River Baker and the Warriors of Rala

by Mali Baker

  ‘Help me, RALA,’ she prayed. She thought of No Name, Neith and Maolan, willing them to come to her. In that instant Eleon grabbed River’s ankle and yanked her leg. She fell downwards, in amongst the branches below. He reached for her again but she kicked him away. It hurt him and he retreated. He was surprised at how powerful she had become. It angered him more.

  She searched for the book. It was hard to see past Eddie’s leaves. Adora fluttered her wings rapidly to get River’s attention. She was straight ahead of her. River raced towards her as quickly as she could. She caught a glimmer of something reflecting in the sunlight. Adora and Boba had pulled back the leaves to reveal the book – Violet’s book. Eleon caught up with River and forcefully threw himself at her.

  ‘Get off,’ she screamed in agony. His arms burnt her like hot iron rods as he grabbed her by the shoulders. He showed no mercy towards her and tightened his hold. She collapsed on him, like a dead weight, and he threw her on to the branch beneath them.

  ‘Noooo,’ she screeched, gripping on to the branch for dear life as he sped towards Adora. He was nearing the book. River’s fingernails scraped the branch as her fingers slowly slid around it. She knew she only had seconds to go before she fell to the ground.

  Sedina hobbled into the garden, carrying River’s old clothes. She hoped to be able to help River, but she was badly wounded from the battle with Eleon. Her younger brother had overpowered her again and she was scared for River. She had no strength left. She made her way over to Kit, who was lying on the ground unconscious.

  ‘Kit,’ she whispered, stroking her back. Kit grunted but was clearly without an ounce of energy. Sedina looked up to the sky and pleaded for help from her fellow Warriors. And she asked someone else for help too.

  ‘Violet, Warrior Princess of RALA, if you can hear me, if you are alive, please, please help us.’

  No Name, Neith and Maolan hovered over the garden in the form of their light – the lights that River had seen fly towards her. They watched River hanging from the tree, as Eleon got closer to finding Violet’s book. They lowered themselves, down to Sedina and Kit, and sprinkled themselves back to human form.

  ‘Is there nothing we can do?’ Sedina said.

  ‘No,’ No Name said. ‘She has to get the book first.’

  ‘I can’t stand back and let this happen,’ Maolan said, lunging towards Eddie, hoping to get permission to help River, but No Name wouldn’t allow it.

  ‘Son, you know the rules: we have to let River dictate the outcome,’ Neith said. She was sympathetic with Maolan, and she could see he was restless, but she knew No Name was right.

  Maolan turned his attention to Kit. He gently placed his hands on her waist and began feeding his deep green light into her body, helping her wounds to heal. He was young but very powerful. No Name and Neith helped Sedina up. Then the three of them stood, staring up at Eddie, willing River to find the book before Eleon got his hands on it.

  CHAPTER 25

  The Book

  River tried to swing over the top of the branch, but she was not strong enough and she was too high up to land safely – if she fell, she was sure to break something. She kicked her legs against Eddie’s trunk but she couldn’t wake him. She could hear Eleon stampeding from one branch to the next. His red light seeped through the veins of the leaves as he brushed past them.

  ‘Adora,’ River called. ‘I need you to wake Eddie up.’ Adora flew straight down to Eddie’s face at River’s request.

  ‘River, you where are? Quicker, you quicker be,’ Boba panicked. Eleon was nearing the crevice where the book was hidden. Once Eleon reached him, Boba didn’t stand a chance.

  ‘Oh, no,’ Boba wailed. River was tense all over. ‘Go away. This is for you not. FOR YOU NOT.’

  Boba fell from the tree. Eleon had literally flicked him out of the way and taken the book from its hiding place. River closed her eyes; she couldn’t watch. Boba landed with a thud, and it made her blood boil. In that moment, River saw her life flash before her eyes. She thought about Kit. She thought about home, the possibility of never seeing her family again. Worst of all, she thought about having to live like this: in fear of a big baby who couldn’t get his own way. She wasn’t prepared to do it. Whether she had to stay in RALA or whether she made it home, Eleon was not going to have control over her. River made the decision there and then: she was going to get hold of Violet’s book.

