Dragging all along beside him Rocks and plants and animals alike. A force raging down the moutain side. His thunderous waves roar with life, A breath of fire bringing strife.
The stream he rushes along the rim The mountain side still strong he strikes. He never heard her as she cried. Her sturdy foundations carry the load, Of his rivers that curse her hearts abode.
She’s stood tall with a seraph’s thrall Building trees and hills and lives so bright. A foundation all would come to confide. Soft is her breath as she tends to these, Avoiding their gaze and her own crisis.
The mountain she carries all Cherishing the stream and his blight. She always holds him to her chest with pride. His rushing current destroying her time, But together they work in paradigm.
The city guards covered their faces, turned from the bloodshed they caused. One of them stared at me, his eyes locked on mine in fragments of wavering light. Tears brimmed in them, made them sparkle with wide eyed terror. I tried to offer a reassuring smile, something he couldn’t get from his comrades even as they to shared pittied glances with him. “This year’s Worst have been selected.” We all jumped, as the loud voice boomed over the city. General Amirah, she held a small megaphone and swept her unrelenting glare over the group of bloody and beaten men and women. Two children where amongst them, the sight of their red faces made my heart ache. They didnt deserve this. None of those people did. “In order to keep our city safe from the the threat of rogues and disease. These twenty five men women and children will give up their lives and their place in our home.” “It’s their home too!” Somone from the crowd shouted before a loud explosion rocked the ground. Everyone fell silent. Nobody moved. We all knew what just happened and if we opened our mouths we’d be next. I looked back up at him, his eyes were dancing wildly before they locked onto mine. Our shoulders relaxed once we relized we were both okay. The General cleared her throat. “The Unemployable and the Sick have no place here. Let this be a lesson to your children and yourselves to strive for greatness.” She smiled, how could she be smiling. My eyes shot to the children on the outskirts of the platform, generals in training. Hand selected by the Elites to one day lead us. One, a girl with hard eyes and cold expression didnt seem fazed. The others two boys stood close, their eyes wide as the ceremony continued. “Captain Zeitoa,” she nodded to him. “You may proceed.” The world at once fell silent. Stopped in time for moments after her words. His eyes widened and danced from her demanding glare to the people laid for execution in front of him. “Captian. Proceed.” My gut hardened into a tight knot. I took a step back in a futile effort to unlock my eyes from the coming sight. “Are you okay?” I flinched when a hand grabbed my waist. Harren met my eyes after wiping his other hand off on his shirt. Guards moved away from him. My mouth opened in an effort to speak. I glanced back up Zeitoa, he was still frozen a gun slammed into his palm. He barely held it. It shook in his hand. Harren’s arms wrapped around my shoulders, maybe he was trying to comfort me. Maybe he was trying to make everything okay but Zeitoa was going to be killed if he didnt kill these people. My heart slammed against it’s cage. “Zeitoa.” I breathed and pushed Harren away. I bolted through the crowd my eyes locked on his shaking hand. The gun shining in the sunlight, a threat. “captain. Proceed.” General Amirah’s voice was hard. It burned through my head. I slammed past gaurds and snatched stumbled up the stairs as people cried out and yelled after me. As soon as i could reach i snagged Zeitoa’s arm. “No, what are you doing?” She grabbed my shoulders and tried to shove me back down the stairs. I threw my arms around his neck. “You are not permitted to be up here. Get down or you will join the Worst.” I ignored her threats and carefully pulled the gun from Zetioa’s hand. “We can change this.” I whispered. “Let me help you.” “no. No they’ll kill you.” He tried to snag the gun back but let go when my grip wouldnt budge. “then let them.” At those words he leaned in, his sweet and earthy scent enveloping my sneses. Our lips brushed and for a moment cheers erupted in the crowd. Another bang erupted, and my chest burst into waves of shuddering pain. I grit my teeth and pulled the trigger aiming at the General. One shot through her eye and she fell to ground. Zeitoa’s arms tightened as we slid against the railing and onto the ground. “Rayla!” Herrons voice broke through the crowd. His steps thundered toward me. “Let me through! She-“ he was drowned out by the chaos of others screaming. Zeitoa pulled me again closer to him and nestled into his waning warmth. “I’m sorry.” He breathed.
