Hey everyone!

Just a hey. So hey! What's up people? I actually just had no idea what to title the post, since it's a very small thing, and this will actually be quite short.

I've created a Figment account, where you can post your writings for review and commenting, as well as publishing (so, kind of like fanfiction.net, only better)! The great James Patterson has a Figment account, which is pretty awesome :) It's a pretty social place. I've entered a competition held by Figment and Patterson. It's to write a 500-word max story on a relationship that is unwanted by someone else. I've titled mine Riddling Hearts (it's kinda of an excerpt from a larger project that's kind of on hold right now).

Well, Figment isn't only for that. I've also posted the first two chapters of Black Ivy there. I mean, I doubt very many people will know what I'm talking about, but it is labeled as a fan-fic, and I also said it was one for W101.

Anyway, if you want to, check it out! Other writings of mine that aren't W101 or P101 related will also be there, if you ever want to see those.

Laterz!
~Emma


P.S.
Hey, like the new template? Good? Bad? Blerg? There's a poll thingy over there, so tell me what you think!!
I can see how it may seem like there may be a lot of stuff going on (such as a lot of text). Do know that the book excerpt column won't always be there, don't know if that helps or not, just an fyi I guess.

Questing with Madeline

(That would be my Myth alt.)

So Deirdre [Drakethorn] quested ahead through Cyclopes Land without me, so I was trying to catch up to her this evening. Though she wasn't on, I made good headway and gained a level over her (almost to lvl 10 now).

Since I love her, Madeline's, last name so much, Goldtheif, I want to write a whole new fanfic for her. But I know that would kill me at the moment (I have WAY too many writing projects going on at the moment), so I'm going to find a way to weave her into Winterstar, or, if that doesn't work, make her a character in Maelstrom (the fanfic I'm planning on finishing after I finish Winterstar, a sequel to Black Ivy).

I have pictures on the other computer, and I was too lazy to transfer them, sorry! :( I'll have pictures soon though, mark my words, they will be here :)

Laterz!
~Emma

Recruiting! (and scavenger hunts)

So I'm really happy now because I've finally gotten my good writer, IRL friend, Deidre Drakethorn a Pyromancer, back into W101.
:D

Which means now we (me on my Conjuror Madeline Goldthief) can quest together and it's going to be so much fun!!

Sorry, I just HAD to post about this. It's always so much fun when you gain friends or recruit them :)

We got through the Harvest Lord today, and hopefully, with the new semester coming, I can get on as much as possible.

As for scavenger hunts, even though I failed the riddle challenge, Sophia E has moved onto a scavenger hunt.
Due this evening.
I found out today.

:O
Agh!

Okay, I have to go search now. I'm sure I'm like, the last one, and I'm gonna freak out and fail miserably, but I'm not out of this competition yet! Watch me! My determination is boiling!

(Credit to this page.)

Oh yeah, its on :)

Laterz!
~Emma


P.S.
I think the new post header's font is easier to read now, am I right? Plus, the color of links that you've "already visited" is easier to see against the background (rathe than that dark, neon purple).

"Most folks are as happy as they make their minds up to be."

-Abraham Lincoln

So today is turning out pretty good.

IT'S FRIDAY.
EXAMS ARE OVER.
I'M EATING POPCORN.

And look at that! 49 followers!! You guys are so awesome, I love you all! ^_^ I mean, even if you dont follow you're still lovely!

I'm most certainly doing something special when I reach 50. MILESTONE! Not sure what but I'll come up with something cool, mark my words :)

I'm also going to do something special when I reach 10k pageviews. Again, not sure what, but something to show my immense appreciation and gratitude!

Gah, four years I ago I never saw all.... THIS coming. Meh blogversary is coming up soonish too (Feb. 22). I don't think anything really special is going to come off of that, save a post about why I love you all :)

Laterz!
~Emma

Winterstar - chapter one

Chapter One - nothing is as it seems

Weak. That’s what this species is. They need... something better, the old man thought. He was sitting in his tiny living room, a crackling fire flickering in the small fire place. He sat in a large, red cushioned chair that seemed to take up half the room. He was a renowned scientist, but no one cared about science. “Never did, never will,” he always said. He was generally a bitter man, having lost his parents at a young age, and his wife a year after their marriage. The rest of his family had moved on as he had stayed in his small apartment, working on his science.

Finally he thought he had found the best thing he could give the people. Something that made them stronger. Surely now, they could fully achieve their wildest goals, and also become the strongest species in the universe. For, as everyone thought otherwise, this was not the only world.

But first he needed to test it.

At the sound of his door opening, he knew the perfect subject. His servant, who he allowed the liberty of going to school, had just arrived back. It was a very diligent subject, keeping silent about his works, and willing to take any strange substance he gave it. Yes, it wouldnt think twice about participating.

“Hey, get in here,” he snaps. There are sounds of something being dropped on the ground, a bag perhaps? Then footsteps coming down the hall. It came in, arms crossed. It was young, younger than he was. Good, youth would help it in this case.

“Yes?” it asks.

“I need you to stay here for a couple months.”

An expression passed across its face. An expression of... annoyance? Impossible, it didn’t feel emotion.

“Of course.”

So obedient. If only past servants had been more like this.

“Good. Now leave.”

It nods its head, turns, and leaves, its footsteps retreating far into the apartment. To its room maybe? He didn’t care what it did, as long as when he needed it do something it would obey.

He leans back and closes his tired eyes. His body was beginning to fail him, of that much he was certain. But he also knew he had enough time to fix the problem of weakness. What would the serum attack? What elements would it alter to cure weakness? Great strength, great wisdom, and greater senses. A subjects appearance may also be added to or taken away as to make them stronger. But physical abilities wasn’t the only cause for weakness. Yes, emotions and memories, thoughts and personality. He would have to alter it all. He would have to change the subjects very soul.

He grins. In other worlds this would be deemed impossible, but he had all the tools necessary to accomplish this. Something he would need to gather. Remove the strength aspects from creatures and implant them in his subjects. Yes, that would eliminate the weakness.

***

My name is Devin.

I was named this because my parents wanted a boy. When I was born and they found they had a girl, they kept the name the same. So I’m Devin.

I grew up in Mooshu where my parents were the treasurers of the Emperor. It was a life of comfort... for the most part. I was the only human wizard of my age. I was friends with the other palace children, but there was always the gap of species between us.

When my parents finally enrolled me in Ravenwood, I was beyond happy. Finally I could be with others like myself.

But on the day I was to fulfil my enrollment the palace was attacked. A group of Berkshire ninjas lay siege to the palace and stole a good portion of the gold. Both my parents were mortally wounded. I wouldn’t be going to Ravenwood yet.

Berkshire was the name of the man who constantly raided caravans, random civilians, and houses. Mooshu was the hardest hit every time. Next was probably Krokotopia.

I stayed by my parents sides for a month. Then there was a second raid, only this time it was done single handedly. I was a ten at the time, disobeying my mother’s command to run as the palace halls were set ablaze, I stayed by her side until she died.

I ended up with a foster father after this, too young to fill in my parents jobs. He was nice, odd though. Always gave me strange requests to help him with his job. Finding various things, boiling this, peeling that. I felt like a chef at times.

My life there was peaceful in a sinister way. I felt like there was something more to myself. I just didn’t know what. Like I was walking through a dream, and I was blind trying to find my way out of a maze. Sometimes I felt panicked. Strange images would surface in my mind, and I would burst out crying. Father would hold me then, give me a glass of water and calm me down. The images would fade, and I would remember what was what.

The only thing that felt real was school, the only outside privilege I was allowed. I always looked forward to it. Though I started late, Headmaster Ambrose gave me extra credit projects and quests to help me level. And to think I was never under any stress between my boatload of school work and the house work.

Everyone always told me I was smart. I caught up and surpassed my fellow classmates quickly. Sometimes, however, I felt as though it were a test of some sort. A way for me to prove my worth to...

To whom?

I had no idea.

I always thought Father would answer it, but now that will never happen. He died just hours ago. He was old, older than I thought when he first took me in. He asked me for a final banquet. I did my best and prepared the most extravagant feast I could put together. Later on in the evening, while he sat in his large, red chair, he breathed his last.

