***LEN MIRRIA***

I am in a certain place that I truly like.

The skies, the rustling wind by the grass and to my face, the warmth it brings to my skin, and her voice singing a sweet lullaby, simply makes everything perfect.

I am on her lap, contented with all that I have. Not because of the riches and the crown, but because she is there.

I was timid, shy and weak. They say I can never run the dying kingdom. But she thinks otherwise, she said that I can become a great hero, a great ruler, a great king. She said she already sees it in me. These blue eyes that I have, that is as deep as the ocean, shows that I can see through justice, be as kind and have the potential of being stronger than anyone else.

I was happy and complete until she disappeared.

Now, I only exist to bring back my name. I only exist to find her, to be complete again.

But the scenery changes, she disappears and I'm left alone on this field, and a mirror appears in front of me.

It was a mirror that I used to play with when I was young. It was a mirror that became the last puzzle piece that I couldn't solve.

In the mirror, a girl is standing. My chest suddenly aches and I try to reach out for her, only to touch the cold surface of the mirror. She is beautiful. She has golden hair that flows to her legs, eyes that are shining like sapphires and lips that enchant me every second I look at her very face. But she looks sad, she looks like she was about to cry. I ask her about it.

She blinks the tears away and smiles, "I'm just – both happy and sad. Happy that I had met you again and sad for this meeting will mean pain for you and for her."

"Who is her?"

She puts her hand on mine but still, the coldness of the mirror becomes the barrier that blocks our touch. "You'll find out soon."

And she disappears. Leaving me in front of that mirror, in front of my reflection.

I open my eyes as sunlight hit me. I groan and cover myself with my blanket.

I ponder a bit.

That weird dream again. When was the last time I haven't dreamt of it? But this time, something new happened, right? She finally talked to me – the girl in the mirror talked to me. Oh boy her voice was beautiful. She might be a goddess.

I sigh.

But what does she means?

Oh well, aren't dreams supposed to be dreams? They are accumulation of fantasies and desires that one wants?

I stand up and laugh at myself.

That's right. That dream is my desires. It couldn't have meant more. That girl couldn't have meant more.

I am covered with a long, black, annoying hood and cloak. The sanctuary is dry, so dry that I am about to die from the heat from what I'm wearing.

"Please pay attention Sir Kagamine," a brunette in a silver armor named Meiko said.

"Am I really supposed to wear this thing?" I ask, fanning myself.

"Unfortunately, yes. You need full concentration in tracking your enchantress and that coat will help you."

"How so? It's so hot and stuffy, I can't concentrate in this."

"Is that so?" Meiko gives a scoff and raises a brow which she usually does when challenging someone, "Then if you can't, controlling an enchantress is impossible too."

I sigh, shrug and kneel in front of her, "I've been waiting for this moment Meiko. Start the ceremony."

She smiles and raises her sword that was sheathed on her side. I bow down, my left hand on the ground and the right to my chest. I start.

"Here is a son of the four elements, a son of Ami, Era, Sola and Cele. A son of the Cosmos. Born in the family of mirror makers and music players. The name's Mirria Len. I offer thee the thread of my life in exchange of power and strength to rewrite what was already written and to grant my long life wish."

After my introduction, Meiko starts, "With the powers granted within me, as the head of the knights, I grant you thee the power of strength and glory. Let the spirit of the ancient knights guide you," I feel a gentle wind surround me and I hear certain ripples of water. Curiosity hit me and I steal a glance at Meiko. Her eyes close and droplets of water are around her, afloat. I am in awe.

So this is what Enchantresses can do.

I am excited. When I find my own enchantress, I'll be able to regain what I've lost.

I close my eyes and concentrate.

For some time, all I can see is black. But then, the darkness warps and different spheres appear in front of me, each sphere shows different kinds of places and different kinds of people, each sphere emitting different colors of glow. I touch a sphere but it hardens, another sphere made of ice covering it. I touch another sphere and a sphere of fire covers it. Each sphere have different barriers and the darkness has an infinite of these spheres.

I continue to walk endlessly at the display of colorful floating spheres, sometimes, stopping in front of a single sphere to watch the images moving in it – images of contraptions and buildings that I've never seen before.

