image [https://img.wattpad.com/story_parts/1338924913/images/17a9bb4456b3b389901569844938.png]
MIDNIGHT AMBER
I feel weightless, the wind rushing past me as clouds move beside me. I've never felt so free. Looking down, I see tiny houses on a small island surrounded by an immeasurable sea. There's so much corruption and trouble in this place. From this altitude, I can still see and hear people in the Senate making deals with USC officials, laughing as they sell our lands and properties. They feast while the locals can't afford to buy food, partying and spending all their money on luxury while most of us can hardly sleep five hours and barely have time to enjoy our lives.
Rage consumes me as I see our people screaming and begging for help, but their voices are drowned out by chatter and music on the northwest coast. The whole island fits in the palm of my hand; I could easily squash it whole, and start from the ground up. Malicious thoughts pour into my head, and I briefly consider that my intentions are necessary and that this island deserves a fresh start. With that thought, my mind clears, and the island begins to collapse, swallowing me whole.
I jump off the bed, my heart racing. "Hey, Ellion! You okay?" Nicholas's voice is in my right ear, but my head is still lost in the dream. "Ellion!" Nicholas yells, finally making me look at him. He's leaning forward, as though trying to wake me.
"Nicholas, hey, I'm sorry. I was just in a deep sleep. Is everything okay?" I rub my eyes, finally becoming aware of the low-volume TV fan noises in my room and the living room. It's still pitch black outside, and it feels like only a couple of hours have passed. Curiously, I ask for the time.
Nicholas arched his back and his face turned grave, his eyes darkening. "Almost 4 am. I was just about to wake you. Get ready, I know where Max is." He quickly left the room. He called Massimo, 'Max', he never calls him by that name. Something must have happened. I got up and went to the living room to see Ivory already up and ready, but Alba and Gustavo were nowhere to be seen.
Ivory noticed me but quickly turned away. I asked her what was going on, but she avoided my gaze and whispered, "They found a body in one of the burned buildings in Bo'caní. Don't ask about it." She walked out as Nicholas came in from the kitchen.
"Good, you're ready. Let's go, Ivory." His usual cheerful self was absent, replaced by a serious tone. I wanted to ask him how he was doing, but I knew he didn't want to talk about it. I decided to follow his lead and keep an eye on him, fearing he might do something he would regret.
We stepped outside, and Ivory held out her hands for us to grab. I didn't like not knowing where we were going, but Nicholas hadn't been wrong so far. However, now it seemed as if he was ready to fight Max to the death.
Holding my breath this time worked. Disappearing to another place was like taking a dip in the ocean and instantly coming back out, but instead of the same place, we were transported to another part of the world. I stumbled a little as I landed on the ground. It was pitch black, and I felt leaves and branches beneath my feet.
"Be wary of your steps," Ivory said from somewhere in the darkness. "I don't know what part of the Itayó forest I teleported us to."
Itayó?! That's the rainforest that has ten towns surrounding it. Why are we so far east? I searched for the others, hearing them rustling through the bushes. The only light was the faint glow of the moon peeking through the thick greenery. Finally, we found a rocky passage, thanks to the faint light.
"Let's split up to find Max." Nicholas quickly said. "Ivory, you can teleport higher up the mountain to see if you can spot anything. Ellion, head in the direction of the dirt road, and I'll go the opposite way. A fire in this darkness won't be hard to miss." He handed out small flashlights. "If any of you find him first, let me know before you approach him. Got it?" His tone at the end sounded heavier, and it seemed directed at Ivory. She didn't say anything, but I could see her nod in the darkness before she disappeared.
I waited a few seconds, pondering if I should ask him anything before we left. He turned and began walking when I blurted out, "How can you be so certain we'll find him here?" That wasn't my intended question; I really wanted to know what he would do if we found him.
He paused for a moment before responding, his mind was clearly elsewhere. "Itayó is one of the most vital territories in Vanity because new plants, animals, or any living thing are brought here to see if they can adapt to the environment here. It's like a test run before being sent to Teyó Island."
"Okay..." I said, still confused as to how this related to Max. "So, USC is interested in it? What does that have to do with Max?"
"They don't care about our island's economy or its people. They want the resources in our forests, particularly in Teyó. However, they can't touch it, at least not yet. I'm confident that Max plans to burn down this entire forest to send a message to both our people and USC. Without this forest, everything will turn to chaos."
I always wondered what USC's interests were on the island. Targeting our resources seems logical since most of our food and medicine come from our land. Now that he was talking, I dared to ask him, "So, what are you going to do once we find Max?"
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
Even in this pitch darkness, I saw Nicholas' expression change. "You leave that to me. We've already lost too much time. Let's get going." He turned and quickly walked away. I slowly turned and walked in my indicated direction, hoping that I didn't run into Max, but I also didn't want Nicholas to find him. In the state he's in, I'm afraid he's capable of killing him.
I kept walking the road cautiously, taking small steps to avoid tripping on something. The forest was dense and in this darkness, I couldn't see a thing. The only sounds I could hear were the rustling of leaves and twigs under my feet, and the chirping of what sounded like crickets in the distance, the forest was alive with activity but Max was nowhere to be found.
