Chaper one: Memories
I looked down at my watch, 3:45. 'Hmmm. That gives me about two and a half hours. It's not enough but it will have to do.' "Mom?" I yelled from the upstairs banister, "I'm going out to the orchard to train for a bit!"
"If you want to talk to me, then you have to come down here," she yelled back. I sighed heavily and ran down the stairs to the kitchen.
"I'm going to go train out in the orchard for a bit."
"Did you finish your homework?"
"Yes mother."
"Fine, but be back before dinner." I nodded and ran out of the house to the barn. Stopping quickly to give one of our horses, Blaze, a pat on the nose, I headed to the equipment room. I then began feeling the back wall for a small knot that would open a door when touched. Upon finding the knot, I brushed my fingers over it and took a step back as a hidden door swung inward revealing a flight of stairs leading underground. As I jogged down the steps, I thought back to the time when I first discovered this place.
~Flashback~
I was nine years old. It was early in the morning and I had gone out to the stable to feed my horse, Wizard, or Wizy for short, and the other horses (or at least do what I could until my parents came down). He was a beautiful buck-skinned paint with a mark on his buttocks that looked a wizard's hat, which is how he received his name. Wizy stuck his nose into my hair and playfully took some into his mouth as I dumped his oats into his bucket. I laughed and turned around to give him a hug. After refilling his bucket of water and giving him his hay, I went to the equiptment room to get my gear together for later that day. I was standing on a stool deciding which saddle pad to use when a tiny light at the back of the room caught my eye. Closing my eyes and reopening them, I looked again to see the light gone. I walked over to the back wall to see what it could have possibly been. Suddenly there it was again! A low light was coming from the left corner. Once there, I ran my hand over the wall in the spot where the light had come from. As my fingers brushed over one of the knots in the wood, a door abruptly appeared and swung inward.
At first I was too scared to go in, but my curiosity took over and I slowly ventured through the opening. As I descended down the stairs, I noticed that the way was dimly lit by a mushroom of some sort that glowed a light blue. The passage was still dark, but the mushrooms provided enough light for me to see my way around. When I reached the bottom of the stairway, the passage widened out and another door stood in front of me. It was a heavy wooden door with iron bands holding the wood together, like the ones used in castles. Near the top of the door, a phrase was etched into the wood. It read, "Only a Chosen may enter this chamber" and a symbol drawn beneath it, only I couldn't begin to describe what the symbol looked like. It was like something I'd never seen. I then wondered what it ment by 'Chosen'? I shrugged and continued to look around. Next to the wall was a small stone alter. Getting a closer look, I noticed that a hand print was etched into the middle of the stone. And like the door, something was written above the hand print. "Beyond this door, is a place saved only for those who have been Chosen. If you be Chosen, place your hand on the symbol on the chamber door and enter your domain. If you be not Chosen, and seek entrance, a test you must pass. Place your hand on the alter and face your test."
I looked over the rest of the alter to see if there were any more instructions, but there was nothing. I looked around the stone passage wondering what I should do. Like a whisper on the wind, a small voice from somewhere said, "Do it." So I did. I gingerly place my small hand into the print. A bright blue light emitted out from under my hand and a sudden wind picked up around me. Terrified that I had done something wrong, I tried to pull my hand away, but it wouldn't budge from the alter. Suddenly everything quieted and went dark except for the two torches glowing next to the wooden door. Growing more scared with each pasing minute, I tried again to pull my hand away. I gave one more tug, and my hand was released causing me to fly backwards landing on my backside. Absently rubbing my palm, I ran in what I supposed was the direction of the staircase, only to be met with a stone wall.
Tears began to run down my face; would I ever get out of here? What if my parents were never able to find me? They probably didn't know this place even existed. I leaned against the wall and slid down to the ground tears now flowing freely. I let out a soft sob and buried my face in my arms on my raised knees. In my young mind I thought that the situation was hopeless, and that I would die there without my family ever knowing what happened to me. Suddenly a soft white glow illuminated the room. I lifted my tear-streaked face to see a woman with long, flowing, white-blonde hair. She was dressed in a white sleeveless gown that trailed on the ground in the back but did not seem to get dirty. I gazed at her face. Her eyes were a wonderful sky blue that seemed to glow with knowledge and her lips a pale pink that smiled gently at me.
"Why do you cry, little one?" she asked in a soft voice. I didn't say anything, and a few tears continued to slide down my cheek. The lady walked slowly over to me and bent down, placing a hand on my shoulder. She wiped away a tear with her finger. Again in a soft voice she asked me, "What is wrong?"
