A fresh morning chill settled over the land. Although most stars had already fallen from the sky, a few were able to keep their shine for a few extra moments. Five morning stars blessed Gaia with their divine glow.
The Star of Remembering.
The Star of War.
The Star of Change.
The Star of Renewal.
The Star of Ruin.
Over a century had passed since such stars had been seen. Aricin looked to them in guidance and hope. They brought beauty back to this world – his world. He glanced over his shoulder and caught a glimpse of Ty’s feral mane. By his side was Kia; no other sight in all eternity would seem as right as the two standing side by side. The demon man turned away and left his two comrades to their moment alone. He let the morning light wash over him, hoping that it would clear away the darkness encompassing his soul.
No matter what his intentions were, he would never be rid of the dark energy flowing through his veins, courtesy of Gwydion. By accepting the abomination’s powers, Aricin was able to become nearly invincible. It was a heavy sacrifice, but one that Aricin deemed necessary.
He looked to the rising sun and yet felt no warmth. So clouded was his soul to leave him without feeling in any form. However, on one fateful day, a blinding light struck Aricin and pierced the darkness of his soul. His toughened skin was robbed of human warmth and his blackened heart felt no emotion. In exchange for his ability to feel, he gained the ability to see. Aricin could see into the souls of others, whether he chose to or not. In Gwydion he saw black evil, in Ty he saw the yellow flames of an unyielding spirit, in Kia he saw the pure silver glow of intelligence, and in all those who saw him, he saw the grey streaks of fear. It was an unexpected consequence of accepting the powers of darkness and following the guidance of an unknown light. It was his gift; it was his curse.
A flash of red anger caught Aricin’s attention as he ducked under a drunken punch. He turned to find three drunkards from the night before, still under the influence of the North’s notoriously strong alcohol. It was not the first scuffle Aricin had been in; often times, these men were too drunk to cause harm to even the insects that buzzed about them. As the demon man prepared a counter punch, he was blinded by a flash of light. Although he had not been struck, his vision was hampered and his senses muddled. He was completely unaware of the young woman standing before him, yelling at the drunkards to crawl back in the whole they came from. It seemed to work as the three staggered away.
“Are you alright? Well, I doubt they could’ve done anything to harm you anyway.”
Aricin was completely caught off guard by the small woman’s tone of voice. “You don’t fear me?”
She shook her head, sending ripples down her straight golden-blonde hair. “I like to give people a chance,” she smiled and held out her hand. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Aileen.”
“Aricin. The pleasure’s all mine.” He reached for her hand and was surprised to feel her warmth spreading from his fingertips down to his soul.
Bright blue eyes looked at Aricin’s chaotic glare with thought. “This meeting isn’t a coincidence, is it?”
His mind was elsewhere and he blinked multiple times without saying a word.
“Is there something wrong?”
Finally snapping out of his trance, he shook his head. “Not at all.”
Of course, it was a lie. All that light had hurt his eyes.
