Disclaimer: Autumn/Sailor Universe and the Kokiri known as Meri are my original characters. I don't own the Legend of Zelda, Sailor Moon, or DragonBall Z. Find links to the prologues for this book as well as others in the Legacy of an Angel series in my profile.


Book 1: What's In A Dream

Chapter I

The Beginning

I can remember the beginning of all this…

The housing on a near by Air Force base was finally opened up to my family, and we moved away from our friends to live there as it was the place where my father was currently stationed. We left the serene streets of a friendly subdivision for a bustling main road under skies filled with giant cargo planes, and the booming sounds of U.S. air power. But that was the norm...that had been the atmosphere into which I had been born. Power and flight had seeped thoroughly into my blood from the very start.

Not long after that particular move, a war broke out between my country and the Middle East. I was in gym class at school when news came of an attack in New York, and I can remember the horror running through my veins as my mother tried to get my little brother and me home. There were airmen and soldiers at the gates with machine guns and terrifying faces. I just wanted to go home...why couldn't they just let us go home...

If only I had understood back then. If only I had...but the only thing I knew was that I hated...I loathed...with every fiber in my body the state of being so helpless.

Shortly following that devastating incident...not even a month later, my dad was sent away to a remote island on a mission that would last an entire year. I remember crying because he would miss my birthday, and Christmas...and my entire sixth grade year.

Not only that...but I cried because I knew what was coming. My father was the spiritual guidance in our home. And with him gone...they would take full advantage of me. And I do not speak of any mortal entity. I speak of that which is not seen in the physical realm - of the veiled, cursed souls reeking with dark intent and power which roam the universe in search of human beings to torment for the sake of opposing the Almighty God.

They are known as demons.

Why I could see them had been a mystery all my life. But once Dad had left the home, there was no longer anything to hold them back.

††††

…One night in early spring the following year, I was caught up in a trap set by the enemies...a trap commonly known as a dream. It was nearly inevitable that I fell into the same hell each time I slept as it was the creatures' favorite way to make themselves known. It had gotten to the point that I actually had to teach myself while asleep to "fly, fight, and win," or be overtaken by absolute darkness. I felt as though I'd secretly become quite powerful even though the battles drained my strength, and there was hardly ever a time I actually woke up refreshed.

But there had been a certain hope growing within me even before my dad had left which launched in full during his absence. Years prior, I had begun to feel the warmth of a light surrounding my spirit. As it developed with my aging soul, it disallowed any harm to befall my weakened form during horrific nightmares, and I soon learned to trust it. It became my ally...my companion...my hope. And after a time, I had brought it physically into my life through little drawings of a beautiful young woman. She was my angel...a guardian just for me...and I loved her.

But it was on that spring night that I could have sworn the light spoke. I thought I might have been hallucinating when I heard the echo of a voice in my head. Perhaps my desire for adventure had finally driven me insane?

Thank God…I was wrong.

Let go of me! I said let go! Damn you, vile beast, I'll send you to hell! Universe-

"Autumn, it's time to get ready for school!" Mom called from the hallway.

Eyes snapped open, and in a second, I was sitting up in my bed, sheets falling off my sweating figure.

"Huh…? God a...nightmare..." I whispered hoarsely to myself, still panting.

I slowly pushed myself off the bed, and wobbled awkwardly over to the dresser. Pulling on one of the drawer handles, it easily slid open to reveal my school uniform. As I undressed, I mumbled to myself about hating having to wear the same old thing everyday. But as I pulled on the white-blouse and maroon skirt, my thoughts shifted.

"Dang it…how much more of this can I take…? This whole…nightmare thing has been going on ever since I can remember. And they become more intense as I get older. And now there's this voice… Maybe…maybe I should tell Taryn and Claire about… no…they'd think I'm crazy. Why would anyone ever believe me if I told them I think there's something living inside me?" I asked myself.

An upset tear rolled down my cheek as I silently asked God to give me the strength to figure out what was happening to me.

††††

Two months later…

-School will be out for summer vacation in one month-

††††

"Hey, Autumn! You're missing the 'Take Flight, Videl' episode again!" called my ten year old brother, Garrett.

"I'm coming, Einstein, hold on!" I yelled back in a mocking tone. The kid took any chance he could get to 'one-up' me, and I hated it.

Closing the comic book I'd been engrossed in, I darted out of my room and down the stairs. Reaching the living room, I hurdled over the arm of the couch, landing on the soft cushion with a plop. Grinning, I snatched the popcorn bowl from my little brother, and flicked a piece into the air. Then, catching it in my mouth, I shot a cocky smirk at him.

Garrett became irritated. "Are you gonna show off, or watch this thing?!" he asked pointing to the T.V.

"Both," I answered.

As we finally enjoyed the long-awaited Dragon Ball Z episode, I paid close attention to the parts where Gohan was teaching his stubborn classmate, Videl, how to bring her inner energy out, and when he was demonstrating how to fly with it.

At one point, I stopped eating and put the bowl aside for a moment as the fictional lesson progressed. I was strangely captivated by the method…even though I knew full-well it was a fantasy-based storyline. The last bit of popcorn in my mouth was swallowed with a sound gulp as my mind focused intently on the screen.

I wonder… I thought, leaning back into the couch.

