Gone

✷Thousands of years later✷

"Mom, I'll see you in three years," Serena said as she hugged her mother.

"I'll miss you, my baby." Her mom hugged her back. "Study hard and make momma proud kay?"

"I will momma. Tell big bro I'll miss him." She said. Her plane was about to take off. She waved once more as she boarded the plane.

"I love you. Muah." She blew her mother a kiss.

"Love you too, honey. I'll be waiting." Her mom wiped the tears from her eyes. Serena thought they were purely tears of sadness but the lady knew the real reason for her tears.

***

◉Three years later ◉

The taxi driver helped Serena carry her luggage from the car. Serena paid him for his services and he drove off.

Serena looked at the house where she grew up. She missed this place.  She entered the house. It was dusty and filled with cobwebs.

"Strange," Serena muttered.   The house looked like nobody lived here for years.

"Mom," Serena called out. "Mom, I'm home." She heard no response. She went further inside and after a battle with the cobwebs, she came out through the backdoor.

The place was overgrown with grasses. Serena wondered if her mom moved out.

'But she would have called to let me know.' Serena thought.  She walked back to the front and to where her mother's shop was located.

The shop was closed. Nobody was there. She went to the tea shop across it. When she went in she saw her mother's close friend.

"Aunt Sue." She called to the woman who was counting money at the counter. The woman looked up with raised eyebrows. She saw a young lady standing before her holding a box in her left hand, a smaller one on the right with a bag hung over her shoulder.

Aunt Sue studied the woman's face and nodded in appreciation of her beauty. "What do you want?" She asked.

"Aunt Sue doesn't recognize me?" Serena asked.

"Excuse me young lady, but I don't know you." She said with a poker face.

"Aunt it's me, Serena, Marie's daughter." Smiling at Aunt Sue's poker face.

Aunt Sue stared at her wide-eyed. "Serena? You're so grown now!" She exclaimed and came to where Serena stood.  "How have you been all these years?"  She asked as she led her to a seat at the corner.

"I've been good, Aunt."

"Do you need anything? It's free, don't need to pay." Aunt Sue offered.

"Your special iced tea." Aunt Sue ordered someone to bring it while she and Serena spoke about how she had been faring abroad.

"Auntie, do you know where my mother is?" Serena sipped her tea.

"Child..." Aunt Sue's eyes wandered. She looked up trying to hold back tears. "Maria is gone."

"Gone? She moved out?" Serena asked.

"No. Marie died in an accident." Aunt Sue said in a lowered voice.

Serena couldn't believe her ears. "Mom? Mom is dead?" Her eyes were watery. Her mother was the only parent she knew she had. She didn't know who her father was and she didn't care. Her only family was her mom and elder brother. Her mother was her best friend.

Serena choked back a sob. She looked at Aunt Sue. "Where was she buried?"

"At your house. She wanted to be buried there."

Serena said goodbye to her Aunt Sue and hurriedly went back home. Clutching what she said her mother left for her, she entered the family graveyard. She looked around for the inscription of her mother's name. After a few twists and turns and names of late relatives, she saw her mother's grave in the deepest part of the yard.

Overgrown bushes and trees stood in her way. She saw her mother's grave. But the epitaph was surprising and strange.

MARIE RUSSELL

19xx–20xx

(Priestess of Lord Fynsternis)

Serena knew that Fynsternis, Lord of Darkness was one of the deities that were worshipped in some places, but priestess?? She didn't believe it.

Her mother's grave was very simple, but in it was a statue of three objects. The moon, balance scales in the middle, and the sun.

"Mom," Serena said bowing her head. "Why did you have to leave? You didn't say goodbye momma? You said you'd wait for me. Why momma? I made it mom. I succeeded and I graduated successfully. Why aren't you here to celebrate with me? Momma!" She cried.

It was then she remembered the package in her hand. She opened it and saw a tiny key and a folded paper. She unfolded and read it.

Serena:

I know you are back and I'm happy for you. I know you made your momma proud. Don't be sad, baby. I didn't have an accident because I planned my death. But I had to go because my time had come.

Why I planned my death, you will know later. But I have to warn you of the dangers in your future. It may look peaceful now but that's just the calm before the storm. Also, I want you to move to Capital City after today. You don't belong here. You will fulfill your destiny there. It's not in my place to tell you about the dangers but I hope you will overcome them.

About your brother, I don't know but try to have a normal relationship with him. Don't get too close or too distant. Keep it at a medium.

The key is for you. The keyhole is in the scales. Also, this letter will disappear once you're done with it.

I love you so much baby and I miss you. Muah.

Momma.

The letter vanished into thin air. Serena dried her tears and looked for the keyhole. She wanted to know what her mother had for her. She found the keyhole and inserted the key. Serena stilled. She suddenly fainted.

———————— ————————

I found myself in a white empty room with nothing but a black screen. On the screen, I saw people. But these didn't look like ordinary people. Different hair colors, wearing robes of different colors with weird symbols.

Most of them were floating others were either riding on weird-looking creatures or walking on the ground. It looked like a place out of a fantasy novel but deep down I felt something. Something that told me here was familiar.

I looked as someone rode on a giant flying creature that looked like a horse. He held a golden trumpet in his hand. He blew on it and announced. "She is born."

I saw the people on the screen rejoice. Some waved their arms, made shouts, and made some dances. The atmosphere was lively.

Suddenly it was like time skipped. I saw a little girl dressed in light blue robes with gold decorations among many people. They were all looking at her with doting and adoring eyes. It was then I noticed all of them had golden eyes.

Holding the little girl's hand was an older boy dressed in midnight black robes with gold embroidery. His black hair long hair was tied to a ponytail. While walking, she stumbled a little but the boy held her firmly. His eyes looked at her like she was the most precious thing in his world.

As she was about to fall, I also noticed that another person rushed to her side. He looked the same age as the older boy and he was dressed in white robes and his hair was almost white. He looked at the girl the same way.

He locked eyes with the former boy and I saw them glare at each other before they looked back at the girl each on both sides holding her hands.

The screen turned black after that.

———————— ————————

In a private room in a hotel. A man was sitting on a black leather couch. In his hand was a glass of wine and kneeling before him was a man dressed in black.

"She returned. That's good. Did she ask of that woman?" The man on the couch asked.

"Yes, boss. She visited her grave too." The boss nodded.

"Keep an eye on her and make sure she gets employed in any of my companies. Understood?"

"Yes, boss." The kneeling man answered.

"And if any harm comes to her..." The temperature in the room reduced. The man on the floor shivered.

"You may leave now."

The kneeling man scurried out the door. When he was outside he let out a large breath. His boss was terrifying.

Meanwhile, inside the room, the boss suddenly let go of the glass and it shattered. The temperature in the room almost became icy cold.

"Damn that priestess." he spat. "She's regaining her memories."