Deadwood (The Chronicles of Mistar - Short Story)

···Minkin Castor

Bastendin 19, 40318 BW··· 

She called me Minka. Was she so loopy earlier that she forgot my name, coming up with the closest thing she could to it?

In all honesty, it wasn't half bad. I didn't mind it, but I knew I'd have to let it grow on me.

We sat down at the table. The chair I was in squeaked every time I moved. I hated it, but Delfie's presence next to me was soothing. I'd known her for only a few seconds but it felt like a lifetime. I'd seen her at the park.

Somehow, I'd always known that we would have a connection together, whether it would be good or bad. I hoped it would stay good. I really hoped it did.

The woman Delfie called Gama Deity breathed heavily as she glared down at us. I couldn't help but imagine her covered in fire. She glowed when she attacked me. A huge fire monster paraded through my mind when I saw her. Delfie seemed to have her same gifts, though I was glad I didn't see her that way.

Instead, when I thought of Delfie, I thought of her hand that had trailed along my sternum. It had been so gentle that her touch had woken me up. I could still her, making my spine tingle.

I growled when I saw Deity watching me. I felt like she was reading my mind. It made me angry, but I was a reserved person, most of the time, so didn't do anything. I just looked away and let Deflie talk. Looking down, I spotted her hand and desperately wanted to grasp it. Where were these feelings earlier?

"I don't understand anything that's going," she stated. I felt the same.

Deity sighed. "Your powers are growing, Del. Whatever they were before, you experienced an event traumatic enough for the others to burst through. You are literal fire, Del."

Delfie rolled her eyes. "That doesn't make sense. I didn't experience a traumatic event."

One of my eyebrows flew up. I couldn't help it. Was she forgetting what happened on her birthday? It was only yesterday.

Deity saw me and asked her granddaughter, "Your friend doesn't seem to think so."

Glancing at me, Delfie saw my surprised face. She still seemed confused. "The cave?" I tried to hint.

After a few moments, horror filled her face and tears started to well up in her eyes. In a burst of tears, Delfie fell towards me, grabbed my shirt, and cried into me. "You made them do it," she whispered, referring to the sisters. "Somehow, I know you were the reason... but you also saved me. I... I could have died but you saved me."

I didn't know what to say. I was in awe, holding a beautiful girl in arms, my hands gently wrapped around her in caution. Part of me was scared she would burst forth and break one of my arms like her gama almost did to me.

"Don't console her too much," Deity warned.

Delfie pushed away from me slowly and I let her. She turned to her gama, her tear lathered face filled with confusion again. "What do you mean? Why shouldn't he? She saved me, Gama! I didn't see you come to my rescue."

Deity huffed. "There is a reason you don't need tanala herb, my dear. You are destined for something great." The old woman then turned to me. My skin ran cold. "You aren't the first Opa to land on Gazaran solid."

Now it was my blood's turn to run cold. My teeth chattered. How did she know?

Delfie turned back to me. "Opa?"

I gulped. I really wished nobody would figure it out. It was too late now.

I shook my head slowly. "So are the sisters. They followed me here. I didn't want them too."