Chapter 1: Mist's Discovery

Melody awoke just before the early spring Sun was creeping over the hills. She quickly dressed out of her nightgown and into her maroon cloak and hat. As she put up her pink hair in pigtails, she looked out the window at the rest of Kardia Village. Jean and Rosetta were getting their seed shop ready. Leo was already grumbling about something as he was forging a sword. Camus was walking through his field to go milk a cow. Today was just like any other day, she thought with a smile. Suddenly, Tori's brisk footsteps echoed on the cobblestone street. Five seconds later, there was a knock at the wooden door. Melody ran down the stairs to greet her friend. When she opened the door, Tori's face was more anxious and her breathing was heavy. Melody could sense that something was definitely up. As always, though, she clutched a book in her arms.

"Mist found a boy in her field," Tori said breathlessly. But Melody was staring at the book Tori held. "Does that book have magic spells in it?" Melody asked distractedly. Tori sighed exasperatedly and thrust the book into Melody's chest.

"Here take it," she said a little impatiently. Melody put the book in one of her cloak's pockets as Tori grabbed her hand and ran across the village until they got out into Mist's land. Most of the townsfolk had already gathered around Mist and the boy. The first thing Melody noticed about the boy was that he had beautiful blue eyes and he gave off an aura of courage. She felt drawn to him at once. But Melody could see that Mist yearned to gain his heart, too. Melody hated competition more than people who bathed once a year. This time, Melody didn't mind, though. She was sure her destiny did not lie with this boy and plus she didn't mind Mist too much.

"I've given Raguna here some of my land to live on," Mist said proudly, gesturing to Raguna as he shrank from all the unfamiliar eyes.

Melody knelt down to look more closely at Raguna's aura. To her amazement, part of his soul was missing. She gasped and lost her balance. Someone grasped her elbow gently. It was Zavier.

"Careful," he warned, his deep brown eyes glinting with amusement. "Don't want to get your clothes dirty, even if you work at the hot springs." He lifted her up in his tan arms. As he set her down gently on the ground and sat next to her, he said, "Aren't witches supposed to have quick reflexes anyways?"

Melody was distracted by his freckles and light hair shining in the sunlight. Finally, she answered his question by saying, "Most of them are. I think I'm the only exception."

Zavier laughed heartily. "Well, you are one in a million."

Melody read his aura to find it adventurous and fun, just like it always was. As always, there was a hint of mystery shrouding his mind. Call him what you may, Zavier was not as simple as some thought.

"Well, you and Tori are twins, meaning the same," Melody argued, trying not to smile. "But you too are totally different."

"You always do make a lot of sense," Zavier agreed. "You're right."

Zavier glanced at Mist who was speaking quietly to Raguna and scowled. Melody punched his arm playfully and giggled. "Don't be jealous," she said, tugging on the straps of his aviator cap and smiling.

"I am NOT!" protested Zavier. Melody laughed even harder.

"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me," she promised seriously, looking into his eyes. He twirled one of her pink pigtails with one long finger and said shyly, "Thank you."

Lady Ann's voice pierced through the air like an arrow. "Zavier!" she yelled furiously. "Come in and do your chores, you lazy lump." Zavier rolled his eyes and sighed. "I gotta go," he said, standing up and holding his hand out to help Melody up. Melody took his rough hand gently. Her soft hand against his callused hand was an unusual feeling, but Melody liked it. Zavier pulled her up tenderly. "See you some other time," he said happily. As he turned to go, Melody put her hand on his shoulder and said, "Wait, Zavier."

Zavier turned around, his soft brown eyes questioning. "What is it?" he asked. "Stop by the hot springs sometime," she said. Zavier frowned and said, "Ugh. I HATE baths."

Melody laughed. "I know, but they are good for you, and you feel so relaxed afterwards."

Zavier laughed, too. "Ok Melody. I'll come and visit you someday."

As Zavier walked away from the young witch, he couldn't help thinking how lonely she must be with no family. Melody watched Zavier go back to the Inn and sighed. Then she looked around for Tori. Tori had disappeared. She realized during her conversation with Zavier, Tori must've been called back to work. Since it was Friday, Melody decided to go visit Sharron. Melody walked briskly across Raguna's property into the wilderness. She hopped on the giant lily pads that formed a bridge over the vast pond. As she approached the mouth of the cave, Sharron was nowhere to be found, so Melody wandered into the maze of the Kasimir Ruins. "Sharron," she called, giggling as her voice echoed off the high, crumbling cave walls lit by flickering torches. Melody found Sharron sitting on a gigantic boulder quietly in the middle of a dim-lit room. Her silver hair shone like starlight under a thin beam of light that illuminated the Ruins from above.

Melody hopped a poisonous marsh patch to reach Sharron. "Did you see the boy Mist found?" she asked Sharron, sitting down quietly next to her. "I saw him from my bedroom window," she answered, her eyes still closed as she listened to the nature in the caves.

"Well, I studied his aura and-and I found something very strange," Melody said, perplexed. Sharron opened her sky-blue eyes and looked blankly at Melody. "What did you find?"

Melody tried to describe what she had sensed in Raguna's aura and shivered at the memory of emptiness.

Sharron stood up quickly. "Very odd, indeed," she murmured. Melody was more confused than ever.

"You see, Melody," Sharron explained, "There is a giant increase in the population of the monsters in the caves and in the Ruins. I've investigated the ruins and found strange machines inside the caves that seem to produce monsters. Three days ago I made this discovery."

Suddenly, Sharron gasped and asked tensely, "What day is it?"

Melody was unable to follow, but answered weakly, "Spring 6, but what's the point?"

Sharron looked at Melody with her pale blue eyes. "I have traveled through many villages and heard lots of folklore. One particular story, however, repeats itself wherever I go."

"What type of story is it?" wondered Melody.

"It's a prophecy," Sharron clarified. "It says that in the early spring, an Earth Mate with a mysterious past will arrive and stop the darkness from destroying the Norad Kingdom."

"I get it!" Melody exclaimed. "You think Raguna will save us from the monsters."

Sharron gave a brief nod. "Exactly."

Melody looked up at the shaft of sunlight above them. The Sun was directly overhead. "Well, I'd better get going, "she said quietly. "The hot springs is going to open soon." She stood up and brushed the dirt off of the white dress under her dark red cloak.

Sharron played with a strand of her silver hair. "Tomorrow Ivan is coming," she sighed absentmindedly as she stood up to walk Melody out of the cave.

Melody nudged her mischievously as they walked together to the cave entrance. "So, you like Ivan?" she teased gently.

"Oh hush!" Sharron scolded her as her cheeks flushed. This was one of the things Melody liked about Sharron. She talked like a wise old woman. Sharron was like a mother figure to Melody, whose mother had died when she was very young. Melody and Sharron were good friends because most other townsfolk shunned them since they were different. Besides Tori and Zavier, who had been friends with Melody since their childhood, and Tabatha, who was definitely not human and was lonely at the mansion, they had no other friends.

They finally reached the exit of the cave. Melody turned to Sharron and said, "Well, I'll see you some other time."

Sharron bowed her head and replied, "And I you."

Melody bounded lightly across the enormous lily pads. She stopped on the last lily pad and waved to Sharron who waved back. Then Melody went on her way and left Sharron to her new epiphany.