Dream

"Your mother failed in her duty... Wait you don't even have a mother, you never did" Karina's haunting voice kept echoing in Melanie's head, as she fled to her room, tears threatening to fall out of her eyes.

Whenever she engaged in any conversation with Karina, her supposed step-mum, it always resulted into an argument, with each words searing, cutting and echoing like fresh wound.

Angrily, she shut the door, collapsing onto her bed.

She buried her face in her pillow, getting enveloped in it's tenderness, slowly easing her tension.

With a deep breath, Melanie closed her eyes imagining herself standing beneath a waterfall, it was literally the most peaceful scene there was.

When she opened her eyes, he room transformed into the waterfalls, surrounded by flowers, lush green bushes and butterflies.

The scent of fresh flowers filled the air, calming Melanie's nerves.

"This is incredible" she smiled in genuine excitement wiping her teary face with the back of her palm.

"I wish I figured this out early enough" she whispered feeling a wave of peace wash through her, a strong feeling of triumph alongside. Karina's hurtful words could never get to her here.

****

In the old shaman's temple, the air was thick with tension and anticipation as he sat with the three Masters and Miss Lilly.

Looking around, the temple was adorned with intricate carvings and the walls were of stone, the temple itself held so much secrets and whispers, alien to the understanding of a random person.

Shaman Dean sighed feeling the words he was about to utter too heavy in his throat.

Shaman Kang, the oldest master who looked rather stern with rugged features finally decided to break the silence clouding the room.

"So what are the deity's saying?"

Shaman Dean looked around, his eyes growing distant.

"They're silent on the prophecies"

Master Ryan placed his left hand on his forehead in frustration, "so what now?"

"Let's go check the magical pearl" Shaman Dean said.

Miss Lilly's eyes brightened "at the heart of Almerita?"

"Yes Lilly, the whispers from the pearl should say something" Shaman Dean replied.

"The one sent to activate her powers and begin the mission..." Master Ryan asked softly and paused "is she back yet?"

"She is" Shaman Dean replied calmly "in less than 72 hours, she succeeded which is like the shortest mission ever"

"But this is about the scent and the reincarnated right?" Master Arnold asked softly and Master Ryan nodded.

"Is she even back yet?" Master Kang asked.

"She is..." Shaman Dean smiled shortly "words will be sent to her pretty soon"

"Shaman, are you sure consulting the pearl is a nice idea?" Arnold asked thoughtfully "I mean..what if someone else finds out?"

An uncomfortable silence dropped in the room as the weight of his words lingered in the air.

Although everyone seemed lost in their own thought, the main thoughts that rang in their hearts were.

'What secret lies hidden in the Magical Pearl, and what Fate awaits the reincarnated?'

With no answers to their thoughts, it remained as unanswered questions hidden in the temple.

"Blake Armstrong Killarney" A stern voice echoed through the room, sending chills down everybody in the room.

"Should he be summoned?" Shaman Dean asked with his eyes shut.

"Don't..." The voice said again, seriously this time "Just ensure you keep a close watch on him, his involvement is key"

The thick tension in the room slowly melted away.

"and they finally spoke" Master Kang muttered relief washing through him.

"So there's no need to use the pearl anymore right?" Master Ryan asked.

"Of course" The Shaman replied and Lily exhaled.

**

Charlene was seated alone on a swing in the park, lost in deep thoughts and darkness enveloping her.

Suddenly, she felt a presence beside her, it seemed totally impossible for someone to be seated beside her since the swing was rather too small for two persons.

She was still in contemplation when a faint whisper echoed.

She turned around, but emptiness surrounded her.

"What's going on?" She muttered and shrugged "I'm probably over thinking"

The voice echoed again, louder this time and realising nobody was beside her, Charlene got off the swing and began looking around, determined to find the owner of the voice.

Eventually she did...and it was from an Old Man, with piercing eyes, seated on a bench.

"You can't escape it Charlene...it's who you are."

Charlene's heart raced as she stared at the Old Man clueless. "Who are you? What are you even talking about?"

The man's gaze intensified "The question should be 'who am I', Charlene your heritage calls"

"Yo..you've been calling my name since you got here, I've never even set eyes on you. What exactly are you driving at?" Charlene asked growing frustrated.

The old man sighed "Charlene, the Amazons await"

"What's that?" She raised a brow unable to conceal the puzzled expression that instantly found its way to her face.

The old man's voice dropped to a whisper.

"Your mother holds secrets, return home and claim your birthright before they do"

Charlene's breath caught. "What secrets?"

Without responding to her question, the old man vanished, leaving Charlene alone in the darkness.

She gasped, waking up drenched in sweat, her heart pounding.

Charlene lay in bed, her bed racing from the fear she awoke with.

The old Man's voice echoed through her room as though he was there present : "your mother holds secrets..."

"Get out of my thoughts" she grumbled, but the echoes still persisted.

She threw off the duvet from her body and got out of bed, deciding to confront her mother.

She took a quick glance at the wall clock and realized it was only two 0'clock a.m .

"Mum's definitely asleep" she whispered, deciding to get water from the kitchen.

Charlene took a deep breath and got out of her room. The house was quiet, except for the faint sound from downstairs.

"Mum's awake?" She thought and shrugged "my imagination is probably playing tricks"

She crept down the stairs trying not to make a sound.

As she reached the bottom, she really heard her mother's voice, but she wasn't alone; she was speaking to a woman.

"You can't keep her hidden forever" The woman said.

Charlene's heart skipped a beat. 'Who was the strange woman, and what could they be discussing at such hour'

Sure she'd had enough drama for a day, Charlene retreated to her room, her mind reeling.

The old man's word, the strange woman's words and the entire secrets that seemed to be hovering around the house somehow.

Charlene's thought wouldn't stop racing "what was her mum hiding?"

No matter how much we tried she couldn't shake off the feeling that her life was about to change forever.

As she lay in bed, Charlene's curiosity heightened.

She would certainly uncover the truth..,but for now she'd be calm.

With the questions still ringing in her mind demanding urgent answers, Charlene closed her eyes, trying to calm her racing thoughts.

As her drifted to sleep, a faint whisper echoed in her mind;

"You can't escape it, Charlene, it's who you are...