The Witch of Storn

Chapter 13

Rey woke with a gasp. She looked round and rubbed at her eyes again. Here? Again? It seemed to be a different space though, with an entirely different being in an entirely different chair, one which actually seemed to be a throne this time. Rey and the being stared at each other when she realized He had no intention to speak until she did. She controlled the urge to roll her eyes and broke the silence.

“Err…may I know where I am? And why I’m here?”

He just leaned on one elbow, hand on cheek and gazed at her. The infuriating thing about his gaze was the pity in his eyes, so similar to the being she had met the last time.

“It seems they were right.” He said. Rey assumed he was talking to himself since he didn’t even look at her while he spoke. “Humans really are so basic. They always ask the same questions, in the same order all the time,” he yawned, another move that annoyed the girl who was still in the dark about everything.  Hello? I’m still here! She decided it was better she said nothing. Who knew if this guy would shove her into another body that wasn’t hers once more?

He carried on, this time actually speaking to Rey.

“So, you are Rey Brien, are you?”

“I am?” she said, confused. Didn’t the beings have some kind of ability that told them who the person/soul facing them was?

“You’ve caused a lot of problems for us,” He stated. He stared at her when he was done speaking. After a moment of staring back at Him in bewilderment Rey realized that he was waiting. For what? She asked the question meekly and got a scathing response that made her cower even more.

“How rude. It might not be common on your world, but up here we apologize when we have been an inconvenience to others, especially those who are better than us.”

Wow. And I’m the rude one. She sucked it up and gave Him an apology anyway, even though she was the one who had been insulted. He accepted it with a gracious nod and moved on.

“To answer your questions, no you may not. And you are here because Rhaenar Aera il Tsaen is dead, as she should have been before my idiotic subordinate extended her lifespan.” He shook His head. Rey was in shock on the other hand and had no time to sympathize with His woes. Rhaenar was dead? I died? It wasn’t really a shock – at least it shouldn’t have been. Anyone who had survived what Rey had gone through would be a living miracle. The shock began to give way to hope. Did this mean she could go back to Earth? After all this time (it had only been about a week, give or take a couple of days) she had almost forgotten about Earth. How could she forget? There was still so much to do! And Helene! Who knew what her current situation was like? Rey waited with anticipation. She hoped with all of her being that she could return to Earth.

“As for you, you were not supposed to be taken out of your body before the appointed time. My subordinate humbly apologizes.”

Isn’t it supposed to be you apologizing? It’s not that hard, right?

Unaware of Rey’s dissatisfaction He said, “at this point there are two options for you.”

Rey pricked up her ears.

“One: you can choose to leave Earth right now. Consequently, your soul will truly leave your body and will be reincarnated into a new cycle of life. Two: you can return to earth, and all your memories of this place and of being Rhaenar will be lost.”

Rey had to stop herself from letting loose a scream in the fear he would think it was rude. However she couldn’t stop the smile that bloomed on her face. There was no need to think it over; there was only one option as far as she was concerned. For the first time since she had arrived in the space Rey stood confidently.

She said, “I choose to go back.”

For some reason He was surprised, as evidenced by the slight ascent of one eyebrow. Rey didn’t think too much about it though. There were more important things to worry about, like Helene.

“Are you very, very sure?”

Rey had to hold back her annoyance at the question. What did he mean, was she sure? Being Rhaenar had been interesting, but all she wanted now was to get back and see Helene. The longer she was away from her friend the more she worried.

“Yes,” she replied firmly, “I’m absolutely certain that I would like to return.”

He nodded at her answer. Rey looked on expectantly, waiting for the portal or whatever would send her back to appear.

Nothing happened.

Rey stared in confusion at Him. He was just sitting there, looking through the single sheet of paper that lay on the table. When she couldn’t stand the wait any longer she blurted, “Aren’t you going to send me back now?”

The glare he returned in response to the question had Rey snapping her mouth shut quickly. She had almost forgotten the fear the previous being had instilled in her being, but it returned to her now, even bigger than it had been. He glared at her until it was apparent she had nothing else to say, and then he sat up a little with a serious face.

“I think it would be better for you to move on, into a new life. But –“

He lifted a hand, preventing Rey from interrupting.

“—but, since you’re so eager to return, how can I deny you? It’s not like I can force you, can I now?”

Rey snorted inwardly, the memory of the previous being coming into her mind. She watched with curious eyes as He grabbed a fine quill out of the air and scribbled something on the paper. After he was finished the quill disappeared and a stamp took its place. He pressed it on the bottom of the paper and flung it away from him, where it vanished like its predecessor just as it was about to hit the floor. He put the paper to one side then looked up at her.

“You’re absolutely, totally, completely sure you want to return to Earth?”

Rey didn’t bother with an answer; she just nodded. It didn’t seem like He was actually expecting her to change her mind. He nodded and snapped his fingers. Rey jumped back with a sharp shriek as a blinding white portal shimmered into existence right next to her. She narrowed her eyes as He who had obviously done it on purpose, and looked back at the portal.

For a brief second she hesitated. He had asked her so many times to reconsider; was going back really the right choice? Then she thought of Helene, and all thought of reconsidering left her. She gave the watching being a grateful nod, and stepped into the brightness.

Neither of them noticed that as the portal closed behind Rey the letters on the paper began to rearrange themselves again.