Genshi's Story

[KeshmarCurlyHair]

Destiny Overturned
Genshi's Story

Genshi opened the gate as three more Podsheep stepped in. "Okay, is that everybody? One, two, three..." Genshi said, counting them. She yawned a little, then continued. "Eight, nine, ten, eleven..."

"Gen! There you are!" a young girl about Genshi's age dressed in an olive green dress yelled, running over to her.

"What's wrong Minek?" Genshi asked.

Minek started sobbing. "I found Gazzy in the woods and he wasn't moving and heard strange noises and I'm afraid it'll get the others..."

Genshi put her hands on Minek's shoulders. "It's okay, I'll come see what's up. It might just be a stray Woodwolf." she said, then turned her head to the nearby barn. "Fritt! Here boy!"

A gray-colored canine beast came running up to the girls, then sat in front of Genshi, waggling it's tail.

"You're on duty till I get back." Genshi said, looking down at Fritt.

Fritt barked and ran over to the Podsheep.

"Alright, let's go." Genshi said to Minek.

Minek nodded, sniffling. The two girls went on their way to the disturbance.

They ran up to a man in raggedy clothes and dark green hair, who was knelt down, examining animal tracks. Minek approached him first. "Mister Lilesh! What did you find out...?" she sobbed.

The man stood up, looking toward the forest. "The footprints aren't of any kind of creature that lives around these parts." he said. "To be honest, I'm not sure what we're dealing with here."

"Rollin, did you see anything else?" Genshi asked.

"No." Rollin answered. "But I'll go directly to Mayor Zamh to see if he knows of the situation."

Genshi turned away, pulling a hunting knife out of her jacket. She then started toward the woods.

"Where are you going Gen? It's dangerous in there!" Minek cried.

Genshi ran far into the woods, looking around. Although as the daughter of a shepherd, she was prepared to defend the livestock against common beasts, she wasn't trained for tracking something down, especially something she has little information about.

She started walking faster, deeper into the forest. She looked around for anything suspicious. As she walked around, she started seeing weird symbols on tree trunks. She then wandered up to a small, open area with ruins scattered about. Lifelike statues of creatures Genshi hadn't saw before now scattered throughout the courtyard of the ruins.

She then approached a particular statue that looked a bit more lifelike than the others. It was of a hideous heyena-like beast with patches of fur missing from it's back and head, and soulless eyes that looked like they were staring right back. It was about a meter or so tall, not including it's bushy tail. Genshi curiously stepped closeer to it as she could've swore it looked like it was breathing. She watched it closely as her suspicions were terrifyingly confirmed as the creature breathed heavily. She looked up at it's disgusting face as it was looking right back at her. Her heart skipped a beat as she stepped back slowly, gripping her knife tightly in her left hand.

"N-nice doggy..." she said, as she prepared to run for cover. Before she knew it, the beast leaped toward her as she bolted away. She ran as fast as she cold to the ruin entrance as the creature pounced, sinking it's teeth in her right shoulder. It then pulled her to the ground, holding her down. As it started trying to tear her shoulder off, she swung the knife downward into it's forehead, quickly freeing herself from it's strong grasp. The beast let out a loud cry as Genshi escaped.

Genshi stumbled to the ground inside the ruins, grasping her heavily bleeding arm. "I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that's the thing that killed Minek's Paracorn..." she thought to herself. She then looked up, seeing a Nocturnian crest carved into the stone wall. "And that explains why it's not native to this forest."

"Genshi!" a voice called out. She immediately recognized it.

"Darius... ?" she whispered, then carefully stood up, looking back to see her friend running over to her.

"Gen... what happened to you?" he asked, looking at her bloody shoulder.

"Just out hunting." she laughed. "How'd you find me?"

"My dad told me." Darius explained. "He said you might be out here somewhere."

Genshi smiled. "I should've known he'd send you for me."

"Heh, yeah." Darius grinned. "Though strange... that Gerfiend statue back there is missing..."

"You mean you knew about this place?" Genshi asked.

