I cracked my eyes open to the sun filled comfort of my room. Reluctantly, I sat up and rubbed my eyes. Like every Saturday morning, I had to sit there and drowsily look around at my sorry excuse for a clean room. There were clothes on the floor, the clean ones on the electric keyboard on the wall adjacent to my twin sized bed disheveled from a desperate Friday morning in which I overslept and had to find the closest thing to legitimately fashionable.

Gradually, I found myself slipping from under the covers and out of my warm bed. I stood and stretched, then began walking through the narrow doorway of my room. No sound was heard except for the shuffling of my bare feet against the carpet as I made my way down the small hallway and into the living room. To my surprise, there was no one there. Usually, I’d have found my mother in the tiny dining room. But she was absent from the scene. And like any other day, I lazily assumed she went out with a friend to the grocery store. But I was wrong.

I had waited all day. It was finally at midnight that I decided there was something wrong. I called the casino- which would’ve been the only explanation to her being late- but she was not there. I called my sister’s work, they reported she had never shown up. She was supposedly called in-

By someone else.



“What? Who?” I asked in disbelief.

“I wasn’t sure,” the store manager replied, “it sounded like a man.”

“Did he say anything about himself?” I gasped a little, growing fearful.

“He claimed to be your uncle.”

“Unc- what?
! I don’t have any uncles living here!”

“You don-”

Everything suddenly went quiet. I pulled the phone from my ear and looked at it. I didn’t have to assume. I knew the line was cut.

Dread flooded my chest and spread throughout by body, making me shake as I put the phone back into its charger (totally pointless). There was a soft shifting noise like there was someone moving in my house.

I snapped my head in that direction, eyes wide with horror. Nothing. In precaution, I silently ran over and grabbed the six foot tall bamboo stick (part of a Halloween costume three years ago) lodged in the umbrella stand next to the front door. I pulled it out and glared into the darkened hallway.

“Who’s there?!” I yelled out bravely, just about to pee myself.

Nothing.

Of course no one’s gonna answer that, idiot. No mass murderer in history has ever given away his position like that so easily.

I knew it was pointless to stay. I was right at front of the door. I could leave so easily, I almost dreamed it impossible.

Fortunately, reasoning had lingered in my mind, and I quickly unlocked the door and swung it open, only to shriek and slam it again when there was a black, hooded person standing at the doorway. I locked it tight and backed away in terror. What in Samhain was going on?!

“Ouch.” I heard the voice of a sarcastic woman on the other side of the door.

“What do you want?!” I screamed at the door.

“Let me in and you’ll find out, stupid girl!” The woman’s voice yelled out angrily.

“No!” I smacked the door as if it would help.

“Let me in. Now!”

“Never!”

“Do it, or I’ll force my way in!”

“I dare you!”

“You do?”

“Uh…”

I screamed and turn to run when I heard the door break off its hinges. But there was another strange hooded figure standing in the hallway. The person was just a little taller than me. The cloak showed the body shape of a man. I could tell, since I lived in a house of nothing but girls.

The figure held up his hand and this sudden sleepiness overwhelmed me. It was so sudden, and so strong… I could no longer stand. On my knees, I looked up at the man begging for mercy. With the last bit of strength I had, I tried hitting the man with the bamboo stick. But he easily caught it and snapped it with the squeeze of his grip.

“No… please don’t…” I managed to speak.

“ ‘There is always sleep between part and meet…’” The man’s voice spoke to me softly as if it were some enchantment.

“NO!” I heard the woman’s voice yell.

The last I saw before I completely blacked out was the two hooded characters clashing with one another-- sword against sword. But they weren’t normal swords. They were… giant keys.

~*~


Groaning, I cracked my eyes open once again. I had a horrible sick feeling in my chest, which reminded me of my predicament. The feeling of alarm forced me to sit up hastily, which didn’t help the splitting headache. I began to get double vision as I covered my ears to tune out the high pitched whistle in my head. Gently, I turned my head to see that I was in a green bed in a green room. Absolutely everything was green.

I was completely alone, there were no signs of anyone.



“Huh…? But, why aren’t I in some dungeon?” I pouted a little from confusion. Usually, in my mind, the bad guy locks up their victims in a prison of some sort. And to me, this was beginning to be a nice looking prison cell.

“Where am I?” I hugged the sheets to my chest.

My survival skills immediately whispered to me that it was no time to find out. Just get out, and go home to find mom and sister.


I listened obediently to those skills, getting up even though I couldn’t see straight. I hurried to the door in my drunken state, still not sure what the heck I was doing there.

I shakily opened the door and saw a large looking plaza with a fountain to the far right, in front of two giant wooden doors. Those doors just screamed as my ticket outta here. So I began to walk there… then broke into a sprint in hopes of recognizing the upcoming area.

In my mad dash to the doors, I actually miscalculated the heaviness of the doors and my strength. I smacked straight into the doors, worsening my headache. I grunted as I shoved the doors open, staggering into another unfamiliar place.

Close to cursing aloud in anger, I inhaled sharply and bit my lip to restrain myself. Tears started to fill my eyes in realization that my life was an indescribable mess. How could this have happened? And why?

I silently moved forward, taking a couple turns and going down some staircases. I passed a building labeled “Accessories” with a big fleur-de-lis symbol beside it. I went down another set of steps. To my right was a small café. A woman came walking out with two Styrofoam to-go boxes and two water bottles. She had long silvery-white hair that stopped at her hips with side-swept bangs that framed her tan skinned face gracefully. Her ocean blue eyes pierced into my dark brown ones. She was so beautiful…

“Hey, wait a sec…” The woman squinted at me. “What are you doing up? That guy should’ve knocked you out cold for days!”

