Auvreria (3 page)

“Did anything valuable
from Auvreria itself get stolen? What happened to the previous king and his family?”

“Maldelsoul
took one of the medallions from Arthaesia's treasury. The noble family that ruled Arthaesia was sent to the Northlands to freeze. Your sister came with them to escape the brutal fights with his magicians.”

“Is she okay? Did Maldelsoul do anything hurtful to her?”

“He turned her into a white dragon when she came to rescue you. She was too young to take on a powerful magician like him. She is in the Northlands, captured in one of Mortver’s traps. We have stayed in contact all these years; however, my age prevented me from freeing her.”

“What happened next after Maldelsoul seized the Great Castle of Arthaesia?”

“Maldelsoul did not stop there. He left the Great Castle in ruins and conquered all the land to find the Tree of Life. He would use the great tree to satisfy Mortver's goal. Arthaesia has fought him for ten centuries. Right now you stand in what remains of the Great Castle.”

Things
made more sense now. He continued. “Mother Nature, the third guardian of the Tree of Life, gave us hope that we could win against Mortver. Now that she has died, you are the only one left who might help us finally win this endless war.”

I couldn't take it all in. “I
’ve never been important in my life, to anyone. And now you’re saying I have to save the universe? I can't! I have never been good at anything! Sorry, you’ve got the wrong chosen one. I am not who you think I am. I'm an ordinary girl—I need to be left alone...” I ran away through the winding halls of the library.

Almag's Library, the mystery of the past and the key to the future

April 18
th
, 2014

I ran
through the narrow halls filled with ancient books. One hallway led into another room beautifully decorated with marble. I sat down on a bench near a table with more books. I stopped crying—all my energy had gone into running. I examined the volumes. All the titles had strange spellings, but I was able to read them if I focused my mind. I grabbed a book at random; the title was something like
The Map of the Sky
. I opened the book. It flew out of my hands into the air, levitated near me, and started to spin very fast.

Rays of sapphire, amethyst, amber, jade, ruby, and diamond appeared.
Sparkling dust swirled. The specks of color emerged as galaxies, celestial bodies, and individual stars. I walked through the galaxies and saw different and more complex patterns that revealed the cosmos. In the center was a small dot among the three main galaxies. What could it be?

The spinning book came to a stop and floated to the floor. I picked it up and put it in its place. I wanted to know what ha
d happened to my parents. If Almag was my grandfather, he would know. I left the beautiful library and found him reading a book and waving his hand in circles. “It is always wise,” said Almag, “to wave your hand in a clockwise direction.”

“Do you think I will ever be able to create magic?”

“If you really try, my granddaughter.”

“
What happened to my parents?”

“Oh
, child, they were the noble guardians of Arthaesia who protected it during the new age. They protected the family of Clarein from Mortver. One night, this cost them their lives.”

“Was this
the night when Maldelsoul took the throne?”

“Yes,
Mortver planned an attack against the royal family. That day was the beginning of the new era. Mortver located the magicians in the four corners of the castle. While you were sleeping, your parents were on guard. Suddenly, out of the sky came four balls of blasting energy created out of the united elements. Your parents and another two magicians gave their lives to stop the approaching disaster. I hurried to your room to take you away; however, the tower was destroyed. I couldn't save your sister—she was turned into a dragon. I used my connection with your sister to find you. You were in the other corner of the universe named Aethra, or Earth. You had used your gift to teleport to another world. Estrella helped you find a family and become a human in their world.”

All th
ose old memories of being in a forest looking at a bird like an angel—those were real. They were memories, not dreams. My “parents” had enlisted doctors to convince me otherwise until I gave up on them. A fog of darkness enveloped me, and I saw nothing.

