AN: This song is both elegant and mysterious, just like the Awoken. 

The distant sound of metal clanking against each other traveled through Alaura's ears. Her eyebrows twitched, and she sucked in a short breath. A shocking pain erupted in her lower rib cage, causing her to groan in response. She shook her head slightly and opened her heavy eyelids.

Darkness. Deep, black darkness spanned out in front of the ship. It wasn't the regular galaxy darkness. This was...this was what it would look like if The Darkness succeeded. Nothing but twisted darkness. Alaura peered into the rearview camera screen on the glass. Swirling dark purple storm clouds scoured the area. Thunder roared and caused the ship to shake a bit. Flashes of light sparked within the clouds. A metal graveyard floated around, made from the jumpships that met their demise during the blast. Nothing could be seen far on both sides, not even the stars that were hidden behind everything.

The place between the Light and the Dark...I did my duty and protected the people, but god...at what cost? Alaura thought bitterly. She did not fully understand what cost had been paid just yet.

At least not until Jarvis spoke up. "Alaura? Is that you?"

An unsettling feeling took over as soon as the words registered in her mind. What does he mean? "Of course it's me, Jarvis. What makes you think it-" Her eyes caught a glimpse of herself in the reflection of the glass. Her breath hitched and caught in her throat.

Her eyes...god, her eyes had the fiery red intensity of the sun. They were no longer the bright blue of the ocean. Her light skin now held the shade of sky blue, accompanied by a soft lavender hue of her lips. Flecks of white created a triangle formation from under her eyes up to the bridge of her nose, almost like a tribal tattoo. Alaura's once raven black hair and eyebrows now shined white as snow.

"What the...What happened to me?" She let out a short, breathless screech before falling to panic.

Jarvis lifted himself from on top of the console into the air. He flipped his shell a few times, as if he had a sudden burst of energy. "Don't panic! This must be...a reaction from what had conspired between the Light and the Dark."

"What am I?" Alaura tore her gaze away from the glass, mind clouded with fleeting thoughts. Her head began to hurt, and her heart sped up too quick for her to handle. She turned to Jarvis, eyes wide in terror. "Can I be changed back?"

Jarvis read her anxiety levels spike immensely. His blue eye glanced around the ship. He knew she wouldn't like his answer. This wasn't something he could calculate. This was...something utterly unexpected. He stuttered, "I-I don't know."

"I'm a monster! The Hive, the Vex...I'm like them...something created by The Darkness..."

Chances were those races hadn't spawned from The Darkness. Now was not the time to correct her, though. He floated in front of her and looked her in the eye. "No, you aren't, Alaura. You are a guardian of the Light." Jarvis watched as she looked down and closed her eyes for a moment. His voice lowered to a much calmer tone, maybe even in a sincere way, "I'm glad that you're alive."

"But others aren't..." Alaura peered out into the jumpship graveyard that lay just outside behind the ship. "They didn't make it." Her heart stayed the same rate of a speeding car, yet now a whole new anxiety set in. She failed her mission. She didn't save everyone. Who else had she failed to save? What more repercussions came out of her decision? "I was touched by the Darkness...what's going to happen to me?"

All bizarre situations came with uncertainty. This one happened to have too much uncertainty. When the event happened, Jarvis was sure they were going to perish. This outcome left him with more questions than answers, which was something he wasn't used to. "I'm...not sure. I haven't seen anything like this before."

Some of the survivor jumpships crawled slowly towards the biggest ship. It was massive, almost as big as a cruise liner, painted in different shades of purple and gold. She couldn't imagine how any of the survivors felt. Lost, confused...terrified, just as she had been. Alaura took a deep breath in attempt to steady her outrageous heartbeat. I survived. We survived...It'll be okay. With that, she set her shaking hands on the ship controls and piloted the ship in their direction.

The docking bay was roomy and well lit with bright lights. Alaura shielded her eyes once she parked the ship in an empty space next to the wall. Whoever owns this monstrosity of a ship must be important. Jarvis watched her as she made her way to the door, yet hesitated. She reached out and held her hand in place. A part of her wanted to open it to join the rest of the survivors. The other part of her instilled doubt in her mind. What if they aren't like you? What if they see you and try something rash? More thoughts piled on top of one another, clouding her mind for a few moments until she ceased all of it.

Alaura pulled the door open and was met with a hissing sound. Fresh air entered the chamber, causing her to inhale in delight. The delight was brief, but welcomed, nonetheless. She stepped out onto the dock bay floor, eyes searching for others. When she came up with nothing, she listened for the echoes of voices that bounced off the walls in the distance. Her arms wrapped across her chest out of sheer low self-confidence as she made her way to the populated area. Jarvis stayed back with the jumpship to make as many repairs as he could.

No one turned around when Alaura entered the small room. She stayed behind, leaning against the wall as everyone bickered with one another. Skin colors ranged from light blue, all the way down the spectrum to a dark purple. Hair colors, eye colors, everything else set in the range of the rainbow. She gazed in awe for a second at all of it.

