Tree of Life, gave us hope that we could win against Mortver. Now that she has died, you are the only one left who might help us finally win this endless war.”
I couldn't take it all in. “I ’ve never been important in my life, to anyone. And now you’re saying I have to save the universe? I can't! I have never been good at anything! Sorry, you’ve got the wrong chosen one. I am not who you think I am. I'm an ordinary girl—I need to be left alone...” I ran away through the winding halls of the library.
Almag's Library, the mystery of the past and the key to the future
April 18 th , 2014
I ran through the narrow halls filled with ancient books. One hallway led into another room beautifully decorated with marble. I sat down on a bench near a table with more books. I stopped crying—all my energy had gone into running. I examined the volumes. All the titles had strange spellings, but I was able to read them if I focused my mind. I grabbed a book at random; the title was something like The Map of the Sky . I opened the book. It flew out of my hands into the air, levitated near me, and started to spin very fast.
Rays of sapphire, amethyst, amber, jade, ruby, and diamond appeared. Sparkling dust swirled. The specks of color emerged as galaxies, celestial bodies, and individual stars. I walked through the galaxies and saw different and more complex patterns that revealed the cosmos. In the center was a small dot among the three main galaxies. What could it be?
The spinning book came to a stop and floated to the floor. I picked it up and put it in its place. I wanted to know what ha d happened to my parents. If Almag was my grandfather, he would know. I left the beautiful library and found him reading a book and waving his hand in circles. “It is always wise,” said Almag, “to wave your hand in a clockwise direction.”
“Do you think I will ever be able to create magic?”
“If you really try, my granddaughter.”
“ What happened to my parents?”
“Oh , child, they were the noble guardians of Arthaesia who protected it during the new age. They protected the family of Clarein from Mortver. One night, this cost them their lives.”
“Was this the night when Maldelsoul took the throne?”
“Yes, Mortver planned an attack against the royal family. That day was the beginning of the new era. Mortver located the magicians in the four corners of the castle. While you were sleeping, your parents were on guard. Suddenly, out of the sky came four balls of blasting energy created out of the united elements. Your parents and another two magicians gave their lives to stop the approaching disaster. I hurried to your room to take you away; however, the tower was destroyed. I couldn't save your sister—she was turned into a dragon. I used my connection with your sister to find you. You were in the other corner of the universe named Aethra, or Earth. You had used your gift to teleport to another world. Estrella helped you find a family and become a human in their world.”
All th ose old memories of being in a forest looking at a bird like an angel—those were real. They were memories, not dreams. My “parents” had enlisted doctors to convince me otherwise until I gave up on them. A fog of darkness enveloped me, and I saw nothing.
The Great Castle of Arthaesia, a confrontation that almost took my life
My birthday
I appeared on the castle rooftop. Dark clouds cast a green shadow on the mountains. I heard clashing sounds of metal and footsteps. I didn't know how I’d got here. I was scared and reacted to every subtle sound. The dark mist still surrounded me. I heard a loud bang. Something landed on the roof with the force of thousands of elephants. I turned around. It was a black dragon with a rider. The dragon's fierce eyes stared into mine. Its body was bigger than a humpback whale. Its skin resembled a snake’s. The dragon had horns on its head, spine, and tail. I couldn't see the rider in the obscuring