Stargazers

Strange Magic

Amber hopped about on the light stones on her way home from school. With each hop the stone lit up in many different colours. Amber was the only student in the public playground as it was filled with preschoolers and parents. Never anyone else. She was always a very energetic child who loved to run around and explore. People were too busy to be jumping around or hopping about. Amber was lucky as her parents did not force her into tutoring after school. However, they would not allow her into any kinds of sports or fun activities despite the fact that she excelled at it during school. She topped the year in Arts and Crafts and gained several awards for 'the Most Athletic Student' in school. Unfortunately she did not excel as well in her other subjects. English and Maths were a nightmare as is but Science was an absolute muddle to her. Amber preferred her imagination and was very good at expressing it.

"She is a queer child," most adults would say.
"Society is growing faster by the day. Why would we need to waste our time focusing on fun? No need for figures of imagination when everything is brought to life in the real world."

Amber would often hear these comments as she bounced happily around but she was very resilient and very little got to her. The imagination was fun and far more interesting than the rest of the Capital. It was always night, never day, and everything was blinding and bursting to life in the form of lights, powered by the almighty Skyward Stars that supposedly glittered like no other stars in all of Luiko. As amazing as it was, it was all the same to Amber. Besides, the light made it difficult to see the stars anyways. Tourists often came in disappointed because the lights were so spectacular that the stars were hidden and blurred in the background.

"What peculiar parents she has too," Amber heard a man say to his wife. Their names were Paul and Pauline. Everyone found it quite hilarious in school but for some reason, the couple could never understand what was so interesting about their names.
"Still in hiding are they? You'd think they were locked in there for a thousand years," Paul exclaimed.
"Shut up! She's right there!" Pauline hissed as Amber stared at them with her big blue eyes.
"Stop staring at us with those ghastly eyes!" She snapped. "They're bluer than the lights of the Capital!"
"Yes, what she said," Paul nodded, following the example of his wife.
"And don't you know that it's rude to stare!" Pauline added in a huff before leaving with Paul shuffling behind.

It was true that Amber had unusual blue eyes. Of course there were those with blue eyes but it was usually a grey-blue or green-blue colour. Her eyes were like an electric blue as she was always running around like a normal, healthy child. Other children were always hunching over their desks working so of course it showed in their pale and thin figures. Because of this, no one liked her staring at them but she couldn't help it. Everyone was just so peculiar and interesting that it was hard not to listen. Amber stepped off the light stones and grabbed her school bag, continuing on her way back home. Her house was on the outskirts of the Capital where the stars were more visible and the city lights were not as bright. She raced towards the front gate and put in the passcode. The doors slowly swung open and she walked inside. Her parents preferred the old fashioned mansions as the new mansions were too flashy for their liking. Amber's parents were considerably rich and well-respected but there were always strange rumours floating about Amber's family. To society they were a peculiar bunch and not quite like others. There was a little more pizazz about them. Amber reckoned that if more people got to know them, then they would make some new friends as she didn't see her family as peculiar. Amber reached up to grab the iron handle and swung it with a considerable amount of force. Perhaps more than necessary. With three loud clangs she knocked on the door and waited a moment. The family butler opened the door with his lips upturned and his long nose poking out of the neatly trimmed moustache hanging above his mouth.

"Good evening Amber. Your parents are waiting for you in the dining room," he said in his posh accent.
"Thank you Mister Barney," Amber said cheekily as she skipped in.
"Barnes will be fine, thank you," he said already exhausted.

The Browns family could be extremely tiring but Barnes stayed resilient as he had quite a good pay. Amber raced into the dining room, full of energy as usual and her parents beamed as she ran to greet them.

"Hello, hello! How is my little Am doing?" Mr Brown smiled as she ran into his welcoming arms.
"Good!" She beamed before racing to Mrs Brown and tackling her in a hug.
"Was school good today?" She asked curiously.
"Yes! I got another award!" Amber exclaimed and pulled a medal out of her bag.
"Well done!" Mrs Brown gasped and held it up in the light.
"We'll have that sparkling soon and hang it up with the rest," Mr Brown grinned and Amber's eyes sparkled in glee.

