The Marked

Chapter 8

*Just a little hint: the people are all vampires. If that clears some stuff up.*

Eternal Flame

My flame will never go out. Not as long as I am alive. Will you let yours or will you regain your throne?

Zelde's PoV

     Many things have changed from the time I woke up one year ago to now. I have now become a vampire. My sister died but then un-died. I had to leave my old school and come to my new one. I had to leave everything behind. Sadly my birthday has finally come again. Its sad because it was just two days ago that I saw my mom again. She looked so hopeless when she saw me. I didn't care now because she turned her back on me and Rydia and cared more for her step-son. He has left her to start his own family and I am now the closest person she has to family now.

     I decided that it was finally time to open my eyes and embrace my friends and just get this day over with. When I opened my eyes it was pitch black. "Light of the heavens, I summon thee Luna!" Luna couldn't help with the blackness either. "You know with you blinding me it gets hard to help you." That is when I felt the fabric covering my eyes. God I really hated surprises. Sadly its also around Christmas and what really makes me mad is when people try to cram them together. "Luna thanks for the help you may go now." I felt the knot on the fabric loosen and fall from my eyes. "Happy birthday big bro."

     "Thanks really but the snowflakes and presents are too much. You also know I hate it when people cram the two days together. I am also not your older brother. To me you are still twenty five." I honestly loved what she did though. "Well if you hate it that much I can take it all down and act like today isn't anything special." She sounded so depressed. "No don't I'm sorry I just think the snowflakes are much but I can endure this. Honestly you could never annoy me or irritate me unless you decide to run off with a step-brother." I wasn't lying and she laughed at the joke. "Don't worry I am not into Catholics. They are too Mary this and Mary That." She was right but she still didn't have to say it that loud. "Just like here its all Etro this and Etro that. It is really on who you worship I guess."

      "Alright so open your first gift." That is when I noticed Exalea sitting in the corner. She threw me a gift that said it was from her. "I call upon the heavenly messengers, I summon thee Sylph. Sylph open the present gracefully and don't ruin it." Sylph got the present opened it and carried it over to me. It was a shirt that was a dark blue but not too dark. "Thanks Exalea I love it." Then a present went flying towards the door. Right as it was about to hit the door Hannah walked in and caught it, "This is from me." She opened it and pulled out the nicest pair of fur boots I have ever seen. "Don't worry I made sure they were guys."

     Then I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Next is my present." When Rydia handed me her present it wasn't wrapped. It was a little wolf on a bracelet that stretch and fitted to my hand. "I hexed it so it will fit just right." I was so happy to have these kind of friends. "Hey sorry to interrupt this nice thing we have here but Rydia I don't know about you but me Hannah and Zelde all have classes to get to." Exalea was right. "Alright guys please leave so I can take a shower and get ready." Exalea pushed Hannah out and Rydia followed.

     It took me three seconds to get in the shower. The bracelet expanded and shrank with my muscles. I sat there for like five minutes and then got out. The air in my room felt different. "My dear child why do you always insist on wearing amulets that make it harder for me to contact you?" Why was Etro in my room when I wasn't wearing anything and after everyone had left? "I have no idea what you are talking about." She looked at my bracelet. "That cursed bracelet puts a shield on your spirit. I can only contact you through your spirit. Take it off." She was using her power to pry the bracelet off but it never moved. "NO! It is mine and you can NOT take away what is mine by right. I don't care who you are goddess or not I am more powerful. You gave me power over the elements which makes me a god, sage, summoner, and finally I am also an angel. I am higher up than you. I am one of the five grand cardinals of the heavens. I am also a seraph. I may have fallen from grace but my training stayed with me. So listen here you hag don't you dare come down here and act like you are in charge."

     At that she left. I didn't even know what I was talking about. I know nothing about angels or the five grand cardinals. I will worry about it later though. Right when I decided to get dressed Exalea walked in. "I'm back...um Zelde why aren't you dressed?" Ugh my head hurt now. "Long story just give me my clothes." I wasn't really shocked to show Exalea everything. She already saw me before. She knows how I feel about her. It just isn't going to happen with Hannah around.

     The Aeropostal pants were comfortable and had two belts that cover my happy trail and my ass. My boots made it feel like I was walking on a cloud. My bracelet never did come off my hand. My necklace was still the same. But now I have no tattoo at all but another necklace to give me my power. My wings were taken away. I looked like a new person. My real wings, the ones I had before I fell from grace grew in there place. They were darker. They were pitch black like you were staring into a black hole. After I looked at myself in the mirror for a couple of minutes I started to cry. It wasn't like I had tears coming in the dozens. It was one tear every few minutes. "I am no longer myself. Look at me my wings changed, I don't have a tattoo anymore, I'm no longer a vamp but a half angel, also my fangs are trying to fall out." That is when I heard the scream of pain.

      "Owwww! Help me Zelde she is frying my brain literately." I didn't know what she was talking about until I felt the same pain. I couldn't see anything. My brain was on fire. Disciple of everlasting ice I summon thee, Celsius. Soothe our pain and make us whole again." It stopped. Everything stopped. I used my life force to summon ice. I used my own life force to save Exalea. What happened is she still alive? I opened my eyes to see Exalea crumbled into a ball on the floor. Something in my head was gone. Oh no our connection was gone. Etro took everything I had and destroyed it.

     "Zelde please come to the office." Why was Lacey calling me over the intercom? I left Exalea there knowing she was going to be okay. I smelled human before I got close to the office. "Hey Zelde how are you? Listen me and Leon were in town and we decided to stop by and see you. "The perky voice, Leon, who is it? Then I saw my old friends from human school Maria and Leon. "Listen uh Maria I have...changed a lot in the last few years." I had to choose my words carefully. "Apparently look at you. Your biceps are bigger than mine and last time I saw you you could barely manage a four pack let alone the six pack you got now." I forgot that me and Leon used to fight on who was stronger.

     "Hate to cut this short but guys I have to go somewhere." Then the twins started up. "Hey why don't you take us with you?" Maria always had to be curious about everything. "No not today ask Lacey to show you my room and wait in there for me." I stormed off before they had time to respond. I didn't want to go back but I knew that something would happen and I would have to save the school.

      I was headed home. Not my home on earth but the one in the sky. I figured it would open up to me when I flew up. So I decided to just fly up without looking down. I didn't want the reminder that down there are reasons to go back. I wanted to stay up here. The heavens weren't that hard to find. I didn't know where to go so I went to the biggest building. This place had white everywhere you looked.

     "I never seen your face before my fellow brethren. Where are you from?" It was a deep and husky voice with a sense of love but its cool because this place is right and just. "I am the one who has fallen from Grace and I am here to regain my throne."