The Moonlight on my Face

Chapter Eight

MYRTLE

Clutching her baby girl in her arms, Myrtle stumbled through the leaves. She could not trust Goldenknife, not after he had told her he wanted to turn their baby into his weapon. Tears fell from her eyes as she looked down at the small bundle in her arms.  She thought she knew where she was going...but the forest was way more unpredictable than expected. She had read about small shacks in the forest that had belonged to lumberjacks, but she hadn't seen a single one yet.

"Hey," said a voice. "Stop walking." Myrtle stopped in her tracks, her legs and feet throbbing, her heart pounding loudly in her head and throat. A person emerged from the shadows. She took Myrtle's breath away.

Her eyes were the color of deer hide, a warm brown color. Her hair was dark blond, wearing a purple hairclip. She wore a shining, rhombus-shaped purple gemstone around her neck on a black string. Her most startling feature, however, was her angel-like wings. Their color was gradient red. She wore a gradient light blue-green mask, a dark blue shirt, and black pants.

"Who are you?" Myrtle asked. "Are you from the underground city?" "What underground city?" the woman asked. "Are you ill? Come with me to my house." "I need somewhere to live here," Myrtle gasped. The woman's calculating eyes surveyed her, and they fell on her baby. "Why did you bring a child into the forest?" she asked. "I'm escaping from my husband," Myrtle said. "I can't trust him."

The person snorted. "Husbands," she muttered. "Spouses in general. I never saw the appeal." She walked gracefully away, and Myrtle scrambled to follow her.

They approached a house made entirely of quartz and white marble. The glass windows were stained white, and the door was made out of carved dark wood.

"Wow," Myrtle said faintly. "You live here alone?" "No," the weird woman replied. "I live with my sister."

As if she had been summoned, a girl who was about four years younger than the red-winged woman emerged from the house. Her eyes were also brown and her hair was also blond, but her wings were a solid grass green, her mask was dark purple, and she wore a shirt and skirt rather than pants.

"Hello, Adelle," she said. She scrutinized Myrtle. "Who's this?" "I think she may have been hit hard on the head with something," Adelle said with a shrug. "She thinks I'm from some underground city." 

"I'm fine!" Myrtle assured them. "I'm okay! I didn't get hit on the head with anything!" The other girl looked at her with laughing eyes. "What's your name?" Adelle demanded. "Myrtle," Myrtle said. "Ooh, pretty," said the younger girl. "I'm Dia. Weird name, right?"

"Enough blabbering," Adelle said. "Dia, show Myrtle to the guest room." "Okay, Addie," Dia said cheerfully. "I TOLD YOU NOT TO CALL ME THAT!" Adelle said thunderously. Dia laughed and skipped away. Myrtle followed her. Her view on life had a new light shining on it. She was certain that Adelle and Dia would shelter her. She was certain that her baby would grow up and be perfect, away from her murderous, thuggish father. 

GOLDENKNIFE

"Skies above! Myrtle is gone!" Sanso cried, running into Goldenknife's study. Goldenknife's head shot up, murder glinting in his eyes. He was already furious about the scar on his arm. He was going to be even MORE furious about his wife's disappearance. "Myrtle and the baby?" Goldenknife demanded, standing up in one swift, imposing motion.

Sanso fell to the ground in a bow, which Goldenknife took as a yes. "MY HEIR IS GONE! MY WIFE IS A TRAITOR! SANSO, WHO IS ON OUR EXECUTION LIST?" Goldenknife roared. He was angry. He needed to draw some blood to become cheered up. "N-no one," Sanso stuttered. Goldenknife roared again. He slammed his fist into his desk. "I guess I have to kill Alan and his girlfriend," he spat. "That's the only thing that will make me happy again." 

Sanso stood up slowly, his gaze pinned to the floor. "Get my weapons ready, Sanso," Goldenknife said, flexing his knuckles. "I'm going to commit some murder.

ALAN

The shadow of foreboding was over Alan. He kept getting weird chills down his spine. He had a strong feeling that something despicable was going to happen.

I have to keep Sky safe. I have to keep my parents safe. I can't lose anyone else. He and his parents (even Sky, he suspected) were devastated by Nettle's death. He was very touched by her brave sacrifice, although she had seemed like she hated Alan and Sky. 

He would never forget her battle scream, the way she threw herself at Goldenknife, the way she hit him and kicked him without mercy, the way his knife penetrated her throat and she was dead, dead, dead.

It opened a yawning chasm inside of him whenever he remembered. He still loved her. She had still been his sister.

The front door was creaking open. Alan was alert. He crept into Sky's room and gently shook her awake. She had doubtlessly heard the creaking noise, too, because she nodded and followed him without any questions.

It was Goldenknife. Alan could see the black diamond-studded glove on his hand. It filled him up with fury when he thought of the way he chained up Sky. It filled him up with fury when he thought of all the innocent people he killed for his amusement. He desperately wanted him to die, and fast.

Now's my chance. Now's my chance to make Sky think I am an amazing hero. His gaze flickered to her, her tense body, the way her dark blue eyes were fixed on the shadowy shape creeping into the house. He thinks we're asleep. Idiot. 

As Goldenknife climbed up the stairs, Alan brought his dagger out of its sheath. He gripped it in his fist, remembering all his assassination missions.

He leaped at Goldenknife with speed and grace. The fool did not have his knife drawn yet: he only had his hands to fight Alan. Now I can avenge Nettle. Alan shoved him backward and they tumbled down the stairs.

Alan was careful not to cut himself with the knife. Goldenknife shouted with rage as his former assassin ducked away from his punches and used his knife to injure him. Alan could feel Sky gaping at the fight between him and the thug.

"You shouldn't have come back idiot," Alan snarled. He swung his knife in a huge arc, gathered all of his strength, and sliced off Goldenknife's head.

Ophelia and William emerged from their bedroom, gasping at the sight of the dead man lying on their floor.

"YES!" Sky cried. She hugged Alan, and he felt his soul into a fireball. "I love you, Sky," Alan said gently. "I loved Nettle, too. I avenged her...and I got revenge for what he did to you. "I love you too, Alan," Sky said fiercely. "I love you with my whole heart. You are brave and noble and I will do anything for you." "I feel the same, Sky," Alan said. "I will also do anything for you.

They stood there, hugging and happy, letting their words sink into each other, safe and secure at last.

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A/N

Unexpected ending, am I right? Haha! I knew Goldenknife would have to die, but I didn't want to drag on the story. Yeah, this is a pretty short story, but the epilogue will be fairly lengthy and I SWEAR that my next story will be longer.

-Blizzard