.

January 15th, 1996

The morning of Krista's birthday, her parents watched as she left on her bike to class. Their smiles quickly faded, the weight shared between them robbing them of their joy. Today was her 21st birthday – and her parents had dreaded this day.

"He said he'd come get her on her 21st birthday." Her father was bold enough to break the deafening silence.

"…Do…do we have to tell her-" Her mother's eyes teared up, looking at her husband for a strength.

"Do we have to tell her the truth…that she isn't…" she choked on the rest of her words. Her husband took her hand and gingerly exhaled the pressures building up in his chest.

"…That she isn't our real daughter?" He finished the rest of her question. He sighed, reflecting on all the years they lied to their sweet Krista. All the fighting and crying; an act performed to push the truth further and further away from them.

But, he told them before he left Krista with them 10 years ago – that he would be back.

"What if he doesn't come get her?" His wife's trembling voice tried to crack with some misplaced optimism.

"Mary…we've been through this." He gritted his teeth, sorrow filling his eyes.

"I'm…I'm tired of lying to her." His shoulders sunk in, his bald head bowing in defeat.

"…I can't do this anymore."

"We may lose her…" Mary cried softly.

"If we do…we very well deserve it…" He accepted with a heavy heart before embracing his emotionally distressed wife.

"We need to do the right thing."

His office always smelled like menthol. He was a recent heavy smoker trying to quit.

"So you're saying you fainted right after seeing this particular boy at your campus?"

"Yes…" Krista replied with a hesitant tone – despising being so vulnerable, even in front of her own therapist.

"Well…what did this fellow look like?" Dr. Gidel asked curiously.

"I only saw him for a second so I'm not really sure…"

"And do you remember exactly what you felt the moment you saw him?" He was trying to dissect why she ended up fainting after only seeing someone's face. Krista looked to the ground as if the answers were there.

"…I remember, I felt…nostalgic."

Dr. Gidel sat forward, intertwining his fingers together as he became interested in her reply. She had seen him for quite some time now over her reoccurring nightmares and the loss of her memories. Never once in all that time did she ever feel as though, she was tugging on the rope connected to her past.

"I-I don't know how to explain it…" Krista was becoming more reluctant to open the can of worms.

"Go on." Gidel insisted. As she tried to brave through the whirlwind of emotions that she could recall from that brief encounter, she began to tremble. She remembered the void in his eyes; recalling the image of that small boy surrounded by shadows. The same kind of deep pit that the monster from her nightmares would trap her in before taking his bite.

The hands resting peacefully on her lap was shaking terribly and Dr Gidel noticed it immediately. He threw his hand forward and suggested kindly,

"Just, take it easy Krista. Don't push yourself."

"Absolute evil." Krista uttered quickly.

"Hm?"

"I don't know how to put it…but I felt the same way I did in those nightmares I've had…"

That ugly green little monster

"Hmmm…" Dr. Gidel rested his back against the chair. "Absolute evil, eh?" He repeated thoughtfully.

"Sounds more like it has to do with your religious beliefs." Krista threw her eyes to her lap, feeling as though he was misunderstanding but didn't feel courageous enough to shoot him down directly.

"…I don't believe so…I am not the type to attend church regularly." She paused for a moment before looking at the Dr with earnest eyes.

"…But, I think if I see this young man again it may help clarify some things for me!"

"You're thinking this might help you recover your memory, is that it?"

"Yes."

"I suppose that is one way to go about it…but I don't think you should allow this to disturb the peace you now have."

Why was everyone always trying to tell her what was best for her?

Why did no one understand how sacred her lost memories were to her?

"It's important you continue to focus on your future and the road ahead."

"Kay…" Krista's voice was weak and defeated.

"Don't worry; just continue doing your aikido and your anxiety should disappear."

But she didn't want it to go away – the disturbance roaring in her chest was the only reminder that she was alive and that something wasn't right with the life she had now. It was like a signal being lit that she was closer than she's ever been to discover the truth about herself.

She didn't want to run from it – not anymore.

She wanted to see that man again, to face her fears and greatest desires.

('Who are you…?')

Krista decided to return home and change before going off to meet her secret admirer at the castle. The smell of sweet bon cake greeted her, forcing a smile on her lips.

