CHAPTER 1
(In The Beginning)
Thump, thump, thump, thump. That is the sound of my heart as I step foot into this alien school, where I know no one. I'm the new girl this year so I have no friends in this school they call Northwood. I walk to my locker, the locker with the number 33 carved into it, I spin my combination, then I hang my coat and book bag, when I hear my name.
"Ella? Ella Cole? Is that really you?" a familiar voice asked.
"What the… "I turn around, "Arianna!" I say amazed.
"Hi how are you? I heard from Haley that you were coming here but I didn't know that your locker was so close to mine," Says Arianna.
"Yeah… I'm good; how about you?" I ask.
"Good," she replies.
"Well I should get to class" I say as I walk away.
It just so happened that Arianna is in my home room too. Well, it least there's one person I know. I have Choir for homeroom I also have it for third period. Speaking of third period that's where I met my first new friend, Hayley Blonde. Hayley, she is a …interesting person. She had dark blue hair, duck tape converse, a duck tape bracelet. She seemed shy at first once you get to know her, you'll see that she is a funny, loud, outgoing person, who honestly doesn't care what people say about her.
Well, anyways, we should get back on track. Once in home room, we meet Mrs. Marian our home room and choir teacher she did the whole, I am your teacher this is about me thing. Then she turned the TV on in the corner of the class room and the announcements began. Our announcements begin with the pledge of allegiance. So we stand, pledge, have our moment of silence, then we are seated. We listen to the announcements done by our CTV crew and the bell rings and we are off to our next class.
My next class sadly was gym, not the best class to have first period. I walk into the gym by myself, sit off to the side while the rest of the class talks. Then the teacher walks in, her name is Mrs. Thatcher, and I could tell from the beginning that it was going to be a tough year. I was never really the best at gym though I always got an A it was still difficult for me. As the teacher went on about locks, gym clothes and so on I just sat there thinking; someone save me. At the time I had no friends in that class and it was a mixed class of seventh and eighth grade. I just sit there, in my own little world waiting for the bell to ring.
Once it's time for second period I head upstairs for social studies. Little did I know my future best friend and first boyfriend was going to be in this class. The teacher walks into the class and tells us to take a seat. So we all sit and listen through the classroom expectations and procedures. Mr. Allen, the social studies teacher is pretty nice, I guess I got to wait until later in the year to see totally how he turns out. So he passes out the procedures paper to keep in our folder when the bell rings. Everyone grabs there things and hurries out the door off to their next class.
Third period is where the real fun begins. I walk into class and my eye is instantly drawn to a blue haired girl. It seemed that no one was talking to her so I walked over. I think to myself here goes nothing.
"Hi, my names Ella, but everyone calls me El. What's your name?" I asked half nervously.
"My name is Hayley. Hayley Blonde." She replied with a smile.
I could tell right there and then that we would be good friends. Then Mrs. Marian walked in. She did the whole, class I'm your teacher thing and you must obey me. At that point no one was listening at all so Mrs. Marian started a game, a name game. We had to say our first name and something we like that starts with the first letter of our name and the next person had to say everybody name and what they like then there's. So that was how I learned a little about Hayley but that barely scratched the surface of who she really was.
The bell rang as the students gathered there things and headed off to class. I run up the stairs to room 209, my advanced math class. I sit in a random seat that I am assigned in the far back of the class room. So I walk to my seat and sit down my things then take my seat. I recognize some of the kids from my homeroom but I don't bother to talk to them. Mr. Jay walks into the room and starts to give us the classic I am your teacher speech. Next he passes out the manila folders and has us put our names on them. This lanky teacher is loud and there's just something about him or just being in a advanced math class that I just don't like.
Anyways after class, one of the best parts of the day, LUNCH! We have to sit in our classes at the lunch room and I don't talk to anyone but again I'm the new girl, I'm not antisocial, I'm just shy, or so it seems. You'll find out more about who I really am later. So we ate lunch and I talked a little with other people. I take my lunch tray up and wave to Hayley as I go up, then I turn around and walk back to my seat.
My next class is one of my favorites, advanced language arts. I've always loved to read and write, so this class is PERFECT for me. Mrs. Kaiers is my teacher for this class and she is very nice too. I can easily tell that this year, it least in this class will be pretty good, when really I had no idea what the year held.
This would be a year of adventure, making friends and enemies, and my thirteenth birthday which just so happens to be a huge piece of this puzzle. My thirteenth birthday wish came true as you'll find out. I will never forget Northwood. I thought at first that I had lost everything coming here but the truth is I gained a lot more than I lost.
RING! Time for my last class, science. Science is another one of my favorite classes. It just comes easy to me as do many things. I have Mr. Grey. He is a kind teacher with a lot on his plate. One of our first lessons in science was on the brain, well, Phineas Guage. He was a man who, while at work a tamping iron sparked a stick of dynamite and sent the tamping iron through his head and he survived but his personality had completely changed. Well Mr. Grey's wife was kind of in the same boat. She had a brain tumor or something, so he has to work and take care of her which must be a lot of work. I do have to say though hearing this is very touching but yet interesting.
The final announcements came on and then the final bell. Everyone rushed into the hallways fighting their ways to their lockers. They grab their things and push out the door to freedom. Why was I the only one not wanting to go home at the time? It's because my step mother. I walk slowly out to the bus not wanting to step foot onto it but, I do knowing I had too.
I do not get along with my step mother, Caylenn. I mean she has literally said to my face she hates me. So that's why I never wanted to go home. Even days that I was hurt or felt sick I went to school just because I didn't want to be there. I took every day one step at a time and where I am at now, I don't regret any of my choices. You'll see why I say I regret nothing.
