Full Summary:

"And so it shall be that a Goddess will descend and walk this realm in mortal form. In Her wisdom, She will find the strongest among men and judge his worth. In Her right hand, She will hold the power to grant the gift of Godhood and immortality to he who rules our race. In Her left, She will wield the power to close the curtain on the life we know. Should She make this choice, our world will burn in undying flame until there is no air left to breathe, no water left to drink, and no life left to forge a future.

Oh, great Prince...

Find this being, this Wing Goddess. Earn her favor and her blessing and find yourself ruler of all. Displease Her and find yourself sovereign of death."

-Words of the Last Prophet

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Author's Note:

The story is semi-AU in the sense that much of the lore and history is based on the movie "A Girl in Gaia", but certain events and place names were taken from the anime. It's a hybrid, in a way.

As a breakdown, the story is probably 50% movie-based, 10% anime-based, and 40% of my own original character, lore, history, and world building. I'm a fantasy novelist, so I couldn't help myself. Plus, the series left so much to be desired and had a lot of gaps that I've attempted to fill.

Please enjoy your read and leave comments if you like the story so far :) I would love to hear from you guys ^_^

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Voyager

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Prologue

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She'd never killed before that night, yet doing so came as naturally to her as breathing.

With her heart racing and adrenaline pumping through her veins, Hitomi slammed the rusted knife into her attacker's chest over and over again until the man gave a pained croak and collapsed in the dirt. Another lunged at her from behind, knocking her into the knee-deep mud of the swamp. As she turned and elbowed him in the chest, rain pelted her face. Lucky for her. His grip on her slipped just enough to allow her to slide out of his hold. With a grunt, she kicked him in the chin, sending him sprawling backwards. Without wasting a second, she yanked the knife out of the other man's body and dashed forward, slicing upwards in a vicious arc. The blade ripped open the man's shoulder, and as he cried out in pain and agony, she cut across his stomach. Hot blood splashed onto her face and arms. The man gurgled something then fell to join his comrade.

In the aftermath of her savagery, she stood trembling, her knees and hands shaking violently. Her gut twisted and churned at the sight of red blood mixing like crimson ink with black mud. A frigid breeze howled through the trees, turning the dirt and gore that covered her body into a thick crust. Looking down at the men she'd just murdered, Hitomi couldn't summon even a shred of pity or remorse. She'd Seen their deaths nearly a week ago and had been prepared for them. Her memories swam with the feeling of the first man's clammy hands covering her mouth and of his companion's grating laughter as he wound ropes around her wrists and ankles. Swallowing past a thick lump in her throat, Hitomi glanced at her hands. Her green eyes took in the sight of the dried blood caked beneath her torn up nails, and she shuddered with remembrance.

Move, an ethereal voice whispered in her mind. You have to move or you will die!

With herculean effort, Hitomi managed to spur her body into action. She turned around and ran. Now was not the time to consider the horror of what she'd just done. Later, maybe. When she was safe. If there ever would be a time like that again. Feet pounding against the soggy floor and hand shielding her face from the torrential rain, Hitomi's eyes darted through the tops of trees to check for the presence of dark ravens. With a flash of dread, she caught sight of one just ahead of her, its eyes gleaming with an unnatural intelligence as it sat upon a branch, waiting. Though the rain twisted and pulled on the trees, the bird sat unaffected, its feathers dry and untouched. It would wait as long as needed and would follow her tirelessly until either she could shake it off or she gave in and used magic to destroy it.

Gritting her teeth, Hitomi bit her lip and forced herself to sprint faster, squashing down her fear into a void in the back of her mind. A thousand questions clamored within, yet she had no time for any of them. Right now, what mattered was survival. If she couldn't get rid of the raven, she would never escape. If she hesitated even for a moment, the men would catch up to her and she would meet a fate worse than death.

"I see her! Bring her down! Use whatever means necessary!"

The whistling sounds of flying arrows echoed through the forest. Hitomi nearly bit her tongue to stifle a scream when one grazed her arm. The shrieking sound seemed to last an eternity. Her back throbbed, anticipation of feeling an arrow piercing her skin at any moment driving her to madness. She squeezed the inside of her cheek between her teeth until she tasted blood, praying that the pain would help her keep her wits about her.

"Keep firing!"

