She saw herself spinning her own thread.

The two souls, the girl and the guard, paraded through the encampment of the Legion, towards the very center, where the raised platform stood. None of the Wise who tended to their matters in the encampment took mind of them, and the two proceeded unimpeded, arm in arm.

Presently, they reached another fencing of cacti, these colored green instead of the usual gray, where the girl knew she could not turn back. All the time she had come to resist the pain of the Divine fire, all the time spent in meditation and contemplation, would now come to a final end as her plans were finally to begin. Of course, she was not the only soul leading the plan, but one of many, each appointed by one of the Elders.

The party of two stopped at a break in the cacti that formed a doorway of sorts.

“I will ask Elder Adad whether he is free at the moment,” the guard said, releasing her arm.

The girl nodded, realizing that the upcoming moments would decide the fate of the plan. As the guard hurried past the fencing of cacti towards the platform, the girl decided to feel the pain of the flames once more, as a last reminder to why she had been chosen for the plan. She closed her eyes and opened her mind to the golden-red flames that had been constantly licking her feet for many decades. Suddenly, she felt the weight of her memories flooding her soul once more, pushing her very existence farther into the flames.

She saw that she had been a Roma, a gypsy; she saw herself saving a man from a great, dirty river; she saw the consummation of the resultant love; she saw the rejection from all that she and her husband loved; she saw the forbidden fruit, the apple; she saw the orchard where they had settled, under false names; she saw the pity for her own children, some helpless half-breeds; she saw the longing to melt into existence and become a cloud, free to roam; she saw herself spinning her own thread, weaving her own fate; she saw the violation of Divine Law, a law she had never followed; and she saw herself, though this vision was faint and nearly lifeless, melting into the sky, le ciel.

With a grief-wrenched gasp, the girl pulled herself from her memories and once again closed her mind to the flames. The guard had returned, bearing a grim face and an extra weapon. This weapon, a curved blade fashioned from bone and demon’s venom, he strapped to the girl’s soul, on her back, taking his time and care with the elaborate lacing that held the blade’s sheath. The girl felt his fingers linger on her own existence, and though she did not return his affections, she felt the very real, the very life-like feeling of desire, something she had not felt for many, many eons.

Finally the guard finished, having secured the blade. He once again offered his arm to her and she took it, knowing that her moment had finally arrived. He led her to the base of the platform on which the seats of the Elders stood. She fell to her knees, bowed, and touched her fingers to her forehead in the direction of the five Elders that were present.

“You need not show such submissiveness,” said the Elder sitting directly in front of the girl. “Stand and state why you seek our wisdom.”

The girl stood, but kept her head bowed and her eyes on the ground, hoping to convey more humility than she could truly possess. “I speak of the awakening of the Sirens.”

Another Elder, this one somewhere to the left of the girl spoke. “The Sirens have not seen the light of Hell for many, many eons. Why do they flutter their eyes now, where they have not before?”

“The time has come,” the girl said simply. Her fear was beginning to dissipate, now being replaced by confidence.

Another Elder on her left spoke. “You, as one single soul, cannot know the truth and the whole truth. Tell the Elders present this, and only this: who are you? What is your name, your Wisdom?”

As suddenly as confidence had appeared, it vanished. “I am " I am a soul, High Elders.” She faltered, not knowing whether to lie or tell the whole truth.

“Come, come, tell the Elders. We will chastise neither you, nor your words,” a female voice said on her right.

“I " I have no name, High Elders. At least, I have not felt the flames for so long, that I no longer remember my very identity. It is of no bother to me, however, since a nameless person is no less useful than a named one.” The memory of the blue skies lazily stole through her mind.

She heard one of the Elders come down from her throne and come to her side. The Elder, a woman, tilted the girl’s chin and gestured for her to stand tall, proud. “You speak well,” the woman said. Her voice was the only one that had not spoken before. “Yet how can one lead if their underlings know not of whom to rally under? Wherefore should they trust someone who cannot claim to even a name? And Adad cannot address you by saying ‘girl’; ‘twould be dishonorable.”

The second voice spoke. “You speak well, Athena.” He too came to the girl’s side. She noticed this Elder’s face was obscured by paint, fashioned in the way of a bird, whereas the woman was dressed in simple armor, her face calm but her eyes bright. “Child, we must give you a proper name. Is there anything you wish to associate with yourself?”

The girl shook her head. “Perhaps I could seek my Living name…”

The Elder with the paint frowned. “The name of the Living is only that. You, because you are a soul, must take a new name. How is it that a soul is called by the name that may have restrained him, and not his true name? Wherefore are they bound to the restraint?” He turned to Athena. “You must decide. It feels as though it is written, o Athena.”

The woman, Athena, closed her eyes for a moment before speaking to the painted man. “I do not question what you know, Thoth, therefore I will do what you ask.” She turned to the remaining three Elders, who the girl noticed were listening intently. “I will name this girl, Métis, Odin, Omoikane, but with your permission.”

The two male Elders nodded; the female, Métis, whispered, “Of course.”

Athena turned back to the girl, smiling, and gazed into her eyes. Presently, the Elder leaned down to the girl’s side and whispered, “You will be Cielle, child, for your dreams and your homeland, to which, though you have not felt the flames, you are rooted still.”

The girl, now Cielle, did not know what to think of the way things had turned out. Realizing that she was rather panicked, she collected herself and bowed towards all the Elders on the platform. “Thank you High Elders,” she spoke, “for your kind wisdom and favor. But I still have a purpose to fulfill, and I would humbly request that I might speak to the Highest Elder Anselm Adad.”

The Elders Athena and Thoth returned to the platform, looking directly behind Cielle. A voice, quite unlike the other Elders’ voice, rung out behind her. “He is behind you, child.” Cielle turned to face a soul quite unlike any other that she had seen in her time under the punishment of the Divine. “Will you not grace him with your presence?”

Reviews

[marisa starkilicious]

The fates were against me reading this chapter. But I'm glad to have dinally found the time since I've been eagerly awaiting.

I had a feeling they'd name her Cielle. It means 'sky' or 'heavenly', no? This story feels very dreamlike, and it just carries me along. I still enjoy your writing, and there are no grammar, spelling, et al errors that I can see. The editor in me is disappointed, but the reader in me is overjoyed.


Before I do my rambling thing, I must say what a nice job you did. I cannot wait to see how everything comes together and what "Cielle's" objective is. Please continue on. :)

[Geralyn Miller]

A confusion of mythologies; yet, I want more, another chapter,l please!!

[Vannah]

i love this. It's very interesting.