I am starting to get tired when a voice echoes throughout the darkness – an airy sweet voice, singing a sad folk Rillan love song.

There is a ripple throughout the darkness and from that ripple, a single dot of light shines.

I smile at myself. It's time to find you, my enchantress.

***RIN KAGAMINE***

There is the gentle wind again and I know, I'm back in my dream world. I open my eyes and the skies and the sea do not fail to make me smile in awe.

I inhale a big breath of the fresh air and shouts, "I AM BACK!" my voice echos I am back! I am back! Back! Back! until it fades.

I giggle at my childishness and starts frolicking around.

Ahh… such a wonderful dream. I hope this doesn't end.

"Can anyone hear me?"

That stops me.

Oh no, please don't turn into a nightmare.

"Hello? Who's there?"

This voice is new. This isn't my dream guy and this isn't from that horror girl. Then – "Who are you?"

"I asked first. Who are you?" answered the voice, in a dignified and strong manner.

"This is my dream. Who are you?!"

"Dream? This is my ceremony. Answer me, child."

An angry vein is about to pop. Why is this new dream so cocky?, "Excuse me but I'm already 18."

"With that voice?"

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH MY VOICE?!" I exclaim, a bit insulted. True, I do not look like my age at all. I am petite and small but I'm quite confident with my strength and my voice isn't that childish at all – it's just a bit of an airy soprano.

He laughs and something is slightly triggered in my chest, "Nothing. Actually, it sounds… fine," his voice softens a bit and the welling annoyance disappears and is changed with another feeling which I cannot name.

"Th… Thanks. My name is Rin, by the way."

"I'm Len. So – Rin, I would not beat around the bush, would you be mine?"

Heat raises from my chest to my cheeks, "Y…Y…Yours?! What are you talking about?! This – This- This is so sudden!"

"What I mean is would you be my enchantress?"

"Enchantress?" I clear something that was stuck in my throat, "What's that? A…Anyway, where are you?" I take a deep breath to calm myself. "It's so bothersome talking to space here, can't I see you?"

"I don't know. I don't think you can see me though. I'm just a conscience travelling in this 'dream' of yours. And, I am supposed to travel to my enchantress' dream."

"That enchantress again? I don't know what you're talking about."

"Where in Rilla are you, Rin? Why don't you know anything about Enchantresses?"

Rilla? What's that? "I don't know what you're talking about, Len," I repeat.

There is a minute of silence and I am afraid he disappeared, but he speaks again. "Then – can you tell me about you, Rin?"

About me? This is the first time a dream asked me that. Should I? Or should I not?

I look up the sky and try to reach out in the vast blue. "The sky's so beautiful."

"The sky? Hmm… I guess so. It's so beautiful yet so vast it can actually take away someone's breath."

I giggle, "What's that? That's so cheesy. The sky just makes you feel – you know - free."

"Free from what?"

"Free from – myself and anything else that binds me from happiness."

Silence.

"I'm sorry for being so random," I bite my lip. Why am I talking like this? "But, you're my dream right? Can I talk to you about someone I know?"

"It's fine with me. Talk all you want. I'll listen."

"You see. I have a friend. She loves, more than anything else, singing with all her heart out. But, when she does, it slowly breaks her soul and if she continues, she will be nothing but an empty shell. What do you think she should do? To do something she loves but kills her, or to do nothing and be trapped and live in a world that doesn't seem to see her?"

"Hmm… That's a pretty annoying situation in my opinion. To live but die in the process and to be alive but not living. What do you want to do?"

"I want to… I mean – my friend - wants the previous but people who love her don't want her to disappear. She also doesn't want them to worry about her anymore. She wants to do what she loves and live at the same time."

"Well…Why not do just that?"

I laugh at his answer, "I hope I can."

"You can. Just partner with me."

"What can you do?"

"The Cosmos created a fucked up world. A world which limits one's destiny. We can change that, if you partner up with me. How about you, what can you do, Rin?"

The alarm wakes me up. Damn it.

It is such an unusual dream. Yet… it feels… nostalgic, maybe?

