I was dreaming. But the dream wasn’t a dream. I was communicating with the Water Sprite. She had tapped into my subconscious mind with our bond as the connection. Her form had changed into an adult and she was no longer the small little Sprite from before. Instead stood a beautiful woman made of water. Her head was fitted with a piece of jewellery almost like a crown and around her neck laid the most exquisite necklace. But the one thing that amazed me the most was her dress. It was no simple dress. It was entirely made of water, like the rest of her body, but was adorned with the colours of gold and silver, mixing in with the colour of blue. The dress did not hide her delicate legs or her curvy frame. It was she who bore the dress and not the dress who wore her.

“Do you like this form?” she asked and swirled around.

“Yeah. You are really pretty. You look a lot like the water fairies my father had described in his stories,” I said.

“My name is Vaitiare. This is my true form. Only when I am at my most powerful will I be able to assume this form,” she said.

“Oh. I’m Rana. It’s nice to meet you.”

“It is an honour for me to meet you, mistress,” she said and bowed.

“You are my master. I chose you because of the peculiar feeling you gave off and how it affected my soul. You and I are eternally bound to each other. Therefore, I know everything that is in your heart and I will show you the answers you seek.”

Suddenly the small pond of water in front of us began to show pictures. It was like viewing a movie and everything was clearly visible. What I saw was the scene of my drowning body. I couldn’t help but move my hands to my throat as I saw myself struggling for air. Coldness seeped into my bones and our surroundings became frosty. Vaitiare moved closer to me and an immediate warmth flowed through my body. I looked up at her, seeing the smile on her face and my racing heart slowed down.

“Watch. Everything you need to know is there,” she said.

I turned to look at the water again. The scenery had changed. Instead, I saw Zelorzthas and Sheila together with other Gods looking down in a mirror.

“The humans are at it again. I’m jealous Zelor, you’re so popular,” Sheila said.

“Didn’t I tell you to quit calling me that,” Zelorzthas sneered.

Sheila chuckled and went closer to the mirror. What I saw in its reflection was myself. They were watching as I drowned. Watching as I was tossed into the water. Watching as the humans ignorance practically cost the life of a child. I was innocent. I had done nothing wrong. Never done anything to make them hate me. I had done everything they asked of me. Treated them with a smile even as they threw insults at my face. I had been trained to always keep my head high, taught how to act in a foreign environment, and learned how to survive so I never had to get into dangerous situations ever again and even if I did, I could handle myself. I had been so careful and watched for signs of danger. But who would have thought it wasn’t enough. I knew I should have listened to mother. Should have learned more about people and how to see the different tells. But I had hated it. There was too much to learn. I had thought I knew enough. How wrong I was.

“Hey, why don’t you choose her as your Priestess? She seems suitable. Actually, she has quite the potential. Had the humans given her to me, I would make her mine. Hasn't the old geezers been pressing you to get one lately?” Sheila said as if she had gotten the brightest idea.

Zelorzthas snorted.

“I don’t need one so why should I choose this girl,” he said.

“Because she is one of a kind. Her energy isn’t of this world. She almost reminds me of you.”

That peeked his interest. He looked into the mirror and the disdain on his face turned into surprise.

“How can it be?!” he said with wide eyes.

A smile blossomed on Sheila’s lips. Her eyes were glittering and the wind around was dancing, dragging the surrounding leaves with it. Her laughter filled the room, all while the Gods watched and whispered to each other.

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“The girl is not human, nor is she a God. She is like you, Zelorzthas and yet she is not. But one thing is for sure. That girl is most compatible to become yours. It is only destiny that has landed her in your lap and according to what I can see, she should not die. Go save her. She is yours,” one God suddenly said.

He was the only God that had sat with indifference. He only observed and never once participated in the surrounding gossip.

“God of Destiny, are you saying he absolutely has to take the girl in?” Sheila asked.

He nodded and said, “there is no way around it. If you do not, we will all end up regretting it.”

That was when the smile on Sheila’s face broadened and this time her laughter became hysterical. Even the other Gods couldn’t stop smirking but none of them dared laugh as boldly as Sheila.

“What are you laughing at!” Zelorzthas said and a heavy pressure befell the room.

Even I could feel it despite not being there. It was like having a heavy boulder on top of your shoulders, pulling you down. The Gods in the room winced and their smiles disappeared except for Sheila’s. Her laughter still filled the room making Zelorzthas angrier.