(Based off of my current WIP VALENCE.”
She sat in a creaking wooden chair. Her legs tied with its splintering wood and her arms cuffed behind her back. Nothing but the sound of her raspy breaths and the chairs protests could be heard through the warehouse. It was abandoned years ago, the people experimenting here found out and shut down. A few people, shadowy figures surrounding her, moved through darkness. She shifted her weight, wincing as her leg rubbed against the harsh breaking wood that was scuffed and splintered from many other people struggling to get out of this same spot. Her voice attempted to make a word, only to be choked by the gag stifling her noises. A light flashed on and those who moved around her hurried to there places. The start of a flawless plan being executed, as it been so many times before. Her attention snapped off the ground, her eyes scanning the faces surrounding her. Some of them were mishsapen either beaten into a new position or burned by the tests of our project. she inched her weight to the side of the chair trying to crane her neck around to see who was behind her. Unlike the others who kept their gazes fixed ahead, I stared through her squinted eyes. Her brows furrowed as she examined the dark silhouette of my form. We stayed staring each other down for a long moment before her eyes wandered around the space. Her eyes darted to silver platters lined against one wall, surgery tables cleaned with precision and shining like new. A smile crept across my face. She looked back at me her eyes narrowed into blazing slits. Noise came from her throat, incoherent words mumbled together as the gag blocked her mouth. I got up from my seat and stretched cracking bones. With a sigh I strode past those surrounding her. Nodding to one I gave a command “let her speak.” He dipped his head and obeyed. “What’s your plan this time?” She blurted. I frowned, usually there was only the ones who’d stay silent or those who gave choice words. “You’ll know soon enough.” she opened and closed her mouth a few times, stretching the sore skin of her lips. “Was gag necessary?” Another question. I raised a brow, my frown deepening as she continued to change the normal. Twenty-three came before her, and not one acted like this. “we’re in the middle of nowhere, who’s gonna hear anything?” Was this some kind of distraction? She stared expectantly, she irked me. “twenty-three of your comrades have gone missing.” I reminded her, maybe she wasn’t processing her situation “that has no relevance to my question.” Giving up on her i waved an arm. They jumped forward and unbound her legs and wrists. She wasnt free though as they held her tightly in place. “wow, whatever he did to you guys made you strong.” She chuffed and looked them each in turn. Her arm jerked back slamming into the gut of one of one. It lurched away, it’s body twitching as it grasped ats stomach. “Not strong enouph though.” With that she slammed her foot against the splintered chair leg, her skin sheilded by the hands of another. It jumped back and she lunged for the last one holding her arm. the other two jumped at her only to be kicked to the ground. Thats why she didnt act like the others, she too had enhancments. “thats enouph.” I stated. She froze, arm midair ready to punch the one still holding her. “I’ve seen enouph.” the stepped back into line and she brushed off her clothes. I cringed and snatched her arm. “don’t.” “i’m not filthy.” She snapped it back. Her brows knitted togther. “So what’s your plan?” Catch, contain, and observe. It was the same every time. “You don’t have one now do you.” She crossed her arms and smiled. “Well then, im gonna go, I’ll see you in a few days Dr. Frankenstein.” she shoved past the guards who at first jumped forward to block her, but she held up a fist. They backed away as she strode towards the stairs. “Your not going anywhere.” I promised as she froze. Screeching and barking erupted when she took a step down. She jumped back her eyes wide and her breaths sharp. “what in the world? You enhanced animals? Are you mad?” I smiled, there it was. Not the same, but close enough. she rolled her eyes, with that gesture i was left quessing again. My hands clenched into fists at my side. Did she not understand? “Saftey precautions.” I stated and sucked in a breath. My body relaxed enouph that i could follow her. Walking to the edge of the stairs and admiring the beasts below us. “and your death sentence.” A sharp pain seared through my back. Every step i slammed against shot fire through me. Once the tumbling stopped i drug myself to my feet. Every muscle burned. The hand rail lining the steps was slick when i grabbed it. Blood. My heart jumped. Blood. My eyes shot up, she stood arms crossed and smile across her face. Somthing clicked behind behind me. A growl. Three of them stared with hungry eyes. Teeth bared and spines out straight.
