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Mia stood on her balcony
and leaned against the railing. She twirled a
rose between her long fingers as she gazed out into the darkness.
She
studied the rose for a few moments, then caught a glimpse of silver.
Her
nails were painted silver that night. Tonight was filled with
sadness and
loss for her. The others Ronins were all asleep after a long night
of
partying. They had been happy to see the defeat of Talpa. She
knew they all
felt sorry for her, but she didn't want sympathy. The only thing
she wanted
had been taken away from her.
A wind blew fiercly by her and she let go of the rose. Mia
watched the
red flower being carried by the wind. She sighed as it landed
in the
sparkling water of the lake. Tears filled her eyes and slipped
down her
cheek.
"Why did you have to die Anubis?" She asked. It was
a question she knew
she would never have answered. She turned away from the cold darkness
and
walked back into the lonely solitude of her room. The silver
orb on her
desk caught her eye. She looked at it in disgust. What was she
without
Anubis? Anubis made her whole. He made her strong when she was
weak, he made
her feel special when she was otherwise overlooked. She slowly
crawled onto
her bed and stared out her window. She wouldn't be sleeping tonight.
In
fact, she hadn't slept for the past two nights.
It had been only two days after Talpa's defeat. Mia couldn't
get over the
fact that Anubis was gone. She just kept thinking that if she
had been
stronger, she could have saved him. She sighed and trembled from
the cold
wind blowing into her room. Sleep still did not claim her as she
watched the
darkness fade into the light of the rising sun.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
In a world far from that
of the Mortal Realm, there was a great stir of
excitement.
"He's here!" Exclaimed one man.
"It is him!" Cried another. The old figure continued
walking among the
people. They made way for him as he approached the temple. He
looked around
at the faded spirits of the warriors around him.
"It's the Ancient!" A man whispered to the man next
to him. They all
watched as the Ancient One quietly walked up the stairs of the
Temple of
Warriors. His golden staff clinked softly as he walked down the
hall. He
tipped his hat further down on his head as he entered the room.
On the
elegant carpet in the center of the room lay a red haired man
clad in a
fearsome looking armor. The Ancient knelt down beside him.
"You did well Anubis. Your heart has truly changed."
The monk nodded his
approval. Anubis' eyes fluttered open and he squinted at the light
illuminating from the Ancient's staff.
"Ancient?" He asked drousily. Then, realizing what
had happened, he shot
upright. "Mia!" He shouted, searching the room. All
he saw were grey stones
and old tapestries, and of course, the Ancient One. The Ancient
put a hand
on Anubis' shoulder.
"She is alright Anubis." He reassured the warrior.
"You should be
honored to be here. Very few warriors ever see this place."
Anubis looked
around.
"Exactly where is 'here'?" Anubis asked. The Ancient
smiled slightly.
"You are in a sacred place called the Temple of Warriors.
When a warrior
of great honor and bravery dies, his spirit is sent here."
The Ancient
noticed the frown Anubis gave him.
"But why am I here? I have not done anything honorable
or brave." Anubis
remembered his years as one of Talpa's warlords.
"That is not true." The Ancient replied. "Thanks
to you, Talpa is
destroyed and a new armor has been brought to the mortal realm."
He saw the
questioning on Anubis' face. "The armor Mia received has
lain dormant for
hundreds of years. Mia's love for you somehow unlocked the armor.
I, myself,
was not sure it even exsisted anymore until it reawakened."
Anubis' face
turned serious.
"But why did it go to Mia?!" He asked. He didn't
want Mia to go through
what he and the others had gone through.
"The armor chose her. That is all I can say." The
Ancient stood and
Anubis struggled to his feet.
"Then...I really am dead?" Anubis asked.
"Yes." The Ancient replied simply. "But the
world will need you again.
Now rest. Your journey to the spirit world has been a long one."
The Ancient
then left Anubis alone in the room.
~Mia. Please, stay strong. I promise I will find a way back
to you.~
Anubis silently promised, though Mia was not around to hear it.
He gripped
his fist, angry at himself. Mia may be in danger now! All he could
do was
sit here and wait for the monk to return.