-- Title -- Scarlet Momento

-- Author -- You know me...heh..

===// A/n -- I haven't written in a long time and thought to write something sad. :-\ I guess I feel like doing something less happy and less...dunno. I don't know if you'll like it, I'm planning on doing a lot with this. I kind of went off the ledge with Suicide Treatment...I have writer's block for it and I'd like to ask for suggestions on how to finish it. Sorry, but it's come down to it because school is getting closer and I haven't been able to write. So e-mail me with suggestions, it'll be greatly appreciated. Now, go ahead and read my new story. Tell me if I should continue or not. It's up to the readers, I guess.

--))))

One

M ( you'll understand if you want this story to go on )

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The sky darkened and rain began to drizzle down on the new york buildings. Across the park stood a large apartment complex and on the fifth floor was a window. A girl, with auburn hair pulled up into two seperate tails which were then put into messy buns and a few strands settled on her shoulders to frame her angelic face, sat at the window. Her hands propped her chin and head as she gazed out the window with her baby blue eyes watching the rain drops run down the glass in little rivelettes. She wore a black tank top and red pajama pants with pink bunny slippers on her delicate feet. Her finger nails were painted azure blue and a ring was on her right ring finger. Her expression was of blank emotion as she stared out the window and the room she was in was an average teenage girl's room. The walls were bare and white, though with the exception of a large mirror that covered one wall. A vanity stood at the far right of her room and on the left was a walk in closet. Her room was almost bare if those weren't there and her bed was next to the window. She sighed and lowered her eyes, her eyelashes making shadows on her cheeks. "Raindrops....free to roam the air and ground," she whispered as she lifted her gaze again.

A bird flew through the storm and it was white in hue. The girl watched it for a little while before turned away from the window and sitting crosslegged on her bed, facing the door as it opened. An older woman's head poked in and she smiled warmly. "Are you heading for bed Mia?" The woman asked.

"Yes, mom, good night," Mia replied with a nod.

Her mother nodded back. "I love you, sweet dreams. I have to go to work, I'll be back tomorrow morning around seven, but I doubt you'll be awake. Why don't you go out tomorrow? Supposed to be nice."

"I just...don't feel like it."

"Oh...alright, well. Good night and see you tomorrow."

Her mother closed the door and Mia turned back to the window. Her thoughts trailed elsewhere and she leaned over to reach her lamp, pulling the chain to shut it off. She let her bunny slippers slip from her feet before she crawled under her covers and formed into a fetal position. Her face was buried in her pillow and she stared at the door as the light underneath faded until it became black. Mia opened her eyes and looked at the clock. The clock read two and she buried her face more in her pillow. She had fallen asleep only two hours before. She sat up in her bed and rubbed the sleep from her eyes and gazed out the window. The rain hadn't stopped and she sighed. "Summer vacation and we have rain...oh well, it means I don't need to leave my room," she said to herself as she placed her right hand to her forehead and leaned forward.

Dal rui nikara......

Mia raised her head up and looked around. "Someone there?"

She frowned. "Mia...don't be stupid, no one's home and maybe it's just sleep...."

Come to a place....a place of dreams...a scarlet beginning to an end....

Mia gazed out the window and spotted the same white bird that had been flying earlier. Only it was struggling to fly and red was all over its feathers. Mia opened her window and reached out. The bird was so close she could almost touch it and Mia reached further. The rain made her wet as she was almost halfway out the window and reaching still for the injured bird.

Come.....begin anew....become what you are meant to be....dal ruin...nikara...ruin...keepsake...

A gust of wind swept through and Mia's eyes widened as her whole body slipped out. Her hand caught the bird as she tumbled out of her window and plummeted towards the concrete below. She didn't scream, but pulled the injured bird close to her chest and closed her eyes. "You're safe....don't worry...," Mia whispered to the bird who stayed still in her arms.

Become....become...what you are meant to be...

Mia opened her eyes and looked up to see feathers. She reached up and tears left her eyes as the bird became lifeless in her arms. She hit the concrete and pain erupted from her body. Mia didn't scream and laid there, a pool of blood forming around her. The sound of footsteps came to her dying hearing and she couldn't feel her body as she laid there. The footsteps stopped and she heard a scream. Darkness consumed her and the last thing she could see was her mother's face.

Become....the one to save....to save...to save the ruined....

"MIA!!!!!"

"Mia...."

"Mi-"

A young woman with raven colored hair placed a stone upon a table, a stone of emerald and it made a soft click. "Dal ruin nikara....," she whispered.

Her golden eyes flashed and she whirled around to face a man standing in her doorway. The man stepped inside and shed his cloak to reveal waist length silver hair. He wore a black tunic and black pants, two swords were strapped to his right hip. "She's dead?" He asked, his voice deep and mature.

"Of course she is...," the young woman responded, stepping to the side.

The man walked with a confident stride to the emerald stone on the table and stopped a foot away from it. He knelt down on one knee and placed his hands in front of his face. "Crest...."

The emerald stone shattered and the young woman gasped. "What do you think you are doing!?"

The man turned to her and she became silent, almost collected in her thoughts. "Just watch and learn, Karil," he responded.

