Fall of a Hero: Hearts Without Foundation (a Fantasy Adventure)

The Noble Girl

Everything was dark around me. I couldn't see anything. I was there but I saw black. I realized that was dreaming about nothing.

Suddenly, a hole opened in the dream that led to the outside real world. I saw looking through the circle the manor's wall. Then, through the hole slid the sleeping monster I had in a vision earlier. With feline front legs and bird-like talons in the back, the creature steadily and slowly moved its body through the portal. It glanced at me with its horrible face for a second. Soon after, it found a place in the center of the dream and curled back asleep.

But upon glancing at me, it had told me something. It had said that its name was Mushu. It was my guardian born of the banished element. It said that it was born to guard my fate.

That's when I knew. Serpo wasn't trying to make me fill out my evil role, this creature was. The reason why it attacked him must have been to guard me. Unfortunately, as much as I appreciated its protection, it was for the wrong reasons. I had to kill it.

I found the glove miraculously on my hand again. I raised it above the creature and waved my hand. Immediately, Mushu awoke and stood up. It must be preparing itself for battle. Before it could have the chance to lunge at me, I raised my hand up higher and the creature reared on its hind legs as if reaching or begging for something. Confused, I tried to continue the second half of my basic attack with a swinging of my hand to the far left. Mushu leapt stories into the air and slid to the left with a skidding crash. I swayed my hand in circles and to the right. It mimicked the action of my glove exactly.

I could control it.

I regained consciousness in the welcoming sight of my bed in my new room. The glove was still on my hand. I pried it off by carefully tugging at its thin silky material. I couldn't lose it again. That glove was the very strings to control my puppet guardian. It was my only hope.

I had to slow down and analyze everything as I lay there just staring at the elegant but thinly cracked ceiling. I didn't know what or who Serpo was anymore. He wasn't trying to help me become the killer that I am. That's good I guess; however, I know he still wants something from me. Nuntius has the Etchings, and I have an inking that Maccus knows where they are. Last night, during a skirmish over the glove, I discovered that I can control a monster with my Axis Glove as well as fling people across room and touch the crystalline banished element, which may prove useful.

I needed a plan...a goal. What did I want to accomplish? I needed freedom from fate by whatever means. The Etchings held the fates, and Uban inscribed them. If I was to escape the manor life, despite its dangerous comfort, I was to go to Uban, plead for him to change it, and then be free. Or if Uban didn't hear my plee and change my fate, I planned on challenging him against myself with the Axis Glove, Mushu the monster, and possibly with some banished element. If I died, I would not fill out my fate. If I lived, I was free!

After that...after that...my mind lost momentum. I remembered the girl I had seen with the milky hair. I remembered the way she had stared at me, regardless of my filth. She longed for me, needed me. I felt it. Her eyes, and her lovely smile...As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.

I decided that after I was redeemed that I would hunt her down, rescue her from the same loneliness I felt, and we'd either live together with her luxury or follow me into wandering adventure, possibly even into the forbidden Quasid lands. I blushed to myself. I saw her so happy, dancing across a wide sea of grass in a field. I loved her.

I sighed to myself, sadly. It seemed so distant, though. I might forget that magical touch she had. Then, I remembered the sketch under the bed. I rolled out of covers and fell to the floor with my hands and knees. I peeped and ran my hand under on the incredibly dusty floor and pulled out the papyrus. Only thing was, there was no girl. The pen was smudged into a circle. It appeared as if it had gotten a liquid spilled on it. I bit my nails. Had I...possibly wet the...bed last night?