I didn’t shed a tear for him. All I did pack away his things, throw my few possessions into a bag, then travel to Ravenwood, hoping the Headmaster would provide me with a dorm.

Now I sat in a red chair, much like Father’s, and waited nervously as the Headmaster shuffled through papers.

“I know it’s here somewhere,” he muttered. “Right here... It was right here a moment ago.” A stack of papers falls and scatter everywhere about the floor. The Headmaster doesn’t even pause as he snaps his fingers and the papers fly back into place, rustling on top of each other before finally settling down. “Ah, here it is.” He yanked out a piece of paper and handed it to me.

I took it. Across the top in bold lettering was: Dorm Application Form. I looked up at the old man. “Thank you sir.”

“I’m very sorry for you loss. Just hand this to the boy outside of the dormitories by Torrance. He’ll give you the key and room number.”

Again I thanked him, grabbed my bag and left the tower. Outside was twilight, the sky fading from a pale, blue-yellow to velvet navy, a couple stars already shining out. I paused for a moment, take out my quill, and fill out the form against the stone wall. I review it quickly, and satisfied with it, I cross the Commons.

I quickly passed through the Ravenwood tunnel, the inside cold from lack of sun, and slightly wet from a previous days rain. Just as promised, a boy a few years older than I stood outside, dressed in flaming red a yellow robes. I made my way up to him and silently handed him the application.

“Well, welcome Miss Darkwater. I do believe there are a couple dorms still empty. The new semester starts soon.” He unhooked a brass loop from his belt that clanked with five bronze keys. He gives it a good, long, hard stare before releasing one with a star shaped handle. “Here, this one opens dorm seventy-four. Way up, you’ll enjoy the view.”

I nodded and took it. “Thank you.”

I turned to the tall, stone tower. I went up to it and inserted the key into the lock. The feeling of teleportation enveloped me and suddenly I’m standing on a mat, facing an octogonal room. The floor was wood, the walls stone. Four windows looked out onto the Ravenwood school grounds, and the top of Bartleby.

I set my bag on the floor and walked around.

There was a bed against one wall; it was covered with a red blanket with gold stitching of the pattern of Ravenwood. Two white pillows were at the head. Next to it was a short night stand, consisting of a drawer and a candle on top. At the end of the bed was a folded up, patchwork quilt. At the foot was a large, ebony chest. I smirk, guess they knew what school I was.

A desk was opposite the bed, a padded stool tucked under it. I opened the four drawers on it and found stacks of paper, extra ink wells and quills, as well as the books I would need for the new semester. Next to it was a tall wardrobe. Inside was a thick coat for the winter months, as well as boots and a hat. A school bag also hung from one of the brass pegs.

I walked over to the windows to find that if I looked out over Bartleby, and to my left and right, all I could see was a dark blue-gray void, dotted with stars. A few clouds floated here and there, and every now and again a bird would squawk then soar up from the branches of the World Tree. I could see some of the schools, losing sight of the Fire, Death, and Myth ones behind Bartleby.

However all I could see was Ravenwood, everything else was just out of the windows sight.

Sighing, I turn back to the wardrobe and unpack my few possessions. Robes and boots mostly, then two hats. There was also the ratty old book that contained all of Father’s important notes. I had looked at it many times, but I didn’t understand any of it.

What was H2O? And what about the little flame symbol following that next to the number 212o F? The bulleted notes under the heading ENZYMES made even less sense. What are heavy metals? Aren’t all metals awfully heavy? And then there were pages and pages on the experiment of a bird-snake hybrid? What really interested me within the book, however, was the single, blank page near the back with the title: WEAKNESS.

I had given up on trying to make sense of it, but had taken it all the same.

Other possessions was my mothers gold, thumb ring. It was too small for my own thumb, but fit well on my left middle finger. The gold was beginning to lose its shine, and dark spots were starting to appear. It was old, older than it seemed. Words had once been inscribed on the inside, but from its constant use of wearing they had faded away.

Next was my fathers, my real fathers, glasses. Not many people used glasses because medical magic could easily fix that problem. I don’t know why my father decided to keep his glasses, but that just made them all the more special. They were thin and rectangular, with dark silver frames. The glass was thin, but when I put them on my whole world would blur, and if I wore them for too long I would get dizzy.

The last was a gnarled, old willow stick. It wasn’t a staff or wand, it wasn’t magical in anyway. I had found it when I was little in the Jade Palace courtyard. It was on the ground, and at first I didn’t know what it was since willows didn’t grow in Mooshu. My mother had identified it and told me, because this anomaly happened, it was a sign of good omen. Ever since I’ve kept it close, for good luck. So far it hasn’t worked. I’ve thought about throwing it out, cursing my bad luck, but I’ve kept it. I’ve developed a sentimental attachment to it.

Completely irrational, I know.

I set the ring and glasses next to the candle on the nightstand, and Father’s book in the drawer. I hung my clothes, then set my own school supplies on the desk. As I did, something on the wall caught my attention. I hadn’t seen it before since I had been taking in everything else, but now I noticed a series of symbols painted on the wall.

They were pictures of a flame, a drop of water, a fork, and the sun. Clearly they were magical, as was everything. I touch the fork one gently. With a soft ‘pop’ that still startled me, I turned to see a wooden box on my bed. I walked over and looked inside. I found a steaming bowl of chicken soup and a roll, as well as a note.

Becoming hungry from looking at the food, I took the the roll, then read the note.

Dear Miss Darkwater,

Welcome to your Ravenwood dorm! Make yourself at home, you’ll be officially assigned to this dorm for the rest of your schooling, lest you purchase a house and renounce your dorm application. The new school semester begins at the end of the week (four days). A student tuition fee of 5,000 gold will be billed at this time, as it will be every semester. This will ensure and keep your enrollment in Ravenwood.

We’re glad to have you here:

-Ravenwood Faculty

I set down the note. Five thousand gold per semester? I had just over seven thousand at the moment. I hoped questing and item selling would bring that back up so I can stay for the second semester. Father had always paid my tuition. Where he had found all this gold was beyond me. He was a mysterious man, and I had never really bothered to wonder.

I looked out the window as I started on eating my soup. It was really late now. I blink a couple times, telling myself I wasn’t tired, but I was.

When I finished the soup I set the bowl back in the wooden box and it vanishes. I set the note next to the glasses and ring, changed into a nightgown, let my dark-dark blue hair out of its ponytail, blew out the candles, and climbed under the covers. They were warm and soft.

I lay awake. Though tired and ready to sleep, it wouldn’t come. I gazed around the dark room. The silhouettes of the windows shadowed the floor from the stars light. It was a different place, a different environment. It was the same feeling I had felt when I first stayed with Father: the room had been chilly and the bed uncomfortable. I was nervous about my future, and sad about my loss. But I had told myself that was behind me, the past was history. It was like facing the spring after a harsh winter.

***

I awoke with the sun pouring over my face. I lay still for a moment more, my eyes closed, comfortable in my bed. After that moment I just became uneasy, I had to move around.

I stretched in relief, then climbed out. I could hear birds chirping from outside, and the day looked like it was to be warm. I took my time washing my face and changing into a new robe and pulling on some boots. Again touching the fork symbol, with another quiet ‘pop’, another box of food appeared. Inside, this time, was a plate of eggs and two slices of toast. A simple meal, but a fulfilling one.

Once the box had vanished I made sure my dorm key was in my pocket, then I left. The world swirled multicolored tinged with gray before solidifying into the Ravenwood courtyard. Students were milling around here and there, wandering in and out of the schools. I look around, trying to spot a familiar face, but I see no one I recognized.

As I was heading towards the Commons, I was stopped by Mr. Lincoln. He regards me up and down before saying, “Miss Darkwater?”

“Yes.”

“The Headmaster told me to give this to you. It’s your enrollment form. Just give it to your teacher sometime today.”

I took the paper he handed me. “Of course.”

