This had never happened before.Never in all of her centuries of leading the circle had a vision been torn away so abruptly.The Aumahnee had never withdrawn their sight in this way.
All but one seer had returned to ordinary consciousness.Mikelle remained standing, her hand stretched toward something only she could see, her eyes blazing with that brilliant glittering gold.The mist that had abandoned the rest of them now gathered around her like a living thing, flowing toward the ring of ancient oaks that bordered their clearing.
A ripple of uncertain whispers ran through the circle.
Kalana raised her hand, and silence fell immediately."We are not given to know the manner in which the Aumahnee choose to share their wisdom," she said, keeping her voice calm and reassuring despite her own confusion."Let us wait and witness what they reveal to our sister.”
The murmurs ceased.Around the circle, fourteen pairs of very mortal eyes fixed on Mikelle as she stepped beyond the boundary of their sacred space, drawn by a vision only she could perceive.
Kalana rose smoothly, gesturing for young Berin to follow."Come," she said quietly."If she speaks, we must ensure her words are preserved."
The scribe scrambled to gather her materials, nearly dropping the inkwell in her haste.Together they moved closer to Mikelle, careful to maintain enough distance to avoid disrupting her communion with the divine while remaining close enough to hear whatever revelation might come.
Mikelle stopped between two massive oaks, their lowest branches still too high to touch.The trees seemed to lean inward, creating a natural gateway wreathed in shifting mist.
"Why are you here?"Mikelle's whispered question carried clearly in the still air.
Kalana peered into the billowing fog where Mikelle directed her words.At first she saw nothing but swirling vapor, but gradually a shape began to emerge—the vague outline of a figure, tall and still.Her breath caught.Was this one of the mysterious beings from her interrupted vision?
"Tell me who you are."Mikelle's voice had sharpened, taking on an edge that made Kalana's skin prickle with unease."Why are you here?You have no business in this sacred place."
The anger in her tone struck Kalana in its fierceness, so unlike the Mikelle she knew.In all her years of witnessing visions, she had never heard such hostility from a seer in communion with the Aumahnee.This was a place of peace and revelation, not confrontation.What could she be seeing that would provoke such a response?
Worried whispers began to spread around the circle again.Kalana lifted her hand once more, though she shared their concern.Something was very wrong here.
Then Mikelle turned toward her, and she saw that her eyes still blazed with that brilliant gold fire.The telling eyes meant she remained in the hands of the Aumahnee, despite her harsh words.When she spoke again, her voice had transformed—no longer angry, but carrying the distinctive cadence of divine revelation.Even young Berin recognized the change, her quill scratching across parchment as she began to record.
The words that flowed through Mikelle came in the formal speech of prophecy, each syllable precisely articulated:
"In a time of great turmoil, in a land mundane,
Peace will prevail when ruled by one name.
Through strife and war, across realms and ages,
Peace will come, its path unseen by mages.
The day is done.Let three become one."
The final words echoed through the grove like a bell tolling, seeming to resonate in the very stones beneath their feet.Then Mikelle pressed both hands to her forehead and spoke once more, her voice heavy with exhaustion:
"It is finished.The seeing is complete."
Silence descended over the gathering like a shroud.Even the fire seemed to burn more quietly, as though it too waited to understand what had just occurred.
Mikelle blinked once, twice, and the gold fire faded from her eyes.She looked around with growing confusion, then understanding dawned.The expression of horror that washed over her features made Kalana's heart clench.
"What have I done?"she whispered, her voice breaking."I broke the circle.I abandoned the sacred unity."
Her knees buckled.Kalana was close enough to catch her before she fell, and three other seers rushed to her aid.Together they carried Mikelle back to the fire, laying her gently on the soft grass within the circle's embrace.Kalana knelt beside her, taking her cold hand in both of hers.
The other seers gathered close, their faces etched with worry and confusion.Fear spread among them like ripples on a dark pond, and Kalana felt it seeping into her own heart despite her efforts to remain calm.
Stop this,she commanded herself.There is nothing to fear here.
This was clearly still a divine vision, even if it had unfolded in an unprecedented manner.Just because the Aumahnee had shared their sight through the unified circle for hundreds of years didn't mean they were bound to continue doing so forever.The divine ones were not constrained by mortal expectations or traditions.
She looked up at the anxious faces surrounding her, seeing her own uncertainty reflected in their eyes."It is not our place to question how the Aumahnee choose to share their wisdom with us," she said firmly."We have witnessed something extraordinary tonight, not something to fear.Let us wait and see what understanding comes."
