CHAPTER II: EXILED
The sun shines brightly with its vibrant hues, hours before it rest upon the horizon. Cold was the breeze and the ambiance was joyful. She was standing by the window, enjoying the soft gust of wind on her skin that very afternoon. All her classmates had gone home and she was the only one left. It was her kind of a habit to enjoy the afternoon view before walking her way home.
Sofia Lockheart was a young lady of eighteen with eyes as precious as jades. Her walnut-colored hair was loosely braided, resting down from her left shoulder down to her chest about few inches above her waist. She was a lover of nature which was an obvious thing on her. Sofia was indeed an ordinary school girl like every girl on the city but there was just one thing that made her a huge different from the others. She could see things a human eye could not perceived. Things she called — The Unseen, since she was the only one who can see them. It was an ordinary thing for her though she never tell anyone about it yet, even her bestfriend does not know for the sake of them both.
She was adoring the site when she saw her long-liking guy Vincent on the distance, probably going home already. He was one of the crowd pleaser on their academy due to his good looks and kind heart. Moreover, he was her neighbor! She smiled and hurriedly took the stairs, down to the first storey. The hallway stood in great silence. Nothing can be heard except the sound of her hurried footsteps. She was a few distance away from Vincent when she heard loud thudding of something behind her. Sofia turned around but found no one, not even The Unseen. She smiled with a frown, might just be her illusion. She turned away and continued, calling out for Vincent. He waited her up and walked home together.
They were on the front of the café when Vincent suddenly stopped and turned to her. “I’m sorry I can’t walk home with you, Sofie.”
She knit a brow and want to ask why, but she just gestured a soft nod saying, “A-Ahm. It’s okay. No problem.”
Vincent smiled and turned his back away from her in a hurry. Curiosity was indeed a constant part of her. She took a few steps backward, enough to have a quick glance upon the glassy window of the café. A pretty, young lady was waiting for Vincent inside and was delightful upon seeing him. The girl was not from their academy, denoted by a different uniform she wore. The sight was enough to make Sofia turned away and continued on her track, something was pricking her heart.
She walked aimlessly with her pouting lips and sulky eyes. It was almost dark and the light post began to shed the light. Her prince was being taken away from her, who would be glad knowing that? Sofia sighed deeply. She was always unlucky in everything. Come to think of it, why would she be so sad? The cake shop might still be open!
She smiled at the thought and walked in a swift pace. Suddenly, she felt sleepy and yawn, stretching her arms upward. The moment she regain herself, she heard growling sound forefront of her just a few paces away. She was standing beneath the old light post and her surroundings were dreadfully dark. The cold, ocean breeze leaves patches of damp sensation on her skin. The growling sound echoes in crescendo that brings a shiver to her spine. Sofia took a few steps backward as the figure began to take form on her vicinity. Her eyes widened in fear. It was a huge white wolf, growling furiously with its fierce eyes on her.
“A white wolf?” she whispered. “A-And it was huge…”
It continue to draw near her, growling more furious. Sofia raised her hands, trying to calm the beast but it was no use. “I-I’m not tasty. I promise you… you would regret,” she said with a wobbly voice, slowly taking reversed steps.
A hooded, tall figure suddenly appeared just before her eyes in the form of carmine smoke. He was wearing a black, furry-hooded cloak with its fullness that falls down to the ground, covering his whole being. The aromatic, sweet smell of rosebuds can be smelled everywhere. Sofia lay astounded as she watched the figure lift its head, meeting her eyes. He was surprisingly handsome in all corners of his face. Striking turquoise eyes were somewhat surprised to see her. His face was just few inches away from hers that made her heart beats rapidly inside her chest.
“Get down”, he whispered subtly. His voice was captivating and echoing on her ears. Sofia seemed not to hear what he said as she lay lightning-stricken in surprise. He suddenly held her tightly on his arms as he swiftly slide his sword out of its silver sheath and slit in two the shadowy figure behind her with a gleaming scythe on its bony hands. The dagger shone brightly in the light. Strange image and writings was gracefully engraved on its glittering blade. A minute to be delayed might be cost her throat to be cut off.
