Well it has been a while since I posted anything for this site and I was worried that what little talented I had disappeared. However I stumbled across an announcement for the "A Blast From the Past" contest which I could use as an excuse to jump back into things and write about an idea I have had for a while now. Anyways enjoy though it didn't turn out as well as I wanted it to.

Mirror

In the land of Magvel deep in the Darkling Woods a young man, who appeared to be no older than twenty, stood impassively before an ancient structure. The ruins were an amazing sight to behold despite it's age or maybe because of it. The stone walls were chipped, cracked, and covered in moss while the floors were dusty and worn. In the face of such ageing the ruins should have been little more than rubble by now yet it still stood, casting an imposing shadow. The only one around to observe the site was the traveler.

The man was of average height but he possessed a slender build. His long raven-colored hair was tied back before reaching down to his shoulder blades. He wore a dark-green cape over his mostly black clothing which contrasted with his pale skin. The most noticeable feature of the man was the odd symbol which adorned his forehead.

After examining the lonely ruins for what seemed like hours, the man stared ahead and began ascending the set of stairs which lead to the entrance of the building. Onece he reached the top, the traveler peered into the entrance and considered going in further. These ruins had been his destination for the past few months so he was eager to explore them despite himself. However the man exhausted after the day's travel through the woods and he wasn't sure what sort of threat awaited him inside. Soon curiosity gave way to caution and the man sat himself against the ruins walls. He would begin his search in the morning.

The traveler pulled his cape over himself and shut his eyes. Just as sleep was about to take him, the man heard a soft voice call out to him.

"Hello."

In an instant the traveler's eyes shot open. It took him less than a second to get on his feet and pull out an odd green book. 'How could I let my guard down?' The man berated himself as he faced the voices source.

To his mild surprise it wasn't a bandit or some monster that addressed him. It was a young girl around seventeen years old. She were an orange gown that fell down to her knees leaving the rest of her legs exposed as she wore no shoes. Her purple hair fell down freely to the small of her back. The most captivating feature she possessed were the warm red eyes she was currently using to stare at the man. Those eyes possessed hints of a wide range of emotions such as curiosity, wariness, and even some hope.

The girls warm eyes were met with a cold and calculating gaze. The traveler had yet to relax from his stance nor did he seem to have any intention to. He just continued to size up the girl before him. The orange clad, girl for her part, didn't seem too afraid of the man. She was certainly cautious not to do anything that might make him attack but she didn't look scared. That just set the man more on guard. The staring contest continued between the two until the girl decided to try breaking the ice.

"Is that a wind tome?" She questioned curiously.

"It could be." The man replied sharply. "Who are you?"

The girl seemed a bit disappointed at his cold tone but brightened up a little when he asked his own question.

"My name's Myrrh. I'm the one who watches over the Black Temple. What's your name?" The girl spoke softly with a small smile.

The traveler was lost in thought as he considered whether or not to answer her question. In the end he decided that she would be more likely to answer his questions if he answered some of hers. "I'm Soren. Is the Black Temple the name of this building?"

"Indeed it is."

"And you watch over it?"

"That is correct."

Soren frowned at the confirmation. "That doesn't make sense. This temple was abandoned long ago it shouldn't have a guardian."

Myrrh tilted her head in confusion before she felt a chill. "Shall we continue this inside? It's starting to get cold." She asked while gesturing towards the entrance.

Another mental debate took place in Soren's head before he gave a quick nod. "You first."

Myrrh gave another small smile and headed inside. As she turned away Soren caught sight of something that stirred up resentment and anger deep inside him. 'She's a laguz' He thought bitterly while starring at the reptilian wings on her back. As Soren followed her inside he griped the wind tome a bit tighter.

The stone corridor which led the two deeper inside the temple was much shorter than Soren had expected. Soon enough the two found themselves in a large room that was just as worn down as the outside. There were smaller rooms portioned off in each corner of the chamber. Opposite from where the two entered was a sealed off passageway which Soren could only assume would lead deeper in the temple. The mage was going to follow Myrrh into one of the smaller rooms when he froze in place.

His attention once again locked onto the sealed off area. A dark presence seemed to radiate from that direction. It was something old, something powerful.

