𝐏𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓/𝟐.𝟏
☆ STRANGE ENCOUNTERS ☆
"𝓦𝓮'𝓻𝓮 𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓷𝓸𝔀. 𝓔𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰'𝓼 𝓰𝓸𝓷𝓷𝓪 𝓫𝓮 𝓸𝓴𝓪𝔂."

☆꧁*꧂☆

   RAISED VOICES, SPEAKING in a foreign language from afar, awoke Allaia from her deep dream. Rays of sunshine blinded her within their intensity, so she blinked a few times rapidly, trying to adapt herself to the dazzling brightness. As Alle's blurry vision heightened, an acute pain in her abdomen subdued her senses, causing her to let out a loud groan. Cautiously, Allaia lifted her shirt upwards, noticing that her stab wound had been cauterized and swathed in a fabric imitating a professional dressing. She breathed in relief, beyond grateful that the strangers tended her injury and saved her life.

    Feeling an undiluted panic arising inside her veins, with the fear of the unknown almost sending her over the edge, Allaia abruptly scanned her surroundings, recognizing that she was in some sort of wooden cottage. But it wasn't like a fairy tale one. It seemed old and dusty, with clutter thrown all over the place. 

    Her first impression of the room was slightly misguided, probably due to the quantity of fright reigning her entire body. When Allaia looked around intently, she realized that the bedroom radiated with pleasant warmth. In its own strange way, it was cozy with the timbered furnishing, the carpet made of animal leather, and a tiny fireplace flickering with livid flames, casting shadows over the rug. Allaia glanced at the window above the furnace in reverie, and suddenly all memories from the night of the battle swirled themselves into her mind. 

   Allaia gasped shakily as vivid images from the war flashed across her eyes. The last thing she remembered was hopelessly watching Bellamy almost being killed by a Grounder, and then, ironically, getting stabbed by one herself. Everything afterwards was tenebrious, like a cavernous dust veiling mysteries in a mist. 

   Her attention vaguely fell upon the fireplace, incandescent blazes, hungrily devouring the wood to fuel their irascible wrath. And then it occurred to her. The explosion. Bellamy. Allaia started to breathe unevenly, heavier and heavier by every second, as if drowning in the depths of the icy water paralleling her worst nightmares and fears. Like trapped in the carousel of darkness, spinning her sanity out of control, Allaia began to hyperventilate when she realized that everyone she loved could be dead. 

Bellamy could be dead.

   In a whirlwind of sheer horror, Allaia felt herself falling over the edge of the strongest panic attack she has ever experienced. The unknown fate of her friends was progressively conquering her in a sense of madness beyond reckoning. The spheres of her amber eyes began to break like glass. A rapid storm of sobbing, threatening to blast and split her soul apart, was approaching Alle unrelentingly, but she knew she had to contain the thunders of her despair. After all, judging by the distant voices speaking in a foreign language, she was surrounded by strangers. Allaia had to make a good first impression. She couldn't look weak or frightened. 

   To be fair, there was a slight chance they survived. It was low, extremely low, but in theory, it was possible. Or that's what Allaia tried to coerce herself to believe in to remain sane, clinging to the pathetic alternative until she would discover the truth. It was purely naive to hope and Alle was very aware of that. But she needed to hold on to something or else would go insane. 

Hearing the door handle crack, Allaia abruptly wiped her tears and shot up straight.

"Finally, you're awake." A feminine voice sighed impatiently. "Took you long enough." 

    Two people abruptly entered the room. Allaia instantly noticed they seemed like fire and ice, two polar opposites. The girl's beauty was astonishing. Despite her bright red hair in a shade of vivid blazes, there was flagrant coldness emanating from her emerald eyes. The boy, who Allaia recognized to be her savior, had a sharp jawline and handsome features. His brown eyes, owned a such a unique color, a mix between light and dark. They shined brightly, reflecting the warmth of the sun. 

"Where am I? Who are you? And most importantly, how long was I out?" Allaia queried incoherently with a trace of fear among her trembling voice, her firm glimpse straying between the two.

"We saved your ass, so how about a little gratitude first, huh?" The girl quirked her eyebrow, staring at Alle expectantly with her glacial cast. 

"Thank you for saving me, I mean it. I really appreciate your help." Allaia admitted in an honest tone. 

"You're welcome, sweetheart." Her savior smiled warmly. "And don't mind my sister. She's a bitch. I know, shocker." 

