Flashback one

The ship creaked dangerously as waves ****** forward in great amounts of power, allowing small glimpses of the cliffs just up ahead.

You could almost hear the reckoning song of the sirens sing. As the muses played their sounds of death, salt burned my lungs, as I fought to survive.  The ocean teased the boat and threw it around like an toddler would a teddy bear. The wind blew harder trying to sent us to our death.

But that wasn't all, in fear and rage something within me clicked. I can't exactly explain what it was but it was like some kind of energy. I floated up the ceiling,  my red hair flowing  and I was glowing in an exquisite red.

A crimson dragon wrapped it self around me, protecting me from my death. It was a connection, the unbearable emptiness that I had always felt was no longer felt. I felt powerful, strong, safe.

I felt safe. I don't know how but I closed my eyes and I just concentrated on the cliff that I saw ahead of us earlier, and once I opened up my eyes, the dragon was no longer there, my emptiness returned and I was laying down on sand, and I saw the other prisoners, the crew members and that Chinese man safe with me on the sand, all looking at me in astonishment.

I stare at my sand painted hands, trying to decipher what just happened. But I honestly had no clue. I just knew I felt scared and mad.  The Chinese man,

Katsu came up to me and sat, looking closer at my mysterious green eyes, as if I was going to morph into something else, "What. The. Hell. Was that?" He tried to keep his voice as steady as possible, but he was shaking, I was able to see his aurora and he was terrified, he suddenly regretted to take me. "Your not normal."

He said. "She warned  me, and I didn't listen." He reminded himself in fear. "What are you?" He grasped the cloth near my neck pulling me up to look at him in the face, "Hmm! What are you?"

I looked at him in confusion, didn't I just save his life, shouldn't he be thanking me. Instead of questioning me about something I had no knowledge of. "No idea" was all I managed to say.

He threw me back on the sand and stepped over my stomach, "Answer me honestly!" He demanded.

I cautiously took my hands and lifted his foot of my stomach, his lips mocked his anger as he and the rest stared at me as if I did something terrible. "You were hurting him. He doesn't like it." I said. I was talking about the dragon, he was telling me from within to

  remove Katsu's foot so I did.

"Who is he?" Katsu started to back away from me.

"Boss, she ain't normal boss." A crew member said.

"Yeah, Kim's right she is an odd one. Foster woman was right."

Katsu turned his back on me and started shouting at the two men, "YOU THINK I HADN'T NOTICED YET? HMM?" he yelled. His hands still trembling.

Suddenly another crew member came running in and handed Katsu the phone, "Commander wants to speak with you boss."

"He is on the phone?"

"Yes boss, on speaker as well."

I could see how Katsu got upset but he didn't want to show since the commander would hear him. He hurried off somewhere else to talk.

The rest of the crew members kept their distance from me, and the prisoners all stared at me.

I just sat down on the sand and dipped my feet into the gallery of salt water in front of me.

I playfully kicked my feet into the water, closing my eyes letting the wind to ease my mind. My long hair flying with the wind, my back resting calmly. I let out a sigh of comfort. I've never experienced that emotion.

I was always hated as a child, I thought to myself. People were always ready to judge me before knowing me. After that incident at my foster house, I was announced as a murderer even if I didn't kill  Crystal. I was sent to the hospital that night since I was in the verge of dying and all I knew that when I was up my hands were cuffed to a cage and I was in a ship. I don't remember much of that night. I don't know how I healed or anything. But now I'm here.

"Ummm...hey?" I suddenly broke free from my thoughts and turned to look at a brunette girl around my age, sitting next to me, still with her cuffs. Beneath her cuffs I saw thousands of cuts just marked on her arm.

"I'm Selina." I said as I concentrated on her cuffs and broke them, "She flinched a little bit smiled when she realized what I've done, "I'm Claire."

She stopped to look at the view being displayed.  The sky was a salmon pink, crossing with yellow and orange colors. The clouds sit aesthetically about, making the view enchanting.

" It is a pretty view isn't it?" I finally asked.

Claire nodded her headed as she started, " If it means anything, I don't think your weird or scary." I looked above her trying to read her aurora and I saw that she was unsure, she was a little sacred but she wanted to use my power. I didn't know for what yet, but I was gonna make sure it didn't happen.

"Yeah, it means a lot." I lied.

"So where did you get picked up from?"

"New York, you?"

"Chicago."

"Foster?"

"No, I had a family."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Nah it's cool." She stopped and leaned closer, " have you ever been betrayed?"

" Yes.  Many times."

She looked down as if my answer was not what she hoped, she noticed how I looked at her questioningly and quickly answered, "oh, that's sad." She had no idea that I was literally just reading her. So if she had any plans in the making I would know.  But I knew I wasn't supposed to reveal my knowledge to anyone or else I could get in some serious trouble.