There were roughly fifteen people, mostly adults, but a few children scattered around here and there. An old couple sat in a few chairs on the side, whispering amongst themselves. Words and names were thrown around amongst the adults in the middle of the room. They were scaring the children, who sat on the floor huddled together in a tearful mess.

Alaura furrowed her brow. She hated this. People pinned against each other over something they couldn't control. As much as she wanted to scream, cry, and shout until her body ached all over, she couldn't. These people needed to band together, not fall apart. Alaura didn't quite feel positive at the moment, but these people needed a guiding light. She spoke up, "We're still human. In a way, we're much more. We aren't evil. We are just different like the Exos."

A man scoffed before he turned around, "Yeah, and who's really going to buy into that? They'll take one look at us and run the other way."

Someone else hung their head and mumbled loud enough to be heard. "I don't want to get burned at the stake."

The group spoke up in unison.

"I'm never going back to Earth."

"Yeah! People will never accept us."

"They'll think we're monsters..."

A woman spoke up from the other side of the room. The crowd in the middle dispersed to the sides, allowing her to have the floor. She stood tall and carried herself with grace, her blazing bright blue eyes gazing around at all of the new faces. Her arms and torso were cut up, as if she had been thrust into a pile of glass. Her dark purple clothes were stained in blood, and torn in several places. She spoke up, her voice loud, but gentle in tone. "It is settled. We create a place where we belong. Where we cannot be made fun of."

Someone responded from the side. "Where?"

The woman looked at the person and replied with clarity, "Here. If we can create an intergalactic empire, we can do this. Settle here where no one would want to look. Create a kingdom. We can do this together and not fall apart. We have awoken from the repetitive lives we've had. Caught between the Light and the Dark, and we survived.

"Damn the others. If they won't accept us, then we won't accept them in return. This place will be for us, and us only. A sanctuary where no one will judge their peers based on..." The woman hesitated. A small smile set on her lips. "...color. Based on what we are." Her eyes held steady on everyone around her. They were scared. Frightened. Panicked.

Lost.

She could lead. She had faith in herself. These people needed guidance, and she could surely give them just that. She held her arms out towards everyone. "Stand up and be proud. We are the Awoken."

The people were hysterical. Most burst out in agreement and clapped, while others took to talking amongst each other. Dismay settled on some faces. The old couple smiled at the woman's small, yet effective speech, as if they were proud of her.

Alaura stepped forward. Her curiosity heightened. This woman was elegant, yet compelling. She spoke to the people with dignity and...and hope. Alaura locked eyes with the woman and asked, "What's your name?"

A look of surprise washed over her features. Almost all of the Intergalactic Empire knew her name, and to find someone who didn't seemed so unreal. A high political figure as herself surely had to be known. They taught it in schools all around the galaxy among other present strong leaders. "Mara Sov."

"That speech was truly inspirational, Mara, and there's no one else I'd rather leave in charge. You need to stay here. Band together. You can make it out of this. You can create a better world. You need to work together as a team." Alaura fought with herself to keep eye contact. She had to remain strong, even though her thoughts turned against her.

A woman declared from the side, almost in outrage, "You're just leaving us here? Unprotected?"

Mara Sov stated calmly, but didn't break eye contact with Alaura, "I have some guards that can protect us. I am also no stranger to combat."

Alaura's face fell. These people needed her, but her team needed her more. "I have a team to get back to. They're counting on me." Maybe. Or they're dead because I left. Or worse, they left me. "I have to go fight to save more lives. I'm a guardian of the Light...I can't just abandon my post. My job here is done."

The people remained silent until Mara Sov walked over to Alaura. Then, the whispers started amongst the group. Alaura pulled Mara aside and asked quietly, "You're okay with being in charge, right? I didn't mean to put you on the spot like that."

Mara smiled softly at her consideration. "I led my people back on Earth. This..." She peered down at her hands, which were covered in cuts and bruises. Her icy blue eyes traveled back up to meet Alaura's. She continued, "...is only a small barrier. We can make it out of this."

"Good luck, Mara Sov."

"You're the one who needs the luck, guardian." Mara Sov walked back to the group with her head held high.

After leaving the room, Alaura wandered back into the docks. She tore at herself on the inside as thoughts ravaged her mind. Her self-esteem lowered. Emotions of being lost and confused flashed through her, until they slowly took over. She shook her head in an attempt to clear it, but it didn't work.

She hated leaving those people there, but what else could she do? Humanity was on the line. She wasn't going to bail on everyone to stay here with...her kind. The Awoken. She had a job to do.

Alaura stopped and stared at her reflection in the glass on one of the ships. She was a monster. Her eyes glowed a bright red like fire in a forge. Her hair, white and fair like that of a rabbit. Her skin resembled the paleness of the blue sky on a cloudy day. I'm not human...I'm different. Awoken. She sighed in frustration. How can I go back to my team like...this? Different voices in her head started yelling out, reflecting her insecurities.

They'll never accept you.

They'll never respect anything like those aliens.

Your team is better off dead than having you lead.

You're a monster.

Her eyes tore from her reflection and peered down at the ground. Alaura headed towards her ship to make the trip back to Earth.