Aarseth

Most children experience a lot of things that most adults don't begin to understand. At least that is how most children tend to feel, and for some parts the children are right. Some of the experiences Adults can remember and other experiences adult’s seem to forget, yet for Lilly it seemed that her experiences were one and a million. This would be right for her to say that she wasn’t most children and had experiences that most would never understand.1

Yet, Lilly thought she was like most kids, and like most kids she was experiencing a painful time. She was moving to a new town in Virginia that she had never really been to Suffolk. Like most kids she was told to do things that not much of them wanted to do; which for even adults is to say goodbye.2

Suffolk, Virginia was a small town that most people had never heard of, and was as forgettable as all the other little towns that littered the United States. Lilly stared out her window, watching the flashing of green and homes appear in the distance. She would make a home of this place, and try to find a way to make everything okay. She looked down at her cell phone in her hands, it was roaming and there was no way to get in touch with her friends until they came to a stop.3

Pulling up to a house after hours of travel, gave Lilly a sense of gravity and when she looked up it was a rather dull blue house pasted with an overgrown yard. The correct way to describe the house was worn and old. Lilly got out of the car, walking over to a Truck that held boxes for her, as her mom and father hurried a head of her to pick through the move. Lilly picked through the weeds that over ran the house and walked up the cracking steps easily.4

Her mother Melinde was in the kitchen unpacking some of their dishes.5

"Isn't this going to be great honey?!" Her mother stood there with pride in a kitchen that would need a lot of work. Melinde was five foot two and had long red ringlets for hair. Lilly always thought that her mother should have been a model with her elven face and the way her blue jewels for eyes seem to shine.6

"Sure mom." was all Lilly could say as she stocked up the stairs only to be stopped by her dad.7

Liam by contrast had black hair with dark eyes that just reflected back light. Liam was very tall and rather strong. Lilly remembered a lot of times being picked up by the guy while sleeping. Lilly and her father had a really abstract relationship, which she didn't see changing.8

Liam held Lilly by the shoulders so she wouldn't fall down the stairs. He merely nodded after she was steady and moved passed her on his way to help her mother. It was strange to be raised by a man that seemed to love her sometimes, but then seemed to reserve himself readying himself for something else.9

She shrugged off the feeling of loving regret, as she shifted into a room just to the right of the stairs. It had boxes piled everywhere, the movers had simply chosen her room for her. She didn't mind though the room faced west, which meant to her new beginnings and it represented her feelings just fine. She set down the box she was supposed to take to her mom's room, and rummaged through the insides of it. The box was worn with time and over usage. Lilly noticed picking through the letters, pictures, and old clothing that it had simply been stuffed away where no light touched it. The letters she noticed as she picked one up were yellow with faded black ink that had run into a blue; they were addressed to her mother but no return address.10

She found photos of her mother with a man that wasn't Liam, but had a huge smile. His eyes were a honey color, and his hair was a deep auburn. 'It must be an old lover,' was all Lilly's mind could come up with as she set the photos aside not noticing that in later photos the same man stood with a rather pregnant version of her mother. Her eyes had turned to a pendant that she had found at the bottom of the box. The chain was a pretty sliver, that some how had not tarnished with time and the gem of the pendant glowed a deep purple as she touched it. She ran her fingers over it, noticing golden symbols start to form as if it was gearing up for something.11

Then all of the sudden the pendant's light started to grow brighter, so bright that it enveloped the entire room. A voice came roaring over head of the light pulling Lilly into what seemed like a movie. It was a history though, a history that had been long forgotten.12

-Aarseth 1982- 13

The planet was much older than Earth, it was very similar in many ways. The differences were rather obvious from the green atmosphere to the astral lines that rotated upon it. Yet, the similarities were many; there was water just like earth. There were continents just like earth and many formations that appeared on earth just as on Aarseth.14

The people upon the planet appeared human, yet far more advanced. These people were called the Umbra. What was the Umbra? In the Latin language of humans it simply meant shadow, but unlike shadows the Umbra was much more than that.15

They were a race that moved faster, were stronger, and had capabilities that numbered in the thousand that humans did not have. Everyone in the race had certain base magicks. Yet, their differences helped them live in harmony with one another. Some of the people could make things grow, such as plants. Some had the ability to destroy things with a thought, or even a single twitch of a finger. Some could heal, others could see the future, and some could hear thoughts. It was psychic powers that humans were capable of that the Umbra utilized.16