"Oh, shut up, you moron." 

   Allaia frowned, genuinely astounded by their bickering. This is not how she imagined Grounders to be like. She thought they would be more insular and cold, speaking in a slightly different accent. She expected a thick barrier of various customs and ways of living, precluding them from understanding each other clearly, but that wasn't the case. Silently, Allaia analyzed the siblings' behavior, trying to see beyond appearances and attitude, maybe trying to verify if by any chance it was simply an act, a scheme to deceive her, but it seemed sincere. 

"Again, who are you?" Allaia asked fervently, her gaze alertly astray between the two.

"Right, sorry. Introductions first. I'm Reese and this is my sister, Waverly." The boy introduced himself and his sister. "A warning, she can be quite mean, but she was born this way, so don't take it personal." Reese warned in a whisper, causing Allaia to vaguely chuckle in amusement. "You're currently in our house. You were stabbed and I saved you, so don't take away my credit, Verly." He glared at his sister in annoyance. "And you've been out for two days." 

"I need to go." Allaia's eyes widened in terror after she realized how long she had been unconscious.

Waverly instantly blocked her path, stopping her from leaving. "Ah, ah, ah, you're not going anywhere until you fulfill your purpose here." She seethed, glaring at Allaia blankly. 

"And what's that, huh?" Allaia sneered in irritation, nonetheless trying to get past the redhead who was adamant on forcing her to stay.

"Speaking to our mother." Reese explained briefly. "She wanted us to bring you here so you two could finally talk."

"Can't it wait?" Allaia implied with a heavy sigh, not willing to give up. "I have no idea what happened to my friends, okay? They all— They could be dead. Bellamy— could be dead." Her fragile voice faded away with each word. "Please, let me go." She begged, staring at Waverly and Reeve pleadingly. 

Waverly, clearly having enough of Allaia's resistance and stubbornness, shoved her back onto the bed, causing her to let out a painful groan. "Nah, you're staying. But between us girls, who's Bellamy? The name sounds hot." 

Allaia glared at the redhead heatedly, fuming with anger as she clutched her stomach in acute ache. "The hell? Can you be any more gentle?" She hissed angrily. 

"Yeah, Verly? Come on, she was stabbed, show some compassion." Reese snarled, directly defending Allaia.

"Why are you acting as if it was such a big deal? Stop trying to impress the girl with your fake chivalry, little brother." Waverly rolled her eyes. "Being stabbed around here is like taking your first steps as a child. It's a part of growing up."

"Did you just compare getting stabbed to learning how to walk?" Allaia queried incredulously.

Waverly simply shrugged in response, her nails suddenly becoming a center of her attention. "Oh, whatever. You didn't answer my question. Who's Bellamy, huh?" 

"I don't wanna talk about it." Allaia murmured quietly, her inmost thoughts vaguely gliding towards Bellamy in the unadulterated sadness of his unknown fate. Incoherently, she suppressed the hurricane of emotions swirling inside her mind, shielding herself from the quake of sheer panic. 

"Come on, spill it. I love gossips and it's so damn boring around here." Waverly groaned exasperatedly. "The only thing that ever happens here is death and war and I'm sick of it. I need some real drama in my life, so please, entertain me, sky girl. Don't be shy, I won't judge you." She winked at her playfully.

"That's actually true. Verly's done too many crazy things to have a right to judge anyone." Reese mused in amusement.

"See? When my saint brother says something, it's probably the truth."  

"Okay, fine." Allaia sighed in surrender, inhaling deeply. "Bellamy and I are kind of a... thing?" A blooming shade of a spring rose fell upon her features. 

"Care to elaborate?" Waverly snorted sarcastically.

"We're in love." Allaia stated, timidly putting a tendril of her hair behind her ear. "There, I said it."

Waverly gasped, faking her shocked reaction. "O my, you're in love with him, and you don't know if he's dead or alive? This is so dramatic and I'm loving it." A loud giggle escaped her lips. "Sad news for you, brother, you don't have a chance with our little guest. Maybe another time." She pursed her lips, suppressing a laugh. "You see, sky girl, I think poor thing already had a crush on you." 

Allaia only frowned in confusion, intentionally ignoring Waverly's remark. 

"Apparently my sister is not only a bitch, but she doesn't have a heart either." Reese hissed in outburst, shoving Waverly in irritation. "I'm sorry, Allaia. She didn't mean any of it." He pressed, staring at her apologetically. 

