“I’m glad you made it,” said a sweet, feminine voice. I can’t allow myself to show any fear of this woman.  I pushed back my shoulders and held my head as high as I took deep breaths to calm my pulse. 

“You had me waiting, and I don’t like waiting. You should be thankful I’m being easy on you. Or else you would be dead,” the girl said as she came closer to me. 

“Who are you?” I asked once I was sure my voice wouldn’t tremble. The girl stepped in front of me, and I swear my breath was caught in my throat.  She looked just like Reika, but there was a god-like glow radiating from her tan face. Her hair reached her legs, and yet it was in a thick braid. She wore a beautiful pure white dress with a gold belt, gold earrings, and a gold bracelet. 

“Reika?” I called out, but the women looked at me with confusion. 

“Reika? Who’s that?” She asked me, brushing bangs away from her eye.

 She didn’t have a curse mark. 

It’s not her. I looked away in embarrassment. 

“She’s a friend of mine, and you look just like her,” I explained to her. 

Wait--Why am I talking to her? I shut my mouth, hoping not to talk and reveal anything else about me.  

The girl clucked her tongue, “Ray-ka,” she said to herself as if testing every syllable. 

“Who are you?” I asked as I narrowed my eyes at her. She looked at me as if she had forgotten I was still here. 

“Sit down,” she said, and with a flick of her wrist, I was sitting down at the dining table. She scooted a chair in front of me and sat down.  

“Please have something to eat,” she said, gesturing to all the different dishes, but I didn’t move to pick them up. She filled her glass with blood red wine and took a sip. 

“If you keep looking at me like that. I’ll take your eyes out,” she threatened as she took a slow sip. I lowered my eyes and stared at the empty plate. 

“Why am I here?” I asked her, eyes still on the plate. 

“Aren’t you training to synchronize with your Mani?” She questioned in a matter-of-fact tone. I looked at her. 

How would she know this? She swirled her wine around the glass. 

“I’ll take that as a yes. Did you really think that fighting your fears would let you synchronize? How can you fight your fears when you don’t even know who you are?” I jerked back as if she had just struck me. 

“Excuse me?” 

She scoffed out loud, “Tell me how exactly your parents died?” 

“Demons killed them.” 

“Is that what they told you? Enigmas killed your parents? If Enigma killed your parents, then you wouldn’t be alive. Tell me. Do you remember their faces?” I tried to think back before I went to the orphanage, but I couldn’t remember anything.

“You don’t. Because they were never there to begin with.” How? How is that possible?

“Here is the bigger question for you. Is your best friend, your family, Reika, really who you think she is?” The lady stared at me, her eyes filled with power. 

“Once you figure out who you really are, then only the Mani will accept you. Be true to yourself.” The dining room suddenly began to crumble around me. 

“Wait! You never told me who you are!” I shouted, stretching my hand out to grab her. 

The beautiful lady smirked at me as I fell into the darkness. 

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HIIII!!! A.G.Preet here!!

Hope you loved that chapter, and once again, thank you for taking the time to read my little story!

Here's your question: Do you think the Lady was lying or was she actually saying the truth?

Anyway! I'll see ya'll on Saturday!

Thank you!