Alana was racking her brain. It was their final exam, and she couldn’t believe that two weeks had gone by so quickly! She glared at her paper, filled with typed words. Not a single question was answered. She stared blankly at the first question, which read, “Which island surrounding the Adventure Island is nicknamed the lonely island?” The answer choices were: Everett Island, Misty Cove, and Sprig Falls. Alana thought carefully. She had remembered Coach Penny telling her that the lonely island was surrounded by bewitched waters, while none of the others were. She slowly recalled that she was on that island before reaching the AL, and it had a few evergreen trees.
It must be Everett Island. She joyfully circled her first answer, and as she proceeded through the test, she found that she was easily able to find the answers. Sam found the test simple at the beginning, but toward the end he found himself scratching his head and getting frustrated. He jotted down random answers, and thought that he surely would flunk the exam. Iyesha, Avery, and Bridjette were working diligently, putting forth their best efforts. At the end the children were grateful that the exams had concluded and they would not have to worry about it, at least temporarily.
Taking the final exam on paper made no sense to the children. After all, they were supposed to be training. Why would the teachers want to test their knowledge? Even though it seemed silly to think about, they knew that the test would have some purpose, and were glad that it was finally over.
They retreated to their cottages to relax, enjoying their time off, when a blaring alarm sounded, startling everyone. The five children immediately rushed to Mr. Holt’s office. While doing so, pandemonium broke out amongst other students. Iyesha enlightened them by letting them know that the alarm was to signify a threat. Every one guessed what the threat may be.
Mr. Holt was in shock, utterly baffled and speechless. They tried to wheedle some information out of him. After a while he finally told them that his satellite had picked up an incoming fleet of ships as well as tanks. He had also received a message from the WAR force commander that they were approaching, coming back to claim what was rightfully theirs. Mr. Holt’s voice became solemn. After what seemed like an interminable discourse, Mr. Holt confirmed his choice with all of his staff members and colleagues. He was sending them, the five newly trained recruits, to the Transmalian bases around the world to alert the residents and order them to report to the Adventure Island for battle duties. Everything was planned so suddenly, the children knew that they had to follow through with their assignments. None of them knew exactly what they were going to do and how they were going to do it, but they had to get packed and ready quickly. They were set to depart in less than an hour.
Sam, Alana, Iyesha, Avery, and Bridjette hurriedly packed their gear, suits, and other weaponry. Sam packed a few of his red pills for emergencies. He scurried after the others to Mr. Holt’s office. Mr. Holt led them to the island teleportation chamber. The children were split into two groups. Alana, Iyesha, and Bridjette were in one group, and Avery and Sam were in another. Alana’s group went into the chamber first, lugging their baggage inside with them. Their destination was printed on a green, metallic screen: Rio de Janiero, Brazil.
Mr. Holt pressed a few buttons and adjusted a few knobs on the teleportation chamber, and it began rattling back and forth. Next, it shook severely and disappeared into thin air after a few minutes. It returned shortly after, and it was Sam and Avery’s turn to get in. They dragged their baggage in with them and slammed the door shut. The chamber began whirring and said, in a monotone, “Destination: Sydney, Australia.” Sam looked around in the chamber, noticing that it was coated on the inside with metallic fabric, and the floor was made out of thin, glossy tile. Nothing else was inside the chamber, except for a small panel that was marked with red lettering. Sam didn’t have enough time to read it, because the chamber began spinning swiftly, rotating multiple times. Then, it rattled for a few seconds and lurched forward before coming to a halt.
The door slid open smoothly, revealing an empty, white room. The room was extremely small and narrow. Sam and Avery inched to the exit and barged through the door. They found themselves standing in the middle of a sweltering, arid desert. Small, low-lying bushes appeared every so often, and the horizon seemed like a vast stretch of sand. The lack of vegetation alerted Sam that they may have landed in the middle of the Australian Outback. Avery seemed comfortable with the idea of being in a desert. Well, of course, thought Sam. She was a snake Transmalian after all. He was a dragon Transmalian, so he would be able to survive in the desert as well. Avery began searching around the area, trying to find the Transmalian base. Sam quickly remembered that he had his special pills with him.
