Auvreria Read online

  “I am so happy for both of you! What a lucky child to have such good and understanding parents. Will it be a girl or a boy? Do you have a name yet?”

  “It’s too early to say,” answered my mother, “but we expect a boy. His name is going to be Nicolas. We are inspired by your determination, so I decided to use your name. By not running away from telling us the truth and embracing your fate, you have made us proud. I will always remember this day, daughter.”

  “Thank you, mother and father.” I answered. My soul felt content and free. A rainbow had appeared in my life after a pointless storm of depression. The journey of my life had brought me healing love.

  I knew I could not spend any more time here, or Maldelsoul would find the last medallion. Before I left, I used the element of earth to grow a beautiful garden in the back yard of my parents’ house. Trees grew, the ground was revived, and the grapevines flourished. I carved out the symbol of Auvreria on the earth. Last, I came to my mother and put my hand on her belly to give the child positive energy. By this action I entered into a secret contact with the soul of that child. Surprised, I pulled away.

  After we said our goodbyes, I entered the chasm of flowing energy and time again. I knew I would miss Italy and my parents. I was proud that fulfilling my destiny would save them, my community, my country, and all the other worlds.

  Ryan’s House

  June 9th, 2014

  I came back to Ryan’s house through the portal. He heard me and climbed into the attic. “Where have you been? It hasn’t even been a day, and you’ve already left.”

  “Sorry I didn’t tell you,” I answered. “I went to Italy through a portal to see my parents.”

  “You just used a portal to travel to Europe? I still worry about you, but that is pretty cool. Can you stay for a while without going anywhere where I can’t contact you? I need to know you’re safe.”

  “Sure. I’ll use this time to do in-depth research about the third medallion.”

  Just then, Ryan’s mom called him to dinner. He went downstairs. Searching for the medallion took some time. Every lead came to a dead end. I felt like I was in a digital maze. I wondered if Maldelsoul would learn everything about Earth technology. If he took control of the government or the economy, I would have no idea how to stop him.

  Days passed. I was exhausted from the endless lack of results and decided to take a walk in the park. A cool wind blew leaves around. Clouds slowly drifted in the sky. I examined the changes in my town. A small toy shop had been replaced with a bank. I wondered how Arthaesia had changed over the years. Its triumph had been replaced by ruins and ash. What had happened to Maldelsoul to make him do this? Trillions of lives could never heal a damaged soul.

  I saw Ryan coming from school. He looked worried and ran over to me. He started speaking very fast. “Two guys our age came to school a few days ago. They’ve started attacking kids. They talk in this weird language and are casting spells. You need to help!”

  “They might be from Mortver,” I replied. “We have to go now. I guess they found me.”

  We hurried to the far end of campus. Two magicians dressed in Mortver uniforms—one in black and the other in gray—were casting spells. They had blocked the security cameras to avoid attention. I couldn’t use strong spells; there were ordinary people around. My marks appeared as I grasped the power of Lumifale. I focused on the element of water in the form of ice. They shielded with fire, and the ice melted away. When they recognized me, they let go of the others.

  Ryan took the injured kids away. The guy in the gray cloak said, “Anelia—the daughter of Auvreria, the infinite universe. My name is Grealn, and this is my brother, Zekreon. We are from Mortver. You must meet our master; he would like to see you.”

  “Never.”

  “We are stronger than you,” retorted Zekreon. “We have excelled since childhood in the art of magic. Choose wisely.”

  I blew a surge of fire and water in their direction. They changed the attacking elements to air and earth. I dodged the counterattack just in time. That was unexpected. I used all the different combinations of attacks with the elements until I grew tired.

  Meanwhile, Grealn and Zekreon had not lost a drop of energy. Now it was their turn. They had shielded, added elements, shifted tactics, and wasted nothing, whereas I had foolishly attacked too many times, and now I had to pay the price. I was so tired I had to sit down. They gathered around me and put their hands above me. They transitioned the energy of life into its opposite. They were using the seventh element. I couldn’t move, and I was dying.

