Twinkle's Story: Chapter 37

*Finally here with Chapter 37. Hope you enjoy it!*
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GUARD TAUREL

I blink as I observe the circular table where all of us guards have our meetings. I shake my head in disgrace as I see all but one vacant seat. Those cowards...

Only Guard Risak decided to stay. Nose pressed against the table, he whispers. "So I guess it's just you and me then."

"Yep," I say standing up. "I guess you're the only true person I can trust. You know that, right Ri?"

He stands up and walks toward me. When we're standing next to each other, we both take a few steps away from the table. I look at the floor and shuffle my feet as I mutter, "If their kin were victim to... to the son of Zios, then they'll be begging to avenge the deaths of their loved ones. But no, of course I'm not related to any of them self-centered jerks. Do they even care that he caused our own leader to freaking die?!" I feel tears of fury come to my eyes as I stomp my right foot on the floor with lots of force.

 Wow, I'm so furious at everyone that I can't even bother to say that cursed name out loud. I stomp my foot again, letting out a growl of utter frustration. But at least I have my closest friend still by my side. At least he has shown some form of respect.

No one will ever understand. No one will ever understand what it feels like to have your very own family stolen away from you, just to die. No one ever will.

Guard Risak makes me lose track of my thoughts jumbled in my head. His right paw pats my left shoulder. "We don't need them. We can do this ourselves."

He then pulls out a pocket-sized notebook out of one of the pockets in his jacket. He flips it open to a certain page where specific notes are written down. He grins as he looks at the top of the page where the notes are written down.

"I know where they are," he says. He laughs hysterically.

Just then the door slowly creaks open. I stand still, frozen in fear. Why fear?

A teenage girl with flowing wavy hair the color of rose petals stands in the doorway. I stare blankly as Risak motions with his paw for the girl to enter.

I blink as I see her pass me, a fairly large designer bag hanging from her right arm. She sits at the chair closest to Risak and I, and throws her bag on the table.

I hear bubblegum popping in her mouth. She looks at Risak then me, and back again.

The girl finally speaks. "So you want to know some information about him, huh?"

Suddenly speechless, I nod my head. She responds by taking out a folder from her bag. She takes out a few papers.

I stare wide-eyed as I read the four letters, and study the photo right beneath the four letters. He's definitely Fierdan's reincarnation.

And now I have the first hint to know where he is and with who. One step closer to his death.

I can't keep it in anymore. Just like Risak a few minutes ago, I laugh hysterically.

I can actually avenge all their deaths! It's possible. I can find him, kill him. Possibly his "friends" too. This is far too easy, too perfect. 

The girl and Risak look at me strangely, but I just ignore them. I keep on laughing. Laughing at how easy this is.

Once he's dead and out of the way, Jamaa will begin a new era!


DAWN

I sit at the entrance to this cave, sunlight slipping past me to go into the dark cave behind me. I trace the tips of my fingers on the brim of my hat that lays to the left side of me. I take the tie out of my hair, the long blade of dark green grass serving as a ponytail ring. I watch it as it falls down right on top of the hat.

I comb my fingers through my hair, wrapping a strand of it around my right index finger.

How should I feel? Fierdan is alive again. And we met each other, face to face. I should feel thrilled that we met each other again, but despite that, I feel broken.

Fierdan doesn't remember me. He has someone else. It's as if he has no memories of my existence. Our existence.

"How could he forget me?" I sniff, tears coming to my eyes. Feeling my own tears roll down my cheeks just make me cry even more. "Why doesn't he remember me?"

That feeling of nostalgia hits me like a blow. The times before he became insane and tried to kill me. I cringe. In our past lives, I ended up killing him before he could kill me. So I could stay alive.

I thought I was the only fox left. I was the only survivor of that place. The only one who Fierdan didn't successfully murder.

But seeing him face to face after all these years just leaves me heart-broken. This living Fierdan has no memory of me. This Fierdan has another girl. Twinkle.

I growl in frustration. How cruel can he possibly get? It sure felt like he loved me so much. He can't love that Twinkle girl more than how much he loved me, right? No, it can't be... That's impossible.

Flashbacks of us together from another time enter my mind. His fingertips brushing my face, wiping away any cold tears. Intense warmth in his touch. His other paw keeping my head up. My arms wrapping around his bare back in a giant hug. Despite having endless enemies, he comforted me. He loved me.

I breathe, feeling so nostalgic. An odd case of nostalgia. His soothing breath down my neck, followed by so many kisses.

Oh, how I long for that...

But then dreadful realization hits. For that to happen, Fierdan- who doesn't even call himself that; "Duke" for some reason- would have to remember all the memories of his past life. The past life we lived in together.

But if Fierdan regains his memories, that would surely result in a terrible ending. For if Fierdan regains his memories of me, he'll have the urge to kill just about everyone again.

I betrayed him.

If he regains his memories as Fierdan in our past lives, he'd only want me for one reason. And that reason definitely won't be love.

Fierdan would only want to have me dead.


TWINKLE

I gasp as I realize how much farther we have to go until we hit the shoreline. I can just make out a beach and boardwalk right alongside it. But then that ends. After that, there's this rocky canyon stretch of land. As I turn my head to face in the direction of that terrain, I see this rusty-colored land with mountains with dangerous cliffs. I also detect some occasional darker spots on the faces of the mountains. As I squint my eyes, I realize that those round dark spots scattered on the mountains are actually cave entrances. I just hope there's this stretch of land, rock, or whatever that is outside the caves as well.

"If people live in those things, they must be insane," I say keeping my eyes locked on one of the mountains.

I expected Duke to reply something along the lines of "Definitely.", but instead he says, "I have the feeling Dawn is in one of those caves on the mountain."

Puzzled with his conviction in his sentence, I ask him, "How are you so sure?"

He faces me, his eyes glowing not as intensely. He shrugs. "I just have the feeling that she's there. I dunno."

Since I'm still not convinced, Duke adds, "Eh, it's just a guess."

"Just watch you be right," I say, rolling my eyes.

We just stand there looking at all the bizarre features in the horizon.


DUKE

This place. There's something about it. I rub my eyes. Out of the sandy ground in the area between where Twinkle and I are standing and the water, I see this forest with various types of trees reaching the sky above watching the leaves be drenched due to the pouring rain. I look up at the sky. Lightning dances across the sky in a tangled mess. Then the lightning flashes this bright purple color, and then suddenly disappears into the sky completely. But that's not the weirdest thing. In a particular area, there's this very distinct building. It's the only building there. And it just looks so... weird.

"Hey Twinkle, do you see that?" I ask, pointing a finger at the castle-looking building. But then it becomes hazy and disappears. When I open my eyes again, the building and rainy forest are gone.

"See what?" she asks.

I stare at the land totally perplexed. Where did it all go? Was it just an illusion, or was it something more?

"Never mind," I mumble. I swear it was actually there. Where the heck did it all go?!

And why do I feel such a connection with this place? I suddenly have the feeling that I can control anything and anyone here- especially in that dark gray stone castle. Like I can control the world. 

Dawn. How do I know where she is? Why am I so certain I know where she is?

Dawn... We need to go to Dawn right now. No, I have to go to Dawn right now.

"Duke. Duke! You okay?"

Dawn...

I face away from Twinkle. I'm not exactly sure why a sly smile spreads across my face. The sly smile grows bigger as I hear my own voice but in a slightly deeper tone whisper inside my ear, "Congratulations, Duke Fierdan. You've surpassed me." 

Yes, I feel like I can control the world.

I let out a long laugh in hysteria. I don't care that Twinkle stares at me wide-eyed. No, I don't care at all.

I'm back....