He pulled out a capsule from his pocket, slipped it into his mouth, and transformed. He took off into the sky, watching as Avery continued poking around in the sand. He circled around the desert three times and saw a small tent. He swooped down to where Avery was crouching, first grabbing ahold of her shirt and then latching his claws onto their suitcases. Avery climbed onto Sam’s back, while Sam kept his claws clamped over the handles of both suitcases. They were soon near the tent, and Sam descended, landing carefully on the ground. Avery climbed off his back cautiously, and Sam freed the suitcases from his grip. He morphed back into his human form, noticing a great change in temperature. His hands were sizzling, turning bright red. He and Avery rushed to the tent, shoving the flaps aside and sitting down to rest. They had been in the Outback for less than half an hour and were already tired.
After resting for a while, they got up and looked around the tent. A small, broken table sat at the corner. A worn-out carpet was placed in the middle, and a few old photographs and papers were strewn across the room. Sam shuffled through all the papers and found a few documents about a man named Lucas Reed. There were no photos of this man, only faded, antique prints of a family. Sam looked closely at the print and saw two young children, one older child, and two parents. Their faces were blurred, but he could tell that the photo was probably from a family in the mid-1900s. Avery was busy shuffling through other documents but found nothing particularly interesting. Sam walked over to the broken table and started meddling with it. The parts were disorganized, and he rummaged through it, creating another disorderly pile. When he reached the base of the pile, a small wooden leg stood there, upright. Sam tugged at it in vexation. He did this so much so that the leg moved downward, like a lever. Straightaway, the floor tilted sideways, like a tiny slanted shaft. It formed a small crack but was large enough for them to slide through. Both Sam and Avery were puzzled as to where this crack would lead them. Sam was the first to slide through it, and Avery followed him.
Alana, Bridjette, and Iyesha were also feeling challenged. They were in the heart of Rio, in one of the most exotic jungles. It was wild, full of magnificent creatures and tropical plants. Multicolored flowers filled the jungle with vibrant patterns and colors. The humidity of the area warmed the girls’ souls, filling them with joy. They had a wonderful time exploring the life in the jungle, but were unable to find the base. So they used a Transmalian GPS. They found the area in which it was located, but had been searching the same area for over an hour to find the entrance. Bridjette had found a large boulder, which seemed to be concealing the front of a cave. Around the boulder were a variety of shrubs and plants. So, they decided to push the boulder aside. Unfortunately, their attempt in pushing it aside was unsuccessful, and they were unable to move it. Then, Alana grabbed the side of the boulder and began prying it from the cave vigorously. Bridjette and Iyesha aided her, and finally, after hours of struggling with it, the boulder came loose. The three girls ran into the cave, expecting to find a group of people hiding in fear. Instead they found a set of steep stairs. They dashed up the stairs and found themselves at the mouth of a volcano. The volcano was void of all lava, which was highly unusual. There were small straw huts that were situated inside the volcano, filling up most of the space. In between the huts were clotheslines, washing bi
ns, and clay ovens. People, dressed in colorful, quilted clothing, were bustling from place to place. Alana, enchanted by the village, sat on the rim of the volcano and watched as the residents continued their daily routine.
Iyesha and Bridjette were irritated with Alana. They had a mission to accomplish, and she was being lackadaisical. They grabbed her by the hand and tried to get her attention. There were no ladders or stairs leading in to the volcano. All of them looked upwards, hoping that they could find a way of getting down to the village inside the volcano. Alas, upwards was a rocky cave ceiling, which seemed as if it had never been touched. The girls huddled together and decided on a plan, devising a good strategy. Bridjette used her special invisible gear, and she transformed into a chameleon Transmalian, blending with the dark brown color of the volcano. She craftily slipped into the volcano, wandering from place to place trying to find the leader of the village. She assumed that none of the villagers would know how to speak English since they had been in hiding for many generations.
