Ten minutes later, the noise of an helicopter approaching disturbed the silence of the mansion, new of Lorelei's state had been reported to everyone.
For a Monday morning everyone had stayed home, not feeling like going to work, even Norman children was left sleeping longer, there was no school for them today.
Benoit had stayed in the kitchen to ensure the children will be kept occupied while Martha's sister activates herself to prepare a simple meal knowing certainly not one wanted to eat but it was important.
They all saw the engine coming down in the garden, having flowers flying all over the place causing a mess even the gardener dis not care to clean afterwards for professor Kamali was the kind of boss no one want to lose. Her gentleness was what made everyone yearned to hear she will be fine.
The frantic whir of the helicopter blades died down, replaced by a suffocating silence that pressed down on the room. All eyes swiveled towards the terrace doors as Dr. Killian entered, her usually composed face etched with an unsettling mix of apprehension and... something deeper.
Kayley, her own worry momentarily eclipsed by the doctor's demeanor, blurted out, "Dr. Killian! Thank goodness you're here. It's Lorelei..." Her voice trailed off, choked by a sob that escaped her lips.
Reagan, the father, his face pale and drawn, offered a weak nod of greeting. The air crackled with unspoken fear, a stark contrast to the usual warmth that emanated from their family gatherings. Dr. Killian, ever the professional, took a deep, steadying breath.
"Thank you for calling me," she said, her voice uncharacteristically strained. "Let me see Lorelei first."
As Dr. Killian approached the bed, the room seemed to hold its breath. Even the usually restless princesses huddled together, their wide eyes reflecting the raw fear hanging heavy in the air.
Lorelei, a stark contrast to the agitated energy that usually crackled around her, lay trembling on the bed. Her skin, usually flushed with health, shimmered with an unnatural heat, yet her face remained unnaturally pale.
Dr. Killian, her every movement deliberate and controlled, knelt beside Lorelei. The tension in the room was so thick it could be cut with a knife. Bertha, unable to bear the silence any longer, whispered, "What is it, Doctor? What's wrong with her?" All in hope the woman had an explanation.
Dr. Killian placed a gentle hand on Lorelei's forehead, her brow furrowing in concern. As she began the examination, a strange calm seemed to descend upon the room.
Every movement, every touch, was imbued with a quiet urgency.
The disquiet Dr. Killian felt upon entering the room intensified as she examined Lorelei. The erratic energy signature she'd sensed earlier was now a dull roar, a chaotic thrumming beneath the surface. But the most unsettling discovery was yet to come.
Despite the feverish heat emanating from Lorelei's skin, there was no moisture. Not a bead of sweat marred her pale complexion. It was as if her body was defying the very laws of physics.
Dr. Killian's fingers brushed against Lorelei's racing pulse, a raw contrast to the unnatural stillness she felt emanating from within.
A memory surfaced, a fragment from her forgotten past, a whispered legend from a hidden corner of her mind. Legends of beings who walked between worlds, their power a double-edged sword, a gift and a curse. A cold dread settled in the pit of her stomach. Could the stories be true? Could Lorelei be... something more?
Dr. Killian finished the examination, her face a mask of professional detachment. The silence in the room was deafening, broken only by Lorelei's shallow breaths and the faint chirping of crickets outside.
Finally, Dr. Killian rose, her gaze flitting from Lorelei's pale face to the anxious faces of the parents.
"I need to speak with you both privately," she said, her voice barely a whisper. The weight of her words hung heavy in the air, a confirmation of their worst fears. As Bertha and Reagan exchanged a panicked glance, Dr. Killian knew the truth she was about to reveal would forever alter the course of their lives.
Knowing the charade was over, Reagan and Berthaa exchanged a heavy look. There was no point in hiding things from the others any longer, especially Alicia whose gaze held a fierce protectiveness. These people, once strangers, were now their chosen family, bound by the extraordinary secret they shared.
"When she was eleven," Reagan began, his voice thick with emotion, "we were met with a cryptic answer. We were told she's an Añada. Don't ask me what it means. The only thing we know for sure is what we've seen firsthand."
The word "Añada" hung in the air like a pronouncement. Norman met Sloan's gaze - a silent conversation passing between the brothers, their faces etched with worry and a flicker of something more... fear?
