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Unconsciously, Jia’s eyes narrowed. She didn’t like the way Liln had said her name. It sent shivers down her spine. “Show me what?”
A cold hand gripped Jia’s arm roughly and pulled her forward. “Trust me, you’ll want to see this,” Liln purred into her ear.
Alarms sounded in Jia’s mind, and adrenaline raced through her blood stream. Frantically, she tried to wriggle free from Liln’s iron grip, but failed miserably. Panic was making her loosen her grasp on the mental shields that held her power in check. Her reaction was so strong she almost threw herself into the link. Jia pulled back just quickly enough to wall the energy away from her, nearly shaking from the effort.
“Sit down, Jia. There.” The professor indicated the simulation chair in the center of the inner chamber.
Unsure of what else to do, she sat. Looks like you’re in a bit of a trouble. Thought you could run from fate? You’re fate was decided long ago… run and it follows.
Shut up!
Jia heard someone clear their throat and looked up to see Liln staring at her suspiciously. “Now what?” Jia asked petulantly.
The professor smiled slightly and leaned over her to fasten the chair restraints, but Jia bolted up, or at least she tried to. Instead she found she couldn’t move at all. The last thing Jia remembered seeing was a strange smile splayed tightly across Liln’s lips. And then nothing, or comparatively little… nothing except darkness.
I tried to warn you, but do you ever listen?
Shut up! Where am I? What happened?
But you just said-
Just tell me!
What do you think? the voice said peevishly.
Liln, she’s a Seeker. That much is obvious now. But how did she find out about me? And where am I supposed to be?
Jia, she’s a hunter, that’s all that matters.
“That’s the first time you’ve ever said my name,” Jia said quietly into the surrounding blackness.
It’s the first time you’ve ever acknowledged our link.
Jia didn’t know how to respond to that. It had been four years now, since she’d first felt the link- four years she’d been running… from the past and the future alike. It had been four years since her parents had been hunted down by hunters like Liln because they’d spawned a child who could shift, a child who could link with whatever kind of presence now permanently inhabited her mind. It’d been four years she’d lived longer than she had expected to.
You live because you choose to fight. You choose to fight to find a purpose. Your purpose is your fate, both are destined to be great.
Jia sighed, there was no use trying to hide from something that shared your thoughts. It was a lesson in futility she knew all too well.
Can you tell me what happened?
Perhaps.
Why did her link have to be so irritatingly impossible!
I’m not impossible her link said defensively
Please, I need to know!
Alright, alright! Your seeker used a simulation to cage you within your own mind, your body is no doubt in something akin to a catatonic trance.
I don’t understand. Why would she go to all this trouble? Why not just end it?
"> It snorted You are not like the others. You escaped her. She takes pleasure from your unfortunate circumstances.
Oh how nice! Jia thought bitterly. And she plans to keep me like this forever?
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Undoubtedly, it said sarcastically.
Is there nothing I can do?! Jia cried, the fringes of panic finally beginning to seize her.
I have my uses.
What are -
Jia found herself suddenly no longer in the dark, but now surrounded by light, a blinding light that seared her unadjusted eyes. She was then engulfed by images- visions of terror, of all those tortured and murdered because of the strange gift they were born with, those just like her. She saw her family tortured before her, and she watched on, as she herself destroyed their tormenters, her fury unleashed. She relived her past through the thousand and more visions that filled her mind, but many were of things she’d never seen before, and many of things she never intended to. Each burned into her mind like a mental flame, scorching an impression into her memory that would never fade. And just when she thought she could take no more, when she thought nothing could survive this pain- it stopped.
Chance is a throw at the dice. Luck is self proclaimed. Prophesies are foretold. Destiny is inevitable.
Jia opened her eyes slowly, expecting something terrible, but instead she found nothing besides the comfortable familiarity of her dormitory.
“You up?”
Jia jumped, surprised by Sohkeeya’s presence in her room. “Uhhh… I mean yes… I think,” she stammered.
“How are you feeling? They say you fainted .” Sohkeeya said cheerfully, blissfully unaware of what had happened, unaware of Jia’s past and of her inhuman companion that attracted danger so habitually.
You don’t need my help to make enemies, Jia. You do quite nicely on your own, her link stated resentfully.
Jia smiled weakly, “You mean besides this headache?”
“Now that’s the Jia we know and love.” Sohkeeya’s smile faded and she stared at Jia intently, as if trying to discern her thoughts by sheer will. After a long moment, she sighed and stood, “I guess I’ll let you get some rest now. Sleep, that’s an order!” and with the click of the door closing, Jia was alone again.
“If I’m truly okay, which I’m having trouble believing… where’s Liln?”
Her link chuckled dryly in her mind. It seems she felt a bit faint. Must be going around. Anyways I doubt she’ll be waking for quite some time… actually, ever .
Jia flinched, but she knew nothing else could have been done. If left alone, Liln would have just hunted her down again. Quietly Jia said, I don’t ever want to know.
Jia stretched and got up out of her bed. She walked to her tall free standing mirror in the corner of the room. Slowly she peeled off her jacket revealing her bare shoulders. There on the upper portion of her right arm, glinting in the light, was the Tau’Lathe family crest. The tattoo was beautiful; the silhouette of a black wolf being engulfed in silver flames glittered on her tan skin. It was the very essence of her lineage, of her spirit. It had been so long since she had last been able to bare it publicly, feeling pride in the history of her blood. She stared, memorized by it. Maybe, just maybe, it was time to move on. Accepting her destiny would no doubt be dangerous and no doubt very challenging, but she was miserable living like this; it wasn’t living at all.
You know, I think it’s time to stop running, start living.
Best idea you’ve had yet.
Oh, shut up!
Too exhausted to think any more about it tonight, she crawled into bed. As Jia put her thoughts and fears to rest for a while- she shifted, trying to get comfortable. Her hand brushed against something beneath her pillow. She pulled the object out and held it up to the light. As she realized what it was tears began to run in rivulets down her cheeks and sobs tore at her throat. It was a picture.
The smiling and laughing faces seemed so alive, just as she remembered them. Her hand gently brushed the images in the frame. She remembered that day well. It was the last time all her family was together, and this portrait… was the last her family had ever taken. Absently, Jia noticed her finger was bleeding- the glass on the frame had been shattered.
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