• 1.) Mirror of the Soul

    tab Stray Heart. I was once asked why my name was this. My answer was, "Because strays cannot find happiness easily."

    My story doesn't begin there, though. It begins...a bit farther into my past. I'll start where it'll make the most sense. I'll start the day before I left.
    ___________________________________________________________________________

    I brushed my medium-long golden-blonde hair in front of my mirror that morning. Azure eyes peered back from my reflection, no omens of the future or what it held. I'd always had a childish face, and the glassy blue orbs only accented the innocence portrayed. Even at age 20, I looked no older than 16. It was a good day outside, at least in the morning; not a cloud in the sky. I braided my hair neatly, before leaving my old room.

    My family was to celebrate new year's together, like they did every year, and it was my first time commuting to the party. My brother Jim and his new wife were also attending, though I'd arrived a day early. I slipped on a slim white gown to wear, that hugged my body snugly, and the sleeves draped loosely on my arms, before going downstairs to help prepare for the party.

    Jim's car arrived at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, the first of the guests to arrive. It was me who opened the door.

    "Surprise!" I said warmly. "Hey, Jimmy." Behind him was his wife, a petite brunette whom had a graceful air about her. I hadn't met the woman, wasn't invited to the wedding; Jim didn't really accept me anymore. Two years back, I'd "come out" with the news of my bisexuality. He...didn't take it well. Something in the back of my mind said he'd warned the Missus about my preferences. I smiled to her, hoping otherwise. "Hello, I'm Jim's younger sister, Sera. We haven't met, but I heard a lot about you." I held out my hand and she shook it. "Congratulations," I added, referring to their newborn baby, Kate.

    "Hi Sera, I'm Dayna, and thanks," she said warmly. "She's already a treasure, you know?" She commented with a laugh.

    Jim quickly caught on to the conversation. "Well, hi, Sera. Don't recall telling you about Kate," he said darkly as he walked through the door. Jim and I were complete opposites; in both appearance and personality. He had dark almond-colored hair and chestnut brown eyes. As far as I knew, his face had a constant scowl. He dressed in corporate apparel even during such occasions as this. Even now, he had on a navy blue suit with a light blue tie. Blech.

    But enough about that.

    I smiled at him with a look he'd grown to fear over the years; my "Shut up now or you'll regret it" smile. "Mom showed me a few pictures. 'Cos that's what women do, we coo and coddle babies." I left it at that, surely I could have dragged on about how I haven't heard from him in forever so of course he didn't tell me, but I kept it to myself. Surprisingly, he smiled back and said, "Dayna, why don't you say hi to Mom? I would like to chat with my Kid sister."

    I glared at him for having found my weakness. Dayna must've seen the tension, because she nodded and left, calling for Mother. As soon as she turned the corner, Jim took a step forward, looming over me threateningly. Since when did the wimp man up!? I thought. With a scowl, he said, "Don't even think about flirting with Dayna. You'll regret it." Before I could retort, he stalked off, and my Mom's reaction, he'd already put on a smile. Award for Best Performance of the Year goes to...
    I wasn't going to flirt, anyway. But I did get to know her. Dayna was born in Manhattan, and moved out to Scottsdale when she was small. She works at a veteranary office near their apartment in Mesa--Jim moved in with her, and works at a nearby retail store. She's sociable and genuinely kind; how she ended up with Jimmy, I've no idea.

    I also learned that Dayna was in a slight depression. She was afraid that after bearing Kate, she wouldn't be the same. I tried to console her on it, but what could I do? I'd never had a kid, never been married.

    At 6 pm, the party started. A few other guests came as well--cousins, second-cousins, uncles, and aunts from all over. The guys got together around a bonfire with a few beers, the ladies sang kareoke on the big tv. I didn't really participate in either, instead just eating a few sweets before going upstairs to tuck in for the night. When I went to my room, however, I found it was invaded with my cousin Nikki's son and daughter, ages 4 and 6. "Dani and Kenny," I said in false reprimand, "What-oh-what are you doing here?"

    The two giggled, and Kenny answered innocently, "We're looking for treasure, Auntie."

