Silver Children

Part Two: The Next Generation

Two years later;

The desert of the Gold Nation is vast. It's hard to find shade and shelter from the intense rays of the sun. Clouds barely form in the sky and there are no such thing as valleys of trees. Dusk and Dawn were the only two times of day the people were relieved from the sun. It takes days to travel from village to village and months to cross the desert by foot. Most would cross using sand gliders and camels. Sandstorms are common occurrences, rain is a rarity, and water is scarce.

In this spot they found a watering hole, plants, flowers and trees that have fruits on them. The ground is shaded and a gentle breeze provides cooling air. The sun makes the dirt and sand sparkle like little crystals. Water flows into the watering hole from a small waterfall streaming out the side of a cliff on the far end. Under this cliff is where Argento and his family reside.

The hideout was only minutes away from the Gold Nation's capital where they would go to get food and supplies. Many times, Argento would take Sephora with him and during these two years he began to fit in with the Orenji clan. They weren't much different from his clan, the Aka. They just lived in a desert setting instead of a forestry area. In town, he keeps up with the gossips between the two nations as well as the gossip within this nation. His name had become well known and his research was even better known. He heard rumors of another war, but nothing had happened so far. The Murasaki clan is doing a good job at keeping the two nations at bay.

The world was too calm for Argento's liking, but that means that many won't have to go through the things he had been through. He became comfortable with his new life knowing that his friends and daughter will be in it forever. In a dark corner of his heart, he has a feeling of detest towards his daughter who looks like his traitorous wife as she gets older.

In the market, one day, he meets his future second love of his life. Her name is Kiya and she is from the Orenji clan. She has long gorgeous orange hair and green eyes. He has admired her from a far and she has admired him from a far too. She wasn't used to seeing a single parent that was a man. She approaches Sephora who was trying to reach fruits laying in one of the stands. She hands her the banana she struggled to reach. Argento notices her with his daughter and is elated. He introduces himself to her and her to him. He is surprised to learn that she doesn't have any children at the age of twenty-seven and she is the family doctor to the leaders of the Orenji clan, the Malik family. Every day after that, they see each other more and more, eventually became romantically involved and within a couple months she was pregnant with her first child. Oddly enough, the lady of the Malik family was also pregnant, but she was a few months ahead of Kiya.

A few months later, it was time for Kiya to deliver the baby for the Malik family. She enters the birthing room ready for a quick, easy and smooth procedure but the birthing room was in a different location. This room had no windows, candles light the room. The mother lies on her back on the table waiting to receive a C-section. Two nuns, a monk, and a priest-each occupy one of the corners in the room. Demonic wards are hanging from the ceilings and plastered on the walls. Prayer beads are around the mother's neck and a Shaman places his hands over her stomach. Kiya could see that this wasn't going to be a normal birth.

She and the other nurses prepare for the birth. The mother clutches onto the table as Kiya makes an incision with her knife. As she cuts she notices that there is little liquid coming from the opening. She feels uneasy and is hesitant about continuing, but she must. As she continues some more liquid comes out but as it spills it turns from a clear color to a thick, black substance. Kiya and the other nurses are finding it hard to breathe and are worried about the mother. The father insists they continue so they do. As she finishes making the slit, more and more black gook comes spilling out. The mother is horrified to see this coming out of her.