Temple Academy Legacy
Author's Note: This is a retelling of Temple Academy, with some changes. I know have not finished Temple Academy, but I want to make it better. I hope you will enjoy this story. Digit and Jinx belong to me.
Chapter 1: Escape
The portal shimmered and spun. It floated four inches above the grassland. Its depths were bright and blue. The portal was ten feet wide and forty feet high. As the moon hovered high in the night sky, Digit stared at the portal, his heart pounding his chest. He gnashed his teeth, hearing the growls, screams, grunts, and roars of a huge fight behind him.
Why? He wondered. Why do we have to leave our home, Brisk Realm? Why?
Digit had lived in the wild and natural splendor of the Brisk Realm. He had been born here and enjoyed it with his family, his friends, and his neighbors, the elves. But the peace and prosperity that once saturated this world was gone. Fear, despair, struggle, and violence replaced it. Monsters brought these things with them, and they invaded his world.
"We need to go!" a dragoness cried. "The portal won't stay open for long."
Digit looked over. The dragoness was sleek and black. Her eyes shone neon green in the darkness. Two white swirl marks curled under her eyes and graced her cheeks. It was his best friend Jinx.
"I know Jinx…I just…"
"I know, Digit…but we need to go. Now."
"She's right," another dragon said. "The elves gave us a chance to escape. Let's not waste it."
Digit nodded quickly and swallowed. Several dragons broke out into sprints toward the swirling gateway. They didn't glance back. None wanted to look back at the battle that took place. Digit, however, turned to look.
In the distance, across the wide expanse of grass, a group of elves in great shining armor battled with monsters. Swords flashed through the air. Each elf slashed and hacked. One monster howled as it was stabbed. Another monster growled and sank its fangs in an elven woman's neck. The elven woman cried out. Digit winced at her scream.
"C'mon, Digit!"
Jinx's voice snapped him out of his gaze. Digit turned and started to run toward the portal. He panted and huffed but kept running. He tried to ignore the screams, groans, and growls around him but they filled his head. He eyed the portal and hoped the new world would be like his own.
The portal spun and glowed bright. Digit drew closer and closer. When he came within a foot of it, he paused. He considered looking back at his world. He didn't know if he would ever see it again. But a headbutt from Jinx urged him to go. His head throbbed with pain, and Jinx's eyes welled with tears.
"Please…go! I don't want to lose you, Digit. We have to make it."
"I..I know."
"As long as we survive, we can start over."
Digit nodded. He wheeled around and looked at the portal. Drawing in a breath and then exhaling, Digit charged into the portal. Jinx followed behind him. He continued through, leaving behind the home he knew and loved.
The light and magic of the portal felt warm. It engulfed him. He could feel the warmth on his forest green scales and curled horns. It lasted for but thirty seconds before cool air touched his skin and scales.
Digit charged into a new world. He found himself running across spongy grass. The grass extended for miles. In the distance, there was an enormous city with imposing walls, towers, gates, flags, buildings, and other structures. The city was alive with light and sound. A night sky with a bright moon was above the city, the grass, and the new world.
He looked about and saw Jinx was here with him. Two hundred other dragons were with him. Each of them was from the Brisk Realm like him. Among them, he saw his mother, father, and his older brother Cedric.
The blue portal swirled and glowed. It continued to hover and remain open. But after five minutes, the portal began to shrink. Digit stared at it and wanted to go back. He longed to run into the gateway to help the elves and drive back the monsters. However, his legs wouldn't move.
When the portal vanished, Digit sighed. Our old life is over. He ground his teeth together. It wasn't supposed to be like this! Why did those blasted monsters have to attack us and the elves? Why?
A paw rested on his cheek. Digit realized it was Jinx. He leaned into her paw. He couldn't help but feel despair and sorrow. Jinx rubbed his cheek. Her eyes welled with tears.
"We…We can start over," she said. "A new life…here…in this world. There has to be dragons like us."
"I…I hope so."