Ethereal: Trials of the Damned (On Hold!)

Chapter Two: No Redemption

Eira was surrounded by warmth. 

Slowly, she opened her eyes and found herself laying down on an upholstered sofa. Her hand rubbed against the plush material. She enjoyed the feeling for a few more seconds before she pulled herself up into a sitting position. Her eyes began wandering aimlessly, taking in her surroundings. The dimly-lit room was glowing with warm colours, and in it, directly across from her, stood a crackling fireplace, roaring with life. She basked in the blissful comfort of what appeared to be a lodge. But the serenity only lasted so long. 

Rationality shortly intervened, demanding to know how she'd gotten to the lodge in the first place. When she couldn't form an adequate response, panic stepped in. Before long, the peace she'd felt upon her arrival was overthrown by vast confusion, and growing terror. But she tried to hang onto sanity. She wrecked her brain, trying to remember how she'd gotten to the lodge. But it was no use.

She couldn't remember, no matter how hard she tried. She couldn't make sense of everything she was seeing. Just as she was about to get up, she heard footsteps. Heels clacking on wood.

"I apologize for Kai's behaviour."

As the woman behind the voice stepped out of the shadows, Eira was mesmerized. The first thing she noticed were the woman's eyes. Rested above neatly arched brows, her big lids were thickly lined with kohl, her lashes perfectly curled. Painted in wispy stokes of gray, amber and violet, the colours intertwined with each other, creating a beautiful mesh, emulating a serene galaxy. It was the most fascinating thing Eira had ever seen. 

"If you want to rank up, Kai," she said, whilst keeping a steady gaze on Eira, "you know never to make it personal." Eira shifted in her seat, feeling uncomfortable underneath her gaze. But she was also unable to look away from her. Partly because she felt inferior, and partly because the woman exuded a type of power that Eira couldn't understand. So she stared right back at the woman, examining her, trying to understand why she felt the way she was feeling in her presence.

The woman took two steps in her direction, her hips and hair swaying in unison. The full-length dress she wore was tightly draped around her body, accentuating her hourglass figure. Against its shimmering gold colour, her black hair stood out, falling straight down past her small waist. It was parted in the center, making her small face appear longer than it was. She looked strong, with broad shoulders and a tall stature, yet her aura radiated femininity. Her wide, thin, lips were coated with clear gloss. Her jawline both sharp and soft. Her nose, straight and narrow, perfectly complimenting a wide forehead.

"It's not personal, it's appropriate." A man she did not recognize emerged from behind the woman. His steel gray eyes bore into hers. He ran a hand through his hair, pushing the front half of his sandy hair to the side, exposing his swooping haircut. "I told you, her self-esteem needs work. A lot of work."

His voice was deep and snarky. But he was just as stunning as the woman. Dressed in a dark gray suit, he looked effortlessly tailored. The stubble around chiseled jaw, paired with his gruff voice, made him appear masculine, attractive. Though his strong, modelesque features didn't hurt his physical appeal either. He looked younger than the woman, yet seemingly not much older than herself. But she wasn't sure whether it was because of how he arrogantly he carried himself or because of how powerful the woman seemed in comparison to him.

"My name is Opal," she said as she sat down beside Eira. Opal smiled at her, sympathetically. In an instant, Eira relaxed. "And you've already met Kai."

Eira looked back at Kai, and caught him staring back at her in utter disgust. For some reason, it stung. As he noticed her staring at him, he snapped out of it and cracked a smile. But she didn't feel the same comfort in his smile as she did with Opal. His smile was masked with something darker, almost sarcastic.