Echoes of the Past

[laraine]

Echo just shook her head at Jiru's obvious excitement over going into room 15 and getting his wine. She couldn't help but laugh at his child like attitude. She walked into the room and looked around, taking a seat on the bed and just looking at him on the deck with a smile.

"Having fun out there Jiru?" She called with a grin. Meanwhile she was making herself comfortable on the bed, kicking off her shoes and lying back, sighing in relief. Her stomach growled, causing her to blush.

Dang stomach....How can I possibly get?

She decided to ignore the growling and sat up again.

[JxSlaughter]

There was two beds in the large room and Jiru face planted on his. He heard her stomach growling yet again. He whined, "You're never not , are you...?" He laid on his back and stared at the ceiling until his friend came.

It wasn't long before the girl came into the room with some food. Since she was the only person working there at the time she couldn't carry it all and had to make some trips. But soon the table in the room was filled with roasted pig, mashed potatoes, salad, steak, fruits, and various finger foods. In her last entrance she personally handed the wine to Jiru. Because he ran up to her and took it. She looked at Echo. She still thought she was a boy. "Please, don't get too drunk..." She closed the door on her way out.

[laraine]

Echo sighed and looked to Jiru. " I think you are worrying your friend." She grinned. "Especially because of me. Though if she knew I was a girl she'd probably be worried for other reasons." She mumbled. Then she focused on the food and started to dig in. Eating rapidly. She ignored his last comment about her always being .

"Though I agree not to get too drunk.." She grinned. "You wont be happy in the morning, trust me."

[JxSlaughter]

Jiru laughed when she said that his friend would worry for other reasons, because she was a girl. "She wouldn't even let you be here right now if she knew." "As for being drunk, I know. That would be bad in battle too..." He watched her dive into the food and shook his head. How does all that fit inside? He tried to get some food but it was difficult by how fast she was eating. He poured himself some red wine and then hers. He handed it to her.

[laraine]

" I suppose its good then that she thinks I am a boy." She chewed the food then drank the wine. At least half of the food was consumed by Echo. She smiled to Jiru, slightly buzzed just drinking that wine as fast as she did. She sighed and went back over to her bed, lying down. "That was a great meal!"

After a while of silence, Echo sat up and looked over at Jiru.

"Jiru....I know its not fair of me to ask this, because I have so many secrets...but it feels like you are hiding something from me. Something important..you don't have to tell me, and I know I've been pushing you away...I just...." Echo couldn't explain it anymore. " I just want to help you if I can I guess."

[JxSlaughter]

Jiru thought of a while as he was taking his own fill in when she left for the bed. He drunk more wine and kept thinking. After a while he gave up. "I don't think I have any important secrets." He finished his drink halfway and stopped. He was very relieved to have a drink, because he hasn't had one in so long. Especially of this quality.

Jiru got up when he was done and went onto the deck outside. He took a deep breath of the cool air outside. It was dark now and he watched the little people who looked like ants from were the building was. They were closing for the night. Preparation was done. Tomorrow was the battle, and probably the last night they would sleep among their families. Jiru wondered how much bandits there was. The large stone walls and high ground was definitely an advantage. After wondering about tomorrow he strayed back inside.

He came back inside. He looked at Echo and decided to tell her. "It isn't much of a secret, but my uncle over looks all of the business in the town. He isn't a a or anything but I guess he would be a higher in rank than everyone else. Thus the much larger and rather richer dwelling place than everyone else. When I told him about the bandits he got mad at me." Jiru didn't look worried, and was almost belittling the situation. "He says that bringing you here lured them here, and that I would be punished when this is over." He laid on the bed and looked up at the ceiling. He smiled slyly. "Don't worry about it though, he isn't going to behead me or anything."