“What?” I lifted both my eyebrows, recognizing the woman’s voice- the black hooded figure at my door- completely.

“Leah?” The woman lifted one eyebrow as I started to back away slowly. “Where are you going?”

“Leave me alone!” I yelled as I turned and ran.

“Leah! Wait!” The lady yelled after me.

I didn’t hesitate one moment for that woman to catch me. I forced my body to keep running like my life depended on it.

Suddenly, a brightly colored cat creature appeared before me in a flash of vivid light. Its tail wasn’t even connected, as if it was a floating eighth note.

“Wh-” I screamed when someone yanked me back just in time to dodge a wave of sharp looking music notes.

“Why don’t you ever listen?! It’s like teaching a three-year-old!” The white haired woman growled and stepped in front of me. From the side, I saw her oddly chosen outfit. She had a sleek black tank top on with silver straps. It was accompanied with very short black shorts, the rest of her skin covered by black thigh-high leather boots with silver metal kneecaps. Her forearms were clad in black elven arm warmers that had silver designs on them. On her right upper arm were three silver bands, the lowest one bigger than the other two.

“What’s going on?!” I cried out without thinking.

“Maybe if you stopped and listened, you’d know!” The woman glared at me from the side. Then, suddenly a giant key shaped sword, materialized in her hand. She held it out to the weird musical cat, and, with one fell swoop, the cat turned into a black crystal and faded away into the sky.

The woman turned to me and grabbed my arm tight to pull me closer.

“You run away from me again, you’ll end up like that cat.” She growled.

“I—okay!” I trembled, the tears threatening to come out.

“And don’t cry. It shows weakness.”

“Yes, ma’am…” I sniffled after speaking with a cracked voice.



~*~


We sat in the green room once again. The lady sat across from me at a wooden table that was also green. She bit off her sandwich, watching me closely as I reluctantly ate mine.

“How are you feeling?” The woman asked.

“Could be better,” I gulped nervously. “You know, missing family is pretty depressing.”

“Yeah…” The woman looked to the side, then back at me. “We’ll get them back. Promise.”

“I’d trust you, but I don’t even know your name.”

“Faida.”

“Faida? That’s your name?” I asked, shocked. I’d never heard such a unique name. It was strangely beautiful.

“Yes, but you will address me as Master Nucifera. Or Lady Nucifera. Got that, pipsqueak?”

“Uh—sure. Yeah, I got it…” I sat in silence for a long time, until,

“Lady Nucifera?”

“Yeah?”

“How… how do you know my name?”

“Because I’ve known you for years…” Lady Nucifera looked to me sadly, her blue eyes just wanting me to hug her so badly.

“You have? Are you sure?” I looked to her in disbelief.

“I know my student when I see her, Leah Dossier.”

I jumped at the sound of my name, “but… why don’t I remember you? I have a really good memory of people. You are totally new to me.”

“That’s because you were trapped in the sleeping worlds for so long.”

“Sleeping worlds?” I widened my eyes.

“That’s what I said, wasn’t it?” Lady Nucifera sighed and shook her head. “I can’t explain it. We’re actually stuck in them now.”

“Sleeping worlds? But, we’re awake.”

“Yeah, so? Doesn’t mean WE, world travelers, should be doing so. Even though you have for a couple hours.” Nucifera chuckled.

“So… I’m still stuck?”

“Not when I’m here.” The woman winked at me. “Just stick with me, and no one can touch you.”

“Great!” I smiled weakly. “One more thing?”

“What?”

“What’s that… key shaped sword you have? It looks cool.”

“Oh, this?” Nucifera held her hand out to the side and the key appeared in her hand through a stream of light. “It’s a Keyblade.”

“Keyblade…” I looked down at my food in wonder at the very familiar name. The word echoed in my mind at the sound.

“You have one too, you know.”

“What?” I looked up at Nucifera in shock. “I do? For how long?”

“Forever…?” Nucifera gave me a confused look.

“No,” I sighed in exasperation. “I meant how long have I had it?”


“Since the age of ten.” Nucifera smirked. “You began your training at thirteen.”

“I don’t understand…”

“Understand what?”

“How…” I closed my eyes sadly. “Why don’t I remember any of this?”

“I just told you!” Nucifera exclaimed in irritation.

“But it makes NO sense!” I stood up angrily, jostling the table and knocking my food off. “You can’t just up and LOSE your memories like that! You’ve got to have amnesia or something like that! And I’m pretty sure I don’t have that!”

“You can’t know if you have amnesia or not.”

“So what- THAT’S NOT THE POINT!” I slammed my hands on the table and leaned forward. “I want to go home and find my family! Get them back safe and sound!”

“Oh yeah?” Nucifera calmly asked, but her words were sharper than her Keyblade.

“Yeah!” I growled.

“Well you won’t find them there.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me, Leah. They’re not at your home. Much less in your world. You can search and search, but they’re not there.”

“What do you mean ‘my world’?!”

“Everything. There are different planets, correct?”

“We’re on a different planet?!”

“NO! Let me finish! If there are different planets, there are different realms. You’re in a completely different realm and so are they! They’re in this one, but you have to find them! Here! Not at home!”

“How do you even know that?!”



Because she knows I have them. And you will find me, set them free. While you sleep on in the real worlds, forever.


I froze in place and stared at Nucifera with wide, frightened eyes.

That voice… was the same as that man who put me to sleep.


(To Be Continued)