Unveiling

The Forgotten Clan

Back into their hotel room the squad is quiet still thinking about what happened in the museum. This isn't their first trip abroad, yet it's their first time to encounter a fight. 

Abby slouch on the sofa, frowning her mind is like somewhere else. This isn't funny anymore. She sighed. 

While Celestine on the other side is sitting crossed legs on the bed staring blankly thinking about how fast everything changes. 

I thought all is perfect in Achker but it seems all that we come to believe was a lie, and Adaia is telling the truth. She thinks. 

" Hey...guys!", Quasi called their attention. 

" What about the lost page? Are you now ready to see it?" he asked grinning. 

Celestine composed herself, " Okay, bring it on!", she muttered. 

Quasi opens her palm, and luminous gold letters emerge, forming words, many words.... grouping themselves to their proper places, forming a paragraph...slowly...slowly...then there was an instant blast! A bright light illuminates the entire space for a minute before gradually fading. As it faded, a scene unfold in front of them, their mouth fell wide open as their gaze are fixed on it as if they were watching something shocking on a large screen.

" No, someone...maybe an astral had recorded this in another realm to preserve and not get caught," Quasi said. 

" Huh?!, Cel...it's your mom right?" Abby said pointing at the unfolding scene in front of them

What? How come? Celestine feels her body froze for a moment. What is this? I thought my mom is an ubralo how come she's here? Is my entire life a lie? What else will I discover? She thinks as she gazed at the scene waiting for more revelations. 

The squad feels like they're brought into another world, and another time...

A glimpse of the past

Standing on the round vintage mirror is Cecily. She's dressed in white, staring nervously at herself while her mom gently combs her hair. 

" Fireflies gonna come tonight dear, " a woman in her forties said to Celestine's mom. She grasps her daughter's chin and lifts it up, " There's nothing to be scared Cicely", only something to be excited about, " she said. 

"Okay now all are waiting for you to enter", the old woman touches Cicely's hair, fixing it. " Let's go", she said with urgency. 

At the ceremony, everybody can't wait to see the bride.

Alfie is there in front of the altar, waiting for his bride to walk in the aisle. 

They have chosen a night wedding in the garden because both of their families believe that fireflies and magic will come out to celebrate with a union so rare as them. It is the very first time in Achker that a prophet born from an incarnate will be married to an astral. Everybody was excited and at the same time wondering what their offspring will be.

Fireflies indeed came as Cicely walks down the aisle, flying as if escorting her to the groom. Everybody gasps in amazement at the spectacular scenery. 

Ava, Cicely's mother feels delighted as she watches her daughter. No one here is as excited as her about her daughter's offspring. She's hoping that Cicely's offspring would be like her, an incarnate. Cicely inherited her abilities from her father, Charles, Ava's husband. Cicely was born a prophet. She failed to inherit her mom's incarnate abilities. Now, that she's going to have grandchildren, Ava is hoping they'll inherit her incarnate abilities, after all, theirs is dominant among the clans. 

" Do not rejoice"! 

A loud angry voice suddenly interrupted the ceremony. The crowd turns to see who was it.  It's Cascade! 

Ava looked at Cascade confused and astonished. They've been friends for long. She invited him to this wedding but he refused to come. And yet, he's here now. 

" Cascade I thought you're not coming", Ava said smiling, though she feels something isn't right she tried to ignore it and be friendly still. 

But Cascade coldly gazes at her, instead, he begins to move his hands. 

" From now on, no incarnate will be heard in Achker, whoever from your clan will not remember, and won't be remembered", Cascade uttered.

Ava's eyes widen. He's casting the forbidden Astral cursed! Ava thinks. She tried to stop Cascade. She drew out her blade with a snap of her finger and throws it to Cascade. But Cascade blocked it, with a flex of his hand, " sleep for tomorrow your lives will be different", Cascade said in a hypnotic tone. Then, he took out a dagger and throws it at Ava. 

Ava was struck badly. 

How could he have that ability? She thinks as she clutched her bleeding chest. 

The crowd fled in fear yet at the same time wondering how could Cascade defeated Ava that easily. She's incarnate. She's from the strongest clan in Achker. How could that be?

But those were the last thoughts they had , the last memories they had about the Incarnate clan for the next day no one in Achker could remember that such clan exist, except for Ava. The curse didn't overcome her. Cascade knows he couldn't easily kill Ava but at least he hopes the curse will have its effect on her. 

