Tara did not think for another second.
Her feet sprinted, the moment the women finished her second and she ran, her steps big and far, wherever it could take her. She ran straight towards the end of the street, her body turning along with the curvature of the road and sped fast into an unknown block of buildings.
The shadows of the buildings loomed over her and sped behind as she ran forward, panting and desperate. Her heartbeat was loud drumming against her ears and she knew if she swallowed the dry air, she could loose the momentum and her speed. She will not stop, even as alley ways narrowed down, the turns sharper and the night, darker.
Blurry images of some memory flashed before her eyes like scenes from a movie, muddling up her mind as much as the streets in front of her. A dimly lit room, grey and dead, foggy figures escaping into the dark, a silhouette of silver, they appeared and disappeared with a blink of an eye.
At each crossroad she reached, she would take a different turn, trying to avoid her pursuers through just her instinct. She could hear the sound of her breathing, panting, like her lungs would burn out. But she ran, ran as fast as her feet could take her.
Tara glanced behind her. There were quite a few of them and she felt as if their legs were moving slowly, in rhythm, splashing against the rain, gaining up to her, their eyes determined to get to her. She turned straight forward and turned at the next curve of the road.
She gasped and stumbled into a sudden halt, as her feet took time to process what her mind saw.
There was a brick laden wall stacked up and too tall for climbing. Around it, abandoned buildings, with no railings and no lights on its open windows.
Nobody was around to help, no one would hear her screams of help, no one would know what is going to happen to her. Trembling, she fell onto her knees. Her chest tightened as tears of desperation started running down her cheek.
She was alone, truly alone.
She heard the soft footsteps as it approached her. ´Why?' Tara demanded angrily, quivering, her voice raspy.
The woman, spoke. 'Why did you run?'
Tara turned her head around and looked towards the woman who spoke, her eyes glassy. 'Who are you?'
The woman frowned, as if she was slightly confused. But before the woman could say another word, a bright reddish yellow light appeared behind her, shadowing her face and send her flying. She crashed on to the wall in front of Tara and fell on to the ground, her body limp. A heavy silence fell upon the crowd as they slowly turned towards the source.
The next moment, a glowing golden chain swirled and stroked against the darkness, wrapped itself around Tara. Then it tugged her with such immense force that Tara found herself flying above the crowd, crash landing behind them. She felt the impact of this force a second later as her muscle spasmed on her biceps.
She groaned loudly as she pressed her other hand instinctively onto her muscle, hoping to alleviate the pain.
'Sorry, my dear.' Her mother's breathy voice spoke.
Tara opened her eyes and found herself next to her mother. Her mother stood tall, her legs planted firmly on the ground, slightly leaning forward, with her arms open at her shoulder level, as if she was bracing for a push. They were encircled by a big translucent glowing golden dome, a shield, barricading the others from them.
She looked over to the woman who had been hit. She stirred slightly. Tara turned towards her mother.
'Did you ...' She looked at her mother, unsurely. 'Are you creating this?'
Her mother nodded slightly. Her hands were strained, the tension seemingly vibrating in the barrier. Some of the people on the other side, started lighting up there hands on fire and walking towards the barrier, aggressively.
Tara instinctly moved behind her mother. 'How?' That was all she could muster up. 'What on earth is happening?'
Her mother licked her lips and glanced up at Tara. 'Kind of busy right now, dear.'
'Who are they?' Tara asked, her voice trembling, ignoring her mom's plight.
'I am not sure.' Her mother's tensed reply came.
'What do you mean by you are not sure? You have an idea?'
Her mother reluctantly nodded. 'A vague idea.'
'Why are they here?'
'Long story, I cannot explain that right now, Tara.' Her mother said, in a strained voice. 'We need to make an escape.'
Her mother shifted her left hand in the opposite direction and slowly started making circular motions. A ring of the same structure as of the shield and chain started forming in the air and slowly disappeared into a gaping hole.
'Get into that.' Her mother ordered.
'Are you sure?' Tara replied, nervous. 'That does not look safe.'
