Escape From Antoria

escape from antoria part 37

Chapter 35

Aurora POV

I watched as the beautiful young woman tried to fasten her ceremonial dress but without any luck. I chuckled as I brushed her long curly brown locks aside and tightened the lacing on the back of the stunning white dress that all females had to wear during the ceremony; the males all wear white tunics with white pants. Seems stupid to most however its part of the ritual and has been for as long as our people can remember so there was no changing it. Most of our kind didn't go through this until their 180th year but our bodies' age slower than humans or Antorians so now Izzy the gorgeous girl in front of me resembled a 180 year old Avalian when in fact she was only 18. Quite odd considering the men were looking upon her as potential mates when they had seen her grow from child to woman in the space of time it took them to barely grow stubble on their chin.

"Come on now Izzy, this is one of the most important rites of passage here, it's when you will truly become Avalian." I said wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Although I've never told her, Izzy has become everything to me, a daughter, a sister, a friend. When I saved her from that ghastly being that day, I never would have dreamed how attached I would become.

"Fine Aurora, you get so antsy some times." She huffed in her voice which sounded like smooth honey; it was thick and sweet and rolled of her tongue like each word was being caressed. I grasped her hand in mine and pulled her out of my home which was made from all natural materials. Yes I was more of an earthen being than the rest and in proof, my wings are green like the leaves of the forest or the jade green grass that bends in the morning breeze, just the thoughts of those natural and earthen things is enough to make me sigh in contentment.

We walked down a narrow path and followed the crowds that were slowly moving towards the portal to Rayon, the home of the enchanted waters where all of our ceremonial rights are performed. I watched as the crowds slowly dissolved into the rainbow up ahead and when it was our turn to step into it I tilted my head back and tried to suppress the light hearted giggles that stirred within me. Seconds later we emerged in front of a huge waterfall with a sizable pool in front of it, this is where the ceremony takes place this is where Izzy will get her true Avalian name and become one of us.

Everyone gathered around the base of the pool, I gently pulled Izzy to where my father was stood ready to begin the celebrations. There were 5 others in white, 2 girls and 3 boys. Usually there are more but it was a slow year.

I went and rejoined the main crowed and watched in awe as my father walked across the water, that trick never goes old especially as his delicate footsteps barely made a ripple on the water where as the hand he was holding belonged to one of the girls, and her foot step s made it look as though someone had dropped a rather large rock every time her foot made contact with the water. The girl looked terrified and yet serene at the same time, if I had to guess I would say she would be water she's got the serenity of earth but not the life for it. My father dropped her hand once they were standing in the middle of the pool and raised his arms above his head. Immediately the whole crowd began humming the melody that worked perfectly with the lilting baritones of my father's voice as he spoke the words for ceremony. I watched as my father's eyes closed and the girl was briefly engulfed by a rainbow of colours and vanished before our very eyes. Seconds later the colours disappeared and the girl was once again in view. The girls once golden blonde hair was now streaked with blue and her beautiful white dress had transformed into a blue knee length dress that seemed to moving like waves lapping at the shore but what was the biggest change were the two blue wings now protruding from her back. They were beautiful though I must say Marcella; the leader of the water Avalians, had wings that were at least twice as beautiful. My father grasped her hand and raised it above her head.

"I present to you Aquaria" My father's voice boomed receiving several woops and cheers from the audience.

Ari's POV

Nate, myself, Holly and Blake manoeuvred our way through the dark tunnels towards the white stone mural that held the doorway to the waterfall. I glanced over my shoulder at Blake and Holly who were looking a bit confused before they gasped. I turned back in time to see the small archway form in front of us. Nate grasped my hand and I quickly grabbed Blake's who was holding onto Holly's before Nate gently tugged us through the archway.

When we got through to the other side I was immediately enchanted, even more so by the melodies that were echoing in the air. I turned towards the sound and saw a group of... winged people Oh my god. I patted Nate on the shoulder but he was busy talking with Holly and Blake. "Nate, look it's the ...the winged people the Avalians." I hissed at him causing him to spin around and gasp as a loud booming voice came from a man standing in the middle of the pool.

"I present to Leonardo" He voice boomed as he held the arm of a boy who looked about 18 in the air. He blushed and his yellows wings fluttered behind him. I tilted my head to the side and watched as the boy walked across the water and a girl with brown locks that reached her waist and had a familiar marking on her hand moved the centre of the pool. Is it me of does that girl look like me? I shook it off at the hum echoed through the air and the man started chanting something. I heard a gasp from behind me as Blake clutched his head but had his eyes fixated on the events behind me.

"No it couldn't be." He said incredulously at the same point the girl became engulfed in a rainbow and the humming lulled meaning every winged persons head snapped round to us. Umm oops.

I heard someone's shouts and protests from the crowd. "Father something is wrong with Izzy she should have been out by now." A panicked woman's voice echoed across the clearing but at that moment the rainbow disappeared and standing in the place of the familiar girl was a winged person, an Avalian. Her brown hair was interwoven with the colours of the rainbow with the occasion silver streak, her white dress had vanished and had been replaced by a dress that looked like it had been made out of hundreds of leaves sown together to create a corset type bodice and then attached to a knee length skirt. The whole outfit looked as though it had been tie dyed using every colour of the rainbow except for the lace detailing that was silver but the most incredible part of the change was the wings. My god they were beautiful. They were different to every set of wings I could see before me. There were a rainbow of colours painted across the translucent surface but just like her clothes and hair, they were outlined by silver. It was as thought the veins in her paper thin wings had been painted with silver.

"Oh my god, it's beautiful." I whispered louder than I thought as every head in the place snapped up to me including the girls whose face automatically changed to one of awe to one of recognition. Undeterred by the silence of the audience, a man grabbed the girls hand and raised it whilst closed his eyes.

"I present to you Cahira!!!" He voice bellowed causing the whole place to erupt in cheers. Instead of walking out of the pool the same way the boy, Leonardo was it? The girl whose name I'm guessing is Cahira walked directly towards our group across the water her footsteps not even causing a ripple.

As she stepped onto the land she grabbed the hand of some girl with green wings who I have to say was equally as beautiful and after murmuring a few words in her ear dragged her over to us. I took a few steps back as she came towards us, suddenly afraid of these unknown people however Nate took my hand and gave me a reassuring squeeze. As the girls came to a stop before us the gaze of every winged person came upon us and I almost laughed at the shocked expression on their faces as they looked at us noticing the lack of wings and of course Nate and I who looked as if we had gone a little too crazy with a permanent marker.

Cahira stepped forward shyly. "Hello mother."

Katherine Pocock©