Elaana suddenly had an earsplitting headache. She felt like the whole world was spinning around her, causing her to feel very dizzy.
She was a baby again. Huge bubbly faces smiled down at her. It was her dad and mom. They had come to give her a present. Here you go, my warrior princess,” her Mom said softly, placing a necklace around Elaana’s neck. The necklace carried a intensely shining diamond which was small but beautiful. Elaana’s sighed and went to sleep while the faint hum of voices sounded all around her.
“She mustn’t now the secret. After all is well now. The Dark Forces are not around and the Council of Good has ordered that we live on the Good Earth among Earth folk. Nothing will happen and she and her other siblings will be protected from the devestation the Dark Forces have caused to Our World.”
Mrs. Heart, or Trela, finished as Mr. Heart, Derekk, put his hands on her stomache, where Lana’s brother slept inside her womb. He sighed for this new life he was being forced to live as a human being with no powers. His powers had been taken from him and his wife for good by the Dark Forces, but he was sure, one day, the warrior genes would manifest in his daughter and his son and apprehensively awaited that day, although he knew it would be many years before that happened since his own powers had not emerged until he was eighteen. With one last look of their sleeping baby, Mr. and Mrs. Heart, as their new human names were, left the nursery.
Elaana found herself on the floor knocked out. The grass was hard and they seemed to be in a clearing not too far from Lila Funrer’s but safely out of viewing distance.
Sky was speaking to Si who stood trembling. “Now if you are to tell another human soul a word of what you have just learned about the magical world, you will be slain with one quick and effortless swing of my great sword. Do you understand?” Sky warned Si whose face grew very pale. Si nodded quickly. “You will not be needed..only Elaana, so you will be sent back into the human world. Don’t you dare spill a word to anyone including your little friend who is asleep. Elaana’s parents know everything and will be sent a letter from me. My dog Fetch, will bring you back.” Simon cringed waiting for a huge and terrifying dog to emerge, but a small terrier emerged, panting happily. Sky scribbled a note on a paper from his knapsack.
Dear Elaana’s parents,
Elaana is safe with me know and is required to help out by the Dark Council. All is not well. The Dark Sorceress is back. Your home will be guarded by fellow warriors.
Yours Truly,
Sky the Warrior
“Go on now,” Sky urged, sending the cheery dog and the boy who had been scared out of his wits, both on their way, back to Elaana’s.
About twenty miles away, hidden by a rough canopy of leaves, Sky entered a small, cozy room where Lana slept on a torn-up couch. The couch was old but comfy. Elaana sighed into her pillow, turning her head. She was completely alert now, but could not recollect what had happened. Glancing around, a sense of alarm washed over her, for she had half expected to wake up in her too- familiar bed room.
“Where am I?!” she exclaimed, questioning the only living thing around, Sky.
He did not answer, only smiled and walked over to where she lay, handing her a small bottle filled with what looked like a fruity liquid.
“Drink this…it will help your strength.. And hopefully your memory.”
But Elaana would not be bought. She refused the liquid, but complied to some honey tea. The warm tea ran down her throat, and she sat up straighter.
She inquired as to where they were again, and Sky had no choice but to answer that they were an Earth Cottage. He had set this cottage up a while back.
Fetch returned later that afternoon, carrying a napkin between his teeth. Although it was hard to decipher the words after Fetch’s slobber had done its damage on the napkin, Sky could make out a bubbly, “Thank you. Keep Elaana safe and keep in touch,” in what Elaana replied was most definitely her mom’s handwriting.
Elaana was not satisfied with just knowing their location. She had many other questions which rose like bullets as she sat with Sky outside the cottage in the yard.
“Why was I not told I was a warrior earlier?” she demanded.
Sky scratched his fingers through his blonde hair.
“Aaah…As I recall at the time you were born there were not a need for warriors. Our World and Earth were at peace. We thought the dark sorcerers and sorceresses were no more.”
“What are my special powers?”
Sky shrugged, “Well, we can run at fast speeds, have super human strength, can foresee the future, and share our thoughts without speaking.”
Lana dwelled on what he had just said. Well, she could certainly run. She was the top runner at her school, but she was not fast as a cheetah. She could also bench more than any girl her age. People at the gym would often stare at her like she was crazy, but yet she couldn‘t see herself as a warrior. As for the other two traits she was not so sure.
“You are what…sixteen, seventeen?” Sky asked, continuing, “Your powers will not fully develop until you turn eighteen, and even before then you will need to be trained, especially since you have been chosen to take on the Dark Sorceress. You may not know this Elaana but you have the mark. Open your fist,” he commanded.
She opened it, uncertainly. In the center was the same black mole-like circle that she had known all her life. She had simply lived with the idea that it was a mole or a beauty mark, never questioning further. Sky opened his hand, showing a calloused palm.
