Beauty In The Darkness

Chapter 4:

The next day, I headed to the park for the ritual. Honestly, I don't know what to expect and I don't know which answer I'd prefer. On the one hand I'm different from everyone else, special with powers. Meant for something, something better, meant to protect those who need it.

On the other hand, I would be all of that, but I would also have a family. A family who actual cared for me, who actual loved me and that's all I've ever wanted, but what if there not who everyone thinks they are? What if their bad people? What If they don't care about me? What if I get my hopes up and it's just another disappointment?

I arrived at the park at 11am, walked down the forth route, and arrived at this clearing at 12pm. It was quiet, I didn't see anyone. I've always loved the forest, it's relaxing, it's like being a part of a fantasy.

Anyway, as I arrived at the clearing were Althea and Luke were standing. They were standing in a perfect circle of tree's. Inside the circle there was another smaller circle of five tall lit wooden torches. All torches had a different colour strip around it, it was strange.

"What are you going to sacrifice me?" I laughed.

"Ha. No. I am surprised you came?" Althea smiled, as I walked over to them.

"I said I would" I smiled back.

"Thank you for coming. Are you ready to start?" Luke asked.

"Huh. So, what's with different coloured torches?" I asked.

"Each torch represents a different power. Green represents the power of earth. White represents the power of air. Blue represents the power of water. Red represents the power of fire. Lastly, black represents the power of death. All are lit, when we preform the ritual, we will draw from all the flames and they will either flow over or through you. Then we will go from there? How does that sound?" Luke asked.

"Ok. Sounds good. Let's start I guess" I sighed.

"There's something else, you should know, before we start" Luke sighed.

"What?" I nervously laughed.

"When we do the ritual. The flames with change."

"Change how?"

"You will see something. Through the flames. Something only, you can see. Something that represents each power for you. It depends on who you are on the inside. You can see anything; it just represents you."

"Ok?"

"Don't sound so worry, Lara. It will be fine."

"What do other people see? Normally I mean?"

"It depends. This ritual is rarely done, it's done to determine who's a warrior and who's a royal. However, again, it's not something I can tell you; it depends on you. On your soul, your heart, and your mind, but whatever happens, just know it can't hurt you and you will be ok. We can't see what you see. Just know where here and nothing can hurt you."

"Ok. Let's start"

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Let's go."

"Ok"

I then stood in the middle of the circle while Althea and Luke stood outside, and started walking in different directions around the circle, canting and moving their hands around in strange motions.

They kept on canting in Latin, "Terram, aquam, ignem, aerem et mortem, revelare verum semita regiis aut non. Revelare. Revelare. Revelare. Revelare." In translation "Earth, water, fire, air, and death, reveal the true path, royal or not. Reveal. Reveal. Reveal. Reveal."

As they chanted, all five flames got bigger and bigger and started to change, I could slowly start to see an image appear and I heard this sound, a voice almost started screaming though flames.

Through the earth torch, I could see this large oak tree, in the middle of a forest, everything surrounding the tree was burnt away, all of it was ash, but the tree was tall and strong. I could hear someone screaming, this painful, agonising scream. It was the tree was screaming for help. It was awful.

Through the water torch, I could see the ocean, hear the waves crashing against each other, and see and hear the dolphins swimming around calling out to one and other, it was calming, and relaxing. There was a short of tranquillity around it.

Next the air torch changed. I could see this small village, with children playing in the park, laughing, having fun. Just being children. Living a carefree life. Then this massive hurricane came sweeping though, destroying everything in its path. It ripped the roofs of the houses and swept everything up into oblivion. I could everyone screaming and the ground crashing. I could hear the children shouting for their mothers and their mother crying their children. It was horrible.

Next the fire torch changed. All I could was smoke, and hear the crackling of a fire, once the smoke cleared, I could a small campfire burning away in the night with the sky full of stars. It was peaceful, it reminded me of the times I would camp out alone at night.

The last one that changed was death. I couldn't really make it out to start with, it was fuzzy, like I was wearing someone else's glasses. I could make out this young girl, she was crying, her screams pierced my soul. As her screams got louder, the picture got clearer.

The girl looked about fourteen, her clothes were stained in blood and she was standing above a body. Another young girl fourteen, fifteen years old. She was dead, well dying, she was bloody and beaten.

Her soft tan skin was covered in bruises and cuts. Her bright blond hair was messy, and stained with blood, with her bright blue eyes wide open. Staring into my soul. Such a beautiful and familiar girl to die so young.

Everything was just overwhelming. The screaming from the tree, with the smell of the burning ground. The sound of the waves crashing mixed the fresh smell of the ocean. The screaming of the children and the crashing of the building. The sound of the crackling of the fire and smell of the fresh, clean air. The painful scream of that young girl and the smell of the blood and death. It was too much.

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again and tried to focus them. Althea and Luke. They were still chanting, making those hand gestures. Then all the images in the flames got bigger and bigger, they were almost the size of me.

Then they stopped walking and throw there hands towards me, as they did, without hesitation, within a second all the flames. They rushed straight though me, it was like I was being hit by bullets from all directions.

There was this rush of power, adrenaline, euphoria, and serenity all the same time just running through my veins, though my blood. My whole body just filled with all the emotions. I can't begin to describe how it felt.

It was like having an orgasm. My whole body. Shaking. Screaming with passion. It was fucking intense. Insanely. It was this rush, all this tension building up, it was like this electrical current was stimulating my whole body. Everything was pulsating, and tingling. It was like wave after wave. I thought it would never stop.

It only took the flames a few seconds to flow through me, but it felt like hours. Hours of pure unadulterated unimaginable pleasure.

Once the last flame left my body, I stumbled backwards and feel to me knees, my hands pushed further into the soil, I could feel the earth moving behind my hands, shifting. I could feel the grass starting the grow under my fingers. It was incredible.

"Lara?" Luke and Althea said at the same time.

"Huh. Yeah" I sighed with relief.

"You good?" She asked.

"Yeah. Actual I am" I laughed as I stood up and whipped the dirt of my hands.

"Well. I guess that proves it huh. Your Lara Claymore. The long-lost princess." Luke smirked.

"Guess so" I laughed.