Dr. Killian, her own expression grim, gave a curt nod, confirming Reagan's words.
"She's brilliant, beyond anything we can even imagine," Bertha added, her voice trembling slightly. "But every full moon like this..." she trailed off, her eyes welling up as they landed on Lorelei's pale form. "It's agonizing to watch her struggle."
Clearing her throat, Dr. Killian stepped forward, her fingers nervously intertwined behind her back. "One thing is clear," she said, her voice laced with a hint of awe. "Hospitals are absolutely out of the question. Her... functions are on high alert. Right now, all we can do is what Sandra's already doing."
Kayley, tears glistening in her eyes, gently pressed a cool compress to Lorelei's forehead.
"If you can gather more ice," Dr. Killian continued, her voice taking on a more urgent tone, "wrap it in a thick cloth and surround her with it. The cold will help dissipate the fever faster. It seems to be a reaction to the immense external energy she's absorbing. You see, Añada is a term whispered in ancient texts, referring to beings who bridge the gap between different planes of existence. They possess an inherent connection to a higher energy field, which can manifest in extraordinary ways."
A flicker of relief washed over Reagan and Bertha's faces. Dr. Killian knew. She understood, at least to some degree, what their daughter was going through.
As the guards swiftly created a barrier of chilling ice packs Martha had brought from the kitchen with the help of Benoit, around Lorelei, Alicia, her eyes glued to her friend, couldn't help but ask,
"But Doctor K, what causes this clash? Why does the full moon trigger it? I mean this is insane, Lorelei' is stronger than this I am sure of it. Never did this happen since we know each other not once."
Frowning the brother's head nodded at what the princesse just said, surprising the parents, which was clearly a precedent.
Dr. Killian who was well situated to judge of the young woman health, sighed, even though not knowing what that happened to create a pause in predictable state, the weight of an unknown history settling on her shoulders.
"The full moon acts as a conduit," she explained. "It amplifies the natural energies of the world, and for an Añada, it can be overwhelming. Imagine trying to hold a high-pressure stream of water with a flimsy cup. The energy surges through Lorelei, and her body struggles to contain it."
Her voice trailed off, a frown creasing her brow. "Unfortunately, I do not know why now, but what I do know is that the
knowledge of the Añada is fragmented, lost to the sands of time. While some cultures revere them as conduits to the divine, others fear their power. There's very little written about how to manage their... episodes."
A flicker of hope, however, flickered in Dr. Killian's eyes. "But perhaps," she continued, her voice taking on a new urgency, "we can find some answers in the echoes of forgotten lore. Think of it like this: in the Bible, wasn't the prophet Daniel said to become ill after receiving visions from God? His body, overwhelmed by such divine presence, struggled to contain the immensity of the experience."
A collective nod rippled through the room.
"Similarly," Dr. Killian pressed on, "in India, there's the concept of the Bodhisattva, a being who walks the path to enlightenment. As they progress, their bodies undergo a transformation, becoming vessels of pure soul, all of it to allow them to manifest more power than what humans can.This transformation, like the visions of a prophet, can be a physically demanding process."
"So, you're saying..." Alicia murmured, her voice barely a whisper.
"Yes," Dr. Killian confirmed, her gaze fixed on Lorelei's still form. "Lorelei, in her own way, is a conduit. The full moon, one of many triggers, acts like a cosmic tuning fork, amplifying the natural energy of the world. For an Añada like her, it's a surge of divine energy, a connection to something far vaster than we can comprehend."
A glimmer of understanding dawned on reagan and Bertha's faces. The cryptic message from the woman at the marketplace - "God will protect her" - echoed in their minds. Perhaps the divine protection Lorelei needed, was already there but she simply needed the time for her body to process this immense power.
"These episodes," Dr. Killian continued, "are likely Lorelei's body reorganizing itself to handle this influx of energy. Unconsciously, she acts as a bridge, a portal for this divine energy to work its way into the fabric of our world. It's why Añada are said to recover eventually, even without medical intervention. Their bodies, though pushed to the limit, eventually find a way to adapt."
Relief, tinged with a touch of awe, washed over the room. The fear that had gripped them began to loosen its hold. The telltale thread woman's words, once cryptic and unsettling, " do not mix it with medicines..." Now held a new meaning.
