Lessons from my demons

Chapter one: Union

 Viola couldn't say that it was a special day when her world was turned on its head. She had just been enjoying her day off from her training with King Talis with her friends. She loved King Talis. Without him, she probably wouldn't have met her four friends, and that meant she couldn't have awoken Alluara, the king's sister, from her coma. And then, she shuddered at the thought, she would have never gotten to be his student! But that didn't make it any more annoying when she was called into his throne room.

               Naturally, she was there instantly, but wasn't all that pleased. "What is it, your highness?" she said, trying to keep the frustration out of her voice. Talis heard it, but he couldn't be less concerned with it at the time.

              "The mistress has gone missing!" he boomed.

                Viola jumped back. "How? Was she-"

                "Yes. She was captured. But I know where she is."

                "Now that's good news!"

               "But the bad news," The King suddenly looked insecure and began pacing. "I'm not sure how to tell you this... she's been taken to an alternate version of Newvenia. It'll be more dangerous than anything you've seen... and you, Viola, have to go after her."

                 "But... I'm just your student! Don't you have guards you could send? Or even go yourself? You are an Immortal, after all."

                 "No, Viola. I'm not too popular with those people. Besides, who would make day and night while I'm gone? This won't make sense to you, but I know why they captured her, and only you have the loyalty to, erm..."

                "What? I'll do anything to return your sister!"

                "Well, start by gathering your four friends. The ones that used these." He handed her five diamonds, one green, one red, one blue, one purple, and one white. As an expert on magic, Viola could tell they were practically hissing with arcane energy. It took Viola a minute to remember, but these had been the gems they'd used to awaken the Immortal Mistress years ago. She didn't know which was hers. She could only hope that her friends had better memories.

              "Do they all have to go back to their original holder? And why can't a guard go?" The king looked impatient at all these questions, and she couldn't blame him. It wasn't something she should forget.

              "Yes. It takes a certain quality to wield each of these. That's why I asked you to gather people who could when I found you were one of them. Now, the sooner our mistress is back, the better. Be gone." He rose his hand and transported Viola outside the castle. Well, nothing to do but follow his orders.

             Her first stop was uptown Taliopia. She stepped into the Taliopia Jewellery, and immediately was nearly blinded by the sheer amount of jewels and light. The building was made mostly of glass, and everything was displayed neatly, as she saw through slanted eyes.

             "Back so soon, dear?" Came a voice.

              Once her eyes adjusted to the light, Viola replied, "Felicia! Good to see you. Do you remember awakening the princess?" she knew it wasn't the time, but she couldn't help but bring it up. "And why did you make a gem shop out of glass?"

              "Well, maybe if you didn't spend so much time cooped up studying, you wouldn't be so sensitive to light! And of course, I remember! We used the most exquisite- Oh!" she had caught sight of the five gems. "I believe this one's mine," she said, scooping up the purple gem and smiling widely.