“All right, class, we are going to talk about the real history of Earth and the opening of the Oriceran gates when magical folks began to become prevalent on this planet. Now, there is a ton of history of Earth leading up to that point, but for this class, we will start with the last time the gates were open thousands of years ago.”
Everyone was quiet, which normally would be a good thing for teaching, but she knew the students too well. They already had glazed looks in their eyes. She pulled her glasses down her nose and put her hands in front of her.
“I know this is not the most exciting thing for most of you, but it is very important to understand. Not everyone came directly from Oriceran, but even the shifters created here have a lineage leading back to the opening of the gates, so try to buck up and let’s talk about it. The gates to Oriceran started opening over twenty thousand years ago. Well, the last time they opened, at least. It was referred to as the Golden Age in Oriceran, where we were able to see a whole new world and influences that can be traced through Oriceran history.”
She put her glasses back on and went to the board, pulling out her wand and rolling it in front of her. Words scrolled across the board, taking up both the right and left sides. She turned back and put away her wand.
“Now, on Earth you wouldn’t have recognized the place compared to now. It was so long ago, before humans recorded history.” She smiled. “This was, like so many other time periods on Earth, a time of war. Ancient civilizations rose and fell with no remnants left of them anymore. Time has forgotten them.”
Emma raised her hand.
“Yes, Emma?”
“But even today, the people on Earth battle each other, mostly over being different.”
“Very true. It has been Earth’s greatest sore spot for many centuries.
“On top of that, you had the fight for territory, areas that had only been discovered at that time. There is still much of this Earth, especially in the oceans, that people have never set foot on. With technological advances, we know they are there, but not everything is accessible.”
Emma nodded and took notes. Eleanor erased the information she’d written with a swipe of her wand and let the magic draw a map of Oriceran on the board.
“Oriceran is much older than Earth, and for years we believed, much like the people on Earth did, that other life was too far away, available only through portals which can be dangerous. In a way, it was too far away, even beyond the scope of magic. Then the gates began to open, an open road to and from another planet. It was a planet that seemed familiar to Oricerans with merchants, traders, dynasties, and war. Civilizations that passed away a long time ago and mostly forgotten by humans these days. A history of this world that was lost.
“We didn’t fully understand the human way of life, but we were capable of living among them and finding new places to live our lives. Many of the first people to emigrate were those who had nothing on Oriceran or were seeking adventure.”
“They used magic to get ahead?” Aya asked.
“A lot of them did, yes. They used magic to sculpt their luck. Human history says there were only primitive tribes, and it’s true, that existed as well. But some humans created great cities with rulers, rich merchants, and high-ranking members of political hierarchies, and they were able to build lives they never knew they could have. When the others saw this, the greed spread into Oriceran and the dark families started to move through the gates. At first it was a dangerous prospect— but as the gates opened wider, controlling who came and went was something the council on Oriceran struggled to achieve.”
Ethan raised his hand, surprised he was so interested in the topic.
She pointed happily. “Yes, Ethan?”
“Weren’t humans going to Oriceran too?”
“Yes, they were, and they will again when the gates are beginning to open, but it will take thousands more years before they are fully extended.”
“What about the prophecy?”
Eleanor let out a deep breath. She knew that question was coming. “The prophecy is another story, but yes, there is one that says this opening will be the last because Oriceran will cease to exist at the closing. Which brings us to the current day, where magic is still quiet, but becoming more prevalent. Humans are going to have to come to terms with us moving from Oriceran to here, but that is a very long way off. We still have to get through the next couple of millenia.”
Everyone groaned, and the bell rang. Eleanor erased the board and put her hands up.
“For homework, I would like you to pick what you think are the ten most important Earth events from the last time the gates were open and write a paragraph summary of each. We will continue tomorrow.”
They grabbed their books and headed out of class. It was the last period of the day, so some headed to study hall while a few went to their dorms. Kathleen and the others were going to the library, but Izzie walked with Alison back to the room. It was Alison’s chance to get the rest she needed. Her powers were slowly building, and it was taking time to adjust to them. She was exhausted and knew it couldn’t wait until nighttime.
“You’ll be okay?” Izzie asked.
“I’ll be fine, I promise.”
“Sorry.” Izzie grimaced. “I just...”
“Care about me, I know. Now go, get your study on…”
Izzie left as Alison dropped onto the bed, lying flat on her back with her hands over her stomach. She let her mind relax, taking her into a state where she was almost floating between sleep and wakefulness. Usually it was like a nap, where she didn’t really remember anything but she knew she was only out for a short time.
However, as the trance moved her deeper into relaxation, energies began to swirl around her mind. They raced through at warp speed like they had in the barn, finally slowing as they centered on three energies. One she recognized as Mara Berens, the second the nurse, and the third she didn’t know, but from its oblong shape she could tell it was a patient lying down.
She heard Mara and the nurse talking.
“He isn’t getting better. In fact, he is getting worse. Whatever this is, it’s strangling him.”
