Chapter 1
Echo sat feet in the water, poking at the pebble crabs with her bare toes every now and then. She smiled, and basked in the sunlight. Finally, some time away from her evil, six year old cousin, William.
William was two years younger then Echo, and could already fly and use his aura charge. Echo couldn't do either. Her parents said that she might not even get powers, being a cross between a 'Maren and a Nightopian. This gave William all the opportunity he needed to tease her.
"Hey Penguin," William flew over to Echo.
"Don't call me penguin," Echo pouted.
"I could call you Ostridge," William suggested, "Emu, Rode runner, what other flightless birds are there?"
"Stop making fun of me!" Echo bared her fangs, a trait she had inherited from her father.
"What 'cha guna do about it penguin?"
"I'm guna go tell your parents," Echo pulled her pink boots on and walked towards the crystal Castile.
"Oh no," William said in sarcastic worry, "I'm so scared."
William had all the right to be sarcastic.
Because of his father's illness, everyone went easy on him, scared that William was going to spontaneously contract the illness, and William made sure they kept thinking that.
Echo walked up to his uncle and aunts door, and heard struggling.
Her uncle must be lapsing.
Great, she thought, William's going to get away with it, again.
The room beyond went silent. Reala, Echo's father, came out a moment later, looking drained, "oh," he said rubbing his head, "hey, what's wrong, you look irritated."
"William's making fun of me again."
"Right, go talk to his…" Reala looked back into the room, "his mother," he ruffled Echo's bright red hair and went to his room.
Echo entered her uncle and aunt's room.
Enya was sitting on the edge of the bed, stroking her husband's cheek.
Echo cleared her throat, to get her aunts attention. Enya looked up, "oh, hey Echo, what's up?"
"William's making fun of me, again," Echo said, already knowing how her aunt was going to answer.
"Okay, I'll talk to him when I have a chance."
Echo shighed and left.
Matsu circled Echo, who had her eyes screwed shut in concentration.
"Relax Echo," Matsu instructed.
Echo did as she was told.
"Now look inside of your self for the thing that brings you the most joy, allow it to fill you up, feel it making you lighter, lifting you right off the ground."
Echo shighed, and flopped down onto the matted floor, "I quit,"
Matsu sat down next to her, "what's