Eclipse

Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Cynce

I am walking in the wide hallway filled with different paintings of my ancestors on the wall with great windows and crystal chandeliers that enhances the white and gold interior of the palace. When I turn around the window, I saw the dark and light young angels probably same with my age, playing and running around the palace's courtyard with their fluffy little wings in the their backs and sometimes flying.

It was broad daylight but it didn't bother them. I am just standing alone in the hallway, with my tiny little hands on the glass of the window and watching them enjoy the company of each other.

"Why don't you join them? I'm sure they would be delighted to play with you."

I looked behind me when I heard my mother's soothing soft voice, who's also watching the young angels with a small smile in her pretty face. When I didn't answer, she looked at me but I avoided her gaze and continued watching the playing angels.

"I am different from them, from any of you. They will just avoid to be with me just like the other angels," I softly said, almost whispering so no one would hear me, just her. She kneeled down to leveled with my small height and hold both of my shoulders while staring straight at me with her gentle moss green eyes.

"Being different is not a bad thing sweetheart. You are unique in your own way, a bizarre masterpiece, an exceptional beauty, and a peculiar but equal mixture of  good and evil. Yes, you are different and that makes you stand out from the crowd," she stated while gently stroking my white long hair with her soft fingers. She was my serenity, my tranquility in this messy world full of chaos.

I leaned to her hand when she lift up my chin. Her smile, her voice, her gestures were enough to assure me that the things I am worried about will be fine, maybe not now but soon.

"Always remember this, Eclipse. You are the living embodiment of equality. Guiding and protecting the humans and also our race is your purpose. Maintaining the balance is your mission. Creating and destroying are both your strength and power." Then she beamed a smile, a proud one.

She's always reminding me about this, about my purpose and my mission. About who really am I. Despite my young age, I already know how heavy my responsibilities will be. I understand them why they're letting me see the world in a different perspectives. They are preparing me.

"You have a bumpy road ahead of you. You have a very complex fate that will devastated you, that will pull you down and wrecked you. But, everything will be fine in the end. If you still can't find your peace, then it is not the end. Be sweet but fierce and wise," she said while smiling and kissed my forehead.

"You will fall but you will rise again, my little moon."

I hugged her tightly because she's tearing up. "I won't disappoint you mother. I love you," I said while she's also wraping her arms on me.

It was one of the precious moments we shared together, under the soft sunlight coming from the big window where we can still see the angels playing happily.

"I love you too honey," then she parted herself from me. "Now come along with me. Your father summoned us," she was smiling sweetly at me while holding my hands before getting up from kneeling on the marble floor.

We walked in the wide empty hallway to return in the hall, holding each other's hands and giggling with our silly stories and jokes to each other. It was the most peaceful moment in my life.

The moment when I still have them by my side, guiding and protecting me. I don't need anything in my life, just her and my father with my sister, I already feel complete and contented.

***

I regained my consciousness with a dry throat, sore body and a spinning head. It was a bit dark in the unfamiliar room I'm staying at, because the only light in here was the lampshade in the side table. The windows are closed but the moonlight can still be seen in the thin curtains.

My body is still weak to the point I can not move properly. I tried to think about what happened but my stomach growled due to hunger.

Why am I so hungry? How long did I sleep here? And where am I? Who's the one brought me here?

There are so many questions lingering in my head but I shake it off and decided to get up from laying in the bed to wander in this house and get some food.

But before I could completely sit up, a sudden surged of pain filled my system. "Ahh!" I can't even hear my own voice because of the dryness of my throat as I winced in sudden pain I felt in my back and slowly lay again in the bed while biting my lower lip to restrain myself to make any noises.

I tightly closed my eyes while taking a deep breath to soothe even a little the pain I am feeling. And that's when I tried to remember what happened.

Forest. Cliff. Sunset. Full Moon. Pain in the back. Ripped dress. Blood dripping on the grasses. And a pair of wings.

The last memory I remembered made my eyes widened in surprise. Wings. There was a big wings appeared in my back that night, tearing my flesh apart.

It build different emotions inside me. Longing, fear, satisfaction, and resentment. I only stopped diving in my raging sea of thoughts when I heard a knock.

The door flung open with a lady who is much older than me, probably same age with my adoptive parents in her gray long dress. Her light blonde hair was flowing behind, carrying a tray of food on both of her hands while staring at me with her moss green eyes. She sways her hips to close the door and approached me with a small smile in her wrinkled yet beautiful face.

She placed the tray on the side table while I am still staring at her, stunned and speechless. She let out an amuse smile when she saw my surprised expression. "It's been a while since we last saw each other Eclipse."

I grabbed the glass of water in the tray and take a gulp of it even if it hurts to move even a little instead of answering her. I can't believe I would see her again after so many years. I thought she was gone because she disappeared even before that incident happened.

Her playful smile didn't leave her face while watching me silently panicking in the corner. I put back the empty glass on the side table before facing her.

Her facial features were still the same but it matured a bit. She still looked like her.

"Welcome back Eclipse. I'm glad I'm the one who welcomed you first after you recovered from your fall," she grinned while letting herself comfortable in sitting beside me in my bed. She never changed a bit. She's still caring and playful but also the couragerous one.

"It's been a while, Cynce."

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