:::Twelve::: (Please Comment)

[arisyev]

Here I am again, sitting in front of Dr. Strantions desk gazing at my feet. Alright, so I'm guessing you have no idea what I am, who I am, where I am and it's most likely that you could care less. I am a seventeen year old, 6'0 tall, blue eyed, curly red headed girl with way too many freckles on her face. I, along with everyone else, believe that I am the last 100% pure human being left on the entire face of the earth. Everyone else is some sort of elemental, vampire, a magic user, centar, or whatever the heck else. I'm just a boring old human. But, when it's believed that your the last of your kind, having born to humans who they said werewolves slayed, and therefore raised by dragons nonetheless... and exactly five million years ago your kind was exterminated by things called Zer, whatever those things are, and they thought they got all of em', then your pretty dang special. But, as you would expect, I hate being human, everything that walks on by you, not only stares, has somesort of special thing about them. I have no powers, no special abilities, no mutations, my DNA says I am 1 0 0 % human. Other then the fact I get thirty needles in me a day, going in my arms, legs, neck, and one in my back to make sure I didn't catch vampirism or lycanthropy, I get 'special' training. Humaniod beings teach me to fight, how to use weapons, agility and other stuff.

I'm actually positive that you want me shut up and continue with the story, right? Well, here you go my impatient lovelies. "Twelve, didn't you remember what we told you about going into the chemical room? I mean your seventeen now, you need to stop acting like a child. You should also know to look at someone when they speak to you. Look up Twelve." Dr. Strantion told me. I slowly looked up, trying to meet his... gazes. Dr. Strantion was what one would refer to as the spider-horse or spider-centar. Having many eyes placed on his face and his horse body has six horse legs. He also has some sort of scorpion tail. Until the age of five I was terrified of him, but then I started finding him a bit funny looking. One would think seeing a person with quite a few beady black eyes would be scary, but if you think about it, it's really just the opposite. I opened my mouth to speak but it was left hanging when Dr. Strantion held up his hand to stop me. "I know what your going say. Your going to through this entire story I've heard a million times, explaining that you want to have something special like everyone else. Listen, Twelve, you are special, you are a being that exists nowhere else, an individual of your kind, your.... different. Therefore, we must keep your blood, your DNA, 100% human." He explained, at the end of his sentence I glared up at him. "You mean 100% defenseless. Everything is at least ten times more powerful than me, even by phisical ability. I can get killed easily." I replied, trying to make the point I 'needed' somesort of power, Dr. Strantion just slowly shook his head. "That's why we keep you here." He stated, I let out a sarcastic laugh, "Yeah, 'keep', more like imprison. You never even let me take take a step outside." I shot back. "Twelve, as soon as you step outside-"

"What? Something will snatch me up? Something will try to kill me and obviously be successful? Some beast will come out of the blue and eat me alive? You've been training me to defend myself. So, why not let me step outside?" I questioned, "Because your not ready yet." Dr. Strantion replied a bit coldly. The look in his eyes was bitter as he waved a hand to dismiss me. "With pleasure." I stated coldly as I stood up and headed for the door. Minutes later I was lying on my bed staring blankly up at the ceiling. How could he say I was not ready yet? He's been training me since I was... twelve. The thought took me back to my memories. When they first tested my strength, I remembered the surprised look on their faces at how successful I was on my first try. What did they expect? I was raised by dragons after all, and even after all those years of being away from them I knew that they still remembered me. And I still remembered them, along with that ancient language they spoke. I remember when those people came to take me away, the dragons were quickly angered when they found out they had come to take me. They attacked them... I was torn away from the only family I knew. Even though I had been here for so long I refused to make any connections with anyone. Deep down, there was pure hatred, I wanted to never forgive them. They had killed three members of my family. Among them was Sir, she had tought me everything I had known then...

