Hello, I have news for anyone who might come to this page:
I am no longer using this site! I am trying to be a published author now and will hopefully end up rewriting this story. I hope I'll have your support! Wish me luck ya'll! :D
Welcome all, Please enjoy my stories!
I plan to use the blog on this site now as a type of diary! lol follow and comment if you want ^_^
I am Dema Sakka, and the stories I post are my own!
If you want to contact me, email me at DemaSakka@gmail.com
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http://quizilla.teennick.com/stories/17987058/invisible-girl
The Outsider
Prologue
Hello, my name is Annya. I am the second daughter of Nathan and Lara Hanson. I am seventeen years old, and I am the outsider...
Once upon a time, when this world began, there were many creatures that inhabited it. There were vampires, weres, fairies, and so on. Everything was beautiful, and everyone was pure of blood, until the humans came.
When the humans came, they were very few in number, and we welcomed them with open arms. This led to the downfall of some.
Some of us began to breed with the humans, and then breed with others, not of their kind, and it produced the Dregs. Lower than the pure bloods, but at first we accepted them as well. Then an up rising started, and began a war that lasted many years.
When the pure bloods won, we were merciful and, instead of killing them, banished them to the land on the other side of the mountains. There to remain, out of site out of mind, that is, at least so far.....
©
Chapter One
Alone, but Surrounded by People
Walking into the family room, I was greeted by the site of my family sitting around, doing their own things. My parents sat on the couch, whispering to each other about gods knew what. My older brother was in a corner, staring out a window and absently twirling one of his knives around. Then there was my slightly younger sister, she was sitting in her corner, in her beanbag chair, listening to her MP3 player, like always, and moving her hands to the music.
Sighing, I entered the room, sat in front of the TV, and tried to veg out. Unfortunately I had a bad feeling that my parents were about to spring something on me I wouldn't like, and my feeling were hardly ever wrong.
In the next instant my parents proved me right by saying, “Oh children, we are going to a ball tomorrow night, it's being hosted by the royal family... so all of you must attend.” That last point they directed at me, probably because I had a tendency to worm out of going to these things. I briefly thought of still trying to worm out, but by my parents look I could tell they weren't going to let me. It really sucks sometimes that vampires don't get sick like humans do.
Looking away from them, I focused my eyes on the TV, even though my mind was on what had happened to me the last ball I went to....
*Flash Back*
About Two Years Ago..
I entered the ballroom with my family, and as soon as we were announced, everyone stopped talking, and stared at me. Trying, but failing, to keep my smile in place, I looked around the room with my uncovered eye. I had foolishly thought that if I had covered my purple eye with my hair, leaving only my red vampiric eye uncovered, that they might not stare. I was wrong, of course.
My left eye was purple, and my right was red, it marked me as something different, it marked me as the Kyōryokuna, Powerful One. Centuries ago there had been a prophecy foretelling that the Kyōryokuna would come. They would be the child of two worlds, and be able to command not one, but many powers. The one foretold would have one red eye, and one purple.
This made me an object of both reverence and fear, it also made me the forever outsider. Then I saw the prince, the boy was my age, but for some reason he hated me, and by the sneer on his face I could tell that tonight was going to be yet another painful one.
*End of Flash Back*
I forced on my neutral face, even though I felt like screaming from the pain in my heart. How can no one understand me? Not even a little... Why do I have to care?
Keeping the neutral face on, I escaped into my favorite fantasy..
I run from the house, with nothing but a small backpack. I run to the man with animal ears and a tail, he hugged me tightly, and whispered in my ear, “I knew we would find each other again, I'm so glad you found me.” He stroked my hair soothingly, then took my hand and began to lead me away. “It's time to go to Wodahs, to the other outsiders.”
Smiling ever so lightly, I let the fantasy fall away. I knew it wasn't healthy to dream of things I could never have, but I still liked to do it. Plus, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get that guy out of my head. I had met a boy with animal ears and tail when I was about five, and he was about the same. At the time I had been playing around, and saw him in the shadows. Kaien was his name, and he told me about his home, Wodahs, full of outsiders, like the two of us.
In that instant, it became my dream to run away there, because here, I could be surrounded by people, and yet I was still always alone...
©
Chapter 2
I Really Don't Belong Here..
The next night I stood in front of the mirror, staring at the stranger in the mirror. I was dressed in a dark pink ball gown, along with black lace gloves. Looking into my smiling face, I guess I was beautiful, but it was fake. I felt like an alien in my own skin, as if I was nothing but a pretender, and I was. Pretending to be happy, pretending I wasn't hurt, pretending I belonged, pretending nothing bothered me.... pretending I wanted to be here.