Anyways school went on I made it by with a friend. I made a few more friends and made it by. A few weeks later I actually had a friend in my gym class, Hayley. She got transferred in to my gym class about three weeks into the school year. That was a good change. We both had a friend to 'suffer' through gym with.
Other than that change my school life stayed the same my home life sadly stayed the same too. My step mother, if you can even call her a mother, who hated me had to do anything she could to ruin my happiness. At the time I wasn't even sure if I knew what happiness was anymore. I can't say that now though.
Still living day by day I lived my life same routine. Same friends that I had at the beginning of the year too. Nothing changed. When I was about to give up hope on a positive change, change was what I got. It was a good change. I moved back in with my grandparents. Oh yeah, I haven't told you that back-story yet.
My grandparents at the time said I was too much to handle so I ended up having to move in with my dad. I moved mid-summer. I was grounded practically that whole summer since I had moved in. 'Great' way to 'celebrate' summer vacation. I do have to say things get better though, if anything I do have to say that.
CHAPTER 2
(The Friends)
Now to the blue haired girl with the duct tape converse, Hayley. She is a big part of this whole story if you can't tell. She is an amazing person. My first friend in the seventh grade at this school. Her homeroom is like right across the hall from mine, she has gym for homeroom. I do have to say I would not be where I am at now if I did not have her as my friend. So I have to love her for that, besides she also introduced me to him.
We occasionally hung out after school. We had our classes together. I'm just saying neither of us would have survived gym without each other. She is a great friend to have around. We walk and talk during and on our way to our few classes we have together. We take our trays up together at lunch too.
I can say easily Hayley and I have had our ups and downs in our friendship, but I can also easily say I would not be where I'm at now if it wasn't for her. She can be loud and obnoxious but I am naturally obnoxious so we're good. She has Introduce me to Raele. This is a good friend of mine, were in advanced classes together.
Raele is a nice yet rambunctious girl. She's smart and funny too. She has glasses like I do too. We sometimes walk to math together.
I also have my friend Leanne who I met in language arts class. She is the type every where everyone either loves or hates her. She has this thing about her too were you can just talk to her about anything and that it'll all be alright. She gives the best advice too. She has long brown hair and she's almost as tall as me. She can be hyper at times but that's what I look for in friends is that they can be hyper, because if they're hyper at times then they can tolerate me when I'm all hyper.
There are also my other friends like, Arrin, John, Jake, Jordan, Kaycee, Brenda, and Alex. I'm not as close of friends with them as I am with Hayley but were still friends. We all talk and what not. So these are my friends so far in this school year.
About the sixth week of school I made a new friend. His name is Tristan. Hayley introduced us on I think a Wednesday morning. His funny personality was what I first noticed and liked about him. He has dirty blonde hair and brown eyes. I'm just slightly taller than him. He is awkwardly funny, like he'll just randomly chime into a conversation and say something completely random and off subject. That's one thing of many you have to like about him. Tristan is also in my social studies class.
A week later Mr. Allen assigned a partner project and Tristan asked me to work on the project together. So of course I said yes besides, I'm always the one in the class that no one wants to work with. So we sat together and worked on our projects. We were constantly laughing at the stupidest of things. Tristan and I just messing around with a Sharpie created the Dot Squad, which Hayley just randomly joined in. We put dots on our noses and hang out a lot. From the day Hayley introduced us Tristan and I were best friends. We worked on partner projects together every time one was assigned. We were the least favorite partner group because we were loud and obnoxious and annoying to everyone.
I didn't like to admit this but I kind of like liked him. We went to game night together. We played the Corn Husk Toss game together. We failed epically. We mainly talked for most of game night. At the end they gave away prizes and my name got drawn for a free Laser X pass and I was so excited. Sadly Tristan got a free cookie for a prize.
I eventually invited him too my thirteenth birthday party. I gave him my invite for my birthday during our tomb project. I found his first reaction kind of funny.
"Am I the only guy you invited..?" asked Tristan.
"Of course not!" I replied
"Well. Okay. I'll try to come." He replied.
"Okay." I answered.
"What would you like for your birthday..?" He asked.
"I honestly don't know…"I replied kind of lost in the question, "nothing really."
"How about a Nerf Gun?" He asked jokingly.
"YEAH! I love Nerf Guns! I used to have Nerf Wars all the time." I replied.
"Really? I love Nerf Wars. I used to have Nerf Wars with my friends," Says Tristan.
"Hey maybe we can go to Laser X after my birthday party." I offered.
"I've never been to Laser X but I really want to go." He replied.
"Then we shall go!" I reply laughing.
"I don't have a problem with that." He said in return.
"Ha ha. Okay, then we shall go to Laser X then." I say.
The bell then rings and we hurry off to our classes and Tristan walks me to my next class, choir. Once I'm in class I walk over to my seat and sit by Hayley. I pull out an invitation and hand it to her.
"What's this?" she asks while opening the envelope.
"An invitation to my thirteenth birthday party."I say excitedly.
"Oh yea? When's your birthday?" she asks.
"November eighth." I reply.
"I'm older than you! Four days older! My birthday is November fourth!" She says annoyingly.
"Really?" I ask.
"Yea.. I don't think I can go to your birthday party though.." She says.
"Why can't you?" I ask
"It's on the same day as the day I'm going to a Panic! At The Disco concert." She said now closing the invitation.
"Oh well it's okay. We can always make other plans." I say disappointedly.
"Sorry though." She says apologetically.
"It's fine…" I say looking down.
"I'm four days older than you! Ha!" She exclaims rubbing in the fact.
"Yea. I know." I say turning around to sit as the bell rings.
