The Editors

Chapter 2

Dark velvet, shimmering diamonds, and glistening marble surrounded the room but the ceiling was by far the greatest part of the whole building.

Built like a dome and painted a beautiful gold, our universe's story was depicted along with walls. Bright reds, fresh greens, and midnight blues were hand painted to show planets revolving around the sun, monstrous black holes, and beautiful magic. The first Author was painted as well as the start of the Guard and the coming together of the council. I could spend hours staring it, and probably would have, if it wasn't for the situation at hand.

Looking around the room, guard and author training started when you were 15 and lasted 4 years, so most of the people in the room were in their teens or had only been officially adults for a year or two. 

The entire room fell silent as Incantator Frederick began to speak from the top of the diamond incrusted staircase.

"As you are well aware, the rebel force believes that with enough energy from other planets, they can control the black holes."

Victoria clutched onto my arm, leaving crescent shaped marks in my skin.

"A few hours ago, the rebels had someone infiltrate the Archive."

No one screamed. No one yelled in panic. Only silence because, like me, they were in frozen in shock.

After books were created and the Incantors made them into planets, in which a lavish ceremony occurred followed by a party fit for royals, the book was locked up in the Archive with the others and protected by unbreakable spells.

Well, I guess not unbreakable.

"We have reports from our sources that says that the rebels believe they can acquire the power they need from destroying planets, gathering it up from the remains."

"Like a new star from a supernova," I whispered under my breath in horror. Flashes of the things I learnt in school went through my mind; the black holes, the pain, the destruction. By saving our planet they were going to kill all the others, and that's if it even worked.

"Now we also had protective spells on each book which stopped them from simply destroying the planets, it did not however, stop them from adding themselves into the stories."

Why? It would take an army with hundreds of thousands of solider to destroy a planet, which was something the uprising definitely didn't have.

"When we create planets, residual magic is left over. This magic bands together to create an unstable core. If provoked, this could prove catastrophic." Incantator Fredrick said. His was hard, voice echoing throughout the hall.

"Emlyn" Victoria whispered, letting go of my arm and looking into my eyes. "All the people on those planets, they're all going to die."

For a moment, I couldn't breathe.

"We don't entirely understand how, but theyreversed the spells, blocking us from adding anything to the story itself. While the story can no longer be changed-"Incantator Frederick continued, holding his hand up to silence the nervous voices sweeping throughout the hall. "That does not mean that the planet can't be."

At that moment everything clicked.

The reason why we were all gathered together, the reason why we were getting briefed separately from everyone else. They couldn't add anyone to the stories, but they could add people to the planets. They could add us.

"Your generation will be the generation that saves us. You will be tasked with a mission that will change the course of the future; we are calling on you now."

His words sounded muffled, like he was underwater, his words glossing over me as I struggled to comprehend exactly what was happening.

"We are picking you for this because we know that you will be able to handle the challenges ahead of you"

He was lying, eyes focused on the wall in front of him, giving the illusion that he was looking out to the sea of the trainees. We were picked because we were expendable. Not important enough to keep because we weren't fully trained but just enough so to get the job done.

"We're sending you down to the planets, to stop the villains. We're sending you down to save us." 

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"I can't believe this is happening," Victoria said softly as we hid behind the council building, away from all the chaos.

I nodded in agreement. "They're sending us on a suicide mission"

"They're sending us to save our planet."

I stared at her.

"Victoria, you can't be serious," I spluttered, looking at her incredulously. Couldn't she see what was going on?

"Well, I am," she stated, lips thinning as she stared at me, meeting my disbelieving stare

"They're sending us to die," I cried, willing her to understand. "Why didn't they choose full-fledged authors or guards, huh? If we fail there will be other options to try and fix what the rebels did, they'll be okay, but if we fail we die."

"Well, what if we don't fail Emlyn, did you ever think about that? That we actually might be able to pull this thing off?" Victoria spoke furiously, her voice rising.

"Yeah, okay." I scoffed. "Let's say we," gesturing to Victoria and I, "are actually able to fix the planet we're assigned too, what about the first years? Do you think they know what they're doing, because I know I didn't when I was their age. They're still kids, throwing them out into what is basically a battlefield, you think that's a good idea?"

All the trainees who had just started, they were being thrust into new worlds they knew nothing about. They thought they were going to save us, and they might, but at the cost of their own lives. The worst part was that they didn't even realize it.

"Of course I don't! But we don't have any other options, and maybe you're right and we're being sent down because we're replaceable," her voice was laden with determination and a hint of despair. "But do you think that's going to change anything? We're still going to be sent down and there's nothing we can do but fight. You know what your problem is Emlyn? You always prepare for the worst, and that's good because it means you can handle anything thrown your way, but it's at the cost of an arm and a leg and one day it's going to leave you with nothing."

"Vic-"

"Don't, I'm going to go talk to my family." Avoiding my eyes, she turned around quickly and headed in the opposite direction.

Victoria always wanted to be the hero. I could see it in the stories she spun about what she could be, in the guard, fighting for what was right. I didn't think there were any heroes in this world, and if there were, I certainly wasn't one.