"Mother, are you baking a cake for me?!" She said excitingly, almost child-like. She swung around to the kitchen and saw her mother putting the vanilla cake to cool on a plate. Beside it were fresh whoop cream and a bowl of cut strawberries. Her face lit up as she went to dip her finger in the cream and lick it off.

"H-hey! Come on now dearie!" Her mother chided but still continued to smile.

"I'll be back to eat your wonderful cake in a few hours, Mom!"

Krista yelled, turning on her heel towards the stairs. But before she could take one step, her mother poked her head out from the kitchen and said,

"Where are you going?"

Krista bit her lower lip – she sucked at lying.

"I'm…meeting a friend at Utgard castle." She turned and shined a nervous smile at her sweet mother. Her mother knew – of course she knew; it was a boy.

But that is why she was staring in shock – all these years up until now Historia never had a boyfriend. She never took interest in anyone; at least not long enough for things to actually become a tangible relationship. Her lack of being able to connect to anyone like that was concerning. There was something in her that prevented that feeling from locking – she had standards; but based off of what?

Was it because if anyone came close to realizing who she truly was inside; her secret dark thoughts, the gravity behind her true feelings – they would run?

No, she had to keep the mask on – to make her parents happy; to continue this peaceful life like her therapist always pressured her into containing.

The good, sweet and timid little Krista.

Still…It wasn't like she didn't try to form those feelings – she was so good at faking and forcing everything else- but that one thing.

She was terrified of love – of letting someone in.

Krista didn't know why she felt as though she was breaking the law – she was a grown adult now. But in front of her parents, she would always feel like she was a child.

Her mother looked at her husband who, of course was on his favorite lazy boy chair, with an unreadable expression. Krista felt her body tense, a chill traveling down her spine that her father would not approve of her meeting this little "friend."

"Have fun Krista and be safe." He replied tenderly and this shocked her. Slowly, she turned and smiled gracefully, feeling so thankful for having such supportive parents. Just as she took one step up, her father said,

"Listen…" Krista paused, looking at her father again.

"…When you come back, I'd…We'd like to talk to you about something. So try not to stay out too late, okay?"

There was such a serious expression on his face but his tone was soft and kind as usual. Krista wanted to pry – but knew doing so wouldn't be a good idea. After all, her father wanted to wait until later for a reason and she was going to respect that.

"Oh… okay, sure – of course!" He then shined a warm smile and she returned it 10 fold before rushing to her room. She closed the door and leaned her back against it, exhaling a deep breath to calm her stressed nerves. As she got dressed, her eyes kept peering to her computer screen – waiting for a reply. But her little secret admirer never responded to her emails and never once tried to make conversation.

That was the most peculiar part about him.

She wore high waist black pencil skirt, opaque black tights, an elegant white blouse that had only 3 buttons up to the collar. To top off her look she adorned around the collar a burgundy lace ribbon with much slack to rest down her top. As she was leaving, putting on her ankle boots and gray plaid pea coat, she took one last glance at her computer before heading out of her room.

As she rushed down the stairs, she paused at the front door, hand on the knob before stopping to look at her mother who had approached her. Casually, her mom wrapped her arms around her neck, fidgeting with something for a bit. Then, she stepped back with a proud smile and Krista looked down and saw a beautiful golden necklace with a beautiful emblem. It was two intertwining wings of blue and white – the wings of freedom.

During the World War, the Wings of Freedom was an established military group who sought to bring the walls down and unite Paradis with the rest of the world – yearning for their people to be involved with the forever evolving world in all things; medicine, technology, science, arts etc.;

They were the symbol of proliferate future for the people of Paradis and…the ones who truly ended the World War.

It was a topic of interest that Krista was always so passionate about. They stood up against the tyrannical king and represented true, pure justice. But after the walls fell, the order disbanded as there was no longer a need to fight for freedom – they had won.

"I had this made for you." Krista grasped the necklace gently in her hands, feeling an odd sense of pride.

"It's beautiful – thank you so much. " Krista knew it was real gold – her mother was never the type to indulge in fool's gold. Krista kissed her mother on the cheek and nodded to her father who was smiling from his chair.

Then she headed out the door, the reddish orange sky greeting her cheerful expression – to meet her secret admirer.

Let's hope the next chapter doesn't disappoint!

Thanks for reading!