The Beginning of Everything
Chapter 1: The Past
By
Cherie Duarte
(Don't own what don't belong to me)
"Sing a song… a sweet summer song… listen to my heart beat… I sing for you…" (Shiella) She cradles her two children close to her as she sits comfortably on her bed by the window. Outside, in the dim light of the evening sky, she can see the high walls of Haven City. She didn't stay with her husband as the Palace, for fear that Elvin citizens of Haven City might find out who – rather what – she is. If they did find out, she and the two children's lives would be in danger. Being so rare, every one on the black market would want them, every one would want to see them and some would want to study them. So the three of them – being her, their son and their daughter – stay at a cozy house at the end of a dead end alley near the entrance of what would be 'Dead Town'. This way they could easily escape from the city if anything went wrong.
She glances down at her two children, now both asleep. The boy is four and the girl is only a few months old. The boy has short green hair, like his father, and the girl has light blond hair, like her mother. She gives them each a kiss. Keys jingle behind the medal door and it opens slowly.
"Shiella?" (Mar) He steps through the door and closes it.
"Yes dear?" (Shiella) She looks up at him and smiles warmly.
"Are you ready to go?" (Mar) He walks over to her and picks up the boy. She steadies the baby girl and he helps her up.
"You've hid him right?" (Shiella)
"Yes, your younger brother is safe." (Mar) The boy squirms for a second and then settles down.
"Thank you…" (Shiella) The two walk to the door.
"You're welcome, my dear." (Mar)
"Are you sure it will be safe?" (Shiella) She hopes he will decide to stay home tonight… just for some more time. He pauses before opening the door.
"As safe as possible on such a silent night." (Mar) He smiles at her and she smiles back. 'If only you were right… how soon it will be filled with screams…' she thinks. They walk over to a two seated zoomer. Mar takes the baby girl and Shiella hops into the zoomer. She takes the children so Mar can get in and drive. He drives them to Haven Forest, Talking with Shiella about various things and future plans. Shiella holds back her tears as he finishes his plans. They pull up to the Haven Forest door. Shiella sniffles as Mar comes around to the other side to help her out.
"What's wrong?" (Mar) He wipes a single tear that has escaped from one of her eyes. She shakes her head gently, letting her short blond hair swoosh by his hand.
"Nothing… really – I'm fine." (Shiella) 'It's so sad… we won't ever get to do those things…perhaps our children will find a time of peace and be able to do such things… We must enjoy our last night together…' thinks Shiella.
"You sure?" (Mar) He places the children down gently and helps her down. He hugs her, strokes her hair back and kisses her forehead. She puts her arms around his neck and buries her head in his chest. He puts his arms around her waist.
"I love you, Mar… I love you so much…" (Shiella)
"I love you too, Shiella… I always will." (Mar) He lifts her face and kisses her lips.
"Come on… let's enjoy the night." (Mar) Shiella nods her head.
"Yes, let's enjoy this night." (Shiella)
"Everything's going to be fine, Shiella…" (Mar)
"I know…" (Shiella) 'I know it won't… they will come for me… they will want my brother… perhaps my children… I know I will die tonight… but he has a chance…' thinks Shiella. Mar picks up the baby girl and Shiella picks up the boy. Together the two walk to the door and wait for it to open. They had planned a quiet picnic for the evening a while back, only to have it delayed several weeks. Now seems the best time for one. Mar has finished most of his work and he finished the most important part an hour ago. They step in and wait for the other side to open.
"How does the spot by the big tree sound?" (Mar) Shiella giggles.
"All the trees are big… well not as big as the ones I've seen, but still they're all big trees." (Shiella) Mar smiles as they walk out to the portal. They go through it.
"Yes they are how about the one-"(Mar)
"Oh Mar, let's just go by one of the waterfalls… they're so pretty and soothing…." (Shiella) Mar laughs to himself.
"Yes, that'll be the perfect spot… come on." (Mar) They walk onto the lift and talk quietly while it rides down. The two steps off and walk slowly to the water fall.
"The night is so beautiful…" (Shiella)
"Even more so with you walking beside me…" (Mar) He shifts the baby in his arms.