Suddenly, I found my voice. "I - I din't mean to do anything! All I did was touch it!" I turned my face away and mumbled, "And now the stairs have disappeared and I don't know how to get home."
The lady smiled again. "What did you touch, young one?" I pointed to the alter which was still glowing a faint blue color. She smiled knowingly and spoke. "So you wanted to see what was behind that door?" I nodded meekly. "Come with me then, and I will show you."
The lady took my hand and helped me stand, but I pulled back when I fully realized what she was going to do. "But the writing said that I couldn't enter without passing a test, unless I was a 'Chosen'."
"You have already passed the test." I looked at her with confusion written all over my face. "I looked into your soul and saw that you had a pure heart. You are worthy to enter this sacred chamber. Come." She walked over to the door and put her hand over the symbol. The door then swung inward revealing a room unlike anything I could ever imagine.
There was some sort of pool in the middle of the floor. With the light from many torches and candles reflecting off the water surface, the walls shimmered like dimonds and seemed to be alive. There was strange writing, like on the door, all over the walls. I then noticed a dull green light coming from all the walls. I looked on the ground to see glowing mushrooms growing where ever a wall touched to ground. There were three other passageways, one on either side of me and one in front. "Where do those hallways go?" I asked.
"This one," she said pointing to the left leads to the bedchambers, and social areas, and the other one," pointing to the right, "leads to all the training facilities and weapons room." Motioning to the one in front of us, she stated, "This last one leads you to various caves and other areas on your hill."
I nodded, trying to take this all in. There was literally a mansion under my house and stable! I shook my head in disbelief. This place was so cool! "How long has this place been here?"
She waved her hand back at the entrance. "Do you ramember what was engraved on that door?" I nodded. "Well, this chamber was onced used by one of those Chosen. She was the strongest fighter out of the group. I remember how she used to always complain aobut how everything constantly happened to her." The strange woman got a far of look in her eyes. "Anyway, I need to ask you something. I know it might sound a bit strange, but I must know. Do you fight?"
Delight lit up in my eyes as she mentioned that word. "Of course! I've been fighting since I was five!" I stated proudly. I smirked as I lifted my chin and straightened my back.
She smiled brightly. "Good, I am glad to here that. Now let me show you something that may be of some use to you in the future." She led me down the right hallways, and to a door marked 'Armoire'. Grasping the handle, she pushed it open, allowing me to enter first. The wall were lined with weapons of old and new. There were swords and daggers, bows and arrows and staffs. There as well were every type of high tech and non-high tech guns from the modern day, and a few others I couldn't discern.
"As you can see.." She looked at my face questionly.
"Christa, but I usually go by Chris."
"Alright, Chris then. As you can see, this is where all the weapons are stored. You may choose some for your own use if you wish."
"What?" 'What did she mean by 'for my own use?''
"That girl I mentioned earlier, used all of these weapons. She told me that when the right time came, I was to help train a girl in the martial arts and give her her own weapons. That girl I have chosen is you." I was speachless. This lady, who I didn't even know, was going to train me further in the martial arts! I slowly smiled and looked up at her. She smiled back. "I believe your mother is going to begin wondering where you are. I've put the door to the stairway back, and it should lead you right back to your home. And next time you decide to return here, just place your hand on the alter and the entrance door will open for you."
I nodded as she waved her hand towards the door. As I walked out of the cave and placed a foot on the bottom step, I turned back to the entrance where the lady was standing. "Wait. You never told me your name."
"Yuna. And until we meet again, young one. Farewell."
~End Flashback~
I brought my mind back to the present as I realized that I had reached the chamber door. Placing my hand on the alter, I watched as the heavy door opened. I immediately went in and headed for the weapons chamber. I myself preferred the more ancient ones that lined the entire west wall. A sword called the Dragon's Heart which was said to belong to the famous Viking God, Thor himself. A quartet of daggers, two strapped to my calves and the other two at my hips. I remembered when I first chose my own armoire, that Yuna commented I had chosen the weapons which had been used the most by the female who was one of the greatest warriors to ever grace the Universe with her presence. Funny huh? The last of my weapons were a staff, said to have been used by the Greek God of War, Ares, and a magnum handgun. It never seemed to run out of bullets and could be changed to shoot tranquilizer darts. Arming myself with just the sword and staff, I jogged to the other hallway, and went through a door that would lead me to my 'training area'.
