Interlude 2

When the vision ended, Eve removed her hand from the woman's forehead. The woman was over eight months into her pregnancy and had been visiting the Garden Seer frequently over the last two weeks to make sure her delivery would go well. Not that it mattered, Eve's ability showed her the future as it will happen and cannot be changed. She had tried, but in the end, it ended up happening regardless, albeit from a chain of events that she hadn't thought of.

Eve sat back down, then waited for the woman to stand before giving her her reading. "Tomorrow will be like any other day. The baby won't be due until it is ready."

"Look, you know why I'm coming here, can't you just look into the exact day the baby comes?"

Eve let out a tired sigh. "That's not how my power works, I can't choose the visions I'm shown." She wanted nothing more than to be able to control her ability better, to be able to look at a specific day into the future, whether it be a day, a week, or a month from now. She already knew she had the capability to do so, she had experienced visions like that three times already, her latest being when she used it on the siblings a few days ago. The visions she had seen that day came from both future and past, showing her things that will come to pass and things that already had. She still didn't understand how she'd done it. Tally had mentioned that the male sibling had also collapsed, though he'd recovered quickly when Eve had gone unconscious for nearly a day. Perhaps it was her old age. Still, she had been trying to contact the siblings again, to understand what had happened that day.

"Then why not give me a reading or two for free?" The woman asked Eve, holding her round belly in her arms. "Please, Ma'am, I can barely afford them and my husband's worried."

Eve did feel a bit of pity, the woman lived in Lowtown, and raising a child in that district wasn't an easy job. Eve sighed again. "Very well. Come by tomorrow and we'll arrange the days to get a more accurate reading."

The woman grabbed Eve's hand and kissed it. "Oh thank you. Thank you." And with that, she left, leavening Eve alone in the Audience Room, waiting for her next client. 

What was the point of raising a child in this city? Eve thought. After the dome's creation, no child that has been born since then had managed to Awaken. The dome was an abomination of Lunam's Law. If Even could leave, she would. But her ability had been her life. Losing it would leave her with nothing. No one. SHe was stuck in New Miami, like some Royals she'd interacted with, and a few Commoners who hid their abilities.

Tally burst into the room suddenly, panting. "Mistress, I'm sorry, but-"

Behind her, the doors opened again and a cloaked figure walked inside, followed by a tall man wearing a black suit. A Royal. His golden bracelet glowed in his wrist.

"Seer of the Garden district." The cloaked figure said, a woman, apparent by her voice. She was also a Royal. She pulled back her hood to reveal an older, mature face. Long, white hair fell back behind her. 

"I've heard you possess the ability to see the future." She said, "I've come to ask a favor. A favor only you may provide."

Eve started to feel a bit nervous. Had the Royals found her out? She hoped for the opposite, but prepared for the worst.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about, miss Royal." She tried her best to sound confused and offended at the same time. "I possess a gift, not an ability. THe secrets of my methods are my own."

The Royal sighed. She was older than Eve by maybe a decade, but stood with an air of authority, like that of a wise queen. She must be a Royal of a very high rank.

"My time is precious," She said, "and I would very much like to skip the part where I prove to you that you are, in fact, using an ability. One that allows you to see into the future. Fear now, miss Eve. I am not looking to turn you in, nor report you. I come in good faith to ask a favor."

Eve blinked. This woman spoke with such certainty. Still, Eve had been through this in the past. She had learned to remain oblivious to the accusations. "Like I said, I dont-"

Eve stopped mid sentence, suddenly feeling her Aura flare within her. Power like she'd never felt before flooded into her, her usual exhaustion gone, feeling renewed with energy.

"What?!" 

"I have amplified your ability." The Royal woman said, walking up to Eve, standing before her. "That's the power of my ability. Now, for the last time. Can you do me a favor? I require the power of your ability."

Eve looked up at the Royal. Who WAS this woman? Still, it was clear Eve was found out, there was no point in hiding it any more.

"What do you need?" Eve asked her, dropping her act.

"With your ability," The Royal said, "are you able to see into my past?"

Eve remembered that experience with the siblings that day. She had been able to glimpse a memory from her past. THe night that she witnessed the creation of the dome.

"I have done it one," She told the Royal. "Though I'm not sure how. I cannot fully control my ability. I can only see into the future, and it's only limited to a day."

"Try," The Royal said. "I will amplify your Aura further. Hopefully that'll give you more control over your ability."

Eve wasn't so sure that'll work, but she nodded anyway. She felt that surge of power swell within her again, making her feel more alive, like she could do anything. It felt good, really good. Like taking a stimulant drug, but only feeling the beneficial effects without the side effects. She looked up at the Royal, nodding again, then explaining her ability's requirement.

"One more thing." The Royal said, kneeling in front of Eve. "Are you able to show it to others."

"I'm not sure I understand…" Eve said.

"Can you bring others into your visions, to see what you see?"

"I'm not sure."

The Royal looked behind her and motioned at the other Royal, the tall man wearing the black suit. "Come, Johnathan."

"My Lady." The man nodded, then walked over to Eve.

Eve wasn't sure how this might work, but she was going to try anyway. "Alright, let's start. Grab hold of my shoulder." She said to the man, Johnathan, while placing a hand on the woman's forehead. She closed her eyes, then activated her ability. She was expecting her usual experience whenever she used her ability. This time, however, when the world around her shifted and changed, she found herself inside a long golden hallway. No, not gold, she realized. Aura. 

"What is this place?" A voice said.

Eve jumped, surprised, not realizing that the male Royal, Johnathan, had been standing nearby. 

