Chapter 1
You could tell she was excited. She is Crystal Bridges, 11 year old girl from the kingdom of Lormé. Another girl walks into the compartment and says, "Hi, my name is Kalismíen of Fief Lorí, but everyone calls me Kal." "It's nice to meet you Kal. My name is Crystal of Littleton." "Oh!" exclaims Kal, "you live in a Town, how exciting!" "It's not that exciting," Crystal tells her, "in fact it's quite boring. I think it would be neat to be a noble. Why are you being sent to the Academy? I thought girls from the house of a noble were sent to the convent." "Oh, they are supposed to, but I wanted to go to the Academy," Kal replies. You know, there is a boy that looks just like you do. A strange combination of hair and eye color, bright red just like yours. It's even cut like yours is too, and the eyes are a deep green like the ocean." Kal tells her. "Where is he schooled at?" questions Crystal. Kal looks at her surprised, "at the Academy of course. That is where everyone goes that lives within a hundred Lins of here. Unless you are a poor person, then you go to a convent to be taught." Kal looks mystified. "I thought everyone knew that. What class or classes did you parents come from? Did they come from the poor, rich, or noble class?" Kal prompted. "I don't know, I never knew my parents," Crystal told her. "I was found in the arms of an old lady who was sitting on the porch of my adopted parents' house. She handed me to Kilni and slips a chain with a ring on it over my head and said, 'she will find out who she truly is on her twelfth birthday,' and then she left. That's a weird story all right, I can barely believe it myself so I don't expect you to. The only thing that makes me think the story to be real is that I have the ring right here." And then Crystal slipped a chain over her head and held it out for Kal to inspect it. All of a sudden Kal backs away from her and looks terrified. "Kal! What is it? Are you hurt?" Crystal asks her concerned. "You truly don't know do you?" Kal replies. "No, you don't I can see it in your face. You know that boy I was telling you about? Well he has a necklace that has that exact same design on it, and that story you told me is identical to the story that he told me last year, only a little bit different though. You must meet him; I feel that it is very important though. When is your birthday?" "Tomorrow," Crystal replies. "Then you must meet him tonight, at all costs!" "And just how do you suggest we do that? I have heard that after the welcome dinner that everyone goes to bed and is not allowed to meet with their friends to talk." Crystal says. "True," Kal replies, "but that doesn't mean I can't get the headmaster to let us go talk to him." "And how do you propose to do that?" Crystal asks. "I'll tell you on the way up to the school. In the meantime we have arrived." Two hours later: "Dagger, I want you to meet my friend Crystal. She's just arrived at the Academy today, I asked Uncle if you could show her around the campus," says Kal. "It's nice to meet you Dagger. Kal I thought you said you were going to show me around," Crystal says. "I'm sorry Crystal; my Uncle has some errands that he wants me to run for him before it gets too late. I'm sure that Dagger can show you around just as well as I can. See you in the dormitory Chris, 'night Dagger." She calls as she runs down the hallway. "So your name is Crystal huh," Dagger asks her. "Yes, if you weren't listening that is what she said." Dagger mutters something under his breath. "What's that you said?" Crystal demands. "It's just something an old lady told me onetime. She said 'Beware of the crystal child.' I have no clue what she meant by that, do you?" Dagger replies. "No, I don't know what she meant by that. Do you know that an old lady came up to me yesterday right before I left and she told me to 'Beware of the dagger child.' And then she left; I think what the old lady trying was telling you to look for a child by the name of Crystal. Also I think she was trying to tell me to look for a child by the name of Dagger. Come on I want to see the rest of the campus before I get too tired," Crystal told him. And off they went, half an hour later they entered the gym and Crystal stopped suddenly. This looks so much like the gym in my dreams, it doesn't seem possible but yet I think it is. "Will I have gym tomorrow?" Crystal asks Dagger. "Of course you will," Dagger replies, "Everyone has gym every single day so you better get used to the idea." The next morning, "Morning Crystal," Dagger says a little too brightly for Kal's pleasure. "Shut up will you Dagger, it's too early in the morning for that crap," Kal growls. "What are you talking