The Harbinger Of Fate

Sage smoothly switched the subject, hoping to shift the girls' mood, "How are your college courses going?" she inquired, her voice gentle but laced with an unspoken concern.Lilith shifted her focus to her hands, twiddling her fingers anxiously. As she thought about the question, the corners of her mouth drooped, showing signs of exhaustion beyond physical tiredness."One more day of public learning, one more day of living in fear," she murmured, the words slipping out like a sigh. "I just wish I could attend online classes, but most of my prerequisites require in-person attendance. There's always this gnawing thought that something unexpected might happen while I'm around others."Lilith's heart tightened at the sight of her grandmother's sad face, something she wasn't intending to evoke. "I'm not trying to blame anyone," she hastened to add, noticing the subtle change in Sage's posture. Her eyes, wide and earnest, sought to reassure. "The doctor told us the skygene hasn't affected me, but he also suggested caution because of... well, how I look now."Lilith's stomach always twisted when she left the house in the morning, a reminder of the barrier between her and the outside world. She couldn't let herself get too cozy with anyone. "I don't have close friends," she admitted quietly. "Just people I know enough to keep at arm's length."She let out a small sigh as she thought about her appearance, an unusual look that was impossible to conceal. "People probably think I'm trying to make a fashion statement with my hair. I've tried dyeing it, but it always returns to this bright white. And the thought of it... losing control and hurting someone scares me." She nervously clenched her fists, afraid of the potential danger. "I can't risk putting anyone in harm's way, especially not you guys."Her voice softens, "It's hard being careful all the time. I fear I will self-sabotage one day due to my over-cautious attitude."Sage looked around the room, not sure what to say. She absentmindedly played with her cardigan as she thought of the right words. The silence was defining. She was starting to see why Sky had been concerned."Darling," Sage started, her voice wavering slightly with age and concern. "I have something for you." She shifted the conversation, trying to extinguish the tension and sadness.Lilith slumped in her chair, head resting on her hand as she rubbed at her tired eyes. The chaos outside seemed unbearable, and even her mind offered no respite. Birthdays were supposed to be a time for joy and celebration, but hers felt insignificant amidst the turmoil. "Honestly, with everything else happening right now, my birthday just isn't that important," she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper.Her grandmother noticed the nervousness on Lilith's face. But Sage continued, her face showing how determined she was. "This has been passed down in our family for countless generations," she explained.Lilith's eyes traced Sage's hands as they shook, finally resting on a necklace that seemed to have been around forever. Her mother had always worn it, but she never knew its meaning. Now, it lay bare, offered by hands that had never adorned it until this very moment.The pendant was striking. An onyx stone set in silver cradled a tree whose branches twisted and turned to form a protective circle around a pentagram. It was both beautiful and ominous."What is it?" Lilith couldn't help but inquire, drawn to the item yet puzzled by its presence."It's a necklace. Have you never seen one child?" Sage replied, her voice laced with a humor that didn't quite reach her eyes. The joke fell flat between them, failing to dispel the tension.With a hesitant touch, Lilith picked up the necklace, holding it out before her like a question waiting to be answered. The metal felt cool against her skin, the weight of it heavier than she expected. "I know what a necklace is," she said, her tone bordering on sardonic, "but this one has a pentagram. Is that something I should be showing off right now?" Anxiety flickered across her expression, betraying her uncertainty.In the dim light of the living room, the necklace seemed to gleam with an inner light of its own, as if eager to reveal its secrets to the bearer worthy of its legacy.Sage paused for a second as she peered curiously at Lilith. "Is that what you see, a pentagram? That's interesting," she mused, her voice tinged with something Lilith couldn't quite place—nostalgia, maybe? Sage looked down at it and saw what Lilith described clearly."It used to be more than just a brand, you know," Sage continued, tracing her fingers over the aged lines of her face as if she could physically