Right in front of me she was plotting to kill one of the girls with fire, tonight. I know she wanted to test her theory to my mind reading skills but I couldn't allow that. It's way to risky. But I also didn't want that girl to die in my behalf.

Claire was just staring at the girl, she was being really obvious so I asked, "What's wrong?"

She quickly turned hoping she wasn't being to suspicious, " nothing."

I looked into her brown eyes and back at her target, " Well that girl looks scared of you."

"Yeah, she is like that with everyone."

"Are you sure, she seems fine with the girls near her." I concluded.

Claire turned her back at that girl and looked at me folding her arms as if she lost a game or something, " Are you suspecting anything,"

"Is there something I should suspect?"

Suddenly Katsu barged interrupting the tension between us, " alright I got us a jet, so we will be flying tonight."

Claire quickly got up and ran towards her target throwing her to the ground and with a match she lit the girls hair on fire. All the other prisoners screamed. Katsu and crew members slapped Claire away from that girl, the poor girl was screaming in pain, I managed to calm the fire from a distance then rushed to her touching the fire with my bare hands then washed her hair with the saltwater.

I sang a lullaby trying to calm her, so she would stop moving. As Claire got beaten up she just watched me, her aurora not satisfied, she was happy that I wasn't able to read minds or else I would've prevented the fire in the first place. After a while the girl came back to her senses and muttered, " Thank you." Before she passed out.

I got up and brushed my palms on my white dress. Well, it wasn't exactly white anymore. It now had stains of my blood and it was ripped on the sleeves and the bottom hem of the dress .  I watched the sun hide away as the moon appeared on the beautiful indigo sky. Stars splashed every where. The beautiful sounds of the crickets chirping and the owls calling.

We all heard the sounds on an engine of a sort, I looked up witnessing a large jet flying down trying to land near the area, Katsu yelled from a distance urging us all to go in. Before I made my way in he pulled me to the side, " No funny business. And if I were you I would start deciding how I want to die because when you land, I'm going to kill you."

I smiled at him, and seated myself inside leaving him speechless.

************************************************

After a 78 hour flight we finally landed in Siumonoseki, Japan. It was a very dead area since world war 2 and it hasn't been fixed after that. Katsu started to get us out in a single line, lining us up in front of men with camouflage armor and a man with a lot of medals pinned on his vest, his emerald eyes met my forest eyes, grinning at me.

He shot a wink at me at one point but I didn't dare do the same. His long violet hair whipping in the wind, unlike the rest he wore a suit, he seemed out of the place to me, Katsu hurriedly greeted him and eyed me while they had a brief conversation .

I looked up at the aurora's and noticed that Katsu was scared and the other men had a pleasing look on him, his feeling was mutual.

Katsu called one of his crew member, Kim –whispering something to his ear.

Kim made his way to me dragging me away from the others. "Boss." He said as he took his leave.

I was much closer to the violet haired man, he stood so confidentially making the ground shake. He was super tall and slim, and had an attitude.

"I'll take the child, Katsu. You can burn the rest, or do as you please with them."

He said as he got his henchman to give Katsu three briefcases filled with money each bill was 1000. Nothing less or more.

"You can't burn the rest!" I shouted. "You can't!"

The tall man bent down his knee so he could analyze my face much closer, "You dare speak over your master, girl." He threw a hard slap across my cheek, I could feel his finger prints on me but I decided not show pain since I already learned my lesson last time on my birthday.

But instead I challenged him, "Yes I did." He glared at me in amusement and turned to Katsu, Katsu covered his hands over his eyes, hoping the man doesn't say anything to him.

The man turned back to me, " Very well. Katsu don't harm the rest in anyway just sell them or return them to wherever they came from." He made sure he didn't loose any eye contact with me as he pronounced every word. Katsu nodded his head in fear and disappeared with the prisoners.

The mysterious man pushed me in the car and took a seat next to me, his driver turned to the back, " "Where to, Sir?"

"The old manor will be fine. And call my brother, tell him it's urgent."

The driver shook his head then turned to the front,

" Yes, of course sir."

The driver picked up this metal door so he will be unable to hear our conversation.

" My name is Theodore, but for now you will address me as Master, is that clear, child?"

I moved away from the window and made full eye contact with him, " But, your birth name is Theodore. Shouldn't I address you as that?"

My suggestion upset him, because his facial expressions changed in a very unpleasant way, " I don't remember asking you to suggest anything." Is all he said.

He stopped for a while and then started again, " Tell me, how are you capable of holding any powers?"

"I don't know." I shrugged.

" You don't know? That's a shame." He mocked me in a childish voice.