[laraine]

"Still, I am worried about you getting hurt, especially in the fight tomorrow." Echo looked down. "This is my own fault, I shouldn't have gotten you involved. I should have listened to him-" Realizing she said that out loud she closed her mouth and silently cursed herself for almost giving away her own secret. Still, it was hard being so close to Jiru, to not tell him anything, even though she wanted to. She was slowly beginning to trust him to tell him.

But it still wasn't enough to share with him the most important secret of her life.

[JxSlaughter]

Jiru wasn't worry at all about the battle, the town had so much advantages, weapons, people and so much to fight for. Even if they did win with many causalities it was all good for his plan. Less competition for his real home. For a moment Jiru realized that it was a cruel thought. People would die. But again, they would have all perished without a warning eventually if it wasn't for him and Echo. But what she said caught his attention. Who should she have listened to? He turned his head to her. "Huh? Who?"

[laraine]

Echo stood up, trying to see if she could think up a excuse, anything to get her out of this mess. She took a couple steps, then stopped, and took a couple more. She looked up at him, her mouth opened to say something, but she closed it and turned away.

"The....person who saved me. He told me that the road I travel is one that most would not like to be a part in. So I shouldn't make friends or allies, because in the end I become nothing more than a killer. I could die..I could lose my mind within a battlefield. No one wants a lover, or friend like that. I would only become a burden on them. I want to protect others from that fate."

It was the truth. But it was also mixed in with lies. She walked out to feel the cool air on her skin and face.

She didn't know what else she could say to Jiru.

[JxSlaughter]

Jiru got a bit suspicious when Echo had to walk around the room just the think of who the person was. When she walked outside he waited a moment then followed her. He went outside and leaned casually on the wall behind her. He tilted his head and asked in curiosity, “Where did you meet the person that saved you?”

[laraine]

"Curious aren't you?" She grinned and turned to him, walking right up to him and looking at him in the eye. "But do you really want to know? The reason I never told you any of this was to protect you. Do you still want me to tell you? Cause to be frank, I don't think I can keep this inside me for much longer anyway...I've become, somewhat attached to you." She smiled and turned around. "Maybe its because your the first one who has shown me such kindness. But I can't help but wonder if what I tell you will hurt more than anything else.....can I trust you? Will you let this broken girl tell you her horrible life story without torturing yourself over it?"

She looked back at him. "Cause once I tell you.. you will never get that innocence back.."

[JxSlaughter]

Jiru thought that he could find a flaw in her lie, but instead- was surprised that she was ready to tell him another secret on her own. The way she made it sound, it sounded big. He was very curious now. But he was wondering how bad someone’s past could be. If he heard it would he be able to handle it? He lived a simple, peaceful life so far. Nothing filled with major tragedy, except that one event that made him leave this town to stay in Nakashima as a child. But he had been long over that. He was twenty-three and was a young adult. His emotions were not as explosive as a child and it was long ago when he used his heart and emotions more than his head. He believed that surely he could take a story of someone’s past. After all, it wasn’t his and Echo did say she would be leaving after the battle. So when she would be gone he would most likely let it go then, and keep the good memories he had with her and leave such a story behind. Just like how she will leave him.

He nodded with a small gentle smile. “I think I can handle it.” He relaxed and crossed his arms over his chest. He was expecting a horrible, tragic story. Jiru wondered if it would pass the expectations in his imagination.

[laraine]

Echo looked at him, then nodded. She took a deep breath.

"This is stuff you may already know. But keep in mind its important to the story... I was born in Olympia. It was a city that prided itself on gold and wonderful food...and religion..My father and mother were priests at the high temple. The highest honor given to anyone really. We were like royalty I guess. Me and my brother were taught about all the gods and goddesses of the region as children. Including the deity our town worshiped, Loki the god of the elements. Me and my brother Sterling prayed everyday and were given the ability to predict the future. But we weren't able to see them attacking. So when they did, our town fell hard..." She swallowed, remembering the day.

