Sky - Children of the Light: Isle of Dawn

VI - Make it Three

- Chapter Six -

I found myself gaping at the portal, standing between the threshold of those two towering stone doors, bordering heaven and hell, clouds, color, and vibrance with dark, burning, dwelling whispers of death. Daytime didn't stay in sight of the portal long, veering off to the right, bouncing back out only to hide once more. That was all I saw of him before I saw something cover in front of the portal that had me stumbling back toward the village.

Whether I even know how to describe it, I don't think I have that capability. It was void black, and screamed danger. So I kept stepping back, back, and even further back, until I walked square between two of the six portals. My eyes flicked to watch over the clouds rolling for what seemed like forever. only know truly looking over the horizon, I notice a giant mountain in the distance; as though it is truly the tallest mountain to ever exist. It span high above these clouds, a dark bubble of red clouds circling around the tip, where something seems to float directly above.

Although I attempt to make sense of it, it becomes much of everything else here. It simply doesn't connect logically.

I dismiss it and turn around, seeing no one anywhere. The sun finally sets in full, leaving stars and fire lights to light anything. There is decidedly a lack of moonlight. The grass meadow is dark, though the stone arch that leads to the village from the portals is brightly illuminated from the bar counter and it's light.

As I pass by, I notice all chairs are empty and the bar is only alive through the fire dancing in the lanterns embedded into the stone wall. The door leading to the cafe signals that there's more life inside the cafe itself, though I avoid it and continue down the path. The shops on both sides are consistent of two levels, and though it is silent outside, there's chatter, music, laughing, and noise to be heard from inside every shop I pass. The windows are bright, the lights twinkling the path and the canopies.

I stop when I see two people walking out of a shop to the right, laughing and talking, turning toward the apartments. The bell suddenly goes off, ringing from the tower before the echoing silences and everyone begins to shuffle out of the shops. With a specific desire to avoid people, I hurry up some steps, leading somewhere to the top of the shops. I continue to follow the path, not minding that it leads me away from the village and onto a grass path that passes over the stone wall, and in fact leads to a path that overlooks the grass plain. And a perfect view to the Eden portal.

I find a spot and sit, admiring the life that pours out from both the shops and the village. The open space becomes clustered with people. I sit for a while, until I notice the same blue and black mixture emerge from the bright red in the Eden portal. He steps proudly out of the portal, walking the path from the other portals.

Amidst my perhaps creepy watch of Daytime, I shriek when Seven drops himself beside me, leaning back against the stone behind us.

"Being weird, are you?"

"What a way of greeting"

"I'm not one for being polite, you know that by now," Seven deadpans. He pulls something out of a pocket I didn't realize he had and pops it in his mouth.

"What do you want, Seven?" I question, slouching against the stone, crossing my legs and keeping my eyes set on the people in the meadow.

"Nick didn't find you at the apartment so he asked if I would find you."

"That worried about me? Is this place so dangerous I can't be out here on my own?" I question. I hear him sigh. "I just wanted some alone time.

"Nick wanted to show you around, that's all."

"Mute boy already did," I remark.

Seven mutters under his breath before standing back up. "At night, yes. This place gets pretty concerning. If you're not careful, stuff happens for the stupidity of others without care." He begins walking away, before stopping and turning to me. "And Eden's darkness has no time schedule. Until you know how to manage it on your own, stay near us or let us know where you are. That shit is no joke."

With that he walks off, leaving me in silence. This darkness has been mentioned a few times but no one has explained it. You'd think one would provide the best opportunities of survival if one would tell someone the basics.

I move to get up, but the sudden blue glow has me freezing.

"He's so sour."

My mouth goes dry. I look down the path to see Daytime walking around the bend of the path. I sit back down entirely, pulling my legs in. I rest my arms on my knees, looking back in front of me. I hear him kneel next to me. Then I feel the weight of his eyes.

"Good view," he comments. "Have you chosen to sit here and wait for me?"

"Why would I be waiting for you?"

I glance at him and see him shrug. "Oh I don't know," he begins. "You seemed to have a lack of words on our first encounter. Want a redo?"

I turn fully to him, his eyes still too dark to see the color in the night. But I see a glimmer in them, spiking something in me. I glance at his pure-white hair, no longer tied up neatly. Much of it has fallen out of its hold, framing his mask and falling beside his ears. I shrug, fighting to look away completely and not seem "weird," as Seven put it.

"I don't care."

"You remind me of Seven," he remarks. I turn to him again.

"Take that back."

"Why, if it's true?"

"Compare to that boy and I'll knock you on your ass."

"I'd like to see that."

Our eyes meet, and even if I can't see the color of his eyes in the dim night, I can tell he's smiling. I shake my head and rest my head against the stone.

"I haven't seen you here before today. When did you arrive?" He asks. I recount the days, but stay silent. I've done practically nothing since I've been here. I imagine adventure will start to get fun if I actually do something.

"Not more than a few days ago," I reply.

"Want a tour guide?"

"I have two already. One moron and one who's nice but vague. Let's not make that three," I say. I stand up, beginning to walk away.

"Aw, but why not make it three?" I hear him remark. I feel him walk behind me, his long strides easily keeping pace with my short walk. "You're a part of the Sky Guards. Don't you want to get to know us?"

"I'm what?" I question, whirling around on my heel look up at him. His eyes gaze down at me. "What did you just call me?"

"Sky Guard," he repeats. "Your mask?"

"What about my mask?" I interrogate, my mind suddenly quiet of everything but the need to figure out answers to my piling questions.

"You weren't kidding when you said 'vague'," he notes quietly. "Who is the other guide?"

"Nick."

"Ah," he nods, like that makes it all make sense. "He enjoys the fun of seeing new missioners discover."

Like that makes it all better. I shake my head and turn back around. He follows me silently, going so far as to follow all the way until the bridge of the apartments. His hand wraps around my forearm, halting my steps. I don't meet his gaze when I turn to face him.

Against my own likeness, I pull my arm back. He doesn't fight me on it.

"Let's make it three."

I sigh. "You're intent on getting yourself in the picture," I joke. Beneath my mask, I'm smiling, but I stay silent and wait for his response. I take one step back.

"I'm concerned for your well-being if you're with those two and not another," he quips back, not hiding his amusement. He doesn't move his feet closer to me, he simply stays in place. "Those two are cool, but when they're alone together...Well, that's another story."

I shrug.

"Maybe," I muse. "I'll come find you."

His only response is a chuckle as I turn on my heel and stride to the elevator, urging myself not to look at him as I pull the lever. The sound and movement are absent to my knowledge. I give in for one moment, glancing at him and catching his eye with mine. With the light from the bridge, his eyes slate grey and dark. In this moment, I can't help but think that somehow his eyes embody "charm," if the word was a color.

The stone separates our gazes, but I find myself dwelling. His eyes are addicting too.

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