about Kal, he's in a good mood this morning, so leave him be," berates Crystal. "I'm sorry Crystal I forgot it was your birthday today, your turning 12, right," Kal apologizes. "It's your twelfth birthday today?" questions Dagger. "That's strange it's my twelfth birthday today as well. Here you might like this." Dagger pulls a necklace out of his pocket and gives it to her. "Thank you Dagger that is most kind of you. I have something that you might like as well but it's up in the dormitory so I'll have to give it to you in gym." Crystal replies. Later that day in the gym: "Here is that gift I promised you, I hope you like it." Crystal says brandishing the ring, as she does this he notices that she is wearing the necklace that he gave her. As he puts the ring on something that looks like light connects the ring and necklace and makes one big beam of light at the wall and starts to pull them through. As they are going through the wall they see Kal rushing at the wall and jumping through. "Foolish girl," they say in a language that they understand but no one else does, "what does she think she's doing, trying to save us, she doesn't know what she is getting into, we are finally going home. This is truly a mystical journey." As they are pulled through the wall they black out. When they wake up they see Kal standing over them looking worried. "What happened," she asks a little too shrilly. As they look at her they realize that that she looks really strange, and then they realize what it is. Her clothes are so weird, Dagger thinks. I know, Crystal thinks back. Then they realize that they can talk through thought- speech. Wait a second, our clothes were just like Kal's when we left, but know I am wearing a gown and slippers, and you are wearing a tunic and some strange looking pants. Plus you're wearing a sword at your side. Crystal tells Dagger not being able to believe what she is seeing. Crystal you are wearing some kind of dagger at your side! Dagger stares unbelieving at her left side. Crystal pulls the dagger out of its sheath and nearly drops it. It...It's a crystal dagger! Crystal stutters. Come on put that thing up and answer Kal, Dagger orders her. Crystal puts it away and stands up. "You followed us Kal," Crystal answers, "Why did you do that? If you hadn't grabbed a hold of my ankle you could have died. I have a feeling that I have seen this place before, but I don't know how that is possible. I have never even been anywhere except my town and the Academy. Come on there's a road right over there. Let's walk down that and see if we can't find someone to tell us where we are. Hey Dagger you have a band of gold around your head." Crystal holds her pocket mirror out to him so he can see for himself. Dagger looks in the mirror and hands it back to her. "And you Crystal," Dagger replies, "have a tiara on, in case you haven't noticed yet." Crystal whips out her mirror and stares at her reflection. Well, I guess I do, don't I, she thought. "I told you so didn't I," Dagger replies smug. Crystal sticks her tongue out at him making a face at him. Dagger stifles a laugh, and Crystal says sharply, "let's go," and sets off down the road as fast as her dress will allow. Kal runs to catch up with her. "What's wrong Crystal? Why do you look so mad?" queries Kal. Crystal turns and glares at her. "Whoa, if looks could kill I'd be dead right now. I think Dagger would be too." Kal says to herself. "I'm sorry Kal," Crystal apologizes, "he makes just makes me so mad when he's try to be smug." "That's all right Crystal. He made me mad a lot the first year I was at the Academy until I realized that being smug is his way of teasing, or trying to cheer someone up. Maybe you should apologize to him before we come across someone. Speaking of people there's a house right up their maybe we ought to stop and wait for him so you can apologize to him," Kal says. "Don't worry Kal he'll catch up with us and by then I'll have told him that I'm sorry," Crystal tells her. Kal looks at her unbelieving but Crystal was all ready deep in thought. Hey Dagger? I'm sorry about the way I acted back there in the clearing. I was just upset that I hadn't discovered it first, Crystal tells him. That's all right Crystal; I was just trying to get under your skin, Dagger replies. Dagger, there is a house up ahead so you might want to run to catch up with us, Crystal tells him. Dagger runs and catches up with the girls. As they near the house they see a child dart in the door. All of a sudden a woman comes out of the house and hollers something in the direction of the barn. A man comes out and looks in the direction of the three children and then disappears back into the barn.
