Free| The Girl With Wings

Upon the second week of captivity, Caius saw Faith’s necklace underneath her pink dress, which was frozen and dirty. “Hey, look at this,” Caius said while yanking the necklace off her. Bevil turned and looked from the table. For once, he wasn't counting the loot. He raised the necklace to him. He smiled evilly. “Looks like we can make a fortune out of this.”

“No, you cannot!” Faith screamed, panicked. “I was gifted that necklace! Give it back to me right now!”

Caius grinned at Faith before laughing hysterically. “Not anymore.” He walked back to the table.

"This necklace and her coat would be the only things we could sell from her," Bevil mentioned, tongue fraught with distaste.

Faith clenched her fists as she shook them. Her panic turned into anger. She was not going to lose anything anymore. She didn’t have to be kind. These thieves were monsters and were treating her poorly. They didn’t deserve her kindness. They took it away. “That doesn’t belong to you,” she warned calmly but callously. She glared at the men. “You will get what is coming to you.”

“Ha! Doubt that, child. How about you go back to being quiet like you were for many days,” Gaius mocked. He was unaware that the necklace was flashing gold. Faith didn’t say anything, only grinned. She wanted to get back at the two men. Bevil watched from the table but was too speechless to alert his boss.

When Gaius looked at the necklace and realized what was happening, the necklace burned his hand. He dropped it on the floor. An explosion of golden light filled the whole room as the necklace landed. Four people with wings appeared. One of them was Fate. Another was a strong man with a black belt securing silver weapons that Faith was familiar with, such as a sword, a gun, and a whip. She would see them on Firly's guards or from her mother's stories. He also had weapons that exceeded current technology. She didn't understand what they were. His wings were black and web-like. Bevil tried to attack him. The man shielded himself by closing his wings before him, pushing Bevil away. He unhooked two gadgets from his belt and pressed a button before tossing at them-- the two gadgets detonated into silver energy cages, trapping both men inside. If the men tried to get out, they got zapped.

There was an adult man with long light brown hair in a ponytail, black glasses, and a book open in his hand. His clothing looked like a nomad. His wings were also made of energy but were blue with symbols that changed briefly, like ancient languages. There was a woman who looked like Faith’s actual mother, Glimmer. She had brown hair and gray eyes. They both looked at each other. The woman expressed sorrow at Faith. Her wings were white but had gold at the bottom of each feather. She looked like a European queen. Faith never thought of her mother as a queen. Her mother was never involved in extravagance. She was more into the humble, kind, self-sufficient, and simple life.

"True wealth becomes from goodness," she told Faith while Faith was getting ready to sleep. She was seven at the time. It was her mom's mini lessons during that time.

She looked at a man that looked like a noble gladiator from ancient times– shield, armor, and all. He had no wings. His white eyes glowed like a celestial being. “Strength, help her,” she calmly ordered.

“Yes, Virtue,” Strength replied as he walked over to her. He grabbed the chains and ripped them off the wall as if they were nothing. Faith sighed in relief, knowing she was free. He kneeled and tore the cuffs of her hands. Faith flexed her fingers.

“Imprisoned for life,” she heard Fate declared to the men. “You will never get out!”

Virtue walked to the necklace and picked it up. Strength stepped aside. She walked over to Faith, still on her knees and rubbing her wrist. Virtue’s hands glowed white as she fixed the connection of the necklace. She went on her knees and revealed the necklace to her. “I think this belongs to you,” Virtue said as she placed it into Faith’s hand. Her voice matched her mother’s too.

Faith looked at her in confusion. "...Thanks."

Virtue noticed Faith's expression. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, you just reminded me of someone," Faith replied. She fought against two opinions in her head. First thought was Virtue was her mom. The second one told her that she was being ridiculous.

"Who?"

Faith pauses before saying, "My mother."

Virtue stared down at Faith. She wasn't offended. She gently smiled at Faith. "That's because I am, Faith Eir."

Faith was stunned. She was shocked and happy at the same time. "M-Mom?!"

Virtue put her hands to her own chest and said, “Yes, it is me, Faith!”

“Mom!” Faith cried with joy as she got up and hugged her mom. Her tears slid down her face. “I thought I was never going to see you again.”

Virtue took Faith's necklace and wrapped it around her daughter's neck. Her hands glowed white as she created a coat and wrapped it around Faith. Faith's wings phased through it to prevent any holes. She crafted a hat and gloves for Faith to cover her body, which was already covered in frostbite. Faith was no longer called; she was warm. “I was always here, darling," her mom reassured her, wiping the tears off her cheek.

“Where’s father?” Faith asked.

“He’s home, Faith,” Virtue replied.

“Home…” Faith reflected on those words.

Virtue hummed in reply.

“Home… I need to go home,” she told her mother. "We need to go home, mom."

“Let me help you,” the man with the glasses said as he cast a blue orb to the ground. A bright blue path lit up the ground, leading outside toward Firly.

“Thank you, Guide,” Faith’s mom replied in appreciation.

Before she left, Fate walked up to her with pride. “I told you we would return. We are the Alliance of Life. We find people like you, Faith. We would be there even after you die.”

Fate pointed at the people around the room, “Strength, Vigilance, Guide, Virtue, and Fate.” He pointed to himself by the last one.

Faith waved at every one of them before shivering to herself from the cold. Virtue placed her hands on her daughter’s shoulders. “We need to go.”