“Eva…”

“Evalieh…”

“Wake up…hurry, we must go before we’re caught. We need to get away, we can hide in the Sun Palm gorge and plan our next move,” Hanali said.

Evalieh was abruptly shaken and awoke with a jolt, bumping his head.

“Ouch!” the two said.

Evalieh’s shielded his eyes from a bright shimmering figure. A gold light radiated outward from the figure in waves, sending out glittering particles that fluttered around the humid jungle like fireflies. Evalieh rubbed his eyes and reared back, fearing as though he was in another session with the Cloaks of Adam. He took a deep breath and swallowed his fear. The bright light dimmed, and he squinted. “Is that you, Hanali?”

Hanali staggered backwards, rubbing his head as the glow flickered. He was covered in a golden aura and sported a white bodysuit with a yellow, high collar, half-blazer. Overtop everything else was a yellow tunic thrown over his left shoulder while matching yellow boots and gloves complimented his look.

Hanali’s new form made him look heroic and fascinating. Evalieh couldn’t help but touch the smile that crept across his face. “Wh-what happened to you?” Hanali kneeled close and Evalieh blushed at his golden lashes and hazel eyes. “You’re so—sparkly, Hanali.”

Hanali’s eyes grew wide with amazement. “Your eyes.” He reached for Evalieh’s hand but a little spark between their hands burst into a bright light. Evalieh cried out and tingled with a weightless sensation that rippled throughout his body. A gust of wind and leaves swirled around the two and levitated Evalieh off the ground. His body twinkled in a kaleidoscope of colors. Particles of the clans’ flames spun around him and infused his mother’s broach, transforming it into a crystal heart. All the swirls and light came together to bind the broach against Evalieh’s chest with ribbons. His hair turned solid white and fuzzy rainbow pompoms formed at the base of his antenna.

“Are you alright, Evalieh?”

The swirls and particles faded, leaving Evalieh in a matching high collar, black blazer, and tunic, like Hanali. With a jolt, ornate crystal butterfly wings stretched out from his back. He collapsed and fell face first into the ground. He twitched around and sprang up, flailing his arms around. “That was intense!”

He took a deep breath and looked himself over, feeling a lightness in his feet, making him want to dance. “What happened to me?!” His body felt hyper and full of enough energy to bounce to the moon and back. His sapphire eyes blurred into a bright green, and the winds around the jungle swirled into a violent furry. Evalieh and Hanali stomped their feet down, locked their arms, and tried to trudge forward.

A big gust tore them apart and flung Evalieh into a tree and Hanali into a rock. The winds died out, and Evalieh fell from the tree. His whole body ached, and his crystal heart transformed into his mother’s broach. It retuned to hist breast pocket and his transformation faded away, returning him to normal.

Hanali’s golden transformation faded into back to his puffy pants and golden ornaments. The area darkened and the night sky seemed to shrink the world around them. Hanali groaned as he stretched his limbs. He helped Evalieh up and gasped. “Your eyes! Wh-where’s their color?!” 

“Huh?” Evalieh pulled away. “What do you mean there’s no color?” He could only imagine the whites of his eyes, and not the iris. A cold chill swept across his body, causing him to tremble. He staggered around, hoping to find something to look at. “I need to see it. Find me something to look at. I want to see what you’re talking about.” Ice began to form beneath Evalieh’s feet, causing him to stick to the ground. When he looked down and noticed his feet freezing, he felt a sharp pain explode within his chest. He cried out, grabbing at his chest, feeling hot pain.

Hanali grabbed ahold of Evalieh before he could fall. “Breathe, Evalieh. Breathe for me. It’s okay,” he said. With a few quick breaths, he tried to get Evalieh to match his breathing.

Evalieh went limp in Hanali’s arms as he calmed. The aches and pains he felt began to fade before he sat down. He blinked a few times, shook his head, and looked at Hanali.

Hanali grabbed ahold of Evalieh’s face and squished his cheeks. “Your eyes—they’re so pale.”

“Not this again.” Evalieh scowled and pried Hanali’s hands away. “What about my eyes? They’re dashing—I know.”

