CHAPTER 8
Ephraim:
As soon as I arrive back at the enclave, I take the opportunity to visit the library and delve into as much research as I can. I was supposed to meet with Alya, but this is more important, somehow. I need to prepare myself for training Ilyana, but I feel like we are on the verge of something very big, she is powerful and if she is The One the counsel has spoken of over the years, I need to ensure I am not underestimating her on the field. I pour over numerous books and skim for anything I can find regarding prophecies, a second generation of Nephilim and the chosen one. Everything I find is essentially the same as the stories we have long been told at campfires or by the counsel as a reminder of why we must behave.
The stories all fall flat. There is no detail, and no life. But everything I find indicates that this Chosen One that we have heard so much and yet know nothing about is a young boy, somewhere between a toddler and a teenager depending on how ambitious the story teller is feeling at the moment of the transcription. There are few stories that embellish and suggest that the Chosen One was inherently good and others that suggest the prophet was the incantation of evil itself, but regardless of all the images the story tellers paint of the Chosen One, none of them ever mention that it will be a woman.
I decide to approach the subject from a different angle. The theory is purely illogical and borderline insane, so I head for the fairy tales and look for anything that might be about the Chosen One. I look for feminine looking books, for stories you would read to a young child. I feel foolish and out of place but I can’t force myself to stop. I find a book entitled “The Young Nephilims Guide to Heroes and Heroines Across The Ages” the cover is bound leather and the paper appears to be very old. I open the book up and of course, it smells exactly like an old book should. I browse through the lists of Heroine’s, most are earthly stories about humans in history, everything from Anne Frank to the Amazons and Athena. There is no rhyme or reason and many of the stories are regarded as works of fiction now. But as bizarre as this situation already is, I pick the book up anyways and bring it back to the desk I am working at, along with a few titles regarding Nephilim folklore and fables.
As I make my move to settle into the chair that is too small for me and the desk that can barely contain all of my books a hand slaps the book in front of me shut, before I even look up, I know exactly who it is “Well, this is something I never thought I would see, my very own brother sitting in the library pouring over the books. I thought you only enjoyed lifting heavy things, winning at arm wrestling and compulsively doing push-ups for fun. What could be so important that you would come here?” Alya good naturedly pulls at the books and for a moment looks confused, then a small smile creeps across her face as the recognition sets in “Ah, heroes and damsels in distress… It’s the girl. If she really is the Chosen One, what good will obsessive studying do to help you?” I lean back in my chair and pull my hands through my hair while letting out a small breath. “If she is the Chosen One, and it is my responsibility to assist with her training, that is something I would like to know ahead of time. She may require special… attention. I don’t want to fail at my task and become the reason everything falls apart.” She nods once and rests her fingers on the bridge of her nose as though lost in thought for a moment “Okay, so let’s say the Chosen One theory isn’t completely and totally bogus for a moment. This story has been around longer than both of us combined - it is fairly unlikely that you will find information of any real use in the books here. You are truly looking for the figurative needle in a haystack just by attempting this. I understand your trepidation, but you have to know you won’t fail. As far as we know, all she is at this point is a confused, new, powerful Nephilim, so train her as one.”
I want to agree with her, but I can somehow feel it in my gut, that there is something different about this one, it is not just her magnetism or beauty or even her frailty. It’s her strength, being around her overwhelms all my senses and is completely disorienting, even in a room filled to the brim with elders, I have never felt that way. Although, I have a feeling and have been trained to trust my instincts, I can’t possibly convince my sister to do the same. Instead I try a different approach “Well, if we are searching for a needle in a haystack. Two eyes are better than one. So, have a seat.” I reach out to pull another miniscule chair over, she rolls her eyes but sits down. She loves to talk and play, but beneath all her makeup and that over the top personality of hers, lies a bookworm and a know it all. If I find something and she doesn’t, that would put her at a disadvantage which will never be ok with Alya. I am relieved to have someone to research with and find her presence comforting, it makes me feel less insane.
She grabs a stack of books and we both start looking and occasionally scribbling notes on a sheet of paper the librarian brought us telling us which books we should come back to and why. We sit in this amiable silence for a long time and suddenly Alya erupts in laughter. I look at her and before I even have to ask, she looks at me and begins reading from the book in her hands “She will bring fear to those that object her purpose, she will place obstacles in the path of those that defy her and her enemies will tremble at her feet. Armies will bear her armor and her anchor will bring a deadly precision to her power.” I quickly reach for the book and she looks amused by my reaction “Ephraim, I don’t think you have anything to worry about. She is too scared to bring fear to anyone. The only reason someone would tremble at her feet would be in laughter at her completely unintimidating defiance.” I look at her annoyed and go back to the book so she continues on “I really think she is a nice girl, someone I hope to be great friends with. But as powerful as she is, the woman described in that story could in no way be our sweet Ilyana.” As smart as my sister is, she can be thoroughly dense at times, even if the powerful Nephilim in the story in no way matches the Ilyana we now know, we have made progress, because at least the powerful Nephilim in the story is a woman and that is a first. I read on and notice a line regarding her being mated and feel a sharp pang of jealousy that serves only to confuse me. I feel attached to her and her cause, I realize now that I have grown too attached for my own good and make a mental note to go to greater lengths to distance myself from her. I think back on the other night and am ashamed to realize that I nearly put my guards down low enough to kiss her, I don’t know if she even knew, but it took great efforts on my part to muster up enough self-control to not punch Levi for interrupting.
I notice Alya fidgeting with her watch and it interrupts my thoughts, I look out the windows and realize it is getting late and the rain is beginning to set in. I explain to Alya that I must pack to return to Levi’s house for training and she nods. We say our goodbyes and as I take a stack of books to the shelf I separate the book with the powerful, Chosen Woman in it. I carefully mark my place to close the book and immediately I recognize the old leather cover and begin to laugh as I place it in my back pack and head to my apartment. “The Young Nephilims Guide to Heroes and Heroines Across The Ages” – why is it always the last place you would suspect?