Auvreria Read online

  AUVRERIA

  By Viktoriya Molchanova

  Published by Create Space at Amazon

  Copyright 2013-1014 Viktoriya Molchanova

  ISBN: 978-1494942342

  www.auvreria.com

  For my parents and best friend

  Ancient China, the valley of the shadows

  3,000 years B.C.E.

  As I looked off to the dark horizon, clouds as thick as mountains moved through the peachy sky. The sky was radiant with soft azure and yellow coalescing into a masterpiece. The mountains were going into a deep sleep as the glowing light faded from the pink cherry tree next to which I was meditating. The wind gently lifted my hair as the forces of darkness acquired full strength in my body. I was resting on top of a flat rock on a cliff higher than the mountains. In this mystical world of the past I had learned to master one of the elements of the universe. I felt fine; neither altitude nor pressure nor temperature affected me as long as I had my green cloak.

  I saw the spirits of shadow search for the faintest light they could possibly consume. The valley glowed with magic. The Tojan Lake sparkled as if a million crystal moon pebbles were glowing on the maroon surface of the water. The pebbles, from the light of the moon, reflected a straight path. The stars were the only source of light in this old valley.

  I had no way to go back to where I had started. I had to get what I had come for. The Omjang temple relied on me to obtain the key to eternity and balance. As I moved my hands in circles, shadows started whirling out of my marked palms. The darkness became tangible. It spread out into the sky like a drop of paint on the surface of water.

  No moon—good, I thought. There is enough power for the return of the white phoenix. I will receive the gem of darkness for my medallion if I pass this challenge. A strong wind shifted the violet clouds that flew above the landscape. A white light appeared right at the edge of the cliff.

  A majestic phoenix glided down from the sky. On its body were symbols of Auvreria encrusted with gold, silver, and precious stones. The bird of balance appeared right in front of my eyes. Its skin was pale white, the beak was sharp and thin, and the wings resembled that of an angel. It ate a lotus floating above my hand. Its eyes looked into mine. As a gift of appreciation and fulfillment, the phoenix gave away a tear, which dropped to my other hand. The bird flew away into the depths of the luminescent sky.

  The tear on my hand hardened into a perfect, circular, black stone. As I put the gem into the necklace, an intense magic arose. The six elemental gemstones in my medallion were already present. Two remained to finish the medallion. When they all came together, my next destination would be the center of the universe. I would seal the power of the ninth element from the threat of destruction of all existence. My knowledge of the eight elements of Auvreria would help me with this task.

  All the colors of the rainbow poured out of my necklace. I saw a glimpse of my dragon, Aurora, before I disappeared. Specks of magic circled me until I appeared in a new world, a place told of only in legends. I was getting closer to the final battle between evil and good. I waited in wonder for the next turning point in my future.

  How the story began...

  Earth, the first day of school

  September 13th, 2013

  I am Nicole, a seventeen-year-old girl who has to go to school this morning. I looked in the mirror when I woke up this morning: blonde hair, blue eyes, and pale skin. Life was ordinary and boring: nothing beyond technology, social life, education, and fitting in at school. High school was filled with boring parties, mean teachers, and untrue friendships. Cafeteria food was disgusting this year too.

  Everything was typical.I was fine with this life, until something changed the direction of my thoughts and made me realize my destiny. On the first day of school, I looked into the light that forced everyone into the darkness.

  Too fancy, too sporty. Why is it so hard just to wear something the first day of school without being laughed at? I chose blue jeans, dark shoes, and a plain shirt. I already had a headache. School was a place where teachers and students set expectations for the average teen. They always expected us to be someone we didn’t want to be. We were told how we had to think and shape our future regardless of our dreams.

  I ate a simple breakfast while thinking about the day ahead. I couldn't think about the taste of the food or enjoy the autumn morning. I grabbed my backpack and came outside. I saw the bus drive past me. I missed the early bus again. I decided to go to Delancey’s house and walk with her to school.

