Me: Help!

Brooke: K, what's the problem?

Me: Solace took the draft for Chapter 5! She stole it and ran away!

Brooke: Oh goodness, what? Solace!

Dean: You are never going to get that back.

Me: I know.

D'Anna: What was in this chapter, you say?

Me: Um, um, um...*whispers in D'Anna's ear*

D'Anna: Well, goooooo figure! You so had that coming.

Brooke: What did you do this time?

Me: You'll find out soon enough ;) I just found my extra copy.

Brooke: Oh my...no wonder.

Me: Review, Follow, Favourite!

Chapter 5: They're coming

As I stared into the violet sky, the shades of purple blended in with each other, shifting colors. They swirled in a circle above my head as if I was sitting in the eye of a storm. The wind shifted directions in a light tickle of a breeze, playing with my loose brown hair. I gazed into the pearly white clouds, as they danced with each other, reflecting off the color of the sky. The dark shades of grass brushed against my skin as I lay on my back, arms crossed behind my head.

Moonglade was most beautiful near nightfall, turning rainbow shades before the stars took the stage and illuminated the sky. I peered down the hill at the water; the rocks splashed in the river rhythmically. I wanted to fall asleep deeply engaged in their melody.

I felt a hand touch my shoulder, and I knew who it was. I had been expecting her, we had Universe studying to do. Moonglade was a great place to map the stars, and in a few minutes the stars would light the sky, ready to be identified.

"Hey D'Anna," I sighed "Ready for some studying?"

I knew that I probably wouldn't be able to get up, this place was just too nice to be studying. My heart glowed as I spotted the animals circling the ground around me, waving to the gurgling brook melody.

I waited for a reply. She would never allow me to just sit here all night. D'Anna didn't answer, but her hand gripped harder.

"Okay, okay, I'll take that as a yes," I said turning to face her.

D'Anna wasn't there. Instead, a tall dark man with cold calculating eyes bore into me.

I stifled a scream. It was the Mesmer, and I could tell he was here for me. He wore a dark blue tunic and a green velvet cape. The brooch connecting the two ends was a gold rune, the symbol for superiority. His black pants matched his boots, also black, and his hands were fitted in gloves. I studied his face in case I happened to escape and live to tell the tale. He had a long thin face, narrow features, and slit eyes. His hair was a dark amber, parted left three quarters across. His mouth was small, formed in a cold cruel smile. A thin scar ran vertically from the start of his lips to his chin.

"You feel out of my trance did you?" He chuckled in a low gruff voice "I have to say, I'm impressed. Not many can fight my trap. But I didn't come all this way to let you go. This time, you won't remember a thing."

I backed up, whimpering, but his hand squeezed my shoulder. Behind me, the sky darkened in night, and the first of stars appeared, twinkling. I tried to make him look back at the sky, and fights" out of his vice grip.

"Nuh-uh-uh," He said "You're not getting away this time. I have to make you forget before you get too involved. But don't worry, it won't hurt a bit."

Then his eyes darkened, like the ice from his irises melted and dried.

"But if you make another move, or investigate again, I will make sure it hurts. Youll still remember fragments of the memory and you'll have eternal headaches wondering what you forgot. And you'll never know. You hear me?"

I nodded and thought of Kalyn, remembering his dirty blonde hair and teal eyes. Maybe if I could reach out to him, and apologize, he'd get help.

"Kalyn," I transmitted "Help."

But there was no one around.

The Mesmer knew it.

His smile was the last thing I saw as I stared into his eyes, and slowly slipped into the trance.

I screamed, loud and hard. My body contracted as I breathed heavily. Tears came, and they ran down my face,hot.

I buried myself in sheets, curling into a ball and squeezed my eyes shut, straying to stem the flow.

My heart filled with fear, fear of the cold teal eyes that belonged to the Mesmer.

He scared me so much, I could see his eyes boring into me, tearing me apart.

I squeezed my eyes harder. Just a dream...I thought as I remained under my blanket.

I wanted to reach into my satchel and call D'Anna, but I felt the cold hand grip my shoulder and I decided against it.

So I stared at my ceiling, or what I thought was my ceiling, and stared, and stared and stared. Until my eyes blurred. And I fell asleep.

"What happened to you?" Solace asked as I slunked into announcements. "You look like the walking dead."

I couldn't agree more.

My hair was having some multiple personality that preferred to tangle up in a ball. I had to tie it in a bun, but it proofed out at the back and looked downright terrible.

My clothes were wrinkled and I knew I had bag under my eyes.

"Alright," she said sighing, as soon as Dame Alina did announcements "I'm fixing you up."

She tugged me to the washroom and fixed my hair, and clothes.

"Nothing I can do about the eyes," she said, but splashed me with water to wake me up.

"What did you do this time?" She asked as we walked to class.

"Just couldn't sleep," I sighed and blew out a breath.

This time there were no questions, which possibly made me feel worse. It wasn't like her to just accept whatever I said.

