Ravela didn’t sleep a wink. Her mind was too focused on her actions.

 

She may just have ruined the life of a young girl for nothing more than to keep her peace. Ravela got up from her meditation as early as usual. She had to run. She needed to take her mind off this whole situation. But she couldn’t leave her things behind in a house with a potential timebomb.

 

Ravela walked up and down her room waiting for breakfast to come. She had to make this up to these young women somehow. Ravela now desperately hoped that Laena would turn out like Safora for her inner peace.

 

She must’ve been out of her mind to give Laena a crystal.

 

Ravela kept walking in her room like a caged animal. Now that her thoughts were running wild, the waiting became torture.

 

Eventually, she took out the book Namon gave her. He had said to consult it during times she knew not how to do right. Maybe it could help her. Her fingers wandered over the dark leathery binding. A golden band marker a page. Ravela noticed for the first time that it was patterned in such a way that it looked like a cobblestone road. Ravela smiled at this playful way to keep with the theme of the title.

 

“What a silly little detail.” She scoffed at an empty room. “And yet, how oddly charming.”

 

The little woven bookmark was placed in the first third of the Golden Path. Left on purpose by the one who gave her his copy of his holy book. Ravela opened the marked page.

Ramiel, the page is titled in slightly bigger letters than the rest of the text. The lines were without much space between them and after looking at a few other pages. Densely formatted blocks of text fill each page. Flipping back to the page marked for her she decided to indulge Namon’s choice for her to learn about her name’s origin from The Golden Path.

 

‘And Lucifer rebelled, and heaven burned, for forty days war reigned across paradise.

 

And the Earth burned. The Wrath of God scorched the lands. Lucifer split the tribes. Seven tribes joined forces with Lucifer, and nine remained loyal. Four tribes abandoned the war to settle among man.

 

The names of their leaders were Danel, Sariel, Anael, and Ramiel. 

 

And as God cast down Lucifer into hell the war ended. But the four tribes that left heaven now lived among man teaching them forbidden knowledge and giving them gifts that weren’t meant to be given.

 

Many had children with mortal women and the Nephilim spread across the planet.

 

God saw their deed a cursed their offspring.

 

But Ramiel was not happy amongst men. Seeking forgiveness he broke from his tribe to find redemption. He called out to God for one year before he was heard and forgiven.

 

And God saw fit to grant him a place anew. Ramiel the Thunderer, Archangel of Vision and Gifts and great were his works in the name of the Lord amongst all men.’

 

Taking off Ramiel’s ring, Ravela entered the bathroom and filled the bathtub. The hot water helped her to relax a bit. She was sighing in relief at the soap washing away her worries and guilt.

 

“This all better not blow up in my face.” Ravela bubbled into the water.

 

Soaking and moping, Ravela spent the time before breakfast drowning her worries in the warmth of the water.

 

After her long soak, Ravela put Ramiel’s ring back on and got dressed.

Walking downstairs and met Laena and Ma Stone at the breakfast table.

 

Ma Stone for once wasn’t reading her newspaper and Laena was wearing a little party hat. Ravela sat down looking at Laena worried.

 

Ma Stone explained before she could ask. “Don’t worry about it, my little Laena just turned 14 today, and I made a cake. One second, I am getting it now.”

 

Ravela looked directly at Laena, wondering if she had forgotten about her birthday or deliberately done this to herself.

 

The girl seemed visibly uncomfortable. Ma Stone returned with the small cake and put it down. Right in front of Laena.

 

“Here you go, deary. Now blow out the candles and make your wish.”

 

Ravela smiled as best she could. “Well, go ahead, birthday girl.”

 

Laena looked at Ravela like she wanted to say something but stopped herself. Instead, she blew out the candles, and Ravela could easily guess her wish.

 

Ravela applauded like a polite guest and refused a piece of the cake. She needed something more breakfasty today. She watched on amused as Ma Stone fussed over her daughter more than usual. Envy was a new emotion for Ravela, but she knew in her heart that was what she felt.

 

After breakfast was over Ravela took the stuff she got from the teachers and walked over to the library. Keeper Namon sat on his bench once again.

 

“Blessed day, keeper Namon. The town seems to have calmed down again. I think I will be good to learn on my own from now on, don’t you agree?”

 

Keeper Namon got up slowly. “Ramiel, of course, you could learn on your own, but history isn’t something you learn without guidance by just knowing numbers and events. And I do feel it is my calling to help my people understand their society and history. The Unified States can’t exist without people like me who keep alive their spirit.”

 

Ravela smiled and let him take the lead. She missed his steady and optimistic presence.

 

Once inside the library, Ravela noticed the heightened number of people in the building. Kids and teenagers, parents, grandparents, and teachers are all busy at work.

 

Ravela and Namon walked to their usual room and started to work on Ravela’s lack of knowledge.

---

 

Safora woke up groggy. It was nearly afternoon the coach would give her an ear full about skipping morning training yet again.

 

She looked at her mirror image; her eyes were still red. She had to find Laena. It was her birthday, after all, and she wanted to apologize and make up with her friend before they went to the cinema together.

