What is a soul mate? Is it a person you feel an absolute and total attraction and understanding with? A bond so strong it could not be broken by the Gods? Or is a Soul mate a figment, a dream that imbeciles believe that give them hope of love being alive and surrounding us; enveloping us in a warm embrace that sends a sense of euphoria for that brief moment. Perhaps a soul mate has nothing to do with love, maybe it is a deep connection that two friends feel that create the “Best Friend” union ship. Call me a cynic, but how can one believe in love when they have never experienced love in its true form? I have had my heart broken and shattered so many times that I feel like half a woman than I did 4 years ago. How can life be so cruel and yet so beautiful. Call me a sociopath but sometimes there is that eerie calmness and beauty in the pain that one can feel. Why do people enjoy looking at monuments from the wars prior, is it because they want to immortalize the ones that were lost, is it because they hope to find a connection with their ancestors, or is it because we long to know the pain they felt and share the beauty of those moments that are captured in stone. It was once said that Aristophanes presented a story about soul mates to Plato that all humans had four arms, four legs and a single head made of two faces. The men were children of the sun, women were children of the earth and the Androgynous were children of the moon which was born from the Sun and Earth. He goes on with his story stating that humans once held a great and powerful strength that threatened even the Gods themselves. The Gods had a solution destroy the human race and never speak of the vile creatures again. Now why wouldn’t they kill the humans? Was it because they would have no one, no longer to worship them, no one to pray to, isn’t it the humans very prayers that gave the Gods their power? As continued in Aristophanes story, Zeus split the humans in half as punishment for humanity’s pride. However by splitting these humans both halves were in depression and misery to the point of death. Apollo had sewn them up and reconstructed their bodies with the navel being the only remnant back to the original form, and yet even with their new bodies those beings would always long for the other half: their Soul mate. So why it is that now in present day soul mates became such an idealized thing. Sigh, there it is again my pessimistic attitude strikes again, back with its sword of negativity, sharp enough to slice any hope of love I may have had. What made me like this? What heartbreak was it that finally caused me to snap, to give up, and to feel so hopeless?
“Earth to Zira! Are you even listening to me???” A shrill voice screeched like a bird from Zira’s right. Zira let out a sullen huff and looked up from her white tea cup that held the warm brown liquid that always soothed her during her weakest moments. There her sister, Namine, sat looking beautiful as always, her pale dewy skin basking in the sun’s soft and warm kisses, her black hair shining brightly against the dark blue highlights that streaked through like the ocean against the reflection of the moon, her sapphire blue eyes glared sternly into Zira’s Emerald eyes.
“Yes, yes I’m listening.” Zira said exasperated rolling her eyes in annoyance at her younger sister.
“Oh really? And what was I talking about Zira?” She said curling the right side of her mouth into a smirk knowing Zira hadn’t a clue what she was saying.
“You were talking about Leon and how he gave you that necklace for Valentine’s Day.” She stated blatantly looking back into her Hot Chocolate hearing the surprised gasp escape the lips of her sister.
“Isn’t he just the most amazing guy ever? He’s sweet, and funny. . . “Zira tuned her sister out as she normally did with conversations like this. She didn’t want to tune her sister out it just happened, most days her happiness just annoys her. Zira use to be like that, talking about her boyfriend and how amazing and sweet he was, or how her fiancé proposed and spoke of the wedding preparations, oh there was so many things she used to do. Was it true when they said everything tastes sweeter when you’re in love? Why is it that she can’t remember those types of things, she doesn’t remember much of anything anymore but that was her own fault?
“I want you to be the Maid of Honor in my wedding if we ever get married.” Namine said in her cheerful voice that could sound like a hark of Angels or the squeal of bird depending on her exuberance that day. Zira smiled turning to look at her sister with the emeralds orbs that were called eyes and simply stated:
“I would love to. Namine, why don’t you and I go to a fortune teller and see if Leon is your soul mate.” Zira pushed her leather chair back across the terracotta tile letting the painful shriek echo in the mural adorned walls of the Italian restaurant owned by one of Zira’s friends. Zira began stacking the plates and getting ready to help clean when Tony a handsome well-built man came running over and taking the plates from her hands, his fingertips brushing against hers. She smiled and released the plates.