The planet was well taken care of by the Umbra's and had been for over a billion years. Yet, the sun was growing old as was the entire solar system that they lived in. The scientific community on Aarseth knew that life on the planet was coming to a close. They had spent decades watching their sun closely while making precautions to help the race survive. The general population went on flourishing taking benefit from the sun steadily growing smaller, allowing the astral lines on the planet to strengthen and along with that their magicks.17

Then on January 12th, 1982 the sun blew up into a supernova star. Absorbing Aarseth and those that had remained on the planet moments after their sun had blown. Only 500 were known to survive.18

The Umbra spent years in space looking for a planet to call home, until they crash landed on Earth. Lucky for the Umbra they had landed in an area were not many humans lived. What the Umbra soon realized to their dismay was that earth's technology was at most premature.19

The planet earth was dated to be two century's behind their home planet, leaving most of their technology to slowly die after battery usage was all used up. This made it impossible for the Umbra to leave; there was nothing to fix the ships, nothing to power them with. The Umbra were forced to start from the ground up.20

Lilly was shot back into her room feeling rather dizzy, the pendant stopped glowing but was warm to the touch. She stared at it feeling as if she had just had a dream and realizing that there was some connection between her and what the pendant called Umbra.21

"Lilly!" her mother was calling from downstairs; it seemed as if her mother had been calling for a while. Her mom usually started with a nice loud tone that slowly became more shrill as it was ignored. She heard her climbing the stairs by two's it seems, and seconds later her mom's face poked in. Lilly hid the pendant under her trying to look natural.22

"What happened? I thought I heard a crash." Lilly blinked looking around her room. "No, nothing mom just unpacking."23

Her mom looked around the room rather astonished to how it looked so neat. "How could you unpack so fast?"24

Lilly took a better look around her room focusing on what her mom had seen moments before. Her clothes were in the closet, boxes were folded to the side. Her bed was made, her books put away and there was decorations up making the room appear lived in rather than just moved in. Lilly was shocked herself, but she quickly hid her shock knowing that it was would upset her mom.25

"Just got to it I guess." Lilly smiled as best she could still trying to suppress any type of alarm from showing on her face.26

Her mom raised her eyebrows, not sure if she could believe what her own daughter was saying, but didn't have anything else to believe. "Well if there were more of you, we'd have this whole house done."27

Her mom turned leaving allowing Lilly to wonder. 'Is there more like me?' She recovered the pendant from under her staring at it, but no light was illuminating off of it now. There was no voice roaring out from it and nothing really to suggest how special it really was. Yet, what was it? A history book? A key to something? Lilly took a closer look at the chain and in plain writing said 'The complete history of Aarseth as we know it.'28

___________________________________________________________________29

Raven leaned up against part of what used to be a building, giant cracks and craters ran deep within the sidewalk. Raven reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette followed by his lighter. He lit it, then with his lighter still in his hand he put both hands back into his black trench coat.30

Raven took a drag on his cigarette then leaned his head back while looking into the distance of the flatten city that he once called home. Birds flocked over one of the tall buildings that somehow survived the destruction of what used to be a beautiful place.31

Raven frowned continuing to stare at the sunset his jet black hair falling into his face. Ravens eyes became transfixed, his mind started to flash back to times that were a little more pleasant to what was happening now. Yet, he wanted no reminder of how much life had become hell for him, so he closed his eyes against the wash of memories.32

“Raven get out of bed now!” his father, Vincent yelled. Vincent had a rather strong and deep voice that vibrated off the walls and up the hall to his son.33

Raven awoke groggily. His eyes still have shut, due to him not being fully awake he sat up in bed. Raven rubbed his hands over his eyes and looked around his small run down room, the walls were cracked the roof had some concrete missing.34

The Infected had almost decimated the Earth or at least the city he had once lived in. East City was lucky to have survived this long, due to the terrors of those monsters. ‘Home, has seen better days,’ Raven thought as he sighed looking over the condition of the roof and walls. He hauled himself out of bed and grabbed his white shirt and his gray training pants.35

“Raven, breakfast is ready” Vincent called to him once more trying to lure him out of bed quicker.36

Raven rushed down the stairs and practically leapt onto his seat. His father laid out his breakfast. Raven barely noticing what it was, scoffed it down, and within seconds he was asking for more. Vincent as Raven remembered was a tall, medium built man with white blonde hair and dark brown eyes. Raven didn’t look that much like his father and was reminded of his mother every time he looked in the mirror.37

