The Legend of Legaia

Ten Years Later

I looked to the beach and saw the sun beginning to set. The hunters should be back soon...Maybe new hope would be here.  Maybe something new was coming from the depths of the wilderness.

"Tetsu..I'm going to go and sit by the Genesis Tree now. I'll see you later."

I leaned close to Tetsu and kissed his cheek as I hugged him good-bye. He smiled weakly and I walked away toward the Genesis Tree.

I don't know what it was, but there was something about the Genesis Tree that made me feel special. It made me feel as if nothing in the world was wrong. I would always pray next to the tree and feel its warmth. Father had taken Vahn and I to the Tree when we were young. He said that we would always smile and stare up at the prodigious Tree and smile at it for hours. He said that our mother had taken us there with him before she died.  It had been her favorite place to go.  Eversince we were little, we would visit the Tree on a daily basis.  I guess we felt close to our mother there.  Nene sometimes would cry as she stood next to the Tree that reminded us of our mother.  Her name was Nora.  Nene always became so upset is because our mother dided the day after she was born.  Vahn and I become upset as well, but we can handle it more...Even though we knew her longer, Nene never even had the chance to know her.  This hurt Vahn and I greatly as we helped our father, Val, raise Nene.

When father would show us pictures, we would see how much we looked like our mother: She had blue hair and striking blue eyes, just like me..  I'm glad that I look like her, and I'm glad that I had Vahn for an identical twin.  No one but our father has brown hair, but him and Vahn share the brown eyes.

"Hi Kate!"

I swung around quickly to see Mei smiling at me and responded, "Hi! Are you excited to see your father?"

"Of course! It's been so long! I hope he's doing well. I'll probably have to fatten him up like I always do when he returns home."

Mei and I both chuckled. We had been close ever since we were little. And I'd always had the strangest suspicion that she iwa in love with my brother. Nene had always agreed with me.

"Mei?" I started reluctantly. "I was wondering..have you ever wanted to go out and see the world? I mean if the Mist ever clears up?"

She looked at me for a few seconds and said, "Yes, actually I have. But when I ask my father, he says it's too dangerous and I'll get myself hurt."

As I attempted to reply, Vahn came bounding down the steps and pulled Mei's long, green ponytail.

Mei turned around and made an angry look at Vahn which eventually died into a smile. "Vahn, you'll have to come and have those measurements taken! I have to have those clothes ready for you soon! You leave in a couple of days!"

Vahn smiled. He never talked much, but when he did, his voice wass clear and angelic.  He was actually the extremely quiet type. He nodded and Mei said, "Kate, would you please come with me and help me get the measuring tools set up?"

I nodded my head and followed her up the steps. As I glanced back, I saw Vahn staring at Mei with a look of remorse on his face.

As we prepared for Vahn's measurements, Nene came up to Mei and asked, "Mei? Can I ask you something?"

Mei responded, " Yes, of course. What is it?"

Nene answered reluctantly, "Are you...um...in love with my brother?"

Father and I both gave Nene a revolting look. Mei only blushed and tried to hide tears trickling down her face. Nene proclaimed, "I knew it!"

Just as she finisheds the sentence, Vahn came in the door and Mei walked gingerly over to Vahn, not looking into his eyes. She mumbled some things about how she knew he'd gotten bigger and how he was almost as tall as her father. She then looked Vahn in the eyes and lefts for the door closing it soundlessly behind her.

"Vahn, you didn't thank her well enough!" Nene exclaimed.

"I...She...I...I'm not that good with words I guess..." he responded as his face turnes as red as Mei's had earlier.  His eyes watered up and his nose sniffled.  I knew he was about to cry.

I glanced at Vahn, trying to think of something to say when shouts started coming from outside.

The hunters had returned!

The hunters opened the doors. Vahn, Nene, and I made our way to the gate of the stone wall.   They were carrying a body on a soft, white linen bed.  The man had dirt and blood covering his whole body.  The sight was terribly gruesome.

"Is that...Is that..." started a stricken-looking townswoman.  "It is.  It's Juno."