"Professor Mendoza! You'll never believe what I just discovered!" Isabel, still going by the name of Amara, called out to her mentor. She had spent months not only learning everything she could about the Maruvian artifacts but also helping Professor Mendoza translate old Maruvian books and glyphs that no one had gotten to yet. Finally, she had come across information that was of importance regarding the artifacts and the current affairs in Avalor.

"What did you find?" The professor asked, anxious to hear the new findings about the Maruvians.

"Well I had to read it a few times but... it seems that the Maruvians were attacked by a few wizards who practiced dark magic. They were completely wiped out with the exception of six Maruvian wizards who joined forces and defeated the dark wizards by banishing them to the spirit world"

"Well yes, we've already known that. Those are the six wizards who created the artifacts" Professor Mendoza replied, a bit confused. She knew that Isa had already known that information. It was one of the first things Mendoza taught her upon the start of her research.

"Yes! But! It seems that they were initially wrong! The Maruvians weren't completely wiped out! There was one survivor! The leader of the Maruvians survived the attack!" Isa nearly shouted with excitement over the undiscovered knowledge.

"Wow!" The professor gasped and peaked over Isa's soldier at the notebook to confirm the tale. "What else does it say about the survivor!?"

"Well! I found this notebook that doesn't look that old at all... it actually looks fairly new. But it's still in Maruvian..." Isa explained.

"You're right" Mendoza told her, examining the notebook.

"It says that with the loss of her empire, she fled far north, growing angry and vowing vengeance. It also says that she found the wand and that her desire to take back what was hers could mean destruction and suffering for the entire Ever Realm. It says she must never find the artifacts. She would be too powerful. Only the chosen one will be able to use the artifacts for good."

"Hmmm..." Mendoza voiced, processing what she had just learned. "I wonder how reliable any of that is though. Like you said, that notebook is not from the time of the Maruvians. There are a good amount of people out there now who can read and write in Maruvian. Any one of them could have just penned some nonsense"

"I don't think so though!" Isa argued. "It's all true! It has to be...I mean, it all makes sense! It's Shuriki! Shuriki was the Maruvian leader! That's why she took over Avalor. Avalor WAS Maru! She took back what was hers! And the wand! Shuriki's wand must be the one left by the Maruvians and the fact that she can use it must mean that she is Maruvian! She hates my... I mean the royal family and it makes sense since the rulers of Avalor are the ones who built their city atop of her empire."

"That does all seem to make sense." Mendoza agreed, impressed by the way Isa had put it all together, but she was still skeptical. "We need to find out more about what 'the chosen one' means though. We need to keep reading and keep researching"

"No!" Isa quickly interrupted. "There isn't any time. I need to find those artifacts before Shuriki does. I need to get my hands on them first"

"Then what?" Her mentor asked, growing concerned with Isa's risky plan.

"Then I figure out how to use them" Isa said. "I could be the chosen one! Maybe it wasn't a coincidence that I found that dagger. Maybe it was fate!"

"I don't know Amara..." Mendoza doubted. "The likelihood that you are the chosen one... it's most likely another Maruvian. That's why it's too dangerous for you to go out hunting these artifacts without knowing all the information."

"But that could take years! By then, it could be too late. I'm not afraid of the risks." Isa stated and it was true. She had nothing to lose and after everything she had seen and the things that she had done, she feared very little. She had enjoyed her time at the Science Academy and she had been thankful for Professor Mendoza for taking her in and giving her a safe haven and a place to recuperate from the trauma she had experienced. She still hadn't quite managed her feelings for the murder of Higgins but she wasn't sure that was something she could ever come to terms with. But now, she felt like all her studying and everything she had learned finally had a purpose. She finally felt like she had a purpose. She had always been the youngest of the Castillo Flores sisters, never meant to be a ruler, never given any responsibilities, never taken too seriously when it came to anything of great importance. She always had someone taking care of her. First her parents, then her Abuelos and especially Elena. She never had to prove herself to anyone. Now was her chance to shine. To show the world what she was capable of. Her mind was made up. She was going to find the artifacts and she was going to figure out how to stop Shuriki from taking over any other kingdoms. "I have to do this! I'll be leaving first thing in the morning!"

"Do you have everything you need?" Professor Mendoza asked as Isa finished packing a back pack for her journey. She was sad to see Isa leave and very worried about her safety once she was out and about in the kingdom again.