  As though she’d flicked a switch, her light shot through every cell in her body, growing a bubble big enough for all the Warriors of RALA to see. It was her call to them. It was the sign they’d been waiting for. River was ready to take her power back. They could finally help her.

  Eleon, too, felt the warmth of her glow. It made him think of Violet.

  ‘I know you’re here, Violet,’ he said, holding the book close to him.

  ‘I know you’re here, Violet,’ River said, at exactly the same time as Eleon. ‘Help me, please,’ Both were oblivious that the other was calling out to her. From somewhere within herself, River found the strength to pull herself up on to the branch.

  Eleon tugged at the book, but it wouldn’t open. He roared with frustration, shaking Eddie out of his sleep. Eleon’s eyes were bloodshot as he turned in time to see River coming towards him. He stood up tall and raised his arm, ready to fire at her.

  ‘Oh, no, you don’t,’ Eddie said. He shook his trunk as hard as he could. He was not willing to let Eleon strike River, or his branches. Eleon lost his balance, falling down the tree, bouncing from branch to branch.

  ‘Well done, Adora, or Violet. Whoever woke him, thank you,’ River said, unaware of the fact that Eleon had been the one to wake Eddie.

  Eleon managed to grab a branch. He hung on with one hand, the book tightly tucked under the other arm. He swung himself back up with ease, and then ran to the middle of the tree. Staying close to Eddie’s trunk, he cleverly slid down it. Eddie reached for him, but he couldn’t angle his branches close enough to catch Eleon. River scrambled down the tree as fast as she could, jumping the last few metres, so she could meet Eleon face to face at the bottom.

  ‘Give me the book, Eleon.’ She sounded commanding. Even Eleon was surprised.

  Slowly, the four Warriors circled the base of Eddie’s trunk, ready to protect River.

  ‘I need to know why she left. I need to see what’s inside.’ Eleon held the book out to River. River realised he couldn’t open it without her; that was why he hadn’t run. She edged towards him. He stayed still. She wrapped her fingers around the spine of the book. Gently, she tried to take it from him, but Eleon pulled her in. She was trapped, again.

  ‘Eleon, it’s over,’ Sedina said wearily. ‘Let her go.’

  ‘It was over the day you all let her leave. You made me this way. You let her go.’

  ‘Eleon, if I may add,’ Eddie said. ‘I saw her the day she left. Clearly, because she climbed me and left that book in me.’ Eddie chuckled. ‘Ever so funny – all these years I’ve wondered what was up there…’

  ‘SHUT UP.’ Eleon had no patience left. Eddie shuddered.

  ‘I saw it too, Eleon,’ River said. ‘She didn’t leave you; she had no choice.’

  ‘I don’t believe a word you say, any of you. You all betrayed me.’

  More lights from the sky floated down, filling the gaps between the four Warriors. They sparkled back into physical form, and despite being captured River couldn’t help but appreciate the magic she was witnessing. Every Warrior in RALA stood around River. They had been with her since she left Indigo House, following her from above this whole time. River felt Eleon tense up. He was clearly unnerved by their presence. Sedina took a step out of the circle, stepping closer to Eleon and River.

  ‘I never wanted it to come to this, Eleon. But you have left me no choice,’ she said. All fifteen Warriors entwined the backs of their hands together, and released their light, makin
g a rainbow-coloured circle. Over and over they chanted, ‘RALA. RALA. RALA.’

  Eleon wriggled like a worm. The sound of them tortured him. Still he wouldn’t release River.

  ‘You have until the count of three to let River go. Or else I will do what I must to free her.’ Sedina waited. ‘One… Two…’

  Before she got to three, Eleon lifted his palm and shot a thick black beam at Sedina, sending her flying straight into Maolan’s arms. Maolan lowered her to the ground and then stepped into the circle, ready to fight. Eleon laughed. ‘What are you going to do?’ he sneered.

