GAIA

Chapter 3: Kings

Kyrien stood paralysed in his spot before smiling lightly at the older man. Spider watched the sides of his sea coloured eyes crinkle with laugh lines and gave an inward sigh. He knew that the boy shouldn’t be here. The world of ‘Gaia’ was not for him and the deeper he went, the more he was going to end up getting hurt instead.

“How much are these going to cost us?” Jem asked, looking uncertainly at his own core. He wasn’t sure they could afford it but Spider gave a knowing smile and shrugged.

“It’s free. On the account of Asura.” Spider smiled at down at the trio, deepening the pleasant nasolabial creases on either side of his face.

“Setting newbies up again, Spider?” A female’s voice sliced through the air, clear and resonant causing all of them to turn their attention to the newcomer.

The female had the palest silver for hair, held together in a side braid and the most unusual blue-green eyes. One moment they were green the next moment they seemed blue in the light. She wore a fitting tank top, denim shorts and a pair of high cuts. Other than the fact that she wore striking turquoise coloured gloves that hid her core, she was just like anyone else. But her face was beautiful with high cheekbones and a delicate jawline. She was smiling at Spider, a perfect set of teeth gleaming in the moonlight.

“Hi!” She grinned, her eyes glittering with unspoken warmth and Kyrien felt his cheeks burn.

“Arcadia!” Spider was suddenly between them and had the girl in a tight embrace. Kyrien stopped his jaw from falling at the sudden display of affection, his expression mirrored by Jem and Shin. “It’s good to see you back.”

Arcadia simply laughed and returned the hug. “Were you going to introduce me?”

“Ah. This is Kyrien Shira, Jem Hartnet and Shin Suoh.” Spider introduced each of them respectively.

The moment Spider had mentioned Kyrien’s name, she focused his attention on him. Her peculiar blue-green gaze unsettled him and he felt his face began to burn again. “That’s a ‘Speed’ core, isn’t it?” Arcadia said breaking the awkward silence that had formed between them.

“Uh-um. Yeah, I mean yes, it’s a ‘Speed’ core.” Kyrien stammered, chiding himself mentally for being so edgy. He reminded himself that she was just another girl and that she was way out of her league. But she had a beautiful name and heart-warming smile. It was hard to ignore that part. And most of all, she was a more experience Gaia user than he was. What a way to impress a girl, he thought.

“That’s pretty rare!” Arcadia’s peculiar eyes widened as she inspected the amber coloured core that he was holding on to. “Come on! I’ll show you how the assimilation process is done. I’ll see you around, Spider!”

She gave him a wink before closing her grip around Kyrien’s wrist and dragged him out into a secluded open area, a little further up from the crowd at the shop. Kyrien had a panicked look on his face and beckoned Jem and Shin to follow, both of them with cheeky grins plastered to their face as they watched Arcadia pull their friend away. They grinned at each stupidly before running after the pair.

Once Jem and Shin caught up, Arcadia removed her gloves and revealed a set of turquoise cores embedded in either palm. She gave a light laugh and the cores started to glow a bright blue-green, the colour of her eyes. The colour was beautiful and mysterious, just like Arcadia herself. She was like the Moon, beautiful and mysterious. Kyrien wanted to know who she was, to know more about her. But he was afraid. Something told him that she was out of his league.

“Shira!” Arcadia’s voice shattered his thoughts, jarring him back to reality. “Are you all right?”

Kyrien laughed and nodded, scowling when he received a jab in the side from Jem who was sniggering away. Arcadia returned his smile before showing them her cores, each a neat half on either of her palms. “Each core can be separated into two. We call these ‘Demi’, half hearts. ‘Gaia’ cores are rarely found whole. To find a full core with both halves can be a difficult task, which makes cores very hard to come by.”