=)
So, not entirely edited, but yeah. Here's part one.
Enjoy!
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Part One: system failure
Fallon
Willowstone
I feel as
though my world is collapsing in on me. Like nothing is going right. Well, of
course nothing is going right! I’m stuck in a strange world and forever trapped
here. I can never go back to the world I once knew. Not to mention anything
about that world is what I thought. What everyone thought.
Everything I
knew was wrong.
So there is
only one thing I can do: to save the world I’m in. Sounds simple enough. If
only the things I had to defeat were monsters and the people I had to talk to
were ghosts. That would be normal. And easy.
Wait,
perhaps I should back up. Why and how am in this strange world? And after that,
why can’t I go back to mine?
***
Grace Star
I can’t
remember much. I mean, it happened so fast, what do you expect me to think? One
minute I was on a blimp going to Chelsea Court in Marlybone, the next I was
falling through the sky and landing splat on the road.
I remember a
noise though.
Schukchp.
There it
was, but far off and traveling away.
I saw an
orange glow off in the distance and blurry shapes were rushing around me. I
thought I should heal myself. I’m a Life
Wizard after all. But I couldn’t move. Couldn’t see. Could barely hear and definitely
not feel anything.
There must
have been so much pain my body had gone numb. I tried to blink back blackness
but that didn’t work.
I thought of
Sierra Spellspinner who had been riding with me. And Matt Goldcoin, her little
brother. They must be hurt too. The whole blimp had sort of… exploded.
I decided I
should just wait. Someone would find me. Us. Heal us. We would be fine.
Just
waiting…
Waiting…
Wait…ing…
…
***
Sierra
Spellspinner
I screamed
and buried my head in my mother’s arms. I couldn’t believe it. I just couldn’t believe it. Grace was not dead.
If anyone I should be dead. Why had it been Grace?
Grace Star,
level 23 Theurgist, lay motionless on the white bed. Not so white anymore.
Moolinda Wu and Angelia, assistant healer, had spent all night trying to save
her.
I had been
on the blimp, but had fallen in a pond, suffering only some major burns, easily
saved by a simple ice spell. Matt had teleported to a friend to help them just
before the explosion.
Angelia said
they had found Grace on the road in Regents Square, barely alive.
The whole
event was all anyone talked about. Most people thought it was Malistaire’s
fault, but why would he do such a thing? It was minor. Besides the fact someone
died. Others thought it was just an accidental prank some wizard had played.
But no
matter who had done it or what had caused it Grace was dead and no one could
change that.
I sob into
my mother’s coat, not wanting to look at the blood coated, dirt covered, burned
up face of my former best friend.
***
Erica
Dragonflame
It was a
sunny day in Mooshu. Well, it was always nice in Mooshu. I love it here. I get
sick of the other worlds pretty quickly like Marlybone.
I checked my
quest book while blaming the scenery for why I forgot I was here.
Great, I
have to kill the Death Oni. Well, I may as well get it over with. I’m an ice
wizard so I think I can survive this. All I know is that getting to him is the
hard part.
About an
hour later I slowly approach the Death Oni, very confident. I saved a potion
bottle so I used that before I rushed into battle.
But as I run
towards him the Death Oni vanishes. I stop. Where had he gone?
“Ouch!” I
cry out. I land on my butt slipping on some water. I stand up and look around.
My steps echo on the floor as I walk around. Was this some kind of trick? What
was happening?
I sighed and
decided it wasn’t worth it. I teleported home. I was wrapped in a white blue
mist with little ice symbols. I was thrust down the familiar tunnel of darkness
as I prepared to be landed at my house.
Schukchp.
The Death
Oni room reappeared.
I looked
around confused. I was in the same place. Why
was I in the same place? And why was the water rising? And what was that noise?
I walk over
to a gap in the wall to look at the channel of water running around the dueling
place. Yes. It was rising. But why? It lapped against my feet, getting my shoes
all wet.
Ugh, good
thing I have my own house now. Mom would have a fit if I came home with wet
shoes.
But my feet
were getting kind of cold. I stood on one foot and tried to squeeze some water
out of it.
“Aaahhhh!” I
slipped and fell splash into the
water. I struggled to keep my head above but something was pulling me down. I
groped for the edge but what my fingers found just slipped out of my grasp.
Schukchp.
Slowly I was
pulled down. My lungs felt on fire and my eyes stung from keeping them closed
shut. The last thing I wanted to do was open them.
Why was I
sinking? It was water, I should float!
What is the…
Meaning of…
This…
…
***
Fallon
Willowstone
“Can you
believe it?” I look up from my homework. I was over at my friend’s house Friday
evening. Llewella Rubywater slammed the newspaper down on the table. It sent a
few papers flying. “Another one! Another death!”
“Who?” I
ask.
“Some ice
wizard. Erica Dragon-something-or-other.”
I sigh.
Thankfully no one I knew. “That’s too bad. That’s two right?”
