Tuesday, July 28, 2009

The Stone Keeper - Prologue

Into a deep forest, two shadows were running. Their feet, turning them into different directions. Their chest, heavily panting for they are trying to catch up with their breath. The man looked back, checking if the soldiers were tailing behind them. The woman, clutched the baby in her arm as if shielding it from any harm. At the corner of the man's eyes, he saw a small cave. Instantly, he clutched the woman's arm, and pulled her to that direction.

Not so long after they have hidden inside the cave, they heard footsteps. The man peeked outside, and he saw the soldiers, whom they were trying to hide from in the first place. There is no way out for them, and he left with no choice. At that moment, he made a decision. He knows it's the last thing he have to do, and there are other options, but this is the only way he knows that would keep his wife and their child alive.

"Yumi..." he whispered to her. "An Jing?" the woman called. He could feel her trembling in fear. Beneath the darkness, he could see the crystal clear tears flowing from her eyes. As their minds were linked, she know that he have made a crucial decision. "No..." Yumi whispered. "Don't do this..." she pleaded. An Jing stared into his wife's eyes, trying to hold back the tears. He have to be strong for her, and for their child. "Yumi, this is the only way I know to hide you from them." he explained. "No matter what happens, I will find you, and our child..." he said. Yumi closed her eyes, and shook her head. "No, I will stay with you." she insisted. Still, he did not listen to him.

He pulled the pendant from his hand, and whispered a prayer, a spell. Then, a portal opened. "Yumi, you have to go with our child." he said. Yumi shook his head. "I will stay with you. Let our child go. I will stay with you!" she said. An Jing shook his head. "Yumi! Don't you understand? I will find you and our child as soon as this is over! Our child needs you!"
"I am scared of what will happen to us... when we go to that portal..."

An Jing lowered his head. For the second time, he made another crucial decision that will change the life of their child forever. He took their child from her hand, and then walked over the portal. With all his might, he threw the baby into the portal, watching until it is no longer in sight. "Be strong, Hikari..." he whispered. "We will find you no matter what. I'm sorry that you have to be separated from us..." A silent tear rolled from his eyes as the portal closed. Then, he could hear the footsteps getting closer to where they are.

He pulled his wife, and ran outside the cave, but then they were too late. They were surrounded by the soldiers, their guns aiming at them. Then, a familiar man walked up to them. An Jing looked at that man with anger in his eyes. "Zai Jiang..." he said in a despised tone. "An Jing... we meet again. An Jing stepped backward, as Zai Jiang moved closer to them. He have to protect his wife from this man, no matter what. "I can let you go, if you give me what I am looking for. And your wife..." Zai Jiang said, eying at the woman behind An Jing. "No." he said firmly. "I will not give you the worldstone and my wife." he said. Zai Jiang let out a smirk. He took the sword from his waist, and then stabbed An Jing in his heart. Yumi gasped as he watched the man he loved being killed by this evil man in front of her. "No... An Jing..." she said as she cried. Both of them fell on the ground. She carried him, and let him lay onto her lap. "Yumi..." An Jing whispered. He could feel his end nearing, as he became out of breath. "I love... you..."

And with that, An Jing closed his eyes, and died into her arms. "No! An Jing! You can't leave me!" Yumi cried. Though she have been grieving for her loss, the soldiers took no mercy on her, and took her away. They dragged her, until she came face to face with Zai Jiang. Zai Jiang smirked at her, as he caressed her face. "I don't need no worldstone for you to be my wife..." he hissed at her. Yumi glared at him, despising him for what he have done. "You are runing the balance of the world because of what you are doing." she told him. Zai Jiang just smiled at him. "Don't you think by destroying the balance of our dimension, I can control it by my own?" he said to her. He pout his hand on her neck, and then forced a kiss on her lips. "It is done now..." Zai Jiang whispered to her.

--

"Isn't she a cute baby?" Michelle told her sister, Cecilia, showing the new member of their faimly. Meanwhile, Jack put his arm around his wife, and proudly smiled at them. "We fell in love with her the moment we saw her at the orphanage." he said. Cecilia smiled at the two. Then, she reached for the baby's face. As she touched her, she saw a blurred vision, and felt an unfamiliar fear. There was something in this child that she could not explain. She is a child of luck, and yet, she could see an dark past surrounding her. Cecilia closed her eyes, and shook her head. As she opened it, she saw her sister and brother-in-law, giving her a confused look. Then, she smiled at them. "She's going to be your lucky charm." she said. She saw the couple sighed with relief upon seeing them.

Something's telling her that she should keep an eye on this child. Something is telling her to look after her till she grows up. "What is this?" she asked herself. She brushed the baby's face, and then saw an invisible light coming out of her forehed. Finally, she understood. "What are you going to name this child?" Cecilia asked te couple. "Phoebe..." Michelle said. "Phoebe Liang."

Labels: original story, The Stone Keeper