I just sit through another boring day at school, when a humongous storm hits during passing period. I was walking to class with Tristan and the lights flickered. I got pushed down the stairs, blacking out. Tristan came running down to see if I was okay. He tapped me on the shoulder and called my name.
"Ella? El… are you alright? Hello?" He didn't stop shaking my arm.
Tristan ran to get the nearest teacher, who came as soon as they could. I could feel them shaking my shoulder but I could not gather words or open my eyes. The teacher left to get a wheel chair and Tristan sat me up and leaned me against the wall. He then slid down the wall and sat on his knees right next to me. He slid his arm around my shoulders supporting me so I didn't fall over.
The teacher arrived a few minutes later with the wheel chair. Tristan helped me up and sat me into the wheel chair. Then Tristan and the teacher walked me down to the clinic but I wouldn't wake up so they call my parents and an ambulance. The ambulance soon arrived and Tristan left to go back to class stalling in the hallway waiting to see that the ambulance has left.
The ambulance has just arrived at the hospital. I could hear voices all around me, none of them being my parents or anyone I knew. I then felt a stinging sensation in my right arm. A needle, I hate needles, there cold, sharp, and draw blood. In an instant I drifted off into a deep sleep, forgetting every trouble in the world. I did have one thing on my mind at the time, well it least a person, Tristan. How odd? Anyways many hours later I am woken up by a circle of my friends, Hayley, Leanne, whom you have not met yet, Alex, whom you also have not met yet, and lastly Tristan. I sit up and suddenly there's a bright glowing flash and we're separated in some alien place and I have no idea where I am at.
Chapter 3
(A New World)
I stand up, shaking the dirt off my jeans that I don't remember changing into. I also brush off my orange t-shirt and tie my red jacket around my waste. My gray, white, and purple sneakers are dusty. I start walking in some random direction hoping to find one of my friends. Crunch! The leaves rattle in the wind and I hear something behind me. I see a little cardinal. I squint my eyes to look closer. The 'cardinal', or so I thought, instantly grew to my height! This creature now fully my height had orange butterfly like wings, fiery red hair and eyes. She wore a red and orange fiery T-shirt, orange skinny jeans, and red high-tops. She looked like me in a way, well structurally anyways.
"H-Hello?" I ask.
"Hi there human." Replies the fire person before me.
"Hi… Who are you?" I ask.
"I am Flay a goddess of fire." She replies.
"Nice to meet you Flay. I am Ella, Ella Cole. If you don't mind me asking, what are you..?" I ask hesitantly.
" I am a fairy." She replies.
"REALLY!" I exclaim.
"Yes really. Now I have a lot to explain to you." She says.
"Yes?" I ask wondering if this is going to be bad or good.
"You shouldn't really be able to see me, which means you have some power, but I'll grant you three wishes since I am now your guardian." Says Flay.
"Three wishes? My guardian? Wait what?" I ask in confusion.
"Yes. Here let me clear this up for you." She says.
"Okay." I reply.
"Follow me." She says slowly walking away.
"Okay then." I say following beside her.
"The first thing I'm going to do for you is this," she says. "close your eyes."
I close my eyes, reluctant to trust this new person, I mean fairy. In a few seconds I feel my back tingle and I feel some mild fire. I open my eyes, unable to believe them. Two new attachments flutter on my back. I had Fiery red wings. As they fluttered back and forth I could see glimpses of orange that made my wings look as if they're on fire. Fully spread my wings were longer than my arms.
"Whoa.. This is amazing!" I say in excitement.
"Glad you like them. Now take a look around." Flay says.
"I don't see anything… It all looks normal to me." I say as I look at my surroundings.
"Just let your mind relax and close your eyes and count to three take a deep breath and…" she pauses as I follow her steps, "okay open your eyes now and take a look around." She says.
I slowly ease my eyes open and start to look around. I see things in an odd new way. I feel free and relaxed. I soon hear a noise in the woods. I flap my wings and in the blink of an eye I was off flying towards the woods. I see familiar dirty blonde hair. I land in front of a scattered row of bushes. I use my hands to slowly make an opening to walk through. Then I recognize the dirty blonde boy. It was Tristan.
"Tristan!" I say so excited I latterly shot up in the air like a rocket.
"Ella? Is that you?" asks Tristan looking around.
"behind you." I say as I walk towards Tristan. "Are you okay?" I say as I crouch down beside him.
"Yeah. I'm alright. Are you okay?" He says as he is turning to look at me.
"Yeah I'm good." I say. "Hey, notice anything different about me?"
"No, why?" He asks.
"What about now?" I ask spreading out my new wings.
"Whoa! You have.. You have wings!" He replies in astonishment.
"Yes. Yes I do. Do you like them?" I say as I'm flying a few graceful feet into the air.
"Yeah! This is amazing. I wish I had wings too and like powers and stuff like you do…" He says.
"Hold on one second." I say as I fly back to the main path. "Hey Flay, I have three wishes right?"
"Yes. You also had wings before I gave them to you but you just didn't know about this world unseen" she replied.
"I did? Really? Wow… I feel slow. Anyways, I have a friend, his name is Tristan. Tristan King. Well, I wish he had wings and powers like I do." I say straight forward.
"Okay." She says as she snaps her fingers three times.
Seconds later Tristan comes walking out to us with wings out stretched. He had Fiery wings like I did but they were orange. His wings were a little bigger than mine. He looked partially confused in a way.
"Tristan! You have wings!" I say in excitement.
"I do?" he asks looking behind him.
"Yes, and your eyes are fiery red too!" I exclaimed.
"They are? Your eyes are a fiery red too! Your wings are beautiful too." He says.
"Thanks!" I say starting to float a few feet in the air.
