Post by Vapovile on Nov 26, 2021 15:07:31 GMT
Sitting at her large wooden desk, the Gateway headmistress Cynthia was reviewing a packet of papers describing the proposed course changes to the coming semester’s Mythical Biology course. She had on a black business coat over a white button-up shirt, and a black skirt that went down to her knees. Her hair was ghostly white, and paired with her red eyes, gave away her vampiric nature.
“Hm...not sure I approve of dropping the lesson on the Frostborn Phoenix. Sure it’s not a common being, but it is a treasured animal to our Valstand partners…” Cynthia mused to herself. A knock was then heard at her door. “Come on!” She called over.
Stepping through the door was a tall blond woman in an elegant blue dress with black lace. “Good morning, Carol.” Cynthia said to the woman, who nodded back politely. “Good morning, Cynthia. I had two things, if that isn’t too much trouble. First, my lesson plans for the upcoming semester.”
She strolled up and handed the packet of paper to Cynthia, who internally dreaded having more paperwork to look through. “Thank you, punctual as always. And the second?”
Carol glanced toward the door. “I was wondering if you knew where Professor Kurome was. I’m aware of her...flexible work schedule, but I haven’t seen her all week. So I’m just wondering how she’s doing.” Carol asked, knowing well about Iris’s crippling depression. Fortunately they had a wonderful substitute handling her classes.
Cynthia smirked when she heard this. “That’s very kind of you, Carol. Iris is perfectly safe, this week just happens to be very...special for her.”
---
December 10th, 2021
The streets of a small mountainous town in Germany were lit up for the holiday season, with bright multicolored lights strung across the wooden houses that had stood for many decades. A light snow coated the ground as flakes drifted down from the sky above, covering the nearby mountains in snow. Sounds of light bells and Holiday music echoed throughout the town.
Stepping out of a grocery store, an Indian woman gripped a single bag as she carefully made her way down the snowy steps. She was average height, with long black hair and brown eyes, looking around 37 years old. She wore a large white coat with a tan hood, and a simple pair of jeans. For some reason, she couldn’t shake the sensation of being watched.
Halfway on her walk home, the woman spotted a strange little girl standing in the middle of the sidewalk, glancing around frantically. She had long white hair tied in a ponytail, and wore a puffy pink jacket over a pair of white pants.
“Excuse me? Are you ok?” The woman asked. The child looked at her and jogged over, grabbing the woman’s waist in a hug.
“Um, I think I’m lost! My parents are at the hotel, I went out to play in the snow, and now I don’t know where I am…” The child explained. The woman was taken aback. Who let their child play in this weather unsupervised?!
She knelt down to address the child on eye level. “That’s terrible, you must have been so scared. Where are they staying? Maybe I could help you find your way back?” The woman asked. It was strange...this child’s eyes didn’t have the usual youthful energy in them. It was like staring into a void.
The child seemed to calm down at the suggestion. “O-ok...thank you, miss…?” “Please, call me Zara. Could you tell me yours too, please?” Zara asked. The child seemed to pause at this question, staring at the ground for a few seconds before looking back up with a noticeable amount of sadness in her expression.
“I-Iris...nice to meet you…” Iris said meekly. Zara smiled and took Iris by the hand, pointing to the road in front of them. “It’s a pleasure to meet you too, Iris. Don’t worry, the hotel isn’t far from here. Right this way!” Zara happily chirped, Iris nodding her head. The faintest smile crept across Iris’s lips as she squeezed Zara’s hand as they walked down the snowy road.
Something seemed off about this Iris child, but Zara still felt the strong desire to help this child in need. Her lifeless eyes were particularly concerning...was this girl a victim of abuse? Zara didn’t want to traumatize this child further by inquiring though.
“So Iris, what do your parents do? Are you all on vacation here?” She asked with a smile. Iris nodded her head. “Y-yeah, we’re from Canada...they both work at some research company...pharma...parma…” “Pharmaceuticals?” Zara asked, letting out a small giggle. Iris beamed. “Yes, that! It’s such a strange word…” Iris pouted at the teasing. Zara ruffled the little girl’s hair, only earning a groan in response.
---
“Tell me Carol, are you familiar with the theory of reincarnation?” Cynthia asked, Carol nodding her head. “Of course, I read about it as a doctoral student. The belief is most common in Asia, and it proposes that when a person dies, their soul is reincarnated into another person entirely, and the cycle starts anew. Why?”
Cynthia leaned back in her desk and pondered how to put the next few sentences into words. “Well you see...someone special to Iris died long ago. And with her research into the soul and the path of reincarnation...well, let’s just say she’s been following this path for quite some time.” The headmistress explained, Carol tilting her head to the side and nodding in understanding. Things were becoming a little more clear now.
