Mayari watch as the sky slowly shift to a dark shade of blue, the stars slowly peep out one by one in the darkness and the faint crescent moon slowly appeared in the sky. It was quiet and relaxing as the night came again in the forest.
When suddenly, Evan came out of the trees and run towards her, every step he took is very heavy and loud in the snow that made Mayari avert her eyes to him. He is holding his stomach in pain and that didn't tooked Mayari seconds to know that he's injured.
Mayari run towards him, halfway they meet, and Evan's knees fell down to the snow as Mayari reach him.
"What happened?" Mayari asked, bending down to him and still keeping her calm tone.
"The spirits attack once again, they are very powerful and dangerous." Evan replied. Noticing Mayari has no respond, he quickly grabbed her left arm and pull her up to a stand. "We don't have time to waste! We must go before they catch up."
"Don't, Mayari, that's an imposter!" the same similar voice called out.
Mayari move her eyes to see another Evan came out from the forest, injured and anger blaze in his aquamarine blue eyes.
"Mayari, get away from him." The 2nd Evan then draw his sword and is ready to attack.
The 1st Evan also draw his sword and said, "Stay back Mayari, the spirits are playing tricks on us."
"Get away from her!" the 2nd Evan shouted in fury, "Mayari that's a shape shifter, I'm the real Prince Evan-"
"Don't be fooled, Mayari, you know that I am the real one in the two of us." The 1st Evan said looking straight to Mayari with his blue ocean eyes.
Then abruptly, the first Evan felt an aching pain in his stomach, his eyes travel from below him and saw a dagger made of ice plunge against his abdomen, and Mayari's hand is holding to it urging it deeper as crimson blood continued to ooze out from the cut like a fountain.
Mayari leaned closer to his ear and whispered, "Using a shape shifting ability is poor in your sense of acting..." in a deadly, spine shivering tone.
The fake Evan then slice his sword toward her but Mayari then leap backward dodging the attack. The real Evan then run towards Mayari's side with his sword ready for defense.
"Are you alright, Mayari?" Evan asked.
"I'm fine." Mayari answered.
"How did you know that I'm the real one?" he asked another question in curiosity.
"It is simple actually," Mayari then explained, "though I don't know you much, It doesn't need an expert to know that even you are in a panic or in a hurry you would still take precautions about the conditions of someone you are with."
After Mayari explained, Evan then quickly averted his eyes to Mayari's left shoulder. Her white pallid long sleeve is stained with blood – her blood.
"Grabbing me in my wound is a good mistake for my advantage." Mayari continued.
The fake Evan then liquify and turned back to his real form. He turned to them both and the boy then clutch the dagger, that is made of ice, and pull it out as he spew blood, dropping down to the white cold snow.
They boy raise the dagger to the level of his face and examine the blade with his dripping blood stained on it. His black eyes is showing hatred and a flash of fear as his eyebrows crash to each other like a knitted scarf.
"Impossible!" he shouted in fury, "who are you? How did you manage to cut me? I'm a spirit – no mortals could ever wound me with their blades."
Evan's eyes widened as realization of the situation struck him like lightning, 'I tried to cut him with my sword earlier but it just got through him like cutting a water... he is not wounded or anything but..." he then look over at Mayari, ' somehow she manage to wound him with just a blade made of ice.'
"Maybe the Spirits and the Gods had fallen from the peaks." Mayari said with a shrug. Clearly mocking both of the beings, "After all to my point of view Gods are nothing but a myth."
Mayari's last word fired the anger inside of the spirit that made him charge, "How dare you mock the Gods." He said as a silver scimitar appeared in his hand.
He slashed at Mayari but was block by Evan's sword. Mayari then jump and attack from above with another blade made from ice. The boy noticed and quickly cast a magical barrier from above that impede Mayari's attack. While the boy is distracted above, Evan then used all of his might to push the boy's blade and slice from below. Like the last time, Evan's sword slice through, as he said like cutting water, can the water even be cut?
The boy then smiled at Evan and release a powerful slash of wind that sent Mayari and Evan away. Mayari manage to land on her feet and Evan wasn't harmed.
"Why didn't your sword cut him to bleed?" Mayari asked.
"As he said no mortals could cut him." Evan answered.
"But why did I-" before Mayari could ever finished her sentence, spikes of ice rapidly fired away at them.
They quickly move to the side and dodge the spikes, "Mayari, to the forest!" Evan informed and they both hurry to the forest and hid.
They boy stopped firing ice and followed them, "Both of you can hide but you can't run away from me." the boy chuckled as he walked past the trees.
"Don't worry... Mayari is it? Our Goddess have a soft spot for Misses like you, we won't hurt you, we just need you to live with us, in this beautiful paradise." He informed as he drew himself into a halt.
