Halo Enchantment

“Leave me alone, I have nothing to do with whatever you’re thinking!” I grunted, pulling away from his grasp. “I don’t even know that you’re talking about, you lunatic!” I started to dart down the stairs in attempt to get away from… whoever he was.

In every good horror movie, I would have stumbled and plunged down the stairs, but this wasn’t a horror movie. This is real life, and I am really sprinting for my life. I skipped a few steps in between one another. Then, I was touching the door handle, ready for my escape. I thought I had a clear-shot down. I was wrong.

“Hold on, let me explain! I’m trying to help you!” He shouted, inches behind me. Naturally, I turned him out, flinging open the door and trying to slam it, possibly on his hand or arm to hold him back. What really happened? He caught me by the wrist before I even got the chance.

He spun me around so I faced him. “Let go!” I screamed, slamming my knee into his stomach. My head spun since I just woke up here seconds ago. “If you are trying to help me then why’d you kidnap me?” I asked as I leaped over him; my knee had sent him to the ground. My escape to go away failed, so I ran in the opposite way.

“Stop! Please, believe me when I say running away is the only way I could even tell you! Plus, when I do, we’d need to leave anyways. There’s more—” I interrupted him, not halting as he walked. I turned backwards to see my lead.

“No! I don’t want to go anywhere with you! I don’t want to be anywhere near you.” This was the wrong time to look back since I ran into the wall. I hadn’t seen the turn of the hallway. I flew back and landed on my butt. “Ugh… oww…” I grunted, a bit shocked. I stood up, but immediately fell.

“Are you already?” He asked me. He kneeled next to me. “You have to understand, I don’t want to hurt you; honest. You’re very important to me. You’re the key to many things that’ll happen in the future.” He said, gently lifting me.

“Then why did you—” I began, but he shook his head as if he wasn’t going to answer. Why did he approach me so demandingly? “I’m fine.” I assured. “I just… fell. Don’t worry about it. Now, explain.”

There was a dead look in his eyes as if telling me would be a struggle. “I don’t know if we’re alone, okay?” I could tell by his tone that he was half-lying so he didn’t have to tell me, but half serious… He’ll tell me eventually, I’ll make him.

I just nodded as he pulled me to my feet, me leaning on his shoulder for support. That’s when a jolt of pain shocked through my knee cap. A little pained sound came out. My weight shifted on him completely, making him stumble since he was unaware I was going to do that. As was I. “M-my knee…” I stuttered.

“Of course you get hurt.” He rolled his eyes. “Can I carry you?” He looked at me, probably trying to determine my weight, which isn’t that high. He didn’t wait for a reply; he just hit back of my legs and cradled me. He walked to the back door, where I kneed him, and walked out into a fire-exit stair room—not for what he was using it for. “”

He grunted, and that’s when I asked what was wrong. He muttered nothing; he just recalled the previous pain I had inflicted. I asked him if he wanted me to walk, but he assured me that carrying me was like holding a backpack, easy. He asked me to trust me, just for now at least. He said how serious it was, so I agreed. I’ll get out of here if needed.

But I have to admit, I really did take that as a complement. My wavy, think, charcoal-colored hair and mint-green eyes always bugged me since I generally thought myself as, well, not ugly, but not exactly pretty. My unavailability to tan annoyed me, but it ran on my mother’s side of the family, or so my father said. She passed away, I was told, when I was little. I’ve heard nothing of or about her—not even the broadest of details besides she was a beautiful, pale, blue-eyed blond.

“So,” I began to question. “Where exactly are we going to?”

“First, we are getting out of this building. We were only here to let you finish resting, but since your obviously awake now, we’ll find a hidden shelter by nightfall to avoid unwanted visitors.” He replied, somewhat making it sound as if I was a burden. Hey, if he wanted, he could’ve taken me when I was awake. Oh, but then I wouldn’t let him take me… but still, he’s not in the position to be complaining.

