Prologue
They brought a little boy into Algita. He was sobbing, tears streaking down his milky chocolate skin. His marks were dark enough, and as the tears streamed along his face, the marks they touched glowed an iridescent blue. Atrians rushed to him, touching him, looking for wounds. One of the women had the same shade of skin, and her name was Atari. She was the Algitan mother. She took him into her arms, and he wailed still, crying out, "Mommy!" Atari shushed him, her scarred hand brushed away the fuzzy strands of his brown hair from his face. He looked to her with soaked eyes, more tears swimming in the murky brown. Jesypur stood watching them, and after the child calmed his cries, he stepped out of the boat with crusty layers beneath the water's surface.
"Danae!" I moved hurriedly at the sound of my name, stopping at Atari's side. She handed me the child, and I began to ease his panic with soft humming of a lullaby. I would break my hums to whisper he was okay, bouncing him on my hip. When his eyes fluttered with sleepiness, I kissed the top of his forehead. Others watched as he laid his head on my shoulder. Atari smiled. A small smile broke across my face as I still bounced him delicately. Everyone smiled peacefully, his tears stopping completely as the last one dripped onto my shoulder. He rose a balled fist to his face, wiping without moving his head. I rubbed his back lightly, like my mother had done for me.
"Why would someone send the child alone?" Atari turned onto Jesypur. His face was blank, emotionless. Scars stretched along the plains of his face, as if an animal caught him and pulled him along by his face. His lips vibrated with movement when he spoke, but they move up and down much. "A war is brewing between humans and Atrians, and the mother could come along," I let Atari take the child, beginning the bounce herself as if he wasn't moved. My eyebrows were pulled together, my lips thinned to a line.
"Do they need assistance?" I asked, unable to hide the desperation in my voice, straining to sound as if I hoped he would say the opposite of what I wanted. Atari knew me too well. "You would go back and risk your life?" Atari questioned, trying to control her volume. I looked straight into her eyes, and truly grinned. "The Atrians are in danger, or the humans are in danger. But either way, it's us or them. I will return to Algita, but I will bring the others back." I turned to Jesypur, who looked back blankly. Atari rolled her eyes, brushing the wind-blown hair from her eyes. She'd grown serious as soon as I had turned.
"Return with only the peace-wanters. None of the bloodthirsty," Atari ordered. I nodded, glancing back at her before staring back at Jesypur. I raised an eyebrow, and gestured to the runned down boat. He waved his arm with welcome, speaking to me in gestures. All aboard, he said. The grin reached my ears, and I hastily climbed into it. He took his time to swing his legs inside and push off the bank.
"Let's go back to the humanly-populated," I said jokingly. He couldn't hide the tweak of a smile. It was unusual, but I closed my eyes and pretended it was a normal thing Jesypur did, smiling pitifully. I heaved my lungs open, opening my eyes after exhaling. I looked over the side, brushing my fingers along the surface, breaking the mirror into ripples. I dipped my arm in to my elbow. My marks glowed, the blue swimming up to my shoulder, where my marks stopped.
I'm coming home to you, I yelled in my head, like they would hear me from inside the sector. Maybe they could.
A/N: I hope this rewrite will be better than the original. By the way, I will be deleting the other one, so follow, favorite, and review this one! I promise to the best this time, so there won't be any othe rewrites, ha ha. I love you guys, and thanks for reading my writing. It means a lot.
Chapter One will be in soon, pinky promise!
-A.R.T