Mid terms were in two weeks, and I had lots of studying to do. I planned to use next weeks lunch times in the library reviewing my subjects. All this week, I had detention.

Today's detention was ballroom dancing with Lady Belva. Solace looks disgusted as she was paired up with a sweaty chunky guy. The guy, of course was head over heels for her, which I found hilarious. I watched her twirl in circles and dance to Lady Belva's classical music. When the song ended, she was sweeped off her feet to a bridal style lift. I guess she was too heavy: The guy dropped her. I don't remember who looked more embarrassed: Solace or the guy. All I remember was laughing my guts off looking at red faced Solace on the floor.

"Stop laughing," She growled as detention ended. "Or I might have to hit you."

"I'm so scared," I teased as we went to retrieve our stuff from our lockers.

"You should be," Solace grinned, playing along. "I could make your life miserable."

"I highly doubt it."

I stared into my compartment in disgust. Out of the three portions it was split into, my locker wasn't even one third clean. The top part was full of binders and folders, and loose papers. I had attempted to stuff my satchel into the third portion, and I had absolutely no clue what lay inside the second. I honestly didn't want to know.

I stared at Solace's locker longingly, as she finished as sorting her binders in the first compartment, and color coding them. Her satchel hung perfectly on the hook in the third compartment and her second compartment had her writing utensils and books.

"Seriously?" I asked as she sprayed her locker with a sweet smelling perfume as a final touch.

She nodded with a smile "Perfection is my specialty."

I sighed as we slammed our lockers at the same time. We burst out in laughter. When we were in our first year, we had always had a habit of doing the same things at the same time. I thought it had wore off, but once in a while it would happen again.

We were still giggling when class started.

As we took our seats, I opened my notebook, and started to pick up a pencil. Suddenly, I stopped. Right smack dab in the middle of the first blank sheet were the words: They're coming for me.

My heart caught in my throat. The exact words Kalyn had used when he first reached out to me. How long had they been there? Solace glanced over at my notebook, and all I could do was try my best not to slam it shut. The echo of the shut notebook was not too noticeable as the teacher was busy helping a student.

Solace glared at me, and mouthed "What was that for?" I shrugged innocently enough for her to turn back around and focus on finishing the homework she forgot to do.

When the teacher finally taught us the lesson, half of the period was gone. As I took notes on her lecture, I heard a tiny whisper inside my head.

"They're coming for me...they're coming for me..."

Over and over again. This time I was sure I wasn't just imagining it. Kalyn was trying to talk to me. And it was totally creepy.

No, I reminded myself. I wasn't involved in this. But my mind traveled for the rest of the lesson, from Kalyn to the art of mesmerizing.

"Midterms are two weeks away, so I want you to look over the work we covered." The teacher said as a final instruction "I gave you a sheet last week with the review. Study hard."

I sank in my seat. I had no idea where that review sheet was. When class ended, I ran to my locker and scanned it. I pulled out all my binder for that subject, but I found no review sheet. I checked all the other binders too. It wasn't in my satchel. Finally, I jammed my hand inside the second compartment full of loose paper, and dug around. A hard object grazed my hand. I clamped my fingers around it and pulled out. My heart dropped, plummeting fifty feet below. In my hand was a dark wand like shape, grooves of runes carved into the sides: a pathfinder. And attached to the tip, small but still there, was a blue crystal.

Me: So, that chapter went well...

Brooke: Excuse me, it did not! I have a what now in my locker!?

Me: A blue crystaled pathfinder.

Brooke: Thats illegal! *sweatdrops* I'll be exiled for sure.

Me: Im sure the Council will spare you eternal suffering.

Brooke: An illegal pathfinder. In my locker. There's an illegal pathfinder in my locker! *panicking*

Me: You're so lucky that I shooed Dean, D'Anna, and Solace away then.

Brooke: You did what?

Me: Well did you want them to know?

Brooke: Who cares, about 25 people are reading this right now, and know too!

Me: Well I do, I have a plot going here.

Brooke: Thanks to Denow and Firefrostflare for reviewing, but no thanks to you for forcing me to do a solo interview! Where are my friends?! Bring them out now!

Me: *sighs and opens door* If you insist...

*Solace, Dean and D'Anna run in, enraged*

Solace: YOU POSTED THE CHAPTER!? HOW DARE YOU MAKE ME LOOK STUPID! BALLROOM DANCING WITH THAT JERK WAS WAY OVER THE LINE!

Dean: Just when am I going to have an important part!? Why am I so insignificant!?

D'Anna: Why can't I do an extra credit assignment to boost my midterm mark!? That's highly unfair!

Brooke: *slams door, exasperated* I see what you mean.

Me: Talk about demanding!

Brooke: Guess you were right...

Me: What are you kidding? I'm always right.

Brooke: I'd say that's pushing it a little far.

Me: Maybe.

Brooke: Well, I guess we should sign off for now.

Me: True.

Brooke: Bye fans!