The Hidden Shadows Within the Clouds

The world began to spin and darkness engulfed my vision until it stopped and I appeared in a totally black, empty, and painfully quiet room, making silence have a sound. In the middle of the room sat a girl strapped into a metal chair. She had inky wings reaching her ankles that were also secured to the metal poles of the chair. She was scuffling in the chair, making it wobble and her wings were trying to break the binding in any way possible. She couldn’t. It was just too strong.
Suddenly, a door made of black particles dissolved to make way for a creature concealed in the same shadowy particles, like a cloak. I would have been able to see what the cloak was covering except it was too thick and there were too many particles in the way to see through.
He laughed sinisterly and said in a strange, throaty voice,
“Nothing like another soldier,” and laughed again, looking down on the girl in a pathetically cruel way. He continued.
“I could give you power, enough power to control whoever and whatever you wanted. You just have to come with us.” The girl just glared up at him like she wanted to rip his head off, and probably would because of the way he was treating her. She seems rebellious and brave to be doing this, although I don’t know either of these people.
He frowned at her but said, “Your rebelliousness could be used well in my army. Perhaps you could be an assassin...” He seemed to have a thoughtful expression, but I knew that he was thinking of something harsh from the dangerous glint in his eyes. Soon, he walked off and the particles dissolved, but he stopped before he left.
“Why don’t you think about it; think of the things you could receive and the things you could do. Let me know what your answer is...” He left. The girl looked like she was about to explode of anger and hatred and fear and sadness. A tear slid down her cheek as the world faded around me and blackened even more.

“TOPAZ!!”
“Huh?!” My eyes flashed open and I bolted straight up and accidentally hit my head with Sky’s. We both cringed and rubbed our heads.
“Wha-what happened?” I asked. I felt like I’ve just woken up from a two-hour sleep. I rubbed my eyes and blinked continuously until I had my full vision back. I was still in his house, on the couch that he was sitting on before.
“You blacked out. Are you okay?” he asked, concerned.
“Yeah, fine...umm...why...why am I here?” I asked. I needed to know why, especially since the visions I keep getting might be connected to something. I suppose I need a friend, someone I can trust. For all I know, I could be some strange secret weapon with fatal powers that could destroy the world. Or I could just be some expendable no one.
He hesitated, tapping his finger on the couch. What was he thinking of? Telling me the truth, or some lie? I mean, he should know I wouldn’t know better than to know if what he told me was reasonable, because everything’s different here.
“I’m not certain, but I have a guess.” How should I know what he meant? He didn’t continue on the subject, and I didn’t press on. I didn’t feel like pressuring this guy.