'Would you rather face them?' her mother asked, her tone annoyed. 'Cause this barrier won't last.' She said, pointing towards the dome.
Her pursuers were banging repeatedly at the shield open with what looked like huge moulds of earth while the others who were cracking at it with long shards of ice.
Tara momentarily exchanged a glance with her mother and obediently jumped through it.
The next moment she found herself tumbling ungracefully over damp grass. Groaning from the pain, she stood up, clapped off the grass bits that stuck to her palm.
She looked at the tall high-rise buildings, almost empty except for the few lit-up rooms and the almost empty streets that would otherwise be bustling with traffic and people. They were in the middle of the city.
Atleast ten miles from where they had been.
Her mother popped through the portal, landing on her feet elegantly while it closed behind her with a swish. She looked around, sighed satisfyingly and then towards Tara.
Tara's eyes widened in shock, as she realised her mother was wearing the same attire as her attackers.
A silence fell upon them. Finally, Tara sighed heavily, her breathing shaky. 'Please tell me what is going on mother?'
***
Kiara pursed her lips and let out deep sigh. 'We belong to Rahas, a world parallel to earth but different from. Anatomy of the people are similar, but our laws of nature would be something that anyone on earth would not be able to comprehend.'
She looked at her daughter, who stood there still, but her eyes, trimming with tears and her face convoluted in contorted in confusion.
'The people in Rahas are able to control one of the four elements.' Kiara explained. 'We are called Na'ars, because we can control fire.'
'What you produced was not fire, mother.' Tara replied, sounding firm and angry.
Kiara nodded slightly, in agreement. 'I am also a Cadin, someone who can materialize matter from energy, through spells.'
Her daughter looked at her hands and then towards her mother. 'Why did you hide this from me?' she demanded.
Kiara looked at her daughter and then far off into the skyline of the city. She didn't have enough time with her, forget time to explain. Kiara closed her eyes blocking the tears. She had to be firm and calm, there was no time for being emotional.
She walked over to her daughter and kneeled down next to her daughter. She then took her daughters hand in hers and spoke. 'My dear, I need you to understand and completely trust me.'
Tara's eyes widened in anticipation.
'We do not have enough time.' Kiara continued. 'And it is critical that you follow my instructions.'
'Ma..'
Kiara shook her head, letting a tear escaped. 'No, you have to listen to me. I wish I could explain more, but we don't have enough time for that.'
Tara's lips trembled as she nodded reluctantly.
'Seven years ago, a war had taken place between these two continents. Me and your father we were what you called soldiers. We had owed duty, and therefore, we left you in the care of an orphanage. Your father…' Kiara paused as she took in a deep breathe, trying to control her shaking. 'He died during the war.'
Tara let in a sharp breathe. 'Why can't I remember any of this?'
Kiara looked away, not being able to face her daughter. 'When I came back, you had gone missing. When I finally found you, you were just a shell. Completely destroyed.' She spoke, wincing, trying to not to remember the memory of her daughters eleven year old self, with sunken dead eyes. 'So I decided, to put a memory blocking spell, in order to get back my girl. And leave, far away from the place that had broken her.'
Tara looked at her perplexed. 'A memory blocking spell?'
'Ma…' Tara spoke as she placed her hands on her head in frustration. 'This doesn't make any sense.'
Her mother looked up at her, her eyes glassy.
'Yesterday, I was just this normal teenage girl, who wanted to stay out late and go to parties and then go to some university.' Tara sputtered, her voice trembling. 'But now? It's like my whole life had been missing something.'
Kiara pulled her daughter into a tight hug and she felt her daughter sob uncontrollably. 'I am truly very sorry.' She said, holding her daughter for as long as she could.
'I know you are very confused.' Kiara pulling and looked at her daughter. Then she stood up and put out her hand to her daughter, looking very determined. 'Just, follow my instructions. Alright?' She said. 'For now, you only need to worry about that. I will handle the rest.'
Tara reluctantly placed her hand on Kiara's and pulled herself up.
