Vaverdí

Prologue---The Opal

(Aura)
September 17, 3924

Wind whipped past dew drenched willows on a cool day in September. The warm smell of newly baked chocolate chip cookies accompanied the smell of freshly cut grass. Aura was kneeling beside the small, clear river by her house, the sound of rushing water filling her ears, and she slowly dragged her pale fingers through it. As if she were trying to slice the water. It was cold.

Night was virtually upon them, the sky darkening, although slowly, and would soon become pitch black. Because they lived in the forest, no lights would be there to help her see. Aura was deep in thought, staring into the stars, which started to slowly become visible in the orange streaked sky.

The sound of the front door opening broke the peaceful silence, but she paid no mind to it. That was until the deep voice of her brother awoke her from her thoughts.

“Aura.” Her brother said calmly.

“Xander.” Aura replied, slowly standing to turn and face him.

“Mother requests you come in. Especially since it’s so late,” Xander explained in an unnaturally monotone voice, “Dinner is ready. And she baked some chocolate chip cookies for dessert.”

“My favorite,” Aura sighed sarcastically. They know she doesn’t like chocolate chip cookies, “I’ll be there in a moment.”

Xander only nodded in response before entering back into the house. Aura, again, sighed audibly, and then dried her hand on her smoke tainted, white tee. She reluctantly walked away from her beloved waters and entered the small house. When she strolled through the doorway, the first thing she saw was her father, rosy cheeked and frowning, reclining on their firm gray sofa, beer in hand, with three other empty bottles around, and eyes fixated on the TV screen. Aura’s basically starved mother ran around tidying up the house.

Neither paid any mind to her.

Xander, on the other hand, waved a hello, and silently mouthed “Be quiet.” And slid a plate of baked beans, cabbage from the garden, mashed potato, and meat from the yucky cans. Her face scrunched up in disgust, and she shook salt and pepper onto the food, hoping it would help with the taste. Aura sat at the small table, Xander creeping away, and she slowly ate the food. The salt and pepper didn’t really help with the taste. She tried her best to not spit it out, but it was like swallowing poison. Yet she still forced the rest down her throat, and cleaned the dish in the sink, so that there would be less work for her mom.

Afterward, Aura slowly and silently slipped past her obviously drunk out of his mind ‘father’, and headed into her room in the attic. Her room was dark, cozy almost. Though it only contained a small twin bed with light cocoa brown duvets, with a dark chocolate brown throw blanket, a small wooden dresser, a rug that certainly wasn’t very comfortable to sit on, and a desk. Her lamps, other than her desk lamp, were on the floor. And she didn’t have an alarm clock or anything fancy.

After her long day, she just retired to writing poetry. Reading in her bed. Aura yawned, bored, and rested her head in her crossed arms. She stayed like that until she could hear her parents turn the lights off and head to bed. She looked up but waited some more. When Aura was sure they were fast asleep, she snuck out through the attic window, leaping into a tree gracefully, then climbing down it’s rough, sappy trunk. At the bottom, she was met by her brother.

“It’s so easy to sneak out of the house.” Xander told her.

“I know right? But it never gets any less disconcerting.” Aura replied.

“Agreed.”

They stood outside the house in silence before Xander spoke up.

“Race you to the river!” He giggled, dashing off into the darkness. But he was quickly outrun by Aura, who sprinted at least seven feet ahead.

The damp grass tickled their bare ankles and mud stained their feet. Finally, they arrived, collapsing on the ground and giggling madly. When they calmed down, something caught Xander’s eye. He turned and started staring at what looked to be a large opal, except it was a rich, glistening golden that glowed like the sea of stars in the inky sky.

“It’s beautiful…” Xander murmured, sounding almost dreamy. A huge contrast to his earlier dull, monotone voice.

“I do not think it’s safe to touch that…” Cautioned Aura, worried for her brother.

But it was much too late, for Xander had already touched the stone. Within seconds, eye blinding white light poured out of the golf opal, engulfing Xander like a flame.
“Xander!” Aura shouted, running to her brother, “Xander!!”

She was about a ruler’s breadth away, about to grab her brother, but the light faded. The stone was gone.

And so was her brother.