“Tony you know I can help clean, you’re like family to me.”
“Zira, we haven’t been a family in years and probably will never be again.” Tony reverberated back harshly, briskly walking away from her. For some reason his words stung her like a bee pierces flesh. Why did that hurt her so much? What did she do that would make him say such a thing and say it so coldly.
“Come on Zira just forget about him, he has no one to blame but himself.” Namine said spitting out the end of her sentence like venom from a snakes fang. Namine wrapped her long fingers around her forearm and dragged her out of the restaurant.
“Where would we find a gypsy fortune teller?” She asked excitedly standing up on her toes searching the city streets eagerly for a sign. Truth be told Zira had no idea where one would be located, her mother always told her beware the ones who claim to see, for seeing is only for the dragon’s tree. She never knew what that even meant, regardless she still loved the phrase because of the word dragon, she heard that the tree held the blood of a dragon that held tremendous power and had medicinal proprieties.
“She would be this way.” Zira said walking toward the darkest part of the street seeing a hand carved wooden sign hanging from the side of the building decorated in orange and red hues of brick. Her sister still holding her forearm dragged her along the sidewalk cracked with age and littered with gum so old even the ants no longer desired a taste. Zira and Namine walked into the store hearing a low chime above their heads letting the store keeper know someone entered; the smell of the store filled her nostrils as a strong incense of Amber wrapped the store in a blanket of its sweet aroma.
“May I help you?” A soft and mousy voice asked from the back corner of the room, Zira was expecting a blind old hag but this was not the case. The woman was beautiful with her chocolate skin and light brown hair tousled in ringlets around her face. Out of the dark corner of the room she stepped into the light that revealed her light blue eyes, they were so light they looked grey with a blue ring around the pupil. Regardless her beauty broke every stereotype in the book.
“Hopefully, we saw a sign outside that said that we could have our fortune read here.” Namine stated softly twirling her class ring on her fingers a habit she had whenever she had to speak to someone a nervous twitch if you will.
“Are you two sure you want a glimpse of the future, sometimes it isn’t what you want hear.” She said looking at Zira, in that moment Zira felt a shiver run up her spine as her eyes locked with the fortune teller.
“Yes we are looking forward to it.” Namine interjected, the sound of annoyance starting to rise in her voice. Zira knew her sister was annoyed due to the fact that the woman answered the question but didn’t make eye contact with her as if she didn’t exist.
“Come, follow me than.” The gypsy walked back behind the curtain of beads into the darkness, Zira was a skeptic and knew there was no truth that would come of this experience; nonetheless she did it for Namine. Her sister pushed the beads aside and stepped in followed by Zira; Namine stumbled around trying to find a chair to no avail there was nothing to be found in the peaceful abyss.
“Please sit here and here.” A soft voice said as hands touched their shoulders pushing them gently down to their knees on colorful satin pillows that mimicked the colors of a sunrise. Zira looked at the firm and smooth carpet decorated with its hand woven Persian designs that were laid out in front of her and her sister. There the fortune teller placed a variety of items: bones, cards and gothic figurines and toys.
“Namine choose first.” The fortune teller said in an ominous tone as she motioned to the items she laid out in front of them.
“How-how did you know my name?” Namine asked in a sharp and shocked manner.
“Dear child, I am clairvoyant I see all and I can feel all. The very aura and energy that you two carry I can sense. Now I ask again Namine, what do you choose?” She said in a tone that sounded wiser than her age, she was an authentic gypsy; there was no crystal ball and no velvet cloth hiding anything just the pure energy in the room was enough to overwhelm you. Namine scanned the items before her and reached her hand out towards the cards but stopped as her eyes caught sight of the grey voodoo doll. Its woven rope body and onyx hair came together like a small doll that seemed to hold a smirk as Namine held it. Her eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store as she held the doll, something about that toy seemed to mimic her excitement.