  I had said goodbye to all when suddenly a portal opened. From the bright light came Fensagenia with her sword. The magicians awoke from their trance and attacked her as she slashed through their clothing. Red, hot blood ran down to the ground, but the two brothers used the elements of time and energy to disappear.

  Fensagenia knelt above me. “Do not die! I cannot bear Arthaesia’s betrayal and your death, too.”

  I said slowly, “I… need… to… get… to… Ryan’s… house…” I could no longer hold on. I couldn’t see anything: only fading light. When Ryan came back, he found me lying on the cold, dirty ground with Fensagenia at my side.

  Ryan’s house, a deal with the enemy

  June 12th, 2014

  I lay on the hard sofa in the attic. The room felt dry. I saw Fensagenia sitting nearby, lost in her thoughts. I moved to sit next to her. “How did you appear in this world? I would have fallen prisoner to Mortver—I was helpless at that moment.”

  “After the storm in Port Archalypsis, our group had to return to the Crossroads of the Valleys. You had been swept away by the typhoon. It was a great loss. How were we supposed to continue? We had received news from Mortver that they would attack with full force. Silvius and Magdalion had no choice but to enter into battle. We’d trained years for this. When the time came, Mortver charged with immense speed, skill, and power. All our efforts were useless.”

  “We lost,” continued Fensagenia. “To avoid losing everything, Clarimie surrendered. Mortver has put our proud lords into prison cages. Clarimie is now one of Maldelsoul’s trusted officers. Mortver dragged the Clamoor Clan to the Tree of Life to set up camp. I heard that you had a confrontation with Maldelsoul and you were both sent to the world of Aethra.

  “I couldn’t bear the surrender of the Clamoor Clan, so I escaped. When I came to the Tree of Life, I heard Aurora’s voice. She told me to rip off one of the leaves. That leaf contained her soul. When I touched the floating rings, she told me she would be free. She told me that you and she would reunite when your journey to the past began. She helped me cross the boundary of Arthaesia to Aethra, where I found you dying on the ground with two magicians from Mortver.”

  “We need to find the third medallion,” I said, “especially now that Mortver wants to kill us.”

  Suddenly, I received a note from Grealn and Zekreon. The sparkling magic dust formed a handwritten letter. I grabbed the floating paper and read it. They asked for a private conversation in the park. I was wary, but Fensagenia planned to secretly watch me in case anything should happen. She gave me a pendant of truth, a small piece of jade that would glow if anyone lied. Ryan was ready to call the police. My powers were weakened, but it was my destiny to confront Mortver.

  I gathered my remaining strength and headed to the meeting with confusion and fear in my heart. As I came to the park, I saw Grealn sitting on a bench alone. He looked completely out of place in the serene landscape. Last time he saw me, he seemed to be filled with wonder, no doubt inspired by the ancient legends that told of deep meanings and prophecies.

  “Greetings to you, Anelia. I have come here to tell you that I and Zekreon will join your group to resist Mortver.”

  “What?” I said. “You nearly killed me, and now you want to resist your master? Are you insane?”

  “He was never my master. Believe me, while we were fulfilling our task, we felt your strong hope. We saw through your eyes how Mor
tver has caused pain. We were part of Arthaesia’s people before Mortver took hold. My brother and I escaped to the evil group to avoid being killed. Years we spent studying black magic to obtain its control. We have attacked many villages, even our own. Imagine standing before a fire that destroys your village with the cries of your relatives and friends in your ears. I was forced to hide these feelings long ago. Now, they have overpowered me.”

  He motioned for me to sit next to him. All this time the pendant of truth didn’t glow. I understood Grealn’s emotions. As I sat, he put his hands on mine as I had done with my parents. He showed me his childhood. I felt the love from his family. He considered himself a traitor and never went back to them, but his hope had reawakened as he saw me fight with all my strength for what I believed in.

  “Your words are true from your heart,” I said. “You will fight with us against chaos. Will you help us find the third medallion of the Three Divisions?”

  “I will help,” he answered.

