Lost in Embers (Rising From Ash Saga #1)

Chapter 15

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

O ctober 23, 1995

My Dearest Ava,

The most important thing is to know that I love you with my whole heart, and I’m proud to call myself your father. I can’t imagine the resentment you feel toward me, thinking I abandoned you and have not been there for you. I want to apologize for not being there in person when you need me the most, as I’m sure you do right now. Our souls are linked, my daughter, and I will always be there with you. Hopefully, after reading this letter you will have a better peace of mind and can understand why I have made certain decisions. You must believe me: if there was another way to be with you, I would find it, but the time is not right. This was the only means I had to keep you safe.

You will bring the world back to flourishing.

Since you’re reading this now, it means we have been successful at keeping you alive, for now. I’m positive you have countless questions, all of which I cannot answer in this letter. You must not share the contents of this with anyone other than the ONE you trust. Before I go into more detail, you must understand that people aren’t always whom they claim to be. My sweet daughter, you have a heart of gold, but you must err on the side of caution and use the tools you possess, even with the ones you think are the closest to you. Don’t let your Shaddower block you from the truth or your purpose here. You will have to learn to hone your new instruments. We all have a part to play in this war, and yours is the most important of all. You are not some fragile being, for there is no army that could stop you when you are fully transformed.

While my part here is not finished, I have completed my main agenda – keeping you safe until you found out the truth about your role. For we are at war, and you are the key. Like me, you are special in more ways than you could possibly know and even more powerful than I could ever envision. Century after century, you never cease to amaze me, and I’m in awe of the talent you can harness, and you grow more powerful with each passing, yet this time may be your last if the clues I’ve connected are correct.

When you and your brother were both children, the most powerful Pureck came to visit your mother and me. A Pureck is one who has the ability to see into the future and wield nature. A power so great that it could implode our world, just look what it did to our old way. Cassiopeia is the strongest of all the Pureck’s. While Pureck’s were not supposed to take sides, she remained one of the few to evade the militia and was working on our side in silence.

She had been known to give powers to those in need and heal them as well. On her visit to us, she told us of a vision she had and advised we had the choice to save our kind in the future, after losing many along the way. Without hesitation we agreed, not knowing what that entailed. She continued on to speak of how one of our children would be filled with light and have the power to change the course of our destiny. She would give that child the ability to develop multiple powers if they so wished, and then when Cassiopeia passed away, she would give her powers to the child as well. This meant unlimited strength and foresight, should the child use their potential to tap into those powers. As parents we had the choice to choose which child would be granted those powers. We knew she was referring to you, our precious daughter, for you saw the light. We didn’t realize the hunt that would start for you the moment we made that choice, and secrets only remain secrets for so long.

Since you were a young child, before the visit from the Pureck, you could see the good in people and what evil they could turn to be if the good in them was not realized. With that one power, our kind was able to stop so many from turning evil; with your help, of course, we could show them the good before the bad could even get to them. We chose you to lead. Year after year, you were able to mold that one power alone into something amazing. You have premonitions, it could be by touch, or you can grow that power into something else. We believe Cassiopeia transferred a small part of herself to you in the process, you would have premonitions of those you touched. You could see what they would use good or evil for, but only by skin-to-skin contact.

Once you learn to sharpen your skills like you have done before, you can have premonitions of those you link souls with without being anywhere near them. That is how we will meet one day, when the time is right, you will see me without my consent. For now – you have always been able to see my movements when I want you to. Souls can be linked through family and love. You can also block those with linked souls from seeing in, but that takes unbelievable strength. You can harness what you want them to see.

That, my dear, is how you were able to find this letter. To put it bluntly, you have gifts; many people on this earth do, but you will stand tall among those less strong. You are the key to our survival and future; you always have been.

Many powers are encompassed in who you are and what you do. Most only obtain one power at birth; I’m not even certain how many powers you can possess. Each time you are born, you seem to be more powerful than before. Like me, you have always been able to take other forms, and being born with two gifts is already something that made you a target.

For centuries, we have been tracked and hunted. The evil of our kind and the government have their own ideas of what the ideal world would look like. Grimmers, what we call the evil of our kind, envision to make an army so strong they could wipe the humans off the planet. While the government militia wishes to recruit us, their intentions are just as bad, using our own to exterminate each other. The militia’s plan after that is unknown to me, but it is a frightening thought. The older we get, the more technology evolves, and we remain the same, except you. Nothing is how you see it to be; as of now, your life will change. Ava, I need you to embrace this change, not just for me but for the well-being of mankind and our kind. There can be a harmony for our kind when the old world is restored to its beauty.

The reason I disappeared was to keep you safe. Grimmers and militia seem to be able to track myself and others who were among the resistance. Perhaps they have a spy who has, time and time again, been able to infiltrate, or some powers can be tracked now. The only known is that your powers cannot be tracked; that is something the Pureck told us. Not even by our own kind or a linked soul. The only exception to this is a soul mate. Your soul mate is the one you are drawn to; they can sense you at all times if you let them.

You have lived three lives and died in two of them. We all have weaknesses; even with our powers we are vulnerable. You have two weaknesses:

Your power of seeing the good and evil and transfiguration were given at birth, but all of your powers develop. Seeing the good and evil in people is miraculous, no one can fool you, but that power won’t protect you, especially if your Shaddower is around.

Only someone with a linked soul can kill you, and those Huffnalger beasts the last time I checked.

There are still many unknowns, I’m going off of past lives, not your current one, and things are ever evolving with you it seems.

You have a necklace, one that your mother gave you when you were a mere child of only 6 months in 1854; she wanted you to keep her with you always. Then you died in 1868, crushing us, but we knew you had a purpose much larger than any of us could imagine.