“It seems that you were persuaded by the witchdoctors gaze, you have chosen the Voodoo doll that was made in honor of a child. The fact that you show a childlike excitement for this little toy is proof enough that you are set on not bearing children in this lifetime. Namine, do you have a boyfriend currently with dyed black hair and eyes as blue as a clear blue sky?” Namine raised her eyebrow quizzically and looked over at Zira, she smiled faintly back at her sister to show her support; but the fact that this fortune teller is reading her so accurately was a bit unnerving.
“Yes! His name is Leon he is wonderful and kind-“
“Namine you must be careful with this man, he hides a past that is very dark and it torments him. His torment and anguish may be unleashed on you, not out of rage but he simply cannot control this feeling, this power he possesses. I am not trying to scare you my child I want you to live happily and safely” The beautiful woman placed her hands on top of Namine’s that were still clutching the doll for dear life and inhaled deeply. Zira watched the event unfold before her, some part of her felt like this has happened before, she knew this woman, but how?
“Namine did you suffer from any abuse from your father in your childhood?” Namine looked down at the floor staring into it as if there was a reflection of the past pooled there. There she saw herself sitting in the corner of the bedroom that was littered with posters of her favorite bands and miss matched furniture. “Namine! We have to hide, Josephino is back.” Zira said running into her room and grabbing her arm yanking her up towards the top of the bed. Zira breathed heavily looking around as if scanning the room to check if it’s clear before her slender fingers pushed the window open.
“Jump out; the trampoline will catch you, Namine I want you to run to our safe house. I will meet you there.”
“I can’t leave without you.” She said in a hushed tone climbing to the window pane and squatting perched on it like a bird ready to fly.
“Oooohhh girls’ come out to play!” Josephino said his footsteps loud and jagged as they dragged across the wood floors in the hall.
“You don’t have a choice Namine.” She said shoving her off the window hearing her squeal followed by the crunch of springs bending under the weight. Namine ran as far and as fast as she could hearing the loud screams of her sister in the distance. She had to keep going, never look back.
“We both suffered from the hands of that devil but I would always protect her from whatever I could, I protected her just as I always will.” Zira interrupted in a monotone voice looking at her sister with a melancholy stare knowing that Namine was lost in memory of the past. Zira always admired her sister being able to look back into the past and being able to state every little detail even to the last weed that was growing in the yard. But that also sparked a jealous fury, why could she be blessed with memories but she couldn’t remember anything but fragments of the past, most of what she knows is because Namine told her what she use to do and her mother would fill in the gaps between Namine’s truths. Zira sighed wondering where her mother was and if she would ever return, she had her doubts since they both were well into their mid-twenties.
The fortune teller looked over at Zira and back at Namine; her face twisting into a confused expression.
“Zira my child please choose your item.” She said softly opening her arms gesturing toward the unusual items before her. Namine still held the doll in her hands with a look of endearment, for a moment Zira saw her little 6 year old sister again playing with her dolls, granted Namine never played with them properly she would always kill them decapitating them and such. Zira looked down and saw the bones along with a dagger, its handle twisting into a shape that resembled a vine of a rose, its blade etched with a dark green dragon that wrapped its way around it up until the tip where an emerald stone was embedded. Zira took a deep breath in an overwhelming sense of longing taking over her; she reached out and grabbed the blades handle twirling it in her hands expertly admiring the weight and sharpness of the daggers-edge.
“It cannot be, you have chosen the way of the devil the dragons’ seductive jewel and movement captured your eye. Forgive me for my disbelief, Zira do you remember the name Talia?” She asked, her light eyes looking into Zira’s, her gaze almost unnerving.
“The name seems familiar but I probably heard it in a video game or movie.” She said letting out a sigh turning her eyes to the dagger once again.
“She chose the devil’s side, what is that supposed to mean?” Namine asked her voice cracking her nerves getting the better of her.
“Once again forgive my negligence, my name is Talia and as you know I am clairvoyant but I have been around far past my appearance. You don’t have to believe what I am about to tell you but I feel it is necessary to tell you so you both know what is in store for you.”