Let me explain. He took me from my house apparently, and I woke up in this familiar hotel. I remember coming here for a month when my house had to get fixed but by an awful pipe leak that wrecked everything when we went out of town. It’s a long story, but long story short, I was here for some time and my father was gone at work a lot, so I made friends with all the workers. Right now if anyone was even watching the cameras this early at those spots, they were probably thinking we were playing, since I did mess around quite a bit and there is no audio for the cameras.

“Why until nightfall?” I questioned. I hadn’t even acknowledged that the sun has even risen yet; I woke up here at what I thought was midnight. Bizarre thing is, the room was dirty with things it’d seem he wouldn’t own, and I’d know if it was mine. I guess he barged into someone’s room while they left, but why is someone leaving over night? Oh well, that has nothing to do with what’s happening now.

He explained vaguely, “It’s the only time we can go undetected. We really can’t afford being seen by the wrong people.” He skipped a stair, making me jolt up a bit and gasp, but he just chuckled a bit to himself.

I elbowed him nonchalantly. “And we’re hiding where exactly?”

“Not sure yet. There is a warehouse some miles from here; it could provide shelter.” He planned as he spoke. By his tone, it sounds like he just now opted to think about it. Brilliant.

I wouldn’t think much of walking there, since I got a lot of sleep before he took me—that is weird to comprehend—but my knee hurts. Not wanting to be an inconvenience on our walk there, I asked him if I could walk so he didn’t have to hold me, but he wouldn’t allow it, and said something about proper etiquette.

“Sounds fine,” I lied, going back to our previous conversation. I trolled into thoughts about would my father would think of my absence.

My father, Duncan Leon, has always been dreadfully protective of me. He never let me out past eight, I always had to be in bed at nine, asleep by nine-thirty, and not a second later. He made me come home right after school before I went anywhere, including to my neighbor’s house, which I didn’t do since most everyone was elderly. Even so, I was grateful he cared at the very least, since most parents seem to be more lenient, but in a way that puts their kids in a dangerous position. Sometimes, I reflect about how strict he can be, but he’s doing best for me.

If he walked into my room and I wasn’t there, he’d probably call the police. Oh crap… knowing Father, my face will be on the newspaper, magazines, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he found a way to get it on the back the milk cartons. That’s him for you, but I presume that’d be good if I weren’t willingly leaving.

I peered up at him, and was prepared to caution him of what might happen. For all I know, he may just set me down and stroll on back for his own sake. “Hey—wait, what’s your name?” I questioned, trying to make eye contact; I felt distant for not talking much, and disadvantaged since I couldn’t walk on my own.

“Later.” He said bluntly, not even seeming like he was about to glace down at me. Me-oww… His tone was kind of snippy, as if he’s told me a million times he can’t tell me. Well, someone is grouchy, but we have to get along if we are going to be “traveling” together, so I won’t pick at it.

“Well, anyways, I figure that I should warn you, my father will have m face plastered everywhere with the subtitle ‘MISSING’ seconds after he realizes his daughter had suddenly vanished. So… you might want to be a little careful, and think into things. I mean, you’re the one that’ll get in trouble.” I advised. “I’d back you up, but I think they’d be waiting for some innocent sob story rather than me backing up the bad guy. Even if I did back you up, they’d think you’d put me up to it.”

He snickered at my last words. “Don’t worry. No one will see us the way we go, so if you’re posted around, we won’t get caught. We’ll take the lonesome scenic trail.” He assured. Oh boy, what fun. I couldn’t tell if I should be happy that I’ll be all alone with this captor here, or if I should be terrified. Fortunately, although he seemed stronger than me by a long-shot, he appears to be approximately my age.

“Wait, why did you kidnap me in the first place? And don’t avoid the truth this time! Tell me the complete honest answer, not a way around it. ” I commanded.

“But what if—” He started to attempting to make up some excuse that would get him out of telling me. He won’t get away with it, I will know, or there will be a consequence on his behalf. If I have to suffer with not knowing anything, I’ll just stumble off back home, hurt knee or not.