"I think so." Isa replied. "Thank you for letting me take these notebooks. It's really going to be useful" She said in reference to a few of the books she had uncovered that contained information about the artifacts. "And thank you so much for everything you've done for me. For giving me a place to stay and food to eat and the opportunity to study here. It means more to me than you'll ever know"

Professor Mendoza was truly touched by Isabel's words. She never had a child of her own to care for and Isabel had become just that for her. She cared greatly for the young princess. Her eyes began to swell with tears. She took a knee in front of Isabel and pulled her in for a hug, not knowing if they would ever see each other again. "Having you stay here with me and help me in my research lab was an absolute pleasure. Offering food and shelter was the very least that I could do for you in your situation ... Princess Isabel"

Isa froze and her jaw dropped upon hearing the professor confess to knowing her true identity. "What?! How did you... How long have you?"

"The day you arrived. It took me a moment but you truly look very much like your sister. Even with your hair all chopped off. Plus, your sister spoke of you quite a bit. She had told me of your dreams of coming here to study and of all your inventions and about how smart you were. Once you began to show your knowledge of Maruvian legend and history, I was positive it was you. Not many people your age are so well versed." Mendoza responded

"How come you never said anything?" Isa asked.

"I knew what happened to your family. I knew that Shuriki thought you were dead. I knew that you would be in great danger if anyone else knew it was you here. I figured you had very good reason for using an alias. But now, you are going to have to eventually go back into the city. People may recognie you. I want you to know that you always have a friend here. I want you to know that you can trust me and I want you to know that you are always welcome back here." She explained.

Isabel didn't know what to say. She was in awe of everything that Professor Mendoza had done for her. Tears began to fill her eyes for the first time in months. She had been so closed off from people and her own feelings. She had been so angry with the world that she had almost forgotten what it was like to love or care about another person. She forgot what it was like to trust another person. But now, knowing that she was leaving Professor Mendoza, Isabel realized that she loved the woman who had taken her in and kept her secret. She loved and trusted her just as she had her own family.

"If there's anything you want to talk about before you go..." Mendoza offered, noticing Isabel finally allowing herself to feel something.

"I watched him kill my grandparents!" Isabel blurted out and tears began to stream down her face. "It was Higgins. One of our guards who I had trusted. I watched him behead both of my grandparents while my cousin Esteban watched. So that night I killed him. I took the dagger and I cut the throat of Higgins while he slept. Now I can't get the images out of my head. I dream about it every night. I see him kill them every night and then I watch myself kill him every night. Then I laugh. In my dream I just stand there and I laugh and it's absolutely terrifying. I'm not OK with what I did and the thought that in my subconscious I laugh at what I've done makes me so sick."

"Isabel look at me" Mendoza said, staring straight into the young princess's eyes. "You experienced a lot of loss and a lot of trauma before you did what you did. Your family was under attack, your kingdom was in a state of war. You defended yourself and you defended your grandparent's honor. You weren't in the right state of mind. You must know that that's not the person you truly are"

Isa nodded in agreement but that's what scared her so much. Just the fact that she was capable of doing it and the fact that she was capable of having so much hate inside of her. "I'm not OK with what I did but... I'm also glad hes dead" Isa admitted.

"That's a perfectly understandable feeling after what he did and what you saw" Mendoza told Isa, trying to ease her troubled mind. "Your guilt may never go away... but you are a strong girl Isabel. You're smart and you're self aware. It's OK to be glad that the man who killed your family is dead. It's OK to feel whatever it is you are feeling. But you need to let it out. The more you hold it all in, the more it is going to plague you. This was good for you... I'm glad you told me."

Isa just nodded. She had felt better letting it out. She knew that it wasn't going to make her nightmares go away any time soon but it was at least a step forward in her healing process. "Who will I talk to now?" Isa asked.

"Well you can always stay?" The professor asked in one last attempt to get Isa to change her mind.

"You know I cant..." Isa responded, thankful for the offer anyways.

"Well how about this..." Mendoza started. She got up and headed towards her desk. She brought a small book over to Isa. "Take this notebook. It's blank. You can write in it. Anything you're feeling. Anything you want to get off your chest. Anything at all. It's not as good as talking to someone but I think it might help you sort out some of what you're going through."

Isa held the book close to her heart. She hugged it. It was a wonderful gesture and it reminded Isa of a journal that Elena had given to her once before. Perhaps that would be what her first entry would be about. She missed her sister more than anything and it was something she had rarely thought about. It was just too hard.

"Thank you" Isa said once again.

Isa left the Science Academy and headed to Cordoba. Through her readings she had learned that the Ruby Ring was rumored to be in possession of the royal family. When she arrived at the Cordoban Palace she had come up with a plan to disguise herself as a servant girl and sneak in. From there, she would make her way into the jewel room and try to find the ring. It was a risky plan but from what she had heard in the villages, the King was very full of himself and took little notice and made little regard of the other people around him, especially the people who worked for him. She wasn't afraid of the risk.