A woman with long blonde hair and bright green eyes stood by a window her eyes narrowed at an undecided point in the distance. She gently touched the bracelet around her left wrist and sighed. "Tasuki." Her other hand gently twisted the silver nightgown she wore.
"Did you say something?" The women spun on her toes at the deep voice and a smile spread out on her face. A man wearing a suit stood there, his auburn hair sleeked back with gel but was still curling slightly at the tips on his neck. His brown eyes were soft but had a hard edge speaking of his darker past.
"Melron!" The women practically flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck burying her face in his neck.
"What's wrong?" Melron looked down at the women as he hugged her closer. He kissed the top of her head. "Alera?" He whispered.
"I'm worried." She whispered. "It's getting more and more dangerous out there. Erela just lost both her sisters last week and her daughter. I'm scared."
"I'm not going to let anyone hurt our girls." Melron whispered hugging her tighter. "Not as long as I live."
Alera smiled weakly and leaned up kissing him on the lips. "Just don't go and die on me." She pulled away and walked towards the door. "Shall we go to bed now?"
Melron chuckled and loosened his tie. "Alright." The two walked into their bedroom and found a young three year old girl with short blonde hair. The girl lay curled up at the end of the bed. "Sity." Melron chuckled. He walked over and picked her up rocking her in his arms.
"Daddy." She yawned opening her eyes up a crack revealing green grey eyes.
"Hey sweetheart." Melron kissed her on the top of her head.
"Chastity what are you doing up at this hour?" Alera walked over and brushed the girl's hair out of her face. "You should be in bed now."
"I'm scared." Chastity whispered. "Mimi told me her mommy was dead." Tears started forming in her eyes. "I'm scared."
"It's okay." Melron kissed her head again. "Your daddy won't let anything happen to you."
Chastity smiled and wrapped her little arms around his neck. "I love you daddy!"
Alera chuckled and sat down on her bed. "Daddy why don't we let her snuggle up with us tonight."
"Do you want to snuggle up with us?" Melton chuckled.
"Ye-!" Chastity was interrupted by a siren going off.
"Daddy?" Chastity whispered.
Alera ran to the window. In the distance was a large mass of men. The color drained from Alera's face. "No!"
"Alera?" Melton tensed.
"Get the girls NOW!" Alera rushed into the closet and quickly changed into some jeans and a dark cotton shirt. She tied her hair back and rushed back out into her bedroom. She pulled out a bag from under her bed and turned around to find Melton, still holding Chastity, with six other young girls behind him.
The first one was six with long blonde hair and bright red eyes. She held a baby with light auburn hair. The second one was five with short silver hair and one streak of red falling into her face. Her blue eyes matched the girl next to her. The third girl was five as well with short red hair and a silver streak falling in her face. The fourth girl and the fifth girl looked exactly alike with auburn hair stopping at their necks and brown eyes. The twins were two and looked like they were about to fall asleep. The older set of twins each held a hand with the younger set.
"Alera." Melron watched as Alera touched the bracelet on her wrist. "Let's all go together."
"I can't." Tears were in the corner of her eyes. "I have a responsibility to my people."
"Alera." Melron frowned for a moment but sighed. "I understand." He set Chastity down.
"I'm staying with you."
"You can't!" Alera frowned. "Someone has to watch the girls."
"He will." Melton walked up and whispered into her ear. "Three of them are his."
"Melron." Alera whimpered.
"I won't leave you behind." He pulled her in closer. "I won't leave you behind ever."
Alera looked him in the eyes and nodded slowly. "I understand." Alera walked over to her oldest and crouched down. "Kimberly..." Alera removed the bracelet from her wrist and slipped it onto the six year old's wrist.
"Mommy?"
"I need you to look after your sisters for me." Alera slid the bag onto Kimberly's back. "Keep track of this for me. I'll take it back from you after I meet up with you."
"Mommy?" The silver haired one clung onto Alera. "Mommy?"
"It's going to be alright." Alera kissed her daughter's forehead. "Listen to me, all of you." She looked at all the children, oldest to youngest. "Kimberly, Ryuu, Rekka, Isa, Essi, Chastity, Alyssa... you need to stick together and take care of one another. Promise me?"
Kimberly, Ryuu and Rekka nodded. Chastity and Alyssa just looked at her, Alyssa sucking her thumb. Alera stood up and pulled out a new bracelet from her pocket, she slipped it onto her wrist and then clicked three buttons on her bracelet. A bright light shone in the air in front of the kids. "Go through and don't let go." Alera picked up Alyssa and placed her in Ryuu's arms, the silver haired five year old. Alera forced each of the children to hold hands. "Don't let go." Alera stood up and stepped back and watched as Kimberly led the rest of the girls into the shining light. Once the last one, Ryuu, walked through the shining light it closed behind them.
