Searching souls

17 APIRL 208 YEARS PREVIOUSLY

The blackening sky already diminished the last of the glowing rays of the sun and the darkness was silently creeping in. Somehow she knew it was going to be her last night in this world before her soul would befall to the world of apocalypse but she had precious time before that. The glistening jewel in her hand was telling her so. And she believed it. She had had believed it her all life and she didn't intend to stop now.

The quiet street of Higsley lay in a tattered, cluttered state yet it was one of the most popular towns in the city. Simply because it was safer than most towns and the in the middle of the city, away from the potential portal to Apocalypse, the land of searching souls. But she never thought about that. Her husband had been lost years previously, and this was why she was here to seek help, why she had to go and leave her soon to be born child in the hands of strangers and it was why she was going to die.

She staggered under the weight of the child, and slowly picked through the darkening road to a small house bearing the sign "mollycoddle orphanage". She hated orphanages and was loathed to send her child there, but she had no choice, her family had abandoned her several years ago and she had no one.

Carefully, she reached the door and knocked. Yet there was no need, someone had been expecting her. A tall, thin and rather ragged man answered. His name, known to man, was Mytoaisis.

"You must be Lisilla Krotera. We have been waiting for you. Come in."

Obediently she followed him and then cursed herself for not being wary.

"Now there is no need to explain I know about your daughter, your husband made sure of that before he… passed away." Mytoaisis watched the young girl's reaction. Lisilla was genuinely surprised at the lengths her husband had gone for her and she wondered why. A sudden wave of anger shot through her, had he had really thought she was that incapable? No, she said to herself no, and she dismissed that thought from her mind. The jewel in her hand glowed… then faded a little. A wave of panic shot through Lisilla, she was running out of time.

"Now never mind the facts, sir, the important thing is, will you take me in and look after my child after I'm gone?" She pressed.

Mytoaisis waved his hand. "Of course, Lisilla, haven't I just said id spoken to your husband? He made me swear to take you in after he was gone."

Whatever the reaction he had expected from those words, the Impact astonished him. There she stood, staring, trying to frantically deny in her mind what he had just said. There was a moment's silent pause and then Lisilla's mind finally admitted defeat.

"d'you…do you mean he already knew?"

Present day

Thaniel Foriester had just finished reading a report from his agent, but he wasn't really concentrating at all. He was waiting for a call from his boss to confirm the visit tomorrow and that was all he could think about. He would be seeing a woman, a woman whom most of the population would give there right hands to speak to; moreover she was coming for information on her parents, the Kroteras, which was even more impressive. It pained Thaniel to have to tell the girl the story of her mother and father, for it was a dark, tragic and inspirational tale. He knew the truth would affect her terribly. A chime from the phone on his desk made him start. True to his word, it was his boss, an important and fearful man named Hawk.

"Hello…sir? You were ringing me on the matter of Saphina Krotera? "Thaniel was, unadmittedly to others, terrified of his superior, and Hawk knew it.

"Ahh…yes, she will be coming of course, she is a determined one."

"Does she know anything of her story?"

"No nothing. Nothing of her fame and heritage either, it seems she has been very guarded in that orphanage she calls home."

"Orphanage? You mean Mytoaisis's place? Thaniel paused, frantically trying to read the text that his boss had sent him on the woman. "Was she brought up there, under his influence? Why would her mother send her there?"

"No doubt the act of a desperate woman. News is the father had contacts there before he died. Apparently he arranged it.

"Really? I haven't been able to get information on him. Have you got anything?"

"Not much. It seems he preferred to be a mystery."

"Oh… oh well, sir, perhaps I can dig something up. This news has certainly brought some interesting theories to mind. Just a shame I can't give the girl facts about her father."

"There will be enough to tell, Foriester."

"Thankyou very much, sir. Goodnight."

There was no reply. His boss didn't need to.

Thaniel put the phone and ran his hair nervously down his thick blonde hair. The calls from Hawk always made him edgy. Sighing softly, Thaniel got up and began rifling the papers in the filing cabinet beside his desk. He was in for a long night, he knew. His superior may think that there was nothing more to tell, but Thaniel disagreed. So, following his instincts, he began scanning his research, with a small nagging feeling at the back of his head; Hawk wasn't telling him everything.

Present day, the morning after Thaniel's call

If you looked into the thin white curtains of the small flat next to the road, where roaring vehicles kept most of the inhabitants of Creswell drive awake half the night, you would think you had seen a typical, young, dark haired girl, approximately seventeen, sprawled within a bed, surrounded by a thick dark blue quilt, sleeping soundlessly. But this was no ordinary young woman. This was Saphina Krotera, who had not yet learned of her troubling destiny. And would have never been anticipated was she would hear on this particular day. So, as Saphina struggled with emerging from the deepness of sleep, she was completely innocent. Well, she thought, almost.