“And what if we chose to believe you, how do we know we can trust you?” Zira asked darkly her eyes narrowing into a glare as her demeanor held a demanding presence.
“You simply don’t know who you can trust child, the only thing I can tell you is trust no one not even each other.” She said ominously, Zira and Namine looked at each other their eyes holding a slight fear within them. Talia grabbed a rather large and ancient text, its cover thin black and what appeared to be fur from a panther, its spine bound together by a seamless object that could not be found from a distance.
“Now there is a legend that has been carried down for centuries. It is a tale of two sisters who were born from the same mother but had different fathers, the younger sibling, Melina, an innocent and naïve girl was born from the king of light: a Kalviyre; a powerful creature that possessed an incredible strength. He also had control over water and fire, light and Shadow. He was held highly and was considered a God to most. Although he was a creature of Light he held darkness within him that he was willing to release on anyone who threatened his daughter, his people or his life. But like anyone who is feared no one dared to cross him and find out just how dark he truly was. Then there was the elder sister, Xaviera, was born from the king of Darkness: a Medon Pavmire or as most clans called them Kivuli. Kivuli were more powerful than the King of Light, he controlled shadow and fire. They also had the ability to shape shift and bend a person’s will with telepathy. More people feared their race then the King of light due to the fact that they could take the shape of anyone and anything: no one could be trusted. The sisters, all though they were from opposing sides their mother did her best to protect and nurture them and raise them to the best of her capabilities. But as a mother she knew she had to lose her children, Xaviera always carried an evil glint in her eye and had a temper that would fly into the depths of hell. It was said it would cause her to black out to the point where she wouldn’t remember a thing. However Melina would always find a way to calm her down, because the only person Xaviera refused to hurt was her younger sister and her pets. Melina was not as innocent as she appeared she had an evil in her growing as well but she was more patient, kind and would always respect her mother and cherished her like a God. In the legend it goes on to say that on the sisters 16th birthday they would gain access to all of their powers and upon their 22 birthday they would be sent to live with their fathers who were on opposite sides of the world: heaven and hell if you will. The sisters vowed to write to each other every day and visit on special occasions. Sadly the fathers refused all communication with each other and created lies to make them turn against each other made them hate one another. As most legends go there is always a valiant hero that steals the heart of the heroine and this legend is no different. The sisters fell in love with, as luck would have it, brothers, love blossomed and wedding bells followed and a war summoned their husbands off to war shortly after. Xaviera refused to let her husband fight without her and joined the war; she and her hero fought in unison and was an unstoppable force to be reckoned with. What they did not know is that her younger sister’s husband, Kai, was on the opposing side and they killed him brutally, severed his limbs and placed him on a spear as a warning to all those who dared to rebel against the Kivuli. And so a quest of revenge and hate broke out and a great war between light and shadow took place, a war that would live on for all eternity. “
“Wait, how can the war last for an eternity, wouldn’t they die eventually?” Namine said breaking the erie silence that befell upon the room.
“These sisters were unable to die due to who their fathers were, so to cheat death they would just be reincarnated.” Talia answered as she closed the book; she looked at the sisters sighing grabbing the doll and dagger from them both.
“Do you understand what I am trying to tell you? Zira you are the rightful heir to Medon Pavmire’s your Kivuli race. Namine you are the heir to the Kalviyre race. You two are to follow your destiny, and you cannot deny what you are any longer. Zira, you only have fragments of your memory due to something that happened in your past, a spell or perhaps a curse, but in order to meet your true potential you need to gain access to your memories. Sadly I cannot help you with such a task; you will have to achieve that on your own free will and without your sister.” Namine looked at Talia with a look of worry written on her face as she spoke. Zira laughed and stood up helping Namine to her feet.
“How much do we owe you for your little story reading?” Zira said harshly pulling out her wallet fumbling through the cards as Talia walked closer to her.
“Keep your pathetic materialistic item, I know what you are and when you do awaken I will be the first person to strike you down.” She whispered her hot breath hitting Zira’s neck; she carefully put her wallet away and turned slowly to look Talia in the face.