I heard the car stop when we were interrupted, " Master we have arrived." Said the driver as he helped Theodore out of the car.

I got out without the help of the driver and stood in front of the car, waiting for my next instructions.

I glared at the manor out of astonishment. Never in my life have I witnessed a place as big as this. But it looked abandoned, the trees were dead and the grass turned brown and it was too high up. There was no sign of life in it or around it.

Suddenly I feel an unfamiliar touch and a needle sting on the side of my neck .

🦚🌄🌌🌄🦚

Everything was dark and blurry when I got up, I found myself ***** wrapped around nothing but a long gray blanket, " Not this again!" I cried to myself.

I quickly wiped my tears when I heard distant voices.

One of them was Theodore's abs the other was an unfamiliar voice, it was a soft voice unlike Theodore it held honor and respect.

" I brought you a gift brother, for the war." Theodore said enthusiastically.

" Am I supposed to be scared?" The voice asked cautiously.

"I think so. I think she will make the perfect weapon that you've been searching."

"She?"

" Oh right, I haven't showed you her, have I?

" I'm afraid not, brother."

I heard the heavy footsteps come closer as my heart was thumping nonstop, " Don't be shy, come here and have a look." Theodore said as he lifted the veil covering the cage.

\~•Mason•\~

Theodore has gone completely mad, I thought to myself. As I saw the helpless girl sit there clutching her blanket tightly. I saw the marks on her back and a black tattoo of a dragon painted on her back.

My Mustard eyes looked into her beautiful forest green eyes. She was truly a beautiful creature. Her hair was just as tall as her and it was spread artistically around her. Her glowing white shin shined in the darkness. She was like the moon in the dark sky, so beautiful and precious. Her rosy cheeks resembled the color of a lone rose. Everything about her was perfect. But she looked incredibly young, too young to be put in war.

My eyes met hers once again, this time she sat up much straighter and analyzed as I'd done of her. I think she was comparing me to my brother Theodore because she glanced at him a couple of times. Or maybe, she was trying to discover my age, who knows.

" So, brother? Am I to keep her?"

I instantly replied, " There is no need for that, I will gladly take her."

I couldn't allow Theo to keep her. I couldn't possible imagine what he would do or if he already done something to her. But he was right when he said that she was truly an odd girl. I know she was different. Girls around her age would cry constantly, but she seemed calm. She wasn't scared.

Her skin glistened with the moon light reflecting off of her eyes, her eyes filled with so much curiosity but light at the same time.

Her appearance made me feel terrible for the things she was going to have to do, eventually. But if what Theo said was true, that she honestly had powers of a sort then I will have no choice but you use her, but I won't force her into anything, I will ask her. I mean if she doesn't wish to be a part of the war then I will understand. She was too young after all, I glanced at her again, she rested her head calmly on the window, sleeping.

I'm going to have to get her a dresser before anything tomorrow, first thing, I thought.

✨🥀Selina 🥀✨

I woke up to an unfamiliar room and found myself resting in a comfy bed, I thought I was sleeping in clouds for a moment.

I jumped off of my bed and realized that I was dressed, not in a blanket anymore, " Who would undress me?"

But then it hit me, I looked out the balcony and saw the tall pale man with the most unique shade of eyes.

He was holding up an arrow and trying to aim it at the center of the target placed in front of him.

I remember how I felt his eyes scan me as if I was an magical creature, I remember how flustered he looked when he first saw me, I remember how he tensed up he got with his who I believe is his older brother.

When he looked at me it wasn't with pity or skeptical it was as if he was silently praising me. He looked around 26 while his brother was around 37.

I heard a delicate voice call out to me, " May I come in?"

I didn't respond but just gazed out the balcony. The man kept missing the target, his angle was completely wrong I thought.

After a while a women came in wearing an handmaiden's attire and gestured her right arm towards the bathroom, " My lady you must freshen up before I allow you to change and get ready for the kind master."

"What is his name?" I asked out of curiosity.

"The master?" She asked. I nodded my head.

"Mason." She said shyly. I have no idea why her cheeks turned to shade of pink as if she said something embarrassing.

I nodded my head and made my way back to the window again to check if this Mason still hit the target, I was almost amazed to see that he still hasn't made the target, " Could you do me a favor?" I asked the maid nodded her head in agreement, " Can you tell Master Mason to lower his bow towards the lower left it will help him shoot the target that he keeps missing."

She turned to a shade of pink again, and nodded her head quickly, then she quickly rushed out of the room.

I didn't understand her body language every time she heard the word, " Mason." Maybe the name meant something to her.

I glanced up the window once again, and I saw her turning completely red from the window, I would've sworn I saw Mason smile when he looked down from her, then he steadied his bow to the lower left just like I suggested and then just like I predicted his arrow was hit on the center of the target.

