“Where am I?” I ask looking around. I feel cold, but not a bad cold.

  “Welcome to the land of the living, the garden of the creator.” A man with long black hair that seemed to flow into smoke is holding me. He is cold, a comforting cold though. His skin is black like space, with little sparkles that seem to move around slowly. I look toward his face; his eyes are endlessly black. His smile is brilliantly white. I can see smile wrinkles on his face.

  “Are you crying?” He asks me, his happy look turning to one of fear. “Darling come quickly!” He calls to the opening of the cave we are in.

  “What is going on?” A woman with glowing skin of oranges, yellows, and reds came inside. She carried a basket of fruits. Little wisps of fire seem to roll of her skin as she moves. Looking at her leaves an imprint behind my eyes when I close them.

  “She started crying.” The man answers the woman as she got closer to us, sitting down.

  “Most cry when they are brought into the world. At least that is what happens during natural creation according the creator. It is a bit odd she is crying. Though it is our third try. The other two never even opened their eyes.” The woman comes closer, she is very warm. Though it also feels familiar and not overwhelming. Between them both I feel safe, and comfortable.

  “I’m okay.” I say as I try to sit up better. Instead, I fall face first into the man. My body is stiff.

  “Her speech is great, though the body control seems to be lacking. I think we finally have a daughter brother.” The woman came closer rubbing my back. She pulls my hair behind me. She also tilts my head back and forces my eyes open. “Why are her eyes green?” I look into hers; they are a blinding yellowish, white with hints of red and orange.

  “I am not sure. We used parts of us. Shouldn’t they be more of a darker version of yours?” The man was humming as he thought. He even begins to rock me; it is so soothing.

  “Oh, she likes that. Also, we were made from the creator. His eyes are a brownish green. Perhaps that was passed onto her?” The woman kisses my head. “What should we name her?”

  “AunaLuna.” The man seems sure as he places his head on the womans’. “Sister we did it.”

  For some reason them calling out to each other as siblings, and being so intimate makes me feel off. I am not sure why though. “What do I call them?” I say out loud by accident.

  “Father.” The man answers as the woman answers “Mother.” Again, something about that feels off. I don’t think about it too much as a mind blinding pain shoots through my entire body.

  “Please father spare her. She is just a child.” I hear mother begging; I am not sure where I am. I manage to open my eyes; the sight is blurry. I see my parents on their knees, a hand is wrapped around my neck holding me away from a person. Slowly I manage to turn my head enough to look at the person holding me. I can see a glowing figure, the colours shifting constantly. The only constant I can see is a brownish green, maybe reddish? My vision is going dark I turn back to my parents.

  “It is wrong, I told you. You two are twins you can not make children! It is wrong. This thing.” The glowing man shook me. “This is a mistake, a sin, a forbidden child.” He was getting louder and louder.

  “We did not make her the way beasts make their young. We created her the way you create. We were following your example.” Father explained, he did not raise his head though. It hurts.

  “Still. Wrong.” The glowing man dropped me. “However, I should make a stronger example of you three.” Coughing I struggle towards my parents, I long for their touch. I want to be held, the pain to go away. Can’t father rock me?

  The vision fades away to a black void of nothing. Why am I here?

  “I am so sorry. I should have protected you. This should have not happened.” A voice I remember from somewhere echoes through the blackness.

  “Sir, please.” Another voice with a soft tone came through.

  “It is my fault. I should have told her I was using her idea. She said I could lure the people attacking me and her out into the open. It worked; we have caught so many people. Some are already talking. It worked so well, they really thought I had become over confident. They attacked because they thought I had let my guard down.” The first voice sounds sad.

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  “She would not blame you. We did not know she had such perception.” The soft voice is trying to calm the first one, what happened?

  “Why would she do that?” The first voice asks.

  “Do what?” A new warm voice echoes in the void, I try to reach for it. It feels so warm in my chest when I hear it. Where is it?

  “Jump in front of me. Why would a child I am constantly using for my own gain do that? Does she not resent me? She did it without hesitation. Even Lord Wardite ran away, the sword of my kingdom. She gladly put herself between me and a lethal attack.” The first voice grew louder.