  ‘Don’t test me,’ Maolan threatened. His green bubble surrounded him. It was thick, like metal.

  ‘Son, stop it now,’ Neith said.

  ‘I can’t let this rogue do that to his own sister and get away with it.’ Maolan said.

  Sedina didn’t get up from the ground. Every Warrior changed their stance, their palms towards Eleon, ready to fire. Even though she knew she wasn’t the target, River felt pretty intimidated. Eleon gripped her tighter, and the book dug into her side. She looked down at it, noticing its unusual size. It was huge, and very old-fashioned. Certainly it had seen better days. What caught her eye most, though, was the carved-out shape of a butterfly, right in the centre of the front cover. She thought back to Violet’s room, where this journey had started. The book that wasn’t a book! The golden butterfly! At the time she had thought it was for the window, but it wasn’t, it was for this book.

  Maolan took a step closer to River and Eleon. All the Warriors did the same. Maolan fired his light into the sky – it was a warning. River gasped at the sight of Maolan’s thick black beam; she hadn’t been expecting that. It was exactly like Eleon’s. No Name stood, calmly, observing.

  ‘Stop!’ River yelled. ‘Stop, Maolan, please. I know how to open the book.’

  He didn’t listen. Eleon threw River to the ground, along with the book. He needed his hands free. Maolan was approaching him, fearlessly. River grabbed the book and crawled over to Kit, wanting nothing but to get them both home.

  ‘My ’ocket,’ Kit mumbled. River couldn’t hear her over the shots of lights. She knelt closer to Kit and put her ear to Kit’s mouth. ‘My…pocket, the butterfly pen.’

  River spun Kit on to her back, and she groaned. ‘I’m sorry,’ River said, taking the pen and paper out of Kit’s pocket. River looked over her shoulder. Eleon was shooting black beams at Maolan. Thankfully, Maolan was nimble and dodged every one of them. River put the book down on the grass. She reached for her pocket. It wasn’t there. She looked down and saw her Warrior dress. Defeated, she punched the ground. Finally, she’d figured out what to do, only now she couldn’t do it.

  ‘Aaarrrrgggghhhh,’ Eleon screamed. River looked up. He had been hit. Regardless of all he had done to Kit, it made her stomach turn.

  ‘River,’ Sedina yelled from across the garden. She pointed, thrusting her arm back and forth. River couldn’t see what she was pointing at.

  ‘Look behind you!’ Sedina tried to sit up but she couldn’t. River stood up and looked in the direction Sedina was pointing. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Her T-shirt and her trousers – Sedina had brought them with her! She ran to them and dug her hand into her pocket. She grabbed the golden butterfly and ran back. She inserted the butterfly into the book. The butterfly pen was already glowing. Violet was ready to tell her story.

  CHAPTER 26

  Violet’s Letter

  The book sprung open. Inside, the pages were blank. River grabbed the pen and began to write. As River wrote, Kit recited the exact words River was writing. However, it wasn’t Kit’s voice coming from her mouth, it was Violet’s.

  My dearest Eleon,

  By the time you read this – well, I don’t know what will have happened, but one thing I know for sure is that I won’t be with you.

  Eleon turned his head to River. When he saw it wasn’t her speaking, he searched until he saw Kit’s mouth moving.

  I am being sent away. My parents tell me it’s just for a week but I know I will not be coming back. As you know, they are ashamed of me, Eleon; they are afraid of my abilities. I think they are even a little frightened of me. They don’t believe RALA exists; they think I have simply gone mad!

  Confused, Eleon looked at Sedina, but she was just as confused as him. ‘Violet?’ he said, walking towards Kit, who was still lying on the grass.

  If I waited to tell you myself, you would have made it harder. Perhaps I am just a coward, perhaps I should have told you face to face, but I couldn’t bear to see the pain in your eyes.

