Asylum

The Meaning of Kya

Kya Carter

It's strange to dream of someone. For me, it's even stranger to dream. But after the intense training I underwent last night, slumber greeted me with open arms. This in itself is such a rare event, so when I dream of someone other than my parents, it's even rarer. In my dream, I've woken from my sleep with a tender hand cupping my cheek, beckoning me to arise. My eyes flutter open to a set of mismatch irises; one blue and one gold, crinkling in a smile: Alistair. "Let's go back to the café," he suggested. "But this time, I want to see you smiling."

I wake up to the later afternoon sun filtering through my blinds. Stretching and groaning, I feel a smile on my face. Yesterday was a day full of troubles and fears, but I look at it as a time of enlightenment. For every problem I encountered, I came up with a solution. Ren wants nothing to do with me? Okay, I'll give him space. Someone attacked a Sage and we could be next? Fine, I'll grow my power and become stronger. If someone questions about my past? I'll finally tell them about it.

Today, I wear a tank top and yoga pants, with training being the first thing I'll do in the morning. The top has a low back, enough to reveal the two blood drops and the moon. It's time that the people who put so much faith in me know who they're really trusting. It will only hurt everyone in the end if they find out about my past from another source. So I'll put myself on display, ready to answer any questions that come my way.

For years, I've disassociated with my power. After the incident with my parents, I told myself that my abilities were a curse and they weren't a part of me. That they were just a thing that marked my skin and took away my sanity. That they gave me the plague of insomnia and the burden of knowing that I could kill anyone. Now, with breaking out of Asylum, escaping from the clutches of Cerberus and Reaper, and determined to help my friends, I realize just how wrong I was. My powers have helped us survive and given me confidence. They have their obvious downsides, but as long as I keep myself in check, my power does more good for me than bad.

Waltzing down the hall, I feel as if I'm a totally new person; showing off my markings, coming to terms with what I am, and feeling happy. It's like I'm dancing with Alistair again. I feel lighthearted and bubbly, and if I knew all it took to feel this way all the time was to learn to love every part of myself – no matter how ugly – then I would've done it long ago.

The first person I encounter is Elektra, who walks past me at a brisk pace, giving me a curt and obligatory nod. Spritely, I smile and bid a "good morning."

I head down the hallway and out to the pavilion, where Leo drapes a towel around his shoulders, thanking a Sage for helping him train. When he sees me, he beams and spastically waves. "Kya on fiya!" he cheers, slinging an arm around my shoulders. "I just got through with a mad session. You should've seen me."

"There's barely anything to see," Sarah jokes, coming out from the cafeteria with a water in hand. To further extend her joke, she pinches Leo's tiny arm. She turns her attention to me after he pouts to his heart's content. "Kya, you seem happy. What's up?"

I shrug, not sure what an exact answer would be without launching into an overly detailed and super-dramatic story. "I just feel...good."

"I saw your aura from a mile away," she teases. "You're like the sun."

Leo pops an eyebrow up. "Far away, massive, round, and deadly? That's rather rude."

Playfully, Sarah pushes Leo. "I'm going to the bathhouse then changing," she tells us as she starts to walk away. She pauses at my side. Cold fingers graze over the spot on my back where my markings have always been hidden. It's startling and I jump. "Sorry, I...I didn't know you had one of these. I thought it was just your hair and eyes that were mutated." Her finger travels higher, to the blood drops. "What are these?"