"Sorren?" The mage shook off the feeling and made his way over to the girl who had called his name. "Are feeling unwell?"

"I'm fine." He stated simply.

A minute later Sorren and Myrrh were sitting across from each other. Between them was a small fire which Soren assumed Myrrh had made before they met outside.

"It's rare for anyone to enter the Darkling Woods. If you don't mind me asking, what brings you here?" The girl asked.

Sorren mentally cursed at himself. He had wanted to be the one asking questions but the girl had beat him to it. He couldn't just ignore her if he wanted answers to his own questions so he started his story.

"I've been living on the road for a while now. I go from town to town and learn about the various cultures people have. About a month ago I was eating at a Rausten pub when a half drunk soldier began spouting off some legend in the booth next to mine. I had assumed his story came from his drink so I ignored it. When I looked back at the table a few minutes later the soldier had gotten into a fight with a few other customers. I asked the waitress what the fight was about but she simply told me that it was another disagreement over the second legend of the sacred stones. When I asked her about the legend she gave me an odd look and told me that she didn't have time to explain it.

"The next day I was a little curious about the legend so I looked it up in a local library. According to the text I read, a powerful demon once possessed the prince of Grado a few hundred years ago and drove him into declaring war with the neighboring countries. After the war began monsters aroused by the demon's presence began to emerge from the Darkling woods and lay waste to any village they came across. The chaos finally came to an end when the prince of Renais slew the prince of Grado and sealed the demon away in a sacred stone. After that the war came to an end, the monsters returned to their home in the woods, and peace was restored to Magvel.

"After I read the story I was still a bit confused about what the argument was about so I did a bit more research. Apparently what I read was just a single version of the legend. Since the story was initially told through word of mouth, many different versions of the tale were being spread around, and no one could agree on which was right spawning many arguments. Some versions say that it was the prince who defeated the demon while others claim it was his twin sister. There are also those who claimed that the prince of Grado was stopped by a single person and then there are those that believe it was done through the effort of an army. Even the motivation of the possessed prince couldn't be agreed on. His actions may have been driven by his desire to save Grado from a natural disaster, his longing for the woman he loved, or he may have just done it because he felt like it.

"I don't typically enjoy having incomplete knowledge on a subject so I decided to learn the truth. I began by looking at the consistencies between the legends. After comparing the legends, there were three main points that could lead to the truth. The war was started by the prince of Grado, the prince was stopped by a noble of Renais, and the final battle took place in the ruins within the Darkling Woods. It was unlikely that the nobles of Renais and Grado would take the time to speak with me and searching their libraries wouldn't get me anywhere so I came here. I thought investigating the site of the final battle might yield some results."

Throughout the story Soren had made sure to keep an eye on Myrrhs reactions. At the beginning she was simply listening just like anyone else would, but when he began to describe the legend her expression changed. It was like she was reliving a nostalgic experience. When he began explaining the different versions of the legend Myrrh looked surprised and a little irritated. After Soren explained his thought process on choosing to research the temple, she looked impressed but still seemed annoyed.

"That's an impressive story. Not many people would act so dedicated for something on a whim, and even less have the strength needed to make it through the woods on their own." Myrrh commented.

"I suppose it would seem that way to most but now it's my turn to ask questions."

"Very well. What do you wish to know?"

"Which version of the legend is true?"

"What makes you think my version will be more accurate than the one you read?" The girl asked out of curiosity.

"Because you lived it." Soren said simply.

At that Myrrh seemed legitimately surprised. "You are aware of my lifespan?"

"I'm somewhat knowledgeable about dragons. Now answer the question." The mage demanded.

Myrrh wanted to continue questioning the traveler but he seemed to be getting annoyed with her so she restrained herself. "Well I first met the prince Ephraim about 400 years ago when he rescued me from Grado..."

"...After we destroyed the demon's body and sealed away its spirit everyone went their separate ways. Ephraim and Eirika returned to Renais while I stayed here to watch over this temple." Once Myrrh was done with her story she looked to Soren to see if he had any questions.

He had none. Throughout the story Soren had given the Manakete his undivided attention but now that she had finished he was off in his own world considering everything she had said. After a few moments of thought the mage gave himself a quick nod and stood up. "I see. Thank you for your time." He gave her a small bow and began walking towards the exit.