I wanted to be unforgiving for what they had done, but that is something Sir would be disapproving of. She always said you must make room for forgiveness. So, that is something I had to do, for her, for the things she had taught me. Then I heard a knock come from the door to my room. It was either Dr. Strantion or my teacher, Eerie. Eerie is a type of werewolf. I sighed and sat up, crisscrossing my legs. "Come in." I announced, the door opened, revealing not Dr. Strantion or Eerie. It instead revealed a pale, white haired, man who appeared to be an elf. Judging by his features he wasn't really old as far as I could tell, in case you didn't know an elf is often a type of faerie (but not always, there are many different types), his pure white hair was rather long, actually down to his thigh, and his eyes an icy blue. He also stood at approximately 7'2. A few ways I could tell he was an elf was because of his pointed ears and defined cheek bones, but I felt there was something else about him I missed. He closed the door behind him and nodded in greeting, "Hello Twelve, my name is Dimitri, I was sent here by Dr. Strantion." The elf said. I blinked, a skeptical look crossing my face, "What for?" I questioned, "He wanted me to tell you to get your things together and he wanted me to speak with you, get to know you because I'll be accompanying you on a journey." Dimitri replied. I blinked, soon standing up from my bed, "Journey? What journey? Wait, do you mean I'll be leaving here?" I asked him, the rapidness of my speaking grow slow toward the end.

Dimitri nodded, I wide smile grew on my face and my eyes lit up, I felt as if I could hardly contain my excitement. After all this time, unable to feel the warmth of the sun on my face, unable to even see the light of day, and feeling trapped... Dimitri raised one of his brows, "You alright Twelve?" He questioned, "When are we leaving?" I answered with a question. "Tomorrow." He answered, "Is that alright?" He asked slowly, he coud barely get his question through before I let out a joyful sounding, hopefully joyful sounding, shout. I was soon running around the room shouting, "I get to be outside again! I get to smell the fresh air! I'll see the mountains!" I was ramping on and on like an overly excited small child who just got that toy she always wanted. "As far as I can tell, you sure are a mad woman." Dimitri stated. After finally calming myself, sure that my yelling had been heard halfway across the building, I asked, "Where are we traveling too?", "Some place in the mountains, Strantion said he wanted to test your survival skills and strength. He told me there was something hiding within the mountains that has been killing off huge amounts of livestock, merchants and even villagers. They claim it travels at night for that is when it kills." Dimitri replied. I blinked, immediately wondering what it was, "So, he doesn't know what it is?" I questioned, "Nope, no idea." He replied. "But he said it was something highly dangerous." Dimitri continued, I soon wondered what Dr. Strantion would need me for. Whatever the purpose of taking me was it was definitely not to fight whatever beast was causing such vast killing.

[arisyev]

We walked down the street of the large kingdom I had lived in for so long. The air outside of the building was so much fresher and I took in another deep breath. I was walking with Dimitri; Eerie, Dr. Strantion and many others had gone ahead of us. I was happy this wasn't a town were you end up walking shoulder-to-shoulder with other people. Many stared as we passed on by, there eyes locked on me. Some looks were odd, others curiosity, looks that sent the message "You shouldn't be here", and looks that were what some called 'the stink eye.' I could tell one supernatural from the next, having been forced to study them for many years so I could know their strengths, weaknesses, places they were normally found, and so much other stuff. I thank my very good memory for helping me keep up with all of it. I still have more to study by the way... We entered the heart of the kingdom, just as we did so Dimitri spoke up, "Stay close, there are a lot of people out here that would be more than happy to kill you." He whispered. I nodded, I already had the idea that there were many who would like to kill me, but I don't wonder why. It's just that they think all of my kind should be dead, that the time of our reign and 'contamination' was over with. But, yet here I stand oddly enough. Soon enough, I see the edge of the city ahead, as we turn a corner someone steps in our way. I blink, soon turning to head around him but the man steps to the side and blocks my path again. "Sir, were in a hurry, we don't have time for this." Dimitri announced.

