Light and Dark

Chapter 2: Kira

Girls, you need to get up!" her mom said, voice muffled.

"Five more minutes..." Kira heard her self groan. There was something she had forgotten... but no matter how hard she tried, the memory continued to elude her.

"Well, I guess you want to miss the festival..." her mom consented.

"That's right, the festival!" Kira thought, jumping out of bed, rushing to wake up Fey, who looked like she'd barely slept a wink.

"What time is it?..." Fey groaned as she sat up.

"Time to get ready!" Taylor exclaimed. "Look, I'll get your guy's dresses down. Kira go get the makeup."

"Alright," Kira called back as she rushed into the bathroom down the hall. Her mind flying a mile a minute, she hurriedly looked around until she saw the purple bag they kept all the good makeup in. They had been saving it just for this day. Grabbing the handles, she rushed out and back toward the bedroom. By this time, Taylor stood holding her festival gown, a glittering plum color that shined almost sisterly. The dress also, Kira knew, reached down to just below her knees. "I got it!"

"Good set it on the table and take your dress to the bathroom to change," Taylor said hurriedly, handing Kira her dress, much more plain than either Fey's or Taylor's. She ran back down the hallway and quickly changed attire. As she came back down the hall, the bedroom door opened and Taylor emerged, panic evident in her features. Both girls waited, their feet tapping a quickened beat as they waited for the last of them to change. Once Fey emerged, all three girls entered the room once again to start on their hair and makeup. Kira started brushing her cinnamon brown hair, so dark that in the right lighting, it looked black. The hairstyle she chose was a beach-wave look. Her makeup consisted of a lavender eyeshadow to compliment her deep blue eyes, dark as an ocean. A vibrant violet lipstick adorned her full lips.

"Perfect." Kira thought as she looked once more at her reflection before turning around to see her two friends. Fey's chocolate brown hair flowed down, the slightest curl appearing at ear level. Her eyes brightened, the blue at the center seeming to mix with the light purple surrounding it. Taylor's hair, a lighter tan color, shimmering in the sunlight curled in just the right way to look like she had woken up beautiful. Her eyes glittered, shining as a clear sky on a sunny day. 

"Come on, we need to get going!" Taylor shouted as she grabbed Kira's hand and ran out the door. Fey grabbed the box off of her nightstand and ran after them.

"Why are you bringing that thing?" Kira called, trying to not get her arm ripped off.

"I'll open it while we wait for the ceremony to start," Fey replied.

"I have a bad feeling about this..." Taylor murmured as she continued to lead the way toward the center of the village.

"Maybe we can get a good seat in the front row..." Kira sighed wistfully.

"Not if you slow down like that!" Taylor shouted. As they got closer to their destination, Kira heard someone shout.

"The queen will be arriving shortly! Everyone please take a seat!" the courier hollered. Kira took a seat on the right edge with Fey and Taylor sitting next to her, Fey in the center. A grand carriage approached, coal black horses pulling it. 

"It's finally time!" Taylor cheered. To Kira, it sounded like she had tried to hold herself back, but ultimately failed. A servent ran out from behind the carriage and opened the door. The queen looked very elegant in her sparkling black dress. She stood and exited with her servent's help, long raven hair flowing behind her. The queen approached the temporary stage that had been built for just the same purpose she had come, the reason this day was so special.

"Welcome, your magisty," the mayor said, bowing deeply as she past by, not even glancing down at him. 

"Welcome, my loyal subjects to the Festival of Darkness. The time where we celebrate the force that keeps light at bey. Before the festivities begin, those of age need to be made whole, and I belive there are a couple this year. Please stand before me, those who are ready and willing," the queen said, talking as she walked up to the center of the stage. Fey and Taylor stood and walked toward the stage. Kira noticed that Fey had popped something from the box into her mouth, but didn't follow the train of thought. Once they stood right in front of the queen, their backs to the audience below, the queen began to mutter a spell. Kira had never heard the words she spoke before, nor did she understand them. As she continued to speak, a swirling black mass appeared in between the queen's hands. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a blinding flash of white light covered the entire stage, than it started expanding until it reached Kira.

***

When she finally decided to open her eyes, she found herself standing right next to Fey and Taylor.

"You must listen to me!" a voice said, though Kira could not tell where it was coming from.

"Who are you!" Taylor shouted, Kira guessed that she had no idea where it was coming from either.

"The queen is not as she seems. You must get out of there before she finds out who Fey really is!" the voice continued, sounding worried, almost scared.

"Who I really am..." Fey said. "What do you mean?"

"I can explain everything later, my dear, but for now you need to escape. If the ceremony is completed, she will stop at nothing to obtain the power you possess..." 

"Power I... ugh..." Fey groaned, dropping to her knees.

"Fey, what happened?" Kira exclaimed, kneeling next to her. Taylor ran around to the other side of Fey.

"Her energy..." the voice said softly.

"What did you do?!?" Taylor shouted, looking up to search for the voice's source once again.

"I decided to use her energy to help form this connection with you all. I believed that she would have more energy than this..." 

"Stop it!" Kira shouted.

"I'm sorry, but if I stop using her magic, she will find me..." 

"Who?" Fey asked, lifting her head.

"Your queen, my sister..."

"Why would she want to find you, and why are you trying to hide from her? You said she was your family after all," Kira inquired.

"She just... changed. But I'm afraid that we will need to speak later."

"Wait, where can we talk again?" Kira asked, but no answer came, but instead the white surrounding them started to disappear, fading away into darkness.