draw out the memories. It was an insignia worn with pride by all Witcha. But times change, and symbols get twisted."Lilith felt the weight of history settle in her chest, the tarnished legacy handed down to her. The pentagram had become a stigma, a marking of shame for those like us and now the Skyborn, who were now hunted and feared."Sweetheart, you don't have to show it off. Just wear it," Sage said softly, breaking through Lilith's thoughts."Thank you, Grandma." The words felt brittle, like thin ice on a lake, as she forced a smile and reached for the necklace. Her fingers fumbling slightly, Lilith unclasped and draped it around her neck, the cool metal kissing her skin.Then, for just a moment, she hesitated. Lilith's gaze caught on the pendant—it flickered, or so she thought—a faint luminescence that wasn't there before. Or was it? She glanced towards the window, where daylight struggled to pierce through the gray clouds."Everything alright?" Sage's voice edged with concern, drawing Lilith's attention back."Probably just seeing things," she muttered, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks as she clasped the necklace securely."Eighteen years old and already hallucinating, huh?" Sage chuckled, but her laughter didn't quite reach."Grandma..." Lilith started, taking a deep breath. Her teasing did nothing to quell the unease that churned within her. "There's something I need to ask before I can even think about being okay with this." She gestured to the pentagram resting against her chest."Every time I see one of these, this vise tightens around my heart. The fear of being marked, of losing everything—you, the family, our home—how can I possibly wear this and not feel like I'm sealing our fate?"Lilith could feel the warmth of Sage's fingers against her skin as her grandmother held onto her. The grip was strong and reassuring, anchoring Lilith in the present moment.Sage's voice was gentle as she spoke, her face flickering slightly in the light from the room. "Instead of seeing this symbol as a burden," she said, "see it as a challenge. It's up to you whether it changes you for the better or worse."Lilith couldn't shake off the weight of her grandmother's words, which seemed to burden her like a heavy mantle. She let out a deep sigh, filled with unspoken anxieties, and slowly pulled back her hand from her grandmother's grasp. "I hear what you're saying, grandma. Can I have a moment to think, please?" Her attention shifted back to the pendant hanging on her neck.That's when the pendant gave up a soft glow, the metal surface of the pendant flickered with hints of lavender—an illusion or a trick of the light, Lilith couldn't be sure."Why would you give me something so important?" Lilith asked, unable to mask the curiosity in her voice.Her grandmother's eyes were shaded with something unreadable as she replied, "I'm taking a chance... and hoping I'm right."The pendant seemed to pulse with a life of its own, and as Lilith peered closer, a shiver darted up her spine, stark and exhilarating as if a draft had slipped through a crack in reality itself. She hears a murmur in the quiet room, "Is it you?""Is it who?" came Sage's voice, suddenly distant.Lilith whirled around, her heart stuttering in her chest. Sage stood framed in the doorway, her expression etched with concern. When had she moved? Lilith couldn't recall the moment Sage left her side."Uh—what?" Lilith's voice hitched, her mind scrambling to catch up."You asked if it's you. Who were you asking about?""I... I don't know," Lilith stammered,"Will you walk me to the house?" Sage asks, more firmly this time. "You can join us when you're ready."Lilith blinked, trying to shake off the eerie feeling that clung to her. She glanced down, expecting to see the pendant still in her grasp, but her hands were empty. She looked up, meeting her grandmother's steady gaze."Sorry, I zoned out there for a second." Lilith smiled, brushing off the odd sensation that had wrapped around her moments before. "Yeah, let's go.""Good," Sage nodded, a knowing look in her eye. "You were staring at your gift for quite some time.""Right," Lilith agreed, though her mind still tugged at the edges of the mystery nestled within that small piece of jewelry. With a deep breath, she stepped toward the door, leaving the pendant to its silence—for now.Without thinking, she lifted her hand to massage the growing pressure at her temple, attempting to release the fog of confusion clouding her mind.Sage's voice pierced through the daze, filled with worry. "Do you have a headache?"The question startled Lilith back to the present, and she let her hand fall, smoothing back a stray lock of hair instead. "It's