chapter 1
“Pandora!”
A girls voice rang out through the open area of the camp. A woman with extremely curly dirty-blonde hair came moving toward a straight-haired blonde girl.
Pandora looked over to Sybill, watching the other seer head in her direction.
“Is something wrong?” The younger seer questioned the other, tilting her head a small bit. She could basically see the nerves flooding off of Sybill. No answer came for a few moments, and Pandora just stared at the woman in front of her as if urging her to speak,
“Go North.” Sybill stated finally, no other words falling from her.
Pandora just blinked.
And she continued staring.
“North…” She repeated slowly, only getting a nod from the other seer. A small sigh fell from Pandora and she nodded.
She backed away from Sybill, smiling softly in amusement. She didn’t judge the two-word answer she had gotten. It was not uncommon amongst seers to only be able to give brief answers to their visions.
Pandora moved in the direction of a green hooded hut, her eyes scanning about. There were a few kids running around, adults watching them fondly. From the corner of her eye, she saw others leaving the training area. The area they had made when they first decided to settle. It was an open piece of land with pieces of carved-up wood that were used as dummies. She saw the gleaming of the silver swords in some of their hands and bit back a sigh.
Pandora Rosier had never been a fan of violence.
And yet, she had seemed to be born into it.
Shaking her head, she moved to enter the hut she had approached.
‘Go North.’ What was North? Was Sybill sending her into her death trap? Surely not. The woman would have warned her if that is what was going to happen. Either way, she would be bringing someone with her. Though, she doubted they would be happy to be dragged out from their training hour. Once in the hut, the girl's blue eyes scanned about slowly. She grinned a bit when she saw an occupied bed space. Without hesitation, she began in the direction of the bed.
Another boy lay there, soft snores falling from him as he was curled up in the sheets. With fluffy blond hair that needed to be cut and closed eyes, Pandora couldn’t help but awe. Though, the moment was ruined when the seer used her foot to nudge the terribly built bed. She watched in amusement as the boy on the bed shot up almost immediately with a loud yelp falling from him. Pandora could not help but let out a laugh, watching the panic and shock flood through his features.
“God, Pan! You can’t just wake a man like that!” The boy seemed disgruntled, a look of embarrassment flooding his face. She watched in amusement as red began to cover his face.
“I don’t know what you expected from me, Evan. You’re missing training, I hope you know.” She hummed lightly, her voice soft. Everything the girl did seemed to be soft according to those who knew her. Her voice was light, like the calm in a storm. The way she walked was quiet, and the way she worked was calm. She was never someone who rushed into things. She was always one who took her time with everything.
There was no rush, right?
Evan’s eyes grew wide at that and Pandora laughed. They shared the same eyes and the same hair colour. Both of them could pass as twins if they were not known to be just brothers and sisters. Pandora is only a year older than that her younger brother.
“Why didn’t you wake me sooner!” He exclaimed, pushing himself out of the bed. The blanket fell to the ground as he immediately moved over to his drawers. He did not even seem bothered enough to change, and Pandora watched as he dragged a gleaming silver sword out of his bottom drawer.
“Because I did not need to,” Pandora responded after a moment. She dragged her gaze away from the weapon and back to the eyes of her younger brother. “I actually need your help with something instead. That’s the actual reason I had come here…” She trailed off lightly, playing with the butterfly ring that sat on her thumb.
Evan looked at his sister in concern almost immediately. His eyebrows furrowed and he scanned her stance. She was okay physically. Shew as not harmed, that much he knew.
“What would you like help with, Pan?” He found himself finally questioning, moving to slip on his sneakers. Despite how most of the guys wore boots due to the rough terrain, Evan had never liked them. He had never liked the feeling of the back of the shoe hitting the back of his calf every time he took a step.
“Sybill saw something,” She began, already seeing the look she was getting from Evan, “And before you say anything - no. She told me to go North, and I rather not go alone…” She trailed off, motioning with a hand as if waiting for Evan to finish her sentence.
“You want me to go with you? Does he know we’re heading out?” He questioned lightly. At the mention of their best friend, Pandora shook her head almost immediately. That racked a sigh from the boy.
“And we’re not telling him until we return,” Pandora begged lightly, “Please Ev. I really do not want to go out there alone. And you’re a skilled fighter! That is our difference.” She rambled, motioning with her hands as she spoke. She could see the emotions flooding through her younger brother, and eventually, she got an answer. Well, it was not a verbal answer, but it was an answer nonetheless.
She watched as Evan pulled out another dagger, moving over to her to hand it to her. Pandora’s eyes widened.
“You’re not leaving here without some sort of protection, Pandora,” Evan spoke firmly, shaking his head a bit at the girl. He had always been protective over the other girl. Despite being the y younger sibling, Pandora and him were quite different. There were times were most thought Evan was older than her - which in reality was just far from the truth.