"Mar….?" (Shiella) 'Maybe I should tell him… if I do maybe we could… maybe…' thinks Shiella. Mar turns hi s head to look at her.
"What?" (Mar) 'Why does she look so sad?' thinks Mar.
"We're… we shouldn't…I – I know…" (Shiella) 'No, I can't tell him… I promised them, if I married Mar I wouldn't tell… I can't tell they'll take the children…' thinks Shiella.
"What's wrong? We're what? What do you know that we shouldn't?" (Mar) 'What is she hiding?' thinks Mar. Shiella sighs.
"Never mind… I just… nothing…" (Shiella)
"Are you sure? You know you can tell me anything… Do you want to go back home? It's ok with me if you do, I won't mind." (Mar) 'I can't tell you just anything, oh how I wish I could… forgive me, Mar, I can't tell you,' thinks Shiella.
"I'm sure, everything's fine." (Shiella) Mar looks at her unconvinced.
"Are you sure you don't want to go home?" (Mar) 'Yes! Yes! I want to go home!!' thinks Shiella.
"- No… I don't want to go home." (Shiella) 'Why didn't I say yes? I could've they wouldn't think I bribed him… yes they would…' thinks Shiella. Mar sighs.
"Alright, but if you change your mind, we can go home anytime you like." (Mar) The two walk quietly to the waterfall. Shiella and Mar put the children down, Mar takes off the pack and takes out the blanket. The two set the blanket and put the children on it. Sitting down the two grab a snack from the pack. They talk quietly together while eating the snacks, while hi up on a ridge a pair of eyes watches them.
"She's here…"
"Really?" (Shiella) She looks at him with surprise.
"Exactly, I don't see how else…" (Mar) A smile forms on his face.
"Well I didn't think of it like that." (Shiella) 'They're here… sigh … Maybe I should tell him now, he'd live… he could be with the children – take them away, far, far, away…' thinks Shiella.
"How'd you think it then?" (Mar) He looks out to the sky for a second and the back at her.
"Well, I thought it was kind of the other way around, you know?" (Shiella) 'I don't want to die… I don't want them to die… why? What did we do so wrong for this to be our fate? Why can't we continue to live happily?' thinks Shiella.
"No, no I don't. But it must make some sense…" (Mar) Shiella stands.
"What's wrong?" (Mar) 'She never breaks away from a conversation like that… unless… something is wrong…" thinks Mar.
"NOW!"
"Take the children." (Shiella) Mar looks at her confused.
"What?" (Mar) He stands as well.
"Take the children, Mar, take them away from here." (Shiella) She bends down, picking them both up and holding them out to Mar.
"Shiella… What's going on?" (Mar) Looking up he sees dark cloaked figures coming down the rocky wall.
"Just take them and go!" (Shiella) Mar shakes his head,
"You take them. I will hold them off." (Mar)
"No, Mar, you must take them to safety. I must hold them off. It is how it is to be. Now take your children and go. You can survive." (Shiella) She shoves them into his arms and without a choice he takes them. The two begin to run away from the dark cloaked figures dancing slowly behind them. They have a moment to spare when the reach a root of a large tree. The two crawl in.
"What do you mean you have to hold them off? It is how it is to be?" (Mar) Shiella looks up at him from her crouching position.
"You will not be able to hold them off… They're more dangerous than they look…" (Shiella) He looks at her confused.
"And you can, alone?" (Mar)
"You have to take the children away from here… and yes I can, at least longer than you could…" (Shiella) Mar sighs.
"I don't understand… "(Mar)
"Don't try to, it's useless… Please now you must take them away, we'll split up when we leave here… It's mainly me they want, they shouldn't follow you." (Shiella) 'If he goes and doesn't turn back, he'll survive…' thinks Shiella. Mar looks at Shiella and then the kids.
"But what about you? Couldn't we leave the children in here and – "(Mar)
"No. What'll happen if we die? Then they'll starve if no one comes up here…" (Shiella) 'They must live on…' thinks Shiella.
"Alright… I'll go… but I'm coming back for you." (Mar) Shiella shakes her head. 'I shouldn't be doing this, this is his choice…' thinks Shiella.
"No… please… don't… go, just go and don't look back…" (Shiella) She sniffles, holding back her tears.