nothing," she reassured, trying to sound more carefree than she felt."My thoughts are just catching up to me." She hoped her words alleviated Sage's concerns.The two of them emerged from the clinic, and as the door closed behind them with a soft click, they began to make their way back down the path toward the house. The stones set into the ground acted as their guide, leading them back to their destination.As she walked, her gaze caught a flicker of movement at the corner of her eye. She stopped in her tracks and turned towards Sage. "Hey, Grams," she began, glancing sideways to catch Sage's eye. "Can we part ways here? I'll head into the house in a second. I want to take in some fresh air."Sage took a moment to think before giving a small nod of agreement. "Okay, my dear. Just don't take too much time."Sage stepped inside the house, leaving Lilith alone as the door clicked shut.Sage watched as her granddaughter stood outside as she closed the front door behind her, the weight of her decision nestling like a stone in her stomach. She turned around, only to find Sky there, her eyes searching for answers.Sky's voice broke through the quiet, filled with anxiety and a glimmer of hope. "What happened? Did you give it to her?""I did." Sage's reply came out more breathless than she intended. "Lilith saw it, the pentagram."A look of confusion crossed Sky's face. "We haven't seen a pentagram on that pendant in years, not since our powers diminished," she said."Because it's not meant for us anymore," Sage said.Sky crossed her arms, her fingers tapping rhythmically on her forearm—a habit she had whenever doubt crept in. " I didn't want to admit it, but the pendant communicates with Lilith on a different level than it ever did with us; it's just like how her father said it would." Sage could almost see the cogs turning in Sky's mind, trying to piece together the puzzle their family legacy had become.Sage stepped closer. "I don't know what he did to it the day he borrowed it from us," she whispered, concern evident in her tone. "I just hope it doesn't make things worse for Lilith." Her tone dropped.Sky's gaze followed her mother's every move, but Sage avoided meeting her eyes. The last thing she needed was to drown in the sea of questions and accusations she saw brewing behind Sky's gaze."Don't look at me like that. You knew this was coming," Sage said, striving for a calm she didn't feel. It was a plea wrapped in a statement, one mother to another, asking for understanding where there might be none.The plea hit home. Sky's face was a canvas of conflict—anger at the edges, acceptance shading the center. Tears pooled in her eyes, unshed but threatening. "It's too soon, Mom; she's not ready yet.""Given how your daughter spoke to me, I doubt she would have ever been prepared." Sage allowed herself to meet Sky's eyes, finally finding there a mirror of her fears. "We needed to take action now to ensure Lilith's future, or she won't have one."Sky's hands trembled, the air thick with a tension that seemed to press against her very soul."It's difficult not to feel as though I've already lost her despite her being physically present," she whispered, the words hitching on a choked sob.Sage's expression was a mixture of determination and compassion as she turned towards Sky. She reached out with her fingers, wiping away the tears falling down her cheeks. "I have faith our girl will overcome this obstacle. It's up to destiny now," Sage whispered."Destiny?" The word hung in the air, detached and flat, devoid of human warmth. It was a voice, but not one they recognized. Sky's heart lurched, her gaze snapping around the room, searching for its source. In that same heartbeat, darkness swallowed them whole; the lights had died, plunging the room into an abyss.Sky's mind was swirling with questions, but the answers seemed to evade her like fleeting shadows. Sage took a cautious step forward, her actions calculated and fearless, radiating an aura of quiet courage. Sky followed closely behind, her heart racing.A series of rapid blue flashes caught Sage's attention at the end of the hallway. They seemed to be both inviting and cautionary at the same time. She walked towards them, her figure becoming clearer with each light pulse."Your concern seems illogical, given how inactive you are in your children's lives. In any case, if you believe in such trivial things as destiny, hers does not include either of you." The same monotone voice sliced through the dark, clinical, and cold.Sky's eyes widened, reflecting the dim light as her heart raced in her chest. The stillness shattered by a deafening thud that reverberated through the room. Sage's body lay sprawled, unmoving