Icy water drips from the cold, stony ceiling onto my head. It trails down my neck. The cold water wakes my tired body. The familiar dark stone cellar fills my vision. The small glow from my candle lights the small cramped room. The cold stone beneath me leaves me huddled with my knees to my chest searching for a trace of warmth. The candle is so dim that if I go too close it might go out, leaving me in a world of darkness. This prison is all I have ever known. It is the only place my 15 year old eyes have seen. My skin has never had a drink of the warm rays of the sun. 1

Light starts to swarm in from the iron door. A man in thick armor steps in my cellar. He grabs my limp pale arm and drags me outside into the dark, cold hallway. 2

The man looks down at me and grunts, "Get outta here." 3

His beefy hand throws me to the ground. The cold stone reaches my body. I struggle to my feet. 4

"Wh-where am I supposed to go?" I say to the guard trying not to look him in the eyes.5

He grabs my long scarlet hair and says with a venomous tone, "This is a prison for weak children, today you turn 16 so under the law we cannot hold you here anymore." 6

Tears start rushing from my eyes and my cheeks fold upward showing my dirty teeth. My scrawny legs stumble towards the big open door. The door leads to a hallway. The hall has a lot of other doors each painted a strange design. My body, almost out of instinct moved towards the second door on the left. The door seemed to glow. I placed my hand on the ebony handle and twisted it to the right. The door flew open and a blinding light engulfed me. First all-white now all darkness.7

*************************************************8

My eyelids flutter open to chirps and songs of winged creatures dancing in the sky. Wet green grass is pressed against my face. I make my small body roll over. Above me is an endless sight of blue and fluffy white giants. A golden orb of life illuminates my surroundings and burns my ghastly pale skin. 9

"Ah so you're awake," A gentle voice calls from behind me.10

I look over my shoulder to see a gorgeous young man standing behind me. His chocolate brown hair side swept to the right. Bright blue eyes stared onto my curious face. 11

"I'm sorry you must be wondering who I am," The man says," My name is Riku."12

Riku stared at me for another minute like he wanted me to say something, but I was content at just gazing upon his perfect face.13

"My name is..," I start to say,"...Mikami."14

"Hello Mikami, I found you lying here in this field last night, I didn't want to leave you alone so I looked after you."15

"Thanks," I say trying to avoid eye contact.16

"Do you mind if I sit next to you?" he says with a small smile.17

"Sure." I really wish he would just go. He is so perfect and I'm...I'm not.18

I look over at him and see his beautiful eyes gazing at me. 19

"So what were you doing out here alone?"20

"I...just got out of prison." I said before I realized how now I look like a criminal. 21

"Prison?"22

"Yes there should be one around here somewhere."23

"Well there is no prison around here but if you were in prison then what would a pretty girl like yourself be in for?"24

My cheeks flared. "I don't know, I was there my whole life. You must think I'm crazy."25

"No, I don't think you’re crazy. If you want I can show you around town."26

"No I better be going now." I say while getting up.27

"Ok I'll show you to the main road."28

He led the way up the grassy hilltop where we had been talking. He showed me a small dirt road that stretched out a long distance.29

"Just follow this road; it takes you to the next city."30

"Thank you." I mumble with my head down.31

"Are you sure you'll be ok?"32

"I'll be fine.." I say as I wander on the path. 33

I walk for about ten minutes without looking behind me. I turn around to see if Riku was still there, but he wasn't. For some reason I was hoping he would still be there. He was the first person who has ever been nice to me in my whole life. I continue walking the never ending path towards dark shapes huddled together. When I got closer to the dark mass I realize that it is many trees together. A forest. The Glowing orb in the sky is just barely peeking over the land leaving the sky above me dark and cold. 34

The Forest ahead of me is even darker than the sky. Maybe I should turn back. Maybe Riku will be there waiting for me. No. It’s too late. There is no turning back now. I take a deep breath and walk into the eerie forest. 35

