Chapter 1: A Simple Life
Somewhere in the beyond, there was a lone traveler walking out of a dense forest and into a clearing. The unknown traveler head toward the center of a vast meadow as the cool breeze blew across the landscape. By trusting the light from the silvery, stars to guide her way through the darkness. Though the meadow may look empty, the traveler can sense a presence that is hiding somewhere in the wilderness. But didn't consider much of a threat, unless it decide to provoke the traveler.
The mysterious figure was dressed in a dull purple cloak with tattered ends. The massive hood that is part of her cloak, help to conceal most of the face, except for some parts of the chin and neck. There is subtle hints of curves and stature being outlined by the fabrics, confirming it to be a girl barely in her mid-teens. While rest of her attire are hidden underneath of her cloak.
Once she reached to the center of the meadow, all she does was look around the area. Seeing the snowed-tops, mountain and other parts of the woods in the distance. The cloaked girl seems to admire the scenery like the tall grasses being blown by the gentle winds, the sweet smell of wildflowers lingers in the clean air, and the stars blanketing the night sky. Being here made her feels relax, and letting her muscle to be less tense.
However, the peace and quiet was then broken by a raspy whisper. It almost sounded like a voice trying speak through a metal pipe. And then she begin feels a powerful aura triggering her senses. It was same presence she felt before, but somehow it grew stronger . From what she can tell from the telltale signs, she predicts that something is coming from behind.
As she continue to stand still, a darker shade of shadow overcast her. Not only that, she could see an outline of a big weapon held up high like a guillotine, and ready to be drop on her. Within a split seconds, she leap out of the way and landed a few feet away from the spot she was standing on. Then heard a thundering blast, also feels the ground tremors beneath her boot-covered feet. From underneath the hood, her eyes widen to see the opponent who tried to attacked her.
Standing about twice as tall as the hooded figure, a being in rusty armor with a pure bronze sword that resemble a key. Its weapon was slammed down into the ground, and created a massive creator with jagged rocks sticking out. The rusted bronze armored-figure adjust itself, bringing up it weapon and placing over its armored shoulder. Then its stare down at the cloaked girl with it black visor.
They are face to face with each other, waiting for one of them to make a move. Tension begin rise as the bronze knight decide to make its first attack by charging at her in full speed; however, the cloaked girl avoid it by dodging its charging attack. The knight let out angry wail and dash toward her again! Swinging his massive key-shaped blade at her, and nearly landing a hit on her.
The hooded girl begin struggles to dodges since its attack became much faster. She tries to avoid them all, but she got hit that sent her flying across meadow. She made a rough landing on the ground, she let out a painful cough, and her nerves screamed in pain from the impact. When she look back at the knight, her blood begin to boil, she punch the ground in pure frustration and force herself to get up, ignoring the pain all over body.
She stretch out her right arm, and begin to glow white in the palm of her hand. The light burst into particle of star dust, and a pure white key-shaped weapon appear in her own hand. The hooded figure sprint across the meadow, then going around the knight, and begin to perform a flurry of slashes attacks behind the armor's back. Causing the armor figure to let out a metallic wails.
Both knight and hooded traveler are now fighting equally against each other with all their strength. While the knight does have more power in strength, the mysterious figure has agility that help her avoid many of its dangerous attacks. The traveler would always leap out of dangers, and then make an attack when find the knight's opening. However, the knight would become defensive, and then use a counter attack. By slamming his weapon to the ground, and creating a shockwave that deal some damage to the lone traveler.
Though his attack is quite powerful, the traveler would find a way to recover. The young traveler is too stubborn to stop fighting. She continue to perform a flurry attacks when she have the opportunity to do so. Even if the knight find a way to strike time they clash with each other it cause sparks to fly. In their next clash, both the knight and traveler weapon are now in tight lock. Each of them try to push the other by adding weight to their blade to make them stagger. Though hooded traveler is doing her best, the armor knight is far more stronger than her. The knight easily push her back, and cause her to drag dirt across the ground.
Although the knight have a upper hand, the hooded girl didn't seem to care about the odds. All she want is to use her key-shaped weapon to fight against the knight with all her strength she have. Then she broke the locked by using her free left hand, lifting it up close to knight face that was protected by a helmet with visor. Soon a ball of flame ignited in the girl's hand, letting it charge until it was ready to unleashed.
