ANEW ||

Diamonds and Glass

Hellion was waiting for them the next morning, eyeing them up as if he was in charge of how they spent their time. Even in the pouring rain, he watched them, studied them as if he could riddle them into making sense in his mind. Piece together some kind of puzzle so that he could decipher the picture already laid before him.

Lexi and April paid him no attention, but Rayne had yet to see these people in all their muted glory, in everything they were and were not. Hellion was just as new to her as all the others were, just as strange and foreign. Except for that one small detail.

It was a shame that the crowd gathered today in the rain wasn't nearly as half as big as it usually was.

"Where is everyone?" April asked from behind her sunglasses, her first words to anyone in the hour they had been here. Rayne stood close behind her, a hood on her head, her long braid falling out the side. It was soaked from the thick fat drops falling through the leaves above. Dark tresses of hair were stuck to the side of her face, her wet lips pressing together with the cold, more purple than pink.

Hellion just pointed a hand to the sky, as if the rain was a good enough explanation. He didn't say much as he led others in the group through fighting stances and combat exercises. But the dynamic around the group had changed, they no longer paid them no attention. No.

As Hellion spoke, they looked to April, looking to try and pick up her expression from under her hood and behind her sunglasses. Some even glanced at Lexi, her black eyes enough to divert their attention for too long. And everyone had noticed Rayne.

How could they not with the pale skin and bright chocolate hair. Her eyes glittering even in the overcast of the day. Like shards of glass, like diamonds. Grey and blue and white all at the same time, dark lashes hiding the shadows under her eyes.

Another hour went by, watching people try to fight in the center, and as time went on, more and more people disappeared out of the rain until only the four of them were left.

No one, not even the water wanted to be out in this weather.

Hellion shoved his hands into his pockets as he finally looked at Lexi, glaring at her as if she was the cause of the weather.

"How do you know about Olympus," Lexi asked sitting down on a damp log, ignoring his gloomy expression.

Hellion glanced away from her, picking up fallen branches. "A story my mentor told me," he stated. "Passes down through trainers." His tone was clipped like this was none of their business.

Lexi flicked her finger at a stick as he continued.

"He told me stories about an island and the people who live on it. About the sick minded queen who lives on it."

They looked at one another. He couldn't mean...

"So, it's true?" Hellion stated dropping a pile of sticks on the ground. "The story about the island and the queen."

"There is no Queen," They stated together, tension building under their skins without their consent.

"But there is a leader?" Hellion confirmed, "a nasty woman apparently." He huffed, moving the wood around on the ground as to light it easier.

Rayne bared her teeth as his gaze turned up to hers.

Hellion blanched away from her, eyes going wide at the feral look on her face.

"It's more complicated than that," April said arms crossed over her chest as she tried to divert his attention away from Rayne.

"Right," Hellion rolled his eyes.

Lexi ran a finger along the trunk of a tree. "Your stories are no better than fairy tales."

Hellions bracelet sparked, the flint in it rubbing together, trying to ignite the bundle of wet logs. April watched him struggle for a long while before she thrust her fingers out and lit it for him.

He huffed at her, sitting on the wet grass. "Teach me," he muttered resting his arms on the tops of his knees.

"Where are your parents?" April asked. Question for question then...

"Dead." He chucked a blade of grass into the flames. "Why are you here?"

"Curiosity." Lexi said rolling her eyes. "And we already answered that question."

"If we are going to play this fucking game you have to be at least honest." Hellion spit the words over his shoulder.

"Would you rather me tell you we are on the run from a psycho queen who rules an island and eats the flesh of men for breakfast? Play into your wild fantasies a bit?" Lexi snapped at him.

He waved her off. "Whatever."

"Who trained you?" April asked.

"An old dead man," Hellion said. "Died about a year after I finished my training." He paused "What are you all?"

Rayne blanched as if it wasn't obvious, but Lexi spoke before she could utter a retort. "April is flame as you know, I am earth and Rayne is wind," Lexi said stretching her arms above her head. "Are you considered skilled for these people?"

The question was rude... but necessary. He glared anyways. "Yes, but mostly because outcasts of the island don't receive proper training." He sneered at them all.

"Outcasts?" Rayne snapped, "up until a week ago we had no clue of your existence."

Hellion laughed, "as if. The full bloods have been denying us entrance to the island for decades."

Lexi laughed. "And how do you suppose you get on this said island? Knock on the front door, and it opens? Do you even know where it is?"

Hellion looked back at the fire.

"It's an island floating in another dimension. You can't see it on any map or any expedition. It's purposely cut off from human civilizations," April said rubbing the smoke from her eyes.

"How do you get there?" he asked.

April shook her head, a sinister smile on her face. He was not gaining that information. Hellion saw the look, even behind her sunglasses.

"Fine, why don't you teach me?"

"You already know that answer," Lexi said stretching her hand out towards the flames.

His eyes narrowed.

"Why are you trying to bring attention to your selves?" April asked. Lexi wanted to smack her.

Hellion grinned. "It worked didn't it?"

Lexi wanted to smack her self. They had coaxed them out here, tested to see if they would come running. And they had.

Rayne snarled.

Hellion looked at her startled... they were all so primitive...

Rayne straightened her shoulders, reading the look on his face. If only he knew it all, if only he knew just what they did, what she did, perhaps he would be just as primitive. Maybe more.

Rayne started walking out of the trees, April and Lexi glancing at one another before following her out, not even bothering with a look back at Hellion.

He didn't say anything as they all left him in the rain.