Lorelei wasn't cursed; she was chosen, a conduit for something extraordinary. The knowledge didn't erase their worry, but it offered a glimmer of hope, a path forward.
A heavy silence descended upon the room, broken only by the rhythmic hum of the air conditioner. The initial relief at Dr. Killian's understanding gave way to a flurry of questions.
"So, these episodes are a natural part of who Lorelei is? Will they ever stop?" Reagan asked, his voice laced with cautious hope.
Dr. Killian nodded, her gaze flickering towards the window where the sun has set to make it rays softer painting the sky with streaks of pink and orange.
"Think of them as a metamorphosis," she explained. "An anãda is like a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly, but on a much grander scale. Her body is adapting to hold a power most of us can only dream of, one day she'll be master of it."
Bertha's brow furrowed. "But why the full moon then? Why does that trigger these... transformations?"
"Ah, as I said beforehand, it is one of the 'many' triggers. The is known to release lot of energy when it is full, her body undergoing transformation, can not stay indifferent to.'
Dr. Killian said, a curt nod punctuated her last words, a formless smile playing on her lips. "That's where things get interesting. You see, Porys, our hometown, has a rich history, wouldn't you agree?"
A collective murmur of assent rippled through the room. Reagan, Lorelei's father, spoke up, a hint of pride in his voice. "Indeed. Divinewood, they called it for centuries. There is still an Oracle there, that protect our world for as long as anyone can remember, ahe said to know the way of the Seed."
Dr. Killian's smile widened. "Exactly. The energy of that place, that history... it resonates with Lorelei. She's an Añada, yes, but Añada are vessels of immense power, directly relatedto the seed. We can find parallels throughout history - prophets like Jesus or Buddha, who spoke with the divine. They allowed their entire being to be a conduit for God's will, and even today many humans can do the same ."
Alicia, her eyes wide with realization, gasped. "That's why she can... command nature!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling slightly.
"There have been times... she'd wish for rain to stop, and it would. Or she'd need something, and moments later, someone would bring it to her. We just thought it was her strong faith."
The others in the room exchanged startled glances. They all had similar experiences with Lorelei, unexplainable occurrences that defied logic but seemed to happen at her whim. Suddenly, it all clicked into place.
Reagan, his voice thick with emotion, turned to Bertha. "That explains many things, seen like that I agree there are episodes like that throughout all her life we have witnessed, the only suffering I can think of happen with the full moon," he whispered. "It's not just the moon triggering it, it's the heightened energy in the world itself, resonating with Lorelei's own power."
Dr. Killian nodded solemnly. "The earth itself responds to her," She confirmed.
"Anãda have the power of dominion on everything that live, her not being fully formed was just influenced by that much power. Remember the full moon influx is use to do many harm in bad hands, meaning the Divine has to deploy the protect its creation as it could, it see a vessel it work through it, until it get ready. In plain day, many of those occurrences happened creating awe, at night she is push untill she get stronger. This will happen until she is able to be in plain night like in plain day not influenced by the energy it releases." closing her mouth she allowed the informations to enter everyone brain.
Benoit, the French young man Lorelei had taken in their family, moved back untill his back rested on the wall near the door, completely starstruck by what he was hearing, though he was not afraid of her, he understood why she was so good with him, she had given him a second chance to have a family in this world which was the best gift anyone ever gave to him.
A sense of awe filled doctor Killian voice, all of them oblivious of Benoit state, a reverence for the young woman lying unconscious on the bed. Looking at Lorelei, Killian felt a strange sense of connection, a recognition of the divine spark that resided within her.
It was as if she was looking at a living embodiment of faith, a being of pure goodness.
"The woman at the market was right," Dr. Killian continued responding to what Reagan said previously, her voice barely above a whisper.
" God will protect her. Lorelei isn't sick; she's being... empowered. These episodes are simply the growing pains of a vessel learning to hold an unimaginable power. What she needs is all the love you can muster at the moment."
The room fell silent once more, but this time, the silence was filled with a newfound understanding. Fear had given way to a sense of awe, a profound respect for the extraordinary young woman at the center of it all.
Lorelei wasn't just their daughter, their friend; she was something more, hope embodied for humanity, a testament to the divine that walked among them. And as they watched her laying there, a silent prayer filled the room, a plea for her strength, for her well-being, for her to weather this transformative storm within her.