Categories > Celebrities > AFI > December Starlight
Davey couldn't believe it. Shade was some sort of genius, or at the very least, astronomically lucky. The black-clad teenager who had been so weak just minutes earlier seemed to be full of new strength as he plowed through the snow. And in about ten minutes, they had found it.
It was the place this had all begun. The place they had left to avoid a cold, lonely death.
Shade slammed one shoulder into the door to break the sheet of ice on top of it, then opened it easily. Jade and Davey were still amazed even as he led them inside. Everything inside the small cabin looked the same, though the winter chill had thoroughly permeated it. Davey was so engrossed with marveling at the fact that they were there that he didn't notice the quick burst of energy come from Shade's left hand. He did see its recoil, however, and turned in time to see a fire quickly growing in the fireplace. His eyes widened.
"How did you do that?" he asked incredulously. Jade could find no words.
"There are many things you don't know about me," Shade said mysteriously. "Perhaps now would be a good time to learn. Who knows? You may even learn something about yourself." He sat in a wooden chair that creaked ominously under his weight. Regardless, he leaned back and folded his hands, placing both elbows on the armrests.
"I am a magician. Supposedly I wandered into the forest the day I was taken to Decemberunderground, but that is not entirely true. I was an outcast. I must have only been eight or nine when my powers were discovered. It was not as if I could control them, either. Maybe if I had been able to, I could have stayed..." He paused to wipe a tear from one eye.
"I remember running, and being cold...so cold..." Davey empathized with him. He recalled how cold and harsh the world outside was. The fire was quickly warming the small cabin, though. Jade had already fallen asleep on his old bed. Lack of sleep did not do good things for him.
"The next thing I knew, I was staring up at Stella. She said I had been attacked by one of the Ghosts, but she had found me before I was seriously hurt. She helped me learn to control my magic in time."
"When did you meet Nex?" Shade stifled a yawn, but Davey still caught it. The younger boy was clearly tired.
"After Stella made sure I would be okay, she left. Nex came over and spoke to me, saying she was sorry about what had happened. I liked her from the beginning," he said with a smile. Davey took a quick glance over at Jade. He wasn't sure his friend was going to like this. Shade lost his smile quickly and looked away from him. "But she's made her opinion of me very clear." He shook his head sadly. "We grew up together. We used to be friends. But now...now I don't even think she'll speak to me. If we find her."
"We will find her, Shade. But before we can do anything, I need to know a few things."
"Like what?" Shade asked, trying not to sound too tired. In truth, he was exhausted, but he dared not let Davey know that. The sooner he found out, the sooner Shade could rest. And the sooner they could find their lost friends.
"Who is Alchior?"
"Alchior was the leader of the Despair Faction. He kept everyone safe in Decemberunderground. But he was killed by Ghosts. He left one day and never returned. Stella came back with a medallion that belonged to him. That medallion," he said, pointing to the silver pendant hanging from Davey's neck. Davey fingered it carefully. It almost felt like there was power emanating from it. That was the only way he could have remained warm outside. "That medallion could only ever be worn by whoever was leader of the Despair Faction at the time. There is...something you need to know, Davey." He shifted uncomfortably in his chair.
"What is it, Shade?"
"It is by no coincidence that you came to us. Remember what I said the first time I spoke to you? I told you everyone had come to Decemberunderground seeking warmth. You asked what finally happened. And I said..."
"...That I came," Davey finished. Shade nodded.
"There was a prophecy stating that there would be someone to save us. Someone would fight away the Ghosts and restore peace to this land. Do you know what this means, Davey?" Davey fingered the object nervously. He hesitated to answer.
"The medallion recognizes you as the leader of the Despair Faction. You're not just going to save your friends, or Nex. You're going to save us all."
It was the place this had all begun. The place they had left to avoid a cold, lonely death.
Shade slammed one shoulder into the door to break the sheet of ice on top of it, then opened it easily. Jade and Davey were still amazed even as he led them inside. Everything inside the small cabin looked the same, though the winter chill had thoroughly permeated it. Davey was so engrossed with marveling at the fact that they were there that he didn't notice the quick burst of energy come from Shade's left hand. He did see its recoil, however, and turned in time to see a fire quickly growing in the fireplace. His eyes widened.
"How did you do that?" he asked incredulously. Jade could find no words.
"There are many things you don't know about me," Shade said mysteriously. "Perhaps now would be a good time to learn. Who knows? You may even learn something about yourself." He sat in a wooden chair that creaked ominously under his weight. Regardless, he leaned back and folded his hands, placing both elbows on the armrests.
"I am a magician. Supposedly I wandered into the forest the day I was taken to Decemberunderground, but that is not entirely true. I was an outcast. I must have only been eight or nine when my powers were discovered. It was not as if I could control them, either. Maybe if I had been able to, I could have stayed..." He paused to wipe a tear from one eye.
"I remember running, and being cold...so cold..." Davey empathized with him. He recalled how cold and harsh the world outside was. The fire was quickly warming the small cabin, though. Jade had already fallen asleep on his old bed. Lack of sleep did not do good things for him.
"The next thing I knew, I was staring up at Stella. She said I had been attacked by one of the Ghosts, but she had found me before I was seriously hurt. She helped me learn to control my magic in time."
"When did you meet Nex?" Shade stifled a yawn, but Davey still caught it. The younger boy was clearly tired.
"After Stella made sure I would be okay, she left. Nex came over and spoke to me, saying she was sorry about what had happened. I liked her from the beginning," he said with a smile. Davey took a quick glance over at Jade. He wasn't sure his friend was going to like this. Shade lost his smile quickly and looked away from him. "But she's made her opinion of me very clear." He shook his head sadly. "We grew up together. We used to be friends. But now...now I don't even think she'll speak to me. If we find her."
"We will find her, Shade. But before we can do anything, I need to know a few things."
"Like what?" Shade asked, trying not to sound too tired. In truth, he was exhausted, but he dared not let Davey know that. The sooner he found out, the sooner Shade could rest. And the sooner they could find their lost friends.
"Who is Alchior?"
"Alchior was the leader of the Despair Faction. He kept everyone safe in Decemberunderground. But he was killed by Ghosts. He left one day and never returned. Stella came back with a medallion that belonged to him. That medallion," he said, pointing to the silver pendant hanging from Davey's neck. Davey fingered it carefully. It almost felt like there was power emanating from it. That was the only way he could have remained warm outside. "That medallion could only ever be worn by whoever was leader of the Despair Faction at the time. There is...something you need to know, Davey." He shifted uncomfortably in his chair.
"What is it, Shade?"
"It is by no coincidence that you came to us. Remember what I said the first time I spoke to you? I told you everyone had come to Decemberunderground seeking warmth. You asked what finally happened. And I said..."
"...That I came," Davey finished. Shade nodded.
"There was a prophecy stating that there would be someone to save us. Someone would fight away the Ghosts and restore peace to this land. Do you know what this means, Davey?" Davey fingered the object nervously. He hesitated to answer.
"The medallion recognizes you as the leader of the Despair Faction. You're not just going to save your friends, or Nex. You're going to save us all."
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