Chapter 4 The Last Midnight Priestess

Aowin sat at the bar and looked at the different drinks and smoothies. “May I help you?” A tall girl with long fiery red hair and bright hazel brown eyes had a notebook and pen out. Aowin grinned.

“Hey Kelsey.” Kelsey was Sarah’s older sister.

“Hi Aowin, how are you doing?” She asked.

“I’m fine, how about you?” Aowin answered.

“I’m doing well too. So what will you have today?” Aowin glanced at the menu one more time.

“I think I’ll have a strawberry and banana smoothie please.” Kelsey wrote her order down on a piece of paper then ripped it out and gave it to some people behind the counter. After a few seconds Kelsey came hurrying back with the order.

“Here you go. Have a nice day.”

“Thanks, you too.” Aowin paid, picked up her smoothie, and walked to a table at the far end.

Aowin sipped her smoothie nervously, until she could take the suspense no longer. She scraped through her pocket until she found the box. She struggled angrily with the tie then tore off the lid. Dangling it in front of her face, it seemed to mesmerize her with its mystery and beauty. I still wonder why she gave me this…What importance does it have? Aowin shoved the necklace back into her pocket and looked up to see someone who wasn’t there before. Sitting in front of her was a young girl who looked about her age.

“Who are-” Aowin was cut off as the person covered her mouth with her hand and dragged her out of the building. The minute they got outside Aowin pried the girl’s hand from her mouth. “Who are you and what do you think you’re doing?!” Aowin demanded.

“Shhhh!” The girl checked to see if anyone was around then she grabbed Aowin’s hand and pulled her into the woods that was nearby. Aowin pried out of her grip again.

“Who are you!?” She questioned for the second time.

“Shhhh! I’ll explain everything if you just shut up!” She said, still checking if anyone was around. Aowin tried to speak again but the girl gave her a warning look.

“I know this may sound a little crazy, but everything I’m about to tell you is true.” Aowin gave her a weird look, but kept quiet.

“My name is Aiva. Many, many years ago, in Areku where I and my fellow priestesses live-”

“Areku?” Aowin asked confusedly.

“Just let me continue.” Aiva said irritated.

“Oh, sorry.” Aowin grumbled.

“As I was saying, I was only ten then, and one day when I was practicing archery in the woods, I heard a boy screaming, so I ran to see where it was coming from. When I found the boy he was being cornered by a pack of seramia-”

“Sera whaty what?” Aowin cut her off.

“Seramia, they’re like vicious wolfs except they’re more dangerous. They have poison claws and poison teeth, and they have three eyes. Now would you please stop interrupting?” Aiva asked angrily.

“What kind of wolves are those?” Aowin muttered. Aiva ignored her.

“He was being cornered by a pack of Seramia, so I shot the pack with an enchanted arrow.” Aowin was currently wondering what kind of twisted fairytale this girl lived in. “The boy had fainted already, so I took him back to the village. He began to like the village, and we began to like him, so he stayed there with us. He was amazed by our powers, and he wanted to become a priest. It is very difficult to become a priestess or priest if you are not born one, and it’s difficult if you are very young, but he practiced and practiced and finally achieved his goal.” Aiva ended.

“That’s a very nice story, but what does this have to do with me?” Aowin asked.

“There’s more. He was fine for quite a long time, but as he got older he became more power hungry until he eventually turned against us. He was twisted with power. He wanted more. He started gathering followers, even some of our own people, and turned them against us. He taught them dark magic, and evil spells. He trained them day and night until they were almost as powerful as he was. Soon after that he announced war against us.” Aiva sighed.

“What was the point of the war? What would you get if you won?” Aowin asked.

“All he wanted to do was get rid of us, destroy us all. If we won, the only thing we would save was our lives, and our honor.” Aiva said bitterly.

“So who won the battle?” Aowin asked interested.

“No one won, because the war isn’t over yet.”

“What do you mean the war isn’t over yet? You told me this happened like five hundred years ago!” Aowin was confused. She didn’t know if Aiva could be trusted.

“I said many years ago, not five hundred. Let me just continue.” Aiva said, rolling her eyes. “We gathered our best soldiers, we strengthened our weapons, but we were no match when we went into battle. He and his army were just too strong for us. My whole army went down in one simple spell. The earth crumbled beneath us and we fell into darkness. As the rest of them fell I struggled to find my sister, Helena. She was only nine years old. I couldn’t reach her in time though; he got to her before I could.”

