Auvreria Read online

  At last we reached the ancient port surrounded by gray stone walls. The Sea of Irialn was a deep, dark blue. At the opened gates there was a hidden symbol embedded in the dusty wall. I cleared the dirt with my hand. It said The Gate of the Seas. We entered.

  Port Archalypsis, the arrival and the tempest

  May 20th, 2014

  The streets, alleys, houses, and shops were all abandoned. The dark port was in ruins like the Great Castle of Arthaesia. The group halted. Clarimie said, “You all know your assignment. We will depart at sunset. Everybody be careful; these places have people who will do anything to survive. Their first action will be an attack. Stay safe.”

  I walked along the melancholy streets with Fensagenia and Aurora, who became more tired with every step. Maldelsoul's curse was regaining its strength. She had to soothe her pain before anything unexpected happened. “Fensagenia, the curse is working on Aurora again. Please, find Clarimie. I will try to find an herbalist. Hurry!” Fensagenia ran as fast as she could to the docks. I helped Aurora walk by letting her put her arm around my neck. She had a hard time breathing. As we walked I saw a small sign that said Medicine and Spices. I blew open the closed door in the building with my magic.

  In a dusty room filled with herbs was a woman wearing ragged clothes. She cried, “No! Don’t hurt me. Mortver have mercy on me! The people have me as their only healer.”

  “We are from the Clamoor Clan. I am Anelia, and this is my sister, Aurora. Aurora needs help recovering from her headache and poor vision.”

  She began searching through her stock. “I will help you, but why are you here? There are no treasures in this town of ashes. We are barely surviving.” Her hair was brown, and she had green eyes and a gentle smile. “My name is Liliamera. This flower will help if it is eaten raw.”

  I took the plant and fixed my magic on the element of earth. The herb glowed green. I made Aurora take it. She felt better immediately. With her eyes closed, she said, “Maldelsoul is here. We have to find the others—they are in great danger.” As we left the shop, the woman whispered something. A tear fell from her eye. She closed the door, and we met Fensagenia.

  Fensagenia looked terrified. “Clarimie has been captured by Mortver. They are here in Port Archalypsis. Her soldiers are gone. She can’t stand alone; we have to go now!” We ran for the docks, footsteps echoing in the desolate, dusty streets.

  Shops around us were closed, and people looked out, scared, from the windows of their houses. Strangers eyed us suspiciously. In the distance we saw a glimpse of Irialn with the ship masts swinging back and forth with the wind. As we came closer, we saw three silhouettes of grand ships. One of them was shining with warm golden colors, the other had pale maroon ornaments, and the last one was light gray like the sky. There was no motion on the ships.

  We stopped to discuss the plan.

  “Aurora has to go on that golden ship. Anelia, you check the maroon ship. I will check the gray one. We’re out of time. A storm is coming, and we need to sail before it gets worse,” Fensagenia said.

  We split up. I was glad Aurora felt better because she would need that strength. I ran to the ship Fensagenia had described, all beige sails and carved wooden ornaments—a nobleman’s ship. I boarded and looked out to sea. The storm was building. I took careful steps towards the main cabin and opened the unlocked door. Inside the candlelit rooms, a person in a hooded black cloak was gazing at the sea through the window. I put my hands on my sword. The person turned around placidly. Of course it was Maldelsoul.

  He looked at me with a contented smile. “Surprise! Were you trying to run away from me? Our rings reveal everything. I found out about your plans—did you think we were idiots? Are you not tired of the countless stories of the past friends tell you? They don’t prepare you for the future. All those stories have dreadful ends. Your story will be the last of Arthaesia, the Three Divisions, and the universe.” He smiled bigger. “No words? What a shame. I just wanted to greet you before your sea journey.”

  What do you say to someone who keeps trying to kill you? Traveling long distances without enough sleep had left me tired and hopeless. Arthaesia had fallen—why restore it if Maldelsoul was just going to destroy it again? “Every candle burns out sometime. I am so tired of you. Can't you just kill me now and rule the world?” I had been brave. I had fought for justice, but I couldn’t struggle against chaos forever.