He quickly seperated his hands and a light spread on the table in the form of a figure. The man closed his eyes and his eyebrows came together and his long hair began to wave. "Bring her...crest...consume her...devour the light.."

The light turned pitch black and vanished completely, leaving a naked girl on the table. The man opened his eyes and let out a breath, a fine mist slithered from between his lips. He stood up and waved his hand over the girl, a blanket covered her.

"Do you know what you've just done, Kain?" Karil inquired, her voice tensed.

"I've resurrected the dead...the chosen one. Mia..."

"No...you've destroyed everything we've worked for."

Karil whirled around and marched out of the room, leaving Kain alone with Mia.

Kain sneered and turned back to Mia's motionless body. He watched her with slate grey eyes and placed his hand on the hilt of one of his swords. "The one to liberate this world...but also destroy it...how odd," he muttered.

"How is she?" A voice asked from the door.

"She'll live....," Kain turned to an old man that stood at the door," why do you ask, Vallant?"

Vallant stepped inside and walked over to Kain. His eyes never leaving Mia and he leaned on his cane. "The goddess foresaw this, you must take her immediatly to see Tian and don't stop along the way. I know it'll be a long journey, over a year to accomplish, but you must take her. Kain, you are the strongest warrior in this small village and I trust you enough to hand you her life."

"What if I don't want to take this task? Why don't you ask someone else...?"

Vallant turned to Kain and his gaze was hard. "Kain, you know this is your destiny. To take this girl to Mount Reyoji and to see the Goddess Tian for guidance."

Kain nodded and walked close to the table. His eyes washed over and stopped at her face. She was angelic and her hair was shoulder length, auburn in coloring. He lifted her up into his arms and turned to Vallant. "I'll take her to Nina to be dressed for the journey and I'll pack some food. I hope you have the horse ready, if not, I'll walk."

"You'll have to walk, Kain, the horses all have passed on because of the drought and our food is scarce. So pack what you can and go, you only have a year. If you arrive late, the girl will pass on to her world and become dead. Now go, your destiny awaits you and the young woman. Her life depends on you."

Kain exited the shrine room and walked across a dirt road. The village around him were huts and nearly destroyed houses. He entered a decorated building and an older woman with graying black hair stood up. "Mia I presume?" She asked and Kain nodded," well, leave young man after setting her down."

Kain set Mia on a bed and left the room so Nina could equipped her with the needed clothes.

"Poor girl...," Nina mused and propped Mia up.

Mia's hands twitched and Nina waited. The girl's eyes opened with a start and she opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came at first but a squeek. Nina smiled kindly at Mia. "Now now child, you've just awoken, no need for speaking. You must get dressed," Nina said.

Mia looked at the older woman with widened eyes. "I'm supposed to be dead...I hit...I hit the pavement. I felt the pain, felt the blood around me. I'm dead!" Mia exclaimed, her body shaking.

Kain entered the building and looked over at Mia just as she had turned to him. Their eyes locked and tears welled up in Mia's. "Where am I? The bird...is the bird alright?!"

"You are in Kelandria, a small village on the outskirts of Barron. I don't know what bird you're talking about though," Kain replied.

Mia pulled the blanket around herself tighter and looked at Nina. "Who are you people?"

"I am Nina and the man over there is Kain, he's your Guardian for now until you meet up with the Goddess Tian. You are the one to liberate our country, my child, one to free us from hardship!"

Mia's face reddened and more tears fell from her baby blue eyes. "I don't understand this!"

She jumped to her feet and pushed past Kain to run outside. She stopped in the middle of the road and looked around. "Where am I?!!!" She screamed.

Kain exited the building and stood near the door. "You might want to dress..."

Mia turned to him and her eyes widened. "I'm supposed to be dead, don't you believe me?! I fell out of my window to save a bird and hit the pavement below. I heard my mother scream my name and darkness came over me. I'm dead!"

"You're not dead anymore, m'lady..."

Kain stepped down and Mia stepped back. "I don't know you! Get away from me! SOMEONE HELP!"

She whirled around in a circle and suddenly collapsed to the dirt. Kain walked over and knelt beside her, feeling her pulse. "Fainting spell....I guess we can wait a day until she's ready," Kain muttered and gathered her up into his arms.

Mia's hands groped his shirt and tears treaded down her cheek. Kain frowned and stepped back inside Nina's shop. "Children...never understood them," Kain said as he laid her back down on the bed.

"She is the one to help us...isn't she?" Nina asked.

"Don't worry, we'll be free'd alright...."

Nina nodded and looked at Mia. She smiled warmly and knelt next to her, putting her hair into two seperate buns. A few strands were left on the sides of her face and Nina dressed her while Kain stood outside the shop. He leaned up against the door frame and watched the sun set.

"What the hell have I gotten myself into?" He asked himself as darkness settled in and the wolves howled.

His grey eyes flashed and he was gone, the shadows seeming to hide him. A wolf stood at the edge of the village, a wolf of silver fur and it howled deeply. Longingly before taking off towards the distance and leaving no trace behind as it ran.

{{{{ To be continued.....if you'd like.