“But nothing! No one is around us, and no one is listening r watching! We are all alone!” Wait… I believe this was the first time I ever have been alone with a boy my age. The idea made my cheeks warm, but I quickly dismissed the thought. “Quit being paranoid. So what is it?” I ranted.

Besides muttering, “It’s always questions with you…”, He acted like I never said a word. Therefore, it was dead silent until we approached an elevator with me in his arms. I blushed—again—and I could feel it, so I turned my head out of his sight.

“What’s wrong?” He broke the silence with a worried tone. Since he didn’t reply to my question, I didn’t respond to his. Pay back, Mystery Boy. Nothing abnormal though, I mean, I think a girl who’s with a guy alone for the first time and in his arms would feel the same. “Seriously, I’ll explain everything, you’ll understand. When we find shelter I’ll tell you. I can’t speak of it in a public place without being afraid.”
“When an innocent girl is more confident than the guy, I think there is something wrong with him.” I teased.

He smirked, raising an eyebrow. “And when this more innocent girl doesn’t know what’s to come ahead of her destiny, and this random—probably handsome—man is the only one who’ll tell her anything any time soon, she should be quite.” He joked in a charming tone with a wink.

Woah, that was… cute! I shook it off. “Shut up,” I whispered, then stayed silent with a grin until we noticed the elevator didn’t go to the lobby when Mystery here pressed ‘L’. He stepped out to make sure when the doors shut.

“We’re on the second floor,” I explained. He clicked the down button to reopen the elevator, but when it didn’t respond, he tensed and didn’t respond to my, “What?”

I heard a strange chuckle echo, which lead Mystery here to be petrified. Once I blinked, what used to be empty space was not a blue eyed blond. He was the same height as Mystery, which is about half a foot taller than me. He seemed as if the same age, but Mystery stood his ground, firm, as if the other was a threat.

“Give her to me.” Blondy demanded, clear-cut, which gripping something in one of many of his pant pockets. I looked at the shape of it, and it seemed like a handle, maybe of a sword, but this was in a miniscule pocket to his very left, so I knew a blade couldn’t fit in it. Why would he have a mere handle? That’s very worthless, unless there is something else that I don’t know… that’s a new unsolved question to add to the list.

They both spat out remarks, but it generally sounded like a, “Gimme!”—“No!” conversation, repeating back and forth. Obviously, their words weren’t exactly like that, but that’s how I took it. I rolled my eyes and thought they needed to be more mature. I don’t think I want to journey off with either one of them if this is how they give the impression of how they solve their problems. I mean, seriously? Fighting physically isn’t good at all, but it certainly seems like it’d be a little more fitting with this whole “secret journey”, “you’re the important key to the future” stuff.

“Shut up!” I shouted. They looked at me with wide eyes as if they forgot my existence. Hello, then who were they fighting about? “What’s so special about me…?”

Blondy stared at Mystery, dumbstruck. “She doesn’t even know?!” He snapped, dropping his grasp and pulling out fists.

“I was about to freakin’ tell her but someone barged in here!” Mystery retorted. Wow, they began to form a quarrel again. I tuned them out and just relaxed for a moment until I heard Mystery shout, “What are you doing, you idiot?!”, and started to dash off through the maze of halls.

“Wait, why are we running?” I yelled, I was about to start thrashing around bit I realized if I did, I would’ve fallen and Mystery would have stopped to pick me up. He was obviously running for a reason, so I won’t.

“Just shut up and keep quiet!” Mystery snapped. “You have no idea what’s going on!”

At first, I was stunned, but then I got angered. “And that’s my fault?! You’re the one who won’t tell me a freakin’ thing! For Pete’s sake, I don’t even know your name! What is it, and who in the world is Blondy?” I was basically screaming.

“Can’t say now,” He sighed. “It’s not safe. I—”

“How many times are you going to use that excuse? You know what? Just put me down, I can’t stand this… this stupidity!” I was sick of the arguing, and all of the unanswered questions.

