Third Person POV
Fear didn't come yelling.
It arrived like a gasp. Averyn felt it settle deep in her chest as the five of them walked home together, the Codex heavy against her side. Evershade was covered in warm violet and gold as night fell. The town continued to move in its familiar rhythm, with cars driving by, porch lights flickering, and laughter coming from open windows. Everything looked the same. Everything felt wrong.
"Don't you feel it too?" Vynessa whispered beside her.
Averyn nodded. "It's nearer."
Jade laughed softly at something Carmira said. Gianna followed Ruelle with one earbud loose, her mind split between her thoughts and what was happening around her.
Ruelle stepped ahead, her hands moving as she talked.
They looked ordinary.
They were not.
The Codex pulsed once.
The air grew thicker. Averyn said, "Wait."
They stopped.
The nearest streetlight flickered. Shadows spilled out from the alley across the street, thin at first like smoke but soon bending the light around them as they twisted. They had only movement and purpose, no face or clear shape.
Gianna let out a sharp sigh. "That shouldn't be there." Then the Codex ignited.
It snapped open in midair after tearing free from Averyn's bag. Symbols burst into bright light as the pages flipped wildly.
With a hiss like ripping static, the shadow pulled back.
Carmira muttered, "I don't know what to do."
Averyn felt the same uncertainty. Still, something inside her reacted. The shadow jumped. Time shattered. Bright strands that linked them all appeared. Gold, green, crimson, silver, light blue, and one white that stood steady and radiant.
Then the gems appeared.
The Codex had six cool gems in it. They all had their own special glow. They were coming out of the pages of the Codex. It looked like they were being pulled out by threads. The gems from the Codex were rising up. They seemed to be alive. Each of the gems from the Codex was unique. It had its own pulse. The gems, from the Codex were beautiful. They were glowing with a really nice light.
The crimson gem has lots of facets. It burns like a living ember. It looks really pretty. The crimson gem seems to be, on fire but it is not. The crimson gem is very nice to look at because it's so red and shiny.
An emerald stone in motion, alive within.
Light as breath, a translucent azure crystal.
A gem of sharply cut silver, crackling slightly with energy.
A serene, radiant, smooth white-gold gem.
And like the sea's heart, a deep cerulean gem that is endless and fluid.
For a moment the people stopped moving they just stayed still in the air.
They came to a choice.
The red gem shot forward fast and just disappeared into Jades chest. This happened in a burst of light and heat. It was so sudden that it made Jade gasp. The whole thing was really surprising. It caught Jade off guard. The gem just went into her chest. Then it was gone.
Then Jade was surrounded by a golden light. This light made a suit of armor for her. It had smooth lines and it looked really good. On her arms and shoulders some red metal plates appeared. These plates had lines on them that looked like they were on fire. On her chest a special symbol showed up. It was bold and strong. It was hers alone. This symbol was glowing with a fire that seemed to be under control. The golden light and the red metal plates made her look very fierce. A big crest stuck out from her chest. The crest was blazing with this fire that was being kept in check. The fire, on the crest was a part of this woman, it was like it was a part of her body.
The green light blew up when the emerald gem was turned towards Carmira and put into her chest. This really hurt her. She cried out. Her armor started to grow with her body. It looked like it was alive and breathing. The armor was made of small pieces that fit together. It felt smooth when you touched it. There were pictures, on it that looked like they were moving, like glowing plants that crawled across the armor. The patterns, on the armor were moving over the place and that was really cool to see.
The blue crystal shattered into light. Became one with Ruelle. She stumbled. The armor that covered her had see through plates with fancy silver patterns on them. These plates showed the way the air was moving even though you could not see it. The armor itself was made in a way with lines that curved like the wind. When the pale blue power came out it was, like nothing she had ever seen before. The blue crystal power was light. It looked really nice. It was always moving, even when Ruelle was not moving all. The blue crystal power just kept on moving.
The silver gem flashed brightly, then sank into Gianna's collarbone, and she froze. Like moonlight on glass, silver light broke outward. The world around her was refracted by the smooth, reflective layers of her armor, which were composed of pale, luminous geometric lines. Just as the shadow struck again, a translucent barrier instinctively flared.
Vynessa took a step forward. The white-gold gem started moving towards Vynessa. It did this without being pushed or rushed. Then it went into Vynessas chest. This happened in an really bright light.
The light responded to her.
Not in a violent manner. Not in an explosive manner.
Her heart felt really happy and full of light. This light was very calm and peaceful. It was like nothing could stop it. Then her armor started to form around her. It was made up of neat layers. A beautiful white and gold light covered her body. The armor had shiny plates on it. These plates had pretty gold designs that looked like they were alive and beating like her heart. They all fell into place gently. Her armor was complete now, with the gold designs shining like her heartbeat on the white and gold plates.
The light was steady it did not flicker all. There was no darkness everything was well lit. The light was very steady no flicker was present.
Just clarity.
When Vynessa raised her hands the light did what she wanted. It stayed right where she put it shining down on the street. She said it loud to herself.
"I see it" she muttered. Everything is right, in front of me.
The shadow backed away and screamed.
Finally Averyn felt the pressure inside her release. It was a relief, for her. She had been feeling this way for a time and now she could finally relax.
The blue gem was the thing to happen and then it hit her like a big wave. The water went into her body. It felt cool and like it was never going to end. It was like the water was alive. From the palms of her hands a blue and white light came out moving in circles, like it was spinning around. The blue gem made this light. It just kept coming out of her hands in these spinning currents.
Her armor is made up of blue plates. These plates have see through parts and silver marks on them. The marks move slowly along her arms like the water in the ocean when it is calm. It looks like her armor was actually made by the water. The blue color of her armor is really nice. It has a soft glow to it. Her armor has a look to it like the water made it just for her. The way the marks move on her armor is pretty and calm like the water, on a quiet day.
The woman held up her hands.
There was no power outage.
The car swerved.
It stabilized the other abilities and brought chaos into harmony. Now, the Codex hung between them, glowing whole and steady, its function—for the time being—fulfilled.
After giving one shriek, the shadow unraveled and vanished into thin air. There was silence. The light dimmed. The armor disintegrated into tiny particles that returned to the skin and breathed. The lights on the street steadied. The world went back to normal. Breathless, they gazed at each other.
Ruelle muttered, "We all saw that, right?"
"Yes," Vynessa replied in a soothing, grounded voice. "Yes, we did."
Jade flexed her fingers and looked at her hands. "This wasn't my choice."
Averyn moved in closer. She whispered, "It picked you." "Everyone."
Somewhere far away, sirens echoed.
They didn't hold off on explaining.
Later, the Codex lay open on the floor, its pages at last motionless, secure in Averyn's room. The weight of what had transpired pressed down on the girls as they sat in a loose circle.
"So, we're not normal anymore," Carmira said slowly.
"No," Gianna said softly. "But we remain who we are."
Averyn gazed upon them—her companions, now branded by element and light, bound by an age-old and unchangeable bond. Something watched outside, unseen and unidentified.
The jewels had made their decision.
And the bearing had started.