The Phoenix Summoner (ON HOLD)

39

6 year old Alina and 8 year old Anya gleefully run through the meadow behind their house. Anya chases Alina through the thick thickets of flowers, her arm stretched out in front of her in attempts to grab her shoulder.

"I'm gonna get you!" Anya laughs.

"No your not!" Alina teases. Alina runs back toward the house quickly running behind their old swing set. Anya stands on the other side, her eyes focused on Alina. A grin appears on Alina's face and she sticks her tongue out making funny noises. She charges at Anya, who lets out a squeal as she is now the runner instead of the chaser.

Suddenly Alina trips falling to her knees with a thud. She lets out a cry of pain and Anya turns around in concern racing back over to her sister. Anya wraps her arms around Alina trying to comfort her.

"Are you okay?" Anya whispers into her ear. Alina meekly nods wiping her tears away with her hand.

"Hey, no crying remember?" Anya says wiping the remaining tears from her cheeks.

"We're Starkovs. We're stronger than that." Anya sends a gentle smile to Alina who nods smiling back. Anya looked at the field and then back to Alina. She knew what would cheer her up.

"You wanna see something cool?" Alina nods excitedly. Anya helped Alina up and turned back to the meadow. She reached her hand out her palm in a vertical position. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Slowly, the flowers began to float in the air, almost as if gravity was no longer there. The flowers began whipping through the air as if they were a wave. Alina squealed excitedly as they circled around the girls. Anya continued doing intricate tricks until a sharp voice from behind her broke her concentration.

"ANYA!" Her mother shouted from behind her. The flowers dropped and Anya spun around as her mother raced over, she grabbed Anya still out stretched hand pulling it towards her.

"What did you do!?" Her mother, Alma panics. She knew this day would come, she just thought she had more time.

"Nothing. I just showed Alina a trick." Anya was worried now. What was so bad about it that had her parents so scared. Her father Niko, hearing the commotion outside quickly runs out only to see his wife's panic expression.

"It came sooner than we thought." Her fathers face paled, and he immediately ran over to Alina picking her up.

"Mommy, Daddy what's going on?" Anya says tears welling in her eyes.

"Nothing baby." Her mother said stroking the sides of her head. "But what I need you to do is take your sister inside and don't come out until we come get you okay." Anya nodded heading towards the house with Alina in tow.

They sat in Anya's room for what felt like hours. Alina sat beside Anya wrapped in her arms while Anya stroked her hair.  Horses neighed from outside catching both girls attention. Her mother stepped through giving both girls a solemn expression before crouching down before them.

"Listen my girls. We don't have a lot of time." Their mother takes her hands and places one on both of her daughters faces.

"I need you to be brave. No matter what happens okay." Anya and Alina nod though not understanding.

"What's happening mommy?" Alina asked timidly.

"Don't be scared, Alina. Your just going away for awhile."

"What! Mommy no." Anya gasped grasping onto Alina. Tears started falling down both girls eyes while they clung to each other.

"I'm sorry my loves. I was hoping we'd avoid this. But now I must do what I have to. In order to protect you." Alma closes her eyes and focuses her energy on her two daughters. Slowly the girls fall unconscious falling backwards onto the bed. Niko walks through the the door catching a glimpse of his daughters asleep in the bed.

"Are you sure this is the right thing to do?" He questions. Alma nods.

"I knew this day would come. Anya's powers will only continue to grow and if they catch wind if Anya they will of Alina too. This is the only way." A tear runs down Almas cheek never breaking her gaze from her daughters.

"But making them forget each other? They're sisters, they'll need each other."

"In time they will remember.  But for now, the only way for them to keep themselves safe is to forget the other even existed. I knew the consequences when I had them, and I knew what I would have to do if this time ever came and it has."

And that's where the story of Anya Starkov ended and where Anya Djar was born. Alina was taken to Keramzin where she lived the story as the poor orphan girl who lost her family to the fold. Alma and Niko took Anya and crossed the fold getting as far away from East Ravka and the Little Palace as they could.

Alma and Niko lived in constant regret up until their death. They wouldn't learn until it was too late that separating the girls was the biggest mistake of their lives, because Anya and Alina were stronger together than apart.

They were the saviors the world needed.

~

Probably the shittest chapter I've written so far. I'm not good with flashbacks and kind of just wanted to give a quick insight on their pasts. Sorry if it sucks I'll definitely do better the next chapter. Also not sure if it was clear cause like I said I kind of rushed this one. Anya and Alina's mother was a powerful Grisha who had the power to manipulate minds kind of like Anya. She knew what kind of a Grisha they were.