MANNA

The night was nearing its end. She had spent the earlier part of the evening alone under the night sky. Caleb had already left hours before. There were no tears. They had made their peace, along with promises to meet someday, in another world, in a better time. She could still taste his kiss on her lips, smell his sweet musky sent, and feel the rough stubble of his beard on her cheek. 

The moon above was a shining white orb, all milky white and pure, prominent within the diamond studded sky. It would be full in two days time. She was ready. Closing her eyes she said a final prayer to the God and when she opened them again to saw the dizzying array of stars above she felt only happiness that she would soon be among them.

"I'm coming, Fiona, " she whispered aloud. Her breath left a long trail of curling white mist that floated upward gently before disappearing into the essence of the air. She turned back to her home.

Once inside Manna went to the fire, lighting the herbs she had prepared, and soon the house was filled with the incense's sweet blend of sage and clover. Not bothering to create a protective circle, Manna closed her eyes and called out the summons in her head.

Serifina, honored spirit of the Fair Realm, your humble servant, Manna Sayers, calls upon you now. I beg you, heed the cry of your devoted supplicant in her hour of need.

It was mere seconds before she felt the sylph's presence as she appeared in the room, her body fully manifested. The tall thin figure was more lovely than Manna had imagined. Her limbs impossibly long and graceful, her white hair flowing freely down her shoulders, her fine pointed features and clear, nearly translucent skin. The creature's entire being both delicate and strong all at the same time, surrounded by a subtle aura of light.

"You have called and I have come," Serifina said. The faery's voice was beautiful. Musical somehow, like the sounding of thousands of tiny bells. It sent a shiver of pleasure up Manna's spine. She had never before heard one of the fae speak aloud.

"Forgive me, sprit," Manna said, bowing her head in deference to the faery's power. "I would not have called upon you if my need was not great."

"I have given you my name, I would not have done so if I did not mean for you to use it," Serifina replied. "I come here fully willing to fulfill my pledge to serve you in any way that I can."

Manna said nothing for a moment. The spirit's kindness was touching, but she was not certain how best to make her request.

"I believe I know why you have called me," the faery said, gently breaking the silence. "Your time is nearing an end."

"So you have heard." Manna was not entirely surprised.

The sylph nodded her head once. "I was there at the Assembly," Serifina answered. "I promised to watch over the girl and so I stayed with her, concealing my presence well. I wished to ensure that the priestess kept her word in protecting the child of power."

Manna nodded.

"I regret that the Council could not be made to see the error of their decision. You spoke honorably"

"I am grateful for your sympathy," Manna answered. "In the end, I am indeed guilty of exactly what they have charged me with. There is no good in regretting decisions of the past. What is done is done. We can only move forward."

"The girl was lucky to have you as her teacher."

Manna shook her head slightly. "But I have harmed her more than any other. If I regret anything it is that. I regret the years of lies. I regret that Karina never knew her mother. That I was never able to prepare her for the reality of her destiny."

"You had good reason."

Manna smiled sadly. "I do not need excuses made for me. They serve no purpose. I only pray that she will someday be able to forgive me."

"She forgives you now."

Manna shook her head again. "True forgiveness will take a long time I'm afraid. If she forgives now, it is under duress. She knows my time is short. She feels guilt. That is not the same thing."

"I understand," the faery answered after a slight pause. "Still, I believe I know Karina's heart. I have explored her mind and heard both its rage and terror. At its depth, the girl holds only love for you."

Manna tried to smile in response to the sprit's comforting words. She wanted so much to accept them as truth, but she knew that the matter of human emotion was far more complicated than Serifina seemed to imagine.

"I thank you for that reassurance," Manna answered after a moment. "Perhaps it takes an outside observer to see reality. I myself can only see her fear."

The room fell silent again. The only sound the crackle of the fire in the hearth.

"Elder Nita, you have called for me but I regret there is little I might do to help you now. You know our laws. I cannot interfere directly in the affairs of your people."

Manna looked away for a moment. "I would have hoped you might have more faith in me, spirit," she said quietly. "Of course I could not expect you to interfere in the execution. Such a thing would be impossible."

"Than what is it you ask?" the faery replied. "Make your request. If I can grant it I will."

"I ask only that you help me to leave this earthly realm here tonight."

The faery stared at her. For a moment, Manna was certain she saw a flash of some emotion registering on her stoic expression. Discomfort?

"Manna Sayers, the thing that you ask..."

"Forgive me," Manna said, cutting her off before she could reject her plea. "Forgive my request. It is unfair to ask of anyone, but I know it is within your power. In two day's time, I am condemned to die. To take one's own life is a sin against The God and our ways and thus I cannot act myself. I come to you as my final hope in avoiding the shame of execution."