  “Ah, the bird of hope has lost its angelic wings! You will fall one day. You are the prize of revenge from all my enemies: Arthaesia and the universe itself that chose its destiny in you. You will suffer for as long as I want. You have to bring me the four pieces in a week. If you do not, I will have my army kill all of the Clamoor Clan. My ring will hurt you until you come to me. You will suffer for the rest of your life. You will see those you loved broken apart and burned alive. You will live in my palace as a reminder of Mortver's victory. For now, leave. I will come for you in the future....” He cast dark shadows around me until all I saw was darkness.

  I reappeared on the golden ship where Aurora and the Clamoor Clan were. Magdalion met me. “Fensagenia came back with Clarimie. Clarimie was drugged after being captured on the gray ship. The only cure that can heal her is stored where she was imprisoned. Fensagenia wants to go there and find it.”

  Fensagenia came out of the cabin.

  “Fensagenia! Magdalion just told me that you saved Clarimie from Mortver!”

  “Will you come with me?” Fensagenia asked. “I need help because this time Mortver's guards will protect the ship better.”

  “I will,” I answered. “If there is a chance to alleviateClarimie’s temporary illness, we have to take it.”

  The storm was growing worse. I wondered if Maldelsoul had cast it. It would make it harder to reach the next piece of the Cielune, but if he did not cast it, who had, and for what purpose?

  We decided to go to the gray ship without the Clamoor Clan’s support. It was a stealth mission. We dressed up in Mortver’s black cloaks and quietly left the golden ship.

  It was not hard to sneak onto the gray ship. As we stepped on deck, Fensagenia motioned for me to attack. I gathered my strength and focused on the element of water. I lifted my hands just a little, and a wave pulled the guards into the sea. While Fensagenia took out the soldiers, I ran to the cabins. She caught up to me quickly, and we looked over desks, cabinets, shelves, anywhere that might have hidden scrolls. At last, she found a chest full of recipes. We carried the whole thing back to our ship, and Magdalion set sail.

  Fensagenia went into the cabin to help Clarimie. I stayed on deck to help the crew. The wind was very strong, and the ship swayed back and forth. High waves started, and the sky became dark. Thunder roared, and lightning flew from the sky. The wind tore the sails. Rain poured. The ship was being pulled into the center of a tempest. I used buckets to bail water. Magdalion ordered the sails struck. Aurora came out of the cabin and said, “This is not a normal storm. The compasses are spinning. The crew barely has control. I think the storm wants us.”

  I nodded. A sudden wave engulfed the ship. I held tight to the rail as the wind lifted me. A typhoon appeared in the distance. I screamed as loud as I could. Aurora wished she could fly again. The water and air surrounded me the way it did when I teleported. I closed my eyes, too scared to see what would happen next.

  The dark disappeared as I appeared back on the first day of school. I was wearing my usual clothes and standing near my locker. The hallways were empty. I felt that I had merged with my past self. I was near the cafeteria and could smell the cooking food. It was morning, and I was late to class. While I picked my book from my locker, the same girl walked up and slammed the locker. My books fell. She proudly walked away.

  Ryan came towards me.

  He said, “You know you could have said something about this, right? She will keep hurting our friends, and you, until you speak up for everyone.”

  Suddenly, without my command, my mouth opened. “I don’t really ca
re what happens. I’m not responsible for her actions. Why should I try to change our school and the world by myself?”

  Ryan gave me a sad smile. I saw an image of Aurora next to him. She heard these words and bowed her head sorrowfully. I realized that she had heard them that day while she was in the Northlands. Her image faded as Ryan turned away and went to class.

  I was shocked by my own words. “Wait! I am so sorry. I know I’ve only thought about myself all the time, but please forgive me. I can’t walk away from a problem that can hurt others. Even if it seems like you have to save the entire universe, you should never give up.”

