Chapter 13: Crimson Moon

Content Warning: This chapter features scenes of verbal and physical abuse featuring a younger Diah.

Diah's eyes traced the swirls in the metal of the Nova's ceiling. Despite the beauty of the patterns above, Diah knew that each had only been formed by the removal of hundreds of impurities. Each little spot, scratch and warp that originally graced the metal slabs and made it unique were no longer there. She rubbed the tips of her fingers across the markings of her face.

Diah sighed and sat up, pressing against the spongy paneling of the wall. Sky pulled herself onto the other side of the bunk. She crossed her legs and fiddled with her ring. Diah thought about where she wanted to start.

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It was an unusually hot day during the Venshan summer and Diah was burning alive waiting for her mother to return. The waves of the beach behind her rolled lightly across the sand. A smell of salt hung in the air.

An hour beforehand, Wyrna had told Diah that she would return shortly and ran off to do an errand. While Diah had occupied herself at first by spectating beachgoers and playing in the sand, her patience had worn thin. There was only so much an eleven-year-old could do. She kicked the ground in frustration and decided to find the woman that had clearly abandoned her.

As she searched the stalls and beachside restaurants for a sign of her mother, she caught the sound of familiar laughter in the distance. She followed it around the corner and up to the side of a restaurant's large stone patio. Elegant chairs pressed against high black tables covered by white umbrellas. As she looked around for Wyrna, Diah noticed that a number of the patrons were members of the Alis. A familiar sense of disappointment settled in.

Wyrna's laugh floated by from a corner table. She was midway through a fancy green drink and was lost in her own conversation. The man she was with, one of the Alis' more outspoken members, tipped his glass in a toast.

Diah thought about running up to her mother and smashing the glass against the floor. She was furious that her mother had tossed her aside for business again, but the potential repercussions kept her locked in place. Instead, she decided to return to her sandy refuge. At least there she could try to make friends with the turtrabs or other wildlife.

A bang caught Diah's attention as she walked around the back of the restaurant. She debated on checking the origin of the noise out before curiosity got the best of her. She dropped low and took four small steps to the edge of the wall, peeking around the corner.

There was a large can knocked to the ground and a Chyl child struggling desperately to scoop its spilled contents back inside. Diah figured that she was around the same age, only a few inches taller. Her lilac skin clashed with the vibrant turquoise of her scruffy hair. Diah scooted closer, her shoe scuffing on the ground. The girl shot up in panic.

"It's okay!" Diah yelled, throwing her hands up. "I'm not going to hurt you!"

The girl shuffled backward, her beady eyes darting all over Diah and the trash. Diah could tell she was frightened out of her mind.

"I wasn't bothering anyone, I promise!" The girl blurted out. She waved frantically. "I just wanted to see what the beaches were like."

"You're silly," Diah teased. "Why wouldn't you be ab-"

Diah stopped. The girl's markings were scattered across her face like starry freckles. Not a single pattern could be made out.

"Please," the Low Mark begged. "I don't want to get in trouble."

Diah looked around cautiously then motioned the girl over. The Low Mark made a wary expression. She slowly moved forward, crouched like a wounded animal.

"I'm Diah Nollak," the High Mark announced with a proper handshake. "What's your name?"

"Iva," the girl responded. Her voice trembled slightly. "Iva Qain."

Diah wasn't sure what to make of the whole situation. Her mother would eventually come looking for her, but Diah didn't care anymore. For the first time, she finally had someone her age to talk to.

"I like your name, Iva," Diah giggled. "Today's my birthday. Do you want to share some cake?"

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As the daughter of one of the galaxy's most influential Chyl, Diah was used to spending time locked away in her penthouse with the best tutors on Vensha. When she turned fifteen, though, Wyrna decided it was time for her to integrate properly into Chyl high society and sent her to the best private school in Liotik.

Diah hated it there.

She had enough of the countless suitors after her name or her mother's money. The teachers refused to give her anything less than top marks for fear of losing their jobs. Even worse, the other girls were constantly trying to find ways to embarrass her or stab her in the back no matter how much she tried to be friendly.

The end of every day always made her troubles melt away, though. As soon as the chimes signaled the end of school, she raced out the door and through the streets of Liotik until she reached the abandoned construction sites. She had made the route as elaborate as possible and committed it all to memory so she never had to worry about being followed. She crossed over a broken bridge and took a rusted ladder up toward the top of a decayed building. A hatch was propped open halfway and she would always take a running slide down into the room below.

Iva would be waiting for her inside, propped up and reading in her favorite nook. The room itself was bare for the most part save for a few blankets and some hover lights. Diah would take off her school pack, dump the snacky contents across the floor and rush over to give her best friend a hug.

