The Hour Is Upon Us

As my daughter places the brown paper wrapped box in front of me, my body tenses. I knew the time would come for me to receive this package. After 18 years instead of waiting and preparing I got comfortable, maybe even content living in my human form, but looking down as this box I realized that my father and mother were right. It was the exact reason I was trained to be a warrior. My name is Almina which means Earth, I'll explain later why my name is important. Looking into my curious daughter's eyes who we named Isipho which means gift and she was definitely a gift to us. I'm not sure how to explain to a now 18 year old about war that is trying to come to Earth. How do I start? Should I start from the beginning to a place where we originated from? (Sighs) Perhaps I should have told her who I was. NO! Who she was the moment her level of intelligence could grasp all of this. Once I open this brown paper box there is no going back to normal for us. Only now is not the time to tell her everything, not on her 18th birthday, the day she has been so excited about. I promised her so much on this and I'll try to my best to give her just that. Her laughter, her playfulness, her enjoyment of everything her heart desires is the only thing I see right now. As she questions me about the gift, "Everything has a timing and that time has come, but you will know the whole story to my answer another day". I respond with my homeland dialect that she loves so much that she in a second she can speak it just as well. I smile as when she rolls her eyes in that playful way. I wish this package had not shown up, but I know there is a time for peace and a time for war. Yes, tomorrow I must tell her everything, unfortunately we have three days to return to our homeland and home on land that she knows nothing about. Yes, I denied her the knowing of this land foolishly thinking that I was protecting her, but I now see the errors in my way. Yes tomorrow.

Today we had the best time, I created a scavenger hunt that lead Isipho to some of her favorite places and also added new places she's always wanted to go. Thankfully, Isipho has her cousin, who came here years ago so that Isipho would not be alone. Out of fear and being protective I couldn't let a human or any other possible being get close to her, not knowing when her powers would ignite. I lay in bed replaying the day, I think I am ready to tell her everything, the time is now Midnight, sleep cannot find me nor do I search for it. Deep breathe, it is time. I wake her, and lead her to the kitchen. We both sit at the table. I reach for her hand and tell her there is so much to tell you. I begin with our homeland . The beauty and richness of it and as I describe it I see light cross over her eyes. It's already starting, I then tell her about who we are. We were born of beings that are what humans call The Elements. I Almina happens to be an Earth element meaning I can control all things of Earth minus time. I then explain to her that she can control The Elements: Wind, water, fire, and air. I'm not sure what yo expectations were, but as I wait for her response Isipho suddenly exhales as if she's been holding on to something. She explains that for some weeks she dreamed of the exact place I described and has been able to maneuver water. I smile remembering the first time I was able to do so as well, I apologize for keeping such powerful knowledge from her and as the tears rolled down my eyes she asked me to open the box. I open the box which inside is another box made out of beautiful emerald green and as I opened the box I see the hand carved blades that were created just for me with my own power stored within them. I feel myself jolt back only to awaken. I hold my stomach in which I carry Isipho now, and feel the ground shake. It is the same war that will come and go and come back again on my daughter's 18th birthday and there is no doubt in my mind that I must prepare her for such a place in time.