In the center, was a mark, but it was more prominent than Lana’s. It seemed to glow, giving off a strange radiance. The mark was in the shape of a star.
Sky remarked, “When you are eighteen, this will mark a turning point in your life as a warrior, Lana. That small circle will turn into a star like mine.”
So what, Lana thought. There’s a star on my hand, woo-hoo! What next?
Suddenly, a spiral of fire emitted from the star on Sky’s hand.
“Ike!” Lana shrieked as Sky cackled.. He had lit a patch of marigolds on fire and a devilish light flickered in his blue eyes as he laughed.
“That was not funny,” Lana declared.
But those were not the only tricks Sky had up his sleeve. He informed her that at midnight they would be leaving to enter the other world or Our World as he called it. He would not speak of Our World, although Lana pressed him too, and the two remained mostly quiet for the rest of the day.
Outside, the stars twinkled beyond the canopy of leaves. It was a breezy night and the soft wind swept through Lana’s hair, caressing her skin. It was the first time she had been away from her loved ones without communication for so long, but in a way it was good. She felt free, but not scared. After all, she was with Sky, someone she could actually claim was a true warrior.
The moon hung low in the sky and its yellow-white light beamed down on the two who stood side by side. Sky held a box in his hand.
“This is a magic box,” he said.
Again, Lana was credulous and rolled her eyes.
“Believe what you want,” he answered to the look on her face, and slowly opened the box.
Out came a woosh! Sound and with a sparkle of pretty pink and white dust a portal was formed out of the unthinkable. Lana was in awe. The portal stood like, magically, across from them. He could not be for real, Lana thought.
“Ladies first,” Si spoke, smiling.
Lana stepped forward, pushed from the behind by Sky who seemed urgent. In seconds, she was swept up by the pretty dust and found that she was flailing through the wind. It whipped her hair, and she could barely see straight. Then with a quick and sudden blow she landed on her feet. She felt Sky land after her and clutched his arm for support.
Certainly, this was Our World. She looked around and noticed that she was in what looked like a dormitory room. Metal bunk beds lined the side of the room. Unlike a prison, the room was wonderful and quaint. The curtains were a lush, velvety blue and the covers were made of a similar-colored silk. But even more importantly, there were girls her own age snug inside the blankets, sleeping, as she could tell by the lumpy forms, and patches of hair witch stuck out from amongst the sheets.
“This is where you will stay,” Sky whispered, but it was too late. Another girl had awoken and was rubbing her eyes.
“What time is it?” she murmered, half-awake.
“Go back to sleep,” Sky urged, kindly.
“You get some rest too,” he spoke to Lana before silently leaving the dormitory.
Elaana climbed into a top bunk. Her head faced the long window, and she was able to look out. Luckily she had a view of what she would later learn was a training ground. After all, this was no ordinary place Elaana had stepped into; it was the Academy for Good Warriors.
Elaana was awoken at six-thirty am by a shrill fog horn was blasted through the morning dew and sent the pidgeons asunder. She yawned and crept to the shower with her things. Afterwards, she quickly dressed and walked with the rest of the girls to say the morning prayers.
At breakfast, she sat with the girl who had awoken last night, Mila, and several others.
“You’ll soon how things work around here,” spoke one girl, Marissa to Lana. Lana didn’t know what to say, but Marissa continued, “The Academy may pronounce itself as “Good” but the headmasters are strict and can be severe. For example, boys and girls are not permitted to sit together at meals or go visit each other’s dormitories…aand our classes our seperate. That’s one way they maintain order in this place,” she smirked, rambling on an on in her British accent.
Elaana didn’t think that rule was so bad. After all, the only guy who had caught her eye lately was the one she was growing closest too, Sky. She wondered where he had gone. She looked up, glanced around and found that he was standing in the front of the cafeteria next to the headmasters. He saw her looking, smiled, and waved back. Elaana blushed, grateful that her bronze skin concealed the redness. She wondered when she would have a chance to talk to him again.
Soon enough it was time for the morning lessons. Elaana sat besides Marissa, quietly urging the talkative older girl to hush because the professor was going to walk in any moment. Without further ado, a tiny petite woman walked in caped in sparkling purple robes. “Good morning class,” she chirped, with a smiling mouth and eyes. “Good morning,” they sung in unison back to her.
After attendance, she spoke excitedly about foreseeing the future. It was done through a process similar to hindu meditation, she claimed. However, warriors, unlike mere mortals, had the ability to dwell upon their thoughts and if they focused hard enough on any event they possessed the ability to see into the future. Elaana was incredulous, but listened anyway, realizing that there weren’t too many differences between school here and school in Jersey, asides of course, the simple facts that here warriors existed, and strange professors and not to forget, they sat on comfy red beanbag chairs sprawled on the ground instead of at desks. She couldn’t complain. This beat calc any day of the year.