Despite their disparate social standing, Diah and Iva had formed a beautiful friendship over their years together. It was full of sharing stories, watching the latest holovids, having dance parties and gossiping about Diah's suitors or Iva's crushes. It was simple. It was fun.

More than anything, it made Diah feel like someone actually cared about her, her dreams and her life as a whole. Spending time with Iva was like bonding with a long-lost sister. Wyrna, meanwhile, was too busy politicking to care about her daughter's whereabouts. Diah only saw her mother when she was needed for an event or to be used for some ulterior motive. The rest of the time, she was invisible - unseen and unheard. She felt her mother probably preferred it that way anyhow.

"What's the news for today?" Iva asked enthusiastically. She swiped the holoscreen projected by her MenXhip closed and leaned forward. Her luscious curls bobbed with her movement.

"My mother wants me to go with one of the Dentra triplets to the end-of-year formal," Diah huffed. "Three different guys and they're all terrible people."

"Why the Dentras? I thought she told you the other day that Gilon Mazza was the best choice?" Iva inquired.

"That was because she was trying to gain favor with Gilon's father before the Alis' latest vote," Diah explained. "She got support from the Dentra family, so now I'm being thrown to them."

Diah let out a loud sigh. She didn't like being used as a trophy for the sons of whoever Wyrna worked with that month. It made her feel slimy and gross inside. She wanted to be left to her own devices and her own interests.

"Why does your mom keep asking for support anyway?" Iva responded. "She's the most powerful woman in the Alis. She could truly have anything she wanted. The others should be throwing themselves at her feet."

Diah pictured the idea of countless men falling in front of Wyrna and developed a small smile. It was a little over-the-top, but she was sure that her mother would've loved it. She knew Wyrna's secrets, though. The things her mother said and, even worse, did to gain support or eliminate her naysayers. Her smile faded.

"Hey, did you happen to go over those stories I gave you?" Diah asked. She desperately wanted to change the subject.

"Yes, but I need your help," Iva said. "There are a few words I don't quite understand."

Diah nodded and sat next to Iva in the nook, pulling up her own holoscreen. As a Low Mark, Iva was never given the chance at a good education. Diah felt that the idea of keeping education from anyone was incredibly idiotic and took it upon herself to help Iva learn. Over time, and countless study materials, Iva had surpassed Diah in almost every subject but reading.

"What did you think about the ending?" Diah prodded.

"A little depressing, but I get why it had to be that way," Iva shrugged.

Diah laughed. "You find everything depressing, so what makes this one any different?"

Iva playfully pushed Diah in the side.

"Because my life is depressing, Nollak. I have to be your friend," Iva teased.

Diah shook her head and rolled her eyes. The two girls' giggles turned into raucous laughter. Diah pointed through the window at the light of the crimson moon as it poured over the darkening night sky. She always loved the moment it draped the city in its red light, and loved it even more that she got to share that moment almost every day with her best friend. It was perfect.

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Diah was seventeen when her life became a waking nightmare.

The weather was unusually cold and dreary, black clouds floating in the air. Diah had made her way to the usual hangout space, reaching the building right as sleet began to pour. She slid down the hatch and landed inside, throwing back the hood of the black coat she wore.

'Why are the lights off?' Diah thought as she looked around. She heard a scraping noise behind her.

Diah whipped around and summoned her Kanushin, her senses flared up and yelling at her that something was wrong. She immediately dispelled it. Shock kept her frozen in place.

Wyrna's face held the biggest of smarmy grins. Two Alis guards stood behind her with weapons drawn. Iva was shoved on her knees between them, hands bound. Tears streaked her face.

"You made it here quite quickly," Wyrna noted. "I'm impressed."

"What the hell is this?" Diah yelled. It took all she had not to dash forward.

Wyrna pulled her arms from her sleeves and opened them wide. The guards behind her moved closer to Iva and pointed the plasma rifles against her back.

"This," Wyrna proclaimed, "is what happens when you step outside of the laws I work so tirelessly to create."

Diah couldn't believe or process the scene in front of her. It felt like a dream gone horribly wrong and she begged herself to wake up. Nothing changed. Thunder rumbled outside the building.

"Why?" Diah finally managed to squeak out. "Why are you here?"

"Why?" Wyrna snapped. "Because my daughter is out here in the middle of a desolate building spending her time with Low Mark trash!"

Wyrna stepped forward and pointed at Diah.

"Do you understand what this could do to me if someone found out? How much it could ruin me? Ruin our family name?"

"I don't care about our family name," Diah retorted. "We're barely a family. Iva is my friend."

