Spirits Returning

Not Together

She could feel it. The ground was one. It had an aura like no other. Even the two boulders that loomed over the grassy land was trying to find its way back, it's aura begging to be reconnected to its core.

But at the same point, she was connected. Everyone assumes that you are not the earth. That somehow you are disconnected. But when your feet come off the ground they urn to come back down. The will of the planet forces you back.

Sydney could feel everyone's aura. As long as they weren't too far away and she tapped into her ability to see through the earthen ground, and as long as it was in the atmosphere, she could sense them.

If only Tiber was that easy.

It had been four days. Four days to grieve for her family member. She wasn't going to say favorite family member cause she wasn't sure if Mya would disagree. A bar fight, they had called it. Two large men took him out, probably drunk. They stabbed him in the alley way next to the bar. No body had seen them since. Their descriptions: long faces, shiny golden armor almost like the Tribe Leader guards wore, lightly tanned, tall, both seemed so alike that they'd be twins.

Four days. Now, ironically, four days until Sydney Patterson is deemed Prime Tribe Leader for the Rachandra Tribe. Four more days and her older brother, Tiberius Patterson, would've been pronounced Prime Tribe Leader. 

Four more days and her eternal misery would begin. She didn't want to become the Prime Tribe Leader. She just wanted to practice her "Earthen Shift" as some people called it, with a previous "Shifter".

Of course, the oldest of the line of the current Prime Leader must take that leader's place. Sydney's father, Eric Patterson, was over joyed to hear that his favorite child was going to be Prime Leader. Then he found out what happened to Tiber. Now he never spoke unless it was in a low growl or a demand. Tiber was his pride and joy. Since Sydney's mom left, Tiber had taken charge and kept their father in line. 

Now that born leader was gone. Sydney was left in line to take control of a whole civilization. She did not believe that she was ready or that this was her destiny. And even though her father loved her, he did not like this either.

"You know you can't ambush me and give me the fifth lecture of the day." Sydney warned, dropping the boulders she was lifting off the ground as she sensed the smooth footsteps creep closer.

"It's been seven hours since you've eaten anything. Six since you came up here. You must be starving."

"I'm starving, but not for food. No food is going to satisfy me, Granpa."

The old man with the black robes and no shoes stepped closer until he was finally sitting beside the girl.

After a few minutes she finally opened her brown eyes to see her Grandpa's light blue eyes staring back. His lean, slightly wrinkled, grey mustached face smiled back at her. "It's a nice view up here. Why must you close your eyes."

"Cause when I look at it I think of all the people I'm going to let down when I become Prime Leader-" Sydney started.

"You won't let anyone down!" Rasheed stated.

"Oh,like I'm not going to let down my father?!"

"Your father does not think you will let him down-"

"Oh and how the hell do you know that?!"

Sydney's Grandfather stayed silent for a long time looking down at the widespread civilization before them.

"Uck!" Sydney said, disgusted and went back to meditating.

"You mustn't fear what will happen." Rasheed said after a long moment. "Your destiny always prevails in the end. Whatever happens was meant to be. You were given shifting-"

"I wasn't given shifting. God, it's like you were born centuries ago!" Sydney said exhausted.

He chuckled, softly. "Sixteen-year-old sarcasm is the best. Oh, how I miss it."

"You should be over it. It was a thousand years ago you had it." Sydney said, tapping into her inner sarcasm.

Rasheed chuckled once more. "Yes I understand how you were born with it. You know the tales how every time a shifter dies another one in each tribe is born with a different ability. I have seen many in my day. When my boy had you and we found out, I was overjoyed. Your father was amazed."

"Wasn't very happy at first, though. Well, at least that's what I remember. With your memory I'm surprised you remembered what you had for breakfast this morning." Sydney continued.

"You can stop with the old jokes now. It only covers your pain and your fear." Rasheed continued.

"Well maybe I want my pain and my fear to be covered. Maybe I just want to be left alone."

Rasheed sighed. "I was sent here to deliver a message from your father. He said it was urgent you get it before he changes his mind."

"My father never changes his mind. And whatever it is he can stick it back down his throat. If you haven't noticed he hasn't been the dad I used to know lately. When he starts being that dad, call me."

Rasheed smiled. "Well, I guess you won't be attending the Returning Festival, then."

"Why in the world would my father want me to attend the-........ is this what I think it is?" Sydney asked, slowly opening her eyes.

"Depends. What do you think it is?" Rasheed asked.

"Don't know for sure. Why don't you tell me?" Sydney replied.

"Your father would like you to come to the Returning Moon Festival to see him." He said. "Sydney, he wants you to be the one to see your brother."

Sydney's eyes widened. "That only happens once in a decade. It'll be ten years until Dad can see him again. Why me?"

Rasheed shrugged, a sly smile appearing on his face. "Who knows. Your father bolted into my room today and told me to get up, get dressed, and tell you that you are coming to the Returning Moon Festival to see your brother at his alter."

Sydney's eyes stayed wide and her mouth opened. On the night of the Returning Moon, a blue moon that appears once every decade, the blue light that cascaded over the land made it possible for the spirits of the lost to return from wherever they go, find the alters that are made for them and talk to one loved one the whole night until the moon disappears. Sydney's father was confident that he'd be the one to see Tiber in two days on the Returning Moon Festival. It was quite a shock to hear that he was telling the child he yelled at the day before to get out of bed to now go be an honored guest as someone to participate in the ritual of the Returning Moon.

"You-you think I'm ready?" Sydney asked.

"To be accepted into the ritual of the Returning Moon, or to see your brother again?"

"Both."