I was never anyone special.

  I was not born under a special constellation, no powerful diviners ever foretold of my ascendancy, and I was not born to herald in an all-new era for Terai. In a way, I’m glad I wasn’t; that’s too much pressure for any human, really. I struggle enough doing basic chores, so worrying about the fate of the world from the moment I’m born? Yeah, count me out, thanks. That said, I almost wish I was born under that pressure. At least I wouldn’t have to doubt who I was at more core, y’know? I’d always know that no matter what, I was born to be a hero. Also, that just sounds cool, right? Being born to save a doomed world or whatever? That’s not who I was, though. Before I was Linizio, I was no one.

  Before I was Linizio, I was a simple farmhand. And at this point, I didn’t even have any clue that I was a woman, either. Just someone with normal features, an average physique, and an average skill set, born in an average farming settlement on the western reaches of the continent. It was a many-days ride on horseback to the sea, and not quite a day’s trip to get to the neighboring kingdom of Genesokis, so while we weren’t entirely rural, it still felt pretty isolating. I had friends, but we were never all that close– hell, I was closer to the pet horse that I raised from when I was five, Ponea. Just me, my older sister, Circe, and my aunt and uncle who had raised us both since we were little. I got into the habit of calling them “mom” and “dad” though, since I hadn’t really gotten to meet my biological parents- they passed away when my sister was only 2 and I was only a couple months old. That said, I always got along really well with my family, which was nice to say the least. Well, I did, anyway.

  Everything changed on the night of my 18th birthday. It was a good birthday and everything too, but I couldn’t help but feel sad. My parents sang me happy birthday, and every time they said my name, I couldn’t help but wince, like they were singing out of key, even though all the notes were correct. Something somewhere was jarringly out of place, but I had no clue what, so I just tried to ignore it, just as I had for the past few years now. I blew out the candles on the cake which were in the shape of XVIII, and with it, I wished upon the goddess for which our continent was named. I didn’t have any words to ask, no request in particular. It wasn’t for money, for wisdom, power, a new outfit, a girlfriend (that had been the standard wish for a few years now), but instead, it was a cry for help. Emotions welled up within me and I couldn’t contain them anymore. I didn’t let them show, but I blew them all out in a frenzy as I extinguished the candles, my breath containing my hopes, dreams, tears, anxiety, and a prayer. Lo and behold, my wish would be answered, even if I didn’t know it yet.

  Just then, a cry rang out from the town center: “Monsters!” My family and I were startled out of our seats, and I watched Dad bolt to the window. I peeked out from behind him and caught a glimpse of what was outside: nothing; until I looked up, that is. Swirling figures of hideous shape circled underneath the cloudless sky, unusually clear for a winter night. And then they began to swoop down, searching for food, and they found it on a cow that had escaped during the madness. Two stirges latched onto the poor bovine and began sucking the blood out of it. The cow flopped and thrashed, trying to knock them off, until the blood loss caused it to collapse in lethargy, sealing its fate. My eyes flew about the street, glaring into the darkness, as the sun had long since set for its early winter rest, making sure the streets were empty, and luckily, it seemed like they were. Everyone was shuttering windows and staying safe inside. That is, everyone except for one lone elderly woman, who was shambling as fast as she could through the night to her barn to secure her livestock. By now, Mom and Circe had already fled to make sure the house was secure, and Dad was about to do the same– he didn’t see the woman I saw. My heart was beating louder than fireworks, my pulse feeling like it was about to explode from my throat. What should I do? This woman was in very real, serious danger, and no one was going to help her. No, surely someone would, right? Dad could rush to his sword and rescue her, right? I heard her cry out in fear, as stirges were suddenly upon her, swooping down from the starry sky. Dad turned to look, but any second now, that poor old woman was gone. Her life, extinguished, like the candles I had blown out just seconds ago. The world slowed to a crawl, sweat suddenly pouring out of my head and hands, and I stood powerlessly at the window. My eyes flickered from the woman to my reflection, and in the reflection, I saw the chair behind me that I had bolted from. It would be enough.

