by A. R. Crebs
“Focus on your breathing. How far along are you?”
Elizabeth huffed and puffed. She gave a nervous laugh. “Uh, six months.”
“Six months?!” The nurses exchanged worried looks. “But you look like you’re about to burst!”
“Ugh, yeah…he’s a big boy!” Elizabeth groaned. “Or girl, I’m not sure.”
They entered the birthing room, rushing to get Elizabeth ready for labor. She shrieked, sweat saturating her hair. Having difficulty focusing, she faded in and out of consciousness, dizzy, hearing only bits of conversation among the staff.
“We’re going to need to do a cesarean.”
“Heart monitor and IV stat.”
“Blood loss.”
She tried to smile, her nerves running wild, her heart pounding. Everything churned into a blurry circle of colors, fading to black as she passed out.
The next she awoke; many hours had passed. Elizabeth laid in a bed near the window. The silver moon shimmered in the night sky. She wasn’t used to the city, having grown up in the country, but with her difficult pregnancy, it was suggested she stay somewhere close to the hospital. Luckily, Elizabeth had caring family in the area. After all, she was going to be a single mother.
“Hi. How are you feeling?” a nurse asked.
Elizabeth smiled with tired, sagging eyes.
“Yes, go get them,” the nurse spoke to another staff member.
“I’m tired, but I’ll be okay, I think. I don’t remember much.” She paused. “Oh, my God! The baby?”
“The babies are fine. However, you gave us quite a scare. There was a lot of blood loss. I won’t sugarcoat it; you almost died. The doctor has you listed as stable, but we’ll need to keep you for observation over the next few days.”
Elizabeth sighed with relief. She was sure either her, the baby, or both were going to die. She closed her eyes, thanking in prayer that they were both safe. Then, she squealed.
“Wait-wait-wait! Did you say, babies? As in, more than one?” The blonde’s heart rate increased.
The nurse smiled. “That’s right! Twins!”
“Holy moly! Twins?!” Elizabeth palmed her forehead, her eyes wide. She gave a small laugh. “And, and you said they were okay?”
The nursed nodded. “They’re both big and healthy!”
The other staff member entered the room, cradling two large swaddled infants. “You were right! The girls are big!”
Elizabeth grinned, her eyes brightening. “Girls?”
“Yup! At only 6 months, it’s a conundrum how it’s all possible, but I’ve seen plenty of miracles to not question it.”
The nurse passed the babies to Elizabeth, and tears lined the corner of the mother’s eyes. The twins had brilliant blue eyes, pale ivory skin, and a tiny curl of blonde hair. Despite those characteristics, Elizabeth saw their father’s attributes on their faces. A spec of glitter swirled in the infants’ irises, which made Elizabeth's heart skip a beat.
“You girls remind me of your father,” she whispered, running a finger down each of their plump cheeks.
“Which reminds me,” the nurse lifted her tablet. “We have to finish your paperwork. What is the father’s name?”
Elizabeth’s smile softened. “His name…was Orin.”
"Ferals"
Epilogue
19,999 S.F.
It had been a few days since Dovian had returned home. Surely Hector had found plenty to eat in the cupboards. Dovian had taken care to place treats throughout the complex so that his lizard would have something to snack on during his long solemn travels. As usual, there was the threat of rain. The charcoal clouds covered the city, mucking up the sunlight, casting everything in a sickly orange, some areas with a tinge of green. The storm worsened as Dovian neared. A tornado had spawned on the opposite side of the land. How strange that they had become commonplace.
Something caught his attention—a deep drumming sound. It pounded within the clouds but was not thunder. Dovian picked up on it immediately. He watched from above the city, circling around to sit atop the cathedral of his complex. A helicopter neared, rising higher than the billowing clouds. From it came two falling dots. Humans. They were doing a HALO jump onto Ives. Dovian watched with slight interest. He had seen humans somehow make it onto his island before, but mostly to pillage and look for old treasures. Dovian had long since grown tired of chasing trespassers away, but he did like to keep a watchful eye on them if noticed. And over the years, Dovian’s keen sense had somewhat dulled. He knew some had been in areas long after he discovered items missing or out of place. Anymore, what did material things matter to him?