 

Safora was sick with worry. What if her friend was gone already or didn’t 

want to talk to her anymore?

 

Safora panicked and tried to hurry up her morning routine. She hurriedly left the house and ran into Laena, walking in circles at the end of her street.

Safora ran up to her friend and stopped herself from hugging her wildly. They stood there awkwardly, two feet away from each other.

 

“So…” Safora spoke first. “are we still friends?”

 

Laena looked guilty. “Yeah, of course, we’re still friends…listen…I-I am sorry about yesterday, okay? I didn’t want to be so mean.”

 

Safora’s lips purse up. She felt the tears well up in her. She sniffled trying not to start the waterworks right then and there.

 

“A-and I am sorry about taking those crystals without telling you and I hope you get awesome powers just like me. Please don’t turn into stone, okay?”

 

Laena hugged Safora, and everything was alright again between them. 

 

“Buh.” Safora tried her best not to cry again. “And happy birthday.”

 

“Yeah, Ma made a big fuss about it today at breakfast. Ramiel looked like he had eaten a lemon. I think he is worried about me having the crystal.”

 

“He didn’t even know about that. I bet you had forgotten. By the way, where is he? I thought he’d stick around to see how you’re doing.”

 

Laena shrugged. “He went to the library with the keeper before I could talk to him again.”

 

Safora got irritated with that attitude. “So what do we do now? Today is the horrorthon. We aren’t missing that.” That matter was settled. Nothing and nobody would rob her of that.

 

Laena rolled her eyes at her friend’s paranoia that something possibly would ruin her horror movie obsession. But her friend had moved on to the next topic already.

 

“So I may have to quit the cheerleaders,” Safora said, looking thoughtful.

 

“Why that?” Laena inquired. “The team needs you, and how would I explain that to Melle and the rest of the team? When we return to school, they will all be pissed!”

 

“What do you mean at me? You may have to quit too!?”

 

“Why would I have to quit?”

 

“Because if you get powers like mine, you can’t be a cheerleader anymore. I tried to jump on my bed yesterday and was stuck mid-air, you know? I can’t be a cheerleader like that, and you will have the same problem just wait!”

 

Laena was instantly in a bad mood. “And what do we do with all that free time? Once we’re back in school? Oh my god, I am not going to become part of the chess club just because I get powers. We just need to learn to control this before the holidays are over, or the next school year is going to be so boring!”

 

Safora got a mischievous look on her face. “We could always fight crime, you know? Two friends, cleaning the streets in the big city.”

 

Laena laughed. “Only you would get superpowers and think: ‘Oh great, let’s make it into a job!’. You can fly now! Instead of seeing the world, you would become some glorified police.”

 

“Well, I can always fly around the world but make my country a place free of crime. That would make a difference. People would look up in the sky and feel safe.”

 

“I wouldn’t I know you failed math throughout the school years. What if a bomb requires you to do basic multiplication to defuse it?”

 

“Like you’re so perfect. Anyways, how are you feeling? Any changes?”

 

Laena looked thoughtful for a minute. “Not really, no.”

 

“Alright, let’s get ready for our cinema night. Come on!”

---

 

Ravela studied with Namon till late afternoon. She enjoyed the explanations Namon had for the historical forming of the Unified States.

 

His point of view gave their nation an almost divinely inspired hue. Ravela liked the thought of people having rights. It was something Ravela loved to explore. From the very foundation to its various trial and crises over the years, Ravela talked for hours with the keeper about his views on society.

 

Godgiven right was a phrase Namon used so frequently it got stuck in her head. They talked about wars and how recent events have led to a new order around the globe.

 

How the Unified States stood together with their allies for freedom and individualism. Namon talked about the two wars that had plagued the world for nearly four decades and how it was their nation that ended this insane affair.

Ravela couldn’t help but notice the tired look on his face the longer they spoke of those times.

 

“Why don’t we end this lesson a bit early today? I think we have dwelled enough on the past for one day.” Ravela offered in earnest sympathy.

 

“You’re right. We should stop here.” Namon got up and waited for Ravela to pack her things.

 

“I hope we can have an easier topic tomorrow.” Ravela waved her goodbye as they passed the front door.

 

Once she was alone, Ravela sat down at the lakeside, deep in thought.

The freedom Namon spoke of in this ‘constitution’ sounded noble to her. But she also knew that not all pretty words a state proclaimed to represent were upheld by it.

 

As she sat there on the bench, two voices were coming closer. Her peace was about to end at the hands of two teenage busybodies. They had noticed her and of course, decided to walk up directly to her.

Ravela braced herself for the inevitable conversation. It had been twenty-four hours, after all. Ravela groaned since it wasn’t like she had promised that anything would happen. She sat in her spot patiently awaiting the two young women to say something.

 

“Ramiel.” Safora spoke up first.

 

“Safora.” Ravela responded.

 

“So, we’ve been wondering when the change would happen.” Laena chimed in.

