The Phoenix Series: Sacrifice

Chapter 3: The Beginning

Suddenly I’m thrust into another vision; however, it has a different feel to it, almost like we’re in the past, but at the same time another world altogether. Besides the buildings and houses, everything looks relatively the same; although it is somewhat hotter here than back at home and there are countless light beams streaming through the clouds, making the clouds seem almost nonexistent. I’m sitting in what looks to be the same spot for which I had been sitting before my vision overtook me; except the tree is practically a shrub, looking to have been just recently planted, or at least in comparison to the other tree. Getting a better look, the shrub is about 10 feet tall and maybe a foot and a half in diameter.

 I don’t know how, but I have this feeling telling me that this vision is slightly different then my other ones. In my mind, I go to reach for the tree; however, nothing happens, my body doesn’t respond to my instructions. I can then tell that I don’t have an effect on what’s happening; basically I’m just here for the show. What’s weird is that I feel as though I’m in my own body; like we are one in the same, the same soul from two different time periods. We both are fully aware of each other and can exchange each other’s memories.

Curious I file through my new found memories and find that this body’s’ name is Yelena and she’s a four-hundred fifty three year old Seriphiel. It’s the year 1000 in a time period called the Medieval Optimum. At this knowledge I question whether or not this is a dream or vision.

Although some things are slightly odd or out of place; such as my hair is much longer than I remember it being, in fact it reaches further than the bottom of my feet; the coloring is also quite strange, depending on the way the light hits it, at times it looks brown while others it looks silver or blonde. My back feels different, slightly burdened but in a good way. Reaching my hand to scratch my back, I hit something unexpectedly soft and feathery. Uneasy to find out what it is, I slowly turn my head towards my back.

Protruding from my shoulder blades are two wings, completely covered in silver blue feathers. Curious I go to touch one of the wings, and what’s kind of creepy is that I can feel it being touched. “Oh My God, look at my wings!”

From out of nowhere, someone chuckles, “what about them, they’re no different from yesterday or the day before that or from a few minutes ago for that matter.”

Turning my head to see around the tree, I find a young man leaning against the trunk. He has soft blue eyes, the color of the ocean on a clear summer’s day and long brown hair, in a ponytail, which is so light it looks almost blonde. He’s wearing some sort of brown tunic or something and just like me, he has wings, except I have just two silver blue wings and he has four light purple that are probably twice the size of mine. Chuckling I sigh, “I don’t know . . .” Forgetting why I freaked out about them in the first place.

Standing up and walking around the tree, he offers his hand to help me get up. “Did you have a nice nap; you never know if Lilith will be attacking today. Are you prepared?”

Wiping the dirt and grass off my clothes, I look up into his eyes. Seeing the worry and heartache in them, I turn my head and observe the scenery. “As ready as I’ll ever be. I know what I have to do, but god only knows what the outcome will be.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Muscles I never knew I had are contracting in my back as I take off into the sky. It’s so unusual seeing the world from this point of view, everything is like a giant painting, so many small details that make up a puzzle, things you could never see on the ground. It’s an amazing feeling, just like running but better. The horizon is so much larger from up here than when you are on the ground, the wind is colder but it’s not an unwelcome cold. The people are so small they leave practically no impression on the scenery below. Trees of many colors make it look like splotches of color on a canvas. While the mountains are just as close as they were on the ground, almost as if they want to reach the clouds as much as I do. All around me, I can feel the purity in the air, untouched by future technology.

As we get closer to the clouds, I look up and see hundreds maybe even thousands of people with wings, even though the number of wings vary per person, it’s still amazing. It makes you wonder what the significance in numbers is; and just as I finish the thought, I know the answer. It appears almost like a piece of paper in my head probably used to study at some point:

No wings-uncommon; punishment

2 wings-born once every few centuries, most powerful (archangel/Seriphiel)

3 wings-Army Captains; third wing is a barrier

4 wings-Ancients; healers

5 wings-Warriors; fifth wing is a barrier

6 wings-Most common

8 wings-Guardians

They are quite similar to the angels you hear about in legends, but they are actually a different species, called Seraphs. The angels that have 3 or 5 wings don’t actually have the extra wing; rather it’s invisible and its purpose is to be like a barrier or shield. Seraphs can live longer depending on how powerful their magic is; however, the common lifespan of a Seraph is about 200-300 years. They can see souls and ghosts, exchange memories, are psychics, empaths, and can do various others things depending on each individual’s strength. They live in the heavens and in a small town just below, named White Haven. The crows are the gatekeepers to the heavens above, and the only way to get through is by flying through a beam of light into the clouds, which happen to be the gateways. The Seraphs have been in constant conflict with the Mara for centuries and Lilith is their leader.

Still unsure about a lot of things, I pick through my memory a little bit more and come across something most unusual, a prophecy that was foretold by some of the Ancients, about me. . .?

“Yelena, there will come a time when you will have to make a very difficult choice, but what you choose to do will not only affect you and our people, but also your reincarnations. One in particular will be most affected, her name will be Sayta and her decision will forever change the world.”

The closer we get the more details I see and am amazed by, such as crows opening and closing the gateways preparing for the upcoming battle. Everyone stops flying to greet me as I near them, and they all show great respect when they do so.  

Flying through the gateway, we arrive. It’s almost instinctive, how my wings stop flapping and we slowly glide to a stop. You would think that it would be nothing but clouds above just as below; however, it looks just like any other town at wintertime. The ground is white, which makes it look like snow and the buildings are made of brick. The only noticeable difference is that there are no trees. Even the clouds are solid, guess there’s more to a cloud than just air and water.

Smiling, I turn my head to look at the man that accompanied me and find that he has already started walking away. About to call out to the man, I realize I don’t know his name when my mouth automatically calls out, “Joseph! Where are you going?”

Turning back to look at me, I see deep feelings hidden in the depths of his eyes. “To the sanctuary, of course,” he calls over his shoulder.

Hitting my head with the palm of my hand, “Oh yeah, gosh, where is my head today?” Laughing, I jog to catch up to Joseph.

Chuckling, he reaches out to my head and runs his hands through my hair, “Miss Yelena, your head is always up in the clouds; sometimes you make me wonder.”

Crossing my arms over my chest I defensively retort, “Not true, if it were then I’d probably be dead already.”

Dropping his hand away from my hair he says, “I guess you have a point there, Lilith never leaves you alone, and today shall probably be no exception.”

Looking at all of the people rushing from one destination to another, I wonder what will happen to them by tomorrow. “Today I have to make a decision, and I have no idea what it will be; I just hope that it’ll be the right one.”