Silver's Story

The fluttering of birds hummed in the back of his mind. Silver could almost envision majestic wings beating the surrounding air – the avian animals not at all constrained but free to do as they pleased. Despite knowing that it was only a figment of his imagination, he had a strange desire to reach out for one and run his fingers against its glossy feathers. It was a peculiar notion that seemed to have rammed itself into his ever moving train of thought. He was in no position to be thinking about fleeting birds; nor did he see any above him. Silver had no explanation behind it. He vaguely wondered if the creator had inserted the images into his head for one reason or another but pushed those thoughts aside. It was essential to focus on the present. He could analyze the significance of this later.

Silver could feel the heat of Aurora’s gaze on him. It was clear in her expression and movements that she found something about his physical appearance attractive; though, whether or not that was a good or bad thing was beyond him. Shoving his hands into the pockets of his denim jeans, he kept silent. He needed to tread carefully when dealing with his Chosen. She was a beautiful young woman – even by the standards of Majesdanians – and that was a blessing in this cut throat world. Humans were drawn to the concept of beauty. They fawned over and craved it. It was as if humans believed that anything beautiful had a magical quality to it. In a non-magical society, beauty equated to power. However, time had taught Silver well. He knew that beauty was a very fickle thing. Its definition was ever changing and what once was beautiful could very well be average the next day. He also knew that beauty was dangerous. Glancing at Aurora only reaffirmed that. No matter how beautiful she appeared to be, the abilities granted to her were lethal. Silver didn’t know what to expect from her in her earliest years. As her assigned partner, he watched over her from a distance – letting her life her life with little interference from his end. It was meant to be that way but, unlike her blessing with beauty, life had not blessed her with an easy road. Silver had often debated within himself. He struggled with thoughts of overstepping his boundaries to protect her but, like his father always told him, Aurora was meant to undergo this struggle. When her gaze finally reached his eyes, he locked on and fleetingly saw all the cruelties that had been thrown her way. Silver continued to stare into her near purple colored eyes – his mind recalling all the times he was forced to stand by as she suffered – until she broke contact and focused elsewhere.

Silver chuckled at the sight of her smirk, all the vulnerability that Aurora had revealed in her eyes gone. “It’s best if we keep it that way.” Balancing on the heels of his feet, her friend suddenly interrupted in a low whine. He turned his head ever so slightly to inspect Aurora’s companion. He was pitiful to look at with his tattered attire and grimy appearance. Silver assumed that his hobbies, much like his mental state, were questionable. Though, as she seemed rather fond of him, he decided against saying anything about it. Despite feeling sympathetic toward the other male, Silver appeared rather detached. His eyes were distant – not giving away what he felt. He nodded when Aurora asked for a moment and looked away, trying to give them an illusion of privacy.

“Understandable. My little sister is like that too,” Silver said in a not-much-you-can-do-about-it tone and gave her a lopsided grin. The background voices seemed to escalate at Aurora’s confession and he stiffened to a barely noticeable degree. Humans are such nosy creatures. He watched in thinly veiled amusement as she called out to them but this emotion was short lived when the charge in the air changed drastically. Silver could feel the goose bumps spread across the skin of those around him and his eyes focused on Aurora. Her powers over the four elements were coming into play and, what had started off as a quiet day, seemed to be taking a dangerous turn. He watched her with the utmost caution; prepared to push bystanders out of the way in case she lashed out. He readied himself for the worst.

Nothing came.

Pain was evident on her face as she fought for control. Silver could only imagine the amount of restraint that she was being forced to use in order to reign her powers. As someone who grew up knowing and understanding just who and what he was, Silver had a good deal of control. He knew that he was lucky – not everyone had been granted the same beginnings. He was raised by fellow Majesdanians and grew up with knowledge about his people and their abilities. She hadn’t been as lucky. Time seemed to tick on extremely slowly until her breathing found a normal pace. “I’m sorry,” was all he could say. Silver surprised even himself when he noticed his hand had left its place in his pocket and now rested on her shoulder.

“I would take this as my cue to leave but I have something important I’d like to discuss with you. It might help you better understand why you can do what others can’t,” he murmured. Most of the onlookers had left in the wake of her powers making themselves known but he didn’t want to take any chances. “Is there anywhere we can go that’s more…private?” Silver pulled his hand back and straightened himself out while he scanned the perimeter. Though he knew the corruption hadn’t spread to this world yet, he was still cautious – especially when he was beside Aurora.

“You have to trust me.” Looking at her, there was one thought racing through his mind: Aurora was probably going to do everything in her power to make this situation as difficult as possible. He would not put it past her.

A sky colored in several shades of greys and blues towered over the city scene; wispy clouds taking on silly shapes that children were getting entranced by. The faint melodies of native birds could be heard in the distance but the Majesdanian paid no mind to this. His eyes were cast downward as strands of blonde locks partially obscured his vision. Silver absentmindedly focused on the sound of their footfalls – estimating their time of arrival. As the pair neared their destination and moved further away from the police station, the screeching car horns and mindless chatter ceased. A steady silence befell them – the amount of bystanders dwindling significantly. If this had been a planned visit to Earth, he might have taken a moment or two to admire the scenery. Though this wasn’t planned and Silver couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that situated itself deeply in the pit of his stomach.

