Adora and Jorhuti

            It was a warm and sunny day in the forest that hugged the western plain of the Pride River. Most people called it the Dergal Wood. One day, Skye, a short, but stout, forest creature, stumbled upon a sleeping girl in a sacred grove belonging to the forest spirit Adora. She awoke in a daze as several sunbeams slowly waltzed around her. Skye's feral appearance startled her as she snapped to reality. When Skye questioned her, she realized she didn't have much of a memory at all. All she remembered was her name: Flo. Flo realized she was enveloped in a strange animal suit fused to her skin, complete with fox ears and two tails. The only feature she kept was her human face. Skye found this intriguing. He asked her if she knew about the legend of Adora and Jorhuti.

      Flo thought the story vaguely familiar, though at this moment she could not quite put her finger on the details. He told her the story. Adora was once a forest spirit dwelling in these woods. Her closest companion was a mythic fox named Orunitia, guardian of the night. Jorhuti, king of the rats, found his way into the Dergal Wood. As soon as his eyes fell on Adora, he knew he must have her. Obsessive love drove Jorhuti mad. Alone and afraid, Adora called for Orunitia. Orunitia fought Jorhuti off, but a prick by his poisoned dagger proved deadly. Oruitia died. Just as Adora seemed to be in the gravest of danger, Atalius, ruler of the eastern kingdom, arrived to rescue her. He scared Jorhuti away and took Adora as his own. They ascended into heaven, but not before Adora made a sacred resting place for Orunitia, her beloved friend.

      Flo listened as Skye finished his story with the words 'beloved friend'. A sudden rush of memory consumed her. Her beloved friend Aeon, who grew up with her in Gil Village, had departed to seek riches in the eastern kingdom, Atalius' kingdom. She remembered how much she cared for him. Flo insisted that she must go to the east and find Aeon, for her memory's sake. He is all that she remembers. Skye offered to accompany her on this dangerous journey; Flo accepted. They traveled to Pride City, where there was a bridge that connected the western and eastern lands. As they made their way down the forest path, and later, down the road through the meadows, Skye thought he saw a shadowy figure following them.

      Pride City gleamed with golden archways. Its marketplace was filled with exotic goods. Flo was amazed by the affluence all around her. However, her delight did not last long. Skye noticed the shadowy figure again and attempted to escape him. Flo ran with Skye into an alleyway where they were cornered by a vicious fiend: Neferati. A brigand and a bandit, this sharp toothed beast attacked them with two whirling rapiers. Skye flung himself in front of Flo, taking the first blow. Injured, he fell limp to the ground. Flo trembled as Neferati slowly approached her. His evil eyes froze her. Relishing his power, he breathed into her face. A loud crack erupted from behind him. Neferati collapsed. A young boy with wild black hair stood triumphantly behind him brandishing an iron frying pan. His name was Kuja.

            Kuja had saved Flo's life. Flo was taken by him. In the days that followed, she watched him as he smiled, and it made her feel happy. For a while, she forgot about Aeon. Kuja offered to show Flo his home. They took a boat to the Firefly Swamp, a northern marsh, not well known by the people of Pride City. Flo was charmed by the enchanting swamp city. All kinds of creatures lived there: lizards, boars, and even mice. Kuja made Flo feel at home, showering her with luxuries. This went on for a few weeks until Skye burst into the room where Flo was staying. He warned her of a terrible darkness lurking in the city. The Firefly Swamp belonged to none other than the king of rats, Jorhuti. She finally saw what was right in front of her. The Swamp was a dwelling place for evil. Skye hid as Kuja came in. She tricked the boy into leaving for a moment. Flo and Skye escaped to the eastern shore of the Pride River.

