Dead Hand of the Past

Saphira's Time in the Temple

20

   Saphira was mesmerized by the beautiful young woman who was using her wings to float down towards her what Saphira didn't know was Psyche was just as mesmerized by her. Psyche couldn't believe this young girl's Aura. It was so bright all the others had been pure, but this one was almost blinding.

"Greeting's small one. I am Psyche travel with me. Together we will discover the declaration of your human spirit and discover the secrets to the lightness of your soul."

Saphira began to float up and soon was even with Psyche. It was the first time Psyche had been inspired to talk.

"You intrigue me small one. In all my years on earth and with the gods I have never seen such a bright and happy Aura. Your soul is happy and has no shadows of despair of the past. We will see what forged such a happy soul."

Saphira looked strangely at the winged woman who called herself Psyche. What did she mean by a happy soul? Her life had never been a piece of cake, but she could not for the life of her look at the downside to anything she didn't know why.

She was back in Italy she was in Siena, not a place she had ever been this was where the Palio was held. She saw the horseman approaching they were wearing the traditional fifteenth-century armor customary for this festival. She had always wanted to go, but with all the time it took to become fully recovered she and her mother had never found the time. She saw the children standing along the parade path waving colorful clothes cheering the horsemen on. It was then she made eye contact with one of the little girls in the crowd. She knew what was going to happen to the happy little girl, but how? Then she knew she had been that little girl. She called out.

"Carmen step back?"

But the child didn't hear her, and she was pushed out into the crowd and the pack of horses. They tried to stop from trampling her but it was useless, she was barely alive. One of the horsemen broke with the procession and scooped up the child and brought her over to where a healer had beckoned him. Saphira remembered her will to live was strong. She recalled them telling her widowed mother she would never walk again. Carmen had never given up hope, and she did walk again just as Saphira did.

The young girl's determination and the sense of hope-filled her. It was unlike anything she had experienced. It overpowered Psyches whole being. The two of them began to float again. This time to Rome. They were in a stylish home, but something felt wrong to Saphira. A knock on the door drew their attention away from their surroundings. A beautiful woman greeted the man with great familiarity. She showed the gentleman into the parlor where they found another man waiting. Saphira tried to remember this time in her past. It was slowly coming back to her.

Saphira could tell the pleasantries between the two men were strained at best. They waited while the lady told them what it was she had planned for their entertainment. She went to get the child who would amaze the men. She needed the child to convince the gentleman of her powers of sorcery. She poured water into a glass and sat it on the table before the men. She, waved her hand over the glass muttering some indistinct words. Saphira studied the child. There was something about her, then she remembered what was going to happen before they began.

The child's name was Gina. Tis is where Saphira knew she had inherited her second site. She was being tested on what vision she saw in the water, but the gentleman wasn't convinced. He decided to ask her something there was no way for Gina to know about. She had lived all her life in this house in Italy. He would ask her about something he would only know about being a Frenchman and not an Italian.

"What scene will occur at the death of the king of France?"

He knew she had never seen anything to do with the royal court. This would indeed show this man she was a fake, but he was wrong.

Gina told them what she saw in detail right down to the furnishing in the king's chamber. She told them who would be present and how they would be dressed. Impressed but not convinced since she had left off at least four people who should be present. The gentlemen asked her to go back to what she was seeing and look for each of the people he described to her. To his amazement, Gina never changed her story. She stuck by who she said was there. She never faltered in her belief of herself, not as a seven-year-old child. Saphira knew it would take eight years for this prediction to be proven, but proven it was. It turned out that all the people the Frenchman wanted to know about had all died before the King had taken ill. Saphira found herself in the darkness alone with her thoughts.

Koria, breathed a sigh of relief when he took his first step out of the water. The current within the water made him a little uneasy. Even though the water was clear, and he could see around him his imagination raced and he could feel the invisible eels. He walked through the pillars grateful to be out of the water. He got a sense of his self-being split apart then he felt like he was floating.

Azure saw Koria walk past the pillars and began into the amber pool. She immediately felt the current running through the water. She took a deep breath and walked farther in.

Saphira soon began to see an image of a man taking shape in front of her very eyes. When the old man fully appeared, she gave him one of her prize-winning smiles.

"Your Merlin do we get to go visit the Knights of the Round Table?"

He laughed something he seldomly did. Not since Arthur's time could he remember doing so. This girl had spirit it was too bad he would have to show her such bad images. But duty was duty.

"As you already know fair damsel I am Merlin. I have been appointed to show you the future of your world if the power of ten cannot defeat Leander and his army. It is with great sorrow I cannot spare you a glimpse of what could be."

He spread his arms wide and said a few words Saphira was standing in Rome outside Vatican City. She had been here once when her mother had hoped the Pope would give her a blessing that would lead to a miracle. That was not to happen Saphira had created her own miracle her inner strength and hope got her through and gave her the courage to walk again. In all her excitement of being back there, she saw it all in its glory. The dome of St. Peter's sitting high about the rest of the building what a spectacular sight. She was proud to be an Italian and all the beauty of her country.

Merlin smiled at the child; she did not see what it was she needed. Her heart was full of positive energy she was unable to fathom failure.

"My dear child in all the centuries I have never been shown the force of positive thinking. My magic cannot work on you for your heart will not let you see failure. It is not something you will accept from you or others. You are truly a unique young lady. My job here is done since your heart is stronger than my magic. Peace be with you, and good fortune in your quest."

Saphira found herself with the others.