“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.”

                                -Eleanor Roosevelt

AeRin stared out the window as she absently played with the pillow in her arms.

“Rinnie? You need to come and practice,” called her mother from the other side of her door. “Rinnie?”

Her real mother. AeRin still found it hard to believe. She had been living a lie for sixteen years. The calls from the other side made her desperately wish for time to rewind itself. She wanted to be a human. She could live without knowing who her real parents were.

“Rin, you have to do this. It’s vital for your survival!” her mother exclaimed. She was clearly at a loss as to how to communicate with her daughter.

“What if I don’t want to?” AeRin called back.

“You must! I can’t always be here to protect you!”

“Well you weren’t there to protect me for the first sixteen years of my life, so what difference does it make now?” she retorted.

Her response was met by silence as the words pierced daggers through the door. AeRin knew she had gone too far. It wasn’t her mother’s fault that she had been absent. She had been whisked away by a stranger, though for what reason was a loss to her.

“AeRin, please,” her mother pleaded, “I know I haven’t been there in your life. I get that I’m still a stranger to you, no matter how similar we look, no matter how strong our blood tie is. I don’t know you that well, I’ll admit that. But, honey please, just do this for me. I can sleep better knowing you can at least defend yourself from harm.”

AeRin opened the door to find her mother sitting on the floor. She hesitantly joined her, hugging her knees to her body.

“I never wanted this,” she whispered.

“I know, I know,” her mother replied, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

“It scares me. I don’t know what’s out there, and yet, I’m expected to defend myself against them. I don’t even know how to figure myself out, and I’m supposed to help fight a war that’s not mine!” AeRin exclaimed. She buried her hands in her hair and let out a cry of frustration. “I don’t want to do this! It’s too much. I want my old life back, where the most dangerous thing that could happen to you is get hit by a car!”

Her mother squeezed her shoulder as she cried. She shook as her breakdown quieted. “Mom, what’s so bad out there that I need to know how to fight? I’ve never needed to know how to fight before.”

Her mother sighed before answering, “There are many good and evil creatures in the world. Some will want to destroy you, and some will want to fight alongside you. This war is not a simple one. There are those who are considered evil that hold the purest hearts, and there are those considered good who hold the cruelest intentions. It is difficult to know whom to trust, but you can always tell by looking in their heart. AeRin, I won’t lie. There are some things out there that people your age should never have to see, but know this; there is always a light in the darkness, as there is always a shadow in the light. You will know who you can trust when the time comes.”

AeRin studied her mother’s face. She noticed the lines that appeared from all the worry. Silver hairs were scattered throughout her raven colored tresses and her eyes spoke of many stories. Her frame was delicate with age, but her stance was strong with courage.