The next morning, Felon accompanied Cecily and Charles and the other incarnate who have lost all their memories about themselves. Felon gave them a plane ticket. She arranged everything so they could start a life outside Achker and lived like the ubralo. Even the other Achkerians couldn't remember them. All have forgotten about the existence of the fourth clan in Achker. Now, all they know is there are only three clans, the prophet, astral, and auribus. No incarnate. No one knows them. No one remembers them, even themselves. 

Watching how the incarnates are sent into exile, Cascade smiles viscously. He felt relieved. 

This is just the beginning of my plans. From now on, no clan will arise stronger than ours. He thinks. 

And he recalled how he find ways to defeat Ava. 

" You cannot defeat the incarnate, Ava and her clan is all way stronger than you." said the man in a dark cloak,

 " Unless you use the mermeros curse. "

Cascade gazed at the man with excitement in his eyes, " a curse?" he gasped. 

" yeah, a cursed where incarnate like Ava is most vulnerable of. "

" How could that be?"

" though their souls are reincarnated like yours, theirs are slightly different"

" whatever! I'd like to have that!"

The man in a dark cloak burst a laugh. " This is exactly the reason why I'm helping you...that darkness in your soul!", he muttered. 

After that incident, days in Achker had changed. There were only 3 clans taking refuge in there. They started to live like incarnate has not been part of their community and of everyone's lives. 

Months after, the Achkerians saw Cascade return with an unusual stone, saying it would be their means of life and survival from the coming doom. It will be their bridge to the world they have been waiting for and to the fullness of their reincarnated souls. Cascade told the Achkerians it is the sacred stone provided by the highest power for lost souls like them. Ever since that day, the Achkerians lived their lives for the stone, looking up to Cascade as the keeper. That is how the prophet clan ascended to nobility and power. 

In Achker, they are the gods, they are the rules and the only truth. 

Meanwhile, Cicely and Charles live in the human world like it's their first life. They could not find any incarnate from Achker. They all got separated from each other with no memories left about Achker even memories about their past lives were erased. All that Cicely knows is that she and Charles are a newly married couple and years after they had their firstborn, a girl... and they named her Celestine. 

There is this one lady who has a weird fashion style, who visited her at the hospital one day when she gave birth to Celestine. She told her that she's her mom's friend and her name is Felon. What Cicely knows is that her mom died when she was still a kid, and she can't even remember how does she look like. Felon had become a constant visitor, a friend yet a stranger because there are some things she doesn't know about her, and she's not interested to know it either.

But one day, at Celestine's first birthday, Cicely overheard Felon's conversation in a distance, at the corner of their garden, where they held a party for Celestine.

" Cascade will come to get her when she's of age, there's nothing you can do about it", Felon said glaring at the lady in front of her. From a distance, Cicely couldn't clearly see whom Felon is talking to, yet she's sure they're of the same age. 

" Don't be so sure about it, tell Cascade he can't have peace as he desired, because not all incarnate was affected by the curse," 

Cicely heard the woman's reply. She sounds like she's controlling her rage. 

" There's nothing to boast about Adaia, no one remembers that your clan had existed. The lives we are living in now, are the truth we come to embrace", Felon replied. She sounds mocking. 

 " And besides even your daughter -- your own blood and soul condemns you", she said looking at Adaia with disdain. 

" Achker is only for the reincarnated souls, not for the incarnates like your clan, but your daughter is safe to keep, she loses her ability and she's so meek to be a sacrifice!", Felon said. 

Adaia clenches her fists, thrilled with anger, wanting to punch Felon. 

"Felon who's there?", Cicely calls.

Cicely called both their attention, interrupting them for she sensed they're arguing. But when she comes near, the lady whom Felon is arguing with had instantly vanished.

" Where did she go? 

"who's Adaia? " 

Cicely's face is filled with many questions. 

" Oh a distant friend", Felon replied smiling awkwardly.

Cicely did not bother to ask more, but deep inside she knows that Felon is hiding something, and she feels that she's not what she tells she is.

Celestine and her friends sighed at all they've seen in the lost page of history in Achker. 

So, that's why this page was forbidden and was kept it's because they intentionally  erased the incarnate as part of Achker, as one of the clans in there? How could Cascade do something evil? Celestine thinks.