I glanced over at my younger sibling subconsciously as if he'd be sending me a weird look for thoughts he wasn't even aware I was having. It was ridiculous. But I couldn't shake the building 'what-ifs' inside of me.

††††

"What are you doing, Autumn?" Mom asked from the base of the stairs later that evening.

"Reading…!" I replied from my room.

"Okay. I've got to go back to the school for a couple hours and work, so get your homework done," she told me before leaving out the front door.

Rolling over onto my back, I stared at the ceiling as the door was heard closing shut again, indicating my mother's departure. Well…I've already finished my homework, now what should I do? I thought. I find it incredible to this day how much time middle schoolers have on their hands.

A devious smirk slowly crossed my face. I abruptly sat up on my bed cross-legged, and put my hands slightly out in front of me with both of my palms turned so that they were facing each other. Before diving into my intentional stupidity, I looked up and stared at the opposite wall.

"I can try...right? I mean seriously, what could it hurt…?" I said to myself. "I'm sure plenty of kids like me have tried it..."

I relaxed my body and began concentrating on something that was supposedly nothing. I tried listening to my 'inner-self,' just as Gohan had instructed in his fantastical little flying lecture. Although, it was hard to figure out exactly what that was at first. I tuned out everything else, and ignored all distractions. After a while, I was literally listening for something inside of me. Who, or whatever was in there…I wanted to hear it.

About a minute passed. Eyes shut, mind open, my patience began to wane. I felt my fingers wiggle a little in anticipation, and realized I was already making mistakes. Peeking down at my palms, I felt my left eyelid twitch as I became annoyed. How long was I supposed to wait? What exactly was it supposed to feel like? With a sound grunt, I flung backwards onto the bed again, completely sprawled out over the comforter.

"Stupid. Just stupid," I growled under my breath. With brow furrowed, I stared up at the ceiling a second time, and then over to one of my three twilit windows. As the warm glow of dusk began to fade, so did my resolve. "It's just stupid," I repeated.

It was quite. Everything was still, and if the sun hadn't been setting, it would've seemed as though time had stopped. My eyes began to drift shut at the coming of night as my body curiously grew heavy. Peace. Serenity. I knew those treasures so well back then.

A light sleep had crept in before I realized, and a trace of starlight entered the room.

. . . . . .

A deep breath.

. . . . . . . . .

I hear you...

A slurred voice - there it was again. It echoed in my mind…I couldn't make out a single word it was saying. For all I knew, it was purely my imagination.

My eyes opened ever so slowly. I was still in a haze, but it was as though something was driving me to move in that moment. I didn't even realize my hands were cupped in front of me again until...a tiny, but bright golden radiance suddenly flashed in between my palms for a split second. At first, I was convinced that I was seeing things. It had happened so incredibly fast that I had no time to grasp it.

Great…and now I'm hallucinating…

Significantly more awake, I began listening intently once again. And when the mysterious glow flashed a second time, I jolted upright, losing all concentration.

"N-No frickin' way! This has to be another dream…!" But pinching myself proved that theory to be incorrect.

A slight anxiety set in. On a third attempt, the same glow flickered into place and remained steady until I could handle focusing no longer.

††††

A warm Texan night embraced my skinny figure that was somehow still riddled with goosebumps as I walked barefoot down a neighborhood sidewalk. "Just…insane!" I exclaimed to myself. No matter how fast I walked, I couldn't shake all the pent up apprehension. "I can't believe this. Those nightmares must have seriously screwed me up! Am I really losing my mind…?" I stopped.

I looked down at my chest and placed a hand over my heart.

Who are you… I wondered. I know I heard someone…but I'm pretty sure that's not what Gohan had in mind when he said 'inner self'...

I looked up and spotted a modest cluster of oaks in a field in between some houses. Running up to it, I stopped in the center of the group of trees, and looked up to them. I figured I might as well continue with my insanity if I was to discover any sort of hidden truth. In addition, it was far too exciting to ignore. So, there I stood still and concentrated again. I held my breath for a few seconds at a time to stop my mind from racing. Then, deep breaths ensued. Once my mental state was somewhat refreshed, I lured out the newfound energy…just like before, and that time…slowly began to let it overwhelm and surround me. Raising my face to the stars, I pushed my body upward.

Nothing happened.

I tried it again…but still nothing.

Frustration quickly overtook me, and soon I knew I wasn't concentrating well enough. I did everything I could to relax myself again. Gotta focus…I really believe…this is a thing… After a few moments of regained concentration, I felt a change. It was so subtle that I nearly missed it. But looking down, I found myself hovering…just ever so slightly above the earth. My heart suddenly flooded with excitement. The impossible had suddenly come to pass as I let instinct overcome effort. I levitated a little higher…and then just a little higher than that. In a matter of moments, I was just above the first branches. In a nervous fit, I clutched a handful of leaves for dear life with both hands.

"…Wow…I…don't… Oh, my God…" I stuttered, "In my dreams...when this happens...I escape worlds by flying faster than the light can...I just..."

After floating in silence for a good minute or two, I suddenly squealed in sheer panic, and consequentially lost concentration all over again.

Screeching like a scared cat, I fell all the way back to the ground and landed on the hard dirt with an agonizing thud. Wincing in pain, I slowly stumbled to my feet and attempted to limp home.

"Oh…ow…ow…Mom…ow!"


And thus concludes the first chapter.
I promise you, these things will get a lot longer-