Stories: In the Shadow of an Aurora

"Chaos is the purest form of cleansing."

- Cursed Eclipsor

Plot
''Aurora Blue, a 19 year old girl from New York, has her life completely changed after an encounter with an ancient manuscript that leaves her heart glowing purple. Unable to return to school due to her condition, Aurora and her parents meet the mysterious Miss Anderson, who promises to help cure Aurora's condition. Anderson is in fact the Greek goddess Athena, who is on a mission to unite the gods of earth against an ancient force Aurora has unwillingly allowed to enter our universe.''

Cast
(Note: Most of these characters haven't even appeared yet.) ♠ - denotes a character's first appearance. ♦ - denotes a cameo, minor appearance, or mention only. ♣ - denotes a character's final appearance. (To be announced)
 * Aurora Blue ♠
 * Miss Anderson♠
 * Mrs. Blue ♠
 * Mr. Blue ♠
 * Mr. Ibis ♠
 * Isis ♠

Story
''8:30 AM. New York. 19-year old Aurora Blue wakes up suddenly to the sound of voices coming from downstairs. She can recognize her mother and father's voices, but she can also hear another voice; it was female, modulated but honeyed.''

''As Aurora gets up, she notices her heart has began glowing purple again, the reason for much of the distress in recent days. She brushes her teeth quickly, and after combing her hair, she heads downstairs.''

''Downstairs, she walks into the living, where her dad and stepmom are talking with a woman a bit older than her stepmom. Her shoulder-length hair was a light brown, almost converging on blonde, and wavy. She wore a pallid grey jacket over a white shirt, with contrasting grey trousers. Around her neck was a small necklace with a blood-red jewel in it’s centre.''

(Aurora is handed a cup of coffee by her mom)
 * Mrs. Blue: Hi, sweetie.
 * Aurora: Rachel, who's this?
 * Mrs. Blue: Oh, this is-
 * Miss Anderson: I prefer Miss Anderson. Or just Anderson. You’re parents called me to help deal with your...problem.
 * Aurora: Ummm, okay.
 * Miss Anderson: Once you finish breakfast, I'd like to talk to you in private. Is that okay?
 * Aurora: Y-yeah, sure.
 * Miss Anderson: Great! So, where would you like to discuss then?
 * Aurora: H-how about my room?

After a relatively chatty breakfast, Aurora and Anderson step into Aurora's room. she sits herself down in Aurora's desk. Aurora pauses to think about it. Anderson goes quiet for a few seconds. Aurora is semi-confused by Anderson's question. Anderson got up from her seat and sat herself next to Aurora, kneeling closer to her ear.
 * Miss Anderson: This is your room?
 * Aurora: Y-yes.
 * Miss Anderson: A bit too messy for my liking, it'll do.
 * Aurora: W-what do you want?
 * Miss Anderson: So, you are Aurora Blue, yes? Born May 21st 2002. 17 years old. Excellent results in your SATs and GCSEs, too. I like a smart person.
 * Aurora: How did you-
 * Miss Anderson: Don’t worry, your parents didn’t tell you this. Now then, let’s actually discuss what we’re here for, shall we? Your heart, how did it happen?
 * Aurora: It was a few days ago. Friday, maybe. I was in the local library, and I was looking at some books. Then I saw this one book, it was in the children’s section, yet it stood out from the others.
 * Miss Anderson: What did the book look like?
 * Aurora: It was brown and dusty, it was covered in lots of weird symbols. There was this one on the front that was a bit larger than the others. It sorta looked like an eye, too. When I took the book out, the symbols began to glow purple and there was this splitting pain in my heart area, like a heart attack. Then it began to violently glow for a few minutes or something before I dropped it in fear. That seemed to stop it from glowing, but that’s when I noticed my heart was glowing purple.
 * Miss Anderson: Tell me, what do you believe it is?
 * Aurora: I...I don't know. I never really believed in ghosts and whatnot, but this, (she felt her chest), I don’t know how else to explain this.
 * Miss Anderson: You think it's supernatural?
 * Aurora: Y-yes, it has to be.
 * Miss Anderson: Listen, I cannot cure this myself. However, I do have many associates who may be able to help you. However, you will have to come with me then. You do not have to do this, however, the heart will slowly kill over the next few years, so unless you want my help, you will have a very short life ahead of you.
 * Aurora: I don’t want to have to dropout of school, but I don’t want to die as well.
 * Miss Anderson: Death may not be a debate, but avoiding it is. Now, lets go discuss this with your parents, shall we?

The two of them exit Aurora's room and walk back to the table where Mr. and Mrs. Blue are waiting.

