Identity and Freedom

Identity and Freedom.

[Solo.]

Her eyes fluttered open.

She found herself standing on a clear, clean floor. It seemed like glass, except a bone chilling cold arose from the ground. She shivered, looking down at the expertly crafted round symbol of an intricite snowflake. From the round symbol, encircling steps lead down to more tiled floors made of this ice. Ah, ice. Hanuh knew ice well. She was born into it.

Despite her shivering, she felt at home in this ethereal space. Looking up, there was nothing but a pitch black void. Why was she here? In confusion, she slowly descended the three short steps and walked across the floor. Her boots made every footstep echo ever on, into the void. She kept walking, feeling confused and nervous. How did she wind up here? She had fallen asleep. Was this a lucid dream? The steady fear of entrapment rose in her chest. Despite freezing, she was sweating. Gripping her hands tightly, she started to sprint. She started to run.

Panting, breath visible like smoke, she darted through the endless vacant ice floor. Some kind of never ending subliminal space. Eventually, she noticed a dot in the distance. She shuddered in relief as she bolted for the object. Her lungs were on fire as she approached what appeared to be an archway made of, of course, ice. It was far more crude than the artistic floor, she observed as she came closer. At last, she skidded to a halt, almost wiping out. Her hands slammed on her knees as she bent over panting. What was happening? Why was an archway in the middle of this void?

She looked up. She was... horrified.

Through the archway seemed to be a portal to another realm. A similar void with no sky, no smell, and barely any sound. Yet, in place of a frigid ballroom floor was a sea of roaring, endless fire.

With a gasp, she took several steps back. Her breath made it look like smoke was already filtering through the archway and to her. She cried out, backing further and further away. What in the name of the Thaynes was this place! She felt trapped! She wanted out! Now!

Though she was positive no one would hear her, she screamed, "Let me out of here! Let me out! Now! I-"

It was as fast as a blink. She was startled to see herself in a pitch black area. No light, no cold floor, no roaring fires. She blinked in utter confusion, feeling dizzy.

Then, a soft candlelight. The candle glow was warm and enticing, far different than the sea of fire. In the candlelight, she realized she saw a familiar figure.

"Father?"

Julius Tabor smiled. Brown eyes met brown eyes. He reached up and pushed some of his curly hair from his brow, "Daughter. Hanuh, you know what you are."

Hanuh nodded, "Of course. I'm the daughter of both the Tabor and Icebreaker clans."

Julius nodded, "Indeed. An event that has never taken place before, throughout Eiskalt's four hundred year history. You are a phenomenon, a rare entity. But take head, my precious girl."

Goosebumps coated Hanuh's skin as she listened.

"Do not let what you are define who you are." Julius said, "Do not become trapped in nothing but your lineage. You are far more than that. Eiskalt will not welcome you, our families are exiled. And even now your two families in the afterlife both battle for and are baffled by you. You are free, Hanuh. Never forget that. Be more than your bloodline."

Hanuh would never forget those words. Even far after she had awoken.

She laid in an open feild. Multiple colored flowers daintly danced in the cool breeze that caused her hair to tickle her face. She lifted a hand and brushed her hair away, alongside a blade of loose grass. The sky was clear and wonderful. It was a perfect day.

Away from civilization, away from buildings, Hanuh never felt so free. No walls holed her into a single place. There was no danger out here. No tight spaces, no chances of being trapped... no chances of losing her freedom again. No chances of being forced upon for experimentation against her will. No chances of being constricted and stuck in a tube for who knows how long. No chances of being stuck in a dreamy limbo, fed information and education, but nothing more.

She shivered, unable to shake the panic from that time in her mind. She needed to move. Sitting up, she gazed across the hilly landscape. One or two trees dotted the area, and town was in the distance, but that was all. She was in the wild. She was free now. She stood to her feet, feeling anxious energy bolting through her like lightning. With no direction in particular, she ran. She ran. She felt the wind in her face. She felt her hair blowing behind her. She felt the rush in her chest, the breeze on her skin. She heard her dress's fabric rippling in the wind.. she kicked her shoes off, feeling the grass between her toes and the cool earth against her soles. She laughed, relieved and exhilarated. Tears flooded her eyes as she ran on and on. Nothing could bind her now. Nothing could hold her back now.