" I was ten and my brother 13. when they attacked the city. My parents took us to a hidden area and my father stood outside, ready to defend us to the death...which is what he did. My mother was torn from us and killed before our eyes...I still remember her face..." She closed her eyes remembering the terror and fear.

"My brother stood before me, protecting me with his arms out. But he too was pulled away to be killed....I screamed..I screamed for them all.."

"Mommy!!! Daddy! Brother!!!" little ten year old Echo ran to where they took her brother but was grabbed from behind.

"Let me go! Let me go!" She screamed over and over.

"Looks like we got a fiesty one here boss.." one of the killers grinned a crooked grin.

"Yes, let's end this sheep's misery." He took a large sword and sliced it along her back, forming a gash that spewed out blood. Echo screamed and cried until the sword impaled her in the chest. Gasping she stared down at the sword, which had gone clean through her chest.

Her body felt heavy and no longer could move. She fell to the ground. The boss of the group pulled the sword free from her body and it bled rapidly as she stared into nothingness.

Her heart stopped.

Everything was black, She didn't know what to do, she didn't know where to go. All she could do was cry for her fallen family.

"It was hard, Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew I was dead.. But I didn't want to believe it. But here's where it gets strange... I heard a voice.."



"Do you wish to be saved?"

"Who is there?" Echo demanded, looking around.

"Do you wish to be saved young one?"

"Y-yes....I want to live! I want to take revenge for what those demons did to my family!! I want them to pay!"

The glowing figure appeared before her..She saw before her a young man with long hair and piercing eyes.

Gasping, she fell to her knees. "My lord...Loki!"

" I will grant you the wish you seek, to be alive and the power to destroy the bandit gang. But in return you must give me something as well."

"Yes my lord, whatever you want.."

"What he wanted, was my body and soul.." Echo said softly, looking up at Jiru, then turning back around to look out.

"We made the pact. He gave me a body and power over the elements. But he warned me if I used an element twice in one day, my body would begin to break apart...I try to keep it to only using one of each four elements per day. But sometimes I have no choice..its life or death. What you've seen..my weakness and overeating...is my body beginning to fall apart.."

She turned back around and gave him a smile.

"And after all of this is over...I'll die.,."

[JxSlaughter]

After thinking for a while Jiru wondered why it would kill her to keep such a secret. Maybe she had just been alone for so long it was hard to bottle up everything inside. "Is it scary to know when your going to die? I know you've already been through it once, but since the first time you died, it sounds a lot worse then what will happen next. Surely this deity isn't evil right? I'm sure he will take good care of you for avenging his people." He put his hand on her shoulder. "I think that you should have no regrets. You got a second chance at life and your fulfilling your duty to your master. Sure it might not have been the way you imagined it would be as a child. But even those who don't have extreme callings to life have issues that even it out for them."

He went and leaned onto the fence of the balcony. "I hope I'm not annoying you or anything, but... that's what I think." He was watching the sky turn purple. It was getting dark outside. The sun had set and the first star in the sky could be seen. He looked down at his arms. Even so, it was pretty sad. She was young but at least she lived a bit. Many unborn and children younger than her have died.

"I hope that these last days were good for you, and I hope that all the food I've given you has eased a your bodily pain... even if it was a little bit."

[laraine]

Echo nodded. " I know..I know all of it. Still..I suppose in a sense I am selfish. Sometimes I want to desperately cling to life. It's human nature I suppose. I also wanted to...fall in love before I died. At least once.." She looked saddened at this, but still held the painful smile. "But..I guess..I'll never know what love truly is.."

"Its sad..and I was only a child when I made the promise. But still.. I met some people on the road..and they tried to save me. It hurt to see them fight for me...that they tortured themselves over something that no one...can change.."

He won't understand..that although I wanted revenge...I also wanted freedom and life...

"But I'm glad you are taking this calmly...you are the first...well...I'm kinda...tired.. Im going to sleep now." She yawned and started to walk back to bed.