《Dark and Bright》 Chapter One Her fiery wings illuminated in the night sky, blackening and curling at the tips of each feather as she spoke. ¡°I have watched her well, Dark Winged. She has the valor to go after her parents." The Dark Winged stood before her, his skin as white as the serrated wings blooming from the small of his back. ¡°Her parents are stranded. And so will she be, if you are right about her potential.¡± Amaris nodded courteously, though her eyes clouded from the truth coming from out of the Dark Winged''s wine red lips. ¡°I understand.¡± She remarked, her voice unsentimental despite the protests surfacing at her tongue. The Dark Winged was unresponsive as his cosmic wings began to move rapidly, the moonlight scintillating around his toned figure. Amaris'' periwinkle eyes enlarged as she observed his stature hovering in the moonlight, and soon, his vivid figure fluttered into the depths of the vast, inky sky. "Oh, Eloise." Amaris sighed, staring at the clear sky disconsolately. "Why do you have to be so much like-" She paused, blinking away an escaping silver tear from her gleaming eyes. "Them?" Chapter Two Eloise soared through the sky, flashing her glistening wings towards the twinkling stars with a euphoric sense of freedom. She was carried by the frigid winds in twisting motions, the fields underneath her hidden by the illuminated clouds, and somehow, she felt safe. Eloise closed her eyelids, her brows furrowing as Eloise'' pointed ears echoed the sounds of the lively winds back to her. She was at home, embraced by freedom and magic and the dances of the stars. Embraced by crisp winds and the empowering effect of moonlight. A sudden outburst of pain shot throughout her ears, and her eyes flashed open. She threw her hands to her earlobes, silver tears forming in her periwinkle eyes as a wheeze escaped from her lips. There were voices in the winds. Or, maybe, they were in the fields. She heard two pitches, but one repeated through the skies, its core filled with a dark intensity. Her wings began to falter, her arms prickling with goosebumps as she fell into the clouds. The voices intensified, and now, instead of a blur of words, she could hear phrases. ¡°Her parents are stranded. And so will she be, if you are right about her potential.¡± The voice echoed in her ears. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Another whispered back, ¡°I understand.¡± And, with that, she fell. The cloud that held her vanished, and her arms were pushed towards the stars by the wind. The sky was silent then, as if observing her from a distance. Wind burst threw every bone in her body, leaving her blood chilling and eyes piercing. Eloise was going to die, but everything was quiet. It was as if she was watching her own body fall from a distance. Her brain counted the seconds till her body hit the fields, and her bones stiffened. Eloise closed her eyes, letting every push of the wind take her down faster. Her arms opened, embracing the sky and slowly mimicking her immovable wings by her sides. And, once the sweet, sharp smell of grass hit her nostrils, Eloise'' eyes flared open, and her wings thrusted upward. She willed herself to fly towards the scintillating moon, and, dear god, to not hit the ground. And now, the wind followed her. Eloise swooped down into the fields, her brain thoughtless as she slowly dropped into the mellow grass. Her breath was ragged, her hair sticky with sweat. Two words sounded through her ears before the world turned black. ¡°Oh, Eloise.¡± A familiar voice whispered from far away. Chapter Three Ezra Myers ate a small population of crippled gum that day. He was embraced by the inhospitable insides of his locker, and held hostage by flabby arms which belonged to the one and only, Ace. ¡°Jackass,¡± Ace sneered into Ezra'' ear, pushing him aside before joining the hoard of students by the exit with a satisfied laugh. Ezra cringed at the leftover smell of Doritos in his face, and withdrew his head from the locker with a scorn. He feasted his eyes at the students around him, who were undoubtedly unaware of the common situation. Ezra swallowed, shuffling down the checkered hallway without bothering to shut his rasping locker. He observed, with envy, as friends grinned and blithely pushed each other into doors and lockers. Not everyone could have that, I guess. ¡°Ezra Myers?