He wanders away. I shrug and, once again, fill it out by pressing the paper against the wall. A couple people gave me weird looks, but I didn’t mind. Once it was all filled out, I walk around Bartleby to the Death School.

It was the same as ever. The dead thorn bushes still coiled around the corners and over the door. Inside was filled with the smell of undead and strange potions. Professor Malistaire was leaning over a book, the dark purple aura of magic floating about him in lazy tendrils. He was muttering to himself, so I decided not to interrupt.

I didn’t recognize any of his words so I guessed he was using ancient magic. He finished his spell and looked up. He closed his book hastily, then he smiled, as he did whenever he saw a student. “Ah, Darkwater, can I help you?” All the teachers referred to me by my last name.

“I was told to fill this out and give it to you.”

I walked forward and handed him the enrollment form. He scanned it over, held it up, snapped his fingers, and it vanished in a puff of black-gray smoke. “All taken care of. I’m sorry of your loss.”

I nodded. “Thank you. Though I do find it nice to live on campus now.”

“Yes, Ravenwood is a nice school. I’m glad you could make it this year, especially since you missed five months from last semester.”

I frowned. “Yes, Father needed help.”

“I see, well, I’m glad you could...” He trailed off and gazed at me intently. “You are different however.”

“I do not mean to be.”

“No, no. It is not a insult, merely an observation. I’m sorry for speaking out of turn.” He smiled kindly, but it was clear he wasn’t revealing all. “I’m glad you could come.”

I nodded, incurious. “Thank you.”

***

A boy with silver hair and ice blue eyes leaned against the Ice Tower. He was bored. Too bored to quest, too bored to just wander around aimlessly, too bored to do nothing. He sighed and leaned his head against the cold stone, gazing up through the branches of Bartleby. Not even any of his friends were around to talk to, not that he had problems making her new ones, but as of the moment he was just too bored.

He looked up at the sound of doors banging closed. Turning his head to the left he saw a person, a girl, coming out of the Death School. Something about her seemed vaguely familiar.

She turned left, away from him.

He paused, then followed her. He didn’t know why, but she was someone who was different. She seemed to just stand out among everyone.

He followed her through the tunnel and across the Commons to the Shopping District. She entered the Hat Shop. Curious he followed. All the while he thought to himself, What is so interesting about a hat shop?

Just as he was about to enter she exits. He stopped, startled. She glared at him, grabbed his arm and pulled him between the buildings. She threw him against the wall and stabbed a finger at his chest. He expected her to be angry, but her expression was stony. “Why are you following me?”

***

“Bored I guess,” the boy responded. He looked panicky.

I lowered my finger. “So you’re a stalker in your free time?”

“No, I just didn’t recognize you. I mean I did, but... I don’t know.”

“I go to school here.”

“A Necromancer?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m Caleb Snow, level thirty-four Thaumaturge.”

I regarded him for a moment, wondering what exactly I should reveal. But he had told me his name, so I guess telling him mine was no big deal. “Devin Darkwater. Level forty-seven.”

“Pleased to meet you - ”

“CALEB!” The voice was shouted near Colossus Boulevard.

Caleb sighed. “That would be my sister. I got to go. Maybe see you again in four days?”

I say nothing. Actually, I was unsure of what to say. I only give a slight nod as he runs off. What an interesting person.

For the rest of the day I wandered around, revisiting places in Wizard City. Lots of people gave me odd looks, similar to that of the one Professor Drake gave me. As though they couldn’t believe something about me. Something about me was... putting them off.

Which didn’t make any sense since I was just another wizard.

***

Four days passed in no time at all. I wrapped up some leftover quests and moved onto Celestia as a level fifty-three. I would be the youngest Grandmaster in my class. Most were in Celestia like I was, but a couple were still in Dragonspyre. All were about a year older, give or take some. Professor Malistaire did the usual: a review, a preview, and then the current lesson. We mostly focused on the different techniques for different spells.

The professor was as good as I remembered him to be. My absence of five months hadn’t dented my learning at all.

After class I heard several students, who were huddled in a group, talking about the professor.

“He seemed different, don’t you think?”

“Yeah. Anyone know why?”

“It’s probably because his wife is sick.”

“Sylvia?”

“Since when?”

The one explaining shrugged. “My sister has her. She’s still out.”

“Since last semester? What’s that... five months?”

“Wow.”

“Will she get better?”

“I hope so.”

I moved on. I hadn’t noticed anything different. Professor Malistaire seemed the same as I remember him.

I remembered the day I had arrived here. When I had given him my enrollment form, his facial expressions hadn’t been revealing everything. That much I knew, I just wasn’t sure as to what. I wanted to know.

I stop walking. Something was wrong with me. I felt a feeling wrap itself around my body. I knew what is was, determination. But I had never felt it before. What was I so determined about anyway?

I shook away the feeling. It fell easily and no other thought of it lingered in my mind.

On to secondary classes. That’d be Ice for me.

Professor Lydia was as lively as usual. Flittering around the classroom, sending work sheets floating down on snowflakes. No one was here that I recognized. Most were Conjurors and Theurgists, only one other Necromancer was here.

After school I spent the rest of the day questing by myself. I knew I wouldn’t see the blue haired boy because he was only a level thirty-four. He would still be in Mooshu. Though I suppose I don’t really mind. Having a conversation with someone who didn’t define me as abnormal was... awkward to say the least.

By the time curfew came around, which was the same as I remembered: twilight, I was more than ready for bed. Having been trapped in the Trial of the Spheres dungeon, I was rushing home to make it before the bell. The first warning had already gone out: lack of teleportation.

Thinking of it made me think about Father’s metaphor on the topic of microchips. Small plates planted under your skin that regulated all you did. Recording it. Recording it where I had no idea. A book perhaps? But that took a lot of enchantments to connect a book to write down everything you did. His point had been how did they take away my ability to teleport as a warning?

As soon as I opened the World Door I could smell it. That pungent smell of smoke filled my nostrils and made my eyes tear up. The entire Spiral Chamber was filled with gray smoke, and the loud crackle of fire was muffled by Bartleby’s bark.

Squinting through the dim atmosphere, I stumbled my way to the door. Once outside, I found it wasn’t much better. People were running everywhere as hoards of undead swarmed around. Screams echoed through Ravenwood. I looked around, frantically, searching for the source of the fire.

The fire was Bartleby. His branches were aflame and his trunk turning gray. Groaning and creaking could be heard coming from him. I spun around, searching. I could feel an aura. An aura of evilness.

I ran, pushing my way through the crowd that was surging towards the Commons. As undead came near me I shove them away.

It took me a moment to realize that they weren’t attacking me. They were charging the other students.

Finally I came to the Death School. It was shaking, the ground around it cracking. Lines were driving deep into the earth.

I went to the door. Again, I felt determination wrapped around my body. I needed to do something. But this feeling was alien, and I wasn’t sure.

“Devin!”

I turned my head to see the boy with blue hair, Caleb, coming towards me. A girl with purple hair was right behind him, looking panicked.

“What are you doing?” he demanded. “We have to get out of here!”

“Something is wrong,” I say. I just didn’t know what.

“We have to go!” added the girl, just barely loud enough for me to hear. “Bartleby’s magic is unstable since he’s on fire.”

“Wait.” I pushed open the heavy oak doors. It was harder than I thought it would be. Why? Was something blocking it? Inside, Professor Malistaire was bent over the book I had seen the day I had gotten here. “What are you doing?” I asked in a montone.

He looked up. His face was full of despair and anger. “She’s dead. They didn’t even try to save her and now she’s dead.”

“They did try! But this disease was alien,” retorted Caleb. “You have to stop. Killing everyone else isn’t going to bring her back.”

“We’ll see about that,” he snarled. His threw his hands into the air and dark purple mist shot out from the pages of his book and his fingers. They flew around the room, wrapping around things, such as chair and table legs, and acting as though they were being tied in a knot. Some flew outside the school and were no doubt doing the same thing.

“Stop it!” I yelled. My body felt like a sponge, it was soaking up the magic. Slowly the tendrils of purple smoke began to fade and fall. Professor Malistaire looked angry.

“Don’t. Let me soak in my misery.”

