Chapter 5.

And so, it begins.

Nita's eyes fluttered open, has it really been eight hours? Uh! What a headache…She scanned her surroundings carefully, and yelled in shock. Where's my room! Where's anything? She swung left and right, but saw no piece of her room. Slightly shaken she slid over to the right side of the bed and peered down. Far below her a rippling pool of water churned. Nita squinted; she could just barely make out someone lying by the water.

Disorientated, she swung around and stared down the left side of her bed, and knocked heads with someone. Nita jerked back and stared at the person; it was female, she had red hair with blue highlights, trembling hands covered her face, and her soft sobs echoed. Nita reached out and touched her shoulder, muttering an apology. The girl jerked back and Nita withdrew her hand. Auras' soft eyes gleamed as she managed to stand up; Nita glanced around and realized her bed had disappeared. She was now sitting on a pile of soft clovers. "Hey Nita! What's up?" Nita glanced at Aura, she looked at her surroundings again, and she glazed up in hopes of finding her bed. With no such luck she replied, I don't know anymore.

Nita walked along the stone path, with Aura leading the way. Her blue highlights glistened as she moved. Nita gazed around her, she had just gotten use to the idea of another power being close to home for a while, and now she was walking along a stone path suspended by nothing in the middle of a world that made no sense. Sure wizards could levitate objects and themselves, but to keep an endless pathway from crumbling at each step Aura must have some enormous power stored up inside her.

But no matter what Nita asked Aura would simply smile and race off, yelling something like, "you'll see". Nita, having no other alternative, chased after her. Never once had she traveled in such a strange place, not even in Darryl's mind had the universe been so complex. Nita paused for a minute and gazed around for Aura, she turned about and still she could not see her friend. Suddenly the pathway began to crumble, Nita raced ahead and fell right into the abyss!

Air rushed past her, Nita searched her mind for something to help her, anything at all! She gritted her teeth, just as she landed. Her body was swaying back and forth, but she was sitting down! She tried to stand, but her feet failed her and she slammed into the jiggle mess. Curious she smashed her hand down into the gunk and pulled out a fistful, reluctantly she put it in her mouth and began to laugh. JELLY! Nothing more than green apple jelly! Nita laughed till her sides ached and then she became aware of a presence beside her. She twisted around and found Aura smiling down at her. Something was different about the young power to be though. Nita noticed that the blue highlights had become a hot pink.

"Hey watcha doing sitting down? There's fighting afoot Nita! " With that Aura leapt up into the air and did a cannon ball straight into the strange jelly. Nita gazed at the spot where she had disappeared and saw in began to close up. Willing her legs to run, Nita just barely made it into the gap. Once there a terrifying thought raced through her. Ohmygod! I can't breath in this stuff! Nita swam towards the surface and was met with an iron hard shell that appeared to be encasing the jelly. Nita felt her lungs began to ache; a strong hand grabbed her from behind and forced her around. Aura took one look at Nita's figure and began to snicker. She was doubled over laughing when Nita finally had to breath. Gasping, Nita found that breathing in the jelly was easy. Aura shook her head and swam off, Nita close behind her.

Aura glided through the green sea as if she were born a fish, her slender legs barely had to move and she was propelled forward. The hot pink highlights gleamed as her hair unraveled around her. She could be a mermaid. Nita thought, a goddess of the sea… of jelly. Nita chuckled; her mirth was cut short when something slammed into her side, dazing her.

Nita spun around; the dark shape hit her again, this time sending her spinning. She managed to right herself and looked frantically for Aura. She made out a small shape swimming towards her but it was not who she suspected. KIT! Sure enough Kit treaded by his partner. His voice practically screamed in her ear, Neets! Oh man, how did you get here? It was that weird girl Aura wasn't it! Powers that be! I wake up and she's standing over me whimpering about "how sorry she was that she hadn't spend more time with me, and then she started apologizing about stuff I didn't even know she had done! Hey when did she get silver highlights?

Nita shoved Kit aside just as the shadow struck again, two crimson eyes followed the young wizards every move. It swam about them in a small circle, forcing them to align back to back. Any ideas Neets? Nita shook her head somberly, the shadow lashed out at them with its tail. Nita reached into her pocket and withdrew the rowan branch; beside her Kit began to set up a shield spell. The shadow swung around and lunged at the wizards, Nita raised the wand in defense. The shadow suddenly appeared to rip apart in front of them.

