Divine Warriors - Irene the Matron

Scene 4: Starry Night (POV: Irene)

2 Months Later

I waited without purpose.

It was a chilly night. The wind blew into my dress and caused it to flutter violently. I pushed it down and collapsed comfortably onto the grassy floor.

As I looked up, the night sky stared back at me.

Everything was peaceful.

Then a jerking tremble in the ground disrupted my thoughts. Someone was coming.

I picked up my sword and hovered just barely above the ground, scanning my surroundings for any movement. There! I spotted a shadow moving behind a tree.

Before I could think any farther, a red sword came out of nowhere and rushed towards my face.

With a sweep, I jumped into the air sideways and felt the sword cut the rim of my dress. Then I heard it slam into the bark behind me. I panted heavily.

The figure came walking out.

"Well well, we meet again. In a forest, nonetheless." Two void dark eyes stared at me, and I tried not to shiver.

Instead, I tried to be lighthearted. "The weather is so nice tonight. Let us stop fighting even if it is for a day." I sat down again and motioned for him to sit next to me.

I knew what I was doing was risky, but this black armored man interested me.

After putting my sword down, I finally saw the stranger grudgingly move towards me. I smiled a bit at his hesitation.

"What's so funny," the man said.

I looked at him. "Well, I just find it intriguing that we have had so many interactions, and we don't even know each others names."

He sat down next to me and his scaled armor flashed beneath the moonlight.

We said nothing for a moment.

Then finally he responded. "My name is Shad."

I smiled. "My name is Irene."

Keeping Shad in the corner of my eye, I gently laid down on the grass.

My eyes closed as I felt the wind against my face.

Shad spoke, "You're a fool Irene, to let yourself be so vulnerable to a person you don't even know. At any moment now, I could decide to grab my sword and dig it into your heart, then leave you here to die."

I let my instincts take over and I fingered the blade at my side. "You could, but I believe in you to not. Must we always be so untrusting of others?"

I didn't get a response, and I peeked up to look at Shad. He was staring at me with a look of disgust in his eyes.

But it slowly turned to nothing.

Finally, he responded, "I am the Shadow. I live to survive."

I turned my head to look at him, genuinely interested. "Do you always see yourself as... a shadow. The one that is the darkest, the one that is demonic...?"

"That is what I am, is it not?"

His answer made my heart sad.

"Shad, would you rather you be in my place. Would you rather be the peace, the happiness, the person everyone wants to see."

Shad let out a small, "Hmph," then looked straight into my eyes. "I do not believe I have the capability to switch places with you. I was born to be feared and cause destruction. But you, Irene, were born to save this world. Had this world not created us both, I would believe that only one of us should remain. Two opposite forces should not be in the same dimension together."

I was silent for a moment, taken aback by Shad's reply.

"But Irene, I suppose you do make this world a little more interesting."

I let a small smile on my face form.

Shad growled at my expression, and he stood up and grabbed his sword from the tree it was stuck on.

"Goodbye Irene." His voice was forced and stiff.

I watched him as he left the clearing, then looked back up to that one shining orb, thinking.

My life was about to get more tangled, yet the heavenly stars still shone bright above me.