¡± A sugary voice implied from behind him as fire shot through his bones. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Ezra steadily turned towards Ruth, who let go of his shoulders with a grin. He wondered how he could fall in love with a girl that fell in love with a douchebag like Ace, but as he eyed her alluring face, his questions fell short. She hid her lengthy, brown hair behind her ear. ¡°Ace was being an idiot again, wasn''t he?¡± Ruth muttered under her breath, dropping her hands to her sides in frustration. Ezra nodded, weakly. It was hard to pay attention to her voice when her mesmerizing, curious periwinkle eyes watched his face. ¡°I''ll talk to him.¡± Ruth pierced her wine-red lips together. Suddenly, she turned with so much intensity that Ezra sprung back to avoid hitting her. He looked at her tense figure, and it took him a minute to recognize that she was staring at the crooked bell that was tucked in the corner of the ceiling. The school bell rang instantly, as if on her command. Ruth spiraled back to Ezra, giving him a quick beam before strutting around him towards a group of laughing students. And, as he stared at Ruth in surprise, he swore that a glint of luster radiated off her figure. Chapter Four Eloise awoke, embraced by the comfort of her warm, quilted blankets. Her head throbbed from the grueling night before, and she reeked of soot and iron. ¡°Oh, Eloise.¡± Amaris exhaled from above her, muttering curses under her breath. Eloise cringed as a chilled towel found itself on her temple. ¡°Why were you in the fields?¡± Amaris'' interrogated, her piercing voice waking Eloise up in an instant. ¡°I just flew, Amaris.¡± Eloise lied, squinted her eyes to block the penetrating daylight. Amaris'' blackened wings turned dusky, making her snow white, twinkling hair stand out more in the daylight. ¡°So, by just flying, you ended up passed out on deserted fields, miles from home.¡± Eloise pierced her lips, acknowledging the healing wraps plastered against her exhausted wings as she mumbled back to her, ¡°Yes?¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Amaris scoffed, eyeing her with irritation. ¡°How did you find me?¡± Eloise cocked her head to the side, eager to change the subject. Amaris accepted her obvious attempt with a sigh. ¡°I was close by, and heard someone in the distance.¡± Eloise furrowed her brow in question. Why would she be anywhere near the fields? ¡°You''re not to be permitted anywhere after sunset.¡± Amaris ordered, judgmentally inspecting Eloise'' unkempt chamber before closing the oak door behind her. ¡°Why were you out in the fields, Amaris?¡± Eloise murmured to herself, leaving a small indentation of her wings in her mattress as she stood. Eloise descended towards her windowsill, glaring at the scene in front of her with concentration. Cherry-colored trees exposed themselves across the fields, decorated by sky-blue roses and flushed lilacs. Despite the scorching sun, stars remained visible across every square-inch of the lavender-tinted sky. ¡°Oh, Eloise.¡± She recalled from the night before, her fingers turning white under the pressure of the windowsill. ¡°Oh, Eloise.¡± Her eyes widened as she cocked her head, her attention turning to the oak door that had just been opened seconds before. Chapter Five Esmerelda surveyed her soiled, dusky shoes that had once been unblemished and white. She slid through the shadows, her breath ragged, though silent. Every curve and edge of her body blended into the darkness as if she belonged. As if she was a part of it. It was her natural habitat, and Esmerelda loved it. She feasted her eyes on a huddled cluster of boys near the end of the alley, balling up their hands and kicking their feet into someone, or something, that was blocked by their silhouettes. Esmerelda recognized that they were like her. Predators for the weak. But, what is the point of being a predator if there wasn¡¯t someone better? If there wasn¡¯t something that you could achieve? And, the answer to that question was in her crooked smile. ¡°Hey, boys.¡± Esmerelda smiled, flashing her polished, white teeth as she captivated their attention. One, a tall, muscular man, shifted his body towards her with a grunt. She cocked her head as he revealed the figure of an unusual-looking man at the floor of the alley, who was clearly dazed. The moonlight shone on him, making the illusion of a periwinkle glow that emanated from his eyes. His inky, slicked back hair fell to his broad shoulders, and the dark silhouette of wings sprouted from his back. ¡°What¡¯s with the wings?