The bastards wanted her alive, but they wouldn't hesitate to cripple her if it meant catching her. Hitomi didn't need to turn around to see her assailants. She'd spent nearly two full days in their camp and at their mercy. Plenty of time to understand that staying with them meant a sure death.

Run! Faster! - the voice urged. You're close now. So close.

Though the voice was as foreign to her as the woods and marshes around her, she trusted it implicitly. Before she escaped, she'd Seen her destination. A hill up ahead, maybe no more than a mile away. Then a towering rock formation. From there, a climb — treacherous as death. But if she could make it past all of those obstacles, she might find shelter from the ravens and perhaps some clarity in this endless chaos.

She wanted answers!She needed to understand what was happening, but nothing had become any clearer since the moment she'd awakened on this wretched island. At first, she'd thought everything was a dream. She even allowed herself to believe she would see her friends again. But, instead of familiar faces, men had been waiting for her, soldiers dressed in onyx armor with spiked helmets and demonic face masks. They shouted in a language she couldn't recognize, but their intentions had become clear all too quickly.

Don't think of such things now! Focus!

The farther Hitomi ran, the more her strength faltered. She hadn't eaten in nearly three days and couldn't fathom what it was that kept her going. Fear? Hope? The instinct to live? While she thought of this, she crested a hill, her eyes narrowing when she caught sight of a peculiar rock formation in the distance. It resembled a bird spreading its wings. Relieved, she bent over her knees, lungs burning and breaths coming in swift harsh pants. It had been too long since she'd run like this. She coughed and sputtered, the coppery tang of blood in her mouth a harsh reminder that she had no time to waste resting.

Look up, Goddess!

The all too familiar fluttering of feathers above her sent goosebumps sandpapering down Hitomi's arms. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Her stomach tightened, knotting into tangles of terror. The raven from earlier glided through the air, circling just above her. Still there. Still following. Ever patient and undaunted, still dry despite the rain. The gleam in its eyes warned her of her coming doom.

Behind her, the men's voices grew in volume. They were gaining on her. Frustrated and exhausted, Hitomi tilted back her head and screamed. Was there nothing she could do? Was she so helpless that she could do nothing other than run in this desperate situation?

No. She couldn't die like this. Not now that she'd been given a second chance at life. She would never allow a stupid bird and a bunch of soldiers to take her so easily. She'd made a promise - a vow!

For a moment, a burst of molten rage surged through her. Her muscles tensed, vision narrowing on the bird. A ringing filled her ears until she could hear nothing but the fluttering of those accursed wings.

Don't!

The bird went rigid, letting out a caw of distress before its body stretched outward and exploded in a shower of blood and black feathers. Something warm sprayed onto her face. Blood from the bird? Or was it rain?

You fool! I told you not to —

The voice faded into nothingness. Whatever momentary satisfaction Hitomi might have felt over the death of the creature disappeared in an instant. Black streaks swam across her vision, a ticklish sensation warming the skin beneath her nose. On instinct, she brought up a hand to feel for source, only to see that her fingers came away coated in blood. Her head exploded in agony, as though a pair of boulders aimed to crush her skull . Her breath caught in her throat, knees giving way. Her body fell like a puppet without strings.

That power is not meant for you! Keep using it and you will die!

"I...had...to..." Hitomi ground out, trying to control her shaking. Despite her protests, though, the voice was right. This was much worse than last time.

Get up! You have to make it to the gate! It's the only way you'll be able to find the Dragon and fulfill your destiny.

Hearing more shouts behind her, Hitomi forced herself to keep moving. She dragged her logic in to take the place of her fear. She had to stay calm. If she allowed herself to panic, she'd be caught. This was just like pushing herself at a competition. No more than that. The men behind her were other sprinters, and the voice in her head was her coach. Pushing herself to her limits was nothing new. Just like all those times, giving up was not an option.

Taking a deep steadying breath, Hitomi dashed forward, imagining the rocks beneath her feet were starting blocks on the track.

The pitch black darkness didn't scare her. Somehow, her feet knew exactly where to go. She cleared her mind of how far away the rock formation stood and how long it might take to get there. Only the rhythm of her feet hitting the ground mattered now. She couldn't stop, not even if her heart threatened to explode with exhaustion. The voice in her head kept talking, but she ignored it, too.

By the time she made it down the hill and stood before the rocks, the sun began to rise over the horizon. The formation loomed over her like a colossal giant from a fairy tale, its top seeming to stretch into the very clouds.

Now climb. Climb!

