The Keepers Of The Light

I knew it was going to happen eventually, although I did everything I could in order to prevent it from happening. It’s not like I could prevent it.
But it happened. I met the man of my dreams, who eventually led to my demise. I told him all of my secrets, but more importantly I told him all the secrets of my people, the Keepers of the Light.
It was a lethal mistake.
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I sat on the ground, looking at the moon as it cast its shadow across the water. I traced my finger lightly over the lightly glowing crescent moon-shaped scar that marked me for what I was, a Keeper of the Light.
I loved the night shift. I loved the softness of night, the stars twinkling bright against the dark sky and the serenity you feel.
A twig snapped, and I was instantly alert. I scanned the forest and smiled softly when I saw my sister coming to take over my shift.
“Greetings, Aailyah. I trust your night was agreeable?” Her eyes glittered, and I knew she had probably spent the night with her courter.
“Yes it was, Danielle.” I stood up and she grinned.
“You are going to require a new eye-cover. And why are you wearing them on duty?” I smiled at her term for a contact.
“I do seem to go through many. I am wearing them because it slipped my mind to remove them. I bid you good-night, and morrow I shall see you.” I walked the three miles to my car. I was the only Keeper who tried to maintain a modern life and stuck to modern practices.
I slid into the sleek seat and started the motor. The sounded of the engine starting sounded foreign to my ears after the long stretch of silence.
I yawned, and reprimanded myself. It was an honor to be chosen for the Watch. I was not going to let my human needs interrupt my duties.
I listened to music softly, and drove for three hours while I struggled to stay awake.
When I finally reached my small apartment, I gratefully put the key in the knob and turned. I stepped into the warm space, and flicked on the light. I flinched from the sudden artificial brightness, and took my jacket off. I hung it on the hook and yawned widely. This was truly getting insufferable.
I ate a quick meal, and went into the bathroom to check out the damage.
My contacts had dissolved almost completely, and I groaned. I was on my last pair. They wouldn’t last past tomorrow.
My green contacts were gone, replaced by a deep midnight blue. My vision was suddenly increased, as if a veil had been removed. I could see every filament on everything.
I brushed my deep brown hair and put it up, then slipped into the oversize shirt that was hanging on my shower curtain.
I let out one last great yawn and went to my soft bed, falling asleep the minute my head hit the pillow.
I woke at seven thirty, and got dressed into a pair of gray pinstripe pants, and a white button-up shirt. I put a jacket over it, grabbed my briefcase and headed off to my job as a court clerk at the jailhouse.
It was there that I met Jared.
As I was packing up, he bumped into me. Apologizing profusely, I picked up his papers. He was apologizing to me, but his words were silenced as I looked at him in the eyes.
“Thank you.” I finally heard him say as I handed him his papers.
“No problem.” I was actually surprised I could still speak.
We left, and as we went our separate ways, he turned back to me.
“Are you doing anything later?” He asked.
“No, I don’t think so.”
With a smile, he wrote a number on a piece of paper and gave it to me.
“Call me.”
We went to dinner that night, and the night after that. We spent every night together, as long as I could until I had to go on duty. I fell madly in love with him along the way, and he told me he felt the same.
We were celebrating our year anniversary and as we were sipping red wine, he looked at me.
“Allie, why is it that we never go out past ten?”
“I go to bed early, you know that.”
“Just this once?”
“No! I mean-” I recovered hastily, trying to think of a reason. “I have to work. I have a second job.
“Where is it? I could drop by and give you a ride.”
“I’m covered.”
“Are you keeping secrets from me?” He asked, betrayed. “Are you cheating on me?”
“Oh, God no! I would never do that!” I defended myself.
“Than what are you not telling me?” He asked.
“I can’t tell you!” I said choking back a sob.
His voice instantly became soft, and he wrapped me in his arms as I cried.
“You can tell me anything.” He whispered as he kissed me.
I sighed deeply.
“It’ll be easier to show you. Come with me.”
I led him to my car, and he got in.
“Now, just don’t say anything until we get there.” I told him.
I needed time to think.
By the time we got there, I was torn. My head was telling me that what I was about to do was completely dangerous, lethal even, but my heart was telling me this is what I was supposed to do.
He followed me into the forest, not saying anything. I left him a hundred yards away from the site.
“Wait here.” I said softly.
I hid behind a tree and changed into my “uniform”, a pair of midnight blue skirts and a loose, billowy blue top that was tied together with a belt. I took out my contacts, and washed off all my make-up.
I knew just how I would appear to him. My skin would be as pale and luminous as the moon itself, my eyes would shine and exude the light that my people carried. He had never seen my real eyes before. He had never seen the deep midnight colors, which gradually faded into a deep sky blue. My pupils were shaped as a full moon, and glowed as bright.
I stepped before him, and I could see him start to panic.
“Jared.” I said simply.
“Allie?” He choked out, fear written on his face.
I motioned to the tree trunk. “I’ll explain.”
He followed me and sank down on the ground.
“My true name is Aailyah. I am of Midnight, which explains my eyes and uniform. I am a Keeper of the Light.”
“The Light?” He asked numbly.
I started from the beginning.
“Long ago, there were these three monks who were trying to protect the earth. They knew the secrets that the Earth held, and they were destructive. They enlisted the help of sorcerers to contain these secrets.
Long story short, the sorcerers succeeded in creating The Light. But they also did far more damage than they knew.
The Light is far more powerful than they expected. It can not only see the secrets of the Earth, but also knows every single thing that has ever happened. It knows the secrets of the heart and soul of every single human, animal, and even plant of the world. If led into the wrong hands, it could mean the ultimate destruction of us all.
My people are the protectors of the Light. And in being the protectors of the Light, we are also the protectors of everything that is good in the world.”
Jared’s face had gone pale, and I could tell he struggled to accept what I was saying. I reached into the bag on the side of my hip, and opened it.
A glorious light was coming from the bag, and I put the object in my hand.
It was a small orb, smaller than a tennis ball. There were swirling colors within the orb, every color of the spectrum and more than that.
“This is The Light,” I whispered in awe.
I was so absorbed in watching The Light, I didn’t see Danielle turn and walk away.
A short while later, I heard the footsteps before I saw them.
“Get out of here,” I whispered to Jared.
“What?” He asked, finally back to normal.
“Get out of here, we’re in great danger!” I pleaded with him underneath my breath. “The Council is coming.”
“Do you promise to meet me back in the city?” He asked.
“Yes.”
He kissed me and ran.
I stood and straightened my skirts as the Council approached.
“Aailyah, we have been informed of the greatest crime anyone could ever think of. We are here to have you deny this.” Cairus spoke in his deep, cracking voice.
“I will not deny it.”
“You have been charged with telling the Secrets of the Keepers of the Light, and for that, you are sentenced to die.” He announced.
The Council led me to the execution platform.
“I’m so sorry Jared,” I whispered as my life slipped away quickly.
“I love you.”