She looked at her medal but marvelled more at Mrs Brown's jewellery. She wore a delicate sapphire gem with a fine gold chain as a necklace today. The sapphire cast small, fragmented blue light across the room which looked very pretty. Her earnings were gorgeous sapphires as well and she wore a long silver dress to match. Compared to her other outfits in the past, Mrs Brown was dressing quite casually and modestly. Amber didn't care. She was gorgeous and knew that every woman in town envied her looks. Who'd blame them? Even Amber was somewhat jealous of her mother. But what made her feel better was that Mrs Brown was her mother and she got to see her most beautiful motherly side that anyone at her school would kill for. The medal was handed to Mr Brown as he ordered Barnes to wipe the medal sparkling clean and hang it up in the trophy room. Amber adored her parents and loved to be with them whenever she had the chance. Often Mr Brown was busy studying something that Amber was not aware of just yet. A piercing electric ringtone buzzed in Mr Brown's pocket and Amber's heart sunk.

"Sweetie I'll catch up with you in a bit," he said and kissed Amber on the forehead. "It'll take five minutes."

He kissed Mrs Brown on the lips and her lips pressed into a thin and worn smile. Mr Brown opened the door to the basement before descending into darkness. The door shut tight and locked itself with ease. Unlocking the door would not be so easy.

"Come now Dear. Let's see if I can help you with some of your homework," Mrs Brown said in a gentle and soothing voice. She stood up and Amber reached out with her small hand as mother and daughter strode through the mansion together.

*•~*~•*

Amber hated homework. It was so dull and boring. All she could see were symbols! Nothing else! She ran around the fields searching for gemstones. Her parents did attempt to tell her that gems were not found in the Capital but Amber was a stubborn child and searched for gems anyways. Amber stepped on a large rock in order to get a clearer view of the tall grass. She spun around like an owl would spin its head but could find nothing. Amber slipped on some moss and cried out as she nearly fell off. She saw something rustling in the tall grass and kept her eyes on it carefully. She stood there for a good minute or two eyeing the tall, thin blades. It was far too dark to see a thing but Amber had very sharp eyes as everyone else had already noticed. She could often see better in the dark and navigate her way back anywhere through sight. She was quiet, still and observant when she had to be. Amber knew something was there. Hiding in the tall grass. She nearly fell off the rock again when a pink spark exploded in the grass. Amber climbed down her rock and ran towards the area. Left on the ground was a small pink gem. Amber giggled and realised that she had found a gem. When she touched it a glowing pink light erupted from within and lit the surroundings around her. She saw another pink spark to her left and bounded onto that patch. She found no gem. Disappointed she stood up and prepared to walk back home. She suddenly squealed in delight when she saw an entire trail of explosions of pink sparks. She ran faster than she had ever before and giggled and laughed as she chased the pink sparks. Amber was too focused on the pink sparks to understand where she was being led. The Capital was near an old forest that citizens were forbidden to enter. Amber had always been warned by her parents not to go into the forest. All of these lessons slipped away and out of her mind as she ventured into the foreboding darkness. With the pink lights guiding her she ran even faster and stumbled upon a few rocks. She fell over and wrecked her clothes. Now they were covered in mud and autumn leaves stuck to her like glue. Twigs poked out of her head and made her look like a human echidna. Amber stood up and looked at the rocks again. Ancient inscriptions were carved in small prints and covered the rocks. A large, round stone that appeared to have been smoothed in the past stood in front of her. A glimmer of the pink magic caught Amber's eye and she jumped on it and cheered as she caught it. She then cried out as it fizzed about in her hand as it desperately tried to escape. Amber screamed as she flew at the mysterious, round, stone object and the pink magic escaped and buried itself within the object. A great pink firework flew into the sky with a great bang and Amber covered her ears as a great wind rushed past and knocked her off her feet. She looked up as a heavy fog fell to her feet and a person in a dark blue coat stood there on the stone pedestal.