Obsidian Fall

Serena cried for the first time in a decade. Her tears appeared to fight gravity as they unnaturally crawled their way down her face, pooled beneath her chin, then seemed to fall endlessly before they finally splashed onto the jagged obsidian rocks in the dried riverbed below. She stood on the ledge of the stone bridge as she swung back and forth between her options, intermittently distracted by a voice.

The stranger calmly said, “Please listen to me, Serena.” She ignored him as she had several times before, but he continued, “I know you know me not, but it’s not for just me. Think about who you are, what it means to everyone.”

Wind slowly crept onto the bridge, which made the frills of Serena’s blue dress dance. She’d struggled with this choice for years, but on that bridge she had to make a choice, after death pushed the decision forward.

The stranger spoke out again, “It has to be you, Serena. It’s ultimately your choice but so many townsfolk are relying on you... make the right decision, and jump.”

Another gust of wind whipped at her legs and pushed her torso closer to the edge. From below, two townspeople carrying punnets of berries caught a glimpse of Serena’s dress silhouetted by the rising sun, like a flower budding above the surrounding dirt.

One pointed at Serena and said, “She knows what must be done. She knows she’s too great a danger.”

The other turned and said, “That’s not the Serena I know. She’s here to wreak vengeance for keeping her away. Now is the time for prayer and penance before all our ends.”

Serena didn’t even notice the people below, her thoughts were miles away, battling the swirling sentiments in the crevices of her mind, wondering what the right decision was.

The stranger called out again, like an irritating flea gnawing at her eardrum, “Even if I could, I wouldn’t push you. I know you’ve suffered a lot for us Serena but you’re a good person. We just need one final thing from you. Please.”

Serena curled her fingers into a fist and closed her eyes. Her voice bellowed out, “You do not know me, coward. You know not of what sacrifice may have wrought with my life.”

The stranger was stunned into silence. He wanted a response, but he was unsure of how to react when he finally got one. He opened his mouth, studied his words carefully and meekly said, “I’m sorry.”

Her husky voice sternly replied, “Good.”

Almost sounding defeated, the stranger said, “None of us will survive… Gods help us.”

Serena answered, “You do not want Their help. It is They who caused this.”

The wind sent the tips of her hair into a frenzy, then she opened her eyes to find a few dozen people below, staring up at her. 

Serena’s eyes glowed like dazzling emeralds. The growing crowd of townsfolk became agitated at the sight, they gasped, prayed, and cried, but none of them left. They knew fate was out of their hands and they couldn’t escape it.

The stranger muttered under his breath, “It’s almost time.”

The wind on the bridge became more furious as the people below began to hug and console each other. A child tugged the sleeve of her father and asked, “Why are you crying?”

Without turning away from Serena, the father solemnly replied, “The mage is dead. Nobody can guide young Serena now, and she knows how to wield fate. When the sun kisses the top of the sky, we...” He looked down into his child’s eyes, smiled, and continued, “I love you. It’s the Gods’ will that we’ll be together in the After. Search for me, as I will for you.”

The child looked confused then looked up at Serena and the ever-growing storm encircling the bridge. The child tugged at her father’s sleeve again, seemingly unfazed by his rambling, and said, “Who’s beside her?”

Serena whipped her head to the left, surprised to see the stranger had climbed up next to her. Tears streamed down both their faces as he struggled to steady his footing in the growing fervour of the localised gale.

The stranger said, “You’re right. I do not know sacrifice. But today I will shun cowardice.” He opened his palm towards Serena. “If you leap, so will I. I fear what may happen more than death itself.”

Serena stoutly answered, “You know my name, you all do. But you know not of me. You mistrust my being. You sink your faith in Gods and mages, yet believe me weak despite the power you hear of.”

The stranger replied, “It’s too strong for any one person, Serena.”

She turned to him, “I wish nobody harm.”

“What you wish and what happens are not one and the same.”

She turned toward the horizon and replied, “Your arrogance of assumption tires me.”

“Teach me then Serena. Let me understand your sacrifice.”

Serena fired back, “Has your womb been removed? Have you been exsanguinated? Has your flesh been torn daily to sequester your power? Have you spent your lifetime in unsought bondage? Then you will never understand!”

The stranger quietly replied, “I knew not Serena… I knew not of these cruelties.”

“Yet you blindly throw words nonetheless, as others do, knowing nothing.”

“I’m truly sorry Serena.”

“I have no need of pity from you, stranger.”

Serena began to radiate heat, scolding the stranger which caused him to wince in pain and take a few steps away.

Serena turned her attention to the sun almost above her, possibly regarding it for the last time.

“Again, I say: I wish nobody harm. I only wish a virtue upon you and others, stranger. One which I have not had the privilege to experience; balance. But I know what I must do.”