Opposites: The Staff of Light [Book One]

1. Daughters of A Curse

How thrilling... Here I stand by the window of the hospital, clutching a knife in my hands. Your pathetic mother lays there, her stomach bulging. Pregnant for nine months and a day... I can smell your soul, little one. I know you're there. And you shall bring me what I demand when you grow up... the Staff... sadly, I'll have to kill you and your kind...

I know you can feel me. Yes, truly, you are gifted of the intelligence that dreaded sister of mine has casted upon you. Unfortunately, she'll suffer for doing that. I'll get her... the same way I'll get you. Both of your blood will spill unto the ground.

I stare at the knife I clasp in my bare hands. Oh, I just cannot wait until this blade will slice into your pathetic little neck...

Enjoy your life while it lasts, my accursed pet. I see the future. You can never save anyone, not even your sister, from harm. I'm coming for you, dear. I'll return for the kill...

Greyson

Another dreaded day passed. From a distance I could see our house, not a light open even for a darkening sky. I pressed on the accelerator with my heart hammering inside my chest. "Celestia?" I called out, my voice echoing through the halls of our home. I paced through every room, almost having hopes up when I discovered an empty bed with messy sheets in our room. "Celestia, where are you?"

As if on cue, my phone rang. "This is Greyson Candum, to whom may I be speaking?" I spoke.

"Good evening, Sir," a female voice answered. Don't let her be dead, I thought. "This is Rebecca Wallace from Lincoln Emergency. Celestia Candum informs me of you being her husband. She-" I turned the call off. My phone almost fell as I froze. In about five seconds after that, I dashed outside, locked the door, and rushed to the hospital.

It felt like minutes while I sat in the waiting area. My leg kept jumping every time a doctor or nurse got out of the emergency room. Let her be okay, God. Let my kids be okay, I prayed. I scanned the other people waiting with me-absolute strangers who kept looking at me when I stood up by accident because of another nurse's exit. Finally, one nurse approached me. I stood up immediately as if a shock went up my spine, pulling me up to my feet. "Mr. Candum," she began, "your wife is waiting for you inside."

"What about the babies?" I asked.

"They're being cleaned," the nurse smiled at me, reaching out an arm towards the emergency room, "Congratulations on your new twins, Sir. This way, please."

I followed her inside and found Celestia laid down on the bed with sweat on her forehead. Two more nurses were at her feet finishing up their cleaning. As they passed me, going out the door, I approached her. Her blue eyes met mine as she cupped my cheeks with her soft weak hands. I tilted my head, letting a grin tugging at my lips. "Oh, honey..." she began, her voice no louder than a whisper. "I did my best. Are they...?"

"Yes, yes, dear," I replied softly, kissing her hand. "You did a great job. The babies are being cleaned." We both looked over to the door as a doctor entered the room and went past us. "So I guess it's official, hon. We're parents. Thank God, they survived. I'm just so happy for us, Celestia. If only you aren't so out of breath, I might have carried you."

She smiled.

A nurse walked into the room carrying one baby and then another nurse with another baby. "Here they are", they said sweetly in unison. They placed the one baby on the bed with Celestia, and the other was given for me to hold in my arms. I observed the one in my arms was awake, looking outside the door. She had cocoa brown hair with wide eyes that wouldn't dare look into mine. As the nurses made their exit, I caressed my daughter's cheek with a hand. Finally, she faces me.

"Celestia, this child doesn't like me," I laughed, still staring into the baby's eyes. The little one was distracted, looking out the door. "What were you looking at out there? You like the colors? One day, I'll teach you every color you have to know." Her eyes casted a gaze on the outside then back at me. What is this girl looking at out there?

I turned to face the other girl in my wife's hands. She had blonde hair-like Celestia's. Something about that felt odd. Why did the other have blonde while the one in my arms had brown? "I'm calling them Alice and Annabeth. This one's Alice," Celestia said, breaking my thoughts. "That's Annabeth. They suit them both." She eyed Annabeth, who was cradled in my arms but once again busy looking outside. "She's a little distracted. What's she looking at, dear?"

"I don't know," I answered. "But don't worry, she's fine. Oh, honey, they're beautiful." I leaned in closer to her. "I also know someone else who's beautiful." I kissed her, letting out every emotion that spun in my mind-joy, confusion... I couldn't tell. I only knew I was a father to twins.

Three days later, we had the babies to take home. In the car, Celestia was beside me, cradling both babies. She sighed halfway through the drive. "Is there something wrong, honey?" I asked her. Her gaze was ever so far away. Something was bothering her.

"I have something to tell you," she told me. "I met a witch that day when I gave birth to Annabeth and Alice. She entered the house with no permission and found me sitting on the bed. She told me that our children were going to die-"

"And they didn't," I added. "That was one crazy witch. Are you sure she was-?"

"Just listen to me!" she snapped. I fell silent. "She wanted to save them. I didn't believe her. She hesitated. A feeling tugged at my stomach upon knowing that our children were marked for death. She saved them... by cursing our daughters, Greyson. She gave them these gifts... so that these could help them survive." She paused for a moment, unable to meet my eyes. Finally, she continued, "She gave one the power of the ice and snow. She gave the other the power of fire. And you know what's weird? I believed her. Heck, she knew my name, she knew you, she knew I carried twins."

I recalled the doctor at the ultrasound clinic when we first saw her. "I'm willing to know about your daughter or son," she said before the exam. "She or he, I bet, is very healthy." I then remembered the surprised look on her face when she saw twins on the screen. The size of my wife's belly didn't say if it were a single child or double. The "witch", somehow, appeared to me as not at all fake.

"I believe you," I replied. "I-I'll do everything I can to help you take care of these two."

Four years passed. We were blessed with a son who'd just turned one. Annabeth and Alice developed into homeschooled kids. I couldn't say about the two. So far I was sure they were not going to get along so well.