CW: explicit language / violence
The noise enveloping my senses in thunder screamed it’s agony as I downed another shot. Someone once said I was life of these parties, the blood that kept them flowing. Now as people cheer and I sit in my drowning I wonder if they to lied. But then again it was my fault, I invited Mariner down here just to keep them at bay. To distract any who stumbled down here in the dim flashing lights.
I swirled another shot, carefully mixing in the glitter. If anything was gonna help it was gonna be the same I shit I lived for. My jawclenched as someone slammed themselves into the seat next to me. Ringing erupted through my head. Damnit
“Commander Elzie!” he shouted with slurred words and slinging arm around my shoulder. I shoved him off and rubbed my already throbbing head. “You look like shit.” he laughed, his obnoxious sounds burned my ears.
Only turning my head enouph to side eye him, I looked the guard up and down. He was drunk, probably high and staring at me like a hungry dog. His bright red face and bloodshot eyes burned into my brain and something clicked. Carridian. Fuck. “What the hell do you want?” I let the burning alchohal rasp my voice. It rumbled in a low tone that I hope told him I wasn't in the fucking mood.
He cleared his throat and leaned over the bar as if to beckon for a shot. Lious glanced at him then at me, his slight smile turned to a deep frown. “I just wanted to see how you were doing.” he sputtered and snagged one of the few shot glasses I still had.
“It’s spiked.” I snapped and jerked it back.
he chuffed and shook his head. “Does it look like I care? I’m already off.”
I rolled my eyes. When Lious came back after tending to another looking miserable enough for the both of us, he crossed his arms and watched Carridian with narrowed slits. “I told you already, Im cutting you off.”
“Ah so someone hit his damn limit.” I snarked, as the next shot swirled like a pot stones in my stomach. Shaking my head, I turned my gaze to ground.
Lious shifted his attention to me. Before Carridan could object, “you hit yours as well Commander.”
I turned my eyes to him, narrowed into slits with brows knitted together. My heart cranked into knots before could even speak. “I don’t have a fucking limit.”
“yes you do. Everyone does and I've caught you already drinking enough glitter to fund this place.” he didn't move from his relaxed, leaned back cross armed stance. Only a brow lifted into his chalky brown hair.
Pushed myself up, my hand still resting oer my last two shots. “I am the one who funds this place. If you’d like that to continue I suggest you watch you’re shit fucking mouth.”
His eyes widened as his body stiffened. Carridian broke into clashing lauphter with the noise of many. I glanced back him still wishing he wouldn't have shown up. Of all people it had to be his snide ass that took a seat beside me.
My gut tangled into ball of heat and guilt. With a hard sigh I sat back down.
“I’m sorry.” Fuck, I needed more shot’s. His voice still beat in my mind, still made my eyes burn. No matter how much my stomach churned or how uncoordinating my movements became. The gurgling spurts of words killed me.
”it’s for you safety Commander. You drinking and smoking enough of that stuff to overdose a village.” he stepped closer when Caridian’s booming quieted.
“I don’t need safety.” I muttered, swirling another before chasing the tears falling. My face burned, my lung wouldn't work as his face flashed through my mind.
“I’m sorry.”
Another and I slammed it down in demanding for more. Lious stared for a moment before sighing and filling another round of shots. Before he turned back around to hand them to me he snagged something from under the desk and poured a dark liquid in. I watched as he set them carefully in front of me.
His attention found my eyes and he shook his head. “It’s a little stronger.” his breath puffed in small almost inaudible words.
“Fffuuck yeah!” Caridian tried to snag one of the glasses but Lious grabbed his arm and in movement I was to drunk to catch, ended with a dagger to Caridian’s throat.
“Not for you.” his voice rattled.
The scene made me smile, finally the smug bastard was being told off. And threatened, a bonus. I took a shot poured another cloud into its liquid before swallowing the mix in swift gulp. Tangy sting instantly had my eyes blurring in a silent dance of swirls and darkness. my throat tightened and my chest erupted into flames. “W-what the hell di-” I couldn't even cough the words as I jumped up from my seat.