  “You can come out, Fensagenia.” I said. At the same moment, Zekreon came out of the bushes.

  “We need to trust each other as brother and sister,” Grealn said.

  “We have finally escaped from Mortver? I cannot believe it, brother,” said Zekreon.

  “Our path will be as winding as those in the deep mountains of the Northlands.” said Fensagenia.

  “However, we will conquer if we are bound by strength and trust.” I said.

  “Maldelsoul has taught us everything about this world,” said Grealn. “To find the third medallion, one must possess one of the others. Each medallion can act like a compass to find the other medallions. We need to focus the medallion’s energy on any map. Where the arrow points is where it will be found.”

  He took a map out of his pocket and spread it out on the grass. I held my medallion tight in my hands; I hated to hand it over to anyone else. Grealn examined it. “Its gems are missing,” he said. He used his palm to trigger the small chamber within the hidden compass in the back. He closed his eyes while performing magic just like I did. He moved his hand gently above the map until the arrow of the compass stopped above New York City. Grealn saw the location, made the map disappear, and gave me the medallion.

  “We need to depart now to this place. We cannot use the portal together, or Maldelsoul will sense the tremendous magic impact. He is here on Earth and is looking for the medallion. We must be careful where we appear because he can use his magic to detect us. Anelia, you lead us.”

  It would take a couple of days to get to New York City by train. I said goodbye to Ryan; it would be too dangerous for him to come along.

  Zekreon and Grealn bought train tickets with the fake money that Maldelsoul taught them how to produce. Over the course of a few days I studied all the spells of defense, reflection, stunning, and attack from Grealn’s magic book. Zekreon taught Fensagenia new ways to control her weapons in a fight. He was a mysterious person, one who held all his emotions tightly to himself.

  While traveling on the train, I wondered what actually happened to Maldelsoul to make him ruin the universe. I could not concentrate while the questions created more and more questions inside my head. I asked Grealn about Maldelsoul’s story.

  “Maldelsoul was not a monster,” he started his tale. “He was an ordinary boy whose name was Clandelsoul. He lived in the Highlands. He grew up wishing to be a warrior who would serve Arthaesia with all his might. His parents laughed at his dreams; they never believed in him. They told him he had to be part of the noble family to join the Golden Circle of Arthaesia. The Golden Circle was a group of the twelve best warriors from all over Arthaesia. Clandelsoul didn’t want to be a farmer in his homeland. He wanted to prove to his friends and relatives that he could gain authority from the noblemen.

  “He put all his heart into hard work. He learned different languages, mathematics, reading, writing, art, music, and science. Histories of the elemental clans inspired him. His dream was to see the Dragon Valley where the six dragons of Auvreria lived. He grew up as a strong warrior and educated person. He was trusted to lead as captain in the army. His genius tactics and victories made him famous. He became a legend, a hero of Arthaesia during its old era. He was accepted to the Golden Circle. With the others, he became part of the strongest clan.

  “He asked the noblemen to improve the lives of the peasants. During his travels he had seen injustice and horrible conditions. Children died of disease, the money belonged to the wealthy, most of the poor starved and died in the streets. Clandelsoul wanted to give other people a chance to achieve their dreams. The Golden Circle accepted his proposal. Believing in their promise, Clandelsoul decided to return to his homelands.

  “One peaceful day, he returned home. When he arrived, he saw his lands abandoned after war. He asked a traveling peddler where the people of the village had moved. With the peddler’s help, he found his village. The farmers were busy working. Others lived their everyday lives paying rent on their land. His parents greeted him with affection. He came back to his past.”

  “He thought he was the chosen one because of his abilities and talents. It was well known that the next guardian of Auvreria would come during that era. Clandelsoul prepared for the greatest destiny. He believed he would restore justice and punish those who deserved it. However, after analyzing the outcome, he realized that the world has not changed no matter how hard he has tried to improve it. He lost hope in the purpose of life and existence.

