Solstice

Chapter 4

I was sitting when I woke up. In a hard, metal chair, in front of a hard, metal table. The room around me was white, and harsh lights shone down from the ceiling.

"Iris."

I whipped around, almost giving myself whiplash as I turned my body towards the voice.

"Iris Holloway." It wasn't a question, but rather a statement.

"Yes," I said uncertainly.

The woman's face relaxed, and her eyes shone with relief.

"Why am I here?"

"You have been chosen Iris."

"Chosen for what exactly?"

She gave me a sympathetic smile, and pulled her dark hair over one shoulder. "Why don't we start simple," she offered. "My name is Giana. I am on the council for a tribe of witches and enchantresses in a world called Solstice. We require your help."

"You've got to be kidding me," I said after a moment, trying hard not to laugh.

She raised her eyebrows.

"Okay," I started slowly. "So there's a parallel universe to mine called Solstice."

Giana nodded.

"And this world is made up of witches and, what did you call them?"

"Enchantresses," she reminded me.

"Right. So Solstice is made up of witches and enchantresses, and you need my help?" I stared at her with a wary expression.

"Yes. There is a rival tribe to us. We are the Pale People; we represent light. They are the Dark Ones; they represent darkness.

"There has been tension between us for many generations, but now that famine has struck the land, they want what little we have for themselves. We can barely feed our own families, and we are not prepared to give them what they so much desire. We are expecting a war."

I ran my hands across my face, processing all the information that has just been thrown at me. I was skeptical, of course, but there was something about this woman that made me want to believe her. So in that second, I decided to.

"Okay," I breathed out, "so where do I come into all of this?"

Giana smiled kindly at me. "We have been watching you for many years Iris."

I tried not to think about that statement too much as I listened to her continue.

"Ever since you were born, we all knew you would be an extraordinary person. Never mind your background, it was just obvious."

"My background?" I asked, confused again.

"Your origin of Solstice," Giana looked at me as if I should have known what she was talking about.

I raised my eyebrows and shook my head. "Please explain."

She sighed. "I should have known that Cosimia would not have told you."

"Cosimia?" I was getting more confused by the second.

"Ah, right. She would have gone by her earth name back then; Mia."

I inhaled sharply. Mia. My mother, who abandoned me at five years old and who apparently forgot to mention that I came from a family of witches and enchantresses.

"You knew my mom?"

She gave me a sad smile and nodded slightly.

"She was one of our most experienced witches. I have no doubt that you will be able to replicate her same powers."

"Powers?" This was all becoming very hard to believe.

"Yes. Powers."

I pinched the bridge of my nose between two fingers. "Okay, you're going to have to explain this all to me in great detail so that I can try to understand."

Giana sighed and looked slightly annoyed with my lack of knowledge, but started to talk anyways. "I'll start from the beginning is that alright?" She asked.

I nodded.

"Alright. So in the beginning, the Pale People and the Dark Ones lived in peace. We required no name, for we were one. Then, people started questioning the beliefs of our leader, and we split. We, the Pale People; keeping peace and tending the land, and they, the Dark Ones; resorting to evil ways. Capturing our people, torture, murder, among other things. We went through many periods of suffering, but somehow, we always seemed to keep it civil. These times, Iris, these are dark times. Famine has struck the farthest reaches of the land. There is not enough for everyone. The Dark Ones want what we have, and they have been developing their skills and harnessing their powers to get it. Once the war breaks out, we will have little chance. This is where you come in, Iris."

I stared at her, slowly starting to comprehend what had happened in this strange land that I came from.

"Your mother was always our strongest enchantress. There is a prophecy that one day, in our darkest times, a saviour will appear. One with powers stronger than even our strongest. One who will defeat our rivals, and save the land of Solstice."

I was gazing at her in bewilderment then. "And you think this saviour is me?"

She nodded. "You have shown all the qualities we need."

I shook my head and closed my eyes. "No, you can't be talking about me. You've got the wrong person. I'm nothing special..." I trailed off.

"Oh, but you are," Giana said in a soft voice.

"No-"

"Will you help us, Iris?" She reached her hand out to me slowly and-

I bolted upright in my bed, heart pounding, and hands shaking. My breath was coming in short gasps as I gripped the sheets tightly in my fists.

"What are you doing?" Arden mumbled from her side of the room.

"Sorry..." I whispered, but I wasn't entirely sure who I was saying it to.