The kaleidoscope of colours that made up what was left of Jessica’s sight went crazy as soon as they stepped into the house; she could feel walls shifting; things seemed out of place here. Like Alice in Wonderland, or worse, Alice through the damned looking glass. They were sitting in a sunlit room; she could feel the light warm against the curve of her cheek.
“Have you Seen anything useful, girl?”
The voice itself was scary enough, and it did not help in the slightest that Jazzy knew what she looked like from the Sight.
“I Saw enough to bring me here,” Jessica replied nervously.
“Brilliant, you’re here, now See more.”
“Go easy on her, Witch Queen,” Jazzy heard Michael say, an edge creeping into his voice. He faltered, however, under the gaze that was turned on him; Jazzy didn’t need her eyes to be able to feel those eyes; they would have set a blaze to icicles.
“I’m new at this,” Jessica said quietly, “it’s only been two days.”
“I knew Morrigan, she was a Cassandrian like no other. Trust her to die inconveniently and leave me with...this to work with,” Medea replied.
“Now, now, Mercedes, you’re being snappy,” Achilles chided.
“My great-mother’s name was Morgan,” Jazzy said softly.
“It used to be Morrigan,” Medea snapped.
“Well, I knew her as Morgan, and I’m sorry if you feel slighted,” Jessica told her, her voice sharper than she realised, “I know these things: the Dreamer that the Morning Star has is slowly losing her grip on reality. I know we must bring her back soon. That is all.”
“Perhaps I can jog your Sight along,” Medea murmured, apparently completely disregarding what had been said. Jessica started back, but could not escape the carefully-manicured fingers that caught her chin, viciously.
“See.”
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
LIV: Flirtation
“That is the strangest house I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen quite a few houses over the centuries,” Michael stated as he brought the car to a halt in front of the house that Jessica indicated with a ‘stop here!’.
“It feels weird too, like it’s a corner house only it’s not on a corner.”
“Well, it is on a corner,” Michael told her, “only it doesn’t look like it was to start with. What the hell happened to this place?”
“If this is the captured Dreamer’s house I’d say it has something to do with the power of Reveille.”
“Most likely, it’s certainly nothing from my people.”
With Michael’s help she made it to the front door and rang the bell. Jessica realised her heart was beating really fast; what on earth was she doing here, the only reason why she was here at all was because of what she had Seen.
“Yes?”
The door cracked open, and Michael was taken aback by the handsome masculine face that peered out. He heard Jazzy gasp and found himself switching his vision to the Divine Sight. The stranger blazed with age-old energy that outdated Michael and his kin.
“You must be one of the Trojans,” Michael said.
The door opened revealing a handsome figure to follow the golden-hair-framed face.
“Greek, actually. You must be an Arc, and damn, you really are as pretty as they say. Which one are you?”
“My name is Michael.”
“Ah, the Sword. Charmed. I’m Achilles – Andreas in this time,” the old hero looked at Jessica and raised an eyebrow, “and the little lady?”
“Jessica Mirkhill,” Jazzy said before Michael could introduce her.
Achilles’ eyes narrowed.
“As in ‘Morgan Mirkhill’, you are the one who Sees?”
“I am.”
“Finally, maybe now we’ll get some answers, come in.”
“It feels weird too, like it’s a corner house only it’s not on a corner.”
“Well, it is on a corner,” Michael told her, “only it doesn’t look like it was to start with. What the hell happened to this place?”
“If this is the captured Dreamer’s house I’d say it has something to do with the power of Reveille.”
“Most likely, it’s certainly nothing from my people.”
With Michael’s help she made it to the front door and rang the bell. Jessica realised her heart was beating really fast; what on earth was she doing here, the only reason why she was here at all was because of what she had Seen.
“Yes?”
The door cracked open, and Michael was taken aback by the handsome masculine face that peered out. He heard Jazzy gasp and found himself switching his vision to the Divine Sight. The stranger blazed with age-old energy that outdated Michael and his kin.
“You must be one of the Trojans,” Michael said.
The door opened revealing a handsome figure to follow the golden-hair-framed face.
“Greek, actually. You must be an Arc, and damn, you really are as pretty as they say. Which one are you?”
“My name is Michael.”
“Ah, the Sword. Charmed. I’m Achilles – Andreas in this time,” the old hero looked at Jessica and raised an eyebrow, “and the little lady?”
“Jessica Mirkhill,” Jazzy said before Michael could introduce her.