Pandora just eyed the dagger as if it would poision her to touch it.
She was very indifferent when it came to violence,
Which meant she was very indifferent when it came to weapons as well.
She finally reached her hand out to take the handle of the knife in her hand.
“I never truly understood how you guys can carry a weapon with you everywhere.” She mumbled, shaking her head as she stared at the dagger that now rested in the palm of her hand.
Evan just grinned.
He just grinned.
“C’mon, Pan. Let’s get going before the others realize we are even missing.” He spoke lightly, moving to walk towards the slowly breaking door of the hut. The blonde haired girl was quick to move after him, her once neatly combed hair slowly becoming tangled with her bouncing steps.
The sibling duo walked through the camp. One seemed stone cold set on the gate, the other with wandering eyes that lingered on everyone around.
It was crazy to believe the camp had once been bare. Nobody had resided there, and it had only one tree house and one resident. Pandora was the second person to arrive at the camp, alongside her brother. Upon arriving, they were met with one other resident. A boy up in the trees, hiding out. And even though the area had been bare at the time, it was easy to tell someone of a threat had resided there.
A boy with raven colored hair, and pale green eyes. At first, Pandora had said they looked more grey than they did green. In the right lighting though - they do appear green. A tired looking boy who had a firm grip when it came to holding a sword.
That’s how Pandora had met her best friend.
And from then on, they had turned the tree house into a community for those who came across it. Never one did they step foot outside of it - not unless it was needed. And the boy had made that very clear with the warnings he gave any and all newcomers.
Pandora smiled at the thought, continuing to follow after her brother. Unlike his feet - which dug into the soil beneath them - her feet barely even touched the ground. It was like she was a spirit in way with how she walked, not a thought flooding her brain.
The well-built gate of the camp screamed ‘do not enter’ and ‘do not leave.’ It was a clear sign as to not leave camp, and it was a clear sign to try not to enter. Yet, the Rosier siblings were doing the complete opposite.
Neither sibling talked.
Neither sibling knew what to say.
It was like they had spoken all the words they needed to, and Pandora had let Evan take the lead. He knew how to track ways better than anyone combined. After all, he had been the one guiding them everywhere before the camp.
It was quiet, deathly quiet besides from the sound of feet hitting the ground every so often.
Pandora’s eyes lurked around, bouncing from tree to tree, and to every new thing they passed. She rarely left the camp anymore. She was one to stick to the rules, and in her mind the camp was far safer than what lurked outside. It reminded her of the books she used to read before things had slowly started to roll downhill. Maybe one day she would be able to read those books again.
“Did Trelawney tell you how far we needed to go North?”
Evan’s voice cut through the silence of their walk. Pandora looked towards the other blond haired boy upon hearing the question, shaking her head as her main answer.
“She did not,” The seer began softly, “But I trust her. She would not lie, unlike what some may believe.” She hummed faintly, keeping her words silent as if to not scare any of the animals that may pass by.
Pandora Rosier was a considerate soul.
The two walked for what felt like hours, yet in reality had only been half of one. Pandora had picked up a few things whilst they walked. There was now a small, blue flower tucked behind her left ear. There was a matching one tucked into the pocket of Evan’s shirt. He had first denied it to be kept there, but it was quite hard to say no to Pandora. She tended to do things even when told no. She also had a few rocks tucked away in her pockets aswell, small stones that wouldn’t do much damage but stones she had thought were pretty. If she could find some dye then she would dye them for some of the children at camp. It was because of Pandora that coloured stones were often found littering the floor of their area.
Eventually thoug, they had come to a stop.
Or more so Pandora had.
Her eyes had landed on something - or someone - that lay in front of them.
To Pandora, it resembled something more so than it did a someone.
“Go North.” She whispered to herself.
A large pile of ash and what looked to be debris laid in front of them. Yet, what was strange was the dried up blood around the area. Droplets of blood on leafs, followed by the droplets on the ground surrounding the pile of ash. From the corner of her vision she could see Evan slowly bringing his sword out in front of them
“Pan…” She heard his voice, however it went straight through her and no response came.
She moved forward, crouching down. Alive. This was alive. With a shaking hand, and a bit of hesitation, she moved her hand forward. She was slow, and it seemed like time had slowed down, as she brushed her hand against the top of the pile of ash.
The ash fell to the forest ground, and a small gasp fell from her. A face. This was a person. This was an alive person.
“Evan-” She got out, but her brother was already on the other side of the pile. His eyes were wide and he was reaching down to try and brush off the rest of the ash on the body. He burnt his hands doing so, the ash scolding to the touch. A hiss fell from him and he shook his head.
“Was he set on fire?” The boy questioned, and Pandora just shook her head. She stared at the body for one moment.
And before she could say anything, the boy under the debris had lurched forward with a loud coughing noise.