The Fate: Book 1: Tournament Wysteria

by Ko, John

  It doesn’t last but a second, though. She feels two strong arms wrap something warm and soft around her. Towels!

  “What …” Shine begins to say.

  “It’s my job to uphold your honor,” the familiar voice of the Captain says.

  She should’ve known from how the arms shuddered at first, but they slowly stop trembling as the moments pass.

  “Um …” she begins but can’t finish. Her head is light and she feels her legs give way. There’s nothing left of her. And something else really just doesn’t feel right, but she’s too tired to figure it out. Now, he’s carrying her in his arms. He’s warm, and he smells like warmth. His heart beats steady and strong, helping hers slow down. Everything is going to be alright.

  But … “You better put me down,” she says. “Wake might get the wrong idea.”

  Who happens to arrive next. To her surprise, he begins to thank the Captain profusely. What in the world is going on?

  As loud as the world is, she begins to get that sleepy feeling. She tries to make out what is happening, but it is all just so confusing. The Fate is begging Wake to take her, and her brother is refusing adamantly. She tries to stay awake. She wants to remember it all, the voices of her friends, the cheers and the announcer screaming that they won. Did we really do it?

  “We won, right?” she asks with the last of her. “I did what I was supposed to?”

  “Yes, we won. You can rest now.” And she does just that.

  Rachel Avenoy wakes up surrounded by the sounds of revelry. It’s so loud that she wonders just how she slept through any of it all. How long have I been asleep? Are we back at the inn?

  “So the hero of the hour is finally awake, huh?” says the familiar voice of her favorite Daughter of Enyo.

  “What happened?”

  “We won, is what happened,” Riser answers her.

  “It wasn’t all a dream? It’s really over?”

  “If you mean are we done competing in Wysteria then yes.”

  Rachel still can’t believe it.

  “Don’t worry, I dressed you,” the Daughter says.

  “What?”

  “Well, when you got all Celestial Being on us, you blew away everything around you … including your clothes.”

  Her face suddenly feels warm. Riser laughs again.

  “Don’t worry, you looked great.”

  Her cheeks feel like they are on fire. The Daughter wraps her arm around her and stops teasing. “No one could see anything when you were all shining. And he had you covered by the time you came down. “

  The bits and pieces of her last waking memories start to make some sense. “Where is the Captain? I want to thank him.”

  “Last I saw, he was eating dirt?”

  “What? Why?”

  “Something about trying to be like you …” Riser giggles. “He wanted to see if he could turn into an Earth Elemental or something.”

  “Oh no … someone has to stop him,” Rachel worries.

  “Don’t worry, the others were trying to stop him when I left to come check in on you,” Riser tells her, “They're coming now …”

  And then they’re all there, all of the ones she wants to see most in the world. She feels their hands patting her on the back. One ruffles her hair and another grabs her hand.

  Her friends surround her …

  Riser—the sister she’s never had.

  Her brother—who never stops looking out for her.

  Monster—always gentle, always strong.

  Poe—who paints her world with sounds so beautiful.

  Sense—who always has the answer.

  And the Fate—the one she believes in so much, that she was able to believe in herself.

  Why am I crying? But she can’t help it, she’s just so happy. And then she smells the food and realizes just how many meals she’s skipped in recent days.

  But before she can eat, she has to ask, “So we can keep on being a Team?”

  “Of course,” he says, “Is that not what we fought so hard for?”

  “The Triple Threat Feat, we got it? We’re all going to School next year?”

  “Hmm … something like that. But let us discuss that later,” her Captain says. “Right now, it is time to celebrate.”

  Epilogue

  SIR HARDRIME

  [Courtyard, Seven Corner’s Inn, Saranghae]

  “Uncle …”

  “Just a moment, Poesy,” Sir Hardrime says. “Can’t you see I’m talking to the Miss Enada right now?”

  “Pardon us, Master Enada. He’ll be back in moment.” Poe grabs her uncle’s hand and drags him away.

  Once they’re far enough away, he asks her crossly, “What is it, girl? You’re pushing my patience, especially for being as naughty as you’ve been.”

  “Uncle, have I told you how much I missed you?”

  He doesn’t like the sound of this. “No, actually you haven’t.”

  “Well, I did and very much so.” She tries to smile sweetly at him, but all he sees is wickedness. “I know I haven’t been the best of nieces …”

  “I lost the little of the hair I had left,” he says, lifting his hat to show her. “Thanks to you … not being the best of nieces.”

  “I’m sorry, Uncle. Truly, I am. But I really learned a lot these past months. So much; not just about music or life, but about honor and hard work as well.”

  He looks at her with flat eyes.

  “And you know how I promised to go to school and never run away again …”

  “Of course, I do,” He reaches into his coat and pulls out the Promise Tome. “I hope you aren’t having a change of heart.”

  “No, nothing like that. In fact, I’ve taken the first step to apply to one of the most prestigious schools in the world …”

  Now, he’s really confused. “And just which prestigious school might this be?”

  “You know, the one the great genius Wolak teaches at …”

  “No, you did not!” That would mean … “Scourge! Where are you? We’re leaving right this instant!”

  The large fellow lumbers over. Poe gives him a preemptive hug. “I just declared my Wysterian citizenship.” The Scourge makes his clacking sound.

  Sir Hardrime looks at her closely. “Poesy, do you really plan on staying here and going on Tour next year?”

  She nods.

  “You’ll be under his care?” He points at the young clown.

  She nods, smiling.

  He looks at Scourge Kutz, who just shrugs. “Very well then. But if you do not get in, I will send you back to your last academy.”

  “But, Uncle …” she begins, before realizing just what he’s said. “Really?”

  He sighs and finally nods. She begins to bounce and doesn’t stop even as she hugs them both. In fact, she bounces all the way back to her friends.

  The two men watch her tell her friends and somehow they all look even happier than before. The dreaded Scourge Kutz gives him a questioning look.

  “I’m actually rather fond of that boy. And for as much as we worried about Poesy … she’s been doing just fine. In fact, she’s really matured.” He smiles. “Besides, did you see the way he reacted when she tried to hug him back at the Coliseum? I can sleep well at nights, knowing she’ll be under the care of someone like that.

  “And did you know his other student is internationally ranked? She’ll be competing next year as well. I’m sure with a girl like that on her team she won’t have too many issues getting into Wysteria’s Criers College.”

  Thank you so much for reading.

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  - John Ko -

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