Time was uncomfortable and nervous. This was the first time he was betraying the Moon. She was their leader, a mother-like figure for all the creatures of the universe and yet, here they were misleading her for the sake of something that was nothing short of a miracle.
After he had rushed into Shiuli and Death resting, Time was successful in persuading both Death and his lover that it was time to leave. As someone who worked to maintain time in the universe, Time knew that letting go was very difficult for humans. It opened them to pain and longing. Longing especially for the life and people they were leaving behind.
Time looked at Shiuli as she told her best friend that she would have to leave right now. It was an emotional scene that was too painful to look at, even for a creature like him. Shiuli sobbed into her best friend's tight embrace. Both the girls were relatively young, but they both were very mature for their age. For them to understand and love each other unconditionally showed that forming true friendship is still possible in this wretched world plagued by selfishness. Time had seen humans evolve. He had seen it all. But this scene of parting that he was witnessing was too painful even for him.
"You must go!" Amisha cried, "Leave! Now!"
"Don't forget me…" Shiuli's voice cracked.
That's when Time realized that Shiuli's disappearance from here would cause a lot of turmoil. Mortals like humans would not understand what the world of the creatures was like and why Shiuli had gotten tangled in it. Even though this girl called Amisha knew about their world, the others could certainly not know, because this is how the universe functioned. Ignorance is bliss. And that is why it is better that humans did not know about the creatures.
"Death, we have to erase Shiuli from the mortal world." Time whispered to Death.
"I know. I've been dreading telling this to Shiuli and Amisha."
"I can understand why this is so hard for you. I shall talk to them."
Time took a deep breath in and then let it out. He tried to calm his nerves down as he walked up to the two girls in front of him.
"Shiuli, we must erase you from the memories of everyone who knew you from the day of your accident. To the world, you will have died that night with your parents."
"The night I was supposed to die?" Shiuli's eyes widened.
"Yes." Time could see fresh tears swell up into Shiuli's eyes.
Amisha looked determined and walked up to Time. She looked so small compared to him. She knew that she was talking to a creature, but she would do anything to keep seeing her best friend and sister.
"Please let me be the only one for whom Shiuli will be alive. I already know about you creatures and I swear to take this knowledge to my grave. Even though Shiuli would be dead to the world, let me be the only one who knows that she's alive and with the love of her life."
"Yes, Time." Shiuli wiped her tears and smiled at Amisha, "I want her to remember me. I don't want to let her go. I promised her that we'd see each other again and I want to keep that promise."
Time didn't even think twice before he did what the two girls had asked of him. He quickly closed his eyes and chanted the spell "Mundus obliviscitur". And just like that, he knew that what he wanted to do was done. For the world, except for Amisha of course, Shiuli had died that night she was supposed to die with her parents. Even Amisha's parents would now know that she had died that night.
"It is done." Time sighed.
"I'm dead… to everyone." Shiuli's eyes dropped.
"Except for me." Amisha hugged her sister one last time…for now…
***
The shaman stood at the edge of a cliff staring as the sunset on the horizon ahead. Her long black abaya swayed with the wind and her hijab soaked up the sweat the humidity in the air brought.
"Show me the signs! Show me the signs!"
The shaman kept screaming until she had exhausted all the strength her old body had packed. Her eyes glistened like broken glass against the setting sun and her bruised hands kept hitting the stones around her. If there were people around her at that point, they would all perceive her as a madwoman.
"What have I gotten myself into?"
Since her meeting with the divine creature at her store, the shaman had felt restless. The fortune reading, she had done that day had created a storm that kept getting bigger and more dangerous as the days passed by. She knew she was blessed when she was given this power of seeing and sensing things that average humans could not, but now, after that one meeting with a divine creature, she knew she had been cursed. She had somehow entangled herself in the affairs of the universe and she knew that there was a powerful pull that was trying to get her to do something. But what exactly was it?
As she stood there wondering if the signs would ever be clear to her, she felt a familiar tug at her heart and soul. She felt the presence she had felt that day—the presence of a divine creature.
"I thought about what you said," the strong female voice behind her muttered, "I know what path I must choose."
The shaman slowly turned around. Her eyes looked away from the sun, away from the edge of the cliff she was so tempted to jump off of.
"Then why are you here?"
The shaman's voice was haggard. Her appearance was a mess. The creature looked at her with sympathy, knowing very well that the universe had taken notice of her powers.
"Because," she sighed looking at the gifted human in front of her, "you need me."
