"At that time, anyone who didn't believe in a higher being was considered a "lost soul" on Earth. What is now referred to as "atheism," Donatho; was even worse than that term, and combined with his pride and lack of empathy, every time people saw him, they shouted without any filter: "Right hand of the same malevolent one," not to mention directly calling him... "Illuminati." And he couldn't care less. "Do the Illuminati exist?" The snow-haired one asked. "I thought that was nonsense." "It's not, Laiya. The truth is, it's not." He said with a frustrated tone. "That sect has existed long before your existence, and it continues to exist thanks to the same greedy humanity that's willing to give their body or soul for fame, money, recognition, and anything you can imagine, disguising it as something good when it's actually a façade. The world of Orleans is damaged by ourselves, not by God. Because there is a God who created everything you see, touch, and admire, but just as He exist
"From an eagle." Before Fox could say it, Stuff did. "Just like it did that day, at the Mass." "So, that means... That eagle, that thing, has done something like this before?" "It has been doing it for thousands of years," said Fox. "But when it was punished for a transgression, it was locked under a thick layer of levu itologi, which roughly translates to a heavy layer of punishment. It would only break when the one invoking it holds the same density of evil, and... Mr. Donatho was like that." His voice trailed off."But despite that," Stuff spoke up, "in order to invoke it and to make everything go as planned, something had to be given in return." "What thing?" Elijah asked."Two... Lives," he replied.Elijah looked at the brown-haired man as he pieced together everything he was hearing. As he saw the sadness and anger in his voice, even if the Sheriff took it as something normal, Elijah didn't see it that way. He deduced that the same eagle had done such terrible things befor
"It takes me away, a thousand times it takes me away." He mumbled into his phone. "Melia isn't responding.""She's not responding to me either." He said as it went to voicemail."Rebekah, I can't see Elijah anywhere.""Me neither, Fox." She said as they walked across the square, far from what remained of the church. Elijah had disappeared so quickly that they had no time to do anything. They needed to find him, explain things to him better, something told them he was thinking something very different about everything, about Melia. "I feel like something's not right." She suddenly stopped, her heart was racing and there was a lot of heat, a suffocating heat.Fox took her arm and led her to a chair in a small café in the square. He sat beside her and touched her forehead. She was sweating, which was illogical given the cold, and this only happened when she felt something was wrong with Melia."I can't see what's happening… But I feel like Melia isn't okay." He said, and this time his tem
The tapping on the grand door was insistent, sometimes expected to see when the next tap would come. Fast, slow, no tap, and again fast, slow. Those inside wondered, who would knock like this when everyone in the mansion had a spare key? But they stopped wondering when they found out who the one knocking was.Approaching, they opened the door slowly, and upon seeing who it was, their eyes widened."Melía!" they exclaimed, falling to their knees, their face reflecting concern. "It can't be." They took her face in their hands.Melía looked at them, her brow furrowed, her mouth slightly open, her chest rising as if in convulsion. She was short of breath; the wounds that they saw, the ones Za recognized, pained her in the worst way. It's unknown where she found the strength to walk through the forest when she woke up, covered in her own blood.Za, unable to carry her alone, had no choice but to drag her inside. The other woman inside couldn't help but bring her hands to her mouth, terrifi
The line of her lips twisted to one side, forming a smile. The gleam in her eyes intensified as she gazed into his eyes. Could this be possible? That gesture had answered him; it was Karina, Karina Conkinova. A gasp escaped him as he released the held breath. He couldn't help but laugh, but it was the kind of laughter that made others release the air they held. He took two steps back, brought his hands to his mouth, and approached again."You are... You are..." He stuttered. "I can't believe it." Without the polite Karina expecting it, the snow-pelinieve hugged her. She wasn't used to this, so two seconds later, she reacted. She was in shock, surprised. He could feel the ecstatic exclamation from his forum for this. He had before him the woman who gave life to the woman he adores, the woman he loves, the woman who is part of great stories, a voice for many women. "Sorry, sorry..." He apologized, letting go of the embrace.Karina was a bit lost by his reaction. In her long years of lif
Rebekah decided, like the others, not to pursue the topic further. It was clear that they wouldn't change her mind.The clock struck two in the morning and everyone was still awake except for Helena. Sleep overtook her, especially when she felt so weak due to what was happening with Melia. Za was in the kitchen with Rebekah and Fox, Karina was sitting beside the Pelinieve on the floor, her back against the table. Karina pushed back some of Melia's hair that was touching her cold and rough skin on her cheeks. The black marks on her skin stood out even more, and the grayish hue of her skin as well. It had been a while since she had seen her in this state. Elijah looked at her face, hoping that at some point she would open her eyes. He really wanted her to open them, for her vibrant brown color to return, and to hear her voice.Everyone had told him that she would come back, that it depended on whether the black hole she was in allowed her to return. He was beginning to think she wouldn'