"Shiella, I love you, I'm not going to leave you out her to die." (Mar)
"You must, it is our destiny…" (Shiella) She crawls out of the back of the tree root and runs off. Soon enough the cloaked figures chase her.
"Shiella…" (Mar) He squints his eyes, resisting the urge to chase after her. He looks down at the two children in his arms.
"Let's be quick." (Mar) He climbs out the front and dashes off to the gate. 'Why did she do this? What did she mean "our destiny"? Did she… no, she had given those up just before we were married… but why? She can't die… no… she can't…' thinks Mar. He gets to the door and waits impatiently for it to open. When id does he walks in, waits again and then runs to the portal. He runs to the other door, hops down off the side of the ramp and thinks for a second. 'Where to put them so they'll be safe… I've got to go back…' thinks Mar. He shakes his head and places in the corner on the ground behind a few short bushes.
"There." (Mar) 'Now to Shiella…' thinks Mar. He runs back in and all the way to the tree root. 'Where could she be?' thinks Mar. He runs off in search of her. He goes around to the waterfall, finding the blanket missing, heavy marks on the ground, and rocks with many new chips. Mar shakes his head. 'Where could she be? She couldn't be dead, no…' thinks Mar. He runs off again, searching as best as he can. A rumbling noise makes him stop dead in his tracks. He ducks behind a rock. Peering around the side he sees the cloaked figures. Murmurs in a strange language come from them. Mar spots the blood on one of the figures odd weapons.
"No…" (Mar) He sighs, closing his eyes and stopping them from shedding tears. 'She can't be…' thinks Mar. He crawls quietly along the ground, feeling as though someone had ripped his heart and soul apart. Just as his begins to give up a quiet voice calls to him.
"Psss…" Mar follows the voice into a hollow log. In the dim light Mar can see the out line of a figure surrounded in a wet blanket.
"Mar?... What – are – you – you – doing – h…here?" (Shiella) Mar crawls closer to her.
"Shiella? Are you… hurt badly? I couldn't leave you…." (Mar) He pulls the wet blanket down slightly to see her face. Blood covers half her face.
"You… should've stayed…. With… the…children…." (Shiella) She looks at him sadly.
"I've hid them, they'll be fine – but you… you need help… There's a health pack not far from here; I could go and–" (Mar) Shiella weakly grabs his arm.
"No…" (Shiella)
"What? Shiella, you can't… die. Shiella –" (Mar)
"No. It is…how…it must… be… I must die. You….have… a choice… You… can go… live… with the… children… or die…" (Shiella) She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, wincing in pain.
"I'll die then… There's nothing I want more than to be with you…" (Mar)
"What…about…the…children?" (Shiella)
"I love them too, but Shiella… they will be fine… " (Mar) He wipes her face with a clean stop on the blanket.
"Mar…" (Shiella)
"Yes?" (Mar)
"I… must … tell you… something…" (Shiella)
"What is it?" (Mar)
"I… knew…" (Shiella) She shakes, feeling her body change.
"Knew what?" (Mar) He looks at her face, trying to understand.
"this…was… going to happen…." (Shiella) Mar closes his eyes.
"Why didn't you tell me?" (Mar)
"Forgive me… I couldn't… they would… know… and take… the children… kill them… if I used…my powers… to stop death." (Shiella) Her body has fully changed into its precursor form.
"I forgive Shiella… and please forgive me… "(Mar) Tears fall down his face and he holds her close to him.
"I'm sure Samos will take the children… He'll know where to find them… he's a good man…." (Mar)
"Mar…they're…coming…"(Shiella) Just as she finishes her sentence the cloaked figures arrive. With no feeling of guilt in what they are doing, the figures kill them right where they are…
End of Chapter One
Yes, I know, sad… and Mar seems kind of cold towards his kids, but he really does love them, it's just the fact that she's dieing and he can't do anything about it that makes him talk like that. Just as love makes you do strange things, death makes you do selfish things. I do hope you like the story so far and will continue to read. It's kind'a a sad story but there will be some humor in it. Oh, and just for a warning, the next chapter will be jumping into the future to a point between Jak II and Jak III.
Please Review, thank you.