Starlight, Starbright

Chapter 15

It took far too long to reach the glade. When it would have only taken me a couple of hours, it took Irene and Lucy about eighteen hours. It was way too exhausting trying to teach two fledglings how to fly.

I touched down and kissed the soft grass. “I am never having children!!!!” I yelled and hugged the ground.

“Hey! We weren’t that bad! Besides, it’s not like we were born with these wings like you were,” Lucy retorted, crossing her arms as their wings faded.

“Some would argue with you,” I said and sat up, “but I remember flying for the first time. It isn’t exactly a pleasant memory, especially if it hurts your wings shoulders like you just walked through the Devil’s lair.”

“Well, mine don’t hurt,” Irene consciously touched her shoulder blades while Lucy nodded her agreement.

“Yes, but your wings were entirely created from magic. Mine are a combination of genetics, magic, and somebody with a God complex.” I sighed and gingerly stood as my wings drooped from an energy depletion. “I think I made some sleeping quarters here once. Come on,” I gestured for them to follow me and made my way into the trees.

Sure enough, I had made a small lean-to next to a large maple tree. “You two go ahead,” I waved my hand towards the shack. “I can sleep outside. There should be decent blankets in there if you’re cold.”

“But, I haven’t ever heard of a place like this before,” Lucy stared at the trees in wonder.

“That’s because no humans have ever seen, never mind entered this glade.” I hid a yawn behind my hand.

“So, we’re the first?” Lucy was amazed.

“Yep. You two get some rest. We might need it in the morning,” I fluttered away, back towards the Tree.

But I did hear Lucy say how that was, and I quote, “awesome.” Frankly, no one has ever been allowed here for some reason, and I’ve always wondered why, but I haven’t questioned it. Until now. Perhaps it was because the world was ending.

 

The sound hoofbeats awakened me. Hooves? I thought sleepily. But . . . there aren’t any deer here, never mind horses. I slipped through the trees and made it to the outskirts of the wood. Four horsemen sat astride four horses, one white, one red, one black, and the last was a pale yellowish-green.

“Well, who are you four?” I asked casually, leaning against a tree trunk.

“War!” said the red.

“Famine,” said the black.

“Death,” said the greenish-yellow.

“And you?” I asked the white. “And please don’t tell me you’re God.”

He laughed maliciously. “The humans have called me the Antichrist in that little book of theirs. I must say, we should thank you.”

“For what?” I asked, my swords appearing on instinct.

“Freeing us to let us destroy the world.”

“I’m sorry. Really, I am. It’s not like I meant to cause this.” I waved a wing at the burnt land surrounding us.

“We came to thank you, all the same,” Death said. “You did not mean this, hence, the effects can be reversed. We wish you the best of luck, Zora Gildan.”

I stiffened. “How did you come by my full name? I never told it to you.”

“You didn’t have to. I’ve heard you curse my name often enough. But I know more about you than just one of your names. I know who you are.” Death seemed . . . different from the rest. Like he could feel the weight of all the souls he had hauled away.

I backed away. “Good luck, Gildan,” the horsemen said ominously and in unison, before riding away and disappearing from my sight.

“I’m doomed, aren’t I?” I whispered to the tree I was perched on. “And now I’m talking to a normal tree. I should go see if the two normal human beings are awake yet.” I flitted through the trees, back to the lean-to.

“Up and at ‘em!” I shouted, shaking the structure so leaves cascaded on the two. “Come on! The apocalypse isn’t going to wait forever for us to fix it!”

“Five more minutes?” I heard Lucy grumble.

“Nope!” I stretched my hands and concentrated on the air. Water appeared and splashed onto two select heads.

“Okay, fine!!! We’re up!” Irene yelled.

“‘Bout time!” I said happily. I waited while the two shuffled through the shack, readying themselves for the day ahead. I thought about all the changes they had gone through in just a few days. So much had changed since the day I had accidentally wandered to their little farmhouse, and now we were hiding in the middle of an undiscovered wood. They had discovered evil and magic and had somehow made friends with a monster like me.

“Okay, we’re good!” Irene called and walked out, still looking sleep deprived for some reason. “Now, what’s this you said about the apocalypse getting fixed?”

“I thought you were asleep,” I smirked. Irene shrugged and Lucy tumbled out of the shack. “We had visitors this morning while the two of you were snoring away.”

“I do not snore,” Lucy protested.

“Hate to break it to you sweetie,” Irene winced, “but you do.”

“Anyways, I will assume you both have read about the Four Horsemen in your Bible. Yes, they were here, visiting. And they think we can reverse this.” I wrung my hands nervously. “Downside to the situation, I have no idea how. Upside, you two don’t have to stay in the forest anymore.”

“Great. Where are we going now?” Lucy grumbled.

“Oh, there’s the typical sarcastic teenager. We’re going to London. I have an acquaintance that’s pretty good with books and research, and it looks like that’s what we’re going to have to deal with that.” I snapped my fingers so that their wings would reappear.

“Zora, you must be exhausted too. Don’t you want to rest if you have to defeat your nuthead of a brother? No offense,” Irene said quickly.

“None taken,” I sighed. “But don’t you worry about me, I’ve managed well enough on my own for years. But Alana isn’t exactly going to be pleased to see me.” And so we began another journey.