THE ETERNITY SERIES:

Book One:

Chapter One: Sheffield Institute

Up in the Fortress of Candracar…

"These girls, Oracle?" Tibor asked.

"Yes," the Oracle replied, holding six pictures in his hand. "These five girls, Tibor."

"But, Oracle… I see six girls." Tibor said.

"One of these will betray the others," Oracle said. "And the other five will remain."

Tibor nodded in silence. The Fortress was still, and no one spoke another word.

Later in the day, Sheffield Institute.

Vinva sighed as she walked through the courtyard of her new school. She hated it already, this Sheffield Institute. She tilted her head towards the sky. The puffy white clouds drifted along, and a butterfly floated by, lazily gliding in the breeze. It was a nice summer day, and nobody really noticed Vinva, the new girl, walking along alone, gazing a the blue sky. She imagined she saw things in the clouds that predicted her future. Only until now did she see something she thought mattered: a face… her face. With wings on her back. A full body picture of what looked like Vinva with wings and what seemed longer hair and a bell-sleeved shirt.

Vinva stared, and gasped as she knocked into something.

"Ouch!" somebody cried. Vinva looked up and saw a girl, older than her, but still a girl nonetheless. She had short brown-blonde hair and sideways-diamond glasses, pulled halfway down her nose like reading glasses. She had wild hair, framing her face and therefore balancing her out more. She stood out in her dark colored clothing, and radiated uncaringly toward what people thought of her. She was beautiful, to Vinva.

"Sorry," Vinva mumbled, trying to stumble to her feet. She was surprised when the girl just smiled and offered her hand to help her up. Vinva gratefully grasped the hand she offered and stood.

"Hi," the girl said, and although her eyes were bold, her voice was tiny and shy.

"Hi," Vinva said, just as shy. She gave her a cheesy smile, and the girl just laughed.

"What's your name?" she giggled.

"Um, Vinva," Vinva almost whispered. "Vinva N. Spiral." She twisted a strand of black-red hair around her index finger.

"I'm Kia," the girl, Kia, bowed, which seemed oddly characteristic of her. "Kia E. Pyros."

Vinva giggled. She smiled at Kia, this time more open. Kia smiled back through black lipstick. Vinva turned and looked back up at the sky to see if the picture she had seen was still there, but it was gone. Vinva sighed.

"Hm?" Kia tried to see what Vinva was trying to find in the sky. "What is it?"

Vinva paused, then plastered on a smile and faced Kia. "Nothing," she said. "Just trying to see things in the clouds." Kia nodded, understanding.

"I - " Kia began, but she was cut off by the bell. "…. Have to go!" she quickly finished and rushed off towards her classes. Vinva stood there, still confused about the clouds and Kia and her new school.

"… I should have stayed in Bloomington." She sighed, and, too, rushed off towards the direction of her science class.