The faery continued to stare. "You are certain this is your desire?" she asked. "There is still some chance, however slight, that the Council will not make good on their sentence. You still might receive pardon. As you said, two days still remain."

Manna sighed deeply. "I have no desire to fight anymore. My final wish is to leave this world on my own terms. To breath my last breath in the comfort of my home."

"To deny the Council of their revenge."

Manna gave the faery a tired smile and shook her head. "This has little to do with the Council," she answered. "I want only to die in peace."

Serifina nodded. "I understand."

"And will you grant my request?"

As Manna started at the sylph's face she found it to be entirely unreadable. Blank with an inhuman lack of emotion. She wondered what Serifina might be thinking. Perhaps she had overestimated the sylph's willingness to answer her prayers.

"Nita Sayers," Serifina said finally. "Forgive me, for I have lied to you."

Manna's brow furrowed in surprise at the faery's response, wondering in what way the comment related to her petition.

"Do not misunderstand me," Serifina continued. "I did not deceive you in professing my true service. I am your ally."

"I'm afraid then that I don't understand," Manna answered, eyeing the creature with confusion. "But surely if you deceived me in any way you had good reason and need not show any remorse at having done so. I of all people am in no position to judge one who has withheld information."

Serifina nodded. "I lied to myself as well. You see, I was once in love. "

Manna hesitated, uncertain how to respond to the sylph's statement, but in the end, the faery stopped her before she could even formulate a clear thought in her head.

"Please allow me to finish without comment," the faery said. "There is a reason I tell you this now."

Manna nodded.

"You see the love I speak of," she paused. "It was a long time ago. The man was a mortal."

Manna tried to hide the shock she knew must be visible in her face as her mouth dropped open slightly at the sylph's revelation. The faery seemed to take no notice.

"Surely you know that the realms of our two worlds were once intertwined," Serifina continued.

Manna nodded.

"In those days there were many of the fae who found mates among mortals, and I was such a one. His name was Peter. He was kind and gentle, and I found him beautiful. My devotion to him was complete." The Sylph let out a breath that seemed to resemble a sigh.

"By the time I found Peter tension had already begun to form between the fae and the young human race. For hundreds of years we had watched these short-lived, two legged animals evolve, developing speech, and complex thoughts. We did not see them as a threat. Humans were fascinating. They came from nothing, yet within less than one thousand years, they had established great cities and towns though they had no magiks.

"Some of our people became attached to these beings and aided the men and woman of the earth, giving them writing and helping in their innovation. The faery queen herself extended a hand to a group of mortals whom she deemed particularly worthy. Many of these favorites of the Queen by now had the blood of the fae within them through their parentage."

"She taught them the great secrets our kind kept, how we harnessed the energy of the earth into magik. In turn, the humans shared their musings on the universe, and their quaint beliefs of its workings. We were happy together, for the most part, and it seemed we could coexist."

Of course Manna knew the story well. How the races of humans and fae learned from one another. The origins of what would later become the Sacred Initiate of Sithrah. Mortals to whom the Faery Queen was willing to give her friendship.

"But some among the human race were distrustful of the fae," Serifina continued. "They were wary of our power, especially when they saw that we did not age and die as they did. And of course, not all creatures of my realm are peaceful. There are many who are hunters, requiring blood and flesh to sustain their existence. Fae that saw the human race as increasingly interesting sport they could track and hunt as you might a deer or boar. Humans began to explore means of defense."

And would eventually rise up against the fae, Manna knew, though she didn't comment. She could not imagine why the faery might tell her this story now, but clearly Serifina saw it as important.

"Over time, the jealous ones among man grew more powerful. They pointed their fingers at those we had given our friendship, and called them traitors to their race. They spread word that these lovers of the fae were not to be trusted. They spoke of the immortals who hunted among man. To their minds, all of the fae were libel. And then disaster struck.

"There was one among the fae. A member of the Dark Court by the name of Furis. Most who identify among the Dark Court are predators of course."

Manna nodded. Inductees of the Initiate knew well to fear the strength of all fae, but those of the darkness were different. Dangerous enough to be avoided at all costs.

"He had become obsessed with a girl," Serifina continued. "Her father was the ruler of one of the largest kingdoms at the time and was very fond of her. But Furis was a drinker of blood and could be nothing other than what he was. One night, he went to the princess, seduced her, and drained the life from her body. In his grief, her father declared war on all of the fae.

"'Their bodies do not age,' he said to his people. 'But let us see if they cannot still bleed. Let us see if they cannot die!'