Hugging myself tightly, I began to shake, I wanted so bad to collapse to the floor and scream, to never get up again, but I knew that if I let myself break down now I wouldn't get up, and I'd hurt people. No matter how much I tried not to, I cared, about everything.
After a few gulps of air I managed to get myself under control, then left my room, ready to face more pain at the ball. Ready to pretend it didn't bother me...
***
We entered the ballroom, and it was just like last time, except the prince's sneer was worse. When we reached the bottom of the stairs, mom and dad went out to the dance floor to dance, Kyoku went dancing over to the refreshment table, the beautiful black hair trailing behind her, Hisoka smiled at me, patted my hand, then went over to sit down, he was never much of a dancer, and I began to move to the wall.
That is, until I felt something coming toward me from the dance floor. Looking over, I froze, it was the prince; most thought he was handsome, charming, and kind. I knew the truth, he was physically handsome, with his white hair, high cheek bones, red eyes, and pale skin, but I saw the ugly underneath. He was a master manipulator, cruel, and out to hurt me, and I didn't even know why.
Standing tall, I faced him as he reached me, I had to look up, because he was about six inches taller than my five foot nine inches. He smiled at me, but it had a cruel edge to it, “What a wonderful surprise, you being here, now I get to have fun.” He reached out, as if to stroke my face, but I pulled back, I knew what pain he could cause, even with a simple touch. His vampiric power was the ability to cause pain in others, I've seen where he's made a guard who disobeyed him writhe on the floor, begging for mercy. It never came.
“What do you want with me Prince Dante?” I tried to keep my face and voice neutral, emotionless. Last time I had been here, he had hurt me, both with his power, and words. As we had danced, he had used his power in small quantities, enough to cause pain, but not enough that others would notice, and then he would whisper about how I feared and hated. Now, I know I shouldn't listen to what people say, but it still hurt, even from him, especially sense I already knew that.
I looked around for one of my family to save me, but as usual, they were oblivious to me. Then the prince answered my question, “I want you to leave, I've always wanted you to leave, but no matter how many times I hurt you, you never got the hint. So now I'm telling you outright, I want you gone. I'm tired of the attention you get, I am the prince, but you get more attention than me. So let me put it this way, stay away, or I will make sure you will never be able to, ever again.” With that, he patted my cheek, sending a painful shock through me. Then he just left me, standing there in shock and fear.
He hates me because he's jealous...
That's when it hit me, Prince Dante was nuts, and if I kept getting attention, he might just kill me, or hurt my family. In that moment, I knew that if I didn't run, then I would probably end up dead. As I stood there, I felt a cool calm wash over me, like I was numb inside.
Smiling sadly, I thought to myself, I never belonged here anyway....
©
Chapter 3
Running into a Fantasy
Three hours later I sat on my bed, wondering what I would need to pack, and when to leave. Travel lite, travel fast. Getting up, I got out my small backpack, and filled it with a change of cloths, a brush, toiletries, and two short swords. Then I changed out of my dress, and into my favorite pair of jeans, pink tank top, fingerless gloves, and tennis shoes.
Looking at the clock, I saw that it was about an hour before sunrise. I decided that I needed to go before dawn, then, if they discovered I was gone, they couldn't track me until sunset, because I had a higher tolerance for sun, and there were spells on the house to discourage people from leaving during daylight.
I wanted to write my family a long letter, maybe even let them know what was wrong, everything, but I couldn't. In the end I wrote a simple note, saying 'I'm Sorry'.
Just before leaving, as I was passing my dresser, I saw a necklace, it was one that each of my siblings had copies of. It was a pendent on a simple chain, the pendent had five stones on it, Red, for our father, purple for our mother, blue for Hisoka, pink for me, and green for Kyoku. We had made them when we were little, so that no matter what, we would always be with family.
Quickly, I grabbed it, slipped it around my neck, then slipped out of my room, out of my house, and into the streets of the city.
***
About noon, I stood against a wall in a shadowed alleyway, trying to let some of the suns effects ware off before they got too bad. Looking around, I saw I was near the old play ground. I think I'll have one last look there, before I have to leave.
Keeping to the shadows, I walked the allies, and just as I was turning the corner to reach the alleyway I wanted, I saw someone was already there. The persons back was to me, I could tell he was tall, and that he was a he, he was dressed in black jeans and T-shirt, and he had an animal ear hat on his head. His hair was a mix of grey, white, and black, pocking out from under his hat.