Sighing heavily, Saphina roused and shook herself awake then stood up. Yawning widely, she walked to her dingy bathroom and washed, then after completing that task, she pulled out some clothes from her wardrobe and dragged them over her skinny frame. Mornings were not Saphina's thing.

But she couldn't dwell on that today. She had a very important meeting with Thaniel Foriester, widely known as an agent of the fearsome, pitiless Hawk. But that didn't matter to her. What concerned her was that the meeting was regarding to her parents, whom she couldn't remember. It was impossible. The soul mistress had taken their souls long go, left them with lifeless cold bodies, taken their life essence away. Away from her. Well, that's what they had said to her anyway.

Sighing once more Saphina went over to the fridge and pulled out a cereal bar and a carton of juice. And then looked t the clock. And shrieked in anxiety as she realised she was going to be late. In a sudden rush she grabbed her breakfast and tumbled out of the flat, almost forgetting her car keys in her panic. Then she was outside. The car. According to her solicitors the car had been one of the fen things she hid inherited from her parents. Or one of the few things that had survived the destruction preceding her parents' deaths. That and a few other items such as a small fortune, a few old records, a few treasured possessions from her childhood and an unfortunately ruined wedding photo of her parents. And a black jewel. This was the oddest thing of the collection. Not because of the value, although many would say that she could get a lot from it. No, not that, Saphina had no doubt in her mind that her parents were important and well respected, that was obvious. No, it was because everytime she held it she could hear voices and it unnerved her.

Oh well, no need to think about that now. She was going to find out more about them anyway. She was driving by this time; her reminiscence had taken her down her rod and to high the street. And then down a darkened road. Even in the day it was dark, she thought, shivered. Oh well here I go….

Thaniel rapped his fingers nervously on the desk. She was late. Of course he wasn't really surprised. Her father had been very unpunctual. It was one of the few things he knew about him, from interviews, of course.

Then he heard the jangle of the bell. And small footsteps coming closer. He looked up. She ws here. Saphina Krotera looked exactly like as she ws desribed, tall woth dark hjair and piercing blue eyes, tht would of unnerved even the greatest warrior. Usually. But she ws nervous.

"come in." He said.

Saphina stepped inside with the full knowing of who she was going to meet and who his master was. She sat down.

Thaniel began, " as you know, the purpose of this meeting is to fill in blank parts about your heritage-"

"yeah. What? I cant keep living like this, I 'm sorry but can you just tell me what im here for? I don't need sympathy."

Thaniel, shocked by this sudden outburst was on the verge of replying scathingly, but then he noticed the girl's distress and understood the importance of this meeting to her. She has waited long enough he decided.

"Well, then, miss," he fumbled with his fingers unsure of what to say, "you know your parents names, I presume? You must also know- forgive me for saying- the nature on which they passed away?"

Thaniel surveyed her closely as Saphina nodded.

"But what I think you don't know is that your parents were famous, very famous elite mages that-"

"Mages?" She interrupted, "you mean as in magic, sorcery?"

The past again.

Lissila Krotera staggered into the shoddy guest bedroom in the orphanage. Not the best place Mytoaisis had said. My apologies.

Apologies. A good, meaningful word. If you apologise to a friend for you wrong doings, they should forgive you. If you apologise to God he should forgive your sins.

But he didn't do it for Lisilla's husband. He confessed, begged on his knees and still was dragged to Apocalypse. The devil is in him, the reverend had said, he can not rid of that darkness in him, let he be dealt with accordingly. Then the Lord's messenger on earth had prayed. Prayed for the darkness in Mr. Krotera's heart to go, to be washed away so that his soul can be cleansed. But the reverend was praying for the wrong man. The evil is in him, not my husband.

She turned to the window and gazed out of it for a moment, reminiscing of the times when she was carefree, overjoyed and in love, but every memory was sliced in two by the painful memories of terrible times.

Sighing, she sat down on the hard mattress and tried unscramble the thought in her head. Yet her heart was bruising at every thought because all she could think about was her unborn child and how she would never be apart of her life. finally she gave up, flung herself down onto the mattress and wept passionately.

It was in the darkening night when the owner's wife awoke her husband with the shriek that Lissila Krotera was going to have a child. Doctors and midwifes were called with blushing apologies but were waved away with the reply of just doing their jobs.

It was along and hard labor, and many of the professionals feared the mother's life, however after many long painful hours, the result was announced and a shining midwife held up a healthy baby girl. The little child was then given to her pale

Mother who held her child like it would be the last time. Lissila's face showed her overflowing joy but inside her heart wept because it knew this was the last.

Nobody seems to understand, she thought, clutching her daughter to her breast, no one can see I am dying.