The man in the cloak paid no attention and just stared at me, as if examining me. "Human... hmm... I thought all of your kind was dead. Heh, should've known their would be at least one left. Makes me wonder, why didn't they kill you off when they found y-." The man was cut off by Dimitri, "Sir, let us pass, we're in a hurry." Dimitri demanded. The man moved his gaze to Dimitri for a moment before stepping away and walking across the street. We soon hurried off, we both knew we were late now. I glanced behind us just before we turned a corner, I saw the man standing amongst a crowd of people, I could tell he was still watching us. His stare made me feel uneasy, his gaze made me feel as if something bad were about to happen. Minutes later we arrived to the gates that led outside the city. A rather large crowd of supernaturals stood in front of it. Dr. Strantion was, of course, the first to approach us. "Your both late. Why are you late?" He demanded, "Some vampire got in our way, going on about how Twelve here is the last of her kind." Dimitri answered. Dr. Strantion looked off behind us, his gaze uneasy, as if expecting to see some strange man hiding in the shadows, watching us. "Well, your horses are over their, it's going to be quite a long journey and we don't need anymore set backs." Dr. Strantion told us. I nodded and soon started toward our horses, I climbed onto the back of a chestnut colored horse, I was followed by Dimitri climbing onto the back of a dark grey horse. Once everyone was ready the gates opened and we all set off through them. Once outside the gates my gaze fell upon the trees not far off, I smiled, I was outside the facility now. I knew this meant high endangerment and the risk of my own life but, at the moment, I could care less. Just as long as I didn't have to be in the building I could care less.

Hours later we were within the forest, the tree branches swaying and dancing above us. I tilted my head back, closed my eyes and allowed my hair to be blown behind me. "You really love nature, don't you?" Dimitri questioned, I opened my eyes and turned my gaze toward him, finding his gaze already on mine. I smiled, "I spent a good portion of my childhood in nature, if I hadn't loved it I wouldn't have survived." I replied simply. I looked ahead of us, finding that we were in the center of the group for obvious reasons. I sighed, I wished I didn't receive all this attention. I hated it, I just wished I could walk among a crowd of people and not be stared at, not have guards surround me, just... be normal. Well, considered normal within this time since being abnormal was considered normal these days. I glanced behind us, so many other supernaturals, there were many that could be easily mistaken as humans but I knew they weren't. I had the idea that among us were vampires, werewolves, shifters, skin walkers, elementals even. I wished I could be one of them, so others wouldn't look at me so strangely. Just to be unique, like they were. In their minds, they considered me unique because I was the last of my kind, but in my mind, they were the unique ones. Those who other humans failed to understand. It seemed strange to me how other humans refused to accept them, they were sociable people, well, most to some of them anyway.

I turned my gaze toward the steadily lowering sun, I remember they had told me that the corruption humans brought millions of years ago was stuff called pollution. And how their cities just kept growing and growing, like they weren't satisfied with the space they had. I didn't understand that, I am not like that, like the other humans were. But I guess anyone can go power hungry when supplied with the proper resources to grow and prosper. I looked away from the setting sun, up ahead I heard Dr. Strantion's voice ring out. "I'm going to led you off the trail and into the trees to find a place to set up camp." He called, about five hours later we were finishing up the camp and it started to sprinkle rain. I could hear loud thunder in the distance and it was growing dark quickly. "You are to stay inside your tents! If the rain lightens up some in the morning we are to pack up and head out immediately!" Dr. Strantion shouted to everyone. I walked into my tent which, of course, I had to share with Dimitri and two others. When I was inside my tent a lady walked up to me, she had light blonde hair and bright green eyes, she offered me her hand, "Hello, my name is Lyren. And you are Twelve?" She questioned, I could tell she was an angel, she was hiding her wings beneath her armor. I took her hand in mine and shook it, "About everyone knows my name don't they?" I replied. The woman nodded and laughed lightly, "Pretty much." She said, she walked off and sat down on her sleeping bag. The other person within the tent was also a woman, she was already asleep. I headed over to mine and laid down within it. "I'll be up for awhile so don't be alarmed if you wake up and see me still awake." Lyren commented, I simply nodded and shut my eyes.