As I walked deeper into the forest, I couldn't help but marvel at the unique plant life that lives here. Trees with green leaves that shimmered in the faint moonlight, and bushes with berries that looked almost luminescent in the darkness. Some parts of the ground were covered in a thick layer of moss that glowed softly, casting a dim light on the forest floor.
Suddenly, I heard a hooting sound and looked up to see a large owl on a branch above me. It was unlike any owl I had ever seen before, with piercing blue eyes that glowed in the darkness, as it spread its wing and took off into the night sky, I noticed its feathers were a deep shade of brown. I wondered what more mysterious animals were hidden here.
I couldn't shake the feeling of unease settling in my stomach. My mind kept playing tricks on me, making me feel like I was being watched like something could jump out at me at any moment. I've heard many rumors that range from dangerous animals, secret alien bases, and forest spirits that use the birds to bring you to your doom, all of this added to the tension. With everything that's been happening, I wouldn't be surprised if USC was involved in something shady here.
Finally, after what felt like an hour, I saw a flickering light in the distance. Relief washed over me, but I knew it also meant Max was there. I debated getting Nicholas, but I knew I had to talk to Max first, try to reason with him, and make him see through Nicholas' perspective.
As I got closer, my heart pounded harder and faster until the flickering light illuminated the surrounding forest, revealing a campfire. I approached cautiously, but there was no one around. Suddenly, the sound of crunching leaves behind me made me spin around, fighting the urge to run. I saw Max looking straight at me, disappointment engraved on his face.
"You're not him." his voice softly, "I thought for sure he was going to be the first to find me." He then proceeded to sit down below a tree.
I tried to calm myself down, but I kept my guard up. It wasn't like I could do anything to a guy who could make fire appear out of thin air. "Massimo, right?" I asked, making sure it was him. I had never seen him this close before, and the darkness didn't help much.
"Only Nicholas calls me that." His tone was regretful, and I knew I could use this to my advantage. Maybe I could get him to see the reason.
I took a few steps closer to talk to him. "I know about your Mom and everything that happened. It was unfair, but this is not the way to handle it." His head snapped up, and I knew I had hit a nerve.
"How exactly should I handle it? You and Nicholas don't understand. Especially him, how could he? He doesn't know what it feels like to be a stranger in your own land, to see it being exploited and taken away by the very people who are supposed to protect it! To protect us! But they care more about wealth than our health! My mother... My mother was a victim of this, and I won't stay still any longer!" He stood up, and the flame on the bonfire started dancing rapidly as if it was responding to his temper.
"At the end of the day, no matter what happens, Nicholas loses nothing. Meanwhile, we lose our homes and families. And you? What do you lose?" The light of the flame reflected in his intense stare and his eyes were as fierce as the heat of the fire.
I felt like taking a step back but stood my ground, showing I wasn't afraid. "I'll be honest, I used to be completely oblivious to what's happening around me. All I cared about was my own future and the well-being of my family." I said. "But then Ryan, Ivory, and Nicholas opened my eyes and now I see the bigger picture. The USC is trying to take over our resources, and they won't stop until they have all of our islands under their control. Meanwhile, our people are being forced out of their homes, and we, the next generation, are struggling. It's time for us to stand together and fight for our rights."
I took another step forward. "But it doesn't have to be this way. If we stand together, we can fight back and protect what's rightfully ours. Nicholas deeply cares for you, Max, and even though he may not fully understand your feelings, he shares your pain. We know what happened in Bo'caní, and I've wondered if it was an accident. You never meant for anyone to get hurt, right?"
"I... I..." Max looked down at the ground, his body shaking, stuttering his words, "I was so sure there was nobody inside." He stayed silent and motionless for a few seconds, I couldn't tell what was going through his mind, but I sensed his inner turmoil. "Maybe, this is what I have to do. I know it was wrong but it was necessary. This is a test for me to overcome, to see how far I am willing to go to stop them. This is my path."
I got so close to him and that's when I realized how tall he was, I had to turn my head upwards to look at him in the eye. "Turning to violence is not the answer. I know you're hurting but we can find a way to make things right without anyone getting hurt. You know this isn't the way the right way, and I'm sure Nicholas will forgive you if you come back to us."
Max looked at me with a mixture of despair and hope. "Do you really think so?" he asked.
"I believe your friendship can survive anything," I said, putting my hand on his shoulder.
Just then, a yell from the woods interrupted us.
Just then, a yell from the woods interrupted us [https://img.wattpad.com/67484f8d745a59aa017d7150ee3af854dc548757/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f48413365353475576d43657475773d3d2d313333383932343931332e3137613962633364623464323038613239323435303030323931392e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
Name: Ivory Vestalis
Clemons Cell: Teleportation, Detecting others with Clemons Cells
Character Info: With natural green-hair, born on one of Vanity's Island, Amaracuya. Ivory is one of the most recognizable individual on Vanity Island. Apart that she's been an active protester for the island since she was 12 years old, she recruited many individuals with unique abilities, to form a group against the corrupted government and the silent takeover of the USC on the island.