A Horrible Secret

Warm rays gently hit her face. The soft rush of water could be heard from a distance. Kiera peeled her eyes open. She held her hand up to her eyes to block the sun from blinding her. Then, she slowly sat up. She looked around. She was on a beach. The sun was high overhead. Behind her was a small town, where behind a long white fence, each house was spaced far from each other; and beyond that was grassy hills and mountains rich with dark earth. She rose to her feet. 

“Where am I?” She wondered. 

As the question crossed her mind, she suddenly realized something.

“I recognize this place…”

.

Then, she pictured a little girl, long silver hair, purple eyes, in a plain white shirt, running and laughing giddily across the sand. The girl dug into the sand with her bare hands, attempting to build a mountain, and then sculpt it into a tower.

.

“I remember…” She breathed, “I’ve been here before…”

She was temporarily snapped back to reality as two young boys sped past her, barely avoiding knocking her over, one had spiky brown hair, one had soft, short silver hair. The brown haired boy laughed, and gasped for breath at the same time.

“I won! I beat ya!” He panted.

The silver haired boy sighed, smiling, and shaking his head.

“Well done Sora. Well done.”

Sora giggled.

“I’m gonna go get a glass of water. Wanna spar afterwards?” Sora asked.

The silver hair nodded. “Sounds fun.”

Sora grinned, and took off towards the town.

.

“Excuse me-”

The silver haired boy was surprised. He turned around, staring at Kiera with a calm demeanor. He had tranquil green-blue eyes.

“Hi,” greeted Kiera, “This might seem a little strange to you but…can you tell me where I am?”

The boy cocked his head, intrigued.

“The Destiny Islands,” the boy replied, “You’re on the mainland, there’s a bunch of islands out towards the sea.”

He pointed to the water. Kiera squinted, and could see faint masses of land over the horizon. 

“Ah…I see.”

“Are you lost?” the boy asked.

Kiera frowned.

“I don’t know…I might…”

She snapped back to reality, and smiled politely.

“Thanks for helping me out.”

The boy nodded. 

“No problem.”

.

    “Riku? Riku!”

The boy whirled around. A woman was standing behind the fence, and waving.

“Oh, that’s my mother. I gotta go,” The boy declared, “It was nice to meet you…”

“Yeah, you too.”

As she watched Riku run towards the woman, she made another discovery. Memories suddenly came flooding back to her.

.

It was a dark and stormy night. The windows shot open. She jumped as she sat up suddenly in her tiny bed. She saw a figure in a white cloak and hood appear in her room. She shuddered in fear.

“Momma!” she called.

The figure put his finger up to his mouth and gently shushed.

“It’s alright little one. I’m not going to hurt you.”

She wasn’t so sure. The figure grew closer. She began to see their features more clearly. It was a man. Black hair, long, and half tied into a bun, with some wisps in his face. His eyes were gray with a hint of purple. He had a white “x” tied across his chest, and a small tuft of hair on his chin.

“I sense a great power within you, little one. I’ve come to take you somewhere where you can kindle that power.”

“I…I have to ask my Momma first-”

The man interrupted. 

“-Your mother will be alright. Come, little one. I will help you.”

He reached out his hand to her. She stared at it for a long, hot minute, then slowly took it. 

“Kiera?”

The man hastily straightened. Her mother came into the room. She froze in horror. A weapon suddenly appeared in his hand, a key, and pointed it at her. A flash of light came from its blade. Her mother gasped, then fell to the ground.

 “MOMMA!” She screamed. 

“She’ll be fine. Come little one, quickly!”

The man scooped her into his arms. She sobbed and screamed. There was another flash of light, and once again, there was blackness.

.

Kiera gasped. She whirled around to catch a glimpse of the woman again just before she disappeared with the silver haired boy. Silver hair, just like her! She was horrified.

“Wait!”

The woman just barely heard her. She cautiously turned around. Kiera rushed up the sand banks. The woman cautiously put her son behind her. Kiera was breathless. She was speechless, scrambling for something to say.

“Do…Do you remember a girl named ‘Kiera’?” Kiera panted.

The woman was taken aback. She stared at Kiera for a long while.

“Maybe…Maybe you had a child with that name?” she added

The woman shook her head.

“No…I only have one child, him” she gestured to the boy, “I’ve never had a daughter.”

Kiera exhaled sharply. She gripped her head.

“Are…Are you feeling alright, miss?” asked the woman.

“You don’t remember…” Kiera gasped, “He…He removed your memory…!”

“Miss?” 

The woman reached for her, but Kiera took a step back.

“I gotta get back to the Land of Departure…”

She turned around, and dashed back to the beach. Once she got there, she hit her shoulder-shield. She was clad in her armor, and her vehicle appeared. She hopped inside, and took off toward the sky.