Vibrant Eyes

Chapter 18 - Destiny

I cringed at the ear-piercing screams. My ears burned and my throat felt dry. 'What's going on? What the hell is happening?' I thought to myself. Suddenly, the screams turned into muffles. I didn't know if my hearing was disappearing, or if the screams were dying out. I didn't care. My ears still burned from the noises. I shut my eyes, hoping that this was all just a nightmare and that it would go away. The darkness I saw started to lighten up. I was confused and didn't know what was going on. I was scared. Scared that my problems and regrets had finally come back to haunt me. I suddenly felt a warm sensation on my face, as if someone was holding it. "Open your eyes..." I heard a soft female voice speaking to me. I was hesitant, but slowly opened my eyes. There, I saw a beautiful girl with golden hair and bright golden eyes. The rest of her was white and transparent, almost like a spirit.

"Who... are you?" I asked her. She smiled warmly at me and held out her hand. I instinctively grabbed it without being skeptical.

'Why do I feel so comfortable with her? Why don't I feel scared anymore?'

She nodded at me. "Everything will be told to you in due time..." She said to me. I sighed. "What is with this pattern of 'mind reading'?" She giggled.

"Shut your eyes my dear." I did what she said and slowly shut my eyes. As I did so, I felt the pressure on my chest lift. I opened my eyes slightly and as I did, I saw the world around me disappear and become an enchanted forest. The trees were lush with light green leaves, and the sun shined on my face. I opened my eyes fully as the being let go of my hands and opened her eyes.

"Please, tell me who you are," I asked. I needed answers. The being walked towards an opening in the forest, gesturing for me to follow. I nodded and followed her. "Let me tell you a story. There once was a little girl named Heaven. She was part of a race known as Therianthropes. She lived in a tribe to the west of the Phalen city ruins." I looked at her. "Ruins? But... Phalen city is just a myth, isn't it?" I asked. She shook her head.

"Phalen city was created 3 million years ago. Heaven's people maintained the land for centuries. But... one day, another race of people entered the picture. They were known as men. Her people gave them whatever they desired. Food, water, a place to sleep, and their riches. All they knew was how to give, but it wasn't enough. Men wanted more... they always wanted more..." The landscape before me shifted, and the city was shown to me.

The wooden buildings caught fire as men set the city ablaze. My eyes widened as I watched children, women, and men die in the flames.

"The villagers in the little girl's tribe... her father... they all went to Phalen to fight men. But were unsuccessful. Her mother and herself, as well as the rest of the women were the only Therianthropes left..." She changed the landscape to show the little girl's village, and her tribe. The men carelessly slaughtered the people, even the children. I watched as the little girl fled with her mother.

"Her and her mother managed to escape. But soon..." The being fell quiet and changed the landscape. The little girl's mother was laid beside a tree, holding the little girl who was in tears. "Her mother grew ill... and past away." I covered my hand with my mouth as I watched her mother die.

"My little Heaven... live for me..." Her mother said.

The whole world grew dark. It was soon pitch black. All I could see was the being in front of me. "My name... is Heaven," She said to me. "You... were the little girl...?" I asked softly. She nodded.

"I am the last remaining Therianthrope... but I have been banished into my spirit form, for a crime I committed." She held her head up to show a scar on her neck. "I tried to end my own life... tried to escape that nightmare." She looked back at me.

"But... this doesn't make any sense! Apparently, I'm a Therianthrope! And if you're the last one to exist, then what the hell am I?!" I yelled. I was so confused and needed answers. I needed to make sense of things. Tears started to stream from my face from the amount of frustration forming inside me.

"What the hell... am I...?" Heaven placed a hand on my shoulder, causing that negative feeling to disappear. "You are Alana Aiko. A girl who is yet to change the world for the better." I looked at her, shocked.

"What...?"

She smiled warmly at me.

"I've been waiting for so long... for someone like you to exist. And finally, after all these years of waiting, you finally appeared." I pulled my shoulder out of her grasp. "What do you mean 'someone like you'? I'm just a normal human girl!" I yelled at Heaven. "Alana... please don't fight your destiny," She said to me.

"No, I won't have my destiny decided for me! I decide my path, I decide who I want to be." I took one more look at her before walking away.

"You can't fight your destiny Alana! It has been set in stone!" She called after me. "WATCH ME!" I yelled back at her. All of a sudden, the world around me changed to the same red room I started in. The screams and cries grew louder and made my ears bleed. I covered my ears and screamed. "SHUT UP!!!" I yelled. Dead bodies swarmed me from the floor. Hands grabbing my ankles.

"LET GO OF ME!" I yelled, trying to shake them off. A deformed face appeared from underneath me. I could just make out who it was. "...Sato?" I said. Tears streamed from my face. "IM SORRY! I COULDN'T SAVE YOU!" I yelled. Her face disappeared into the floor and more hands grabbed at my ankles and my body, forcing me down into the ground. "HELP! ANYONE!" I could feel my body being pulled deeper into the ground. "...Wake up..." I suddenly heard a faint voice. A light shined through the air and a hand reached out to me. I took one hand off my ear and immediately grabbed it. The hand pulled me out of the grasp of the many hands under me and pulled me towards the light.

As I entered the light, I could see my brother's room. Suddenly, my eyes shot open. I screamed and immediately held my mouth to silence myself. "Alana!" Kuragari quickly wrapped his arms around me and pulled me towards him. I cried in his arms. "...Kura?" My breathing was shallow and quick, almost like I couldn't breathe at all. My body shook and my grip tightened around my brother.

"Hey, hey... it's ok... it's over now." Kuragari reassured me that I was ok. I knew I was. Feeling the warmth of my brother around me made me feel safe. The breaths slowed down as I started to calm my heart. The tears in my eyes lessened and the fear subsided. We held each other, Kuragari patting the back of my head as he held me. "What happened...? Are you ok?" He asked me. I didn't know what to say as I didn't know either. "I... don't... know..." I managed to say, still trying to catch my breath. He rubbed circles around my back.

"You don't need to tell me right now... just wait until tomorrow, ok?" I nodded. He smiled warmly at me. "Good. Now get under the covers, you're gonna catch a cold," He said with a slight chuckle. I couldn't help but laugh. Kuragari always knew how to make me feel better in any situation. Despite me protesting, he wrapped me in a small blanket and placed me under the covers. He jumped under and gave me a pat on the head before turning on his side to sleep. "Good night Alana," He said to me. I snuggled in the blanket he had wrapped me in. "Night Kura..." I said softly. Salem perked up and whined. I giggled.

"Goodnight to you too, buddy."