Sofia watched wide-eye as the bony, shadowy figure began to disappear like dust being carried by the wind. He held her close to him. She felt warm and safe on his arms. Looking up at him, she could clearly saw his face. His flaxen-colored hair flow freely from his face down to the length of his broad shoulders in a more fashionable cut that fits the shape of his handsome face. He seemed so mysterious to her yet so pleasing to stare upon.
“They’re coming.” He turned to the ring on his forefinger. The gem on its core glows in firing red, emitting rubicund smoke. A faint smile portrayed on his lips and turned to her. Sofia cautiously turned away as he caught her staring at him. He loosen his grip and said, “Step back.”
She defenselessly followed him. Sofia almost exclaimed as the wolf growled on her back but turned away from her and stared back to the young man before her, still growling. She frowned and lay still on the side she thought to be safe. Her heart was pounding wildly on her chest. She want to run home but she hesitated. She cannot fight if the same bony figure appeared again. Just as what she thought, the murky smoke began to fill their surroundings, taking its form like the same shadowy figure. Scythes, particularly its very blade were gleaming in its sharpness on their hands. They appear bit by bit in number, bringing coldness in her whole being.
Shadows began encircling the hooded man. Looking back on his shoulder, he said “Protect her”. The wolf seemed to comprehend and slightly bowed down its head. The next thing she heard was the sound of metal clashing fiercely, the growling of the beast on his side and the wild crashing of waves on the shoreline. It was a deafening sound to hear. Sofia cannot help glancing upon the hooded man at a distance who was battling ferociously over the skeletal shadows surrounding him. She cannot deny that the young man had captured her heart so quick.
The young man drew his sword in. He gestured something and began blowing the rose petals on his palm to his unearthly enemies and it suddenly flamed. The dark figures turned into ashes leaving none of them in sight. He took a deep breathe when he sensed that the shadows was finally gone. He abruptly felt something was odd. He draw out his sword in an instant and throw the blade directly at her. Sofia gasped in shocked as she saw the blade flashed towards her face. She closed her eyes and lay still. The sword made a swishing sound as it passes her till it reached the target. She turned around upon hearing a loud thud behind her. The skeletal shadow was about to slit her throat being forbid by the blade that struck its head. The young man turned back, impassive as if everything was just an ordinary thing. There was no fear, not a single emotion on his seamless face.
Sofia breathed out a sigh of relief, knowing that she was still alive. Throwing the blade without looking upon his opponent was a crazy thing! She was almost got killed! She gritted her teeth, outraged. She waited for an apology but she got nothing.
“Don’t you know how to apologize?” Sofia protest, doesn’t have the chance to keep her silent fury.
He turned to her and smirked. “Apologize? I’ve never done that before. Not once… and never will be”, he blandly remarked, lifting his sword from the ground.
She scoffed. What an arrogant creature he was! His angelic face was the whole reverse of his attitude. He utters a spell and a flickering, bright passage burst open, revealing the portal back to his world. Sofia was about to get her school bag and went home but he held her hand. “Time to leave.”
She tried to break free but he tighten
ed his grip. “Where do you think you’re taking me, huh? After you had planned of killing me?” she growled at him.
Instead of explaining, he grabbed her on the waist and dragged her into the passage. The wolf followed them right after. Dark shadows began to emerge in a larger unit and sought to follow them but the portal immediately closed, leaving no trace of them.
Sofia was being blinded by the brightness of the light that surrounds them. The last thing she knew she was standing in the middle of the crowd. The sun shone brightly above the sky and people were everywhere. Most of them wore beautifully tailored dresses and fancy hats on their heads. Her lips parted in amusement. It was just odd, somehow she felt strange about this place. She felt sheltered, she felt home. Sofia turn around and found the hooded, young man few pace from her. Beside him, stood the white wolf that was staring on her with its wondrous eyes. She frowned as she noticed the size of it, smaller than before.