“I don't think I’m ready to be committed to anyone. I love you Amaya, every single part of you. But our lives are in completely different phases. I’ll come back to you. I always will”, Charlie had said as he caressed her cheek the night the two decided to break up. Amaya didn’t want to, but he was convinced that it was the best decision for them and their relationship. Charlie had lied through his teeth. She still remembers his ginger hair and the scent of his clothes quite clearly. Almost like he never left. Two weeks later, he was in Sergeant Tate’s pants. “It’s nothing serious, I’m just playing around”, He reasoned with Amaya when she found out. It looked kinda serious right about now, no? A part of her always knew he was lying but she turned a blind eye, hoping that he would tell her when things got serious. Hoping he would have the guts to tell her that he was breaking the promise he made. He never did. She went down the steps at the side of the bakery. The alleyway to be precise. She didn’t want to go through the front and have customers stare at her and wonder why she was so emotionless. She didn’t want more people to conclude that she was arrogant just because she wanted quiet. The alleyway was a bit dangerous compared to the front door. But she was in the military. If she couldn’t handle a couple of thugs in the alleyway, it meant that her years in hell were all for nothing.

She walked down the alleyway, and a hooded figure rested on the bakery wall at the end of the alleyway. They were waiting for someone and they didn’t look friendly either. It wasn’t late, it was still morning, but the alleyway was still quite dim.

Her senses were spiralling and her eyes narrowed at the figure. Something was definitely up with this person. The figure's head cocked toward her as they began to walk towards her. She stopped. The figure slit its wrist as they approached her. She took a step back as the colour blue seeped out of the wound instead of red. In the brink of an eye, a few claws were on her neck and the blue liquid made its way down her throat. It was bitter and it burned. Everywhere burned.

She threw a punch, knocking the figure into the wall before it vanished. She dropped to her knee. Her lungs were struggling to work and she struggled to breathe. Her head was spinning and soon enough she began to choke up blood. She was going to die and it would be by an alien’s hand. She never would have believed this would be how she’d go out. It was definitely a twist. It wasn’t her father’s belt buckle or her mother starving her but an extraterrestrial being. Her vision faded and her ability to move her limbs went with it. She couldn’t scream or cry out for help. She was just laying there silently in the alleyway.

It was embarrassing, it was slow and too painful. She’d have liked something a bit quicker. “Pride, power, courage, speed, destiny and skills that defy the ordinary”, A voice said as the space around her began to warp. “Bring someone worthy and capable of killing the enemy and thwarting the impending doom”, The same voice said as the space warped more intensely. “The one who has consumed the blood of the fiends and can withstand the burden of the blood they will spill and bring down the great threat. Bring to me the embodiment of Rafka!”, The voice boomed.

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Amaya felt amiss, she felt like something in her had moved too quickly. She wanted to vomit. She sat up and examined herself. She could move freely and the pain had completely subsided. She stood up from the ground. Infinite darkness was spread infinitely around her. “I must have died. But I expected something a bit flashier”, She stated. The disappointment was evident in her voice. “That is a normal response for all of Rafka’s vessels”, The voice said. “That voice again”, Amaya muttered looking up. She jumped back a bit. It was a lion, on a cloud, in flashy jewellery! “There was definitely something in that whiskey. Maybe I underestimated Alexandra”, Amaya facepalmed.

“No, she’s still a lightweight. This is a hundred per cent real”, the lion spoke.

“Sounds like what an illusion would say"

“I am not an illusion. But from what I’ve gathered, illusions are still very honest.”

“Sure you aren’t.”

“You never chnge do you Voer. Or should I say, Amaya?”, Rafka grinned.

“I don’t know who Voer is.”

“You aren’t self-aware yet. You will be in time.”

“I've been self-aware since I was four”, Amaya placed a hand on her hip.

“This is not why I am here. Arguing on the first meeting is always useless. Have you ever heard of the central convergence?”

“The what?”

“The central conve-”

“I heard you the first time”, Amaya interrupted.

“Stubborn. It seems that trait is also consistent in all of Rafka’s vessels.”

“You keep speaking about this Rafka guy. If he’s that important then why isn’t he here?”, Amaya questioned. She shocked even herself. She normally didn’t speak much. Why was she acting like this now?

“An exact copy. I am Rafka”, The lion sighed. He was clearly tired of this conversation.” You are Rafka? Why do you keep speaking in the third person and why exactly am I here. Assuming it’s not because of alcohol”, Amaya questioned. She was also getting tired. She probably passed out in the alleyway from the whiskey. People were going to be passing by thinking she was a wild alcoholic.

“I am Rafka, the lion of the heavenly council charged with the protection of the mortal realm. And you are Amaya Rogers, my vessel”, the lion stated. “Vessel?”, Amaya asked confused. “The human world is still in the dark on the truth of the universe? Despite how many rotations we have gone through?”, The lion asked. “Rotations? Vessels?”, secrets of the universe? Care to explain lion”, Amaya stated.

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