Achilles’ eyes narrowed.
“As in ‘Morgan Mirkhill’, you are the one who Sees?”
“I am.”
“Finally, maybe now we’ll get some answers, come in.”
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
LIII: Rendezvous
“We have to go,” Jessica exclaimed, frustrated by her new disability. She wanted to be moving, to grab her coat and get into a car.
“Where are we going?” Michael asked, pressing her coat into her hands and steering her in the direction of the door.
“There’s a house…in Mirrorgrove, there’s a young Dreamer there, and a cat, and - ”
“‘The Queen of Witches’?” Michael quoted.
“That’s the first thing that popped into my head when I saw her.”
“What did she look like?” Michael asked.
They were in the elevator now, she could feel the space around her and heard the doors slide open and shut.
“Tall, beautiful. She had black hair, pale skin. I donno. She reminded me of that fairy-tale description of Snow-white. You know?”
“‘Raven-black hair, skin pale as snow, lips red as roses’ or whatever?”
“That. She was terrifying. I could feel her power, and it wasn’t…nice.”
“Medea then, thankfully.”
“The Sight shows me a terrifying red witch lady and you’re saying thanks?” Jazzy breathed, confused, “didn’t you hear me when I said she was ‘terrifying’?! She’s with the Dreamer child.”
“Yeah, I heard you – mind your step – but Medea is, for the most part, on our side.”
“What do you mean ‘for the most part’?”
“Ever heard of the missing Romanov princess Anastazcia?”
“Russian Revolution urban legend stuff, sure.”
“Ares gave her into Medea’s keeping to keep her safe, so that the Czar’s family would have some sort of direct descension.”
“So she’s alive?” Jessica breathed.
“Er…not exactly,” Michael told her, helping her into the car, “see…Medea doesn’t deal well with children. They say that by the time a decision could be made, the Witch had lost her temper, and the girl was in several pieces. So if she’s with the Dreamer child…”
“Where are we going?” Michael asked, pressing her coat into her hands and steering her in the direction of the door.
“There’s a house…in Mirrorgrove, there’s a young Dreamer there, and a cat, and - ”
“‘The Queen of Witches’?” Michael quoted.
“That’s the first thing that popped into my head when I saw her.”
“What did she look like?” Michael asked.
They were in the elevator now, she could feel the space around her and heard the doors slide open and shut.
“Tall, beautiful. She had black hair, pale skin. I donno. She reminded me of that fairy-tale description of Snow-white. You know?”
“‘Raven-black hair, skin pale as snow, lips red as roses’ or whatever?”
“That. She was terrifying. I could feel her power, and it wasn’t…nice.”
“Medea then, thankfully.”
“The Sight shows me a terrifying red witch lady and you’re saying thanks?” Jazzy breathed, confused, “didn’t you hear me when I said she was ‘terrifying’?! She’s with the Dreamer child.”
“Yeah, I heard you – mind your step – but Medea is, for the most part, on our side.”
“What do you mean ‘for the most part’?”
“Ever heard of the missing Romanov princess Anastazcia?”
“Russian Revolution urban legend stuff, sure.”
“Ares gave her into Medea’s keeping to keep her safe, so that the Czar’s family would have some sort of direct descension.”
“So she’s alive?” Jessica breathed.
“Er…not exactly,” Michael told her, helping her into the car, “see…Medea doesn’t deal well with children. They say that by the time a decision could be made, the Witch had lost her temper, and the girl was in several pieces. So if she’s with the Dreamer child…”
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
LII: Coordination
Michael helped Jazzy move around her apartment. She had lived here since the death of her parents. It had been hard at first, being mostly alone, and so young; a fourteen-year-old girl by herself with a largely absentee guardian sometimes had it rough, but Jazzy got along fine, somehow she always did. Unfortunately, for all that she was in familiar territory she was having trouble remembering where everything was and what the layout of the room was.
“You’re trying too hard,” Michael pointed out when she nearly tripped over a footstool, “your body knows where everything is, just trust it.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Jessica mumbled sourly, “you keep saying that. I never really had any eye-hand coordination, now it seems like I don’t have any coordination whatsoever.”
“It’ll come back, honey girl,” he said, trying to reassure her, “just give it time.”
“Hey, do you think that I can get out of phys. ed. now?”
“I hadn’t thought of it.”
“I guess I’ll have to try to explain it to them, somehow. Being a liberated teen is kinda hard,” she said and her blind eyes went wide with sudden shock.