When I opened them it was pitch black inside the tent and the thunder outside was tremendously loud. It was surprising the tent hadn't collapsed on top of us. My eyes searched the darkness, it seemed everyone was still asleep. Another crack of thunder sounded outside, I looked up, I thought I saw a figure above. I squinted, trying to make it out but it was pitch black. The figure moved suddenly, quickly, and I could no longer see it's figure. I suddenly felt uneasy, what was it? Who was it? I turned onto my back, my eyes searching the darkness. Whatever it was had either been my eyes playing tricks on me or someone who moved with unmatched stealth. I continued to search the darkness, I had the feeling that we weren't alone here. I pulled my dagger from my pocket and gripped it tightly in my hand. I heard the howling wind outside and the sound of the rain pounding against the tent was defining. What was that? I looked around, believing I heard something move, like the snap of a twig that had been carelessly but thankfully left on tents floor. I gripped my dagger as tight as I could, my heart was racing. Seconds turned to minutes which soon felt like hours of nothing but silence. Did whatever it was know that it had been heard and left? I swallowed, slowly growing calmer. I put my dagger back on my belt and tried to fall asleep again. It was difficult, especially how I could see nothing but pitch black darkness around me.

[arisyev]

It was early in the morning and the rain was still pouring down, but at least not as heavy as it was, nor as hard. I felt goosebumps on my skin from the cold as we rode on, I didn't find it that surprising that Dr. Strantion woke us up early in the morning. I remember him saying that the cold rain would wake us up, under my terms he was right, the cold from the rain make me feel wide awake. A crack of thunder sounded in the distance, soon followed by a few others. They seemed to chanting the words, "Turn back." For we were headed right toward the worst part of the storm. Dr. Strantion claimed that the storm would wear off by the time we reached its location, but the rain wasn't letting up at all. As a matter of fact it was getting worse. I had the theory that he was testing me, seeing if I would ask or plea to turn back. But I wouldn't, I was raised to be tough, to endure the hardships of life such as this. I wouldn't plea to turn back, no matter how hard the rain poured down. But my gut was telling me to turn back, that heading into the 'eye of the storm' wasn't the brightest idea. I didn't listen or make any comments about the feeling. The rain began to pour down harder and the trail we were taking was more like a river of mud now. Dr. Strantion led us off the trail to walk beside it instead. It was becoming harder to see now. I thought Dr. Strantion must have become a mad man to think he was still going. What made it worse was the fact we were still following.

We then made it to a river, it appeared as a raging torrent of fast flowing water, mud and debris. There was a bridge over it of course but the river was directly below it for it had arisen many, many feet. I finally spoke, "We can't cross this, if we do we'll die trying!" I yelled over the sound of roaring water. It seemed not many had heard me, I could hear faint voices from ahead, since the torrent was so loud they must've been yelling in order to hear each other. We were all drenched in water from head to toe, I figured that at least ten people would catch hypothermia. Suddenly, we were moving forward again, the horses from behind pushing Dimitri's and mine forward. We exchanged glances, we were both wearing grim looks. I heard some nearby horses whining, they must also know that crossing this bridge was a death wish. I couldn't do anything about it, nor could I get my own horse past the others. I couldn't even get off my horse, if I did I would risk getting stomped on. Soon enough, Dimitri and I were on the bridge, water was beginning to overflow it. I could hear the bridge creaking, it could give at any given moment. I took in each breath as if I were about to hold it, I was ready for the bridge to collapse beneath us and throw us into the deadly torrent below. Suddenly, the bridge shook and the horses stopped, soom reared and I could hear the many of them whining. When my turned my head in the direction the current was coming from, it felt like I was staring death in the face for just a few seconds. A large wave of water was heading our way. The horses wouldn't cooperate so we obviously weren't going anywhere. Then the wave hit us and the bridge collapsed, I was thrown off my horse and swept away with the current.

I struggled in the fast moving water, my lungs burning for air. I finally reached the surface, I was now being tossed about like a ragdoll and I couldn't see what was happening. I then hit something hard and the world around me turned black... I woke up coughing and sputtering, I had no idea where I was. I opened my eyes and it felt like I was laying on sand. I quickly sat up, still coughing, how had I survived? My question was soon answered, as unlikely as I found it, it appeared that Dimitri had saved me. "You scared me there for a second." Dimitri commented, I blinked. "Wait, you saved me? Where is everyone?" I questioned, I was just a tad bit in shock and therefore I didn't have enough commen sense to so quickly remember what happened. "They were swept away with the rest of us, I don't know how far down river they got, or even if anyone else is alive." Dimitri replied, standing up. I then remembered we had been crossing a bridge when it suddenly collapsed. My wave of coughing had finally ended and I stood up, trying to brush some of the sand off my clothes. "Well, we better go look for survivors then." I replied, soon enough my head was pounding and there was some stinging in my arm, hinting that I hit my head on something on the way down the river. Dimitri nodded, "Alright then." He said, he soon walked off ahead of me. Soon enough, after about a few yards worth of walking we spotted something, or rather some things, in the water. We knew they were people and we could tell that they were all dead. "This definitely isn't a good sign." Dimitri said just as I spotted movement in the water nearby, followed by loud coughing. "There's someone still alive over there!" I exclaimed, I quickly made my way into the water toward the coughing.