Nita stared, a figure in the distance held a small flame as pure as moonlight in its hands. It began to swim away; Nita lunged after it along with Kit. They swam after the figure for hours, but still they never seemed to get any closer. Finally a large black shape came into view ahead of the figure, Nita glanced at Kit. One word echoed between them, LAND!

After another half an hour of swimming the jelly sea became smaller and eventually thinned out so that the young wizards could stand up and walk half way out of the mess. Nita risked a glance back and gasped. There were no words to describe the distance between them and the end of this world. A soft thud shook the wizards out of their own thoughts and they turned to find a small fluffy coconut staring at them. Its fur was a chestnut brown with a few silver strips rippling through it; two amber eyes stared innocently at the newcomers. A velvet pink nose sniffed at them expectantly, hoping for a morsel or two.

Kit slowly crawled towards the creature, holding out a hand as a peaceful gesture. The critter stared at his hand and twitched its nose; it scampered up Kits' arm and rested on his shoulder. Playfully the critter nibbled at his ear, Kit and Nita stared at their surroundings. Dense forest, so thick, light was all but blocked. It gave no inkling of it's inhabitants, or possible enemies. The wizards noticed a single pair of footprints, etched in the sand; they looked into each other's eyes and set off in search of their mysterious rescuer.

Nita pushed branches out of her way; she had nearly tripped three times in the last five minutes. Roots snaked across the ground, jutting out from every angle. Kit followed close behind and caught her whenever she stumbled. The tracks they had been following had gotten so light that it was possible to follow them only by squinting at the ground. Nita stopped at a clear spot finally, Kit sat down and the critter on his arm dislodged itself from his hair. It had made a nest in there during the journey and decided to take a nap.

Nita walked over to a pile of rocks and leaned up against one, her feet were killing her. How long have we been walking? It seems like days have passed. Man, I am in trouble when I get home… If we ever get out of this crazy place! Nita sighed and watched Kit pet the fuzzy critter; it seemed so carefree, so innocent and pure. She gazed up at the foliage above, how could such a thing live in a place like this? Suddenly she shivered, Kit do you feel that! His reply was just as scared, yes. Something is watching us… something out there. Slowly they both rose to their feet and walked into the center of the clearing and looked about.

Far above them a pair of cold eyes watched in interest. Shadows wrapped around their master, hissing softly. Below this dark one another lay in watch, its red hair gleamed with white stripes as it sized up the prey below. A strong aura surrounded the second figure, power greater than several stars put together, it was amazing. Slowly it crouched and in a single movement leapt at the wizards below!

Nita heard the movement but from where she didn't know, Kit glanced about nervously. The critter suddenly let out a piercing screech and raced into the bushes! Kit landed flat on his face the same time as Nita felt something land atop them. Two fierce eyes gleamed with satisfaction, a smiles revealed gleaming teeth, and a soft laugh echoed brightly. Aura slowly released Nita and Kit, her clothes were streaked with dirt and moss, and in her hair several flowers bloomed. She bounced about her friends as they dusted themselves off, her small figure a glow with happiness.

The dark figure about narrowed its eyes, the fool; she hadn't even given them a scratch! Her power would soon be gone though. Her mirth would be short lived as well, it would see to that. For too long had it clung to the shadows, hiding from the accursed light, and now when victory seemed so clear those two had to show up. It began to descend, below it the wizards' voices rang out.

Aura stood before her friends, her face a mixture of anguish, guilt and joy. "I am sorry my friends. I meant you no harm. In bringing you to this place I hoped to end the pain here, but instead I caused more, I harmed my friends and I do not deserve to stand before you." She turned; tears began to fall to the ground around her. Nita spoke up then, "Aura, Really it's okay! I mean we have had some interesting adventures before but nothing to top this." Her partner raised his voice, "Yeah it was pretty cool! But why did you keep appearing here and there and when did you learn to highlight your hair so fast?" At that Aura turned, "I do not know what "highlight" is Kit. And just now is the only time I have met you two. Have you seen me in this world before?"

Nita looked at Kit, Kit looked at Nita. This can't be good news. The wizards stared at each other as Aura played with the fuzzy critter. She claimed his name was momo, which meant peach. She allowed him to nibble at her hair and eat a few of the flowers that resided there. Though playful on the outside Aura was deep in thought, her mind began to hurt, she just couldn't understand. They claimed to have seen her here before, but she had just arrived herself, hadn't she?