Upon reaching the meadow, I laid the weapons aside and began streching. I stretched my muscles for a good twenty minutes and then started on some warm-up kantas, soon losing myself in the motions. After about an hour, I moved onto my staff and started some shadow sparring. During that time, I remember my mother telling my to be home before dinner, but I already knew that it would never happen. I smirked at the thought. Even though she knew that I would not return home until well after dark, she still insisted on telling me to be home for dinner. I smirked again and continued to train until I had to light the lanterns and torches placed stragetigcally about the clearing. Soon the place was well lit, and I persisted in my training. A few more hours passed by until I was soon entering the equiptment room of the stable and on my way home for a good night's rest. Or so I thought.
That night I tossed and turned throughout my sleep from strange dreams about people with tails and some guy telling me that I needed to remember who I was and tap into my power so I could fight the great evil. Also there was a young man asking me to remember him. He kept saying that I was his soulmate and pleading with me to go with him to his home planet so we could "be together for all time and eternity." He seemed so familiar, but I couldn't place where I had seen his face before.
I awoke abruptly when my alarm clock flared to life and began blaring music in my ear, so I rolled out of bed and gathered my school gear together. I tossed on a black tank top, a pair of fatigues, threw my hair into the traditional ponytail with my bangs framing the sides of my face, and slipped on the pendant that I've had for as long as I could remember. I grabbed my wristband, but paused before sliding it on. I raised my right wrist and studied the symbol embedded into my skin. At first I thought that maybe my parents had given me tattoo when I was younger, but then I figured that children so young weren't allowed to get tattoos. So I then just regarded it as a type of birthmark. I then looked at the mark on my left shoulder. The same story went with that as well. I've had it since I was born. Shaking my head, I slid the band over my wrist.
I checked myself in the mirror one last time to make sure I looked fine; but what I saw there surely made all the color drain from my face. Standing where what should have been my reflection was someone dressed in some type of dress worn by the nobal women in ancient Greece. The person looked strongly like me, except she was in that dress and was at least ten years older than me. The person then winked at me and smiled knowingly. I blinked, rubbed my eyes, and checked again. But standing before me was a thirteen-year-old girl with long, wild black hair that had natural silver highlights, black eyes, and about 5'4" . . . myself.
Read and Review Please
~Raydias
I looked down at my watch, 3:45. 'Hmmm. That gives me about two and a half hours. It's not enough but it will have to do.' "Mom?" I yelled from the upstairs banister, "I'm going out to the orchard to train for a bit!"
"If you want to talk to me, then you have to come down here," she yelled back. I sighed heavily and ran down the stairs to the kitchen.
"I'm going to go train out in the orchard for a bit."
"Did you finish your homework?"
"Yes mother."
"Fine, but be back before dinner." I nodded and ran out of the house to the barn. Stopping quickly to give one of our horses, Blaze, a pat on the nose, I headed to the equipment room. I then began feeling the back wall for a small knot that would open a door when touched. Upon finding the knot, I brushed my fingers over it and took a step back as a hidden door swung inward revealing a flight of stairs leading underground. As I jogged down the steps, I thought back to the time when I first discovered this place.
~Flashback~
I was nine years old. It was early in the morning and I had gone out to the stable to feed my horse, Wizard, or Wizy for short, and the other horses (or at least do what I could until my parents came down). He was a beautiful buck-skinned paint with a mark on his buttocks that looked a wizard's hat, which is how he received his name. Wizy stuck his nose into my hair and playfully took some into his mouth as I dumped his oats into his bucket. I laughed and turned around to give him a hug. After refilling his bucket of water and giving him his hay, I went to the equiptment room to get my gear together for later that day. I was standing on a stool deciding which saddle pad to use when a tiny light at the back of the room caught my eye. Closing my eyes and reopening them, I looked again to see the light gone. I walked over to the back wall to see what it could have possibly been. Suddenly there it was again! A low light was coming from the left corner. Once there, I ran my hand over the wall in the spot where the light had come from. As my fingers brushed over one of the knots in the wood, a door abruptly appeared and swung inward.
