Soul of Fire Love of Ice

chapter 1

  I miss the days, I hated so. The days where I would find myself inattentive and gazing out of crimson stained glass.  Looking out to the lavish white town and wishing something, anything would happen.  I never realized that my calm, safe life of boredom would end so fast. I never knew how pitiful life really was, and how easily forgotten you can become until now. This was now a life of fear; there's no escape.

I ran, slipping through the thick fog of the early morning,bare feet sliding under me on the wet slimy cobblestones.

"Stay away leave me alone!" I huffed with a yell of fear.  I needed to get away from the thugs. Not for the fear of my life, but for the fear that theirs would end.  Up ahead, I saw an opening to a long narrow alley.  My lungs burned, and I could hardly breathe. This was my last chance to evade them.  Sprinting down the alley, I hoped I could get away when my foot slipped and sunk into a muddy pothole.  It twisted painfully, and out of reflex, I slammed my hand against the wall to prevent myself from falling. That was a big mistake.  The slap of my hand against the uneven stone wall echoed through the defining fog. Shouts of men followed by the echo of footsteps were growing louder.  They know my location.  I pulled out my foot, that was now covered in mud, and ran to back of the alley only to find it was a dead end. In mortal despair, I slid my back down the slimy walls of the old stone alley and anxiously sat.  Any second, they would run around the corner and the curse would kill them.

Ever since that day, the day my home was attacked, I have been on my own, in this rundown, backwater town trying to run from myself.  Putting my head on my knees, I ignored the smell of urine and stomach vile.  The sounds of footsteps were closer than before.  With every step, I heard my heartbeat increase.  All I could do was close my eyes and let my fear and despair take over.  It was going to happen again.  Like it always does, I'll end up killing them.  This is the swords fault!

Snapping back to reality, I found a pair of weirdly shaped black rubber shoes standing in front of me.  I lifted my head to find a young boy with white shaggy hair and ice blue eyes. His skin was very pale, but not white.  He wore a black cloak.  The sleeves of the cloak were coated in white crystal that looked like early-morning frost.  His cloak also had slashes from swords and holes most likely from impaling arrows.  Our eyes met, and he softly smiled. Suddenly, I noticed his outstretched hand and how close he was to me.  In fear and shock, I pushed my body up against the stone wall.  The jagged stone bricks pushed on my spine sending rods of pain through me. He looked at me with worry and curiosity.

" I'm not here to hurt you, I want to help." The boy said with a beaming smile while extending his hand out further expecting me to take it.  I couldn't pinpoint it, but for some reason I felt connected to him.  Like I have seen that kind warm smile before. Have we met somewhere else? I shook my head slightly, no it didn't matter.  If I knew him or not, he was just too close.

" No don't get any closer or I...I'll kill you!" I screamed my voice trembling in terror as I hid my hands behind my back.  He stood up and looked shocked as he pulled his hand back.

" I have a hard time believing you could hurt me. I'm Leon.  Can I sit next to you, so I can rest? Taking out that many thugs is exhausting." he replied softly.  I didn't know what to say.  The look he'd just given me made me freeze. It was as if he never wanted to leave my side.  He smiled and sat down next to me.  He was too close.  I knew I couldn't convince him to leave, so I scooted over to the corner of the alley.  My ankle now pulsing in pain. My adrenalin was wearing off and I started to wonder if I could still walk.  I needed to get out of here.  I can't let him get any closer to me, for the fear that I'll kill him.  I used the wall to stand up.  The pain from my ankle was making me nauseous.  I looked over to Leon who was looking up at me.

" Are you ok ?" he asked looking concerned, " You look really pale." I looked down the exit of the alley trying to hide my fear and pain.  There was a small crowd of people starting to form for the morning trade.  If I could just get out of this alley, I could hide behind one of the empty merchant booths.  I had to try.  I can't let him die, he was the first person to not run, or try to kill me.  I put my swollen ankle down to take a step, but the pain was so unbearable that the world began to swim in and out.   All I could remember was the cold wet cobblestones against my body.

I awoke in a strange bed and felt something touching my leg.   I jolted upright to find that Leon was wrapping my ankle.  He looked up at me and said,

"So you're finally awake. How do you feel, any better?" Fear flooded through my body.  Then all a sudden, there was a blinding red and orange light.  When my eyes readjusted, I found that cursed sword in my hand.  I looked gingerly toward where Leon was once standing, fearing what would be left of him.   What I found was a giant hole dripping with lava in the stone wall leading into another room. Not far into the next room stood Leon! He held a sword just a little shorter than mine with both hands and held it in front of him.  He lowered his sword and with a wide grin on his face he said,

"See I told you you couldn't hurt me." Frozen by shock, I didn't know what to do. He had a sword like mine, but the ruin carvings where different too.  I'm was the only one with the curse.  The only one who carries this burden.   Why? How was he still alive!?

Who is this leon?...