Today was not the day for Raven though; he would have rather stayed in bed and slept all day. Today was the day that he and his father would return to their old home to salvage what they could of their belongings.38

Raven however did not want to return there, too many memories of his mother there.
As soon as her face entered his mind Raven froze, he sat his fork on the edge of his plate, his eyes shifted to his father Vincent who was still cooking eggs. Raven sat back in his chair and stared at the floor; his father turned around and placed the eggs onto his plate.39

“Come on eat up son, we got to hurry so we can get going soon.” Vincent said in a gentle tone with a small smile on his face, he adjusted his glasses and looked to Raven who suddenly didn’t seem hungry anymore. Raven looked up at his father with a rather mild distaste in his eyes.40

“Dad…I don’t want to go there” he squared his jaw setting it in place, Raven shifted in his chair and pushed his hair out of his eyes.41


“Yes, I know son but we need to get our things. We can’t live out of our suit cases any longer besides we also are low on food; we need to get what we can” Vincent put his hand on Raven’s shoulder but the young boy pushed it away as he stood up.42

“Fine whatever” Raven spat as he stormed off into his room again, huffing as he did so.43

Vincent sighed as the boy stormed off, slamming his door minutes later. Vincent began cleaning off their plates and putting the dishes into the sink for later.44

Raven laid down on his bed that had yet to be made up, he didn’t feel like going anywhere. In fact Raven didn’t feel like doing much of anything lately, since his mothers passing had seemed to absorb any type of want. Most days Raven would just lie in bed or stare out the window hoping against hope that he’d see her again, but Raven knew better.45

Raven rolled over onto his side grabbing the picture on the night stand next to his bed. Raven stared at the picture of him and his taken a few years earlier. Even though she had been human, Raven loved his mother and missed her. Raven believed that she was the only thing that kept the family together.46

When times were hard it was her that brought comfort and joy to them. Raven never believed that she would have been taken away from him from something as stupid as cancer; she seemed invincible to him. Raven was proved wrong the day she died, it wasn’t the SUV that flipped her car that killed her on the interstate. No it was the lung cancer that took her away from him and brought an unforgettable pain into his heart.47

Raven looked over onto his wall where he had hung cut out articles and pictures of that day from the newspaper. Tears formed into his eyes as he held the framed picture of him and his mother close to his chest.48

“Its not fair” he sobbed.49

Raven’s mind clicked back to reality as he opened his eyes, a tear ran from his eyes down his cheeks. Raven quickly wiped it away with his sleeve then pushed himself off the broken wall. Raven realized that his cigarette had burnt all the way to the filter, so he tossed the used cigarette into the street and began walking.50

He didn’t know where he was going but he walked anyway unsure of where this broken sidewalk might take him. Raven gazed out into the flatten city, broken buildings burned in the distance as ash fell from the gray sky that once used to be blue. After the first infected showed up, their destruction rained in the sky covering everything with clouds of smoke and ash, the city would never again see the sun or hope of being clean. A broken city for a broken world, Raven thought it was perfect for such a desolate place.51

Raven continued walking, stepping over trash and debris that was left from the damaged cause. Glass crunched under his feet as he continued to make his way through the streets; His footsteps echoed off the lifeless mess. Raven was alone here, all except the dead bodies that were littered everywhere.52

Raven stopped suddenly noticing a small teddy bear lying on ground; he leaned down and picked it up noticing how dirty and torn it was. Maybe this rather worn yet, loved bear had belonged to a little girl whom had dropped it as she was trying to get away. Raven looked over the dead bodies, after surveying them and picking through the thick of them he found a small girl with blood covering her from head to toe. Raven walked over to her with the teddy bear in his hands.53

“It must be hers” he said absently as if speaking to something or somebody.54

He looked closely at the small child who was sprawled out in the middle of the street; a painful and innocent look was her last expression. Raven laid the teddy bear on her chest then wrapped her arms around it carefully. He took his hand and gently closed the little girls eyes, his heart began to rage with fury. It wasn’t fair that so many innocent people had to die.55

Raven grabbed the black medallion that hung on his neck, it started to glow a bright black. The medallion's light was unmistakable even in this ash covered city. Raven gripped it tighter in his hand as his expression turned from sadness to anger.56

