Auvreria (9 page)

Aurora wept
tears as bright as stars. Her true face, covered by layers of reptile skin, lost its glow of hope. Aurora had grown up here with her parents while Arthaesia flourished. Seeing her childhood torn apart and destroyed put a crack in her fragile heart. Through our connection, I saw and felt all her memories. Days, months, and years passed until the night of the assassination. She could not change anything in the past. I cried with her as the stars moved in the night sky.

She said,
How can there be hope for a future if the past is destroyed? Your childhood is shattered, and the belief of a perfect world is gone. My parents and loved ones are dead. The flower of my childhood bloomed, and now the ashes of destruction are here forever.

I replied,
The flower may be gone, but if the land is not revived, there will be no more flowers. Like you said to me, let go of the past, and look for the new horizons ahead. After destruction, nature always brings new life. If we have the power to change the world, why do we do nothing and live in fear? If Maldelsoul uses that fear to destroy us, there will be nothing left to start anew. There will be no Arthaesia, and no land to plant the seeds of the future.

You are right,
she said.
We should not give up on something worth fighting for. This is the land of our ancestors. Arthaesia and the other worlds are like a family: if one is hurt, the others will help. You go; I will stay here on guard.

I started to walk slowly in the direction of the dark, long hallways. The
additional ruins made it hard to find my way, but finally I recognized the hallway. I focused my energy on fire for a few minutes, and the torches lit up. I tried to find the stone with the mark where the secret door was located. While I examined the old stones, I disturbed a flock of bats. Scared, I lost my balance and fell backwards through the wall, ending my search. Almag must not have locked it.

The library of knowledge
had not changed in all this time. Nothing affected this place. Almag's light shone through the stained glass. The books were in their places, the mark of Auvreria in a golden circle was unbroken, and the floors remained untouched. Almag had sacrificed himself so Maldelsoul would not find this secret library. All was golden and warm despite the wreckage outside. I descended the stairs and ran through the halls of books. I imagined myself on my birthday. I came to the same room. The book I remembered was neatly put away. I took a breath and touched it.

R
ainbows flowed out of the book. Books flew around until they blended into a sky. The book opened and flew into my hands. I read the chapter it opened to.
As the universe changes, all the worlds parallel to it have to change. If the point of balance of the universe is controlled by one soul, the soul can change all. The point of Auvreria is in the three central galaxies that divide the universe into three parts. These divisions are called Aethra, Arthaesia, and Astral.
The sky shifted to the position of the point of Auvreria. Three spirals came from the point outwards to the Three Divisions.

I read further
.
The one that possesses the three medallions will unlock the true power of the ninth element, the power of the universe. The three medallions represent the Three Divisions and their connection to one another. Each medallion has eight gems that symbolize the eight elements and their balance. The three medallions must be put together to unlock the power. The white phoenix will decide if the owner of the medallion has mastered all the elements and will give the gems. The soul of the one will be tested to receive the power of the ninth element.

It was pure luck
that Maldelsoul hadn't reached the library. One word now determined the fate of Arthaesia: hope. With this knowledge, Aurora and I could find the medallions and reach the sanctuary of the dragon. We could close the power before Maldelsoul obtained it. This gave the Clamoor Clan a small advantage. If I found the four pieces of Cielune, Lanora Lake, the Tree of Life, the missing gems of my medallion, and the third medallion, we could win. I was not comforted by the length of that list. I focused on Lumifale and teleported back to Aurora.

I showed her the
information to give her hope.
Let’s fly away and leave the ruins of the past. If we have hope, we have a path into the future.
I agreed with her, and we flew away.

Aurora glided silently
above the silver valley. The moon shone. Its soft rays touched the harsh, mountainous range in the north. Shadows shifted across the dark lands. She saw Clarimie and the Clamoor Clan from the air, and we met them as soon as we were on the ground.

“We were setting
up camp, but there are not enough supplies for fire and shelter,” said Clarimie. “We should stay away from the forest at night, but all we have is soft grass.”

Fensagenia said, “My anger is louder than
the beat of a thousand battle drums! Maldelsoul will pay for almost killing us and taking Arthaesia. I wish we were back—Clamoor needs us.”

I can help with the fire
,
Aurora offered
.

I didn't want
to risk burning the fields and starting a forest fire. I had another idea. “Can everyone move away from me? If we can't build a shelter, then we should grow one. Full concentration is needed for this.” I gathered my magic, bent down to touch the ground, and tried to feel the element of earth. Blue lights circled around me. I felt harmony with every breath the planet and I took together. I slowly lifted my hands off the ground and flung my arms to the sky as the plants grew into figures of my creation.

The roots flowed gracefully, winding
around one another to form rooms separated by plant walls. The main room could be used for the campfire and meetings. I was surprised at how good it looked. I stopped my magic when I was too tired to stand and fell on my knees. My vision blurred, my muscles ached, and my body fell to the wet grass. The others around me screamed in shock.

I
dropped into the world of my dreams. There was only darkness until a faint, thin light shone. The same voice that I had heard in Maldelsoul's castle said,
Come and find me.

Where can I find you?
In dreams?

No, I am located in the parallel realities of the universe. Follow a gate to darkness that reveals light and knowledge. See the reflection of yourself. The reflection will show you how you see yourself. You will enter
; however, you may not leave if your reflection proves to be wrong. Your path will lead you to unexpected journeys and ancient secrets in your soul.

From the darkness a gr
ay beach appeared. It was night.looked to the horizon: two mountains extended to form a bay. The moonlit waters flowed gracefully, and the stars and planets were scattered like colorful pebbles across the sky. I sat on the sand while a cool breeze blew. I looked into the glowing depths of the heavens.