  No more time for thoughts. I grabbed the chair and bolted out the door, slamming it behind me. I vaguely heard Dad shouting after me, but I didn’t have time to listen. My vision tunneled onto the defenseless woman ahead of me. She wasn’t far; I could make it. I was only a couple dozen feet away now, and I hurled the chair with all my might in the air towards the concentrated group of stirges. It didn’t hit them that hard, but they were confused and no longer targeting the woman on the ground. With the woman no longer being immediately attacked, my eyes flickered around for an escape route, and I found some kind of tool shed slightly ajar just a short distance away. Without stopping, I sprinted directly past the swarm, and I half dragged, half tackled this woman into the open door, yanking it shut behind us. Breathless and silent, we waited for the stirges to leave. They fruitlessly attacked at the shut door, but without means to open it, the sounds slowly faded away.

  As a trepidatious silence fell, I broke the silence “You alright?” My voice shakily crawled from my lips, just loud enough to be audible, but the quiet volume and quivering timbre betrayed my fear.

  But to my surprise, the old woman chuckled. “Quite alright, quite alright! Though to be honest, I think you did more of a number on me than those little old monsters did!” She punctuated her words with a big, howling laugh, and I felt my face flush.

  “I- uh, I’m so- I’m really sorry! Do you need me to- should I get you a- uh- do you need help?” I scrambled from my still sitting posture to my feet, worried I may have hurt her more than I helped, but she simply continued to laugh.

  “Darling, I haven’t survived over seventy long years by bein’ fragile! I’ll be quite alright, don’t you worry.” She slowly rose to her feet before I could even offer my hand for support. “That was a real brave thing you just did, you know? You oughta be proud, too few people in the world are willing to stick their neck out when it’s of no benefit to them.”

  My heart felt warm. It felt very good to feel like I had finally done something worthwhile. Even so, it wasn’t that special, right? “Oh, no, ma’am, I didn’t do anything worthy of your thanks, just doing what felt right. I thought you needed help, so I helped, you know?”

  She just shook her head and smiled. “If you say so, but I’m still thankful nonetheless, darling. Now you go get along home now, I’m sure it’s well past your bedtime now!” She left with a chuckle, and I watched her walk a little ways down the road to her house, not far away.

  The walk home was eerily quiet, and walking into my home again, I was greeted by a harsh scolding from Mom, and then a beratement from Dad, followed by some very serious thanks from him as well for helping someone in need. Circe didn’t have much to say, but she also seemed upset. No one was really happy that I thrust myself into danger completely unprepared, and frankly, I didn’t blame them. It was reckless, stupid, and wildly dangerous, but I don’t regret what I did. Not for a second.

  Needless to say, the festivities were cut short that night. I don’t think any of us had the appetite for cake after something like that. I prepared for bed, dressing down into my pajamas, and as I rinsed out my mouth with mouthwash (which, in my homeworld, is a form of cleansing potion, as opposed to. . . whatever that minty liquid in this world is), I stared at my reflection, and trying to ignore the tumultuous feeling in my stomach, I thought to myself how strange it was to have yet another monster attack in the village so recently after the last. All through my life up until just the last four-or-so years, I had never once seen a monster attack in our village. Mom and Dad told me about when they had happened in the past, before I was born, but from the stories, they were pretty inconsequential. This pattern of attack was very concerning. I was worried, and I wanted to do something, but there was simply nothing I could do. At least, there was nothing I could do yet, but I didn’t realize my role in this world yet. I stood on the precipice of the greatest change of my entire life, in the prologue of my own story, and I didn’t even realize it. And since I didn’t realize it, I swallowed the mouthwash potion. I plopped into bed and dozed off, thinking about how much I absolutely did NOT want to clean the stables tomorrow. . . and it was then, that night, when my life truly began.

  My eyes snapped open, and I stood on a platform of light in an endless, formless abyss. All around me was nothing, and the disc of light that I stood upon seemed only about the size of a living room, but with each step I took in any direction, the platform seemed to move along with me, and my footsteps caused the light to ripple like water. I gazed out into the abyss, and within the swirling darkness, glints of light of all different colors twinkled far away.

  I soon realized how eerily lucid I was for being in a dream. Hell, I even realized I was in a dream, which was a first for me. “Where am I. . .?” I wondered aloud, not expecting any reply as my voice echoed slightly in the abyss.

  But a reply was what I got, and promptly after that. “Your heart, of course.” An unfamiliar voice rang out from behind me– warm, compassionate, and even though I had never heard it before, it felt nostalgic.

  I whipped around, startled. A woman slightly shorter than me stood in a flowing green dress, draped over her dark, shockingly clear skin. Her magnificent pink hair cascaded down her shoulder in a large, fluffy braid, contrasting gorgeously with her many gold necklaces, going all the way past her white and gold belt, reaching down to her upper thighs. Her figure was the stuff of fiction– the kind you see when you close your eyes and think of a beautiful woman. Perhaps strangest of all was that no matter how hard I focused, I could not see her face. It’s not that it wasn’t there, as I could definitely make out her expressions, but for some reason, my eyes could not convey to my brain what her face looked like.

