The Stars Are My Home by RoKnows
Heyyyyyy guys welcome to my second KotLC Fan Fiction! Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you enjoy!
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The Stars Are My Home by RoKnows Cover (designed by RoKnows)
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Reviews!
I am absolutely in love! This is so good, and I am so excited to read another amazing [fan] fic by [RoKnows]! … Ruy is one of the most intriguing characters in the whole series, and no one notices him enough. I can't wait to read more of this fantastic story of his!
Breathtaking by nature, this story captures the perspective that many would not take. It displays Ruy, the banished boy, not as a miscreant by nature, but as someone who picked up the cloak of the Neverseen in despair. It is stories like these, describing the villains of the Keeper of the Lost Cities series, that prove Sophie Foster's famous words: "They're not as different from us as we want them to be." However, it also toys with the possibility that Ruy's personality may take on a different guise at times. Overall, this thrilling history of a misunderstood character touches the heart of all who read it.
- Light and Bright
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Other Stories By the Author
Visit RoKnow's other fan fiction: The Promise Against the Fire. It swarms and wrestles with the questions: What if Kenric never died? Did Oralie and Kenric ever profess their love for each other? This story will move all Kenralie-fans on a emotional adventure that'll keep you on the edge of your seat.
About the Story & Author's Note
This might be boring to read, but bear with me:
Villains are always characters that have fascinated me. A good villain is mysterious, scary, and yet somehow lovable, in the way of admiration. Ruy is a villain that's always interested me. I'm always on the edge of my seat in each scene he appears in. He's the only one we've met face-to-face with the cool ability to create force fields—if I could chose an ability, I would probably chose his!
I decided to write a short story about Ruy, just to express a certain theory on how he could've joined the Neverseen... plus a certain bittersweet love story that *might* have something to do with the plot.
Hopefully, this story will fill your heart with love for this completely new ship I created; you'll be enraptured in this exciting plot; and the dramatic parts might reach you emotionally… maybe even enough to—oop, that might be a spoiler!
Anywho, thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy!
Hugs, RoK
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Chapter One
The brilliant dusk sky was a deep indigo with streaks of bright cobalt, watched by two teenagers lying on a grassy hill. The yellow stars reflected in their wide eyes as they quietly, peacefully basked in the moonlight together, leaning against each other for reasons more than being exhausted.
The girl had wavy hair the color of burnt caramel, whisked into a loose braid that fell to her hips. Her eyes were a playful bluish violet. She stared at the boy, smiling.
He had mussed coffee-colored hair that complemented the depths of his mysterious midnight-blue eyes and he grinned dazzlingly into space, aware of the girl’s eye on him.
“This is my home,” the girl whispered, turning her eyes again to the stars. “I want nothing more than the empty hills around me, the sky above me, and—”
“‘The person I love beside me,’” the boy finished, imitating her voice with precision. He smirked at her.
She playfully swatted his face. “I was actually going to say ‘the stars in my eyes’, but that works too, I guess.”
“Sure.”
She laughed, a bizarre sound that sounded like a hybrid of wind chimes and snorting, but it was the most gorgeous thing the boy ever heard. She rested her head on his shoulders and he smiled down at her, savoring her lemon-like scent. But in that moment of serenity, a bitter thought passed through his mind, and his eyebrows scrunched down.
“What is it Ruy?” the girl asked, noticing the change.
Ruy bit his lip, gaping off in the distance, his posture now stiff. “Why are you here with me, Evvie? What am I to you? I’m just the banished boy whose parents hated him, cursed with an ability everyone frowned upon.”
Evvie frowned at him. “You know I was kidding, right? You’remy home. You’re the only way I feel like I have a home.”
“Yes, I know that, but… seriously.” He clenched his fist. “You’re ruining your future being with me. You could be so much more if you weren’t—”
“Stop it, Ruy,” she said angrily, glaring at his hands until they unfurled. Then she took his face in her hands so he met her eyes. “I’m talentless—There’s no way you could scorn my life more. And,” she continued forcefully when he opened his mouth to protest, “that doesn’t matter. I wouldn’t care if I were the daughter of the noblest family—I love you. I’ll do anything to be with you. So do yourself a favor and shut up. I don’t want you thinking this everagain. Swear it.”
He sighed, but couldn’t help smiling tenderly at the adorableness of her anger. “I swear.”
“Good,” Evvie said, satisfied, leaning into his face to kiss him. He smiled against her warm lips. They smelled like vanilla. “Now show me your really awesometalent—which you are now commanded to call it such.”
Ruy laughed. “Okay, if that’s your wish, m’lady.” He stood up, bowed, and kissed her hand dramatically. Evvie giggled. Then Ruy raised his hands and a clear bubble formed from the ground and curved around them, leaving them encased in a transparent dome.
Evvie beamed at his handiwork. She stood up next to him and took his hand, squeezing it gently. “It’s magnificent,” she breathed. “They always are. I don’t know why other people don’t see it.”