---
“-and then we saw the King Tut exhibit! Did you know he didn’t do much, and died at 19? But his stuff is soooooooooo well preserved!” Iris continued. Zara gasped in surprise. “But he’s like, the most famous mummy! He’s not that important?” “No! He was so not important that grave robbers left his tomb alone! Good for us, though!” Iris continued.
Zara was happy to listen to Iris talk all about her interests. It was a strangely nostalgic feeling, one she experienced with her own children now they are going to school. “I guess it pays to be unimportant sometimes, huh?” Zara joked, Iris nodding her head. The two of them soon came upon their destination; a large wooden hotel with a red roof and Christmas lights hanging from the outside.
“Hey look, we found your hotel! Aren’t you excited to see your parents again?” Zara exclaimed, but her face softened when she saw Iris staring back at her with eyes full of sadness that she was clearly trying to mask. Did she not actually want to see her parents again? Kneeling down once more, Zara addressed Iris eye-to-eye.
“Iris, please be truthful with me. Do you not want to see your parents again? Do they hurt you?” Zara asked with concern. Iris stared at her as she began to think back to a time long ago. No memories of her mother that died during childbirth, and her father killed by raiders before she herself was sold into slavery...only to become the slave to a prophet that would be killed by her own sinful hands.
Iris shook her head. “N-no...it’s fine...I’ll be fine…” Iris lied, looking at the door she knew held nothing for her. Zara stared at her for several seconds, then nodded as she stood up and dusted herself off. “Wait here, please.” She instructed, walking over to a nearby shop. Iris looked on in confusion, but did as she was told.
It wasn’t long before Zara appeared with another bag in tow. She kneeled down and presented it to Iris. “Hey Iris, your birthday wouldn’t happen to be soon, would it?” She asked. Iris took the bag and nodded. “I-it’s today actually.” Iris muttered. Zara’s eyes opened wide. “You know, I had a strange feeling that I already knew that...have we met before?”
This question pierced Iris’s heart like a white hot arrow. Pleasant images of a young slave girl leaning against a bread stall, excitedly telling her about the stories she read flashed through Iris’s mind. These memories were then burned away as images of people all around them began to flash through Iris’s mind, cheering as a woman was burned alive while tied to a wooden post.
A tear began to roll down Iris’s face as Zara wrapped her in a hug. “N-nope...just happy you got me back here…” Iris sobbed. Zara didn’t understand this reaction, but she didn’t need to. This child deserved some comfort.
After Iris had calmed down, Zara placed a hand on her shoulder. “Hey, I’m glad we met today. If you have any trouble at all, my cell number’s on that receipt. Are you going to be ok going on by yourself?” She asked. Iris nodded her head, wiping her face.
“Good. Well, I have to get back to my family. Thanks for this wonderful experience, Iris. Hope you have a fantastic rest of your vacation, and have a happy birthday!” Zara gave one last squeeze, and began to walk away into the snowy night. Iris stared at the figure leaving and waved, a mix of emotions running through her mind. But she could only mutter one word.
“Opis…”
---
It was now night time, and Zara was finally at home with her husband and 3 kids. She sat on a nice wooden chair and rocked the youngest to sleep while the other two played with various toys scattered around the room.
Outside though, a figure watched in silence. Nobody could perceive this figure, for a spell of invisibility had been cast upon them. Iris looked at the family with a mixture of emotion on her face. Happiness for her pleasant family life she deserved, envy at the children being raised by her, but most of all...sadness.
Ever since Opis’s death, Iris had scoured the world to understand how the power of reincarnation worked, and if its path could be traced. It took decades for her to travel the world and learn, and many more years before she found Opis’s path...but ever since then, she began a ritual.
Each reincarnation Opis took, Iris would wait until she was age 36, the age she was killed, and on Iris’s own birthday...find a reason to talk to them. And no matter how many reincarnations passed, Opis was still kind enough to talk to whatever form Iris took at the time, blissfully unaware of their original relationship. Iris’s one friend as a slave that she saw as a mother figure, and was ripped away from her...leading to her becoming a dark goddess and forbidden from death itself.
Iris knew she could never tell Opis about any of her past lives. She was fortunate...reincarnating just like herself, but able to move with the flow of time. Born, find love, grow old, die, start anew. Iris was a fixed point in time, unable to move past childhood no matter how much time passed, or how many spells she learned. It wasn’t her place to keep this woman who used to be a dear friend in her life...but one visit a lifetime for her birthday didn’t seem too troubling, especially if she got some affection from it.