“What? Jazz?”
“I can’t read anymore…” she whispered, blinding reaching her hand for his.
Michael took it and squeezed it gently.
“Guess you’re going to have to learn how read Braille?”
“I guess,” she murmured despondently, “if I’d known that it would’ve – ”
She had gone still, Seeing; a living room, a cat asleep on a brown sofa, a child playing on the floor. The child was surrounded by a strange green-blue light. The view changed, and Jessica started. The woman was tall, taller than any woman she had ever seen before, surrounded by darkness that was steeped in blood. So much power there.
“The Witch Queen,” she whispered, knowing instantly.
“You’re trying too hard,” Michael pointed out when she nearly tripped over a footstool, “your body knows where everything is, just trust it.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Jessica mumbled sourly, “you keep saying that. I never really had any eye-hand coordination, now it seems like I don’t have any coordination whatsoever.”
“It’ll come back, honey girl,” he said, trying to reassure her, “just give it time.”
“Hey, do you think that I can get out of phys. ed. now?”
“I hadn’t thought of it.”
“I guess I’ll have to try to explain it to them, somehow. Being a liberated teen is kinda hard,” she said and her blind eyes went wide with sudden shock.
“What? Jazz?”
“I can’t read anymore…” she whispered, blinding reaching her hand for his.
Michael took it and squeezed it gently.
“Guess you’re going to have to learn how read Braille?”
“I guess,” she murmured despondently, “if I’d known that it would’ve – ”
She had gone still, Seeing; a living room, a cat asleep on a brown sofa, a child playing on the floor. The child was surrounded by a strange green-blue light. The view changed, and Jessica started. The woman was tall, taller than any woman she had ever seen before, surrounded by darkness that was steeped in blood. So much power there.
“The Witch Queen,” she whispered, knowing instantly.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
LI: Unravelling
Alyxa sat, huddled, against the headboard of the enormous bed that was the primary furnishing of the room. She was wearing some sort of elaborate Victorian gown, complete with corset and bustle, in a shade of violet that she would never had thought possible. It didn’t matter, of course, none of it did. She had been here, how long? Days? Months? Years?
“Though it wouldn’t matter, I can’t Dream while I’m here, so it dreams me. The days dream, time fades, I can’t see, everything is the same and nothing is different,”
she blinked, it was her voice, saying those words.
“If you do not release us, she is going to lose herself, Lucifer.”
“Morpheus?”
Alyxa lifted her head and looked around. He was standing by the door. She liked the way the white shirt he was wearing opened, leaving the hollow of his throat naked. She saw Lucifer too, Hell’s King was radiant, wild around the edges.
“Run fingers over skin,” Alyxa mumbled, “I don’t remember putting on purple.”
By the door, Morpheus crossed his arms.
“You see?” he demanded.
“You might have a point.”
“Voice,” Alyxa murmured before she could stop herself. She shook herself, “Morpheus!”
He came to her then, and took her into his arms, holding her close.
“I can’t stay much longer. I can’t sleep here. I can’t Dream here. I’m losing it,” she told him, surprised by how panicked she sounded.
“I suppose you might have a point, darling,” Lucifer said to Morpheus, “but you’re my guests, and I’m your warden.”
“You’re getting your words mixed up again, Morning Star,” Morpheus snarled.
“And you’ve not even given my suggestion any thought,” Lucifer countered.
“We will not help release you, it’s unthinkable.”
“Not even if I can keep the world safe from Baldur?” Lucifer asked.
“Though it wouldn’t matter, I can’t Dream while I’m here, so it dreams me. The days dream, time fades, I can’t see, everything is the same and nothing is different,”
she blinked, it was her voice, saying those words.
“If you do not release us, she is going to lose herself, Lucifer.”
“Morpheus?”
Alyxa lifted her head and looked around. He was standing by the door. She liked the way the white shirt he was wearing opened, leaving the hollow of his throat naked. She saw Lucifer too, Hell’s King was radiant, wild around the edges.
“Run fingers over skin,” Alyxa mumbled, “I don’t remember putting on purple.”
By the door, Morpheus crossed his arms.
“You see?” he demanded.
“You might have a point.”
“Voice,” Alyxa murmured before she could stop herself. She shook herself, “Morpheus!”
He came to her then, and took her into his arms, holding her close.
“I can’t stay much longer. I can’t sleep here. I can’t Dream here. I’m losing it,” she told him, surprised by how panicked she sounded.