“Focus on the person right next to you!” Professor Sybil screeched in her projected voice. So Lana focused with all her might and determination on Marissa, who sat on the right of her, eyes closed in anticipation. Elaana waited apprehensively for seemed like over a half an hour, imagining Marissa’s tall slender body and blonde curly hair which bounced about her, but nothing else happened. Gradually, she envisioned Marissa walking towards the pomegranate tree which cheerfully swayed in the wind in the courtyard. Standing under the tree, with a growing smile on his face was none other than Sky. Elaana watched the scene unfolding in her mind’s eye. Marissa came towards who she could have sworn was Sky and give him a kiss. The man did not stop her, and his green eyes sparkled as he pulled back. Green eyes. But, wait. Sky had blue eyes, Elaana thought. She shrugged off the thought, figuring he was probably wearing contacts. First Luke now Sky, Elaana thought with a sigh. Elaana was not one for demanding that she got her way, but she was beginning to feel a little sad inside. Reluctantly, Elaana opened her eyes and realized Marissa and another girl, Sarah, were both looking at her as if concerned. “Wow..you were really gone,” commented Sarah, and Marissa nodded her head in agreement. “What did you see?” Marissa probed.
“Nothing… some..something about my family,” Elaana quickly pulled out the fake reply, not wanting to reveal her inner emotions to Marissa, as her skin burned with jealousy.
After lunch, they were scheduled for a training session in the fields outside. A slight drizzle sprinkled the girls’ faces politely and the sky was gray, as if foreshadowing further downpour. The girls lined up in a row as if they were in the army. Elaana was surprised she had not seen the boys yet, but when she looked across the first field to the second field, sure enough there they were lined up. Just faintly she could make out Sky standing next to an older man. She would later learn he was assistant master to Sir Geoffrey Delton, Senior Master of Weaponry and Sparring.
Elaana quickly averted her eyes, noticing that she had been staring for too long and Lady Brook was approaching with her assistant who tugged a potato sack filled with fencing swords behind her. Luckily for Elaana, this was one of the first lessons for the girls as school at the academy had only begun last week. Elaana was kind of scared but was at the same time thrilled at the idea of finally being able to fight. She was a runner by nature and had taken some karate classes, but was not too familiar with fencing. Eagerly, she listened to Lady Brooks who went over the techniques and rules.
Lady Brooks immediately took a liking to Elaana. “Elaana, why don’t you and Sarah come up to spar,” her voice was strict but kind. Elaana complied, but was did not want to have to fence against her new friend. Sarah was relatively the same height as Elaana, but had raven black hair which hung in two braids like weapons. She looked kind of fierce.
“Beep!” Lady Brooks blew her whistle, signaling the beginning of the fight.
Sarah was fit, but not fast enough for the agile Elaana, who jabbed and crossed swords with the other girl adeptly, surprising herself and Lady Brooks, who stood there grinning, praising Elaana in front of the entire class. Sarah was growing very tired after a while and simply gave up. Although Elaana did not want to admit that she was proud of beating her friend, she felt happy inside and beamed as she walked to the other girls.
That was not all Elaana excelled in. During the running session, Lana stayed up front with Kayara, the assistant director. Kayara was short but skinny and could keep the tempo going. The trampled through brambles and rough underbrush enjoying the shade of the forest, running laboriously up the hills and easily down them, stopping back at the field to drink water. Elaana felt at peace with the nature and was glad to be a warrior.
Several weeks Elaana had gotten into the groove of things, but there were nights when her heavy heart left her restless. She stared at the moon which glowed like a majestic sanctuary in the sky. The dark night was littered with stars. Never before in her life had she seen so many stars in one night, but above the Academy they glittered freely, away from the pollution of rural-industrial towns like hers. Although the scene which she glimpsed through her open window, pleased her greatly, she missed her parents and her brother. Elaana was tired of trying to get to sleep. She wandered down the corridors, clutching an electric candle she had found on her nightstand. To her surprise, she was not caught and found her way easily to the balcony above the back field. The balcony was expansive and gave a better view of the night sky, but Elaana wasn’t really too concerned at this moment. She crouched behind a large hycanthia plant. It seemed that there was a party being held on the balcony for the headmaster and professors. She also noticed Sky there. He sat next to Kayara at a long table. The headmaster sat with a worried look on his face at the front of the table, refusing the red wine a servant pressed upon him.
