Queen of Light

The roaring and crashing of the waves filled the darkness that surrounded me. Covered me. Enveloped me.

I slept, and slept, and slept, falling deeper into the darkness. It whispered to me, calling my name. Aiyana. Aiyana. Aiyana. My soul felt light, empty. Foreign.

A small ball of light formed in the darkness. The light grew, chasing away the darkness that called to me. The light rushed faster and faster towards me, to the point where that was all there was: light. Light to put out the darkness. Light that made me feel heavier. Light that put a weight on my shoulders. Light that shone like a thousand suns.

Darkness, different than the one that wrapped around me earlier, replaced the light. The night sky appeared, stars twinkling in the distance. Light purple, black, dark blue, and dark purple colored the sky. It was the most gorgeous thing I had ever seen.

I started to shoot up through the night sky, stars whizzing past me. The crashing of the waves got louder. I started to feel heavy. I could feel a light breeze passing over my face. I could feel my fingers, toes, and body -- each twitching and thrashing. I kept soaring through the night sky. A blinding white light then replaced the night sky. The light roared at me, demanding I hold on. I held.

I started feeling my chest rise and fall, could feel the crisp air entering my lungs, then being expelled out. I could feel my heartbeat, a thunderous beat blocking out the roaring of the waves. I felt my soul enter into my body again with a click.

I gasped with the impact. My eyes fluttered open. My hands were sweaty, bunched up into fists as I grasped the wet sheets I was lying on.

The first thing my eyes registered was the brown, wooden ceiling of my bedroom. Then the bed I was lying on. Then the door that was across from me, open. Then my wings, spread open beside me, wrapped in a white healing cloth. Then the open window to my left. Then the man sleeping in the chair beside my bed. Rowan.

Rowan was slumped in the dark-blue comfy chair beside my bed, sleeping. He had purple crescents under his eyes. His hair was disheveled, sticking up in different directions. He wore the same clothes that he had worn when the ilken attacked. There were dried blood splotches that covered his black fighting leathers, and crusted blood was on the rims of his fingernails.

As I slowly started to sit up, he jolted awake. He stared at me, his face paler than it had been when the ilken had attacked. His face showed such emotion that I blushed. He blinked. Once. Twice. Then, his face crumpled as tears started streaming down his face. He knelt down beside the bed, taking my hand. He placed his forehead on it. He shuddered as he continued to cry. Tears started rolling down my face, too.

“Rowan,” I whispered, looking down at him. “What’s wrong?”

He looked up at me, his face shining with tears. “You’re my --” he said as someone flew into my bedroom with such great force, the walls seemed to groan. I looked at the open doorway, finding Aelin there, her eyes red, breathing hard. Rowan looked up from my hand, and stood up. He was looking at me with sadness in his eyes. He was still holding my hand. I squeezed his hand. He squeezed back.

“Aelin --” I said.

She had already bolted to my side -- opposite the one where Rowan was standing beside me. She sat down onto the bed, careful not to touch my wings, and leaned down towards me. She caressed my cheek. “I thought you were dead,” she cried. “I thought you were dead.” Aelin put her head onto the bed, right beside my wrapped torso.

“It’s okay, Aelin. I’m here -- I’m fine,” I whispered, patting her head. “Rowan, did you have to tell me something?” I turned my head to look at him.

He shook his head. “We can talk later,” was his only reply.

I then faced Aelin. “What about you? Are you okay?” I asked her.

She lifted her head and looked me in the eyes. She pulled up her loose white shirt to show me the scar that was left. The scar was deep; it was still red. It took up a third of her torso, and was about a couple of centimeters wide. I gaped at it. “How long did it take for you to heal?”

“Rowan helped with the major healing,” Aelin glanced at Rowan. “I slept for a couple of days. Since I am demi-Fae, I can heal fast, but not as fast as regular Fae.”

“You said you slept for a couple of days,” I slowly said, “so I must have slept . . .” I looked at Rowan for an answer.

“You slept for four days.”