  “Uh. . . Hi?” I waved awkwardly.

  The beautiful woman giggled. “Hello, indeed! I’ve been waiting a long time to meet you. It seems like our time to meet has finally arrived!”

  “Yeah, heh, I guess so.” I introduced myself with a hesitant smile, but as I told her my name, she cocked her head and looked markedly confused.

  “No, that’s not your name.” She said with a concerning amount of confidence.

  “Wuh- sorry? No, I’m pretty sure it is.” I retorted.

  She shook her head and smiled at me warmly. “No, silly, it isn’t. That’s the name your parents gave you, sure, but it isn’t your name. Only you know your name.”

  I stared, puzzled. “I’m. . . not following.”

  The woman took a few slow steps towards me. “You need not follow me! After all, as I said, only you know your name. You need only look into your heart.”

  “I thought we were in my heart right now,” I replied, motioning to the glowing platform. “Which, for the record, I also don’t understand what THAT even means.”

  My confusion did not deter her smile. “Well, yes, I am indeed conversing with you within your soul, but just close your eyes for a moment.”

  I blinked, shrugged, and did as she asked.

  “Good,” she continued. “Now I want you to search deep within yourself, and before you ask, you already know how. Just trust yourself, look deep down, and find your name.”

  Despite my confusion over this strange woman in a strange place in a strange dream, I did as I was told. I felt something below the surface of my skin, bubbling up from deep within me like a geyser. Something. . . familiar. I opened my eyes.

  She smiled slightly wider, as though she could tell I found my answer. “What is your name, child?”

  “Linizio,” the words falling from my lips as though I had known this strange name all my life. In fact, I had never met someone with a name like that, nor had I ever read that name in any sort of book. And yet, that was my name, I was sure of it. “My name is Linizio Nymeus.”

  The woman grinned. “Linizio. . . Yes, a beautiful name. In fact, a word of the Old Tongue! Tell me, Linizio, do you know what it means?”

  I shook my head, and she clasped one hand in the other and placed them behind her hips, and then she began to pace around the circle, each step beneath her feet sending out light in gold and pink as she alternated left and right steps. “‘Linizio’ is actually a word composed of two other words of the Old Tongue; ‘lini’ means light, and ‘zio’ means to start. Thus, ‘linizio’ means ‘light start’. . .” She turned on a heel and stooped forward slightly, extending out a finger towards me as she concluded: “Sunrise!”

  I blinked slowly. An etymology lesson on the old tongue? “Weird ass dream I’m having. . .” I thought to myself.

  Once again, the woman began to giggle as she returned to her full posture. “You must believe you’re dreaming, don’t you?”

  I snorted. “Well, I’m right, aren’t I?”

  She only giggled louder in response. “Of course you aren’t! You always wake up when you realize you’re dreaming, don’t you?”

  My breath hitched. How did she know that?

  At the snap of her fingers, two chairs materialized, formed of the light from the platform on which we stood. She took a seat and beckoned for me to follow suit, which I did. “No, there’s a term for something like this. It’s not a dream– you, darling, are having a vision.”

  I cocked my head in confusion wordlessly.

  Her smile faltered for just a second, and she exhaled sharply. “Surely you must have some inkling of who I am, don’t you?”

  I shook my head wordlessly.

  The woman’s smile disappeared fully for a brief moment. “Oh. Well, in that case, my name is Ter’ai.” She said, placing a hand on her collar.

  And as she finished her sentence, I fell out of my chair.

  “HUH?!” I exclaimed, clambering back onto my chair.

  She looked at me, eyebrows raised. “Oh dear, you do know who I am, don’t you?”

  “WUH-BUH-HUH-WUH-BUH- Y-YEAH, YES I DO!” I stammered. “I-it’s just, y-you look a lot different than my childhood picture books. . .”

  Her eyebrows lowered, and if I could see them, I would assume her eyes narrowed. “Was I white?”

  My face flushed. “Y-yeah. . .”

  She clicked her tongue. “Tch, I don’t know what it is with the western rural folk, but they never get my skin color correct. . .” She took a deep breath, and then continued. “Well, now that we’re hopefully on the same page, allow me to explain why I’ve come to you in this vision.” Her face retained the familiar warmth, but she seemed far more serious now. “I have come to ask you to be my champion.”

