Long ago, the elders told of Almiyan — the god of Being — whose angels shone so brightly the stars themselves grew jealous. Countless, strange, and beautiful, they were said to be ranked in endless order. And from the most radiant of these angels, our world was born… or so the legends claim.

  The townsman storyteller continues on with his history′s and flocktales, the crowds bustling before and past him. Children yelling, men and women selling and buying, all enjoying the warm day.

  “Big sister, wait for us!” a blond yells, wavy hair bouncing as he pushes through the crowd. “Slow down! The market’s huge!”

  Ten feet ahead, stood a young lady, with orange curls weaving on her shoulder and neck like wire, "Sentsu, Corozonia, hurry up then! We don't have all day you know.¨ As she stands, looking at them with eyes as green as emeralds, she says, ¨I′ll make you a deal, if you catch up to me in 10 seconds then I'll carry you both the rest of the way home." It was just a bribe, the townsmen and women all knew, the children knew, but they didn't care.

  The two children push between their people,past the chaos of the high sun crowd, and past the familiar scents of wood shavings, flowers and sweet salmon candy. By the time the two children arrived on their sister's side, they were heaving with lost breath, cheeks pink in the heat.

  “Caught… you!” the girl wheezes, giggling happily as they grab her hand. “Now hold onto your deal and carry us away!¨” The little girl squeals, The two young children start pushing off the nearby vegetable stand, pulling their small bodies onto her back, the small girl kicks and cries, trying to get up first. The two children end up accidentally kicking a basket out of another villager's hand. However the woman just laughs at the siblings' dynamic chaos, picking the basket and her goods back up before continuing on with her day.

  “I am, I am!” states the older sister, “Settle down before mayhem starts, or nobody gets a ride.” Kneeling down, she pulls the younger girl onto her shoulders, standing up.

  “Hey! What about me?” the boy whines, feeling betrayed.

  "You're nearly a teen, Sentsu. You can walk on your own two feet. Or are you a lame?” the older sister huffs, adjusting the position of the young girl on her back. ¨Well?¨

  “I- well, fine! I can walk myself, but you have to at least hold my hand.” he puffs, holding up his hand for Fiona's. Annoyance etches on his face- although a light blush betrays the wobble in his pride. ¨Just don't leave me behind, ok.¨

  Fiona looks down upon him, the corner of her lips curving up as she sees his face turn in front of them, ¨Yes, Sentsu, I will remain by your side as you wish.¨