When she failed to find the leader, she returned to Alana and Iyesha. They told her to create a commotion, so as to draw everyone’s attention with the hope that it would bring the leader to the scene as well. Bridjette scurried through the huts, ran over people’s feet, got tangled in the clotheslines, and overturned the washing bins. The amount of tumult that Bridjette was creating was unbelievable! People were running around like they were insane, screaming words in Spanish and yelling at one another. Suddenly, an old man wearing a dark-patterned robe and different-colored face paints, banged a hefty staff against the ground. Everyone froze, including Bridjette. He cleared his throat and made a few gestures. The people became calm, composed, and serene. The old man pointed to the air, and the people stared at him as if he was delusional. He was probably able to see them! Iyesha and Alana were overjoyed! They knew instantly that the old man was their leader.
They threw their baggage down to the bottom and started climbing down the volcano, using tiny crevices as foot and hand holds. When they got to the bottom of the volcano, the old man approached them. Iyesha quickly showed him the green star on her neck and the old man seemed to relax. Alana was wondering if they would understand her since she spoke only English.
To their utter surprise, he addressed them in English. His voice sounded very grave when he spoke. “Welcome to our humble abode. What brings you this way?” Alana began talking rapidly, explaining to the man that the WAR force was attacking them and that all the Transmalians had to gather at the Adventure Island. The man nodded and said “Ah...” in a heavy Spanish accent. He signaled to them, and took them aside. Before leading them to the next teleportation chamber, he took a small conch shell out of his pocket and blew it. Villagers began streaming out of their huts and lining up, with their hands in salute. After the villagers were informed of their duties, Alana, Iyesha, and Bridjette were led to the chamber.
On the other side of the world, Sam and Avery had just entered an Australian oasis. They were astounded by how they had gone from the stuffy, dry Outback to the cool, breezy, Australian coast. Sam felt that Transmalians were true geniuses and masters of disguise and illusion. How was the whole Transmalian world formed? Well, he had no time to think about it, because it seemed as if the leader had come up to talk to them, and Avery rolled up her sleeve, revealing the green star imprinted on her skin.
“G’day mates,” said the man in khaki shorts, a khaki shirt, and a green booney hat. “What brings ya here?” Sam took a few moments to look around at the light blue ocean, the soft white sand, and the beachside that seemed so vivacious and merry. Many people were surfing, swimming, lounging at the beach, or sitting in small cabanas. It must be lovely to live here, thought Sam. The people were able to sleep outside during the night since the weather was mild.
The man, who was becoming suspicious, asked, “What brings ya here?” again. Avery began rambling on and on about the WAR force’s threats and their orders to inform the main Transmalian bases to report to the Adventure Island and prepare for battle. The man’s reaction was not surprising. “Aye,” he said softly. Then he exclaimed, “Crikey!” and gave a wide smile. “I didn’t even introduce myself. Name’s Lucas, Lucas Reed. Well, I better start calling in all the troops.”
He seemed very scatterbrained, but most likely knew what he was doing. Lucas pulled out a blue whistle and blew it three times. The calm atmosphere suddenly became tense. Surfers began washing up on shore, scrambling through the sand. Swimmers paddled rapidly through the water, splashing around as they moved. People who were lounging in cabanas dropped everything and stood in a line. Lucas smiled, and before doing anything else he led the two children to the teleportation chamber.
Alana, Iyesha, and Bridjette had also just entered their teleportation chambers. The two troops of children both arrived at the AL one after the other as if they all had been to the same place together. They were all fatigued with their adventure. No one else was in the teleportation chamber and for a few minutes the children were bewildered.
What were they supposed to do next? They looked back at the chamber’s control panel, and saw a set of green words flashing on the screen. “Florence, Italy, and Beijing, China.” The five children split up into groups yet again. Sam and Avery were going to China, and Alana, Iyesha, and Bridjette were going to Italy, to inform the Transmalian people of the war that was about to occur.