'Why are they after me?' She asked in a trembling voice.
Stumped, Kiara looked towards Tara. 'I wish Tara.' She spluttered. 'I wish, I was able to give you answers, I really do.' She shook her head. 'I searched for them, I tried to find them, but nothing nor anyone was able to give me an answer.'
Tara gulped nervously and nodded, as if understanding she had no choice.
'Listen to me carefully, Tara. I am opening a portal to Barrier Hills in Golden Hills, my home country. It will open, probably in the middle of the town or on the hills. When you get there, find Aaliyah, my sister. She will know what to do.'
She was desperate, desperate enough to send her daughter where she probably would equal chances at both life and death. It scared her to death knowing that she will not be able to stop anything anymore or protect her anymore. It scared her, that she was going to let destiny and fate decide the rest. But she wanted her to live. And even though she had only half the chance, Kiara was willing to bet on the same.
Tara nodded, perplexed.
Kiara walked ahead for a few steps and reached into her uniform's coat. The minimized Realmtear looked like a dice, albeit without the markings. She warmed her hands enough to break the spell on the minimization and placed on the ground.
'This is a Realmtear, a prototype.' Kiara explained. 'It will open a portal back to Rahas.'
The Realmtear expanded to about the size of her palm. Then it lifted itself mid air and let a brilliant surge of energy. In the dim lights of the city, she saw dust almost like golden glitter swirling around in the air. They appeared like fireflies as they danced around in the sky to form concentric circles. Symbols kept changing form in between them as they moved around, in between the rings and slowly stopped.
Kiara turned towards her daughter, urging her to go through it. Tara looked at her unsure but walked towards it.
Just before entering the portal, she paused. 'What about you, ma?'
Kiara stood frozen for a second and then a sad smile appeared on her face. 'I will be alright.' She assured her daughter, mustering up with whatever confidence she had left.
'You are lying, aren't you?' Tara's voice cracked.
'I will be alright as long as you are alright. ' She said, with a smile. 'Now, enter the portal.'
'Ma….' She said. 'Had I known…' her voice cracked and she felt she could not continue on.
'Whatever happens, happens for a reason. This was inevitable.' Kiara replied, firmly. 'This was not your fault.'
Suddenly Tara ran back towards her mother and hugged her mother tightly, her eyes tearing up. 'I love you.'
Kiara closed her eyes and let herself feel the warmth of her child as she patted her back. 'And I love you too.'
Tara reluctantly let go of her mother and then walked back towards the portal. She stepped through it, looked back. Kiara let out a deep breathe and nodded at her, signalling that it was all going to be alright.
Then in a few seconds, the opening shrank and closed, leaving no trace.
'You let her escape.' The cold voice behind Kiara spoke. The air turn cold, as she felt goosebumps rise on the back of her neck.
She turned around and found the same woman she struck down earlier, glaring at her. She had arrived sooner than she expected.
'I did.' Kiara replied back. 'You wanted me, you have me.'
The woman laughed coldly. 'Why would we ever want you, Captain Kiara?'
Kiara's eyes narrowed. 'You are not from IDC.'
'Well…' The lady grinned.
'That was not a question.'
'Even so.' The woman replied with a smile. 'We may be, we may not be.' The colour of her uniform shimmered from the black to a white. 'I must say, you observation is quite impeccable.'
Kiara looked at the woman in front of her in confusion as she felt her stomach drop. 'An illusion spell?' How did she not notice that before?
'You are right.' The woman said with a smirk. 'If we were them, we would have given up searching for you and your daughter a long time ago.'
Kiara pursed her lips. 'Who are you?'
'Frankly, Captain Kiara.' She said, as put her palms together and she slid to the opposite sides, creating a long protruding spike of ice. 'I am not at liberty to say that.'
Kiara clapped her hands together and shifted her leg backwards. She raised up her hands, which were now in flames.
'You think you will be able to fight all of us?' The woman asked.
'It's not something I think about doing.' Kiara replied back plainly. 'It's something I have to do.'
The woman smirked. 'To death then.'