  As I crossed the sidewalk, a butterfly with unusual colors landed on my right hand. Its wings resembled a series of rose petals in different shades. It touched my hand, and I saw a glow emanate from its wings. My headache went away. Its smooth rays alleviated the tension in my body.The light continued to shine after the butterfly disappeared.

  I had no idea if the butterfly was real or not. It was probably one of my daydreams. A glowing butterfly couldn’t be real. Nothing unusual like this could exist. It might have been the headache, but it all went away. I just had to ignore it for now. After walking a few blocks through the silent neighborhood, I saw Delancey calmly standing outside.

  “Hi! Want to walk to school together?’

  “Sure, but we might be a little late. We might meet Ryan for once if he doesn’t come to school early.” Delancey was the type of person who would be there if you needed company. She had brown hair and eyes and liked to be sweet to everybody around her.

  We came to the heart of the town: busy streets and lots of shops. Delancey got a snack at a nearby bakery. She said, “I wish I could do my physics homework right for once!”

  “I wish I could have more free time to finish my projects and study for tests. Have you heard about the school’s musical?”

  “They might do Wizard of Oz this year!”

  “I’m too shy to audition. I screw up in front of an audience.”

  “Me too. Hey, look, that’s Ryan.”

  A guy our age walked across the street from us. He had dark hair and light brown eyes. He carried a book that he’d re-read four times. He said, “Hey, school’s about to start in a few minutes. We can take the shortcut through the park.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Delancey answered. We walked together through the small paths filled with golden and amber leaves. The warm sun shone. The squirrels were working hard to bury their nuts for winter. The birds were preparing to migrate south.

  I said, “How’s the new guitar? Does your uncle still want you to become a biologist?”

  “It’s awesome,” Ryan answered. “My uncle complains that it’s too loud, but my dad and my sister like it. I might someday surprise my uncle and become a musician with my own band.”

  “You could make him feel better if you wrote songs about natural selection and Darwin’s theory,” Delancey joked. We all laughed.

  When we entered the school building, Delancey turned right towards the gym. Ryan and I turned left to the lockers. While I grabbed my books, a girl came up to me and shut the locker. My books fell, and she walked past me, laughing. I didn’t say anything back.

  Ryan said, “You know you could have said something about this, right?”

  “I don’t really care what she did to me. I am not responsible for her actions. It’s not going to turn out to be a serious problem in the future.”

  “It will if the same thing happens to Delancey in front of you. Will you be responsible then?” Ryan turned away and went to class. I said nothing.

  Nothing really happened that day except in art class. A boy passed me a note at the end of class saying I didn't belong there. All the negative emotions in my mind couldn’t stay inside. After everybody left, a salty tear dropped on the paper, turned into a tiny seed, and grew into a
blue, spiraled flower. I was so surprised that I touched it. Indigo and golden rays sprang out. I decided to keep all these strange occurrences to myself and hope the next day would be a normal, boring one.

  The pool, ordinary and not so ordinary

  March 17th, 2014

  Exams, essays, projects, analysis, assessments, midterms, and more work left me no time to think about my birthday. I knew it was going to be a good one.Birthday cake and a couple of friends over at my house always cheered me up.

  Today I did an experiment with Delancey on how long a person can stay underwater depending on the force of the dive. We were on our way to the school pool to install our measuring devices: timers and a spring scale. Delancey was excited about getting a good grade, but I didn't care. In the afternoon I visited the pool again to check our data. In the dim room I saw a flash flying like a bird above the water. It dived into the pool and disappeared.

  No, it can't be... I thought. Six months had passed since I’d seen anything unusual. I thought I was going crazy. I verified my experiment checklist and put on my swimsuit. I wanted to make sure the water was clear and normal. I stepped to the edge of the pool. The water looked the way it always did. Maybe it had been a mirage. I dove and saw a flash of light. I felt a hard blow as I slashed into the water, followed by an unnatural sensation.

