Court of Shadows (Indefinite Hiatus)

PART 4: AMREN

A small, petite woman with tan skin and silky black hair sat at a small table outside a small restaurant next to a large river. Were it not for the many jewels that she wore on her hands, around her neck and from her ears, contrasting the varying dark grays of her clothes, she might've blended in with the black night entirely. She was all alone, and the nighttime sky sparkled with a beauty fit for any special occasion or romantic evening, but no one dared even to look at her for longer than a moment. Her smoky silver eyes and otherworldly malice were enough to deter even the bravest of suitors.

Though many of the buildings around her were damaged and crumbling, as well as much of the streets, there was a vibrant spirit of hope surrounding the city, and the restaurant behind her was lively and overflowing with the aromas of passionate cooking. The colorful atmosphere was not deterred, but accented by the crisp starry night, and there was a sense of returning peace to a broken land.

The soft landscape of faraway mountains and the constant thrum of distant music created its own brand of serene silence. Even the river running adjacent to the restaurant seemed to agree, for it remained as still as the woman watching it.

The otherworldly quiet was briefly interrupted by the opening of a door from the restaurant.

A slim, dark-skinned female swept through the opening, holding an unmarked bottle containing a deep red liquid that sloshed against the sides. The owner immediately began filling a wine glass. The customer just remained silent, staring out across the water, as if experiencing a distant memory; her hand absentmindedly reaching for one of the diamonds around her neck.

Once her glass was brimming, she picked up the drink and inhaled deeply, warmth blooming across her now smiling face as she finally acknowledged the owner's presence. The owner bowed curtly in response, and the customer was halfway through her glass before the restaurant doors had even swung shut. The woman was setting down her glass and slowly licking her lips when she saw movement from the corner of her eye. She turned in her seat to witness a small black object plunging from the sky, catching the glimmer of nearby stars and lights before unceremoniously dropping and bouncing off one of the metal tables across the court. The sharp plunk of the object hitting the table shattered the serene silence with such abruptness that it seems as if the impact broke the developing peace of not just the small restaurant, but the entire city as well.

The woman sitting in her seat swiftly left the table and within seconds was across the court, standing above a round amulet of sorts. Immediately after making contact she dropped it back on the table, hissing as a dark and powerful energy surged from her fingertips through the rest of her body. Even after she broke the connection, she could sense the otherworldly power emanating from the cerulean disk and pulsing in the air. The only sound in the quiet night was of the river's water breaking from an invisible pulse that sent waves across its surface. She bent to examine the oddity, but was soon interrupted by the opening of the restaurant door once more. She quickly stood and made her way to the end of the street, but not before grabbing her bottle of spiced blood, and pocketing the strange necklace.