Within The Trees

Shakira Xavier Caelestis

Sister? My eyes widened at his words. "I think you have the wrong person. I-I don't have any siblings." On the outside I spoke these words with belief, but on the inside I couldn't help but wonder. His physical features were extremely familiar, and in a sense they brought this aura of serenity. I was at a loss to say the least, but I didn't dare let it be known by him.

This man with eyes of green, that felt as if he could see directly into my soul, was somehow convinced I was his sister. "What makes you think that I am? We don't exactly look alike," I scoffed. Arcanum bent over, just enough to be face to face with me and said,"Look at me. Can you really not see it? Can you not feel the familial bond we share?" As he spoke, my heart quickened. There was this tug...this odd pull towards him, but why? If what he said was true, then maybe he could take me to him...to my father. "Hmph...Alright. Say I do believe you. Why now? Why is it after all this time had passed, you come to me?" My arms folded across my chest, my eyes narrowed in silent suspicion. 

To my surprise, a gentle smile had formed upon his ample lips. He straightened himself back up to his full height, "Come with me. I will answer all that I can, but I need to bring you with me. I have been searching for you, because our Father wants to see you." His hand outstretched before me, inviting me to take it. I did not know what to think of this man, but my body responded before I could speak. It was a reflex, that my hand would find some odd solace in his. My brother?...My brother had searched for me and found me, and not only that but he was going to take me to see our Father. 

"He wants to see me?.." My mind matched my voice at how baffling it would seem. A father who wanted to me after all this time. Yet, in my mind I wondered as to why now? Why now after all the pain and torment that I had endeared by my mother's hand, that he would want to meet now? All of these question that swirled in my mind, I would ask the man himself. So, I squared my shoulders and gazed upon my brother once more, "Then let us make haste. If he wants to see me...the feeling is quite mutual." 

Arcanum merely took my hand with a slight squeeze, venturing into the trees from the path he had come. As we walked, the silence that fell between us was slightly awkward. Here was a man with such an uncanny demeanor, a man that looked a lot like I used too...and yet pain emanated from him, an emotion that I was all to familiar with. I couldn't help it anymore; my aura hummed just over my skin and the color was a saddening grey. My eyes followed the trail of my aura like a soft wisp of smoke travelling higher and higher until it disappeared into his chest.

Flashes of him...broken appeared in my mind as clear as day, yet still only snippets. It wasn't the images that caused the sadness in my heart to grow, but the emotion that flowed so heavily from it. In that moment, I wanted to console him, to ask what was the moment that seemingly broke him inside...but it wasn't my place. Instead I pulled my hand away, as gently as possible, and walked next to him, keeping step for step. He seemed unfazed, his face expressionless as if  he were lost in thought.

"Arcanum..." I began, glancing over towards him, whilst I ducked beneath some overhanging branches that dared to sway a bit from the oaks we passed. Arcanum continued to walk with such ease and grace in each step, but his ears moved slightly indicating he was listening. "What is he like? What is our father like?" My curiosity had bested me as I asked these questions, showing just a sliver of my emotions on the matter. 

He came to halt at my questions, the movement on the balls of his feet causing a slight turn towards me. His eyes glowed just a tad against the contrast of the sun and shade the trees provided. A slight flick of his tongue, wetting his lips as he stepped closer to me. In that moment, my eyes closed and my body tensed, his actions caused me to believe the worst was to come; but it didn't happen. I waited, but nothing came, so I opened my eyes and saw a flicker of sadness enter and leave his eyes. Composure fell over him quite swiftly as he began to speak, "Our Father, Zarae'l  is a being of great power. He can be compassionate and...affectionate in his own way." 

Compassionate? A man who lets his own daughter endure such horrific deeds, as well as let something happen to effect his son in such ways... how could he be compassionate? "What else about him?...I'm sorry to bombard you with questions, but I've only just came to terms with realizing the man who raised me was not my actual blood." I stared into my brother's eyes and waited. He gave me a look for a moment before speaking again, "He is mesmerizing. The aura that flows from him is one of great wisdom. His eyes are quaking pools that some may drown in; they are a brilliant hue of blue and green. The nature in which you seek such refuge could be captured within them." 

The torrid of explanations that came from his lips, filled my head to capacity. My father sounded more like a godly being then of a man, and inside I had an inkling that that was exactly the case. I could feel my body become light, and I could sense my legs wanting to buckle...but no I would not let that happen. Not now...not with him. 'Come on, Levinta' I coached to myself, stopping my legs from failing as I concentrated on my breathing alone. It was in those moments, that another question struck, "What is my true name? Is it even Levinta?" My eyes found his again, as I pleaded with my eyes for him to answer this last question. 

He stepped closer to me and let out a sigh from his lips, "You seek the truth, and I suppose I can answer this final question; but after I do so, we must carry on and all other questions pertaining to Father must be answered by him. Alright?"  I nodded, "Yes, yes of course. Please just tell me, Arcanum." He took my hands in his, and tilted my chin so that our eyes met once again, "Your true name, the name that our father bestowed upon you, is Shakira Xavier Caelestis. Not Levinta. That name was of your mother's volition and no one else's. Now let us continue our journey, Father awaits your arrival.

With my questions answered I followed Arcanum once again, but this time, my fingers slipped into his hands. My aura once again humming just over my skin, only now it was a soft hue of white that shimmered. Yet, with the slight reassuring squeeze we shared, my white aura flickered a soft yellow and then winked out.