Myrrh stared at his back for a moment before she finally processed what he had just said. "W-wait a moment!" Soren stopped and turned towards her with a raised eye. "It's still dark out, you should stay here until morning."

"It's fine. I can set up camp outside." He reasoned as he resumed his exit.

"There are many monsters in the woods and they are stronger at night. If you run into them it will be dangerous." She said in an attempt to persuade him.

This time Soren didn't stop walking. "I already fought them on my way here. I can take care of myself."

Myrrh was getting desperte. she needed to think of a way to get him to stay. Just as Soren reached the corridor that would take him outside, Myrrh clenched her fists and made one last plea. "Please don't go!" She screamed. The desperation in her voice made Soren turn. Seeing that she had his attention Myrrh tried again in a quieter voice. "Please don't go. It's lonely here."

Seeing the girl in tears irritated Soren. He wasn't the type of person that would get involved in other people's problems. Normally he would ignore the girl entirely and just walk away but for some reason he found himself rooted in place. It didn't make sense. He wasn't Ike. He doesn't concern himself with others, so why couldn't he walk away?

"Why should I be concerned about your loneliness? It has nothing to do with me." He stated coldly.

"I know it's not your problem." She began as tears began to form in the corners of her eyes. "It's just that you're the first person I have talked to in a long time. Before the war began I lived here in peace with father. When I left these woods I had Ephraim to keep me company. Once the war ended and we all went our separate ways, Ephraim would come visit me every so often. He would look a little older each time he came. Eventually he became too old to make the trip up here and I could no longer see him. It was only a few years later when his youngest son came by to let me know he had passed away. That was the last time anyone came up here. I've been alone ever since."

She wiped a tear away before looking straight into Soren's eyes. "When I sensed you outside I had thought you might have been a bandit after the sacred stone I safeguard. I approached you with the intent to chase you away but when I approached you I changed my mind. I thought that there was the possibility of becoming friends so I invited you in."

Soren's expression never once changed throughout her explanation. When she was done he asked, "What made you change your mind."

A small smile graced her face as she explained. "I changed my mind when I felt your emotions. You didn't have any greed or a thirst for power. What I sensed was an odd mix of emotions. You were bored, tired, angry, and bitter but more than anything else you were..." She trailed of as she thought over the correct word.

"I was what?" Soren prompted.

"You were lonely." Myrrh explained with a sad smile. "I felt an incredible loneliness from you. One that was even greater than my own."

Soren's thoughts froze as her words struck him. He was lonely? His thoughts returned to him along with some anger. "You're wrong." he ground out. "Don't project your own problems and expect me to play along. Now if that is all I'll be on my way." Myrrh looked hurt at his words but he ignored her and left.

Outside the ruins Soren was angrily making his way through the woods. How dare that girl try to probe her way into his own business just to make herself feel better. What sort of person cries when a complete stranger attempts to return to his life?

Soren's thoughts were cut off when he heard a threatening growl from behind him. In an instant the mage's wind tome was out and a blast of air sent the creature hurtling into a tree before it fell to the floor dead. Soren pocketed the book and resumed his mental rant like nothing had happened.

A few hours later Soren was sitting on a rock panting in a clearing. Many more monsters had attempted to ambush him on his way, but he had dealt with each one of them with a single spell. Now it seems he went overboard. His anger had pushed him into using more energy than he should have used every time he cast his magic.

Why was he so angry anyways? Was it because he came face to face with a Laguz? That could be it they were the source of all his suffering after all. But it's not like he would ever have to see that girl again. For some reason that made him even angrier. He tried to get some sleep but Myrrhs hurt face kept him awake. As the mage tried to figure out how to clam himself he distantly wondered what Ike would've done. It took Soren less than a second to determine that he would've stayed with the girl for the night. Of course Ike was a man prone to making irrational choices based on his emotions. The fact that those irrational choices always wound up working out for them was beside the point.