I was about to turn back around until he left, that is, until I saw he had a tail, a DOGS tail! Surprised, I took a step back, and as I did I hit a pebble, that's when I found out the ears were not part of the hat, because they moved.
He turned around then, I was struck, for our eyes met, his light blue, and my red and purple, then we said, in unison, “It's you!”
Taking a step forward, I whispered the name of a boy I thought I would never see again, “Kaien.” Am I in my fantasy?
***
“Annya!,” he exclaimed, a huge smile lighting up his face, then suddenly closed the distance between us, and hugged me, out of nowhere. “I've missed you so much, but you never came back.”
Now, most people would say he was looney, get out of the hug, and run. But I felt like he was acting, so happy to see him, because, even thought we had only known each other briefly, he had been my best friend, and was still my fantasy. I had always felt connected to him, maybe because he was an outsider too, so I hugged him back, whispering, “I've missed you too Kaien.”
After a few moments like that, he pulled back, looking at my face, and asked, “Why are you here now?” He searched my face, and, oddly, sniffed the air, then his eyes widened, “What's wrong?”
I searched his eyes, his face, and all I saw was worry. Why do I feel compelled to tell him? Why do I trust him, someone I have not seen in about twelve years? That's when I decided to use a power, it was able to probe the basics of a person, such as, if they intended me harm, I could feel it, or if they were liars, a good person or a bad. Closing my eyes, I concentrated on making some energy leave me, and go into him, probing, and all I could feel was good, and worry, in no way did he plan to harm me. It was actually shocking, because only my family had ever felt like this towards me... this man actually cared about me.
Opening my eyes, I looked up at him, and felt my walls crumbling, and it scared me. I started to pull away, but the look on his face, it was so full of hurt as I started to, that I stopped. Then he spoke, as he slowly stroked my hair and down my back, “Please Annya, don't pull away from me... I... I don't want to loose you again..” He was blushing lightly as he finished, and I just couldn't leave him. I could feel this bond forming between us, but I didn't even know how. Shaking my head slightly, I rested my head on his chest, thinking, Well, I'm down the rabbit hole now, aren't I?
Giving in, I spoke in a hushed voice, telling him, “My life was basically threatened, by one of the royal family, so I'm running away, I came here to get one last look at the place I had met you. But I don't know where I'm going to go, not really..”
He hugged me tighter, then said, “I was only staying in this country in hopes of finding you again. Now that I've got you, we can go to Wodahs... if you want.”
I smiled to myself, he sounded so nervous, looking into his eyes again I said, “Of course, it's where I have always wanted to go, with you.”
I can't believe I'm going to do this, but I have run right into my fantasy, it's not everyday that this happens...
©
Chapter 4
Interrupted Bath
Entering Kaien's apartment, I looked around, it wasn't terribly much, but he was a guy, so it wasn't surprising. It was a small three room, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, place, all pretty dull, and basic.
Kaien went straight to the bed, knelt on the floor beside it, and dug a bag from underneath. I guess my surprise at him being prepared showed on my face, because when he looked at me, me smiled and said, “I never planned to stay, and I'm not exactly welcome here, so I was always prepared to leave quickly.”
I stood there, in silence, for a few moments, I couldn't think of why he wouldn't be welcome here. Then it suddenly hit me, he was one of the Dregs, that's why he hid his ears as part of the hat, why Wodahs is full of outsiders. Now, most vampires, heck, most creatures here, would look down on him, on Wodahs, and walk away, but I'm not like most people. So I smiled back at him, took his hand as he stood, and said, “Lets go to our true home now.”
His smile brightened, and he nodded. With that we walked hand and hand out the door, to our new future, with nothing but our backpacks, and each other...
***
By nightfall we were well out of town, and into woods. Night time is not usually the time a vampire gets tired, but we need sleep just like everyone else, and I had now been up over 20 hours, needless to say, I was tired.
I was just about to tell Kaien this, when he stopped, ears twitching, and his head cocking to the side. “I hear a river, why don't we head over there and make camp?” At first I just stood there after he said that, because it was like he had read my mind, then I nodded and we headed over.
About five minutes later we reached the river, it was a small one, and calm, perfect for relaxing in. Suddenly all I could think about was taking a bath in there, and going to bed. He seemed to know what I was thinking again, because he said, “How about you relax, take a bath, I'll set up our bed rolls, get a fire going, and get us some dinner.” I started to protest, but he just said, “Don't worry about it, your more tired than I am, and I'm happy to do it.” With that, he set down his pack, pulled out a rope and a dagger from it, and headed into the woods.
