Outsider (Book One)

Chapter One (2/3)

                   The building rose up above him as he moved to the front of it. The dark wood at his feet looked older than the porch or the building. His foot hovered over the first step before he decisively planted down. The board gave a piteous squeal as he put pressure on it. Grimacing, he hobbled all the way to the porch as fast as possible.

                 There goes his chance at stealth. He stepped to a white mahogany door and raised his hand to knock.

                 Suddenly the door flew open and a silver blur struck him in the stomach. He hit the porch really hard, knocking his wings into the railings. Before he could fall completely, he braced himself to the railing.

                "By Astril's Star, you are getting heavy." Maroon said passionately.

                "I thought you were never going to come." The silver drake cried, still entangled in his arms. Maroon chuckled softly and untied himself from her grasp and pulled her to her feet.

               "And remind me again, Dusk, why I would miss one of your most important birthday's?" Maroon said with a smile.  She stood about five foot four with silver, lustrous scales. Her eyes were an evergreen similar to pine and her horns were made of bright ivory. Her wing membrane glittered with the reflection of pure diamond. Whenever the clouds parted, and the sun struck her scales, she would become immensely bright. She was dazzling in every way.

               Dusk was another orphan like Maroon whom the Cathedral of the First Order picked up. Several years after Maroon. He was around fifteen whenever Dusk appeared on their doorstep. She was only four and she was tied up. Maroon could visually see the bruises on her scales, how they dented her scales. Maroon was infuriated and heartbroken as he tended to her injuries. She was malnourished and had suffered from several broken bones. 

              Then whenever she was seven, her health took a very dark turn. When a plague swept through Arale, Dusk was one of those that fell victim. Maroon was so torn that he could not see her. He fought the Cathedral whenever he got the chance just to see her one more time. They were dark times. Eventually, she had gotten better and after she was better she helped others. After they saw how helpful she had become, they dubbed her to be Dusk, That of Many Stars.

               Maroon thought at first it was a dismal name, then they explained how each star is a hope she had placed in someone's heart, how she had inspired them to keep living even after all seems hopeless. She was never afraid to talk about what her mother, a Shadow Serpent, did to her, sharing it to others whose health was degrading and bonding with them in aa way only she and the other drake could understand. Maroon as only drawn closer to her. Soon they became inseparable. Wherever one was, the other one was surely close behind. Then, coincidentally on her eleventh birthday, a family of Fire Serpents took interest in her and decided to adopt her.

             That was five years ago, and after Maroon could only see her regularly. She was so beautiful now. There were no signs of any mistreatment from her childhood, and she had filled out quite nicely. With the reflection of the sunlight bouncing off of her scales, he could see why they called her That of Many Stars in another way. There were little pinpricks of light reflecting off of every surface around her.

              "Goroma's Constellation, you still remember my nicknames? It's been years since I have heard them." Dusk said with a slight  blush.

               Maroon flinched. He also forgot about her own power. She had the ability to read minds. When she recovered from the plague, her mind was suddenly open to everyone else's thoughts. She was terrified at first, and barely left her room. In a day, though, she got used to it and accepted as a gift from the gods. She has used it for good ever since. It is hard for her to control, as drowning out everyone's internal voices takes immense concentration.