Our eyes looked and Lious’s gaze softened, “it’ll help, just get some rest.” he grabbed my wrists and pulled me back onto my stool. I tried to pull away but my limbs were too weak to even move. I was sling over the bar as my vision faded into a blur of darkness.
This scene is based from a character in my Wattpad series, VALENCE. If you would like to check it out here’s the link to my profile.
https://www.wattpad.com/user/Freefly-Novels
You'd like to see more scene’s like this follow my Morning Warm Ups, and Storm on the Horizon, on Wattpad! Hope to see you there :)
Sharp, and loud, the broomstick hits the concrete before Ellise reels it back into the air. He’d studied the warrior's battle practices for ages and now seemed to be the perfect time to perfect them. Actual, of age, trainees practiced on the other side of the plaza, where being taught and corrected on the other side of the plaza. A smile crossed his face as one them was scolded for sloppy footing, his was perfect.
“Ellise.” a sharp voice snapped his attention back down, off the step and onto his friend who now stood rigid beside him. “We have work to be done.” Malic, his only friend, glared with narrowed eyes before swiping his broom across the stone.
“As always.” a small pin tugged his spirits down but as the trainees tried another stance he readied his balance and fixed his attention on the sensei. “Just watch Malic, I'm gonna be ready and be the best warrior.” h boasted with a proud smile.
Malic rolled his eyes and kept sweeping, glancing up only to smile at his sister in the window. Ellise dove to one knee and flipped his broomstick katana across the step, a move to throw an enemy off balance, before he settled the wood on his shoulders. “See?” he too glanced up at Rana, who shook her head with a smile.
“By the time you too get down sweeping the plaza the war will be over.” she chuffed and turned to grab something from inside.
“And if you want to fight in it Ellise you’d better focus on sweeping.” Malic chuckled and ignored the man slowly approaching them.
Ellise glanced up, a warrior, he had real katanas, real armor. A large smile crossed the boys face as his heart thumped rapidly against his chest. “Hello.” he dipped his head though his eyes never left his new idol.
The warrior dipped his head in return.
They're glares settled like weights on me. This was my own doing and by God they were gonna make me pay for what i’ve done. Sorry wasn't enough, not for these people, not for these creatures. I held my tongue and inched further back towards the wall. “Do you have nothing to say, author?” his voice was hard until the last word, he was mocking me a long smile stretching from ear to ear. He chuffed when I refused to answer. “Well, I think we all can say. I've fricken had enough.” I shuddered at the low rumble of his voice, Aran was kind enough to spare me once, but after his second arc, I still didn't fix his ending. Not like he wanted. He flicked fire into his palms, his eyes egniting with red light and his dark wings flared at his sides. “Aran,” I forced a smile and raised my hands in surrender. “I do- “leave her alone.” I almost melted as his voice broke the tension. Reysio stepped out from the crowd, Kieran, Teniase, a few others followed him to stand in front me. “She took everything from me! Hell, she probably did you too.” he laughed, he’d gone mad being trapped in that prison for so long and now that he’d been freed he sure wasn't gonna be swayed easy. “Look at you, covered in scars and wounds, your broken Reysio, I'm broken, we are all broken because of her.” I winced at his words, he wasn't wrong. I had single handedly wrote them into existence and single handedly destroyed their lives, they're families, their worlds. “I-” whatever I was trying to say left as soon as the sound fell from my mouth. “Personally I think we outta leave her be. Let her wallow in the quilt of what she's done.” my heart stopped. Not her, of all them, she would be the problem. “Strike.” I whispered her name as she pushed Aran aside and towered over Reysio. He stayed silent for awhile, his tail flicking in a gentle sway beside him. “then why are you here?” he asked plainly, pinning his ears. The gas mask covering her scarred face reflected Reysio’s cold blue eyes, he was starting at me through that reflection. “I’m sorry.” I finally whispered to him. He knew I cared about every single one of them, whether they wished me dead or not. He nodded and stepped into the crowd. “You all are forgetting who created you, who gave you those horrible scars and painful memories.” My mouth dropped open. I thought he was on my side. “What?” Aran chuffed, “that's why we’re here.” Reysio stared, still his eyes remained unreadable. “Your also forgetting why she created the stories she did. She wrote our strife so we and others could appreciate our joys, our lives, and our very existence.”