Turning away from the house, Iris reached into the bag she was given and pulled out the present Zara had given her. It was soft, and had a long mouth.
“...crocodile…” She muttered at the stuffed crocodile in her hands. She put it back into the bag, took one last glance at the house...and disappeared into the night.
“Hm...not sure I approve of dropping the lesson on the Frostborn Phoenix. Sure it’s not a common being, but it is a treasured animal to our Valstand partners…” Cynthia mused to herself. A knock was then heard at her door. “Come on!” She called over.
Stepping through the door was a tall blond woman in an elegant blue dress with black lace. “Good morning, Carol.” Cynthia said to the woman, who nodded back politely. “Good morning, Cynthia. I had two things, if that isn’t too much trouble. First, my lesson plans for the upcoming semester.”
She strolled up and handed the packet of paper to Cynthia, who internally dreaded having more paperwork to look through. “Thank you, punctual as always. And the second?”
Carol glanced toward the door. “I was wondering if you knew where Professor Kurome was. I’m aware of her...flexible work schedule, but I haven’t seen her all week. So I’m just wondering how she’s doing.” Carol asked, knowing well about Iris’s crippling depression. Fortunately they had a wonderful substitute handling her classes.
Cynthia smirked when she heard this. “That’s very kind of you, Carol. Iris is perfectly safe, this week just happens to be very...special for her.”
---
December 10th, 2021
The streets of a small mountainous town in Germany were lit up for the holiday season, with bright multicolored lights strung across the wooden houses that had stood for many decades. A light snow coated the ground as flakes drifted down from the sky above, covering the nearby mountains in snow. Sounds of light bells and Holiday music echoed throughout the town.
Stepping out of a grocery store, an Indian woman gripped a single bag as she carefully made her way down the snowy steps. She was average height, with long black hair and brown eyes, looking around 37 years old. She wore a large white coat with a tan hood, and a simple pair of jeans. For some reason, she couldn’t shake the sensation of being watched.
Halfway on her walk home, the woman spotted a strange little girl standing in the middle of the sidewalk, glancing around frantically. She had long white hair tied in a ponytail, and wore a puffy pink jacket over a pair of white pants.
“Excuse me? Are you ok?” The woman asked. The child looked at her and jogged over, grabbing the woman’s waist in a hug.
“Um, I think I’m lost! My parents are at the hotel, I went out to play in the snow, and now I don’t know where I am…” The child explained. The woman was taken aback. Who let their child play in this weather unsupervised?!
She knelt down to address the child on eye level. “That’s terrible, you must have been so scared. Where are they staying? Maybe I could help you find your way back?” The woman asked. It was strange...this child’s eyes didn’t have the usual youthful energy in them. It was like staring into a void.
The child seemed to calm down at the suggestion. “O-ok...thank you, miss…?” “Please, call me Zara. Could you tell me yours too, please?” Zara asked. The child seemed to pause at this question, staring at the ground for a few seconds before looking back up with a noticeable amount of sadness in her expression.
“I-Iris...nice to meet you…” Iris said meekly. Zara smiled and took Iris by the hand, pointing to the road in front of them. “It’s a pleasure to meet you too, Iris. Don’t worry, the hotel isn’t far from here. Right this way!” Zara happily chirped, Iris nodding her head. The faintest smile crept across Iris’s lips as she squeezed Zara’s hand as they walked down the snowy road.
Something seemed off about this Iris child, but Zara still felt the strong desire to help this child in need. Her lifeless eyes were particularly concerning...was this girl a victim of abuse? Zara didn’t want to traumatize this child further by inquiring though.
“So Iris, what do your parents do? Are you all on vacation here?” She asked with a smile. Iris nodded her head. “Y-yeah, we’re from Canada...they both work at some research company...pharma...parma…” “Pharmaceuticals?” Zara asked, letting out a small giggle. Iris beamed. “Yes, that! It’s such a strange word…” Iris pouted at the teasing. Zara ruffled the little girl’s hair, only earning a groan in response.
---
“Tell me Carol, are you familiar with the theory of reincarnation?” Cynthia asked, Carol nodding her head. “Of course, I read about it as a doctoral student. The belief is most common in Asia, and it proposes that when a person dies, their soul is reincarnated into another person entirely, and the cycle starts anew. Why?”
Cynthia leaned back in her desk and pondered how to put the next few sentences into words. “Well you see...someone special to Iris died long ago. And with her research into the soul and the path of reincarnation...well, let’s just say she’s been following this path for quite some time.” The headmistress explained, Carol tilting her head to the side and nodding in understanding. Things were becoming a little more clear now.