            The night was cold and dark. The only thing keeping Skye and Flo warm was a little glowbug that she befriended in the Dergal Wood. Suddenly, it twitched as if hearing something. Flo felt a wave of familiarity wash over her. She knew something was about to happen. Something in the woods was pulling her. She walked towards it and came out onto a rocky cliff. The full moon illuminated the night. Flo looked up at the sky and saw him. Aeon, with two elegant angel wings, descended to her. He held a thin lance in his right hand, a weapon of Atalius. Aeon approached Flo slowly. She ran to him and hugged him. Suddenly, Flo was in a different world. She was on a rooftop in a coastal city. The boy she was hugging had a white shirt on. There were cars, airplanes, and fans all whirring about. This felt real.
     
As soon as she let him go, the dream ended. She was back on the cliff in the night. Aeon and Flo looked into each other's eyes for a moment. Skye hollered for them to watch out as Neferati jumped out of the forest surprising them. Behind Neferati came a dark figure with a snake-like tail: Jorhuti. The rat king himself was here. Behind Jorhuti trailed a shameful little shadow. Flo recognized him; it was Kuja. Jorhuti and Neferati attacked Aeon, who fell to the ground wounded. Flo ran to him and held him close. Atalius came to his rescue, but Jorhuti's power was too strong. Jorhuti struck Atalius down out of jealous vengeance. Flo saw the world crumbling all around her; desperation crept into her heart.

            A warm light began to overtake her. The glowbug entered into Flo's body. A soft voice spoke. It was Adora herself. She is the forest spirit. The glowbug was her emissary. She had been with Flo all this time, trying to help her to rediscover who she really is. Adora tells Flo not to worry; everything will be all right. With that a white light surrounded her and she went into a deep sleep. When Flo awoke, she found herself back in the Dergal Wood. Time had reversed. She was in the Adora's Grove, the sacred burial place of Orunitia. This time, she had her human skin. The fox was gone. Skye jumped out of the bushes and tried to scare her. Flo, unimpressed, brushed him aside and began her journey.
            During the next month, Flo had an almost godlike power to predict any occurrence since she had already lived through it once before. When she finally got to the cliff, she warned Aeon of the impending attack by the forces of evil. Aeon summoned Atalius and told him of the plot. Atalius sprang a trap for Jorhuti and his henchmen. It worked like a charm. As soon as the rat king made his presence known, he was ensnared in Atalius' magic. They were all transported to Atalius' Palace in the Eastern Sky. Flo finally met Adora face to face. In the garden Adora told Flo of the Dragon God which gave to each of them a wish. Atalius wished for Love. Jorhuti wished for Death. Adora had wished for Flo's second chance. Now everyone's wish must be fulfilled. Jorhuti must have his vengeance.

Crisis loomed as Jorhuti and his henchmen escaped their prison. A battle ensued as Atalius attempted to subdue them. However, Jorhuti had gained an unimaginable amount of power through his wish to the Dragon God. He morphed into a giant beast. Atalius also morphed into a winged angel. The two did battle, but ultimately Atalius died. In his last moment, he spoke the words: Adora, my Love. In that, the Dragon God’s obligation to Jorhuti ended. Aeon wished for the power to defeat Jorhuti. An immense battle commenced. The heavens themselves shook with the power of a hundred thousand lightning bolts. Every time Jorhuti became stronger, Flo saw a light within Aeon, feeding him power, allowing him to overcome any obstacle thrown his way. Aeon finally tagged his lance into Jorhuti’s heart.

The beast shriveled up in a puff of oily smoke. The light was all around them. Flo, exhausted, looked up into Aeon’s eyes. Two giant wings kept them suspended in midair. She asked him, what was that light? He gently looked into her eyes and said, Love… it was love. Everything became fuzzy for Flo as she felt waves of joy flow through her. She awoke in her human bed in her human apartment. She slowly began to realize that it had all been a dream. Sprawled out on her bed, she stared into the distance reflecting on her experience. She felt something about to happen. Her cellphone, somewhere between the sheets and her blanket, vibrated. A text message had popped up. It was from the boy with wild black hair. It read: “I just had the strangest dream, and you were in it.”