Chapter 1: Locked in My Own Mind

I'm running…through an unknown location, but from what I can tell, it's an abandoned field with miles and miles of dry landscape. It seemed as though there was a building at the end of the endless field. My feet are flaming up, a sign that I'm running like I've never ran before. As I reach the building the door opens showing an enormous amount of light, causing me to avert my eyes to the field; a dark shadow was devouring all of the land at a rapid pace close to my feet. I'm about to fall when a pair of strong arms grabs me, and save me from the hungry hole. I turn to thank the man when he disappears into the light with a single arm out, for me to take or not.

"The choice is yours," the man says as his arm starts to disappear into the light. Without skipping a beat, I join the mysterious man into the light bright world of…

I wake up to my alarms plain buzzing ring. I slam my fist on the snooze and roll back into the itchy but thick sheets and try to find out whom that mystery man was and what that amazing beam of light was. Seeing that there was no use I roll out of bed and get in the shower, and start my morning routine and take a 40 minute shower. I get to washing my face and combing out my hair when I hear a knock at the door.

"Who is it? I say as I wrestle with a knot in my hair.

"Vay, can I come in?" she replies with a hint of exasperation in her voice.

I smile; I rarely smile anymore except for around my sister. Ever since she was born my father took us to the overlords fortress to be raised in the ways of evil, I was taught smiling in joy is a waste of my mouth muscles. It's why no one smiles, unless it's for evil purposes, but that doesn't stop my sister and me from doing it.

Princess Vanessa-Evangeline Rose Dragon: Savior of the Dragons—smiles ever since she was born she had a beautiful smile that everyone, even father loved, which she got from Mom. My smile fades. Stupid Miranda, moms not here, she died protecting you, your sister, and your brother. Tears. I haven't seen my brother since he decided evil was not his path; he got accepted into New Hartsville University of Science, a very beneficial college for science, but I miss him. So does my sister, and my father, despite what he says.

"Come in!" I say as my sister barges in the bathroom and jumps in the shower.

"Father, sent a message to us individually, yours should be next to your desk. I step out of the bathroom so I can check the message Father sent me in a neatly folded paper reads:

DEAR DAUGHTER,

I posted your schedule outside on what you must accomplish today, it's CRUCIAL to plan N.A.D. I need you and Vanessa to be in the dining hall before 10 a.m. we're having hot waffles! Your favorite!

Love you,

Dad.

I throw the piece of paper away as I decide on what I want to wear, especially considering the big day I have planned ahead of me. I sigh, remembering that I have to put on a silky lojing black dress to impress a guy I don't even want to date, much less want to consider as a potential husband. Tomorrow I will graduate from college, I go to Yale, and so my dad will lock me back in this horrible academy to find a husband, work as a computer hacker person, and have kids here. The worst thing is my new "boyfriend" will hurt my relationship with my sister. We are two peas in a pod, as they say, I'm like a mother to her since ours died and she provides me with reassurance and fun sister stuff. We also have to share the same room and bathroom, resulting to dilemmas like…

"Did you have to use all the hot water!? I have nothing but coldness left, literally! I see little icicles on my skin forming! You sucked the cold warmth from the cold water! I promise Miranda Liavetica…" I cut her off.

"Shut you're complaining and I'll do your hair!" Vanessa-Evangeline shuts up. She loves it when I do her hair, and I know that, I use it to my advantages.

I put my focus back onto my clothes. I settle to my *dark red shirt. I put on my black skinny jeans and red and black combat boots. I shrug my friends black leather jacket on as I apply lava-red lipstick on.* I get a tap on my shoulder and turn to see my sister in **black cargo pants, black platform boots, and a black tank-top** that shows her muscles.

"Can you do my hair now?" she asks. I look at the clock 9:25 we don't have much time.

"Sure." I reply as I start doing her hair into a **fishtail braided bun**. When I finish I do a *ponytail* on my own hair and leave the hair near my sideburns out I'm about to leave when Vanessa-Evangeline screams.

"Its 9:58!" at this we both sprint to the dining hall as fast as we can until I see Andrew.

Andrew Parks has been flirting with me forever, and it's not until recently I am forced to flirt back since he's my potential husband… and the older brother of my little sisters crush, Anderson Parks. Andrew picks me up and kisses my cheek just to brag into my sisters' face that he can have me but his brother can't have her. One of the many reasons I secretly hate him.

"Miranda you can flirt with your boyfriend later, right now we need to get to the dining hall now" Vanessa grabs my hand and breaks me from Andrews grasp. She does it with excess force and I can tell she wants to punch him right in the jaw line, and I wouldn't stop her.

"I'll see you later, baby." I hear him say as I continue to run. We bust into the dining hall at exactly 10 a.m. to find the last expected thing.

The ninja.

*Miranda's outfit

*Vanessa-Evangeline's outfit*