Part One

 Part One

Cedars of Northreach, Thorae; December 20, 2005

Silver moonlight fell upon the fresh snow in patches. Crooked tree branches swaying little in the wind. Silence clung to the bitter air. Between the dark tree trunks, a pair of yellow beast-like eyes watched the empty forest clearing. Snow deceptively hid the surface of a frozen lake in the center. An old wolf stood in the shadows waiting. Watching. This place had never been tied to a rift before, still the wolf waited. Others were known to show up in the strangest of places upon creation. And an Other was sure to show up here, the wolf could sense it. The wind picked up, whipping away some of the snow from the lake’s glassy surface. 

The surface of the lake shattered, the sound swallowing the silence of the night. A figure broke through the black waters, coughing, gasping, flailing, clawing at the ice. Finally pulling itself up, the shape crawled to the bank and on to solid ground. The figure collapsed under one of the trees, shaking violently and dripping with black water. The creature’s breathing shifted from gasping to sobbing. “WHY?!” the figure screeched. The wolf watched. “...why…?” The creature’s sobbing slowed and eventually stopped as it slipped into unconsciousness. The wolf finally emerged from the shadows and approached the figure. A young girl, not a child and not an adult. The age did not matter to the wolf. The prone figure lying in the snow was still prey. 

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

Nathalia could hear shuffling in the other room. She set down the mortar full of dried herbs and stood up. She gently stepped across the worn, wooden floor, hands reaching for familiar guides. The table. The chair. The doorpost. Nathalia stopped in the doorway and listened. Pops and cracks came from the fire to the right, but on the left she could hear someone struggling and mumbling. “About time you woke up,” Nathalia said, stepping closer. She reached for the chair already located next to a worn couch and sat down.

“Do you always tie up your guests?” an annoyed female voice responded. 

Nathalia smirked. “Only if they have as much spirit as you. What’s your name?” she asked.

“Irritated! Now let me up before I melt under this thing!” the voice snapped back. 

Nathalia could tell the girl was wriggling under the heavy, fur blanket. Nathalia drew the blade on her belt and held it next to the girl’s throat. “Name,” she repeated. 

The girl froze in place before she muttered her answer through gritted teeth. “Savannah.” 

Nathalia frowned, but put the blade away. “You would lie to me?” She shook her head. “Not a good start.” 

“It’s not a lie!” Anger seeped into the girl’s voice. “That’s my-”

“That’s your Original’s name,” Nathalia interrupted. “I asked for yours.”

The girl was silent for a while. “I don’t… I don’t know what you mean…” 

“Oh, but you do.” Nathalia reached over and grabbed the heavy blanket covering the girl. With one pull, she yanked the heavy thing off and set it aside. Nathalia grabbed the girl’s bound hands and cut through the rope. 

The stranger let out a breath and sat up, rubbing her wrists. The girl looked down at her black clothes. She pulled her long hair over her shoulder and stared at it. The honey brown color in her hair disappeared as it finished shifting to black. “Why is my…” Her eyes went wide and she turned to Nathalia. “What did you do to me?!”

Sitting still, Nathalia shook her head. “Nothing. Your body is adjusting to its new form on its own.” Nathalia shrugged. “It happens sometimes after creation. It’s normal.” 

“...creation?” the girl asked. She looked down at her hands and began to cry. “But… it was a dream… a nightmare… I didn’t really… How could she just…” She put her face in her hands and continued to cry. 

“It’s odd you remember.” Nathalia moved to sit on the couch next to the lost child. “Most Others don’t remember their Original at all. You must have had a strong connection. Intriguing.”

Nathalia reached out a hand only for the girl to flinch and lean away, tears still flowing. “Who are you?! What happened to me?! Where am I?!” 

“It’s all right, child,” Nathalia said softly. “You’re in a world called Thorae. It’s a mirror dimension to Earth and what you experienced is what happens when a human decides they don’t want you any more. It seems you had a particularly rough trip.” Nathalia smiled at the end.

The girl turned away. “So I’m just… garbage…?” 

“One world’s trash is another world’s treasure.” Nathalia patted the spot on the couch next to her. “Come closer, child.” The girl frowned at Nathalia, but she stopped pressing into the corner of the couch as much and relaxed a little. Nathalia stood up and stepped toward the fire. Lifting a hand to the mantle, she ran her fingers along the length of the shelf until she reached the corner. Nathalia pulled something down from the shelf and went back to the couch. She sat and patted the spot beside her again. Nathalia opened her hand to reveal a little wooden box. Reluctantly, the girl scooted closer. Nathalia offered the box to the girl and continued speaking. “You’ll find Thorae’s full of rejects and outcasts. I wouldn’t put much stock in what the Originals on Earth decide. Most of them don’t even know we exist.” 

The girl took the box and inspected it. As Nathalia anticipated, the girl found a metal key on the side of the box and began to turn it. Nathalia smiled when she heard the metallic notes playing. The girl continued turning the key, letting the music play. When the metallic notes stopped, Nathalia spoke again. “Now then, everyone has a name and everyone knows their name. Yet, you sit before me nameless.” Nathalia smiled. “We can’t have that, now, can we?” 

“If what you say is true,” the girl said somberly. “That I’m just the embodiment of everything my Original rejected…. What’s it matter what you call me?”

“It matters,” Nathalia reassured. “Names are important. Though I suppose it doesn’t really matter what I call you so long as you answer. Would you like me to give you one?” The girl shrugged. Nathalia held out her palm. “Give me your hand.” The girl placed her hand in Nathalia’s. In an instant, Nathalia saw visions of the power this child held. Magic. Strength. Suffering. Pain. Death. Nathalia jerked back her hand with a gasp and held it close to her chest. She let out a ragged breath and her hands trembled. 

“What’s wrong?” the girl asked. Nathalia stood up, ignoring her. She stepped closer to the fire and held her hands toward the flame, trying to warm them. Nathalia had seen hundreds of lives. Perhaps thousands. Many live were happy. Many lives were sad. Many ordinary. Many spectacular. But there was something in this child Nathalia had never seen before. Something was different. There was a darkness about the girl even Nathalia could not see through. Nathalia considered herself all too familiar with fate, even friends with it. Fate could be fickle. Fate could be cruel. But never had Nathalia been so utterly terrified of it. Something in this child’s future shook Nathalia to the core, but she could not see what it was. “Are you the one?” Nathalia whispered. 

“What?” the girl asked, not clearly hearing the whisper. 

“Shard,” Nathalia finally said and turned back to the girl. “I name you Shard. I leave it to you to decide if that is because you are broken or because you are part of something bigger than yourself.” Nathalia turned back to the fire. “The sands of time are shifting in Thorae. Change is coming. Great change. You are part of it, but I do not see the whole picture.” 

“...Shard…” the girl repeated softly, mulling it over. “I guess that works. Sharp and to the point.” The girl was silent for a moment before she looked up at Nathalia. “You didn’t tell me your name.” 

“Nathalia,” she responded. “My name is Nathalia. You should know the name you fear.” 

“I don’t fear you.” Shard said, trying to sound tough.

“You will,” Nathalia said as she turned back to the girl and smiled.

“The cloth over your eyes,” Shard said softly, eyes wide. “...it’s…bleeding.”