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Neon DeGrande and his twin Largo are inhabitents of the New World colony, Heion. The Old World, what used to be Earth, was abandoned and the people living on Heion are the only rementants of what was the once great human race. However, in arriving to this New World, much of the Old World technology was lost, and the twins live a society that could be considered primitive to the former empire of their people.
Because of a special antibody in his blood Neon is chosen to save an alien race of beings named the Kilanish from their lifelong enemy the Janeshia, or Blood-letters. Abandoning both his family and home, Neon travels into space and becomes a warrior for the Kilanish, using a technology that they can no longer access in order to crush their enemy. However, Neon is not alone. A strangely familiar girl calling herself Arcana Crimsonforce, also has the ability to control the Kilanish technology and fight the enemy beside him. Adapting the named Lazuli Brightstar, Neon works with Arcana to save the Kilanish.,
However, after a terrible accident that both strands Neon and puts him in a coma for several months, he discovers that things aren't all that they appear to be. The Kilanish have not necessarily been telling him the truth and the Janeshia are more than just a one-fauceted enemy.
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Neon DeGrande: The main character. He has a low self-esteem because he doesn't feel like he's particularily good at anything next to Largo. Being chosen by the Kilanish is the first time in his life that he's ever felt special. Neon constantly dwells on events, but, surprisingly, tries to look on the bright side of things. Feels strongly about things once he's made up his mind about them.
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Largo DeGrande: Neon's twin brother. He's fairly book smart, but modest about it at the same time, never doubting anyone else's abilities. However, when Largo gets set on an idea he sticks with it until the end, which isn't necessarily a good thing. He's very devoted to both his family and his studies. As long as it doesn't threaten his morals, Largo will do whatever it takes to achieve his goals.
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Kairen Pieper: Neon's fellow pilot; also known as Arcana Crimsonforce. Kairen initially comes off as a pompous snot, and her first impression on Neon isn't a good one. Amongst other things, Kairen generally finds it amusing to fluster Neon, as she very confident in her abilities and is always pushing her limits. Although she is genuinely a caring person, it is difficult to earn her respect.
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Raine Kelley: An estranged mechanic that truly loves his livelihood. Raine has the ability to understand nearly anything mechanical simply by looking at it for a while - an ability which constantly dumbfounds Neon. He's comes off as a little cold, but Raine's loyalties are unwavering. Ultimtaley Raine is an observer and a planner, willing to patiently lay out his pieces and watch things come together.
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Meera Tabicas: A paficist frozen in stasis. Although he never really met her, Neon empathizes with Meera for several reason, one being the fact that they both have spent significant periods of time asleep. Meera's ideals and more important than her actual person, as when she was active she constantly argued that violence was not the answer. Her idea are a message of the future.
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Gelina Pieper: Kairen's twin sister. Though Neon never actually met Gelina, both she and Largo were good friends back on Heion. Gentle and softspoken, Gelina is a far weaker person than Kairen ever was and while her sister was always the fighter, Gelina generally played a more supportive role in the relationship.
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Yeah . . . no artwork is posted here. Check out all of the Lazuli goodness at DeviantART by clicking here: DeviantART Lazuli Portfolio. Also, please make sure to check out other artists and leave helpful comments!
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The last thing that Neon could remember was a bright light and the feeling of a thousand needles rocketing down the back of his spine. Then, there was nothing but darkness and the far away sound of something dripping.
The first thing that he could remember was the sky, bright and blue and clear as glass above his head. There wasn’t a cloud in sight, and the sun was like a giant, white eye, peering down at him from above.
It was Neon’s favorite type of day, as he told his brother. It was the kind of day where anything could happen.
“That’s ridiculous,” Largo had said in response. He stared up at the sky, eyes narrowed, and reached a hand up, as if to pluck an invisible cloud from the atmosphere. “Things happen on cloudy days too. I like cloudy days.”
“Why?”
Largo hadn’t answered immediately, just let his hand drop back to his side. Neon watched as his fingers twined through the grass, plucking at one of the strands.
“Well?” he had asked, already impatient. “What’s so great about cloudy days? You can’t see anything.”
Largo looked at him, and it was like looking in a mirror: sun bleached blonde hair and bright eyes that couldn’t decide if they wanted to be green or blue. It was difficult to tell, but even though they were twins, Neon’s skin was a shade darker and Largo’s hair was a little more upswept.
“Of course not,” Largo snapped. “You can’t see past the sky when it’s cloudy. But sometimes, when it’s like this, it’s just too bright.” He brought up a hand and covered his eyes, looking back into the endless blue. “You can’t see anything in front of you . . . and, I mean, isn’t it sometimes more important to look at things down here?”
Neon scoffed, the sharp edge to his tone almost blunted from the fact that he wasn’t even old enough to understand what it was to be bitter. “Why would you want to? It’s all the same. What are you? Scared?” He smirked, lapsing into a familiar argument. “You’re just a big baby.”
“Shut up!”
In a way it was true – Neon wanted to fly and run and just leave everything and anything behind for whatever it was that was out there. Largo was the one who considered just what it meant to abandon your home in the first place.
“But really,” Neon ventured after a minute had passed. “What’s so great about cloudy days?”
Largo glared at him from the corner of his eye, a pout still sitting on his lips, and said nothing.
“Come on!” Neon rolled over onto his stomach, staring at his brother appealingly. When Largo said nothing, Neon poked his shoulder. “I’m not going to make fun of you or anything.”
Largo sighed and dragged a hand through his hair.
“I don’t know,” he whined, dragging the words out. “It’s just . . . everyone likes sunny days because it’s warm and you can do stuff. But cloudy days aren’t always cold – and you can still do stuff outside.”
“Yeah.”
“Everyone just overlooks them,” Largo said. “They like sunny days so much that cloudy days just can’t match up. But I think that cloudy days have special things in them too – surprises and stuff. It’s like sunny days are always predictable – but cloudy days can be good or bad.”
“I guess so.” Neon didn’t really see it, but he remembered trying to humor his brother. Sometimes, it was just better to drop it, because otherwise, Largo would just keep going, trying to messily put together words like they were mismatched pieces belonging to two different puzzles.
This time, lying by the river and staring at the sky was one of his earliest memories of Largo that Neon could remember in such detail. All of his other memories of his twin were all blurred together. Largo was always there, had always been there and when he tried to think of the earliest memory without him, he couldn’t. In all those memories, it was difficult to remember where Largo ended and where Neon began.
Years later, when Neon thought of his brother, he would go back to that moment and would let the sunlight wash over him and Largo’s uncertain words drift through his thoughts. It was comforting and warm somehow, to think about the squabbles of his childhood. Because beyond childhood, life wasn’t warm anymore; no one had anything more than those kinds of memories to keep them alive.
Sunny days, he once thought to himself years later, staring at a cold metal ceiling and yearning for the glare of a star burning against his retinas. Sunny days are like blooming roses. Days are just roses in general though - they’re pretty when they’re buds, but everyone likes them better when they bloom. He sighed then, trying to taste the familiarity of light on his eyelids. And then they wilt. Nothing is more ugly than something that’s dead or dying. But rosebuds, cloudy days, are always beautiful.
He thought he could hear the sound of running water, the light breaths of Largo breathing beside him, and the sway of the wind brushing its fingers across the blades of grass. But then, when he opened his eyes, it all went away, and all he could see was the crisp metal paneling and a blue pulse beating as strong as a heart.
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