Mayari was just nearby, hiding behind a large tree, listening and holding her knife tightly, readying for an attack. "As for the manly prince, Prince Evan, is it? will surely need to be executed." the boy then morphed into liquid and swiftly moved to Mayari's front like teleporting.
Mayari slice her knife but the boy quickly caught her hand, Evan then came out of his hiding spot and shot a ball of fire, Mayari immediately duck and the fire hit the boy's head causing him to lose his hold at Mayari.
Mayari then swing with a kick causing the boy to double over. As quick as Mayari's kick the boy then cast spikes to the snow that made Mayari dodge away from him.
As the smoke from Evan's flame shot disappeared, vermillion fluid cascaded down at the boy's face and his left cheek is slightly burned.
"As I thought you spirits might be invulnerable in physical attacks but you're not in magic," Evan lips curved to the side, as he fired another flame shot.
"Yes, we spirits are affected by magic and enchantments even curse," The boy then dodge everything as he leap and step to the side, "but we spirits are skillful too." He said as he turned into liquid, vanished and instantly appeared above Evan and Mayari with his glowing blade of ice over his head preparing for a gash.
Evan quickly push Mayari and step back, dodging the blow as hush of wind and snow swipe from the sword's wrath.
Evan found an opening and take it, charging his glowing enchanted sword but the boy was quick and block his with his blade, push Evan and strike a cut. Evan was close but successful in dodging.
Mayari immediately appeared from the boy's back, seizing the opportunity she lunged her knife to the boy's neck. In split second the boy barely dodge Mayari's attack, the edge of Mayari's sharp blade is against the boys bizarre hazy green skin causing a shallow cut in his neck but deep enough to let blood ooze out.
The boy then quickly grab Mayari's extended arm, lift her up and slam her backward even though the snow is soft that is not enough to pillow Mayari in a hard slam like the boy did, 'His strength is not normal' Mayari admitted to herself.
Evan then came in, slicing his enchanted sword to the boy as he defended and then attack back. The sound of the sword clashing is everywhere to be heard as both Evan and the boy is in eye for victory and is desperate to win.
As you know, Mayari is accustomed to pain so she recovered quickly, she stood up on her feet and regained her balance as she hold her glowing hand in front, mist of blizzard obeyed her command surrounding the boy and invading his vision.
As the mist got thicker the boy then slash his scimitar hard into the air horizontally and the mist was cut through then second later it was blown away by the wind. As the fog vanished Mayari and Evan launch their weapons at each side.
But the boy didn't let his guard down, just a second the boy then liquify, cast a spell of ice spikes at Evan, and then appeared at Mayari's side and snatch the dagger from her hand. Mayari tried to elbow him but he easily dodge and with just a touch from his palm in Mayari's abdomen pain instantly burst out and a great force sent Mayari dashing through the forest, hitting her back hard on a large tree that made her vision blurry and unstable.
"Mayari!" Evan called out and was about to run after but was drawn into a halt when spikes of ice from the ground sprouted that made him leap backward.
"Did your teacher ever told you to don't turn your back against an enemy?" the boy asked with a smirk.
Evan's back is facing the boy, he glanced at him and revealed his mighty sword from his pallid cape. The sword gleamed as the starlight bless the stroke the sword's blade.
Evan then face the boy, and said "Then let make this battle quick," his sword ignited into a blazing red flame that melted the snow beneath.
The boy smiled in astonishment and draw his scimitar in front, "Be my guest, " he replied as his blade whirled thousand of blizzard in his glowing hand.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From the window a light flash through in the middle of the night, a loud sound of a vehicle is can be heard and then it stopped.
That made little Mayari woke up from her dreams, "That must be mommy..." she lazily mumbled, rubbing her eyes from sleepiness and yawning.
Her father was away in that time for a business trip he won't be back 'till next week so that left Mayari and her mom in the house. Her mom already mentioned that she will be home late and don't wait for her but Mayari have a sweet habit to always greet her parents when they got home.
So she rose out of bed, wore her pink bunny slippers and walk to the door. Before she could hold the knob she could hear rapid footsteps like someone is being chase and giggling both voice of a man and a woman. She is sure that the woman's voice is from her mom but she don't recognize the man. Shadows pass through the aperture below Mayari's door as the footsteps and laughing got louder for a second and then the noises became inaudible.
Mayari grab the doorknob and slowly opened the door, she walked out cautiously without making a noise even as she close the door.
She could see light and moving shadows at the other bedroom, her parent's bedroom. As she procced walking the giggles of her mom got louder and also the chuckle of the unknown man.
"Do you want to have fun?" asked the unknown man but his voice is too quiet for Mayari to hear.
"Yes, please..." replied her mom's voice that is like begging for a relaxing pleasure to be given, this time Mayari definitely heard it, she's closer now.
