#and also yes vadim wears skirts even as a kid

[lightvoices]

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Send “⇷” to view a memory from my muse’s past life | ACCEPTING

☼ - He’s two years old when he has his first vision.

It’s nothing too dramatic.  The little blonde boy describes it as a plain filled with wheat, and it felt like a gentle, soothing presence was watching him, a soft hum filling the air.  But after talking to some doctors and child psychologists, his parents had come to one conclusion.

Their son was a Seer.

Little Vadim Nureyev had heard his parents talking, but all he knew was that they were moving far away from Moscow.  To meet another Seer, whatever that is.  His parents explained that he was special, chosen by the Traveler to guide humanity.  But the two-year-old didn’t quite understand.

All he knows is that he’s in a strange city, hearing a strange language, watching strange buildings go by the window of the car.  His baby brother Timur is sleeping soundly in the seat next to him.  His parents are talking back and forth in Tatar in the front seat, and he catches pieces of the conversation, but as they drive through the City, his eyes drift closed.

The next thing he knows he’s being picked up out of his carseat and his father is lifting him into his arms.  He makes a soft sound of protest, and his father smiles and hushes him softly, mumbling soothing words in Russian.

He lays his head against his father’s shoulder, almost drifting off to sleep again, before his mother’s voice cuts through the haze.  “Vadim, sweetheart,” she says in Russian, her voice soft, gentle.  “Wake up, honey.”

Vadim sits up in his father’s arms, blinking blearily.  They’re in a  clean, warm room with a few couches.  He’s held in his father’s arms, while his mother sits next to him, Timur held in a sling against her chest, her dark eyes gazing into his hazel ones.  He blinks, looking around, and for the first time notices the strange woman sitting across from them on another couch.

He buries his face into his father’s shoulder, and he hears the woman across from them laugh softly.  His mother makes a soft sound, and he feels her rubbing his back.  “Apologies,” she says to the stranger.  “He’s being rather shy.  Vadim, sweetheart, look at me.”

Raising his head, he looks up at his mother, and she touches his cheek gently, a fond smile on her face.  “Vadim, this is Lucia Vicario.  She’s going to be your mentor.”

He looks over to the strange woman - Lucia, blinking at and clinging to his father’s shirt.  She smiles softly, and stands, white robes flowing around her, and moves to kneel in front of Vadim and his family.

“Hello, Vadim.  It’s nice to finally meet you,” she says in fluent Russian, with only the hint of an accent.

Vadim glances at her warily.  “Hi…”

She holds out her hand.  “May I?”

“Go ahead, Vadim,” his father whispers.  “Take her hand.”

Turning around in his father’s arms, Vadim hesitantly reaches out a hand, and she envelops his tiny hand with both of hers.  He feels a jolt go through him, and he gasps.  “I can feel you,” he mumbles.  She feels cool, calm.  He stares at her wide-eyed as she smiles patiently at him.

“He’s strong,” Lucia says to his parents, and his mother leans forward.  “Stronger than I’ve ever felt.  He will be an excellent Seer.”

Vadim still doesn’t quite know what that means.

Lucia smiles at him, placing a hand on his cheek, and leans in to kiss his forehead.  “You’re going to do great things, little one.”

“Hey, Timur!”

The call draws his brother’s attention, and the dark haired boy looking at his brother with narrowed eyes.  Vadim runs over to him, nearly tripping on his skirt while he does.  Timur is sitting on a swing in the backyard of their Zürich home.  His young brother gets up and approaches when he calls him, throwing his black braid over his shoulder.

There is curiosity in ten-year-old Timur’s eyes as he observes twelve-year-old Vadim bouncing from foot to foot excitedly.  He raises a dark eyebrow at his over-excited sibling.  “You wanted to show me something?”

“Yeah!  Look what Lucia showed me how to do today!”  Vadim cradles his hands together, closing his eyes.  He draws on that spark inside him, drawing on his innate Light, and breathes deeply.