When he was done thinking of Ike, Soren realized he wasn't as angry anymore. He was just feeling kind of sad. Ike had been Soren's best and only friend. He understood and accepted Soren for who he was. Unfortuantly the two freinds had one major difference. Ike was a Beorc while Soren was half Laguz, a branded. As one of the branded, Soren aged at a much slower rate than those around him. He had been born over 2,000 years ago, he had lived long enough to see the rise and fall of several kingdoms, and he had also seen his best friend live out his entire life while he failed to age a day. When Ike died Soren began to feel alone in the world. As his travel went on the feeling grew but the traveler always repressed it.

The mage groaned when he considered the fact that Myrrh might have been right about him. The manakete's crying face flashed though his mind again. "I shouldn't go back. I know I'll regret it." Soren muttered as he began heading back towards the temple. As he marched an amused voice spoke in the back of his mind.

'Deep down, your a big softie.'

"Shut up, Ike."

Inside the temple Myrrh sat in same room as the fire. Her back was to the stone wall and her face was burred in her knees. Occasionally a soft sob would emerge from her mouth but for the most part she was silent. Suddenly she was brought back to the real world when someone sat down at the fire across from her.

She looked up to the boy before her, hope strong in her eyes. "Soren?" She asked.

The mage returned her gaze for a moment before turning his attention to the fire. "It's too dark out now. I'll leave in the morning."

Myrrh wiped the tears from her eyes and gave the traveler a warm smile. "At first I thought you were kind of mean, but you are actually very kind Soren."

The mage frowned. "I haven't heard that before."

In the end Soren's stay lasted longer than just the morning. Myrrh's constant questioning about his travels kept Soren up most of the night. When morning came around the mage was too exhausted to traverse the woods so he wound up staying even longer. After that day Soren could find no escape from the temple or the dragon girl within it. Myrrh's curriosity was unrelenting, she wouldn't hesitate to ask the boy anything and everything. Whenever Soren tried to get away Myrrh would find some excuse for him to remain. If he tried to ignore her and leave anyways she would adopt that sad look on her face which always made Soren stay in the end.

One day Soren tried to get Myrrh to leave him alone by informing her about his Laguz heritage. He told her about the way branded were viewed in Tellius as well as their abnormal lifespan. The mage was hoping that the girl would distance herself from him so that he could leave. Unfortunately the girl had a completely different reaction. She was surprised that Soren was actually older than her, but merely told him that she had thought it was weird for such a young looking human to have so many experiences in so many different places. After that she went back to asking Soren about his travels.

Soren's next attempt to escape had also failed. He tried to fight fire with fire and asked Myrrh some questions of his own. His questions were meant to bring back sad memories and bad experiences. He thought that this would make her uncomfortable around him and get her to want him to leave. Myrrh went against his expectations again and answered every question he had without complaint. She told him of what she had seen during her experience in the war and how upset she was that people were beginning to forget what happened. She told Soren that she wasn't a Laguz but actually a Manakete, something between a human and a monster. Myrrh detailed how alone she felt since Manaketes didn't belong with any other race in Magvel. The girl teared up when she recalled the time she destroyed her adopted father's reanimated corpse. In the end Myrrh wiped away her tears, thanked Soren for helping her get everything off her chest, and smiled at him.

Soren wanted to tear his hair out in frustration. He hadn't meant to give her a therapy session.

Eventually Soren did find a way out. As long as he promised Myrrh that he would return she would see him off with a smile. At first Soren wasn't too interested in keeping his word but he had gained a small interest in the girl after the time they spent together. Her story was remarkably similar to his own. They both watched as those around them died of old age, they were both a hybrid of two races who hate each other, and they were both alone. Despite all that she seemed to have a view of people which deeply contrasted with the traveler's pessimistic nature. Soren was curious to know why she was so happy with her lot in life. In the end the boy decided that a few visits to the girl wouldn't be too much of an inconvenience for him.

AN

Well this didn't come out as well as had wanted it to.

I originally had another scene planed for this. An army from Renais, with Ephraim's descendant in the lead, would attack the temple in an attempt to gain the sacred stone which has the demon sealed inside. This was cut since I am coming up on the deadline and didn't have time to do it with any level of competency.

I might add to this some time later but for now it is just a one shot.

For those who are curious my other stories aren't canceled. I intend to get back to them once I beat a certain video game which has taken up a bit too much of my time.