“I suppose you might have a point, darling,” Lucifer said to Morpheus, “but you’re my guests, and I’m your warden.”
“You’re getting your words mixed up again, Morning Star,” Morpheus snarled.
“And you’ve not even given my suggestion any thought,” Lucifer countered.
“We will not help release you, it’s unthinkable.”
“Not even if I can keep the world safe from Baldur?” Lucifer asked.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
L: Patterns
It was quiet now, but the riots of colours that Jessica kept seeing kept falling back into place and every time she moved her head they showed her Lucifer’s beautiful face, looking up at her through the kaleidoscope. It made her laugh whenever she saw it, the white-blonde hair, and startling blue eyes.
“Are you alright?” Michael asked her, moving to stand behind her.
Now that she knew, now that she could feel his presence and knew what it meant.
“I’m super,” she told him, laughing out loud, “I don’t know how, but I can see.
None of the normal things, I can’t see the table, but I know it’s there, I can’t see you, but I know you, I can feel you. I know who you are.”
“I know you do. Morgan never had the chance to tell you, that the curse Apollo set upon your line was lifted when Lucifer Fell,” he said, and she laughed again.
“I know, I can feel that. He Fell and the One lifted the curse after consultation with Apollo, they decided between them that it was best that way.
“You’re doing well,” Michael told her, caressing her shoulders, “the doors are opening for you.”
“Do you think it will happen? Do you think I’ll be able to bring the Dreamer across?”
She laughed again. Excited by everything, it was terrifying how much she understood now, how far forward and backwards she could See. It was amazing. Everything made total sense, she could see the great pattern, the whorls and lines.
“It’s beautiful,” she whispered, “like your light. Just beautiful. I can’t describe it, I don’t know what it is, but I can see it and it’s so gorgeous I could eat it.”
Michael chuckled.
“Eating ripples of fate will give you indigestion.”
“Are you alright?” Michael asked her, moving to stand behind her.
Now that she knew, now that she could feel his presence and knew what it meant.
“I’m super,” she told him, laughing out loud, “I don’t know how, but I can see.
None of the normal things, I can’t see the table, but I know it’s there, I can’t see you, but I know you, I can feel you. I know who you are.”
“I know you do. Morgan never had the chance to tell you, that the curse Apollo set upon your line was lifted when Lucifer Fell,” he said, and she laughed again.
“I know, I can feel that. He Fell and the One lifted the curse after consultation with Apollo, they decided between them that it was best that way.
“You’re doing well,” Michael told her, caressing her shoulders, “the doors are opening for you.”
“Do you think it will happen? Do you think I’ll be able to bring the Dreamer across?”
She laughed again. Excited by everything, it was terrifying how much she understood now, how far forward and backwards she could See. It was amazing. Everything made total sense, she could see the great pattern, the whorls and lines.
“It’s beautiful,” she whispered, “like your light. Just beautiful. I can’t describe it, I don’t know what it is, but I can see it and it’s so gorgeous I could eat it.”
Michael chuckled.
“Eating ripples of fate will give you indigestion.”
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
XLIX: Knowing
“Jazzy!”
Michael burst into the room, ignoring everyone else. He could feel her pulling at him even before she had called him. It was painful, the way she pulled at him, never before had he felt such a pull, not from any of the Cassandrians. All of that stopped irritating him when he saw her, his Jessica, lying flat on her back, twisting in the middle of her transformation.
“How long has she been like this?” he demanded, glancing at the man who was kneeling at her side.
“Since she called you.”
Michael glanced at him and around the room, seeing the faces of the men and women he knew but never seen. Aeron was the one near Jessica. Delia and Tiffany, two witches of lesser power, standing by each other, the youngest. Mark and Michaela.
“Give her space, she needs to find her own way back,” Michael instructed.
“Who is this guy?” Delia demanded, but her father waved her to silence.
“Only the Loremaster knows what happens when the Diviner’s Sight is passed on,” Mark declared.
“No Loremaster since before Morgan has seen that passage of power,” Michaela pointed out.
“Lore isn’t enough,” Aeron said, “not for something like this. What I know I learned, what is happening now is beyond my knowing.”
“And why is he – ” Delia started.
“Will you shut up?” Michael demanded impatiently, kneeling to touch Jessica’s face.
She stopped writhing instantly, and opened her eyes. They were colourless now, the deep blues were gone, bleached pale.