 

“If there was an alteration, you might notice only once your powers meet their trigger. Generally speaking, young people are more prone to a beneficial alteration and are much more likely to react with the crystal.” Ravela heard herself say without thinking about it, almost like an automatism.

 

“Did you get your powers like that?” Safora questioned her.

 

Ravela hesitated. She wasn’t sure if her powers indeed came from these crystals, but she felt such certainty about it that she answered anyway.

 

“Yes, I too have been altered by crystals like these. Though I am pretty sure that compared to these stones the crystal that altered me was tiny.”

 

Ravela got up. “Being changed means your life is not ordinary anymore. You will have to gain considerable control over your emotions, reactions, and reflexes.”

The girls looked at her like she was a teacher, a boring teacher of a subject they had no interest in. Ravela changed her approach.

 

“Please, walk with me for a while.” Ravela took the lead down the lakeside.

“Let me give you an example that relates to you. I could have done nothing when I saw that bus breach the guard rails. The outcome would have been as nature intended. Many, many children would have died that day. Grief would have destroyed this town. Had I not mastered the control over my powers, the outcome would have been equally severe.”

 

Ravela paused to look at them sternly. “I nearly killed myself catching that bus. We wouldn’t stand here if I had lost focus on my task for a moment. At best, you could hope for a hospital bed and horrible injuries that would have accompanied you through your life. Overusing your powers has consequences. My brain is a muscle. Can you imagine yourself lifting your bus with your muscles? The pain was blinding, yet I held on to your fates. Mastery saves lives. Knowing yourself will save your own.”

 

Ravela turned and walked again pondering in silence how to continue this line of thought.

 

“I knew my limit before I chose to intervene. I knew the pain the attempt would bring. You’ll need to learn everything about yourself anew. Does your ability to fly put the same strain on your brain as it does on me? And if it does, where is your limit? Can you fly with someone in your arms? What does this ability cost you? What will it cost others for you to find out? The opportunity in front of you is unique. Most Supers are alone when they realize they have powers, but not you. You have me. Let me guide you.”

 

They had reached the forest outside of the eyes of the town while Ravela had talked.

 

“In turn, for keeping my secrets, I’ll keep yours and aid you in any way I can.”

 

Safora looked at her friend. “But Laena didn’t change yet. What if that goes wrong.”

 

Ravela looked Safora up and down. “That silence we already agreed on…besides, if she doesn’t feel any changes, that may just be because her special abilities might have yet to trigger. Could also be that nothing happened. In this case, the same terms apply. You just keep quiet about it.”

 

Safora made a face. It was so obvious that she now wanted Laena to get powers, so she wasn’t in this alone.

 

Ravela stood there thinking. “I will go running tomorrow morning. You should come with me.”

Walking back in the direction of Ma Stone’s house, Ravela continued to talk.

“I start running no later than five in the morning. So make sure you are up at that time.”

 

Safora sputtered at the time. “Wait. Wait. Wait. No can do. Today is horrorthon. My dad organized it specifically for us. Can’t we like start after breakfast? Pretty, please?! It would mean the world to us, right, Laena?” Safora made urgent gestures at her friend. “Right? Right! Birthday girl, you better start helping out!”

 

Ravela looked back at the squirming Laena. “Ramiel, w-we’ve been waiting for this movie night for a whole year. Can’t we run later?”

 

“Wow, you’ve convinced me. Let me just tell keeper Namon to wait for me outside the library the entire morning. Fine. We start after breakfast, but you’ll have to help me prepare for my recertification. I think that should be the least you do after inconveniencing me like this.”

 

Safora tried to set a time by saying, “Sooo, let’s say at eleven.”

 

Ravela laughed. “You wish. See you at 9:30. Outside Ma Stone’s house. That’s me being nice, by the way.”

 

Safora cursed but accepted that this issue was now solved.

 

They all together reached Ma Stone’s house. “Since we reached an understanding, I propose you go to your horrorthon now. Have a blessed day, girls.”

 

Ravela left the two teenagers for their movie night.

 

Once she reached her room Ravela took out the two crystals from her suitcase. She sat down cross-legged on her bed, one crystal in each hand.

 

She closed her eyes. Breathing in slowly and controlled. She could feel the crystals in her palms resting cold and smooth. She used her telekinesis to lift herself. Using her sixth sense to explore the crystal she felt something warm and viscous flow from them. Something strange and not corporal followed her extended senses into her palms. Ravela felt a pulse go through her muscles.

 

Something felt wrong. The heat Ravela felt came from a brimming and bursting sensation inside herself. She stopped using her telekinesis. Ravela’s breath condensed visibly as she plopped back down on her bed.

 

‘This isn’t right.’ The crystals in her palms felt cold and smooth, like before, but Ravela felt like she had a fever.

 

Had she made a mistake? Dropping the crystals, Ravela got off the bed and walked to the bathroom. Ravela looked in the mirror, Ramiel’s eyes l looked at her with a confused expression.

 

She took off her ring. The mirror showed her turning from Ramiel to Ravela, but something was different. Her eyes were glowing bright amber. Not just her irises were amber anymore.