Prophecy

Chapter 24

Aurora City is a cold paradise.

It's far enough north that even though it's the night before the first day of July, it's a chill 57°F. The sky is lit with various passing Aurora bridges, and the stars twinkle brightly, not having much to dim them for miles and miles beyond the city walls. 

Immediately within the city walls and gates, a colorful shopping district/marketplace meets our eyes. There are rows of elegant shops with painted fronts or decorated windows and bright signs lining the stone-paved streets. An even wider variety of beings walks the streets than in Ignis Terra: not only angels and albino elephants, but people who look like Rose (Nicks), elves, a few Spanish fairies, men and women wearing starry purple, blue and red robes, dancers, and a couple people that I've noticed have a set of leathery, brightly colored wings reminiscent of a dragon's wings. 

Humans have got to be the least interesting beings, right? Two arms and legs, that's it.

In the distance, beyond the large marketplace, towers the skyscrapers of a gleaming city. White concrete, dark gray tile, rich brown wood, and blue glass sparkle in the starlight and bask in the glow of the streets below. 

It's hard to keep my jaw from dropping at a hidden city that can't be much smaller than San Francisco.

"Right this way. People, clear a path!" Gavin yells, pulling me a bit out of my trance.

"I can't believe we're here!" Anjulee bubbles. "In the Aurora City. There's so many different Elementals here!" Ada grins.

"And the Nons who leave here are super chill and can't tell anyone about it," she adds thoughtfully. I duck my head to whisper to Arik.

"What the heck is a Non, and what is she talking about?" I say self-consciously. He giggles at me.

"A Nonelemental. We shorten it, because ain't that a mouthful," he responds kindly, and I laugh nerbously. "They pledge secrecy over Elemental life and society when they enter the city, and they can only leave with an Elemental. For liability purposes, of course." I nod, trying my best to keep up with these well-versed, well-taught Elementals. 

How did I end up being the leader, again? For all I know, a week or so ago I wouldn't have thought twice about being a regular person.

Still, I am grateful to be an Elemental right now. The city is beautiful, and for the first time in a long time, I feel like I actually belong somewhere.

Javier's wings are folded carefully together as to avoid wacking people, and poor Rose walks directly behind him so as to avoid knocking people about with her antlers. Andromeda and Bo walk at the very back, one behind the other. Although the streets are wide to accomodate the variety of species walking around, the dragons still have to worry about stepping on Nicks, most of which are actually shorter than little Rose, or hitting fairies with their tails. 

We may not be the biggest group in the city, but we definitely aren't the smallest, so it doesn't hurt to be careful.

Artemis keeps trying to switch between my two shoulders to try and get a better view of what's going on, so eventually I snatch her up and hold her in my arms. Arik laughs.

"She's a curious little thing, isn't she?" he jokes. I laugh.

"She definitely is," I reply through a smile, and Artemis continues to whip her head side to side, her tail flicking in thorough interest like a cat.

Gavin keeps checking over his shoulder to make sure he hasn't lost anyone. Luckily for him, the tallest ones in the team are the tail of the group. He nods to himself, then keeps fording through the crowd.