• Chapter 4
    Secrets Revealed

    "What..? What...?! What do you mean by welcome home?!" I shook my head in confusion. Aya stood up. "And it is time? For what?!" Aya smiled, acknowledging my confusion. "Princess. This is your home. Haven't you wondered why you couldn't remember your past exactly? Haven't you felt a pang of nausea once you got here?" I stared at my new friend in disbelief. She got each fact right, and she met me a few days back. "I.. I grew up here?" I looked around at the beautiful scenery. It had cherry blossom trees growing at the sides of the path Aya and I were on. The blossoms began to fall a little. I walked slowly towards Aya again. She smiled warmly, knowing how I felt. I felt a feeling no one could describe. I was sad yet happy that I found my birthplace. I was relieved that I knew who I was. I was upset because I wasn't sure who I was. I shook my head, ridding of the feelings. " One thing. Time for what?" Her smile fell, leaving me with a feeling of fear. "Princess, before this, what did you think?" I looked at her, looking for a clue. " I mean.. where did you think you were born? Your background and all?" I closed my eyes, trying to reminisce what I thought. "I thought.. I was American. Like everyone else. I thought I was born in America too. I thought my parents abandoned me." I opened my eyes. Aya was kneeling by the pond, watching the koi swim around. " All .. of that.. was a figment of my imagination." I walked to her, and put a hand on her shoulder. She looked at me, tears in her eyes. "Princess... You have showed me kindness and strength. Just like your mother and father." I suddenly felt angry and sad. " How do you know... my parents?" She looked at the pond, allowing her tears to fall. I wiped her tears as she turned to face me. "Princess. Before I tell you your story, you deserve to know mine."
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    A long time ago, 10 months before you were born, my parents died. They died serving your mother and father. They were wonderful people yes, and they asked my family to stay safe. My mother and father supported them dearly and said they would fight. They would fight in the war for the Mirrored Worlds. They fought in the crystallized hallways, protecting the entrance of our world, Sakura Gardens. They were great warriors. They fought for years, occasionally coming in for water and a break. They lived for the entire time. Then, what was quite unexpected, everyone was slaughtered, including the enemy, except for them. The leader of the war, called the Shadow Lord, came upon them. He exclaimed that they were alive after that, and if they joined him, they could take over Sakura Gardens together. I, of course was safe. Unlike them. They told him courageously that they serve the king and queen only. He yelled angrily and killed them both. But in the process he touched something. The most deadly weapon in existence. The Holy Sword of Divinity. He yelped in pain. And died. And thus the war ended, as did the lived of my mother and father.

    Chapter 5
    The Truth of My Past

    I was crying with Aya, silently, as the story halted. She lost her parents.. Because of me. "Princess.. They died honorably. I would very much like to join them, without death." I looked at her, with endless guilt. "What happened to the Shadow Lord?" Instead of sad, anger flared. "He is alive somewhere within the Mirrored Worlds. Now, it is your time. Your time to avenge our parents." Anger flared within me too. "I accept." Our anger in sync she told me how to defeat the Shadow Lord. "Alas, the only way to defeat him is what he touched. And the carrier is here. In Sakura Gardens, awaiting your command and return." "How about my story now Aya?" She looked at me. " My story is yours. Your parents died in the war as well. " She led me on towards my supposed kingdom and told me my history.
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    "Your mother died pregnant. But somehow you were still born. You still looked beautiful, splattered in blood. I was sent to get you. I picked you up and went at full speed towards Sakura Gardens. I cleaned you off and took you towards your kingdom. When you were one 7 months, I took you out of the Mirrored Worlds and into the other. You giggled and cooed at me. I was in dirty clothes that haven't been washed for 10 days. I was scarred because I was abused. I looked around. I hoped for guidance to a wonderful family. And I did. You only have memories of them because I erased them."
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    "Aya... Thank you." She seemed startled by this comment and opened the door to the kingdom. It was beautiful. It was shining everywhere with many doors. Aya led me into a room that was connected to the outside. I sat on one of the chairs as Aya looked out into the open and muttered words. Suddenly a black shadow came down very quickly. "You said the princess is back?" I studied the man. He looked like a boy, about Aya's age and mine. But he was as tall as a man. He wore a mask and an emotional expression on his face. He looked directly at me. "Ah.. so this is our 'savior'. " "Who..who are you?!" I managed to say. "You once you knew me." I looked at the masked man in curiosity and fear. I knew him once? I thought for a very long time. "Please. Tell me who you are. Why did you save me?" The masked man turned towards me. "I saved you for the good of us all. I will not tell you my true name. However, you may call me by my codename. Shadow."

    Chapter 6
    The Adventure Begins!

    "Er... Princess... This is the man I told you of. He knows the location of the sword but can only enter with you." I looked at him. "How old are you?" He looked at me with no clear emotion. "I am 1 year older then you. However I have the same birthday as you. 2 days after the war ended." I looked at 'Shadow'. "Why are you called shadow?! Are you perhaps an associate of the Shadow Lord?!" He looked at me, but now I could tell he was a bit annoyed. "No. I live to serve the royal family." He bowed to me. "The sword is.. here. I can feel it." I followed Shadow into a building I hadn't noticed. " Touch the Buddha. He will grant you the sword. Bring it to me." I nodded. I went inside the building and it was filled with Buddha. How am I supposed to know which one to touch?! I looked around for a clue. There was a note beside the door. "Welcome to the Temple of Secrets. It has many secrets of course. It contains a powerful object too. Touch the one that your heart tells you to." I read aloud. I took a deep breath and touched one. The Buddha's eyes opened and so did its mouth. "Ah.. Princess! You've touched me! Amazing how you knew. Here. The sword you are seeking." The Buddha handed me a key with angel wings and a key with a halo. I got kicked out of the temple. Or teleported out. Either way I was out. " Here." I handed the key with the halo to Shadow. He whispered something I could hear a little. "..die. Assist me." A sword came out of the halo. It was yellow and white, and was long. It had a long, sharp blade and a firm handle decorated with angel wings and a halo. "Your turn." Startled by his remark, I tried to do the same. I failed many times until he told me how. " Whisper something with deep meaning." I got an idea. "I'm about to avenge Aya's parents and mine. Help me destroy the darkness." But instead of a sword, the key disappeared. "What the..?" Shadow held out a mirror that came out of nowhere. Reflected in the mirror was me, with [wings. I kicked off the ground with one foot and practiced a bit. Shadow slashed the sword at the air, getting the hang of the sword. We headed back together, ready to get Aya.
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    "Aya!!!" I yelled. I mumbled, " I am still here." and my wings faded, slowly letting me down and turning into a key, around my neck. Aya came running in. "Ah! You found the key?!" She looked at me expectantly. "Yours is..?" I understood what she meant and took out my own. "Oh how pretty! I'm guessing you would be able to fly!" I stared at her in disbelief. "How'd you know?" I suddenly got an idea. "Do you have a key Aya?" She nodded and pulled out her own. It had a shape of a staff with wings. "Lets use them Nika!" "What??" I looked at her. "Oh uh.. Your name is Monica. I liked to call you Nika.." I smiled at her. "Lets use them!" We muttered our words in sync. Aya, got both wings and a staff, while I got just wings. Not only the staff and wings for Aya, but a costume. The costume was a dress that went out a little at the bottom and long gloves. She now had pigtails in swirls. She looked like she was from a T.V show. "Aya your beautiful!" 'Your wings are nice too Nika." She looked at them thoughtfully. "Ready Shadow?" He nodded and walked out the doors. We nodded at each other, determined. "Lets go!" We ran off after Shadow, with our adventure starting.