She was free.

"Hmm..."

She stood in front of the mirror, holding the straw hat over her head. Sure, the light blue ribbon was a subtle and colorful touch, and she liked the design. Yet, what would wearing a hat so long do to her naturally curly hair?

The blonde pulled the hat down and turned, sighing as she placed the hat back on a hanger. She was merely browsing a local tailor's shop, and she found herself trying on many outfits and designs.

She later stood in front of a mirror wearing a tight black dress that reached down less than she thought it would, and it purposefully left enough cuts to some areas she rather would not be seen through the see through black lacings. She shuddered. This was definitely a no.

Later, she stood in front of the mirror wearing a fluffed dress with short, poofy shoulders, a loose and fluffed out top, and a skirt meant for twirling. Sure, the little flower patterns were cute, yet... She bit her lip, this was too... frilly.

She shook her head at a thin, long dark blue dress that was too constricting despite its unprovocative nature.

She stuck her tongue out at the colors green and purple, which simply did not go together. And this dress was too simply designed.

As she kept trying on different clothes and toying with different styles, she pondered. Was her taste in clothing a part of who she was? Did her tastes and dislikes shape who she was, or compliment her true personality? What was her true personality? Who was she? Did these clothes help her, or make her more confused?

She clenched her fist. Weak frost coated her arm, half liquid half solid. She grunted, reflecting on the nature of her family powers. Her father told her that while all Tabor and Icebreaker powers were the same each and every member of the families all used them in their own ways. Was this a link between family bloodline and unique personality?

How would Hanuh use her powers? How unique would they be? Would would her own ice differ from her mother's? What was her mother even like?

Why did her mother leave her?

Ice coated her eyes as frosty air arose from her hands. She gritted her teeth, gripping her hand as if holding something. She was surprised to feel a solid object in her hand.

She blinked down, seeing that a puncturing, stabbing rondell dagger was clasped in her tightened hand. The dagger was summoned from solid ice, though crudely crafted. Already it was starting to melt. Yet, this was a thrusting dagger. The kind that could dig into the chest and leave someone bleeding. She felt her own chest bleeding from a stab like that, though far from physical. No. As the dagger dissipated in cold steam, Hanuh knew how she had summoned it.

Knowing that her mother abandoned her felt like a stab in the chest.

She gritted her teeth, clenched her fistsfists, at the sight before her.

Two men, on the country dirt road, blocked her path. They brandished weapons, they harnessed cruel whips and ropes. The clanging of chains rattled on their belts like skeleton bones. These men were underground slavers.

"You're coming with us, little woman." One of them sneered.

"Indeed. You will make for a handsome price on the black market." The other smirked, like predator stalking prey.

She girl stood on the road unarmed and a mile or so from civilization. She was alone, seemingly defenseless against these dangerous men.

Yet, this girl had enough power within her. And a grave fear.

She blinked, muttering darkly, "No."

One slaver scoffed, "Slaves ain't allowed to say no."

Hanuh seethed, "I am no slave." She spat, "And I will never be trapped again!"

She extended her hand. A sliver of ice bolted from her hand. Completely caught off guard, the sneering slaver was harpooned in the leg. He fell, crying out in agony as he gripped his wound.

Too pumped with adrenaline and anxiety to regret this now, she turned and barked at the unharmed slaver, "I am free! So leave me alone!"

The slaver seemed surprised, yet not shocked. He did not even seem to be concerned with his crying buddy. He scoffed, "Magic user?" He slipped into a fighting position and gripped his whip, "An even better price on the black market!"

Hanuh screamed as she darted right for him, ice coating her skin as a quarterstaff smoothly formed in her hand.

...

She was free.

Leaving the slavers both wounded and on the road, Hanuh walked away a free woman.

Done.

No Judgment requested. Ignis receives 625 XP, including gold rewards converted to XP.

All Rewards added