Auvreria Read online

  Clarimie saw my wonder and said, “We were friends in our childhood at the Great Castle of Arthaesia. On the day of the attack, Maldelsoul forced us to flee to the Northlands, where most of the royal family died. We heard that your tower was destroyed by the united six elements. Your parents...died. Aurora was turned into a dragon while Maldelsoul tried to find you. It was uncontrollable chaos that night. But there are more important matters now. Please, Lord Dalius, explain our plan of revenge on Mortver.”

  The commander turned to the map. “For years we have been planning this attack on Mortver's headquarters,” he said. “In one week, we will attack the lower east part of Mortver's castle at night. This will be during Mortver's dark rituals of the unity of the lower Astral world. This will be a stealth reconnaissance mission. You will go through training so you can join the search parties. You will have a battle companion with whom you will share all. We practice strict discipline in the Clamoor Clan.” I knew this was the start of a new war.

  On the way to my tent, I saw a beautiful woman stroll past. She had the appearance of a countess. She whispered to me in a smooth voice, “I am truly sorry for putting you in that terrible hole. Do not mind what I said earlier. You should not have been welcomed in this manner. I am Lord Dalius's wife. My name is Lady Eldorun.” I forgave her even at the shock of hearing her name. She was part of the soldier force that wanted to kill me! Something about her made me worry.

  The plains, grounds for battle training

  April 30th, 2014

  I woke up on a cold, thin blanket. I could hardly move in such a small tent. I noticed weapons, armor, warm blankets, furs, and food stored in small pots. A girl my age came into the tent. She was in deep red armor. Her black, short hair was loose. She entered in a hurry and looked surprised to see me.

  “Uh, hello, I am your comrade, Fensagenia. I am very pleased to meet you. Once my companion, blood and sweat shall we share in real battle. Our teacher is furious. You have slept late, and now we shall both suffer for your mistake. Rise, young soldier!”

  I stood up and yawned a little. “Hello,” I said. “My name is Ni—Anelia. I'm new, so I might need help in assembling my, uh, armor. And I’ll need help in getting there.”

  “I will help you because we are one in battle!” she answered. “Oh, let’s just talk normally for now. These phrases that I keep memorizing make my head ache. Our teachers are very solemn about control over emotions.”

  “Now you sound more human. You’re very nice to help me out. I would never have imagined myself in this situation, thanks.” She helped me find a suit of armor, a rusty sword, and the way to the grounds for battle training. I always imagined myself as a princess, not a soldier going off to war.

  The morning was fresh and filled with boundless energy. It was a perfect day to train. There were marked fields where men, women, and children came to learn the necessary techniques. The distant white mountains glowed with the light of the rising sun. There was a light sheet of snow that showed that spring was on its way. Fensagenia turned to the right to a group of guys. My curiosity about the plains caused me to bump right into a boy my age, knocking him into the snow and dirt. He pulled himself up as the boys and girls laughed. He turned around and grabbed the collar of my fur coat with anger.

  “Listen here, squirt, I will crush you like a grain of wheat with my fist unless you show what you’re really worth!” I was so scared I couldn’t do any self-defense or magic. He gathered all his strength, pulled his arm back, and was felled by Fensagenia's strike to his ankles.

  The boy was furious now. Just in time, our teacher arrived. “Who started all this? Come, soldier, you will receive triple the punishment. Show yourself and apologize to Naak, Lord Dalius's son.” I stepped in front of him. He glanced at me and returned to his class. I guess it was Clarimie who had told him about me. The teacher said: “Soldiers to your positions. Let’s begin. Walk proudly, because today is your first step to war.”

  Our teacher put us in pairs with our battle companions. He showed us positions in fighting and blocking. If my right arm held a sword, then my right leg had to be in front to maintain the weight of the sword. If I were using two arms to hold the sword, I would have to face my body directly toward the opponent, not sideways. The shield had to be at the right angle to the strike. My rusty sword was hard to maneuver at such a fast pace. I was the worst at parrying attacks. My main goal was to be far away from Naak. After hours and hours of training, we finally had a break. The sun was setting when I came to the tents for our group and got some food and water. I sat down on the cold ground.

