Only Skeletons Remain

Chapter 29: The Veil is Torn

A shiver raced down her spine, and suddenly, the forest surrounding her vanished. The ground beneath her feet dissolved, replaced by scorched earth. Ash filled the air, thick and suffocating, as the sky above darkened to an unnatural shade of crimson. In the distance, faint screams of battle pierced the eerie silence.

Harper's breath caught as her vision sharpened. She stood in the middle of a vast battlefield, where twisted shapes clashed—bishops, their bodies malformed and monstrous, fighting against figures cloaked in shadows. The Ancestors' power radiated from the shadowy figures, their presence overwhelming.

Before her, the tallest tower of DEMA loomed. It cracked, splintering under the weight of the battle as explosions rocked its foundation. Harper's chest tightened—this was the war Runeheart had spoken of, the one in her future. She watched helplessly as bishops fell, one by one, but their bodies only twisted and shifted, regenerating into something even more grotesque.

In the distance, she saw a figure—a bishop with glowing yellow eyes, larger and more terrifying than the rest—Lisden. He roared, charging toward the Ancestors. Fenrir's voice echoed again, but this time it wasn't in the vision; it was in her head, cold and ancient: "This war will come for you, Harper. It will come for us all."

Suddenly, the ground beneath her feet gave way. She was falling—falling through the vision, the battlefield, and the screams until the image blurred again. Harper gasped, her eyes snapping open. The forest was back. Fenrir was watching her closely, his golden eyes gleaming.

"Did you see it?" he asked quietly.

Harper swallowed hard, the lingering images still burning in her mind. "Yes... I saw it. The war. The tower..." Her voice trailed off, trembling slightly.

Fenrir nodded, his expression grave. "Then you understand. Prepare yourself. This is only the beginning."

In the dim light of their small home, Harper sat on her bed, clutching her head, her body shaking uncontrollably. She had woken from her sleep moments ago, but something had gone terribly wrong. The images were still in her mind—swirling, chaotic, and far too vivid. She gasped for breath, a cold sweat breaking across her brow.

Javier rushed to her side, his face pale as he knelt and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Harper... look at me, mija. Breathe, breathe," he whispered, his voice steady, though the concern etched in his expression was unmistakable. "You're going to be okay."

María stood behind them, her hand pressed tightly over her mouth. She had feared this day would come—feared it even though she knew it was inevitable. Their daughter was young, far too young to bear the weight of what was happening to her. She knew it was coming, but that didn't make it any easier. Harper was just a child. She only wondered how Liam would handle his gift.

Harper's vision blurred, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I saw... I saw monsters, Papá. So many monsters. There was a tower, and... and something terrible. I couldn't stop it. It's still in my head, I can't get it out!" Her voice broke into sobs, her body trembling under the intensity of the vision.

Javier wrapped his arms around her, rocking her gently. "I know, Harper. I know," he murmured in Spanish, glancing up at María, who nodded, her face drawn and pale. He hated seeing his children in pain, and a part of him wished he could take her gift from her, but he knew this was for her own good in the end.

María knelt beside them, brushing Harper's hair from her sweat-dampened forehead. "It's your gift, Harper," she said softly, though the words were heavy. "You have the sight, the same gift from the Ancestors. You're starting to see things—things that haven't happened yet. It's called Foreseeing."

Harper shook her head, confused. "I don't want to see things, Mamá. I want it to stop. Please make it stop." She buried her face into Javier's chest, sobs wracking her body. She just wanted to be normal.

María exchanged a look with Javier, her heart aching at the fear in their daughter's voice. "I wish I could, mija," she whispered, her hand trembling as she held Harper's face gently. "But this is a part of you now. It's something you will learn to control, to understand. But right now, it feels overwhelming because it's new."

Javier's voice was soft but firm. "I was about your age when I had my first vision. I remember being scared, too. It was hard—terrifying even. But we are here with you. We'll help you learn how to manage it, how to understand what you're seeing."

Harper's sobs quieted slightly, though she still shook, her hands gripping the front of Javier's shirt as if he were the only thing keeping her grounded. "But I don't understand... why me?"

María sighed, tears welling in her own eyes as she looked down at her daughter. "The Ancestors chose you, Harper. They've given you this gift because they know you can bear it. And you will be stronger for it. I know it's hard to believe now, but you will."

Javier nodded, wiping away Harper's tears with his thumb. "It's a part of who you are. It may feel like a burden now, but in time, it will help you—help all of us. And we'll be with you every step of the way."

Harper looked between them, her face still pale, but her sobs had quieted. She buried her face into her father's chest, trembling but beginning to calm. "I don't want to see bad things anymore," she whispered.

María's voice was soft and tender, though her heart ached. "I know, mija. I know. But together, we'll get through this. You're not alone."

Javier kissed the top of Harper's head, his voice a quiet promise. "You're stronger than you think, Harper. And you'll never have to face any of this on your own. Your Mamá and Papá are here for you, always. Your Abuleo and Abuela too."

As the weight of their words settled into the small room, Harper's breathing began to steady, though the fear lingered. The future loomed ahead of her, uncertain and filled with the visions she could not yet control. But for now, she was safe in her parents' arms, held tightly by the two people who understood the heavy burden she now carried.

Javier stayed in the room with Harper, and María left the room when she heard a knock on the door.

The door to the small house creaked open, and Miguel stepped inside, followed closely by Lara. Their faces were full of concern as they hurried in, glancing between Javier and María, who stood near the hearth. Harper sat curled up on a chair, pale and trembling, her hands gripping the edge of a blanket.

"Is she alright?" Miguel asked, his voice filled with worry as his gaze fell on Harper. Lara moved quickly to Harper's side, kneeling next to her, brushing a hand through the young girl's hair.

María sighed softly, her eyes filled with both pride and sadness as she met Miguel's questioning look. "She got her first vision," María said, her voice heavy with understanding. "It hit her hard."

Lara's hand froze mid-stroke. "A vision?" she whispered, glancing between María and Harper. "Already? But she's only ten."

María nodded, glancing at Javier. "Yes. It was strong. She saw something—something dark. But she'll be alright. She's strong, like her father." She gave Harper a gentle smile, but her expression betrayed the gravity of what Harper had experienced.

Harper looked up at them, her wide eyes still distant, as if part of her was still trapped in that battlefield. She clutched the blanket tighter around her shoulders. "It felt so real," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

Miguel exchanged a worried look with Lara, his brow furrowing. "You'll need to guide her through it," he said softly to María, but his eyes never left Harper. "The first one is always the hardest."

Lara placed a kiss on Harper's forehead, her voice soft and soothing. "You're going to be alright, Harper. We're all here for you."

Harper leaned against Lara, closing her eyes. "I was so scared." She buried her face into Lara's neck.

"I know Chiquita, but it'll pass." Lara whispered.

Harper felt some comfort by her words, but she knew deep down, nothing was ever going to be normal again.