“It’s not an excuse, more of a justification. And I am not putting you down. I can’t risk losing you. You’re very important.” He explained vaguely.

Wow, thanks for making me feel like a piece of property. “How am I important, and where did Blondy go? What are we doing? How are we—”

“Just stop asking questions! Chill! Just don’t ask anything for five minutes so I can at least think about what to do next.”

I crossed my arms and hid my face. I was tired of being important, especially while I know nothing at all. I just want to go home and curl into a ball on my bed… I shook my head. No, that was the old me; I am not a crybaby anymore. I sighed as I realized my arms were shaking. I made myself relax so I could think logically and a figure out what’s freaking going on.

“Hey, Mystery?” I asked.

“Uhmm… Mystery?” He questioned.

“Can you at least tell me who Blondy is?” I replied.

“He is someone who used to be on my side, but he let power control him. Now, all he wants is the power so he can have his wishes, and it seems he’ll do anything to get his hands on it, just like anything else he wants. Right now, you’re the one he wants.” He explained.

“Why? And is he all of what you’re apparently saving me from?”

“I wish it were that simple, but no. And that’s another thing I can’t tell you right now.”

I sighed, but at least I got one solid answer; I felt like I accomplished something. One out of a million.
“Stupid Sam… did that guy seriously manipulate him… what with? Maybe he promised him with his…” He muttered to himself under his breath. “But still, he used to be my best friend. I wish…” Mystery trolled off, probably unaware that I heard all of that.

So Sam, huh? The name fits the pretty face. He’s the bad guy, but who is he being manipulated by, and what with? If I ask now, he’ll snap at me, so I’m better off just wondering... although he does look cute when he’s angry.

We ended up darting up some emergency stairs and dashing through a room. Luckily, no one was in this room we approached, and the lock was unlocked,. That’s when I heard a shower starting to run. Oh.
“We have to be quiet; someone’s here!” I whispered.

He nodded, shutting the door silently so Sam would know we were in this room—I think. He went into a bedroom and that’s when he heard the front door open. Sam! Mystery didn’t lock it?!

“We have to jump!” Mystery demanded silently. I peered out the window, and then back at him. What?! We’re on the forth story now! I kept my thoughts in and he explained further on. “There is a fire escape hatch outside. If we get on it, slide the ladder, and get down, we can run for the warehouse.”

All I could do is nod and hope for the best. I can’t move myself, so I have to rely on him. I’ve nothing to lose… I am already a runaway who knows nothing.

He thrusted open a window in a second and jumped onto the rusty, unstable hatch. Mystery thrusted open a window in a second and leaped onto the rusty, unstable hatch. Mystery took a single step and it leaned with an annoying screech, leaving me terrified.

I gasped, trying to keep quiet myself, and squinted my eyes shut for a moment in fear. He kicked the ladder. Oh, it slid lower alright, snapping off and slamming onto the street…

“Geez! If there were a fire, these people would be screwed!” Mystery exclaimed. “Okay, well, anyways,” —his attempt to avoid the topic’s threat, if that was even possible—“This is what we are going to do. I’m going to jump down, then you’ll jump and I’ll catch you.”

“But that’s really far down; if you catch me wrong, you could break an arm or something!” And the fact that I really didn’t want to leap that far down.

“Don’t worry, you hardly weigh anything.” He assured.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” I murmured.

He jumped down and landed perfectly on his feet—I had a feeling that he had experience from jumping off heights—and looked at me. “Okay, you’re turn!” He called.

I laughed nervously. “Ahahah… Are you sure you’ll catch me?” I called back… down there… far down. I really didn’t want to jump now.

“No.” He said sarcastically. After a pause, he continued. “Yes, just jump!” And so I did. I know it was going to go horribly wrong, but I got it over with. At any chance, this could be a dream and I’d wake up, but he if gets hurt, it is his fault since I did warn him. But no, he didn’t listen.

