DEMISE

PART FIVE: SEER

Respect those blessed with the Sight; they speak for the gods—Caligoson Scripture

"My daughter! My daughter! Someone fetch the medicine woman! Please, someone fetch Reviela!"

Similar cries rang out through the village. The banging of doors, the frantic murmur of worry, the heavy coughing and vomiting of the diseased filled the air. Eleven, total, were possessed by this new, strange illness.

The villagers waited with bated breath as the ill were crammed into Reviela's home. They waited throughout the night for some bit of news of the condition of the patients. They waited to know the cause behind the outbreak.

In the morning they gathered, in front of the medicine woman's cottage, as she emerged, looking tired and sorrowful. A collective tremor ran through the crowd.

"I've done all that I can. I believe most of them are out of danger, but two of my patients, Jamesford and Ophelia--" she closed her eyes wearily "--died during the night."

An outbreak of loud exclamations discouraged her speech for some time. Wailing burst from the families who had lost. Finally, a loud cry of "Silence! Let her speak!" came from Chief Melrosana, whose years of leading the village had made her voice loud and authoritative.

"Thank you," Reviela said, nodding at the Chief. "I am very sorry to those who have lost someone. Now, can any of you think of where they may have acquired this illness?"

A vigorous muttering ensued, in which the actions of the patients before their illness were reviewed. Finally, a woman with tear streaks smudging her face stepped forward. "Ophelia, my daughter, drank from the well near the circle of stones. Perhaps that's why..." Her voice cracked and fresh tears pooled into her eyes, spilling down her cheeks.

The families of the patients voiced their agreement until it was generally confirmed that, indeed, the well was the source of the disease, having evidently been contaminated.

"It must have been quite polluted," Reviela said heavily. "It is lucky that so many who drank from it have not passed into Ernaline's hands. The best of my patients was vomiting heavily when he arrived."

"Excuse me, healer?" a voice spoke from the crowd. Everyone turned, with varying degrees of shock, to see Deidamia with her hand slightly raised.

"Yes, Deidamia?"

"I drank from the well...but I feel fine."

Rayne turned to stare at her adopted daughter. It was true, she now realized; she and Deidamia had been hunting in that part of the forest when her adopted daughter had requested a drink. Rayne had led her to the nearby well in the midst of the stone circle and she had drunk...but there was nothing wrong with her.

Reviela licked her chapped lips nervously. "Perhaps you confused the wells...it's impossible that you drank without becoming at all ill..."

"It is true," Rayne supplied. "I was with her."

She regretted saying it immediately afterward. Angry whispers broke out from the families of the ill and the rest of the village soon followed suit. "Witchcraft!" Lepkatrana hissed loudly, and some of the other villagers murmured their agreement.

"No!" Rayne cried. "Deidamia is not a witch!"

"Lies..." Lepkatrana snickered.

Chief Melrosana spoke up. "It's doubtful that Deidamia has practiced witchcraft in order to save herself from contaminated water. The child has shown no other signs of magic" (Rayne shifted uncomfortably at the thought of Dei's interactions with animals and her early speaking, but remained silent) "and should therefore not be condemned with false accusations. The gods have always seemed to have a hand in her life. Perhaps they protected her."

Lepkatrana muttered something about a "terrible leader." No one went as far as to voice their agreement, but several seemed unhappy at the idea of the gods protecting Deidamia, but not them.

~~**~~

Three years passed since Deidamia survived the polluted water from the well without displaying symptoms. Now fourteen, she had only a few more months of education in school, as was customary in Caligoso. Much formal education wasn't necessary for hunters, foragers, and farmers; the only two occupations that required extra schooling were Chief and Seer, which were as rare as a rose blossom in winter.

It was during lunch break and a fine day, so most students, including Deidamia, were sitting outside. Many of the villagers had begun to notice similarities between Deidamia and the girl mentioned in the prophecy, and since the only person who had the prophecy memorized was Melrosana, the villagers took their concerns to her. But she shooed them away. "Peace!" she said. "The gods will reveal all in time; you do nothing with your pointless speculation!"

"Hey, Deidamia!" one of the boys sitting near her called mockingly. The girl raised her head, black hair glistening in the sunlight, and stared at him inquisitively. He grinned wolfishly at her.

"Is it true that you can talk with animals? And that you can speak the Ancient Language, and never learned it?" He cocked his head. "Are you a witch?"

Her expression remained stoic as she shook her head and went back to her lunch.

"Can you prove it?" he whispered, loud enough for her to hear.

"Now, how would I do that?" Deidamia questioned, the faintest trace of irritation in her tone.

"Like this!" He picked up a large rock and threw it at her, his aim perfect. She barely had time to duck out of its way as it soared over her head.

What happened next was debated among the villagers, although most came to the agreement that it proved Deidamia was either a witch or a godly, supernatural being.

As a short, suppressed yelp of shock came from Deidamia, a swarm of crows attacked the boy. They ripped his flesh with their talons and tore at his eyes with their beaks. She stood for a moment, biting her lip as if hosting an internal battle, before throwing her head back and making a series of rapid cawing sounds. The crows immediately ceased their attack, but circled reluctantly overhead, as if waiting for another cue to resume their battle. The boy's friends rushed to him as he dropped to the ground and curled into a fetal position.

"His face! Oh, Great Abelard, someone fetch the healer! He's bleeding..."

Everyone residing in the courtyard moved away from Deidamia as chaos ensued. She raised her chin, glancing around with heavy-lidded eyes, before turning her back upon them all and starting toward her cottage.

She never set foot in the school again.