Spirit Animals

Spirit Animals:2 LAZARUS

Reese had been waiting for this moment ever since she heard about it. Today was her big day, her nectar ceremony. Today she'd be able to summon a spirit animal!
"It's the only thing she's been talking about",her mother said right before Reese had come down the stairs. Being from Erua, people from the whole village would come to see her especially since she was the princess.
Reese never was a fan of being known and escorted where ever she was. To her she was just an average normal 11 year old.
She tried to imagine what it'd be like to be normal. Well, she had brown eyes like most people,and had light brown wavy hair with beautiful natural blonde highlights. Sometimes she wished she had dazzling blue eyes like this boy she often saw. She hadn't really ever met him, for he was a servant to her cousin Devin. Even she thought of Devin as a stuck up kid with money who didn't take his royalty seriously or respectfully. At least she knew his name though,Conor.
Sometimes she wished she could talk to him, Conor the servant boy. He seemed sweet and to her kind of cute, but she knew she'd get in trouble for talking to him.
The whole village had been decorated by the townsfolk and Isilla was waiting by a bench. As Reese started to walk down the isle made by the parted townsfolk. She noticed Devin was only with his family, but the blonde, blue eyed boy was no where to be found. He must still be with the greenclaocks. She thought to herself. She knew about what he did along with the other three to save Erdas. It made her disappointed and a little relieved because of the thought of her not summoning a spirit animal in front of him made her want to shiver a little. She walked up to the woman and in her hands was a embedded glass with a stunning chestnut horse. Reese also noticed she was wearing a green cloak. What could that be for? Reese wondered.
As she spoke she began to realize how nervous this whole ceremony really was.
The green cloaked woman held out the glass. Reese knew what came next, she would drink the nectar and possibly summon a spirit animal, a life long partner for the rest of her life.
Reese took a sip of the nectar. It tasted sweet like honey with somehow a hint of mint that made her picture an eye of the color she thought what the mint might've looked like.
To her surprise, nothing happened. That's because she was afraid to look up in fear of the disappointment that may lie ahead.
Suddenly something inside her told her to look up. She took the actions of her instinct. The sky was perfect mix of blues, grays, and purples. Then, out of no where, a flash of lightning struck the ground a few feet in front beyond her. Astonished, Reese stared at the beautiful creature presented in front of her.
The creature was in fact a horse! It had an incredible redish shade of chestnut color with a matching color for it's tail and mane, but with the slightest hint of brown, almost the same hint as Reese's hair. It was tall. Probably taller that a Clydesdale,which was very rare to summon. Reese could tell that it was a male at first sight. He had very strong muscles that showed with pride, but what surprised Reese the most was his eyes. They were green! And not just any green, the green she'd envisioned of the mint leaves that were in the nectar. They shown with the light of the sun and the spirit of the day.
He stood, gazing into Reese's eyes. She could tell that when they're eyes met there was a moment of trust. She wondered, still amazed, if he felt the same way.
The horse started at a trot towards her down a hill, where he rest. As he came near her, he slowed to a walk. Reese could now see up close how strongly built he was, but she could also see how caring and protective he was.
He came to a halt and lingered over her, until a second after he dipped his head close to Reese's head and shoulder asking for acceptance. Reese understood what his motions meant, considering that she had been very fond of horses, for they were her favorite animal. She caressed his jaw and gently stroked his nose.
Strangely, Reese hadn't noticed that he had a white diamond on his forehead only until she looked up to see his eyes. They were even more stunning up close.
It was only after she stopped stroking his nose that she had said the word, "Lazarus". Reese looked up to the silent crowd and repeated the word, " his name is Lazarus".
The townsfolk began to cheer and in all the commotion a woman with a green cloak as well came up to Lazarus and Reese. What's up with all the green cloaks? Reese wondered curiously.
She spoke boldly, but in a pleasant way that seemed to sooth Reese from the fact she had a green cloak. "Hello", she began, " my name is Lenori, as you can probably see I'm a greencloak. I was sent here", she continued," to find the one who would summon Lazarus."
From hearing those words Reese began to feel nervous. What did she want with me? From me? And why would she be here for Lazarus? Sure he was big and all, but what could be so special about him... Or me? She wondered.
