Flames

Chapter 14 Especially Trained

The dimension splashed like atoms of color, and the vortex diffused.
Reika found herself upright, gaping at the enormity of the reality's diagram and framework.

Ivory bridges built over streaming waters of fire.

"Come on smarty, Garrett has other stuff to do."
Lily's cute voice didn't match with the vibrancy of the place.

"Hold on silly, let her take it in. It's some cool stuff, and just because you're used to it doesn't mean it'll ever lose its glamour. By the way, what's your name?"
Sabrina spoke with extrovertedness and ease.

"Reika, it means elegant or flower, doesn't go well with me at all."
The girl was quiet for a second as she digested her name. The closeness of these two strangers made her feel tranquil. Even Lily's impatient and explosive temperament.

"It fits you wonderfully, but the flower can't see itself."
Sabrina smirked, eyes perceptive but kind. Cool air caressed Reika's body, it felt alive, awake, aware.
"Guys come on!"
The tike was more than whining, perhaps throwing a tantrum.
The smooth ivory bridge was airy but stable beneath her feet. They were at the end of it, leading off onto lush rolling hills of grass.
Enamored at the sight of fire and water somehow coexisting, she smelt freshwater and fish.
"Awww here we are." Sabrina tsskked.
Reika hadn't even seen the tiny gas station sized building.
"Hey Lill, can you take her up my love, Roy says he needs help."
Hanging her arms like a chimpanzee, the little girl nodded with a pout. Sabrina darted past the establishment.

Her eyes flickered to the silver rims of the building only a few feet away.
Slashes of cold and warm tones pumped in intervals through the walls.
"We do need ta go." Lily barked.
"How did she know he needed help?" She watched as the little girl with both hands struggled to open the blood red doors.

"Tele-pathi-cally. They can't just do it though, they had surgery."
The child smiled proudly at her vocabulary and the door gave way.

"Come on hurry!" Lily bolted inside, her slip on tennis slapping the speckled marble floors.
Reika swooped through the doors before they shut.
Entering discreetly into a sheeny glowing lobby, she was caught off guard by a tall big boned woman.
"There ya-are. They've been waiting for you."
She shook a chocolate colored stubby finger at a brown declining staircase, past lines of books on wooden shelves flush with the ceiling.

"You see those stairs?" Reika replied with a half nod.

"Go down an look for a door that says, Project Study, it'll be on the third level hunny."
The lady rearranged papers on the glass counter top. She whispered a thank you as she glided away from the reception desk to the smoky glass staircase, it was no longer brown.

Did everything here always change colors?

With inextinguishable curiosity she eavesdropped at each door on the stairwell, and hearing nothing slid her hand along the black rail of the spiral staircase as she descended.
Voices chattered above the stairs, and she quickened, nearly missing a moonstone plaque engraved with, "Project Study."
Her fingers were cold and stiff, head swimming.
"Come in!"
She wrapped her hand around the blood red door handle and jerked it open. She had a second of realization that for the past few days that red was everywhere. She lowered her eyes momentarily to the soft sea blue carpet, sidestepping gazes with the people in the room.

"Please, sit anywhere you like." Her eyes tagged a middle aged man, who had the appearance and guttural voice of a lion.

The walls of the room were pure light, vivid ocean colors, reflecting off a clear oval table. "I'll sit here." She pointed at the throne like seat opposite him.

She sounded more confident than she felt.
There were at least a dozen people around the oblong conference table, but no one else caught her attention besides him. Maybe it was because he was the only one standing.

She pulled out the intricately detailed chair and seamlessly settled as he spoke.

"All names here are confidential for the time being, as well as your own."
A gray haired man catty corner to her hunched over in his seat, speaking directly to Reika as the majestic lion built man sat.
"We are well aware how you've been put through many traumatic experiences, but in the long run it will be of aid to you and others."
There were four females and eight males, all paid heed to the assumed elder as his ancient eyes inspected her very soul.

"We have plans that will be uncovered in their own good time, but we are aware you need to know the basics. Without them it would be our insolence if you were to be lost."
His voice was deep and steady, adding an aged and powerful representation to group A.
"Go ahead son."
It was directed to the previous speaker. The glass table shimmered as the bordering light of the walls projected off it.
Reika dug her shoes into the floor, her breathing hitched as she leaned forward.
"I'll start off with who we are."
Something twinkled in his eyes and spread over his face and for a millisecond, she saw Sabrina.

"We are group A and not B. To put it short, we're older than Grain, and the only reality they did not design."
He cleared his throat, waiting so she could soak in his loaded speech.

"We are the only Father reality amidst many parallel universes and wormholes and the only light to every single one. "
She fought a bout of anger, tired of everything being about groups and realities, and no one explaining why SHE was in the middle of it all.

"Why exactly am I here, why do you need me? What are you planning? Am I in the Graves?"
A lean pale woman communicated with her hands and expression for Reika to be calm.

The older male with an unearthly character, rolled his broad shoulders back and looked straight at her.

The wiry salt and pepper hair peaking out from behind his ears even drew her reverence.
"You've been raised to take down Grain."