Again the purple smoke appeared, but my body was still subconsciously absorbing it. I don’t know why, I don’t know how, but if it saved everyone, then it was a good thing.

A sudden shock wave sent all of us sprawling to the ground. With a fearsome shake and an ear splitting crack, it seemed as though gravity had been lost. We were all falling.

The Death School was falling.

I felt an uncanny calm as blue-gray smoke enveloped Caleb, his friend, and I. Professor Malistaire looked stricken as he and our surroundings faded out. The fall came to a heart wrenching stop as the floor beneath my hands and knees turned to sand, and the temperature around me rose. I blinked in sudden brightness, trying to gather my surroundings.

Many people, my age and older, dressed in overcoats, hardy boots, and broad hats, were staring at us. I look over to see Caleb shivering, and the girl passed out. I wondered why, I was completely fine.

A tall man in a fancy coat with curly brown hair with a white parrot on his shoulder came up to us, regarding us with speculation. “Who are you?” he asked in an odd, yet formal accent I didn’t recognize.

“Students of Ravenwood,” I responded.

He laughed. “Of Ravenwood? Those wizards can’t teleport here.”

I shrugged. “We don’t know... how...” I trailed off as I caught sight of a sign on a billboard. I stood and took a few steps closer, ignoring the others around me, to confirm what it said.

As I read, for what felt like the first time, horror clasped my heart.

A JOYOUS OCCASION

Malistaire Drake finally found and defeated in Dragonspyre. After six years of uproar from his misdoings, he is finally brought to justice.

***

I was in shock. Six years? But we had merely teleported. Time travel? Impossible, yet how?

Caleb and his friend were brought to the infirmary while the man with the parrot led me up a stone ramp to an ornate house. Inside was large and roomy with many bookshelves and a large desk.

In a way it reminded me of the Headmaster’s office.

“I’m Captain Avery, and this is Avery’s Court of Skull Island.”

“I’m Devin Darkwater, Necromancer. I haven’t an idea of how me and my friends were teleported here.”

“Where were you before?”

I paused to think. “I was in the Death school.”

“They found that too?”

I shook my head. “No. You see, it wasn’t missing. Not yet.”

For the rest of the afternoon I explained what had happened. Or rather, what I had thought had happened. Captain Avery called a large man with a bushy white beard and a peg leg, named Boochbeard who reminded me all too much of Professor Balestrom, and his formal looking monkey friend, named Mr. Gandry, to also hear my tale.

By early evening Captain Avery was leading me up the stairs of his home. “You can stay here tonight, your friends are already in rooms. Tomorrow I will speak with them as well.”

I nodded. “Thank you.”

“It’s a mysterious happening, you teleporting here. I know little about the magic you use, but I know that how you did it is most certainly not normal.”

“I agree.”

He gave me an odd look. “It also doesn’t make you trustworthy.”

“This place is teeming with pirates, I wouldn’t be so trusting either.”

He laughed. “Touche, I don’t trust you and you don’t trust me, glad to know we’ve come to that understanding.”

I nodded, indifferent. “Glad indeed.”

He turned around looking amused, and I turn back to my temporary room. It was small, only containing a bed, a dresser, and a nightstand. Changing into a pair of cotton trousers and a cotton shirt, I slipped under the thin covers.

As sleep eluded  me, I stared at the rising moon and thought about everything. After a while that became boring, but I do not feel tired.

Sleep, I commanded myself.

A couple minutes later I do.

By Silver Emma (technically, since it refers to P101)

Casting 'Winterstar'

(I know this is my second post, but I'm kinda bored at the moment, so bear with me.) 

I want to talk about the different characters of Winterstar, my 1/2P101-1/2W101 fanfic. I think you guys remember that it revolves around both worlds (I'll refer to them as the W101 Spiral and the P101 Spiral). Chapter one is actually done at the moment. I hope to edit it soon and get it back up here.

Here are the characters that will be introduced in the first two chapters, and who are also very important.
Note: thing marked by an * are things I expand more on below the descriptions. They may be terms/ideas I came up with and may not be relevant to W101 of P101 in any way. Also, some of the characters created by KI (e.g. Kane) I may not get their personalities completely right. If you want to drop a comment telling me more about them, please feel free to do so, I would love to hear it.

Devin Darkwater - the protagonist, Necromancer (lvl 57) - grew up in Mooshu. When she was going to start school her parents were killed in an attack on the Jade Palace by *Berkshire ninjas. She was then adopted by a man she merely called Father who loved in Marleybone, who was a very **different man. She attended school, leveled faster than anyone else, and never made any friends. She's abnormally powerful for her age, level, and class of wizard (she's doesn't notice this, but others do, though they don't think it's anything worth noting). She's very emotionless and indifferent.

Caleb Snow - Thaumaturge (lvl 33) - a hyper active boy who loves to meet knew people and make friends and talk about random stuff in general. Though he's really social, he doesn't have a lot of close friends. Because he likes to talk, he's a really slow quester. He's the brother of Mindy.

***Silver Emma - Swashbuckler (lvl ?) - a very talkative and kind pirate of Skull Island. Like Caleb, she is very social. A lot of people know her and she's willing to help anyone who asks for help (usually). Avery asks for her help a lot of the time, because she's knows her way around a lot of the P101 Spiral. She's also the very high ranked person of the Rebellion. No one knows what level she is (Captain Avery might).

Stormy Isidora - Swashbuckler / ****class unknown (lvl ?) - the fearsome Sentry of the Armada, she's a really good fighter and terrifies all her opponents. She can get any prisoner to talk, and knows all the fast ways to kill someone. Everyone knows she's a Swashbuckler, but she can also handle guns, so others sometimes think she's a Musketeer. However she has other skills that are part of no known class. She's quiet and stern and emotionless. Suffers from a single, strange nightmare.

Mindy Heart - Diviner (lvl 30) - a quiet, shy girl who hardly ever talks. However she is very observant and takes a lot of things to mind. A deep thinker. She is the sister of Caleb.
Evelyn Quick - Privateer (lvl 34) - a happy, optimistic girl. She, like Emma, has high rank.
Captain Avery - leader of Skull Island and Rebellion.
Kane - leader of the clockworks and Valencia, is trying to smash the rebellion.
Lord Deacon - the Spy Master of Kane.
"Father" - a lonely man who lived in Marleybone till his dying days.

*Berkshire ninjas - against the ruling of the Jade Palace.
**A different man - oh you know.... just something to note....
***Silver Emma - yeah, the way I described her as a character is nothing like me, maybe a bit and a piece, but over all we're nothing alike.
****Class unknown - Isidora, to an extent, has her own class. 

I'll probably have more characters than those listed, but at the moment those are the only noteworthy people to talk about. I'm actually also still contemplating who I'm making the antagonist,

The chapters alternate between the first person perspective of Devin, and the third person perspective of Isidora, Kane, and occasionally another character.

     Basically in the first two chapters (which are very introductory and setting-the-scene like) you learn about Devin's "Father", how she grew up, and meeting Caleb and officially starting school after her father dies. Soon thereafter she, Caleb, and Mindy are mysteriously teleported to Skull Island. There, Captain Avery takes them in, though treats them coldly. He tells them that with the help of his counterpart, Emma, they are to infiltrate the Armada, rescue Evelyn and complete the job she was originally tasked with, and take out the infamous Sentry Isidora.
     At this same time, in Valencia, Isidora receives the new prisoner, Evelyn. However something about her puts Isidora off. Kane also receives word from Lord Deacon about the three wizards who have somehow teleported to Skull Island. Kane wants them captured, as well as the information about the rebellion that Evelyn holds.

Again, I ask that if anyone has any information about Kane, Lord Deacon, and Captain Avery (and I mean more information that that which is given on his respective page on the website), please share it with me. I would be most grateful, it would help in writing this story A LOT.

Anyway, I just really wanted to post something like this.
Laterz!
~Emma

Something Is Wrong Here...

So I was taking a break from studying yesterday, and I decided to search good old google for RPG's that would run on a mac. The first option listed happened to be: The 10 Best Role Playing Games For Mac OS X. Naturally, I clicked it, hoping there were some good ones.