I watched until he was completely gone, then took off my clothes, it's easier to do that in places like this when you have a few siblings, then I got into the water, beginning my bath.
When I was finished washing everything, I still didn't feel like leaving the water, so I began to play, diving under and back up, sometimes I would go to the bottom, and see if I could find anything down there.
Running out of air, I came back up, breaking through the surface with a gasp, then I heard another gasp, and it wasn't mine. Turning my head, I saw it was Kaien, he had returned, and now had one arm full of wood, and the other with a couple rabbits. He was staring at me, eyes bugging out, mouth hanging open, and cheeks so red they looked like strawberries, he actually looked very cute.
Then it finally struck me that I was naked, in front of a guy! Letting out an eek sound, I covered myself, and ducked under the water up to my neck. Well, bye bye fun bath. Wait, did I remember to pack a towel?!
©
Chapter 5
Kaien's Story
“Turn around!” I yelled at Kaien, as he just stood there. That seemed to snap him out of his I-saw-a-girl-naked trance, because he let out a little 'oh' noise and turned around, saying, “I'm so sorry, I-I really am! I didn't mean to...” At the end, I could tell that he didn't totally regret it, at all.
Shaking my head, I asked, “Do we happen to have a towel I can use?” When he nodded, and didn't move, I sighed and said, “Get it for me please?”
He jolted, rummaged through his pack, pulled out a towel, and held it behind his back, he was acting like a gentlemen, I could get used to it.
I quickly dashed out, grabbed the towel, and wrapped it around me, all before he could get a glimpse of me again.
Looking at him, I saw that he had turned around, and was still checking me out, and I felt myself blush, I wasn't used to these kinda looks. The words that came out of my mouth sounded kinda breathy, which made me blush more, “How about you start the fire, and I'll get dressed.”
After he nodded, I quickly grabbed my bag, and went into the shadows of the woods to change. If I had known that Kaien had great night vision, I would have hidden better...
***
Late that night I sat, hugging my knees to my chest, as I stared through the dieing fire at a sleeping Kaien. I had tried to sleep, but I kept having a nightmare where the Prince separated me and Kaien, and did horrible things to both of us, you try sleeping with a dream like that.
My vision began to shimmer, and I realized I was crying. I wiped away at the tears angrily, then hid my face in my knees. Why am I even crying? Why can't I stop? I was started out of my thoughts when I felt an arm across my back. Looking up I saw it was Kaien, he had the gentlest expression on his face, and understanding, like he knew what I was going through.
Giving a great sob, I flung my arms around his neck, and sobbed into his shoulder; he held me tightly through it, and rocked me gently till I calmed. When I could finally stop crying I whispered, “I'm so sorry for this, I never break down, I don't know why I did just now.”
He gently wiped the tears on my face, kissed my forehead, and said, “Everyone breaks down, I'm glad I was here for you when it happened. I also know why you did, your simply stressed, you have been through a lot recently, but no matter what I am here for you.”
I smiled shakily, leaned into him, and before long fell asleep in his arms, the one place I felt safe. How? How... so fast?, I thought as I drifted off.
***
When I woke up I was no longer in Kaien's arms, but laying on one of our pads. Sitting up, I looked around, but I couldn't see him, briefly I began to panic, but I pushed it away, and got up. I tied up my hair in a ponytail, put some more wood on the embers of the fire, got my clothes from last night, washed them in the river really quick, and began packing up our packs.
Just as I was about to finish, Kaien walked out of the woods, carrying a couple fish and two large kinda flat stones. I looked at him, then the stones, then at him again, he laughed, seeing the question, “The stones are to cook the fish on city girl.”
I started to argue that I wasn't that much of a city girl, but he was right, so I just shrugged and let him be the cook.
He was very good at cleaning and cooking the fish, he was really handy outdoors. After we finished, we grabbed our stuff, and headed out again. “Good thing we are in the woods, or else I wouldn't be able to last long out here, at least not this time of day.”
He nodded, “Yeah, I know, that's part of the reason we are taking this route.” After that we traveled in silence for a while, which left me alone to my thoughts, and that lead me to questions.
Finally I asked the most pressing one, “Kaien, sense your from Wodahs, why have you been in Eripmava all this time?”
