STAGE ONE: My Name is Freyja

The thirteen year old girl's opened her eyes. She was breathing heavily for some reason. Her knees and hands trembling. Every time she woke up from that dream, she'd find herself in cold sweat and short of breath in her room—except for this one time, where she found herself in a place far from what she expected to see.

Her heart pounded, realizing she's not where she's supposed to be. Surrounded by trees, thick vines, there's no one in sight except for startled rodents she has never seen before, running away from her. This is far from the peach-walled room she fell asleep in.

"Somebody!" She cried in panic. Gigantic trees, tall grasses, pointy rocks and thick vines... Hoping it's part of her dream, she slapped herself again and again, only to find herself in the same forest. She stood up, frantically running around in her mud-covered pajamas. Her black, shoulder length hair dancing with the wind as she breezed through the seemingly unending forest on her bare feet.

Feet covered in scrapes, the girl frantically ran and ran until finally, found a group of five hooded men. These men appeared to be searching for something, looking around just as attentively as she was.

"HEY! Over here!" Waving her hand, she shouted her lungs out. "Help me!" She ran to them as fast as she could, ignoring her bleeding feet.

"A girl wearing strange clothing..." One of them sees her.

"Excuse me! Can you help me!?" She asked. "I am lost, actually." She explained in between short breaths. "Please, how can I go back to—"

The hooded men looked at each other and nodded. They then, without hesitations, drew their swords out and pointed them at her.

"HEY! Wh-What's wrong?" She jumped back, startled and confused.

"Are you the Lenfiare?" One asked, carefully getting closer.

Her knees trembled like crazy, she couldn't even speak. She studied martial arts, but couldn't bring herself to have the same confidence as when she's sparring with bigger opponents. The real thing is way different.

"I didn't do anything!" She shouted, running far away. She ran as fast as she could, but it was futile. The chase didn't even last a minute.

"LET ME GO!!!" Adrenaline pumping through her entire system, she struggled and managed to hit the man's face with her fist. "Help me! Help! Help!"

The man who grappled her, loosened his grip and she was able to escape his clutches. But then again, the second chase didn't last long. There were too many of them. In no time, she found herself completely surrounded. Warm tears forming at the corners of her round brown eyes.

"I don't... I don't want to die!" She tackled one man with all of her strength. She kicked him on the groin and managed to grab his sword away from him. Tears kept on flowing from her eyes as she bit her lip to keep her strong. The difference in their strength was too much-- that much, she understood. But even so, she didn't want to give up—like that dream she had, she'd rather die than run in that endless cycle again.

All together, they charged at her. It's the end.

Just as when she thought she'll be dead, a strong, sudden blow of the wind delivered a strange feeling of warmth to her. Then, she heard falling sounds, grunts and sword clashes. Slowly, she opened her round brown eyes only to find herself alive still.

"WHAT THE—" Astonished, she saw her attackers lying on the ground, unconscious, if not dead. "They are...dead." She trembled in more in surprise than fear.

"You." Just then, a voice from up above a tree reached her ears. Slowly, she looked up and saw a figure of a young man, perhaps four or five years older than her, standing up above a tree, against the blinding sun.

"So it's you." The young man mumbled, skillfully jumping down the tree, which reminded her of those ninjas she used to see on TV. Finally, their eyes met. And, for the very first time in her life, she saw the most beautiful person she had ever seen. This eighteen-year-old man, wearing a black, long sleeved shirt, dark brown pants and thick leather boots. His long bright blue-ish silver hair tied in a ponytail. His eyes are sparkling green looking more like a pair of glittering emeralds. She never thought such person could actually exist.

The clouds darkened, and raindrops started falling, snapping her out of the young man's enchantment.

"Who are you?" He asked with his ice-cold voice. His face, devoid of emotions. He raised his left hand and from thin air, conjured a pitch black sword which he quickly pointed at her. She felt the tip of the sword graze her neck, a drop of blood rolled down to her chest.

"I don't know!" She exclaimed, tears streaming down her eyes. "They just attacked me all of a sudden! I didn't do anything! I just want to go home!" She explained between sobs. "I don't know! I don't know!"

Realizing that the girl is just as clueless, he withdrew his sword and just as quickly as it appeared, it suddenly vanished. Without a word, the young man turned his back. But even before he could leave, he felt the girl grab his shirt. She continued crying, trembling, said nothing, but refused to let go.

"I asked for your name."

"... Freyja."

He was expecting it, but still had an obvious surprised look on his face.

"Well you see, I was in my room last night and when I woke up, I just found myself in the middle of this forest! Those men had swords with them, like in the medieval times.... This is like a different world!!" Finally, she could explain. Seeing that he looked interested, she continued, "It's true! Those men must have mistaken me for a criminal! But I didn't do anything wrong! I swear!"

"..."

"Plea---" Even before she could finish her story, her vision blurred, her knees wobbled. "P...pl..." Her mouth won't move and not for long, she completely lost all strength. The girl slammed down to the ground.

The silver haired man stood there looking at her, for a couple of seconds. He crouched and felt her burning forehead. With a sigh, he pulled her up. But, her unstable body made her fall right above him, and with the best of their luck, her warm lips slammed against his! Kirin pushed her away in reflex, slamming her body back to the ground. His usually straight face is now warped with an expression he never had before. Shoving disgust away, he finally picked her up a second time and carried her on his back.

Like the winds, the young man breezed through the pouring rain, with the girl lying on his back, fighting for her life.

~ o 0 o ~