The first thing that came to Aisling’s mind was that she was dreaming. Or she thought she was dreaming.
She was standing before a giant dark metal gate. On the doors were eerie carvings of eyes, thousands of wide and narrowed eyes staring down at her. Aisling shivered as she gazed up at them.
Aisling had an uneasy feeling that she had been here before. She was wondering where this place was exactly when the doors opened and someone stepped out of the shadows.
“Aisling?”
“Wha?” Aisling woke up with a start. She quickly sat up in bed. A bed, why wasn’t she in her hammock? Aisling looked up at her grandmother.
Áine did not look like a young woman Aisling had seen yesterday. She looked more like the eighty year old granny that Aisling remembered only her nana had more color in her hair.
“Good morning, my dear,” Áine smiled and kissed Aisling on her forehead. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m…fine,” Aisling said slowly. “What happened? The last thing I remember….” She fell silent and clutched the bed sheets. “Puck and Brant died…” Tears fell down her face and dropped onto her hands. “They all die…oh Nana it’s all my fault!”
“Shush dear it’s alright,” said Áine soothingly. “When Patrick heard what happened he contacted your father to fetch you. Richard was on his way to the Yuki’s house when he saw those two handsome shamans going back to house.”
“Nino and Matsu?”
“Yes. The one called Matsu was carrying you he’s such a sweetie. When Richard met them, which one was it...Nino? Yes it was him who gave Richard your card case. When the two of you came home I looked over the damages of the card case.” Áine held up the destroyed card case, looking at it brought tears to Aisling’s eyes. “Don’t cry dear look.” Her grandmother opened the case to reveal the deck of cards. They were a little burnt on the edges but they appeared to be fine. “They’re not gone. But the spirits are trapped in Limbo. I’ll do my best to bring them back by restoring the case.”
Aisling stared at the cards and smiled with relief and joy. “Thank you Nana.”
“Don’t just thank me thank that young man Nino.”
“Okay I will.”
“You should get ready. Molly told me that you’re supposed to spend time with your friend Emiko today.”
“Oh yeah I forgot about that.” Aisling got out of bed. “Why was I in the guest room and not in my own room?”
“Well we were worried about you and I thought it would be best if you slept in a room close to mine and your parents.”
Aisling noticed that Áine was hesitating and frowned. “Oh okay where’s Mari? I want to ask her if she wants to hang out with me and Em.”
Áine shook her head, “Mari and Kaki are still sleeping. They were out late and ran into demons. Don’t worry they’re both fine. But I prefer they stay here today. I have something important I have to talk to them about.”
Aisling blinked and nodded, “I see…Nana is there something you want to talk to me about?”
Áine glanced at the clock on the nightstand. “We’ll talk during breakfast…or more like brunch.” She left the room without another word.
Aisling frowned again. She quickly took a shower and changed into clean clothes. Then she went into the kitchen where her grandmother was waiting for her.
Áine sat at the table with a mug of coffee in her hands. She stared down at the steamy liquid as if lost in thought. Aisling made herself a bowl of cereal and sat across the table from Áine. They sat in silence as Aisling ate. Aisling would glance up at her grandmother who had not looked up at her the whole time. She was a little worried that whatever was bothering Áine had something to do with her. When she finished her breakfast Aisling broke the silence, “Okay what’s going on?”
Her grandmother said nothing at first and then let out a deep sigh, “Where should I start…”
Aisling’s brow furrowed, “Why don’t you start with Brighid?”
Áine stared at her, “What?”
“That’s what Morrigan called me. I’m supposed to be her reincarnation or something…”
Áine took a deep breath, “Yes you are…”
Aisling stared at her, “…WH…WHAT?!”
Áine looked at her blinking, “Why do you sound so shock? You said Morrigan already told you.”
“Yeah well it didn’t sink in until you said it. When she told me I was dying so I…wait a minute.” Aisling held her head in her hands as she remembered that moment. “I didn’t almost die…I DID die!”
“Yes you did,” Áine said somberly. “But only for a second which is why you’re now experiencing a metamorphism.”
“Say what?”
“You are becoming an angel…sort of…”
Aisling stared at her, “What do you mean ‘sort of’?”