  Fensagenia found me and said, “Come sit near the fireplace and hear adventure stories. Don’t sit here alone; it will be dark soon.” I followed her to the huge fireplace surrounded by thick logs. People of all ages sat around the fire. The sky was fully dark now, with many twinkling stars. Near the fireplace stood an old man wearing several furs. His appearance reminded me of a Native American storyteller and a medieval bard.

  At a look from the bard, the musicians quieted down. He eyed his audience, then began with a whisper and gradually became louder: “Where the forests never reach their end, where the music of the forest continues for a thousand years, where the waters turn into mist, and where the trees talk to each other, there lies the kingdom of Eofea.

  “This land belongs to the elves. Their existence remains unknown to most of the world. We cannot see them or feel their presence, for they conceal ancient secrets. Those secrets are found in their mystical places in the forests of the mountains of Eldeon. Their whispers are like the pipes blown by the wind. They laugh like the serene sounds of the lute. They may open their world to anyone who follows this ancient riddle: ‘Fly in the skies, run on the fields, swim in the waters, however, you will not find what you seek. The key lies inside where the boundaries of mind and body end. Your decision can open doors or close the truth.’ As I end my short tale, many have suffered to find the answer to this riddle that has never been solved...” The voice of the storyteller faded, and the music sprang up.

  I decided to go to bed. I was very tired from practice. Fensagenia saw me stand up and said, “Oh, are you going now? Well, our tent is through those trees and past the orange boulder. Good night!” I said good night and walked straight into the woods.

  I followed the main trail through the dark. Suddenly, a neon light flew over me. I looked up and heard a voice that spoke in another language: “Eth-onufathe Eofea e bedol a onu cethre...” The light turned into an image of a three-leaf flower. Its petals resembled the shapes of a leaf. The light quickly disappeared into the dark. I heard the melody of the forest in the sound of blown windpipes that plucked at my heart. The impossible things always happen to me, I thought. I reached my tent and fell asleep despite the weird happenings.

  The training fields in the mountains, the first flight

  May 4th, 2014

  Four days passed. I finally learned to handle my weapons properly. My knowledge was growing, and I felt confident in myself. Clarimie had even asked me to try to ride Aurora. I couldn't imagine flying to such extreme heights on a dragon, even though it sounded awesome. Aurora thought it would come naturally to me. She landed on the soft grass in front of me and widened her massive wings. I’m ready when you are. Please, let’s start and finish this task quickly before I get hungry. It was a beautiful morning to go out—and fly. I was afraid of roller coasters, and this was ten times worse.

  Time to get this over with. I checked all the pockets in my new, warm outfit. I felt something round and pulled out a very familiar ring.

  Where did you get this? she asked.

  I have no idea, I answered. It just appeared in my pocket. Even though the ring seems really familiar, I cannot imagine how this could have gotten here. Uh, Aurora, I’m ready!

  Good, jump on! she said. My spikes won’t hurt you. Keep yourself relaxed, and don’t let your mind play tricks on you.

  I climbed up on the dragon as she crouched. Her skin
felt dry and rough. I hugged her neck, aware of her white, polished spikes. I felt stiff. Aurora ran as fast as she could and opened her colossal wings parallel to the ground. The sound of powerful flapping filled the air. The landscape became wider and smaller at the same time. The cold currents of wind were stronger up here. I felt dizzy. The turbulence was frightening. The clouds floated like large ships on the endless sea of the skies. Radiant yellows were everywhere this morning. I felt free and happy.

  Then Aurora dove to the ground. I flattened myself as close as possible to her. I wanted to scream as we lost altitude and gained speed. Before crashing into the forest canopy, Aurora smoothly changed her position to a glide. I felt a surge of adrenaline.

