Heraiah

CHAPTER 1

I smiled breathing in the cold breeze of the whisky night. It has been 5 years since I joined the Legions and ever since I have embraced the powers inside of me. I sat on top of a cement wall in one of the abandoned towers right side Adreene. This is the farthest I’ve been out of Adreene and I can say, it is a wonderful feeling. My life was in peace this way, away from my family and the influence of the reigning royal family. I fiddled with the fabric of my jacket and played fun with the pockets of my vest.

The sun and land collided which created different colors. Mixtures of pink, orange, and yellow. It really was a beautiful sight, it seemed too good to be true. Living a life with this type of peace is something I can never promise myself to have.

“Hera!” A woman’s voice called me. I groaned on the disturbance of my peace. I looked down and saw Bliss looking up to me shooting daggers at me. Of course, she is always here to disturb me.

“C’mon, Hyveins. We need to get going.” She yells at me while adjusting her suit.

“Just a few more minutes, Bliss.” I yelled back and laughed. I like teasing Bliss, she easily gets irritated which makes it even more fun. I don’t know how she has managed to handle me, because if I was her, I would’ve lost my mind years ago.

I heard her taking something from her suit, “I swear to all the Deities in Adreene, if you don’t come down, I will shoot you.”

“Oh really?” I looked at her as she aimed her gun at me.

I rolled my eyes, the measures this girl uses on me just to get me to listen to her is in insanely unnecessary. “Save that bullet, I’m coming down already.” I chuckled and swiftly lower down my body to the ground. The abilities I inherited as an Airen were a lot actually. I thought it was normal I still don’t know why I have multiple skills, the Legions taught me to handle my abilities but never told me the whole background of Airens.

I playfully smiled at Bliss, she was annoyed and shook her head, “Show off.” She snorted, I just laughed.

“Come on, let’s go.”

I nodded at her, she leaded the way as I tied my hair into a high pony tail and followed her. The forest was quiet and dark, birds wings flapping was heard and our soft footsteps on the grass. I walked normally without my invisibility on and Bliss without her invisible shield on. The forest is usually empty with just animals and well, trees everywhere. A crescent moon lit up the night with the stars by its side and the cold weather made it more, comforting.

“Miss Anne is going to be pissed,” Bliss spoke.

I laughed, “You know I don’t care.”

She let out a soft gasp and stopped walking. She turned to me, “You have to start listening, Hera, you are going to be given a mission soon,” She scolded. She has been talking about that since last week, it’s getting annoying really.

“So?” I walked passed her.

She looked disappointed with her crossed hands over her chest. “The Legions is a team, you listen to others so the others will listen to you, okay? That’s how it works there, if you treat people like s**t, people will treat you like shit.” She pointed at my chest.

“Then shitty it is.” I gave her the widest grinned and enthusiasm with throwing hand gestures. She stared at me blankly anticipating me to say anything else than that.

I sighed and slammed my shoulders back, “Okay, fine. I will,” I smiled at her and walked beside her.

She was still not convinced so I tapped her shoulders, “Hey, don’t worry about me.”

She gazed at me, “It’s not that I’m worried-“

I pressed my finger to her lips to shut her up and put my invisibility on. I heard a snap of a stick and rumbling sounds of a truck coming its way here about a mile away. I looked around and narrowed my eyes to the trees and saw black truck coming its way here.

Bliss was pissed. “Okay, shutting up someone is rude-“ She sneered but I cut her off by covering her mouth which caused her whole sentence to be just mumbles.

“Someone is close,” I whispered to her ear, her eyes grew big quickly in which she put on her invisible shield.

We lowered down our bodies to the bushes and awaited the moving trucks coming closer. This part of the forest is usually untouched and left on its own. I guess not anymore. The truck arrived and there were a lot of them. As it was parked, people with lab coats on came out looking around the quiet place. I reached for my gun and clutched on it. Soldiers as their body guards took out their equipment. I examined each and every one of them, guards had gold pendants on their chest which indicates they work for the royal family. What are they doing here? I looked around, all of them were familiar until I noticed someone I was quite close with.

I focus my eyes on the old man guiding the soldiers where to set up their camp, “Dr. Derrell,” I mumbled.

I felt Bliss turn to me. “Who are they?” she asked.

“These are scientists from all of the best families in Adreene,” I answered without looking at her.

I watched as more trucks arrived and the whole place was crowded with personnel from the royal palace. All of them had pendants, gold and silver. You can see a few with bronzes but that’s it, only a few people from the lower class gets to be in the presence of royal personnel. Now why would the royal family put the best scientists in the kingdom in one place? Something smells fishy here, especially because it’s in a place where no one usually goes. I saw the guards who were looking for me 5 years ago, the ones who passed by me not noticing me.

They stopped looking for me after 2 months. They announced me dead when no one could find me, it was for the better. Everyone thinking I’m gone and no more guards after me. But I kind of felt disappointed they didn’t look for me longer, it’s like they just forgot about me. I still my family on TV. My little brother, Wesley, graduating high school as the valedictorian and my little sister, Cailani, having her first debut as a kid actress. I wish I could’ve been there for them, but I couldn’t, obviously.

Another truck came in and my breathing became heavier seeing there was an open back of that truck and there was a cage. I watched the truck came in and parked on the front. Soldiers came out of the front and went to the back of the truck. My eyes were fixed with the guards opening the cage.

“Let’s get moving, come out!” He yelled. I frowned wondering who were in that cage and wished and prayed to the Deities that my guess is wrong. People with their heads down and chained hands to each other came out of the cage, all messy and covered with dirt. Their hair was messed up and I could see up close with my eyes the tears and fear in their eyes. I bit my lip nervously as more came out.

“Hey!” One of the guards shouted which made the messy people flinched. I can just imagine what they experience with these cruel bastards.

“No pushing! You filthy Airens.” I

covered my mouth upon hearing that. I fought my tears back as I watched more of my kind get out of the cage, all of them with blood stains and dirt on their clothes. A tear dropped to my cheek when I saw a mother with a child in her arms, they were all mistreated. Once all of them were out, their shoeless feet were chained down to the ground.

They all sat down on the grass in rows with their heads down, a group of guards watched them and positioned their guns at them as if they’d move. These Airens were held in hostage. I wanted to stood up when a guard mocked one of them with his gun on their head.

But then I felt Bliss’ hands on my shoulders, “We have to go.”

“What about them?” I turned my face to her but my eyes were still stuck on the hostages with my cheeks wet from my tears. I’m glad I’m in my invisible form or else she would’ve witness me crying again.

She held me firmly, her hands trembling and sweating, and her body shaking. “Listen to me, we’ll report this back to the headquarters, but for now, we have to go.”

I whispered. “Okay,” And wipe my tears and got up.

I positioned my body and held Bliss’ hand, “Come on.”

I tried standing up then I stepped on a stick and it snapped. My heart sunk in the darkest part of my stomach. I glanced at the guards, they were looking at our way. I was sweating basically and I know if I could see Bliss, she would be too. We waited a couple of minutes then saw the guard close to us continuing his job and not minding what he just heard. I would called him stupid for being ignorant but I am glad he didn’t investigate further or me and Bliss would be in the position as those hostages.

I held tight and got ready for another experience of Bliss’ speed. I put my right leg up front and let Bliss’ ran as fast as she could far away from there. My tears fully dried once she started running, I still couldn’t believe what I saw. How people can be so cruel to the ones who never did harm to them. Maybe they’re scared to get harmed from them so they strike first. I’ll show them what harm they fear of.