Sins ch 3
Max practically threw the book on the floor. "That cannot be my dad," she stated in defiance. "It is, over use of their abilities causes rapid ageing" said Gorman Max stood up and paced "and I'm supposed to stop that, how the heck do I do that?" she said "I have no idea but you will when it is needed." Said Gorman she looked at him like he was crazy again. "Show me this so called prophesy" said Max.
Gorman nodded "very well this way" said Gorman. He led her down the stairs and into what was supposed to be a kitchen. Unlocked a heavy door and they walked down a set of basement steps.
There was an old bookshelf in the corner and some sort of raised platform. It looked as though fire had ringed the outer edge of the circle. Gorman pulled a heavy looking book from the shelf and set it on the platform. Then he stepped back. She looked at him funny "aren't you going to open it?" she asked. "Only covenant members can open it," he said. "So, we can't look at it?" she asked.
Gorman sighed boy did he have his work cut out for him. "No you can open it silly," said Gorman. Max hesitated was this another test? She reached out a single hand and flipped open the top page. She jumped back when she did so. Gorman looked like he wanted to laugh. "What so I'm being cautious," said Max.
"So where is it?" she asked "ask the book" said Gorman "ah, ask the book?" she said in disbelief. She looked back at the book and swallowed. This had to be the weirdest thing she ever did "show me the prophecy" she said. Nothing happened, then the thought occurred to her what if there was more than one prophesy in that book "the one about the balance" she amended.
The book raised off the platform and fire suddenly blazed in the ring surrounding the pedestal. The pages of the book were turning all by themselves. Max swallowed "holy shit I'm in an episode of charmed" she said out loud. Gorman laughed, but then quickly stiffed it. The pages had stopped turning and Max stepped cautiously forward. She didn't want to get burned. The book tilted itself toward her and she read.
"One will be born into the covenant not of the male line, they shall be the second of their line to hold the power, bringing balance to the others and to the power itself. She will make the covenant once again whole"
Max stepped back "yeah but how do you know its me?" she said. "Because my dear you're the only one who fits the description and you can use the book," said Gorman.
"There is more keep reading," he said. Max frowned more just great.
" She will come to the power early and ascend as the others, her talents will be far greater than those of her brothers. For she is the powers avatar and its guardian"
"What the heck does that mean?" said Max. "It means or so your father thought it did that you are a physical representation of the power" said Gorman "the power?" she said "you couldn't come up with a better name?" she said Gorman snorted "I didn't name it some one else did" said Gorman "so that means what exactly that I'm stronger than they are?" said Max. "In the power yes, but they've been trained you haven't " said Gorman "so train me" she said. Gorman sighed, "I can't, I can only advise, I can't use, one of the covenant must do that" said Gorman. Max was touching the book and absently reading the other notations. Most of which were hand written. "Is that why my father wanted me here to fulfill this" she said Gorman looked at her funny her tone had changed. "Partially the other was because he wanted you near him" he answered honestly. Max relaxed she had thought she was being used. Her hand went back on the book.
The book felt weird to her almost as if it were alive. "Gorman Is this book err alive?" asked max. Gorman shrugged "could be" said Gorman she carefully flipped over the pages. The book looked expensive and she had no doubt it was irreplaceable." What are you looking for?" asked Gorman she shrugged "training stuff I guess" she answered.
The page she was holding pulled itself out of her hand and they began to flip towards the front of the book. They stopped on some pages but they all seemed to be group exercises.
She sighed in frustration everything seemed to be made for groups. She was about to say something when her watch beeped. She looked at the display.
"Oh shit I'm going to miss my bus," she said. "Maxine" said Gorman. Max closed the book and handed it to Gorman. " Got to go" she said. "Come back anytime, I'll help you anyway I can, oh and Max don't use in public" said Gorman. "Gotcha" she yelled as she ran up the stairs.
Max booked it out the front door and across the dead lawn. Jumped the broken fence and ran down the dirt road. She rounded the bend only to see the bus start to pull away. Max willed the door to fly open. The bus driver stopped the bus.
Max couldn't believe it the bus had stopped. She jogged across the street and on board dropping her fare in the meter.
The driver was trying to unstick the door. It wouldn't budge. Until Max willed it to close that was. The door snapped back into place and the driver fell backwards. Several people on the bus laughed. The driver flustered now pulled away from the curb. Max was grateful when she made it to her stop. She walked the short distance to the school. She wasn't really paying attention to anything as she walked up the stairs to her dorm. Mercifully her room was empty and it stayed that way all night.
Which was fine with her because she had a lot to process in her head. This was all too much. New school, weird parental legacies. She wasn't sure if she even wanted to deal with it.