1 CHAPTER 1 - The Beginning

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CHAPTER 1

In one lone bar, somewhere in one small town, on the rocky mountains near the sea.

In a cold snowy winter.

There were few patrons and customers all milling about, drinking alcohol or eating their served meals.

There were also some of them listening to the live entertainment that is on a show that very night.

One young woman in her early 30s singing melancholy as if calling for someone she has lost.

She had long wavy light-blonde hair with light grey eyes and pale pink skin, and though she is dressed in a simple dark buttoned long-sleeved shirt, fitted pants, and long winter coat, her whole being radiated with a coldness that shows that she's not someone you should come up and close to being with.

Her name is Sage and though she looks to be just passing by, her eyes were glancing and looking about as if waiting for someone.

She finally found the person she's been anticipating for or rather two of them.

Her eyes gazed straight at the two young women at their table with drinks, both also in their early 30s, chatting to one another.

She smiled slightly while singing and kept her sight on them to ensure that she doesn't lose them just in case.

After she finished singing, some people in the listening audience clapped a little, and Sage gave a little bow and went off the stage, walking straight towards the two women still at their table.

The two women were still chatting, oblivious to their surroundings and their observer, right until Sage is sitting next to them and stopping their conversation instantly.

Two of them are both dark brunette-haired and brown eyes, but one has Australian features, while the other has Canadian slightly-tanned skin features. Both dressed in casual attire and their jackets or coats were draped over their chairs.

"Uh...excuse me? Do we know you?" said the girl with Canadian looks.

Sage chuckled. "Surely, it hasn't been a long time for you to forget, Iris. It's me, Sage."

Iris blinked surprised that this stranger knows her and then her eyes widened in instant recognition. "Oh my God! Sage, is that really you?!"

Sage smiled in response and then turned to the Australian woman. "Hey, Rose. It sure has been a while, huh?"

Her eyes narrowed at her and she said crossly. "How do you know that it's me and Iris?"

"Judging by your whole countenance and temperament...you have to be the prickly-thorny Rose that I always remember," she replied lightly before she admitted. "That and I never forget the marks we engraved ourselves on our hands."

She pointed out to the flower tattoos that were on each of them, that simply corresponds to their namesakes.

Rose didn't seem to believe her as she looked at her with eyes narrowed suspiciously before she demanded.

"If you're really who you say you are... Then show me the one thing that proves it."

Sage sighed and then she showed her flower tattoo to her which is exactly like her name that is marked visibly on the back of her right hand.

Rose studied it carefully before she nodded. "Yep. It's you."

Sage smiled ruefully and slightly shook her head at her.

"You haven't changed a bit, Rose," she commented.

"And I'm sure that you know me so well and for so long that I'm proud of it!" she retorted back with a grin.

Iris giggled then became excited as she asked Sage. "So what have you've been doing all these years?"

Sage gave a thoughtful look as if pondering whether she tells them or not but decided to do so.

"Well, I'm not one to brag but I'm working as an elite advisor of a supreme senator," she said.

Iris gasped in awe. "For real?!"

She nodded and Rose snorted. "I'd figure that would be your area of expertise. You always seem to look like a real master in politics."

"I'd consider that pacifying the conflicts and debates in that particular subject is the same as solving puzzles for me," she admitted.

Rose then thought of something and asked her. "But then there's always some drama mixed in that you had to deal with, right?"

Sage instantly frowned as if remembering those very bad times of the politics and its officials' personal dramatic lives and complicated involvements.

"You have no idea..." she grumbled aloud.

Rose nodded in agreement, figuring instantly that was the case Sage had been going through the years.

Then Iris became excited again to tell her side of the story.

"I also got something to say! I'm..."

But Sage cut her off before she could say it.

"You're an elite inventor in reenacting weaponry and gadgetry from the combinings of both Modern and Medieval ages," Sage announced calmly.

