Shadows Of Rebirth

(Chapter 9: Mira'spov)

 I stared at my reflection in the mirror, trying to shake off the dream that lingered like mist in my mind. Fire, shadows, a voice calling my name. It felt like I'd lost something important, something just beyond my reach, but when I woke up, it was gone, leaving only a dull ache in my chest. I brushed it off as best as I could—just another weird dream. Lately, they seemed to happen all the time.

 Giving myself one last look. The dark circles under my eyes were harder to hide today. I grabbed my bag and headed downstairs, determined to shake off the weirdness and focus on making it through another day.

 The drive to school was unremarkable, my mind still drifting. By the time I reached the front doors, the hallways were buzzing with energy, students rushing to class or gossiping in little groups. I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear and stepped into the crowd, letting the noise wash over me, grounding myself in the ordinary chaos.

But then, as I turned a corner, I froze.

 There he was, standing by the library doors, as if he'd been waiting for me. I couldn't explain why, but the sight of him sent a shiver through me, like the answer to a question I didn't even know I'd been asking. He stood out from the crowd, impossibly so—dressed in dark clothes that looked too elegant for a school hallway, with eyes that seemed to hold storms and secrets.

 I tried to keep moving, but my feet wouldn't obey. Our eyes met, and everything around me seemed to fade, the hum of voices becoming a distant murmur. He looked at me like he knew me, like he'd been searching for me, and a strange warmth filled my chest.

 "Mira," he said, his voice low, like he was saying something precious, something fragile.

 I blinked, my heart stuttering in my chest. "what are you doing here, Lorenzo?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. There was something about him, a feeling that tugged at me, that felt both comforting and terrifying.

He gave me a sad smile, one that reached into me and pulled at something deep. "to see you"

 My throat felt tight, and I had no idea why. The air between us was thick with unspoken words, with a kind of familiarity that made no sense. It felt like déjà vu, like I'd met him before, somewhere far away, in another life. I wanted to ask him who he was, why he felt so familiar, but the words stuck in my throat.

 He extended a hand, and I couldn't help but reach out, as if his touch was the answer to a question I didn't know I had. "come with me," he said, his voice calm but filled with an intensity that made my heart skip a beat.

 "Why," I replied, taking his hand. The moment our skin touched, something sparked, like a shock of electricity, and for a split second, I felt… something. A heartbeat that wasn't mine. A memory that wasn't quite clear.

 "Do you live around?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady even though my mind was spinning.

 A faint smile tugged at his lips. "You could say that," he replied, his gaze never leaving mine. "I've been around… just not here."

 The way he looked at me made my pulse quicken, like he was seeing something in me that even I didn't understand. I felt exposed, like he could see every part of me, even the parts I tried to keep hidden.

 He held my gaze, his eyes searching mine like he was memorizing every detail. "I came here for you, Mira," he said softly, his voice almost a whisper, but it echoed in my mind, sending a chill down my spine.

"For me?" I managed, barely breathing. Why would someone like him—someone who looked like he'd stepped out of a dream—be here for me?

"Let's just say… we're connected," he said, his eyes darkening. "In ways you're only beginning to understand."

 Before I could respond, before I could even process his words, he let go of my hand and stepped back, slipping into the crowd. I watched him disappear, feeling like I'd just woken up from a dream that was already slipping through my fingers.

 My hand still tingled from his touch, my mind racing with questions that had no answers. I stood there, surrounded by the familiar noise of the school hallway, but everything felt different, like something had shifted inside me, something I couldn't ignore, I was in daze all day long too occupied to listen in class, too scared of the unseen, I was wary, I was scared, whatever it is I knew it was not a good experience I could still feel the lingering pain. 

 That night, I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling as the events of the day swirled in my mind. Lorenzo's words replayed over and over "We're connected, in ways you're only beginning to understand." Connected. I didn't know why, but the word sent a chill through me, like a door opening to somewhere unknown.

 I closed my eyes, willing myself to let it go, to fall asleep and escape from the confusion, at least for a little while. But the moment I drifted off, I was pulled into something else—something vivid, something… real.

 I was no longer in my bedroom. Instead, I found myself standing on an empty battlefield under a dark, stormy sky, lightning crackling in the distance. The ground was scorched, blackened by fire, and the air smelled of smoke and something metallic. My heart pounded as I looked down at my hands and saw a blade—a long, gleaming sword, heavy but familiar in my grip.

"What is this?" I whispered, but my voice was lost in the roar of the storm.

In the distance, a figure stood cloaked in shadows, watching me. Even from far away, I knew those eyes. Lorenzo. But he looked different—dressed in armor, his face shadowed, his gaze intense, pained.

