The unknown, a short story of fiction.

It was time for the new team to replace the old one. It was time for a change, the end of a cycle. The yearly ball in the red palace brought us all together. The experienced wolves and the new hunters. The one place where everyone had the same ability and laws to abide by. Where everyone bowed to the elders. Where all of you tried to impress them under the light of a thousand candles.

I sat with the youngsters when the speech was given. We had no idea. They had no clue. It all came as a shock to my peers when the old team announced they would be stepping down and letting us take their place to rule the outside world and shape our future on this Earth and dimension.

I was sitting quietly, between the group of some thirty youngsters from all corners of the world. We did not know each other that well, we had met one another once or twice here and there and had a basic knowledge of each individual in our group. However, our leader would be chosen today, and our spots of work would be assigned before she or he could take over.

A soft lock of hair brushed against my right hand and I looked at the girl next to me. Somewhat known to me, she had shared with me that she had been tasked by the old leader with finding our new head of operations. I had promptly asked her not to refer me by any means. She shifted on the long leather bench that was soft and filled with feathers. Her gaze was turned away from me, looking over the team. She had not decided yet but I was sure of her abilities.

As the eldest team was standing in front of us and delivering their speech, she, the girl with the soft dark hair lightly touched a young woman next to her and asked a question I could not make out. The woman snubbed her and turned back to listen to the others. My belief that she was not fit to rule strengthened. This was her team and even though she had proven herself to be amazing at all the obstacles that were thrown at her, I sensed the entitlement that went with all of her accomplishments. She would not be a good fit.

The soft hair owner apparently thought the same, I felt her energy struck with a certain sense of discomfort. She moved on, to right next to the woman that had everything but the ability to work with others. She lightly tapped another person in the line. Her appearance was that of the East. Her hair was made in a neat bun, held in the back. No hair escaped it, not even one. She turned to face the soft-haired girl immediately, behind the cold candidates back. Her face turned from stern into a smile and she answered a question that must have been the same as before.

You can not trust an appearance. It is deeds that count.

The soft-haired girl seemed satisfied and she returned back in her seat after thanking the woman. I still had not heard the question. She looked at the leader of the old team and pointed directly but discreetly to her choice. The leader nodded and smiled. Then our eyes met and I cocked my head just slightly.

''And now, I think I have talked enough. It is time I announce your leader. One of you chose the next ruler of your team today. However, that was not the first teamwork effort for all of you. For the last week, we have tested all of you and subconsciously, you had already decided who you would follow.'' I felt how the first line tensed. We already knew that there were just two favorites but no one had been informed that we, ourselves would get to choose our leader. Everyone had assumed that it was the job of the previous leader and the elders. The moment of silence was interupted again.

*''Amira from the silver country, you will be the one responsible for this group of rulers. To keep the peace, look after all of our lands, and advance technologically. Steer those who sit on the throne right, and by the end of your rule, you will still have all of your team intact. Please come in the middle and receive the elder blessing.'' there were all sorts of emotions taking over the room now.

Amira got up, her dark bun shimmering in the light of the candles and white marble walls and ceilings. Her suit made her look serious and older than she was. I saw happiness in her but worry, too. All of our lives would be in her hands now. She knew it and had doubts. I also felt the other woman, the arrogant child. She was angry and shocked. Contemplating if we had made a mistake. If she should interrupt...

As Amira stepped on the stage and looked up at the loge, where the elders sat in the shadows there was complete silence. The old leaders had left the stage. Amira was in the spotlight, all attention was on her. I felt a pair of eyes on me and looked back up in the shadow box. A pair of two crisp blues met mine and I nodded, approvingly. No one cared about me now, no one else could see the crisp blue eyes.

At my signal, the elders got up and the rest of my peers caught a whiff of light blue pieces of fabric floating around. They then saw a wrinkly hand come out of the shadows and just hang in the air for a second. Everyone held their breaths and I took the moment to open my palm that I had kept in a fist. There was a surge of power that bounced from it and into the elder's hands. No human eye could notice it. Not yet as it hadn't been passed to Amiras mind.

As the elder's palm opened, they all were given a glimpse into that power that had traveled away from me. It swayed in the air just a second before darting towards Amara. It hit her with a force and she almost fell because of it. But she held her ground and her eyes lit up blue, just for a tenth of a second. That is with these creatures that we train for peace. You can not give them your full power as their mind would not be able to bare it.

Amiras eyes settled into their previous color in the next seconds. She turned to us and we got down, on one of our knees, to greet the new leader.

There is always a ball after these things. A yearly celebration or a dance for the new leader.

The day was still at a full swing but the red palace was a secret place so it was contained to just the marble hall. Only its owner, the elder-hood, had the permission to visit more than just this space here, others had died trying to cross that line. As the day let us celebrate, Amira was always busy, answering someone's question or asking them herself. The elders were gone, presumably in their chambers, and I observed from a corner.

Everyone felt the energy here. Most were curious about how the elders actually looked. Who they were. The majority had their eyes on the golden doors, the biggest spectacle of them all in the ballrooms. They hoped that the elders would join them. Even the eldest of leaders were still here and wondering. Hoping that on their last ball, the elders would reveal themselves.

When Amira finally was alone later that evening, I strode over to her. No one cared about another of us doing our thing. I was just me and everyone else was waiting for much more.