She listened as she draw closer to the open door with lights and motioning shadow that she couldn't make out what it's doing. She listened as the man and her mom's giggles turned into moaning of ecstasy. She listened as her mom demanded in a delighted voice, "Faster."
Mayari finally reach the door and her eyes widened in confusion and anxiety; their over the bed, Lisa have her legs open wide, in between them is an unfamiliar man thrusting his manhood back and forth in her, they both moaned in ecstasy and felt pleasure bursting out like sweet wine.
In her young age, Mayari definitely don't know what they are doing but whatever it is she don't like it, "Mom..." she barely called out but audible enough for Lisa and the man to hear her.
They immediately stop, and turned both of their head and eyes to Mayari standing in front of the wide-open door, "What are you doing? And who is this man?" she asked innocently pointing out the man.
"Loos like your daughter is awake, Lisa." The man stated the obvious.
Lisa clench her teeth in surge of anger and quickly grabbed a near bathrobe, cover it in her naked body, and stomp her way to Mayari. In just minutes, Lisa towered over Mayari and Mayari raised her head to be able to see her mother face to face.
"What are you doing here, you foolish insect?!" Lisa shouted in anger, clenching her teeth as her eyebrows are knitted together, her face is as red as a volcano that is gonna explode. She smell awful in alcohol.
"Mom, are you drunk again?" Mayari asked again in quivering lips sensing her mother's anger.
"Oh, shut up!" Lisa then punch Mayari right in the face causing her to stumble on the floor.
Mayari's tears instantly escape from her eyes as pain scattered from all over her face. Her nose hurt the most, she reached her hand to touch it when suddenly she felt liquid in her bare skin, she lowered her hand and her eyes widened as it gaze on her blood-stained fingers.
Lisa then grabbed her by the shoulder with long pointed nails, digging painfully in Mayari's skin. Her mother dragged her across the hall with force like her shoulder will tore apart from her body. They passed Mayari's room, climbed up on a stair that leads to a door of the attic.
"Mom, it hurts!...please let go of me, I promise to be a good girl." Mayari pleaded in her trembling voice, watery eyes, and bleeding nose but Lisa didn't listen at all.
When they have reached the door Lisa quickly opened it and throw Mayari to the dark room. With Lisa's strength, Mayari landed on the floor with her side. The room was dim only the light from the door was the source of illumination.
Lisa's silhouette is covering her at front as she said, "You aren't going to get out of this room 'till I say so! You understand!?" her voice is loud and clear yet anger and hatred lined in her every word.
Mayari slowly raise her head to see her mother, she have always been taught to look at the person you are talking to, "Yes, mother..." she replied with her quivering lips as she sniff. Tears are still streaming out from her eyes so as the blood from her nose, she's still in pain.
"But can you at least turn on the light, please..." Mayari asked politely, forcing a sweet smile, "it's dark in here."
"No!" Lisa answered coldly, swiftly shutting the door after with a loud bang, "You deserve in the dark!" she shouted.
Mayari, immediately run to the door and tried to open it but it was lock, The light switch is from outside so Mayari couldn't do anything to turn on the light. "No! please! Mom, please... let me out... I'm afraid of the dark!...please." without the illuminating light from the door the room became pitch black, that made Mayari tremble in fear as she don't like the darkness herself. "Mom please...let me out! I promise to be a good girl...please let me out."
"please..."
Mayari's voice became a whisper as she kept on crying and banging the door with her bare fist. "...please..." she stop, realizing this has no use.
She turned her head and looked at her back there is only darkness and silence, she hates places like this, she always feared the dark. She's always think of monsters from the shadow that is coming to get her, the thought of it made her scream, shut her eyes tight and continued banging the door.
"Mom! Let me out... there are monsters in here, please... let me out, please..." hours pass by, still no one came to get her.
She had stopped shouting, her throat is already dried out from screaming, as well as her tears from crying, her bleeding also stopped but there are still dried blood smeared under her nose and pajamas. She's still banging the door but with little force you could only hear a soft knock, her strength had been used out.
One knock, two knock, three knock and she stop, collapsing on the dusty cold wooden floor of the room. "I need light, please... even just a little." She whispered to herself with a rusty voice, curling into a ball. She wanted to cry but there are no tears left to. The only thing she cold do is to breath.
Then suddenly the room started to lit up, dim but enough for her to see. Mayari slowly stood up, looking for the source of the light, when her eyes landed on something. In a little window a silver light is coming through and it's becoming brighter and brighter.
Mayari run toward the light and gaze out of the window, she could see from above the dark sky, block of clouds is moving out, making way for the full moon to shine and shower her light.
Mayari sighed in relief and stared beneath the moon for a little while and during that time she felt like the moon is watching over her, true or not that made her at ease. She laid on the floor under the clear moonlight, hugging both of her legs as she curl. She reached for her neck and gently touch her birthmark, closing her eyes she said, "Thank you..."