"Mira," he called out, his voice echoing across the empty field, filled with something I couldn't place—regret, sorrow, maybe both. "You don't have to do this."

 I took a step toward him, feeling a surge of something I couldn't control, something powerful yet terrifying. "I have to," I heard myself say, though it felt like someone else was speaking through me. "If I don't… everything will be lost."

 Lightning split the sky, illuminating the battlefield, and for a moment, I saw more figures—vague, shadowed, as if from a distant memory. I didn't know their faces, but I felt their presence, their purpose. They were fighting for something, something that mattered. Something worth dying for.

 Lorenzo's face twisted, a mix of pain and helplessness flashing in his eyes. "Mira, please—"

But before he could finish, everything went dark. I was falling, sinking into a cold, empty void, my heartbeat slowing as if it, too, was fading into the darkness. I felt his hands reach for me, desperate, pulling me close, but it was too late.

And then—silence.

 I woke with a gasp, clutching my chest, the echoes of his voice still ringing in my ears. My room was dark, quiet, but I could feel my heart racing, my skin damp with sweat. It felt so real, as if I'd actually been there, holding that sword, standing across from him on that empty field. The sorrow in his eyes, the urgency in his voice… it was more than just a dream. It was like I'd witnessed a memory, a memory that belonged to someone else but felt so achingly familiar.

 I sat up, pressing my hands to my face, trying to calm my breathing. But all I could think was that, somewhere out there, Lorenzo knew more than he was letting on. He knew exactly what I'd seen.

And he knew why.

---(LORENZO POV)

 I walked away from her,not trusting myself of what I will do if I turned to look at her as she is still close by, I walked to a far distance as I watched her vanishing into the sea of students, and for a moment, I allowed myself the luxury of pretending. Pretending that she was just Mira, an ordinary girl living an ordinary life. That she didn't carry the weight of a soul older than she knew, or the scars of battles she could no longer remember.

 But as soon as she disappeared from sight, reality snapped back, sharp and unforgiving. My hands clenched at my sides, and I could still feel the lingering warmth of her touch—a touch that felt like coming home and goodbye all at once. After centuries of waiting, of watching, I had finally held her hand again, and it was more than I'd deserved.

 I couldn't let my mind wander too far down that road. My desires were irrelevant. What mattered was that she was safe. But even that, I couldn't guarantee. Not with the shadow that had haunted us both from lifetimes ago still looming, waiting for her to remember.

I headed outside, away from the noise and crowds, my mind clouded with memories I wished I could bury. Memories of her as the other Mira, fierce and unyielding, sacrificing everything to protect a world that had asked too much of her. I could still hear her voice from that night—the way she'd promised me it would be alright, even when I could see the fear in her eyes. She'd believed she could face anything, even death. She had, and it had torn her from me.

 And now, here she was again, just as fierce, just as stubborn, but innocent of it all. She didn't know what lay buried in her past, what forces lingered in the shadows, waiting for her to awaken. I wanted to shield her from all of it, keep her away from everything that could hurt her. But deep down, I knew that wasn't possible.

 I thought of the vision she'd just had. Even from a distance, I'd felt the shift in her energy, the spark of something long dormant. I knew what she'd seen. A piece of our last battle, our final moments together. It wouldn't be the last vision. This was only the beginning. Soon, fragments of her past life would come back to her, and with them, all the pain and loss we'd fought to escape.

 If she remembers everything… I couldn't bear to think about it. The truth would destroy her. I had failed her once, unable to protect her from the fate that claimed her. And here I was, helpless once again, unable to stop the memories from surfacing.

But this time, there was something I could do. I could stay close, keep her from harm, even if it meant revealing more of myself than I'd planned. Even if it meant risking my own heart all over again. If the shadows came for her, they'd have to go through me first.

 I took a deep breath, steadying myself. I'd been watching her from the shadows for long, I thought her life was simple when she was working for the organization,i was happy she did not remember,but who knew fate has alot in store for her,how cruel wad the moon goddess,killing her to give her another life still connected to her past,i wondered what dot connect the Mira who died in battle and the Mira who was poisoned,they are so much alike, are they by any chance twins? And They are not both humans,it would be a coincidence it one was human and the other one was not. 

 Now that she was here, my purpose was clear. I would watch over her, no matter the cost, even if it meant that one day, she would remember everything—remember me—and hate me for all I had failed to do.

But for now, she was still Mira, innocent and unaware, and I had one last chance to protect her from the darkness she didn't yet know lived within her.

With one last glance at the crowded hallway, I turned away, the weight of the centuries pressing heavy on my shoulders, a silent promise burning in my heart. This time, I would not let her go.