I grabbed the arm of that person and quickly pulled them to shore. I recognized her face, it wasn't Lyren, but the other girl that was in the tent with me. She collapsed on the sand, coughing loudly, "Thank you." The girl stuttered. I nodded, "Your welcome, what's your name? I'm Twelve, this is Dimitri." I replied, kneeling down beside the girl. "I-I'm Jessica." The girl replied. "I wouldn't expect that you have seen any other surviors?" Dimitri questioned, the girl shook her head and stood up. I stood up with her and I soon saw some blood on her leg, there was a gash there. The girl swayed, almost falling, I quickly caught her and put her arm around my shoulder. Jessica tried to pull away, "I don't need help." She hissed, "Yes you do." I snapped, "You can't walk with that injury." I continued. Jessica no longer continued to try to pull away. I looked over to Dimitri, I noticed he was looking away, his pupils were contracted slightly. Vampire! That's what I missed, he was a hybrid. I knew I had clean up Jessica's wound soon. I helped her over to a fallen tree and sat her down. I ripped a large piece of the bottom of my shirt off, along with a small piece. I dipped the small piece in the water before turning and beginning to clean Jessica's wound. I glanced toward Dimitri again and I now noticed he had his back turned to us, Jessica winced as I cleaned her wound but didn't protest. I threw the now bloodied piece to the side and wrapped the larger one around her leg to use as a makeshift bandage. Afer cleaning my hands off I helped her up and looked back to Dimitri, "You alright?" I asked, he looked tense, "I'm fine, we should get moving." Dimitri replied. He soon moved off ahead of us and I followed, "He's a vampire, isn't he?" Jessica whispered to me, I nodded, "Part vampire, part elf." I answered, Jessica nodded.

We walked along the muddy river for hours, the only other people we found were either dead or dying, and by dying I mean far beyond help of saving his or her life. It seemed hopeless really. But, when we all thought we were the only survivors we found Lyren and a couple of others. There was a werewolf named Sphinx, a mage named Chris, and a dragon-shifter who went by the name of Laura. I had the assumption Eerie and Dr. Strantion were dead even though we didn't find there bodies. "So, what do we do now? With everyone gone." Sphinx stated, "Maybe we should continue to the town, it's most likely the closest one." Chris replied. "How would you know that? None of us have any idea how far we drifted downstream and little idea of where we are." Jessica commented. "It's the only choice we have, besides, I've been through this forest dozens of times. And it's likely you all haven't even been through it once." Chris said. A few of us exchanged glances, I thought for a moment, "He's right, the only chance we have is to follow him through the woods." I stated. Dimitri gave Chris a skeptical look, "How do we know we can trust you?" He questioned, Chris grinned, "You heard the woman, I'm your all's only chance to get through these woods." Chris replied. The skeptic look remained on Dimitri's face, no one else made any comments. "All right then, it's settled, I suggest we catch some rest before we travel." Chris stated. That night we rested in the trees, exchanged turns of standing guard, the only people who knew what was in these woods was Chris and myself, but, of course, there could be creatures roaming these woods that have yet to be recorded... yet to be discovered, there weaknesses and strengths yet to be known. I felt a bit unsettled at the thought, the thought of waking up dead...

[Night Ember]

nice, you should keep writing on it.

[arisyev]

Thank you, I will. Also, I'm sorry I haven't continued it in awhile, I've just not been up to it. But I'll be posting the next chapter in an hour or so.