The Unshadowed | Book 1 | The Irangel arc

Chapter 30 ~ The Bitter Truth

Cole and Ariel followed Tal and Zvizda to the shamrock green hospital building located next to the pink airport. Unlike Earth hospitals, Iredescent hospitals didn't smell weird, the shimmery walls and jasmine scent a creative innovation designed to put people at ease rather than cause any discomfort. Therefore, all Iredescent hospitals were shimmery and jasmine scented.

Even the waiting room was comforting with a spectacular indoor garden and a water fountain. Lovely classical piano music played in the lobby and further down the halls. The doctors, nurses, and medical staff were clothed in light pink or light blue. A lighter shade indicated an inexperienced medical staff or trainee, and a darker shade indicated a senior or experienced medical staff. Kier was wearing light blue, so he was either a trainee or new medical staff.

Cydtin and Valerie were placed in the same room, on separate beds with clean linen sheets. Beautiful natural light danced off the shimmery light blue walls and comfortable furniture, adding to the glimmer and sparkle of the comfortable hospital room.

The windows had invisible radar screens to keep bugs from coming in, zapping them at entry. The zaps killed bugs and automatically disintegrated them, eliminating dead bug pileups. The tech was programmed to only kill bugs. If a bird or a butterfly was to accidentally smack into the window, the radar would simply act like a normal window, the sensors temporarily clicking off the kill switch, so that the bird or butterfly would be unharmed. If the radar screen sensed an annoyance such as a fly or mosquito, the sensors activated the kill switch that disintegrated them upon attempted entry.

The glimmer and sparkle followed the natural light to where the two irangels were sitting across from each other on their separate beds, dressed in clean clothes, their hair wet from an earlier shower. Water droplets fell as their wings materialized, vibrant and healthy.

The clothes were long sleeved and in a lovely shade of lilac purple with silver sparkles, made of intricate thread and linen material. It was ladeiyn, a special kind of clothing that conformed to the wearer, rendering it a true "one size fits all" as Cydtin put it.

The irangels were barefoot, their new footwear placed near the door. Unlike sneakers, Iredescent shoes were lightweight and weatherproof, soft and delicate with a sturdy sole, providing utmost comfort and protection from the elements.

Cydtin and Valerie ceased quietly talking to each other when they heard incoming footsteps and looked up to see Cole and Ariel enter their hospital room. Tal and Zvizda waited outside the door to give them some time to reunite with their fellow irangels.

Relieved beyond relief to see they were well and alive, the irangels eagerly hugged each other, expressing their joy at seeing each other after an arduous ordeal in outer space.

Cydtin didn't know how to respond upon seeing Cole, the irangel who accidentally killed his fiancée and unborn child. Valerie understood his hesitation towards his pregnant fiancée's killer, but Cole did not, and so he was confused when Cydtin seemed reluctant to hug him.

"You're alive! We saw your ship. We were so afraid. How did you make it here to planet Iredescent? Did you try the persinki fruit? Everything sparkles here! Even the water is sparkly!" Ariel exclaimed, unable to stop talking from excitement.

"Valerie's force field kept us safe even when she was unconscious," Cydtin answered, deciding to forgo Cole's confusion and settle for Ariel's excitement and Valerie's relief. "Valerie was protecting us the whole time we were on the ship. If it weren't for her, we would surely...." He trailed off, not wanting to finish.

Cole and Ariel were silent for a moment, reflecting on what would've happened, but they chose to put those sombering thoughts aside, hugging Cydtin and Valerie once again.