With those final words, her hand went limp, her chest stilled, and the life faded from her eyes. A deep, wrenching pain tore through me as I realized she was gone.
I held her hand for what felt like an eternity, my mind reeling. The weight of her words settled on me like a heavy shroud. I am a "Watcher," and the fate of a kingdom I never knew of now lies in my hands.
As I sat there, lost in a whirlwind of grief and confusion, something strange began to happen. A faint warmth radiated from her body, almost imperceptible at first. Her skin, so pale only moments before, seemed to glow softly as if lit from within by a dying ember. I stared, unblinking, unsure if my mind was playing tricks on me or if this was some cruel illusion brought on by my sorrow.
Then, the air around us began to hum with a low, resonant sound—a vibration that seemed to echo from deep within the earth itself. The walls of the small chamber shivered, the stones seeming to breathe as though a great power was awakening. I felt a tremor beneath my feet, a slow rumble that shook the very core of my being.
I tried to pull my hand away, but it remained clasped in hers, held fast by an unseen force. My mother's body seemed to shimmer like a mirage in the desert sun. I watched, heart pounding, as the flesh beneath my touch began to dissolve into motes of golden light. They drifted upwards, spiraling slowly, each speck twinkling like a tiny star.
A soft wind, born from nowhere, stirred the motes into a slow dance. It wrapped around us, gentle yet insistent, and I felt a whisper brush past my ear—a voice that sounded like hers yet not hers, a voice that spoke of ancient things and hidden truths. "The womb that bore a Watcher shall know no rot."
The words, spoken like an incantation, hung in the air, reverberating through my bones. My mother's body continued to fade, unraveling before my eyes until nothing remained but a swirl of ethereal light. Then, with a final gust of wind, it scattered, dissolving into the air, leaving no trace that she had ever been there.
I sat back, breathless, my heart thundering in my chest. The emptiness where she had lain felt vast, like a wound in the fabric of reality itself. I looked down at my hands, still warm from her touch, and wondered at the strange magic that had taken her from me.
Had this been her destiny all along? Or was it a curse—another secret burden I must bear as a Watcher? My eyes, still fixed on the empty space, searched for answers that the silence refused to give.
And so, I remained, alone in the quiet of the chamber, with only the echoes of a vanished presence and the weight of a kingdom's fate pressing down upon me.
~~~~~~~~
The constant neighing of Hei Hei pulled me from my sleep. Hei Hei, a stunning white mare, had been by my side for as long as I could remember. From the moment I understood what "mine" meant, I knew she was mine, and she quickly became my closest companion. We rolled through fields and forests together, matching each other in mischief and spirit. Yet, there was always something about Hei Hei that defied explanation—she never aged.
Every morning, without fail, I would wake to find her more radiant than the day before. Her coat gleamed like fresh snow under the morning sun, her mane flowed like a silken river, and her eyes shone with a mysterious wisdom that seemed to see beyond the horizon. It was as if time had no hold on her, as if each sunrise only added to her beauty. It puzzled me, but I never questioned it.
Why question a miracle?
Today, however, her insistent calls were different, filled with a restless urgency. I blinked the sleep from my eyes and realized the reason—I had slept through the night, deep and dreamless.
Usually, by this time, I would have already been up, ready to greet the dawn with Hei Hei by my side. But now, the sun was climbing higher, and she was waiting for me, her voice breaking the stillness of the morning.
I pushed myself up, my body heavy with the lingering fog of sleep, and made my way to her. She stamped her hooves impatiently, her eyes fixed on me with an intensity that sent a shiver through my bones. Something was different today. Something I couldn't quite place.
"Could anything worse happen?" I muttered to myself, staring at her with eyes heavy with weakness and hunger.
I was certain Hei Hei could see my weariness; I felt it in every bone. Did she sense what had happened last night? Had she seen the strange light from my mother's mysterious disappearance or felt the shift in the atmosphere that still hung in the air like an unspoken question?
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves, and asked, "Hei Hei, what is it?" My voice trembled slightly, betraying the unease I couldn't hide.
But instead of the reassuring nuzzle or familiar whinny I was expecting, Hei Hei turned and lowered her head, her stance shifting in a way that could only mean one thing—she wanted me to mount. Her body was tense with a kind of urgency I had never seen before.
I hesitated, thinking perhaps she just wanted one of our usual morning rides through the fields to chase away the shadows that had settled over the day. I shook my head and said, "Not today, Hei Hei." My voice was softer, almost pleading. I was too exhausted, too weighed down by everything that had happened.
I started to turn back toward the house, longing for the comfort of solitude, but Hei Hei's loud, commanding neigh stopped me in my tracks. This time, her call was sharper, filled with an insistence that left no room for argument. I turned back to face her, surprise tightening my chest. Her eyes, usually so playful and bright, were now fixed on me with a seriousness that sent a shiver down my spine. There was a deep, unspoken demand in them, as if she knew something I didn't.
For a moment, I stood there, dazed and uncertain, trying to decipher the meaning behind her behavior. But the look on her face—intense and unwavering—made it clear she wasn't simply suggesting a ride for fun. She was up to something, and she needed me to trust her.
I realized I had no other choice but to comply. Swallowing my hesitation, I stepped forward, my legs feeling heavy, and grasped the reins. I mounted her back, my heart beating in sync with the rhythmic thud of her hooves on the ground. As soon as I settled, she took off, not with her usual spirited gallop but with a deliberate speed, as if heading toward a destination only she knew.
Whatever lay ahead, I could feel it in my bones: this was no ordinary ride.