Deviant Fate

16 - Enlightened

-Gwen-

The sun began to set, it had been hours since I left. Finally coming up on the river I searched for 3 specific boulders. Relief washed over me as they remained untouched. Crouching down I pulled the vines back and reached into the dark space where the boulders met. Feeling around, my fingers grazed acrossed a thick strap. Yanking my arm out, the backpack I had hidden months ago remained intact. Being on my own for so long, I grew accustomed to moving without warning if someone got too suspicious. I placed backpacks all around the countryside to ensure my survival.

Hearing leaves crunch behind me I quickly hid behind the boulders. Peering around the rock cautiously, I saw a woman. Not old, but not young. She was a Marnyl like my father with pale purple skin. I could see her bright gray eyes from where I hid.

"You don't have to hide, child. I've been looking for you." She spoke out. Her voice was smooth and endearing.

Also what did she mean, she's been looking for me? I don't know her. How could she know me? Apprehensive, I stayed quiet and hidden.

"Gweni, I promise I'm not here to hurt you. If you allow me, I'll explain exactly who you are." She paused, waiting to see if I would speak. "Your mother casted an enchantment when you were a baby, linking me to you. I could as always feel when you were near, but I couldn't find you until now. I felt when your energy evolved hours ago. I felt your power radiate through me. That's when I knew it was time."

What is she talking about? How does she know my name? Why did she call me Gweni? It seemed familiar somehow. And what's all this energy talk? How am I linked to a random woman?

Rising from behind the boulder I carefully eyed her up and down. Surface level, she looked harmless, but I'm keeping my guard up.

"Who are you exactly?" I questioned warily.

"I was your mother's healer. I helped her when she was pregnant with you. My name is Rin." She said with a soft smile.

Confusion crossed my face as I thought about my mother. Deeviths don't have healers? They're too prideful and carry every scar with pride. All Deevith women go through pregnancy and labor alone. It sounds absolutely mad I know. It was an achievement they were praised and honored for.

Rin had a strange look on her face. She smiled briefly then walked a little closer to me. I was still hesitant to let her close, but I could feel a strange connection to her oddly enough.

"My mother didn't have a healer." I stated befuddled.

Keeping eye contact, she slowly sat on one of the boulders and clasped her hands gently in her lap.

"Gweni... have you ever wondered how a Deevith and a Marnyl could produce a Celestan?"

I didn't like where this was going.

"Indeed your parents were your parents because they raised you the best they could, but your real mother was a Celestan. The High Priestess to be exact."

My heart began beating rapidly. My face felt light and tingly. My mom isn't actually my mom? What does she mean my mother was a Celestan? High Priestess... yeah right! It makes sense I guess that I'm a Celestan, if that's true, but then that means my dad... cheated...? No way! My father would NEVER.

"How...?" I questioned feeling like I didn't have a voice to speak.

She weakly smiled at me and patted the spot next to her for me to sit. I was hesitant, but I needed to sit and process all this. Is she really telling the truth? Sitting down, I felt Rin wrap her hands around mine. Only then did I notice how much my hands were shaking.

"Gweni, your mother, your birth mother," she corrected "was actually your father's sister. Your mother was High Priestess Deniah. She passed when you were six years of age."

So my father isn't a cheater. Which is good to know, but now that father is actually my uncle? I always thought my life was shit, now it's even messier. Everything I've ever known is now a lie?

My parents aren't actually my parents. They were my aunt and uncle. My birth mother was the High Priestess. Basically all my family is still dead, but at least now I know why I'm Celestan.

"Okay... so, I guess, thanks for that... heavy information, but why... are you telling me this and why did you have to come find me...?" I said choppy and awkward.

"Gweneria, though the choosing is usually random. It's rare that it's passed down in the same family, you, somehow were born as the next High Priestess. Your mother's early passing must have pushed the gods to entrust the gift to her offspring." She said in a careful tone.

THIS is crazy. I mean, I know my gifts have been going a little haywire these days, but there's no way it's because I - I'm the High Priestess... That is absurd. I'm not some divine ruler. I can't lead an entire race! Or at least what's left of them. This is a mistake, Ol' Rinrin here must just be a crazy old bat! There's no way she's speaking any truth!

"Ooookay, sure! So I'm the next High Priestess and I'm destined for greatness and all that mumbo jumbo huh?" I joked sarcastically with a chuckle. "Listen Rin, I've been on my own my entire life. After my paren- uh my aunt and uncle died, I was forced to go into hiding. They wanted me to be kept safe, never showing my gift to anyone. Speaking of that, how can someone with my kind of gift be a High Priestess? Isn't that the exact opposite of what a priestess should be? Who would want someone so deadly to look up to?"

"Gweni, I know this is a lot for you. But the gods had their reasons. They chose you. Giving you that gift must mean something. I don't know what, but I trust it was to protect you or something of that nature."

"Nothing makes sense!" I huffed out. "What does this even mean? The Celestans have almost gone extinct, the royal family has struck fear into everyone else. Who exactly am I to be a priestess to? Priestess of the endangered species?" I scoffed.

"Gweneria, the gods have spoken. You're destined to set the wrongs, right. I'm supposed to guide you to your purpose. Teach you how to control your gifts. You've been experiencing unfamiliar gifts have you not?" She questioned knowingly.

"I suppose... I had some weird occurrences... but that could just be because of- of... the weather! Or, uhhh, or the full moons! Sometimes people just have weird things happen!..." I trailed off. Trying to convince her and myself that I can't be the High Priestess.

Standing up from sitting, she knelt down in front of me. Holding my hands and looking into my eyes endearingly.

"This is overwhelming and intimidating. You're not wrong for being scared. What you have to achieve is daunting and will change you forever. But, you were destined to be great. You have the strength and will power to accomplish anything you set your heart on. Though I wasn't with you physically, I felt your strength in my veins. Anytime you felt extreme emotions and used intense energy, I felt it light through me like electricity. You are very powerful. You only need the guidance to control it. Then you will be ready to rectify the mistakes a single family has made for hundreds of years. You will take your place as High Priestess of Enaldra."