“I went to the library yesterday and got some books.” Kat’s whisper was way louder than she had meant for it to be. A few people in front of us turned around and glared at us for a moment. I smiled at them, which only seemed to annoy them more.
“Good explanation, Kat! She’s correct.” Gem smiled, walking around the classroom and tapping his fingers on random people’s desks. “Can anyone tell me some of the races that are our enemies?” Gem looked around the classroom, seeming disappointed at the lack of participation. Kat shrugged at me, so I assumed she knew as little as I did about this part of the lesson.
“Most of the species of monsters that live here are controlled by the Larta, causing their numbers to become larger and powerful than they could alone. Some choose to remain indifferent about the war, and instead, they prey upon both sides,” Gem added.
Emilie’s hand rose, and Gem called on her in a flash, motioning for her to speak. His insipid green eyes passed by our table, making me feel uncomfortable. “There are many different types of monsters that side with the Larta, but a few of the main ones are Triza, Youlam, Jagleh, and Phoielo.” Gem nodded his head approvingly as she continued.
“Triza are creatures that make up the largest group of monsters. They are as tall as humans. Their skin is inhumanely pale and unarmored, but it’s still unnaturally tough compared to human skin. Their bite is poisonous, and their form of food is blood. Youlams are monsters with black armored skin. Their paws have longer razor-sharp claws, but they walk like humans.
“Youlam are quick to attack and prone to reckless behavior. Jaglehs are repulsive creatures with white skin. Their blue veins are prominent on their pale, almost translucent skin. They have hands, but their feet are hooves. Jaglehs are very crude and have been caught performing cannibalism. Phoielos are creatures with skin the color of curdled milk. Their backs are covered in bright orange stripes. Jagged horns trail down their spinal cord and all the way down their lower back. They tend to be very tidy creatures.”
Why had the monsters joined the Larta? Fear? Promises from Lucia? Leah dropped a book on my desk. It was titled “Creatures of Aughmortor.” Very original title. The author was Destiny Roquem.
“Turn your books to page fifteen. Read the first two paragraphs, and then stop.” I flipped to page fifteen like Gem wanted us to. The top of the page said in big letters, “All About Jax: The Untold Stories.” Underneath the title was a picture of an animal that looked a mix of panther and massive wolf. Honestly, the animal was just terrifying. I hoped I never saw one of them in real life.
I skimmed through the reading, my mind tired from all the training of the day. While Jax sounded like interesting creatures, my attention span had dwindled. It was hard going from an active class like sword fighting to sitting at a desk, especially since I was getting hungry. I closed my eyes and listened to the shutting of books and rustling of papers flipping.
Although I had learned a lot so far today, I wanted to know how Earth is being destroyed and learn more about the Uncharted Lands. I wanted to see Sybra during the day when it was in action and explore the shops. I wanted to meet people and check out the prophecy. History class seemed like the last thing I wanted to be doing. With a quiet sigh, I turned my head to Dominic, who had his eyes closed peacefully. His blonde hair was spiked messily at the top of his head, probably from the harsh winds from earlier. I admired him for a second, unable to help myself. There was something about him that intrigued me.
“Have you read it?” I whispered to him.
His golden eyes flashed open and focused on my face. “Yeah, what do you think of it?”
“I’m bored,” I replied, “And want to go explore. I think I need a map.”
Dominic laughed loudly, gaining the attention of the people in front of us again. “I got a map yesterday and spent some time looking at it. Don’t worry, there will be time later for exploring.”
“I guess so.”
“Want to ditch?” He asked me, grinning at my sullen face. It’s almost like we thought on the same wavelength. I wondered if we could sneak out without Gem catching sight of us.
Just as I was about to respond, Gem clapped loudly, sending thunderous booming noises around the room. I raised my head, rubbing my temples in a circular motion.
“How much longer of this?” I muttered at Dominic, mainly changing the subject. Learning of Jax wasn’t that boring, but I was looking forward to magic, which Emilie had said would be next. Even better, I was looking forward to food. Breakfast seemed like it had been eons ago.
“Not too much longer. Hopefully, we will get some normal schedules soon. With all this recruiting, it’s become confusing.”
“I want to know everyone’s opinions on what you just read.” Gem said, clapping again. One of the Ones of Within raised their hand.
“We’ve already learned this.” Adam grumbled from behind to Emilie. I found myself drowning out whoever was answering Gem’s questions with my thoughts about food.
“I’m starving,” I whispered to Kat and Dominic.
“Lunch is next,” Kat replied, causing me to sigh in relief. Perhaps Emilie could explain how Earth was on the brink of destruction while we were at lunch.
“Dismissed!” Gem looked regretfully at the clock after a few minutes passed.
“About time,” Dominic muttered under his breath as he stood up.
“Straight to lunch!” Gem said loudly to our retreating backs. As we walked out of the room, my thoughts flew back to my mother. I had to figure out everything about her. Where was she? Was she still alive? I listened to the steady humming of words in the background as I stared into the distance. Sometimes, it was nice just to let your thoughts drift away.
