A/N: My first-ever Lorien Legacies fic. Number One, on the day of their departure. Enjoy!
In That Moment
At first, she doesn't know what is going on. Five year old Laurel clutches her Cêpan's rough hand tightly as she's herded hastily onto the ship. There are others there, too. She recognizes a boy who lives nearby, and waves shyly. She doesn't remember his name, but he's a few years younger than her—three, maybe? His Cêpan whisks him away before they can talk.
Distantly, she hears more explosions, more screams. Bright flashes and the constant, devouring fire ignite the sky, turning it a blotchy mix of red and purple and orange. Laurel knows that her parents and grandparents are fighting. Bad people had come, and the Garde were protecting the small planet.
"How long are we going to be here?" she whispers. Someone tall tells her that she'll be staying underground until the Mogadorians are defeated. She's confused. Her grandmother had mentioned that name before. Are they the bad people? Why do they want to attack Lorien?
No one answers her questions, and eventually she just stays quiet, tracing patterns on the shiny floor with her fingers. Everyone else, she notices, is quiet, too. Especially the Cêpan—they are completely still, except for the occasional anxious glance. They tense each time a new explosion sounds from above.
Suddenly, a man rushes in and starts speaking to one of the Cêpan in a hushed, hurried voice. The Cêpan nods and the other man rushes out. The children line up; she's first.
The man returns with one of the elders. He's older than most, with smiley crinkles around his eyes, like her grandfather. The elder is not smiling now, though. His mouth is set in a sad sort of grimace, and his dark eyes look dull, defeated. The elder explains something to the Cêpan, and then turns to the line of confused-looking children.
He starts chanting, bright lights and spirals forming and swirling around them. The elder walks towards Laurel and places his hand on her forehead. He says some more words, and then her ankle starts to feel hot. He moves to the next child—a three year old boy—and she looks down. There's a mark right above her foot, like the pretty spirals she saw just a moment ago. She cocks her head, confused, and stares at it.
The elder shuffles back to face the line. He completes the chant, gazes at them for a long second, and says, "You are the legacy of Lorien. Be safe, and fight bravely." He can't seem to finish, though: the words come out haltingly, like there is something blocking his throat. He turns and departs.
As soon as the elder is gone, the floor starts to rumble. Laurel clutches her Cêpan's leg and squeezes her eyes shut. A loud voice comes from the speakers, and suddenly she feels heavier than a rock, being squished down to the ground. The weight is replaced quickly by a strange floating feeling. She's flying, she realizes. Why? Weren't they supposed to stay underground?
Laurel rushes to the small, circular window, ignoring her Cêpan's admonitions, and looks down at the ground. They're at a very high altitude now, but she can still see Lorien. The battle continues down on the ground. Orange and black consumes the lush green and blue planet she loves. Her Cêpan pulls her away as a lump forms in her throat and her eyes begin to sting.
In that moment, she doesn't know that she'll never return to her beloved Lorien.
In that moment, she doesn't know that she'll be dead in five short years.
In that moment, she doesn't know that she is Number One.
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