A Perfect World

Chapter 18

“Mehatia Ketaxi Danem Haiwa’s Sca’atar,” I mutter, my eyes gently closed, holding a small, blue crystal shard between my palms. I feel the warmth of my charm almost burning my hands as I finish my chant, “Ra’aktie Suate Neam.” The warmth fades, momentarily sending an ice-cold chill through my body before I open my eyes. The room looks the same, but the people don’t. Chamberlynn has long, flowing white hair fluttering in the air as if underwater, her eyes bluer than the clearest ocean or the most beautiful crystals. Her skin is fair and snowy-colored, her silken, white dress fluttering around her in a similar way to her hair, strips of silver, white, blue, and gold fabric flowing gently.

I almost drop the crystal in surprise, by Chamberlynn holds my hands in hers, the sensation of touching something so elegant almost overwhelming. She smiles, letting go of my hands tentatively, and says in a voice like the gentle breeze on a warm, spring day, fluttering through the trees, almost too beautiful to describe in words a human could comprehend, “I assume it worked, by the look on your face,” Her laugh like sleigh bells in the winter, making me lose any focus I may have had, “Yeah. Definitely, you- you're beautiful,” I say, starstruck, “Oh, I’m not the only one, but thank you. I always thought Temmy was prettier,” She says, smiling ever so slightly.

I shift so I can see Templa, working across the room with Emory, and see a woman dressed in a gown that touches the floor, covered in shades of yellow, blue, and red, her dark brown hair falling down her back in perfect curls, bouncing gracefully at the slightest shift of her head. She shifts so I can see her face, and I can see that her eyes are dark brown, a spot of light catching them for a half second and turning them the color of honey, or gold. Her skin is dark tan, only a shade or two lighter than mine, but a hundred times more beautiful. I can hear her talking to Emory, her voice smooth, like ice cream that has only just begun to melt.

I turn my gaze to Mascherry and see a woman dressed in a white, blue, and orange dress. The sleeves are long and black, made of super sheer fabric to show her dark, Madelironian skin as a background to the glittering, gemstone stars on her sleeves, her short, black, wavy hair a full 2 or three inches from the back of her dress collar. The top part of her dress is the color of fire, reds, oranges, and some yellow swirling like flames across her torso. The skirt of the dress is mainly blue and white, but I spot shades of purple and green occasionally, though it may have been a figment of my imagination. I can see her glittering, lavender eyes twinkling with hidden joy and sadness reflecting the colored light of Claire’s spell, stars showing on her irises.

“You’re all so beautiful,” I say, turning back to Chamberlynn, “Why can’t people see you without The Deity’s Talisman?” I ask, holding the 2-inch-long crystal, colored like the ocean, the sky, fire, and earth all at once, but separately, in my palm, soft light shimmering in its very essence of existence.

“No one knows,” She says, fidgeting with another crystal shard from the stand next to us, “I guess it’s because most mortals just can’t handle it. Some of the others that have seen the true form of a deity end up in asylums.” She explains almost sadly. Her emotions are so much more powerful when I see her like this, that I almost break down in tears. I have to set the crystal down in my lap so I can focus on something other than her. The effects of it linger for a moment, before fading away completely. The world seems dimmer, faded almost, without the presence of the deities’ more powerful, godly forms.

“Sorry,” I apologize, blinking for a moment to clear my vision of stars, “I couldn’t focus.”

“Oh, it’s alright,” Chamberlynn says, her plainer giggle almost a surprise after hearing her real, more elegant, angelic laughter, “I’ve heard the real forms of deities can be overwhelming.”

“You heard right then, I couldn’t focus on anything,” I say with a slight chuckle.

“Want me to teach you another charm?” She says with an amused grin.