In your first life, you developed powers beyond your own at the age of five, it was beautiful to watch you sway the trees and control the wind, but then you died at the age of 14.

To our surprise you were born again in 1920 and found us at the same age you left us, as was your brother. The Pureck did not mention anything to us about your rebirth, but she did give us a series of numbers, which seem to be the pattern of when you develop your powers, but you died at the age of 22 in 1928, crushing our hearts once more, but leaving Aidan in complete turmoil and on a path for vengeance.

You were kept safe in Aidan’s family tomb. Somehow, someone was able to release you. A mystery to us all, just as much as a mystery of your whereabouts. Do not be shocked that I have found a way to find you and leave you this message.

5, 15, and 25: She said when the sequence comes to an end, so would your destiny here. So, you have been out of the tomb and wandering around for 5 years, the childhood fed to you is not one of your real memories. This also means this is your last life, should a linked soul kill you. This is a pattern your mother and I only know; this has been hidden from even those closest to you.

The word of your multiple powers and immunity traveled. You were a threat to many just as a child. Many were trying to kill you while you were still human and able to die. Your mother and I have watched you die twice, and I was not prepared to let that happen again.

When I disappeared, many assumed that I would take you with me, so I was constantly hunted. Distance from me was the safest thing I could do for you, especially since your powers that could protect you had yet to come into play. It is very important you do not change the way you act in front of anyone. There are people everywhere that will want to hurt you if they find out who you are. They will use your kindness against you, especially when your powers are not fully developed yet. The militia will try to lure you in and keep you alive; you are no good to them dead.

With a heart so pure, you still have a choice to use your powers for good or evil. I know you will make the right choice. However, if at any point you feel as though you cannot continue this fight, I have prepared an emergency kit. You will have to use your powers to connect with my soul and look into my memories. Find the old weeping willow that I played under as a child. There you will find enough money to get you through this life. Use it to disappear. If you choose to stand and fight, inside the next box is a key; wear it at all times. You will know when to use it.

Call Marcus Fawle, he will help you train. He is my oldest friend. We have known each other for many centuries, and he can be trusted with your life and mine. Mishkutou is yearly, so prepare yourself to be scrutinized by the Elders, yet in this new world, it is important to hold back, keep a part of yourself secret, do not let them know your full arsenal, even if you haven’t fully developed yet. The Mishkutou I knew growing up was to bring the good of our kind together and train in a light with no competitive edge, one to just share knowledge and skill at the hope of survival. I fear they have disgraced our old ancient language of the word of Sharing and turned it into a dark matter altogether.

Remember, you are the one who can survive almost any attack. You are the one who can protect our people and innocent lives. You are the one who can change lives by words and actions. You are the one whose powers can save everyone. You are my daughter. You are a leader. Have faith in yourself, what your mind doesn’t remember, your body will.

I love you, Ava.

Love Always,

Dad

Somehow all of this makes sense and no sense atall. My mind relaxes knowing that I haven't been losing my mind the past year that these dreams have entrapped me.My thoughts haven't been poisoned or showing a weakening state, but warning me this whole time. I haven't been losing my shit.

What are you about to do, Ava?

People want me dead. Facts, as proven by the murder on the beach. I have no one to talk to about this fucked up situation, and I can't trust anyone. The only optionsare to live or die. Because I will be damned if I go into hiding for shit I know nothing about. I choose the one that has my survival at the end, no matter the cost.

I try to digest everything that I read, but instead of processing everything I know, I have made my decision. I turn toward the smaller box, again wrapped in twine, and open it. The first thing I pull out is the key my father wrote about in the letter. It is quite magnificent, old and silver without tarnish. The end is in the shape of a heart, covered in diamonds. It feels to have the same energy and force that my body has been radiating. He has it coiled with green wire to make a beautiful necklace; unlike any key I have seen before. I slip it over my neck, and it dangles low in between my breasts; it will be safely hidden when I have clothes on.

Laila curls up on my lap and looks into my eyes. I pull out Marcus Fawle’s number from the box. “What do you think, girl?” She licks the back of my hand in agreement to my thoughts. The paper nearly crumbles apart in my hands. Does this number still exist?

Deeper in the bottom of the box is a little note, one that is on a fresh piece of paper, unlike the others. It looks like the ink has just dried and simply reads:

Laila will help you make the right decision

Could that be any vaguer? A decision about what? How does he know her name? I look down into Laila’s hopeful eyes and I see my reflection, but it is me as a child, swinging. My mind needs to stop playing tricks on me. At the very bottom of the box are two photographs of Victor and me as kids. One was taken in the 1800s and the other from this life, right before my father left. Victor and I look so happy; even his eyes were smiling greater than mine. What has turned them so dark?

So, this is it. I’m some sort of salvation for my kind and the human race. This is the information Aidan knew yet chose to leave me in Mexico without stressing the importance of this situation. Yet I still don’t know what all this means. Fuck me. As if being anxiety riddled wasn’t bad enough.

My dreams are not dreams at all but premonitions. Or are they? How can I distinguish between the two? The bomb, my mother, I cannot let her die. I was given this for a reason, and I can change that.

Chills overcome my body: this letter, the photos, Marcus Fawle, the note, the key; all will be a constant reminder of my place here.

“Why is this happening to me?” I let out all my frustration in one sentence and wind enters my bedroom, breaking my windows and throwing my door wide open. The wind picks up around me and hastily swirls around the room, causing havoc, yet the possessions my father gave me do not move. As I ease my storm, so does the wind; and everything that has been broken or moved neatly falls back into place, like nothing has happened.