"Having wings are great and all but how do I fly?" He asked.
"Just flap your wings and think of freedom and flying" I say.
He closes his eyes takes a deep breath. He thinks to himself freedom flying, freedom flying. Freedom flying… He begins to flap his wings gently. First three feet into the air then five, ten, fifteen, twenty, and so on. I fly up to him then.
"So you like your wings?" I ask.
"Yes I do!" He says as he opens his eyes flying there suspended in midair with me.
"Well I'm glad you do." I say as I head down toward the ground again.
I lightly land on the soft earth and begin to walk north. Flay walking beside me to my left. Tristan flew down beside me to my right but I just continue walking. Tristan and I are looking around examining everything in our path. I notice a dark building on the side of an enormous mountain in the distance. It had an uneasy theme to it. It looked to be a palace. Dark storm clouds gathered above the eerie building.
Closer and closer it grew as we walked north out of the dense green woods. I felt a cool breeze hit my face. The dark palace looked more terrifying and bigger with every step closer we took.
"This is where we depart. You may explore if you'd like. I'm warning you though; the dark palace up there on the black mountains is a horrible place. It is where the dark wizard abides." Said Flay.
"That's a dark palace? Why is it there? Is there really a dark wizard that lives there?" I ask.
"Yes it is the dark palace and yes there is a dark wizard but, I do not know how or why the palace is there. All I know about it is the ruler is a cruel sick evil man. He is the dark ruler of this world. We have been waiting for heroes to come and save us from the evil wizard for eternities. The palace has been there for centuries before my time" She says finally pausing for a breath.
Before I could say anymore she was gone. I turn to Tristan with a look of worry in my eyes but trying to hide it with a smile on my face. I look down and begin to think to myself blocking out every surrounding. Where do we go now? What do we do now? Where's Hayley?What's going to happen next?
I come back to reality when I trip over a stick. I didn't realize the red and orange in my hair until the breeze came by again and blew my hair in my face again. Tristan, offering me a hand up was playfully laughing at my fall. I turn down his help and pull myself up, looking at him with annoyance. I again brush off my jeans that are now slightly stained at the knees from grass.
"I didn't mean to laugh… sorry." He said.
"It's fine." I say as I turn away.
"Ella, are you okay though?" He asks.
"Sure." I say partially annoyed.
Tristan loves to make me laugh and be an idiot so he went running and fake fell to attempt to make me laugh. It worked. I always wonder why and how that boy makes me laugh all the time. Well anyways, what am I talking about? I know where this is going to end up. I always become best friends with people and a year later they rather move or hate me. It's a very sad thing to grow close to someone then, BAM, a broken heart. I grow attached to people fast and easily.
"Ha ha." I say as I walk over to him and give him a hand up.
"Ha. Thanks." He says accepting my hand up.
"That palace keeps calling me, in a way. Do you know what I mean?" I ask.
"Yeah, I know exactly what you mean." He says.
"I got an idea!" I say.
"What is your idea?" he asks excitedly.
"We can practice our powers and our flying and actually go explore, and maybe go explore the dark palace…" I say letting my voice trail off.
"Believe it or not I had the same idea but, I was wanting to ask you if you wanted too later.." He says.
"Sure," I say excitedly, "I love adventures!"
"Me too!" He says in return with an excited smile.
"We start our training tomorrow." I say.
"Yes but, we should get some sleep. It is getting late." He says.
"We don't have anything for tents or sleeping bags." I say.
"True. We can take leaves and put them in piles and make beds to sleep on." He says.
"Okay, works for me." I say.
I start walking into the woods kicking dry leaves along the way making a sort of pile. Tristan walked beside me coping my motions on the other side of the narrow path. Once we got good size piles we lay down and began to gently drift off into a sleep. Around three a.m., according to my watch, I woke up to crisp cold air and crunching of leaves. I stand up abruptly looking around and adjusting myself into a fighting stance.
"Who's there?" I ask sternly.
"Just me." I hear behind me.
"Just who?" I ask before I spin around and see Tristan. I instantly drop the fighting stance.
"Hi there, just me, no need to get swingy." He says jokingly.
"Oh, it's you." I say smiling.
"Why? Were you expecting someone better?" He asked playfully.
"Sure was! Ha. Ha. I'm just kidding." I say continuing the playful mood.
"Well, you can go back to sleep if you'd like I was just checking to make sure everything is okay." He says.
"You can sleep; I'll stay up a little bit and keep watch." I say.
"Okay but wake me if anything happens. I don't care how small the problem is." He says as he lies down on the bed of leaves.
I zip up my red jacket, trying to stay warm. I sit in the leaves next to Tristan with my legs pretzel style. He just drifts off to sleep in the leaves. I wonder how he is not cold or if he is just good at hiding the fact that he was. I take some of the leaves and lay them on him knowing they won't really act as a blanket but hopefully it least a small shield against the cold. As I gather leaves on and around him I see a faint smile start to grow on his face. In my head, There, I hope he is warm and okay.
At about six or so Tristan wakes up and gives me the okay. I lay in the already warmed bed of leaves and drift off to sleep, though I could feel myself shivering I tuff it out and fall asleep. It must be a little over forty degrees. I feel another warm layer on me. A jacket already warmed. I stop shivering, I wanted to object to his offering but I was already asleep. About an hour later I woke up and saw him sitting right beside me, I sat up and was greeted by him throwing his arms around me.
"Well, good morning sunshine." He says.
"Morning…" I say.
"We should get ready… We need to get something to eat if we are going to start training." He says with enthusiasm.
" Agreed." I say as I stand up.
"What would we eat though?" he asks.
