The Empowered [The Complete Series] by Smith Dale Ivan

Author:Smith, Dale Ivan [Smith, Dale Ivan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Superhero Fantasy
Published: 2021-12-01T05:00:00+00:00

11

The air inside was cool and moist. The chamber was round, twenty feet across, with a low ceiling that almost brushed my head. The walls and ceiling glowed a faint yellow, giving just enough light to be able to make out what was inside. Namely a circle of statues in the center of the chamber, of men and women in robes, wearing headbands with carved symbols. Each had a jewel on their forehead. The circle of statues surrounded a pool that reflected the golden light.

Loris walked to the pool, and sat on a low, stone bench next to it, just inside the circle of statues. I followed, but stopped just outside the circle. I couldn’t fit inside there. It was for people shorter than me.

“What is this place?” I asked.

“A model, representing the Sacred Spring,” she replied. “I can come here, and meditate upon the Spring.”

I nodded, her words filling me with excitement. “The Sacred Spring,” I whispered.

Loris nodded. “Yes. The heart of Sanctuary. The true sacred spring grants both insight and gifts.”

My eyes widened. “Gifts?”

She smiled again, that amused little smile. “If you remain here, you may eventually be privileged to visit the Sacred Spring and experience its insight for yourself. Perhaps even see it grant gifts to those without them.”

Longing to stay here filled me. “I would like that, I really would, what can I—”

She cut me off, her words soft. “Give yourself time, Mathilda. Rome wasn’t built in a day, after all.

Rome wasn’t built in a day. Ruth, with her love of history, used to say that to me, when I was impatient to get finished with something. My throat tightened. I hoped Ruth was okay. Ava, too. Guilt stabbed me. I’d been so stubborn about finding Ella, but what about Ruth and Ava? I bit my lip. I hoped Ruth was okay.

Loris leaned forward. “What is bothering you?” she asked me.

I couldn’t tell Loris that I missed Ruth, she might send me home. I hesitated.

“What do you seek an answer to?” I blinked at her question.

I looked at the floor. It was tiled, like one of those ancient Roman floors. There was a pattern on it, vines, trees, suns, moons, mountains beneath them. People.

What I wanted to know about was the vision of myself, if that was really me. I wanted to ask her that. I almost did, but something held me back. I desperately tried to think of something else, but my brain felt like sludge.

We sat there for a while in silence.

“Very well,” Loris said, after time had passed. “You can tell me when you are ready. In the meantime, let me show you something very important.” She got to her feet in one fluid motion, like a dancer, not like someone who was probably a hundred years old. She went to the wall on the far side of the pool from the entrance door. She touched the wall, and a section slid back, revealing a spiral staircase leading down.

“Come with me,” Loris said.

My heart leapt at her words and I half ran to her side.

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