Alecia climbed off the bed and exited the room, heading to the bathroom. She switched the light on and stepped towards the sink to look at her reflection in the mirror, turning, tapping, and gathering cold water in her hands. After rinsing her face, she closed it."Excuse me, Miss?"A child's voice startled Alecia. She peered in the doorway and spotted the shy girl Wallace mentioned in the dining room."Hello," Alecia said, "You should be in bed."The girl stepped into the light, a trusting gaze directed at Alecia. "The sounds outside scare me.""Do you want me to take you to your room?""Yes.""What's your name?" Alecia said cheerfully as she walked with her down the hall."El-Elica," she mumbled, "and you are Alecia?"Elica looked up at her."How did you-?""I overheard them say your name."Alecia stopped in front of an unbarred chamber. "Is this your room?""Yes."Alecia turned the light on. The room had nothing, save from a closet and a bed, a stuffed animal on the blue blanket. E
Alecia lay down on the sofa near the office's window, with Wallace sitting on the chair facing her."Although I've put you in a deep sleep," he rested an open book on his lap, "you'd still hear my voice, as clear as when you were awake. Now, Alecia, tell me what you see.""I feel very short." She chuckled. "Like a child.""Interesting." He scribbled on his open book. "Are you sure you're a child?""Yes.""Can you tell me where you are?""I traversed down a beautiful passage as if the stars had been captured and put on each side of the wall, with colors of blue, red, green, and white. I had an urge to touch them, but I shouldn't. Ahead of me, a white crystal statue shaped like a woman came into view. I ran towards her out of pure joy, but as I got closer, the walls of the passage ended. Below me was a bottomless drop, and the floor where I stood narrowed towards the crystalline woman. It didn't stop me from balancing towards her."Beautiful colors surrounded the inner walls, headed int
Alecia sat on the one couch in the living room, quietly staring into space. Going back to that place felt like a waste of time and effort. Nothing could be found there but a deserted space of rubble and smell of ash, and she wouldn't want Diana nor Virgil to be in the same danger she had.Breaking away from her thoughts, she strode towards the bathroom and faced the sink, where she looked at her own reflection in the mirror. The glint of the scissors on the sink's rim caught her attention. She took the band off her hair, which hung down her upper back and over her shoulders, and let it loose.Alecia picked the scissors, took a chunk of her hair, and cut it.She stopped cutting, moments later; the small bin was now full of white hair. She adjusted her short hair and smiled as she made the last finishing touch, fringe no longer irritating her. Muffled voices coming from the hallway interrupted her from admiring her hair. Alecia moved towards the doorway to hear, and soon, she recognized
Alecia, Diana, and Virgil strode towards a large wall that surrounded the town and stopped by the gate. Outside, an armed man was waiting."We're ready," said Virgil.The man nodded, spun around to pick up the three small weapons leaning against the wall, and handed each to Alecia and Diana."Remember," the man withdrew from giving the weapon to Virgil, "a deal is a deal."He offered Virgil the weapon.Alecia shot a ponderous gaze on the object in her hand. Of course, there'd be a danger, how could it slip her mind?"Ever used a weapon like this before?" Virgil posed with a narrowed look.She nodded. "Only once.""Good," Virgil said before turning to Diana. "You better use what I taught you."Diana's eyebrows drew closer to each other, a scowl on her face. "As you said, we're ready."She stormed off, opened the gate, and stepped out.Alecia's memories came back to the day she had to use the weapon. It was impossible for her to forget; she almost killed a man, who, in her defense, trie
"Catch!" Virgil threw a bottle to her."Here you go," said Virgil as he threw another bottle to Diana. He took out the third bottle, uncapped it, and drank a bit."This time, we should drink slowly.""What now?" asked Diana as she scanned her eyes across the walls and looked outside. "When it gets dark, what should we do?"Virgil pointed at her with a tilt of his head and dug in his backpack. "What are you looking for?" Alecia gazed at his hands rummaging inside his backpack. He took out a small black column and pointed at her; with a click came a bright source of light beaming on Alecia's face."Please don't shine that on me," said Alecia, shielding her eyes. "It's bright, hey!" Virgil smiled and shone it at Diana who scolded at him to stop. He chuckled and turned it off."Charged by the sunlight." He looked at it in his hand, grinning. "From what little sunlight there is, anyway."Diana frowned. "That's your plan?""Do you have a better one?" Virgil looked at her as if his eyes s
In a remote region-far away from the city, the people, and what little society the world left behind-there existed an earth untouched by human hands, where mountains stood tall and proud; resided in one of those mountains were Aven and Leah.Leah sat quietly, her legs hanging over the edge of the cliff. She watched the view of the mountains, which appeared tiny in her viewpoint, her hair being brushed against her face by the wind. From behind, Aven stepped forward, a gentle stare aimed at his sister. "What are you thinking?""Why'd you want to know what I'm thinking?" replied she, calmly, still watching the view."You've been sitting there for a while without saying much of a word."He stood by her side. "I know we've only been here for a short time," she said as an eagle's call echoed at the foot of the mountain. "I'm already longing for home."She locked her green eyes on the eagle, in the distance, as it gracefully kited against the wind."Remember, you've always wanted an advent