Soft clouds circled me until I appeared in another world. I sat on a rock
next to a cherry tree. I was high in the mountains overlooking the infinite ocean of the clouds. The sun rose from them. I observed my palms in the approaching light. They had two Auvreria marks that glowed with a blue hue. I examined my medallion. The arrow stopped moving. I was here in the place of one of the pieces of Cielune. The sun shone bright with golden rays. The brightness forced me to close my eyes.

The Battle of Maglor, Crossroads of the Valleys

May 14
th
, 2014

Time passed, and I opened my eyes. I was back in the camp I
had made on the soft grass. Everyone was sleeping. I decided to go outside for some fresh air. The morning breeze spread along the leaves. Sun shone on the grass, and there was a scent of fresh herbs and dew. The mountains of the north stood majestically overlooking Arthaesia. Birds sang their songs to the woods. The mist faded with the darkness. I saw a figure sitting on a boulder.

It
was a man in a navy cloak outlined with silver. He sat placidly, like a stone that had passed through thousands of ages. I looked at my medallion. The arrow pointed to him. The man said, “Arthaesia had its days. Noble wars were fought, legends were told, and there were journeys throughout other kingdoms. The heavens respected us, the warriors and knights fought side by side, and compromises were made. Knowledge was revealed from the ancient era. Our success fell into forgotten ashes when Mortver came. Nations were devastated, epidemics spread, and betrayal became commonplace.” He turned around. He had a nose shaped like an eagle's, eyes blue like ice, and hair in golden curls.

I asked, “Who are you? What do you need from me?”

“I am Orenelius. Do not be afraid; I am an old friend. You have grown and changed, Anelia. Maldelsoul transformed you into a shivering, helpless animal. What a monster!”

“It
’s all right. Luck is on my side. I always get help at the last second before certain death. I don't really believe my magic can be more powerful than Maldelsoul’s.”

“
So, you do not believe in your magic that was given to you by your loved ones? Let us have a fair duel in the art of magic. I know the others will wake, you will set off to the Crossroads of the Valleys, and so on....”

“How do you know all this? Whoa!” I dodged a sudden wave
of water. I threw a hot spiral of fire. He blocked it with the opposite element. I tried to use the element of air to blow him away, but he used this as a chance. I was engulfed in a box of solid rock and blew it open with the wind. His methods of attacking and countering were similar to mine.

“Do not stress over your attacks. Keep your defenses
up!” I flew into the air and crossed my hands. From one came light, from the other came darkness. Orenelius focused on the light and could not see his surroundings because of the dark. Using the earth element I tied him up in plants. The darkness and light faded. He closed his eyes, and the plants diffused into the air. He said, “Good fighting. If we had more time, I could have taught you my tricks.”

“We have a few more minutes. Did you know my parents, the guardians of Arthaesia? I want to
learn as much as I can about them before I return to Aethra after the end of the war of the universe. There is so much I don't know.”

“As I said, your parents were among the greatest heroes in Arthaesia. They led battles and journeyed beyond the boundaries of written maps. When they had Aurora, new
s spread of a new generation of protectors. She grew up in a safe environment, or so we thought. Mortver grew stronger every time they won their battles with royalty. All the people helped, complex strategies were planned, and yet it was all useless. Nothing could assuage their hunger for power. After your birth, we had hope. Aurora protected you at all times. On the day Maldelsoul took the throne, Arthaesia fell. Your parents gave all—they made the noble choice like heroes.”

“Well, I didn't. I ran away
in fear. I will never be a hero like them.”

“You will, child. You have to keep fighting in this battle, and all the prophecies of glory will come true. Remember the glory of your parents, remember Arthaesia, and remember your heritage.” He faded with the night mist. His cape vaporized into tiny droplets of water. I sat on the boulder for a while observing the sky
in wonder. Clouds moved and coalesced into different patterns. Out of the emerald forest came Aurora, Clarimie, and other people from the clan.

“Greetings
,” said Clarimie. “We have spoken to the Clamoor Clan in the Crossroads of the Valleys through Aurora's telepathy. They will meet us in a few days. We should leave now.”

We left camp with packed supplies. Walking all day through the distant landscape was tiring. Aurora walked beside me.
Did anything happen to you?

Nothing terrible happened. I met this magician
who claimed to be our parents’ friend. We had a magic duel, and he told stories about the old ages of Arthaesia. He vanished before you came. I don't think I am going to meet him again.

What is his name? He c
ould be one of the survivors of the magic clan like Almag.

I don
’t remember. It sounded peculiar.
Aurora grumbled.

We came to a clearing. I saw
in the distance a wide valley with the tents of the Clamoor Clan and many roads leading out. There were sounds of clashing metal, and suddenly, everyone was attacked. Swords and cries slashed through the air. I tried to get a look at the group from Mortver. There were forty warriors and magicians in long black garments. Some transformed into wild beasts. Others cast magic spells. Clarimie, with a motion of her elegant sword, wounded one of them. The unconscious warrior had a red mark—Mortver's symbol. Six arrows spread out from a point, connected by savage lines.

I felt pressure on my mind. It was Maldelsoul trying to reach me. I screamed in pain.
Aurora roared. I gathered all my energy and ran with my elven sword to fight for the Clamoor Clan. Groups of soldiers attacked me. I tried to close my eyes out of shock while I killed and slashed with my thin blade. From the sky flew an enormous black dragon with other small winged creatures and their riders. They shot at us with poison arrows. One-third of the Clamoor Clan was killed instantly. Maldelsoul’s dragon glided down and shot black fire at the soldiers.