  He dropped to his knees beside Kit, and touched her face. His bubble was shrinking rapidly, and so was his body.

  However much we wanted to be together, it was not meant to be. We shared RALA and that will always be ours to remember, but for now I must leave, and I need you to let me go. For your sake, as well as mine. As sad as it makes me, it is not possible for us to live together in one world or the other.

  No Name and Neith walked over to Sedina, helping her up and over to Eleon. Eleon, now, looked completely different: he had surrendered. The red had cleared from his light and his eyes were a soft brown rather than the black River had always known them to be. She could see the likeness to Sedina now that he had shrunk a little. And a pale blue light started to coat him.

  My family, they love me, they just don’t understand. And that’s OK – one day one of them will, and when they come looking you must show them what it truly means to be one of us – a Warrior.

  Sedina sobbed. She placed one hand on Eleon’s shoulder and he turned, looking up at her. His eyes were wet with tears; he couldn’t hold it in any longer. It had been such a long time since they had stood this close to one another.

  ‘I miss her so much,’ he sobbed. River felt a tear roll down her cheek. She had never been in love but she could feel his pain and how much he yearned for Violet. All the Warriors edged closer to the four of them. Adora flew over and landed on the page River was writing on.

  Please check on my sister from time to time. Leaving her is just as hard as leaving you, and she has no idea what’s about to happen. Being separated from your twin is like being separated from yourself.

  River wept at these words. She couldn’t imagine what this must have done to Nana.

  I wish there were another way but there isn’t. Please don’t use the crystal to come after me. The last thing I would ever want is to put RALA in danger.

  Eleon pulled the crystal from his pocket and stared at it.

  RALA can’t exist without the crystal, you know that. I would have stayed in RALA forever if it were up to me, but I couldn’t. Eleon, you are not from my world, you are a protector of RALA and you must stay and protect the world that we both love. We have our memories; please always think of me fondly. I will find a way back to you. Look out for me. Whether it is through my light or through my Warrior descendants, you will see me again.

  River looked up from the book, No Name smiled at her proudly. She had come here and done what she was supposed to do. She had shared Violet’s message. She had saved the world of RALA.

  In another universe, I’m in love with you forever, I promise.

  All my love

  Your Violet

  Warrior Princess of RALA

  There was silence in the garden. Although most of them had been expecting something from River’s arrival in RALA, no one had known what that something would be.

  River walked over to Eleon and gave him the book. ‘This should stay here with you,’ she said. She closed her eyes and placed both hands on him. Her light seeped into his body, filling him from head to toe. She felt no anger towards him, after Violet’s words. She understood something about him that she hadn’t before. His heart needed mending, but he had to be the one to do that; all she could do was be there to help.

  One by one, all the Warrior
s placed their hands on Eleon. He welcomed their light, receiving it willingly. Despite all he had done to them, they were still there when he needed them the most. Eleon kept his hand on Kit and let the light flow through him into her. Slowly but surely both Kit and Eleon healed. As they did so, the garden transformed too, and River’s vision came to life: her flower grew. It was the most magnificent thing River had ever seen.

  CHAPTER 27

  Michael

  ‘I’m so happy you’re here,’ River said, smiling at Kit as she returned to her normal healthy self.

  ‘Me too. I never want us to be separated again.’

  So much had changed for them now, and, even though they were pleased they had helped the Warriors of RALA, they were desperate to get home. River knew that once they went through the window they might not see the Warriors again, at least for a long while. They were too much a part of their life to be forgotten, but when they would see them again, she didn’t know.

  Kit hugged Eleon. To River he looked completely different now, but this was how Kit had seen him all along. Somehow Kit had been able to see through his anger; that was why she had been so besotted with him at the start. His wings had grown back, and he was a little bigger than Sedina but you could tell they were siblings.

  ‘River,’ he said turning to face her. ‘I’m so sorry.’

  ‘Please don’t apologise,’ River said.