Welcome to Gaia! ::

{ Dong Shu Lei }

Memories reached out for her from the two doors, they competed for her choosing. They were like invisible hands peeled off from the doors and brushing her limbs, and then they were like gentle whispering speaking to her.

Then. She remembered. They remembered.

It hurts to gain the memories back, like ink pen craved into a blank white soft paper. The pointy edge of it cut into the flesh of it as it wrote the tale. A black line written and then a blue one followed, it contradicted and split into two separate stories. It confused the reader, which was Shu.

They fought for her attention, she knelt for the agony.

[Lancelot]

"That - wasn't my memory - it was?" She asked herself, very confused by the memory. She had no time to recall the details as another absorbed into her.

The village was burning, the flames were dancing.

Her dagger was taken by a hand, forcefully detached from her bleeding palm. A man dressing in white with determined eyes, it left a deep impression. The stalemate made him grasped the blade with his bare hand, he didn't blame her for her craziness but wrapped her with warmth by a tight hug. "We're sorry for coming late."

She hit him with her fist on his back, yelling at the knights not to burn her family's bodies. He held her tighter, fixing her frantic movements within his bosom, one head stroking her messy head. Red bloods from her hand besmeared the holy white cape but he didn't care. Using a unbelievably soft voice to apologize and pacified the injured heart, she watched the bodies burn into ash with a tear finally dropped down her face. She at last, broke down normally, no longer a feral beast.

He picked her up, treated her wounds and led her to another village. He said she was a brave little girl and she tried so hard, he could see all the efforts she made, and they should, she didn't need to feel guilty for that. There were some fights on the journey, but he took them like a piece of cake, the Darkness didn't threaten him at all. His power captivated her, his tenderness comforted her drifting soul and he was like a sun, a unbreakable shield that she felt safe. He gave her a new home, a new family before he left. She asked for his name, he gave the answer. "Sir Lancelot from Camelot, I will remember that."

Staring at the back of the leaving knight, she realized she wanted to become someone like him. One that can protect and drive the shadows away. She didn't wish to lose her new family again, she couldn't bear a second time.

Shu felt the twisted pain in her stomach, she slain the man - the man who saved her, the man who gave her so much love and care once upon a time. She felt so disgusted and she retched.

It was too much to withstand. "No more please. Just take me." She begged.

[Friendly Encounter]

She felt like she was drowned, gasping, the cold sweats were abundant like she just got out of water. The suffering continued, filling the body up with many painful memories. She could hear the sound of her soul breaking.

"Hey, you don't need to be that afraid."

The shadow on the tree waved in innocence, comforting the little girl had her basket of apples knocked over and panting in horror. It jumped down from the branches of the tall tree, the girl retreated in alarm. "Be careful!" Too late, she fell onto the ground. It sighed in frustration, saying it won't move and just wanted to talk with her. "Go away! Don't hurt me! I-I am not tasty." The girl was about to cry, "I have no interest in little girl like you, you're undeveloped and I'm quite picky you know." Seeing the confused face that only knew blinking back, the shadow creature explained further, "First, not all the shadows will hurt you mankind, some of us wish to maintain a harmony with humans. Secondly, I don't plan to eat you at all. I just find you cute and want to have a small chat - and maybe help you to pick some apples."

The shape of the shadow became less vague, she could see a hand with finger pointing upward to the big red apples hanging on the tree. She could only pick up those fell onto the ground because she couldn't climb the tall tree. She nodded with a skeptical attitude, agreed that those apples look great. If she could get them, her siblings and parents would be very happy, she loved their smiles.

The dead air remained for a long while until the shadow felt too awkward to allure her to talk again. "Hey how old are you?" She raised fingers to indicate her age. "Er-can you talk?" She shook, "Mom and dad said: don't speak to strangers." It sighed, "I will tell you my name, then I won't be a stranger?" She thought for a few seconds and nodded. It was very persistent and patient in this dragging conversation, she was scared and reluctant and it spent half of an hour to lower her defense.

"You have big ears? What're you?"

"You curious little thing, Shu. I'm a Puca, you can imagine a rabbit like creature."

"Can I touch your ears!"

He sighed, "You careless thing, don't trust strangers that easily," Just he said, he leaned forward for her to touch. It was a weird sensation that was too hard to explain. He told her his parents were caught by humans and many innocent one were killed, their world was similar to hers.

"But you're not a stranger." She was always that naive once upon a time.

"The sky is getting dark," the sky was always that dark, "get these apples and go home." It bounced up, picked some apples and put into her basket.

"Will we meet again?"

"I dunno. The war between us is getting more intense. If you're lucky, we'll meet again."

That was his last word, no matter she went to the tree whenever she had time later, the Puca didn't appear again.

[Endless Training]

She changed since the day she lost and then gained a family. When she had time, she would run into forest alone to practice wielding a tiny dagger. She knew she was weak and couldn't hold heavy weapons like sword or pole arm, thus she hid a dagger and mainly trained on her speed. She would dash inside the forest, dodging obstacles in high speed. At first, she would scratch by branches and left wounds on her arms. She picked up and learned things quick luckily. Gradually, she could shuttle between trees like a wild nimble animal.

She wanted to become something like Sir Lancelot, a knight that was strong enough to protect and fight shadowlings.