It is one of the many mysterious of the world, and there is one common question to the case.

Why?

Why does it happen?

Why does it happen that humans have the powers of animals?

Why only some people and not others?

Why does something bad have to happen in their lives in order to get this power?

These are the questions that not only I ask, but everybody asks themselves sometime at a point in life. It was Aaron Newt from the +Anima Research Facility that made the questions public however. He’s retired now. The Head of the Facility in place of Aaron is Fly Greena. I haven’t heard much about him though. He doesn’t go very public.

“Cassie! What are you doing with that book again?” My friend, Suzie, snatched it out of my hands and placed it behind her back. “How many times have I told you before? +Animas are only a myth!”

That of course, is also true. Where I live everything about +Animas is only a myth, a rumour, a fantasy in someone’s mind.  Our village is completely isolated, located on top of the White Mountains. We grow our own food here, which is hard because it’s below 0 for the entire year but we somehow manage. Villagers are forbidden of going down the mountain, main reason because there have been more than a hundred losses and everyone is afraid to tackle the mountain again. But I did. I climbed all the way up the mountain. And I’ll do it again.

I rolled my eyes and glared at Suzie from on top of the rock I was sitting on. The villagers think I’m strange because I like sitting outside in the burning icy weather the entire day. But I like it. I like the cold, that’s why I chose this place to come to.

“Cassie, can you please just come in? And then can we use this book for the fire?” She asked sweetly, in which I glared at her. Suzie was the biggest un-believer you could get.

“Suzie, I was down there for 12 years. +Anima are real! I’ve seen it!” She shook her head rapidly.

“You’re delusional, Cassie. That Newt guy probably just saw something after he hit his head or maybe he saw something from the wrong angle? Maybe a bird standing behind a boy to make it look like wings?” I rolled my eyes.

“Suzie, I know you might now be a believer but seriously? +Anima is not a religion.” The way we were bickering back and forth we could probably wake up an entire village. She sighed.

“Whatever. Come on, breakfast is ready.”  I jumped off from the rock I was seated on and followed Suzie on the road of snow, back to the village. When we got there we entered the big hall where the entire village ate together. Yeah, I know, small town…

“Cassie! What were you doing out there again?! Reading that stupid book of yours again I presume.” This was Mister Walters. He was the village leader. A big old buff guy with a head of dark brown, as well as a braided beard that reached the top of his chest. He has quite the muscles, but can’t show them off because of all the thick and warm clothes. Well that and of course he’s married and has a child. Suzie, to be exact. Suzie and I are friends, but not the bests obviously. Her dad had been so generous to welcome me here that he only asked of me to help his lonely daughter get a friend. Suzie and I went to sit next to her father. The entire village is completely generous and nice, until you bring the topic of +Anima in. They hate it. The breakfast that was served was freshly baked bread and eggs. I think Mister Walters has ties to the outside world to get food, because there is no way that our sources here has this kind of food. As soon as the food was laid out, chaos erupted. Everyone ate like barbarians. But I know for a fact that the villagers’ are gladiator decedents. When I wasn’t outside wondering about +Animas, I was in the local library. I ate like a normal person would, but made sure that no one would steal my food.  

After the fantastic meal, I went back to the lodge I was given. There wasn’t much, just the basics. I liked it thought. The only difference of how my lodge now looks than how it did every other day, would be my full backpack in the middle of the room and the lack of all my things in the room. I was going to leave. I intended on staying for breakfast before I silently left while they all readied themselves for the new day. We had a strange day planner. Most of the people at breakfast were still in pyjamas.

I went over to my body length mirror and pulled off the coat I just threw over it. I dressed in the coat and zipped it up before just staring at myself in the mirror for a while. I was wearing now my brown fur cloak with reached my ankles, so it was the only clothing you could see, except for a black scarf around my neck. My waist long strangely bright orange hair was weaved into three, one down my back and two over my shoulders. I had a weaved brown snow hat on, covering my ears. My eyes were a chocolate colour and my body was frail. The strangest fact about my appearance was not my hair, but my skin. It was tanned. I was born and grew up for 12 years in a place where everyone had smooth, pale skin and I was now here at the snow mountain for 3 years. It was a completely mystery to me.

I swung my bag over my shoulder and silently exited my lodge. I looked around to make sure no one was outside. I then slowly but swiftly made my way through the village, being sure to duck at any windows. After about ten minutes I reached the village gates. I was lucky. There weren’t any lodges even close to the gate, so a little noise would be fine but I won’t risk it though. The gates were made of old metal, and it was more a frame than anything solid so I could open it with ease. After closing it again, I made a little detour rather than taking the starting path down, seeing as it’s snowing and I don’t want to leave any foots tracks so easily. I made myself to the more rock side and made myself down the rocks, being careful not to slip.

After a while the rock path stopped, but it was already a little more than half way down the mountain so I was quite happy. I then started to go with extra caution. Snow was slippery if you didn’t know, especially if it was this steep. I stopped later on and took a rest. I had been walking for about five hours now. It wasn’t anywhere near the amount of when I went up, but I guess it’s easier to go down then up. After my little break where I ate some left over pork, I then noticed that where I was, was perfect. Perfect for what exactly? Well straight in front of me, down to the end of the mountain there were no trees on this path, there were no rocks on this path and the snow was smooth. I took my chances and sat down on the cold, wet snow. With a little push of my hands, I was off. It was fun but terrifying as I slid down. I knew that this was going to save me a lot of time. I knew that it was about another five hours down, but this slide got me there in 20 minutes. By butt was soaking wet but that was the least of my concerns at this moment. I didn’t hesitate or stopped, I started to run away from the mountain as fast as I could. I did have a new destination, so I was headed in that direction. Where was I off to? The Moss Mountains.