He looked at me briefly, then looked down at the ground before saying, in a quite voice, “To tell you that, I pretty much have to tell you my life story, so this might take a while.” I nodded, waiting patiently for a story I knew was going to be painful. Sighing, he began, “When I was little, life was perfect, just my parents and me. We were so happy, until the day I turned five. That was the day everything went to hell, that's what I thought had happened then, that Hell had risen up from below to destroy happiness.” He gave a humorless laugh before continuing, “On my fifth birthday creatures came and attacked my family, they were horrible, ugly things. They were hunched over and thin, as if sickly, but they had leathery wings, long sharp claws, thick long tails that could pick up boulders, horns out of their foreheads that could stab right through a man, and black as midnight sky come to life. We never had a chance, I only lived because I hid, I hid and did nothing as I watched my parents get killed.”
He stopped then, head bowed, hands in fists at his side, shaking. I started to reach for him, but he stepped back, looking at me with eyes that seemed to hold all the sorrow in the world. Shaking his head he said, “Don't touch me Annya, if you do, I will never be able to finish.” Unable to speak, I pulled my hand back and nodded.
After that he continued, even though I was beginning to wish I hadn't asked. “After that, I went to the orphanage, because I didn't have any other family, but it...was...wasn't a nice place, so I ran. When I was about six, I came to the border of out lands, and suddenly I felt something, a pull, something drawing me further into this land. That's when I remembered the stories, the ones that said that our kind was drawn to the one they are meant to be with. The closer we are, the more we are drawn, so I followed, because I wanted to belong again. Then I met you, Annya, and you didn't belong either, but you.. you didn't want to leave then, and you said you would come back when you were ready. So everyday I went to the same spot, and you did come, you finally came back.”
I..I had forgotten my promise, how could I have forgotten something so important. “I'm so sorry Kaien, so sorry it took so long for me to come back.” With those words I hugged him tightly to me, and he leaned into me, as if telling me his past had sapped his energy. As I felt a tear slide down my cheek I promised myself something, I promise, to never leave him alone again...
Chapter 6
Summoning Gone Awry
Four days later I was getting sick and tired of walking day after day. So when we came within site of the mountains that separated us and Wodahs, I was ready for a day off. “Kaien, can't we stop?” Looking around I saw a cave in front and to the left of us, pointing I said, “How about there?”
He looked over, looked at me, then looked up at the sky before saying, “I suppose, it will be raining soon anyway, so we can hole up there for tonight and tomorrow, after that the rain should b gone.”
“YAY!” I grabbed his hand and began hurrying for the cave, pulling a laughing Kaien.
A few minutes later we were a few feet from the cave when I said, “Maybe we are not the only ones to have thought this cave looked like a nice place to stay. I mean no abandoned cave has a vegetable garden, even if it is a kinda eaten one.”
He nodded and said, “I agree, guess we need to find somewhere else.” Turning around, he began to walk away. Giving a disgruntled sigh, I started to follow him, but stopped when I saw he had. Standing ridged, his ears twitched, then, suddenly, he grabbed me around the waist, and turned, putting me behind him and he turned toward the cave, all in one move.
When I got over the shock of the sudden movement, I looked at the scene before me. Kaien was crouched in a battle ready stance, and the thing he was ready to fight was a man standing in the entrance of the cave, holding a gun. He looked startled, then put down the gun. “I'm sorry son, but you startle me, and I thought you were some more of em pesky animals that been eatin' my food.” the man said in an accented voice.
Kaien relaxed some, then stood straight, but kept me behind him. “I'm sorry as well, we had been looking for a place to spend a day or so of rest on our journey, we had not known this was an inhabited cave. We shall be taking our leave, thank you.” With a graceful bow Kaien turned to me, and we began to walk away.
Before we took more than a couple of steps the man said, “Wait! I'll let you stay if you help me find a way to keep em animals away, what you say?” Kaien and I looked at each other, nodded, then I said to the man, “We will try our best to help.”
He smiled and motioned us in, and we followed. Inside was surprisingly cozy, he had a fire in the center of the chamber, a few bed rolls to the right, to the left was a table and chair, and in the back I could see some cooking equipment. “I live here by me self, didn't belong with em others. It would be perfect if not for em darn animals. Oh, have a seat, take a load off, figure out how to help me.”
Kaien and I sat down next to the fire, and began to discuss how to do this. The conversation consisted mostly of us going 'oh this.. wait... no.. this.. no', till I finally came up with one I thought would actually work. “How about I summon a dog? I've summoned some things before.”
We all agreed it was worth a try, so I said, “OK, we need to go outside for me to do it, close to nature. It might take a minute or two, because I don't so summoning often.” Kaien and the hermit nodded, so we all left the cave, and went out into the garden area.
