Golden Lights in a Dark Sky ✔

16. The First of Many Disasters

Explosions and screams are never a good sign. Blood and tears are also not welcome. Dust and ash make it all the more worse.

When the first explosion went off people ran for safety. I couldn't blame them. I would've too, but for some reason, I stood my ground. No, I was not being courageous or trying to be a hero. I was frozen to the core with shock. Shock at the sight of a bleeding, helpless fae child in front of me. Shock at the creature looming over him.

In my terror and fear for the child, the first thing I did was throw one of my shoes at it. Then when the shoe hit it in the forehead and I ran for the child, throwing myself over him, knocking him away from the creature. The crying child was frozen in fear, still staring at the creature in the street.

"Run," I ordered. "Run for help."

Nodding the frightened child quickly got up and booked it into the alleys. I could only hope for the best for him now.

The creature in the street hissed, whipping towards me. I shivered. It looked a lot like a fae. But its limbs were longer and all of its teeth were pointed. Its skin was ashen, and its eyes black. Then I noticed the glinting piece of metal around its finger.

"Impossible," I whispered. It, it just wasn't possible. A fae valg, and of all places in Prythian?

The valg shrieked and lunged for me. I dove out of the way. Rolling up I racked my brain trying to think of the valg weaknesses that my father had told me. One was fire, another to cut off its head. I hoped a knife to the heart would work too.

The valg snarled and came back to swipe at me. Instinct took over instantly. I spun on my toes and with my other leg put all my force into kicking it away. A bow of ice formed in my hands. I couldn't usually make ice, but one the day where my water and wind powers were in sync, it sure did come in handy. I drew back the bowstring, and ice arrow forming in front of me and I shot the creature through the chest.

The creature collapsed, and my arrow disappeared. People in the street stood up slowly, staring at the creature. I sniffed the air and gagged at the thick stench of death.

"Listen!" I yelled to the fae. "These creatures are prone to fire! And a good stab to the heart or taking off their head will kill them too! Spread the word, and protect others!"

Shocked fae nodded to me, a couple of them lighting a ball of fire in their hands while others came to stand behind them. They ran off, and I ran too, knowing more of these valg creatures were out there. On my way, I found a decent looking weapons store that had been abandoned. I grabbed a sword and strapped a couple of daggers to my calves and forearms. Then I slung a quiver of arrows and a bow over my shoulder. If I didn't use them there could be someone else that could benefit from them.

It was weird to see the usually busy streets of the Rainbow deserted. But it brought me comfort knowing that the people were getting somewhere safe. But it also was worrying, because if the streets were empty, then where were the valg?

Unfortunately, a scream answered my question.

I ran down the street, coming to a stop when I saw two valg cornering a group of fae children that couldn't be much older than my sisters. I gripped my sword.

"Hey, numbskulls!" I shouted. The valg turned to me.

"Come get me," I shouted and ran towards them. Throwing them off, I dodged to the side and using the force of my back legs launched myself forwards to cut the head off of one of them. When the other came to grab me I did a backflip and landed in front of the group of children. Then I spun on my toes and cut the valg in half, using my wind powers to give myself more force.

Watching the valg bleed out on the stones of the street I turned back to the children.

"Do any of you have fire powers?" I asked.

One of the children shakily raised her hand. I tried to give her a smile.

"Keep your friends safe," I said. "These things hate fire."

I handed another one of them one of my daggers.

"Find an adult," I said. "Stay safe."

I watched them run off before I looked back to the smoke rising from the river. I sheathed my sword ran down the street. I leaped into the air shifting in my bird form. It looks like there was more work to be done.

By the time I reached the river, I was covered in valg blood. I limped as fast as I could, my feet aching. I lost both of my shoes and most of my arrows.

Turning the corner I found two fae fighting off a valg with fire powers, and an Iryllian backing them up. Multiple dead valg bleed out in the street, but there were at least five more still standing, one of which had a collar around its neck.

I leaped into the fight, my sword an extension of my arm. I spun and bounced around valg. It was like a dance, except with sharp weapons and the possibility of death. I twirled, flipped, and lunged around valg, cutting them down as best as I could.

Then someone screamed.

One of the fire fae sobbed as she watched her brother get thrown into a wall. The collared valg towered over her. She threw fire at it and it hissed, but it wasn't enough to knock it over.

I quickly looked at the river then to my hands. I had never done any magic on the scale I had today, but I had to try. I reached towards the river, sweat dripping down my face. The river gurgled and spun slowly rising from its bank. It rose over us, and I felt as if I was going to collapse. Then I let go.

Water knocked me over. It flushed away valg remains and knocked over the couple of valg still standing. For a couple of seconds, I couldn't breathe, and then the water was swept away. I coughed and spluttered, looking around.

The female was hovering over her injured brother. The Iryllian was hacking the head off of the collared valg. The other valg were either swept back into the river or impaled on something.

Then exhaustion hit me, and the smell of death. My vision blurred and I raised my hands to my face. They were covered with blood. I held back vomit and lost the effort to keep me upright. My face hit the cobbled street, and I thought I heard the sound of wings before my vision faded and darkness to over.

✧ ✧ ✧

I woke up in a room that wasn't mine. The curtains were drawn, and a sliver of red sunlight slipped through. I felt a weight across my chest and looked down to see Rae. She was slumped across the side of the bed, an arm draped over me, and her head against the mattress. She snored softly, drooling on the sheets.

I looked away from Rae when I heard the door click open. Orion stepped in, and he looked at me surprised.

"Hey, you're up," he said softly. He looked to the sleeping form of his sister and walked to my other side. "My mom asked me to check on you."

"I'm alright," I said. "My ribs hurt though."

Orion nodded. "The healer said you cracked a couple. Other than that you're just a little bruised up."

Rae snorted and shifted in her sleep. I petted the top of her head gently, and she quieted. Orion watched silently.

"I'm going to tell my mom that you're awake," Orion said. "We're having a meeting in another hour, so I'll come to make sure you and Rae are awake then."

Orion made his way to the door and gave me a shallow smile before closing the door behind him. I looked down at Rae. My hands ran through her golden hair slowly. Something about this moment made my heart jump. I smiled and shifted over to my side so we were closer together. Then I closed my eyes and listened to the sound of her soft breaths.

How I wish that I could pretend that our world was perfect and that everything will be alright.