As I watched my shadows argue over that hour glass locket, I couldn't help but to think about the true owner of it... my once and only love, Meralise.
I would give anything up, just to have her back. Just to see her again. Just like I tried to do before...
*two hundred years ago*
"Mera." Salis called up the stairs.
"I'll be right there, my love! I'm just getting my hair done!"
Salis chuckled quietly, and shook his head. If he knew one thing, it was that all women tended to take too much time worrying about their appearance. But, he also knew something else... that no matter how much Meralise tried to make herself look good, she would never be able to. Not since she was already the most beautiful woman that Salis had ever met.
Suddenly, Meralise came skipping down the stairs. Once she reached the bottom of the stair case, she twirled around, her blue gown billowing around her. Salis, as usual, was awestruck.
"Are you ready, love?" Meralise asked.
It took a moment before Salis realized that he was being spoken to. And when he did realize, his face turned beet-red.
"Ah. I. Uh. Y-yes..." Salis managed to stammer.
Meralise giggled at her friend's face, as well as his loss of words.
Suddenly, Salis gathered his composure, and tried again. "I mean. YES! Shall we depart, my dear?" Perfect!
"We shall." Meralise agreed in a cheerful voice, as she linked her arm with Salis'.
+++++++++++++++++++
The restaurant was full, when Meralise and Salis arrived, but after Salis had a quick chat with the owner, who happened to be a long-time friend, Salis and Meralise were seated at a secluded table that overlooked the lake.
"Oh Salis." Meralise said. "Just look at all of these stars! Aren't they amazing!?"
Salis looked up, and then back at Meralise. Yes, this was the perfect night...
"Indeed, they are lovely, Mera." Salis said in agreement. "But... do you not think that love is more beautiful than the stars?"
Meralise's gaze fell away from the stars. She slowly turned to Salis, and smiled a confused smile. "Salis... what?" She asked.
Salis fumbled to find the right words. "I mean... I'm asking... Meralise... I would love... your hand in marriage! Please?" He blurted out.
Meralise kept her gaze on Salis. However, her smile began to fade into a look of pain and sadness.
Thinking that he had not proposed in a proper manner, Salis tried again; "it's just that I have loved you for a while now, and I would love to be with you forever..."
"No."
"What?"
"I'm sorry, Salis. No."
Salis felt his heart break. What could Meralise mean? No? Why?
Meralise saw how hurt and confused Salis looked, and quickly tried to explain. "Salis, my love... I can't be with you. Father Time told me..."
"FATHER TIME!?" Unable to control his pain, Salis exploded. "You mean to tell me, that your duty to Father Time is more important than love!?" Suddenly Salis stopped, as if he realized something. He looked at Meralise with a confused stare. "Maybe... maybe I... maybe I haven't done enough for you? My love, surely you must know that I would be willing to give my soul to the shadows of time for you!?"
"Oh Salis... no..." Meralise felt tears threatening to escape from her eyes. How could Salis think that!? "Please. Let me explain..." she begged.
But Salis was too far gone. His anger had overpowered him. He had freely given his soul and his memories, to the shadows of time.
Meralise watched in horror, as the shadows began to bend towards their table. The other customers screamed, as their own shadows tore away from them. Salis screamed as the shadows entered him.
"SALIS! STOP! PLEASE!" Meralise yelled. But it was no use. The shadows were still slithering into Silas. He was gone.
Meralise watched as more and more shadows tore away away from their owners, leaving nothing but hollow bodies. Meralise knew that the danger was growing. She would have to stop this. And there was only one way.
Reaching towards her neck, she pulled on a delicate golden chain. As she did, the chain began to glow. On the end of the chain, was a pocket watch, which was also glowing.
Meralise looked at the watch. She knew that if she were to to do this now, nothing would be guaranteed... but she had to try. She couldn't watch her city die because of her.
As the screams continued, Meralise opened the watch. Once it was opened, she gently turned the hands. Once to the right, once to the left. Suddenly, a bright light burst out of the watch!
The shadows screeched, and fled in a desperate attempt to get as far away from the blinding light.
Meralise had the shadows right where she wanted them. She lifted up the watch, and Everything stood still.
The shadows stopped, moving, and Salis had stopped writhing and screaming. Meralise knew that she could not change what had happened, but maybe she could change the future?
She brought the watch down. The next few seconds were a whirlwind of shadows and screams, being sucked into the light. And then everything went black.
++++++++++++++
*Present day*
I supposed that I had lost consciousness after I saw Mera reweave time. After I woke up, I saw Mera's lifeless body. Her time weaving watch was gone.
I remember carrying Meralise's body to the home of her father... Father Time.
When he saw us, all he said was that she wasn't really gone. He mentioned that her soul was now with the new time weaver. When I demanded the name, all he did was laugh.
Suddenly, something inside of me exploded. I shoved Father Time against the wall of his house, and demanded again, to know the name of the soul thief. I could tell that he was scared of me... "D-Devian!" He said. "The boy's name is Devian. The only way to bring Meralise back, is through him."
After I learned the name, all I had to do was find him. I ignored Father Time's warnings of death would befall the new time weaver that Meralise's soul was currently residing in, and losing my soul. My mind was made up.
I learned how to weave time. However, this came at a great cost. The shadows ate away at my soul. But I didn't care. I was going to bring the soul of my one true love back... no matter what I became, and no matter who I had to kill.
I was currently looking at the hour glass locket. This was the first piece of Mera's soul... her memories. Now, I had to get her heart.
I looked into the sky, and whispered a warning to the soul thief, hoping that he would hear it; "I'm coming for you, Devian. You took my love away from me. Now, I get to take something of yours..."