*The Decree*
That seems like a part of some other life now. It was all the time before the villagers accepted me, the time before I was normal, as if it's a series of events far removed from who I am. Strange how the passage of time does that to you.
It took time for everyone to totally accept me, and some of them were never all that comfortable in my presence. But I was a citizen, a Valean, one of them. That's all I'd wanted--for them to recognize my right to exist. Nobody questioned that after that night. I was their hero, their miracle; the thing they couldn't quite explain but knew wasn't a demon.
In a way, it was almost easier being mute. When people know you can't speak, they don't expect you to say anything, or maybe even feel anything. It was a long time before I let others know that I had a voice. My parents didn't mention it to anyone until they knew I was ready. How long was it? A month? A year? I forget. It wasn't a question of embarrassment or shame--more like a fear of losing my identity. All of my life I had been the mute boy, and suddenly I wasn't anymore. That one difference changed everything about myself and my life. I wasn't different anymore; I was like everyone else. And when I chose to be silent most of the time, everyone thought it was strange. How come he's not a chatterbox like his friend Garet? they asked. You'd think that after five years of forced silence all he'd ever want to do is talk!
Nothing could be further from the truth. I think some people forgot that I even had a voice at times. It got easier to speak as I got older, but I never did become much of a talker. I don't think I ever will. Garet once asked me why that was, and all I could say was that it's the way I am. Think about it. I started my life unable to express myself the way normal people usually do, so I had to keep everything inside of me. That's not a behavior one can just shove off overnight. And still, no one seemed to get it. They accepted it, but they didn't really understand it.
I take that back. My mother understands it; at least I'm pretty sure she does. And my father…he probably understood it best. Maybe that's why I miss him so much. Dad always told me that actions spoke much louder than words, and that words only have meaning when one backs them up with actions. And I know he believed that himself. The truest revelation of his feelings for me happened through action. He had a life that he was more than contented with, and yet he was willing to give all of it up for me. For me.
The memory of that night and the "miracle" I performed is sketchy to me. I don't know how I channeled that much Psynergy at such a young age. I don't know why it didn't kill me when it probably should have. Sometimes, when I was supposed to be asleep in bed, I'd sit at the top of the stairs and overhear Mom and Dad talking about it. They didn't know either. They speculated that it meant I was destined to be some sort of "Super Adept" that would save the whole world. The irony! Mom also once considered that that power hadn't been Psynergy at all--that perhaps it was a different kind of power altogether. Dad asked her what she meant by this, and all she could say was that maybe I was a real angel. He didn't respond to that, probably unwilling to admit that he'd thought the same thing himself at some point. And little me, sitting at the top of the stairs, had almost blown my cover by laughing out loud.
Ridiculous idea, isn't it? If I really were some sort of angel, I would certainly be the first to know about it.
Wouldn't I?
I never saw the cat again after that night, nor did I ever figure out what it really was. I like to think that it did speak to me, but that's impossible. For one, cats don't talk. And I'm definitely not a mind reader. Still, maybe that cat was some sort of messenger sent to help me sort out what I was going through. I guess I'll never know for certain. Maybe it was the one who gave me that power. That mysterious, miraculous power that no one can quite figure out.
Well, whatever that power was, I've yet to tap into it again. I've come close in a few of the major battles I've fought during my journey, but it was nothing like what I did that night. Maybe it was just a fluke, or maybe I lost the ability to do whatever that was once I got my voice. I don't know. That power would've come in handy several times, but I guess I don't have access to it anymore. But that's OK, because I don't particularly want it.
Ah, I'm just fooling myself. There was at least one time when I wanted that power more than anything--the night of the storm. Yet that one time I needed such strength, it chose to forsake me and I could only stand there, paralyzed in terror, as the boulder fell. Fate can be so cruel.
I know that some of the villagers silently wondered why I didn't stop it from happening. I could see the resentment in their eyes, feel it in their hearts. No one ever said it aloud, but I knew they were asking me that question: Why didn't you stop it? I suppose they kept quiet about it because of what happened to Dad. If he hadn't died that night, perhaps they would've blamed me for the whole thing and the cycle of superstitious fear would've begun anew. Once again, my father protected me from their misguided paranoia.
Whatever the future holds, whatever happens on this weird and wild journey, I'm certain of one thing. I will do everything within my power to protect the ones I love as well as the innocent lives around me. If any divine grace has been bestowed upon me, I will use it to work towards a brighter future for all of the good souls on this earth. That is my promise.
My decree.
I hope you people enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. This was more or less an experiment to see if I could write something devoid of romance, so I'm thrilled and flattered that it went over so well. Every word of encouragement (and criticism) I receive only motivates me to try even harder to spin a good story. So thank you, thank you, thank you everyone for taking the time to read this and comment on it! Your responses are the fuel that keeps my inspiration flowing.
See ya soon! ^_^