Sam’s group went into the chamber first, followed by Alana’s group. Both groups arrived safely at their destinations. Sam and Avery, however, were already having a much harder time. They were far past the suburbs of Beijing. They had disembarked in a rocky, mountainous area. Walls of limestone arched, curved, and rose into the sky. Filled with bumps, cracks, and ridges, the walls seemed unsurmountable. The landscape was rich, moist, and harmonious. The peaks of the mountains protruded unevenly, showing the beauty in its imperfection. Some of the mountains had snow-covered caps, which gleamed brilliantly in the late evening sun. Sam squinted his eyes and gazed farther into the horizon, thinking that he saw the Great Wall of China.
In fact, he was correct. The Great Wall of China was nestled amongst moss-covered hills. Beyond the wall, a low layer of mist hung in the air, clouding a full view. The wall snaked across the mountains, twisting from side to side. Sam felt drawn to the Great Wall, but Avery persisted that they continue looking for the base. Sam did not heed Avery’s advice, feeling that if they were in China, they could at least devote a sliver of time to sightsee. Sam threw a few more red pills into his mouth and took off into the sky, dragging Avery along with him.
Looking beneath him, acres of land stretched endlessly, covered mainly with green and brown. A few minutes later, the Great Wall came into view. Sam flew down, aiming for the wall, and ended up perched unevenly on the edge. Avery dismounted and, once she was safely on the wall, shoved Sam over. He plummeted at least twenty feet, landing sprawled on the ground. He got up carefully, brushing dirt off his body. He took off again, zipping from one end of the wall to the other. The wall passed by him in a flash, a blur of cream and brown. He flew back and forth a few more times, and skidded to a stop when he was halfway toward the end.
He noticed that all the bricks on the Great Wall were cream or light brown, but this particular brick was light green. “Hey, Avery, come here!” Sam screamed in excitement.
Avery, who had just transformed, came slithering down the side of the wall. She went up to the spot that Sam was at and was curious when she saw the odd-colored brick that he had found. Sam began to push the brick, but nothing happened. He continued like this for a few more minutes. Then, he tried pulling the brick out of the wall. At first the brick wouldn’t budge, but gradually it began sliding out of its socket. Once the brick came out, Sam held it in his hands, noting that it was very heavy. He set it on the top of the wall and waited to see what would happen. Slowly but surely, a rectangular area of bricks on the bottom of the wall crumbled. Sam and Avery rushed into it, finding that it was a tunnel leadin
g to a hideout. The tunnel was filled with cobwebs, dead bugs, and a substantial amount of dirt.
Meanwhile, Iyesha, Alana, and Bridjette were gliding across the Italian waters in a gondola. Their GPS had led them to an underwater Transmalian civilization. While no passersby were watching, they stole a gondola and began coasting through the water. The river they were on was quite narrow, and the buildings that lined the river were miniature, with narrow roads in between. All three of them enjoyed the serene, placid waters as they were carried through the city. Unexpectedly, Iyesha’s GPS began beeping. The girls stopped rowing and put on their multipurpose gear, which consisted of waterproof suits, goggles, and underwater walkie-talkies. All three of them dove into the water, scanning the area for ruins or caves.
Iyesha was the first to find traces of life in the water. She found a large stone arc with two statues on either side. She called Alana and Bridjette over. They swam under the arc, and instantly a net fell from above, ensnaring them. Two men appeared from behind the statues and dragged the net through the arc and down a long hallway. They were no longer underwater but in a clear, glass tunnel. They reached a circular glass room. One chair sat in the middle of the room, and it was occupied by a young man with curly blond hair. The man got up from his chair, and said, “Release them.” The two guards untied the net and let the three girls step out. Iyesha rolled up her sleeve, and said, “We come in peace, and are here to deliver a message.” The man nodded, rolling up his sleeve to reveal his green star as well, and said, “Go on.” Iyesha cleared her throat and said, “We were sent from the AL to inform you that a war is about to commence, and you need to send all your troops there immediately.” The man nodded, and told the men, “Take them to the chamber.”
The Transmalians Page 10