Knowing The End (SAA Book 2) ✔

24: Shattering Solace

Oren was able to dig his nails under the gem, making it fall through the gap in the lower jaw. It fell onto his lap, rolling between the crevice of his legs. It was a sapphire, Oren recognized, shining brightly in any dull light. Each facet was pristine and sharp, making the mineral almost flawless. It was almost as beautiful as sunflower gold or ivory diamond.

It was formed in the shape of Briolette; a wonderful mineral for jewelry or decoration. This rarity was commonly saught after by the most eager of geologists. Oren was lucky to have it in his possession.

"Πρέπει να πάμε μέσα. (We should go inside.)" Oren suggested. He nodded his head towards the house, watching as the dragon stood up and stretched, tail swinging and wings shuddering as she inwardly arched her back. Oren waved his hand for her to come along and he began to climb down the tree. As he was half-way down, he heard a voice call from ahead.

"Babe, come eat!"

Oren instinctively smiled at the sound of his lover's voice. He scurried down the tree, turning around as he watched Xenia follow closely. He ran through the fluffy, light snow, looking up to the sky as the clouds grew dim. It seemed that the snow storm was just rolling in. He had to get in quickly, so he turned around, grabbed Xenia, and dashed for the back porch.

_

The snow was coming down fast, racing to the Earth with vigor as wind swept up tree branches. It began lightly, but as the night went on, the fluffy snowflakes soon hardened into sleet. The family ate their food, and Xenia was beside Hunter's highchair, eating away.

She had her own little food bowl, and she shared a water bowl with Chip. She usually ate ground meat, including loin and chicken, turkey, anything they could find in the alien dimensions. The dragon didn't particularly like vegetables, which was good, because Oren was considering having a garden to take care of in the summertime.

Oren informed Clayton of his discovery at the dinner table.

The pair retreated to the living room after an oddly familiar and normal dinner, and Oren couldn't help but stare into the sapphire he held in his palm, wondering, as if his scrutiny would pry an answer out of the gem.

Clayton grabbed a book and pat the seat next to him, beckoning for Xenia to approach. She gladly hopped onto the couch and curled up beside Clayton, wings folding in comfortably. The snow storm was ever so restless outside the safe walls of their sturdy house. Oren was eager to see what it'd look like after the snowfall.

He could foresee thick glistening sheets of snow, untouched by anything, not a footprint in sight. The roads would be layered in ice, stationed cars covered in all white as animals seek shelter under brush or high up trees. Lakes would be frozen over, leaving the fish to wander near the sandy floor, where it was cold, dark and ever so lonely.

The elf grew frustrated with the jewel in his hand. There had to be something important about this thing. Why would it be tightly locked away if it was just an ordinary trinket? His mind was a magnet to the damned thing, he couldn't tear his attention away from it... There had to be something. It was hiding. Waiting to pounce at the right moment, but Oren was too impatient.

As uneasy as the storm just outside, Oren sat up, boring a hole into the sapphire. Only this thing knew, and it wasn't going to talk anytime soon. In a fit of anger, Oren raised his hand and chucked the thing at the ground, watching furiously as the gem shattered like thin glass. A golden essence flowed from the interior, like a wisp traveling along the waves of the wind. Oren's lividity quickly dissipated.

The coffee table rattled violently as the ground began to vibrate, roar and shudder. The walls screamed and the lights flickered rapidly before going out all together.Things crashed and banged as if they were in the middle of an earthquake, and Oren dashed for Hunter. A whirlwind had begun in the living room, blowing about Oren's snowy locks of hair. Clayton shot up from the couch, standing on unsteady feet.

Clayton quickly held onto Xenia as Oren occupied his child, holding the toddler close to his chest as the cyclone only roughened. The elf's knees gave out and he toppled to the floor, clutching onto his son for dear life. He heard Clayton yell through the turmoil, "What the hell is happening?! What did you do?!"

"I-It wasn't my intention! I just--" A loud rumble and crack interrupted him as the world seemed to fight with itself. Deafening wind and rolling crackles of what sounded like thunder ended the chaos, sending picture frames, dog toys and other things plummeting to the floor.

Clayton fell back, stumbling on the couch, breathless and wide-eyed. Oren's rapid thoughts were eager to form into words, but they seemed to catch in his throat. He couldn't move; the shock had hit him like a truck, ten-fold.

The elf hesitantly aimed his gaze to the middle of the living room, eyeing a grand portal, spirals in pure diamond and gold rimming the thin rip in reality. It radiated a puzzling aura, whispers.. He could hear whispers. Little sweet nothings flooded from the portal. Bright and elegant, the portal sat there, unwavering.

There was a moment of silence, and a long while of reluctance. Time seemed to halt completely. Time flowed like tar. Slow, thick. Whatever the storm was, left the air still and utterly lifeless. Clayton's astonished eyes flicked over to Oren's, but not directly. He looked to be in a shocked daze. Oren too, was at a loss for words. He couldn't will his lips to utter a sound.

There were no words for a while. Eyes remained on the golden portal, embedded into the messy living room. Gleaming, shimmering...

Waiting.

_____

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