Kyrhen's POV
I cannot look at myself in the mirror. The person I felt like I loved rejected me and then kidnapped my twin sister. My twin sister who repeatedly told me how evil David was, and I never, never listened. How do I live with myself?
I've been trying to make it up to Kalysta but she looks at me with utter hatred. The few times I have apologized to her she wouldn't even look me in the eyes. Our mom says she will come around, but Miller thinks that the damage may run to far deep. Sometimes bridges can't be rebuilt. Talking to him was a lot of help. Not!
Nan Adelaide told me that she is disappointed in me. I confessed to her my true feelings for David and instead of trying to understand me she scolded me for the way I felt for David. Disgust for me was well evident in her voice. The old woman is a nightmare. She pldges to be wise but wisdom is not alienating yourself from a grandchild.
I truly feel like no one in my family even sees me past Kalysta. She just has to be so damn special all the time. I felt guilty for what happened with David but now I dont. She deserved to have something bad happen to her for once.
No one sees me the way they see her. I'm not important enough. David didn't see me past my sister. Grandmother doesn't. Miller does not and neither does Jakob, despite my efforts to become friends with him, even he avoids me. To rub salt in an already open wound my mother is now ignoring me! She never does that.
I hate myself. I hate my family. More importantly I hate, hate, hate Kalysta. I wish I would have been born alone, with no twin to speak of.
She is the perfect twin. I am nothing.
Thoughts run wild in my brain while I sit on my bed packing my things. Why should I stay here when I am so unhappy? No one gives a fuck about me. All of their fucks were given to their perfect Kalysta!
I so badly want to set fire to this whole village just so that they will look at me, acknowledge that I am here. Being invisible is not my cup of tea. I am envious to the point of anger.
In our community we barter but most other places use the old currency from before The Event. Miller has a stash. Well he did have a stash. I took it! The money is tucked down inside my bag under my clothes. I doubt he will even know it's gone. The thousands of dollars inside of my duffel bag are going to be my salvation. I will buy myself respect and happiness. I zip up the bag after I shove the last of my crap into it.
One good thing about living in constant night is that it makes sneaking out relatively easy. Especially when dressed in black. Much like everyone desires I'll just fade away. No one will miss me before I go.
I gently close my bedroom door. The hall is short. Our home consists of four tiny homes linked together by a common yard, and a deck built joining the two homes used for bedrooms. Walking out the door slowly I look around. No one is out here. My siblings are all at Adelaide's school house.
I take off towards the woods. I'll walk along the edge of these trees until I hit the road. Once down the end of this drive I'll be able to take the route to Violet City. Time to go do what makes me happy. I no longer have a family here, but I will make one in the city.
***************"
Kalysta's POV
Outside of Adelaide's school there was a group of children running and dancing around a rather large bonfire.
This building serves not just as a place to learn but also like a community center. Every so often the residents of the village gather and have a festival. They celebrate the founding of this place and typically honor Adelaide and her family.
Tonight the stars are brighter than normal. The fire is warm, and the flames dance to the tune of wood crackling beneath them. Little girls sit and braid moondrop flowers into each other's hair, while the boys sword fight with sticks. Some of the kiddos are just dancing around making silly movements to amuse their parents.
Kalysta sits by the fire in a red crop top with her long braided hanging down her shoulders. White moondrop flowers decorate the dark hair, tucked into the lengthy braid by her little sisters. Her feet are bare under a long white and flowing skirt. Sometimes she enjoys walking barefoot in the grass. It grounds her.
While on an enormous log she is enjoying the warmth of the fire. She has her head tilted up towards the sky. Pale grey eyes remain closed, a small smile of contentment on her face. Her mind is blank when she hears a sound.
"Kalysta..."
It is a whisper, barely audible. At first she dismisses it as if it is her imagination but then she hears it again.
"Kalysta.... Get ready. Change is coming. Fenix is coming."
She tests the mind link searching for Fenix but the eagle is not there. Confusion hits her as a sudden migraine descends upon her, a pain that is crippling.
~~~Suddenly her vision blurs and all she can see is moving feet. She sees a gravel road, and hears the panting of a man who is running.
Her vision blurs further.
She sees Kyrhen standing in front of a desk. Behind the desk is a man dressed in a white suit with a violet silk shirt. Wrapped around the man is a black serpent. The man's face is half hidden under a white fedora. His voice seems eerily similar. She cannot place why the tone of his voice is so recognizable.
Kyrhen shakes hands with the man and then she hears her brother speak.
"I have personally seen the man you are looking for. He came to my village not too long ago with his tiger link."
This intrigued the man who leaned up further towards Kyrhen and asked, "A tiger you say? My, my, my, the little child of mine linked with a rather impressive beast." Looking up at Ky he places a map in front of her brother. "Where is this village? I would very much like to collect my son."
Before the vision ended she saw Kyrhen point his finger on the map, giving the man the location of the village. The man's eyes shot up from the map. The eyes were a strange glowing purple color. She heard this person say, "Adelaide's place?"
Suddenly the vision ended~~~
Kalysta is snapped back to reality rather violently. Her whole body jerked as if she was falling and then suddenly caught herself. This caught the attention of Jakob.
"You okay Kalysta?" His eyes boring into her as rapid breaths start pouring from her body.
Her lungs suddenly feel hot, like liquid metal is drowning her. Sweat beads on her forehead. Kalysta looks at Jakob panicked. "Jake, I don't know what is happening!"
Jake's eyes widen as Kalysta lurches forward, bending at the waist, and grabs her midsection. Her screams tears through the crowd and now all eyes are in her. Her skin starts to glow, giving off an impossible light.
When Kalysta looks up at Jakob again her grey eyes are molten lava. No longer grey, but glowing like fire. Orange and yellow hues shift across her irises.
Suddenly without warning Kalysta's body erupts into flames. Her screams echoes into the night as flames tear across her skin. Her parents and Adelaide running towards her in a state of horror.
Everyone is struck dumbfounded as her burning body raises into the air. They watch as the fire spreads out from her forming dark wings on her shoulders. Her bare feet become blackened birdlike talons. The long braid melts off her scalp and lands on her golden body creating dark feathers. Her finger nails elongate and become sharp and black. The fair skin bronzed and gold looks velvety. Small short feathers sprout from her hairline and crown her head. Those eyes remain blistering hot.
Kalysta slowly lowers from the air. She is no longer human nor eagle but both. It reminds Jakob of the legend of the harpies. He approaches her slowly. His foot hits a pebble that makes a small sound and Kalysta turns her head in his direction.
"Kalysta?" He says her name not knowing what else to say about her sudden transformation. Her fiery gaze falls on him.
She opens her lips and says, "I am not Kalysta. We are Oracle." As the words leave her lips she falls down onto the gravel, but lands back in her human form. Her white skirt dirty and slightly singed from the flames.
Adelaide rushes to her, "What has happened to you?"
Kalysta meets her grandmother's gaze, "I had a vision. I don't know how but I saw Kyrhen showing a man where we all live, and then I heard Fenix calling for me. Her soul crashed into mine with such force and friction we caught on fire and we became what I named her after. I can hear her voice in my head again."
Adelaide looked at Kalysta trying to get the girl to go back to her vision, "Who did you see Kyrhen with? Did he have a snake with him?" Grasping her granddaughter's shoulders she shook her to get her attention and asked again, "Did you see a snake?"
"Yes, and the man.... He is looking for Jakob, but I don't know why. He spoke about Jake as if he was Jakob's father."
Too quick all eyes then went to Jakob.