You could tell she was excited. She is Crystal Bridges, 11 year old girl from the kingdom of Lormé. Another girl walks into the compartment and says, "Hi, my name is Kalismíen of Fief Lorí, but everyone calls me Kal." "It's nice to meet you Kal. My name is Crystal of Littleton." "Oh!" exclaims Kal, "you live in a Town, how exciting!" "It's not that exciting," Crystal tells her, "in fact it's quite boring. I think it would be neat to be a noble. Why are you being sent to the Academy? I thought girls from the house of a noble were sent to the convent." "Oh, they are supposed to, but I wanted to go to the Academy," Kal replies. You know, there is a boy that looks just like you do. A strange combination of hair and eye color, bright red just like yours. It's even cut like yours is too, and the eyes are a deep green like the ocean." Kal tells her. "Where is he schooled at?" questions Crystal. Kal looks at her surprised, "at the Academy of course. That is where everyone goes that lives within a hundred Lins of here. Unless you are a poor person, then you go to a convent to be taught." Kal looks mystified. "I thought everyone knew that. What class or classes did you parents come from? Did they come from the poor, rich, or noble class?" Kal prompted. "I don't know, I never knew my parents," Crystal told her. "I was found in the arms of an old lady who was sitting on the porch of my adopted parents' house. She handed me to Kilni and slips a chain with a ring on it over my head and said, 'she will find out who she truly is on her twelfth birthday,' and then she left. That's a weird story all right, I can barely believe it myself so I don't expect you to. The only thing that makes me think the story to be real is that I have the ring right here." And then Crystal slipped a chain over her head and held it out for Kal to inspect it. All of a sudden Kal backs away from her and looks terrified. "Kal! What is it? Are you hurt?" Crystal asks her concerned. "You truly don't know do you?" Kal replies. "No, you don't I can see it in your face. You know that boy I was telling you about? Well he has a necklace that has that exact same design on it, and that story you told me is identical to the story that he told me last year, only a little bit different though. You must meet him; I feel that it is very important though. When is your birthday?" "Tomorrow," Crystal replies. "Then you must meet him tonight, at all costs!" "And just how do you suggest we do that? I have heard that after the welcome dinner that everyone goes to bed and is not allowed to meet with their friends to talk." Crystal says. "True," Kal replies, "but that doesn't mean I can't get the headmaster to let us go talk to him." "And how do you propose to do that?" Crystal asks. "I'll tell you on the way up to the school. In the meantime we have arrived." Two hours later: "Dagger, I want you to meet my friend Crystal. She's just arrived at the Academy today, I asked Uncle if you could show her around the campus," says Kal. "It's nice to meet you Dagger. Kal I thought you said you were going to show me around," Crystal says. "I'm sorry Crystal; my Uncle has some errands that he wants me to run for him before it gets too late. I'm sure that Dagger can show you around just as well as I can. See you in the dormitory Chris, 'night Dagger." She calls as she runs down the hallway. "So your name is Crystal huh," Dagger asks her. "Yes, if you weren't listening that is what she said." Dagger mutters something under his breath. "What's that you said?" Crystal demands. "It's just something an old lady told me onetime. She said 'Beware of the crystal child.' I have no clue what she meant by that, do you?" Dagger replies. "No, I don't know what she meant by that. Do you know that an old lady came up to me yesterday right before I left and she told me to 'Beware of the dagger child.' And then she left; I think what the old lady trying was telling you to look for a child by the name of Crystal. Also I think she was trying to tell me to look for a child by the name of Dagger. Come on I want to see the rest of the campus before I get too tired," Crystal told him. And off they went, half an hour later they entered the gym and Crystal stopped suddenly. This looks so much like the gym in my dreams, it doesn't seem possible but yet I think it is. "Will I have gym tomorrow?" Crystal asks Dagger. "Of course you will," Dagger replies, "Everyone has gym every single day so you better get used to the idea." The next morning, "Morning Crystal," Dagger says a little too brightly for Kal's pleasure. "Shut up will you Dagger, it's too early in the morning for that crap," Kal growls. "What are you talking