At first I was too scared to go in, but my curiosity took over and I slowly ventured through the opening. As I descended down the stairs, I noticed that the way was dimly lit by a mushroom of some sort that glowed a light blue. The passage was still dark, but the mushrooms provided enough light for me to see my way around. When I reached the bottom of the stairway, the passage widened out and another door stood in front of me. It was a heavy wooden door with iron bands holding the wood together, like the ones used in castles. Near the top of the door, a phrase was etched into the wood. It read, "Only a Chosen may enter this chamber" and a symbol drawn beneath it, only I couldn't begin to describe what the symbol looked like. It was like something I'd never seen. I then wondered what it ment by 'Chosen'? I shrugged and continued to look around. Next to the wall was a small stone alter. Getting a closer look, I noticed that a hand print was etched into the middle of the stone. And like the door, something was written above the hand print. "Beyond this door, is a place saved only for those who have been Chosen. If you be Chosen, place your hand on the symbol on the chamber door and enter your domain. If you be not Chosen, and seek entrance, a test you must pass. Place your hand on the alter and face your test."
I looked over the rest of the alter to see if there were any more instructions, but there was nothing. I looked around the stone passage wondering what I should do. Like a whisper on the wind, a small voice from somewhere said, "Do it." So I did. I gingerly place my small hand into the print. A bright blue light emitted out from under my hand and a sudden wind picked up around me. Terrified that I had done something wrong, I tried to pull my hand away, but it wouldn't budge from the alter. Suddenly everything quieted and went dark except for the two torches glowing next to the wooden door. Growing more scared with each pasing minute, I tried again to pull my hand away. I gave one more tug, and my hand was released causing me to fly backwards landing on my backside. Absently rubbing my palm, I ran in what I supposed was the direction of the staircase, only to be met with a stone wall.
Tears began to run down my face; would I ever get out of here? What if my parents were never able to find me? They probably didn't know this place even existed. I leaned against the wall and slid down to the ground tears now flowing freely. I let out a soft sob and buried my face in my arms on my raised knees. In my young mind I thought that the situation was hopeless, and that I would die there without my family ever knowing what happened to me. Suddenly a soft white glow illuminated the room. I lifted my tear-streaked face to see a woman with long, flowing, white-blonde hair. She was dressed in a white sleeveless gown that trailed on the ground in the back but did not seem to get dirty. I gazed at her face. Her eyes were a wonderful sky blue that seemed to glow with knowledge and her lips a pale pink that smiled gently at me.
"Why do you cry, little one?" she asked in a soft voice. I didn't say anything, and a few tears continued to slide down my cheek. The lady walked slowly over to me and bent down, placing a hand on my shoulder. She wiped away a tear with her finger. Again in a soft voice she asked me, "What is wrong?"
Suddenly, I found my voice. "I - I din't mean to do anything! All I did was touch it!" I turned my face away and mumbled, "And now the stairs have disappeared and I don't know how to get home."
The lady smiled again. "What did you touch, young one?" I pointed to the alter which was still glowing a faint blue color. She smiled knowingly and spoke. "So you wanted to see what was behind that door?" I nodded meekly. "Come with me then, and I will show you."
The lady took my hand and helped me stand, but I pulled back when I fully realized what she was going to do. "But the writing said that I couldn't enter without passing a test, unless I was a 'Chosen'."
"You have already passed the test." I looked at her with confusion written all over my face. "I looked into your soul and saw that you had a pure heart. You are worthy to enter this sacred chamber. Come." She walked over to the door and put her hand over the symbol. The door then swung inward revealing a room unlike anything I could ever imagine.
There was some sort of pool in the middle of the floor. With the light from many torches and candles reflecting off the water surface, the walls shimmered like dimonds and seemed to be alive. There was strange writing, like on the door, all over the walls. I then noticed a dull green light coming from all the walls. I looked on the ground to see glowing mushrooms growing where ever a wall touched to ground. There were three other passageways, one on either side of me and one in front. "Where do those hallways go?" I asked.
"This one," she said pointing to the left leads to the bedchambers, and social areas, and the other one," pointing to the right, "leads to all the training facilities and weapons room." Motioning to the one in front of us, she stated, "This last one leads you to various caves and other areas on your hill."
I nodded, trying to take this all in. There was literally a mansion under my house and stable! I shook my head in disbelief. This place was so cool! "How long has this place been here?"
She waved her hand back at the entrance. "Do you ramember what was engraved on that door?" I nodded. "Well, this chamber was onced used by one of those Chosen. She was the strongest fighter out of the group. I remember how she used to always complain aobut how everything constantly happened to her." The strange woman got a far of look in her eyes. "Anyway, I need to ask you something. I know it might sound a bit strange, but I must know. Do you fight?"
Delight lit up in my eyes as she mentioned that word. "Of course! I've been fighting since I was five!" I stated proudly. I smirked as I lifted my chin and straightened my back.
