Auvreria (11 page)

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 c
ouldn'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.

N
othing 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 re
turn 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 25
th
, 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 free 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.”

Aurora stayed quiet as we came near the
simple wooden house. On the hill we were at such a great height that I could see the curve of the planet. My green mantle protected me from the cold. The gardens, in contrast to the house, were incredibly complex and beautiful. High trees, small ponds, shimmering stones, and wooden walkways formed a perfect symmetry.

I
nside the house, the rooms were lit by candlelight. Elfeon stopped the fire with his mind and opened the windows. From the main room, three hallways branched off. I went upstairs to the attic. Aurora stayed outside, and Elfeon went to the kitchen to cook breakfast.

I opened
a hidden door and came to a small room, free of dust. The years had not touched this place. I opened a metal-bound wooden trunk; inside were paintings, epic poems, drawings, and verses on Arthaesia's Golden Age. Overpowered by feelings of Arthaesia's power, I opened more storage places and caches. Some held treasures won in battle. Others contained souvenirs from other lands. One trunk above all others interested me. It held letters from my parents. I found one that was written to me.

I read it out loud
. “For you, daughter, we have put our strength into building and protecting Biriun. We are grateful that soon you will be born. Aurora cannot stop asking us what we will name you. She wants you to have a beautiful and powerful name. We have decided upon Anelia. Anelia means messenger from the heavens who will show the people new horizons. When you grow up, you will come here with Elfeon as your instructor. Don’t be nervous. Your path in life will be great with us as your family and Arthaesia as your home. By the divine spirit of the universe, we will always be with you. Never forget who you are even in the darkest moments in life. We are all awaiting your birth. Let our future be bright!”

A
t the bottom were three names: Aurora, Liliamera, and Orenelius. I dropped the letter. I thought about using the element of time to discover the past with no further lies. I concentrated on my magic and the elements of Auvreria and fell into a world of dreams.

Thousands of days passed, hundreds of months went by, and years flew back. I saw my parents writing the letter with playful Aurora. They came back to the Great Castle of Arthaesia. After my mother gave birth, she nursed me for a couple of years
, but then my parents had to leave for an expedition for another two years. They found out what would happen to Arthaesia in the kingdom of the elves. While traveling in the highlands, they were captured by Mortver. A few weeks later was the attack on the Great Castle. They tried to escape, but they failed and were imprisoned for ten years. They could not reunite the forces because everything had changed. The lords of the Clamoor Clan forgot them. They traveled to different towns trying to bring back hope. Nothing worked because the people were living in fear like I was. They had stayed in Port Archalypsis till today. Orenelius tried to find me while Liliamera healed people.

One day
, Liliamera used a mirror to cast a spell to find Aurora and me. They discovered I wasn't in Arthaesia, and Aurora was lost in the Northlands. Ever since, they have watched me like Almag and Aurora. Orenelius met me as a magician in disguise and we had our magic duel. He disappeared, came back for the attack by Mortver, saved me, and gave me part of the stone. He returned to my mother to tell her the news, but it was not time yet to reveal their secret because Maldelsoul might use this chance. When I entered the herbalist's shop with Aurora in Port Archalypsis, our mother had to hold back her tears to stay hidden. Aurora did not recognize her because of her condition. When we left, our parents cried for our return and departure.

I awoke from my dream
in tears. They were tears of sadness but also of joy and hope for reunion in the future.

I looked at the letter again.
It contained a small poem.
Bloom beautifully like the deep flower of blue, we will always be with you. Forever always flows, never it destroys. Hold our eternal love in your soul. Never let darkness befall on your heart, and never will our ways part. Forever always flows, my sweetheart.
I tore the fragment from the letter and put it in my tunic.

Tantalizing smells flowed
from the kitchen. Elfeon had prepared a meal of vegetables. We came out to the porch, and Aurora came to sit with us on the grass. As I ate Elfeon said, “You have looked into the past. I felt the element of time being used carefully. I can see by your eyes you have found what you were looking for.

“
I knew your parents before you were born. We always stayed in contact in case Arthaesia ever needed Eofea's help. I agreed to teach you the basic elements of magic. Finish your breakfast and meet me in the sand garden.”

I walked along carved paths of wood. The trees
moved gently in the wind. The still waters of the ponds flickered with reflections. I passed stone gardens. I cast my eyes on the distant mountains and the Sea of Irialn crashing its waves against them. I found the sand garden in moments. Elfeon used the element of wind to shape different patterns on the sand. He combined four wind currents to lift the sand and let it fall back to its original pattern.