A wonderful gift may not be wrapped as you expect"
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Chapter 7: Awakening Of the Black Joker
"Welcome back you two" priest gabriel greeted us and i beamed in response.
Mother krisha put me down and pats my head before leaving.
"So what did you two do in the town?"
Priest gabriel asks and i immediately flail my hand excitedly.
"We observed and walk around, they are soooo many interesting products and and the people are so kind, we played around too and then i accidently bumped a kid... His hair is so pretty, it's shinning like the silver! His are are so pretty too!"
"Oh did you have fun?"
I cheered making him chuckles and pats me on the head.
"It was soo much fun! I wanna go there again"
"Maybe next time!" I acted defeated making him smile and kisses my forehead.
"It still early to go to bed so you can go to the garden to play"
"Yes Priest gabriel" i rushes towards the path connecting to the garden while giggling.
When i reach the garden i cease my giggling and lazily roam my eyes around.
I don't know what to do and i'm bored but it's better than going to the town. Acting like a kid tires me.
"Suzue"
"Yes?!" When i heard a voice calling me i immediately beam like a kid however i saw no one around causing me to crease my forehead in confusion.
I wonder who called me?,
"Suzue"
Eh? This time i'm pretty sure i'm the only one around, my eyes landed to the place where the voice came from, it's the forest.
The breeze go stronger when i started walking towards the forest.
My legs are small so i couldn't travel faster so i made a dash.
"Suzue"
"Who?" I followed the unknown voice.
The voice isn't the same as the voice i heard when i was in my mother's womb, this one is full of mischief and playfulness, it's creepy and dark.
A normal kid won't follow a voice like that, in the movies people would follow it. But i'm not a kid and i'm certainly not in a movie so i will follow it.
"Suzue" i halt my steps when the voice become clearer and louder.
I roam my eyes around and only sees trees surrounding me, there was no one else and the voice didn't come back anymore.
I wonder who was that, i turn around to go back to the garden when i felt i step on something, i lowered my head and a card greeted me.
I pick it up and stared at the card, it's a joker painted in black, the front and back of the card has the same design what i notice the most is the frames of the card.
It's not black but red instead, it's sparkling and shinning it looks very sharp...
What does a card like this doing here?
Did someone accidently dropped it?
Curiously i rub the drawing of the joker and accidently touches the frames.
"Ah" as i thought it was sharp, i stared at my thumb bleeding and observes how my blood drops on the card and how the card absorb it.
I was about to put it back on the floor when i felt a burn in my arm,
It was very painful so i couldn't contain myself and i scream.
"Ahhhhhhh!!!"
My arm feels like it was being burn by a fire, so painful, memories of myself being eaten by fire flashes back in my mind..
However i notice something odd, in the fire i was hugging hadley with one arm, my other arm were being hold by a pair of jade like hands, i'm certain it's not hadley because hadley was turning away away from me so i know it wasn't her who's holding me.
Who was that?
"Ahhhhh! Hurts!!"
'... If only i met you earlier'
Who?
"Ezu? Ezu!!!"
.
.
.
My eyes opened and i think i heard gasps around me.
"Ezu? What happened to our ezu priest gabriel?, her eyes are blank and sleepy"
Mother grace?
"Oh nooo my poor missy, do something priest gabriel!"
Mother krisha?
"Ladies quiet.. Are you okay ezu?"
Mother fate....
I felt a hand on my arm caressing it gently, this warm and gentle hand i'm certain it's from priest gabriel.
His touch is the gentlest and warmest among my caretakers, and i really like it when he's patting my head.
Ah there it goes, his pats, i closes my eyes and leans instinctually to his hand.
"That dragon mark on her arm, did the card of black joker gave her that?" I heard mother grace asks
But... Black joker? Was that the card i picked up earlier?
Dragon mark?
"Yes, it seems the black joker chooses our ezu here as a holder"
I heard mother fate answered while caressing my cheek.
"But why did the black joker gave her a dragon as a mark? And very big at that"
"I heard that the mark the cards will give are related to the capacity of the holder's ability, the figure or the form of the mark is related to the personality of the holder or the holder's closest kin... But why a dragon?"
"Ezu is still a kid... She will grow and will change, there's also a possibility that the mark is pertaining to her closest kin"
This whole thing is complicated, why did that card choose me? It's tiring to move.
"Ezu is probably part of the prophecy, we have no choice but to train her to protect her self"
Train?... Why .. I don't like training.
I might be good at sports and muscular activities but training can still consume my energy.
"Yes, i would be sad if ezu would be in danger and no one would be there to protect her"
"Hmm we need to train her"
"But how?"
"I guess by books?"
They are so hopeless... Then... I will train myself then.
I should go back to sleep, the pain tired me too much.
.
.
.
"Ezu you are wake come on you need to do your own awakening ritual" i nod lazily and stood up.
I didn't bother to act like a kid why? Because i think they are starting to assume that my lifeless and lazy eyes are cause by the black joker.
I'm just doing what they are assuming
Mother fate mad me kneel on the fully pillow place on the center of the gold carpet.
I never thought the church would be this wealthy that they could afford a gold carpet.
"We want you to talk to God okay? Ask for his guidance and seek for his protection"
"Yes mother fate" she smiled and kisses my forehead.
I took a few deep breaths and intertwine my hands together.
'God' one word and i felt like my surroundings become empty, relaxing energy twirls around me and soft breeze gently engulf my whole being.
Is this part of the ritual? Then if yes, I wanna do it everyday.
'It is I your daughter, Peyton Kallid... No, I think i'll use Suzue Reed from now on... I know i ask you for one wish, and it's to make me smart... I never thought you'll agree for a selfish wish like that but i am forever in your debt.
I probably already disappoint you, the first time my voice become clear i made my first lie... I lied to your daughters and son. I wasn't a kid but a sinner in disguise yet i made them believe i am one...
I wanted to tell but i couldn't because i want to be selfish just once... I want to go back to square one, where i was still ignorant and full of smiles.
God... Forgive me for I keep on comitting unforgivable sins... And I will once again will make one selfish desire... Bless me and protect me from the beings who'll hurt me, i won't blame you if you'll ignore this selfish request of mine.
But I for them... For the people who gave me shelter and feed me with delicious food... I'll request one last thing again... Please.. Give me the strength to control the power of the black joker...
The capacity to dominate this ability,
Give me the authority to manipulate the shadows,
The dignity to hold this power and guide me for this ambition...'
The breeze grows stronger and went still it's as if the time stop, i felt a warm hand held my head and gently rubs it and the owner of the hand slowly embraces me when i opened my eyes , the statue of God greeted me... It was still motionless and hidden.
Was it him who held me?
"Ezu?"
I couldn't respond to priest gabriel's call, i just started weeping right there at the center of the church, in front of the statue carved to look like God
And for the second time... I shed tears.