The Overlord Trilogy: The Light

23 • Fire And Brimestone

Xileth

I stare at the man, his wife, and their little kid. At least this is what I assume since they are all in the pictures that line the halls. The wife and son are awake, the smell of urine emanating from the kid's pants. The wife struggles against the ropes that bind them. We are in a room that appears to be a kitchen, although it might also double as an eating area since it has a table and four chairs. Three of those chairs are occupied with the owners of this apartment. Zoey is in the living room with Julie, probably playing with one of the many board games. The husband stirs and moans as he wakes up. I don't have to look at him to know this, I can hear the change of his breath as he wakes.

"Rochelle? Tommy? Where-" He looks at me. "Who... are you?" I turn to face him. I take out the necklace with the crystal on it and hold it up to my face to examine. "Who are you?" This time as he says it his voice sounds stronger.

"It doesn't matter who I am. This is a matter of who here is going to walk out of this apartment alive." I leave him with my words hanging in the air like a thick blanket. I walk into the living room as I hear the husband struggle against the ropes and trying to comfort his wife and son. Julie and Zoey are playing Monopoly and laying on the floor. Julie looks up at me as I walk into the room.

"How's our guest?" She gestures to the kitchen.

"Probably doesn't have severe head trauma." I look at the shattered remains of the vase I hit him over the head with. Some blood is on the carpet, in a trail that leads to the kitchen. Julie nods slightly and rolls the dice. Zoey moves a small thimble three spaces and holds out her hand. Julie sighs and hands her three orange slips of paper. I look at the crystal again. Zoey looks over at me and sees the crystal.

"Are you going to take off the cloak?" She gasps. I nod and she giggles, I can't remember the last time she's seen my face. Maybe back when we were kids. I stop the thoughts but it's too late, the memories come back swiftly and without mercy.

~~~

"Why don't you smile?"

"Because I forgot how to."

"Forgot how to smile? How does someone forget how to smile?"

"I don't know, I guess it just happens."

~~~

Julie looks at me and nods. She hasn't seen my face in a while as well. I slowly unwrap the first layer of cloth that covers my face. Zoey giggles excitedly, it must be like a new adventure for her. I start unwrapping the second layer when the television turns on. Julie and Zoey jump as it reads out a message from some figurehead named President Obama, it declares that the area is now in martial law. I stop unwrapping the cloth. Is this a bad idea? No. I'm only doing this because a man who's completely covered isn't exactly a great way to blend in. I unwrap the second layer hesitantly. The cloth drops to the floor as I reach for the hood. The last line of defense for hiding my face. I pull the hood down quickly and see out of the corner of my eye my reflection of a picture frame. My dark brown hair and my silver eye seem strange to me. I look at the cloth that covered my right eye. The silver scales that cover the right side of my face aren't a sight that I would like to see though. Too many memories. I look at Julie and Zoey as I put on the crystal necklace. I twist the top and feel the light envelop me. I look at my reflection again, the scales now gone. I look like a normal seventeen year old human. I hear Julie get up and walk over to me. I turn to her and can't even react when she hugs me tightly. She whispers into my ear and my eyes widen. Zoey is still sitting at the board game. Julie let's go and smooths out her clothes. Zoey gets up and hugs me then, I don't know how to react, physical contact was never a specialty of mine. The apartment shakes bringing my gaze out a window, the Freedom Tower continuing to collapse as people desperately try to escape.