Didn't really find any...
So then I click on this link which, at the time, I presumed was another 'RPG's for a Mac' thing.

As I scrolled through and saw the games, I came to this dilemma:

Um... what? I'm pretty sure that doesn't run on a mac. At least it's ranked #8. Something isn't quite right here.
And then a litte further there's this:

Also, I'm pretty sure that doesn't run on a mac. But #20!? Really?! I personally think it should be ranked higher, unfortunately I don't decide these things.

Later I realized that the games lister were the top 50 browser games (it was a facepalm moment), so games on both a Windows and a Mac, and none of the mac ones were good.
>.<

Looks like I search on for another game while I'm incapable of playing W101 and P101.
Laterz!
~Emma


(First day of exams done!!)

The one vacation I DON'T want to take

Hey guys!

Stress over load right here, I'm afraid I'll be taking a break from here for a while. This week definitely, and maybe next week as well. In case you may not know, next week are my mid year exams, and they're not looking too fun right now.

I really wish I didn't have to take a break for this, but it must be done. I'll be back before you know it!!
;)

Laterz!
~Emma

The Game of Riddles

Riddles you say? Why yes, I did say riddles, and by golly I shall solve them.

What is the riddle of life? 42.
A man walks into a bar and says ow. HA!

Okay, bad examples of riddles. The riddles I must solve, courtesy of the astute and creative Sophia Emeraldblossom, happen to involve rhyming, which makes them legitimate riddles. They're as hard as the riddles from The Hobbit between Gollum and Bilbo.

A box without hinges, nor key nor lid, but in which golden treasure is hid.

Maybe not quite as mind bending as that, but certainly difficult nonetheless, especially for someone like me who already has trouble with riddles.

But wait, what's this? There's more!? (Just go read the post, I can't rewrite everything here, and I don't want to because I'm hungry!!) Now that is a job I'm going to succeed.

Challenge... ACCEPTED.
:)

Pardon me, I've got to go eat lunch now.
Laterz!
~Emma

L A T I N

OMG IT'S EVERYWHERE!!

Ever wondered what this says?

Probably not. Maybe you saw it and thought: "Hmm, words." Or maybe you thought: "I'll check it when I log off...." And then forget. Maybe you did mean to translate it but, you had no idea what language it was. Or maybe you actually did, so good for you.
That translate to 'Here We Believe the Magician.'

Truth is, that's latin. And literally, there is latin everywhere.

And you want to see something redundant!?

That's the sign hanging outside the library in Wysteria. And you know what? That's piglatin! XD I figured that out because it has -ay at the end of every word. Someone want to translate that? Because I can't speak english in piglatin, or even latin in piglatin! Haha.

Also, the staue in the pond in the Commons says 'Gratias Ago Vos,' which means 'thank you.' I forget what exactly they're thanking us for, and I can't find any info on it. (Note: it should be 'vobis', not 'vos', but I'm not a picky one.)

Seriously, why can't they have a wizard101-google? Where you just search 'sature in the pond in the commons' and it's like BOOM, here are your answers. Instead we have to put 'wizard101' before it and the search gets all confused and you get results from World of Warcraft in there (and you're like O_o?).

I'm pretty sure theres's latin all over DS too, I'm just too lazy to look for it XD.

Anyway, just thought that was interesting!!

Don't forget to check out chapter two of Black Ivy below this post.

Laterz!
~Emma

Shadow Rising -- chapter two

Chapter Two – nightmare

I knew Blaze Thunderthorn was following me after the duel. I also knew he wanted to talk. I walked away from the crowds, towards an empty warehouse. Once we’re both inside, we faced each other mutely.

Finally he said, “So, Suriyah Drakehammer is still alive.”

I tried not to shiver at the sound of my real name. “As are you.”

“You recognized me immediately.”

“I’ve known you since I was born. Our parents were close.”

“And you’ve been hiding out here all this time? Does Ambrose know? Hope you realize it was risky coming here. If anyone saw you using that skill of yours–”

“All anyone knows is that you lost to a Magnus. Pathetic.”

“Didn’t your mother tell you never to use it again?”

I fell silent. He was right, but that’d didn’t mean he wasn’t wrong in other regards. “I used it to stop Nightmare, Cyclone, and your father.”

Blaze shook his head. “You’re going to regret ever coming here.”

I glared at him. “I won't be here for long anymore. Just because he was my father doesn’t mean he didn’t teach me anything.”

I flung my hand towards the wall to my right, and a swirling, dark blue portal opened up.

Blaze gasped and pointed. “Th-that’s...”

“Yes.”

“You’re actually…”

“Indeed I am.” I flung my hand back and the portal closed. It probably hadn’t even lead anyway, I couldn’t really control the power yet. Still, it was enough to get Blaze to shut up and listen. “But I use my powers for the good of the people, and self defense. My intentions are meant to do good, and I refuse to be ruled by those who want to use this power for themselves.” I looked away, biting back from adding: like my father.

I moved towards the door. Before I left, I turned and looked back at Blaze, who was looking at me with complete shock and confusion. His green eyes were filled with questions, but as they met mine a new emotion overcame them: sadness. It hurt to look at him.

“I should tell Ambrose,” he said after a moment.

I smiled sourly. “You could. You may want to. But you won't. We both saw the same things three years ago, and we both know that not even Ambrose can help me.”

“Will you… You know… Someday…?”

I stared at the wall, just past his face. “Someday. Maybe someday.”

I walked away, leaving him standing there alone, no doubt confused.

†††

“Suri! Suri Nightriver!”

I looked around, trying to find the person calling my name. The voice was too old for Aeden or Timothy, and Blaze was not coming near me any time soon (besides, he would be dumb enough to call me ‘Suriyah’). Finally, I spotted Malorn Ashthorn, the new Death Professor, coming towards me.

“Yes?”

“Your performance was amazing. Not only did you show power, but also skill. Something I’ve been looking for.”

“That’s nice.”

He gave me an odd look. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in class before…”

“Homeschooled,” I answered instantly. I knew I had to keep my answers short and concise, or I would say something stupid like I had when I had first met Aedan. Why was I always so close to spilling everything? It was such a bad habit. Maybe the extended period of time away from social interactions had actually negatively impacted me...

“Ah, I see. Well, anyway, I want you to represent the Death School in the Vita Mort duel.”

That surprised me. “Uh, really? Don’t you want to pick a… a Transcended or an Archmage?”

“Eh, I was watching them all. Sure, they have great power, but they have so much power they don’t need skill. And the lower ones, Adepts, Initiates and Journeymen, they have to rely on skill because they don’t have much power. Sure, both still have skill and power, but it’s still somewhat imbalanced. You, on the other hand, are right in the middle of the classes, with enough power to be a force, but still in need of skill to control it.”

“Oh.” It did make sense, to an extent. I mean, I disagreed a bit, there were quite a few tough monsters out there in the world who would never be brought down with brute power alone.

“Anyway, let me explain the fight. You’ll be fighting a Legend Monster, Nightmare, to be specific, set at a power level of twenty-five.”

I gasped and froze. I couldn’t help it. Nightmare!? He was a monster of pure Death magic. Each school had one, the whole group of them called the Legend Monsters. They were the main force of destruction of Wizard City and Marylebone during the Dark Epoch.

Taking in my expression he laughed. “It’s only a projection that I control, certainly not the real one.”

I laughed weakly, relieved. Though I had fought Nightmare before, I wasn’t keen to do so again. “Oh, alright. But um… can you make it a higher level? Say, fifty-five?” I wanted a challenge, but now I need to give him a reason. “I… During that time Nightmare…”

Malorn smiled kindly and knowingly. Bingo. “I get it. A lot of people were affected by Nightmare during the Dark Epoch, but it’s against the rules to go more than a couple levels higher than the wizards own. The highest I could make it is level thirty-five.”

I shook my head. “No. Fifty-five, or I won’t fight.”

