Lilith's Blessing

The sun rose on another day. Its warmth hit Trevor’s face, waking him from a deep slumber. He stretched and a vague dream graced his thoughts, but it vanished before Trevor could latch onto it.

John yelled. The Sioux Falls spire was visible. But they were still far out so, only its tip appeared. As they traveled closer, the city came into focus. Clouds swirled the spire as the sun shone on the beautiful city below.

Unlike Wall Drug, the docks were outside the gigantic stone and earthen walls, but just as busy. John turned the boat to the stern, following the coastline south. He explained it was closer to his home, easier to pass through, and less populated.

They rounded the horn, and the eastern gate became visible. As he said, the gate was clear. Only a squad of guards manned the post. He looked at Trevor. “We’re home.” Unsure how to respond, he nodded with an awkward face. Home? Never had he felt at home. Not in Seattle or Tennessee. He might live here, but call it home? Trevor shook his head as he disembarked.

Before Trevor caught up, John already approached the guards. They stood at attention, but relaxed after John told them to.

Trevor found it strange, though, when John asked the female guard about her baby. She glanced at the man beside her. He smiled and wrapped an arm around her. Her eyes glowed. “She’s gotten so big.”

John’s attention shifted to the other two guards. Their demeanor as well, odd, they seemed married. Trevor shrugged, as what goes between two consenting adults is none of his business.

After a quick chat, John led Trevor down the main street. They passed a group of young men sitting under a tree, smoking hookah. The intense smell got to Trevor, forcing him to sneeze. He covered his face. John stopped. He turned to look at Trevor with a concerned face. Trevor waved his hand, then sneezed a few more times.

"I’m sensitive to intense smells."

"I see." John pointed down the street. "We are almost there." John guided Trevor down long narrow alleyways lined by varying colored doors. At the end, the alley opened to a street with ample sidewalks that bend around a sharp corner.

John mused about the city and its 140,000 inhabitants as they walked. He loved the city, and Trevor saw the happiness on John’s face.

Children played in the empty street as their mothers, in their colorful saree, watched and giggled from the balcony overlooking them.

A black door engulfed by a pink wall under a second-floor balcony blockaded the street. Red, yellow, and blue flowers twisted around the balcony like vines running the length of the three story building.

John pushed the door open, and light flooded the dark room. The decorations scattered about on random tables—lamps hovered over lounge chairs and a couch next to a fireplace made for a pleasant sight. Hundreds of books line the walls, spaced by paintings of people unfamiliar to Trevor.

An ambiguous in age woman stood behind the bar, her silver hair contrasted her young-looking face. She had green eyes and some freckles, doting on her light brown complexion. She sparkled as she smiled while greeting John. “John, my love,” she opened the counter and rushed to John, embracing him like she had not seen him in a long time.

Trevor watched and smiled. He could not deny the sight of cheerful people brightened his soul. As they held each other, he worried they might make out, and wondered if he should leave.

John backed away and eyed Trevor, then introduced the woman as his wife, Meredith. She added he should call her Mere. Trevor reached his hand out to shake hers and she examined the dark-skinned man with widish hair.

“So you are the man John spoke about.” Meredith focused the mana into her hands and they glowed yellow. She reached for Trevor’s left hand, but he pulled back. John whispered to her that Trevor was not used to mana. So, Mere explained her mana and specialty. Since he had lost his memories, she would try to recover them. She reached out her hand again, and after some encouragement, Trevor agreed. Her hands were icy, and Mere apologized; she washed vegetables for tonight’s dinner rush and had poor circulation. Mere shut her eyes and requested Trevor to do likewise.

Trevor closed his eyes, and images appeared on the back of his eyelids. It was like he watched a movie in fast forward. The visions blurred and sped up. Meredith struggled to follow as they continued. She released Trevor’s hand, overwhelmed by the amount of memories, and had to sit down. John knelt next to her, concerned. He inquired if she was ok as she nodded, then looked up at Trevor.

“What was that? Why do you have so many memories?”

John glanced at Trevor, then back at Meredith, curious about what she saw. But she could not explain it. The visions had moved too fast to comprehend and inundated her mind. Trevor, confused, wanted answers, but Meredith chalked it up to amnesia and hoped his memories would return.

Meredith stood with John’s help and looked at the taller Trevor. He hunched over as his forehead throbbed. Distant memories contrast and blend, bombarding his mind. The veins in his temples pulsed through his skin, and his vision blurred. Trevor rubbed against the pain as he wanted to throw up.

Meredith reached out and rubbed Trevor's back. She spun her hand in a circle, and Trevor felt something circling his body. It rose to his head, and the pain vanished.

"What did you do?"

"I circulated your mana."

He wished he had known that sooner and jested he would have saved money on pills. Meredith posed the question. “Why not go to a doctor?” Trevor gave Mere a stink face. John made the same expression when he was sick, and she suggested he go. Mere scoffed and scolded John for the same behavior.

