Free Reborn by Jeff Gunzel

sighed, her wrinkled face making her sad frown look that much deeper. “He believes all living things have a right to exist. A tiger may tear a deer to pieces, then devour its flesh in what looks like a malevolent, vile act. The cat is only acting on instinct, and doing what it has always done.” Her look hardened. “He thinks you are no different, it seems.”
    Athel met the woman’s gaze evenly. Nothing seemed to matter anymore. “Exiled, then.” The three members of the circle watched her silently. Athel looked away, nodding her understanding.
    “Perhaps, but this is still not our decision to make,” said the old woman after a time. “It is yours.”
    Athel looked up in surprise. “Mine? Why is it mine to make?”
    “Land of suspicion,” came the dry, lifeless voices once more, as the twin heads dipped down then came up with a click.
    “It seems the ways of the old world have not changed that much,” hissed the old woman. “Why wouldn’t you be given that choice? We’re trying to show patience, but we just don’t understand your way of thinking. Our people live by a code of honor. Anyone you speak with here will tell you plainly, they would rather die than endanger their friends and family. From what we can tell, you somehow need to be told to do the right thing. A figure of authority must force you to make the right decision, otherwise you will just do as you please?” Wara shook her head, eyes rolling with disgust.
    “I would never purposely endanger my friends,” Athel pleaded. “But how am I supposed to make a choice like this? No one knows for sure what the future holds. I can’t just leave them because of what might or might not happen.”
    “Once again, this is why you have been brought before us.” The old woman waved her hands toward the purple liquid. Large bubbles began to form with more frequency, the rolling movement becoming more violent as the thick ooze boiled. “You are correct, we ourselves don’t know what the future holds. However...”
    “The spirit world does,” echoed the twins once more. Their eyes were now glowing with the same reddish orange light as before. Once again, their heads clicked as they dipped before coming back up.
    The old woman’s thin lips curled up into a dark smile. “What you are about to see is more than just a sign from the spirit world. Time does not exist there. All events, future, present, and past, all happen at the same time.” Athel watched as streams of wavy mist rose from the small black cauldron. “The images here are not a projection of things that may or may not happen.” Wara’s dark smiled widened even further. “They will happen.”
    The purple mist began to swirl around the room, each line dancing about like a restless ghost. One by one, the shooting lines began to join one another as the pleasant flowery scent filled the air. The joined lines weaved in and out until a misty floating canvas formed in midair. It began to swirl with black and yellow, as even more mist began to cascade from its center. The room darkened before the warrior’s eyes.
    Athel watched as the swirling calmed and actual shapes began to take form. What looked to be green vegetation, now bordered the outside of the floating canvas. Slowly but surely, the images materialized from the outside inward, until she finally could make out the kneeling outline at its center. She watched in horror, watched herself kneeling in the grass with her hands waving in the air. Although there was no sound, it was obvious she was screaming up at the sky, her hands covered with blood.
    “Still not convinced of the danger you represent to those you love? Then keep watching...if your stomach can handle it,” wheezed Wara, her clouded eyes now a milky white.
    With her face contorted in a painful grimace, Athel watched on in dread, terrified of what this disturbing sight might be symbolizing. Her likeness leaned down low to the ground. She had her hands on something or someone,