Finally, I wrote a chapter for this story. I actually felt inspired to write by listening to Castle of Glass by Linkin Park (I've been obsessed with this song recently. It's really good) Anyway, I thought that I should finally begin to finish of my stories, since I've started too many and haven't finished them so, here's a chapter for a Falling Star. Enjoy!
Water washed across her face, pouring from the dooming skies. But that couldn't hide the tears, and the throbbing ache in her chest kept reminding her why they were there. It hurt. More than any of the cuts, bruises and strains that covered her body. As she climbed higher and higher, the vicious attacks of the mountain's storm grew worst. It was only the wind that had settled due to her height. It didn't really matter to her, she was already numb on the outside. The worst of the pain was on the inside.
She knew Akio, she knew him really really well. He was one her best friends. Her, Akio and Amira, three friends,who had made it to their teen years, which was quite thing. Both Amira and Akio were nineteen. She was seventeen. Which was probably why he never saw her that way. She was a child to him. She was never in his line of sight, not to mention on his mind. It was Amira who he saw, it always had been. He had loved her ever since she was little. The only problem was, Amira didn't. They would have been a perfect match, but Amira was never really interested in love. Amira was all about adventure. She wanted to leave and discover the mysteries of the world, and Akio probably would have gone with her. The only dream Kouki had was to be a bride- Akio's bride. But that never happened. She had confessed when they were younger, before Akio turned 18. But he had refused her- coldly, she might add. He told her she was just a kid. In the embarrassed frustration following, she vowed that when she turned eighteen she would confess again and he would have to see her as an adult. It was her birthday tomorrow. The only problem was that no time passes at the top. So, she would never turn eighteen.
Kouki really, really wished her goodbye wasn't like that. But there was nothing she could do now. Giving anything to save the village was the promise she had made to Amira, even if it was her life.
Suddenly, the cliff gave way and Kouki slipped. She scraped and scrambled down the sharp edge of the cliff face. Stone cut and scratched her skin as she passed, sending a stinging burn across her body. Her fingers scrambled and reached to find something to grab, something to stop her as she gained speed, faster and faster.
Her body came to an abrupt jolt and stop. She managed to hook her fingers into a large stone peaking from the flat face. Blood dripped from her torn finger's skin and her hand weakly held on, feeling broken and shredded. Kouki struggled to hold on, no matter how much she willed her grip to strengthen, she felt it only diminish. Ocean, blue eyes darted quickly around her, looking for anywhere she could possibly grab onto. There! In the corner of her eye she spotted a small ledge a couple of meters wide to her left, about a couple feet or so below her feet.
Without time to think twice about it, she used the last of her remaining body strength to swing forward through the air, propelling her through the sheet of rain. Her dark, tangled hair flew behind her as her legs kicked forward, desperate to reach it. She reached forward, finding inches between the ledge and herself as she her legs fell past. Just as she thought she would miss and fall, her fingers latched onto the edge and jerked her body back to a stop. She had misjudged her jump a little and almost came up short, luckily she had managed to catch it.
Sadly, her hand wasn't as willing to live as her heart and mind and her fingers slipped. It was only a short drop and Kouki felt her feet land hard on the stone beneath her. She felt her heart pulse with relief. There was a ledge a little wider beneath her. A small, bare shrub rustled in the windless mountain, branches snapping and crumbling on the damp floor under the weight of the rain. Kouki sighed in relief, leaning her back into the uncomfortable wall. Stiff legs that ached when they bent, held her straight. Finally, a break. She had been so caught up that she had barely realized how much she had traveled non-stop. Her anger, frustrations and sadness had sent her rushing forwards on an emotional drive. Now, it all seeped out of her in an instant, leaving her feeling dull, painful and aching.
A low rumbling purr echoed above her, mixing in with the thundering skies. Kouki dared not to look up. Paws padding against the stones echoed. Keen claws scratched against the rock, filing their sharp edges. Heavy, thick breaths of hair heaved in and out in a quiet hush of breath. Its growl vibrated low in it's throat, in a threatening hum.
The sound of its body effortlessly landing was almost silent, and it's stalking was even more so.
Many things were rumored to live on the mountain of taboo. Many, many things. The most notorious of them all, were the beasts that hunted the prey twice their size with the sharpest teeth, claws and senses. Mountain lions.
Kouki let her body slip down the jagged wall, feeling the ridged rocks scrap against her numb back. Water drowned her in thick buckets of ice rain, freshly falling from the clouds only feet above her. It's frozen touch dug deep into her bones. "So, this is how it ends." She whispered in a barely audible breath. A gentle laugh rasped out of her throat, her chest painfully rising. "Akio was right." She admitted. With a slow turn of her head, she let her gaze linger on her death bringer. It's pale tan fur was drenched into a dark bone, prompting its lean bones and muscles moving under it's thick layers of skin. In fact, she thought it was beautifully frightening. It will surely kill her, but, it would do it in a way that nature had designed. Nature always had a way of making the beautiful things painful, like a rose. And love.
Kouki steadily watched as its body dipped low to the ground, it's underbelly stroking the stray stones under its path. With his deep golden eyes glowed, watching her with a instinctual hunger that was wildly charming. Muscles and bones shifted as it crouched lower and lower, building up the momentum to launch. Kouki sighed softly, letting her head turn up to the dark rumbling skies and saw how brilliant the flashes of gold, purple and blue really were. A calm, tranquility washed over her as the world fell silent and her eyes slowly slid close. "Sorry Akio, Amira; I failed." she apologized softly, to the world thinking, hoping that maybe, maybe the Gods would be kind enough to pass on her message. Finally, the sound of stone rolling whispered in her silence. The lion pounced.