He scratched the back of his head. “Fine, fine. Fifty-five. Okay, here’s how it’ll go. You’ll be in the arena with no dueling circle, therefore you have the leisure of casting several spells at a time. There’s a time limit of half an hour, but I doubt any of the duels will take that long.” He pointed behind me to a glass viewing stand where other wizards already stood, looking down on the arena. “That’s where the other representatives are, and where you’ll hang out until its your turn.

Just as he turned to walk away I asked, just out of curiosity, “Wait, if you had to put a level to the actual Nightmare, what would you say it was?”

He thought for a moment. “If I had to? I’d say level... two-hundred.”

He walked away looking slightly perplexed. Sighing, I made my way to the room he had pointed out. This was probably a bad idea. A terrible idea. The worst idea in the history of awful ideas. There was no way I was going to make it out of here unnoticed now. Maybe I hadn’t run my mouth, but I had blindly agreed before I had even realized what was really happening. Was wrong with tme!?

When I arrived, I saw most of the wizards there were levels fifty to seventy, surprisingly. I had been expecting more Archmage’s. I guess what Malorn had said was what all the teachers were thinking. The only level remotely close to mine was a level forty-eight Theurgist.

A Conjurer, level seventy, looked dumbstruck as I walked in. “A Magnus? What is Malorn thinking now? Honestly, at least a Master would’ve been fine.”

My temper immediately started to boil. Calm down, I told myself, gritting my teeth. It’s not worth it. You’re here. You know you messed up. Do not make it worse.

“Kevin, calm down. Ambrose probably wanted variety,” the level sixty-eight Pyromancer said. He looked over at me. “You fought Blaze Thunderthorn right?”

I nodded, trying not to feel intimidated. Sure, they were practically my age, but their levels were intense all the same.

“See, if this girl can beat a Master, she should have the right to have at least have caught Malorn’s eye.” The Myth kid, Kevin, muttered something to the Thaumaturge who laughed. I decided I didn’t want to know what he had said as my anger began to flare more.

“Oh please, he picked me because I told him I could finish off Nightmare in half your time,” I snapped, glaring at the Conjurer, who glared back. “Without casting a single spell.”

And, well, there you have it.

Me digging my own grave.

I am an idiot.

Blaze and Howard were going to kill me.

The others looked up in shock. Kevin walked over until we’re no more than a foot apart. He was at least a head taller than I was, and a year or two older. He looked like he had plenty of power and skill. “You making a bet?”

“You bet I am, no pun intended.”

The Diviner, a girl level fifty-seven, snickered. When the Pyromancer shot her a glare, she pretended to be fiddling with her glowing wand. When no one continued to say anything, she stood and walked to my side. She was a pretty girl, with thick, honey-gold hair and sparkling blue eyes. “This is a duel about rivalries. I finished mine with the Ice School, why not migrate back to the classical one with Myth,” she said confidently. Her voice was smooth and her words even. I admired her skill at remaining level headed.

Kevin seemed to slightly back down. Most of the opposite schools were fairly matched, except Storm and Myth, the obvious advantage in brute power going to Storm. Myth may have higher health, but with weaker spells, Storm had the up hand advantage.

“I’m the highest level here. You think you can beat me?” argued Kevin.

The storm girl shrugged, as if to say ‘I don’t really care either way’. “I’m confidant this Necromancer can do your duel in half the time.”

So far the sides were obvious: Fire, Ice, and Myth against Death and Storm. The Sorcerer and Theurgist were sitting back, as though merely entertained with our argument.

We’re interrupted by a loud horn. The announcer yelled: “WE WILL NOW BEGIN THE VITA MORT DUELS. ONE STUDENT FROM EACH SCHOOL WAS CHOSEN TO FIGHT IN THIS SPECIAL ROUND. THEY MUST SHOW BOTH POWER, SKILL, KNOWLEDGE, AND INTELLECT IF THEY ARE TO BE VICTORIOUS.”

Loud cheering rose from the crowd. Everyone had come to see how the final duels would play out. The announcer continued.

“FIRST UP: MIRANDA FROSTHAND, LEVEL SIXTY-TWO LEGENDARY THAUMATURGE. SHE SHALL BE FIGHTING ICEPINE!”

Icepine was the Legend Monster of Ice, obviously. Like Nightmare, who was of absolute Death power, Icepine was a monster of absolute Ice power -- and destruction when controlled by the wrong hand, like it had been. Like they all had been.

Once Miranda was in the arena, thick chains came down around the perimeter of the arena, probably to protect the audience. From a large, dark doorway on the side of the arena where there wasn’t any seating, there came a humongous monster with the general shape of a pine tree with ice branches and a malevolent face, its blue eyes gleaming. With branched like hands, it immediately began to trace several Ice symbols at once, and Miranda is bombarded with two Wyverns and three Snow Serpents. Using its giant roots to move around, it usually avoided her attacks. It was a long battle, lasting a solid twenty-two minutes, but in the end Icepine was defeated when Miranda cast two Frost Giants. Using such power clearly drained her, but it had earned her victory.

The battles continued like that.

Courtney Greensphere battled valiantly against Emerald Specter from the School of Life. Emerald Specter was a ghost lady the color of green, dressed in an elaborate dress with a mournful expression. Through the whole duel she went on and on about the emerald necklace her now dead husband had given her. Controlling earth, she creates magic-absorbing shields. Since Courtney won her duel in the puzzle arena, I decided she’s probably the smartest person I’ve seen all night as she quickly learned the specters weakness: light. Using Rebirth and Regenerate, she not only stayed healed, but also defeated the ghost.

Brian Fierblood fought Ember from the School of Fire. Ember was lava with the general shape of a man. He could sink into the ground and reappear anywhere and he only ever cast Meteor Shower. Brain had a difficult time fighting, having been recognized by Professor Falmea for his power. In the end he forfeited and was rushed to the infirmary for his burns to be tended to.

James Shield fought Sandman from the School of Balance. Sandman quite really tall, probably eleven feet and wore a billowy robe decorated with silver stars with a floppy hat that covered his eyes. His common ability was sending out sweet smells that caused hallucinations or sleep. However, James went into this battle seeming to know exactly what he was doing. Using Locust Swarm and Sandstorm, he knocked away the sweet smells and defeated the Sandman.

Jasmine Stormhaven fought Cyclone from School of Storm. Though I rooted for Jasmine, I shivered as I watched the giant, swirling mass of water with sparkling eyes spraying Tempest everywhere, along with Leviathan. I had fought it, the real Cyclone, during the Dark Epoch. Jasmine, like Courtney, quickly figured out Cyclone’s weakness: earthquakes. Using Stormzilla to break open the ground, then she used Tempest to wash it around. Afterwards, the audience was soaked. When declared victory, Jasmine cheered and the crowd roared. She was definitely a people’s person. Maybe I could learn from.

The duel before mine was Kevin Battlespear against Stone Angel from the School of Myth. Stone Angel was just how it sounded: an angel made of stone, wings partly unfolded, hooded head bowed low, a sword pointing down clutched in its grasp. I watched, amused, as Kevin attacked it from all angles, using Cyclopes and Medusas mostly -- yet not even a scratch appeared. Frustrated, he turned away, stalking back and forth. I was not surprised as Stone Angel moved as he turned his back. Kevin turned around at the sound of the audience gasping. A sword had been ready to plunge into his back, held high by the angel. However, now it was frozen back into place.

The only other Legend Monster I had seen during the Dark Epoch beside Nightmare and Cyclone had been Stone Angel. It only moved when you aren’t looking, and no physical attacks can be made upon it unless it was moving. No one person could defeat the Stone Angel.

However Kevin did. Using several Earthquakes at once, Kevin turned his back. The Angel began to strike just as the first Earthquake hit it. It turned to attack the new enemy when another Earthquake hit.

To my disappointment, Kevin completed his duel in fourteen minutes, which meant I had only seven to complete mine. Jasmine gave me a pat on the shoulder and an encouraging thumbs up. “You got this.”

“LAST DUEL,” started the announcer, “SURI NIGHTRIVER, LEVEL THIRTY-THREE MAGNUS NECROMANCER. SHE SHALL BE FIGHTING NIGHTMARE!”