  I stared back at her, slack jawed. “What. . .?” I muttered, the word clumsily tumbling from my lips.

  “As you know, once every century, I choose a champion to protect the world should darkness arise.” Her head lowered slightly. “The sad reality of the situation is that darkness is ever present, and by the Code of the Divine– the holy order by which all deities abide, I cannot interfere in the lives of mortals. And though it pains me to merely watch, it is by the nature of my gift to them that I must do this.” She raises her gaze back to meet mine. “Tell me, Linizio. What was my gift to the people of this realm?”

  “Life,” I reply almost instantly, years of teachings springing to the forefront of my mind. “You created the continent and spread the seeds of life, right?”

  She smiled softly. “That I did, but in my eyes, the true gift I gave was not life itself, but rather something that I gave to life. Freedom.” Her gaze fixed onto the expanse of emptiness above me. “I wanted the life on this continent to choose for themselves the future they desired. I wanted them to carve their own path. If I were to step in and direct things the way I believe they should go, then I rob mortals of the gift I gave. However, I cannot turn a blind eye to evil. This is why I choose a champion, and for this cycle, I have chosen you.” Her gaze fixed firmly back on me, and I could feel it almost boring into my soul.

  My heart was pounding out of my chest, and sweat began to slowly accumulate on my brow. “I-I. . .” My heart began to sink. “I can’t. This is. . . this is a mistake, Ter’ai. I shouldn’t be the one to do this. . . I’m just some-”

  Ter’ai’s gaze remained steady on me. Despite her intensity, it felt gentle all the same. “You are my daughter, and a perfect fit. I have seen it firsthand tonight, and you need not prove it to me any further.”

  I looked up, perplexed. “D-daughter. . .? N-no, I’m just. . . just a farmhand. I couldn’t be a hero. . . I wasn’t born as one or anything. Being a farmhand is in my blood, it’s who I was born to be. It’s who I will always be.” I stared into the ground, my face hot with embarrassment and my heart heavy with sorrow and resignation.

  With my head bowed, I could just barely make out Ter’ai rising from her chair, and as I raised my head, I watched her snap her fingers, and as she did, her chair dematerialized back into sparkles of light. The light reformed into a floating body-length mirror. From where I sat, I could not see my reflection, and frankly, I was thankful for it.

  “Come here, child.” Ter’ai looked at me expectantly, her warm smile returned to her face. She motioned with her hand, waiting for me to join.

  I slowly rose from my chair, and I trudged slowly towards the mirror. I kept my eyes fixed on the ground, not daring to look at my reflection. I knew what would be there, and I hated it. I was used to this, but today, it felt heavier on my shoulders– a crushing weight that I could not quantify, nor reason.

  “Why do you avert your eyes, daughter?” Ter’ai questioned.

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  “I’m not your daughter. . .” I choked out. I could feel tears welling in my eyes. When was the last time I even cried? I couldn’t recall. “I’m not a hero, and my name isn’t Linizio. I’m just. . .” I could feel tears streaming down my cheeks. “I’m just a farmhand! That’s all I will ever be! I wish I could be a hero, or an amazing bard, or. . . or anything other than me, but I’m not. I can’t be. It’s not how I was born. I’m doomed, I’m trapped, and I’m just another face in a crowd. That’s all I am. . . THAT’S ALL I AM!” I cried into the abyss, and yet this time, my voice didn’t echo.

  I felt a gentle hand wipe away my tears, but they kept flowing. “You don’t understand yet, my child, but you will,” Ter’ai placed her other hand on my shoulder. “I want you to look into the mirror.”

  I shook my head vigorously. “I. . . I-I can’t.”

  Ter’ai sighed. Not because she was disappointed, but because she was sad that I was sad. “Oh, my dear, you misunderstand. The world is full of illusions. Things will try to trick you at every turn, and sometimes, even our own eyes cannot be trusted. But where we are now, in your soul, there is only truth. Here, the mirror cannot lie to you.” Ter’ai took a few steps behind me, and placed her hands on my cheeks as she guided my face towards the mirror. I snapped my eyes shut in reaction– if I saw my reflection now, I would simply fall apart, I thought.

  “Open your eyes, my daughter, and see yourself for the first time. Bear witness to Linizio Nymeus.”