HIS head tilted as he started at the strange beasts in front of him, Tenniase had only ever interacted with the Master and his servants. She was an elegant thing, slender and standing boldly in front of her comrades, blocking Master’s path.
“What do you want from us?” she shouted up at the muscular creature, an eroin, Master wasn't one to play games with.
“There is no purpose in answering your questions.” he spoke calmly but the disgruntled rumble that followed made Tenniase’s blood run cold. The feathers along his spine stood on end as he took a few steps back. Master looked with a scrunched face to one of his servants, short little creatures from another place Tenniase couldn't recall the name of. “Take that one,” he waved an arm at the girl. “To his quarters, he’ll deal with her.”
At his mention Tenniase jumped to his feet from where he crept on all fours. Master glanced and nodded at him ushering him away as a servant drug the screaming girl out of her cage. “Let me go!” she screeched.
Tenniase shook his head, that girl would need to learn some manners if she was to keep her life. He slowly rounded the corner and opened the first door to his chambers. Ropes and rings of metal hung from his ceiling, he may not have wings but nothing would keep Tenniase from flying. He snatched a roped and pulled it enough that a sack fell from the other end and hoisted him up.
“Let me go.” her voice was more rumbly this time as she was thrown through his open door which was shut immediately as she hit the floor. “Hey you bastard get back here!” after a second of no response and punching the door she kicked it and scanned the large room.
Her eyes found Tenniase’s and he started blankly back at her, he dropped to his hands and crept along the wide metal bar. His steps landing carefully along it's edge till he found another rope to slide down.
“Who are you,” she tilted her head, her long wings flashing out at her sides. Tenniase already knew this trick, it didn't scare him she was still the same size. “W-what are you?” he blinked and landed gracefully on his toes.
She took a step to the door behind her, a futile thing as it was locked. “Do you understand me?”
he didn't bother to speak, he simply nodded and took a few steps toward her, his heart racing. Her question echoed in his mind, what are you?
“are you a relife?” her voice shook now as he steadily stepped closer.
a relife, that's what Master said he was when he first opened his eyes ten years ago. He nodded again and swept his foot over a rope, it lifted him back to the ceiling, she was too close to the door. He crept along the bar after catching it's rim. Her eyes stayed locked on him.
“Are you a- wait a minute, are you a Haries?” her shoulders relaxed and her wings slightly folded back to her spine.
He dropped to the ground, landing on all fours but pulling his body back on to his feet. “A Haries?” he finally spoke, mimicking her words as they intrigued him.
She flinched and eyed the door. “Y-yeah, they're wingless Anaries.” though she backed away from him, her eyes still stayed on the door. “I-im an Anarie, you look like a Harie.”
He glanced at his arms and body, feathers lined the back of his legs and arms and coated his spine, a few feathers splayed across his chest while hers seemed to be isolated to her wings and arms, though her shirt made it hard to see any back feathers, his sharp blue eyes snapped back to another rope. It was too fun to just stay on the ground with her, the long bars lining the ceiling gave him the high ground.
“H-how do you get out of this room?” she blurted taking another step back.
He tilted his head and furrowed his brows. does she not remember how she got in? he chuffed at the thought and charged to the the rope, clambering up it and onto a bar. He settled himself to sit comfortably, starting down at her. “What does Master want with you?” he wasn't asking her, Master already denied her that answer. But maybe something in his mind would stir so he’d have an idea.
“Thats what i’d like to know.” she crossed her arms and started back expectantly, “wait, master?” her eyes widened. “Your a darksider, I thought relifes couldn't be.”
His heart wrenched toward her, though he shuddered at the idea of being anything different. “I am me.” he said simply, no sides necessary, they were here now, not in a war between the sides.
“I don't even know who you are.” she grossly pointed out, unfolding her wings and lifting from the ground. They were eye level and Tenniase took a few steps along the bar to get closer to her.
“I am Tenniase, And you are?”
she drifted back in graceful move. “Cresilise.”
they stared at each other for a long moment, as if willing the other to move first. Tenniase took the challenge and lept to a higher bar. He wouldn't let her win this and soon the ceiling would block her wings from reaching him.