"I don't know. I saw a berry bush down the path a while ago." I say.
"Sounds good to me." He replies.
We begin walking down the familiar path once again. After a good fifteen to twenty minutes of walking get to we bush of berries. Bushes actually, there's a blueberry bush, a raspberry bush, and a strawberry bush. I'm thinking to myself, I really wish I had my messenger bag right now… In the blink of an eye I had my red and orange messenger bag. Perfect! I think.
"Whoa! How did you do that?" He asks in amazement.
"I don't really know…" I say letting my voice trail off.
"Anyways let's get some berries to eat." He says as he's beginning to pick the ripe and plump berries.
While picking berries my jacket kept getting caught on thorns. I filled a plastic Kroger bag, which was in my messenger bag, with berries of all types. The sharp and pointed thorns seemed to have fingers that kept clutching my arms and legs. A thick thorn tore a small hole in my jacket. The thorn pricked my skin and blood began to drip through my jacket sleeve.
"Ouch!" I say while pulling my jacket sleeve back.
"what happened?" He asks.
"Stupid thorns. I swear they hate me!" I say. I pull out a tissue from my orange and red bag and wipe the blood on my arm.
"Let me see," he says taking a gentle hold on my arm, "eh… not that bad." He rubs his hand over the point where the thorn had attacked my arm and all signs of a scratch was gone.
"How…?" I asked, completely dumbfounded.
"I have no idea!" He says trying to have a German accent.
"Ha. Ok then. Well, thank you." I say still partially in shock.
"No problem, though I really don't know how I did that." He says.
I pull my jacket sleeve back down and the hole and what little blood that was on it disappeared. Though I am completely shocked I go on picking berries, eating a few as I go along. Tristan followed me along the narrow path, picking berries as he went along too. After about an half hour of picking berries we sit down for a few minutes and ate the extra berries we picked that wouldn't fit in our bag.
"Well we should start training soon." I say standing up as I brush off my jeans.
Chapter 4(The Training Begins)
I grab my bag and extend a hand to help Tristan up. Tristan denies my hand up and stands up himself. We begin walking out into the open again; I spread my wings and begin to hover a few feet into the air. I crack my fingers and take a deep breath. I look over to Tristan, who is still on the ground and I circle him.
"Well are you coming?" I ask teasing. "I mean I am new to this too."
"Yes, but I want to wait for you to try and do some things first because I want to be here in case you need me." He says.
"I'll be fine; you need your training too." I say as I land beside him.
"Fine, then I will race you!" He replies with a smirk.
"It's on!" I say competitively as I rise into the air.
Tristan rises into the air beside me. "One… Two… Three… GO!" As soon as the words had left my lips we were off, Tristan in the lead. My heart is pounding, wings flapping as fast as they could go I rocket past Tristan. I start to feel a slight burning sensation but I continue to fly. Seconds later I realize I am once again behind Tristan but, he never passed me I fly ahead of him once more than land immediately. Suddenly flames engulfed me but, I was fine. Tristan stopped and landed in front of me, staring in awe. I am guessing I looked confused because he walks over to me and puts a hand on my shoulder, "What's wrong?"
"You're faster than I thought. I didn't even see you pass me. One minute you were behind me and the next your right in front of me." I say starting to sway from side to side, "I feel dizzy, I should sit down." I say as I collapse.
"Here sit down," he says sitting down right beside me, "You're faster than me! You passed me a few seconds ago." Tristan says in partial disbelief.
"Really?" I ask.
"Yes. You must have gone all the way around, well what ever this place is." He says as he rubs my shoulder.
"Well, I may have. As I was flying I felt a haze and slight fire sensation then I felt like I was lost but yet I knew where I was going." I say as I am repositioning myself so I don't fall over.
"Yeah, when you passed me I saw some flames and sparks then you were gone. Seconds later you passed me again." He said as he put his arm around my back to support me.
"Really? That's odd." I say leaning against him.
"Do you need to lie down?" He asks trying to hide his concern.
"No, I am fine." I say sitting back up.
"You're super fast! I can't believe it, how fast you went. I mean it's inhuman." Tristan says excitedly.
"Well, technically I am not human anymore." I say with smirk.
"I guess you're right," he laughs.
I reach into my bag and grab a few berries to munch on. I hand a few of the delicate, delicious berries. The flavor of the juices on my tongue was enough to make me want to eat even more, but I hold off. The burning sensation has finally worn off, though I feel warm to the touch.
"Are you sure you're okay? I mean your cheeks seem really rosy and you still seem over heated." He asks as he places a hand on my forehead.
"Yeah, I'm fine, though some cool water would be nice." I half croak out. My throat seems to be getting dryer by the minute, besides the juice the berries produced wasn't enough to quench my thirst.
"I'll go and look for some water, you stay here. It's not good to over-exert yourself." He says as he pats me on the back then stands.
"I'm fine. I'll come with you." I insist as I unsteadily take a stand.
"Are you sure?" He asks with a concerned tone. He reaches an arm around me to help me steady.
"I-I'm fine." I insist once more. I stumble around until he insists on helping me walk.
"I don't think you are, but if you insist, you can come on one condition. Stay by my side, I don't want you to get hurt." He pressures.
I nod my head. Tristan keeps his arm around me as we walk into the woods. It is a great relief to be out of the blazing sun and into the cool comfort of the shade. After a few minutes I am able to shake the dizzy spell and I don't need Tristan to help me keep balance. He insists on keeping his arm around me though, which I don't really mind.
After about a half hour of walking we came to a slender stream. There was nothing to hold the cool water in so, I cup my hands, get down on a knee and capture what water I can in my hands. I finally get a drink. I sip the refreshing water and it cools off my throat. I wipe some of the cool water on my forehead helping me cool off. I let out a sigh of relief.