  At that moment, my ring exploded with negative energy. I saw Maldelsoul in my mind. He said “Lumifale ono cethre!” I was so scared I wanted to close my eyes. I lost my grip after the vision disappeared and fell from Aurora. A moment later I splashed into freezing water. Aurora slashed through the air to help me. The shock made me lose consciousness in the water. Aurora yelled in my mind to keep me from falling into the dark, sleepy world.

  I was standing on a rocky cliff overlooking a massive canyon of beige rock. The sky was gray, with dark clouds. There were no stars. A cold breeze brushed the brown sand from the rocks. I noticed a petrified tree on top of the rocks. Its life was lost, just like mine was about to be. I began to sense someone's presence. Out of the dark mist stepped Maldelsoul. I covered my fear with a stern face. He stopped in front of me. His black garment made his face even whiter. He carried a dark staff with illuminated crystals.

  He spoke first. “Ever wonder why you have this ability to cast powerful magic? Your parents gave the power of Lumifale to you by mistake. It all belongs to me. I am deeply saddened that Auvreria chose you as its destiny. You were not supposed to be their savior. You are not one. Look, see the past.” The landscape took on different forms. The petrified tree was alive with blue blossoms.

  Maldelsoul started his story. “Before the celestial dragon gave the power to the eight dragons of the elements, the tree of Lumifale blossomed. Beautiful blue orchids grew on this tree. Each contained some of the most powerful magic in the universe. The celestial dragon forced the winds of time to take the petals of the tree to the eight dragons. One blue orchid remained. Legends were told about its mystical power. I, as a young conqueror, followed the signs to the sacred place. I was not alone; your father arrived there at the same time. We fought for the power of Lumifale. A sudden wind blew the flower to the ground, and it landed between us. We both touched the flower. The flower broke off into two halves and transferred its power to our right hands in the form of a blue mark.

  “I grew mad,” he continued, “with frustration, and I vowed to get back what was mine. The day before your father died, we met in a secret place below the Great Castle of Arthaesia. He came to save the castle. I was looking for his mark, but the symbol was gone from his hand. My anger would have exploded the whole castle if I had used my magic. Your father had transferred that power to one of his children. That night I killed them and turned Aurora into a beast. Before I could find you, your tower exploded. I thought you were dead. Although my efforts to find you were useless, I could sense the other half of Lumifale. There was always that possibility that you were in another world at the other edge of the universe. All these thousands of years of studying the books of knowledge, and yet I could not teleport out of this world.

  “From the different levels of magic I could not find yours,” continued Maldelsoul. “The magic summoned by the body, no. The weakest creatures that use magic spells gained by chanting or hand motion use this sort. The level of magic gained by the mind, no. This one allows for complex spells. There is the third type, however; its secrets are hidden amongst the elves. Even though you might possess it, you have no potential to control Lumifale.” I was surprised that he gave me such an in-depth explanation about my mysterious past.

  “If I possess this Lumifale,” I said, “why can't you take it from me? Can you just win this silly game? I nearly died when you came into my mind! Please, stop this nightmare.”

  He smiled and said calmly, “I cannot take it while you are unconscious. My ring did its job well. At the time we first met, I gave you this ring as a present. It has caused many disasters and will cause more. Your power of Lumifale has to be transferred to me when you come to my castle for a ‘secret’ attack in two weeks. There are spies in the Clamoor Clan, so do not think of running away from our next confrontation. Relax. Let me read your mind. Ha-ha!”

  He closed his eyes, and I felt a sudden pressure on my mind. I could not let him see the secrets that I didn’t even know yet. I had to use Lumifale now to protect myself. I gathered all of my strength, and I shattered the fake world of my dreams. My hand shone with pure light. I felt so strong that I awoke from my nightmare.

  I was lying in Clarimie's royal tent. Aurora felt my return. She looked at me through the hole. Lord Mediel put more herbs on my forehead. I sat up. Clarimie came in the room with the ring and exclaimed, “This ring caused you much misfortune. My magicians and Aurora helped purify it. Don’t worry; this ring is now clean of Maldelsoul's negative energy. Everything is fine now. I think we were in time. What did you see in your dreams?”

