Shadows

Let the Games Begin

 “A fate? Like the crazy witches who put these marks on me?” I asked him

“Yes but, I am far more sane than them, I have to be”

“What do you mean?”

“Like I told you, i'm the key. My tiny little sperms created you”

“Ew.. too much information there, and I know that, but what I don't understand is how on earth are we having this conversation when you have been dead eighteen years!” my chest heaved and my heart pounded with adrenaline, I needed answers and I needed them now, not more riddles and evasive wording that left my head in a spin.

“Fine. From the moment I was born, I was told I was to be the bringer of both good and evil, I was shunned as well as adored by many, although, I never really understood why. The reason was that each century a fate is born with the power needed to awaken the doppelgänger, which would choose to either be the bringer of death or the bringer of life. It's why there are two of you. Tatiana was meant to have no name at all and become the bringer of death and destruction and you Victoria were meant to bring new life and love into this world, the one who could stop this war in the most humane way. Each time a fate has decided to take on this role and well.. spread his seeds a bit well, they have been slaughtered and killed before the chance could arise. I got lucky. As a result well.. you know the rest, one was meant to stay in the head and the other was meant to live a life of preparation and ritual, of course.. nothing worked out like it was supposed to”

“You're telling me!” I snapped “I have had a shit life, I have been beaten, battered and bruised all because of a fucking accident that happened when I was younger! I almost drained a girl dry and as a result, I had my fangs blunted and my memory wiped of the events!” Tatiana came closer and locked me in a warm embrace, hoping she could calm me down.

“I know my darling, I know.. but look what it has done, you have a sister and not an opponent. The moment you gave her a name was the moment that you changed everything”

“What?” I broke from Tats and stood like stone, facing my father

“You gave this a whole new spin. You two were meant to fight to the death In here” he stated, gesturing around the room with his hands “but instead you chose to go at it together and gave each other the chance to leave together. That's what your aunts were trying to get through to you, you don't have to die.. no one has to die this time”

“But that's not true! Someone I love was going to die during this war, they said that to me!”

“And they will”

“Who!?” I screamed

“Me. I will die again, but that's the good thing about being a fate, I can come back whenever you need me” he winked at me before he stepped back a few steps “Someone must die for someone to live right?” he gave me a cocky half-smile and it made my insides churn. Only then did it sink in that I was going to loose my father for the second time, and I barely knew him.

“Yeah but..” I began to protest, and tears cascaded from my eyes ,

“Vicky, please don't cry” Tats grabbed my hand and made me face her, her face remained expressionless but her eyes reflected the pain I felt inside. Neither of us had known him.. not really, and we were going to loose him again “Like he said, there's a plus side to being a fate, they can come back whenever we need them”

Once more I broke from Tatiana and walked over to Daniel, he opened his arms and I fell into them, and at that moment, I broke down. I had never known this man, so why was it I was feeling so emotional about him dying? He was a stranger to me, yet I couldn't stop the tears from flowing.

“There there” he cooed “Let it out, everything will be ok ya know”'

“How? I just got you and now I'm going to loose you again” I sniffled to him. What hit me more than anything was the fact that Tats didn't seem all that bothered, she didn't really seem to care. I pulled away from Daniel and looked over to her, there seemed to be a longing sadness in her that I just couldn't seem to understand nor grasp, he was her father too.. not just mine.

“We never knew him Vicki” she stated “I can't loose something I never had, I'm not like you. I can't force emotions that I don't have”

“But you do have them” I protested “You know that as much as I do”

“No, I really don't. The feelings you are talking about are the projected and probably forced ones that you feel for Dante because he is YOUR mate”

“What's happened?”

“Nothing”

“You've changed, something has changed with you”

“Victoria” Daniel said behind me, and as I looked at him I saw his face was masked with pain “She is the Doppelgänger of YOU, anything you feel, she will be forced to feel with you. But now that you have chosen to duel, then I am afraid she wont feel much. Isn't that right Tatiana?” I spun around and saw that a tear traced it's way along her cheek

“Tats” I whimpered “Why didn't you say anything?”

“There was no need to say anything, for a moment, I felt happy. But that love I felt towards your mate is different now, I respect him but I do not love him” she turned to the side slightly and dipped her head.

“Enough talk.. let's get on with this shall we?” Daniel chirped.

The world around me went black and the next thing I knew, a spotlight appeared from above. It landed on a table, and around that table were three chairs.. it was so dramatic and I found it hard not to laugh. After all, it was only a game of hangman, wasn't it?

“Now then, you two have chosen your game yes?” he asked us, neither of us spoke but merely nodded our heads. We took our places at the table, myself opposite Tats and Daniel sat between us. He held one hand out to each of us and gingerly I took it, I felt so uneasy about the entire thing, something in my gut was telling me something bad was going to happen. Daniel squeezed my hand and the tattoo began to glow. I let out a small gasp and Daniel laughed and shook his head before grabbing Tat's, hers did the same and she smiled calmly and I swore I saw a tear glisten it's way down her cheek.. but I suppose I could have been imagining things. The room around us was then illuminated by a bright white light, almost like a flash and the whole area altered, black smog mixed with a new colour, almost a dark purple and even though there seemed to be no lights.. the room itself was very well lit. Around us were a bunch of scattered blocks and a swirl of rope on the floor. I couldn't help but giggle at what lay before me, it seemed all so childlike yet I knew the severity of it all. If this plan went wrong, the blocks would build and the rope would hang one of us... and not Daniel.

“Your minds create miracles..” I heard Daniel mutter, I presumed he meant to keep that to himself for when I stole a glance at him, he blushed, lowered his head for a moment or two before letting go of us and walking towards the 'playing field'.

Not once did I move from the chair, and not once did I look at my twin. My eyes were fixed on Daniel and his eyes were fixed on mine, he was my father and he was willing to give his life again.. just for us. Courage oozed from this man and I envied him for such a thing, all my life I had been a coward, all my life I had sat back and let people abuse me. This time however I had to watch the man that gave me life.. die before my eyes and I was supposed to be ok with that. My mind flashed once more toward Dante and my heart squeezed,

“You shouldn't think of him here” Tatiana scowled, I turned to face her and I saw tears pouring from her eyes

“Tats, what's wrong?” I asked her, reaching over the table and grabbing her hand

“I'm never going to have something like that..”

“What? What on earth do you mean? You can have ll that and more ya know?” she simply shook her head and pulled her hand from mine.

“Girls,