The Prime Of The Outcasts

Part 12

I could see colours. Very pretty colours. Visions of red, fizzy green, blue, and lilac swirled in hypnotising circles before me. I felt my arms getting prodded and poked by several bystanders. Was I dreaming? Had I just died? Had such a fierce light confiscated my vision?

'Serena... Girl, are you okay?'

I could hear a voice. A perky but incredibly conscious one with a bouncy ring to it. Could it be Astrid? A cold, skinny hand was now shaking my shoulder for some sign of hope for me. I put my hands to my closed eyelids, and opened them ever so slowly.

To my amazement, it wasn't just Astrid panting very dog like in my face. Terry, Red, and another man I couldn't seem to identify straight off the bat, were also stood uneasily with vacant expressions.

'You're alive?!' Astrid gasped. 'I just knew you would be!' I nodded confused.

'I think, I am.'

Terry grabbed my pale hands and pulled me to my feet. He dusted off whatever debris was embedded into my clothing, and let it drop to the floor.

It was once I saw the floor that I realised, we weren't in that shabby threshold anymore. We were... In a room. A bright golden one with an energy filled shine. It reminded me of Lark Umbra's kingdom. I wobbled on the spot, Red walked fourth to support my back.

'Damn it!' He humphed. 'The girl's alive.' Astrid dropped my shoulder swiftly and smacked Red on his shoulder instead. 'Ouch!' He yelped. '...Complete idiot of a child.'

'Serves you right!' Announced Astrid confidently. 'How dare you think negatively about Serena's survival. I knew she would make it, she's a fire being all right.' Terry chuckled.

The only person in the room that was not however celebrating was the before unidentified man. Who I now recognised, clear as day to be, Lark Umbra. Stood edgily in diamonds and fur, the old man simply could not be mistaken for anybody else.' I narrowed my eyes to get a better look. He did the same because of his weak vision. With five large paces, he came forward to start clapping.

It wasn't a celebratory clapping action though, it was hard and at a snail pace.

'You're a very lucky person Serena,' he started, voice as dry as ice. 'Not many young damsels' such as yourself get to be as lucky as you.' I looked at him with an, I-only-passed-out-not-died, expression. But as per usual it wasn't my position to say anything so defiant in a presence like his.

'What do you mean?' I told him. 'I didn't expect to die...' I thought for a moment. 'Well, not for long anyway. I'm used to Earthquakes.'

Lark Umbra's dark, looming eyes met the suddenly terrified gazes' of Astrid, Terry, and Red. They all spun on their toes to peer at me with concern. (Except for Red, who did look at me but with a firmer glance).

'You're surely not saying she's...' cried Astrid, tugging on Terry's hand in hope that he would squeeze it. 'She's is not. I know Serena's not.' Terry looked at Lark who was laughing smugly.

'She is, can't you tell?' Declared Red. 'I give you my condolences, dear Serena. But Lark, surely she can't remain here.'

'No!' Exclaimed Astrid.

I felt completely oblivious. It sounded like these guys were talking in a secret code about me. As if I were not a human. Almost as if I were something revolting like a green alien. A sickly feeling drummed in my stomach as Lark's face hardened. I wasn't all systems go for passing out again, but I needed to lie down. For a long time. In a warm bed. But something told me that wasn't happening quite yet. At least not right now.

'Can someone please tell me what's going on?' I blurted out, feeling occurring tears sting my eyeballs. 'I don't feel well. Can I sit down?' It was Lark Umbra's palace I was stood inadequately in. His next sentence, (with no trace of remorse), spoke as if I was not worthy of even sitting on the golden floor.

'No, you most certainly can't, scrav!' He commanded. Astrid yelped at Lark's final word. Was it a swear? Was it weird that I didn't feel at all offended the moment he said it? Even Red gasped at that point. The word didn't sound pleasant. Nor did it make me sound superior.

'Serena... you didn't tell me that you're a scrav!' Said Terry. Astrid gave Terry the hardest smack that reddened his cheek. She pulled away from him immediately and burst into tears.

'How dare you even go there, you little dirty wart!' She screamed at Terry. 'Serena is not a scrav.'

She now walked fourth to Lark. Whatever was happening that I could only just make out didn't look like it was going to go down without magic. Red stepped in the middle, and shoved skinny little Astrid off of his King.

'Astrid, listen to me!' Bellowed Red. 'I have my respect for the girl as well. But the scrav has to be locked up. It's the only way you can stay safe.'

'No...'

'Yes, Astrid,' announced Lark, suffering from a big build up of impatience. 'Guards! Take the scrav away.'

Before I could even ponder over this mystery word that only signalled my brain a full minute ago, men (tall, shaded and muscular), strolled out of thin air. I felt my elbows knees, and thighs being snatched and tossed upwards. I struggled to at least try and free my arm, but the men only tightened their grip.

'What are you doing?!' I screamed. 'Let me go!'

But my eyes were wandering like they were before. Dots, blue and black, circled my eyes like a hypnotising item. I couldn't keep my eyes open. It was going to happen again, wasn't it? It was, it had. I fell asleep. And this time. I wouldn't wake quite so rapidly.

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Over in Lark Umbra's palace of gold, the King sat in his gleaming study to have himself a think. Red had been called back to his duties in the fire element. But Astrid and Terry stayed put. Astrid glared, absolutely infuriated with Terry. Lark started drawing lines on a square bit of paper. The lines of squiggles and scribbles didn't make much sense to somebody in the real world. But they were crystal clear to somebody like Lark.

'... You know that Serena's not really a scrav, right?' Chipped in Astrid. Lark went cherry red, and turned to face the strong-willed girl immediately. As if he were expecting for her to pour out like this.

'Well of course I do, fire girl!' He yelled mellow dramatically. 'She's way worse than that.'

'What do you mean?' Wondered Terry.

'You really are stupid, aren't you?!' Lark said in frustration. 'She's not a flipping scrav. A scrav is someone who is dirty and worthless to us, on Overcast Island. That girl is not it. She's what I feared she would be. Someone that the prophecy told me would come one day...'

'There's a prophecy!' Chirped Astrid. 'What prophecy? Nobody on Overcast knows of a prophecy.'

'Be quiet child!' Snapped Lark. What this prophecy beholds is none of your business. And you shan't know. Not until I put a stop to all this madness.'