"As word of the King's war spread, the humans turned on us en masse. And he was right. We were strong, but we were not immune to death. They attacked without warning and slaughtered any fae they found among their people. Since our beginnings, to kill another immortal was considered an unforgivable crime. Watching our people lose their lives, we were filled with sorrow we had never before known."

"I cannot imagine the grief you must have felt," Manna commented. "I am sorry for it."

The faery stared at her, momentarily broken from her train of thought. "It was a long time ago now," she replied, her tone entirely devoid of emotion. "You are not culpable."

Manna nodded.

"Even then there were many, like myself, who were not swayed in our affection for the human race," the faery said, continuing her story. "I had found my love among the children of man. Peter and I were so happy. I went to the Queen myself to plead on the mortals' behalf.

"'They are merely children," I told her. 'We can reason with them.' I was afraid that Amara too would declare war outright. Though the race of man had caused us pain, they did not realize the level of their weakness. If the fae came together in a united front, I knew mankind would be annihilated.

"Amara told me that she had still yet to decide the fate of those who had spilled the blood of her people and I left relieved. I was certain that she was of the same opinion as I. We could not destroy all of humanity for the actions of a few. That night I went to Peter's village without fear. I so wanted to hold him in my arms. To reassure him that our love could not be tainted by those who had foolishly attacked my people."

Serifina stopped for a moment. Her face darkened, sorrow and anger now clearly overtaking her neutral expression. "They had killed him." She said.

"Peter?" Manna breathed in rapt attention.

The faery nodded. "The villagers had discovered that he and I were lovers. They branded him a traitor. They dragged Peter from his home and in the center of the town they murdered him. Beating, stabbing, mutilating his body until his life was lost. I had never felt so much pain and anger as I did holding his broken form in my arms, feeling the residue of agony his soul had left behind.

"My revenge was merciless. I went through the town and I slaughtered every man woman and child that dwelt there with my bare hands. If I close my eyes I can still hear their screams."

Serifina's eyes took on a frightening intensity as she spoke of the carnage. Manna shuddered to think on the strength this creature possessed, imagining for a moment that she too could hear the villagers screams. See the streets red with blood.

"I reveled in their pain," Serifina continued, "deaf to their piteous cries. And when it was finished, my hands covered in blood, I stood in the midst of the carnage I myself had wrought and vowed, in that moment, that all would pay for my grief. I went before the Queen and renounced my love of man. I proposed that we strike back against them. That we destroy humanity for their crimes against our people." She paused. "That was before I knew."

"Knew what?" Manna asked, both enthralled and yet horrified by the creature's story.

"We had a child together, Peter and I. I was already carrying his seed inside me, though I was unaware at the time."

Again the faery was quiet. Manna did her best to remain so as well, though she was desperate to hear the story's conclusion.

"Thankfully the Queen was not as vengeful as I had been," Serifina said finally. "Amara had already made her decision. Taking her greatest magiks, along with those of the most powerful of the fae, she created a realm. One separate from that of man. Guarded from those who were not of our blood. And she decreed that no more would our two peoples live together."

Manna nodded. This was the piece of Serifina's tale that was well known to all who had studied the Great Book. The worlds of the fae and human races could not peacefully coexist. The separation had been the only solution.

"And what of the child?" Manna asked gently.

"A little girl," Serifina answered. The hint of a sad smile on her lips. "Her name was Celeste. She was beautiful, like her father. Her little soul sparkled with innocence. When I looked into her eyes my anger melted away and I remembered only my love for her, for Peter, for all the good that had drawn me to humanity. But Celeste belonged to a different world than I. There was no way I could keep her." The faery stared into Manna's eyes as if she were looking for some sort of absolution for abandoning her child. "It broke my heart when I left my daughter," she said. The sorrow in the faery's expression was entirely unmasked as she spoke of her child.

"What happened to her?" Manna asked, hoping her tone sounded sufficiently respectful of the creature's grief.

"She died," Serifina answered, her voice distant. "A long, long, time ago. She lived and she died like all other mortals. Celeste lived her entire life and she never knew me. "

"Did she have powers?"

"Nothing of note. Many of the offspring that came from the fae and human couplings did not show any signs at all. It was sometimes only later in a family's lineage that the gifts of the fae would appear. True "children of power," as the most gifted were called, were rare even in the beginning.

"But had Celeste shown signs of my magiks, it would not have mattered. The faery world was not her world. Amara had decreed that the realms become separate. I agreed with her. I felt responsible for my lover's death, and though the girl made me happy, she reminded me of great pain as well. Still, I felt immense guilt leaving my child behind with no one to claim as kin. An orphan, all alone."

The Sylph was quiet again. She looked away as if remembering something else. Perhaps the face of her little girl. It seemed Serifina's story was finished.