I motioned for them to stand back, which they did, then I sat down on a clear patch of ground, legs crossed as if meditating, and I began to focus. Staring at the ground in front of me I let my eyes unfocus, letting the world become a blur before me. Next I imagined a circle, beginning in front of me, and spreading out till it was big enough to hold two people in it. Then I imagined that the world in that circled wavered, distorted, and led to another place, time, dimension. When that was clear in my mind I focused on the image of a dog, the ears, tail, everything, everything that represented a dog to me.
It was working, I could see the image of the dog begin to take form in the circle, becoming more and more solid, but that's when I screwed up. Just as it was about to be solid, taking the form of a large dog, for some reason my mind jumped to the fire in the cave. Now, sense this whole process is done by imagery, what happened after I thought of the fire is not much of a surprise.
Right after I imagined the fire the dog became real, but it wasn't a dog, it was a Hell Hound, I had managed to summon a freaking Hell Hound. See, if I had been trying to summon one, this would be great because they are notoriously hard to summon, but I hadn't been trying for one. Hell Hounds have a tendency to kinda burn things, and in a forest, next to food your trying to protect, they are a BAD thing!
It lay on the ground, most of its body was the color of pale ash, its feet and muzzle were the color of burnt wood, the tail was a mix of the two colors. The only thing that gave the beast away as being a Hound of Hell was its eyes, eyes that burned with every color a flame could be, it was as if fire lived in those eyes. It was as compellingly beautiful as it was frightening.
Everything seemed to go in slow motion as the hound got up, still looking at me. Then, suddenly, time snapped back, and everything seemed to happen in the blink of and eye. First the hound opened its mouth, and shot fire at me, and just as I felt it hit me, someone grabbed me and got me out of the way. Then it started shooting at everything, looking up, I saw it was Kaien who had gotten me out of the way, and we were both singed.
He looked so beautiful bathed in firelight, looking down at me he said, “Annya, stay here, I'm going to try and talk to it.” I wanted to argue, but he looked so sure, and determined, that I knew I wouldn't be able to talk him out of it. Setting me down, he got up and began approaching it, then he began giving off low growls and barks, he sounded just like a dog.
It's working. The beast stopped breathing fire, leaving the hermit, who was hiding behind a boulder, safe. It stared at Kaien, head cocked to the side, they exchanged more noises, then the hound laid down. Turning to me, Kaien smiled, and said, “He was just scared, and thought that was what he was supposed to do, he won't hurt anyone now.”
I was just starting to relax, when the hermit came around the boulder, yelling at us, “You stupid witch, it destroyed my garden! You all better get a runnin', before I kill you!”
When he started to pick up stones to throw at us I knew it was time to get out of there, and to take the hound with us. “We better get going.” Just as the hermit was throwing a stone at me, Kaien picked me up, again, and started running, the hound on our heels. Guess I screwed up again.. though I couldn't have screwed up to bad to be in Kaien's arms...
©
Chapter 7
Rain, Name, and Pain
Kaien was wrong, it was the next morning when it started to rain, and we didn't have anywhere to stay. Needless to say, I wasn't happy, and when I'm not happy, I tend to get a little mean. “Kaien, I'm cold, I'm wet, I'm singed, I smell the hound, and it's not nice, I want somewhere dry to rest. Find somewhere!”
I must have had a really frightening face on, because he looked scared, his eyes were wide, color had leached out of his face, and he took a step back from me. It would have made me laugh if I wasn't so miserable, but that made me wonder. Why am I feeling so bad? I'm not really hurt, and it's not that cold, but I feel like I'm freezing, and every sent seems so sharp..
I was distracted from my thoughts when Kaien began to talk to the hound again, then it gave a very human like nod, and ran off. “He's gone off to look for a cave, shouldn't take him long, he can move faster than we can.” He was right, in the next ten minutes or so the hound came back, We really need to give that fire hound a name.
The two of them 'talked' again, and then Kaien told me, “He found another cave, an empty one, about... five minutes ahead.” I nodded and we headed out.
When we reached the cave, I was beginning to feel dizzy, and achy, as if I was a human with the flu. I stumbled into the cave after Kaien and the hound, when we got to a wide area, we began to set down our stuff, and as I tried to open my pack, my fingers fumbled, and I couldn't get it open.
My vision began to blur, and that's when it hit me, I'm low on blood, I haven't fed in days, and I got burned slightly, used up energy doing a summoning, and have been in the sun a lot. Oh gods, I'm to far... Just then blackness stole my vision, and as I felt myself falling I heard Kaien call my name. He sounded so scared, I wanted to reassure him, but I was already gone...