And just like that, the river inside the shaman that was in turmoil breached and tears came gushing down her cheeks. She fell to her knees and as if she was praying to the creature in front of her, she bowed down until her head touched the ground.
"Save me!"
Her screams filled their surroundings, away from the inhabited world, they stood there in each other's company, both knowing really well that their meeting was no coincidence. It was planned by the universe and they had to accomplish something.
"I am sorry that it is you that met me that unfortunate day. I am sorry that you had to get involved in the business of my kin, but I am not sorry for your extraordinary powers. I am Love and I promise you that with your help, I will restore the peace we all had before everything happened. I promise to make things right."
"No," the shaman stood up, "we both know that whatever is yet to come, whatever I predicted that day will change everything."
"And we shall let it change everything then because that is what the universe wants."
"I am scared." The shaman walked towards Love.
Love held out her hands to the fragile woman in front of her. She was the embodiment of love herself, and hence, she couldn't help but love every living being in the world. She loved them like a mother loves her children. Contrary to others' beliefs, this was indeed her biggest weakness – her ability to love unconditionally.
As the shaman took her hand, they teleported right in front of the shaman's store. The same place where they had first met.
"Stay here. I sense a powerful barrier around this place. I don't know what or who, but there are powers protecting you." Love caressed the hand she was holding, reassuringly.
"It is the spirits of my ancestors that guard me. But I'm afraid, they cannot protect me anymore."
"You should stay here. I will soon be gone to help my kin. But I shall be back when the time is right and the universe decides that your contribution can be made."
"Is it the war?"
"You were right. A war is brewing promising chaos and ruin. I shall stop it, but you have a part to play too."
"And what is that?"
"You will know when the time is right. Until then, stay here and wait for me."
Love could see uncertainty in the shaman's eyes, but honestly, Love was uncertain too. She just kept following her heart, knowing that her heart always resonated with the will of the universe. Her heart prompted her to be here, to help this gifted human, who would in turn help the universe soon. How could a mere shaman, even though gifted with psychic abilities help the creatures of the universe? Well, it was the same way how a mere human girl could ignite the flame of romance within a creature's heart.
Love felt sorry for the woman in front of her. She smiled at her lovingly and led her inside the store. Once inside, she decided to use a protection spell so that the shaman was safe during the time Love was away. "Tutela Amoris…" Love chanted channeling her power towards the shaman in front of her.
"What is your name?" Love asked once it was time to leave.
Scared, but knowing she could trust this creature, the shaman responded, "My name is Miriam."
"Wait for me, Miriam. I will be back for you."
***
As Love left the shaman's store in Bordeaux, she was oblivious to the fact that she was being watched. As she went turned the next corner, Life stepped out of the shadows with an evil glint in his sea-green eyes. He had his doubts about Love, but now he was almost certain that she was up to no good.
"She blocks the bond and yet I find her. I must be gifted."
Life's human assistants had come in handy after all. One of them had ended up seeing Love in Bordeaux and informed Life about her whereabouts. Even though they were creatures, the human way of "keeping an eye" had proven to be just as useful. Life laughed at how things were going exactly how he had planned.
He walked towards the store he had seen her walk out of. A shabby store that brought an eerie chill run down his spine. He was a creature too, after all, he felt the powerful aura nestled inside the wretched building.
But before he could open the door and walk inside, he decided otherwise.
"What's the fun if I figure everything out at once? Isn't it better to destroy everything one by one? To take my time and enjoy watching everything fall apart? To see Love hurt when her kin fight to ruin the lives of Death and Shiuli?"
And just like that, he turned around and walked away. Away from the quiet night and the eerie chill that came with the place.
As he turned around the corner, Louis, one of his human assistants walked up to him with a grin.
"Did you find what you were looking for, sir?"
"Excellent job, Louis. You have another task though."
Louis looked confused, knowing very well the look on his master's face. Even though he was an immortal now and loved that he would never grow old or die, he hated that the cost of this all was to be a servant to this creature for eternity.
"Now that you have found Love, I want you to find another person for me. She is just like you – a human granted the gift of immortality. But finding her is not that easy. She is with Death and they have blocked the bond."
"Then how do you suppose I find her, sir?"
"Well, Louis, humans are all sentimental. You must know that better than me," Life patted his shoulders, "I'll give you an address to a house in India. Kidnap the teenager there and bring her to me."
"India? That's quite far." But Louis loved challenging tasks, "consider it done."