Though she desired to delve deeper into the subject, she elected a fresh challenge. She grabbed three glasses and a shaped bottle from behind the bar. Mere placed one in front of them as she sat down at the table. John had a youthful grin under his long gray beard as his eyes lit up.

Mere poured each three fingers worth and raised her glass. Trevor expected her to say something, but she leaned it back and emptied the contents. John did the same, then eyed Trevor. "When in Rome, right?"

Trevor's chest felt warm as the liquor took effect. Meredith poured another glass and wanted to know about Trevor’s hometown. He listed everything that made Seattle famous: the space needle, Pike Place Market, Mount Rainier, and Puget Sound.

They scrutinized him for any falsehood. But they got a visceral feel about the city when he mentioned the traffic and his disdain for it. He mused about the open streets and stalls of the Sioux Falls and wished Seattle mimicked it.

Trevor stopped and looked at the empty glass. His heart sank as he realized he would never go back. Meredith did not see that part in his memories, although it was a flash, nothing matched.

Silence fell over them as Trevor played with the glass. Even though he liked the taste, he did not favor alcohol. While John sat leaned back in his chair, he inquired why Trevor was in the rain, while it was toxic. Trevor raised an eyebrow and wondered to himself why John was out there. But chalked it up to paranoia.

"Alexia said, go to a cabin."

Trevor looked down at his feet and wondered why he still had them. He thought this was crazy and downed the drink. He almost spit out the liquid when Meredith theorized he was born before the cataclysm of 2028. Then mocked the hypothesis and joked he survived 2000 years and derided it for being impossible.

In unison, John and Meredith interjected, "Mana."

Trevor rubbed his temples. He felt frustrated because his life changed without his permission. He wanted to go home, to wake up on his couch. Mere touched his forearm and encouraged him to dig deep into his soul and find it, because the knowledge was there. Trapped in his mind.

"How do you know?"

John reminded Trevor his legs grew back and the wound on his back healed within a few days. Trevor nodded and proclaimed to be a lizard. Meredith leaned closer to Trevor. "You do not get it. Mana powers your vessel. Your body needs to function. The food you eat, what you drink, and the air you breathe contains mana. People live hundreds of years just like the ancestors."

Light entered the room as the tavern door swung open with no opposition. Mere's eyes widened as she felt a mix of panic and happiness. "Kira! Welcome John will get you a drink. Tell him what you want." Then disappeared behind the kitchen door.

Kira's glance prompted Trevor to look toward the door. They locked eyes. She sneered, then diverted her eyes to John. "Cider, please." Kira's dark brown and black hair extended out, trying to fight gravity but too heavy to stand tall, hanging past her shoulders. Trevor could not help but his eyes, drawn to her white with blue filling in triangular patches of her uniform. It differed from the colorful silk saree Meredith wore.

John maneuvered around tables, ending up behind the bar. He drew from a tap into a large glass. Then shuffled back to Kira, handing it to her.

John looked at the young lady, and she felt embarrassed. He noticed she had two new stars on her shoulder. She got promoted.

“Congratulations, Lieutenant! How is your father?”

"He is good, enjoying life. fishing right now. Neh, who is the new guy?" John wondered if she was interested, poking fun at her singleness. She shook her head, hiding behind the glass mug. After teasing her, John explained Trevor was new to the city.

The door swung open as more people filled into the room. John disappeared into the back; the room filled with hungry, loud people. Kira tried to relax, but glanced over at Trevor. Without realizing it, she watched him, only to turn her attention away when Trevor looked back toward the door as it opened.

Trevor felt anxious. People’s conversations ended when he turned in their direction. Not wanting to be around drunk people, he left the bar, retracing his path toward the docks, and found a small park. He gazed up into the sky; the moon hung fragmented and wounded. His heart sank to the pit of his stomach. “What am I looking at?”

Contemplating what to do, Trevor lost track of time. Also, failing to notice Kira standing five meters away with her arms folded, looking out to sea. She was glowing, and Trevor could not help but gaze at her. “Beautiful.”

The words exited Trevor’s mouth as he had no filter, and Kira heard it. He did not mean to say it aloud, but he did. She marched up to him and stood on her toes. He thought she might try to kiss him. He thought about when was the last time…

"Fight me!"

Trevor almost lost it, as he thought it was a joke. She repeated herself, taking an aggressive posture even though the top of her head came up to Trevor’s shoulder. Trevor leaned over and pushed her poofy black hair back, exposing her ear. "No,"

His deepened voice sent a chill throughout Kira. She stepped back and regained her composure. She looked up at him, repeating herself, but her voice was less confident and shaky. Trevor smiled, said no thank you, turned, then walked away. "Coward," Kira proclaimed as she pointed at Trevor. He ignored her and walked away, disappointed. “Damn, why the cute ones gotta be so combative?”