It was the growing paranoia that caused his gaze to linger on the shadows. Silver half expected the darkness to animate itself – intent on spreading their corruption to this world as well. Placing an unspoken enchantment over the rundown building, Silver stared blankly at the decrepit home. How anyone could live in such a hazardous place was beyond him but he voiced no concerns. He could only imagine what consequences he’d receive with a slip of the tongue. From the outside, the Den – as his Chosen seemed to refer to it as – gave off the impression of something being reclaimed by the earth. The once grand mansion was in a complete state of disrepair. It reminded him of an abandoned war shelter. Rubble of all shapes and sizes were littering the cracked stone pathway. Vines appeared to be obscuring any natural light from seeping into the building itself and weeds were scattered throughout the property. Without the proper care, Silver was sure it would run itself into the ground in a few years.

Dutifully following behind Aurora past the once glossy double doors, Silver’s pianist worthy fingers traced the indentations of the plastered walls. The interior of the Den was clearly worse for wear. The amount of damage that had accumulated over the years was apparent – making Silver question the lifestyles of those who lived in it. As if on cue, his mind began conjuring up images of Aurora struggling with her addictions. His blood ran cold. Alcohol and drug abuse. A voice in his mind echoed as he pulled away from the wall. A noticeable amount of grime coated his fingertips but he made no move to wipe it off. The dirt was smeared over his cream colored skin and he almost chuckled sardonically at the irony. You’re no better than she is. You’re just as tainted in your own sins.

“My name is Silver,” he answered with a smile playing on his lips. He exuded a friendly demeanor; however, his mind was reeling – plagued with memories of a much darker time in his life. Silver could almost feel the pain constricting in his chest but he did his best to ignore it. He couldn’t let these kinds of thoughts consume him; not while in the presence of Aurora. It would be careless and problematic – mixing his personal life with his professional one. Silver had long since come to understand that, once any type of emotion came into play, situations spiraled out of control. He had spent so long detaching himself from everything and everyone that he didn’t expect this to be any different.

Though, to be fair, Silver certainly hadn’t expected this. It took him several seconds to register the fact that his Chosen was now pressed against him and, by then, it was far too late. Had he not been frozen in a state of shock, Silver was sure he could have somehow avoided the position he was finding himself in now – Aurora hovering over him with his back against a worn out sofa. Silver raised an eyebrow at her. His facial expression was calm; though, if Aurora examined his eyes closely, she was bound to see a mix of confusion and annoyance. “You’re invading my personal space,” he murmured – annoyance having won out and throwing a chink in his armor of sorts.

“Are displays of affection common with all those residing on Earth or are you the exception?” Instead of receiving a response to his questions, Aurora moved away from him and momentarily out of his line of sight. Silver ran a hand through his tousled hair. Muttering a string of expletives under his breath, he took a few deep breaths to steady his now erratic heartbeat. I refuse to ever speak of this experience again.

Straightening himself out and returning to his usual mask of composure, Silver analyzed her now forlorn expression and sighed. His mind raced to thoroughly examine the events leading to this moment; hoping to receive some sort of clue about the dismal air surrounding her. “It’s not the house. I’m just not used to people invading my personal boundaries. I’m sorry.” Aurora’s mood showed no signs of lifting at his apology and Silver could only stand stoically before her – no concrete solution to the looming problem making itself known to him.

“Go with me then.” His voice was slightly above a whisper as he spoke. He could find no smoother way to transition into this conversation and, as comforting gestures were foreign to him, now was as a good a time as any to explain to her. Glancing at her hand – still steadily resting on the metal handle – Silver slowly placed his own on top. “We have to go to Nevermore. You're one of the Chosen.”

It was the melody of a hummingbird that resounded in his mind – the birdsong so light and whimsical that it crossed Silver’s mind to pass it off as another figment of his imagination. Had he not caught the fleeting sight of iridescent wings gliding through the air, he surely would have done so. A pair of avian eyes spied on the Guardian and Chosen duo, carrying an inquisitive gaze that struck him as odd. No animal on Earth possessed that level of understanding. He had spent a fair amount of time on this planet and he’d come to the conclusion long ago that the animals that dwelled in these lands did not share the intellect of their Nevermore counterparts. Silver could not recall any moment prior to this one where he’d encountered such an insightful look – from a hummingbird no less! Before he could call out to it, the small bird flapped its wings and disappeared into the mossy green surroundings. Why were creatures of flight so significant to him today?

Skin impacted against wood as Silver’s eyes trailed back to its charge. The feeling of unease settled into the pit of his stomach yet again – dreading whatever was to come. He this was close to questioning her sanity when her scent invaded his senses and he internally blanched. Here we go again. Gritting his teeth imperceptibly, Silver tried to focus his thoughts elsewhere; trying to remind himself of the mission he’d agree to partake in. He was doing this for Nevermore. He was doing this for his father. Once those two pieces of information would have been just the motivational push he needed – giving him the strength to endure whatever obstacle was thrown his way – but, he really despised physical contact. The muscles in his jaw twitched when Aurora raked her hands over him. With her soft hand rested on the nape of his neck, Silver’s expression hardened – the air around him taking on an unsettling quality. However, she seemed to pay no mind as she doubled over in a fit of laughter.