  He turned around and looked at me happily. He held the rose butterfly that healed me, and it flew to my hands. I closed my eyes. When I opened them I was floating underwater in an ocean. I saw the dancing lights from above penetrate the water and gracefully descend into to the vast depths. I gazed silently at the bright lights. I was running out of breath. I gently closed my eyes again as the air bubbles escaped from my mouth.

  Cave of Livaunde

  May 24th, 2014

  I woke up wet on a rocky shore. I looked around. The surrounding cliffs were impossible to climb. Wind blew but did nothing to dispel the fog. There was no vegetation around—everything was stone. The gulf with two mountains in the distance and the gray beach seemed familiar. It was an isolated place from my dream. Rain would come soon, so I tried to find shelter in the cliffs.

  I forced myself to squeeze through the thin paths of rock until I saw an entrance to a cave. I heard the voice echo through the walls: Follow the gate of darkness that reveals light and knowledge.... Darkness filled the caverns. Stones as old as time stood quietly in their eternal sleep. I didn't know how time flowed here. I didn't even know if I was alive or somewhere in a dream. I took another step and slid down the rough incline.

  My slide ended gracefully on a flat rock in the middle of a luminescent lake. Clear and shallow, it lit the entire chamber. I dipped a finger in the water. A circular ripple spread throughout the lake as the walls shook. The voice echoed. See the reflection. Do you accept who you are and what Auvreria has given you? Do you accept your destiny? I looked at the water. I couldn’t see my face or any part of me.

  I was tired of my destiny. Arthaesia had been fighting Maldelsoul for ages—how was I going to defeat him in a moment? My parents were gone. The Clamoor Clan would be defeated. Arthaesia had already fallen. No miracle was going to happen. You doubt your destiny? The black dragon is powerful, but the white dragon has the same power. The dark-souled one is a liar.

  How do we know the truth if lies and betrayals inhabit our world? I asked. I’m just too tired to stay alive.

  This is the ancient oracle of the Three Divisions, the voice replied. The voices of time are here. I am the eternal spirit of the cave known as Livaunde, and I will tell you the past so the present can heal and the future can create. Your parents did not die that night. While they were on their journey to the South, they learned the secret of the future fall. They were taken prisoner before the assassination. Many years passed before they were free. They have made attempts to find their family. One daughter was in the frozen North, and the other was in one of the worlds of the Three Divisions. In the future this family would unite; however, one daughter would unite with the universe. The full power of Lumifale was always in your soul. Others have always used deception to hide your strongest power.

  I felt the meaning of these words. I felt the connection of the universe and the other worlds. As I grew confident, blue light shone from my hands. I turned my palms towards my face. Two marks of Auvreria formed and glowed with my magic. I felt the balance of Auvreria, the harmony of the universe. My wounds from the harsh journey were completely healed. The voice said, Your destiny is to help others. You have to open your heart and find love. If you find your center inside you, your eyes will open to see the future.

  I did have to help others. I couldn't let them suffer just because I felt tired. This power was given to me, and I had to use it. Maldelsoul used his power for selfish desires. I had to fight for my home, Arthaesia. I had to overcome my stupid fear and use the strength within. I focused more on Lumifale. From my glowing hands appeared a blue orchid, undivided. A wave of energy vibrated the walls, shook the water, and shattered the stones.

  I closed my hands, and the symbols disappeared from view. Spirit of Livaunde, what happened to the ship? Did Maldelsoul cause the storm?

  No, I created the storm of the skies and seas. You came to this cave safely. The storm disappeared, and Aurora was taken to the skies to learn her destiny. Staying in the Northlands has earned her a special prize. It has been Aurora's destiny to be a dragon, which is why it was a difficult task to transform her into a human. You two have a spiritual connection that intertwines your fates.

  Nothing was lost. I looked at my ring. Does Maldelsoul know of our conversation? This place might be revealed if he does. It will be destroyed like all the others.

  Do not be afraid. He cannot hear us because we are not in material existence. The speech of the spiritual worlds connects us all. The dark one values the mind and body, not the soul. His evil spirit will never realize the secret of the ninth element. Child, the time has come for you to learn the last two elements of Auvreria. The first is time: past, future, and present. The second is the flow of energy of life, sustainability, and death. These two elements combine with fire, water, air, earth, light, and darkness to form the symbol. Each element balances its opposite, creating equilibrium.