"Please forgive me if I am too forward," Manna said, "You have shared what must be painful for you and I am grateful you deemed me worthy to hear your tale, But I must ask great spirit, why do you tell me this now?"

The faery turned back to Manna, her features once again returned to a neutral unfeeling mask.

"You asked me, what drew me to your student Manna Sayers. I told you I did not know, but that was not the truth. Perhaps I could not admit it to myself at the time. I believe I found Karina though Fiona's grief. I felt the Nita's pain as she delivered to the world a precious child she knew that she could never claim as her own. I thought of Celeste.

"Staring at Fiona's innocent baby, I could see Karina's life stretched before her, a destiny so likely to be marred by pain and suffering. I wanted to take her to me as I never could my own little girl, as Fiona would never be able to do. I wanted to help her in any way that I could. I tell you this story so you will know who I am. So you will know my connection with the human race and commitment to ensuring that the child of power lives." The faery paused, finding Manna's eyes and holding thier gaze. "I will protect Karina as long as I am able and you can leave this world with no fear," Serifina said.

"Than you will do as I have asked?" Manna asked as understanding washed over her.

"I will."

From the window Manna could see the tinge of pink on the corners of the sky, the sun softy rising in the east. The dawning of a new day and setting of a life that was now complete. As she walked to her room, the faery kept a respectful distance, waiting for Manna to take her time settling herself comfortably in her bed.

"You will feel no pain," Serifina said kindly, as she approached with a smooth graceful gate that was mesmerizingly beautiful.

Manna nodded. "I trust you and I thank you for answering my final plea."

Laying back into the pillows, Manna thought of all of the wonderful things she had seen in her in her mere sixty-four years on earth. All of the happiness, the pain, the love. She smiled. I have been truly blessed she thought to herself. Manna closed her eyes. "I am ready," she said.

"It has been my great honor to know you, Manna Sayers," Serifina replied. "May you go swiftly to your God in the world beyond this one, and may you never again feel pain or suffering." 

Manna felt one of the sylph's cool, soft hand lay upon her eyes, another resting on her chest above her heart, and a pleasant tingling sensation flowing through her body as she drifted off into her final slumber, smile still affixed to her face.

-------------

CALEB

The next morning when Caleb arrived he found her. The house was cold, the fire long since burned out. Manna lay among her bed sheets, eyes closed, a slight hint of a smile set on her lips. Though it looked as if she was only sleeping, the woman's body was rigid and cold to the touch. She had probably been dead for hours. Caleb reached out, gently stroked her cheek, feeling the smooth skin beneath this thumb before leaning down and kissing her unmoving lips.

"Sleep well," he said. "Know that I will forever more relinquish any fear of death. I will embrace that shadowy figure, when he comes, as a true friend, for he will grant me the chance to be reunited with you."

Caleb sat on the bed beside to her body, taking one of her limp hands in his own. Though she was gone he could feel Manna's presence so clearly. The house echoed with the spirit of the woman who had lived so long within its walls.

"The Council will not be happy, " he said aloud with a slight grin.

It was said that the soul of the recently departed lingered in the world for a period of time, hovering near those they had loved in life until their spirit was ready to fully release itself to the arms of the God above. He hoped she could hear him. That she was smiling too with the knowledge that at least one among The Seven appreciated the irony of her end. A final slight against the decrees of the foolish old men who had never fully appreciated the gift of her strength and leadership.

Caleb was not sure how long he sat there in silence holding her hand, quietly savoring the essence of the house, the memories it held. He though of their lives up until now, their separation. 

"I'm going to miss you, Manna," he said finally, as he gently lay her hand back down and forced himself to rise from the bed. And with that, Caleb left the house, setting off towards Cainell to inform the Council of the Nita's passing.

End Book I

So there you have it. The end of book 1! For those of you who have followed from beginning to end...THANK YOU!!! I can't tell you how much I have appreciated every read, vote, and comment! All of my readers on wattpad are what motivated me to finally get through this draft. You have also motivated me to start work again on the sequels to this book. The story gets WAY bigger from here on out, and I'm still working on how to get it all in, but when I have more material I WILL try to post it here. I ask for patience. I don't write chronologically and I don't want to put up chapters and then be essentially unable to finish. Hopefully, it won't be too long, but no promises.

If you have come to the end of this book and have any final thoughts, I would love to hear them. Comments, PM, seriously I want to know. This book, as posted, is a draft, and will be getting another round of revision soon. Your feedback is super helpful! Of course votes are also greatly appreciated;-) It's the only way ( aside from comments) that I can tell how many people have finished. Thanks again for reading!!!!!

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