“If you do not stop laughing, I will snap your neck and I don't care about your boyfriend's revenge,” he said.

“Oh, why are you always ruining the fun? Whenever you come into the room all laughter stops. Stop being so gloomy all the time. I am laughing because it is funny. Oh, the irony. it's priceless. I’d bet you could never handle such a young girl. In fact, she would probably die in your care,” Sheila said and couldn’t help but laugh again.

Zelorzthas frowned.

“I am not gloomy, I do not care for all of your gossips. And just how difficult would it be to take care of one child?” he said.

“Always so detached from the rest of the world and never caring about anything but yourself. How could such a selfish person like you ever take care of someone else?” Sheila asked.

“Be careful with what you say God of Wind. Others may care for your little antics but I do not!” he sneered.

Sheila laughed.

“But I speak only the truth. The truth that is on everyone's mind. None of us thinks you can care for that girl without killing her in the process!”

Zelorzthas’s eyes roamed around the room, looking every God in their eyes.

“I am the most powerful God among you. There is no way I cannot take care of a simple child,” he said and turned to look Sheila in the eyes.

“I will make sure that child does not die!”

Sheila smiled and said:

“Then let's make a bet. If you take care of that girl with no help from any other God and make sure she grows up healthy it will be your win. If I lose, I will prostrate myself to you and apologize for my behaviour, but if you lose, give me part of your Divinity.”

“Fine.”

With those words, Zelorzthas left and the next thing I saw was my body being pulled into the Realm of Gods. The mirror in the water went blank for a moment before a different scene played. It showed me the whole Realm and of all its inhabitants. All the Gods and the different creatures were before me; the information of them all being stored in my brain. After it had shown me everything I needed to know about the Realm of Gods, it moved on to showing me everything about Saighra; the world of humans. Everything came to light and all my questions were answered. It was a world different from mine. Here humans did not live off technology. Here they survived with magic and belief. All of their beliefs in Gods where what fueled the powers of the Gods. In return for their pious service power was awarded to the humans. There were several religions sprouting everywhere in the world and each one had powers given to them by Gods. I looked up at Vaitiare.

“What is this world? How did I get here?” I asked.

“This world is only one of many. There are countless worlds all around us and all are connected to one source. The source of life and creation. A being that is both alive and dead. No one truly knows what it is, but all who knows about it strive to enlightenment. With enlightenment comes power, with power comes strength and with strength, there will no longer be fear,” she said and waved her hand at the pond making images appear of a tree with several branches with worlds.

“All Gods are beings searching for enlightenment. They want to reach the top of the World Tree. The tree that is holding the source of all. I do not know how you came to be, but one thing is for sure. Your world is at the top and yet at the bottom. It is unreachable for any who travels between worlds. Few have done it, but all were women who originated there,” she said and pointed at one branch of the tree that seemed unnatural.

It was broken and yet not broken. Sometimes the world was there and sometimes it wasn't. I didn't understand it but I knew it meant I couldn't return home easily.

“But then, how am I to return home?” I asked.

“To return home is doing the impossible. Many have tried and yet failed. The women from your world who succeeded had to pay a steep price and all of them had to accept their fate. All of them were sent on a mission and only those who passed could even attempt the journey home. This is all I know,” Vaitiare said and sighed.

“But I don’t know of any mission! And why me? Who decides these things?” I exclaimed.

“No one knows. Only you can discover it all by yourself. I will be with you every step of the way, but the final step has to be taken by you.”

“I don’t care about all that. My whole life I’ve heard of prophecy, fulfilling a destiny, fated to be the future and that I am the greatest hope of the family. But the truth is; I don’t care!” I yelled with tears in my eyes.

“I want to be together with my mom and dad. I want to be loved! I’m even willing to put up with Aunt Anne. As long as I am home and loved by the people I care about, I don’t care about anything else. If I have to shatter this Source thing into several pieces and crush fate itself, I will!”

Vaitiare smiled.

“If that is what you want, then I will do it with you. I will only follow your will and if we destroy the whole universe in the process, so be it. Everything will be fine Rana. With me by your side you will never be alone,” she said.

I brushed the tears falling down my cheeks away and nodded.

“I have to be strong for mother's sake. I can do it with you by my side. No, I will do it!”

At this point, the dream collapsed. Slowly dissolving. Vaitiare returned to her smaller form and just before everything was gone she smiled and said;

“The Gods cannot hurt you, but be careful. None of them is to be trusted.”

I opened my eyes to a world of water.