"I was just thinking, on our way here from the last settlement, I spotted a small town. We should check there, too, don't you think?" asked Leah.Aven stood. "Good eye. Where did you see it exactly?" "North of the settlement." She stood as well. "Are we going there now?""The sooner we find her, the sooner we go home." He looked at her with a smile. "Well," she said, stepping to the edge. "Let's get to it, then."She slowly moved one foot over the edge, the sole of her boot brushing grains of sand off the the cliff. She leaned forward, leaped off the mountain, and fell as she watched the ground below slowly approached. Leah smirked as the wind resistance blew back her hair. "Always trying to impress, are we?" said Aven with a smile, leaping down the mountain and falling.While Leah continued to fall, transparent blue flames formed and spread from her head to her feet. She stopped falling and flew slowly with the wind. The familiar sound of an eagle echoed, and Leah spotted it in t
Wallace opened the door for them. Aven and Leah stepped out, walking off the veranda. "Before I forget to ask, what do you call her by? Is she given a new name?" asked Aven."It's Alecia," replied Wallace."Interesting. That's her real name." Aven looked at Leah and back at Wallace. "So she didn't forget her name?""She responded when I called her by that name. I don't know how she remembered it."Aven smiled. "Thanks again for your help. Take care of yourself, Wallace."Wallace nodded. "Likewise. Good luck."The door closed behind them."Just like that?" asked Leah as she stared at the door, frowning."Never mind him. Focus on our search."-Aven closed the door of the town's wall and strode towards Leah who was waiting for him."Strange, this is. . .""What is?" asked Aven."How the bio of her description showed that she has black hair," Leah said, looking on the ground and watching every step she took."Why's it that it describes her with black hair. What's with the color change.
On the Ruth's ship, and within her palace. Inside the dining hall, her guard, Aven is seated beside her table. Alecia sits beside him, with Lumina sitting across them.The large hall surrounding the four, is silent. Only the muffling sound of the rain-storm is heard outside. The scent of freshly cooked food, still filling their nostrils. They all sit still, with Ruth moving her gaze between Aven, and Alecia. "Can someone answer my question?" Ruth asked, with a frownful gaze at them, and looks straight at her sister."What is it?" She asked again, her eyes train to her daughter, only for the young girl to look away and continues eating.Beeds of sweat form on Alecia's forehead, only for one of them to stream down her temple, and moves along her cheek.Her hand trembling above the plate of food, eyes flickering. "R-Raine..." she said, urging Ruth to stare at her with a frown. "The gin... She's free." Aven narrows his gaze. He leans his elbow on the table with his hand near his face
Away from its planet; a ship is seen hovering. It looks static in the great cosmos that surrounds it.Silence is peaceful. It is what thrives in the black void of space. Within this ship; two individuals are residing. Leah, and Kase. They're on their way to a planet quite different from there own. Kase still sits on the passenger seat next to Leah. Watching the grand, glittering black sheet before him. He turns to look at Leah, who's still listening to her music. Frowning with a smirk; he shakes his head, and looks away. "Alright," Leah said, breaking the silence. Urging Kase to look at her. She takes the devices from her ears, and sits forward."Let's get going now." She starts flicking a few switches on the console.Kase stares at her; his frown squints."What do you mean?" He asked."I thought we were already on our way?" Leah chuckles. "Covering a distance of several light-years, at this speed?" She looks at him with a grin."Unlikely." She presses the last button. Only for
In the early morning, the sky is clothed in a gray blanket of clouds. Faint droplets fall upon the empress' ship, as it curtains down onto the landscape below as far as the eye can see.Within the docking bay, a large spaceship is being held, along with smaller ones, like Aven's. The interior is large, and spacious. The ceiling is high above the single great ship. There's but one entrance to the bay behind the ship itself. Mechanics continue to do their work around the ship, along with the small ones. Soldiers stand guard near the large ship, observing their surroundings. Ten, to twenty workers walk around the bay, some taking notes, while others work on the ship.Two individuals, a man and a woman walk beside each other among the crowd of workers, and residents. They are both wearing gray armor around their torso, that is polished to a shine. Two wings are sculpted on the chest plate, which stretch to their shoulders. The young woman tightens the red sash around her waist, with th
