• What are the boundaries of darkness? Of light? Is it really a fine line betewen the two? People decide. People fight for both. But what about the middle?

    Loten trudged through the rippling field of ripe wheat, a sea of dew-splattered crystalline brilliance extending to sight's end. A trail stretched out behind him, an unremarkable trail, rid of its sparkling dew. It went out like a divider, cutting the dazzling seas apart, a wall of separation in the moonlight. Loten focused on the light ahead, a beautiful welcoming light. And he saw her. A smile lit across his face, he warmed with recognition and joy, though he did not know who she was. He began towards her and the warm light. But his path did not follow. He spun around to look where it had gone, and he saw himself. A dark self. An inner anger lit up and he roared at the dark imitation.

    "IMPOSTER!"

    And it laughed, a colder laugh than the middle of winter.

    "Are you sure I AM the imposing one?"

    At once the light began to fade, darkness reeled in the brilliance of the fields and the wheat died. The girl sank to her knees her beautiful eyes brimming with tears of pleading.

    "Come back! C-c-come back!"

    Her cries grew softer and she collapsed onto the ground and was gone. Loten ran at the apparition of himself, intending to destroy its very soul. Instead he sank, down into the awaiting abyss of darkness. As he fell he heard the voice, HIS voice calling down.

    "Wishes and wants and wills cannot change a destiny."

    * * *

    A rustling breeze floated its way through the tree, shifting the pulsing green leaves as it went. Loten sleepily watched as the playful wind wound in and out like an untamed spirit shifting the leaves as it went. He tracked the path it made through the leaves with halfway closed lids with a mild interest. The sun thrust its rays through the clouds breathing life into the waking world. Loten unconsciously thought,

    "The wind can will itself anywhere it wants, it follows nothing. Why can't I?"

    He spent a few minutes pondering sleepily about the question, then his attention focused onto the reason he'd thought it. Sighing in defeat he gave up and rolled over to look at the horizon. He froze. Eyes widening in recognition, his gaze rested on the sea of morning dew surrounding him. In the same instant the sun flashed powerfully and the last of the dew departed to the clouds amiably cruising high above. As his heart slowed from its frantic sprint of surprise he reprimanded himself inwardly.

    "It was a dream and only that."

    Uncertainly he added to his thoughts, "Right??"

    He slowly sat up and pulled on his tunic's top. It was a sage green with night black stripes with fine white centers crossing it. The shoulders were lightly raised by some leather protectors. Its bottom, already on him, was a light brown with a hint of black and green stripes streaking through it; its knees had the same raise as the shoulders and for the same cause. It was worn loosely and covered most of his boots, which were regular leather except for the steel plate stuck on the ends. He had the tunic by choice because it went with his jet-black hair. Lotenm stretched and buckled on his sword. It was a not particularly unique blade with a red pommel stone. He gathered his assorted gear into a pack which he slung with double straps across his back. Once he examined the place for forgotten belongings and noted the only things left were the ants picking at some crumbs from his last meal. Then he set off along the worn trail heading towards the intimidating woods looming far ahead.

    * * *

    As Loten trudged towards the towering trees he gazed uninterested towards the rippling plains sparsely populated with hardy trees and die-hard bushes. His eyes were misted over in thought; he was lost in an enigma of his dream.

    "What did it mean?"

    "Could he come out?"

    "Do I want him to?"

    Loten drove on, his frame moving in time with his breath and step. Loten stood at 5 foot 10 inch, he was not the most muscular guy you could see, but neither was he weak. His face was nice, but not model material. His hair was jet black his eyes a bark-like brown. Small scruffs of dust marked his steps, the trail had been worn by times and people. Loten sighed in submission and gave up solving the puzzle of his dreams.

    "I can't solve this if I can't even remember it all," he concluded

    His mind flickered from topic to topic, from the birds overhead to the weight of his blade beside him, none occupying it for long. The shade of the trees welcomed him in a shadowy embrace and blocked out the torturing sun high overhead. He kept on the only difference was the crunching of leaves and needles under his feet, and the occasional calls of the wood's inhabitants. At day's end he picked a random tree, an oak with an owl's hole like an open mouth. The stars were scratched out by the trees, only patches were visible through the combating trees leaves, all thirsty for light. The noises subsided as if in awe of the graceful luminescent moon. It hung in the sky like an ornate orb at Christmas. Spotted with craters making the form of a rabbit. Loten fished out his bedroll, unfolding it and spreading it out next to the tree, a faint crunching of leaves were the only sound when he lay down. He fell asleep content.
    * * *

    A single word flashed:

    'Loneliness'.

    He thought,

    "That's what I am."

    A second word replaced the first, 'pain'.

    He fell. Air rushed around him but all he saw was darkness, the light was not present.

    "Pain, that is what the loneliness gets me."

    A brilliant light grew above him. It whispered, "Relief is what you seek? If so, how will you obtain it?"

    His eyes smarted with tears as the feeling he craved ran over him.

    "I will do anything!"

    Two people appeared before him.

    His eyes widened at their arrival.

    The girl!!

    He in fear glanced at the second one.

    His dark self.

    They both spoke the same words, each one in their own voice.

    "Join me."

    "Join me."

    A thought ran through his mind.

    "Are they both the same?!?!"