How much did I miss? “Rayen. Is she alright?” I asked, quickly lifting my head off the pillow.

“She’s fine,” Aelin said, putting a hand on my head to put it back on the pillow.

“Azriel?” I asked.

“He’s fine, too,” Rowan responded.

“I need to thank him --”

“Sit down Aiyana,” Aelin said as she put my head back on the pillow -- again.

“Am I allowed to get out of bed?”

“You may, but you just have to be careful,” Rowan answered. He was still holding my hand.

I slowly sat up into a sitting position on my bed. “How far away from Terrassen are we?” I asked while trying to stand up. I failed.

“Let me help you,” Aelin softly said, rising from the bed. I let go of Rowan’s hand. Aelin grabbed both my arms, and helped me climb off the bed. All of my muscles barked with the movement. I felt extremely stiff; I was barely able to walk.

“We will probably arrive there this afternoon,” Rowan said from behind me.

I was able to face him, Aelin helping me move. My wings were extremely heavy; it felt like big, heavy rocks were dangling from them. “Good,” I said as I slowly -- step by step -- walked towards my closet, Aelin holding my arms to help guide me. She opened my closet door, and took out a pair of blue, loose pants and a white shirt.

“Out,” she told Rowan. He was gone in a flash, closing the door.

Aelin helped me undress, and put on the clothes she had picked for me. She put my hair back in a ponytail. She cursed.

“What?” I asked, turning to face her.

“You’re Fae,” she whispered.

“So?”

“So?” she demanded.

I raised my eyebrows in question. “With all my powers and abilities, you didn’t think I was Fae?”

She looked at me for a minute. Then she spoke. “No.”

I laughed. “Wow, Aelin. I thought at least you would be able to tell.”

She stuck her tongue out at me. I returned the gesture.

We both walked through the hallway, and up the stairs that led to the deck of the ship. Aelin helped me the whole way.

Sunlight warmed my wings and body as I walked onto the deck of the ship. Rhysand and his court members were talking to some of my friends. Good, I thought, at least they are talking. The people on the deck turned to face me as they heard Aelin and my footsteps.

Rhysand, his court, and all of my friends looked at me, worried. “I’m okay,” I told them. They all seemed to relax after hearing the words. I scanned the group for Azriel, but he was nowhere to be seen. “Where is Azriel?” I asked Rhysand.

“He went out for a while,” he responded.

“Will he be back soon?”

“Yes, he will.” As I opened my mouth to ask another question, Rhysand added, “You can thank him when he gets back.”

I nodded my thanks. “What did you guys do while I was sleeping?”

“We just got to talk -- nothing special,” Feyre said.

“That sounds nice,” I said. “Did you all get to know each other better?”

My friends and Rhysand’s court each looked at one another.

“Sure,” Cassian replied, shrugging.

I laughed. “Thanks for being sincere, Cassian. We all may need to work on getting to know each other better.” I smiled as everyone grunted in annoyance.

This was going to be a long day.

By Alexa Gantt

Hi everybody, this is Alexa! I am so sorry that I have not posted a section of my Fan Fiction in a while. Starting this coming Saturday, February 24, I will be posting every other week.

Thank you guys so much for your cooperation, and enjoy the rest of your day!

Entry 5 - Dear Hailey

May 5th, 2054

Dear Hailey, 

Were still on the bus but things have taken a drastic event. Somebody has the virus. It's a boy; a small one. He is about 2-3 years old. The soldiers say he's a lost cause, so they aren't even bothering to get the medics. I am watching right now the mom of the child quarreling with the soldiers on the side of the road. They want her to leave the boy there because they don't want to risk us getting sick. 

The boy has all of the usual symptoms. A bloody nose, swollen fingers, and a big purple dot on his tongue. His mom though thinks that he'll pull through and she doesn't want to leave him. 

One of the soldiers has just hit the mom on her head. She has collapsed. The boy is pocking at her, and yelling 'Mama'. Now we're being told to go back on the bus. I think they're just going to leave the boy and his mother here. The mom got what she wanted at least. The boy won't be left alone.  

