The Zodiac Spirit Guardians

Cave of Words

My eyes flash open, finally allowing me to escape the torment the nightmares brought me in my sleep. I'm the only one awake. The sun hasn't even risen yet. I need fresh air to wake me up and chill my skin to remind me that this is all real.

The wood creaks ever so lightly under the pressure of my toes. Like the stealthy girl I am, I slowly work my way to what I think is the back door. Once I open it the wind from outside pushes through, striking my face with a chilled slap. I turn my back towards the outside and ease the door closed as quickly and quietly as I manage.

My eyes quickly adjust to the darkness, the prussian blue morning sky hugs the horizon. The trees from around the property have been chopped down leaving the vast area flat and grassy with remnants of stumps. My bare feet brush against the freshly dewed meadow, it's cold to the touch. I walk through the field, passing into the trees and forest that barricade the house we've borrowed for the evening. The moon gives the sky a very dim light, as if its warning the sky that the sun is coming.

I seek a secretive place to think things through and hopefully find a clue to who I truly am. I feel like a burden for the five lives I've hijacked and changed.

"If the other boys have gone through something similar to what Rayce went through, I wouldn't be able to live with myself." I say under my breath, watching the cloud of heat escape my mouth. I talk to myself out loud to hear my thoughts in a different way. Sometimes this helps me eliminate the irrational thinking. But not this time.

"Don't say that, even to yourself."

I trip over a tree root and collapse onto the freshly dewed grass and damp dirt. Dessy? My hair sticks to my lips and eyelashes, the air knocked out of me has yet to make its way back inside my lungs. Impossible. I feel the drastic change of my eyes widening as far as they can go. I know I heard her voice crisp and clear.

"D-Dessy?" I whisper out loud, barely audible even to myself. A small dainty hand reaches out to me, nails painted bright red. "No way." I follow the wrist to the forearm to the thin and narrow shoulders. Red curly hair, like roses, sprouts from the familiar head that I never thought I'd see again. "This isn't real." I say, staring back down at the outstretched hand.

How much I want to fling myself upon her, tackling her to the ground. I want to nestle my face in her hair and smell the lovely flower scent of her skin. I crave for her laughter to send vibrations all around me, spreading a long overdue smile on my face.

But I know this is just an illusion.

"You don't know why they're here, so don't think for a second that you're forcing anyone to do anything, that's a bit conceited don't you think?" She winks and playfully folds her hands by her thighs.

"I can't remember who or what I am, Dessy, as if I'm not human...In truth, I might end up being my guardians' demise..." I lean back to my heels and peer down at my hands, "I even somehow obliterated creatures thirty times my size...how do I know whatever that was...won't end up hurting the ones protecting me or myself?"

"You don't know," She leans down and tilts her imaginary head, "and neither do they. You truly can't avoid that." Her airy voice makes bad news sound good. Although it still reeks of bad news. "If you decide to "set them free", don't think for a second that you'll actually be rescuing them." Her imaginary yellow eyes grow serious.

"What do you mean?"

"That would be a complete waste! They've spent their entire lives training to protect you, don't let that go to ruin! They need you to need them and to want their protection." She jumps straight up and looks out over my head. "Someone's coming." She looks back down at me, "I'll see you later! Remember what I said and don't give up!" She spins on her imaginary heels to escape. I instinctively reach out to touch her.