She smiled brightly. "Good, I am glad to here that. Now let me show you something that may be of some use to you in the future." She led me down the right hallways, and to a door marked 'Armoire'. Grasping the handle, she pushed it open, allowing me to enter first. The wall were lined with weapons of old and new. There were swords and daggers, bows and arrows and staffs. There as well were every type of high tech and non-high tech guns from the modern day, and a few others I couldn't discern.
"As you can see.." She looked at my face questionly.
"Christa, but I usually go by Chris."
"Alright, Chris then. As you can see, this is where all the weapons are stored. You may choose some for your own use if you wish."
"What?" 'What did she mean by 'for my own use?''
"That girl I mentioned earlier, used all of these weapons. She told me that when the right time came, I was to help train a girl in the martial arts and give her her own weapons. That girl I have chosen is you." I was speachless. This lady, who I didn't even know, was going to train me further in the martial arts! I slowly smiled and looked up at her. She smiled back. "I believe your mother is going to begin wondering where you are. I've put the door to the stairway back, and it should lead you right back to your home. And next time you decide to return here, just place your hand on the alter and the entrance door will open for you."
I nodded as she waved her hand towards the door. As I walked out of the cave and placed a foot on the bottom step, I turned back to the entrance where the lady was standing. "Wait. You never told me your name."
"Yuna. And until we meet again, young one. Farewell."
~End Flashback~
I brought my mind back to the present as I realized that I had reached the chamber door. Placing my hand on the alter, I watched as the heavy door opened. I immediately went in and headed for the weapons chamber. I myself preferred the more ancient ones that lined the entire west wall. A sword called the Dragon's Heart which was said to belong to the famous Viking God, Thor himself. A quartet of daggers, two strapped to my calves and the other two at my hips. I remembered when I first chose my own armoire, that Yuna commented I had chosen the weapons which had been used the most by the female who was one of the greatest warriors to ever grace the Universe with her presence. Funny huh? The last of my weapons were a staff, said to have been used by the Greek God of War, Ares, and a magnum handgun. It never seemed to run out of bullets and could be changed to shoot tranquilizer darts. Arming myself with just the sword and staff, I jogged to the other hallway, and went through a door that would lead me to my 'training area'.
Upon reaching the meadow, I laid the weapons aside and began streching. I stretched my muscles for a good twenty minutes and then started on some warm-up kantas, soon losing myself in the motions. After about an hour, I moved onto my staff and started some shadow sparring. During that time, I remember my mother telling my to be home before dinner, but I already knew that it would never happen. I smirked at the thought. Even though she knew that I would not return home until well after dark, she still insisted on telling me to be home for dinner. I smirked again and continued to train until I had to light the lanterns and torches placed stragetigcally about the clearing. Soon the place was well lit, and I persisted in my training. A few more hours passed by until I was soon entering the equiptment room of the stable and on my way home for a good night's rest. Or so I thought.
That night I tossed and turned throughout my sleep from strange dreams about people with tails and some guy telling me that I needed to remember who I was and tap into my power so I could fight the great evil. Also there was a young man asking me to remember him. He kept saying that I was his soulmate and pleading with me to go with him to his home planet so we could "be together for all time and eternity." He seemed so familiar, but I couldn't place where I had seen his face before.
I awoke abruptly when my alarm clock flared to life and began blaring music in my ear, so I rolled out of bed and gathered my school gear together. I tossed on a black tank top, a pair of fatigues, threw my hair into the traditional ponytail with my bangs framing the sides of my face, and slipped on the pendant that I've had for as long as I could remember. I grabbed my wristband, but paused before sliding it on. I raised my right wrist and studied the symbol embedded into my skin. At first I thought that maybe my parents had given me tattoo when I was younger, but then I figured that children so young weren't allowed to get tattoos. So I then just regarded it as a type of birthmark. I then looked at the mark on my left shoulder. The same story went with that as well. I've had it since I was born. Shaking my head, I slid the band over my wrist.
I checked myself in the mirror one last time to make sure I looked fine; but what I saw there surely made all the color drain from my face. Standing where what should have been my reflection was someone dressed in some type of dress worn by the nobal women in ancient Greece. The person looked strongly like me, except she was in that dress and was at least ten years older than me. The person then winked at me and smiled knowingly. I blinked, rubbed my eyes, and checked again. But standing before me was a thirteen-year-old girl with long, wild black hair that had natural silver highlights, black eyes, and about 5'4" . . . myself.
Read and Review Please
~Raydias