  Slowly, hesitantly, as though I was tearing off a bandage, I shakily opened my eyes. In the mirror I saw the intangible appearance of Ter’ai behind a woman with curly brown hair that rolled just past her chin and just to her neck. Tears stained her brown eyes, now puffy and red. As her tears rolled down her face and landed upon the platform of light, the light rippled in shades of crimson. Her lip quivered as she looked at me. Her form was more delicate than mine, shoulders narrower, waist thinner, legs longer. Her longer eyelashes fluttered as her eyes fully opened, her eyes widening at what she saw. She wore an outfit I had not yet seen, but reminded me of things I owned and things my sister used to wear. I had never seen this woman before. And yet I knew. I knew her so, so well.

  “. . .It’s me.” I whispered.

  Ter’ai smiled. “Indeed, Miss Nymeus.” She wiped my tears once again, which continued to flow.

  “. . . I never want to wake up from this dream.” I whispered once more.

  Ter’ai giggled yet again. “Vision, dear, not a dream. I thought we had established this.” I could see her smirking in the reflection of the mirror. “And why would anything change? It is you that you see, after all. Even if you choose to not be a champion, I will never deprive my daughter of her true self.” She placed her hand back on my shoulders and slowly spun me around to face her. “But I think I know that you want more than the farmhand life, isn’t that right?”

  I nodded, trying my best to look serious as I cried.

  Ter’ai’s smile disappeared once again. “The life of a heroine is not all glitter and glamor, my daughter. You will face very real danger, and your very life may hang in the balance. I hate to ask this of you, my child, but I must, for there is no one else more fitting for this. This is your choice to make. Use the gift I gave you and choose your path; forge your destiny. Look once again within your heart. . . What path do you choose, Linizio?”

  I steeled myself, took a deep breath, and I replied. “I, Linizio Nymeus, of the town of Creekside, wish to be your champion, and to spread peace, love, and justice throughout the lands of Ter’ai, and I wish to protect those that cannot protect themselves.”

  Ter’ai grinned once more. “So you have chosen. Very well, then.” Ter’ai removed her hands from my shoulders and held her arms at her waist level, turning her palms skyward. As she did, light flashed forth from her hands, materializing into a massive sword of pure light. The only tangible thing about it was a ruby-like crystal, pure red, placed in the middle of where the crossguard would be. “Take up this sword, my champion.”

  I did as instructed. It was weightless, and I felt strength course through me as I raised it skyward.

  “Linizio Nymeus, follow your heart, and go forth. Protect my people, and serve me well. Now, my daughter,” Ter’ai snapped her fingers. “Awaken.”

  Just as her fingers snapped and with her parting word, I shot up in bed, eyes open wide. Confused and a little dizzy, I scanned around my room, seeing everything just as I had left it last night, sunlight streaming in gently from the window. I took a deep breath before hopping out of bed. I rubbed my eyes as I approached my dresser.

  Well, that was a weird dream. . . I think to myself, a sinking feeling in my heart as I realized that I was back to my mundane life again. As I went to open the drawers to get dressed, I could just make out movement in my periphery. I glance over to see the mirror resting on top of my dresser. Realizing it was just my reflection, I continued on as I was, getting dressed for today. Just the same ol’ reflection from that vision. . .

  “Wait-” I mutter as I do a double take. My reflection was the same as it had been in the vision I had! I poke and prod all of my face, patting up and down my body. Sure enough, I’m the girl I saw in the reflection. I was me, after all this time! Tears of joy sprung to my eyes, and a dumb grin crept across my quivering lips.

  And then I heard clanging come from the kitchen, and my stomach dropped. My family doesn’t know my name’s Linizio. They don’t know I’m a girl, and they don’t know I’m Ter’ai’s newest champion. An onslaught of horrifying scenarios ran through my head. I wondered if it would be best to try and hide, to run away, or some other random ideas.

  As my mind continued to spiral, images of the vision flashed through my mind again. For a moment, I could almost feel Ter’ai’s hands on my shoulders again.

  I closed my eyes. “Deep breaths, Lin. . .” I inhaled, held it for a moment, and exhaled. I slowly opened my eyes. There’s no hiding this now. My family needs to see the real me. I steeled myself for what happened next, and after I changed into some clothes that don’t fit as well anymore, I walked into the kitchen.

  Mom was frying what smelled like bacon on the stove, Dad was hunched over a bowl of oatmeal at the table, and my sister was absent, probably already at work elsewhere on the farm. “G’morning. . .” I say, as I shuffle in.