I moved quickly to the arena and stood in the middle of the space. The gates opened and out poured the billowing black smoke that sparked with dark blue lightning. Rusted, metallic tentacles slithered out and around me, and the smoke fully emerged. Gleaming, dark blue eyes glared all around.

The monster was huge, practically the size of the arena. I barely had room to cast Dark Sprite. Luckily for me, I was not allowed to cast spells. I closed my eyes, and when they reopen, I’m seeing from Malorn’s point of view. Light gray-black mist glitters between his hands as he controls the monster. The level was only at twenty-five.

Sighing, slightly annoyed I had been jibbed, I turned it up to fifty-five.

Back in my own body, the monsters aggravation seemed unchanged. My hand hanging at my side, I reached forward with my mind, searching for the beast’s own. It was tough, looking through all that black smoke.

Finally I found it, the presence of Nightmare’s mind.

I tried to cling to it, but I had to let go to avoid being slashed by a Skeletal Pirate. I slipped my pocketwatch out and read the time. Ten more minutes. I reached for Nightmare’s mind again, this time grabbing firm.

“Oh that won’t work again on me little girl,” a sludgy voice echoed in my head.

Gasping, I stepped back and stared at the monster, letting go of its mind. It was looking at me with intelligence. It swung an arm and I ducked to avoid it.

“But you can’t be!” I said, astounded.

“But I am.” The monster laughed, all in my head. It was the only way the Legend Monsters could speak, through one’s mind. “I know your dirty little trick. I fell for it once those three years ago, and I won’t do so again.”

“How did you escape?” I whispered. This was the real Nightmare, and, as Malorn said, level two-hundred. All the Legend Monsters had been locked away in Dragonspyre after the Dark Epoch due to the massive amount of damage they had done. They had been meant to be used as protection against the source of the Dark Epoch, but those who had been used for corruption had turned on their masters and started destroying everything. I had witnessed this with Cyclone and Stone Angel. Nightmare had not had a master, so it had roamed free during the Dark Epoch, wrecking whatever lay in it’s path.

“You are human. You are all human. All humans have nightmares. While you sleep you are vulnerable. Not only can flesh tear, but also your mind.”

“You are working for someone,” I muttered. If people heard me talking to the monster… well… that’d be weird. “Who?”

“I am not allowed to tell, but I was not told I could not give hints.” Nightmare smiled, showing a mouth that glowed with fire. “Your destiny awaits you, its time for you to go home.”

My eyes widen. No… Not possible. “I have a home,” I snapped instead.

“But how much longer will that home be there? Soon only Dragonspyre will be left, for a world of fire is the only world that can survive it. All the wizards will go there, to survive. Ambrose cannot rule there, for he is not the rightful ruler.”

It’s smile grew wider. I knew what was coming next. “You are.”

Not even bothering to find his mind, with a yell my fist clenched and Nightmare bent backwards. I threw my fist down onto the ground, as though I am punching it. Nightmare followed, as if it was my hand. Digging my knuckles into the ground, I worked a shallow hole. My fingers began to bleed from the scrapes and stung my hands.

Soon I’m practically up to my elbow.

I leaned back. Laughing, Nightmare climbed out of the hole. It’s smoky form remained low to the ground. Still laughing, it said, “Is that all you can do? Is that all your powers have reached since we last saw each other?”

I heard someone yell, “Stop the fight!” People were screaming, fleeing the stands. This was no longer just any fight. I glanced at my watch. I’m over seven minutes. Bet lost, I thought. Oh well.

My hand once again in a fist, I punched towards the wall and Nightmare went flying into it. I punched towards the other wall, then up into the sky, finally I bring it hurtling down. Rock and dust was everywhere. I’m sweating, the arena was completely destroyed. From its crater by the wall, Nightmare picked itself up again.

“My, my. Not very–”

“Shut up!” I yelled. “Shut up! You can’t talk to me like that! I will never do it! Never!” Nightmare was flying around. I didn’t even make a fist. It is the first time in my life I had controlled something without a hand motion. “I don’t need you telling me anything! I already know it! So crawl back to your master and LEAVE. ME. ALONE!”

My hands flew up, as did the monster, then my hands were flung towards the ground and the monster followed. Deeper and deeper into to the earth it went. Holding my hands in place, I could feel the tenseness in my muscles. Deeper and deeper still. Sand and rock were falling into the giant hole, covering it up.

Finally I stopped. I slumped to the ground, breathing hard. I tried to keep my eyes open, but I was so tired. Exhausted really. My body shook with pain, as if every bone was shattered and every muscle torn. But I had to stay awake. I had to get out of here.

Blurry shapes were running around. Other shapes are falling from the sky. The ground was tilting. I tried to keep my balance, but I fell with the tilt. My head hit something soft and my vision went black.

†††

I awoke to a dimly lit room. Croaky was bent over me, patting a wet washcloth to my forehead. My vision was dilating, darkness swarmed at the edge of my sight. People were talking, but far away. Howard probably, and most likely Ambrose. After tonight he was probably looking for me everywhere. I tried to stay awake, but my body felt like lead. I felt like I was at the bottom of the ocean with millions of tons of water on top of me. Again, the darkness filled in my vision and I felt nothing more.

†††

Something cool was being dripped into my mouth. I tried licking it away, but it made my tongue feel numb. Something that felt like a needle was sliding up and down my left leg, from my ankle to my knee. A feeling of panic came over me and I began to kick, trying to scream. A funny smelling cloth was wrapped over my mouth and nose. I tried not to breath in, but in the end I did. Instant darkness befell me.

†††

I stayed still, unmoving, the next time I woke up. I tried to listen to the voices that sounded as though they were through a door, but couldn’t make out much. I cracked my eyes open and saw that I was alone in the back room of Air Dhales Hideaway, Howard’s workshop that I was forbidden to enter. Slowly, I sat up, feeling something funny about my legs and arms. I wasn’t surprised though, after what happened at the Seven School’s Party I was bound to be sore. Moving as slowly and as silently as I could, I crept towards the door.

“I know what I did!” Howard exclaimed in a hushed voice. “I am an expert at this.”

“But still! It didn’t look right. She might’ve been able to heal.” The voice was familiar, though not belonging to Ambrose. That, at least, was a good thing.

“Might’ve. We have no certainty. I didn’t even know she could do that.”

“So? Now we know.”

“And we know what it does to her. I don’t know how long my fixings will work, how they will hold up if she does it again.” Silence. Then Howard asked, “Do we know anything about Nightmare?”

“No. I used my own magic to search everywhere, but I’m not cut out to be a detective. I even eavesdropped on the teachers, they couldn’t find anything either.” The person sighed. “Either she thrust it so far down we can’t detect it, or it’s not there anymore.”

I clenched my jaw and burst into the main room. “Of course he’s not there anymore! Do you think Nightmare would put up with thousands of pounds of dirt on top of him? No! He didn’t stay in the last prison either. Everything points to one conclusion: he has a master, and he’s back with him.”

I paused and looked around the room. Only three people were here: Croaky, who was sitting on a stool by the counter sorting treasure cards, Howard, who was leaning across a table scattered with instruments meant for fix clockworks, and Blaze.

“What are you doing here?” I asked him.

“Your friends Aeden and Timothy carried you out of there. I found them and led them here. You may also want to know that you destroyed half of Chelsea Court. Good job,” Blace added sarcastically.

I glared at him. “Nightmare destroyed half of the court. I stopped him from destroying the rest.”

“Suri, do you know how you did that?” asked Howard.

“Did what?”

“You’re powers are growing. You usually need hand motions, but this time…” He shook his head in disbelief.

“I’m sorry,” I said lamely. “It was the only way to stop him.”

“Well I hope not,” said Howard, angry again. “Do you know what you did to your body?”

“Well I sure hurt after. And I was tired. That’s about it.”

“You drained all your energy. Sure, some wizards lose all their mana and feel depleted, but you lost all your energy and you were this close to losing your life.” He held up two fingers half an inch apart. “And even worse is the hurting part.”

“Just tell me what happened already!” I exclaimed, impatient.

