When Valerie landed back on the hill with green grass where she last saw Prince Artemas and the others, it was evening, the sky was a blood orange and so was the setting sun.
There was a huge canopy there too, she had no idea why. It looked like a smaller version of a circus tent.
Valerie went to the edge of the hill. Well what she thought was a hill was actually a cliff and now that she wasn't on the verge of turning crazy (because she was in front of winged people) she took in the full view of the kingdom.
It was actually really huge and colorful, the houses were well spaced and she could even see their vegetation from way up here. Somewhere in the distance she could see huge buildings overlooking the expanse of land.
Valerie looked down and immediately stepped back from the edge of the cliff, it was steep and led the way into a dense forest below, she felt heavy once more, like she was holding extra weight that wasn't hers.
Everyone hates you. A small voice whispered in her ear out of the blue and immediately, her mind flashed back to how easily Nicole had told her.
Everyone hates you. The voice said, louder as if it was only testing of she could hear it the first time.
Her eyes were just about to start the waterworks when a flap of the tent flew open suddenly. Valerie looked up quickly and found a dark haired guy looking at her.
Immediately, her eyes went to find his wings. Yeah, she could not get over the fact that these people had wings.
His were a fiery red that looked like they could catch flames any second.
He called out something loud in Oscavian which Valerie couldn't understand of course and another guy came running out of the tent.
This one had snow white wings and hair so white it was impossible.
"Finally! You are arrived, I will fly to the palace and find the King!" He said and darted back into the tent.
Seconds later, he dashed outside and stretched out his white wings so they looked like they doubled in size and took off so hard that Valerie's hair whipped around her face and entered her eyes.
"Wow" she whispered in awe as she tucked her hair behind her ears "that was so cool!"
She turned around to keep her eyes on the red winged guy but her vision was blocked by another red object.
She stepped backwards so she could see what was hovering in front of her line of vision.
It was one of those Pikachu things again, what were they called? Oh yeah Duantis.
"Hello, Chosen one!" The little red guy said enthusiastically, "so nice to finally meet you, what is your name? Well, I am Jags and that is my owner, Tijan! He is a guard to the King of Oscavia although he would very much like to have a promotion, but for now he works hard and...mmphmm!!"
"Jags!" The dark haired guy scowled, capturing his duanti in his palms before hissing something in another language to him.
Valerie chuckled, "hello Jags...and Tijan. I'm Valerie"
"We know your name" Tijan snapped, he was frowning at her and she wondered why.
"He just lied" Jags cut in.
"So you are the chosen one" Tijan said with distaste, his scrutinizing blue eyes scanning her features till she felt uncomfortable. He had ashen skin and smelled lightly of smoke, his dark hair was short and straight. The feathers of his fiery wings dragged on the floor as he took a slow walk around her.
"That's what I'm told" Valerie replied, her voice quivered slightly, she wasn't exactly ready to have another emotional whooping.
"There is nothing even special about you, you are not different from any of us" He continued folding his arms as he came to stand in front of her, he took one step forward and she took one step back, moving dangerously close to the edge of the cliff.
"Do you know how long the Prince made us wait here? For you to make up your mind and agree to save us?" he said and gave a small bad-guy chuckle "You look weak, do you even have powers? Prince Artemas must have made a mistake..."
The voice in Valerie's head was ringing loud bells now to spice up it's chants.
Everyone hates you!
Everyone hates you!
Angrily, she shoved his chest but it was as effective as pushing a wall.
"Get lost you big jerk!" She spat.
That was her best shot really.
Tijan let out an inhuman growl and she watched as his blue eyes turned into an angry grey in a flash.
Suddenly, his whole body went up in flames!
Valerie fell backwards with a yelp.
Red-orange flames licked at his body, from the first strand of his hair to his feet, transforming him into a living flame. He seemed unaffected by this, as he took two steps towards Valerie who scooted backwards in the grass, so scared she couldn't even pee herself.
Seemingly satisfied with her surrender, this being of fire folded his arms and she heard his cocky voice as the footsteps he left behind him went up in flames too.
"Are you scared of fire, άνθος?" He asked.
Valerie's fingers twitched as something built up in her gut, it was like shaking a bottle of coke and mentos, the intense pressure!
Her fingers twitched again, desperately begging to do something to this mean guy.
Hit him, he hates you, he doesn't even know you yet he hates you! Everyone hates you!
Tijan was saying something again but her eyes were glazing over, her vision turning black, slowly.
EVERY BODY HATES YOU! The voice yelled and the pressure in her gut burst open.
Electricity coursed through her entire body as she screamed at him, the black glaze taking over her sight completely.
It was exhilarating, this release.
It was that feeling of when you're holding pee and you finally get to the toilet but a thousand times better.
Tijan flew across the grass and landed on his back with an oomph!
But Valerie wasn't done with him yet, or rather, her body wasn't. On their own, her hands created a sort of energy which she threw at him but before they could get to him, a huge wing spread out in front of her and the energy deflected on it.
"Tijan what did you do?!" Prince Artemas's angry voice called as the man folded his wing back behind him and walked briskly up to Valerie.
He pressed two fingers to her temple and the dark glaze faded away slowly.