  The royal tent

  May 4th, 2014

  “You were in time,” I said. “Maldelsoul knows about our secret plan. He has spies in the Clamoor Clan. They know we are going to come. He wanted to fulfill his task of reading my mind. He nearly killed me. Oh, my head. I feel tired.” Clarimie's expression became stern.

  She said, “I was expecting something from him. Lord Mediel, we need to inspect all the people in our camp with the other lords to be sure there are no spies. We have to delay our attack for a week because the evil one knows and it takes our soldiers a few days to reach his grounds. Anelia, please rest. You may use my tent; no one will disturb you. Aurora can stay with you. Clamoor needs your full recovery.” She left the tent with Mediel. I noticed a light shower of snow outside.

  Aurora fixed her gaze on me. Lie down, sister, she said. You need time to recover.

  Aurora, I whispered in my mind, I didn’t tell the whole story of my dream. Maldelsoul told me about...

  Lumifale.

  How did you know?

  It’s a very long story. I know he found his prize, and you are in the way. It all started when I was ten years old. You were two years old. This happened before the attack on the castle. Life was bright and lively. We had festivals, balls, and holidays. The royal family was not stingy. The former castle was magnificent: it had majestic beige walls and beautiful carving. I used to run in the long hallways for fun. I always liked exploring the castle, the gardens, the rooms, and the towers. One day I ventured outside the castle walls. I ran as fast as I could to the white forest. It snowed like today. I wondered why the locked doors happened to open that day. I ran through the snow-crystal woods. I was happy. I wore a bright, purple dress with my warm cape.

  I came upon a field in the forest, she continued. It was not covered with snow, but with summer flowers. In the middle of the field stood a tall man who wore black garments. His cape was decorated in onyx symbols. He was as still as if he were the phantom of the night. He did not look at me. I noticed a caterpillar on his hand. His skin was white as snow. His appearance was the same as what you saw in your dream. He asked me to come. My curiosity overtook me, and I came to stand next to him. I did not know it was Maldelsoul. “You see this hideous caterpillar,” he said. “It is slimy, ugly, and unwanted. As it turns into a butterfly, it becomes the essence of beauty.” The caterpillar turned into a butterfly before my eyes. “However, this butterfly is helpless. It is weak and small. It cannot escape death. It will someday burn into ash and fall to the ground.” He burned the butterfly with his magic.

  “What is the point,” he asked, “in seeing the beauty of the world if the inescapable violence and injustice will destroy it? What is the mean
ing in life when power is above all else? Where is the Lumifale that your father gave you?” He turned my hand towards me. I had no mark. I screamed for help. He became filled with anger and wanted to destroy me. Before he spoke the word of death, a bright light shone and I awoke in my room back in the castle. I heard his voice, “The one who will be touched by the rose petal butterfly will suffer for her chosen destiny to save the world. Her soul will be destroyed like the butterfly.” I lay in bed in terror while my parents tried to soothe me with sweet words.

  All these times I thought it was a dream until I met him and he turned me into a dragon. After the attack, I flew away to the Northlands with a broken heart. I entered one of Maldelsoul's traps that imprisoned me without light for sixteen years. Almag found me through one of his spells and kept me company. We watched you grow through childhood. When you came to the Northlands, I knew that the magic inside you would break the barrier of the spell. After you went back to Aethra, I found the Clamoor Clan. Here in these cold lands filled with pine forests and snow I have stayed, waiting for your arrival.

  Aurora, I said, the rose petal butterfly found me. Could it be true that I am the one destined to protect the universe?

  Yes, I knew this when we were together. Estrella had to hide your marks of Auvreria so the people of Aethra would accept you as one of their own. Don’t tell any more; I know your life story. Now rest. Close your eyes, and don’t think about this too much. She left the tent and flew away. I wanted to think, but my tired mind forced me to sleep.