Howard took a deep breath. “You fractured practically every bone in your body.” Silence all around the room. Croaky was giving me a sad expression, Blaze was looking at the table, and Howard was glaring. “I’m sorry but… There was only one way to save you. Your destiny–”

In sudden anger, I picked up a stein on the counter and threw it against the wall. It made a very loud noise, but not nearly loud enough to alleviate my anger. “Stop it! Stop it with the destiny thing! Destiny is just a word to describe why things happen. My life is my own. My future is my own! I got it from my father, I got it from Nightmare, and I don’t need it from you!”

I stormed back the way I came and slammed the door behind me, Blaze’s fleeting, “Suri…” trailing my back. Before I could stop it, the tears are stinging my eyes. I rubbed them away furiously.

“Ouch,” I muttered. I looked down at my hand. It looked normal enough. I carefully light a couple of candles and looked in the mirror hanging on the wall.

Who stared back at me was not my own reflection. It was someone who had sunken eyes, sweaty hair, and sickly skin, but who also had a wire running around their forehead that looked like a circlet had it not been part of their skin.

Horrified, I looked down at my hands. Some tips, a few knuckles, and both thumbs were made of wood and metal. I lifted up the hem of the soft, cotton dress I’m wearing to see that my left leg, to just past the knee, was made of steel with two strips of wood. I wiggled my toes, and they responded. My fingers did the same. Shaking, afraid of what I will find, I look at my chest. A circle of metal no bigger than a tea saucer was platted there, just over my heart.

I stared at it horrified, biting back my scream.

†††

“You had no right to do that to me,” I snarled at Howard.

“I had no choice.”

“You always have a choice.”

“As I said before, now please don't yell at me this time, you have a destiny.”

I bit back my curt reply. Croaky still looked sorry, as did, for some odd reason, Blaze. “Will I ever be normal again?” I asked.

Howard shook his head. “The wood was given to me by a friend many years ago. It’s enchanted specifically for something like this. I thought I would never have to use it. I hoped not to. But thankfully when the time came I capable of saving you.”

“It’s Bartleby’s wood,” I said, stating fact. “It smells the same.”

Blaze nodded. “I got you these.” He held out a pair of leather gloves and knee high boots, both black. “You may want them.”

“Thanks,” I said grudgingly, and took them.

“The leather is from–”

“A black widow’s skin,” I said in wonder, having just recognized the material myself. “One of the hardest materials in the Spiral. How did you get it?”

Looking slightly miffed from being interrupted, he replied, “I found them in a trunk in the attic a couple months back. The gloves anyway. I started harvesting more to craft them into boots. I was going to make them for myself but after what happened…” He shrugged. “I thought you might need them more.”

“Oh. Thanks again.” I looked over at Howard. “How long was I out?”

“Three days after the surgery.”

I gaped at him. “Three days? Whole days?”

Howard nodded. “The time you woke up when I was working on your leg you almost kicked me in the face. After we had to over drug you to make sure you stayed out.” He rubbed his arm. “You also almost punctured yourself with a needle. When you kicked.”

I stared at the floor. “My… agility and power isn’t… dulled or something is it?”

Blaze shook his head. “A person’s power doesn’t change.”

Howard sighed. “She’s talking about her thieving. She’s hasn’t exactly been sitting around while she’s been out here now was she.” Giving me the evil eye he turned away.

“Well, most of the things I stole were for your clockworks and other gadgets,” I retorted.

“Not everything. You stole some things for that pet of yours.”

I looked over at Roscoe, the Brass Golem I had fixed a few days ago. “So? What about the hat?” I always knew how to set him off. Just mention Tracy Castleton’s hat.

“She took my wrench! And that is not the point around here.”

“So? Just because you couldn’t get away with stealing one thing–”

“She took my wrench!” he repeated.

“–Doesn’t mean that I have to steal things for you.”

“As I said.”

“Um, I think she took your wrench afterwards.”

“No. She took my wrench because she thought I stole her hate.”

“No. I took the wrench and the hat.”

“No. She, wait… What?”

I gave him my most innocent face, my spirits slowly lifting. “What?”

“What did you say about you giving her my wrench?”

“I didn’t say anything of the sort.”

“Yes you did. You gave her my wrench?”

“Well…”

“That was my prized gear wrench! I’d had that since I was a boy!”

I turned to Blaze. “Let’s take a walk.”

“Good idea,” he responded instantly.

“Great. Let me change first.” Leaving Howard ranting to himself about the wrench, I went back to my room and slipped on a Marlybonian uniform, its color black. Trying on the boots and gloves, I found, much to my irritation, that they fit perfectly. Less to my irritation, and they hid my brand new clockwork parts.

Why was I irritated?

I didn’t know.

I guess I just really hated Blaze.

†††

“So, you took his wrench?” Blaze asked. We had been walking in silence around Regents Square for quite some time.

Chewing a piece of bread since I was absolutely starving, I responded, “Yup. And I took her hat. Naturally they blamed each other, each denying that they did no such thing.” Meeting his accusing glare, I said in defense, “What? I was bored!”

After a little more silence he asked, “So what’s it like living out here?”

I paused to think about the question. “Well… Dark. The evernight can be a bit dreary sometimes, but it’s great for hiding in, which I like to do.” I paused some more. Finally, I managed to say how I really feel about the world. “It’s lonely though.”

“What about Howard? And the frog?”

“Croaky. They’re great. I mean, don’t get me wrong, they’re my family, even though Howard is as annoying Blood Bats. It’s just that… now that Howard thinks I have a destiny too...” I trailed off.

“Too? Who else thinks that?”

“Well, I did yell it at Howard back there. Nightmare, my father.” I sighed. “Especially my father.” Blaze nodded, he knew just as well as I did.

“Are you ever going to… you know… Consider fulfilling your destiny?”

I shrugged. “My father wanted me to. No, that’s more like forced me to.” I shook my head. “I’m not going to. I might’ve done it had my dad not… you know, caused the Dark Epoch and all that.”

“But you do know all about it.”

I shook my head. “No. Not all. But I don’t really want to.”

“You ought to catch up on your reading. Did you know a copy of the book is in every library? The one in Dragonspyre is the best… but… maybe that’s not… yeah good idea… Okay the one here is… fine,” he amended when he felt my glare that could set ice on fire. The last place I wanted to go to was Dragonspyre.

We made our way over to the Marylebone library. Letting ourselves in, Blaze guided me over to a section in the back corner where it was pretty dark, and it didn’t look like a lot of people came here often. He scanned along the bookshelf, his face close trying to see in the dim light. Finally he pulled out a thin, brown leather book.

“Here. This was written the day you were born. It’s all about you.”

I opened it up to the first page.

The Destiny of Suriyah Drakehammer

“You’re kidding me.” I grimaced. “An entire book? About me?”

Blaze nodded. “You’re mother told me about it. Only those who know you can read it. So in case you’re wondering you should know that basically no one has read it. Read chapter five.”

I obediently flipped to the appointed page and start reading.

Chapter Five

The Premonition of the Hourglass

I read, getting more and more annoyed as I found out about more stuff that I never even knew. To think there was a book about me? A memory fluttered at the back of my mind, about this book. Pushing it down I decided I’d had enough.

“Wow, a person from a thousand four hundred years ago had a vision of my destiny. Typical.” I glared at Blaze. “I refuse to read more about my destiny and the stupid hourglass prophecy.”

“Suriyah, read one more paragraph. Just one more.”

Taking pity on his plea, I turned back to the book.

However, like all visions, there was a loophole. Like a person’s blind spot, the Diviner missed one thing: that many would want to control the power gifted to Suriyah, even those closest to her. The loophole is like this: if the one person whom Suriyah trusted and loved most betrayed her for her power then she would have a choice. A choice to either fulfill her destiny or shatter it. However her choice must be made by the moment of her sixteenth birthday, or else her destiny will continue.

I stopped. I could shatter my destiny? Yes, I had been very close with my father, I had loved him more than anyone, and he had betrayed me for my power, for my destiny.

“When’s your birthday?” asked Blaze. Clearly he has read this before.

I smiled. “Tomorrow.”

By
Emma Dawnrider