"It's fine, really." Allaia lied, veiling her genuine scathe caused by Waverly's blunt insensitivity. "I'm sure Bellamy and all my friends are alright. By the way, how do you know my name?" She inquired warily, swiftly changing the subject. 

Waverly smirked derisively, biting her lip. "Allaia, darling, there are posters with your pretty face hanging all over the woods, with the inscription wanted. Please deliver Sirra do the Commander. High prize awaits." She declaimed in a bantering tone. 

   Allaia swallowed nervously, Waverly's words stirred with her emotions and caused her stomach to twist in consternation. Various scenarios hiding behind the possible reasons why the Commander demanded her presence only intensified her dismays. Allaia was growing anxious, a menacing aura, holding her captive in a rough embrace, was making her frantic due to the cluelessness about the fate of her friends. Now, in addition, Alle had to worry about the Commander's unknown intentions towards her as well, as if she hadn't had enough concerns on her mind. And all of this because of the false divinity's lies about her abilities, the woman who deceived everyone into believing she could see the future. 

"Don't mind her. Verly is just pissed she didn't get to chase you solo." Reese rolled his eyes. "Her ego's hurt."

"I'm a bounty hunter." Waverly revealed proudly. "But I see why the Commander decided not to give me this job. I like the challenge and you're far from being one. I'd crash you, kitty."

"I may look innocent, but when someone pisses me off, I snap. Kitty's got claws, Waverly." Allaia smirked, casting her a defiant glare.

"Uh, I'm shaking." Waverly teased in a scoffing tone. "I assumed you'd be a damsel in distress with no personality, but damn, you've got some spice."

"Thanks, I guess." Allaia snorted bluntly. "Okay, so what does the Commander want with me? And if I'm wanted by your leader, why did that guy try to kill me?"

"Our community is divided into people who worship Adaley like some goddess and people who hate her with all their might. I guess the guy who stabbed you was a hater." Reese explained. 

"You forgot the people who don't give a fuck. Like me." Waverly added, disinterested. 

"Right. Lucky me." Allaia muttered sarcastically. 

"So, fairy, tell me. Do you have that witchy power everyone is so obsessed about?" Waverly questioned in a nonchalant tone with a hint of disdain and curiosity. "Do you get visions or what? Or is it all just crap, like I think it is?" She teased mockingly.

"Yeah, it's all totally bullshit." Allaia agreed. "Magic isn't real. Predicting the future isn't real. I am certainly not a psychic, not a witch, not a fairy or anything supernatural, because, shocker, supernatural beings or powers are just a stupid legend. A myth. All of this is just a crazy coincidence and I hope to sort it out as soon as possible."

"Ha! I knew it!" Waverly exclaimed, glaring at her brother victoriously. "See, I told you, Reese!"

"Maybe you are a seer, but you just don't know it yet." Reese suggested.

"Seriously? I think if Allaia could actually predict the future, she would know about it already." Waverly sneered. "Sorry to disappoint you, little brother, but auntie Addie was a liar." 

"Auntie Addie?" Allaia inquired unsurely, her gaze astray between the sibling.

"We were raised hearing the stories about Adaley, the great Sirra of Trikru." Reese informed. "Our mother and Adaley were friends back in a day." 

"Great, so can you tell me more about her and what I'm dealing with?" Allaia asked with hope sparkling in her amber eyes.

"Duh, that's why you're here in the first place." Waverly smirked. "But, patience, fairy. Our mother will tell you everything she knows once she's back. We promised her we wouldn't spoil anything, so you're gonna have to wait."

"Okay." Allaia sighed, slightly disappointed. "Do you know when she's gonna be back?"

"Soon, I promise." Reese assured.

"You know, guys, I didn't expect you to be so..." Allaia trailed, unsure how to express her opinion without offending them.

"Normal?" Waverly guessed explicitly. "Yeah, don't worry, we're one of a kind. The outcasts. Everyone else is psycho."

"What Waverly means we're not like the others." Reese pressed. "We don't exactly believe in  what our society stands for. We usually don't agree with the Commander's choices."

"So you don't follow the Commander?" Allaia queried in confusion.