When he opens his eyes, Timur is staring at him with a shocked look.  There is a small flame cradled in Vadim’s hands.  He grins, holding it out, and Timur takes a step back from him, shaking his head.

“You’re…you’re holding fire,” his brother states blankly.

“Yes!  Isn’t it cool?!”

Timur laughs, shaking his head.  “You’re something else, Vadim.  It is pretty cool.  Just don’t go burning down the whole city with that fire.”

“Timur!”

“What?  Just speaking the truth!”

And then their mother is calling them from the back door.  “Vadim, put that fire away!  You and Timur come inside, it’s time for dinner!”  Their little sister Yesfir is clinging to their mother’s leg, whining softly, and both brothers exchange an amused smile.  The mother picks their sister up and walks over, taking a moment to ruffle both boys’ hair.  Vadim accepts his fate, while Timur swats at their mother’s hands in protest.

“What am I going to do with you two?” their mother says with a shake of her head.  Vadim can only laugh softly as he follows her into the house.

“Seer Vadim.”  His mentor’s voice cuts through his thoughts.  The young adult had been idly thumbing through the pages of the book he was supposed to be reading.  Vadim winces slightly, hazel eyes flickering up to his mentor’s face.  She only calls him by his full title when she’s irritated with him.  Well, two can play at that game.

“Seer Lucia,” he replies matter of factly, and she raises a brown eyebrow at him before snatching the book out of his hands and smacking him in the head with it.

“Hey!” he protests, voice almost a whine, pressing a hand to his head where she hit him, fingers tangling in his long blonde hair.  “What was that for?”

“To make sure you were paying attention,” Lucia replies wryly, a smirk on her features.  She’s a lot older than him, at least 90 to his 26, but she doesn’t look any older than her late 30′s.  Thank the Traveler for their extended lifespans.  “Have you been recording your visions in your journal?”

“Yes, Lucia,” he replies with a sigh.  He’s had this lecture from her many times.  “I haven’t really had many, as of late.”

She snorts.  “Good.  At least you were paying attention to that.”

“Are you implying I have an idle mind?”  He crosses his arms, smoothing the white of his robes, similar to the ones all Seers wear, and stares at her.

“I am implying you have as of late.  What’s on your mind, Vadim?  Have you seen something that you haven’t recorded?”  Lucia takes a seat across from him, concern suddenly written on her features.  “You can tell me, you know.  You are my apprentice - it is my job to help you, and to help you interpret the visions the Traveler has gifted us.”

Vadim hesitates, avoiding her gaze for a moment. It does no good, for he can feel her concern through his limited connection to the Light.  It takes him a bit to gather his thoughts, before he speaks.

“I am standing in a lush field of flowers, the sun is high in the sky and I can hear birdsong.  There is life all around me.  But there’s a black line in the distance.  As I move towards it the sky grows darker, the plants more sparse, the birdsong more distant, until I am walking across bare dirt and rock and the world has fallen silent save for the howling of the wind,” he starts hesitantly.  Lucia’s face has gone from mildly interested to concerned, and she nods for him to continue.

“I keep going until I reach the edge of a cliff.  It’s dark, there is no moon in the sky.  Even the stars have gone out.  There is no life to be seen anywhere.  I walk to the edge and look over into darkness that is darker than the night.  Sudden cold overcomes me, and I try to back away but it’s like I’m frozen.  And as I look down into the darkness, it seems that something is looking back…”  His voice trails off, and his eyes flicker up to Lucia hesitantly.

Lucia looks very troubled.  “If you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back at you..” she mumbles.  “This is extremely troubling.  I will have to converse with the other Seers about this.”  She stands quickly, before moving to the other side of the table, leaning down to press a kiss to Vadim’s forehead, like she used to when he was a child, and he offers a hesitant smile.  “Thank you for telling me, Vadim.  This could be far more important than any of us realize.”

Vadim nods numbly, watching her disappear into an adjacent room, furiously typing on her datapad.  And he can’t help but wonder what exactly he’s seen.