Hailey, I'm glad we were able to get you to help. I don't know if you are alive or dead but at least we tried to save you. 

Hope Fonial

By Marizo Bheh

Queen of Light

I looked quizzically at Aelin. “That’s it?”

“No,” was all she told me before she went below deck. Probably to get more weapons.

I scanned the sky, making sure that nothing was going to instantly appear and attack us.

“What’s going on?” Rayen asked as she looked up at me.

“I don’t know,” I murmured, still scanning the sky. “I really don’t know.”

A small movement in the sky caught my eye. I looked at the sun, right where the movement came from. There, a cloud of black started to form. It was moving -- heading straight for us. Panic started to form in my gut. The wave of darkness just got bigger and bigger, and was moving faster and faster.

Aelin, having returned from below deck, ran straight towards the end of the deck, her face as white as fresh snow. “Ilken,” she murmured. She turned to face me, and my friends. “Ilken,” she murmured again.

“How many?” Lorcan asked. He stood in front of Elide, darkness already enveloping them.

Aedion walked to the edge of the deck, and looked out at the ilken. “More than 300,” he said. He faced us, his face paling.

“Shute,” Rowan hissed.

“What do we do?” I asked my friends.

“Fight,” was Lorcan’s only response. Everybody got into position. Lysandra was looking up at the sky. She growled.

The ilken were getting closer. They blocked out most of the sunlight. All you could see for miles and miles were ilken -- each heading for us. Rayen prepared herself beside me.

“Ready?” I asked, looking down at her.

She nodded once. Then, she looked out at the ilken. Her eyes were the fiercest I had ever seen them.

I whipped towards Aelin. “Aelin. I can fly up there and fight them in the air. So can Rayen.”

“No,” she said as she looked at me. “Not in a million years.”

“Yes,” I hissed. “This ship is small, and there isn’t any land nearby. They can easily destroy you --”

“No,” she repeated.

I forced my body to become invisible. I breathed in through my nose, and out of my mouth. “I am going Aelin, no matter --”

“No, Aiyana,” Rowan growled.

But it was too late. I had already shot into the sky. Turn into the biggest winged animal possible, I told Rayen through the bond. 

I already have something in mind, was all she said before she completely blocked me out.

I flew up so I was facing the ilken. They were getting closer. Much closer. I rallied my powers within me.

I summoned water, forming dragons, wyverns, and griffins that were indestructible. They could not be burned. Could not be defeated. Could not be killed. Not by one human being on this earth. Not even Amren.

As the ilken neared and saw the animals I created, their faces started to blanch. I put an invisible shield around myself when the ilken were about ten feet away from me. I ordered my animals to attack. They did as they were told. One after another, ilken screamed as they were drowned. As I froze them, then shattered them to pieces.

I formed invisible hands that had a mind of their own. They choked, crushed, and stabbed the ilken with the knives I had provided them. They tore out the hearts of the ilken, and crushed them. Ilken, like raindrops falling from the sky, fell down into the water, screaming with pain and rage. I burned some as they fell, and others I froze. I summoned two swords, each in both of my hands, and -- still invisible -- I flew straight into the army of ilken. I kept my swords out -- which were also invisible -- and they cut ilken as I flew through. I tore the ilken in half. As their body parts fell to the water, they burned.

I became visible as I swooped down beneath the ilken, and flew straight to the front of the army. I sent an enormous gust of wind at them, sending them flying in different directions. The ilken regained their balance and flew back to the front of the army, sneering. I grinned at them. Ilken continued to fall into the water and burn as my invisible hands, flame, and water animals kept on attacking, having a mind of their own.

Ilken started to advance on me, while others flew straight to the ship. I sent a wave of water to the ones heading for me, which drowned them. As they fell through the air, they froze, and shattered into pieces before they could even scream. More started heading for me.