But I didn’t wake from a dream, and I was right. Mystery didn’t catch me right at all. Instead, he fell backwards and I stumbled away from him. Good thing, my knee didn’t hurt so much now after all. Bad thing, Mystery wasn’t doing so hot; he must’ve wounded a rib.

“S-sorry.” I stuttered, sitting next to him. I know we should’ve been running, but we were kind of shocked about how everything had happened and turned out. We just sat there, dazed.

“It wasn’t your fault.” He moaned, gripping his stomach. Convincing…

“I know, but I feel bad.” I replied honestly, putting my hand lightly on the harmed area to see if I felt any dents, bumps, or other signs of damage, but he flinched so I stopped. Then, he picked up my hand and put it at the spot that irritated him. After that, he smiled, gawking at my hand.

“What? Oh—and I’m sorry that I hurt you. I tried to persuade you, and I know you didn’t think I was going to jump when I did so you were off, and I jumped a bit to your left. It’s just, you told me to and then I thought about Sam catchi—”

“Sam!” He snapped in a whisper. He stood up and grabbed me by the wrist, pulling me down the alley. “We have to hurry, now! Crap… if we get caught…”

“But your wound…?” I responded as he tugged me, seeming fine.

“Don’t worry, it’s healed.” He replied so simply like I should’ve known. “See that?” He shouted to the sky like a crazy person. “I was right, so what now?”

I didn’t question his ways; the whole day so far had been peculiar, and it was until about dinner time I guess. Sunset was approaching over the hills, but the whole walk there was strange. No conversation at all, but he did mutter something about god, location, limits, and maybe Sam but I couldn’t comprehend that so well.

We got to a warehouse shed eventually and he turned around to me. “Welcome to your temporary home.” He yawned, but still seemed alert. It was in a good condition—looked like it was even recently repainted—especially compared to the run-down rusty garbage heap that I imagined.

“So… no dinner, right?” I murmured, my stomach rumbling as I set my hand on it. He nodded and wandered off to a nearby tool shop that I’d assume owned this shed and a few others around it, and came back with two bottles of water, a bag of beef jerky that was teriyaki flavored, sunflower seeds, and a mini-bag of Lays potato chips. “Thanks, I think.” —I was used to healthier, bigger meals, but I can’t complain—“Can I know what your name is now, Mystery?”

“Kyle Nikita,” He replied, shaking some unruly hair out of his face. “Yours?” He spoke in a silly tone, as if this was the millionth question of the day. At least I got an answer now, but that still makes only two out of a million answered.

“Arianna Leon,” I responded. “Now, I’m starved.” I opened the sunflower seeds first and nibbled on them.

We dug into our “meal” and covered about the clouds, then about everything I didn’t know, while leaning against the shed. The conversation soon enough led into the topic of the stars. It was getting late, but we were bonding, willing to stay awake. We sat next to each other, legs out, necks stretched up to gaze at the diamonds in the navy blue field.

“While we are talking about how everything seems to be beyond your imagination today, I think I’ll add one more thing that most can’t comprehend that grow up here without any word about it. Did you know that the stars are really souls of heroes?” he questioned. Once he looked over at me giving him an odd glare, he continued. “Those who are truly claimed as heroes by at least two of three heavenly clans—which you’ll learn about… later— those heroes either go into the heavens of… ‘turn into stars’, I guess. It’s their choice, and it’s to mark their glory. That’s why space is so big; it’s the heaven’s canvas.”

“You ever stop and think about how famous idols here are called ‘stars’? Well, no, it’s not really because stars are vibrant, amazing, and what not. It actually was an expression, way back ago, that people used towards those who the humans thought would be heroes, or that they thought truly deserved to be heroes. Being called a star then was a high honor, somewhat like today, but not nearly as much. Any actor or singer can be a star, but only one of millions who worked hard enough and had the right way of thinking could be called a star and it is true to some extent. The word back then wasn’t just thrown around to any person basically. But a lot of changes have occurred, like how many religions have been created by people’s minds, therefore leaving majority of people to not actually remember a thing about how true this all was, and everything’s actual meaning.”