  I get a few nonchalant “good mornings” back, and then the stares. Everyone freezes in place, as though time stopped, staring at me with wide eyes.

  I swallowed. “S-so, I have something- um, something important to tell you guys. . .”

  ~~~~~

  “. . .That about sums it up.” I sit, eyes fixed on the floor, fidgeting nervously. Slowly, I drag my line of sight to Mom and Dad, just to see how they feel. Neither of them were looking at me. Mom had her hand reversed, resting over her mouth, staring behind me in deep concentration, brow slightly furrowed. She looked concerned. Dad seems to have found the floor as interesting as I, as his gaze could have dug holes beneath him if he had stared any harder. He sat bent over his lap, hands folded into each other, stone-faced.

  The silence laid thick over the room, so loud, it made my ears ring. The only thing other than the ringing I could hear was my heartbeat, which felt like it was in my throat.

  Dad was the first to break the silence. “You know how we feel about this already, don’t you? Champions of Ter’ai who aren’t born as a hero are–”

  A shadow fell over my face as I finished his sentence. “-- bad omens. Bringers of misery and misfortune. I know. . .” My voice shakily trailed off. Common folklore in Terai claims that all of her champions are born as such. There’s usually a tell, whether it be a constellation in the sky, or a knack for magic– it varies from hero to hero. However, some heroes were not chosen at birth, like me. They’re usually transformed in some way, and the public. . . doesn’t much care for heroes like me.

  Mom spoke up next. She addressed me by the name my parents gave me. “______, we just worry you’re rushing into things. You’re still so young, you barely understand how the world even works, and we don’t want you to make a decision you’ll regret.”

  “I won’t,” I muttered. “I know this is right, I can just feel it. I’m Linizio, and I want to help people in a way only I can-”

  Dad cuts in. “You already can! On the farm, here at home, just the way we raised you, _____.” Each time they said the name my parents chose for me, I wince, like I’m getting cut by a knife.

  “You guys don’t get it. You don’t feel what I feel,” I fidgeted with my hands harder than ever. I could feel my face heating up, sweat accumulating in my palms. “I’ve never been this. . . I’ve never felt comfortable the way I do now-”

  Mom cut in. “But you’ve always been such a happy guy, _____. When did this change? Why?”

  I kept fidgeting. “I-I. . . I don’t know. I read some books about other people who weren’t happy as themselves and I. . . I think I understood, even if I didn’t realize that until now exactly why. It’s ‘cause I wasn’t me before this, but I am now!”

  Dad cut in. “____, listen, going out and being a hero is dangerous. We just want what’s best for you-”

  I started bouncing my leg. “What’s best for me, or what’s best for you? What, are you ashamed of me now-”

  Mom cut in. “____, you simply haven’t considered all of your options yet. We don’t even know why you’re feeling this way– something else could be the problem here! Maybe something happened when you were young, or-”

  Sweat trickled down my forehead. “There’s nothing wrong with me, I-I’m just trying to be me-”

  Dad cut in. “If there’s nothing wrong with you, then why are you trying to change yourself from who you are, _____-”

  I scowled. “I’m not changing anything! I’m just trying to be me genuinely-”

  Mom cut in. “_____, I just think you’re not thinking straight. You’re- you’re deluded, thinking you’re just like some author you don’t even know. You’re not being rational, you’re just ignoring how you were born–”

  “I’m being plenty rational, if you would just listen to me-” I shouted.

  Dad cut in. “We are, ____, but we just disagree. All I want is to not lose my son-”

  “YOU NEVER HAD ONE, DON’T YOU GET IT?” I cried out, tears beginning to flow.

  My voice rings out through the room, and silence falls. I’m the one to break it, this time. “I’m leaving town tomorrow, and I’m heading to Genesokis. Don’t try to stop me.” I spring to my feet and storm out the door.

  Probably since she heard the slamming of the door, as I’m hurriedly walking away from home, Circe jogged up to me. “What the hell was that-” I turned to face her, eyes puffy from crying. “Oh. . . Oh, goddess, you okay?”

  I briefly explained to her what happened. “Yeah, I kinda guessed. Listen,” she places a gloved hand on my shoulder. “They’re old and dumb, and they don’t get it, but deep down, they’re just worried. I’m not gonna make any stupid excuses for their stupid response, but just know they don’t hate you. And I, for one, am with you all the way. This doesn’t change anything except what I call you now. . .” She pauses, then smirks in her usual asshole-y fashion. “Actually, no it doesn’t, idiot.”

