The Alpha's Blind Fate
Chapter 249: Moon

Chapter 249: Moon

ZINA

Zina was way too excited for what both Sybril and the Fortune Teller could teach her. So excited that she had decided to spend that night at the Temple after the Fortune Teller had revealed that a Seer’s power was at one of its most powerful on the full moon.

So instead of opting for a night in Daemon’s bed while enjoying the last day of her heat, Zina rather took the pill Sybril gave her which was successful in quenching her heat as it was not the peak day of the full moon. Otherwise, Daemon didn’t send any word; she figured the man was way too busy with his affairs to bother with her.

Not like he wasn’t aware of her current whereabouts if the thirty guards circling the opaque shrine were anything to go about.

Adding to her good mood was the good news that Fionna’s group had found four objects with the help of the Sighter whom the South Heralder had commended for his exceptional finding skills. That had served to allay Zina’s worries for after all, she had not recommended the wrong man to Fionna contrary to Zina’s fears.

So there she was at the opaque shrine while the servants lit up numerous candles in a formation that the fortune teller had recommended. One look at the formation and Zina was convinced that the array of red candles formed a strange crescent moon shape.

Sybril’s hawk eyes were on the woman throughout it all as if waiting for her to say something out of place. The steel in her eyes said volumes about her earlier assertion stating that she was once a member of the Night Mages; and besides that, her countenance spoke that she would immediately sniff a lie from miles away should the fortune teller want to play a dirty game.

"What is your name? I do not believe you’ve introduced yourself?" Zina asked as they all waited for the full moon.

The servants had all created out from the room leaving just the three of them behind. The fortune teller had also ordered for extra candles which were at a corner of the room, but these ones were a clear white instead of red like the candles that decorated the floor into a crescent moon.

"Thissss one has borne many namessss, Theta." The woman answered, ever the mysterious and enigmatic fellow.

Zina rolled her eyes, "perhaps we should start with your last name. What is the last name you now bear?"

The woman tilted her face upwards to the transparent room of the shrine that clearly showed the full moon that hung in the sky.

"My latessst name isss Moon, although I fear tomorrow that name too will change."

Zina didn’t know whether the woman was being philosophical or plain serious, but she nodded anyway. "I shall refer to you as Moon for today then."

"Thanking you for your indulgenccce, Theta."

Zina stared up at the transparent dome roof. "I supposed we were waiting for midnight. It’s already midnight so what are we still waiting for."

"Do not be impatient, Theta," the woman hissed in the manner she always did, "to our bare eyes, the full moon is out. But eyes that see heaven are aware that the full moon only came out yesterday. We are but seeing the shadows of its retreat, let’s wait for some time when the moon retreats to our side. In an hour maybe?"

Zina drank the information in bite sizes. "So you’re saying just like the female Heat, the power of the moon is most potent on the second day of the full moon?"

The woman seemed slightly amused, although her amusement didn’t seem to be targeted at the words that Zina had said. "To the eyes that see the heavens, there’s only one day of the full moon and that was yesterday night. But yes, you’re right in that perspective."

Zina nodded slowly as she watched the old woman expectantly while she explained more.

"It’s not just the full moon though," the woman said, "powerful and unusual moon apparitions such as the afternoon lunar moon that occurred on the day of the Alpha King’s return can even bring about much more powerful visionsss than what the full moon can do on its own."

"Really?"

The woman nodded grimly. "Even the lowest of seers cannot resist such menace the moon gives off at that time, surely, you saw a powerful vision yourself?" The woman asked with a frown.

Zina did see a vision before that day... the one that foretold the afternoon lunar eclipse. But as for that fateful day, did she see any vision?

Then it came to her. Her violent, bloody dreams. While it was true that she saw the vision before that day, she noticed that after the afternoon lunar eclipse, the vision became even more violent at that period. Almost as if some unknown powers were trying to communicate something to her.

"I did see a vision," Zina muttered to herself although the woman could hear her clearly, "the vision was way too persistent for me to ignore."

The woman smiled a crooked smile, "such persistence comes from the power of the unusual moon. By showing you that particular vision over and over again, the moon is trying to communicate to you its great importance."

Great importance?

"But my vision," Zina started at a loss, "had nothing in it. Just an element...." She trailed, not knowing how to put it into words.

"An element," the woman mused as if trying to say the words Zina was unable to say so herself, "water, fire, a natural disaster... the usual moon can emphasize elements to hint at something even more haunting."

Zina paused for a moment, then she said. "What if it’s blood... chaotic bloodshed."

"Blood has only ever hinted at destruction, Theta. More precisely, destruction in the form of war."

Zina stilled. War?

"But I find that you’re unusual, so maybe your persistent visions are not as straightforward as I find it to be," the woman explained further, "perhaps blood in this instance hints at something we don’t know? Something deeper? It could be war alright, but perhaps, also something more than war?"

Zina was having a slight headache keeping up with the jumble of words, but she didn’t want to admit that so she nodded, more determined than ever to Keane more from this woman. At the same, the woman—Moon as she called herself—announced in a grim voice.

"The prime time is here."

The candles flickered as If in response to her words, and Zina’s eyes were drawn to the unusual crescent moon they formed.

"So what exactly will we be doing?" Zina asked, standing in the manner Moon did.

Moon walked to the candle in formation and Zina followed suit. The woman then proceeded to sit down before the lit formation while crossing her legs underneath her. She then gestured to Zina to sit across her while Sybril hovered nearby, watching them like a mother hawk.

The candles flickered harder, dancing to an invisible wind while Moon answered. "Tonight, we will gauge the extent of your powers. It’s an act called the Kadir; ancient seers used it to know how powerful they are and how powerful they can be."

Kadir? Zina nodded her understanding.

"Pray tell Theta, I suppose your eyes glow when you see visions, or perhaps at unusual times?"

"They used to glow when I was blind, or so I’ve been told... I mean, I used to feel it." Zina blushed, "but ever since I regained my sight, I fear that I’ve lost that ability."

Zina always had this unspoken fear that her powers dwindled ever sub be she regained her sight, and Moon seemed to pick on that.

"Things people are born with never disappear, Theta. Now give me your hands and let’s see for ourselves."

Zina stretched her hands over the dickering candle that slightly burned, and then the woman veiny one’s gripped her. And next thing, she was barreling into a world without colors... a world of extreme blindness."