There is a knock on the door, "Rin, can I talk to you for a sec?" the door opens and my dad's figure comes in. But something's different. His expression is prim and stoic.

Oh no. Did I do something bad? Or did he found out about the contest?

I like to look under my bed for the sheets but Dad is now seated on my bed. He gives a very long sigh and stares at me.

"W…What is it, Dad?"

"Did you…" he pauses. What? What is it? This tension is bad for my artificial heart!

Then he shakes his head, "Nevermind," and he gives another long sigh.

"Wait, that's making me worry," I exclaim. "Dad, what's the problem?"

The primness of his expression fades into worry and he hugs me to my surprise. "Rin… you know that I love you, right? You are my daughter, always remember that. Even if you'll learn many things from now on, always remember that."

He lets go from his heartfelt hug and gives his signature goofy, nerdy smile. "So, what did you dream today?"

***LEN MIRRIA***

For almost two weeks, I wore that stuffy cloak, kneel in front of the head knight and communicate to my enchantress through her dreams. Since it is only in dreams we can talk, I need to wait and kneel until she falls asleep and thus the connection will begin, such is the Ceremony of Enlightenment.

As knights, we are trained both physically and spiritually to hold and control the powers of enchantresses. And once our powers mature, that is the time when we can finally hold our enlightenment.

The ceremony usually lasts for weeks or months or even years since to finish the ceremony, the enchantress should accept the knight's plead to her. And now, it is my third week of communicating with Rin, my enchantress.

During the connection, I learned many things about her. She's quite sensitive and is emotionally struggling somehow. As an enchantress, I think her circumstance isn't healthy at all.

Enchantresses are beings of nature magic. They are sensitive and to mention, all powerful. Their strength depends on their emotions the most. And once their emotions are at wreak, their powers are unstable and would sometimes lead to calamities.

Rin is an epitome of unstableness.

She fears something and that fear is binding her off from her happiness.

Enchantresses that are like her isn't fit to enter contracts but as of there is only one enchantress for a knight, I cannot do anything. Rin is my fated one and I cannot change that.

"Tomorrow's the contest. I'm feeling a bit nervous about this."

"Why so? You're fine as you are."

"What if I fade and disappear?"

Disappearing is her fear. I still don't fully understand what she means but I believe she means that - what if she loses control of her abilities. Since enchantresses' abilities can be activated by singing after all.

"And I hurt Dad and anyone else? I would be heartbroken if I do that. I don't believe I can forgive myself if that happens."

And it seems she's brought up in an environment without letting her know what magic is, what she really is and what she can do. She's clueless about Rilla. That or she is feigning ignorance.

"It would be fine, I assure you."

"'Assure you?' Hmmph, how can a dream assure me of something that would happen in the future?"

But sometimes, when she's in a good mood, she's quite sarcastic and a bit too high tension. Just like when she thought I was not there, she shouted non-stop about the foods she would like to eat and when I told her how hilarious her made-up food was, she shouted "Shut it!" whenever I speak (which gave me a headache for the day.) Not to mention, her voice is quite high, a shout can cause internal ear bleeding.

"More so to believe me. I'm a dream. I'm from Rilla and though a novice, can use magic."

She's also fascinated when I speak of magic.

"Really? Can you give me a spell that will make me stay who I am?"

"Just say this spell, 'Ej siu non lario' and think of me strongly. If ever you'll disappear, I'll call you and give you a wake up call."

"Promise? You'll do just that if I say your spell?"

I smile, something I've been doing genuinely a lot lately, "I promise."

***RIN KAGAMINE***

These past few weeks, I've been having pleasant dreams.

Well, it's just my usual scenery but, that voice, Len, is there.

He's been my conversation pal and I tell him all my woes about keeping this singing contest from Dad, and how I feel very much frightened if my soul should disappear because of singing.

But everytime I talk to him, my fear eases and I feel somewhat relaxed and that nostalgic feeling is still there.

I am glad he appeared.

But Dad says otherwise.

When I told him about Len the first time, he became pale and asked me if Len told me about his last name. I did ask Len but he magnificently avoided the topic by throwing random things about magic at me. (Which is my weakness. I like anything magical, well not more than oranges though.)

