “Damen hugged me, but the one who spoke—the words and manner of them…was my papa…”

Spirits of one realm and another…

 

     Travis ponders the mystery of Vivian’s story. Damen’s power as a Seer came from The Only. What other force could be at work to make the emulation of the dead possible?

     Travis walks up to the sobbing young woman.

     “If you hug me, I swear I’ll tear your heart out…!” she shouts through her sobs. “I was going to ask your opinion on the situation. What do you think is going on to make him act like someone who’s been long dead?” he replies while stepping back to give her room.

     Vivian wipes her face with the curtains. “Liger, one of my men from the band said Damen might be a Medium.”

     “A Medium? Um, could you explain it a little better?” Travis ask of her. “It means he can channel the spirit or energies of someone who has passed from this world.” she responds back.

     Logan stutters on his words, then stares at the flesh petal before him; trembling. “Th-that's how he knew…?! If he, no, that can’t be right. That can’t happen. If it truly is the spirit of that man…!” Travis looks down at Logan. “What are you babbling about?”

     Logan looks up at Travis with his eyes widened, crawls to the young man and grabs onto his hands firmly. “You have to find him…that man was hell bent on seeking a power that your Mother…of the Zae craved.” the old Seer begs softly.