Aurora’s laughter echoed against the walls of the desolate mansion, reverberating off the stone columns and marble flooring. Muted green orbs found themselves staring at the movement of her dark pink lips. She laughed so carelessly – the sounds carrying a carefree quality that did nothing to betray her broken past. Don’t you wish you could laugh like that as well? A small voice trilled in his head. The innocence of childhood has not been lost on her. So much unlike you. A subtle flicker of longing hinted in his eyes before he tucked the thoughts away. He shouldn’t waste his energy on memories past. Time took no pity on those who lingered behind – devoting themselves to useless endeavors in hopes to change their tainted histories. Individuals could only redeem themselves. All other efforts were futile.

Who is Jesus? Silver mused over the name for a moment or two as he waited out Aurora’s bout of – what he hoped was – temporary insanity. He watched as she unsuccessfully tried to reign in her emotions and he was tempted to scoff at her lack of control. As another laugh escaped her bow shaped lips, his eyes narrowed. “So you’re done now?” He had fervently hoped so; however, those hopes flickered out like an extinguished candle on a wintry night as she began to spout random nonsense. His patience was wearing thin and he only caught fragments of the one sided conversation. She really needed to stop staring at him like a dragon evaluating its prey. It’s unsettling.

Silver let out an exasperated sigh. It was obvious she didn’t believe him and, though understandable given the circumstances, Aurora could at least practice some composure. “I’d prefer it if you didn’t touch me again,” his tone threatening but muffled against her exposed skin. His heartbeat raced with his current position – his Chosen having pulled his face to her chest and treating him like a sour child. Aurora had begun listing various drugs she suspected Silver of dabbling with and he almost retorted back. No but I’m starting to come to the conclusion that you’ve had several of the aforementioned. However, with a noticeable amount of effort on his part, Silver kept that thought – as well as a plethora of others – to himself. When she finally released her iron grip, Silver put an adequate amount of distance between them and, though Aurora’s arms were still wrapped around his neck, his mood lifted considerably. I’m going to ignore that sexual innuendo.

“The proper term would be Guardian,” Silver corrected. Finding himself at a loss concerning how to proceed, he shut his eyes – allowing the magic to surge through his veins. His male body took on an ethereal glow as he calmly uttered the several Majesdanian words. Bones began to reshape themselves as his over six foot frame changed into one fitting a petite teenage girl. Platinum blonde locks were replaced with raven colored tresses that swept down a thinning waist line. Silver’s attire of denim jeans and a casual printed tee were substituted with an elegant rose colored dress that appeared to be a mix of modern elegance and dresses dating back to the late 18th century. His masculine features softened until they disappeared entirely. Standing before Aurora now was the celestial spirit Gemini – her heart shaped face filled with uninhibited glee. An overjoyed shriek pierced the air as she leapt forward and tackled Aurora down.

“You must be Silver’s assigned Chosen!” Gemini’s voice filled with awe as her right eye – not obscured by her mess of dark hair – glimmered with excitement. “I knew you would grow up to be pretty. I knew it. Ophiuchus is so gonna eat his words!” She clapped her hands together for a moment before her mouth took on an ‘oh my’ shape and she giggled. “Sorry! I got really carried away. Silver doesn’t like to call me often. He’s such a stick in the mud, don’t cha think?” Gemini extended her tiny hand out to Aurora with the intention of helping her stand and gave her a pearly white grin.

“I’m Gemini. A celestial spirit. I would explain how this all works but that’s such a bore. All you need to know is that Silver is taking a break. He’s still here,” she said quickly while pointing to her chest, “but I’m in control for a little bit. He’ll probably call me back to the Spirit World later.” Gemini shrugged her shoulders – the ever present smile still radiating on her features. Her robin egg blue eyes traced the curves of her features and she blinked curiously. Humans didn’t look very different from Majesdanians. She didn’t think they smelled any different either. That was a major let down. Perhaps they tasted different? Though, to be fair, she didn’t have the slightest clue as to what the Majesdanian race tasted like. But! Gemini had once licked the cheek of Silver’s little sister. Maybe she would be able to compare it?! She hoped Aurora would let her do so. She wanted to be able to report back to the other celestial spirits. They’d probably be very envious of her.

Stay on task, Gemini. Silver’s voice called out in their shared body and she pouted. “Fine,” she crossed her arms and puffed out her cheeks. Gemini was speaking to Silver out loud but, as usual, she didn’t giving a flying monkey’s hat about whether or not Aurora would think she was weird. Her mood shifting to a stubborn little girl who had been refused early dessert, she stomped her heel clad feet on the debris littered grounds. Silver really needed to get laid. Or take up a fun hobby. Maybe she would strategically place activity pamphlets in his clothes before his next visit to Earth. That could work!

“Let’s go to Nevermore! Pretty please? With lots of sugar cookies and chocolate milk on top!” Gemini could practically feel Silver’s icy glare on her.