I sit down, take of my sox and shoes and let my feet break the surface of the stream. I lay down with my feet still in the stream. "Ah…" It felt so peaceful being out here in the woods listening to the cool stream ease its way along. Tristan lies down beside me. "Feel better?"
"Yeah, very much. Thanks." I answer lazily.
"Just let me know when you are ready to continue training, meanwhile I'll make us something to hold water," says Tristan.
"I let you know. I'll be ready," a yawn interrupts my sentence, "in a few minutes." I say stretching.
"You sure you seem tired. Rest and eat a little bit, if we are going to continue our training you'll need your rest and energy." He says giving me a pat on the back. "I want a rematch later."
I respond with a laugh and I reach in my bag for a few more berries. About a good ten minutes later I am ready to go and I am wide awake. I hop up on my feet and walk around a little looking for Tristan. I find him weaving long grass and leaves together. "What are you making?" I ask curiously.
"Just making something to hold water. It's going to be like a basket or something." He replies with a smile.
I sit down next to him, slip my sox and shoes back on and help him weave baskets out of the grass and leaves. After about an hour we have three hand woven baskets. I empty my bag of various berries into one basket, Tristan fills the other with water, the third one I use to gather wood for a fire if needed. Once the baskets are filled Tristan pulls out two grass-weaved mats for us to lay on. They are about four or five inches thick and surprisingly comfortable. I stretch out, and breathe in the cool air. It's about one p.m. now.
Tristan and I stand, "our next course, agility," I say. Tristan is already hovering in the air. I rise up beside him. "Just remember, this isn't a race." I tell him. Since we are in the middle of the woods, dodging trees, bushes, and animals will be great practice. "One…Two…Three…GO!" We take off.
Rapidly swerving left and right and down and up. I pass more berry-filled bushes. I see many new unseen animals. I fly past the boundaries off the woods and I land. I see Tristan come out of the woods seconds later. He lands next to me. "Are you okay?" He asks. I just look at him in confusion.
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"You're bleeding. Look at your arm and you have a scratch on your face." He says, reaching for my hand.
I look at my arm and sure enough, there's a streak of blood. " I must have hit a thorn bush or something because I felt something sharp hit me." I say as I try to blot it with a leaf.
"Here let me-"I cut him off. "I'm okay." I insist.
"Come on. Just let me heal your scratch." He insists.
"I'm fine." I turn to walk away and then my scratch is healed. "Tristan I told you I-" I stop in shock. In front of me an old man. He is wearing a dark black robe and a wizard hat. The old man has a long white-gray beard. He has night-black eyes too.
"Hello, miss. I don't think we've met. I am-" The old man starts.
"You're the dark wizard." I finish for him.
"Why, yes, yes I am." He replies, " and I want you to came with me." Then comes a puff of black smoke and the wizard and I are gone.
Chapter 5 (A rescue)
I open my eyes to new surroundings. I am in a dark cool room. I let my eyes adjust to the new area. This room seems to be a dungeon. My mouth is taped shut. My hands are tied together and so are my feet, though my wings are free. I twist and turn and manage to free a hand from the tightly-knotted rope. I untie my feet and do a fake knot to 'tie' my feet together in case someone comes. I hear a weak coughing and a voice that I vaguely recognize. "H-Hayley?" I mumble remembering that my mouth is taped shout. I untapped my mouth, "Hayley? Is that you?" A weak cry then a response to my question. "Ella!" I knew right there, it was Hayley.
I stand up swaying side-to-side, remembering that my feet are tied together. I get down on my hands and knees and craw to the direction the familiar voice came from. I look up to an unmistakably pale figure, but it wasn't the Hayley I knew. She had this… dead smell to her, she was usually pale but not this pale, and she has… fangs. I stare in awe, "What the," my voice trails off. "I don't know what or how this happened." She coughed. I sit up beside her. "I don't honestly know what happened either."
I take a deep breath in frustration, "I don't know how this will end." I slump against the wall and burry my face in my hands. The door cracks open and a furry creature that's half human steps in, "You. Fairy girl, you're coming with me." I turn away. The sinter picks me up, throws me over his shoulder without hesitation, and grumpily walks out of the room. He slams and then locks the big iron door.
While slung over the sinter's shoulder, I untapped my mouth. I slip my hands out of the rope and slowly begin to burn with fire. The sinter drops me and I land on my feet and the rope becomes undone. My eyes are glowing bright red as the sinter backs away slowly; I fly as fast as I can through the hallway, until I'm tangled in a net. The dark wizard steps out from behind the corner with a smile on his rugged old face. I glare at him. The net begins to catch fire and I manage to free myself, until the wizard captures me in some kind of magical restraints. "You're not going anywhere." He says with a smirk, "Who are you anyways?" "Why would I tell you?" I say in disgust. "I want to know so that way I can.." his voice trails off and I hear Hayley scream. "Oh-no, Hayley! What's going on?" I demand. "Oh, so you know her? Here's a deal-"I cut him off, "I'd never make a deal with some one that's evil." "I was going to say, I will let her go if you are willing to help me." He finishes. I look at him disgustedly, "with what?" "I need your magic, to take something from the goddesses of the sun and moon." He says. "What for?" I ask. "I need something that belongs to me. That's all you need to know." The wizard says taking a deep breath. "Fine, on one condition, you set Hayley free." "Okay, I'll even sign a paper if I have to." He says with a sigh of relief.