Ruy squeezed back. “They can’t see it from the perspective you do.”
“Why, because I’m Talentless?” Her tone was light, but there was depth behind it.
“No, of course not,” Ruy said, turning his shoulders square to her so he could grab her other hand. “You have the gift of opening your eyes, seeing things not as they appear to be, but as what they are deep down. That’s your talent. And it’s the most beautiful of them all.”
Her lips curved gently. “Thanks, Ruy.”
“Anything for you, Evs.” He closed the space between them and wrapped his arms around her waist. Evvie tucked her head under his chin, closing her eyes to relish the tranquil moment. And in that moment, it was just them. No one else to scorn, jeer at them… just two people who loved each other, alone, happy, in their perfect world.
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CHAPTER TWO WILL BE RELEASED WITHIN TWO DAYS
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Chapter Two
Ruy slapped on his black cloak to complete the all-black Exillium uniform. He flipped the hood over his head and his face became masked in shadow. Evvie, also clad in the uniform, frowned at the hood.
“I hate that I can’t see your face during class,” she sighed, adjusting the hood disapprovingly.
Ruy caught her hand and kissed her fingertips. “Me too, but don’t worry. It won’t be like this much longer.”
“What do you mean?”
He shrugged. “They can’t keep us in school forever, can they?” He nudged her with his shoulder. “Speaking of, we’re going to be late.”
Evvie snorted. “Shocker. That definitely doesn’t happen every day.”
Ruy rolled his eyes under the mask even though she couldn’t see it. “See you soon,” he said as they both lifted a cord with a single crystal bead to the light and shimmered away.
- - -
Exillium’s destination pick today was on the side of a massive mountain, covered in a four-foot thick layer of snow. A merciless wind chilled Ruy’s skin blue as they trudged to the familiar black arch that marked the Exillium camp. As usual, there was no welcome for them as they plodded to their Hemisphere—thankfully the same one, Ambidextrous. Ruy and Evvie took a spot near the back of the purple tent, making sure to stand a significant distance away.
Ruy had wanted to stop hiding their relationship during class long ago, but Evvie insisted they acted distant to be safe. It didn’t stop his urge to rush to her side, especially when everyone stared at her and she nervously started picking at her Talentless pin—a red circle with a line through it.
“Alright, sissies,” Coach Rohana growled as she barged through the entrance of the tent. “Prepare yourself for a fun-filled day”—Ruy automatically braced himself for the worst—“because we’re doing temperature regulation.” The Coach smiled evilly. If it was a normal classroom, they would’ve groaned, but instead everyone just stared rigidly ahead. Temperature regulation was the worst, and Ruy hated it more knowing that Evvie specifically struggled with it. It was hard for her to command her skin to retain a certain temperature, especially with everyone laughing at her when she failed. Ruy could swear Rohana did it purposely, just to watch a Talentless suffer.
“Now,” Coach Rohana continued, “while I’m sure you’re already feeling the cold in this climate, I’ve decided to add a new dimension.” At her words, snowflakes fell from the top of the tent, and the ground instantly was covered with snow. The temperature dropped fifteen degrees, until it was probably in the negative twenties. Ruy gritted his teeth as he watched Evvie’s lips turn so blue they looked bruised.
Rohana grinned. “If you don’t regulate your body, you’ll get hypothermia. Have fun! Start… now!”
It was a long day. Ruy didn’t start out too badly—it took a few tries, but after convincing his body he was next to a warm, roaring fire, he managed to get his temperature to forty degrees—still uncomfortably cold. And the big struggle was keep his body believing it. He had to close his eyes and forcefully imagine crackling flames, ignoring the logical part of his brain that denied it and the snowflakes falling on his nose. It was draining, and Ruy could imagine he would have to keep it up all day.
When he finally managed to reach his body temperature to a satisfying fifty degrees, someone nudged his shoulder, evaporating all thoughts of warmth. His eyelids flew open to Evvie smiling at him broadly.
“I did it!” she cried excitedly. “I finally did tempawere regulawion!”
But something was terribly wrong. Her speech was slurred, her skin a severe icy pale, and she shivered uncontrollably. Her eyes were glassy and unfocused, and when Ruy grabbed Evvie’s hand, her pulse was shockingly slow.
His eyes widened in fear. “Evvie… No, you didn’t. You have hypothermia!”
“H-hypwo—” Before she could finish, her legs gave way and she collapsed into Ruy’s arms, unconscious.
Ruy panicked. Evvie was in one of the final stages. If she didn’t warm up soon, she would die.
Chapter Three
Thinking fast, Ruy took off his cloak and wrapped it around Evvie’s chest. He shoved away the piles of snow on the ground to make a small clearing, then raised his arms and formed a force field around them. It stopped the snowflakes and elevated the temperature more, but just by a little. Evvie’s face was still deathly pale.