The trees around me are black and twisted. Dark shapes move and rustle around. I keep trying to follow the path that is dimly lit by a majestic white entity in the sky. 36

I hear whispers and murmurs behind me. I quickly turn around to see three big middle-aged men behind me. They each are carrying empty bottles and they can't stand up straight. 37

"Hey there sweetie," one of the call out.38

I turn to run but two of them force me to the ground. I try to struggle but my weak body is a toothpick to them. I hear a zipper coming undone behind me. Tears flow from my eyes and a scream escapes. 39

"Hush baby this won’t last long." The man behind me says. 40

"Don't forget about our turns Artie!" The other men say.41

The man name Artie rolls me on my back and makes a disgusted look at my malnourished body. 42

"I don't know if we want this one," he said, “She’s pretty nasty anorexic." He pulls out a knife and holds it to my throat. "I'll just skip to the fun part," He says with a malicious look.43

"ARTIEEEE!!!" The two men scream from where they were standing. Artie looks over but there is nowhere to be seen. 44

"What the...” Artie did not get to finish his sentence. An arrow appeared in his back and he collapsed on my frail legs.
somehow before Artie died he managed to slice my right palm. The pain stings but it's not too bad. 45

I push his corpse off with all my strength and try to get to my feet. 46

A hand reaches to me and I try to back away but I realize it is a familiar hand. It's Riku. He sweeps me up with strong arms and carries me down the path. Against his body was so warm and nice. It felt so right. 47

After some time being carried Riku puts me down on a soft patch of grass. I realize we are not in the forest.48

"Riku how did you-"49

Before I could finish Riku arms engulfed me. "Please don’t endanger yourself Mikomi."50

I shifted to where I was laying on my back looking up at the lovely pale moon. Riku Slides next to me.51

"Mikomi, the reason I followed you was because you are the first person I've ever met."52

"What?"53

"A couple days ago I bumped my head and now I only remember my name and something else."54

"What else?"55

"I remember the name Mikomi."56

"What?" I say with disbelief. "I only met you this morning though."57

"I know I don't understand either, but that’s why when you said your name was mikomi I had to follow you."58

We laid there for a while until i closed my eyes and fell asleep.59

Heat starts to pile up on my body. 60

I wake up quickly seeing that Riku made a fire.61

"Hey Mikomi I remember something from my past." He says kneeling by the fire.62

"That’s great." I say trying to sound excited.63

"Come here" he said motioning to me to go sit by him.64

I got up and sat by the warm fire. It was very hot but I could stand it for him.65

"What is it that you remember?"66

"Well I remember I was sitting by a fire with my father and he told me a story." "I'll tell you the story Mikomi." 67

"Here it is," He started, “When god created the humans he also created a very special woman to be his bride. The woman was the most beautiful, smart, and strong of all humans. She was so strong and so fast he did not even think of her as a human. To emphasize that his bride was more elite than humans he made her appetite human blood. One day the woman broke away from God and started her own kingdom. She turned foolish humans into great warriors by giving them her blood. God was angered by this act of defiance so when the leader of the humans came to God and asked for help against the other race God gave them a gift. God created a human with the powers of the other race. The man was called The Black Dove. The Black dove was the only one who could kill the traitor. In a battle the Black Dove was victorious."68

"That's a very interesting story...” I say.69

"Yea but it's just a myth."70

Just then two hooded people come up to us. 71

"Who are you!" said Riku angrily. He got up in front of me. 72

The one in front took of their hood and reveals a soft pale face with flowing long black hair. She looks about my age and her glowing red eyes stare at Riku with hatred. 73

"Ren, take the queen." the words came out of her mouth so smoothly.74

The other one walks up and in a flash is standing behind me. I look up at him with curious eyes. He sweeps me up and takes me to the girl. 75

"What are you doing!" Riku shouts.76

"Take her to the palace," the girl says, "I'll handle him.77

I try to kick out of the guy's hold but he was like stone.78

Before I know it I black out, the last thing I hear are Riku's screams.