𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞

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eden 

Red.

That was the only color she saw as she crouched.

Red sky.

Red ice.

Red light.

White hair fell over her face in thick tangles, but she didn't dare move as the clanking of armor sounded above her. She watched with slitted eyes as a black talon danced through the air before disappearing from view. Refraining from letting out a scream, she moved back in the rubble, feeling out the ground beneath her before placing down their booted foot. The frozen ground was slippery beneath them, and they soon lost traction and plunged forward.

"Eden!" Their companion whisper-shouted, her bright eyes roving the sky for the foreboding build of the monsters.

"Aylin!" Eden mimicked, scrambling back to where Aylin was crouched. They made a face in the dark, somehow able to bring up sarcasm into such a situation. They pulled their knees to their chest, straining to hear anything above their own beating heart.

"Are they gone?" Aylin said after a moment, her voice nearly lost in the wind as it whistled through their haven. Eden gave a shrug and attempted to crawl forward, only to be caught on the leg by Aylin. "Nothing reckless, alright?"

"Alright." They gave an exaggerated look of annoyance, and crawled toward the only opening large enough to fit through. They slit their eyes as weak sunlight assaulted them, accustomed to the dark that was now behind them. Eden lept into a standing position, moving her neck from side to side to get out the knots.

"They're gone," Eden called over her shoulder, gaze flicking toward where she'd come from. Aylin hesitantly poked her head out, moving slowly until she stood next to her friend. They looked across snowy fields silently, taking in the crumbling structures that now made up the majority of the landscape.

"And so is home," Aylin said, sniffling as the two moved away from the rubble-formed cave they had taken shelter in. They had only made it a few steps before Aylin stumbled, a groan coming up from under her feet. She yelped, leaping back while looking curiously at the pile where the noise had emanated from.

"What was–," Eden started, only to be cut off by a cascade of rubble as it slid from the mound. A pair of bright eyes showed through a crack, and with a gasp Eden darted forward to uncover the rest of the Skylight. Aylin was slower to approach, but helped her friend throw aside rocks and sections of former walls.

"Valiance!"

"The one and only," the girl coughed out weakly, her usually loud voice scratchy. She clasped Eden's arm gratefully and stumbled onto her feet, leaning heavily on her left leg for support.

"How long have you been under there?" Aylin's eyes were wide.

"Not too long. I think." Valiance's face clouded for a moment. "It was those things." She gestured toward the sky loosely. "Me and Valor were moving and it was so close– Valor!" Her head shot around as she tried to spot her sibling. "Where are they?" Aylin and Eden shared a look.

"We're not sure," Aylin soothed, placing her shoulder underneath Valiance's to better take weight off her leg. "I'm sure they're nearby, we just haven't had the chance to look for them yet." Aylin helped Valiance hobble forward, trying to wean out of her where she might have separated from Valor.

"Maybe the monsters took them." Eden mused aloud, drawing a cry from Valiance.

"Be quiet, Eden!" Aylin scowled deeply, receiving only a muttered apology in return. As Aylin's attention turned back to Valiance, Eden moved easily into a quick trot, pulling ahead of the others and cresting a particularly high dune of rubble a good few steps before them.

"I think I've found them," Eden remarked, eyes wide as she watched Valor rampage below her. They were obviously searching for something, and were too busy to notice Eden as she stood above them. Eden let out a long sigh and slid down to Valor's level, letting out a small gasp as she tripped at the bottom of the slope. Valor's posture stiffened as their head flew up, but it relaxed as they spotted Eden.

"Where did you come from?" Valor asked, glancing up before looking down at Eden, who was still recovering from her fall. They gripped her arm tightly and tugged up, bringing Eden back onto their feet.

"Up there," Eden said, pointing to the top of the hill just as Aylin appeared with a limping Valiance leaning at her side. Valor immediately brightened, rushing up to wrap their sister in a tight embrace.

"Ouch. Ouch. Ouch." Valiance exclaimed, her feet lifted from the air.

"Sorry!" Valor set her down, only to place Valiance's arm over their shoulder as they helped her down. Aylin had made it down in the time that they had started heading toward ground level, and she stood, smiling with wary relief, next to Eden.

"You all know I'm all for reunions and such but–" Eden's hands flew out at their surroundings. "-what now?"