  “Anger, hate, and agony overtook his soul. He promised to himself to end all that has ever been created to liberate those under the influence of their unjust destiny. By that time, he had learned the art of magic. He used it for the first time for evil, and his magic was forever transformed. He burned the village. Flames engulfed his family and friends. That day one tear dropped from his eyes, a tear of kindness from the soul of the young boy who wanted to change the world.”

  “How did the black dragon become part of him?"

  “The good part of his soul was broken apart and reduced to a phantom. The boy wandered the land until he found an oracle as ancient as the past. He went to another part of the universe, the Astral realm, and stayed there forever. The evil part of his nature united with all the evil of the black dragon. The black dragon changed his name to Maldelsoul. He organized the group of Mortver against Arthaesia. He betrayed the Golden Circle and destroyed the Golden Age, and so the new ages began.”

  Grealn was quiet. I wondered if the boy I had seen was Clandelsoul. Maldelsoul was just the animated corpse of a kind person taken by the evil spirits of the black dragon.

  I said, “Maldelsoul won’t stop until he embraced the ninth element, the controlling power of the universe. He wants to destroy all the endless realms and himself.”

  “His abilities affected the events in Arthaesia,” Grealn said. “His control over the Tree of Life will change your world and the other realms.”

  I looked out the window of the train. I had to think about this situation, so I went to my cabin. I decided to rest while I had the time. I closed my eyes, and after a while my sleep was interrupted. A white dragon appeared in my dream. It was Aurora. She glowed with pure energy like a bright star.

  I know the last element, sister, the ninth element that keeps Auvreria from destruction. It’s no mystery—it’s all around us, it’s inside our souls, and it is the universe. It is the ultimate balance that controls all the realities, worlds, and dimensions. You felt it when we met in the Northlands. The magic of the white dragon is the sacrifice of egoism for the welfare of others. The magic of the black dragon is the opposite. Maldelsoul does not know that I am the true guardian of the center of the universe.

  He tried to murder you so many times because he thought you were the guardian. I have to seal the power of the final element by closing the main oracle of the eight elemental suns. Estrella revealed the marks to me in Eofea. I am part of the many souls who are united with the celestial dragon, the creator of the universe. Any pe
rson, creature, or soul can join the celestial dragon. Anyone who decides to follow their desires may become part of the black dragon.

  You are my shield. It can be hurt or broken, but the treasure inside will survive. I grieve for your harsh destiny. No matter how unjust it is now, it will be the glory of your life. Never give up—I believe in you. One day our paths will part, and we will say our last goodbye. That day is close. You will say a farewell to your sister, a farewell that will pass my power on to you. I will come when your life is a breath away from death.

  She faded into the darkness. Thank you, sister, I said. I felt relief that Aurora would save me again. I was getting tired of that all-is-lost feeling right before imminent death.

  New York City, a new kingdom

  June 16th, 2014

  Three days after departing my hometown, we arrived at Grand Central Station. The constellations on the ceiling served as inspiration. When we came out into the open, tall towers appeared in the blue sky. Skyscrapers in all shapes stood proudly above the people, parks, churches, and museums. Fensagenia called New York a forest of stone giants. Grealn was fixed on his task, and Zekreon observed quietly.

  We began our route through Central Park. The compass arrow pointed us in the direction of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

  Zekreon said, “We have to find a place to stay in the museum until night.”

  “How will we fool the guards and technology into not seeing us?” asked Fensagenia.

  “I have prepared a spell that will use the elements of darkness and light to make us invisible,” answered Grealn.

  I chose the Asian side of the museum. I used a simple spell to make Fensagenia invisible while we were in the bathrooms. When we came to the elegant Zen garden, we did not see Zekreon and Grealn, although I felt their presence. We stayed there until all the people left and the museum closed down. The arrow in the medallion pointed to the Egyptian exhibit.

  We passed through the Asian, Greek, Medieval, and African exhibits before we finally entered the main Egyptian room. Light from the urban sky came through the wall of glass and was reflected in the shallow fountain. There was a chamber of mummies, and in the center of the room stood a pyramid. Next to the pyramid was the third medallion. It was identical to mine except its holes were filled with the eight elemental gems.