He smiled in pleasure and shyly patted the back of the maid, I swear I saw her jump and shiver when he touched her, she automatically placed her hands on her back where he had touched her, I don't get what was going on with her. I guess she was different like me.

After I took a soothing shower, one that I never had, I went over and started seeing which dresses I should wear for the day, well actually which would fit me the most. They were all dresses, nothing casual. But it's alright, they looked way more expensive almost equivalent to the amount of money Theodore paid to buy me.

As you could see, it was truly a marvelous dress.

I styled my Scarlett red hair delicately and placed small diamonds so it would match my dress.

The shy maid from earlier entered the room and nearly screamed when she saw me, " Oh my! You look beautiful. You truly are talented."

I looked at her reflection from the mirror, she was much more stable from before, she no longer turned to a shade of pink or red .

"Your suggestion worked my lady, master was pleased." She finally said.

I nodded in pleasure as I got up from my seat and stood in front of her, " I'm glad it did, thank you for helping me."

"Please, come my dear the master would like to eat with you."

I flowed her down the maze of stairs which were all so clean that it sparkled from the sunlight passing through the windows.

She showed me to a huge dining table and seated me on the right side of the table. The unique man came after a while wearing a suit like attire, sitting across from me.

After a moment of silence, he said " You look beautiful."

"And your tip worked, I didn't know you had a talent in archery." He said as he started to attack the chicken on his plate.

" It was quite obvious to see from my angle." I didn't want him to think highly of me. Not now at least . He is going to be disappointed and disgusted by me soon, just like everyone else.

But curiosity controlled my words, " Why is it that I was kidnapped from or on the way to the hospital, cuffed to a cage for days, sweating and getting beat up for the fun of it regardless of my injuries, then brought of by an arrogant man who you refer to as your brother, and now gifted to you to be your so desirable weapon?"

I tried to hold in all the pain that had been eating me up for days and I tried to ask him in the most calmest way I can imagine without setting myself on fire and get my inner dragon out who was completely sore from the past days.

Mason looked a bit uneasy with my questions, I could almost see the hurt in his eyes. I didn't want to hurt him I just really wanted to know. And I had a hunch that he will provide me with an actual answer instead of drugging me or beating me.

He chugged up 5 glasses of water before he turned to answer to me, " I had no idea, about the treatment. I am sorry about my brother's behavior he hasn't been doing well, and I know that isn't a reason at all for what you have been through. I am sorry. I didn't know my brother was out looking for a child to be our secret weapon. I thought he was looking for something man-made not a child.

But since you brought it up, I would like for you to help us win, with your power. We need to win. I'll take you to the camp tomorrow so you could see me why we must win if you don't agree now." He said, apologetically.

We didn't talk at all after that, I finished before him since I didn't take that much food on my plate; and hurried off outside. I wanted to admire the garden here instead of being locked up in my room.

The garden was truly breathtaking. All the different colors, scattered about, magnificent water fountains sprouting crystal clear water. It was like a scene to a movie to beautifully organized, I sat down on the edge of the waterfall admiring the rainbow painted of the lavender-blue sky. Crows flying under the clouds, one after another.

\~•Mason•\~

The girl had every right to ask me her questions . I know she wasn't satisfied with any of my answers but she refused to say it. I had no clue that she was injured when she was already kidnapped. Nevertheless, beaten afterward. Sometimes I truly wondered how I was even related to Theo. He sure wasn't like that when we were boys. Where did he go wrong. Was it after his wife left him, since his daughter was killed? Or was he in a particular way with the girl because of her resemblance of his late daughter.

But whatever the reason, she shouldn't have been treated like that. It was obvious to me that she was much skilled and mature for her age. It worries me, not impress me. She shouldn't be acting the way she is. It isn't healthy.

All the more reason I felt more guilty to use her. But if she can truly help us, it would save our people, and our land. We all need her.

I look through my window and notice her simply sitting near the water fountain and holding a crow on her hand. I couldn't tell if she was talking to it, but it seemed like she was healing it, the wing looked bent before now it looks fine. I guess she was truly a blessing. She allowed the bird to fly away by gently pushing the bird towards the sky, it spread its wings a flew kindly against the wind to the rest of its flock.

I looked back at the girl, who now smiled at her accomplishment and went back to gently touching the thorns of the white rose she held.

I kept referring to her as "the girl" because I was as unaware of her actual name, but she knew mine just fine, I had made an intention to ask her during breakfast but it wasn't possible given how our conversation turned out.

Brother's daughter was named Selina, I remembered how he wanted to spell it with an "i" instead of an "e" to make it look more different. I laughed to myself remembering how happy the Xang family once was.

I'm going to have to leave with the girl tonight, to get to base in time, I thought.

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