Aowin could see tears forming in Aiva’s eyes. This was all seeming familiar…. Aiva swept the tears from her eyes and was ready to start again. “He grabbed my sister Helena and got rid of me too. Or so he thought. All of the warriors that had survived the fall were unharmed. The idiot forgot that if he performed the spell that trapped us down there on the sacred battlefield, that it would not kill us, but trap us there and freeze time for us until we found the Kiko, the one that would be able to defeat him. That’s where you come in; you’re the Kiko.”

She stared blankly at Aiva. Aowin could not believe this. Everything was so confusing that just thinking about it hurt her brain. “I can’t be the Kiko; I’m only a fourteen year old girl who goes to school, not some warrior who can defeat an evil power-hungry priest!” Aowin frantically waved her arms around.

“It may seem berserk but I’m telling you that everything is true! Don’t you get it?! You should be proud to have such a great gift! You shouldn’t be complaining!” Aiva sighed. “You’re not that bright, are you?” Aowin was fuming at her words but she held back.

“Ok, I don’t believe all of what you’re saying, but I have something more important to tell you. Your little sister was Helena, right?” Aowin asked. “And did you also say that she got captured?” Aiva was puzzled at her words, but she answered.

“Yes. Why?” Aowin shook her head.

“How could Helena have gotten captured if I met Helena only four hours ago?”

“What do you mean?” Aiva asked, still puzzled.

“I met her and she showed me a playback of what you said with this mirror she had. It looked exactly as you described. She also gave me this.” Aowin fiddled with the box and handed the necklace to Aiva. Aiva stared at it speechless.

“So you are truly the last midnight priestess.” Aiva whispered.

“What are you talking about? I thought you said there were still many priestesses left.” Aowin asked Aiva.

“I know, but there are all different types of priestesses. Like I am a leader priestess because I can use my powers better than anyone in the whole village and because many people follow me and trust me to lead them well. You are the last midnight priestess left, the rest are extinct. They are very rare, and very powerful.” Aiva said.

“How do you know I’m a midnight priestess?” Aowin asked.

“Look.” Aiva leaned over and parted Aowin’s bangs, exposing a midnight blue crescent moon in the center of it. Aowin gasped. When did I get that, she wondered. Aiva seemed to read her mind.

“You’ve always had it. It doesn’t become visible until you have awakened your powers.” Aiva explained. “This necklace has been passed down from Kiko to Kiko for many years. My sister is the holder of this necklace. If she gave it to you, it proves you are the Kiko.” Aiva said matter-of-factly.

“I get that, but how could your sister be here when she’s with that one cruel guy, what’s-his-face?” Aiva sighed.

“His name is Sira, and he didn’t used to be that cruel. He was kind and caring, until he changed completely in mind and appearance. My sister has the power to create illusions, and control what they do. She also had the power to put up barriers and contact people through her mirror. Sira took her because of those reasons.”

“How did you get here though?” Aowin asked.

“I can teleport to different realms and different times, with a little help of course.” Aiva replied. Aowin looked around. Did she really want to leave? Man, I’m a sucker for sad stories, Aowin thought with a sigh. Anyways, I’ve always wanted to be part of a fantasy world like this…

“I’ll help you find your sister. I’ll help you win the war.”

“Thank you. I am in your debt.” Aiva smiled.

Aowin smiled back. “You aren’t in my debt. But one more thing….Will I be able to come back to this realm? And see my family again?”

“Of course. Now should we be going?” Aiva sounded a little impatient now. She could have sworn she heard Aiva mutter under her breath, “Hopefully, if you don’t die.” Aowin chose to ignore that comment. She didn’t need to be any more terrified than she already was.

“Yeah, but won’t my parents be worried where I am?”

“Just tell them the truth.”

Aowin snorted. “Yeah, they’re really going to believe I’m going to another realm to help a bunch of priestesses win a war.” She said sarcastically.

“Well they’re your parents aren’t they? They should believe you, no matter how crazy the idea is.” Aiva said stubbornly.

Aowin sighed heavily. “Yeah, I guess they might. But what if they don’t?”

“Then make up something; it’s not that hard to figure out.” Aiva says, giving Aowin a ‘wow she really is as dumb as she looks’ stare. Aowin was about to retort but clenched her fists and sighed.

“Fine, but what should I pack?”

Aiva shrugged lazily. “I don’t know; the basics I guess. Clothes, hygiene products, etc.” Aowin nodded and walked off towards the direction they came from to get her bike. She stopped shortly before hopping on it.

“Say…what powers does the Kiko have? What makes them so special?” Aowin asked quietly.

Aiva thought for a moment. “…I can’t tell you yet. I’ll tell you someday, when you’re ready to fully grasp the responsibility…” She replied carefully. Aowin gave her an odd look, but then dismissed the thought and headed for home. Jeez, what did I just get myself into?