the Animus

Prolog

                  Anima's. Everyone has one. Connected to the elements that are connected to us. From birth we have one. Appearing from the water, air, Earth, or even the fire, they watch over us all our life. Help us with anything and everything. There's only been two who have been recorded to not be born with one. A man named 'Aarnik' was one of them. They called him 'the Animus'. Also known as, a human with no Anima.

But some say they did see an Anima with him. A special one. One that looked like it was a piece from the night sky itself. They called this Anima, 'the Anica'. They say that the Anica was more powerful than any Anima. Well, sometimes, at least. Sometimes it was the weakest of all. But everyone could tell what a bond the two had together.

It was almost as if...

"...they were in love, some said." My grandma finished the story with that same line every time.

And after it all I would always ask the same thing, "How do you know all this stuff, g'ma?"

My grandma smiled at me and stood up. "I believe your bedtime is overdue," she said with a smile.

"Ughhh," my one-year-younger brother groaned, "you always say that."

My grandma nodded and laughed. "And I will continue to say it until you both are old enough."

"But I'm old enough! Aren't I old enough, Aed?" My brother and I turned to the the fox-kit that laid peacefully in the fire.

"I don't think that's up to me to decide, Mason," he said, not opening his fire red eyes.

"Meanie," Mason yelled, crossing his arms over his chest.

My grandma laughed. "Come on children, let's all go to bed. That's to you too, Aed."

Aed snored in response. We all laughed. Me and my brother stood up from the floor. My grandma rocked in her recliner chair, dazing off once again. She does it more often, and her Anima, Aria, has been losing her white color more each day. I know what it means. But I don't wanna believe it. Already in our PJ's, me and my brother laid in our beds, staring at the roof.

"Hey...Stella?"

"Yeah?"

"...g'ma said that... that there were two people known to have no Anima. Are you the second," Mason timidly asked.

I sighed and turned away from him to stare at the wall. "...yes, Mason. I am an 'Animus'."

"Do you think that maybe you are like the last one, and will get an 'Anica'," he said excitedly.

"Heh. Mason, do you really think something like that would take a girl who lives with her grandma and brother in a lighthouse? On a regular boring island? Where almost nothing exciting happens?"

Me and my brother were silent for a few minutes.

"Yes," he finally said.

We were silent the rest of the night.