The Ethereans Dark Genesis

Escape and Evasion

Zyna picks her way through the dense undergrowth of a shadowy forest. She mulls over her lessons from earlier that summer about escape and evasion. Pick firm footing. Stay clear of loose ground cover. No slipping to avoid being easy to track. Walk on solid surfaces. Leave no trace...

The interwoven canopies of ancient trees stretch and scrape above her. With twisted and knobby fingers, they point in the direction of her final destination. Offshore winds shaped them that way, sweeping past in a constant flow of ardent resolve. Like the offshore wind, Zyna's spirit soars, pulled by the magnetic allure of distant unexplored realms. The dark, windswept forest embraces her but she knows no fear, not in this place. In her world, fear has no bite or sting.

Zyna peers ahead and catches dappled streams of light filtering through the dense foliage. It's a sign the forest is receding and her destination nears. Her thoughts turn back to her lessons. Wear a hat and scarf. Use camouflage to blend in with the colors and textures of the environment. Total silence!

Her feline teammate and pet snow leopard Charlie crouches close by, keeping watch at her six. As she thinks of him, his ears swivel in her direction. Telepathic communication occurs naturally between Ethereans and the animals of their realm. In her mind, she reassures him. They won't find us this time. We're almost there.

Zyna freezes in place and crouches close to the ground to inspect a tuft of bent grass. Avoid disturbing vegetation and leave branches, leaves, and grass unbroken... She notices the broken tip of a twig as it hangs by a thread and dangles in the breeze. Zyna stands upright and peers in every direction, studying her surroundings. No matter where you are, identify at least two ways to get out—if possible, in two opposite directions.

A rush of wind makes the tangled canopy above her creak and groan, breaking her concentration. Thoughts creep in about the garden party held today by the girls in the third phase. Entering that final growth period leading to maturity is a dream come true, yet Zyna struggles to fit in. Her elder friend Ann asked her to come but Zyna declined. Large formal gatherings always make her feel conspicuous. She glances over her well-worn combat boots and camouflage gear. Somehow the thought of dressing up in a flowing chiffon gown seems debilitating.

Aside from Ann and her fondness for mystery and magic, Zyna shares few interests with the other girls. They rarely venture beyond the Light Realm to explore worlds of romantic fantasy. As a cadet peacekeeper, Zyna prefers to hang out with her best friends Eagle and Knight. In the most challenging work of a light bringer, they help to maintain order amid the often-chaotic worlds of the Dark Realm.

The cadets accepted Zyna after she showed a talent for intelligence gathering, tactical operations, and marksmanship. And one more thing—the art of camouflage. To join the male-only peacekeeping force, she had to disguise herself as a boy. Far from chauvinistic in her egalitarian world, male Ethereans cannot help but be protective of their female kindred. She ponders the thought with mild aggravation. They practically put us on pedestals! But since entering the third phase, Zyna knows the cat is out of the bag as far as that strategy goes. As her paternal caregiver pointed out the other day to her extreme discomfort... "You've blossomed into a great beauty, despite your masculine dark brown hair."

Zyna shakes her head as she reflects on the bane of her life. Yet another attribute making her stand out from the other girls. Most of them cast her quizzical stares but on the odd occasion, she endures the third degree. Your hair! How did it get so dark? Is it a gypsy curse? You spend too much time in the Dark Realm! You should be a boy! In her world, feminine locks range in blonde shades from platinum to strawberry. As for the males, their hair runs the gamut in color from platinum to black but darker shades tend to predominate. The boys often tease her about it too but never when Eagle and Knight are around.