---
“-and then we saw the King Tut exhibit! Did you know he didn’t do much, and died at 19? But his stuff is soooooooooo well preserved!” Iris continued. Zara gasped in surprise. “But he’s like, the most famous mummy! He’s not that important?” “No! He was so not important that grave robbers left his tomb alone! Good for us, though!” Iris continued.
Zara was happy to listen to Iris talk all about her interests. It was a strangely nostalgic feeling, one she experienced with her own children now they are going to school. “I guess it pays to be unimportant sometimes, huh?” Zara joked, Iris nodding her head. The two of them soon came upon their destination; a large wooden hotel with a red roof and Christmas lights hanging from the outside.
“Hey look, we found your hotel! Aren’t you excited to see your parents again?” Zara exclaimed, but her face softened when she saw Iris staring back at her with eyes full of sadness that she was clearly trying to mask. Did she not actually want to see her parents again? Kneeling down once more, Zara addressed Iris eye-to-eye.
“Iris, please be truthful with me. Do you not want to see your parents again? Do they hurt you?” Zara asked with concern. Iris stared at her as she began to think back to a time long ago. No memories of her mother that died during childbirth, and her father killed by raiders before she herself was sold into slavery...only to become the slave to a prophet that would be killed by her own sinful hands.
Iris shook her head. “N-no...it’s fine...I’ll be fine…” Iris lied, looking at the door she knew held nothing for her. Zara stared at her for several seconds, then nodded as she stood up and dusted herself off. “Wait here, please.” She instructed, walking over to a nearby shop. Iris looked on in confusion, but did as she was told.
It wasn’t long before Zara appeared with another bag in tow. She kneeled down and presented it to Iris. “Hey Iris, your birthday wouldn’t happen to be soon, would it?” She asked. Iris took the bag and nodded. “I-it’s today actually.” Iris muttered. Zara’s eyes opened wide. “You know, I had a strange feeling that I already knew that...have we met before?”
This question pierced Iris’s heart like a white hot arrow. Pleasant images of a young slave girl leaning against a bread stall, excitedly telling her about the stories she read flashed through Iris’s mind. These memories were then burned away as images of people all around them began to flash through Iris’s mind, cheering as a woman was burned alive while tied to a wooden post.
A tear began to roll down Iris’s face as Zara wrapped her in a hug. “N-nope...just happy you got me back here…” Iris sobbed. Zara didn’t understand this reaction, but she didn’t need to. This child deserved some comfort.
After Iris had calmed down, Zara placed a hand on her shoulder. “Hey, I’m glad we met today. If you have any trouble at all, my cell number’s on that receipt. Are you going to be ok going on by yourself?” She asked. Iris nodded her head, wiping her face.
“Good. Well, I have to get back to my family. Thanks for this wonderful experience, Iris. Hope you have a fantastic rest of your vacation, and have a happy birthday!” Zara gave one last squeeze, and began to walk away into the snowy night. Iris stared at the figure leaving and waved, a mix of emotions running through her mind. But she could only mutter one word.
“Opis…”
---
It was now night time, and Zara was finally at home with her husband and 3 kids. She sat on a nice wooden chair and rocked the youngest to sleep while the other two played with various toys scattered around the room.
Outside though, a figure watched in silence. Nobody could perceive this figure, for a spell of invisibility had been cast upon them. Iris looked at the family with a mixture of emotion on her face. Happiness for her pleasant family life she deserved, envy at the children being raised by her, but most of all...sadness.
Ever since Opis’s death, Iris had scoured the world to understand how the power of reincarnation worked, and if its path could be traced. It took decades for her to travel the world and learn, and many more years before she found Opis’s path...but ever since then, she began a ritual.
Each reincarnation Opis took, Iris would wait until she was age 36, the age she was killed, and on Iris’s own birthday...find a reason to talk to them. And no matter how many reincarnations passed, Opis was still kind enough to talk to whatever form Iris took at the time, blissfully unaware of their original relationship. Iris’s one friend as a slave that she saw as a mother figure, and was ripped away from her...leading to her becoming a dark goddess and forbidden from death itself.
Iris knew she could never tell Opis about any of her past lives. She was fortunate...reincarnating just like herself, but able to move with the flow of time. Born, find love, grow old, die, start anew. Iris was a fixed point in time, unable to move past childhood no matter how much time passed, or how many spells she learned. It wasn’t her place to keep this woman who used to be a dear friend in her life...but one visit a lifetime for her birthday didn’t seem too troubling, especially if she got some affection from it.
Turning away from the house, Iris reached into the bag she was given and pulled out the present Zara had given her. It was soft, and had a long mouth.
“...crocodile…” She muttered at the stuffed crocodile in her hands. She put it back into the bag, took one last glance at the house...and disappeared into the night.