TIGHTROPE | fitz vacker

Chapter 1.

DO YOU KNOW what love is?

   To Azalea, love is intangible, and tangible, something that made you feel so small, yet so empowered.

   It is a feeling that is powerful enough to end someone's life. One might sacrifice himself for their loved ones, to let them live their lives at the cost of anothers'. One might also kill for their loved ones, in retaliation or vengeance. Many may justify these actions as 'an act of love'. And that is why 'love' is so scary.

   But love doesn't always have to be scary. An act of love can simply be the act of gifting a present, time, or affection.

   One can be at the receiving, or giving end of love.

   Azalea has been at both ends. It may come to a surprise to many as Azalea's parents aren't known for their affection. In fact, they are known for the opposite. But Azalea wasn't thinking of her parents.

   Nor was she thinking of her brother. She had thrown that life away a long time ago.

   She was thinking of the large, 176 lbs Dire Wolf with sharp canine teeth and claws that was sitting on her, pouting. No, seriously, there was a wolf sitting on her, right now.

   Azalea sighed for the 23rd time (she wasn't counting), and said, "Come on, Elvy. I got to go or I'll be late!"

   Elvy whimpered. The stubborn wolf didn't budge when Azalea tried to push him off her.

   "Elvy," Azalea warned in the most intimidating voice she could master. "Off, now."

   Azalea had to admit, her tone sounded pretty scary. But still, she was talking to one of the most ferocious predators, who probably has a nice cozy spot at the top of the food chain. Azalea just hoped that her wolf would go find that spot and stop sitting on her.

   Hand gripping the crystal that would be bringing her to school, she quickly thought of a harmless way to get her wolf's butt off her stomach. She pointed into the distance where a few dead trees stood, and shouted, "Oh my god! Is that a rabbit?"

   Maybe it was because Elvy hadn't had meat in weeks, or maybe he just wanted a good chase, because Elvy perked up and (finally) got off Azalea.

   In the few moments where Elvy was distracted, Azalea held the crystal up to the sky and dissolved into the light. As usual, the crystal dissolved in her hand. She arrived on a misty mountain. The cold winds stung her cheeks and she hastily wore her beaded mask and adjusted her hood so that it would cover her blonde hair. In the mist, barely anyone noticed her and those who did lowered their heads and ignored her.

   It was a rule at Exillium that no one was allowed to lower their hoods or take their mask off. It was their unofficial first rule. Then, there were about a hundred more rules to follow.

   So Azalea made her own set of rules:

          1. Keep your head down.

          2. Keep your hood up.

          3. Don't ask questions.

          4. Don't bother anyone.

          5. Leave them alone.

          6. Rules apply to all Waywards except Tam and Linh Song.

   Rule number 7 would have been: "No abilities." But that was already in her set of 'Rules that were meant for survival'.

   Rule number 6 was there because Tam and Linh Song were friends. Being twins, they were ostracized by society. Tam was a Shade, and Shades were often shunned aside by the Lost Cities too. Similar to Azalea's ability.