I am released from the magic restraints than I am handed a paper and a quill pen. I read the paper fully, it states that if I agree to give up my powers momentarily for him to get the unknown object from the goddesses and He'll let Hayley go if I sign and agree. I scribble down my name, Ella Marie Cole. Now, I am being forced back into the cell, Hayley is gone, and I'm alone. I lie down, and sob myself to sleep, because I'm pretty sure this wont end well.
Meanwhile, Hayley is making her way down the mountain side. Once to the ground she runs to the woods. She hits somebody that is frantic. "Hey watch where you're-"Tristan cuts off, "Hayley?" "Yes. It's me, we NEED to help Ella." She signed away her powers for me and she's in danger. The dark wizard has her held captive in an iron cell." She pauses to take a breath, "She gave up her powers and quite possibly her life."
Tristan takes a step back and looks in disbelief. "What are we going to do? How are we going to save her?" He looks as if he is losing color, his mind trailing off, thinking to himself. What am I going to do? How can I help her? Is there anyone who can help me save her? At the moment came a new thought, What's her name… Flay? Flash? Flare! Her name's Flare! Now, how do I get her to help me? Tristan begins shouting a name, "FLARE! FLARE, I NEED YOUR HELP!" Hayley just stares in confusion. A glowing ball of fire appears in front of Tristan, it's Flare. "You called?" asks Flare in a tired tone. "Yes, Ella needs help, here talk to Hayley, she knows more than I do." He says, sighing with relief. "Hayley?" asks Flare in confusion. "That would be me." Says the voice behind her. Flare turns and is greeted by Hayley. They exchange names with each other and Hayley explains what has happened while Tristan goes back into the woods for the baskets of supplies that He and Ella had gathered.
Tristan returns, arranging the sleeping pads weaved out of grass and placed the baskets by a tree, all hidden behind a barrier of bushes. "So figured anything out?" Asks Tristan, walking out from the newly set up camp. "Well, Ella is in major trouble for sure," starts Flare, "If we don't rescue her soon, she's as good as gone." Tristan stared in disbelief, "Please tell me you're kidding." "If only I was. There is nothing I can do, except give you a boost of magic and hope that it is enough to help you save her, I as an actual fairy, cannot enter the dark castle." She says sadly. "Okay, I guess. I'll do anything to save her though, I- I mean she's my best friend." He corrects himself.
Meanwhile, I sit alone still in the iron cage. With no windows I cannot estimate time. I'm in complete darkness still. Cold and hungry. I'm terrified that I'm going to die. Most of all, I'm scared I'll die alone. I curl up against a wall, holding my knees against my chest, trying to hold in heat. I close my eyes and relax some, then begin to glow with a warm fire, lighting up a terrifying image. Bodies of past prisoners chained to walls, blood dry and stained on the ground and walls, and a nest of rats in the far corner. I don't bother to move, because it's no use. I just lie there.
Tristan slams his fist into a tree with fury. Hayley walks up behind him, "Are you okay?" "No. No, I'm not okay." Tristan answers in frustration. He slumps down and lays his head in his hands. "We can save her." Hayley says comfortingly. "HOW! HOW CAN WE!" A black storm cloud brews over the castle. "We are probably too late now." She says. Tristan shoots up into the air, "We have to save her, I lo- I mean, we have to do something!" Hayley straightens out, "Okay."
The dark wizard enters my cell with a wooden staff with a type of crystal sphere on the top. He taps it on the ground twice, I sit up lazily. A magic constraint conceals me and he teleports me to some kind of layer where he practices magic, or attacks and kills innocent souls. I take a deep breath in the thick and muggy air. The room is lit with torches, the walls are cement, there are test-tubes of various sizes scattered around the room, and A metal table-bed with straps; I know this is where I'm going. I'm slammed down onto the freezing cold table, the straps levitate up and around me, holding me still.
Tristan flies full speed upward towards the dark castle. He makes it past the force field then lands, staying low and close to the wall trying to avoid being spotted. The guards sleepily stand watch at the front entrance. Tristan rummages around in his pocket, looking for his pocket knife, nothing. "Just great" He whispers to himself.
I lay still on the cold metal bed, trying not to imagine what is coming for me next. The wizard touches my forehead with the staff, and all I see is orange, red, and yellow smoke starting to escape my body. My eyes begin to close and I'm losing strength. I hear the wizard evil laugh and him whisper the evil words, "And your friends are next."
Tristan bolts past the guards, flying full speed, knocking the guards to the ground. They stand and turn on there heels to chase but he's gone. Tristan searches room to room, passing a mirror but then realizing, "Whoa.. I can't see myself," he says in a hushed tone, "probably best that way." He continues to search.
I twist and turn, struggling to gain freedom of the unkind leather straps confining me. My eyes will not open, I'm not able to make completely audible speech but I manage a scream. The door slams open, though I cannot see, I know it's Tristan. I mouth his name, not being able to make any noise accept the struggling scratches on the table of me trying to free myself. He grabs my hand, "Ella, are you alright?" Tristan becomes visible again. Before I can even try to speak I hear the staff again. He uses the other to un-strap the straps. I'm to weak to move anymore, I'm losing all my color, the color of my skin is turning gray, my hair is turning black, even my clothes are losing color. I try to stand but almost fall to the floor when Tristan catches me. The Wizard steps out.
"Hello." He says with a grim smile. I hear the staff and Tristan's hand slips away from mine. "TRISTAN!" I manage to scream. Tristan is constrained and held against the wall. I stop breathing, lay back, and fall completely silent. Life escapes with my power. All I hear before complete and total darkness is my name, but not from Tristan.
Chapter 6 (The need for hope.)