  A few moments later I opened my eyes and felt the softness of my bed. Maybe it had been a dream, yet I was still in my swimsuit. I had to change before my mother came into the room. I heard the door open and quickly pulled the blanket over my body, leaving only my face uncovered. Mom came in.

  “You look as if you just watched a scary movie in your childhood again,” she said. “Are you all right?”

  “Yes, I just had a very long, tiring day.” She looked at me with compassion and left the room, back to her own work and problems. One month till my birthday, and already strange things were happening when I least expected them. What was the meaning of all this? The world was slowly turning into an impossible fantasy. It was night, and I fell into deep, wandering dreams.

  The next day: sun up, kitchen smelling good, birds singing. I change my clothes and come down the stairs. Delancey is there, unexpectedly. “Eat, eat, and eat!” she said. “I’m so excited to perform the experiment today! Did you check the measurements?”

  “Yes...” I answered. She made me leave my house before I had hardly eaten anything. As we ran through the streets I thought about what had happened yesterday. When we got to the pool, Delancey urged me to change quickly into my swimsuit. I stood at the edge of the pool.

  I felt the deck below my feet, and I turned in the direction of the water. I had that strange feeling again. The water glowed light blue. I dove in at Delancey's signal. Time slowed down.

  I emerged out of the water into a world no human had ever seen. I was near a shore covered with evergreen forests. It was night here. The stars were different. The landscape was too beautiful. I heard an old woman's voice behind me, rich in ancient history. “Child of Auvreria,” she said, “turn around and thine answers will be found.”

  Tree of Life, a very mysterious land

  March 18th, 2014

  My curiosity overcame my fear, and I turned around. An aged woman stood straight like the colossal trees around her. Her eyes were looking into mine. Her robe and hair moved with the breeze. Her skin seemed like the bark of a maple tree. “Come, child,” she whispered. “Guardian of her own fate...” I stepped out of the deep, blue, luminescent water onto the cold sand and took a warm robe she held out. I wrapped myself in it and took her hand as she led me into the tangled forest of wonders. The soft ground felt cool. It thumped like a big drum when I stepped on the forest path. She led me through mountains and paths of the deep woods. We came upon a clearing in the mountains overlooking a distant, gloomy valley that was only lit by stars. The shadows were shifting across the mountains. A huge tree as big as the mountains stood in the middle of the circular valley. I got that funny feeling again when we came closer.

  I thought I was in a beautiful dream. I forgot about the experiment in the pool; all was hazy in my mind. I walked on the inscribed steps of the tree. An arch appeared, and we entered. There was a spiral staircase that led down to a golden symbol. This symbol had eight lines in a circle that led to a point. It looked like a compass, and yet there was something special and original about it. The stairs had chambers connected to them. The tree was dark, but something illuminated the place with a warm glow. I felt harmony and peace as if the whole universe were balanced on one pebble and this pebble's equilibrium hadn't been shattered in a million years. The walls were filled with intertwining roots that demonstrated every event that had transpired here. With each step I grew more confused, and I had twice as many questions.

  “Tree of Life!” said the old woman. “I call upon thy wisdom and history to show thy daughter.” She centered herself in the symbol and continued. “This tree shall show thee the past that eyes can't see. Hear my history with thine ears that cannot hear thine ancestors. Before the universe was created, there lived a celestial dragon. Its soul emanated with energy as pure as the light from all the gems at dawn. The dragon did not want to live alone, so it created our universe. The Three Divisions were formed to separate the universe into three sections: Aethra, Astral, and Arthaesia.Its eight descendants were sent to the three corners of the universe to teach goodness and compassion. The six known dragons of fire, water, earth, air, light, and darkness were told of in our tales. The other two were concealed for fear of the evil that might gain more power than good. If the elements of Auvreria were known, then the greatest power would be taken. This power holds the universe together, for it is the power of the celestial dragon that forged it.”