“We must find the answer,” Mara whispered. “Or I am afraid he will be dead by nightfall.”
Their energies raced past her in her mind but she stayed, sensing the boy’s energy fading in and out. Above him, however, was a spell. Alison concentrated harder, sensing the streams of dark energy pulling and pushing through it. It was feeding the boy dark energy. She sensed that it was wrapping around the light, slowly but surely choking his soul.
Alison’s eyes shot open, and she sat up. She was still alone in the room. The boy was being strangled by the spell, and it was hovering over him like a ghost that no one could see. Her premonition was right—she could feel it in her chest. If the spell weren’t tweaked or reversed, the boy would be dead by the time dinner was over.
She jumped from the bed, feeling for her phone on her dresser in panic. She pressed the side button and held it, waiting for the voice to speak.
“Siri, what time is it?”
“It is six thirty-four.”
She dropped the phone on the dresser and tried to calm herself enough to count her steps through the room. Her hands slid along the furniture as she whispered the count, finally finding the doorknob. She hadn’t realized until that moment how much she had come to rely on Izzie always being with her, but she had taken care of herself her whole life. She could make it to the nurse’s station.
She ran her hand down the wall as she walked toward the stairs, ignoring the energies that passed her. Alison slid her hand down the railing as she stepped down the stairs, reaching the bottom but slipping on the last step. She could feel a hand on her arm, and she sensed the energy. It was Horace. She grabbed his jacket.
“I need to get to the nurse right now. I know what is wrong with the boy. I saw it. Well, I sensed it in my meditation. It’s complicated to explain, but he doesn’t have long.”
He squeezed her hand, not saying a word but leading her down the hall to the nurse’s station. Mara and the nurse were standing in the office, just how they were in her vision. Mara saw Horace helping Alison in and looked worried.
“What’s wrong? Are you all right, Alison?”
“Ms. Berens, I need you to take me to the boy.”
“He’s very fragile right now, Alison. I wasn’t even aware that you knew him.”
“I don’t, but I think I can help him.”
“How? We’ve tried everything, but we just can’t figure out what is wrong with him. Now, come on…you should get some food from the cafeteria. You look pale.”
“No,” Alison shouted, slapping her hands on her legs. “The truth is... The truth is, I can see magic in my mind, I can sense souls and energies. If my vision was right, or my dream, then there is something there you can stop. I have to be in front of him, though, to tell you for sure.”
“What kind of dream?” Mara asked suspiciously.
“We can have that discussion later.” The nurse nodded. “If the girl thinks she can help, we should let her. We are down to the wire.”
“By dark is how you put it, Ms. Berens,” Alison interjected.
Mara looked at her for a moment and at Horace. “Was she outside the room?”
“No, ma’am. I found her at the bottom of the stairs trying to get here. She was very upset, so I brought her right here.”
Mara nodded to Horace and the nurse, opening the door to the boy’s room. The nurse led Alison in and put her at his bedside. She could already sense the dark magic, and the colors flashed through her mind. She slowly reached out and held his hand, feeling the stiff clamminess of his skin. Her head tilted back, and a burst of energy hit her like a ton of bricks.
“Help me,” she could hear. “I can’t get out, and I don’t know where I am.”
The voice was distant, fading in and out like an echo in a cave. Alison swallowed hard, letting the voice continue. “He’s trapped somewhere between awake and asleep. I feel the dark magic. It’s a spell, and it’s hovering over him, choking out the light. He is very close to the end.”
The nurse pulled out her wand and Mara drew Alison back, settling her with Horace. They both began to work their magic, tweaking the spell as much as they could. They still didn’t know how to fully get rid of it, but they were able to stop the flow of dark magic for the time being. Alison could sense the darkness edging back, almost hissing at the light that was flooding in. The boy’s energy was lightening with every swish of their wands.
When they were done the nurse nodded, running off to get some cool water for the boy’s head. Mara put her wand away and faced Alison, taking her hand.
“I’m sorry for not believing you.”
“Will he be okay?”
“We will be able to hold the dark magic at bay until we can find a full cure, but yes, I think he will be fine. I know you can’t see it, but the color is already coming back to his cheeks.”
“His energy is almost all light now. Before it was dark, with only small streaks of light fighting back.”
“That was a good thing you did.” Mara squeezed her hands. “You helped save this boy. Do you want to tell me about the dream?”
“Not right now.” Alison smiled. “Maybe later.”
“All right,” Mara replied, looking at Horace. “Take her to get some food. She needs to eat.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Horace slowly led Alison back down the hall. He could tell she had held information back from the headmistress. “Why didn’t you tell her about your vision?”
“It’s strange, and I don’t know if I am ready for people to know about my powers.”
“Like mind control?”
Alison stopped and squeezed Horace’s arm. “You have to know I would never use that in a negative way, or any way at all.”
“Calm down. I haven’t said anything, not yet. But you must know that you and Izzie are extremely powerful.”