A horrifying shriek sliced through the heavy air, crashing with the roar of thunder. Kouki's body jumped, blue eyes snapping open, mind racing a mile a minute. A big black silhouette loomed up in front of her, blocking her path. In surprise, Kouki's body tumbled over to the side. She struggled and wormed until she managed to flip her body onto her stomach. Head snapping up, black hair tumbled over her face. She shook free of its string-like grasp and blue eyes darted upwards. As her focus set in and her mind slowed down, the silhouette showed a very familiar shape.
Lean muscles shifted and tensed under the plain vest and tight green, fabric trousers, darkened under the weight of the rain. A long, slim wooden sheath wrapped close to his slim waist. Tall broad shoulders lent forwards, bowing his strong, wide torso. Short brown hair dripped with rain onto his warm, tanned kin. Long, thick legs crouched low to the stone, puddled ground. Akio. A big, strong hand clasped around the neck of the lion, pinning it helplessly against the floor. Its spine dug and ground into the rock as it struggle and fought for freedom. its movements began to slow and its fighting spirit was fading. Dire seconds before it was bound to die, Akio's fingers unlocked from its throat. Weakly, the lion scrambled to its feet, breathing heart and erratically. Keeping its head low and ears back, the lion dragged its staggering body away, dropping ledges below that no human could jump.
For a long while, Akio stood still, staring after the path the lion had left, water gushing over his tall figure. When Akio finally turned, Kouki flinched. Dread stirred up inside her stomach. What expression would he have? Would he be angry? Irritated? Frustrated? No. It was hurt. Warm brown eyes bore into her like butter, plunging easily into her chest. It's painful knife cut a deep wound into her heart, pouring out the pain and emotion she harbored. The pain made her heart ache and burn, struggling to pump a single beat. "Akio I-" Kouki began, trying to find words. She didn't need to.
"I'm sorry." Akio interrupted her. His deep, penetrating gaze dropped to the flooding water at his feet. Rain ran over the edges of his hair, dripping from the ends, down his sharp face like tears. It was as if the rain was crying the tears that he couldn't. Guilt was plastered completely over his face, cracking under the pressure of the pain inside. Tear pricked, blue eyes shifted over his body, taking everything in. This Akio was new and foreign to her. But, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing, she just didn't feel like it was a bad thing either. Slowly, her gaze slipped over his shoulder and down his arm. Red rain poured from small pierced holes in his hands and gashes cut into the top of his wrists.
"You hand!" Kouki exclaimed, lunging to her feet. Swiftly, her hand clasped around his, lifting it close to examine it. Akio's head darted to her pale, bruised and cut hands around his. His brown eyes washed over his hand looking faintly confused, like it was the first time he had seen it, but not quiet concerned. Quickly, Kouki unraveled a bandage from around her forearm. Worn, soft hands gently wrapped the damp cotton tightly around his palm and wrist, keeping it clean and firm.
"It must have happened when I grabbed that lion." Akio murmured vaguely, sounding distracted and out of it. Maybe that was the blood loss. Unsurprisingly, she doubted that.
"You should be more careful." Kouki scolded, tying the end into a bow.
"That's quite a comment coming from you." Akio retorted softly, a smile creeping onto his face looking at the bow on his hands. She always did that to cheer up Amira when she was injured, she would stain it berry juices to make it look prettier.
"To a swordsman like you, hands are important. And I don't purposely get hurt! I try to be careful!" Kouki pouted, checking the bandage's tightness a little too roughly. Akio winced at the pain looking at the girl, his eyes turning into soft puppy dog eyes.
"Sorry." Akio apologized softly, the humor in his voice still faintly present. "I'm sorry, Kouki." his voice softened into an almost inaudible whisper. Kouki's hands stopped. Slowly, she let her gaze turn upwards, moving up his chest, neck and face. Turmoiling brown eyes held her for a moment, burning into her his guilt and pain.
"Why? Why do you apologize? Why did you come back? Why save me?" Kouki demanded, her voice on the brink of a wail. Her hands tightened around his, her eyes searching his desperately.
"Because you're my friend! My best friend! You're like a sister to me." Akio shot back, his hands tightening back around hers, his voice confident and certain. You could hear the sounds of her heart cracking like glass, skating into shards that would crumble and shatter. They were the words she really, really didn't want to hear. "I didn't want you leave my side! I need you, Kouki!" Akio shouted, his voice roaring louder than thunder. It stopped- the cracking. The skating lines across her glass heart were still engraved deeply into her, but it stopped. It didn't break. Her fragile of glass was still in tact, holding on. Those words saved her heart, but at the same time, they cracked it all over.
Suddenly, Kouki found herself wrapped in a warm embrace, strong arms dragging her closly into him. "Kouki." he whispered softly, his warm breath in her ear.
"Don't, don't say it." Kouki whispered softly into his body, her arms catching him around the back, holding onto him tightly. Maybe if she didn't let go, he wouldn't do it. Her hands balled into fists around the fabric of his shirt, holding on desperately. Her face buried into his warm torso, supporting and giving strength to her fragile body. She knew exactly what he was going to say and she really wished he wouldn't. But he did.
"I love you."
So, Kouki's disappointing by Akio's confession? Weren't they the words she always wanted to hear? Or maybe it's not the same?
Kouki and Akio's story is coming to his climax, what happens when the two reach the top? Find out in the next chapter!
Just thought I'd let you readers know too. In August 2014, I will be moving to USA, Connecticut and will be attending East Haven High School. WOO! If any of you attend or live near there, give me a PM. I really want to make at least one friend before I enter big, scary high school :)
If you liked falling star try checking out some of my other stories.
Don't forget to review, favorite and recommend to others.
If you want more Falling star don't forget to follow! Love you guys.
-A-ccentric