✨Aru Shah Oneshots ✨

2 Years After The Battle For The Amrita

Kara was easily satisfied with her life. Every day, after she came home from her creative writing class, she helped her mom Rohini tend to their rather large garden. She talked to her father, Avinash, about random things, and on weekends, after thespian camp, she played soccer with her brother, Krish. She studied diligently, and had good friends. In short, her life was what people considered “normal”. When she was awake, anyway. When she was asleep, well that was a completely different story. She should have had normal dreams, dreams not to be remembered at all when she woke up, but instead, she had nightmares. She would never forget those nightmares. She couldn’t. Filled with people she didn’t know, calling her names. She never told anyone, because they would think she was crazy. They would never believe her.

She’d start out sitting in a small theater. The first Lord of The Rings movie would be playing on the equally small screen. She wasn’t alone, she was always with five other girls. Their faces were obscured, just blobs of skin tones and vague features. There was this really short one that had...yellow glasses?

Then one by one they would leave their seats and move into positions like they were posing for some sick picture. The theater changed to some kind of museum, one girl, her outfit became more defined.

A high waisted skirt with foil lightning bolts weaved in, with a velvet pearl lined balloon sleeved dress shirt. She had a thick fishtail braid, and chesnut brown skin. She came closer, and closer. The other girls looked like they were suspended in time, except her and the fancily dressed girl. The girl whispered, “Traitor.” And never stopped. Then, one by one, the other girls started whispering as well.

“Traitor.″

“Traitor.”

“Traitor.”

“Traitor.”

“Traitor.”

“TRAITOR!”

Who were these girls? Why were they calling her a traitor? She felt as though she knew them, but at the same time, she didn’t. This was usually the time where she woke up, but she was still in the dream.

The fancily dressed girl suddenly summoned a lightning bolt and tried to strike it at Kara, but suddenly, her face softened, and she smiled, and started crying. “Kara?” she whispered. “You’re here?”

“What?” Kara was scared and confused. “How do you know my name?” she asked. “Do I know you?” This made the girl with the lightning bolt sob even more.

“Oh, Kara.” said another girl. She was short, with yellow glasses, and short, black hair. She was smiling sadly. “I wish you were here.”

Then, the other three stood up and came into focus. “We all do.” they said in unison. Then, a boy came into focus. He was extremely attractive, with dimples, curly black hair, and dark eyes framed by even darker eyelashes. "I'm so sorry, Kara." he says, in a voice that sounds like it's lined with velvet. At this point, Kara is just frustrated. "What? I don't even know who you are! Why are you apologizing to me?"

"Kara, you may know us better than you think you do." all the girls, plus the boy say in unison. And with that, they vanish. Kara is left in the museum, alone. "HEY! HELP! WHAT'S HAPPENING!?" she screamed.

That's when she woke up. She was bathed in light, and light itself haloed around her. That's when she realized she was floating, and suddenly, just as soon as it started, it was done, and Kara was left with a trident made out of light. It glowed like something out of Kara's dreams. She held it, questioning her sanity the entire time, and memories flashed in front of her eyes. And names too. Aru, Mini, Brynne, Aiden, Nikita, Sheela, Krithika, and Suyodhana. The Sleeper. The one who took everything from her, manipulated her with lies. Weekdays locked in training, nights spent laughing. With her sisters. That word, sisters. It resonated through her mind. She had sisters. But all of that life had been snatched away from her. Kara felt tears streaming down her face.

"I remember. " Kara whispered. "I remember everything."