The Eyes of Fate [Beta Chapters]

The Innocent

 The day is bright with the sun out and white clouds decorating the sky. Alice walks down the street after an exhausting day at school, her eyes half-lidded with her bag slung over her shoulder. Her home isn't too far from school, so she's able to walk home every now and then when she doesn't feel like taking the bus. It's not long before she comes to a foster home, standing several stories high the walls made of white brick, it's red roof practically glowing in the sun. Alice is home. She walks through the main door, entering the main lobby and passing the reception desk to the stairs.

Alice's legs burn in rejection to the stairs, she groans in exhaustion at the second floor. The halls are pretty empty as Alice gets out of school earlier than most of the other kids, so she has time to herself. The second floor is illuminated by the sun shining through large windows, giving a view to the outside street. The wall is lined with rows of doors, each with a number. Alice stops at 214, unlocking the door and entering as she puts her key back in her backpack. She throws her bag to the side, collapsing on her nearby bed face-first with a hard sigh. Alice rolls over, looking around her room in boredom. Her room looks like any one-room apartment with tan walls and a singular window, basically just a bedroom. In front of her bed is a closet and a desk next to it with a large mirror. On the other side of the room is a bookshelf, with a few books in it but mostly filled with small trinkets, colorful rocks and neatly shaped glass. All items she's collected over the year from her adventures. Next to her bed is her window with a sliding glass that sees right out into the big green yard. Alice gets out of bed, tiredly walking to her dresser. She sees herself in the mirror before she gets there, getting a good look at herself. Alice's eyes are light green and she wears her black hair in a ponytail to one side with the loose hair lying under her jacket. She wears a deep green sweater, a size or two too big with blue jeans ripped around the knees with black boots. While glimpsing in the mirror she spots her nightstand, under her lamp are two objects. One object is her gem, an old family heirloom with a strange small black sphere in the center. The gem sits atop an old wood-carved stand. Under the stand is the second, something Alice wasn't aware of. A letter with a black wax seal holding it together. Alice turns around facing the nightstand and walks over to pick up the letter.

Once grasping it, Alice gets a better look at it. The white envelope is unnaturally smooth to the touch with a wax seal resembling that of a Ying-Yang symbol of black and white wax. "Why wasn't it in the mail? At least at the door," Alice wonders. She gives the note a suspicious gaze, breaking the seal and opening the letter. She pulls out the note, seeing an even more peculiar detail. The letter is split into two colors vertically, black and white. The colors of the letters are inverted as well, clearly setting a theme here. The writing is a neat cursive almost hard to make out. It reads:

Greetings Alice,

I speak to you as an ally of great respect and ask as an invitation. As much as I would like to, I cannot meet you in person just yet so I have sent my associate to escort you. He may not look as friendly as you might hope but don't be alarmed, we mean you no harm. Although before you join us, I must warn you. Once you see us, once you join us, I'm afraid you might never be able to return to your normal life. You might not know us but think of us as your new family if you wish to accept. My associate will arrive an hour after dusk, maybe later if his journey is slowed.

P.S

It might be a good idea to bring your gem. It will become very useful to you in the future.

Sincerely,

T.D.

At the lower left of the letter is an ink stamp of the Ying-Yang. Alice looks to the note, bewildered. Who was this 'T.D'? Why was he interested in her of all people? Why did he want the gem and why won't she be able to return? Alice puts off those questions for later. At least she's finally getting fostered by a family, if that's even what 'they' are. She puts down the note, goes to her closet and gets her second bag. As expected, it's the one she uses for hiking.