¡± Esmerelda grinned, teasingly. ¡°It¡¯s not Halloween yet, you know.¡± The man, bewildered, stared at her blankly and touched his head with his finger. And then, touched it again. She frowned, realizing there was something wrong. He might be deaf, or blind. Esmerelda¡¯s attention shifted to a woman next to him, who, to her amusement, fit him like a glove. Similar shades of periwinkle seemed to illuminate from her eyes in the darkness of the alleyway, and symmetrical, elegant wings at her back sent off small sparks of white light that reminded her of fireworks. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Esmerelda''s eyes flashed to her hair, and her mouth curved into a small ''o''. The woman¡¯s hair twirled, embracing her neck and slithering down to her collarbone. Her hair was white, despite her young face, and it glowed. An innocent, soft light flicked down her hair like a waterfall, falling down to the tips and up to her first curl, again and again and again. ¡°It¡¯s still not Halloween,¡± Esmerelda whispered weakly, her voice softening before the woman was blocked by a large figure. ¡°What do you want?¡± A deep voice huffed in her direction. "Them." Esmerelda''s eye gleamed with challenge, and she directed her chin towards the strange couple behind them. They were unusual, and she was curious. ¡°You¡¯re not getting them.¡± He mocked her, waving his hand towards her in the air. ¡°You can go.¡± She gritted her teeth. ¡°No, thank you, though.¡± He turned, his face contorted in anger. ¡°Leave, or you¡¯ll regret it.¡± Esmerelda laughed with a pout on her face. ¡°Would it help if I told you I believed you?¡± She took a step forward, watching him and he watched her clench and unclench her fists. The moonlight glowed gradually brighter, and she smiled at him. Abruptly, his face was embraced in light, and she looked up to the sky in surprise. Then, Esmerelda realized that it wasn¡¯t the moonlight, but her vision. She was surrounded by blinding light, and a wave of panic ran through her, destroying the shield of sarcasm and confidence she built up. Esmerelda flung her hands up, strangling the air around her in desperation. She couldn¡¯t see her hands, or her feet, or her own body. Her face was soaked up by the brightness as she shrieked for help, tears falling down her cheeks. Even her shriek was muted, as if she were inside a bubble. And then, it got clearer. Her hands began to darken under the light. The brightness faltered. She jumped, dizzy, as she helplessly raised her bruised knuckles towards the familiar darkness of the alleyway. ¡°Stay away from people you don''t know.¡± A voice whispered softly in her ear, gradually disappearing into the cool wind. Chapter Six Chapter Six The voice she heard belonged to Artemis. She was sure of it. The small, delicate voice that soothed into her ears as any voice would. The other, however, was left abandoned of it¡¯s owner. Eloise¡¯ parent¡¯s were long dead. They were legends in her eyes, two people that meant so little but so much. Two people that gave her a chance to experience memories, but never experienced them with her. Artemis has stepped into her life then, replacing her parents at her birth. She had been the first that Eloise called Mother, and the last. Eloise closed her eyes, breathing the fresh, citrus-like aura from the comforts of the fields below her. She willed herself to remember every breath, every gust of cooling wind, and every phrase from the night before. ¡°Her parents are stranded. And so will she be, if you are right about her potential.¡± Eloise furrowed her brow. ¡°I understand.¡± A familiar, honey-like voice echoed through her earlobes. Artemis. ¡°Oh, Eloise.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Eloise. That¡¯s my name. ¡°Her parents are stranded; Oh, Eloise.¡± She took a deep breath as the smell of iron interrupted the embrace of citrus flowing through her nostrils. ¡°Her parents are stranded; Oh, Eloise.¡± She wheezed, letting out a gasp that invited the taste of metal on her tongue. ¡° Her parents are stranded; Oh, Eloise.