    "Is that so?" I asked him. "The only good treasure I have is..." I scanned the room until I found my old full-body mirror, hanging on the closet door. "My mirror."

    Dani was skeptical. "Why?" She asked, meanwhile Kenny had gone to inspect the 'treasure'.

    I was always good at stories, and improv'd a legend for the mirror with ease. "Don't you know? That mirror is magic. You see, people don't look the same on the inside. Some people heve whole worlds sleeping in their heart. This mirror reflects a person's soul, and acts as a portal to the world of their heart." Dani fell for it quite easily. I was a pretty good storyteller. But Kenny, who was testing my legend, protested, "But I look just the same!"

    "You must be a pure soul, then," I said with a laugh. I went to take him away from the mirror, and in doing so, I saw the mirror flash white. Kenny had gotten a better look. "There's a white lady, Auntie! She's all white!"
    If only I'd listened.

    I sent the pirating pair outside, giving them instructions to another 'treasure' inside Jim's room. Then I flopped onto the bed, and fell into a deep sleep, with dreams few and far between.
    ___________________________________________________________________________

    At late 11 pm, I was awoken by a sharp pain in the back of my head. Someone had grabbed my hair, and was using it to pull me up. It was too dark to see who, but they smelled strongly of alcohol. I wouldn't of guessed who it was until he spoke.
    "I said to leave 'er alone." Jim.
    "Jimmy, what are you..Nnh!" He pulled on my hair again, bringing me up to my knees.
    "Don' play dumb," he slurred, "You been flirtin' wit' my wife...you a d*mn f*g...she don' wan' you!" He pulled again, this time throwing me off the bed, in front of the closet.
    Scared out of my mind, I began to shake, and raised a quivering hand in defense. "J-Jimmy..." I turned to scramble into the closet, and caught the mirror's image instead. It wasn't me who showed, but a pointed-eared woman with snow-white hair and blood-red irises, instead of my usual cerulean. Behind me, a fanged man with spectral-green eyes was approaching, a pair of scissors raised in one hand, the other reaching out.
    It was too much. I screamed, ear-splittingly so. The red-eyed woman screamed silently with me. There was a flash of white, so bright it erased the scene once reflected.

    Then pure darkness was all that was.
    __________________________________________________________________________


    2.) Savior's Awakening

    I awoke in a daze, unsure of what I was doing, or where I was. I was in a bed, granted, but not my bed. Never a good sign. The place didn't look very one-night stand-worthy, which was a bit comforting. I tried to remember last night.

    Wait. I didn't have anything to drink then. Why's it so hard to remember, then? I thought on it a moment longer before it hit me.

    My brother Jimmy tried to kill me. But this looks place can't be Heaven. It wasn't nice enough. Nor could it be Hell. It wasn't bad enough. If anything, she was on a less technologically-advanced Earth. These people didn't even have a TV. I'm definitely not in America, then, I decided.

    I got up, too easily to have been stabbed by scissors. If anything, I felt like I hit a brick wall at Superman-speed. My head felt like sh*t, for sure. Nursing my throbbing skull in my right hand, I walked out the curtain door (They don't even have doors?) to see the room I was previously in was a hut, instead. The afternoon sun did not help my head.

    I shielded my eyes with my left hand, then noticed the men of the village (for it could not be called a town) were beginning to surround me, with spears pointed in my direction.

    "She's a monster, I told you!" One man said. "Forget her looks! The sun's weakened her!"
    The man rushed at me, and I screamed, the second time in two days. I raised a hand uselessly in defense, eyes now adjusted to the bright sun. "I just have a headache!" I protested loudly, making certain I was heard rather than killed. "I'm no monster!"

    He stopped, and asked genuinely, "You are not a blood-drinker?" I put down my hand, which looked more delicate than I remembered, and said exasperatedly, "No." But now that he mentioned it, my throat was terribly dry. I guess this sort of thing does that. "May I have some water, please?" I asked politely. The village men lowered their weapons, and my assailant nodded, a relieved expression sketched on his face. "O-of course," he said, "My apologies, we've had several attacks recently."

    I didn't get it entirely, but I nodded. "I'm sorry to hear that," I said sincerely. "May I ask...How did I get here?" A woman answered me.

