Sigillum ex Fatum [UNDER EDITING]

Chapter 28

When I opened my eyes, my head hurt. Truly it felt like someone had taken a spoon to my brain and mixed it all around. Moaning loudly I sat up, everything blurry.

I got the strangest sensation that something was wrong. Really wrong. Quite wrong. Fundamentally wrong.

Worse, I got the most pronounced wave of deja vu I had ever experienced. It was so strong, in fact, it made me dizzy and I nearly fell over onto my bed.

"Woah."

I took a moment to collect myself, get my bearings. The upset feeling, as though everything had been turned on its head, persisted. I shut my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to get a grip on myself.

I was having trouble concentrating. I felt, for some reason, like I wasn't supposed to be there. At least, not in my room. I hadn't the faintest clue where I should be though. I thought, hard. The more I thought about it the more confused I became, and every thought I had became more foggy.

Then, like a clarion, it struck me.

"The naming ceremony!"

Panicking, I lurched to my feet. It was still night out, torches still dimly illuminating my abode. Relief washed over me; I hadn't overslept.

Relief quickly turned to horror. My mouth literally dropped open. On shaking legs I got to my feet, gawking at the molding around the ceiling.

MAPSAMA TIA. MAPSAMA TIA. MAPSAMA TIA. MAPSAMA TIA.

I spun around and around, looking at the words in utter horror. They appeared to be written in blood; they appeared to be written in my blood, for I recognized the repeating Enochian as my own handwriting. I looked down at my palm, half expecting it to be cut.

It was not.

I looked back at the words, feeling numb.

The words said,

TELL HIM.

Over, and over, and over, all over the ceiling and along its border. I stood for what seemed like forever, gawking, my open palm still held out. All at once I decided I wasn't going to fully understand—that I didn't think I wanted to understand—and I waved my hand, making the repeating words vanish.

~

"Have you picked a name?"

"Yes, Mikha'el, for the thousandth time I have my name picked out."

Mikha'el brushed some invisible dust from my shoulder that probably didn't even exist in the first place with a sniff. "I just want to make sure you look good before God."

"Are you worried about me, or you?"

I had meant it as a joke. Mikha'el, however, had immediately flushed and looked away. I took both his hands and smiled.

"Mikha'el—I said that in jest."

Mapsama tia.

The words echoed in my head. I found it odd it had popped into my brain right then and there. With an overwhelming feeling of dread, awash with strong deja vu, I paused. Then, before the conversation could continue, I blurted,

"Seraphin. I plan to pick Seraphin."

A heartbeat.

"Sera for short."

Another heartbeat. I held up my index finger slowly.

"With an 'n'?" I squeaked in fright.

Mikha'el grabbed me by the collar and shoved me backwards. I think he meant to shove me up against a wall, forgetting we were in a tent. As such, we both tripped and fell, I on my back, he on top of me. The entire tent came down with us.