Chapter One

Zesika... Please find me...
Zesika...
The bright light poured across my face, illuminating every part of my body.
My sword had fallen from my hands, and I could no longer move.
The voice became louder, and was screaming so loud it rattled my brain.
"Please stop!" I begged the voice.
I tried to run, but my bare feet seemed glued to the soft dirt under the shallow water.
I was forced to look up and see a blood-stained sword hanging in the air.
Zesika...
I screamed and was swept off my feet by a sudden wind.
I plunged away from the light, and was falling into darkness.
A pit of blackness.
Nearing closer...
And closer...

I thrust my head up, sweat pouring down my forehead. I wiped it off with my arm and swung my legs over the side of my straw bed.
"Another bad dream, huh?" came a voice from across the room. It was my eighteen-year-old brother, River.
"River..." I said, hanging my head. River was the only one who was there for me after my mother died. I have my father, of course, but he doesn't care about River and I. I sighed and turned to him.
"Yeah. It was the same one I've been having," I told him, trying to hold back the tears that the dream had caused me.
"What am I going to do with you, Zesika?" River laughed. I ran over to him and hugged his waist. He was the only one I felt comfortable acting this way around. I held him tightly, and allowed the tears to pour.
"Why do you have to go, River? Why do you have to leave me?" I said between sobs. He looked surprised, then he stroked my blonde hair and hugged me.
"I need to do this if you can continue with school. This job will provide for you until you can get a job, Zesika," he said softly. I looked up at him.
"I hate school! What's the point of keeping me in school if I can't learn like everybody else? I'm too stupid!" I pouted.
This time he grabbed my shoulders. He knelt down so we were eye-to-eye. Which was weird, because I was 5"2', and he was 6"7'.
"Listen, Zesika. You aren't stupid. Your probably more special than anyone in the village," River said in a firm tone, captivating me with his deep blue eyes. I pulled away.
"Yeah," I said through my tears. "I'm special, all right. All I can do is fight. All I know is how to wield a sword! I just don't get school."
"Zesika..." River sighed.
"Please," I said, cutting him off. "I don't want to hear anymore."
I grabbed my rucksack and tore out of the house, ignoring my drunk father in the kitchen. I slowed to a walk, and wiped the rest of my dried tears off my cheeks.
That sounded so harsh, what I said to River. I thought. I shouldn't have talked to him like that. He's only trying to help...
"Whatever. I'm sure he's fine,"  said out loud.

I reached a small barn on a hill, and ran up to it. As I entered, I heard a chicken crow. I turned my head to see a small farm girl chasing a blue-feathered chicken around. She suddenly stopped and looked at me, an expressionless look on her face. I blinked, and the chicken and her were gone.
"Hey, Zesika!" called out Javier. He hopped over the fence and ran into the barn, a cloud of dust following him.  He had that grin on his face again.
"Javier, did you... Did you see a little farm girl chasing a chicken around here? A chicken with blue feathers?" I asked, still doing a double-take on what I had just seen. Or, thought I had seen. Javier stared at me blankly.
"Have you gone crazy? Is it something about the evil flow that came to the village? I heard it's making people go insane," he replied, kicking a small pile of hay. It was true. An evil power had flowed into our village. I heard from a messenger the other day that the castle town surrounding the Sacred Temple was burned to the ground. Everyone was devastated, except our little village. Nobody would come and bother messing with us, we're of no use to the kingdom of Romlan.
I laughed halfheartedly.
"Yeah, maybe I am going crazy," I muttered. "At least it would make me special from everyone else."
Javier turned to me and smiled. He nudged me playfully on the shoulder.
"I'll let you know if I see the farm girl or the blue chicken," he laughed. "Although I'm not even sure half of the stuff you say is even real."
I drew my sword out of the sheathe and held it to the ground.
"Want to find out if I can beat you whenever, wherever?" I challenged.
He drew his sword as well.
"I can prove you wrong," he spat jokingly.
We touched our swords together to begin the duel. We both nodded and stepped back. The fight had begun.
He pulled back and swung his blade close to my arm, but I immediately dodged the move and sped behind him, leaving him looking around in confusion. I tapped on his shoulder and he whirled around, only to find out that I had spun to the other side, still in his blind spot. I kicked the backs of his knees and he fell to the ground. He twisted on the dirt and held out his blade defensively, for my sword to clash against his. I pushed my blade closer to him. He struggled to fight me back.
"Just give up, Javier. You know you can't beat me," I taunted.
He thrust me upwards, sending me flying back. I landed gracefully on my feet and stood my ground. He ran towards me, his sword positioned to get a good blow on my leg.
He neared me and slashed, and I fell back, cringing as I held my leg in pain. I cried out. Javier dropped his sword and gasped.
"Oh my gosh, Zesika! I didn't mean to... Are you okay?" Javier wailed as he kneeled down by me on the ground. I lay there until he held out his hand in comfort, then I sprang up, hitting him off. I at that moment pinned him to the ground, my blade against his throat. I bent my knees and put my face really close to his, my hair hanging in his face. His gray eyes were wide and he looked paralyzed in fear.
"I win," I whispered, my mouth almost touching his. Then at that, I jumped up with my sword and twirled it around, then sticking it back into the sheathe. He sat up and stared at me.
"You faked being injured? I was so worried!" Javier said, his voice shaky.
I turned and looked at him. I tried not to laugh at his scared face. I accidentally let out a pfft of laughter and covered my mouth. Soon his serious face curled into a smile. He began laughing, too. We both laughed together and I slapped him on the shoulder. He punched me in the arm.

"Ah, what should we do now?" I asked Javier, flicking a piece of hay off of my shirt.
"Maybe we should-" Javier began to reply. After that I tuned him out. I heard the crow of a chicken, and a little girl's laugh. I saw blue feathers rising in the wind outside the barn door. I stood up and tried to peer outside.
"I'll be right back, Javier," I said, not waiting for his reply. I broke into a run outside the barn and caught sight of the blue chicken. Following behind it was the girl.
"H-hey! Wait!" I called after her. She ignored me and chased after the bird, giggling along the way.
What, does she think this is a game? I thought. I ran after her, through the field and into the forest. I dodged trees and jumped over the creek, her right in front of me the entire way.
"Hey! Little girl!" I called out. She just giggled and ran faster. Soon we came to a cliff.
She'll have to stop here, there's no way she could jump to the other side. I thought.
But she continued running. Over the cliff. But instead of falling, she dissolved into thin air. The chicken and the girl were gone.
What the...
Then I realized I hadn't stopped running. I ran too far and stopped at the edge, swaying back and forth, my toes the only thing holding me up. I fell off and plunged down, into the dark forest floor below.

Author's Note

This book was personalized for Zesika-chan. :) Or Kairi, as her screen name describes. And to Zesika, I'm sorry if I couldn't get the character just right.

Reviews

[Keevan]

This is PERFECT, Zesumii-san! I love it!!!!!!!!!!! KEEP GOING!!!!!
I'm not kidding, i really love this book so far! THANK YOUU!!!!!
~~Zesika-chan~~ (or Kairi)