about Kal, he's in a good mood this morning, so leave him be," berates Crystal. "I'm sorry Crystal I forgot it was your birthday today, your turning 12, right," Kal apologizes. "It's your twelfth birthday today?" questions Dagger. "That's strange it's my twelfth birthday today as well. Here you might like this." Dagger pulls a necklace out of his pocket and gives it to her. "Thank you Dagger that is most kind of you. I have something that you might like as well but it's up in the dormitory so I'll have to give it to you in gym." Crystal replies. Later that day in the gym: "Here is that gift I promised you, I hope you like it." Crystal says brandishing the ring, as she does this he notices that she is wearing the necklace that he gave her. As he puts the ring on something that looks like light connects the ring and necklace and makes one big beam of light at the wall and starts to pull them through. As they are going through the wall they see Kal rushing at the wall and jumping through. "Foolish girl," they say in a language that they understand but no one else does, "what does she think she's doing, trying to save us, she doesn't know what she is getting into, we are finally going home. This is truly a mystical journey." As they are pulled through the wall they black out. When they wake up they see Kal standing over them looking worried. "What happened," she asks a little too shrilly. As they look at her they realize that that she looks really strange, and then they realize what it is. Her clothes are so weird, Dagger thinks. I know, Crystal thinks back. Then they realize that they can talk through thought- speech. Wait a second, our clothes were just like Kal's when we left, but know I am wearing a gown and slippers, and you are wearing a tunic and some strange looking pants. Plus you're wearing a sword at your side. Crystal tells Dagger not being able to believe what she is seeing. Crystal you are wearing some kind of dagger at your side! Dagger stares unbelieving at her left side. Crystal pulls the dagger out of its sheath and nearly drops it. It...It's a crystal dagger! Crystal stutters. Come on put that thing up and answer Kal, Dagger orders her. Crystal puts it away and stands up. "You followed us Kal," Crystal answers, "Why did you do that? If you hadn't grabbed a hold of my ankle you could have died. I have a feeling that I have seen this place before, but I don't know how that is possible. I have never even been anywhere except my town and the Academy. Come on there's a road right over there. Let's walk down that and see if we can't find someone to tell us where we are. Hey Dagger you have a band of gold around your head." Crystal holds her pocket mirror out to him so he can see for himself. Dagger looks in the mirror and hands it back to her. "And you Crystal," Dagger replies, "have a tiara on, in case you haven't noticed yet." Crystal whips out her mirror and stares at her reflection. Well, I guess I do, don't I, she thought. "I told you so didn't I," Dagger replies smug. Crystal sticks her tongue out at him making a face at him. Dagger stifles a laugh, and Crystal says sharply, "let's go," and sets off down the road as fast as her dress will allow. Kal runs to catch up with her. "What's wrong Crystal? Why do you look so mad?" queries Kal. Crystal turns and glares at her. "Whoa, if looks could kill I'd be dead right now. I think Dagger would be too." Kal says to herself. "I'm sorry Kal," Crystal apologizes, "he makes just makes me so mad when he's try to be smug." "That's all right Crystal. He made me mad a lot the first year I was at the Academy until I realized that being smug is his way of teasing, or trying to cheer someone up. Maybe you should apologize to him before we come across someone. Speaking of people there's a house right up their maybe we ought to stop and wait for him so you can apologize to him," Kal says. "Don't worry Kal he'll catch up with us and by then I'll have told him that I'm sorry," Crystal tells her. Kal looks at her unbelieving but Crystal was all ready deep in thought. Hey Dagger? I'm sorry about the way I acted back there in the clearing. I was just upset that I hadn't discovered it first, Crystal tells him. That's all right Crystal; I was just trying to get under your skin, Dagger replies. Dagger, there is a house up ahead so you might want to run to catch up with us, Crystal tells him. Dagger runs and catches up with the girls. As they near the house they see a child dart in the door. All of a sudden a woman comes out of the house and hollers something in the direction of the barn. A man comes out and looks in the direction of the three children and then disappears back into the barn.