Chapter Ten

Ninari explains to Amy what happened the day the Alangi King attacked...

    Amy wandered throughout the town aimlessly for about half of the night, not once seeing a single town’s person. Even though the villagers were safe within the walls of Haroheito they still took precautions when it came to the night. Amy wasn't sure if she could blame them either. She herself had come face to face with one of the Alangi creatures. That was an encounter she would rather to forget. Even though the creature had every intent on taking her life, she wished for the situation to turn out differently then the way it had. The very thought of her having the capability of killing another living being sent chills down her spine.

    She continued to walk around Haroheito, paying no mind to her surroundings. There was no one within the area; she was utterly alone within the world once more. A light breeze blew over her and she raised her head to look out before her, greeting the wind's gentle embrace. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a small lake to the west of the town. Smiling at the thought of a tranquil spot for her to sit and rest, Amy walked towards the lake. She stopped at the lake's edge and sat down, drawing her knees up to her chin as she became lost within the ripples the wind made along the water's surface.

    After a few moments rest, Amy felt a quick tap on her right shoulder. She jumped as she was startled out from her thoughts. Turning back, she saw the figure of a woman standing behind her; it was Ninari.

    She held up her hands. "I'm sorry if I scared you. I called out your name but I guess you didn't hear me."

    Amy let out a long breath she just realized she was holding. "It's ok." She looked back out to the lake. "Please, have a seat."

    Ninari did just that. She sat on Amy's left side, folding her legs up underneath her. There was a small, silence as neither one of them said a word.

    Ninari then looked to her after a moment's passing. "So, I heard that you and Dieteru didn’t quite see eye-to-eye earlier."

    Amy smiled halfheartedly. "You've heard?"

    "It's kind of hard to miss. Me and Kieto were in the next room.” Ninari gritted her teeth, clenching her fists with in her laps. "I swear, if he wasn’t our ruler, I would have belted him myself."

    Amy looked to her questionably. "Ruler? I thought Sagieta was your ruler?"

    "Well, she kind of is." Ninari said with a short pause. "Well, you see, it's like this. She is the High Elder and the acting ruler as of right now. We can't afford to lose Dieteru's blood line, for his blood his know to be pure, which is, don't take offense, free of human blood. He's a pure Maraini, just like Kieto."

    "None taken." Amy said looking back to the lake. "But if you don't mind me asking, who are the Maraini? Why are you here?"

    "Ah, I was waiting for you to ask that." She let out a little sigh, "Doesn't make it any easier to answer." She paused as she thought on how to put the words together. "The Maraini are an ancient race who have fought with the Alangi King centuries ago, until one day, they were actually able to confine him in the sixth dimension." Ninari's face became filled with fury. "But he escaped. The Maraini didn't know this, but the sixth dimension carried the secrets of time. Somehow, the Alangi King figured out how to control this, forming it into his newly formed power."

    There was a slight pause as Amy thought of what to say. She looked to Ninari again. "But, if he knows how to travel through time, how can you possibly expect me to stop him?"

    “Because, you are our only hope." Ninari said softly, looking deep into her eyes. "You can't tell me that if you where given the slightest bit of hope that you would place doubt on it as it began to progress right before your eyes."

    Amy thought about this for a moment. Ninari was right. Anyone, including her, would place their hopes in the prophecy. Especially since she was here now; anybody would place their hopes on her; except Dieteru that is.

    Amy sighed. "A lot has happened to me the past few days. "I’m still having trouble believing it."

    "Oh?" Ninari said curiously. "Like what? Tell me. It might help to get it off your chest."

    Amy sighed again. "Maybe you’re right.”

    She began telling Ninari all her troubles; first, starting with the journal, then the fight with her mother. She told her everything she could remember up until the accident. After she was done telling her story, Amy realized Ninari was right; she did indeed feel better.

    Ninari remained silent for a moment. "I couldn’t imagine going through all of that in such a short period of time. “ She said sadly, looking over to her. "Does your head feel any better?"

    Amy placed a hand on her forehead. She had completely forgotten about her bruise. "Oh yeah, I'm fine." There was another pause as she thought of something she wanted to ask her. "Hey, Ninari, why is it that Dieteru hates humans so much? He said that we did something to the Maraini? What was it?"

    Ninari closed her eyes. "I knew you would ask me that, too.” Her brows narrowed as she opened her eyes and looked out to the water again. "Well you see, the Maraini are actually from the seventh dimension but, when they locked the Alangi King away in the sixth dimension, it was what he had wanted all along. He wanted the power of time; of the dimensions themselves. And, he got it."

    "So, what happened?"

    "He merged the two dimensions together, the dimension our ancestors lived in and yours, causing havoc between the two races." Ninari took a deep breath. "At first the two races allied with one another, to take out their common goal, but when the Alangi King began ripping apart the cities one by one, the humans became scared, and made a secret pack with the Alangi King.”

    "What was it?"

    "They were to give up the Maraini leader. You see, he was the one who had first locked the Alangi King in the sixth dimension. Even though that power was what he wanted, this leader was the first to raise a rebellion against the King. He wanted him for that."

    "I see." Amy said quietly. "It’s not hard to fiigure out the decision. They gave him the leader."

    "Yep, they tossed him out into the lions den, like the old saying goes. Our leader didn't last a minute as the Alangi King tore him to shreads before their very eyes. But what the humans didn’t know was the king didn’t plan to hold up his end of the bargain as he began to slaughter them as well.” She sighed. “Of course, they had no chance, either. Only the Maraini, being gifted with the powers of the spirits, were able to escape that day…”

    Amy closed her eyes. Did my family die that day as well?

    “But this was a few years after the dimensions merged. So the human race wasn't fully destroyed. About more then half of the Maraini population today has human blood, even if it is a small percent.”

    "So, I'm the only pure blooded human left right now and Dieteru hates me for it." She said. "That's so stupid."

    "Yes it is. But try to tell him that. He’s so set on sticking to his beliefs; it’s sick."

    "My brother hated people like that. He'd sooner hit them then let them finish their idiotic speeches."

    "Smart man." Ninari said. "Too bad he's no longer around; I would have liked to get to know him.”

    Amy bit her bottom lip, trying to stifle back an oncoming cry, but to no prevail. She placed her face in her hands, crying hard.

    Ninari moved closer, placing an arm around her shoulders. "Oh! Amy, I'm so sorry! I should have known better-"

    "No, don't be." Amy said between sobs. She took in a deep breath, willing herself to calm down. When she finally did, she continued. "You know what I said before. We weren't that close." She stopped, wiping away a few more tears. "But I guess I still loved him no matter how annoying he was. Why else would I be so upset?"

    "You should just let it all out. It's doing you no good keeping it in."

    Amy looked up at her graciously. "Thank you, Ninari. You have been a big help."

    Ninari removed her arm from around Amy's shoulders and smiled. "Hey, don't worry about it. I don't mind." There was a slight pause as they both looked out to the lake. “So, what are your plans?”

    "Well, I guess I'm staying here and training." She looked to Ninari. "Then, I'm going to go on that journey and face the Alangi King."