"Yeah. I came straight here after I heard."

"Darius..." Genshi said, smiling.

Genshi paused briefly. She then looked up at Darius, blushing. "Look, we've done a lot of things together... and I just..."

"Worthy guardians have arrived." a mysterious voice echoed throughout the room. Suddenly, the Nocturnian crest on the wall, as well as an adjacent crest, started glowing with green and orange light respectively. Startled, Genshi and Darius turned to the crests. The light emitting from the two crests engulfed them, then faded from the crests. The light absorbed into their bodies and faded from sight as they turned to each other.

"...what was that?" Genshi wondered, still dazed.

"Hell if I know." Darius remarked. "Whatever it was, I don't think it was hostile."

Genshi turned to Darius. "We'd better go back before anything else weird happens..."

Darius nodded, then they turned and started walking out. Darius glanced at Genshi. "I know already." he commented.

Genshi looked at him, then smiled.

The two got back to town, where dozens of Nocturnian soldiers were roaming. "What's going on...?" Genshi whispered to Darius.

"No clue." Darius responded. "Just watch yourself, I never seen armor like that before."

Two Nocturnian soldiers approached the kids. One was a cute, blond girl with a white sword tied to her back. The other, was a somewhat brawny, but youthful looking male soldier with lightweight yellow armor, holding some sort of wand. "They seem to have activated the ruins back there." the male one remarked. He then noticed Genshi's injured shoulder. They probably ran into one of the Gerfiends there."

"Which one has control of the gate? I hope it's not that evil looking girl." the female Nocturnian said, scowling at Genshi.

"What do you want with us?" Darius asked.

"Nope, it's him." the male Nocturnian said.

"Hoho, he's kinda cute." the female soldier commented, smiling. "I guess that must mean that the girl..."

"Bingo." the male soldier said.

As the wand in the soldier's hand started glowing, a bright green vortex of smoke appeared behind Darius. His movements froze as Genshi looked over to him. "What are you doing to him?!?" she said.

"Shut it, fiend!" the female soldier said, backhanding Genshi to the ground.

The two Nocturnian soldiers stepped back as the ground started to shake. A spear weapon materialized in Darius' hand. He jumped back, then turned back to Genshi with a blank stare, then rose the spear. Huge stone pillars grew from the ground around Genshi. "Darius, what are you doing?!?"

Darius remained silent as larger pillars rose in back of the smaller ones. Then rose larger ones still, taller than nearby buildings.

"Darius! I love you!!!" Genshi cried out as the pillars of land collapsed in on her.

[KeshmarCurlyHair]

The Strange Night
Genshi's Story - Chapter Two

It was dark all around me when I awoke. I tried looking around, trying to feel around myself. It felt like I was buried tightly in the ground, yet I wasn't suffocating. I moved my arm suddenly, feeling the soil move around it as if I just moved my hand underwater. I tried moving the rest of my body. I didn't feel my normal clothes tugging away when I moved. It felt like a mass of clay was hugging tightly around me as I jerked through the soily mass.

I arose from the ground, pulling myself up. It was night time, and it looked like I was near a corn field near town. I still felt as if a mass of clay was still wrapped around my body. I looked my arms and body over. I found myself wearing what looked to be a brown and orange full-body spandex suit, but from the moist, clayish feel to it, it was definitely a different material. Definitely not what I usually wear. I then looked over my hands, relieved to see that I hadn't turned into a zombie after all.

I recognized my location as the back of Minek's house. I looked around, trying to remember what happened. My memory was vague, but I remember Minek crying... and Darius... and the Nocturnians. I don't remember much other than that.

I started heading home, sneaking through the fields, evading the livestock and avoiding notice from the sheep dogs. I got to the backyard of the house and stopped. I was gaining awareness around me, as if I was waking up from a long sleep. I noticed that I felt naked, as the same feeling of a mass of clay was all over my skin. For some reason, I didn't pay it no mind. I was in a hurry home.