Past midnight, the Empress' ship is now quiet, as most of its residents are now asleep in their homes. Within the guard barracks. Where the prison cells are. Inside the last cell, Raine is still held.She is seen pacing within the confined space. Her fingers stiff as she struggles to close them into fists.Looking down at her own palms, she stops. Wide-eyed, gritting her teeth, her hands shake as she tries to close them. Her hands begin to emit dark-blue flames, with her eyes reflecting its glow. Shutting her eyes, she clutches her hands into fists, only for the flames to spew between her fingers.Her eyes open, and watches as the flames fade away into nothing. Taking a deep breathe, she exhales. Raine opens her hands, and lowers them to her side. Turning her attention towards the energy field, she steps in front of it. Standing inches from it, she stares through, watching the other prisoners across her in their own cells. Two of which, are in her view, with one having a young man
The guard barracks are now quiet, and calm. Dark it is, with the evening taking over. The hallways are illuminated by lights along the walls, with the smooth floor reflectimg them. In one of the rooms, Leah is located. It is dark inside, with a dim, green, light, illuminating the interior. Leah lays on her back, along the bed, her black hair spread out on the pillow. On her face, a headset covers her eyes, blue neon lights emitting from it. Faint sounds of music can be heard from the two neon-lit devices in her ears.Her breathing is calm, her hands resting on her stomach. One would think she is sound asleep. After a few moments, a vibration is heard. She sits herself up, taking the devices off her ears. From her pocket she takes out her phone, and brings it to her ear. "Empress?" She simply said. -Ruth is seated at her desk, staring at the screen, holding the device over her ear."Leah, you wanted to discuss something?" She said, picking up her glass, and takes a sip. She pla
At the empress' home where she resides. The guards are stationed at their posts near the base of the building, silence is all there is at the moment. Within the building itself, in her main bedroom, Ruth is seated at her desk, with a glass of red liquid accompanying her. The desk where she is seated, is at the corner of the room, her bed being in the middle, the sheets, white, pillows, dark-green. Her desk is white to a shine, and solid enough to keep the necessary things she needs. Books, as well as a large screen lay on top of it. Faint sounds can be heard in the distance outside. The window of her room is half-open, the curtain gently flowing from the cool air seeping through. The empress is clothed with a white long sleeve top, with an overlay clip over her torso, as well as a long white pants with heeled boots. Her rosé hair now tied up in a bun with a few strands hanging from it. The screen illuminates her face, with patterns of light moving across as she slides her hands
Hours have passed since Alecia, and Aven arrived at Clay's building. In this afternoon, the area is quiet. Only the faint sound of the ships in the far distance is heard.Both Alecia, and Aven step out from Clay's building, only for the doors to close behind them. They both walk past the guard, and proceed to the ship."Now with that out out of the way." Aven said, walking around his ship."We can worry about other things."Alecia stands on the other side. Only for her to rub her forehead with a frown for a moment, only to look up and lowers her hand."I'm glad we're out of that place." She said, taking a quick look over her shoulder."I couldn't agree more." Aven said, facing her with a nod, only to open the door and gets in the ship, followed by Alecia."At least we got what we came for." Aven said, looking at her with his hand on the control."Yes." She said, opening a black sleeve, which has two syringes inside. All filled with a lime-green substance."I wish he had made more." S
Leah is seated on her bed, crossed legged, with the sword on her lap. She stares at the window for a moment, only to look down at it. Her eyes trailing off to the shoulder of it, and to the guard-cross that holds the ridged blade in place. The handle smooth, thin, and, curved, with the pommel having a short point to one side, like a beak.Leah now moves her index finger, with it sliding across the edge of the blade. Starting from the shoulder, down to the point. She looks at her finger tip, and rubs off the visible blood with her thumb, only to bring it to her lips.She sweeps her legs off the bed, and stands. Only for her to gracefully wave the sword, her eyes locking on each swipe.The weight of it is not too heavy, with it resembling her old weapon. She holds it horizontally, and looks down at the handle, to see a button. Her thumb presses it, only for an electrical current to surge across the blade itself. Her lips twist into a smirk, only for her to press the button, and the cu
For a long while, Aven is seen standing next to Clay. Watching as he examines the blood, with a screen showing footage of a sample. Alecia stands up from the chair, and stares at the screen, and sees blood cells, which are being impaled by the virus. With each cell getting infected by it.Alecia cringes inside just by the sight of it. She frowns with a disturbed look on her face, only to slowly cross her arms, her hands now tucked in. "So that's what is in me?" She asks, still staring at the screen. The light from it, illuminating her face. "Yes, unfortunately." Clay said, as he scans around blood cells. "Look." Aven said, pointing at the one end of the screen."There's a few that are not infected." "Wait..." Clay said, his voice trailing off. Alecia looks up at the screen again, now slowly stepping forward, her eyes fixed on it.Just then, a few strands of the virus breaks away from the infected cells, and injects itself into the healthy ones. "That's disturbing." Aven said, l