''Could I have a minute of your time, Amira?'' she jumped a little, holding a shrimp in her fingers and lightly laughed her initiate startle away.

''Sure, you are one of my teammates. I will always have time for you!'' her smile was genuine. There was a little quirkiness behind that stern face.

''Well, while I am very happy to hear that, I must tell you, I am not one of your teammates... Would you like to have a tour around the grounds?'' her eyes widened and she looked me over. I heard the thought in her mind Only Elders can show you the treasure the red palace holds.

I extended my hand and she looked around. No one was observing us. That I already knew. Her palm trembled lightly as it touched my hand and her eyes lit up blue like an ocean the moment she touched me.

I led her to an insignificant brown door hidden behind a heavy velvet curtain. Through the servant quarters that had no one in them working, into the wide entry hall that everyone had seen when entering the palace.

''Amm, these stairs, they were not here before...'' Amira took her palm out of mine and came to stand next to me. She looked me over once more. She had felt my energy but didn't yet understand it.

''I was wondering if there is some wisdom you would like to obtain?'' her eyes were still wondering. She could not believe what she saw, she still didn't accept what her mind had already figured out.

''Who are you?"' I smiled at her and turned my back on her.

I turned to the stairs and started walking towards them. There was a wall of energy bordering the first step. She saw it and I did, too. When I reached it, she started following me. A mere meter or two behind. My first step towards the wall was like touching a refreshing stream of water. It danced around me, hugging and cooling my skin in the warm summer day.

I heard her gasp as she saw me cross over and take my natural form. The horns and blue flowers, my long dark hair. The dress that was no dress at all, just that blanket of energy that hugged my body and resembled light blue pieces of flowing fabric. I did not look back, she did not see my face. I stepped up the stairs and heard the energy sizzle behind me as I let her step over the barrier.

We walked in silence, her always a couple of steps behind. It was not long, just a minute or two, but I heard her heart beating faster and faster.

Finally, we entered the garden of mine. She stopped once more. It was the spectacle of the world, I knew far too well that it was the embodiment of beauty. The most wonderful place in the universe.

''You are a leader of people now. Do you know why you even exist?'' my question may have seemed complicated, but it was most certainly not.

This time she was the one ignoring my question. She was speechless and all her brain registered was the fact of who I was. I smiled as we moved past flowers of the bluest color. Like a clear day, they bloomed the second we passed them. Under the shade of thousand-year-old trees still growing strong.

''You are here so both of our worlds can survive. No matter how bad it gets, you are here to keep the power of the nature persistent. Unyielding. And to do that, you have to make the humans see light. Love. Respect for their lives that came out of my Earth.'' we turned to the right side and walked through an arch. This part I had let grow on its own. The green grew wild and breathtaking here.

''I came to existence a very long time ago. The world was already here but it had no life in it. Then you were made and I was taken away from the rest of me. To guide you and keep this world alive until all of your kind is gone.'' we came into a clearing and were faced by an empty building. It resembled rubble more than anything else.

But for Amira... She saw something else. She saw what I wanted her to see. The world that had gone to dust. In another universe, another dimension. The dead planet. Without me, without nature, there was no surviving and thriving for her people.

''That planet is the loneliest place I know. It has one inhabitant living on it and it is me. A part of my being. She cannot die as I cannot pass away until all of humanity has learned their lesson and moved to a higher plain. You are here to prevent what happened to that world. You are here so your kind can survive instead of being lost forever.'' I let it sink in and then pulled her being away from the darkness. With all of my power, before she lost her mind.

''I always knew, but I never expected this...'' her voice broke and I saw a single silver tear roll down her cheek.

''You ought not to be afraid. Just be vigilant and wise. All you need is to know that there is a possibility for all of use to disappear into the oblivion. It will be enough to not go that course if you fight against it.'' I gave her my hand and she took it. Her eyes lit up blue for another second.

*''You are the elders?''we had turned our back to the darkness.

''No, the elders do not exist. They are just the brightest of my students that chose to take care of the garden after their retirement. They are there to execute my will and advise me if when I misunderstand the human ways. It is easier for you to listen to an elder than a woman that looks young forever. It is easier for me to observe you and decide upon when you are ready'' Amira went deep in thought and just walked with me, in silence.

Our path took us to another clearing. This was the exact opposite of the dead building. My human-friendly concept. Amiras mouth opened and a gasp followed. Here, the red brick of the palace-bordered glass and vines of nature.

''This is our world. We have been doing good. You can always come here and check up on it to see how our world fares. But a word of caution, do not get stuck with this little spot. It is beautiful and breathtaking but it is also just a mirror image of our world that has even more to offer. It is my home and you should take care of yours, out there.''

''Why aren't you out there? Why do you stay here if you want to help so much?''

''I am not human, per se. I have lived for millions of years, I have seen the world and I have learned that humans are only willing to listen to humans. There is fear and uncertainty when anyone else is involved. That creates doubt and doubt, in turn, creates anger.'' my eye looked towards the sky, the blue beauty of the unknown.

---

I will be gone for a week from today. I will still post my charity post tomorrow but I doubt there will be anything else. So, do not fear, I will be back! :D

Have the best day. Today, tomorrow, and forever!
Linda