Afadf;'kjl GAH. I'm so sorry. ;-; A lot of things have been happening here at home so updating has been a bit difficult. I'm trying, I promise! The story's going to be over and done in a few chapters, so I'll try to pump these out as quickly as possible to keep myself from leaving those of you who like this story hanging. On the plus side…
I'M FREE. Summer Vacation. C;
Drip…
Drip…
"Nn…"
"Welcome, child. I trust you are feeling better?"
"M…Mama?"
"Oh, Ari… I wanted so much more for you."
"Mama… what-"
"You sweet, sweet baby girl…"
"No… no, stop…- No! Get away from me! STOP! No-!"
"NO!" Ari lurched out of the bed, gasping for breath as she held her chest. Her eyes darted from one side to another, searching for the demons and monsters that had plagued her. Nothing in sight – she flopped back down, her deep brown eyes staring up into the ceiling. Duck clucked and cackled on the floor, Rio meowed and purred as she jumped up onto Ari's chest, nuzzling against her. The girl pet the kitten carefully, her lips parted as she watched the rain fall through the windows of her door. As usual, she fell into a trance, focusing on the past week.
They had left… somebody. She knew that. But who was he? She knew he was important, but how? How was he vital to her life? The two boys she was around didn't seem to think he was, as they'd left him and forced her to do the same. Was it only her who though he was important?
Mnem… Mnem, Mnem, Mnem. Where had she heard the name before? It seemed so familiar, so comforting, so…-
Warm arms, a sweet smile. He kissed the top of her head and held his arms around her, watching the sun go down. Her heart thudded violently and she fell back against him, willing to relax for the first time since the fire.
Her eyes snapped open. Mnem. It was coming back, now… he was important to her. A good friend. Lover, even.
"…there were these… creatures. Elongated limbs, tall, shrouded in darkness. They remained a secret, far beneath Earth's surface, residing in the deepest, darkest caves. They were always waiting for the perfect time to strike, the perfect moment to show their true power. Every miner that managed to get that deep, that far into the caves and mines, disappeared without a trace. The cause was never found, but the rumors began. Tales began of a long-armed creature, one of demonic origins. Widespread fear started on that web of connections, from machine to machine. By the time they were discovered as a real creature, the damage had long been done. You see, there were blocks that were used in the creation of these creatures' portal to their home. These blocks were spread all over the planet, and it was more difficult to recreate that portal. They searched for centuries-"
Creatures. Long arms. Shadows. Deep purple eyes. The creatures from the land she had been rescued from?
Blood. It was everywhere, splashed on the walls and on the floors. She'd never been so terrified for another's life – in hate and anger toward the object that had caused their discovery she threw the necklace into the small opening, tears burning her eyes as she turned heel, sprinting away-
Mnem! Protector. He was a protector. Saving lives, saving the world. He was not only important to her… he was vital to the entire planet. It seemed like a heavy load to carry but he did so perfectly on his shoulders, making no complaints.
And they'd left him in the hands of the enemy.
Cold fear sweeping over her, Ari jumped out of her bed, rifling through her chest to get her clothes. She slipped them on quickly.
She spotted armor sitting on the little chest on the other side of the room, made just for her by Mnem. He'd been slightly annoyed, then, that she refused to wear armor… but now, she knew she had no choice. She needed to move swiftly, but she needed to be at least a little more protected than she was by nature.
She slid the armor over her clothes, frowning at the heaviness. She put up her hair and took hold of the backpack hanging on the wall, slipped it onto her back, tied the strings around her waist for added security, and clipped her belt around her waist as well as the sword. As an afterthought she added the bow and arrows, having made more of the latter the night before. She began to tremble, slipping the necklace from Mnem around her neck. With shaking hands she strapped her dagger to her thigh and slid each arm band over her skin, looking up at the vibrant moon before slipping on the leather helmet, the tail of her hair the only in sight.
She pat Duck's head and pet Rio's belly as she passed, opening the door and closing it softly behind her, trembling. She had no choice – she had to rescue him. She couldn't let him die.
If he hadn't already.
With a steadying breath she moved forward, leaving the life she'd once known behind.