Title: Broken Mirrors
Author: Zemiah/Zyrikile Dyterra
Rating: Teen
Genre: Adventure, Romance
Description:
Haunted by dreams of imminent death and disaster in his home city, a young member of Juno's Elite Enforcers resigns from his duties to return home in a bid to protect those he loves from his dreamt disasters. But what revelation awaits him there, where shadows and reflections move unattended, and every mirror he gazes into shatters?
Prologue
"Get up. Come on, we got to keep going."
The young lady kneeling at his feet looked up at him, her eyes glazed over with tears. Horrified, pleading eyes. Eyes begging him to tell her it was all a dream. A bad dream.
"Zemiah, everybody… They're all.."
Zemiah opened his mouth to reply, but bit back his words. This was no time for grief and mourning. They needed to get out of the small, burning city they called 'home'. 'Home' no longer offered refuge.
"… Come on, Rikurei."
He took her hand and gently pulled her to her feet, then led her down the burning streets of Song's End. Flames licked at their cloaks as they passed, as if to devour them. A deathly silence had fallen over the city. Just minutes ago, a stray cry or two could be heard in the distance. But no more cries could be heard. For cries and screams… they were for the living and dying, but not the dead.
Zemiah led Rikurei around the corner of the street, making for the western gate. The streets leading there were wider, more spacious, and many of the houses there were made of stone, which would not burn quite as readily as wood. It would be easier to move quickly if they had less burning buildings to navigate.
"… Just about a hundred more metres and we're there, Rikurei. Come on."
His voice trailed off, however, as he stared through the flames. Three tall figures, dressed head-to-toe in black, gold-rimmed amour, barred their path, swords drawn.
Rikurei gasped at the sight of them and recoiled; Zemiah stepped forward, shielding her from them.
"Stand down, Enforcer. Have you no idea who you're facing? It is ill advised to stand between the Knights of the Abyss and their quarry."
Zemiah gritted his teeth as the centre of the three stepped forward menacingly. A cry of despair sounded from behind Zemiah. Rikurei had backed up against the wall of a stone house, her eyes wide with fear.
There was no escape. Zemiah had wanted to avoid battle, but...
Guess I can't avoid it anymore, he thought grimly. He would protect Rikurei. No matter the cost.
"Hear me," Zemiah said quietly as the knight drew closer, "Ill-advised or no, I stand here between you and your quarry. And by my life, you shall not get by me."
The knight angled his sword forward and high, aiming its tip at Zemiah's face, and cocked his head to one side nonchalantly.
"Very well. It shall be by your death, then."
/
/
/
Author's Notes
Well, here I am again. New story. New attempt. New take. Name it. I'm gonna venture into a somewhat darker, more serious writing style.
I do hope the story will somehow cater to more than just the Ragnarok Online players, if any non-Ragnarok Online player stumbles upon it. But… well, we'll see how it goes along.
This being the prologue only, I hope it leaves you, the reader, wanting, and if it does, please do let me know! Just scroll down, leave a review, and…
… You get the drift.
Signing off,
Zemiah Dyterra