  I felt time and energy flow through the worlds and into me. I tried to connect the eight elements into one. I used the magician's trick to organize the elements opposite one another into a wheel of balance. Immense magic blew out. The cave was not harmed, but the parallel worlds were affected. Hope rose again. Dawn reappeared in my life. During twilight, my powers had faded, through night I had stayed strong, and now during sunrise I arose with a pure heart and soul. I stole another glance at the water, and there was my reflection.

  Light and darkness, fire and water, air and earth, and time and energy have found their harmony in you. Aurora will come to this ancient world and return to her form. Her weakness in the human body was not because of the dark one’s curse; it was because she did not follow her own fate. The ceiling became a starry sky, and from it descended Aurora. She transformed her small body into a dragon. The tiny mark of Auvreria stayed on her forehead. I ran to her.

  I thought I’d lost you forever, I said. I will never let Maldelsoul ruin anything again. We will defend Arthaesia and the ninth element with all of our might until death.

  We will always stay together. We never say farewell to the ones we love because they stay in the heart as memories. Fate is more powerful than all of us.

  Your journey is not yet complete in Arthaesia, said the spirit of the cave. Reunited again, Anelia and Aurora will save us. You will have to stay together when you reach the portal of the Three Divisions. From my deepest chasms, you will walk through the waters of my lakes to a place with a connection to your past. Your change of perspective on the universe, Anelia, has earned you the stone of destiny.

  In my hands appeared the third part of the stone of Cielune.

  You have received the stone of fear, trust, and destiny. In the future, you will receive the stone of inheritance. Feel the connection of the universe, and Auvreria will help you. The cave grumbled. The reflection of luminescent water embedded itself on Aurora's skin. We walked into the water. I saw galaxies flow through the water. I kept walking. Yes, this was the day my perspective changed. I now saw the world how a true hero would. This was the day of my awakening from the fear that had kept me in confusion for so long.

  The training place of Biriun

  May 25th, 2014

  I came out of the water in Arthaesia. The landscape was different. The deep, dark mountains stood high above the Sea of Irialn. The warming rays of the emerging sun made everything glow with rising energy. The wind swept the oceans f
ree of clouds while the shadows crept away. The small lake I walked out of was still. Aurora followed me. Elfeon stood waiting for us.

  “You have returned from the journey of the sea,” he said. “Welcome to the place of Biriun. This place is your training ground where you will learn the skills of war, magic, and healing. Your parents have built a small house on top of that mountain for you to rest and stay. They built a strong shield that reflects any signals Mortver uses to find a location. They did everything possible so you could train safely.”

  “I was brought to the mysterious spirit of Livaunde,” I told him. “It said my parents weren't killed and that I met them. I think the house may have some clues.” I thought for a moment. “Elfeon, how did you get here? Why did you leave when I teleported the Clamoor Clan from Maldelsoul's palace?”

  “I had to leave to find the last piece of Cielune. This journey was my path. Your mother hid the last part in a great tree, a perfect place in the jewel of nature. I have spoken to the spirits of the forests. They led me to the tree, where I passed the challenge of patience. The truth and my destiny were revealed to me just like you and Aurora. I passed through this pond to Biriun to await your return.”

  “How many days will we have to wait to reunite the pieces? Maldelsoul has not given us enough time.”

  “Maldelsoul will not keep his promise, as we all know. The Clamoor Clan will have to fight with everything it’s got against the undefeatable army. For the stones to properly unite, we have to wait for the star Lunheli to set over that mountaintop. Lunheli is visible night and day. A portal will open to Lanora Lake in the Astral world. The stones will be united there, and they will take us to the Tree of Life.

  “In the meantime, we will train. I will be your teacher; you need to learn how to control magic and use its full strength when needed. But first, come to the house—you need to rest and eat. We’ll have to use all of our available time to train.”