Hanali shook his head. “No, your body—I think it’s trying to adjust to the power you consumed.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve got to understand, this hasn’t happened before—but I believe the shaman leader forced your body to consume all the clans’ flames.” Hanali pointed at a scar along Evalieh’s chest.

“My bodysuit!” Evalieh patted his chest and pulled at the elastic around his neck. “Why is it not rebuilding? My suit is supposed to repair itself—how else will I stay safe?” he asked.

“It must be the shaman’s doing—that cursed power mixed with the flames. It’s too much for your body and clothes.”

“No. This can’t be. There can’t be something wrong with me!” Evalieh buried his face into his knees and pouted. The air around them began to chill and his feet began to collect snowflakes. “If I’m defective I’ll never get to go home.”

Hanali grabbed ahold of Evalieh and shook him. “Snap out of it.” He pulled Evalieh up and started dragging him along the jungle forest. “Lady Floressa tried to stabilize you, but we had to flee. We’ve got to get you to the BayoBayo tree—she said he could help us. He should be strong enough to stabilize your chaotic powers and guide us to the sun tear.”

“Wait a minute! Why are we rushing? What if I don’t want this tree’s help?”

“Well—I fear the flames will grow out of control and consume you if you don’t get a hold over them. Worst of all, the shamans might try to capture you and weaponize you.”

Evalieh sulked. He knew something bad would happen and this proved he couldn’t survive on his own. He pressed his head against his knees and the world closed around him like a suffocating blanket. His eyes grew pale, and his eyes started to well up with tears. He scratched his eyes and felt a sharp burning pain prickle around his eyelids. Something lumpy trickled down his face and startled him. It was a snowflake—he was crying snowflakes.

In a quick breath, Evalieh pulled away from Hanali. “No! I don’t want this!” His body boiled with rage and his eyes turned red. He clenched his fist and shot Hanali a sharp look, causing spires of flames to erupt from the ground.

Hanali dodged out of the way. “Watch out!”

“I’m sorry!” Evalieh pinned his arms against his chest and stiffened up.

Hanali grabbed ahold of Evalieh and squished his face between his hands. “Look at me!” He shook Evalieh’s head. “You’ve got to control yourself—I think the power inside of you is connected to your emotions, right now. Whatever you feel will be reflected in some form,” Hanali said.

“Uh, yeah. I knew that.” Evalieh rubbed his nose and looked around, refusing to meet Hanali’s eyes again. He felt silly for being so emotional and wondered where all these emotions were coming from. He was taught to suppress his feelings and only think about being an effective and productive person for ADAM’s corporation. Evalieh shivered at the thought of becoming too emotional, fearing his new powers might become a danger to him and Hanali. He cringed, refusing to believe he’s a danger. He was assured that he’d get the sun tears and return home.

The trees around them began to rustle. A shadowy gorilla leapt out of the trees with a roar. Evalieh flinched, his eyes turned pale, and he fell backwards, sending shards of ice hurtling through the beast’s body. It fell to its knees, dissolving into ashes. “Change is upon us,” it said.

“We’re surrounded,” Hanali said.

One by one, the beasts came from behind the shadows of the trees. They oozed dark flames and electrical sparks; they scorched the ground with every step. “Change is upon us,” they said. They were black silhouettes and had only a white slit for their burning eyes. A big purple jewel sat between their skeletal eyes and glistened against the darkness. They filled the air with dread and made Evalieh’s skin prickle with pain.

Evalieh and Hanali’s legs trembled, when another gorilla stomped forward, pounding its fists into the ground. It beat its hands along its chest and roared. Evalieh froze in fear, his heart sank, reminding him of the times when he and others his age were lashed with a whip during training errors.

Hanali quickly stood between Evalieh and the approaching beasts. He pulled his golden necklace forward, holding it up between his eyes. “Sunlight, adorn me!” Instantly, Hanali transformed into a psychedelic golden aura with particles of light flying everywhere, stunning the enemy. Engulfed in a golden glow, he made a circular motion with his hand and created a magical glyph. Then, he plunged his hand into the glyph and pulled out a rapier of light.