I looked over, spotting Fritt laying down near the back door. I noticed that he wasn't asleep, and was just curled up on the mat. I tried calling out to him... nothing came out. I wasn't able to speak. It felt strange... but I didn't panic. "Maybe I did turn into a zombie after all?" I thought.

I ran over and climbed through the open window into my room. It didn't look like anything changed. I walked over by my mirror looking in it. To my relief, I saw my normal, blue-eyed human face staring back at me. I sighed in relief. "Definitely not undead."

I looked myself over, noticing that I wasn't in any recognizable clothing. Something dark, with patches of orange-ish patterns all over me. It looked like I was dressed, but it was so form-fitting, it seemed as though I wasn't. I felt my hands, then my chest and stomach, then around my neck... my body felt like it was made of clay. This weird thing on me must have stuck on me somehow when I was stuck in the ground...

I turned around, looking at my bed. I had this strange feeling, urging myself not to go to bed. I walked over and climbed back out of my window to take a breather. I fell down to the ground, setting up and sighing again. "Well, this is sure a weird night..."

"You..." a deep voice bellowed. "have... awakened my power?"

"W-who's there?" I thought in my head, unable to say it aloud.

"You are just a farmer's daughter..."

"JUST a farmer's daughter?!?" I growled. This voice was riling me up, and I couldn't even see him. "Where in the world are you anyway?"

"I am currently sealed within your own body." the voice explained. "Even though I do have limited control, it appears that we have not totally merged yet..."

"M... merged?" I asked, then waited a moment for a response. "...hello?"

Nothing answered me. I was more confused than panicky.

I then turned to the Lilesh farm. I was curious to see if Darius was still there. If that all had been a dream. My mind has been weird all night, I thought it was a strong possibility. I started running in the direction of his house.

I sped to his window and stopped at it, peeking my head in carefully. I looked over at his bed... nothing. I retracted my head and sighed. "Can't jump to conclusions... maybe he's in the bathroom..." I thought, then looked up at the midnight sky. I sighed again. "Who am I kidding..."

I started toward Minek's house, careful not to wake anyone up. I tried getting close enough to her window to peer inside to her bed. I saw that she was sleeping with two of her sisters. "At least she's safe..." I thought.

I turned away, then froze. Not voluntarily though... it's as if I did stop myself, yet I know I didn't. "Another weird feeling... what is this..." I thought. But then... I couldn't move myself. My own body won't react.

"Must..." I spoke. Another involuntary action... but I had actually spoken out of my mouth this time. "Must... kill them..."

I started to panic. "W-what am I saying? Kill who? Why am I even doing this?" I thought.

My body then turned toward Minek's window. "Kill... THEM!" my body yelled.

"No... I can't..." I thought. I tried resisting. I managed to gain slight control over my hands as I grabbed my head. I then fell to my knees. "I... I can't... I CAN'T!" I said aloud.

"...who's there?" Minek said, then spotted me on the ground. "...oh Gen!"

My eyes widened as I heard Minek's voice from the window. "G... get... away..." I grumbled. "Go back inside... please..."

"...why are you dressed like that?" Minek asked. "What's wrong?"

I looked at Minek. "JUST GO BACK INSIDE!" I shouted, then stood up.

Minek backed away as she noticed a small, human-sized pillar of soil emerge from the ground beside me. My arm reached for it. As the soil dissipated itself, a large, dark heavy sword emerged from inside. My hand grasped the hilt and jerked it from the ground as it completely uncovered itself from the soil.

"No... what am I doing... I can't attack my friend like this..." I thought as my will was the only thing stopping my body from acting on it's own. I was froze in place.

"G-Gen! Please tell me what's wrong!" Minek pleaded as her sisters woke up on the bed beside where she was standing.

"No... I... I can't..." I said, then with my greatest strength, forced my body to move. I turned and quickly ran away from the Ringal household as quickly as I could. "I'm sorry, Minek... I can't stay here..."

I felt different then, As if the person I was once was only half of who I was then. I had confused thoughts. "Must protect my friends", "must kill threats", "Must get out of this village..."