***
Falling, falling and darkness, that was all that was left of my world, it felt like I had been like this for an eternity. Suddenly I came back to myself, sitting up, I looked around, and what I saw scared me.
Before my eyes was a world from a nightmare, all around was a mix of grey, white, and black. The sky was a dark grey, full of storm clouds, what fell from them at first looked like snow, but then I realized it was constantly falling ash. The ground was a medium grey, like that of the sky before the bad storm hits, the white of this place was the trees, dead things dotting the land, and the black were the holes in the earth, big enough to fall into, and from them you could hear screams, screams that would make a demon pale.
There were people too, all around, dotting the land as well, but something seemed off. Ignoring my feeling, I got up, and ran for the nearest one. As I got closer, I saw I was running after a woman, I ran up beside her, and when I got to her, I reached out. My hand did not hit flesh as I knew it, she felt solid, yet moldable, and it sent a charge through me, the whole thing was impossible. Letting go in shock, I stared at her, then moved in front of her, and got yet another shock. She was human, she had all the right parts in all the right places, but her eyes, they were dead, as if she was nothing but a good looking zombie.
Oh gods, where am I? Why does this woman look... soulless? That's when I remembered an old, old legend, so old that the only reason I knew it was because I had read an ancient tome in the palace. I'm in the Land of the Lost Souls.
It was the place lost souls went to, when they could not move on, or their soul had shattered so badly, that it could no longer be fixed. The place was full of nothingness and sorrow. The scariest thing here though was not the nothingness, or even the sorrow of being lost, but the demons who had escaped to this realm to prey on these lost souls. Unfortunately for me, the legend never told how to get out of here.
I'm the snowball in hell now...
***
Sitting, with my back against one of the many dead trees, I fought off a panic attack, but I couldn't block the questions whirling in my mind. How did I get here? If my soul shattered, then why am I not acting like the soulless looking woman? If I died and am not able to pass on, why do I not just wonder around or scream, for that is all the souls do here, wonder or scream. If I'm not like the others, then can I get out? If so, how?! Oh gods, whats going to happen to me?!
I began to rock back and forth, my breath getting choppy, but still I fought the panic, for I knew that if I gave in, I truly had no hope.
Now, this is where that old saying, Murphy's Law, anything that can go wrong will go wrong, came into affect. Just then creatures began to appear, they came from everywhere, from the hole in the ground, from the sky, and some seemed to come out of thin air. They were horrid creatures of all shape and sizes, and all managed to look grotesque. Some of them had great wings, ranging from feathered to leathery, and some that were both. Others had tails, some long, some short, some thin, some thick. Eyes, some had more eyes than I could count. It was a horde of the things that I can only describe as a nightmare's nightmare.
Paralyzed, I couldn't move, I just sat there frozen in fear, watching as these beings began to take person by person, going the way they came. I should help them! MOVE! They need help! I thought, but no matter how much I wanted to, I couldn't move! I just sat there in fear, watching many souls being taken, I could even feel tears streaming down my face, and yet I still could not move!
Then, as fast as they had appeared, they disappeared, leaving just myself and a few other survivors. The others didn't even seem to notice what had happened, but just continued to walk, Is there truly nothing left of who these people once were? Were they like this sense the came here, or were they like me, and slowly died inside? The last scared me the most, just the thought that I could end up like them.
Movement, something darker. Looking over at what had caught my attention, I began to feel panicky again, because what I saw would make a pro-wrestler scream like a little girl. It was another creature, horrid, yet beautiful. Coming toward me with graceful steps, as if it barely touched the ground, but leaving behind a black misty smoke. Black hair that floated as if it was in water, arms down by its sides, with long black lethal claws from every finger on its lily white hands. I saw the slight movement of a sleek black tail behind her. Then there were the wings, huge feathered wings that shined like a ravens wings. All the black made her pale skin seem to glow like the moon. But none of this is what had frightened me, it was her eyes, eyes that were nothing but black, as if someone had taken out its eyes and had replaced them with black jewels.
I was finally able to move, standing up, I took a step back, then stopped myself, because there was no where to run in this place. Taking a battle ready stance, I faced the creature, ready to fight for my life if need be. It stopped about ten feet away from me, standing straight, not at all like it was going to do anything bad to me, but I'd been fooled before. Not budging from my stance, we stayed like that for a long time, just staring at each other. Then the creature spoke in a musical voice, “You are not like the other souls of this plane.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because, you do not act as they do, because you act as I did.”