“But anyways, you’re probably wondering about what it is to be a diamond in the sky. Well, being a star means your soul is at rest. You’ll either come back as a newborn, or just appear at a random age, which they can’t pick. They actually have no option of what happens, or even what gender they are. The only thing that stays the same for sure is permanent appearances, like scars and birth marks. Sometimes, they have their memory when they return, but that’s extremely rare.”

“Unfortunately, most never get the chance to come back. There is no ‘waiting list’ or anything, and the only one who can actually make a certain person come to Earth is the Lord, but most of the time none deemed that much worth of spending his time, or so the clans believe. One thing the clans can do though without the Lord’s direct assistance, but with his power, is bring him back to heaven. They only do this after so long, if a clan, or a head angle, gives you pity. When you come back either way, your star stays as a symbol of your patients, but it eventually fades to make room for more without over crowding the sky.”

“So… you are saying this all like you are sure… not like it’s a story. Is this…” I was hesitant to finish, as if this all were a joke, or a prank. “Real? And I mean, even if it is, you’re only talking about the heavens. What about…” I was tentative again. “Hell?” I felt consoled after I got my questions out. I tried not to ask too many of them, and let him talk. I was practically feeding on this information, hungering to get more. I haven’t a clue of why, but I didn’t think much of it; I just listened.

Kyle nodded. “Indeed. And yeah, you brought it up before got to it. Well, heroes become stars just as much as… what would you call them, villains? Whatever, but we call them darkens. They don’t go up to Heaven obviously, they go to Hell. The rest is unknown since we don’t really form close enough friendships to learn, of course, but yep!”

“And my importance in this is…?” I questioned, noticing that I had unintentionally leaned my head on his shoulder as he was talking. His arms curled around my neck after I asked, and I have to admit, it did add some comfort.

“You know the Northern Star? He was one of the best heroes, the lord himself. That was the first star, and really unnoticed by humans is the Southern Star. Did I mention that they are stars? Well, yeah, the Southern Star is a darken. The darken lord doesn’t have a star like our Lord does. So, it’s not Stan’s mark, but it’s his greatest minion, to say the least. Just because the man isn’t Satan himself doesn’t mean he is powerful though. Satan has his ways of trickery to lend his power, so he will give a plentiful amount to the greater minions that trust him. But as we all know,” Kyle looked into my eyes, with a needy, yet serious look. “Trusting the devil is like tripping down a rigid steep mountain, things only go downhill from there.”

I nodded, assuring him that I felt the same way as he did.

He beamed, with all his teeth showing, and looked back up. “Stars explode when they return to the world or go to Heaven. Most humans can’t see them since they are so far, but still. Well, the Southern Star exploded, and you have to help, or well, no help… you have to do it all. You have to stop him. You’ll have only your power and the power that the Lord can transfer to you without overdoing your human body. You have to do what the Lord can’t. Kill. Your sin will be forgiven, believe me. He just can’t do it for two reasons. One is very obvious, by the fact that it is not in the Lord’s name to kill any being, period.”

“On the other hand, the Lord can’t leave the heavens. He can send off spiritual mirages of himself, and realistic images for certain reasons, but he has promised to stay in the Heavens until it is truly deemed necessary in his eyes. So, He himself can’t come to Earth, but he can help people to do what needs to be done by lending his power. He can’t do this to many people, but just one, and that is for many reasons, one being that he has been betrayed in the past."

"It’s all really complicated to explain, especially because most people I know already know or don’t need to, but I’m not used to telling people. What I’m saying is he works through people if he must, and in the chosen’s case, he’s literally lending direct power. Satan doesn’t do as He does, he just throws his power out like free samples, but all for negative outcomes that greedy, confused people don’t realize until it’s all too late.”

“Anyways, he pretty much lends you strength and what not, but for now, we have to just find ou…”