“Alison,” Izzie shouted walking toward them. “Are you all right?”
Alison squeezed her hand and smiled. “Yeah, I just needed to see Ms. Berens. I had a dream that I thought might help.”
“And it did.” Horace winked at Izzie.
“I go to study, and you save the day!”
Alison laughed. “I don’t know if it was that serious.”
“Where are you going now?”
“I was taking her to get some food,” Horace replied.
“Oh, well, I can go with you. We were all headed over there anyway.”
Alison nodded and stopped for a moment, turning toward Horace’s energy. “Thanks for catching me on the stairs, and for keeping my secret.”
“It’s not my secret to tell unless it’s desperately needed.”
Alison smiled and walked toward the dining hall. Horace stood there for a moment, watching them go through the doors. This time her magic had done good, which was exactly what he was hoping for, but he wasn’t sure it would be the same the next time. All he could do was keep an eye on the two of them and hope they could control whatever powers they were developing. He may have been human, but he wasn’t going to let the magical community down.
20
The month of April had ended quickly and they sped through May, studying, finishing up finals, and preparing the school for the end of the year commencement. The seniors were off, and Kathleen, Aya, Emma, Izzie, and Alison couldn’t be happier to be finishing their freshman year. A lot had happened their first year there, and they all knew there was much more in store for the future. After they attended the graduation, they went back to their rooms to pack for summer vacation. Kathleen had already started, but since she had so many clothes, it took her a lot longer than everyone else.
“I don’t know why you bring all that. You don’t wear three-quarters of it.” Emma giggled and kept folding her clothes.
“I want to be prepared for anything,” she replied. “Besides, next year we have more freedom, so I don’t have to wear my uniform as much.”
Emma smiled and glanced at Aya, who was floating her dolls through the air and tucking them safely into her suitcase. “What are your plans for summer, Aya?”
“I think we are going to Vermont. My grandma lives there, and my parents want to visit.”
“That sounds boring,” Kathleen commented.
Aya shrugged her shoulders. “They live on Lake Willoughby, so I’ll get to swim and water ski all summer. Oh, and they are letting me bring my boyfriend since we don’t get to see much of each other anymore.”
“Is he magical?” Emma asked.
“Of course.” Aya chuckled. “My parents would have never have allowed it otherwise. I told you, he’s an elf. A Light Elf, and his great-grandfather came here from Oriceran.”
“That’s cool.”
“He gets to take trips back there sometimes, but my parents have yet to let me go with him. Vermont it is. What about you, Emma?”
“My parents signed me up for some magical summer camp, which is not much different than human summer camp. Fires, camp stories, silly games—that kind of thing. I went last year too, and I know some of the kids coming back, so it won’t be too bad.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to get my parents to bring you along to Paris? I mean, we would have so much fun! It’s one of my favorite cities.”
Emma smiled but shook her head. “Not this year. They aren’t feeling too confident after what happened with the dark families. Maybe next year. Thanks, though.”
“Well, if any of you change your mind, just call the number I left you. It’s my international cell, and I will have my dad pop a portal for you right into the Versailles Hotel.”
Kathleen looked at Izzie, who had been quiet. “What about you, Izzie?”
“Oh, uh, I’m going to be with Ms. Berens, and she said we might go to Austin if she can get away. She has some things to deal with here in town. Something to do with a light magic council, but
she seems pretty interested in taking me out of Charlottesville. She said I might be able to visit with Alison if her guardians aren’t too busy.”
Kathleen snorted. “James Brownstone not busy? He probably kicks dark magic ass in his sleep.”
Alison laughed nodding as she carefully took the clothes from her closet and folded them on her bed. “I wish I could say that was a crazy-ridiculous over-exaggeration, but you are probably right.”
“Are you going to be getting in on the fun while you’re gone?”
“No.” Alison laughed. “I doubt that very much. He is a bit overprotective of me, so I’ll probably end up sitting around whatever house we are at and reading the whole time.”
“Boring.”
Alison shrugged. “I don’t mind. I like the quiet, and I can listen to my music.”
Alison pulled out her suitcase and began to pack. Izzie came over and helped her fold. The girls talked about Paris, the beach, and all the places they wished they could go on summer vacation. Izzie felt like she was leaving home, though, and wished school lasted all year.
“Have you said goodbye to Tanner yet?” Kathleen asked with a smirk.
“No, not yet. He’s gonna meet me downstairs before we go.”
“You guys are always in the halls together.”
Alison bumped her with her shoulder and smiled. “He’s a nice guy. I just hope Mr. Brownstone eases up a bit. I’m hoping for a more successful Valentine’s Dance next year.”
The girls whistled, making Alison blush. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Uh huh.” Kathleen laughed. “Suuuure you didn’t. We don’t mind, though. We all have our own little crushes, right, Emma?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You gonna keep in touch with Peter this summer?”
Bright Is Her Sight_An Urban Fantasy Action Adventure Page 17