on the ground, a pool of crimson spreading slowly beneath her, staining the wooden floor like a malevolent flower blooming in darkness.Sky's voice broke as she called out to her mother, her hands trembling as she tried to wake Sage, refusing to believe what her eyes were showing her. The warmth was draining from her mother's body, slipping away like grains of sand through her desperate fingers. Tears blurred Sky's sight, conflicting emotions of agony and denial raging inside her.A silhouette loomed ahead, its features obscured by the darkness. All Sky could make out were the faint outlines of pants. But as it entered the light, she could see more clearly- a tall man with long white hair dressed in an odd combination of a navy suit and white sneakers.He approached Sky, crouching down in front of her. His closeness felt invasive, and his words were laced with a menacing whisper. "Your family should have never gotten involved in matters beyond their understanding. Now, you must suffer the consequences."Sky's heart raced, the thumping in her ears making it hard to focus on anything but the man's cruel words. He stood up gracefully from his crouched position next to her, a nonchalant flick of his cufflinks indicating the end of one life and the start of a new horror."Her vessel is shutting down as we speak," he said with clinical detachment. "To be more precise, I ensured to hit the trachea, a vital organ. It was chosen because she greatly enjoyed speaking." His words were knives, each syllable twisting deeper into Sky's already hemorrhaging soul.She couldn't move, couldn't breathe. Her gaze fell to her mother, whose once-warm eyes grew distant and cold. Was this their end? Her daughter Lilith, who had been expecting a birthday surprise, and her son Axial, cocooned in the innocence of his upstairs room, flashed through her mind.Following the passing of Lilith's father, a rift was created between them, much like the void that consumed her magic after giving birth to Lilith. But there was something—maybe one last ember of hope she could ignite to give her children a chance to survive.With shaky hands, Sky extended her magic towards the pendant resting on Lilith's neck. She focused all her remaining strength on the pendant, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath to channel it. The familiar chill of the pendant spread through her body, easing her fear and casting a bright blue light behind her eyelids- a beacon responding to its old master."I call upon the power of the elements, the spirits, and the universe," she whispered, her voice quivering yet determined. The man merely turned to watch, a spectator to her last stand. "Hear my plea and relocate those I hold dear."The chant echoed throughout the room, stirring up a tempest that shook the walls. Doors flew open, and the wind howled perfectly while the center's pendant glowed brilliance that outshone the stars. And just as quickly as it had started, it stopped, leaving behind a haunting stillness.Sky's tears fell freely onto her mother's face. "I did what I could, Mom. Like you said, her fate is in destiny's hands now.""Destiny's hands?" The man's voice slithered closer, tainted with a newfound authority. "I'm afraid her destiny is in our hands now. That girl has no future other than the one we allow her to have."He was close enough now that Sky could see the transformation—the blue of his suit consumed by a blood-red hue. "What do you mean? Who are you?" she demanded, dread curling around her heart.A red feather materialized from his pocket, twirling hypnotically. "I am the harbinger of fate, he who doesn't die but is reborn. I outdate any Skyborn or any of you witches.""What do you want?" Sky's voice was barely audible over the pounding of her heart."That pendant holds something that doesn't belong here. Something that predates even me. You might have doomed your little girl by giving it to her."Sky's emotions were lifted briefly by the success of her spell but then quickly sank under the heaviness of his revelation. She grasped at the natural energy surrounding her, feeling a surge of fleeting power flow through her veins. In that small moment, she had hope that she could change the situation.His hand lifted; fire erupted from his palm, a cascade of fury hurtling toward her. Instinctively, she raised her arms, a futile shield against the inferno. The flames devoured her—her screams lost in the roar.As her world reduced to ashes, the man watched an eerie smile on his lips. "As if we needed fewer witches in the world; at this point, they'll be extinct," he mused. The house groaned and crackled, succumbing to the fire's embrace. "Now, to the other matter at hand."