Once the humans landed, Dovian made a circle around the city, gathering a reading of the intruders. They seemed harmless. They were armed but acted slightly lackadaisical in their journey. Being only a pair, Dovian’s concern lessened, and he retreated into his home through an open window high above the rushing waters of the silvery lakes. He shook out his robes, drawing his hood. As he passed by the mirror, he gave it a fleeting gaze, feeling no attachment to the face he saw.
A loud creak put a zap of energy in his dull emotions. The intruders had entered his home of all places. Dovian walked down the steps toward the cathedral area where he heard whispering and the soft padding of booted footsteps. No matter how quiet they were, he knew their exact position. He could even smell them. It was a foreign smell, metallic and antiseptic in nature. Something filled their blood, small machines. These humans were advanced compared to the ones he usually encountered—Special Forces. Dovian decided to take a closer look. Something drew him toward them. Perhaps he was merely bored.
His fingers absently trailed over his shoulder where his back apparatus remained secure beneath his robes. A familiar scent of his past trickled through the air from the humans who had entered. Darkness surrounded them. The energy fluctuated within his soul, his apparatus filtering his senses. After so many centuries, Dovian had grown adept at the use of his filter, but the idea of possibly removing it in the nearing future made him nervous. As the door to his cathedral slid shut, the timeline condensed. The end was nearing and at an alarming rate.
Dovian heaved a deep breath as his keen eyes set upon the intruders. One was male, in top physical condition. He liked to play dumb, but the man was highly trained. They both were tall, much taller than the humans of old. It had been so long since the Sorcēarian last ventured to the outside world, he hadn’t considered the effects the changing environment would have on the inhabitants. Even though the female was tall by Dovian’s standards, she was short compared to the man. Her body was lithe, fit, and she was intelligent. No doubt she was the superior of the two. A blue streak in her black hair glowed in the darkness of the foyer. Something about her seemed familiar, but Dovian couldn’t place it.
The Scarlet warrior moved forward, his sight resting on the light that poured from the gaping hole in the ceiling above. In Legacy, Dovian mumbled in prayer, absorbing the light. The human man quickly halted the woman, his trained gaze locking on Dovian as he pulled away from the shadows.
No doubt about it, they were here for information of some kind. And Dovian wasn’t about to let them raid his home.
“Sinful thieves,” Dovian muttered in his native tongue. Of course, the humans wouldn’t understand. His disdain for humanity had peaked long ago. He held nothing but contempt for them.
“Um…hi,” the male soldier spoke.
The female, Aria, promptly elbowed her partner, Troy, in the side. He gave a short grunt in protest.
Dovian calmly watched them. “Idiot,” he muttered in Legacy.
"Intruders from Bio-Tech"
Dovian’s Journal
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A. R. Crebs spent her youth playing videogames, watching action and horror films of the 80s and 90s, and used her imagination as a form of entertainment for her family and friends. It wasn’t until she was in her early teens that she played her first fantasy genre game. Crebs was hooked. What sta
rted as fan art of her favorite characters turned into a passion for designing a world of her own. Thus, Dovian was born. The creation of Dovian’s story grew throughout the years where new characters and creatures were designed. While in college, Crebs sparked the idea to write her story of Dovian and his adventures in The Esoteric Design series. After graduating from the Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design with a BFA in illustration, Crebs began to piece together the artwork and ideas from her youth. Together she formed the novel series with chapter illustrations, bios, and glossary.
You can check out A. R. Crebs’ websites for updates, full color artwork, and to participate in future contests.
www.ARCrebs.com
www.ARCrebs.deviantart.com
www.facebook.com/ARCrebs