    She was a young beauty, petite with earthen hair and mint-green eyes. Her clothes were like the others', tribal-looking wear made of furs, though hers seemed special, in a way. She smiled up at me, and answered, "You fell from the sky, miss. I found you in the Temple, and brought you here."

    "From the sky?" I repeated, shocked. "A-are you sure?" She nodded fiercely.
    "I saw it! You landed right in front of Lucia's Shrine, too!" I began to feel light-headed at that. The petite girl took my hand in hers, seeming to know I was unwell. "C'mon, let's go sit down for a bit, 'Kay?" She led me through a trail to a large shady tree. "This is the Forest Guardian's home," she told me, reverence drenched in her voice. "I can talk to her, sometimes," she added. We sat in the shade, and after a short time, I was given a canteen-like pouch, full of cool, crisp water.

    Giving a refreshed sigh, I offered the remaining half to my new aquaintance. She drank it and I lay in the grass beside the tree, my gaze directed to the sky. "Is it really possible...?" I thought aloud. "Falling from the sky..."

    The woman looked at me with her warm eyes. "Only in legends, miss," she said. I turned my head her way, a plea for her to continue. "Legends say it happened before...before the Blood-drinkers. A monster in the guise of man fell from the sky, and landed by the Shrine of Destruction. The monster thrived by drinking the blood of Man, and could even make more like it, though slightly weaker. Eventually, the monster was slain by seven Summoners, one from every Temple. But the spell they used killed them, a sacrifice for Man's survival. The weaker creations still remain, the Blood-drinkers. They can't make more, though," she finished.

    I sat up again, turned to face her. "Do you think this Monster was given power by the Shrine he fell near?" I asked curiously. "Maybe if you use the opposing element's Shrine, bless the soldiers or something--"

    "We've tried that," The woman interrupted. "But thank you." She scooted closer and took my hand in hers again. "I am Tali, Tali Solchild. What are you called?" she asked, intertwining our fingers.

    I flushed noticably. "W-why are you doing that?" I said, my free hand pointing at the joined ones. She looked at me, puzzled, and replied, "It is a 'First-Meeting' gesture. It's pretty obvious."

    Definitely not in Kansas anymore, I thought. Well, new worlds mean I can change my name, if I want. "R-right," I said, still flushing. "I'm Stray, Stray Heart. P-pleased to meet you."

    She looked at me strangely. "Stray Heart...? Why'd you call yourself that?" she asked, obviously realizing it as an alias.

    I thought about it a moment, before replying, "Because strays cannot find happiness easily." I looked down at our joined hands, contemplating all that's happened. "I think, for me...Happiness will be something I'd have to fight for."

    Tali smiled at me, sadness filling her eyes. "That is something we all must do," she said. I did not doubt her.

    The shade from the tree seemed to quiver, strangely enough. Tali saw it right away, and got to her feet immediately. "Blood-Drinker!" She yelled, so loud the village had to have heard it. She stomped the ground, and in front of her a staff appeared, leaving a hole in the ground. I stood as well, not sure what was going on. Behind me, a creepy voice sounded. "You smell especially sweet..." The blood-drinker rasped. He had light brown hair and spectral-green eyes, that glowed eerily. "I think I'll eat you--"

    I pivoted quickly and stabbed at his neck with my right hand. It pierced easily through the cold flesh, a deep red gushing from the wound, spraying everywhere. I withdrew my hand from his neck, my whole self drenched in the red liquid, and he fell, still living, by the gurgling sound he made as he struggled for air. Out of mercy, I kneeled down and stabbed at his skull, cracking it open like an egg. More blood sprayed out, coating my neck and onto my face. It didn't matter anymore, though. He was dead as soon as I struck. I shook the brain matter off my hand, though to shake off the blood would be a futile matter. I look back to Tali, who has been staring the whole time. Somehow, I didn't want her to look at me, didn't want to hear her say it. So I did, instead. "I'm a monster," I said.

    "No," Tali corrected, "You're a Savior." She stepped forward and took my bloody hand, smiling as she led me back to the village.

    To be Continued...