"No," she replied. "An intermittent pain I felt in my chest all of a sudden, that pain when something sharp pierces your heart, as if it's being squeezed and impaled at the same time.""A stake," he deduced. "Now it would be something similar to a knife.""But back then, it was even sharper and could tear even worse. That man did it in front of everyone, escaping in the end. How did I know it was my husband? Because when I fell and could see that I was about to go, his icy gaze told me everything.""What a wretch," he expressed with hardened emotion. "How could he do that to you? Couldn't they just... talk?""He never talked, he only acted. He was worse than what they said, Elijah. He cared about nothing, not even the inconsolable sobbing of his only daughter; that's something you never forget. He wanted it all to be unforgettable, but I thought it would be different."Elijah tried to speak, but he didn't know what to say. It was a lot to think about, to process; something that had ne
The depth of her inhalation had the resemblance of when you swiftly emerge from the depths of the sea, and upon reaching the surface, exhale forcefully. They were startled by such a reaction, even more so when she suddenly stood upright. The black lines all over her body were gradually fading, her skin ceasing to be grayish, and as she opened her eyes, they were no longer completely white. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, and as crazy as it sounds, the beats of her heart suddenly focused in silence. Not even the nocturnal animals could be heard, nor the rustling of the large leaves on the lush trees. Until Karina exclaimed her name, taking her face in her hands. Her gaze was lost, agitated. She tried to calm her daughter, she had to. She patted her cheeks, speaking into her ear, and whatever she said had the desired effect. Karina looked into her eyes and without hesitation, kissed her forehead.Elijah was still frozen against the table, witnessing it all. But as seconds passed, he re
The headmaster called out for the missing one, Elijah. He stepped forward to the stage amidst applause, and the headmaster handed him his diploma, saying,"The woman who is destined to change the lives of many, to dispel the lies of all, and to prove that the impossible is possible, left behind an essay - one that Elijah, of course, did not write." There was a brief chuckle from the audience. "But it was she, Melia, who gave it to me and told me something I only understood recently... I was moved by what I read in that essay. It touched my heart and made me understand many things, including the importance of devotion to the same love of God..." He sighed. "Orleans." He glanced at someone in the audience briefly, then continued. "he will read what she wrote, and thus, my dear students, everything that has been for you will conclude, marking the beginning of your own journeys. I can only say this in closing, never give up on your goals, your dreams... Believe in yourselves, in each of y
The dim sunlight peeked through her window, announcing its presence. The cool breeze entered as well, rustling the vibrant green leaves that had regained their color after the winter. The lush trees were covered in leaves, with the few yellow ones scattered at their feet. Summer had made its presence known.She stood in her room, gazing out the window in a particular direction, toward that place that brought back memories. To that direction where, when she fixed her gaze, her mind played tricks on her, vividly reconstructing something that wasn't quite as it seemed.A pang in her heart, truly, a pang that felt like a bullet piercing it, stealing several heartbeats and the air from her lungs. The trick her mind played caused such a feeling, that memory that appeared so clear of her, standing there, looking at him, just like that time when she thought someone would discover her true self, setting in motion the change in her life.And she had let her go.It hurt to remember that day, let
He turned on his heels, looking back. His heart pounded as fiercely as the tears welling up on his face, a smile forming there.Her voice, that voice he could recognize... There, before him, bathed in a beautiful, radiant white light, was his mother. His father, his siblings... They all gazed at him with smiles reflected on their lips, in their eyes, proof that what he believed to be dead still lived in his heart.The return from death by the act of another being's soul, one who loved him, who loved Elijah.Elijah was about to embrace his mother, siblings, and father, but Melia's voice stopped him. He turned to her, looking into her eyes."You must embrace them, you must feel them when you finish the prayer," she said, trying to keep her words, so different from Skalliet's, from confusing his mind. "Jahjah, look at me," she asked when she noticed he was looking at Skalliet because of what he was saying. She couldn't let him be convinced. "You are the perfect carnation that, despite ev
Skalliet was on the verge of attacking his brother, but Fox wouldn't allow it. A struggle ensued between them.The screams of others could be heard everywhere. Rebekah was locked in battle with the creatures chasing Skalliet, while Melia still held the frostnive by the wrist, dragging him to the center of the arena before releasing him."Don't do it," her mother's voice cut through the chaos. She stood beside Za, just a few steps away from Melia. "Please.""The decision has already been made," Melia replied without emotion. "Your punishment will be this, Jahjah." The frostnive looked at her in confusion, while despair surrounded them, and the sounds of the ongoing fights echoed in the background. "My lies, in exchange for your difference, are worth much more," she continued. "And soon, you will know."The clear image of Skalliet approaching became visible to everyone. He was after Olliet, intent on taking him, on killing him. He had nothing left to give except what he held for Elijah.
