From the void of space, a ship appears. . . with only one purpose-to wipe out all the inhabitants off the face of the planet.
Decades later, a young woman, Alecia, with her memory wiped, wakes up into a world she knows little about-except that it i...
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In a remote region-far away from the city, the people, and what little society the world left behind-there existed an earth untouched by human hands, where mountains stood tall and proud; resided in one of those mountains were Aven and Leah.
Leah sat quietly, her legs hanging over the edge of the cliff. She watched the view of the mountains, which appeared tiny in her viewpoint, her hair being brushed against her face by the wind. From behind, Aven stepped forward, a gentle stare aimed at his sister.
"What are you thinking?"
"Why'd you want to know what I'm thinking?" replied she, calmly, still watching the view.
"You've been sitting there for a while without saying much of a word."
He stood by her side.
"I know we've only been here for a short time," she said as an eagle's call echoed at the foot of the mountain. "I'm already longing for home."
She locked her green eyes on the eagle, in the distance, as it gracefully kited against the wind.
"Remember, you've always wanted an adventure?" He sat next to her. "This is what an adventure is."
"I know what I said!" she snapped, closing her eyes and letting out a sigh.
Leah opened her eyes and looked at him. "I'm sorry. I just want to sit here and be quiet, okay."
"I enjoy this, too." Aven gazed into the distance. "I can't say how frustrated I am that the planet suffered merely for their ignorance."
"Didn't we-" Leah gestured to herself and Aven-"you do this?"
"I'm talking about their greed and selfishness as they emptied the precious resources of the planet. Their burning desire for power."
Aven sighed, looking at the sky. "They were having wars and they never settled their differences. No wonder the seraphims wanted them gone."
"Why didn't you tell me this?" asked Leah with an understanding look.
"You wouldn't have believed me. You had to see it for yourself, even if it meant putting you in danger, and I'm sorry for that."
"It's okay, I guess." She sighed. "Wasn't this the planet our ancestors seeded? They look very similar to us."
"You are correct. Many eons ago." He answered and picked up a rock beside him to look at it, turning it to see every possible corner.
"When our lives were threatened the other day, I presume you wouldn't do something foolish like that again. . . would you?"
"I've done many foolish things." Aven answered her, and dropped the rock, watching as it fell into the fog below.
"It's strange. I've always thought. . ." Her lips twisted into a slight smile. "I've always thought very highly of you; you were someone I looked up to. I guess I was too young to notice the blemishes."
"Yes. . . I guess you were." He stared at an amethyst pendant in his hand.
"This whole time, all my life-" He closed his hand around the pendant-"I thought I was doing a good thing. I believed myself to be on the righteous path, but. . ."
He sighed.
"But?"
Aven looked at her green eyes. "Leah, there isn't any good or bad path. We live in a world where it's far too easy to do the worst."
Leah lowered her gaze, turning to him once more. "I never thought of it like that."
He took a deep breath. "My biggest regret is not listening to someone I really cared about."
"What happened?"
"Our friendship faded away," he said, a saddened tone in his voice, "unfortunately, because of it, I lost her completely."
"Who was she?"
"It's not important, Leah. It was a long time ago."
"I'm sorry for asking."
"It's okay; it's all in the past now." He smiled slightly.
Leah laughed.
"Since you got here, you smiled only twice."
He chuckled.
"I never realized. . . I've always thought the people here are wicked, selfish, unloving, and unjust."
He shook his head.
"I was wrong."
"You weren't entirely wrong."
"Are you referring to the first settlement you destroyed?"
"No. I'm beginning to regret what I did."
"Don't. There's nothing regrettable about what you did."
"But I feel so guilty."
"You shouldn't feel guilty. I doubt they would've felt anything if it were different."
She smiled. "I guess you have a point."
"I've learned quite a bit during our search. The last two days that we've been searching in the settlements, I have learned that kind people do exist, like the woman who gave me this before we left."
He placed the pendant in Leah's hand.
"Beautiful," murmured Leah, stroking the amethyst stone embedded in the silver pendant. "Why?"
"She said it was for luck."
"It's a nice gift."
"Do you want it?"
She looked at him briefly and back at the pendant. "I like it, but she gave it to you."
"Why would I want a pendant?" He slowly took it out of her hand. "I can give it to anyone I like. I want you to have it.
"Okay." She reached for it, but he moved his hand away.
"Let me put it on for you."
She chuckled.
"Okay." She turned her back to face him and held a bundle of her hair to get it out of the way.
He moved the pendant over her head, lowered it towards her neck, and clipped the chain.
"Thank you, Aven." She smiled gently as she fiddled with the pendant.
"I thought that'd cheer you up. You said that's your favorite color."
"Well, thank you again."
A few moments ticked by, the siblings watching the view, with only the sound of the wind, Aven broke the silence.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?"
"Very beautiful. I like it here; it reminds me of the mountains we have back home, just as peaceful and quiet."
He sighed. "It helps me think."
"It does look like home, doesn't it?"
Aven nodded. They fell silent, no one saying a word. . . for what could one say in a place of silence and peace?
There you go everyone, I really hope you enjoyed reading this just as I enjoyed writing it! ^.^ amd if you did. Please leave a vote. Thank you!♥