The Great Castle of Arthaesia, a confrontation that almost took my life

My birthday

I appeared on the castle rooftop. Dark clouds cast a green shadow on the mountains. I heard clashing sounds of metal and footsteps. I didn't know how I’d got here. I was scared and reacted to every subtle sound. The dark mist still surrounded me. I heard a loud bang. Something landed on the roof with the force of thousands of elephants. I turned around. It was a black dragon with a rider. The dragon's fierce eyes stared into mine. Its body was bigger than a humpback whale. Its skin resembled a snake’s. The dragon had horns on its head, spine, and tail. I couldn't see the rider in the obscuring mist.

Soldiers wearing black uniforms came running through the castle. I couldn't even hide behind a rock
—the dragon still held my gaze. I felt so much tension in my gut that I wanted to scream. The rider dismounted. At a motion of his hand, the mist disappeared. He took off his hood, and now I could see him. He looked to be middle-aged; his skin was unbelievably white, and his eyes were pure black. His hair lay perfectly over his shoulders. He examined me too until he found what he was looking for.

“Child of Auvreria
,” he said in a haunting voice, “what a coincidence I should find you while taking over these lands that fell a long time ago into ashes. You look like your parents, and you have the second medallion of the three galaxies. Where is the third? I know it’s in your world. Where is it, you foolish girl? If Almag is still here in these rotten walls, my soldiers will bring him, and I will find out all of your secrets. Excuse me for my rudeness—my name is Maldelsoul, the conqueror and mastermind of all of the known elements.”

I was struck with fear
and filled with questions again. Maldelsoul wore the same medallion, but the eight holes in his were filled with small gemstones. What three galaxies? I felt like a small, helpless animal caught in a trap. I couldn't believe that this person standing in front of me had destroyed my parents, Arthaesia, and the eight dragons. “Why did you do all of this? Can't you have mercy on Almag and the surviving people of Arthaesia? Why do you make everybody suffer?”

“Why? I deserve all the power! All these people think they can share it and do good deeds, but they just kill themselves by taking risks for their loved ones. They call that love
,” he sneered.

“Love save
s many more lives than it loses.”

“
Look what happened to your parents. They took the risk knowing they would never see their children grow up in this harsh world. The resistance, the Clamoor Clan, is just killing more of its weak soldiers fighting me. What remains of Arthaesia takes risks against my undefeatable power and gets nothing in return.”

“They are fighting for their future. They need these lands to live a healthy life. A true king would go to war
for his people and not against them. Can’t you understand?”

“You are part of their feeble hope. A joke—the girl who didn’t even grow up in this world, who never knew our past, and she thinks she can defeat me? See the ring on my right hand?” He threw a ring to me, and I caught it. “I will give you the other one to protect your life when your magic's intensity might kill you. But you know all of this—why am I saying it? Prepare for a magic duel that will lead one of us to death.”

I opened my palm
to show the ring. It was made of pure gold and platinum. Two lines intertwined to form a spiral. Within the braid was carved out a pattern like a dragon’s scales. My thoughts were clouded; I was a soft rose petal in the middle of a forest fire. I heard loud footsteps. Almag arrived, worn out and surrounded by soldiers. Maldelsoul turned his attention on him. At least I would have a few moments to live...

“
Almag,” said Maldelsoul with a grin. “Very glad to see you. It’s been years, centuries, even. You now will witness your pathetic granddaughter’s attempt to destroy me to free all of Arthaesia. You are now the only stone in my path to glory, child of Auvreria. Prepare for battle!”

“No
, stop!” I screamed. “This is unfair—I don't know magic! I never knew it existed for real. Please let me go!” With every word I took a step back until I’d reached the end of the roof. I froze. I looked at Almag, who could barely stand. Maldelsoul began to summon the six elements into one spiraling ball and threw it at me. I closed my eyes.

I heard the ball change direction. I opened my eyes to see
it flying back to Maldelsoul. He stopped it in time, but I saw how the effort made him weak. He closed his eyes for one moment in pain and weakness. At the same time, Almag lost consciousness and slumped in the arms of the soldiers. “You see what happens when you take risks for your loved ones,” Maldelsoul said calmly. “All their hope lies with you, yet you won't see the sun rise again.”