We were in his house for about thirty minutes. I just realized that I was hungry so he gave me some food, which, surprisingly wasn’t that strange. I mean, it tasted similar, but the looks of it were a bit startling. Some of the food he said was fruit looked alien-like, but tasted great, like an apple, but even sweeter. It may look deformed or goopy, but Sky says that’s just what Sky Fruit look like. And, if you were wondering, yes, he does keep refrigerated stuff in a refrigerator (and the other stuff in a pantry). Honestly, I was expecting something crazy looking that tastes repugnant or everything to be completely different. For goodness sake, I would think that we’re still on the same planet; although I still wouldn’t be completely foolish to think things would be that different. I don’t really have enough knowledge to tell if this place is great or horrible or something in between.
I need to get out of the muck I’m still standing in. I ask Sky the most bothersome question to me:
“What am I?”
“Well...” he stuck out his right arm and turned it so he saw his forearm. He tapped the middle of his forearm and a circular disc appeared and displayed a circular holographic watch sort of thing.
“I have enough time to tell you, I guess,” I was wondering what he did all day, not to mention, what he was doing out in the sky when he happened to save me, “anyways...I’ll try to put it short for your sake...and mine actually as well,” he thought for a moment, getting ready to explain-
There is a rapping on the wall where we entered. Sky and I both sigh, mine being more frustrated, his was just a plain annoyed sigh. He walks up to the door - well, should I say wherever a door or opening would be - and the obscure door opens. I can’t see the visitor, but he seems quite important, or at least, should be highly respected. Sky is speaking very kindly with no trace of the sarcasm he pinches into his words when he spoke to me. Although I could only hear his tone and hand movements, I could not hear what they were talking about and could not try to decipher it, so I just sat there. Was he here for me?
I leaned against the doorway to the small kitchen as the man started speaking with a louder voice, and I realized when he started walking into the house, he was old. Very old. Like, honor-your-elders old. He looked bony and had a short white beard with barely any white hair on the top of his head. He had a staff, I guess to help him walk or something, but he seemed extremely ancient. He looked frail and skinny like he wouldn’t be able to live the next day. But-
“Let your mind speak no more, Topaz,” the old man says. My mind went blank. His wrinkled, dry lips formed a smile.
“I can hear your every thought,” he said plainly.
“So...you can read my mind?” I asked, wondering what else I will learn.
“Indeed. You will learn much more.” Alright, this is really freaking me out. Although...yeah, I should probably stop thinking my own opinions around this guy. Or...anything that he will hear....never mind.
I realized, while I was obsessing over my thoughts, Sky was fiddling with his watch device, which was glowing in strange, different patterns, kind of like his house. Then Sky and the old man talked again in low voices, although, I did somewhat catch what they were saying.
“She needs to be taken to the officials, we need to question her! She may know exactly what we need; she might still be on their side- ”
“We do not know for sure. Tell me, does she seem like she knows lots about this place?” questioned the old man. I look around, trying to act normal...I mean, if I knew what normal was. Well, I mean, should I even try to act normal? They should, by now at least, know that I know nothing about normal. I wanted answers, and I wanted them now!
“Alright, what’s going on?! And don’t just tell me lies, I want to know what’s going on and where I am and what’s happening and...everything! Because, well, what do I know? Nothing! Please...” I looked down at my bare feet. I was so perturbed and confused and upset...I just don’t know what to do anymore, what to feel, how to handle things without having a dewdrop of knowledge of what’s going on.
The old man walked over to me and put a finger on my forehead. I opened my mouth, about to question how this was going to help me, but I slowly lost the feeling in my body, the world fading to a gray. It was slow, not like the visions I get on my own, but somehow...calming. A feeling of tranquility washed over me like warm water in a hot tub. As the world dimmed into a gray endless space, the old man joined the world I was in.
“Where...where are we? What...” I started to ask more questions, but decided they could wait until later...right? Wait...no they can’t!
I shook my head, trying to rid myself of the sticky relaxed feeling, but it was as if it were cobwebs, sticking on to me like Velcro.
“Don’t try to fight it, I will help you,” he spoke serenely, as if nothing else in the world mattered.
“How? Can’t you at least answer my questions? What’s going on? What did you do to me?” It was making my mind all fuzzy, like when you want to sleep but you’re still trying to stay awake.
“Where you are is called the Pale Palace. I know it may seem a little strange to you at first, but we will explain everything to you.” If he was trying, he still wasn’t satisfying or helping me.
“Who are ‘we’ then?”
“We are called the Aryll. We are the “winged saviors of the sky”. We vanquish all cruelness and hell in these skies. We usually win, but, sometimes, we lose. There’s more out there than just clouds, you know.”
I thought to myself for a bit, and then asked: “What if you are evil? Are you the wrong side?”
“That depends on what you believe in,” he said quietly. I thought for a moment more to myself.
“Our time is almost up. The others and I in the Pale Palace develop unique powers depending on your true spirit. Who knows, you might have some, too!” he exclaimed with some bits of enthusiasm clinging to his voice like a cat on a wire.
“Why am I here? Who am I? And...why here? What is this?” Countless questions crowding my mind like seagulls fighting for food.
He thought, seeming to write down all of the questions I asked. Why hadn’t he just read my mind instead?
“You are here because of a prophecy. I don’t exactly know who you are, but perhaps the question is, what you are. If you mean, why we’re here, currently, is a place generated by your own mind. When I touched you, I used my power on you, to calm you down, to try to slow your heart rate, and to put you in your own imaginative mind setting. You will learn more tomorrow. For now, you just need to rest and keep your endless questions for tomorrow.”
I saw the world come back, regaining my senses, and coming back to Sky’s house. Everything seemed bright and new, as if I had taken a bath in a pool of glacier ice water.
I gasped and rolled onto the couch, breathing hard, Sky’s hand on my back. When I settled down, the old man got up. I never got to get to know what his name was.
“Please, just call me the Keeper.” I wonder what it stood for, but I didn’t think it too loudly because it seemed he had to leave.
“That is true. There will be much more time tomorrow,” he said, reading my thoughts. I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to it, always being surprised. I could literally have an entire conversation without speaking. But, I pushed the thoughts aside.
I yawned as the old man walked out the door, realizing I was much more tired than I thought I was. Sky, sensing I was tired, got up from the couch and said, “You can stay here, for now.” He went through another one of those doors. There were sounds as if he had gone upstairs.
I’m not that kind of person that would be just fine with sleeping and a person you’ve only met, I don’t know, a few hours ago? It bothers me. I know he seems very nice and welcoming, but I know that I shouldn’t just go and trust him anyways...right?
But I mean, what other choice do I have? Run away? Where?
My thoughts trailed off into the deep dark abyss of my mind, landing on top of my mountain of unanswered questions. In spite of my mixture of thoughts, my eyelids drooped. I blinked them open again, only to drop back down again.
So tired...so...tired...
I drifted off, falling softly onto the comfy, plush couch. I strayed in and out of consciousness, feeling someone carry me up into dim room. I felt sheets and blankets cover my body and fill me with warmth. I felt at home...but, what was home?