Chapter 1-1: Mari's Choice

My head was pounding like drums. It's been years since the pounding began. It all started when the Creator lit the Eternal Flame, and our world faded. But, I opened my eyes and saw a small crack of light.

"Creator?" I called out to the light. Light was something I have yet to see for years. This must be the Creator's work. I called out once more, "Creator? Is that you?"

I had no response. Maybe this was a dream, and I'll wake up to darkness again. The crack of light grew bigger, as did my curiosity and fear. Slowly, I shuffled my feet towards the light. Suddenly, I no longer felt cold from abandonment. I felt…joy. Joy was something I hadn't felt in a long time. The light made me feel warm and sheltered.

"Mari," a voice called out to me. The voice was almost silent, the tone filled with cracks of pain. This couldn't be the Creator. He's a perfect being, and he would never talk like that. "Walk toward the light, Mari. There's something I would like to show you," it said.

The light was only a few steps away from me. As I looked into it, I saw pictures take shape inside of the light. It looked like…a family. Yes, that's it! A family in a car, but in the next picture, only two of the four family members were there. The mother and father had died in a car crash…the children were orphaned! I had no idea who these people were, or who the voice belonged to, but I said, "Creator, who are these people?"

The picture changed into a bed in a light-mint colored room. The boy had a bandage on his nose, and the girl had bandages around the left side of her face. Suddenly, the boy moved. The girl, with tears in her eyes, noticed her brother moving. She got up out of her wooden chair and hugged her brother. This scene really moved me. The girl was very lucky to have someone she loves dearly come back. Someone I loved dearly, I know will never come back. I piped up, "Creator?"

"You know these children. They have been through a lot, with losing their parents and being tortured by Wilfre's wrath." I know these people? I don't know anyone with strange ears like that!

Or do I…this boy must be Mike! But who was the girl? All I know about her is that something bad happened to her face. Maybe…it's-

"Mari, have you figured out who these are?"

Looking into the light, I saw that it grew bigger. It consumed me, but it no longer felt warm and sheltered. The light gradually became a blood-red. I screamed in fear. What was happening to the light that made me feel safe? What happened to the Creator?

"Yes, Creator, I have figured out who these people are! It's Mike and Heather! Where are they?" I called out. It's amazing how a situation can change from mystic to frightening in seconds.

The Creator seemed to pause. I began to see a silhouette in the red light form. He held his hands beside him, as if he was lifting something heavy up. "That is correct, Mari. But I'm afraid there is no way you can see them again."

Tears formed in my eyes. Nothing I could do? But…are they dead? "I can hear your thoughts, Mari," the Creator spoke. "I can feel your sadness. I cannot let you see them, but I can let them see you." I froze. "Wait, what did you say?"

"There is only one condition, Mari." Out of thin air, two platforms appeared. They had a Greek feeling to them, like columns or architecture. Two items slowly floated from the sky onto the platforms. The first one was a curved blade. The second one was a flower. What did they mean? "Choose wisely, Mari. This decision can affect everyone's lives in the Raposa Village," the Creator said with despair in his voice.

Th-they were still alive? "What do they mean, Creator?" I asked. He quickly responded, "The flower represents peace, and the blade represents selfishness." Obviously I had to choose the flower. The Creator stopped me. "Please wait, Mari. If you choose the blade, Mike and Heather will die and return to Raposa Village for eternity. But if you choose the flower, they will return to Raposa Village when they die, but they will not remember you. There is a chance that they will become evil."

I wasn't sure what to do. I tried to do the mayoral thing, and say, "Can you help me with this decision, Creator? Which one would be best?"

The Creator's silhouette faded away. He said, "The choice is yours, Mari. But let me tell you this: no matter what you choose, Wilfre will be defeated."

The right thing to do was pick the flower, so Mari wouldn't have to kill anybody. The Creator nodded slowly and replied, "I will bring Mike and Heather back to Raposa Village when they die. They will not remember you, remember that." His final words were, "I am under a spell, Mari. A spell created by Wilfre that harms me more every day. He will be stopped, but I may also be stopped as well."

And I was left alone for a few more minutes. After that, the light turned green, and tan, and blue…and before I knew it, I was in Raposa Village.

The colors were more vivid than ever. I was in front of the wishing well, which looked more aged than she remembered it. As I looked around, I saw bushy trees, beautiful houses and buildings, and the hill near the Snow Gate that I used to jump off of when I was a little Rapo.

Everything was so dazzling in the Raposa Village. But there was something missing: the other villagers. With a confused look, I searched all around me, but there was nothing moving except the elegant waving of the leaves.

"Where is everyone, Creator?" I asked. I had no response. I felt very lonely, especially without the help of the Creator. I saw a small tree stump and sat on it. It was surprisingly comfortable, considering how rough wood and tree bark are. I thought about Jowee. Where was he? He can't be dead, because if he was, I would be dead, too!

And then I thought about Mike and Heather. It would be decades until they reappeared at Raposa Village. Maybe…when they come, the other villagers would come, too. That's it! I think the Creator wants me to set up the village before the others come.

I had some work to do. After a forming a puddle of tears on the ground, I got up and rubbed my hands together. The Raposa Village are going to have some company soon.