“Mic’hael,” she breathed, her voice filled with a new timbre, with power, “I See.”
When she said his name she said it the way it was meant to be spoken. She knew then, the first door had been opened. She would open the others soon.
“Mic’hael, I Know.”
Michael burst into the room, ignoring everyone else. He could feel her pulling at him even before she had called him. It was painful, the way she pulled at him, never before had he felt such a pull, not from any of the Cassandrians. All of that stopped irritating him when he saw her, his Jessica, lying flat on her back, twisting in the middle of her transformation.
“How long has she been like this?” he demanded, glancing at the man who was kneeling at her side.
“Since she called you.”
Michael glanced at him and around the room, seeing the faces of the men and women he knew but never seen. Aeron was the one near Jessica. Delia and Tiffany, two witches of lesser power, standing by each other, the youngest. Mark and Michaela.
“Give her space, she needs to find her own way back,” Michael instructed.
“Who is this guy?” Delia demanded, but her father waved her to silence.
“Only the Loremaster knows what happens when the Diviner’s Sight is passed on,” Mark declared.
“No Loremaster since before Morgan has seen that passage of power,” Michaela pointed out.
“Lore isn’t enough,” Aeron said, “not for something like this. What I know I learned, what is happening now is beyond my knowing.”
“And why is he – ” Delia started.
“Will you shut up?” Michael demanded impatiently, kneeling to touch Jessica’s face.
She stopped writhing instantly, and opened her eyes. They were colourless now, the deep blues were gone, bleached pale.
“Mic’hael,” she breathed, her voice filled with a new timbre, with power, “I See.”
When she said his name she said it the way it was meant to be spoken. She knew then, the first door had been opened. She would open the others soon.
“Mic’hael, I Know.”
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
XLVIII: TrueSight
Jessica laid her head down on the table where Aeron had left her. Where was Michael? She didn’t dare shut her eyes, any moment now she would see nothing except the haze of colours. Where was Michael? I need Michael! Every time she thought about his name a burst of light flashed through the pattern of colours, it was the only thing that varied.
Then it was gone.
All of it.
“Aeron!” she shouted, reaching forwards blindly.
“What’s wrong?”
I can’t see! I can’t see! She wanted to shout at him. Then the patterns stopped swirling and she took a breath.
“I can see,” she breathed.
The patterns fell into place like a jigsaw puzzle upon completion, and then it started to move. She saw a brilliant light floating high on top of a mountain, spawning smaller lights that tumbled down the mountainside until they burst onto the land. One light blurred towards her in a rush, then burst into her vision until all she saw was black spots. One of the lights turned dark, dashing down into the earth, deeper and deeper, the earth closing around it.
“What is it, Jessica?” Aeron’s voice asked her, “what do you see?”
If this had not been TrueSight, she would have had no idea what to tell him, but she knew because she could See.
“The Fall. Lucifer’s Fall.”
Morgan’s voice came, unbidden into her vision.
“You will guide them out of Lucifer’s gilded cages.”
The light burned down into the earth, contained by it but also containing it, creating its own world, its own realm. Lucifer’s light did not dim, and he looked up, born anew. He saw the world through new eyes. Lucifer rose. She saw the fac of the one who cast him back.
“Michael!” she shouted, reaching out.
Then it was gone.
All of it.
“Aeron!” she shouted, reaching forwards blindly.
“What’s wrong?”
I can’t see! I can’t see! She wanted to shout at him. Then the patterns stopped swirling and she took a breath.
“I can see,” she breathed.
The patterns fell into place like a jigsaw puzzle upon completion, and then it started to move. She saw a brilliant light floating high on top of a mountain, spawning smaller lights that tumbled down the mountainside until they burst onto the land. One light blurred towards her in a rush, then burst into her vision until all she saw was black spots. One of the lights turned dark, dashing down into the earth, deeper and deeper, the earth closing around it.
“What is it, Jessica?” Aeron’s voice asked her, “what do you see?”
If this had not been TrueSight, she would have had no idea what to tell him, but she knew because she could See.
“The Fall. Lucifer’s Fall.”
Morgan’s voice came, unbidden into her vision.
“You will guide them out of Lucifer’s gilded cages.”
The light burned down into the earth, contained by it but also containing it, creating its own world, its own realm. Lucifer’s light did not dim, and he looked up, born anew. He saw the world through new eyes. Lucifer rose. She saw the fac of the one who cast him back.
“Michael!” she shouted, reaching out.
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