Key'd

Chapter 14

"You are growing more powerful by the day, Amberlin," Emmiale began. "We saw your floating trick with Calimo, that's pretty powerful for a Key'd who has not trained with us yet."

"I...I didn't really know what I was doing. It just felt so magical, and it just happened," I smiled at the memory and felt like crying on the inside, knowing that would probably never happen again, since he wanted to kill me. Well, kill Cheri..... I was snapped out of my thoughts when Kineri spoke.

"Have you heard the story of the Key'd people?"

I nodded. Of course I had. "Yeah, each one comes around every 100 years and each one is special."

"Ahh, but do you know how it started?" Kineri's eyes sparkled. "Do you know why Emmiale became a Key'd person?" I shrugged my shoulders and Emmiale sat up straighter.

"I will tell then," she spoke. A far away distance look came into her eyes. "It began when I was about your age; I think a year younger, 15. I was visited by a Leomoean. Leomoeans are like angels, but not angels. Angels watch over you and protect you, they have wings, they wear white. Leomoeans are depicted as lions. Each Leomoean is a different color; there are none that are the same color. They watch over humans, but pay special attention to those who will do great things. The one that visited me was pure black, midnight black. He calls himself Meliao, and is considered as one of the wisest Leomoeans existing. He came to me one night and had me follow him to the forest near my house. He led me to a pond. The pond was light blue, crystal clear and it reflected the sliver of the moon overhead. He told me to walk into the pond and stand in the middle, so I did. The water reached my chest, right where my heart was. He touched the pond with one of his black paws and a ripple headed right for me. It hit my chest and a pain erupted from my chest. I nearly keeled over, but I forced my head to stay above water. A light exploded from my heart and shone into the sky, revealing my key. At first I thought it was just a picture until Meliao told me to take it. I reached up and wrapped my hand around it. He then told me what I was to do. I still remember the exact words he said: You, Emmiale, are now the first person to ever be Key'd. You have powers now, but you must find them out for yourself. A warning to you: now that your key is unattached to your heart, anyone who holds it controls you. Be aware, never let anyone control you. You are too powerful. You must do great things, for this responsibility is huge. Also, once you die, you will be considered the Guardian of all the Key'd people who come after you. I am your Leomoean, and each Key'd after you will have one as a partner. You can call on me, but only when you really need me. Stay well, be strong, and don't forget who you are. Then he left, melting into the sky above. I still stood in the pond, with my key in my hand. I trooped back home, in a daze. I crashed into my bed, with my still-damp pajamas. I awoke in the morning, amazed at how my dreaming skills worked until and turned over and reached for my lamp. I pulled the tab, and there it was; my key. I sat up, afraid. Afraid of what I could do, afraid I would never have a normal life. That day, I faked a sickness to stay home in bed and think about what I could do. For the next few years, I figured out my powers, and worked hard to continue advancing what I learned so I could be a good Guardian."

"So, then, what about the destruction Jaco was telling Calimo about?" I asked. She sighed.

"Someone got a hold of my key, and demanded I told them what it was, just like you with Jaco. But, they didn't give it back. They used it to control me, and that person was a bad person. She sent me to hurt people and sometimes, even kill them. I despised her, and the pain was getting to be too much. When I had heard the Eternal Knights had been formed to kill me, I didn't want them to have the chance. The pain of her holding my key was too much and I.....I took my own life. I knew I was going to be a Guardian, and probably live forever, but it was still a tough decision. But I knew if the Eternal Knights were successful in killing me, I would never forgive myself," She ended quietly.

"What happened to your key?" I gripped mine tightly to my chest. She reached into her sleeve and pulled it out. She presented it to me, and I made sure not to touch it.

"Hey, yours has a crown on it like mine!" I exclaimed and the three of the chuckled. I looked at them weirdly not understanding and for once, Seian spoke up.

"You have a crown on yours, because you are Emmiale's descendant," Seian looked at me and chuckled at my gaped mouth.

"I'm...I'm the descendant of the first Key'd person?" I looked at Emmiale for verification. She nodded and smiled wide.

"Yes, I am your great-great-great-great-great grandmother," She ticked off the greats on her fingers and I felt my mouth open wider. Emmiale opened her mouth to speak again but she was cut off by a scream. She looked at me in horror. "You need to wake up now!" She snapped her fingers.

I awoke and jumped out of bed. I went tearing out of the room and running down the hallway, flipping on every light switch I passed. Sashay came out of her room, perfectly fine.

"Cheri!" I screamed running down the stairs. I barely had enough time to watch her be thrown into the trunk of a car. Two figured, one slightly taller than the other were standing there. I met eyes with one of them and I felt transfixed in place. "Calimo, no!" I barely had enough time to yell out before they were flooring it out of the driveway.

"Get in!" Sashay yelled with the van out. I hopped in the passenger seat and she floored it, just like the boys did. "We'll catch them!" She yelled and I gripped the seat. They couldn't take her, they just couldn't.