The excited smile from Iris instantly turned into a pout. "Really? Did you have to spoil my thunder?"

Sage shrugged as she casually replied, "I've always known that you're quite a 'mad' genius and that you've always been into tinkering and inventing stuff. It's no surprise at all that you've become infamous from it."

"And I suppose you know what I am, Sage?" Rose asked, looking as if she's used to this.

Sage nodded and replied. "You're working as an elite soldier of the military."

But she became surprised when Rose shook her head in negative.

"Close enough, but no...I've been working as a freelance body-guard for the high-ranking rich society and elite mercenary for hire," Rose admitted.

"What? What happened?" she asked, with Iris surprised as well. "I thought that you were enlisted in the army or something."

"I was - but then some of those high-ranked generals had some 'hierarchy-ego' issues against me and used the excuse of me being hot-tempered and had me removed from the military before I even got the chance to become one of them after I graduated," Rose said, her face seemed to darken broodily as if remembering that past time.

Sage frowned fiercely at this before she said. "Give me the names of those biased bigots and I'll have them 'removed' as well for life."

Rose smiled at her 'protectiveness' like she's her eldest sister but shakes her head again in negative.

"Thanks but no thanks. I have already gotten over it a long time ago." Rose said with a small sigh and took a drink from her glass. "There's no use crying over spoilt milk. And besides...I'm content with this job. It's all good."

Sage looked as if she wanted to pursue it but nodded, letting her be. However, Rose didn't know that Sage was thinking in her mind that she'll still look into it and made sure that they'll get their just desserts for forcing Rose to leave her dream in the military.

Iris patted Rose in the shoulder for sympathy because she had her fair share on sharing the kind of struggles she goes through as well - concerning those other inventors or scientists who were jealous and envious against her achievements and success.

Sage asked, changing the subject into another important one that came to her mind.

"Do you know where the others are?"

Both Rose and Iris answered in negative that they don't, but then as if by coincidence or fate, four women just came into the bar, and they are the ones Sage had been asking for. Since all of the 7 of them are acquainted with one another for a long time.

The four were also dressed in casual attire and had winter-clothing covering them. All had pale-skinned looks and features like Sage, but the three of them seemed to look they've been traveling often.

Two women of the group of 4 were just removing their winter coats and both of them are redheads. But one has short bob hair with few stripes of dye-colored blue and violet, and the other has long soft-flowing scarlet red hair.

And the other and last two women that were removing their jackets, are what looked to be auburn brown-haired.

The four were looking around as if searching for someone but Sage knew instantly who they are as she saw the one thing that they had in common.

"Dahlia! Violet, Jasmine, Lily! Over here!" she waved and called over to them.

From what Sage caught sight of, she saw the similar flower tattoos on their hands but with different designs that each is linked to their namesakes.

The one called Dahlia had brightened up with her light brown eyes shining with mischief while the one called Violet beside her seemed to be tired as she blinked her light hazel eyes sleepily towards the caller. Jasmine was smiling widely with her eyes shining green with wisdom while the last one Lily whose beside her, had her sky-blue eyes glint brightly with a light-heartedness that makes you instantly warm on a cold night.

The four went to them and Iris called out for more chairs for their table and the servers gathered them and they all sat around while reuniting one another in small talks and hugs.

Lily gave a tight hug to Sage before she lets go and smiles at her. "It's been so long, I can't believe we're all here."

Sage chuckled. "It seems that life has been good to you, Lily. How have you been doing?"

Lily didn't seem to want to say about her life much but she knew Sage and the others well that they won't judge her as she said. "It's been hard before, but...I've been backpacking almost all my life around the world and been doing some part-time jobs to make my life ends meet."

Sage frowned at this but seeing Lily happy and well, she let it go and nodded. But she decided internally to herself that she'll help Lily get a stable job and has a permanent home.

She turned to the other three and sees that Iris is chatting with Violet and Jasmine, while Dahlia was talking rapidly to Rose who looked to be as if she wished it were anyone else but her.