  I snort, a small laugh exiting my mouth as I wipe my tears. “Yeah, okay, jerk. I’m off to go say bye to my friends– I’m leaving for Genesokis tomorrow.”

  Circe’s eyebrow raises. “Tomorrow? Alright, go talk to your loser friends then,” She gives me a shove from my shoulder to send me on my way. “And drop by my room tonight! I got some stuff you can take with you.”

  I wave as I walk away, off to go break the news to my friends. It was sort of a mixed bag– some of them understood, some of them didn’t. Some were happy for me, others were just confused. It was a long, dizzying day of telling people about myself, and frankly, I’m glad I don’t have to do that awkward sort of self-intro ever again. I get home at dusk, just before dinner. Not wanting to cause a scene, I retreated with my food to my room, deciding it would be best not to start another conversation with Mom and Dad, given how the last one went.

  A few minutes after I finished eating, I heard a knock on my door. Fearing the worst, I replied to the knock. “Yeah?”

  Luckily, it was Circe who poked her head into the door. “Dude, I asked you to do one thing-” She pauses, and looks uncharacteristically concerned. “Oh, um, should I not call you ‘dude?’”

  I smile. It felt nice to be considered like this, but it felt weird that it’s coming from my older sister who, like, genuinely hates me 50% of the time. “Nah, dude’s fine. It’s basically a gender neutral term in our part of the world.”

  She nodded. “Cool. Anyways, get in my room, idiot.” She closes the door abruptly.

  I quickly deposited my empty dishes in the kitchen, which was luckily empty, and moseyed into my sister’s bedroom. What I was greeted with when I entered was a wide array of different clothes scattered onto the ground– everything from dresses to skirts, tops to bottoms, necklaces to rings, so on and so forth.

  Circe motioned with a flick of her head towards the stacks of clothing. “Take what you want, they don’t fit me anymore.”

  I stared starry-eyed at the amazing soiree of clothing. “Really?!”

  “Yeah, just. . . take something. And quickly. You still gotta pack, right?”

  “Oh, right, yeah.” I quickly got to sorting through everything, and tried on some clothes. My sister (harshly) critiqued my picks, but after some trial and error, we came up with something fashionable and mobile– good for travel and good looking!

  I beamed at my reflection in the mirror. “Thanks for your help! I feel amazing!”

  Circe scratched the back of her head. She always hated when I thanked her for anything, but it just felt wrong not to, y’know? “Yeah, yeah, whatever,” she muttered. Then, all too soon, her snide smirk returned. “You’re still ugly, though. And dumb. And stupid. And dumb.”

  I laughed and hurled some insults her way as I walked back into my room, where I finished packing and did my best to get some sleep, albeit unsuccessfully.

  Since Genesokis is so far away, I thought it’d be best to wake up just before dawn– that way, I’d arrive at a time where I would still be able to do just about anything instead of sleeping outside under the city gates. Even though falling asleep took what felt like ages, waking up came all too soon, and my time-delay candle magically sprung to life, arousing me from my slumber. The earliest rays of sunlight were just beginning to peep above the horizon as I changed into the outfit Circe had helped me choose: a red off-shoulder dress with lacy trim. The hem was quite short and had a large slit by the leg, underneath was a pair of small black shorts; one of my chief concerns was being able to ride Ponea comfortably, as well as to be able to move as I pleased. A decorative belt was wrapped around my upper thigh (a choice my sister strongly disagreed with), and several others fixed a travel pouch with a decorative brooch to my side. A brown corset with two slim brown belts gave the dress some much needed variety, as did the high-necked, black tank top beneath the dress. I like black and red, what can I say? The shoulderless sleeves for the dress had matching frills, and the look was capped off– or, uh, booted off, I guess, with a pair of brown leather thigh boots. Oh, and a black choker for good measure (yet another decision that Circe hated)! I grabbed my trusty pair of brown gloves, and looked content in my mirror!

  “Wait. . .” I thought to myself as I admired my new outfit. “One last touch. . .” I tucked my right glove underneath my puffy dress sleeve, while I tucked my left dress sleeve into my glove, creating a sort of asymmetrical look. I puffed air out of my nose and nodded, smiling like a dork. “Perfect!”