Hastily, Ruy slipped off his black shirt to cover her cold face with. Then he rubbed her skin to start up the warmth and blew on her hands. “Evvie? Evvie can you hear me? Please fight it. I need you here, okay? Fight the cold.”
“TAKE DOWN THIS FORCE FIELD RIGHT NOW!” a voice loudly commanded from outside of the force field. The other Waywards noticed the commotion, and gathered next to her, laughing and mocking them amusingly. Ruy glared at Coach Rohana’s twisted face.
“No,” he replied flatly. “I will not at the risk of someone’s life.”
Rohana’s lips curved in a hiss. “Is it possible, Mr. Psionipath, that you favor the useless Talentless?” She chortled.
Ruy growled defensively. He scooped Evvie into his arms and went to the edge of his force field, where he could stare Coach Rohana in the eye. “How dare you call her that? She has more skills—and ismore—than you will ever be.”
“Why...” The Coach gritted her teeth, snarling. Then she straightened her composure, maybe suddenly realizing she was the authority in the room. “You are charged with helping another Wayward cheat—a Talentless, no less, using your ability without consent, violating direct orders, and most appallingly of all, insulting your coach. Your punishment at Exillium is already severe, and if you do not take down this—”
“Done.” The transparent bubble disappeared, and the chills of cold greeted Ruy again. “But I’m not going to Exillium anymore.”
“You can’t just—”
“I am. And I won’t regret it.”
Rohana fumed and protested raucously, but she didn’t stop him.
And just like that, Ruy Ignis was banished from the second school in the Lost Cities.
- - -
When they arrived at the hills, Ruy darted inside the hut Evvie lived in that was next to his. He rested her on her bed and started a roaring fire. Soon it was roasting hot, but Ruy didn’t mind.
His heart pounded fast with fear. He squeezed Evvie’s limp hand, wishing all his might that blood would rush back to it.
And it did.
Evvie took a racking breath.
Her coloring was still pale.
Her body was still weak.
But she was alive.
Ruy tackled her with a hug, being careful not to crush her, but he couldn’t let go. Her life had flashed before his eyes and it was the scariest thing he ever experienced.
“Wh-what happened?” Evvie whispered faintly when he finally released her.
“You got hypothermia,” Ruy said. “You collapsed in my arms, deathly pale… and I made a force field around you to keep out the cold. Then Coach got mad a me, and we left Exillium—”
“Left? Or left left?” Evvie probed.
Ruy offered an apologetic smile. “Left, as in not coming back.”
“Wow.” Evvie scoffed and crossed her arms. “That’s something.”
He blew out a breath, frustrated. “Evvie, you almost died,” he cried, running his hands through his hair. “To go back to Exillium, with Rohana out to murder me—Honestly, I was sick of that school before! It was a prison. But now I’m—we’re free, to live the life that’s really worthwhile.”
“Ruy.” Evvie gently grabbed his hands. “I know… I realize that the situation was hard, but that was dangerous.”
“Yeah,” he sighed.
“Rohana most likely reported us to the Council and now—Well, I wouldn’t exactly call us free.”
“Yes, I know, but now we can do something better than being stuck in Exillium all day with ruthless coaches who don’t care if a prodigy dies.” His eyes turned wistful. “Explore our world together, side-by-side, and then, when the time comes…” Ruy cupped Evvie’s face. “I’ll marry you and build you a house—better than this rusting hut—right here, on your favorite place.”
“With my favorite person,” Evvie murmured, closing her eyes and leaning into his hand.
“That was too close today.” Ruy looked at her with intense emotion swimming in his eyes. “You were unbelievably close to…” His voice cracked and he looked away.
“Hey.” Evvie turned his face back to her. Her lips smiled softly. “Lesson is I need to work on my temperature regulation, right? Let’s not think on it more than that.”
He swallowed hard. “Just not so close next time, okay? I need you here.”
“I’ll try.”
Ruy smiled weakly.
Evvie let out a yawn, stretching out her arms as she let her body sink into the fluffy covers of her bed. Her eyelids fluttered and threatened to close. Ruy examined her anxiously; wondering if there was something wrong, but realized that she was just weary. Her body had been through a wild ride today and it was still mending. From a window in the hut, Ruy saw splashes of pink and yellow across the navy sky, showing that the sun had almost sunk into the horizon.
“You need to rest.”
Evvie’s round violet eyes opened briefly, to meet his dark blue ones. “And you need to kiss me,” she murmured, her voice tired.
Ruy laughed quietly and kissed her mouth gently. He was relieved to find there was warmth in her once bloodless blue lips. When he moved to place a kiss on her forehead, Evvie’s breaths were deep and full, her eyes closed, her lips curved up gently, sound asleep.
“Goodnight, Evs,” Ruy whispered.
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CHAPTER FOUR WILL BE RELEASED SOON -- and it will be a game-changer!