Sage cleared her throat, getting all of their attention towards her and she raised her glass of served wine.

"I'd like to make a toast. Even though it's been so long since we last saw one another - back then when we were all orphan kids - and there were various challenges and life struggles we all went through when we got adopted...I'm happy to say that I am glad that we are all here, reunited once more, just like old times." Sage announced, saluting with glass up and they returned the gesture.

"Even though it's like almost 30 years too late but - Hey! I'll drink to that!" Dahlia cheered as she drinks. "It's good to see all of you guys too!"

"So enlighten us, Dahlia what have you been doing all these years?" Rose said sarcastically after finishing her drink.

"Glad you ask!"

Dahlia quickly gets off her chair and made a dramatic bow as if about to put on a show.

"You're looking at a world-wide ace-class top magician of the grandest circus performers!" she announced and gesturing her hand as if saluting an invisible top hat from her head.

Lily giggles and Rose sighed as she mutters. "Figures."

"You've always been the magical trickster, Dahlia," Iris said with a smile.

Dahlia just grinned proudly and sat back on her chair. Then the others turned to Violet who yawned a bit with a hand over her mouth and then her head nodded slightly as if to shake off her blurry exhaustion.

"I've been working as a Chief Detective of an elite police force." Violet simply responded and they applaud her, knowing that she's highly skilled towards solving mysteries and fighting crime.

The last turn goes to Jasmine as the others already heard what Lily has done, and the warm gentle-hearted young lady replied, "I have worked as a freelance elite doctor, sought out from the highest-rankings on the medical fields."

Dahlia joyfully exclaimed. "Wow! We sure did make quite names for ourselves - albeit our life difficulties and all - one politician, one warrior, inventor, artist-performer, detective, doctor, and adventurer!"

Sage frowned. "I'm not a politician - just an advisor."

Rose grumbled. "Can't classify myself as a warrior since I'm like a thug-for-hire type."

Lily muttered softly. "I'm not that much of an adventurer."

"Oh cheer up you guys!" Iris consoled them as she smiled. "Dahlia is right that we did do good for all of our lives, even if it's for nothing."

Some of them agreed but then one decided to change the topic into another matter.

"Does anyone like to share if they have a 'special' someone in their lives?" Jasmine asked.

Surprisingly, not one of them said that they have a boyfriend, lover or anything and Dahlia quickly complained dramatically. "It's shameful! I'm past 30 years old and yet - I haven't found even one man in my love-life!"

"Amen to that," Rose mumbled lowly.

Dahlia didn't hear her and also the others didn't notice that Sage stiffened a bit and her eyes glazed as if remembering 'that' person she had met in her life and she didn't want to be reminded about him in a very non-special way.

Luckily the others didn't notice as she kept a blank face and though it has only been a short while they've been in the bar, Sage decided to change things a bit.

"Hey guys, it's getting late," Sage said. "How about I give you all a ride back?"

They all agreed quickly because of the distance far from the rural cities and also the cold weather conditions.

Sage paid the bill and they all left the bar as she directed the 7 of them straight to the SUV car she had rented for the trip.

They all went inside and Rose took shot-gun and Sage is the driver, and the car revved and moved.

The SUV car drives down the highway-road of a treacherous and perilous curvy path in the mountains that leads back down into ground civilization on that very dark and late-night.

During the driving trek down the mountain, the 7 girls continued with their conversation with Dahlia lightening up the mood a little, much to Rose and a few others' consternation.

Dahlia joked. "I guess it sucks for you to be the only blonde in the group!"

"Well, thank you - like I needed that pointed out." Sage retorted back at her sarcastically.

Jasmine looked at Dahlia crossly as she protested. "Excuse me. In case you haven't noticed so clearly - and so obvious - my hair is also blonde like Sage's."

Violet scrutinized her hair a bit closer. "No...I think yours is a bit light-faded hazelnut, Jasmine - not blonde."