  As the three walk, they pick up groceries, such as fresh bell peppers, carrots, and brined meat. Corazonia, the younger sister, helps to hold the basket and keep an eye out for any potential thieves, even though no robbery had happened in the past 50 years, rules cling like vines- and the children still get tangled in the mess.

  ~~~~~~~~~~

  “When will mother arrive? They've been outside the borders for a long while now…" Sentsu says quietly, almost under his breath as they walk along the quiet, dark houses of the village residencies. “Why did they go, Fiona? Even after Major Lady warned them, after she said not to?¨

  “To that, I have no idea, nor do I want to know. ” Fiona snaps, not cold, just firm, Her emerald eyes turned black beneath the night sky. “Don't talk about it. Mom will come back when she does. No use entertaining an audience that never shows up.” She looks off at the stars, seemingly hiding behind them so as not to look at the young boy's watering eyes. Although, the young boy notices the shiny gleam in her eyes that can't just be the stars. Sniffing quietly to himself. He tries to stop his own tears, as to avoid those of his dear older sisters from falling too.

  The three walk in silence for a long minute, before Fiona puts on a smile and pats sentsu’s head, “you ready for the stuffed peppers?”

  The young blond looks up at her, eyes going from wet with sadness to excited within a few seconds. “We’re having stuffed peppers?” he asks excitedly, “really, really?”

  “Yes, really really.” Fiona says with a warm smile before lifting her basket up a bit, "I have all the ingredients right here.”

  As they arrived at their house, a small cottage with a plastic-covered roof, stone-lined walls held dried mud like old armor, and a single window watched the world with a square, patient eye.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  Fiona sets Corozonia down and shoos them inside the house, a small smile on her face before turning and looking at the sky a little longer than necessary, recalling her mother’s stories, of the village's stories— of how every star was a blessing the angels gifted to their village, big or small. Her gaze shifts to one star beginning to dim and flicker in the night before shining bright again. Something is coming.

  Whispers spread through the winding ways of Teen Hall, chalk screeching and boots tapping wildly as everyone forms together in their respective groups.

  “Have you heard? There's new visitors for the first time in fifty years.” whispers one of the girls to a boy with messy blond hair, “do you think Major Lady Hanma will allow us to talk to them?”

  The boy's voice is gruff but gentle, and completely determined. “Not if our guards are on duty— our rules are clear and stone”

  “stone- Really?” a voice who’d snuck behind him effortlessly asks, ¨any good reason for these clear stones that rule us?¨

  “Yes- there is a good reason for every ru-” he says sternly as he turns around to face the speaker, however before he can finish the sentence he pauses, eyes wide, clearing his throat and glancing away. “Oh—hi, Fiona! It’s… uh—it’s stellar to see you…” he stutters slightly, fixing the fringes in his collared uniform nervously, before clapping his hands harshly against his face. “Good morning, Fiona. It's wonderful to see you today, you look more marvelous than the sunrise this morning.”

  “It's wonderful to see you too, Zorche.” The redhead says calmly. Her braided pigtails shift over as she chuckles, “You’ll protect us if these outcasters turn out to be as bad as our rules claim, correct?”

  Light pink brushes over his ears, quickly smirking confidently, “of course I will! I'm Zorche Hokentoff, and I made the vow to protect everyone when I joined the guard!” He states proudly, “After all, that's what men are supposed to do!”

  Fiona’s sly grins soften as she listens, “good, I knew you would.” At this, he beams with self-pride, chuckling.

  Soon time passes with the click of boots on the wooden floor. Other students enter and leave, working on both their studies and conversations with other students.

  ¨Building relationships is a good thing to have in this village, isn't it, Zorche?¨ Fiona sighs as she glances around the hallways.

  The blond pauses, processing the girl's words as she speaks, before looking around, focusing on the window.

  “Oh no, the time, I have to go!” he yelps, turning to the two, taking their hands and bowing slightly before turning and dashing to the door with a large childish smile, “I just remembered something I have to do!”

  “Why’d he leave so quickly?” mutters Fiona, almost annoyed but knowing.

  “Why would I know when you don't, Fiona?” Isolde crosses her arms, speaking quietly. “He’s proud, not arrogant.” She glances away, pinching her knuckles on her left hand, “But it probably has something to do with work. Knowing him he wants to go patrol or train with his quart, sun guard.”

  Fiona looks at the black haired girl, smiling like a mischievous twist. “Why are you being so defensive over him, Isolde? Don't tell me you like him?”

  Isolde’s face goes blank and stern, “No way. I would rather date the deceptus fractus.”

  “Wow, you really don't then.” Fiona says with a teasing chuckle, “nobody wants to date that thing,” she giggles, “not even the other monsters of the woods would.”

  Isolde just sights and glances towards the door, “I’m just worried, he trains from dawn until dusk every rest day, and even after teen-hall meetings. One of these days, he is going to end up working himself to death.”

  Fiona nods, face turning worried too, solemnly looking at the door. “I know what you mean, dear Isolde.

  The two continue conversing, laughing about the absurdity of rumors,and boys. Ignoring the voices drifting through the wind.

  “Major Lady Hanma!” cried Quenral, a man in his early twenties, his hair that of the town's history in scrolls, “Major Lady Hanma! I’ve just received word—there are outsiders in our village!”

  Hanma turned slowly, her blue-gray eyes locking onto him “That’s nonsense, Quenral,” she said evenly. “No one has set foot here in over fifty years. The only ones who come to our village are the nearly dead… or monsters.”

  “I saw one earlier, major lady, ” states Quenral, his raccoon, Raphael, chittering in agreement as it climbs upon his shoulder. “I would never lie to you, and the villagers would never report fake information, I hope you would know by now.” He looks down to the ground, his nails dragging down his own arm. “And my lady, how long are we going to stay separated from them?”

  The major lady steps forward, boots clunking against the floor. Reaching out, her hands soft as she lifts his chin, her eyes clear as she looks down upon him. “This village will stay this way until the day chaos breaks loose, and I die.” She snaps, rolling her eyes, her wrinkles deepening as she aged 10 years in the few seconds she spoke. “If I verify it myself, will your word hold?” He nods, but before he can unwind the attached scrolls, she snatches them. Pulling the scrolls towards herself, she starts to unwind them from their coils. The tug makes Quenral yelp quietly, knowing not to speak too loudly. Kneeling from the pull, he lets her continue reading, holding as still as possible as he could. As she reads her lips pursed together, clear anxiousness spreads across her wrinkled face, however she continues to speak with authority. “Seems true enough.”

  Quenral is then sent out, leaving the lady in her sun-lit room to watch him.