"Fire!" She cry out in pure determination. Feeling the warmths in her palm build up as it grew intense, and the burning light begin to blind her...
As the white faded into black, the young traveler discover her eyelids feels oddly heavy. She force them to open, but her vision is somewhat blurry. She blinks a few times to get her sight back. Only to discovered the meadow was replaced by a new setting. It's now a dimmed bedroom with a single widow.
She instantly recognize this place because it actually her bedroom. Thanks to the light that is coming in from the window. It reveal most of the area of her room like the white carpet covering the floor, a wooden desk with a computer on top, and the pale lavender walls cover with some picture frames of different moments. It pretty much a typical room that any child in their early teens would have.
She then carefully sprang herself up, as the purple the blanket slide down. Revealing more of her true self that she is a fifteen years old girl with messy, choppy-styled styled, bright brown hair that reach down her spine. Her eyes are a shade of dark blue like the night, and faints dark circles underneath. And her outfit was just a black star tank top, with white pajama pants to combine it.
"Man, I was so close." She whisper as her hands clench tightly to the blanket."Why does it always end the same?" Then her back flopped back down onto a soft pillow while rubbing her aching forehead.
She slightly turn her head to see the alarm cloak on top of a nearby nightstand, and telling her it's 9:30 am. After checking the time, she pull the blanket over her body, and curl into a ball. She is about to close her eyes until she heard a awful creak, making her eyes widen and cringe by the awful sound that was made.
"God, damnit…" The teenager groan in dismay, and tighten her cover.
From the small opening gap of her blanket, she can see the door is being open. As it grew more wider a familiar looking boy enter the room. His hair is shaggy, golden brown and has vibrant green eyes. He already dressed yellowish-orange T-shirt with a white long-sleeved shirt underneath, a brown puffy vest, and tanned pants.
"Sis, it's time to wake up!" The boy exclaimed.
Her eyelids squeeze tighter from opening because she didn't to wake up. "Go away, Sorin!" The teenage told him off."We don't even have school. It's school break, remember…" She yawn at the last part. Also silently pray for him to go away, so she can go back to her dream.
"Yeah, but dad told me to wake you up." The golden-haired boy, named Sorin, give his reason why he is trying to wake her up.
"Thirty more…minutes…" She said, tiredly.
"Really, Aki? Have you been up all night again?" Sorin asked.
"Maybe…" Akira answer, vaguely.
When she gave him that kind of respond, a frustrating groan made from him."Seriously, Akira. Not again…dad told you not to stay up late."
"It's not like I do it every day." Akira responded. "Just let me sleep…okay."
As the teenage girl tries to go back to sleep, she soon feels another disturbance. Only this time, she heard a familiar panting noise that sound like a dog.
"Aki…if you don't wake up. Then Scary and I have to force you do it." Sorin threaten the older girl.
However, she gave no response to him since she not taking his threats seriously. Then she heard the golden-haired boy sigh in disappointment. Making her think that he will finally gonna leave her alone. Until she feels her entire body being shaken. Though it wasn't strong, is still manage keep her awake.
"Stop it, Sorin!" Akira almost yell at him, but hold back her frustration.
"C'mon, sis! You gotta get up!" Sorin continue to shakes Akira to force her out of bed.
However, Akira didn't budge at all. Sorin can try all he want, but there is no way she getting out bed. Especially today and the rest of the week, there will be no school since they are on break. Which mean she can stay in bed without worrying to get up early for school.
Akira remain stubborn as her annoying, so-called brother try and fail to do his job. She begin to wonder if he will ever give up of making a pointless effort. Until she felt her blanket being pull away from her. She manage to hang onto it and caught a glimpse of a familiar massive, black malamute pulling the end of Akira's blanket. By the look of it, the dog is doing the same thing like Sorin does.
"Ugh, some of..." Akira groan in frustration."Sorin, call off your dumb dog!"
"Hey, Scary is not dumb! But you are, sis!" Spring retorted with a smirk on his face.
"Oh... THAT IS IT!" Akira finally snap at him.