“Yeah. Erica
was found drowned in the Death Oni dungeon. They’re totally canceling questing for a month! Can you believe that?”
I shook my
head. “No I can’t.” No questing? Now I was never going to level! And I was so
close to level 48; I was about to learn Storm Lord!
Llewella and
I were both storm wizards in Dragonspyer, both level 47, both 15 years old, and
both about ready to die to learn Storm Lord. We were the deadly duo in dueling.
We haven’t lost a battle since we teamed up in Mooshu.
And now that
dream was delayed a month.
“So much for
learning Storm Lord! We were so close! And then these people had to just go and
die! Why is Ambrose canceling
questing! Can’t someone drown in the Commons? Or trip down some stairs?”
exclaims Llewella.
“Well I
think he did it because both accidents were totally unnatural. The blimps have
magic on them so they shouldn’t
explode. And water doesn’t drag you under according to the Invisible Scout.”
Invisible Scouts were sort of the spies of the Spiral. They were in all the
dungeons where teachers can’t go with students.
“It’s still
unfair,” she mumbles.
I brush a
strand of purple hair out of my eyes. “Cheer up. At least it wasn’t us or
anyone we knew. We can wait a month to get Storm Lord.”
“We don’t
really have a choice do we.”
We finish
our homework, by then its twilight and I have to go home. We say goodbye and I
teleport to my home, my Massive Fantasy Palace. I make sure no bugs have
infested my garden then go inside.
I give my
pets some food then go down the transparent wall to my room. I let Zeus, my
adult fierce hound, climb on to my bed while I get some pj’s on.
I shiver as
a feeling of unease settles on my back. I stand still for a moment, listening.
I expect to hear the low growl of a monster or the tap, tap, tap or claws. Or perhaps the trickle of water coming to
drown me or the rolling of a bomb to explode me.
But I hear
nothing. I sigh and shake away the feeling. It was silly. I climb into bed but
don’t fall asleep.
The feeling
keeps coming back.
After about
an hour of restlessness I stand up. I pick up Zeus who whines in protest and
bring him to the pet room. I drop him off there, go downstairs, grab the spare
mattress, pull it up stairs and set it down under the big oak table. I feel
instantly better surrounded by pets.
And I fall
asleep pretty quickly.
Schukchp.
My eyes snap
open.
Schukchp.
I look
around. The sound is faint but there is something in my house that shouldn’t be
there.
Schukchp.
I slowly sit
up. The pets are in the corner of the room growling in the direction of the
downstairs stairwell.
Schukchp.
I make my
way to the transparent wall. I pass through it just as a black clad figure
stomps up the stairs.
Schukchp.
I cover my
mouth and try not to gasp. The creature is about the size of a middle-aged man.
He was dressed entirely in black, but the clothing seemed to be more like mummy
wrappings than a shirt or pants. And it clung to him like a second skin.
Schukchp.
But what
really startled me, and what must be the culprit of the noise, was his nose. Or
his mouth. It was hard to tell. Because a large snort about three feet long
came from the middle of his face, just below two white marbles that must be
eyes. It was narrow but then bulged out at the end like a bell.
Whenever it
went–
Schukchp.
–The bell
end vibrated.
I backed
away until I hit the cold wall. Then I turned and fled down the hall way as
silently as I could. Frightened tears pushed at my eyes but I blinked them
back.
What was
that thing?
Schukchp.
Fallon.
I skidded to
a halt and tried not to breathe too loudly. Who had said my name?
Fallon!
I breathed a
sigh of relief. It was only Llewella whisper chatting me. I would’ve known that
had I not been so paranoid.
What? I responded.
Did you hear the Proclamation?
Huh? No. I just woke up.
Oh. Some novice told Ambrose that they saw some creepy person in
black. So Ambrose declared that everyone has to stay in his or her houses.
I rushed to
my closet and hid myself in there.
Schukchp.
Well, I might have to break that proclamation. Seeing as that thing
is in my house right now!
Wand twisters! Quick, teleport to me now!
Schukchp.
I found
Llewella Rubywater on my friend list and teleported to her. She had the Sultans
Palace. I met by a blast of heat and rough sand. Faster than I thought wizardly
possible I disabled anyone teleporting to me, whisper chatting me, and being
able to track my teleportation.
I sat still,
catching my breath.
“Fallon! Are
you ok? Are you sure you saw it?”
I nodded.
“It… it was black. Like that… other wizard said it looked like… I-I’m fine.”
“Merlin’s
beard Fallon you must’ve had a scare. We have to tell Ambrose it can get to
island houses!”
Llewella
vanished in a puff of purple gray smoke and storm symbols with a crack like
pop. I followed in suit. We dashed into Ambrose’s house.
“Fallon!
Llewella! What are you doing here? Did you not hear the Proclamation?” demanded
Ambrose as soon as we walked through the door.
“Headmaster
sir. Fallon said the monster was in her house,” answered Llewella. “We decided
to come to you. You should know after all.”
