Aura

-Flashback- 2 years ago-

It had been three months since I had arrived on Terrae. I didn't expect to see humans of different colors together in one place. It was fascinating to see a simple world like this mend together their friendships to live in harmony compared to the other realms. They would rather die or start a war than acquire peace.

"Serah my dear, it's getting late now, come follow me," Granny called out for me.

She was a little old lady but she was kind enough to take me in. I took the bag of groceries from her and carried it back to her house. Granny's hair was fully white, it reminded me of my original color.

"Granny, you bought so much stuff, are we expecting visitors?"

I had been living with granny for about a month now and I haven't seen any of her family members.

"Why yes my dear. My grandchildren are coming to visit. They are around your age, so I'm sure you will become good friends with them."

Friends huh?

Never had them in five years...

I wasn't even sure how to make them or talk to them...

I couldn't stay here for long...

I had to get stronger and make my masters proud of me.

"Granny I'm going to be out for a while to collect some firewood. Winter is coming and you need to stay warm." I smiled and grabbed my coat.

One thing about Terrae and living in a human shell... is that you experience every human emotion.

I clutched my chest. My heart ached from the seal. I had to lock my Darkside for me to stay here... it also meant disobeying my master's wishes.

I sighed as I stepped into the night. There was a forest behind granny's house

I then hummed a song as I walked along with an ax in my hand.

"Follow me home to where the lonely ones roam." I slowly sang

I then raised the ax above my head and then slammed it onto the tree and began to chop the wood.

"And where might that lonely place be?"

I swung my ax around at the intruder. The boy leaped into the air and landed on top of the tree branch, he looked down at me with a simple smile. Through the little light, I could make out the dimple on the side of his cheek. His chestnut hair gleamed.

He had an aura of freedom. A person that seemed so carefree.

"Little miss ax girl," he then leaned against the tree.

I ignored him and then continued to cut the wood.

"Hey don't ignore me! You're making me feel lonely up here!" He dramatically exclaimed. I rolled my eyes and slammed my ax down.

"You're cutting the tree wrong..." I then paused my cutting and then marched deeper into the forest away from him.

"Ax girl wait! Wait for me!"

I could only groan and swung my ax to hit him. He dodged the ax and moved around from my hits.

"DEVAN! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING TO HER?!"

A loud booming voice yelled and we both glanced behind me to find Granny with a girl next to her. And this girl looked identical to this boy. They were twins except this girl had long chestnut-colored hair.

"Young man, why can't you for once not flirt with every young girl you see? Hai yai Devan!" Granny only sighed and walked up to me and held my hands in hers.

"I hope my grandson wasn't troubling you too much. He tends to act like an idiot when he sees beautiful girls like you." Granny said, which made me blush a little.

And then I realized that these two were her grandchildren that she spoke to me about most of the time.

Granny turned to the two. "Serah meet my grandchildren, Devan and Claire."

Claire smiled, "Hello Serah, Granny always tells us about you and I do apologize for this idiot."

"I am right next to you!" Devan grumbled and rolled his eyes and then looked me in the eye.

I could only softly chuckle at his antics cause I found it funny.

"There it is, the smile I was looking for. My dear, you need to smile often." Granny said lightly touching my cheeks.

"Now come, my three children, let us go inside to eat. That boyfriend of yours must be starving." Granny said to Claire.

Claire only shook her head, "He's another idiot, only food in his head."

While they walked forward, I gathered the rest of the firewood in my arms only for it to be taken away from me by Devan.

"Let me help you," he said and with his free hand, he grabbed more wood.

There was one thing I noticed about the twins. Claire was ladylike but mature. As for Devan, the aura he had was a carefree, happy kind of one. The kind that he always saw the good to help. I guess that was what drew me in... the good he had... something that I wanted...

-end of flashback-

The sword was still pointed at his throat. Back then he had a loving aura. Full of flight but as Devan stood in front of me. That aura was gone, instead, all I could feel was darkness surrounding him.

A murderous aura...

But it wasn't directed at me...

I glanced at his clothes, it was a cloak. The sigil on it belonged to Skythe.

"Should have known you were an assassin" I held no expression in my voice.

"If you came here to apologize, then leave. I don't need your apology." I dematerialized my rapier and turned away from him.

"We need to talk about your engagement," Devan claimed.

"Oh? And what of it?"

"You can't marry him!"

I turned to Devan.

"Who I marry is none of your concern, who do you think you are to come here and demand of me to not marry who was chosen for me?!" I yelled at him.

And slowly he walked towards me, "because before he came into your life, I was there for you. For two years on Terrae, I was there with you every step of the way. And don't pretend as if you didn't have any feelings. Cause he's only been there for you now. You only know him now." He stood directly in front of me.

"And so what if he's here only now? At least he didn't pretend to be someone else, at least he didn't betray me as you did!" I pushed him away.

"You knew who I was, yet you pretending to be someone else. You don't think I can't feel your aura?" I could only laugh.

"Everyone in Iracundia, thinks I am this naive girl. But guess what... I turned out to be different." I looked him in the eye.

"Go back to your prince. The only person I can trust right now is Dante. Everyone else would just stab me in the back."

"You're still naive, everyone betrays someone one way or the other and Dante would still stab you in the back. As an assassin, I know this much is true." And in the blink of an eye, he disappeared in a wave of black smoke.

I deeply sighed and sat at the edge of the giant bath pool.

"I know you're listening... I know I have to get my revenge... and I know I need your help... but I am truly tired..." I whispered to my Darkside.

This journey is going to be a long one unless I give myself over to her...