At lunch, I relaxed and talked to my friends. The food was exceptional, even better than breakfast. After lunch ended, the schedules were posted, showing us that our next class would be Magic. I hadn’t even believed in its existence a few days ago. This was something that I was going to have to work hard to learn. I wasn’t the least bit confident that it would go well, but I would try my best.
In the short period at lunch, I began to notice that Austin and Dominic didn’t like each other much. It seemed like the start of a brewing storm that was building up, waiting to explode. They made the mistake of sitting next to each other and spent most of the lunch ignoring each other.
“Adam, when can we explore outside of Sybra?”
“Well, first, you will join a patrol at some point. Afterward, once you have more experience, maybe you could go with some others to nearby cities. But it will be a while,” Adam laughed, and then quieted, his eyes becoming serious. “I suppose you can get a map when we go into town later.”
“How am I supposed to get one if I don’t have any money?”
Adam’s eyes widened. “Well, I expect you will have to steal it.”
“Steal it? Are you crazy?”
“I can’t believe you fell for that.” Adam grinned at me. “I’m just kidding. We get a decent allowance from James every week. Being a member of the Ones of Within is considered a profession, so we are paid accordingly. The Ones of Within have large amounts of wealth, supported by the elves, dwarves, pixies, and fairies. I’ll pay for your map until you get your first payment.” I attempted to protest and say that I didn’t need a map that bad. “Come on, if you insist, you can pay me back later. After all, I’ve been here for quite a while. I’ve saved up a lot of money.”
“I’ll pay you back,” I vowed.
We were on the training grounds again; the thick fog covered was turning gray. “If rain comes tomorrow, will we have to train inside?” I asked.
“Nope! They make us train outside in any weather condition. What if the Ones of Within were in battle with the Larta and it started raining? Would the battle end? No. The instructors believe it’s important to be prepared for anything that might happen.”
I grimaced as my eyes traced the long silver fog above. A bird flew up in the sky, its pale white wing
s spread from its body. It was letting to the wind move it, occasionally flapping its wings to keep afloat. The air smelled as sweet as honeysuckle even though there were hardly any flowers out. I bent down to pick a flower with midnight blue petals. It gave off a scent similar to jasmine.
“Might want to drop that. It could be poisonous,” Dominic said.
“That ruined the moment.” Despite appreciating the beauty of the flower, I dropped it after his words. The flower twirled to the ground, slowed by its three petals catching in the wind.
“Just looking out for you,” He replied with a shrug, before walking ahead. I watched his retreating back for a moment, trying not to read to much into his words.
“Picking flowers?” Emilie teased. I could tell she noticed my attention on Dominic, so I turned towards her, trying to break my train of thought.
“You should learn to respect the beauty of the world that surrounds us. That’s what my mother always said.”
“What’s on your mind?” Emilie asked, a knowing look on her face. Adam and Austin slowed down to fall in step with us. I swiftly glanced at Dominic’s tense back, walking a few feet in front of us. He wasn’t far enough to be unable to hear my words, but I realized it didn’t matter if he heard.
“Just wondering how long this is going to last.” I touched my hands to my necklace, feeling its unfailing warmth.
“What’s this?” Emilie asked questioningly.
“How long are we going to be in this group? It’s bound to be separated in time.” There was already conflict between Austin and Dominic. The probability that the six of us would remain, friends, was unlikely, especially if we didn’t train together. On Earth, I had been a loner with no friends and having this many people around was a new experience for me. I loved it, but I was skeptical at the same time.
“You’re so depressing.” Emilie pouted and skipped a few steps forward to talk to Kat, an innocent action, but not innocent enough to keep me from noticing she had avoided answering my question. Again. What was she hiding?
“I heard that there was going to be a meeting later today about training. We’ll have to wait and see.” Adam said, replying to my question. I sighed at Emilie’s back as she talked loudly to Kat about tips on improving her magical ability.
“Natalie, don’t worry about Emilie…” Adam said.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“She might know a little bit more about things going on around here than you do,” Adam explained. “She’s in close touch with Shay and has connections with other high-level members of the Ones of Within.”
“She doesn’t answer any of my questions.”
“That’s because she’s not sure if she should answer your questions.”
“What do you mean?” I demanded, but he walked ahead beside Emilie. Adam knew something I didn’t know, Emilie knew something I didn’t know, and Dominic knew something I didn’t know… when was I going to get any of these answers?
“The meeting will probably answer some of your questions,” Austin said, falling in step with me.
“Have you seen the prophecy room yet?” I asked.
“No, not yet.”
“Did Dominic get here before you did?”
“Dominic only got here the day before you did and a day after I got here.”
I frowned. Had he just went to see the prophecy by himself?
“You’re not very patient.” Austin observed.
“You think?” I smiled at him and then glanced over at Kat. She was observing everything around with quick eyes.
“It’s different here,” Kat whispered to me, “But I like it here, I like it here a lot. Of course, I miss Earth, but there’s something about this place.”
“Like what?” I said, deciding not the repeat the bleak things I wanted to say to her. That this place was too secretive for its own good.
“It’s like we were meant to be here or something,” Kat explained. “I feel like somehow, I always knew that there was something more to life than just Earth. I don’t know.”
