The Blind Diviner

Cosima woke early the next morning to Bree flinging the curtains wide open. She groaned, shielding her tired eyes before squinting up at her. “Goodmorning?”

“Its is.” Bree mused while looking out the window, thinking. “You shall start your training today.”

“Training?” Cosima yawned, sitting up in the hospital bed.

“You don’t think I’d send you out after Shivana as you are, do you?” Bree apparently had a whole plan that Cosima didn’t know about. Train and release her. That was it.

“Wha-huh?” Cosima was barely awake. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Come with me.” Bree waited by the door and Cosima swung her legs around, the borrowed pajamas hanging baggily on her frame.

The mix of Bree’s heels and the pattering of Cosima’s bare feet echoed through the halls. They stopped in front of the familiar large glass wall that overlooked the endless looking ocean. It was cloudy out, rain pelting against the glass.

“Your abilities go far beyond what you’re able to do at the moment. They can be amazing things, but you must learn your strengths and weaknesses. Like the mental block I have done to you, it is a weakness of yours. You must gain strength in that area.”

“So, like I have powers? Super powers?” Cosima spoke almost mockingly, sleep still heavy in her voice.

“No,” Bree crossed her arms, “your abilities come with who you are. You are part of something thousands of years old, Cosima. Please, take that seriously.”

“Okay,” she mouthed.

“Now, the simplest thing to start with is how well you read those around you. How well can you sense their auras? How can you read their moods and pasts? The air around you is your key.”

“Who am I testing this on?” Cosima asked warily.

“Me, read me.” Bree let her arms fall to the side, opening completely to Cosima.

“Well,” she looked and saw a sunflowered color glow around Bree, it flowed out like sun rays. The iris of it was a more dark, marooned color. “You’re aura is interesting. There’s a lightness about it. The center is heavy though, I can almost feel it actually.”

“Good. Very good.” Bree led Cosima down the empty halls, “what about what’s around you? How is the mood?”

Everything was still feeling, a sense of control coming off like mist from Bree. And then there was something, like a bitter taste on her tongue. It seemed wrong. It was like a shifting shadow, it wouldn’t stay until it was the strongest presence around then.

“I agree. Something is not right.” Bree strode down the rest of the hall.

With a resounding boom, the door of a room flew off its hinges at the end of the hall. Loose papers floating up in the air until they were sucked in like vacuumed air, the door banging back against into wall, shaking violently from the force it was drawn into. And then it fell to the ground and everything was quiet again.

“What was that?” Cosima started towards it but Bree stopped her, looking apprehensive.

“Let me go first.” She entered the room and Cosima felt a strong pull to the room.

She could see the aura, dancing static. It was hectic and scrambled as it tried to piece itself together. And then a glimmer of familiarity. Opaque plasma. She didn’t notice herself moving towards the room. She couldn’t stop, not even if she wanted to.

“It’s alright, Cosima.” Bree met Cosima’s gaze into the destroyed room. “You’ve already sensed who it is.”

“I apologize, I didn’t mean to.” She looked and felt her cheeks redden slightly at the sight.

“I have a feeling you can’t help it.” Emery responded, taking a drink of water from a styrofoam cup; a sheet from the bed wrapped around his nude form.

“Is everything alright?” She stepped over pieces of broken furniture, looking as if they have been set afire.

“Yes, everything is okay.” Bree’s tight lipped smile made Cosima shrink back.

“I can leave?” She took another look at Emery, who was covered in what appeared to be ash and had cuts all over him. He didn’t look well in the slightest.

“It’s alright.” Bree’s smile seemed more natural this time but Cosima saw that her aura was all maroon, a black iris. She was very good at pretending outwardly.

“No, this is beyond my business.” She scooted back to the door, feeling overwhelmed with a corrosive pressure, static still dancing around her.

“Cosima, you should sit. You are not use to this much stimulus.” Bree’s voice was far away from her conscious.

Everything became focused into a pinpoint of light, growing further and further away. A brush against her didn’t feel light, it felt possessive. Cosima didn’t want to but it was beyond her to not lash out in defense. That small light disappeared and a heavy blackness pelted down like rain.

“I will not submit.” Cosima’s voice was a gnarring rumble. She turned, a calamitous burst of energy shooting from her. To a mere moral, it would’ve killed them in an instant. Bree however blocked it, a light enveloped Cosima again into the present.

Her vision focused back into reality, the pieces of furniture and the papers that had been tossed previously were all floating freely. The sight startled her and they dropped with a clamor. She brought a hand up in front of her, seeing that her veins were almost black under her skin. The sight had her sick to her stomach. What was she? A monster? A beast like the one chasing her?

“Cosima.” Bree’s voice was careful and light.

“I’mーI’m so sorry.” Cosima’s voice shook, quickly turning out of the room to get away from there as fast as possible.

Thankfully Bree didn’t follow or intervene with her thoughts. All she wanted was to go back to her room to hide herself away from anyone else. Unfortunately, that would be too simple. The noise must’ve been loud enough to rouse Reed from his room, seeing as he was cautiously striding down the hall Cosima turned into.

“What was all that? Sounded like a goddamn explosion.” He looked past her, walking beside her when they matched steps.

“It was nothing.” She couldn’t attempt to put some energy into her voice.

“Youーoh fuck.” Reed cursed at the sight of her face, his heart racing. “You are a thing of nightmares.”

Cosima saw herself from his eyes, grimacing at the onyx fixed eyes staring back. The color of her veins had faded thankfully. She rubbed her eyes, wanting it all to just go away. She felt knowingly that it would once she calmed down.

“Things got a little out of my grasp. I’m fine now, thanks for the concern.” Cosima looked back to him, a forced nod coming from him.

She then went into her room. Locking the door behind her, she flopped onto the bed and curled under the covers, almost immediately finding sleep.