“The Dark Sorceress has been spotted in Our World,” he muttered, wearily, once everyone had been seated. A flame on a torch flickered maliciously in the wind. Sighs and gasps ran through the table. Kayara clutched her chair tighter. At that moment, Elaana swore she saw Sky gazing directly at her, but she could not be sure. He looked quickly away fixing his gaze once again on Headmaster Waldencott.
“We must prepare a team of our most skilled warriors. Five members total,” he declared. Lady Brooks, who sat at his right, nodded her consent. “This group will consist of Sky, Kayara, and three other students who have shown the greatest aptitude. Instructors will not be chosen as they will be asked to protect the rest of the students as we are now under red alert. Anything can happen. The group of warriors will leave in two days. I will speak to them tomorrow.” As he spoke the Academy faculty and staff murmured around the table. Some agreed and some strongly felt that sending an amateur troop was no way to go about defeating the Dark Sorceress, but when the headmaster raised his hand, signaling quiet, they bit their lips and were silent. The headmaster’s word was the ultimate word and there was no point in fighting it. That was the law and that was what was unquestionably right, according to the headmaster and his well-paid cabinet. Elaana breathed sharply, realizing she would most likely be chosen as she was the best among the girls in almost every activity. For an half an hour she waited crouched in the plant which had begun to tickle her skin. She spotted a spider crawling up her neck, grabbed it and flattened it against the side of the pot with her finger. She hoped she would not have the same fate as the poor spider once this mission began.
The next morning, after prayer, an announcement was made. Surely enough, Lana was called down to the head-master’s office. Two other boys, Hyun and Eric were also called. Eric led the group, walking surely and steadily down the corridor. Although both boys were brawny and strong-looking, Hyun looked more nervous, and Elaana noticed that big rolls of sweat had formed on his forehead.
Eric opened the door ushering in Elaana and Hyun. Sky and Kayara were already seated around the headmaster’s table. There was a sense of worry which washed across their faces, far from the confident expression they usually bore during sessions.
“Come in come in,” Headmaster Waldencott beamed. Of course he had nothing to worry about. He would not be doing any fighting. Of course, he wanted the Dark Sorceress murdered like everyone else, but was not about to get his hands dirty. That job would be up to his little friends. He explained to the group that they would be leaving tomorrow, riding on the backs of several unicorns. Their food supply would last ninety days. If they did not find and defeat the sorceress by then, they were to report back to the academy for more food.
“This is your destiny,” he ended his pep talk. “The fate of Our World and Good Earth lies in your hands,” he said, “You must comply or else…”
The group understood that they basically had no choice in the matter so they were not willing to argue why they had been chosen and not the older, wiser instructors. It was a matter of politics and they were being, in a way, manipulated to do the headmaster’s dirty work for him, but they were treated as royalty in the academy that day. In this way Headmaster Waldencott made is seem like they were heroes without revealing his fear of taking on the Dark Sorceress himself. Had he been forced to he would have failed immediately, for he was short and pudgy and lacked the athletic capability to take on such an intimidating force. Marissa often commented that he was “like a butter-ball,” which would send Lana hysterically laughing. “Or else..” he had said, but Elaana wondered what else he could possibly do to them. However, she left this thought hidden in the back of mind, knowing he had a posse of well-paid instructors backing him, who made up for all the ability he lacked.
The group stayed together that entire day, receiving praise from their friends and other students, but knowing that they were embarking on a most dangerous journey. Elaana prayed that they would stay alive and be able to complete their headmaster’s request quickly and without pain, but knew that was unlikely. Sky was to be group leader. He, unlike Elaana, was positively beaming and has an aura of self-confidence which transferred to the others. “Lighten up,” he nudged Elaana in a friendly manner. So Elaana tried not to think too much of the negative and put her anxiety in a basket.
As she had a free day before leaving, she walked to the courtyard, sandwich in hand. There she saw Sky with green eyes kissing Marissa. Not wanting to be seen, she hid behind the statue of Notre Dame. Fortunately for her, they did not notice.
“Spying?” a sharp bantering voice surprised her. Sky spoke in her ear and she jumped, her heart pounding in her chest. “N..noo, I was just about to leave,” she lied. He smirked.
“That’s my twin, Ocean,” he noted, pointing to where Ocean and Marissa stood under the pomegranate tree. “I could of sworn it was you,” Elaana admitted, slightly angry that she had been, by her own foolishness, led to believe that Sky fancied Marissa. At the same time, a rush of happiness rushed through Elaana. Sky tried to read the expression on Elaana’s face, but he was not sure what she felt for him or if she felt anything at all. He knew that he liked her, but was scared to tell her anything of his emotions, fearing rejection and embarrassment. Still, a part of Sky was too confident to give up on his feelings for Elaana and continued to argue with the other part of him.
Goodluck!