  She continued. “I am Mother Nature. I am the guardian of the Tree of Life. Arthaesia was a great kingdom whence thine ancestors came. In this country, the eight dragons established the eight clans of the elements. Each dragon gave away its third eye to the chief in the form of a gem. The eyes were put in the chiefs’ staffs. At that same time, evil was spreading in the land. The evil forces became strong with their new leader, and they murdered the eight dragons and their chiefs. The descendants lost their knowledge with the death of the dragons. The evil group called itself Mortver. The new era had begun. Mortver took the throne of Arthaesia and reduced it to ashes. Mortver wants to gain the power of the world, and it has a chance. However, thou, child, art chosen by Auvreria to fight for good. Thy faith in thyself will remind Mortver that they are not the only people after the power. So long I have wanted to see this day and fulfill my destiny. I can no longer stand, for my duties are done. Even if I die now, thy sister, Aurora, will help thee train thy powers by entering the past and mastering those powers through our dragon clans. I will join the supreme one, for the light of my soul in this world is...”

  The woman fell to her knees, and specks of glittering dust took her away. I panicked. Through this history lesson I felt and saw the past. I moved to the exact place where Mother Nature had been standing. I had the weird feeling again. Magic flew around me until I felt a mark being placed on the palm of my right hand. It represented the symbol of Auvreria that Mother Nature had talked about. The magic continued, and from above my head I saw a gliding white phoenix. It looked like an angel. It stopped at eye level, and I felt a medallion appear around my neck. It had the same symbol with eight circular holes symmetrical to the eight lines on the outer part of the necklace. The bird disappeared while I was examining the medallion.

  What just happened? I am as confused as ever now. Who is the creator and what are the eight elements? What is Mortver? What in the world do I have to do to save the universe? Why am I still thinking this is reality? I could have bumped my head during my dive. This is an impossible tale. I couldn't make any sense out of the story. The woman spoke to me as if I knew all the details that went between her phrases. She called herself Mother Nature. The medallion seemed very valuable. What did I have to do to comp
lete it? In this whole mystery was the biggest question: Why me?

  I looked up to the ceiling of the chamber. The symbol of Auvreria was carved beautifully in the ceiling as it was on the ground. I had no idea how to work this out. Maybe I could pinch myself and wake up from this dream? Before I could take action, a light shone from the ceiling. I felt as though I was compressed into one molecule of light. I shot up with tremendous speed towards the center of Auvreria. I knew I would wake up in my bed....

  The Pool

  March 18th, 2014

  I surfaced in the pool. During all the time I had been in the other world, no time had elapsed here. Nothing had changed.

  “Oh, my!” shrieked Delancey. “That dive was magnificent. Now we have to do more test runs for our data. Say, I never saw that necklace before—and where did you get that awesome tattoo?” Panicking, I climbed out of the pool.

  “Never mind,” I said. “Let’s not do any more tests today. I’m really tired!” I grabbed my clothes and backpack.

  “You just swam underwater for six seconds!” I didn't say anything and walked hastily away. In ten minutes I was home. No one else was there. My hands and body started to shiver. I sat down on my bed and examined the medallion. It was beautiful. It glowed with golden rays like the rising sun. On my right hand the symbol was shining light blue and silver like the radiance of the moon high above the horizon. I put the medallion around my neck and got some rest.

  At the end of the day, I decided to get some fresh air. In my backyard I gazed up at the sky. Suddenly, I saw a flash in the darkness above. Guess I should make a wish, I thought. I wished to find a home where people would understand me. School was just an empty space for education. Other activities like sports and music were fun, but I longed for something more.

  The fantasy was a reality. I had the mark and the medallion. What adventures lay ahead? My heart was filled with curiosity, adventure, and fear. I looked up; the sky was as beautiful as in Arthaesia, a vast universe with its mysteries and answers. The stars looked like crystals reflecting light in many different colors. The sky seemed to contain a life of its own, another kingdom in its own tale.