Akira spring out from the covers of her bed, and her arms reach out for Sorin. The sudden turn of event made Sorin stand like a deer in the highlight. Unable to think of probably to make a common action to move. Resulting him getting caught by Akira then get pull him into a tight headlock. The two sibling begin struggle as they try one up from each other. Though Sorin was trying to escape from her grasp, Akira hold him tight so he wouldn't escape from her.
"Sis!" He shout in shock."What are you doing!?" The golden-haired boy's leaf, green eyes widen in shocked and confused by his sister sudden action.
"Payback!" Akira stated.
"For what!?" Sorin is dumbfounded by her answer.
"For not letting me sleep, and making Scary ruin my blanket." She gave the reasoning behind her actions."Now look at it! It's all cover with drool and fur because of your dog." Akira point out the sticky slime and strand of furs on her blanket that was left behind by Scary.
"Well, maybe, you should've listened to me!" He talked back as he continues to struggle to escape from her grip. Although she not hurting him, Akira made sure hold onto him tight."Let me go!"
"Not until you say sorry!"She demanded.
There was a brief pause. Wondering if he should give in to her demanded. One thing for sure that there is now way he will follow through with her demand. Why should he apologized to her? All he did was trying to wake her up since his father told him to do it.
"Scary... go get dad!" Sorin commanded his beloved dog to do something.
And with that, Scary run out of the room. Leaving his beloved owner to struggle with his own sister.
"What the heck, Sorin!" Akira couldn't believed what just happened.
"I told ya so." Sorin made a smirk.
"Why you little-" Akira stopped talking when she see someone coming in her room.
"Akira, Sorin!" A familiar, voice spoke teenage girl and the boy immediately stop what they were doing, when a full grown man appeared in the room with the dog beside him. "What are you two doing?" The grown man asked, seriously.
"Oh, hey Uncle Al." Akira spoke awkwardly to him, also her face looking a little pale.
The man, named Alan, was around his late forties or early fifties. His graying black hair was combed back, and his beard is nicely trimmed. He also appeared to be wearing a simple black flannel buttoned up shirt with sleeves rolled up, dull green pants, and a brown leather belt.
Alan was just standing there, with a serious look on his face. Wondering why his two kids are fighting each other.
"Dad! Akira didn't listen to me and she hurting me!" Sorin spoke up.
"Hey!" Akira glare at the boy who ratted her out.
Alan made a low, mumbling sound and pinched the bridge of his nose."It's barely 10 am…and you two already fighting. I'm starting to believe that Scary is more well behaved than you two." Alan shake his head in dismay while petting the dog's head."Now stop it, or else you will be grounded for the whole a day."
"Yes, sir." Akira and Sorin spoke in unison.
"Good," Alan was pleased by their response. Then his gaze shifted on the girl."Akira..."
"Um, what is it now?" Akira tense up a bit.
"How many time do I have to tell you."
"Tell me what?" She wonder.
"Not to sleep with your necklace on." Alan pointed at something that was on Akira's neck.
It took a while for Akira to realized, until she look down to see her own neck and collar to see she was wearing a necklace. It was a golden-chained, with a star-shaped pendant she been wearing all night. Apparently she must had forgotten to take off, before she went to sleep last night.
"Oops, sorry..." Akira sheepishly smile, and rub the back of her head.
"I know you love that necklace, but please don't forget to take it off. It can be chocking hazard." Alan reminded her.
"Okay, I got it."
"You better. Well, we better hurry up before breakfast get cold. I made pancake and oatmeal." Alan revealed to them about the breakfast he made this morning.
"Heck yeah!" Akira fist pump.
"Thanks dad!" Sorin smiled.
A little while later, they're already in the kitchen and sitting around the same table and each of them are eating there own plate. Akira was wolfing down a stack of fluffy pancake with berries on the side. She made sure to savor the sweetness of each bite she take. Then move on to drink a glass of orange juice to wash it down.
Akira thought for moment, and look back at her dream she had last night. "Well..." Akira started,"I did have awesome dream that I was fighting a huge armor guy and I almost beat it, but a little annoying brother woke me up!" Then she glare at Sorin who is sitting across the table.
"I told you to wake up, but you didn't it!"Sorin defended himself.
"Yeah, right." Akira scoffed.
"Kids, no arguing in the table." Alan gave a serious look at them.
"Yes, sir." Both of them said it together.