  Last thing to do was to grab my travel pack of clothing and food, along with the only equipment I could afford from the blacksmith– a single iron shoulder plate which I adorned my right shoulder with, and a defective longsword. When I visited the blacksmith, he offered it to me at a discount, since he said he could never quite get it to his liking, and apparently he was just gonna junk it. Before I affixed the sheathe onto my back, I gave the sword one final look-over, and something within me compelled me to run the palm of my hand along the flat of the blade. Suddenly, the sword gleamed and took on a shade of silver, with an undercurrent of red.

  A voice spoke within my head. “Hello again, my champion! I can’t speak for long, as our bond is not strong enough yet, but your sword is now attuned to your soul. It shall not cut flesh unless you will it to, but it shall render your foes incapacitated. As your strength grows, so shall the power of your blades. Farewell, and may we speak again soon!”

  I blinked twice. “Th-thanks. . .?” I whispered aloud.

  “You’re very welcome~!” Ter’ai replied.

  “Wait, I thought you said ‘farewell’ cause we wouldn’t be able to talk any longer. How did you reply?”

  “Oh, no, that is indeed correct. In fact, you should stop hearing my voice any mom-”

  Silence returned to my head. I blinked twice more, sheathed my sword, grabbed my pack, and exited my bedroom. As I reached for the front door, I noticed my Dad sitting at the kitchen table. “Heading out?” He asked, rising to his feet.

  I stared at the door, knowing I couldn’t meet his gaze. “Yeah.”

  He came up to me and held open his arms for a hug. “Too cool to give your old man a hug before you go?”

  I slowly walked over and hugged him, and he embraced me tightly as I did. “Listen, no matter where you go, how you feel, or who you are, I will never love you any less. All I want is for you to promise me you’ll come home safe. Deal?” He broke off the hug and held me at arms length, hands resting on my shoulders.

  My eyes widened slightly, but I regained my composure and nodded. “Deal.”

  He patted me on the shoulder. “Go get ‘em. You’re gonna do great things.” His eyes darted to the window. “I know we might not agree on everything, but I still care about you, _____.”

  I cringed and smiled weakly. “Th-thanks.”

  As Dad wrapped up his speech, Mom entered the room with a small sack. “Took the liberty of packing you some extra snacks and clothes. Did you take some mouthwash with you? Snacks for Ponea? A jacket? Blankets? Anything you might’ve forgotten?”

  I smiled as I accepted the package from her. “No, I double checked everything last night. I’ve got everything I need.”

  She gave me a tight hug as well. “Stay safe, sweety. Dad and I will be here for you if you ever need us.”

  I nodded. “I know. I’ll see you guys later.” I opened the front door and closed it behind me. With that, my adventure had started. I led Ponea up to the village gate from her stable, and to my surprise, Circe was standing at the gate, waiting for me to leave.

  I didn’t get the chance to say anything before she approached me and extended out her hand, holding a red headband. “Here,” she said plainly.

  I took it from her hands and held it in my own, examining it in a puzzled fashion.

  “Just thought it’d look good with your outfit. I picked it up at the store yesterday, forgot to give it to you before you went to bed.” She crossed her arms and leaned against the wooden post of the gate.

  I slowly put it on, and gave her a teary-eyed “Thanks.”

  “Tch,” she scoffed. “Sure. Just. . .” She locked eyes with me with an unusual amount of sincerity. “Just remember I’ve always got your back. You’re always allowed to stay with me when I move out if you need someone to go to. I’ve been chewing out Mom and Dad to call you the right name and stuff, but they’re dumb and old, like I said yesterday, so. . . It’s a work-in-progress for now.” She unfolded her arms and started walking home.

  “I’ll see you soon!” I called out after her.

  She looked over her shoulder and flipped me off. “I better not!”

  I laughed and flipped her off back. I wiped my tears and led Ponea out past the threshold of the gate. I hopped onto her back. “Ready, girl?” I asked, rubbing her head. She tossed her mane in response and snorted, eager to get moving. “Then let’s roll!” I declared, and we took off at a trot, going the farthest from home I had ever been. Little did I know what awaited me at Genesokis and beyond. I had no idea that the Princess of Genesokis had gone missing just days ago. I had no idea that at this time, my future mentors were hopping from town to town in anonymity. I didn’t know that the succession of the Kingdom of Dragons was soon to be in turmoil. I had no clue that just beneath the surface of Terai, a revolution was brewing. All I knew was that my adventure was just beginning, and I was ready for anything. I was wrong, and I had much to learn, but in the end, I’d say everything worked out alright, wouldn’t you?