"I'm not sure." Eve said, looking around. The hallway was narrow, extending infinitely to either side of her. Doors lined either side of the walls. Each door had a number. To her left, the numbers looked to be ascending, while to the right, descending. She currently stood by the door with number 89.

Johnathan attempted to open the 89 door. "It's locked." He tried the one next to it, 90. Then 91. "They're all locked."

Eve tried herself, grabbing the knob of the 89 door, turning it, then pulling. The door opened easily enough. 

"Seems only you can open them." Johnathan said. "Makes sense, I suppose. It's your ability. Your power. What's behind it?"

Eve continued to fully open the door, looking inside. They saw a large room. Inside the room stood the Royal woman. She was talking to an older man that looked a lot like her. Same colored eyes. Same white hair. Roughly the same age.

"You sure it's a good idea to attend this exchange, brother?" The woman said.

"I'll be revealing myself to them soon anyways." The old man said, he wore a black cloak around himself, the hoodie lowered. "Besides, I'm interested in getting to know the people you're hanging around with, sister."

"Is this the future, or past?" Johnathan said.

Eve closed the door, then looked at him. "I'm not sure." She paused, then added, "You knew the other man?"

"That's Lady Ada's… brother." Johnathan said. "You heard it."

Ada, Eve thought, so that's her name. "I see." She was starting to figure out how this hallway worked now. They were inside her mind. Her ability. "How old is she? Ada?" Eve asked Johnathan.

Johnathan raised an eyebrow, probably wondering why the curiosity. Then he looked at the number on the door. "Eighty Nine…"

So the doors represented Ada's age, Eve surmised.

Johnathan started to walk down the hallway, in the direction of decreasing numbers. But after a few paces he stopped, hitting an invisible wall. "What the-?" Like a mime, he started to feel the wall. 

Eve walked over, trying to feel the wall, but there was none. When Johnathan tried to feel it again, it wasn't there. Understanding now, he motioned for Eve. "Lead the way."

Eve nodded then started walking down the hallways. The numbers on the doors decreasing… 82… 81… They continued on, Eve trying to see how far into Ada's past could she see. 57… 56… 55…. But the further she got, the more tired she got. Eve though she was walking, it felt like she was running. She felt her Aura diminish within her, the golden fire dimming. 31… 30… 29… She tried opening one of the doors on her way and found that opening one took a massive toll on her Aura reservoir. It felt like a large chunk of her energy was drained from her. They were able to glimpse behind the door for a few seconds though, watching a young Ada, 21, tall and beautiful. She was standing at the roof of Imperium, watching the blue sky above.

"I… don't think I can go any further." Eve said, stopping by the door. "If I do, I won't have enough strength to open a door for more than a couple of seconds."

"Fourteen…" Johnathan said, reading the door's number. 

"Let's have a look." Eve opened the door, feeling the drain of her Aura, then walked through. Johnathan followed.

They were in a park. From the looks of it, it resembled the same park in the Garden district, only from many years ago. A group of teenagers were harassing and bullying a young girl, kicking and pushing her onto the ground. Fourteen year old Ada. She was on her knees, crying. 

"You're a cripple." One of the teenagers said, a tall looking boy. He seemed to be the leader of the group. He laughed and his companions did the same. 

"You'll never have an ability." Another said.

"Weirdo." Said another.

Watching Ada being bullied stirred Eve's own memories. She was just like Ada, a late bloomer. She had also been bullied by her peers. Those memories were never pleasant.

Another boy came running to Ada's help, helping her up.

"Oh, look!" The leader of the group of boys said, still laughing. "Little Ada is so weak her brother comes to her rescue. Again."

"Adrian…" Ada said, letting her brother help her to feet. Her knees and palms were bleeding.

Her brother turned to the group of teenagers. "You've had your fun, Leon. Now leave."

"What are you going to do about it?" The boy called Leon said, his eyes turning red and yellow. "I can kill you with just a look, if I so choose. And last I remember, you're a cripple like your sister."

The boy, Adrian, clenched his fist. "Go away, or I'll take your abilities too!"

"What did you say!" Leon was about to unleash his ability when his eyes suddenly returned to normal. After a moment of confusion, he turned to Adrian, fear washing over his face. "Wh- what did you do to me, you freak?"

"Leon, what's wrong?" Another boy said.

"Run, or I'll take your ability too!" Adrian said to the other boy.

Scared and confused, Leon ran without another word. The group of boys followed him, calling Ada and Adrian freaks.

Eve watched as Adrian helped his sister walk to a nearby bench and sit. "You alright?"

Ada nodded. "Yeah, thanks." She paused. "What did you do to Leon?"

Adrian smiled. He was about to respond when-

The vision ended. Eve was unable to hold it together any longer, her Aura was nearly depleted. She found herself back in the Audience room, falling back on her chair. Tally was already running to her side. 

"My Lady, you alright?" Johnathan said, helping Ada to her feet.

The older woman nodded. "I am. Thank you, Johnathan." Then she turned to Eve. "Well?"

"I never knew my ability could do that." Eve said. "But as to favor," She nodded, glancing at Johnathan. "I can do it."

Ada looked to Johnathan, who nodded in agreement. "Very well. In a few days, I'll be asking you to do that again, is that alright with you?"

Eve nodded.

"I'll be asking you to take others with you." Ada added.

Again, Eve nodded.

"Then I'll be in touch, Miss Garden Seer."

With that, Ada left with Johnathan. Tally escorted the Royals out of the house, then returned afterwards. Eve was left to think about the experience she'd just had, wondering what else she could with her amplified version of her ability.