Iris reassured Sage. "You look great as a blonde, Sage. Don't mind her."

"Hey, can we at least change the subject besides our looks?" Rose said, looking a bit bored. "I don't see what the big deal is being pretty and everything - it's too much hassle."

"Well, almost everyone in the world likes to be noticeable from their looks." Lily pointed out, sharing the common knowledge from her backpacking travels.

"I rest my case," Rose said with a sigh.

The others chuckled and Sage grinned as she saw the turn-up far ahead and pressed on the brakes to make the curve but then Sage frowned when she noticed that the brakes aren't working when she pressed on them.

She frowned more when she tried it again.

"Hey, guys...something's wrong," she said, instantly sounding a bit worried.

Rose looked at her from the driver's side. "What's up?"

"The brakes aren't working."

"Oh, okay--wait, what!?" Rose suddenly exclaimed, sitting up straight on her seat.

Suddenly, the car jolted as if it had a mind of its own, startling all of its occupants inside it.

The SUV car was veering and steering dangerously as if it's out of control and was driving instantly very fast at a dangerous speed.

Dahlia, Jasmine, and Lily started screaming for their lives as the driver tried to regain control.

"Damn it! Press on the brakes!" Rose yelled at the driver's side.

"I can't! The brakes are busted! It won't stop!" Sage screamed back as she steered the wheel to control the car from being driven off the road and crashing.

"Oh my God! We're gonna die!" Dahlia cried silly as she clutched on tight with Violet beside her.

"Try to find a safe side on the road where you can stop without crashing!" Iris yelled while holding hands tightly with Jasmine.

Lily was stifling her whimpers and holding on tightly at the safety handle-bar on the car-side doors.

Sage snapped at her, slightly looking back. "What do you think I'm doing?!"

"Holy - Eyes on the road, please!" Rose cursed as she saw a curve and Sage quickly managed to maneuver her driving to turn.

It was a very close call as the car veered off the curve, the back of the car screeching noisily loud as it hit and scratched against the metal railing.

Sage muttered curses as well as she kept on trying to get control back from the out-of-control fast car.

"I'm hoping for any other bright ideas!" Sage yelled towards her friends at the back.

"I'm busy screaming for my life over here!" Dahlia retorted back.

"That's not helping, you know!" Violet snapped at her as she tried to break free from her grip in which she's still holding on to her.

"Watch out!" Lily cried.

Sage quickly dodged another crash and made it on the other turn, the car screeching wildly at the road.

Then the car jolted and bounced from some bumps on the road and Sage tried to maneuver another turn but the car suddenly didn't budge and the SUV went flying off the cliff.

It felt like everything was in slow-motion as the 7 girls screamed and the car went plunging in a breaking splash into the dark sea.

The SUV car sank slowly down straight to the sea bottom and cracks and shatters got water rushing inside the vehicle, flooding and making it sink faster as the seven people try to escape their impending doom.

They struggled and fight furiously to break free and get out of the car with what little amounts of breaths they held back as the inside flooded fast and completely.

But once the sunken car hit right at the deep bottom of the sea, all their efforts were in vain and one-by-one, the 7 girls drowned inside and were all at death's door.

Just as their last breaths were slowly coming out from their mouths in little bubbles, a bright light suddenly overwhelmed the car and the 7 girls out of nowhere.

Then...as if by magic or by God's Will...7 small balls of light floated out from the 7 girls' mouths and they all went in a straight line, heading towards the bright glowing light that shined on them.

The large light disappeared after the 7 small lights went into it and all that was left down in the deep watery grave...was just the sunken crashed car and its 7 dead bodies inside.

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It is strange...how easily life can cut short by a sudden twist of fate.

And that death instantly becomes its destiny.

At first, there are many of those who believe that death is the end of all of life.

But...It turns out that death...is only the beginning of a new life.

And so, this story... is only just the beginning.

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