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.
"Here's a place for you to sleep," Kellan said as she pulled the door open and entered into the room.Alecia was the first to step in. The room was larger than any room she had seen before. Six single steel beds stood against the cement wall. "You can choose whatever bed." Kellan grabbed the handle of the door and closed as the three stepped out. She walked with them further down the passage.Virgil sighed. "I appreciate what you and your father is doing, but we can't stay the night, we really need to be on our way."He took once glance behind him."I understand that," Kellan said with a reasonable tone. "I'm sorry, but you can't leave today."They turned a corner, entering into a place where people were seated near steel tables. Their clothing was all rotten and dull, small holes in their clothes. They were far too busy with their exchange of words, unaware of the visitors. Alecia scanned across the room, looking at each of them, intrigued."I don't really understand why we should s