Maldelsoul tried a different
, less risky way to end my life. He made delicate hand motions to join the element of darkness with light. The new force emanated energy I could feel from where I was standing. He wouldn't miss a second time.... I couldn't close my eyes this time. I felt that now-familiar magical feeling inside as Maldelsoul let go of his creation. The force sent me backwards over the edge of the roof. Parts of the rooftop were flying around me. The specks of stone became specks of magic, which rotated around me until everything became filled with light. I wondered where I would go next. I felt relief in the light, but I knew it wouldn’t last forever.

In the eternal ice, Northlands

It's still my birthday

I opened my eyes. I was lying on snow. I looked up to see a beautiful landscape of mountains, ice, and the night sky. There was a light shower of snow. I remembered a poem I wrote in my childhood. It started like this, “Every snowflake a masterpiece, crafted differently. Every snowflake a musical note, together an orchestral storm.”

The light snow sparkled
with the stars above. The colossal mountains stood over the horizon covered in white dust. The clouds drifted away from the sky to reveal an elegant, crystalline moon. The wind picked up the snow, the stars shone brighter, and a white dragon flew above the mountains. I never saw such beauty in my life. I never imagined that there was something as beautiful in this universe. I saw the dragon fly downward in my direction.

The dragon landed a few feet away from me. Its warm breath, elegant skin, and noble
bearing impressed me. Its amber eyes glowed with happiness. It was smaller than Maldelsoul's dragon but still a big one. No veins showed through the white skin. I was amazed at how a dragon could look so delicate and yet so strong and noble. Its silver claws and horns were polished. I felt a connection with it.

Its gaze was focused on my eyes
, and soon I heard a soft voice:
I am your sister, Aurora, transformed into a dragon because of the curse Maldelsoul put on me. I was in the Northlands for sixteen years without the warm rays of the sun. I watched you with Almag as you grew up—I felt what you felt. You were always with me in my heart from the moment you left Arthaesia. I have missed you so much, sister!
From the dragon's eyes came tears. I didn't know why, but I started crying, too. I ran to the dragon and gave her a huge hug. I felt her pure, sisterly love for me. I finally had someone in this universe who cared about me.

The dragon continued
.
I had a feeling that Maldelsoul would find Almag and imprison him. I’m very sorry for him. He never told you your true name; you are Anelia, the spirit of hope for Arthaesia, the universe, and me. I have always believed in you. We are like two broken pieces of a heart. We are part of the same destiny. You will find your path. Do not listen to Maldelsoul—he is always wrong in his twisted mind. I know you think you are helpless. You think you don't have the magic in you. Trust yourself, and you will overcome anything. Find the inner light
in you and let it out. Be yourself, and you will see in your soul how you can change the world.”

I replied
, I finally feel loved. I never knew my name was so beautiful. I like all of your advice, but is it even possible?

The dragon looked to the skies.
Everything is possible when you believe in it,
she said.
Your magic has always been within you. You can summon it at any moment if you are ready for your journey. Feel the snow beneath your feet, feel the land of Arthaesia, and feel the universe. Feel the connection with all existence.
I had thought magic was impossible. This world and its story seemed impossible. And yet I had known that something existed beyond what others believed, something we all possessed as different talents, gifts of our own fate.

I closed my eyes and imagined m
yself standing in the snow. The snow was on the ground, the ground was part of the planet, the planet was part of a galaxy, and the galaxy was part of the universe. I began to feel harmony as I focused. While I was looking for my inner magic, I didn't notice the changes around me. I started glowing with blue light. My hands turned toward the sky. They were shining with golden rays. My body went up into the air. I levitated halfway to the heights of the mountains. Even though it was cold, I was warm.
Open your eyes,
Aurora said.
You have found it.
I opened my eyes. I could see the whole world. I had something special.