¡± Eloise flashed her eyes open, her nostrils flaring as an escaping tear traveled from her eyes, to the sides of her nose, and slid down her cheek . The smell of citrus didn¡¯t seem as inviting anymore. The lavender-tinted sky did not seem as bright anymore. The cherry-colored trees seemed to be coated in blood. Blood and iron and metal. ¡°Stranded.¡± Eloise whispered into the wind, sounding the word on her lips before letting it dissolve on her tongue. ¡°Dead. They wouldn¡¯t leave me. They want me, I know it. They need me. They wouldn¡¯t leave me.¡± Eloise stared at the sky, blankly. Gradually, walking away from the windowsill, she fell onto her bed, cradling her legs to her chest. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t leave me. She died while giving birth. He died while on a tour of the mountains a day before. They wouldn¡¯t leave me. They wouldn¡¯t leave me.¡± She through the night, muttering and wheezing and pressing her hand to her mouth to stop her gasps. She sat through the night, believing that her parents were dead, guilty because of how greedy she was to be praying that her parents were dead because it seemed better then her being abandoned. Guilty, because of how greedy it was for her to despise Artemis after every embrace she comforted her with. How she could possibly let them leave her if what her parents did was true. How Artemis could possibly not think to tell her. She sat through the night, believing desperate lies. Chapter Seven Esmerelda fell into a wooden chair, squinting her eyes from the penetrating light reflecting over the walls. ¡°So you¡¯re new to America.¡± ¡°Not exactly. We have been living here for a very long time.¡± ¡°So how''d you find yourself in an alley known for its dangers?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not important.¡± Fay sighed, lights sparking from her wings with greater intensity. ¡°Are you going to let me go-¡± Esmerelda glared at her, shifted her eyes from the woman to the man. ¡°Leo.¡± The man announced, surveying her eyes. ¡°Leo.¡± She finished, peering at Leo as he continued to stare at her. ¡°Not quite yet, Esmerelda. I¡¯m Lia.¡± Fay pierced her lips together, sharing an unrecognizable glance with Leo. ¡°We need your help.¡± Esmerelda scoffed at her, shaking her head as she observed the tight room. The walls crippled, rust blooming from the corners. Empty boxes were plastered across the room, embraced by smears and stains. The ground was covered in a layer of soot, and the only pieces of furniture was the table, built uniquely with three legs, and a sturdy wooden chair that was currently taken up by herself. ¡°I love your- home.¡± Esmerelda cocked her head to the side, beaming at Lia as her brow furrowed. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°You are going to help us.¡± Fay repeated, her periwinkle eyes flashing gold. Esmerelda gaped at her eys. She saw a man in the midsts of gold. His eyes flashed with a sense of independence, and a gun was plastered at the side of his belt. He was smiling, his hand held hostage by a young girl. Esmerelda recognized herself in the girl, who¡¯s brunette hair was in her face and who¡¯s baby blue eyes shone with excitement. And then, the vision was over. Lia¡¯s eyes faded back to periwinkle, and suddenly, they didn¡¯t seem that vibrant anymore. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Esmerelda gasped, her breath ragged. Lia looked at her, her voice whispering, embracing her with warmth. ¡°What you most desire.¡± Esmerelda murmured to herself, her eyes wide and disconsolate. ¡°My father?¡± Leo nodded at her, his face contorted in sadness as if he understood. ¡°If you help us, you could have that.¡± Esmerelda¡¯s eyes flashed towards him with astonishment. ¡°Are you mental?¡± Lia shook her head from one side to the other. ¡°We can save your father before it happened.¡± Esmerelda almost laughed. Then, she almost cried. ¡°So are you going to go back in time or what?¡± Lia shrugged. ¡°We have wings. We have golden eyes. We have secrets.¡± Esmerelda was desperate. Desperate enough to find who killed her father and kill them for him. Desperate enough to spend her every hour in dark alleyways, desperate enough to forgot why she is in those alleyways and focus on revenge. Desperate enough to make a deal with two people with wings and golden eyes and secrets, who are definitely, most-likely not human.