I Know You

It was unbelievably bright when Myranda opened her eyes. The silvery white that surrounded her became more comforting the more her eyes adjusted. As she walked forward through the sea if nothingness, she soon found her way to a starry path that led up to a dark opening like a door in the stark contrast to the light.

Was she dead? Was this the end? What had even happened?

Each step she took was heavy and hard to take, like iron boots had been strapped onto her feet.

"Hello? Is someone here? Where am I?" Myranda called out into the white void. She was surprised to hear that no echo returned her sound. Even though it looked endless, it seemed as though she were really in a small cramped place.

Her only choice was to walk up the starry path and towards that door. It was so hard to get to the trail of blinking diamonds in a midnight sky, and even harder to get up the first few stairs. Myranda hadn't bothered to look back until she needed a rest half-way up the path.

The trail behind her had disappeared as she went forward. There was no way to go back, now.

'I hope this isn't a trick,' she started to question her choice now that she had been backed into a corner with no other options to take.

Her knees felt so tired and they ached from lifting her own feet up, and her slow progress was alarming and scared her just a bit. Why was it so heavy? Why had the path disappeared?

She continued upwards until she was just outside of the opening to nothingness that was black instead of white.

"What?" she wondered out loud as she tried to make sense of all of this. There was no other option but to push through the weight on her shoulders and tumble forward into what felt like endless falling.

Myranda expected to land on a hard surface, but in actuality, her fall slowed to a nice float that placed her down onto to a beautiful water fountain that sat amongst a sea of stars. When she looked at it with more interest, she could see that the water flowing through it was actually flickering light flowing together like a tube of glitter.

"There you are, my little pup. It has been a while since we've seen each other," a woman of ethereal light approached her with elegance.

"Me?" Myranda asked and looked over her shoulders.

The woman chuckled and took a seat next to the stunned wolf and put a hand over Myranda's softly. "Yes, Myranda - you."

Even against the darkness, the woman in front of her seemed to glow and keep it at bay. She was beautiful, too. Her hair, eyes, and clothes were all pure white, but what would be her flesh was a glittering sea of stars amongst the blackest night she had ever seen.

"I'm sorry. I can't remember you," Myranda admitted in shame.

"You never do. No one ever does, but its to be expected. You don't need to remember me. All that matters is that I know you - and you are still one of my favorite souls. How was your trip this time?" the ethereal woman asked as though Myranda was her own daughter.

"Wait - am I dead?" the wolf asked in horror.

"For now, it depends on what you'd like to do from here" the goddess replied and kept her warm white eyes on the stunned Myranda.

"Wh-where is Metas? Is he okay? Is he dead?" Myranda asked in a rapid-fire.

"You always ask that, and I still find it endearing. Metas is fine. He's speaking with my other half, just as you are here with me," the goddess answered kindly.

"Have I died before?" Myranda asked with a confused frown.

"Many times. All of our children have. You never remember, but you always seem to keep little snippets from your past lives. Like your stubbornness that follows you with every single life you live," the goddess replied and reached out to move the white-half of Myranda's hair behind her ear with mother affection.

"Who are you?" she asked again.

"I am Ophelia, and Metas is with Lilith, my mate. Combined, we're the Wolf Goddess of the moon. Our souls are one, and we cannot exist without the other. We have been dancing here together for a millennia or more, I've forgotten. We just shepherd you, and our pups from this life to the next, but first it's good to have a conversation with the children we love so much."

"I don't want to go the next life, though. I wasn't done with this one. My brother and sister are back there - probably counting on me to wake up. I need to be there for Metas. He hasn't gotten to take his rightful place, yet - and Silas needs to be defeated," Myranda argued with a panic.

"Oh? You cursed us so many times this round for putting you with the mate you asked for, are you sure you want to return to him?" the goddess said with an amused smile.

"I asked for him?" Myranda asked again with confusion.

"Yes. We let all mates choose to remain together, or find a new path in life. The two of you have been together for a very, very long time. I was surprised that you rebuked him so harshly this round. I was quite disappointed to be honest,' the goddess revealed, but she never frowned or lost the kindness in her face.

"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have. You were right all along in your choice," Myranda said as her eyes started to fill with tears.

"It wasn't my choice, Myranda - it was yours. You and Metas have asked to find each other again and again and again. You're one of the longest running soulmates of our kind. You were fated to be together - because it's what you both requested. We chose each of you for the other a very, very long time ago, and since then you've returned to the stream of souls together."

"Then can I be with him again in the next life? Please?" Myranda begged and held onto Ophelia's hand in desperation for her approval.

"I cannot choose that. Metas must also want to return with you, you both get a choice. Should one want to return without the other, then Lilith and I will find a mate for you for your next existence."

"Is that why I'm sitting here? Has he not decided? I know I was harsh at first, but I love him - and I didn't tell him yet. I didn't get to say it. What if he thinks I don't want to be with him?" Myranda questioned with eyes that leaked tears in a smooth stream.

"MMhm. Lilith is asking him if he'd like to return with you as well. Should he say yes, we've decided to return your souls back to your still-living bodies. If he says no, then you'll start again," Ophelia said these words as though it were so simple, but Myranda's head was swimming with chaos.

"So we're not dead yet?" she asked for clarification.

"Yes and no. Your bodies are in bad shape, but if you want to go back together - you'll recover. Fated mates can bring each other back from the brink of death if they are connected enough. You two are very much connected. I think it's been...five thousand years now that you two have done the dance of life together. It's been rather fun to see you both in each situation. You were a princess once, you know, and Metas was a lowly baker. You and Metas died together because your father was rather harsh and punished each of you for your love. When you came to see us, you immediately chose each other again," Ophelia answered with a nostalgic smile.

"So...he hasn't chose me again yet?" Myranda asked pathetically.

Ophelia shook her head and wrapped her arm around her charge's shoulders. It was hard to see such old souls in such a sad state.

"If he doesn't, can't I just...not go back into the stream? Can I just disappear?" Myranda asked in hopes she had more options than rebirth.

"When you feel like you are done, we return you to the stars. The magic in your blood that fuels all of the different species of life is put back into the world to be used again," Ophelia answered her as though knowing the secrets to life were no big deal.

"If Metas doesn't choose me, I want to be stardust instead. I can't bare another cycle of birth if I knew on any level I hurt him so badly he wanted someone else to care for him properly," Myranda explained with a sullen, defeated voice.

"Very well, then. Let us sit and talk for a little longer and see if Lilith comes to reunite you two. If she comes alone, I will grant your wish," Ophelia promised and once more reached out to move Myranda's hair from her face and behind her ears.

"It it okay if we just sit? I'm not in the mood to talk anymore," Myranda sounded tired and depressed.

"Absolutely, my love. Let's just sit and wait, then," Ophelia replied and kept her warmth burning brightly so that the soul next to her didn't feel cold in the void.