"Good," He was pleased by their respond,"What about you, my son? How was last night sleep?" Asking the same question.
The boy with golden-brown hair suddenly smile."It was great!" He answer, cheerfully."My dream was exploring the Beyond, and got to hang out with a bunch cool animals. You know like Wollyphant, Behemoth, Chocobos, Carbulance, Spotted Bucks..." Sorin went on and on about all the animals he saw in his dream.
While Alan listen to every words his son say, Akira didn't pay much attention to it. She more focus on eating her favorite kinds of pancakes. Just when about to take another bite, something furry brush against her leg and cause her flinch. She look under the table to see Scary is next to her seat, and giving his best sad puppy-eyed look.
"No," She said, firmly."Go away, and eat your own food." However the dog still give his best begging look, probably believe it might break her will. "No...stop giving that look." It was hard admitted it, but Scary's sad puppy eyes started to affect her.
"Hey, sis." Sorin spoke up, and got her attention."Give him a strawberry."
"What?" Akira is confuse by his words.
"Yeah, strawberry are good for dog." He said."It help to clean theirs teeth you know." Sorin share a small information to her.
"Alright, fine." She pick out a ripe strawberry, and give it to the dog. "Here," Scary quickly got strawberry from her hand, and enjoy the sweet treats he was given.
As they continue eating their breakfast, Alan stop to look at Akira and Sorin."Mhmm, can I ask you two do me a favor?"
"Sure," Sorin answer.
"Huh?" Akira said through her stuffed mouth.
"I need you both to do a small errand for me." He told them.
"What kind?" Sorin wonder.
"You see...I'm going to be busy with paperwork, so once you two are done eating. Go to the market in Main Street to buy me certain groceries from there, okay?" Alan explain the information that need to be said.
"Sure things!" Sorin accepted the work.
Akira look hesitant at first, but then she sigh."Ehhh...fine, we'll get the things you need."
"Good," Alan smiled, proudly.
A moment later, breakfast time had ended. Akira went upstairs to change her night wears into proper clothing that she can wear in the streets. She quickly picks out the clothing she likes to wear, and took her a few minutes to get it done. Finally, she came out of the room; now dressed in a dull orange sweater, a rusty red scarf, black gloves, faded blue jeans, and a pair of brown boots. While her long, messy, hair is now tied into a ponytail. Also wearing her favorite necklace to complete her attire that is hidden underneath in her scarf. She went down the stairs and reach to the living room, from there she see Sorin with his dog sitting on the same couch watching the television. On the flat screen tv, it's was on a news channel talking about basic weather until change into another subject.
Breaking News! two children from Hippocampus Coast have went missing-
"Kids!" Alan called them out. From the moment he said those words, he manage to get Akira's and Sorin's full attention on him."Here's the list of items that I need you two to buy, and please make sure to not lose this pouch." He handed a list to Sorin, and a brown pouch with white pull string to Akira.
Sorin read over the long list to see what to get."Wow, these are lot stuff we have to get."
"Well, I'm a little behind with my own errands due to grading my students papers, projects, and paying bills." He revealed was he been so behind due to abundance of work.
"Okay, we get it, Al." Akira said while putting away the pouch into her pocket."We should go right now before Main Street get crowded." With that she begin to open the front door, until the black dog came up to them.
Alan heard Scary made a small whining noise, and notice the he was giving a sad look."Ah, I forgot to mention this...will you two take Scary for a walk, as well?" Alan asked, and grab a red leash that was hanging on a coat rack. "He been itching to go outside this morning."
"Sure!" Sorin quickly grab it from his father hand, and then hooked it up to Scary's collar with ease.
"Good," Alan said. "Now you two be careful out there, and stay together at all time."
"Yeah, yeah, we get it." Akira said, nonchalant.
Akira hold the front door open for Sorin and Scary to get out first. Then she made a quick glance at her foster parent, and giving him a reassuring smile. Alan smiled back and wave at her as she leave the house while closing the door behind.
Author Note: Hello readers, congrats on managing to read this prologue to the very end. I hope you guys enjoy it, and maybe if this got enough support I will continue my story on this site. Although I should warn you guys that I constantly revise my story, due to my...well, more like me thinking my story isn't good enough for the readers.