Chapter III

'Til the Sun Reaches the Stars

My arms and legs flailed restlessly in front of me. Left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot. Rhythmically and catastrophically. My heart beat quickly behind its own cage. Lungs, once peaceful and quiet, were now rampaging against the cage as well. Left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot. As quickly as I could possibly get there. As quickly as I could possibly get away.

The Wind began to blow harder, colder. I could hear the sky cry out in anger and malice. The Wind continued to blow, and it blew my hair around causing me to go temporarily blind, and even tried to push me toward 'Those from the Outside'.

I'd never met anyone from the Outside, and I never worried of them coming here, either. They must want our land. Our land is beautiful and prosperous, and they probably want out trees, our rivers, and our horses. I'd always been told to be weary of them, but I only thought of it as a myth. The Outside never existed to me, and I was hoping it never would. Just a Hell I'll never have to go to; never have to worry about.

Left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot. I quickly ran against the wind, hoping to get to my village much sooner than I would ever. My breathing was off balance, and my lungs burned and felt as if they were going to explode. Muscles within my body ached in pain and misery, blazing of fire. I didn't stop. I wouldn't stop. I won't stop. Left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot. Faster, faster, faster, faster!

A voice in my mind begged me to just take a glance back, but another part of me encouraged me to keep running. Just keep running. What will happen to me if they catch up to me? Will I be able to fight back? Will I be able to defend? Sonarans are sometimes known to practice to act of Blossom, which is a state of mind you fall into and use your inner Sun to fight, or defend. …but I've never been taught…

'Almost there!' I smiled with relief within myself. What should I tell the others when I get back to my village? What am I supposed to say?

Finally, reaching my destination, I continue to run quickly down the cobblestone roads, screaming for help. Screaming for someone! "Help! Outsiders! Help!"

A few were outside and panicked with distress. "We must tell the elders!" I nodded my head and, with a bolt of panic, ran for the elders. They would know what to do.

When I arrived at their home, they were chanting some sort of song. Although it wasn't a beautiful song, for it didn't make me happy, but only sad. "…Elders..?"

They stopped… and slowly turned their heads towards me. "…you've betrayed us…" Delilah spoke with hatred laced in every syllable. "…you were gifted with the Sight by the Blossom, and you betrayed us…"

"…betrayed you..? …no…"

"Sakura, you are the cause of this."

I stumbled back, taking in the shock. "I am not the cause."

"You are gifted, and you took the path of selfishness."

"Selfishness? I didn't know what to do-"

"You were raised to tell us of you dreams, Sakura."

I lowered my head in shame. "I know how I was raised-"

"Then why did you lie?"

My neck snapped up, along with my skull, and my hair fell against my shoulders. Flowing down, along with my... What's the word..? "Lie..? I didn't mean to… I was afraid…"

"Sakura, you were taught to-"

"I was afraid! I didn't know what to do!" I let everything flow out of me, as if I was always being held in a beautiful prison. That's how I felt right now. Emotions I'd never felt before. I couldn't name these emotions. They were so new… so… dark…

A long silence fell upon us. The Elders said nothing. I said nothing.

"Leave." She stated. "Leave."

I turned and ran. I ran away from the Elders, and away from their home. I ran to my home, hoping Mother was still there. I could always find comfort in her, even if it might be the last time I see her…

"The Outsiders are on the Berry Trails! Get to the underground shelters!" A man cried out to the women and children as he rode his block spotted mare out from the forest. "All Warian Sonarans, mount your horses!"

We'd never been into battle, but we always prepared for it… we always prepared for the day that we'd get attacked by the Outsiders, and resented the idea of losing our precious land. I'd always wondered what they'd be like. Were they taller? Were they darker? Were they lighter? Were they shorter? Did they bear fur on their chins? Did they ride unknown beasts? Where did they live? What were their homes made of?

Ours were made of the Earth. Earth lent us her stones and mud to build homes that weren't luxurious or big, but they kept us warm, and I loved them for that. Did they love Earth as well? Were they really as dangerous as everyone said they were?

I was hoping I'd never find out… I was hoping I'd die before I found out…

I ran quickly. Quickly passed the running women and children, and passed the wild animals that were just as frightened as we were. "Mother! Mother!" I cried, running into my warm home that felt of darkness and unhappiness.

Sat there by a warm lit flower that glowed with hope. It was warm. Deliciously warm. For a moment, I forgot all about the Outsiders that were now in our village, and focused on that fire. How could something so small get to you so delicately? It licked at the wood from our forest, and I had to hold back a giggle. Everything around me seemed at ease.