“Why did that,” she paused. “Thing…bring me here?”
he pulled himself up another bar before settling in a position he could readily jump up from. He shrugged.
Her silver feathers glimmered in the dim light whereas his, a dark grey and blue tinted, blended in with his surroundings, though his sharp gold eyes flicked like fire in the night. Hers where a deep green, and locked on him.
“I don’t know, I've never met anyone like you. A strange creature.”
KILLED. They want those people killed. And for what, a queen who’s never seemed to care anyways? * I sighed and shifted my gaze to water below. * but then again, those people take up resources, food, water, guards. Maybe Icarian is right… * My body felt gutted, ready to break under the suns light. * And then what? Cyrana tries to get herself killed, just to save them? *
“Rekyan?” her voice snapped me out of my thoughts. “Thought I’d find you out here.”
I forced a small smile and shifted my gaze back to the rippling water below.
“What’s going on?” I winced at her question, it rang my guts to think she didn't know the answer.
I sucked in a breath, “Just trying to think.” my voice stayed as hushed as the wind.
“Your still worried about what happened last night?” she settled onto the ledge beside me.
“Why don’t you help me? We can leave-”
“Leave were? Outside the walls where we’ll be killed as soon we go?” She clamped her mouth shut when I interrupted her.
Silence answered me as she averted her gaze. “My sisters are in danger, they’ll be killed.”
“Dont you feel anything about the situation? What about your brother? He’s gonna be killed too and you haven't spoke a single word about it.” she shifted her weight but held her narrowed eyes on mine.
“He killed my mom, you saw what happened. I don't care what happens to the dregs. They're criminals, no matter how they're related to us.” my harsh voice rumbled through the stone we sat on as I leaned toward her. “I will not watch you suffer the same fate she did.”
she stared, her eyes wide, her mouth hung open. She shook her head and gazed in silence at the the calm waters. “Theyre my sisters rekyan.”
“so what? You're just gonna leave me here?”
“I don't want to, but their my sisters I can't just abandon them.” she whispered twisting my already burning heart.
I chuffed trying to mask the agony clawing at my gut. “Blood’s thicker than water Cyrana. They betrayed you, just as Mirron betrayed me.” my brothers name felt rank on my tongue. “I wouldn't abandon you, and I won't abandon Adious either. We’re team all of us.”
she pushed herself to her feet and wiped a tear off her face. I winced knowing that I’d hurt her but hurting her was better than her trying to break them out again. “Yeah, I know.” she muttered before walking back towards the cabin.
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This is the opening of chapter 2 of my current WIP, THE BEST IS YET TO COME
Cyrana, the Character Rekyan (MC) is talking to, attempted to break her sisters out of the dungeons as an order has been declared that the dregs (prisoners) will be killed with the coming of the queen.
Rekyan was raised by Cyrana after his mother was tortured to death when she attempted to free her son and Rekyan's brother.
“I didn't mean it to happen like this…” her words lingered on the wind, a gentle whisper that pulled me in.
Against the twisting of my heart I took a step back, “is that a lie?” my voice took its own hold, forcing the words in hard plain tone. “How am I supposed to believe you?” it cracked with those words. My face burned tears from my eyes.
”I thought you trusted me.” she drug her eyes to fall on mine. I froze under her teary gaze but my blood boiled. Those eyes I had fallen so hard for, they did this, she did this.
I took a step toward her my brows furrowed and my heart racing. “After this stunt… Hell. No.”
“i thought they were going to help!” she lunged at me, I shoved her away.
”don't you dare touch me.” I growled through teeth, balling my fist against her idiocy.
She turned towards her crimes, four of them, bloodied and dead. Shot with her own bullets. I cringed and averted my eyes holding back the streaming tears. “I thought I could help, I thought they would help.”
”you're an absolute fool to believe that.” my gut wrenched with the effort it took to walk away. Get to the door, get to the door repeated as she called for me. Screamed, cried willing me to turn around.
“Aridane please! I'm sorry.”
wiped my face and grabbed the handle jerking it open with such force it rattled and slammed when I shut it.