"You are not friends with someone lesser than you!" Wyrna screeched.

Diah recoiled from the change in tone. Iva started to choke back tears behind Wyrna.

"Please, Mrs. Nollak," Iva begged. "I wouldn't hurt Diah."

Wyrna turned around and kicked Iva to the floor.

"Silence, filth!" Wyrna spat. "You have nothing to contribute to this conversation."

Diah jumped forward out of reflex and concern. Her mind was racing and her heart was about to burst out of her chest. Nobody was allowed to hurt her best friend.

"Leave her alone!" Diah yelled.

Wyrna reached a hand out and grabbed Diah by the throat mid-jump. Her sharp nails dug into Diah's skin slowly. Diah screamed and kicked as her mother tightened her grip. Diah's screams turned into whimpers, then choked gasps for air.

"You will listen to me, and listen well," Wyrna threatened. "This Low Mark scum broke the law. She is in High Mark territory when we all know she shouldn't be. Not only that, but she's clearly been using you."

"That's not true!" Iva yelped from the corner. Wyrna gave one of the guards a look and he whacked Iva across the back with his rifle.

"She has been using you to make a better life for herself. A life she doesn't deserve," Wyrna continued. Diah slapped her arm as she started to fade. She tried to summon her Kanushin again but the lack of coherency made it sputter.

"You will take this as a warning. Do not ever do anything to destroy all that I've worked for. Or else."

Wyrna tossed Diah to the ground. She gasped and grabbed at her throat as the air rushed into her lungs. Stars spun across her vision and the nail marks burned like hot needles had pierced her skin.

"Is there anything you would like to say to me?" Wyrna insinuated.

"Dad would be disappointed in you," Diah answered scornfully.

Wyrna let out a small "Hmph" and leaned in towards Diah's face. Diah saw the venom and power in her eyes. It was a look she had been given often, but it took on a more frightening demeanor this time.

"He already was. That's why he had to go."

Diah felt the life leave her body and her gaze fell to the floor. There was no way that was true. Her mother loved her father, or at least she had always thought.

"Finish it. I'll be waiting outside," Diah heard Wyrna command the guards.

Diah winced at the snap of two plasma shots and the thump of Iva's body hitting the floor. Her mind retreated into her body.

'There's no way this is real,' She told herself. 'It's all just a bad dream. I'll wake up. Please. I need to wake up.'

Diah sat motionless for a long while. When the fog of her mind finally cleared, she wasn't sure how much time had passed. Night had set outside and the storm had passed. Her hands and legs were soaked by the puddle of tears that had formed around them. The whole of her body ached from her heaving breaths.

She looked up to the body of her best friend through blurry, burning eyes. She couldn't make out the details in the dark of the room. Diah felt that was probably for the better. She wanted to remember Iva as the beautiful person she was.

Diah tried to pick herself up, but her legs shook and buckled. She tumbled to the floor and her body gave out. Diah pushed through the pain and exhaustion, crawling over to Iva. She closed Iva's eyes and laid next to her friend for a while.

The light of the moon seeped through the window and over the two Chyl. Diah looked up at the bloody crescent that sat in the sky like a murderous smile. A scorching hatred formed in her body.

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Sky wasn't sure how to respond to everything Diah had shared. It was clear that she had been holding it in for a long time, years even. Not only that, but it was a lot of very heavy emotions and trauma to process.

What bothered Sky the most, however, was that Diah seemed numb to it all now.

She wasn't sure if it was a wall Diah had built to prevent herself from feeling pain, or just a result of the trauma itself. She didn't want to ask. Now wasn't the time. The most important thing was making sure Diah knew she was there for her.

"I know this might not mean much right now, but I appreciate what you said earlier about being good friends," Sky whispered. "I want us to be really good friends. The best, even. You and me and Zaius. I believe in us. I just want you to know that no one, and I mean no one, can take that away."

Diah sat in silence. She looked back up at the ceiling.

"You know, I never thought there would ever be a day when I would willingly go running back to my mother," Diah mumbled. "Not after all that she's done. It makes me a little sick. I don't want to be like her. I want to be strong enough to really leave one day and never look back. I want to be a great leader, but I want to do it the right way."

More silence.

"Promise me something, Sky," Diah said. She lowered her head and looked Sky directly in the eyes. "Promise me that we'll hold each other accountable. Promise me that no matter what, we'll keep chasing the futures we desire."

Sky moved forward and wrapped her arms around Diah. She squeezed tightly, making sure she could put every ounce of warmth and support into her hug. She could feel the Chyl tremble slightly against her, as if holding back tears.

"I promise, Diah."