Ambrose
nodded. “Is this true Fallon?” he asked turning to me.
I nodded. My
breath still gone from the frightening experience.
“Well then,
it seems that I have been forced to do the unthinkable,” mutters Ambrose. Did
he mean he had to use Ancient Magic? We learned in school that the Headmaster
could only use Ancient Magic in an emergency.
“I must use
Ancient Magic.”
I knew it.
Ambrose went
over the bookshelf and pulled out a think, dusty, old book. I recognized it as
the Book of Secrets. It had the test that chose your school. Everyone knew
about it.
He flipped
to near the back, past the test pages. I always wondered what was in the back
of the book. The page had many odd symbols on it.
“This has
the spell of protection. But I cannot read it but I can translate it to the
Wizard Language, which I can translate to something readable. But I can
guarantee that it will bet the all-correct translation. It might take a few
days but as long as the creature doesn’t make another attack we shall be fine.”
“Alright,”
said Llewella. I said nothing. As I looked at the page the symbols began to
rearrange themselves. They began to form words that I could read.
“It says
words,” I say.
“Indeed it
does Fallon, but none no one can read.”
“No. This
says ‘two moon diamonds’ and this here says ‘one sphinx tongue.’” I grabbed a
piece of paper and a quill and scribbled down the page in something readable.
Spells
of Protection
To
make a spell of protection, one must gather these ingredients for the basic
protection. For a more advanced protection spell, one must only add the essence
of the one whom they wish restrict from certain parts.
Basic
Protection
Two
moon diamonds (for substance)
One
tongue of a sphinx (for presence)
One
eye of newt (for sight)
Three
blades of Lethal Grass (for protection of presence)
Solid
magic shields of each school (for protection of magic)
(Advanced:
essence of one whom you wish to restrict)
I set the
quill down. “That’s all it says.” I looked up at Llewella and Ambrose. They
were looking at me like I had grown a second head and turned orange with blue
spots and had the height of a Stormzilla.
“How did you
know that? Last I knew you could barely read regular words! Now you’re reading
Hyrosighns!” exclaims Llewella.
I shrug. “At
least it’s better than a rough idea of what it says found over the period of a
few days. Now we can get this stuff quicker.”
“Not so fast
Fallon,” stopped Ambrose. “Do you even know what some of this stuff is?” I
shook my head. Llewella did too. “Moon diamonds are extremely rare and can only
be found in the Mines of Silence.”
The Mines of
Silence were the mines where the Kroks used to make the Manders mine silver and
pure ore. They have long since been blocked off and have been collapsing
sometimes.
“And Lethal
Grass is extinct. It used to grow in Dragonspyer but when the Titan army
attacked and the whole place was destroyed , so was the Lethal Grass. That is
impossible to find because there is none,” finished Ambrose. “Arthur
Wethersfield might have eye of newt and tongue of sphinx. And we can get solid
magic shields of every school but Balance because there is no shield for that
school.”
“But
couldn’t some family have an heir loom of Lethal Grass? I mean, there were
people to lived back then. And some Mander family might have the diamond,” I
protested.
Ambrose
shook his head. “We know for fact those ingredients don’t exist. And even if
some did exist what can we do about a Balance Shield?”
I sigh.
“Fine whatever.” Paper still in hand I tracked back to my last teleportation,
back to Llewella’s house. She soon appeared beside me.
“You just
had to go and take the paper didn’t you?” she says.
I nod
glumly. “Ambrose is wrong. I know two people who have a Moon Diamond and some
left over Lethal Grass. As for the Balance shield, I think I can use that Tower
Shield which activates for any school.”
“Well, if
you say so.”
“I think
that monster is after certain people. We have to protect Wizard City at all
costs. And I think it might come after me again.”
“Alright.
But I’m coming with you.”
“Of course
you are. The people are your parents.”
---------------------------------------------
Oh yeah.
Please ignore spelling and such. I told you, only half edited.
:(
Whatever.
I know some of you may have read it already (Alex) but part two will probably be up by..... tomorrow. So I think you can bear with me.
:)
Also, did any of you know that Erica Dragonflame and Grace Star are actually my alts? Yup, I killed off two of my own wizards. Erica is Ice and Grace is Life. I was on Grace actually when I met Luke. Ah, fortune cookie times......
Awesome quote (from DQIX): "Dearie me, the poor idiot thinks he's turned into a mortal. Lucky there are no mirrors around." ~Stella (that 'idiot' is a giant lizard. And he thinks he's human and has fallen in love with a stuck up queen. * shakes head in wonder and confusion *)
I'm probably gonna have a post up sooner or later about Dragon Quest since I've been absolutely ADDICTED to it lately. So..... that might be in the post after next (cause the next is gonna be part two, you have my word).
As for other news..... there was this massive snow storm that was supposed to blow through on Wednesday.
....
Weathermen lie.
It's blowing through right now. Snow, ice, rain.... ouch.
Anyway, I gotta go.
Laterz!
~Emma
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