Anderson pauses for a moment. Mrs. Blue seems distressed by this. She takes a moment to calm down. Anderson wanders off into the kitchen as the family descends into private talk. The two parents bicker for a while. Mr. Blue cuts her off. Mrs. Blue attempts to say something, before hushing herself. They turn around to see Anderson watching patiently. ''Aurora gets up from her seat. Her stepmother hugs her and reminds her to take her phone with her.'' The two of them step out the door, Anderson makes sure to close the door behind them. As they step onto the pavement, Aurora turns to face Anderson. ''The two get into Aurora's car, a slightly worn out SUV. They put their seatbelts on, and Aurora turns on the car's GPS.'' ''Aurora begins to slowly put the directions into the GPS. Once she does that, she starts the car up and they head onto the road.''
 * Mrs. Blue: So?
 * Miss Anderson: I’ve discussed the situation with Aurora, although you may not like it.
 * Miss Anderson:I cannot cure this myself. However, I have a number of associates who may be able to help her. However, the girl must come with me.
 * Mrs. Blue: Why can’t you just give us their address, and we’ll take her to them?
 * Miss Anderson: My associates are rather secretive. They will not talk with anyone else apart from me.
 * Mr. Blue: But what if...we don’t do this?
 * Miss Anderson: Well, your stepdaughter will slowly disintegrate over the next. . .few years, and that's if we're lucky, as the heart slowly corrupts the rest of the body. Either that or your daughter gets locked up in Area 51, who knows?
 * Mrs. Blue: Oh my...
 * Mrs. Blue: Can the three of us discuss this in private?
 * Miss Anderson: (she nods) I'll just be in the kitchen when you're done.
 * Mrs. Blue: I don’t want that woman taking her there.
 * Mr. Blue: Rachel, we have no choice in this, it’s either trust her or she’ll die!
 * Aurora: I've...already made my decision.
 * Mrs. Blue: What?
 * Aurora: I have agreed to go with her.
 * Mrs. Blue: You can’t just-
 * Mr. Blue: We can’t keep treating her like she’s still a child, Rachel. If that’s the decision she’s decided to make, we have to respect that decision.
 * Mrs. Blue: I guess you're right, then.
 * Miss Anderson: Shame.
 * Miss Anderson: I was expecting a better performance from Eris, but ah well.
 * Mr. Blue: Have you been listening the entire time?
 * Miss Anderson: That’s not important, what matters is that Aurora has made her decision. Now, if you may?
 * Mrs. Blue: Anderson?
 * Miss Anderson: Yes?
 * Mrs. Blue: You will keep her safe, right?
 * Miss Anderson: ...Of course.
 * Miss Anderson: She seems overprotective.
 * Aurora: I know. Sometimes it gets on my nerves.
 * '''Miss Anderson: You know she means well.
 * Aurora: I know, but sometimes...I think it’s too much.
 * Aurora: How will we get there?
 * Miss Anderson: Well, I came here by taxi, so...
 * Aurora: Oh. I'm sure They wont mind if I use my car.
 * Aurora: Where are we heading?
 * Anderson: Cairo, Illinois. I have friends you might like to talk to.

''15 hours pass, and the car finally arrives in Cairo, Illinois just before midnight. Aurora is incredibly tired from being awake the whole time, and Anderson has fallen into deep sleep. They pull up in front of what appears to be a funeral parlor. In front of the door are two huge white statues. One statue resembles a person with the head of a long-necked bird. The other resembles a regular woman, but what looks like a miniature throne on her head.''


 * Aurora: Uhhh...You awake?
 * Anderson: Oh good, are we here yet?

''The two of them got out of the car, and approached the building. Aurora took a moment to admire the huge statues, before noticing that her heart had begun to glow more intensely. ''

''Anderson knocks on the door. After a moment, the door opens. A dark-skinned man wearing a pair of glasses and a nightgown is at the other end.''


 * ???: Anderson, good to see you.
 * Anderson: Hey Ibis. Uhhh...Have I woken the two of you up?
 * Mr. Ibis: No, I've been awake for the past hour or so waiting for you. Isis is the one that's asleep.

''He looks over Anderson's shoulder and sees Aurora. Aurora gives a small wave.''


 * Mr. Ibis: I see you've found the girl.
 * Anderson: Obviously I did.

Aurora stands next to Anderson.


 * Mr. Ibis: Well, it's a bit late now to start the checkup, so I'm happy for the two of you to stay here. If you would like, of course.
 * Miss Anderson: That's nice of you. I'll take the spare bed. Sorry, but you'll have to sleep on the couch.
 * Aurora: Oh, okay.

Ibis escorts Aurora to the couch as Anderson heads to the spare room.


 * Mr. Ibis: I'm afraid this is were you'll have to be sleeping for the time being.
 * Aurora: Its fine.

''The next morning, after an uncomfortable sleep on the couch, Aurora awakens lying on what feels like an operating table. As she tilts her head, she can see Ibis, Anderson and another woman leaning over her, Ibis holding several surgical tools as well as a huge hole in her chest. She can faintly see her heart glowing from her perspective.''

Mr. Ibis: Hello Aurora. You happened to oversleep last night.


 * Aurora: WHAT TH-

Anderson quickly covers her mouth.


 * Miss Anderson: Hey hey hey, calm down. We're not stealing your organs or anything.
 * Ibis: We're just performing a little operation on you to check on your heart.

''Aurora's panicking begins to slow down, and Anderson takes her hand off her mouth. Soon Aurora realizes something.


 * Aurora: Wait, how am I still awake? Shouldn't I be dead, or at the very least...dying?

''She then notices the other woman creating a sort of bluish dust over her, stopping her from bleeding out.


 * Aurora: Wait, is that...?
 * Mr. Ibis: Magic? Yes.
 * Isis: Impressed?


 * Aurora: Yeah! I'd heard rumors of people being able to use it...but Dad always said it was just a lot of mumbo jumbo.


 * Isis: Well, I guess you've seen it first hand now.

They finally open up Aurora's chest, and with Isis' magic keeping her alive, Aurora can see all the organs dutifully doing their job, including her sinister purple heart.

''Mr. Ibis, wearing a pair of surgical gloves, reaches out to touch her exposed heart. As his hand draws nearer to it, the heart begins to increase in luminosity, as if it was almost afraid of him.''


 * Mr. Ibis: Interesting...
 * Miss Anderson: Yep, it definitely hates you.

''Ibis smiles at her comment. Isis glances at him.''


 * Isis: You have a story to tell, don't you?
 * Mr. Ibis: Do I?
 * Isis: I can see it in your fingers.
 * Mr. Ibis: Well, I suppose it couldn't hurt to keep our guest's mind wandering for now.
 * Miss Anderson: At least tell a story none of us have heard before.