"They'll be fine." Melron kissed Alera. "They are your daughters."
Alera tried to smile but couldn't. "Let's get to the temple."
Melron nodded and gently squeezed Alera's hand before allowing her to drag him out of the house. The city around them was grand, or at least had been five minutes ago. Now the city was full of holes and smoke. All of the buildings were made of granite and stood tall and strong, even after the attack. The streets were just as good, and now bad, as the buildings. And they were full of women and men hurrying about in chaos. Some pairs of women and men had young girls following after them.
Alera stopped and froze. She could see a large crowd of men coming forward carrying strange weapons with them. "Alera!" Melron's voice dragged her back into reality. "Come on!"
"Right." Alera gasped her voice hoarse from her worry. This time Alera was the one leading the way as she pulled Melron after her. She zig zagged through the street avoiding the holes in the ground and the flaming arrows and steel balls that flew through the city.
Alera stumbled as an arrow zipped by scratching her leg. She crashed into the side of a building and slid behind the building. "ALERA!"
"I'm alright." Alera placed a hand over the wound. "It's just a small scratch, I'll be fine."
Melron gently touched her leg. "I'll get you out of here. You don't need to be here!"
"You know I do." Alera frowned and ripped a piece of her shirt and tied it around the scratch. "Come on." Alera stood up slowly and froze as she noticed a woman with short purple hair hiding behind a nearby building. Her golden eyes met with Alera's green. "Christel?"
The purple haired woman locked eyes and tensed up. "You should get out of here Alera. Take your mate and those little girls of yours." She smirked. "You'll be safer then."
"We CAN'T!" Alera glared. "We can't abandon our people!"
"Our people are dead!" Christel smirked and held up her wrist, a bracelet just like Alera's. "You should go now before you regret it." Christel jumped up and started running away from the battle.
"Alera…" Melron whispered.
"I won't leave my people." Alera took a deep breath and then started running. Melron keep pace with her and as they ran they came across many bodies of women and men scattered along the way.
"They've passed by already." Melron warned.
"They're heading towards the temple!" Alera sped up. Melron managed to keep pace with her easily, but out of the corner of her eye she could tell he had a dark expression on his face. It was the worried expression she recognized. They arrived at a large open area in front of a large building. The building once had been beautiful and glorious, now it was broken and damaged. To top it off there were bodies of different women lying dead on the ground in front of the building.
Alera tensed as she recognized some of the women. Alera hurried into the building. Right as she entered she stopped. Lying in a pool of blood was a woman with long red hair. Her eyes were closed and she was coated in blood. "Tetarin!" Alera dropped down to her knees and tears flowed down her face. "NO!"
"Alera…." Melron whispered he wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry."
"She's my sister…. They killed her! They killed my sister!" Alera buried her face in Melron's chest. "She's gone."
"I'm sorry." Melron whispered.
"The others!" Alera pulled away and stood up. "I'm going to go save them!" Alera ran over to a wall. She placed her hand on the wall and took a deep breath before tensing and releasing her powers for a brief moment creating an opening in the wall. "Come on." Melron nodded and the two walked into the secret passageway.
It was just tall enough that Melron didn't hit his head but his hair lightly brushed the roof. The wall closed behind them throwing them into a dull lighting that came from small lanterns hanging on the sides of the walls. Alera's arms brushed against the lanterns lightly as she hurried down the path, Melron right on her heels. It felt like hours before Alera came up to the end wall. Alera placed her hand on the wall and sparked her powers again opening the wall. The room it led to was large and open. A single door sat on one end of the room and a large pedestal sat in the middle of the room.
Alera felt drawn towards the pedestal, or more specifically the small fist sized stone that sat there. It was a silver grey stone with gold flecks. It was the source of the war as well as the origins of all Eriki power.
Alera stepped out of the passageway and it closed behind Melron as he slipped out. "Alera?" Two women stood by the pedestal; one had long red hair tied back in a braid. The second had short blonde hair with blue streaks. The red head had spoken. "Melron, what are you two doing here?"
Alera rushed forward and threw her arms around the blonde haired one. "Tetarin is dead!" Both women answered with silence. "The Orini have come. They are in the temple, they have killed many."
"No." The red haired one covered her mouth. "Why?"