A dark presence filled the air, Aura craned her head to the sky, it couldn't be could it? Not here, not now! Not when she was so close, too close to turn back, she was so close!

Kit and Nita glanced around, they felt it too, they knew, or did they? A shadow blocked all light; the wizards were plunged into total darkness. A chill raced through each of their spines, Aura readied herself, for this was the time of reckoning.

Nita heard breathing, it pounded in her ears, she felt ice crawl down her shoulder. Kit grouped out in the darkness, hoping, praying that they were all right. Aura locked eyes with her enemy; leaping at each other they began their fight. Nita became aware of a far stronger presence than even her and Kits' combined power could hope to reach. Out of the darkness alights were flashing, she headed towards them, inevitably bumping into Kit as she did. They both ran forward, not knowing what lye ahead, or why. But they knew who was fighting it and they were going to help.

A sphere of light bound the two combatants, their figure hazed but still Nita and Kit knew. Aura was fighting her doppelganger, her dark side, she knew the price of her failure and she was willing to accept her destiny. This fight was her battleground alone, she alone must conquer this demon, or only she would perish.

Nita stared, not wanting to believe her eyes, their Aura fought bravely, but the dark one had her pinned. Two crimson eyes glowed deeply, the shadows that wrapped about her hissed; her light was poison to them. Aura managed to break free, her breath came slowly, but she was powerful, she could beat this. A dark blast came at her, she dodged, but her side burned. A scorch mark dripped of silver blood, the pain was nearly unbearable. But it would soon be over, one of them had to win, both were weakened.

Aura managed to call up the last of her energy, she formed it, holding it, and allowing it to spread through her hands. She fired off one last blast, more powerful than that of the dark one! The blast shook the ground about them all; it neared the dark one and went straight through it! Staring down the dark one saw the hole and began to fade. Her essence took the form of a raven and flew at Aura. Aura opened her soul to her dark side and the power once again came into her control.

A towering pillar of darkness and light, and somewhere within its swirling confines laid Aura. She saw the energy, she felt it, lived, and breathed it, her body awash with emotions and powers beyond her imagination. Slowly she lifted off the ground and floated skyward. None of this was visible to Kit or Nita, both whom waited and watched for their friend to come back to them. Nita clutched Kits' hand; her eyes never tore away from the sight before them. A soft pulsing light rose within the pillar, headed towards the sky.

Nita and Kit watched as Aura continued her journey to the heavens, her new power reflected throughout the universe and beyond. Fire flared to renewed life, waves crashed majestically and withdrew, stars lit up the afternoon sky, and the sun glowed with energy. Planets far and wide turned their attention to this girl, her power given by sources beyond their dreams.

Slowly Aura opened her eyes, all about her she recognized the Powers, she was in a small sphere, her cocoon of safety, and beside her The Defender smiled, her hair blazing around her like wings. Aura smiled and reached out placing her hand on the out circle of her power, the defender did the same. Slowly Aura closed her eyes and showed Defender what she had been through. "There is still more you know." The Defender's voice was a soft twinkling of bells, Aura nodded. The defender smiled and summoned her power. Aura began to sink, and she turned and smiled at her favorite of all her makers.

Nita and Kit stared as the stars faded and a comet began to fall towards the sea. They both saw that this comet contained their friend, and as it neared the sea it broke apart so that Aura fell alone into the sea. Nita and Kit, accompanied by momo, ran to the sea's edge and stared as Aura began to walk towards them across the water. Her body glowed with renewed life and her smile was flawless. She ran and embraced her friends as a warm light engulfed them all.

Nita awoke with a warm feeling racing through her veins, she leapt out of bed and stared at the clock, it was 7:30 a.m. her normal wake up time. Nita threw on some clothes, hugged her father, and teased the runt, then teleported to Tom and Carl's' house. There she was greeted by loud sounds of people shouting and items crashing to the floor. She raced in and found Tom chasing Momo about the living room and Carl dying of laughter. She giggled with him till a sleepy Aura asked her a question, "Is this how all wizards start the morning on Earth?"

I would like to thank everyone who reviewed and for whoever has a problem with my spelling and grammar, well you can just stop reviewing if you don't like the way I spell.

But anyway thanks so much to the people who read and reviewed, it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside, oh ………um excuse me won't you? Momo stop eating the plastic fruit! (Starts a frantic chase scene) Umm… See you all soon I hope!