The ship. Aelin. Rowan. Where was Rayen? Where was --

A roar, so loud it made the sea tremble, sounded. I quickly looked at the ship, and saw an enormous dragon flying over it, shooting flame at the ilken that tried to attack the ship. Some were on the deck, fighting with my friends.

The dragon was marvelous. It was black, and had light blue swirls that crawled up its legs, wings, cheekbones, and tail. It had crystal blue eyes, and a blossom on its forehead. Rayen. I cry of relief escaped me.

I faced the ilken that were charging towards me. I sent flame, water, and ice in their direction. The ilken screamed, and fell down into the water. I sent a wave of wind to the ones that were heading towards me. The wave sent them flying back. Fighting knives instantly replaced the swords in my hands. I threw them. Ilken screamed as the knives pierced their flesh. More and more knives appeared in my hands. I threw them all, one after another. Again. Again. Again. Invisible hands took the knives out of the ilken’s chests, and stabbed them. Again. Again. Again.

The size of the ilken army had decreased in size. But more kept coming. I flew up higher into the sky. Ilken followed me. Just then, a shot of pain seared through my back, and I screamed. At that moment, a dragon roared. Rayen. I looked behind me. An ilken warrior had stabbed her in the back. It was smiling in delight. Rayen tried to get it off, but she couldn’t. In an instant, the ilken froze, and shattered into pieces. I took the knife out of Rayen’s back. She roared again, but this time, in thanks. I faced the ilken that were flying in my direction.

From the ship, I heard a piercing scream, then a cry.

I whipped back, so I was facing the ship. Something in my chest cracked as I beheld what happened: an ilken warrior had stabbed Aelin in the chest. Her eyes were wide, and she was sagging.

“AELIN!” Rowan roared.

My blood turned to ice. I was going to kill each and every one of these ilken slowly. Very slowly.
I faced them now, all of my powers building up within me. I was a beast. I was indestructible. I was not going to let them kill any of my friends.

All of my powers wrapped around me; each mixing with the other. Ilken froze, then slowly crept towards me, sneering and grinning. I exploded.

Invisible hands quickly killed the ilken to my right; fire burned the ilken to my left; and water and wind killed the ilken in front of me. I lifted my head up to the sky, and roared. I was going to burst. I did. Flame, water, wind, invisibility, and light -- light -- shot out in every direction. Ilken screamed as they disintegrated.

No ilken were left as I opened my eyes and looked out at the sea. None. I let my invisible shield drop. From behind me, I heard a cry. “Aiyana!” Aedion yelled at me. I faced him. Pain like I had never known shot through my back. Through my wings. I screamed. I whirled, and found two ilken flying behind me, blood on their hands. My blood. They grinned. I tried to lash my power at them as they neared me again, but I couldn’t. My powers were drained. One of the ilken disappeared. Pain zapped through my wings, just as the ilken in front of me dug its pointed claw into my gut. I screeched in pain. I thrashed, trying to lose the grip of both the ilken.

Rayen roared. I could hear the flapping of mighty wings getting closer. Just as Rayen was about twenty feet away from us, the ilken disappeared. Having lost all of my energy, I fell through the sky, heading straight for the water. My vision started to blur. The water was getting closer. Closer. Closer.

It hit me hard, bruising my already torn wings. I screamed in pain at the impact, and water filled my lungs. I couldn’t breathe. My eyes started to burn, and my vision started to blacken at the edges. I tried to hold on as I let myself sink farther, and farther into the sea. I tried to hold on. There wasn’t enough energy for me to do so.

Someone crashed into the water, and swam for me. The person grabbed my hand, and pulled me close to them. Their dark, black wings wrapped around me as they shot through the water. We were instantly back in the air, flying straight for the ship. I caught a quick glimpse of the person carrying me before everything went black. Before all I could hear was never-ending silence.

The person was a man that wore beautiful, black fighting leathers. He had short, dark hair, and darkness swirled around him. His face was beautiful -- like an angel’s.

Azriel.

By Alexa Gantt