Disclaimer: I do not own Avalon. Rachel Roberts dose.
Writer's Note: This is a sequel to 'Moving on…or Running Away?' You can find the first story displayed on my account. I suppose you could read this first but it won't make as much sense. GSF
Chapter One: Burying the Past
The sun dipped low under Wizard's Crossing in the west, dying the trees leaves purple and the sandy dirt orangey pink. I, Astrella, ducked into my small cave near the back of the Island. Night was coming and it was time to leave. I'm a fourteen year old girl, living near the gates of Avalon. I don't know my real parents but Avalon Elementals raised me. They raised me as a baby then disappeared when I was old enough to handle myself.
I sat on my stone quilt covered bed, the palm leaf mattress softening my seat. I sighed as I cast deep blue eyes around, looking longing at my empty home. There was a simple desk across from me, made from two carved pieces of driftwood and a slab of stone. A palm tree stump made a stool. My bed was a natural self of rock in the cavern but quiet comfortable. Natural selves were in the back and a colored glass window hung glittering in last rays of day from the whole in the cave top. A pack was by my feet and a crystalline sword and black dragon scale armor lay on the floor. They were ominous reminders of my past adventure. In a forgotten timeline I had been Astra, the Multi Mage working at Ravenswood. In that timeline I had been called at fourteen to replace the mages when they ran away, attempting to live normal lives. I had lived four years, working at Ravenswood with Gran and protecting Aldenmore. Not to mention the Fairy Realms with Zach, Lorren and Marlin to help. I had used my amazing ability to be a Warrior, Blazing Star and Healer to defeat Snake Man, the Spider Witch and Dark Sorceress. Things were going fine and the Mage's returned unsure why they had left the magic in the first place. I soon found that something wasn't right and it turned out Snake Man and the other two had been controlling the girl's thoughts. Slowly scaring them away from magic and changing the whole line of reality.
I ran a hand through my beautiful long bronze hair as I remembered it all. I had stopped Snake Man but at a cost. Having found the source of power I used Time Mage magic to open a portal to the past. But in going through and destroying the source I had erased all memories of the past four years from the Web's minds. And worst of all, since I was part of that loop, I could remember it. My friends, Gran, the Preserve and animals…and most of all Zach, no longer remembered me. While my now fourteen year old mind could not picture really, really liking someone my heart still ached for my old friends.
"That's why I have to do this," I said standing up, grabbing the pack and slinging it over my shoulder. Then I picked up the sword and armor and grabbed a shovel. Tramping out into the jungle I found a secluded spot and began my work. As deeper twilight settled I looked at my finial work, and then placed a stone on top, words chiseled into its smooth surface.
Here lies Astra, the Warrior Mage.
Died 2010, age 17.
She sacrificed herself for the Web.
It may seem weird to bury my warrior garb and place my nick name upon it. But for me this was a way to lay down the past and take on a new future as well as a new nick name. Sure I may need my arms again someday but for now I would leave them behind. They would be easy enough to summon if wanted.
"Farewell Astra, rest in peace." With that I returned to the Shore's of Avalon and watched the moon rise for the last time.
*Are you ready Astrella?* Stardust's voice, my Paladin rang in my mind. Standing I turned to see the black scaled and white main of the unicorn-like creature. Stardust was a Dracorn, an exotic mixture of unicorn and dragon, maybe the only one of her kind. She had a shimmering white horn, glowing in the moonlight and a snow white main and tail. But instead of a normal coat she had black dragon scales and dragon wings.
"Just give me a moment Stardust." I reached for the dragon claw around my neck the colors shifting inside gray smoke. Then closing my eyes I thought of waves and waterfalls. Of warm summer days and calm winter evenings. I didn't notice the magic slowly forming around me. Rainbow colors floated out of my gem like smoke and swirled around me and Stardust like a dust storm. My thoughts turned to the animals, their pain and suffering, of their courage when faced by danger. I remembered what it felt like to heal them. To feel their pain, to fight the darkness, the worry I might lose…the joy when I won. Then suddenly magic burst out of us bleaching out all else for a second. The girl and Dracorn had been transformed. Being a Multi Mage I was able to use almost any kind of mage magic once I mastered it. Once mastering it I would take on certain forms. Two for each magic, one for extreme mage magic the other more human, simply blending in. Now I had chosen my human Healer form.
I opened now baby blue eyes and blew back light brown hair. I was still tall but slouched a bit and still beautiful but it was hidden behind my hair. It was still my face but soften, with lighter lip color and my summer tan faded. Stardust was changed as well, once dark scales shone like white stars and glorious wings stretched from her sides. Now her main and tail were dark as night but her horn shone crystalline clear as day.
"Call me 'Ella.' And yes, now we are ready."
*I will drop you off at Earth, somewhere that magic roams,* replied my Paladin.