Chapter 1: Gateway to the Past

My eyes were closed, but I could still see blinding light iridescently flashing before my tightly shut eyelids. My body was wrapped in a whirlwind that was neither cold nor hot; it grazed my skin so quick with such frequency that I could not tell. However, I could feel it tossing and turning myself all about. The siren screeching in my ears was deafening. It sounded almost like a chorus composed of a million whistling teakettles boiling hot. I tried holding out my hand, only to feel a liquefied like substance raked by my fingers, yet my hands were still dry. The velocity of the winds picked up. I was rushing mad at a speed that surpassed that of light. I've flown before, from my training, at high speeds, but never this fast. This would've been enough to pluck every last feather on my wings, and I feared if I were to open them now, I'd be crushed on impact of the sudden halt. After all, I was still human.

I cursed in my mind for my body hurt in every place imaginable. My muscles screamed in torment of the rough thrashing the winds were taking me. I may as well be thrown into an electric chamber with the bolts of heat throbbing against my skin. Was I burning? I couldn't tell yet again, for the moment was painfully confusing as ever. I remember being enveloped by the sudden pour of light, and here I was, being sent back into a time I don't want to see. If my mind wasn't in such distress, I may have been able to concentrate on the mission at hand to prepare myself for when I exit the portal, but I couldn't for every focused moment came along another assault of my flight.

Suddenly, my senses came to play. My speed had reached its maximum, for my velocity declined at an even pace. But the ringing in my ears wouldn't stop! Dear God, why won't it stop! I could feel my head splitting from the screeching sounds that's loud enough to make my ears bleed. The tornado of wind was dying down. I could feel it, I'm almost there.

I took a deep breath as I struggled to focus. My chaotic mind was darkening in order to clear it enough for me to concentrate. The swinging pendant appeared within the shadows, and it showed me the way. Left... right.... left again... and right.... there! The pendant swung in a direction straight ahead, and I knew it was almost time. I searched my mind again, this time, for her presence... the presence of Hitomi Kanzaki.

"Damn it!" I exclaimed. My voice echoed distantly in the whirling tunnel, overpowered by the screeching ring. I cursed as my mind formed a fogged picture of Hitomi, who at the moment was already being captured by Dilando. "Shit, I won't make it at this rate", I said to myself. Cracking open my eyes, I was blinded by the glowing light spectrum passing me. But at the far end of the portal was my exit gate. "Give me strength..." I felt my fingers wrap around my pendent before the skin on my back ripped open. With a cry, my wings shot out and knocked the wind from my lungs. But once I was able to get control of my flight, I felt my velocity returning even faster.

I peeked again in order to steer myself in the right direction. Seeing my exit gate drawing near, I gathered a great amount of energy inside my core. "Just a little more..." I murmured through my gritted teeth. Fire pulsed through my body as I let out that ball of energy to push my wings to its peak and send me through the gateway that will lead me to my ultimate location...to Hitomi Kanzaki.

I opened my eyes to see myself get caught in the gate. The electric current pulsating in the gateway felt like barbed spider webs and I was unfortunate enough to get caught in it. My wings had a difficult time flapping, my movement slowing to a speed like that of a vehicle used decades ago called cars. I guessed I'd be seeing those again once I reenter the past...

No, I had to put my doubts aside. With newfound energy, I forced my way through the gate, seeing that the light was dimming and a faint visual of the world was just over the other side. "I'm almost there", I grunted in desperation. I reached out with my right hand trying to touch that bit of reality. Tears forced out of my eyes as I stretched to grasp what lies outside of the portal. Suddenly, a loud thunder boomed behind me. Confusion etched my face as I turned around at the sound. I gasped at my discovery. "The portal's closing?!" I screamed in question. "Why...?" Then I remembered something I've read in my studies. It said "When a traveler of time passes a gate in which they choose not to enter, time is interrupted in that specific era for a brief moment. In order to restore the flow of time, the portal in which they travel will dissipate because of the lack of energy needed to keep the gateways open..."

"I hope I translated that right" I wished in dismay. The ancient texts had been written in the native tongue of those that lived in Asturia in the other world, Gaia. I still had yet to decipher the foreign language, but with my powers I was able to manage most of the text readings. Returning my attention to the task at hand, I once again gathered another great amount of energy within my core. Panic drilled its way through my body as I concentrated on gathering. Sweat poured into my eyes as I felt my magic being called upon.

My eyes glowed in a purple hue as I shouted "Release!" The power building inside me shot through my body and I could feel myself being pushed through the gateway. I looked behind me, and the portal was closing fast. If I don't make it out, I'd be trapped within time forever until the next traveler made its way here. However, with the great amount of power it takes to transport one being through such a wide gap of time, it may take years until the next traveler could be chosen to take on the task. I could spend decades petrified within time! "No!" I cried. "I won't let it happen."

I continued to push with all my might, and slowly, so ever slowly, I could feel the cool breeze of reality brush my face. I opened my eyes wide as I watched myself climb out of the gateway. My feet touched the ground, but my wings were still spread in the portal. I pulled the rest of myself from the gateway, trying to beat the petrification from taking away a part of me. "Damn it!" I cursed again. My wings won't come out! I looked within the portal, all was closing fast. Trying with all of the strength left within me, I managed to pull out one of my wings, but the other...

"Ah!" I shrieked. Through my blurred eyes, I saw that a good portion of my left wing was caught in the gate, petrified. "No!" I cried in agony. But suddenly, I heard the cry of another victim. A female victim. Biting down on my lip, I called upon the Key of Manchua to do my bidding. "Sword!" I commanded. My magic swirled around the key as it transformed into a sword. Turning back to the portal, a tear left my eye. I raised the sword above my head and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry..." I whispered before bringing the sword down on my wing. I cried with stinging pain as my wing bled. I fell on my back against hard cement and watched as the gateway of time disappeared. To slow the flow of blood, I called back my wings, hoping against hope that I won't bleed internally. Getting back on my feet, I listened for the cry of that girl again. "Where are you...?"

"Somebody, help me!" a distressed cry for help cut through the air, and I ran towards it as fast as my legs would take me. Sword in my hand, I got into a fighting stance once I reached my destination.

"I'm here!" I yelled. The enemy turned around, and before I could identify whether it was another assassin from Dilando, I dropped my sword in shock. For the voice of the female victim was Hitomi Kanzaki.... Hitomi Kanzaki, who was my mother.