Finding What's Important
Introduction: The Dreams
Swish
The iron sword swung through the air, slashing at me, trying to rip into my slightly weak armor. Cold, hard armor ominously clanked about, carrying nothing but an empty whisper. I huffed and panted, diving and rolling away from the metal.
Ssshhh
"Hnnngh…" I groaned as I clutched my bleeding arm where the sword had struck when I was a moment too late to get away. I groaned again. There was so much pain… but why was this happening? I could faintly remember a mysterious entity telling me it was all a dream… but the pain felt so real. I coughed up some blood, spattering it onto cold, gray stone. Whatever was in the metal armor suit suddenly grabbed me by the throat, pressing me against the wall. I gasped for air, but I knew it would not fill my dying lungs. There was a slow, dry cackle emanating from the suit's middle area, yet it seemed to be echoing around everywhere.
Schiiiick
I made no sound, not even a squeak of pain, as the sword slid through my chest. Blood dripped down from the corners of my mouth. My vision was cloudy and fading fast. I couldn't feel anything but helpless and failing. And the cold… the cold that grips around you as if Death's own hands. More blood ran from the fatal wound in my chest. And then…as my vision faded to black…
Absolute…
Silence.
I screamed loud and high as I jolted from my sleep. The lights immediately flicked on and in rushed my sister, Tori, and my brother, Andy.
"Sora! Sora, oh my god… what happened to your arm?!" Tori demanded frantically, examining my arm. I looked at it once, feeling faint, and I saw a gash on my arm.
Just like the one in the dream
It was all it took. Accompanied by worried shouting at Andy to get dad, and the blood already lost, I passed out.
"My child… my child, awaken from your slumber…" A gentle voice rang around in my head. My eyes snapped open.
"Wha… what?" I stuttered, looking around at my surroundings. There was absolutely nothing but black surrounding me, yet I could still see myself. It seemed as if there was light radiating everywhere, but there was darkness suffocating everything.
It was as if the light was balanced out by the darkness, and vice versa. I groggily sat up a little bit. Before me, a person dressed in what seemed to be white and black robes materialize into view. It took graceful, slow steps toward me, and I felt a strange sense of peace. At the same time, being around the figure made me feel like I had done something bad. As it neared closer, I saw that it was a beautiful woman, with soft but complex features on her face. Her smile looked as if it was etched into her face by the world's greatest artist, and her cheekbones were high. The whole of her face was rather pale – but then again, I was pale too.
When she came close to me, she knelt down to my small frame, gently placing her hand on my cheek. Her hand felt cold, yet it had a warming sensation to it.
"My child…" she whispered tenderly, running long, tapered fingers across my cheek. She had glazed eyes, staring into mine. Suddenly, as if she were just slapped across the face, she reached back with a jerk. She mumbled something quietly under her breath, then smiled at me with thin lips. She stood up again, and offered her hand to me. Tentatively, I took it, and her firm grip pulled me onto my feet. I wobbled around for a moment, then regained control of my previously-nonfunctioning legs. She smiled at me again, joy radiating from her.
"Oh, my child… I haven't seen you in so long… but now… you have truly grown to be a beautiful girl…" she whispered. I opened up my mouth to say "thank you" quietly, but what came out was entirely different.
"Lady Arianna, what have you brought me here for?" I blurted without thinking. The woman broke into a smile filled with raw joy. She took me in her arms and hugged me tightly, petting my hair. After she was done, her smile remained.
"Oh… you have remembered who I am… this is perfect. My dear Sora, everything will be revealed to you soon." She frowned for a moment. It looked… out-of-place on her pale, beautiful face.
"But when it is… you may not enjoy it."
"Please, Lady Arianna, tell me. I would love to know what is going on."
"My child, you are a necromancer."
Well that was rather surprising, wasn't it?
