Chapter One

                       Chapter One

Enue groaned as his back hit the ground. He shrieked as he felt the air being knocked out of him. He could taste the blood in his mouth. As he was kicked again, he let out a shriek. With a grunt, Enue got up off the ground and kicked his opponent in the stomach. The man groaned and held his abdomen tightly. Enue sneered and picked the man up by his feet. Groaning as he put him on his back.

        Enue crept through the dark hall. He could hear the muttering of the people around him. He opened the door to one of the chambers and threw the man on his back in. The man groaned as he hit the rigid cement floor. Enue locked the door to the cell and made his way back upstairs. He entered his father’s old room, which was now his. He grabbed a book from the bookshelf and turned to a particular page. He smiled as he saw the picture of his father, him and his mom.

He missed his father, everyone did. He was a great ruler and a great father. But he was insane. He brought war and hurt to their kingdoms. Because of him Moonlighters and sunlighters are divided.

Scarlet awoke in her bedroom. “What happened?” She asked, looking around the room. “You fainted.” Scarlet’s head shot to the left side of the room.

Her father stood leaning against the wall. “You were working on your thermal blast, but you couldn’t get it to work. And you were exhausted, so you fainted.”

Scarlet removed her covers from her body. “How long was I asleep?” She asked. “3 hours.” Her father said. Scarlets eyes widened. “3 hours!” She screeched. She began throwing her belongings in to a bag. “Scarlet.” Her father said. “Father, I need to perfect my power.” She said. Her father sighed. “Where are you going?” He asked. “Out.” She replied.

Her father put a hand on her shoulder. “Scarlet, I know you want to help, but forcing yourself to use your power won’t be good for you.” Scarlet rolled her eyes. “I know what’s good for me father.” She said. She zipped up her bag and threw it on her back. “I’ll see you in two days.” She said. She kissed her father on the cheek and left.

The cold air felt refreshing in her face. She liked the coldness. That’s what she liked about being a moonlighter. (Besides the powers.) She went to touch her arm, but jerked her hand back as she felt a painful sting. She glared at her burning hand.

She hated when she couldn’t control her powers. They always end up hurting her or someone else. ‘Just like mom.’ She thought. Her mother’s powers were great; she was the most powerful moonlighter there was. Except she wasn’t a moonlighter, she was a Sunlighter. And Scarlet hated her because of it.

The sky was a dark blue color and she could hear the wind whistling. It was like a soft song, it soothed her. The crunching of the autumn leaves under her feet released the tension in her mind. She came upon the end of the path. She looked right, then left.

She took out her bow and arrow, closed her eyes, aimed and let go. Once she heard the ‘thunk’ of the arrow she opened her eyes. The arrow was stuck in the far west tree. She smiled and continued walking that way.

She an upon an old house. She wandered around the outside of the building. Looking through the windows and checking the doors. She kicked open the door and stepped inside. The house was dark and silent.

She tossed her bag onto one of the tables and sauntered through the house. Most of the rooms were empty, except two. One was filled child’s toys and the other had a bed.

Scarlet’s eyes wondered around the room. She could smell the stench of old clothes and sweat. The midnight heat from the outsides drifted into the room. Scarlet removed the dirty curtain from the window. She peered out, the moon was shining bright in the dark sky. The thousands of stars stood out with it.

She closed the window and bolted it shut. She laid on the bed and closed her eyes. She slept peacefully that night.

Enue changed out of his formal attire and into his sleepwear. He was to wake early tomorrow, his brother and him were to go out.  He climbed into his bed and rested his head against his pillows.  He stared at his window. There was a raven perched alongside the ledge. He stared at it as if waiting for it to move. It nothing, just gawked at him. He got out of bed and opened the window. He held out his finger and the raven immediately stood on it. Enue smiled at his new feathered friend. Gently he ran his fingers across the ravens back. The raven crowed and rubbed its head against Enues finger.

A knock came from the door. Enue sat the bird on the window seal and went to open the door. “Eliheu.”

Eliheu put a hand over his chest and bowed. “Sir.” Enue waved him off. “You do not need to do that. I’m your brother, not your king.”

Enue shut the door. “What brings you here?” he asked. Eliheu sat in a chair and crossed his legs. “I was speaking to the guards and one of them said they saw a girl across the river. He said she looked like a moonlighter”

Enue rubbed his chin. “Is he sure?”  Eliheu nodded. “He said she had a sapphire crescent symbol on her bag.”  

“What do you suppose we do?” Enue asked. “I say we lock down the kingdom and alert the villagers, that there may be a moonlighter in town.”

Enue shook his head. “If she is a moonlighter, she might now that we’ll come for her. I’ll go in the morning and see what she’s up to.”

“What if you need help?”

“I’ll be fine. And I’ll call for help if I need any.”

Eliheu nodded. “Fine. What do we do if she is a Moonlighter?”

“We talk to her. See if she’s evil.”

“All Moonlighters are evil.” Eliheu growled.

“Do you really believe what father said? Eliheu, I believe that Sunlighters and Moonlighters can be united. It is fathers fault that we are divided.”

“Father was a great man,” Eliheu sneered.

“Father was a senseless man.” Enue turned away from his brother. “Goodnight Eliheu.” He picked up the raven.

“Goodnight. Enue.”