Lenori spoke again, seeing her concern, "I know this might be overwhelming to you for me to be here acting strange to you,but I would like to talk to you in private with your parents it's very important."
Reese agreed to her request. They spoke in private. Lenori told them that Reese had summoned Lazarus. Which she already knew, but she also told them that Lazarus was no ordinary horse. "He is the Horse of Prophecy. Lazarus was a horse of ancient times only known by few. I happen to be one of them. It is said that long ago, that the war of the greencloacks and the Devourer would be a generation battle. And one unfaithful year the Devourer will rise when unexpected and could possibly take over. The news worried all, but one, Lazarus. He believed that the Devourer would be defeated by four Heroes and four Great Breasts. No one believed him because he was the only unconcerned one. To prove himself he hand picked four spirit animals, Briggan the wolf, Uraza the leopard, Jhi the panda, and Essix the gyrfalcon. He stated that one would begin on the dark side, but soon change to the light. Jhi and Essix's partners will hold a special connection. In the same special year Zhong will go into war and will be conquered. In case something went wrong, Lazarus picked two special twin tigers, Majesty and Royalty, to help the group defeat the Devourer and help the four find a certain Great Beasts' talisman. He, Lazarus, knew that with these four with completing a war that'd go down in history, would have a consequence. The Great Beasts would fall before the quests and battle that lay ahead of them. Also that a new war would begin after this one."
As Lenori went on Reese began to feel sick, like she was about to faint. The thought of how important her spirit animal was and how she was partnered with him. The worst thought was how could she protect a Great Beast like him. Why did he choose her? She was just a princess of Erua not a prepared warrior ready for battle.
Lenori continued the prophecy of Lazarus's legendary history.
"Because of his idea, the Great Beasts banished Lazarus and took away his title as a Great Beast. They cursed him."
"They cursed him!", Reese exclaimed.
"Yes", Lenori replied." But... Well, Lazarus is like sleeping beauty I guess. He was forever banished. The Great Beasts were so doubtful that the Devourer would take over, that they said to Lazarus that when or if your idea is true, when the prophecy begins to become true we will release you and you can be summoned again. We will allow you to help the "Fallen Four". Lazarus agreed to their decision."
Reese looked at Lazarus, his green eyes told me that was the truth of his past. If this all was true, Reese wondered, what does all this have to do with me?
Lenori told them that the Fallen Four had been summoned, so that's why she was able to summon Lazarus. His prophecy had been true. Also, that they were on a hunt for the talismans of the Great Beasts. She had heard of them before and from her mother and grandmother. They told her each individual power of each talisman and also about the hidden talismans that only her family knew about. Maybe that was a reason she summoned Lazarus.
"Reese," Lenori began, " I know this maybe too soon and overwhelming, but", Reese could tell in her eyes she was a little scared to tell her something, "because the Fallen Four have returned and the battle has ended they will need the true leader to guide them on their next journey. You have to come with me to Sunset Tower and travel with them on their quests as well."
Reese was shocked! She was telling her she have to leave her home all because she summoned a spirit animal! Getting an animal partner for life is great, but leaving your home to fight the strongest force of darkness all because of her new partners past?
"I ...ugh", Reese stuttered.
"I know what I'm asking of you is very big, but it's not just me who needs you it's all of Erdas.", she paused,"if you come you will bring great help to the group, but also great pain and the new war. Will you accept my request?" She looked worried and scared Reese would decline her question.
She thought about it hard, then turned to Lazarus. He knew how she felt about his request,she could feel he knew about her astonishment about this whole experience. Once again, Reese looked straight into those pure green eyes of his one more time. She could tell he needed her and to be honest she kind of needed him.
"From now on", Reese said, "we work as a team, I will go with you to help defeat the Devourer. I will help Lazarus complete his duty as the Fallen Four's guider and I will complete the destiny of my own."
"Good. Now come with me", she said.
Right as they left Reese tried the passive state Lenori told her about. It worked on the first try! Now Lazarus is an imprint of a horse marked on her shoulder. As they left she soon remembered how the nectar had a mint taste and That she envisioned Lazarus's eyes. Then Reese realized the glass it was in. It had a horse on it as well. Then it came to her as quick as that lightning bolt at the ceremony the horse looked exactly like Lazarus!