“I’ll make them pay” he growled continuing to walk through the mess.
___________________________________________________________________
The next couple of days for Lilly were quiet, nothing out of ordinary happened as she and her family cleaned. They had gone from top to bottom of the entire house and she was extremely tired. The place was starting to look like a home, rather than just a box filled storage cell. She would have been more upset about her mom's protests on getting the house livable if she knew anybody in this town. Yet, her friends were thousand miles away, and she had managed to call them in between cleaning duties to check in on them.57

What the pendant had done the first evening she had moved in to the house was slowly making its way into an unbelievable place in her mind. She plopped on her bed aching from moving the living room around, her eyes closing as she fell almost completely asleep. Yet, as fate would have it, her parents began arguing outside her door or rather down stairs.58

"You know Melinde, she needs to know." Her father's voice was distinctive among the noises of the house. He was a man of few words and when he spoke there was meaning behind it.59

This caused Lilly to open her eyes and pay attention to the argument that was going on below her bedroom.60

"Liam, I can't do it! Don't you love her?" her mom's voice reflected a certain type of distress. Yet, what could be causing her mom distress?61

"There isn't a question of me loving her, as to what she has rights too."62

Melinde let out a small sigh. "And what right is that Liam? Let her know that the last 16 years have been lies? Have her know you're not her real father? Then tell her that she's part Umbra?"63

Lilly froze, as all the thoughts about what the pendant had said hit her. Then another truth hit her, Liam wasn't her real father?64

Liam growled in frustration with Melinde. "She has to know Melinde! She will be 16 soon and that means more of her Umbra blood will show. She's already faster and stronger. Her own personal magick will become apparent and if she doesn't get training soon, she's dead."65

There was a sharp gasp from Lilly's mom.
"She has not-"66

"Yes she has." Liam's voice sounded like an iron door closing a subject.67

"Unpacking was the first clue, lifting the couch was another today and when she was little all those times that things grew with just a thought."68

"No." Melinde was denying any fact when it was there in plain sight. "She's just a-"69

"Strong kid?" Liam was slightly amused yet morbidly so. "Come on now Melinde five foot five, a hundred and ten pounds. The speed is one thing, but the strength?"70

Melinde took a deep breath. "She’s a kid Liam, I just can't let her go."71

"Then you sign her death certificate for her. Melinde, I love you and love that little girl with all my heart, but I will not allow you to go on pretending that she's all human." Liam stocked off, and Lilly could hear his foot steps retreating until a door opened and closed.72

Lilly sat up; shock still was coursing through her veins. She looked over at her window up at the starry sky, she couldn't stay here. She had to get out, think figure out how she could "train" herself if need be. She absently walked over to the window looking out at the tree; it was strong enough to hold her weight. She could sneak out and get back in without anyone noticing.73

Lilly climbed over the bookcase, opening the window up and positioning herself on the window sill. She reached out taking a good hold of the tree branch, and then swung her legs over it climbing down it. She looked up at the window and shook her head; she managed to see her mom walking into the kitchen with tears in her eyes. Lilly frowned and turned walking into the forest.74

The forest was thick at night and before she knew it, she could feel the shock wearing off as pain set in. She began to run not really knowing where she would go. Her thoughts were traveling a million miles per hour, when she came to a clearing. Lilly barely took note of the boy that was walking in the opposite direction.75

Lilly blinked and before she knew it, she had collided with the boy. The atmosphere around them erupted in black and purple, the charged air bringing her silent pendant to life. A voice once again came roaring out of the thing.76

-Survival- 77

The Umbra discovered quickly that the human's on the planet did not take nicely to those that were different. The Umbra's began building a place that was only known to them hoping that the human's wouldn't find them until they had reached a state were they could accept differences. The people in the city flourished for a time, until something strange began to happen.78

The infected, a race that had long ago been terminated on Aarseth started to show up again. The infected didn't want peace; they wanted to destroy the Umbra's for almost destroying all of them. This brought war and famine to the small civilization killing off most of what was left them.79

The Umbra's soon went into hiding taking up posts within the humans, yet trying not to show their true colors. This only seemed to weaken the Umbra and the close ties they had with each other began to break. Soon those that didn't know they were Umbra started popping up. This only seemed to cause more destruction because if the infected found out, the infected killed and if it wasn't the infected it was the humans themselves.80

The glow around her pendant started to fade back in as Lilly knelt a bit away from the boy she had collided with. She didn't know if he saw or heard what she had. Yet, Lilly was much too dizzy and tired to really care. Darkness over took her, as Lilly slumped into unconsciousness.