Auvreria (15 page)

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 Mortver 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 des
erved 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 person, 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 16
th
, 2014

T
hree 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.

I was ready to carefully teleport it to me using the air element
when I heard a low voice behind me. “You have found the third medallion,” said Maldelsoul. “A millennium ago, these medallions were scattered to the three ends of the universe. Now, they are in one small room. I sense we have traitors here.”

Grealn and Zekreon came into view. They were ready for anything. Maldelsoul
had brought along his best magicians from Mortver, including Lord Dalius and Lady Eldorun. The master had given up his robes for a black, modern suit. He snapped his fingers, and within a second the third medallion was in his hands.

Zekreon said, “You will not get away with this!”

“You will not be forgiven for your betrayal,” answered Maldelsoul. “Zekreon, you belong to me. During the dark ritual you gave me your soul and power.” He put his hands in Zekreon’s direction, and his men took hold of him.

“No, brother!” screamed Grealn. “Maldelsoul, why can you not control me?
Am I special? I will fight you to the death for my brother and family!”

Maldelsoul said, “You are
part of the whole with Anelia. I could not control you for you were bounded by the destiny of Auvreria to the white dragon, my opposite element.”

“We can change our path by joining the white or black dragon,” I said to Grealn. “It is our choice, not Maldelsoul’s. Our soul
s can never be conquered as long as we stay true to ourselves.”

Maldelsoul suddenly attacked me
with a combination of all the elements. Grealn wasted all of his strength shielding me. I was angry that I couldn’t react as fast as the others. I ran towards Grealn, but he was taken with Zekreon and Fensagenia to Mortver. I was left alone with Maldelsoul.

“
All alone,” said Maldelsoul. “The worlds that you want to save do not help you. This human world is selfish, cruel, and ignorant. You are saving the people who have hurt you. They do not believe in the powers of the universe. Their material desires are their goals in life. They have left you alone, and yet you suffer to save their precious lives. If you give me your medallion, I will destroy everything for those who suffer. They will never ever again experience the pain of responsibility for their actions. They will be set free from their troubles forever like nothing has ever been created, happened, or destroyed.”