  “Oh. You are her king. She loves you deeply, she will always protect your life with hers. She understands as a leader you need to move your game tokens to the right place on the game board. Sure, you can’t just sacrifice your pawns, as they might have connections to your knights. That could lead to a civil war. However, you do need to use each one to its own potential. If that means using her as a political diversion to do what you want, go for it. You are a great king; she will question some things but always stand behind you.” The warm voice sounds close and far at the same time.

  “I did not know she felt like that. I use her so much. I even moved the goal for her freedom. Doesn’t she want to be free from me?” The first voice was getting quieter, who is this her?

  “She does not want to be free from you. You let her do what ever she wants all the time. You never have taken her freedom away. For the good of the kingdom, you could not just say no to the church. She understands that. Instead, you gave her a chance to be free despite the issues it could cause with the church. And we know it has.” The warm voice has a beautiful laugh, it is also fading away.

  The vision changes again, I am back on my knees in front of the glowing man. My whole body is burning, and feels like it is being devoured at the same time. What is happening?

  “I have come to my decision. Your punishments will be handed down now.” The glowing man looks to my father, then my mother. You both will have to walk this world for two million days; you will not be allowed to stop moving.”

  The glowing man looks sad as he turns between both my parents. “There is more. During this time, the light will burn through the darkness. The darkness will devour the light. This is temporary though. Once they are done walking, they will be forced apart for twenty million more days. After that the twins can come back together, as one.” The glowing man comes closer to me.

  “You will also be punished. Branded as a sin, a forbidden child. You seem to reflect light well. Now you will reflect the light of your mother, it will burn you as it burns darkness. It also means you will burn your father, while your mother burns you. Your father will also seek to devour you, you will always have to live in-between light and darkness. Cursed to burn.”

  “You may not be forced to walk the world; you will want to. If you don’t your father will devour you, or your mother will burn you. I do not have to destroy you, that is beneath me.” The glowing man makes an odd sound with his fingers. As he does the pain becomes unbearable, I can feel my skin melting and my mind fading away. My mother runs away, father stands me up.

  “My child, you must walk that way. Always stay in-between mother and I. We love you very much.” He kisses me, pushing me lightly towards mother. I walk until the burning slows down; my skin is still sizzling. I look behind me. Is the pain worth it?

  Do I keep going? I ask myself again. I can’t remember how long I have been walking. When I walk too fast skin bubbles. If I slow down enough to stop the burning of my skin, my mind feels like it is being devoured. I constantly feel the pain on my skin, it turns a rosy red. My mind is always a bit unfocused, dizzy. Why do I keep going? Can’t I let the darkness take me? The light destroy me?

  I stop for a second. My mind begins to fade, it feels liberating to let go. The pain will fade eventually, sweet release. “Please don’t leave me.” The warm voice fills my chest. I open my eyes to see a boy with a goofy smile. His hand is outstretched to me. I take it, he pulls me along. My mind refocuses, my skin begins to burn once again. The boy hums a comforting tune.

  Many more visions pass by my eyes. The pain sometimes fades, cooled by something. Many of the visions include the boy. The ones that don’t I give in to the pain, let it take me away to nothing. I sometimes end up in the void, listening to the voices in the echoes.

  The echoes seem close some times, and far away other times. I can not stop them. I feel like I have somewhere to be, like these visions are not the right me. Where am I suppose to be? Why does the warm voice ask me to stay? Stay in the visions of pain? Why would the warm voice want this?

  “School is in a week. You should wake up. Ciela said she will not go without you. I also refuse. You know, we moved you to the schools’ hospital. The king got special permission for us all to be here early. I suggested we move you here, I thought it would be easy for you when you wake up.” The warm voice sounds shaky. Is it crying? Can a voice cry? Wake up? Yes, wake up. A new voice inside my head spoke. I know it. I need to wake up.

  “Wake up.” I say over and over.

  “I am child. Jensen left to sleep with Edgar, he is not taking your injury well.” The king keeps rambling on. I don’t care though. I jump into his arms, well I try to. His shadow guard gently lifts me to the still rambling king.

  “Rock.” Is all I can say before I cry hard. The pain is intense, though I know being here is worth it. I will live this life through, because the people in it are worth the pain I feel. I settle as the king rocks me gently, still rambling as the guard softly laughs patting my head. Who use to rock me?