The Magi Lunations: Maebry's Vision

One

My family gathered around a large circular table. The wind rustled the dogwood leaves. The candles in the centerpiece flickered. I stared up at the Leo Triplet spiral galaxies dancing overhead.

I took a deep breath and thought how thankful I was for my family – even if we were only all together once a year. I looked at their faces one-by-one. Soon. I will be leaving all of this soon. I'd even miss my annoying twin brother. Would a king like Yohana ever have the time to attend something like this with me? Would he love me enough to want to know my family? Does he know the families of his other two spouses?

Before my parents could stop him, Grandpere cleared his throat, "In the name of Mother Earth, Heavenly Father, Brother Sun, and Sister Moon – "

The weight of my skull grew heavy. I felt my chair tipping back. My fingernails clawed at the table, but my eyes rolled back into my head.

And I blacked out. 

Swirling centuries in my ears.

Particles of time in my eyes.

I look up to see

two stars smash together,
a stellar collision.

I look down to see

an ancient hand carving –

carving shapes into a giant tusk.

"MAEBRY," I heard my mother yell while my pediatrician Nan pushed into my wrist. My eyes batted open once, twice, a third time – until I finally regained focus.

"Mom?"

"Maebry Jean Ibrahim, don't you ever do that again. Did you forget to eat lunch? Are you dehydrated? What happened?"

"She'll be fine, Xandria."

I felt Nan's stethoscope. I heard Grandpere mumbling and pacing behind me. "Why didn't you tell me, Jacques? Why?"

I tried to lift my head, but the ringing wouldn't stop.

"Tell you, what, Papa? That she passes out sometimes?"

"She passes out when you PRAY!" He paused. "For Daniel's sake, you know what she is! She needs to be trained immediately! She can't wait another day to go to Hildegard." I'd never heard Grandpere this riled up.

Matthias jumped in, "Ooooooo. Ooooooo. What is she?"

I felt Aunt Skyla rubbing my temples. Somehow my head was now in her lap. "She's a Mystic," Skyla whispered.

All of us inhaled the same gasp of air.

"No, that can't be," I heard my parents insist.

They were all pacing and talking, but I couldn't focus on any one sound. My head hurt so badly.

Finally Aunt Skyla helped me sit up, and Nan made me take a few sips of water.

Uncle Rey's was the first voice she was able to truly hear, "Damn, there hasn't been a Mystic born in America in a few hundred years, I think."

Grandpere rubbed his white beard, "There have been a few, but they are kept sequestered for their safety."

"Sequestered?" I choked on the water.

"Nothing you need to worry about, darling," Nan dabbed a wet rag on her face. Easy for her to say as the only non-Magi.

Mystics are rare in our world. Sometimes the Corporeal world will even find out about them whereas the rest of the Magi can remain hidden in plain sight. In the Middle Ages several Europeans attempted to share their visions with the outside world. It did not end well for most, especially the women. Centuries later asylums were filled with Mystics – ranting and raving about their visions. Even today solitary Mystics can be locked up on the top floors of hospitals.