Gifted

Chapter 2 : The Earth As Witness

Andrew's P.O.V

I opened my eyes and suddenly fear gripped my heart as I realized I was in a room I didn't recognize. I tried to recollect what happened, then the devastating images of what had just occurred flashed before my eyes. "It can't be real", I thought, tears clouding my vision. Just then a man clad in armor came in. He looked completely out of place in the room which had a very modern and sophisticated ambiance which contrasted his rustic medieval look.

Upon seeing the stranger I wiped away my tears and got into a defensive stance (friendly reminder - I'm a judo black belt). For some reason I wanted to direct my anger towards this random stranger who could possible be my kidnapper, or worse, the guy who caused the catastrophe. I neglected the voice inside my head and demanded him to tell me who he was, why I was here, if he was responsible for what happened and so on and so forth.

The man smiled at me with such radiance that for a moment I forget all my worries and grievances and just savored the divine magnificence of the man. At that moment I felt a sharp pain piercing my heart, with the pain came all the images and memories of every sin I ever committed or so I thought. The pain increased with every fragment of sin until the pain was too much to bear and I passed out.

I awoke again in the same room with the same man, now standing parallel to me. He told me to get up and strengthen myself. His voice had such power and authority that one might've mistaken him for a deity of some sort. I got up as he told me to, but I could not find strength nor the will to rejuvenate my resilience. I had given in to the assumption of my impending doom at the hands of this peculiar man. I despaired thinking that all I loved was lost.

Just then, the man starting speaking again, he said to me, "O! Child of corruption and malignity! Do ye not comprehend the meaning of this meeting? Do ye not have faith in thy Creator? Ye have been chosen. Yes! Indeed! Chosen! Thou shalt spread the Holy Light. Accept thy fate, accept thy Gift. What say you? What say you child?".

Chills ran down my spine as I heard him speak. But I was at a loss. I couldn't deduce what he meant. Me, a child? That too of corruption and malignity? Who says that? And what did he mean by Gifts and fate? I was already confused but this just topped it off - A meteor crashed killing everyone within its radius but mysteriously, I am left unscathed, then I am kidnapped by a madman who talks like he's from God knows which century and he goes on and blabbers about things that makes no sense to me. What a great day!

I then asked the man to explain what he meant. He then revealed to me his identity and tried to answer my questions.

The strange man's name was Raphael and he told me that the Earth had chosen me and wanted to bestow a Gift upon. What I do with the Gift depends upon me but Raphael obstinately insisted I use it for good.

I laughed so hard after hearing what he had to say. He just confirmed that he's not mentally stable.

Raphael stood up indignantly and out of no where wings sprouted from his back and a halo appeared around his head. This scared the life out of me.

He warned me not to take his word lightly and that I heed every word he said. He then goes on to tell me that in order to receive my gift I would have to form a contract with him.

My heart raced so fast and thumped so hard I thought that it would break my chest apart. I couldn't believe what I was hearing and seeing. Could all this be true? Could this be really happening?

I snapped out of my inner monologue. Raphael then said that he couldn't reveal any more until I formed a contract with him. If I refused I could just walk out of the room and I would forget everything that came to pass. However, forming the contact meant that I would forever be in danger. That was the price of the Gift, the price of knowledge and of secrets.

At that moment I realized that the room I was in was the room in my head I would escape to whenever I felt scared and overwhelmed. There was something about modern, sophisticated rooms painted white that always seemed to soothe my nerves. This realization scared me even more, making me hesitant to seal the deal.

I asked Raphael where we were again, to which he replied,"Thy inner sanctum". I asked him if he meant my head to which his reply was,"Yes". With voice trembling and shaking I asked him how this was possible. All he said was that the Earth holds secrets unknown to all living beings, until now. Raphael continued to say that the Earth was selecting a chosen few to be enlighten with these secrets, for what reason he cannot say.

I then asked him who he was but refused to answer until I formed a contract with him. My mind was filled with questions whose answers no one could give me. Raphael then told me that accepting the contract would allow me to find out why all those people, my best friend Grace, was killed.

Killed?

What do you mean!?

Tell me Raphael!?

Tell me!!

*Raphael remains silent*

My curiosity deepened and I was driven with new fervor to unravel these mysteries and I was filled to the brim with anger. Raphael advised that it would not be wise to form the contract under such a state of mind but I told him to proceed anyway.

Raphael then unsheathed an ornate sword and drove it through my heart.

This astounded me and the pain was excruciating.

Just then I heard Raphael say under his breath,"The contract has been sealed".

I passed out again.