The familiar voice belongs to none other than, Hayley. "Tristan? El?" She rushes over to me on the floor. "Ella?" no response. "ELLA?" Again, no response. She leaves me on the floor and rushes over to help Tristan down off the wall. Stamp. Stamp. Hayley turns and is once again greeted by the evil wizard. Tristan is standing beside Hayley now, but something unexpected happens. The undead begins to rise. Tristan rushes over and picks me up, still gone to the world. Zombies begin to crowd us. "Any last words?" Asks the wizard. "Yes." Says Hayley, "I-I command you to stop!" The wizard laughs, but the zombies do stop in their tracks. "What are you doing!" demands the wizard, choking back his shock. "I command you to attack them." He continues.
The zombies turn and face the wizard. One of the undead minions began to speak in a slurred half understandable speech, "We are done being your slave. You killed too many innocents! We shall get our revenge. We will stand!" The wizard takes a step forward and his staff glows black. Some zombies begin to attack, some fight back with our defenders. Tristan sits me down in the corner and some how congers up a protective shield around me. He begins glowing fire and jumps into the fight. Some zombies begin to surround me, the shield begins to break. "ELLA!" Tristan rushes back over to me and stands in front of me still burning with fire. Hayley steps in, "I COMMAND YOU TO STOP!" Her voice is loud and demonic. Everyone in the room freezes, accept the wizard whom is bloody and on the ground with the undead feasting on him. "I am Hayley, if you can understand me raise your right arm." She says slowly, allowing a pause for responses. Everyone in the room raises there right arm. "Okay, I want you to leave them," pointing to Tristan and I, "alone. They are good people. Also I want you to leave all good and innocent beings alone." The room is still silent.
The zombies begin to walk forward, they pick up Hayley. In coughs and slurred voices they chant her name, "Hayley! Hayley! Hayley!" The give her a cape that has a pentacle on it, which is a star inside a circle. The symbol represents her religion of Paganism. Each point represents one of the five elements, earth, fire, wind, water, and spirit. She closes her eyes and whispers "Thank, the God and Goddess."
Her religion, Paganism, is very interesting. There is no devil, nor do they believe in one in their religion. There is a God and a goddess. Their religion is not based off Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Their religion actually came before them. They have some of their own holidays. Their holidays are called Esbats and Sabbats. Their perspective of spells and magic is different from most peoples, it's a form of prayer.
Tristan picks me up. I'm not breathing. I lay in his arms limp and lifeless, I cannot speak, open my eyes or breathe, but I can feel, and what I do feel is a tear on my cheek that is not my own. Tristan, every day we've ever spent together, all of our memories flood my mind. Even the day I told Hayley that I like Tristan, a lot. I feel fresh air brush against my face. Then a big rush and I'm laying on a pad, made of grass. I still feel his arm around me, I cannot move or say anything so I just lay there, I feel a few more tears on the back of my neck, I want to tell him I'm okay but I cannot do anything. I'm not necessarily dead, but I'm in some kind of half-life still bound to my body. I hear a small click on the back of my neck and a chain is now resting around my neck. Tristan's lips press against my cheek, and he whispers in my ear, "I love you." My eyes shoot open, I have a slow breathing rate but I'm alive. The fact that he likes me back, the way that I've liked him for a long time, makes me the happiest person, alive.
I turn to face Tristan, his eyes are closed, tears slowly streaming down his face. I press my lips against his, "I love you too." I say as I lay my head on his chest, listening to his steady heart beat. His hand slips into mine. I don't object. I fall asleep in his arms, I escape to a world of peace, this time having someone to hold with me.
In the morning, I wake up a few minutes before Tristan, so I examine the new necklace that now lives around my neck. It's a bright red ruby, shaped like flames, dangling from a simple chain. I love it. I'm sitting up on the edge of the pad and am startled by Tristan's arm wrapping around me. "Good morning." He says, then plants a kiss on my cheek. "Good morning." I reply. "Here have some berries." I say as I'm handing him a few. "So apparently Hayley is the ruler of the undead and dark creatures though she is good?" I ask. "Yes. How'd you know?" He curiously asks. "I could hear everything, and feel everything." I reply, laying my head on his shoulder.
Flay appears in front of us. The goddesses would like to speak with you too. In an instant we are teleported to a clean, new looking castle. "Hello. I am the goddess of the sun or day and this," She says as she grabs a younger girl's hand, "is the goddess of the night." She finishes. "I'm Ella." I say, bowing politely. "I'm Tristan." "I know all too well who you are, thanks to Flay." "Is that a good thing?" I ask nervously. "Yes. I am doing one thing for you now." "What is it?" I ask. "Bringing you back to reality." She replies.
My mind races, that can mean no more Tristan and I. Hayley won't have her minions. I'll be all alone. "You can't!" I object. Tristan embraces me in his arms and pulls me in close, "Remember, no matter what happens, I'll still love you." He finishes his words with a kiss. There's a bright flash, then darkness. I hear a beeping monitor and familiar voices. My eyes crack open, I see none-other-than Tristan on the foot of my hospital bed, eyes shut, asleep. He's the only one here. "Tristan?" His eyes shoot open, "Oh my god, Ella! You're okay!" He says hugging me so hard I swear I could black out. "Take it easy. So, what happened?" I ask curiously. "Well, you fell down the stairs at school, you went into a coma. I almost- I mean we almost lost you. I was so scared." His face is turning red.
I see something flicker behind him. Wings. He has wings. I close and rub my eyes just to make sure I'm not imagining it. I'm not. I look down, the red ruby flame necklace is around my neck. It's all true. I throw my arms around Tristan's neck, giving him the biggest hug my strength would allow, "I lo- I love you." I whisper shyly in his ear. He pulls me in, holds me one arm around my back, one on the back of my head, and presses his lips against mine, "I love you too."