She blinked severally and found herself at the Seamuses house. She was sitting at their dining table wearing PJs right next to Sophie, a bowl of milk and cereal in front of both of them.
For some reason, she knew it was a Saturday morning and she was supposed to be telling Sophie a funny story. Oh yeah, this was a memory!
"So what happened next?" Sophie asked eagerly, spooning Fruit Loops and milk into her mouth. She raised the bowl to her lips to drink her milk.
"Well, Mr. Knight said no and turned his back to her" Valerie said taking a spoonful and shoving it into her mouth, after swallowing she continued, leaning forward in her seat "and then Professor Daisy smacked his butt, in front of the entire class!"
Sophie put her bowl down and milk shot out of her nose!
"Wha..?!" She screeched.
"Oh my goodness!" Valerie roared with laughter "Did milk just come out your nose?! That was epic!"
She laughed so hard that the chair fell over backwards and she went down with it, taking Sophie down with her.
They both rolled over, laughing and holding their tummies.
That memory was one of Valerie's happiest.
"There you go" she heard Prince Artemas say and she blinked again.
His calm face was right in front of her once more, she was still laughing.
"Oh my gosh, that day we kept laughing till night and then the next morning when Sophie asked if we should have cereal for breakfast, we started laughing....all over again!" Valerie let out an unladylike guffaw before covering her mouth.
"Why did you bring back that memory?" She asked.
"You almost got turned" The Prince said before sending Tijan a nasty glare. The guy looked down in submission.
"Turned?" Valerie asked, puzzled "turned into what?!"
"A creature of the dark, a minion of the Void" Prince Artemas replied looking at her and holding her hand warmly in his. Valerie's face went on fire.
"He has spread his negative aura every where around Oscavia, the closer you are to him, the more likely you are to turn" he said "us, the creatures of the light, can withstand it if we are far enough, but for you, Valerie, who is a Terrenian, the slightest negative emotion can turn you instantly!" He squeezed her hand "we cannot afford for that to happen, which is why I gave you one of the closest joyful memories I could find"
"That was two years ago" Valerie said and sighed "the last time I was really happy was two years ago"
"You can change that" the prince said hutriedly, letting go of her hand "now we must get you to Du Kastol at once so we can bestow the sacred sapphire upon you!"
"The sacred what?" Valerie asked as The guy with white hair and white wings brought a blue...
"Is that a Blue Pegasus?!" Valerie asked fanning herself with her hand.
"Yes, this would be your means of transportation till you know how to use your wings" The guy with white hair said to her.
"Wings?! What wings?!" She asked and the guy held her waist and lifted her onto the handsome winged horse.
"Wait wait wait!!" She screamed "I have a phobia for flying!!"
"Go Fwego!" The guy ordered and the Pegasus took off almost immediately.
"Aaaaah!" Valerie screamed holding on to the Pegasus for her dear life "I have so many unanswered questions!!!"
➿➿➿
By the time they got to Du Kastol which turned out to be the Palace, Valerie had turned green and was ready to fall off her tall horse which had landed on a huge balcony.
She didn't even have time to feel sick because as soon as she clambered off the horse, she was attacked by something gold and blue.
"Valerie you returned to us!" Dansé squealed into her ear as she wrapped her arms around Valerie and literally lifted her off the ground.
"Oh my goodness, put me down Dansé!" Valerie screamed as she watched the up and down movement of Dansé's sky blue wings.
"Oh, apologies my new friend, I forgot you cannot use your wings yet" Dansé said putting her down gently. "Do not worry, though, after a few lessons, you will be flying in no time"
"Ok I don't know why people are talking about wings here," Valerie started, taking a sky blue feather out of her hair "but I don't have any and I sure as hell won't be learning to fly anytime soon...oh hi Mayi!"
Mayi hurried over and gave Valerie a hug "oh I thought you would never return" she said with a small smile "I am glad you are back. Why do you laugh Dansé?"
"Valerie does not know she possesses wings yet, it is the most adorable thing to watch." Dansé replied with a huge grin on her perfect face.
"Let me show you" Mayi said with a smile and waved her hands around each other. A purple mist appeared in her hands and out of thin air, two full length mirrors landed next to Valerie, one in front and the other behind her.
"How did you do that?" Valerie asked, amazed but a little dizzy.
"My powers of the hands" Mayi replied, simply "now look"
Valerie turned to the mirror and looked at the reflection the one behind her was giving. It was angled in a way that she could see her back clearly.
Only that where she was supposed to see her slouched back and her butt which she really wanted to reduce in size, she saw a huge, beautiful, folded, pair of white-grey wings.
Her eyes went so wide they nearly popped out of her head and she looked over her shoulder slowly to see if it was real.
Surely enough, they were there on her back, the white grey feathers ruffling in the soft wind.
She turned back to Dansé and Mayi who were grinning widely at her.
Valerie gulped as she tried to form words "I... I...have...I have...wings..." She stammered.
Then she fainted.
🔊🔊🔊
I think that's exactly what I'll do if I find out that I just grew wings all of a sudden. LMAO
So tell me, my dear readers. What would you do if you suddenly sprouted wings from nowhere?
I'm listening 😁.
Don't forget to Vote/like.
Rhodes.