The Death of a Dream [hiatus]

Chapter 2

"Two Kinds"

I was waiting just outside the door of mother's house, sliding my hand on the new dress that the town seamstress had rewarded to me after finding out how I'd saved the general. My previous clothes had been soaked in blood from the fallen soldiers and I couldn't bring myself to stay in it any longer. In fact, a lot of the townspeople had begun sending tributes to our house as thanks. Though they felt like empty gifts to me as I watched the town guards cart the dead bodies out of the village. What good are trinkets and sweets in the wake of a massacre?

The general was inside the house talking to mother. I assumed he might want to know about how a Gifted was living under Caledonia's very nose without them knowing.

Actually, it still hasn't quite settled in my mind that I was a Gifted. I'd heard stories of humans blessed with powers by the Mist that was created by the seraph dragon himself, though that's all they were to me and so many others, stories.

"Wonderful evening, don't you think?" One of the soldiers who stood guard for me asked.

There were two that the general commanded to stay with me, captains if I remembered correctly. The one that approached me had dark skin and messy hair, though his bright eyes made up for his less than composed appearance.

The other captain stood a few paces away from me, his back leaning against the wall of the house across the street. He wore the same armor and donned the same colored cape, but his hair was a light blonde, almost like the color of those sunlight streaks that peppered the Mistle Woods on bright mornings.

"If by wonderful, you mean terrible, then I agree." I removed my eyes from the other captain and looked down at my feet. "I wish I acted sooner. Maybe those men would've-" I stopped myself, noticing the other captain's eyes turn hard when he looked up at me. "I-I'm sorry."

"Don't mind him, he's a bit of a sour worm." The cheerful captain smiled at me. "My name is Ulrich. Captain Ulrich, if we're being formal." He said, bowing his chest and head. "May I have your name?"

I hesitated, feeling a knot in my chest form. I could remember the conversation I had with mother about men and marriage. Was this perhaps his intention?

"Mystaline." I smiled.

Before he could respond, the door flew open and the general emerged with a victorious smile on his face.

"Good news!" His voice boomed as his eyes shifted to mine. "You will be joining us in Luster City, my dear."

I gasped and cupped my mouth with my hands. "The capital city?" I could barely contain the excitement from leaking into my voice via the voice crack at the end.

He nodded at his captains, signaling for them to head back to the rest of the troops.

"Yes. I've asked your mother if we could have you perform for the men. You see, we're to return to Luster City for a party celebrating our victory in the west and I think it'd warm their hearts to have a Gifted perform for them."

Just as he finished, mother inched her way towards the doorway. I don't know what it is, but she looked worse. Her pale face looked so deprived of life, almost gray. And her shoulders were the lowest I've ever seen; slumped downwards like a broken wagon that has lost one of its wheels. It was like all of the spirit she had was gone. What happened?

"Don't forget, general." She hissed, her voice low as she narrowed her eyes at him.

I stared at my mother, baffled. "Um, forget what, mother?"

She glared at me. "None of your business, child." Her eyes motioned over to one of the men. I tried to follow her gaze, but I couldn't quite tell who she was looking at.