"Essisa." The blonde frowned. "We must be strong."
"Kimber..." Essisa turned silent and looked at her feet.
"What about Chimela?" Kimber asked Alera.
"I didn't see her; hopefully she got out with her family."
"What about your girls? Did you see mine?!" Essisa asked quickly.
"I sent my girls to Tasuki; I didn't see yours, or yours Kimber." Alera whispered.
"We can only hope they got out safety." Kimber closed her eyes. "We must protect the stone.
"Go." Melron stepped out of the shadows. "Alera and I will take the stone and hide it in another world. You go find your family."
"Melron." Alera whispered. "Escape now to live another day." Melron smiled. "We will see you again."
"Thank you." Kimber smiled and rested a hand on her younger sister's shoulder. "Be careful Alera."
Alera nodded and walked over to the pedestal as her sisters ran towards the door. She gently picked up the stone and looked at Melron. He nodded. Alera turned but froze as the door blasted open, throwing Kimber and Essisa down. A large group of men stormed in and before either woman could move a man shot them.
"NO!" Alera cried out, dropping the stone. Melron caught her arm before Alera could run to her sisters. Alera watched in frozen horror as Melron let her go and pulled out a set of knives rushing towards the invaders. It all happened in an instant as an arrow slid into Melron's side, but he kept moving taking more and more men down as blood gushed from his side.
It only took minutes but it felt like seconds as Alera watched an arrow bury itself into Melron's back and he stumbled back. A scream tore through Alera's throat.
She dropped to the ground, avoiding an arrow and snatched up the stone. She turned and ran towards the secret passage. It should be unlocked now! That desperate though flashed through Alera's brain. She knew that if she opened a portal they would just follow her through and steal the stone. If they couldn't see what buttons she pushed or which portal she opened she could go through and escape. Then I will go to my girls! Alera cried out as pain rocked up her leg. She looked down to see an arrow pushing through her leg as she fell forward. Her leg burned as the wound heated up.
Alera could see more men coming towards her. NO! Alera looked at the stone in her hand and then at her watch. She couldn't go through now even if she wanted to, but… Alera pressed down on her bracelet. GO! FLY! I DON'T CARE WEHRE! "NO!" Alera cried out and pressed down on one button, the go button. There was a bright light in front of her and a portal opened up. This one was different from the rest. The portal in front of her was bright like the others but the center instead of being bright as well appeared to be clear and blank. Alera gripped the stone in her hand and smiled. "I won't die in vain!" Alera threw the stone, straight into the portal to unknown origins. It closed instantly and Alera dropped her face into the ground crying.
"Where did you send it?!" Alera was forced up as a man tugged her hair. "WHERE!"
"I will never tell you." Alera smirked at him. "You'll never have it." She closed her eyes weakly waiting for her death to come to her. Goodbye girls, I'm sorry but at least you are all together. Goodbye… Darkness struck Alera.
A forest spread out around a small six year old girl with blonde hair. Her red eyes looked around her desperately. "Ryuu? Rekka? Isa? Essi? Chastity? Alyssa?" She sat there weakly and looked around. "Mommy…"
Kimberly, the young girl, cried weakly. The memories of what had happened shortly ago replayed over and over in her head. She had been clinging to her sister's hands as they had walked through the portal. Kimberly had been holding Rekka's hand. Rekka had been holding Chastity's hand. Chastity had been holding Isa's hand, which had been holding Essi's hand. Ryuu had followed up the end of the line holding Essi's hand and holding Alyssa in one arm.
They had set off down the portal and everything had seemed alright at first but then Alyssa had started crying. Ryuu had tried calming Alyssa down but the one year old had started struggling and before Kimberly knew it Alyssa had fallen from Ryuu's arms and slipped down into the portal time stream. Before Kimberly could stop her Ryuu had let go of Essi's hand and dived down after Alyssa. Kimberly had cried out after her little sisters but before she knew if Chastity had let go after crying for her mother as well. Isa had let go of Chastity's hand and reached forward towards Rekka's hand, but they missed and also dropped down clinging to each other. Kimberly watched as Rekka then let go to dive down after the other sisters.
Kimberly had been unable to do anything else as she reached the end of the portal, all alone. Kimberly sat in the middle of a forest and looked around. "Mommy…. Ryuu! Rekka! Chastity! Isa! Essi! Alyssa!"
A shadow moved in the darkness. Kimberly turned quiet and tensed. She looked around at the tress and tensed. Suddenly a figure walked out into her view. Kimberly gasped as she looked at the figure, recognizing him. "Daddy?"