“Is anyone from your family here?”
“My mother is here; maybe I’ll take you to her store later. I met her yesterday after so many years. I have an older brother who’s a Ones of Within member too. He disappeared a few years ago also, not even leaving a word. I wonder how my father must be feeling… his whole family has left him.” The happiness she just showed dissolved and replaced itself with a dark, sad expression. I could tell Kat was upset so I decided to change the subject.
“So, both siblings can join the Ones of Within? What about the necklace? Does your brother have one too?”
“My brother had the first one, but the day he left, he left me another one. The Ones of Within members gave it to him to leave with me.”
“Are the necklaces parting gifts?”
“I guess you could put it that way.”
“What does your necklace mean?”
“How about I show it to you.”
Kat grabbed her necklace and enclosed her fingers around it. She pulled it over her head and handed it to me. Her necklace was the same golden color as all of the ones I had seen so far. A bottle shape was engraved on it with a single stream of smoke coming from it.
“A bottle?” I asked.
“Mystery and anticipation.” Kat smiled at me.
“Oh.” I handed her back the necklace.
“What about yours?” She asked, raising her eyebrow.
“I suppose you can see it,” I muttered and pulled it over my head.
“What does it mean?” She whispered, staring at the little intricate details of the fire and water.
“Ambition and Desire.” I answered. She didn’t answer but continued looking at my necklace. I felt bare without it around my neck like I was missing something important.
“That’s interesting,” Kat said, examining it for a few seconds longer before handing it back. “Honestly, I don’t think these necklaces mean anything, though. They just belong to the Ones of Within anyways.”
“I guess you’re right,” I said.
“So, what do you want your Vatra to be?” Kat’s eyes gleamed. She obviously was dying to tell me her own wishes, I could tell.
“I don’t know, hopefully, something cool. I don’t want to get my hopes up, though.”
“Well, if you look at it that way…” Kat grimaced, clearly disappointed that I hadn’t said anything more positive about my potential Vatra.
We quieted down, not having anything more to say. I found myself looking ahead, watching with keen eyes as we slowly got closer to a single figure ahead of us.
“Kat, tell me about our magic instructor.”
“Our magic instructor’s name is Zadia. She is very mysterious and doesn't seem to anger easily. That’s all I can give you. I only met her yesterday.” Kat shrugged.
“What gave you that impression?”
“A few students publicly announced their dislike to her class yesterday. She didn’t even seem to care and even ignored them as though they weren’t even there.”
We were the first ones from her class there. I was glad because I would get to introduce myself before others would come to take her attention. Zâdia looked almost fragile. She had a mop of fiery red hair, eyes the color of the darkening sky above, and thin, limber arms and legs. She was a few inches shorter than me but had such a strong personality I felt uneasy around her.
“Hello, Zâdia. I’m Natalie,” I said.
She looked deeply into my eyes as though she was trying to see something in them and then released my hand. “It’s nice to meet you. You’re very interesting.” Zâdia pulled her head a few inches farther from my face and smiled. When Kat had said she was mysterious, she hadn’t been kidding.
“I am excited to learn magic.”
“Let’s see if you are gifted in the art of using the parts of your mind that are hidden from your grasp,” Zâdia said softly, before walking away and muttering a few things under her breath.
/> “Natalie.” I turned around just as Emilie put a hand on my shoulder.
“Yes?” I asked.
“I just thought I might tell you something. Every new recruit is brought to James after his or her first day, and he gives them a sheet to fill out. It’s pretty simple, really. It is just information about yourself that you have to remain completely honest about.”
“Why would I have to do it?”
“For the records. The information about you will be kept in records, and things will be added over time.”
“I can’t say I am surprised.” I looked down at the ground, wind whipping my bangs in my face. A few droplets of water hit my head, making my head turn towards the sky. “Rain!” Another drop of water hit the tip of my nose and trickled down my cheek. I wiped it off on a sleeve, its wetness making my cheek cold.
“You act as though you have never seen rain before.” Emilie shook her head in disbelief.
“I’ve seen rain on Earth,” I protested, “But not here.”
Emilie rolled her eyes at me. “Is there any difference?” I didn’t answer her and watched about six more people show up to magic class.
Zâdia was wearing a cloak that was covered in moon designs, arcane-looking runes, and a few swirl patterns along the arms, bottom of the cloak, and sides of the body. Underneath the creation was a pair of silver pants and a silver shirt. The material gave off a light and flowing feel by a glance that made me think it was silk.
“It seems as though a few of us have not come to enjoy the skills of magic, but we shall not dwell upon our concealed disappointment, for we all know they shall regret their decision in time.
“But we shall not grieve! Today, we will do something simple to introduce our new members to the complex art of magic.” Zadia glanced at Austin, Dominic, Kat, and I. “Magic is not something that can be controlled like a beast. Magic is something that influences you. It flows through speech, and only people able to master that speech shall succeed in the realm of magic. Without full reliance on their minds, even the strongest of fighters could not succeed in magic. Only the ones willing to use their minds to their advantage can truly perfect the mysteries and joys of magic.”
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