“There are only two heavenly beings in known existence. Angels, that’s me, and Nephilim, half angels and half human beings….and then there’s you.”
“Why am I…different? Shouldn’t I be a Nephilim or something?”
“No you can’t be a Nephilim. When I married Patrick I was a human not an angel.” Áine cleared her throat and continued. “When you died it caused your soul to change. You know people have gain powers and special abilities through near death experiences. Since you were a reincarnation of an angel the ordeal you had caused your dormant celestial powers to awaken. It should never have happened when you’re a full blooded human.”
“Why?”
“Because angels are spirit beings that are mainly made of pure spiritual energies. To have an angel’s spirit completely tied down to an earthbound body isn’t good for the psyche.” Áine took a sip of her coffee for the first time and continued. “Nephilims are different. They are born half angel and half human. Although learning to control both sides of they’re bloodline is difficult it must be done for it is their birth right to walk on the planes of both Heaven and Earth. They can learn to make peace with they’re inheritance and create harmony but in your case it will be different.”
“How?” Aisling said shakily.
“Your spirit will yearn to leave its earthbound body and ascend to Heaven but your human body is meant to stay on earth. This conflict will most likely cause you to loose your sanity.”
“So…I’m going to go crazy?”
“It is possible,” Áine said slowly looking down at the table.
Aisling took a deep breath and said, “So what do I do?”
Áine looked at her and suddenly smiled. “I will train you. I told you last night didn’t I? Although I wanted to train you in combat but that will have to wait now that you are going under the metamorphism. First you will go into spiritual training in order to understand your angel self.”
“Okay…is that it?”
Áine nodded, “Yes, you should go now or you’ll be late.”
Aisling got up and walked over to the door. She stopped and turned back to her grandmother. “Nana why did you change your form?”
Áine smiled, “Don’t you think it’s awkward to see your twenty year old granny kissing your eighty year old granddad?”
Aisling shuddered and suppressed a gag. “Ugh…yeah I get it. Bye, tell Mari and Kaki I said hi.”
She left the house and made her way to the park where she was supposed to meet Emiko. On her way she mulled over what her grandmother told her. “I don’t feel different.” Aisling said out loud. She stopped besides a dyeing over grown bush with withering flowers. She looked at the flowers and raised her hand and touched one of them. When her finger tips brushed against them it suddenly glowed and the petals looked bright and healthy. Aisling gasped and with drew her hand from the plant. The one she had touched was now the only living flower on the dried up bush.
Aisling shook her head and quickly ran to the park. She was almost there when she saw Nino walking down the street. “Nino!”
The dark haired man stopped walking and glanced at her direction.
She remembered what her grandmother told her that morning and her face brighten. She hurried over to Nino’s side. “Hey,” she said panting from her run but smiling. “Thank you for giving my card case to my da. I really appreciated it.”
Nino looked at her and silently nodded.
“Okay see you later.” Aisling waved and entered the park. She found Emiko and Ryuu under the tree at the center of the park.
She had learned at Ryuu’s party that her two friends were together and she was very happy for them. When Ryuu watched her walk over to them she thought she saw a strange look on his face and sensed something was off. But it quickly went away and she shrugged it off.
“Hey Emiko sorry I’m late so are you ready?”
“Is she ready for what?” Ryuu asked looking confused.
“We’re going for a girl’s day out, considering that we have to work tomorrow,” Aisling said hooking her arm around Emiko.
“Right…then you two have fun,” Ryuu said as Aisling lead Emiko away.
“You seemed in a happy mood Aisling,” Emiko commented.
“Yeah well when I go to a Girl’s Day or Night outing it’s mostly with mum and she’s….embarrassing.” Aisling muttered.
Emiko laughed.
They stop at the crossroads and wait for the cars to stop passing back. “So,” Emiko said. “You’re related to an angel?”
“Huh? Oh you mean Nana yeah.”
“That’s pretty amazing.”
Aisling slowly nodded, “I guess so.”
~*~
Okay I finally posted something and I feel happy now :) I hope I got Nino’s character right when I’m writing about him he’s always quiet sorry KC <<’’….
I was thinking of doing a story about how Aisling met Emiko and Ryuu (got the idea from Clu) and I also thought of making a short comic about it. What do you think?