“I do not know what game you are trying to play here, but I am not about to believe your bullshit and let you threaten me here in front of my sister. But if you want to strike me down like you say you are, I am more than willing to put you in your place which is in the hole you crawled out of. Now if you excuse me, I will be taking this and my sister and we will part ways.” Zira spat out as she took the dagger and doll from Talia’s hands and began walking out. Namine sighed and apologized for her sister’s behavior. She gave a slight smile to Talia as she followed her sister out. Zira walked ahead of Namine, and suddenly turned and tossed the doll at her and continued walking without a word. Namine looked at the doll running through what Talia said, about Leon, was he her soul mate, and what about those two sisters, one of light and one of shadow? She didn’t know what to make of the fortune they got. If it were true then they have a future of darkness ahead of them.
“Namine, why are you spacing out?” Came Zira’s voice as she turned to look at her sister. “You can’t honestly be taking that fortune telling bullshit seriously are you?”
“I don’t know she seemed very adamant about what she was telling us. Why would a fortune teller make up such a dark past and future for us? You would think that if she wanted to be paid she would make up a future where it’s all rainbows and unicorns.” Namine said walking faster to be on Zira’s left side, she looked at Zira with a questioning stare.
“Fortune tellers are nothing but scam artists Namine; they will say anything to make you believe in what their words are saying whether they are dark and mysterious or rainbows and unicorns.” She stated in a matter of fact tone, her black stilettos clicking into the cement with an echo as she glanced at her sister.
“But she was very convincing and she clearly said something to strike a chord with you, you sort of flew off the handle back there. Don’t you think we should at least look into this further before we chalk it up to fiction?”
“Namine I did not fly off the handle, she threatened my life, I in no way shape or form raised my voice at her, she deserved my retaliation-“
“But Zira after what you did in there you seemed to fit the description of Xaviera, her temperament, her darkness-“Namine said trailing off looking down at the sidewalk, she knew if she continued it would only aggravate her sister more. She let out a sigh and stroked the dolls hair twirling the black strands in her fingertips, why did Zira take these items, if she didn’t believe in the legend then why didn’t she just leave the items there with the fortune teller. Namine being lost in her thoughts walked blindly next to her sister unaware of her surroundings when she suddenly felt a strong force hit her from behind, making her stumble forward.
“Well look who it is, the great and perfect Leon!” Zira shouted sarcastically throwing her hands in the air still walking down the street.
“Hello to you to Zira.” Leon said briefly before placing his lips on Namine’s now bright red cheeks and intertwining his fingers with hers.
“How did you know it was me without turning around?” He asked, Zira stopped and turned around to look at his blue eyes.
“I don’t have to see your face I can smell you a mile away. What the hell do you do bathe yourself in cologne?” Zira said rolling her eyes, Leon and Zira didn’t like each other, but Namine was her best friend and sister so she merely tolerated his existence for her sake. Leon rolled his eyes at her and shot a glance that held a gaze of hatred in them. She smirked and took a slight bow to her sister and boyfriend.
“Well I can see I am not welcome here anymore so let me take my leave.” Zira said bluntly walking down the sidewalk her footsteps light and bouncy her emerald eyes looked straight ahead but her mind seem to think of the dagger that was in her purse, securely in the base under the pouch that she sewn into the seam. Why did Talia’s legend affect me, I didn’t believe in reincarnation that was Namine’s thing. But what if it were true? Wouldn’t that mean I would have my “supposed” powers by now? Was it because I couldn’t remember. . . . No that couldn’t be it because Namine doesn’t have her powers or does she? No she would tell me. What am I DOING none of that shit is real, there is no princess sisters, now war between shadow and light and definitely no soul mate made for her in the near or distant future.