I see your soul, I want to paint it black. No more pure colors, if you choose to take my hand. I can see the beauty in your being, the benevolence in your heart. I can see how little I care about that. The cause and effect of all this is that I want to paint you black. People don't understand, they don't understand you. The world around you is too little for what you truly deserve. Love is scarce, mine is abundant. Life is short, eternity is not. Take my hand, let our eternities merge. I look within me, and my heart is black. I see through you, yours is not. I want to paint it black. I want to paint it black. Join your hand with mine in this dance. Our eternity will unite. The sway of our bodies, our locked gazes, is the little understanding for those around us. I don't care about the fall; I want you with me. Do you want me with you? If so, take my hand. I can't stare at the setting moon. If you join your hand with mine, our love will laugh at us before dawn. I'll
"They love each other so much," Elijah said. "It's visible wherever you look.""With all their hearts," Karina added. "They are meant for each other, they are...""The same soul," Za concluded. "Their love... it's as vast as the thread that allowed them to find each other.""The thread of life given to them by Melia," Elijah said. "The thread given to them by the woman who now hates me." He laughed bitterly. "The woman I love with all my soul." His feline eyes closed as he spoke those words with depth.Za and Karina looked at him without saying anything. What was the need to say anything? Both of them saw the pelinieve as a son, as the boy who, despite everything that happened, remained there, following Melia. Oh, after a being considered impossible...Elijah opened his eyes and released a sigh. Karina's hand covered his over the table."Despite everything, dear, things will be okay, right?" She said, trying to keep her eyes from tearing up. "There's no need to cry; it doesn't fix thi
The faint glow of the lampposts was just on the edge of the darkened sky. The breeze was cold yet strangely warm. The music was in tune with the celebration, and everywhere you looked, it was elegant, more so than anyone had ever imagined. The vast majority of those who usually settled for the first thing they found in their closets were now more than perfect; they caught everyone's attention, the epitome of beauty in their tailor-made dresses, illuminating the campus even more, which served as the backdrop for the dance.The tuxedos fit each of the guys more than perfectly. Their stances and the way they held their partners were in perfect harmony. Tonight was the dawn of a new day when, for once, the majority behaved themselves.In the hallway, Pelinieve struggled with his tie. His white hair was perfectly combed back, his tuxedo fitting him impeccably, but his expression... it was one of displeasure. He didn't want to be here, didn't want to come to this dance. He had no desire to
" Certain things happened around the vicinity of Rome centuries ago," Rebekah replied. "In that place, she stayed with Skalliet for many years... Consequently, when writers heard stories from there, and the name of a certain Melia Conkinova echoed even more... They decided to base everything that happened in her life, with her family, in that city. " And her father? They say he was the owner and practically the king of that place. " Rome, so to speak, would be the creator's domain," Fox spoke. "Elijah, everything you've read, every distorted aspect of places, names... it all happened in the realm above. Never on Earth. " It can't be..." Elijah murmured almost inaudibly. "Are you telling me that Melia was never a terrestrial being? " That's right." In response to the answer, his mouth hung open in shock. Such a thought had never crossed his mind. He found it more credible that, being a terrestrial being, she simply did something very different to survive for so many years. But never
There was no explanation; no one could provide one, and they all swore by everything. Who could have organized the ancient party in such a short time? Most people wondered, including the entire leadership group. Several days had passed, and they thought that there wasn't enough time to organize the party so quickly. Helena had been tasked with distributing the flyers at the director's request. Unlike the others, she had an approximate idea of who could have organized the party, her own party. The classrooms were filled with students in a brief commotion; there would be no classes today as everyone was at the school to help with various tasks. The purpose of the ancient party, celebrating a fictional character, would come sooner than expected.Tonight, it would begin in the early hours.The director entered the classroom where student Chantai was. He greeted the language teacher and stood before the students."I don't know who to thank for organizing such a perfect party that will take