I felt my eyes widen, “W-what do you mean, act as u did?”
She smiled, I'm sure it was meant to look friendly, but the shark like teeth that filled her mouth kinda ruined the affect. “I was once a normal person, somehow I ended up here, but I was not insane or hollow like the others. Briefly, I feared that I would end up like them, but I did not, I turned into this. Do not fear me young one, I do not feed on the souls here, I am not like those.. monsters.”
“Then why did you appear with them? Also, why talk to me?”
“Because I wonder around, you grow tired after a while of the same dreadful place. I talk to you because I wish to work with you, I want out, as I am sure you do as well. I suggest a partnership, we.. work together to get out of here. What say you?”
“If you have been here so long that you have transformed, then what makes you think that I can help?”
She nodded as if she had expected the question, then said, “Because I have figured out a way, I can not do it on my own. My connection to the other world has been broken, but yours is still strong. If we merge, then we can get out using your link to life.”
Staring at her, I thought on what she had told me. It sounded logical, like it could work, but something about it all bothered me, I just couldn't put my finger on it. I thought about saying no to the deal, but I couldn't stand this place, any of it. So, without really thinking I said, “Deal.”
Oh, how in the next moment would I come to regret that word. Smiling that sharp toothed smile again, she closed the distance between us. She stood so close that I had to crane my neck back to look into her eyes, for she was about a head taller than me. Cupping my face with her hands, she leaned in, still looking calm and somewhat friendly. Then, suddenly, her expression changed, her smile took on a cruel edge to it, and her eyes turned from cold jewels, to looking evil. I tried to move away from her, but I couldn't move at all, and not from fear this time, it was as if my body had gone numb.
My breathe became choppy as she said, in a laughing voice, “I finally found a human dumb enough to take my deal. Now I will get out of this hell hole! Then I can feed on the LIVE souls!” Cackling like a bad TV witch, she stroked my cheek, making sure to ever so lightly scratch my face with her claws. Pathetically, I made a little whimpering noise, but I'd like to see anyone else deal with this and not do something similar or worse! The noise just seemed to make her happier, for she cackled even louder.
When she finally stopped, she looked into my eyes and said, “Oh, how I wish I could tear you apart. Unfortunately, if I did such a thing, I would not have a body in which to go back in,” she sighed dramatically, then continued, “Time to join little one, but don't worry, it wont hurt... much.” As panicked as I was, I was still able to think that line was over used. Then she leaned in and kissed me, as she did, her body seemed to turn into smoke and enter through my mouth.
Crying out, I fell to the ground, it felt as if I was burning! It felt as if every vein in my body no longer carried blood, but fire instead. My skin was melting off my body, mindlessly I clawed at myself, all I knew was that I wanted the pain to stop! Have to get the fire out! Stop! Then all thought left my head as tearing joined the fire, it felt as if claws were trying to tear me apart some the inside. All I could do was writhe and scream. At times I thought I would see things, things happening to my own body. Sometimes I saw I had claws, or I would see feathers, then they would be gone. The world was nothing but pain.
Suddenly, I realized my shrieks of pain contained a name, Kaien. Then I felt and thought of nothing but the pain again. An eternity later, or it at least it seemed that long, I felt a hand on my face. It felt like ice, and at the same time a balm, soothing away the burning, the pain. Laying there, I stared at the ground blankly, panting, as my brain began to work again. Looking up, I saw the hand belonged to Kaien. Feeling tears streaming down my face, I whispered hoarsely, “K-Kaien? A-are you r-real?”
“Yes Annya, I am.” with those words, he picked me up and held me close, and I could feel his tears falling onto my shoulder. Closing my eyes, I laid my head on him, with my mouth where his shoulder met his neck. Breathing him in, praying to the gods that this was real, that he was really here.
When I finally opened my now sleepy eyes, I was shocked. No longer was I in the other world, but I was back in the cave. I started to pull back from him, but realized that my teeth were in his throat, and I was drinking hos blood. Retracting my teeth, I pulled back, expecting revolution on his face, but saw none, only caring mixed with tears.
Leaning back into him, I cried, unable to stop, and not even caring, and the whole time he held me, and stroked my hair and back, rocking us. Then I felt fur against my side, and a lick along my arm, and knew it was the hell hound. Whispering, I said, “Enkou is now your name. For you are flame.”
Then, thankfully I fell into oblivion, black, calm, safe nothingness....
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