12-28-2017, 09:36 AM
Valeriya ate the little morsels of food greedily. They were slimey on her fingers but the oil wiped off easily enough on her clothing. Once she was satisfied, she learned that Regus had left them alone to seek something outside. Val glanced longingly at the door, not so much in yearning for her departed beloved, but to venture outside herself to see what he saw.
Illarion was not blind to the target of her attention. He slipped in beside her, murmuring "he told us to stay here,"
and Val frowned in response.
"Since when do you listen to what he says?"
She asked. He looked wounded, but rather than retaliate, he held up bandaged hand. Oh no, Val thought, "what happened?"
"I do not lose a sister, but I gain a brother."
was his cryptic response. Val's frown did not lessen. Whatever passed between them, she didn't care. So long as he did not interfere with her connection with her beloved.
She picked herself up, hands grappling at skirts that weren't there, only for her to huff and stalk to the door.
"He warned us to stay here," she heard voices call behind her. But she didn't care. Just go outside. Just to the open space where she saw the sky. "I won't go far."
she responded. "Illarion, come with me,"
she beckoned.
She opened the slab as she witnessed Regus do at sunrise. When fresh air smacked her face, she drew a deep, desperate breath and stepped outside.
The air was sharp, the sky was bright blue. The color of her dreams washed over her. She lifted her face and turned in a circle, arms lifting toward the sky like she could snatch it for herself.
Illarion gasped beside her. The hood of his cloak fell back to his shoulders. The whiteness of his face was drenched in sunlight. His eyes were slits in the painful brightness, but where he put a hand to shield his eyes, Valeriya would not even blink even if she went blind.
She began to realize others congregated around the twins. One by one, other voices gasped. She heard questions bounce back and forth.
"It's called sky,"
she told them. The wonders of the Above would never end, she thought, and her heart begged her to discover more.
Her green eyes fell from the sky and the path before her called. She did not even try to stop herself from taking it.
Several minutes later, the Khylsty undertook an Exodus they did not intend to start. Val led those curious and brave enough to follow along the black path. Some remained behind, but four or five of them ventured on. Herself at the helm, Illarion a step behind, and three others followed. She was the only one dressed in the attire of the Above. The others pulled their robes close and their hoods low to their eyes. She did not have a knife with her this time, not having planned to leave the shelter at all. However, Illarion was armed beneath his robe, as were the others likely to be. Any beast they encountered would not stop them. As for other people of the Above, a sly smile awaited to greet any of them.
Illarion was not blind to the target of her attention. He slipped in beside her, murmuring "he told us to stay here,"
and Val frowned in response.
"Since when do you listen to what he says?"
She asked. He looked wounded, but rather than retaliate, he held up bandaged hand. Oh no, Val thought, "what happened?"
"I do not lose a sister, but I gain a brother."
was his cryptic response. Val's frown did not lessen. Whatever passed between them, she didn't care. So long as he did not interfere with her connection with her beloved.
She picked herself up, hands grappling at skirts that weren't there, only for her to huff and stalk to the door.
"He warned us to stay here," she heard voices call behind her. But she didn't care. Just go outside. Just to the open space where she saw the sky. "I won't go far."
she responded. "Illarion, come with me,"
she beckoned.
She opened the slab as she witnessed Regus do at sunrise. When fresh air smacked her face, she drew a deep, desperate breath and stepped outside.
The air was sharp, the sky was bright blue. The color of her dreams washed over her. She lifted her face and turned in a circle, arms lifting toward the sky like she could snatch it for herself.
Illarion gasped beside her. The hood of his cloak fell back to his shoulders. The whiteness of his face was drenched in sunlight. His eyes were slits in the painful brightness, but where he put a hand to shield his eyes, Valeriya would not even blink even if she went blind.
She began to realize others congregated around the twins. One by one, other voices gasped. She heard questions bounce back and forth.
"It's called sky,"
she told them. The wonders of the Above would never end, she thought, and her heart begged her to discover more.
Her green eyes fell from the sky and the path before her called. She did not even try to stop herself from taking it.
Several minutes later, the Khylsty undertook an Exodus they did not intend to start. Val led those curious and brave enough to follow along the black path. Some remained behind, but four or five of them ventured on. Herself at the helm, Illarion a step behind, and three others followed. She was the only one dressed in the attire of the Above. The others pulled their robes close and their hoods low to their eyes. She did not have a knife with her this time, not having planned to leave the shelter at all. However, Illarion was armed beneath his robe, as were the others likely to be. Any beast they encountered would not stop them. As for other people of the Above, a sly smile awaited to greet any of them.
The Eye of the Khylsty