"You've got to be joking," Hitomi breathed.

Do it or die.

Steeling her resolve, Hitomi began picking out handholds and outcroppings she could use to hoist herself up. The rocks looked smooth but felt scratchy against her raw and bleeding palms. She winced, but didn't stop, once again reminding herself that to stop would mean certain capture. Again, she forced herself to tune out everything except the rhythm of the climb, though doing so was much harder than when she was running. Each time she looked down, the ground grew smaller and smaller until her limbs began to shake with terror.

How much farther? How much longer?

In her mind, she tried to picture Van's face, to focus on the thought of seeing him again. Though the voice hadn't explained who or what the Dragon was, Hitomi knew it had to be him. Even when her palms began to leave trails of blood across the rocks and when tears blurred her vision and leaked down her cheeks from the pain in her body, she clung to the image of him, to the last time she ever saw his ruby eyes.

Her foot suddenly slipped and she screamed when she felt herself falling. By some miracle, she managed to grab onto a jutting bit of stone and steadied herself. She glanced at the hand bearing the brunt of her weight, her eyes narrowing on the long thin scar trailing down her wrist. That's right. Her promise. Her vow. That mattered more than anything else. Pressing her lips together, Hitomi growled out a curse and pulled herself up.

There! - the voice shouted. Look!

Hitomi's eyes flickered to the right. Relief flooded her. At last! The cave she'd Seen in her dreams. Scrambling along the uneven edge of stone, she stepped into the murky darkness and waited for her eyes to adjust. When they did, she saw nothing of interest except a few animal bones scattered along the cavern floor. The smell of wet stone and mold made her wrinkle her nose in disgust. Outside, the rain continued pouring down, the sound muted within the walls of stone.

"What is this?" she snapped. "This was supposed to be — "

Patience, Wing Goddess - the voice admonished. The gate will open soon and only once.

Paranoid, Hitomi looked behind her. "They'll catch up to me. I don't have a lot of time…"

You know what to do, don't you?

Hitomi was about to protest that she had no clue what the voice was talking about when an image flashed before her. Her racing thoughts slowed to a dull roar. Heartbeat quickening, she breathed in raggedly as knowledge flowed through her. Without any sort of guidance, she stepped toward the far wall of the cavern and placed her hand on an outcropping of moss covered stone. Her fingers ran over the slimy plants without hesitation, forming a complex symbol on their surface. A faint glow traced the path of her fingertips until something resembling a rune appeared before her. Instantly, Hitomi's body felt numb and heavy.

Focus on the Dragon, Goddess. Even now, he searches for you.

"You said not to use the magic…"

In this case, you must. If you survive it, as the Prophecy foretells, you will meet the Dragon and reshape this world once more at his side.

Hitomi's hand faltered. "Reshape the world? You mean…my coming here will start another war?"

It has already started. You are the Source, Goddess. You descend only when a force greater than humanity is needed to move this dying world forward.

"I don't want that," she whispered, her lips trembling and head shaking back and forth. "Not again. I don't want to see anyone else die…"

Death is a part of life.

"No!" she shouted, pulling back her hand. She whirled around, searching for the source of the voice, wanting more than anything to shout directly at it. As expected, she found nothing - only bare stone. Clenching her hands into fists at her sides, she bowed her head. "I thought I was here to see Van again…that's all I want…to be with him…"

Your purpose is greater than your emotions, Goddess. But if the Dragon is the one you choose to fight for you, then —

"No. I won't let him do that again…he might get hurt...he might die...I can't...I won't..."

He will fight whether he has your blessing or not. But remember, without your help, he and all of Gaia will fall into shadow.

"I don't want war…please…can't I just…"

You have no choice and nothing to return to in your world of illusion. You must choose a champion and bear the karma of war upon your wings.

"Isn't there anything else…I'll do anything…just please…not Van…not another war…"

There is one other whom you may choose to bear your crest and champion your cause, but you must find that person by your own power.

Hitomi's hand shook over the symbol in the stone. "I…don't…"

Choose now, Goddess. Step into this world and fulfill your destiny or fade into nothingness as you chose to do in your world.

Fear, doubt, and terror choking off her air and searing through her lungs, Hitomi squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her hand firmly against the stone. A bright light enveloped her, so intense that it seared through her eyelids. She heard herself scream. The last image in her mind was the face of the one man she loved —

— and the one man destiny said she would lose to war.