| Irai tried to cover her eyes as she slowly regained consciousness. Despite her best efforts, she could not get the light out of her eyes, even if she shut them or covered them completely. Eventually her eyes adjusted to the light as she stopped trying to shield her eyes and look around her. She noticed that she no longer had the clothes she was wearing or anything else with her as she continued looking. Before she could take a good look around her, Irai felt her control of her body pulled away from her. She could still sense what was happening, but she could not control her movements as she slowly stood, her arms hanging limp on her side. She started walking forward as she fought for control of her body, but the force that controlled her body was stronger than all her attempts as she mumbled to herself. Irai continued walking forward for what seemed like an eternity to her. Ever step echoed in her mind as her walk continued into the neverending light. Every moment felt like a small torture to her as only emptiness surrounded her. Eventually her legs gave out on her as she fell onto her face, her body still not yielding control to her. As if chains were released from her body, Irai regained control of her body and rolled onto her back. She stared as the light, for it was all she could stare at while she recovered. Her sweat covered chest heaved up and down as she took in every breath she could. Her legs felt too sore to move as she continued breathing heavily. Stopping so soon? As the voice talked to her in her mind, Irai stood up once again, losing the control she had on her body. Her body continued on its walk as every step protested against her. Soon her legs were in pain as her body gave out once again. Instead of stopping, her body started crawling, dragging her legs behind her. With every time she pulled herself forward, a great pain filled her as she felt her insides cramped up. Finally her whole body gave out on her. She could not move any longer, forced or not as every muscle in her body was in pain. She wanted to black out right then and there, but the light forced her to stay awake. But without warning the voices filled her head again. No wonder Ren protected a bitch like you. You're too weak. Her eyes widened in horror as she recognized the voice. Like a mirage, Mark appeared in front of her as he stared down at her helpless form. But as quickly as he appeared, Mark disappeared from her vision as her heart filled with terror. Irai turned her head as she looked at herself in horror. She saw herself with Ren, but at the same time she noticed Mark. Irai saw Ren's death play out as she saw his body fall to the ground. But her other form did not fall to her knees weeping on Ren's body. Instead she turned to Irai herself and scowled. You're just too weak. You're only a baby. You need to be protected always. The scene faded away, save Ren's body, as tears filled Irai's eyes. She wanted to speak back and deny it, but her body and her heart wouldn't let her. Every word struck home in her mind as she remembered the helplessness she felt when Ren died right in front of her. Irai continued to cry as Ren's body, still bleeding, stood up and walked up to her prone form. Blood dripped on her as she looked at Ren's angered face and cringe in fear. I can't believe I died protecting such a weakling like yourself. You didn't even revenge my death. You're so pathetic it sickens me. Irai screamed as her emotional pain reached its limits. Tears fell from her eyes like a waterfall as she buried her face into one of her arms. Everything she heard was true to her heart. Ren protected her every time she was in trouble, and she was helpless to the very end. Why couldn't you revenge my death? What stopped you from killing that murderer? Irai screamed out. "Because I couldn't! I can't take a life for a life, even if he did kill you! I cared about you Ren, but I just couldn't add another death to yours!" To her surprise, Ren was no longer scowling down at her or bleeding. Instead he was smiling as he knelt down in front of her and put his hand on her shoulder. All her pain in her body went away as he helped her up and on her feet once again. He held her in his arms and gazed into her eyes. "Thank you Irai. You gave me a reason to live, and I am glad that I died protecting you." "Ren" was all she could murmur as she closed her eyes. Tears of joy rolled down her face as she felt him pull her closer. Irai opened her eyes enough just to see Ren's face before her head slowly moved forward. She wanted to kiss him. She wanted to feel her lips against his as they embraced. But Ren disappeared like a mirage as she nearly fell to the ground. She had felt his breath on her face for one moment and then see him disappear in the next. Emptiness surrounded her again as the light in her eyes taunted her in everlasting brightness. A small breeze caused Irai to shiver as it circled around her. Slowly, the winds began to pick up. Eventually she started to panic, as she soon found herself in the center of the eye of a tornado. She could not see it, but she could feel it try to spin her around. The winds whipped her hair around as she blocked her eyes with her arms and closed her eyes. As if time itself came to a screeching halt, the winds died down quickly. Irai was hesistant in opening her eyes, but as she did, she found herself staring at her double who was standing in front of her. It felt like looking into a mirror for her, but she noticed that her double had a rune on her forehead. "So you managed to pass the test and the rite. How do you feel?" Irai shook her head as she sat down. Her double took a seat right next to her as they gazed into each other's eyes. "Was it all real?" "Ask yourself. Did it feel real, or was it just an illusion? Something constructed by your people's imagination or some other world?" Irai turned her head away and looked into the emptiness. "Is Ren... dead?" "Didn't you see him die?" Irai shook her head. "I passed out on him..... but before I did I felt his pulse for just a moment." Her double raised an eyebrow at her. "You don't remember anything else?" Irai shook her head once again. She watched slowly as her double put her hand on her other shoulder and scrape it, drawing blood. Her doubled then placed Irai's hand on her bleeding shoulder and waited. Instantly Irai felt a burning sensation on her forehead that caused her to hold her head with her free hand. She could feel a pattern of heat on her hand, and as she looked at her double, she realized that she had the same rune on her head. Eventually the pain went away, and as she pulled her hand away from the double, she looked at the double's shoulder and saw that it was healed. "You've been given a gift of healing. And I'm suppose to give you a wish. So now how do you feel?" Irai covered her mouth as she began to weep. He's alive! she thought to herself as she continued to cry. She wanted to jump up and just scream at the top of her lungs as happiness overtook her mind. She wanted to wish that Ren was with her. She could be with him for all the days of life she had, and that was the only thing she wanted. "So you want to wish him onto the world of Aellia, huh?" Irai nodded, smiling. "Please." Her double disappeared as she started to feel weak. Her energy drained from her body as darkness began overtaking the light in her eyes.She fell backwards once she couldn't keep herself upright as the voice of her double could be heard before she fell unconscious. As you wish. ---------------------------------------------------- Irai woke up, mumbling and cursing as she found herself in the cave. She sat up slowly, looking around for Ren as her eyes adjusted. Yet she couldn't see or hear anyone around her. "Ren? Are you there?" There was no response. She was alone. |