Then, Dad told me to write diligently in my Dream Journal so he can look at it later. It seems that Len's name was a shock to him that he doesn't want to hear it anymore, thus he made me write a journal.

I don't put the full details in my journal though. Duh! I talk about singing to Len and Dad is against me singing, I can't just write something that will tell me off to my Dad. So I wrote about the things Len told me, about his world, Rilla, him being a 'handsome' knight (he really insisted on the adjective so I highlighted it on the journal), enchantresses and how their world is balanced by Cosmos and its guardians, Ami, Sola, Era and Cele.

Upon reading my journal, Dad's expression would turn pale and he would then call someone, I believe it's Miriam.

It is starting to eat my curiosity really. Why would Dad show that kind of expression with my dream? Is it because it is new and is giving magical information in my head? Or is it because it is Len?

I asked Dad about it and he told something that I don't know the real meaning within yet, "I'm sorry Rin. I think I can't keep my promise to the both of you."

Ej siu non lario.

Ej siu non lario.

Ej siu non lario.

I repeat the spell for the nth time.

Gosh, my heart has become a parade of elephants. It's thump is so loud I believe other people can hear it.

The children notice my stiffness and my nervousness so they round up on me and hold my hand, not to appease me but to join me in my silent nervousness.

We cuddle up together and shiver like lost puppies in a cold storm.

Ej siu non lario. Ej siu non lario. Ej siu non lario!

You stupid Len. I thought when I say this spell, you'll call me. You narcissistic liar!

Miki goes up to us and shakes us one by one.

"KEEP YOURSELF TOGETHER!" then she slaps our hands so hard mine went red, "Nervousness will lessen the quality of your voices. Aren't you the one who told us, Rin?" I nod as I've remembered that I did, "So, what are you doing starting this igloo camp of nervousness?"

Some children who didn't join the igloo start to laugh which is contagious and is passed to the other children then to Miki and me.

Yes. What am I nervous for? It will be fine. It will be fine. Nothing bad will happen.

Our number is called and we line up at the stage for our formation.

The contest is just small-scale but the event management deliberately used a theater house for this. The seats are not full but it is enough to make me feel dizzy and out of breath.

Thank goodness my hand is still stinging of pain from Miki's slap, if weren't for this, I might've fainted before I've taken a step towards the behind curtains.

Miki looks at us and she gives a "Just breathe" wink and a "You can do it" thumbs up before she places her fingers on the organ keys.

Ej siu non lario.

I chant once again.

"Ej siu non lario. Ej siu non lario. I am not afraid. I am not afraid. I can do this."

The keys are pressed and Miki's melody is produced. Gently, softly. The song is formed. We take our timed breaths and sing the lyrics.

So far so good. All that's left is my solo.

The chorus comes and it's my turn.

It's dark, I can't see!

I can't hear a thing!

I'm scared! I'm suffering! I'm lonely!

In [this world where] each and every thing

is disappearing,

only your smiling face

right now doesn't disappear.

Be singing a gentle song.

Even though you're wrapped in a world of loneliness

I'm forever by your side.

Don't forget that.

You will never ...

be alone.

I'm not lonely. You're here.

The warm hands that embrace me

tell me so,

even though I can't hear.

Your fingertips that touch me

say "I love you."

After my solo, I am proud that I made it without the images but then, it came, right as Miki plays some instrumentals towards the fade.

An image of me crying appeared, someone is on my arms, bloody and dying.

I was heartbroken, sad, and angry at the world.

My eyes are dark, dead. I am broken.

And a dark feeling bubbles from my chest.

I shake it off and hold my chest. My ears start to ring and I feel hot.

No. No. No. Not in front of this crowd. Not beside this children.

NO! NO!

Eij siu non lario. Eij siu non lario.

The feeling is starting to erase my senses, I am feeling numb and my sight is blurring.

The crowd claps and whistles but I can't hear them, the loud ringing and intense pain is all I can think of.

The children hold me and Miki goes to me. She asks me something, worry on their face.

Eij siu non lario. I chant one last time before my consciousness faded.