Namine gave Zira a wave goodbye as she watched her walk down the sidewalk, she always thought her sister walked like a model and would one day make it to be famous. Namine turned to Leon and grabbed his smooth and warm hand pulling him into the gravel pathway that lead to a park up the hill. Her flat black boots softly crunching beneath her feet as she strolled up the rather steep hill reaching the clearing at the top. The park always seemed to calm her down and helped clear her head after a stressful day of work. Once they reached the top she took a deep breath in took in the peaceful landscape. A variety of trees and shrubs encased the park, her little hidden oasis, she smiled softly and ran to a large oak tree. Leon laughed quietly and sat down in the shade of the tree he gently wrapped his hands around her wrists and pulled Namine down to his lap. He wrapped his arms around her and looked down at the little voodoo doll she held onto. He snatched it away from her and looked at it with disgust.
“What is this?”
“It’s a voodoo doll. Zira and I went to see a fortune teller,” she said snatching the doll back her voice lowering in irritation at Leon’s tone. She pressed her back into Leon’s broad chest holding the doll up at the sky its black hair contrasting against the stark blue sky.
“You went to a fortune teller? Are we going to live happily ever after with a house full of kids?” He asked jokingly.
“She told me to be careful around you.” Namine whispered. She put the doll down and turned slightly to Leon with a serious look on her face. She was torn between straight out asking him or just let what Talia said go. Zira was certain that what she said wasn’t true, but for some reason there was something in her telling her that maybe it wasn’t. The story of the two sisters was too dark to not have some truth behind it.
“Namine? Hey, Namine, you’re spacing out. What are you thinking about in that beautiful head of yours?” Leon said gently stroking her hair twirling strands around his finger as he gazed into her eyes as though trying to read it like an open book. Namine shook her head and smiled at him.
“Talia, the fortune teller, was telling us about these two sisters, they were half-sisters, one was of light and one was of shadow. They were separated because of their fathers and in the end war broke out between light and shadow. Talia, said that the war still wages on because the fathers refuse to let their daughters die. She said that they are reincarnated and she thinks Zira and I are those sisters.”
“Man, what happened to those fortune tellers that use to say ‘you will find your true love when the moon is full on the night when Jupiter and Saturn are aligned.” Leon stated with his smile the same one that could always melt her heart.
“That’s why I think maybe there is something to what she told us.”
“From what you told me, I wouldn’t want to be these sisters, maybe it’s better to not look too much into this.”
“Do you think that if we were these sisters we would somehow get some memories to that time?”
“Namine, please don’t get so obsessed with this. That fortune teller was a con artist, she just wanted to scare you and made you lose your mind over this. Maybe she said those things so that you will go back to her to find out more for these sisters making you pay more.”
Namine looked at Leon “You sound like Zira.” She said softly. He scoffed and stood up squeezing her hand helping her up to her feet.
“Sorry, love, by I need to head back to work. I was on my lunch break when I saw you and Zira walking. Will you be okay by yourself? Should I call a taxi to take you home?”
“No, I’ll be fine. Walking is good for me and I’ll just catch the subway, it’s cheaper,” she said gaining her balance, she came to about his shoulder blades due to his 6’5 stature, he leaned forward and pressed his smooth lips against her head placing a gentle kiss before turning and heading back to work. His black wind swept hair blowing as he walked. Namine waved to him until he was out of sight. She looked down to see the voodoo doll lying on the bright green grass beneath her, she knelt and picked it up; she began feeling an overwhelming dizziness consume her. She sat back down on the grass trying to get her focus back but the white tunnel vision began to blind her, the scenery around her was no longer green it was now just a sea of white.
“Melina, my child, that Kivuli may be related to you but you must forget about her. She will be the death of you, she cannot be trusted no one can be trusted.” A strong and imminent voice echoed in her head, a mere shadow of a figure standing in the distance.
“I am not Melina, who are you? What did you do to me?” Namine groaned, squinting her eyes as the light got brighter and the shadow grew in size.
“In due time Melina you will know who you are and will have to end this once and for all.” The voice said the shadow dissipating. Namine looked around being able to see, no longer crippled by that white light. What was that? Did she imagine that? Wasn’t Melina the name of the sister in Talia’s story? She had to go back, the legend was real and she wanted to find out more information, she had to. Namine stood up and brushed herself off. She looked down at her phone and saw 45 minutes had passed since Leon left, she held the doll tightly and began walking briskly back to the fortune teller: Talia.
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