I closed my eyes and held myself as my dark emotions seemed to suddenly slip away. "Did I ever tell you the story of when you were born..?" Mother inquired with a smile as warm as the fire. We'd long since forgotten the other world beyond this house.

"..no…" I smiled, and sat on Mother's lap as she rocked back in forth in the old creaking chair that smelt of pine and cinnamon. She held her arms around me while placing her head on my shoulder. I snuggled into her hair, taking in every scent, feeling as it could last forever.

Mother was my shield. My protector. My guardian. I loved her so much that just being in her presence made me feel as if everything dark was just a dream.

"It was a cool dark night, and the Moon shone a beautiful red… Your Father and I had just got into an argument about him not being there for me, when he really was." She laughed. It was light and feathery and so contagious, I just had to laugh with her. "So I stomped out of the house, not caring that I was pregnant, and walked down the road, and into the forest. I just kept walking, ignoring where, exactly, I was going." She paused, recollecting her story, and continued. "I ended up at the Prophet's house."

"..Prophet..? We don't have a Prophet…"

"That's true, but we once did." She smiled, and I could see her cheeks move from it behind her hair. I smiled too. "Exhausted, I stomped inside and went on a rant about things that just weren't going the way I'd hoped. When I had finished, I turned to look at him and ask for some sort of help, but there was no on in there!"

I giggled. "So you were talking to yourself?"

"Yes! Yes I was!" She laughed along with me. "Even angrier, I made my way outside and towards the Prayer Fields."

"Prayer Fields? Do we no longer have those..?"

"No… we still have those… we just don't use them anymore."

"Why?"

"Well get there… So I arrived at the Prayer Fields, and all of our Elders were in a circle, praying. I made my way towards them but suddenly stopped. They looked towards me as I began screaming, "It's time! It's time!" They had the funniest expressions on their faces as they tried to tell me, seriously, that my daughter, Sakura, would be born with a special gift. Of course, I could hear them because I was too busy screaming and yelling, but oh well… Later, after you were born, they mentioned that when the Red Moon came again, so would an unfortunate visitor."

"What else did they tell you?

"… I don't remember…" She smiled mischievously. I knew she knew, and she knew that I knew! I really wanted to know, but I decided to ignore that.

"I was hoping you fought off a wild grizzly bear and gave birth around a pack of wolves or something."

"Oh!" She slapped my leg playfully. "Dream on, Sakura!"

My body tensed as I heard that word… dream… It was my fault that they were here. It was all my fault. They were hoping that the one born with the Sight would tell them before it was too late. So that they could get ready and prepare. We were ambushed… and now we're defenseless…

"What's going to happen to us, Mother?" Her smile faded and she stopped rocking. "I don't know Sakura, but I'm staying right here."

"What? You can't!"

"I can, and I will." She stated fiercely. I sat up and gazed into her beautiful green eyes. Her eyes were light and shone of something soft, like the edge of a feather, but were also hard, and pierced through you like the edge of a sword.

"Sakura, you must leave."

"…what do you mean..?" I felt my heart sink down into the pit of my stomach, and my hands shook with fear.

"You must leave Sonze, forever"

"…leave..? …Sonze..?" My eyes were wide as I stared at the wooden floor. "I can't…"

"You must."

"I can't!" I screamed as I felt the rush of reality dawn down upon me. I hadn't been given such a big task before, and it was something I'd never wanted.

"If you stay here, you'll die."

'…die..?' "If I'm leaving, you're going with me." I stated with a hard look, but hers was full of persistence that I'd never be able to match up.

"I'm staying right here." She repeated again. "Leave now Sakura. Leave before they destroy Sonze."

This really was it, this was the end. After this, there'd be no more blue Sky, no more Sun. The air wouldn't smell like cinnamon, pine, or syrup. What would the animals be like? Would they still be kind? Will I ever ride a horse again?

I slowly got up off of Mother's lap, and the world around me caved in. I felt… so many feelings I didn't know the name of. I didn't like it, but it was the only thing I had left to go by. To go by these negative feelings.

"Don't trust anyone, Sakura." I nodded my head as I embraced my Mother one last time, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "You'll always be in my heart."

I turned and walked away slowly until I reached the door, then I slightly turned my head with my hand on the handle, and said, "…until the Sun reaches the Stars…"

"…until the Heaven's vanquish the Hell…"

We both smiled, knowing what this meant. I pulled back the old wooden door, and walked out onto the battlefield.