"We're not devoted subjects who blindly do everything for their superior." Waverly interjected nonchalantly. "We have our own brain. We're not like those idiots from the capital who only care about fighting and killing each other to gain power. I might be a heartless bitch, like my dear brother said, and I kill people sometimes, I ain't gonna lie about that, but I'm aware that there are things more important than obedience towards the Commander, violence or war. Like a bit of fun." A sly smirk danced across her lips.

"It's mainly because of the impact that Adaley's history had on our childhood. That's what makes us different." Reese explained. "When you hear it, you'll understand what I mean. In a way, she taught us individuality. It doesn't matter if we believe that she was a seer or not, her past shaped our personalities. Our mother is the only person who knows some details behind Adaley's story and she made sure to tell us about it. Others only know pieces."

"You're forgetting someone, Reese." Waverly hummed, staring at her brother insinuatingly.

"Yeah, but Allaia will meet that person when the right time comes." Reese affirmed.

"Hey, I wanna know!" Allaia protested. "Who are you talking about?" 

"We can't rush anything." Reese sighed reluctantly. "Also, we're against the clans' hatred towards you, sky people. But we weren't surprised that they declared you war. It's just their way of solving issues. And you are quite a big problem."

"I'm so glad you all fell from the sky in that weird box." Waverly sighed dreamily. "Maybe it won't be so fucking boring around here anymore."

"That weird box you're talking about is called a space ship." Allaia informed in a scoffing tone.

Waverly simply glared at Allaia, rolling her eyes in annoyance.

"To be honest, we're still alive only because the Commander sort of has a soft spot for us." Reese chuckled. "Waverly's insulted too many people over the years and made too many enemies to even walk around and breathe. But she's a bounty hunter and an excellent warrior, so people let it slide as long as she stays away and keeps her mouth shut."

"They are all just jealous they aren't as awesome as I am." Waverly shrugged with a devious smirk. "I am the freaking legend." 

"You guys are officially the weirdest people I've ever met. And surprisingly, I mean that as a compliment." Allaia smiled sincerely at the siblings.

"Aww, thanks, fairy. For a fake Sirra, you aren't so bad either." Waverly teased. 

"O shit, Waverly said something nice. I think I should write that down." Reese laughed loudly.

"Oh, shut up, Reese." 

☆꧁*꧂☆

   AS BELLAMY SPRINTED through the undergrowth bereaved in a sinister silence, only with a twitter of birds and rustling of leaves hovering in the air above, his nerves were solidly on the edge, entirely shattered. He had lost the track of time of how long he has been on the run, but it seemed like an eternity, assessing by the utter exhaustion overpowering his whole body and the erratic pounding of his heart against his chest. Fresh lacerations covered in crimson blood coated almost every part of his exposed skin. 

   In the hue of daylight, it was easier to traverse the forest, not like during the night, when his senses had to be on the highest alert, intently focused on the vicinity and potential dangers lurking in the shadows. Tightly gripping onto the spear in his hand, Bellamy kept racing through the woods, attentively watching his surroundings with narrowed eyes, like a hawk. He was being chased; after he and Finn escaped from the battlefield just before the explosion has occurred, they had separated to enhance their chances. 

   Adrenaline surged inside his veins, urging him to quicken his pace. Even though Bellamy was being hunted by the Grounders seeking revenge for the fire blast that burned every warrior alive, there was only one thing on his mind. His friends — his family — and their unknown fate. But among all of them, there was one particular person. 

Allaia. 

   Bellamy had no idea what happened to her after the blazes flared up and it petrified him beyond reckoning. The memory of Alle getting stabbed with a sword straight in the abdomen flashed across his eyes on a cruel replay, causing him to let out a low growl with vestiges of rage and fright. Bellamy remembered how pristine wrath intoxicated him, as if uncaging a lethal beast craving to wreak havoc, when he saw Allaia's angelic features contort in agonizing pain. A scream so deafening had torn from his throat at the sight of the sword piercing through her stomach, and Bellamy could have sworn he felt invisible silvers of glass ripping him to shreds. 

   And then he was forced to helplessly watch some Grounder coming out of nowhere and leading badly wounded Allaia to an unknown direction. There were various possibilities implying what could have happened afterwards and every single one of them was twisting Bellamy's senses in the unbearable anxiety, whirling his thoughts into pure chaos. Like a black void, arising deep inside his soul, it was absorbing Bellamy in the implicit cascade of fear of losing Allaia, stirring with his sanity. 

   The love of his life could be tortured at this very moment and there was nothing he was able to do about it. Or she could have not survived the stab wound or the