This entry was written by Katie387750 who wrote the guild Black Shadow. Enjoy :)
Crystal's POV.
A long time ago...
My eyes focused on the white, blue, and red spirals in front of me. Wind blew around me, and made my orange hair fly all over the place.
My eyes focused on the combination of white, blue, and red colors on the target in front of me. The wind's breeze blew around everyone. My orange hair flew all around me.
"I'm going to cast the spell this time," I growled, looking at the archery target with determination and confidence.
"Really?" Diane asked, flawlessly casting dark pulses towards her's. "You've been trying for an hour with no progress."
"You really don't change, do you?" I fired.
"No." Diane smirked an evil grin.
"Stop teasing her," Ethan argued, pulling Diane by her black t-shirt's collar.
"She's our friend, no need to choke her," Tila growled, looking at Ethan.
"I guess," Ethan shrugged, letting Diane down. "Just don't mess with Crystal."
I forwarded my attention to the target once again. I started to feel the Mathanos charge my energy with flaming energy. The sensation burned in my arm, however, not in pain. I closed my eyes. I imagined blazing, hot fire in my hand. I moved my arm as if I was throwing a dart. I released the energy. I opened my eyes. Blue fire glistened in my eyes as I watched it go directly towards the target. Once my magic hit bullseye, the cardboard stand burned to shreds.
"I did it!" I yelled.
"How?" Brandon gasped, looking at me.
"More like, how did it take you so long," Diane said, correcting Brandon's comment.
I smiled. "Blue fire, too!"
"Crystal, you're leaving school early."
I turned around to see Ms. Woods walking towards me. She handed me a green slip, confirming her comment. She left with a smile.
"Really? Mom never picks me up early," I commented, looking at the paper.
"I don't know," Ethan shrugged. "You should go, anyways."
"Right," I nodded. "See you guys tomorrow."
"See you." Tila smiled.
I bolted out of class, and entered the front office.
"Dad? But Mom always picks me up from school," I commented, seeing Dad standing in the middle of the office.
"I'll tell you why in the car," Dad explained. "Come on."
"Okay." I smiled, and walked out of the office with Dad.
Once in the car...
"Crystal, I'm not even going to beat around the bush here," Dad said, while taking a deep breath.
"What? Am I in trouble?" I asked.
"No, Mom's in the hospital. That's why she-"
Dad got interrupted by my crying and sobbing.
"What? She's in the hospital?" I asked between breaths, crying waterfalls.
"I'm sorry, Crystal. I'm truly sorry."
"How?"
"No one knows, there's this type of dark energy surrounding her, controlling her emotions as the nurses called it. They said it happened to our planet before, and that's why there's an invisible atmosphere around it. I wasn't sure, either. So,
they're giving Mom death and sleeping pills to kill the spirit that's taking over her. They're special pills that will kill the Z- darkness inside of them," Dad explained. "You're 12, I know you can handle this. I'm sorry, Crystal."
Back to present time...
I skimmed the cave I was sitting in. The dark, gray colored stone surrounded me. I started sobbing as I remembered my memories of Mom. Mom was a Zhol. She was a Zhol. I put my hand on my emerald necklace. The last thing I had of her. My spine started shivering as freezing cold air blew into the cave.
"I'm sorry."
The cold air blew harder.
"It's my fault."
The cold air blew harder than it ever had. It pushed me against the cave wall. I held the emerald pendant in my hand. When I fell back to the wall, the emerald shattered as it made impact with the stone. The emerald was fake, it shattered that easily. But, it was the last thing I had of my mom.
"Look what you did! That's your fault!" I screamed.
Why was I talking to the wind?
To my surprise, the wind blew warm air. I remembered what I said earlier.
"Ethan? Brandon? Diane? Tila?" I asked.
Cold air blew.
"Mom?"
Warm air surrounded me, comforting me.
"Mom... I- I can't even explain everything I've wanted to tell you," I cried.
Cold air blew over me.
You must run. You must leave.
Her voice echoed through my head. I took a deep breath, and nodded. You weren't lying the day that you said that you'll always be there to support your daughter.
I dashed outside the cave. Zhols were circling around the cave. A teenage boy with raven black hair bolted towards me.
"Look what you did! You brought them all to me!" I yelled.
"I'm sorry, my name's Tilani, I know you're Crystal. Look, to get out of here, we need to use your magic."
"Theirs is twice as powerful as ours."
"Exactly, don't try to kill them, only distract them so we can get out of here. I can shine bright sunlight rays to blind them. After, you can use a fire blast to make them think we're trying to attack them, but really just run."
"How did you think of all of that in a few seconds?" I asked.
"That's why we're still alive. We know how to use our surroundings to help us. There's no winning this battle, there's only evading it entirely," Tilani explained.
"Sure," I sighed. "Let's go."
As our plan was told, Tilani shone a blinding light created from the sun. I shot a fireball to the right. We bolted into the forest.
The animals crawled into their homes.
The Zhols store to their left, which was where the fireball was. We grinned as we got away safely.
"How did you do that?" I asked, looking at the teenager.
"Magic." He smiled.
"Beautiful answer," I replied, rolling my eyes. "Where are we going?"
"There's a ship over in the vegetation over there," Tilani explained, pointing to the northwest. "If we get on, leave, and go to the nearest planet, we'll be safe."
I remembered what my memory said. It has happened before on this planet. That's why we made the invisible barrier.
"Tilani, my planet is safe from the Zhols and dragons. Do you want to go to my planet?"
"As long as I leave here, I don't care," Tilani replied.
"Okay." I smiled. "There she is."
We looked at the gigantic ship. We climbed into the vehicle. The drivers seat looked like something out of a Star Wars movie.
"Okay, I'll drive," I announced, taking the driver's seat. I skimmed the control panel for a door closer button. I found one, and tapped it. The door closed. Tilani and I were safe inside. "Alright, I know exactly where it is. People from Voybos can always sense where it is."
"Voybos is the name?" Tilani asked.
"Yup," I answered.
"So, do you know how to fly?"
"Nope!" I yelled, clicking the button that read lift off. "And take off!"
"Stop jamming the ship from side to side like that!" Tilani yelled.
"Sorry, it won't stay straight!" I called back.
I turned the ship fast with panic. Soon, we were out of the atmosphere and were in space. I closed my eyes, and saw where the planet was.
"So, how do I get us there..." I mumbled. I flipped a few levers and tapped a few buttons. They all had something to do with flight, didn't know what.
"It's actually riding smoother now," Tilani commented. "Congratulations, a step in the right direction."
I rolled my eyes at his remark. The ship was actually straight in space.
Minutes later...
"Land it!" Tilani yelled.
The ship broke through the atmosphere, and we were by a forest that looked like death. I gulped, knowing where we were about to land. Shoot, I can't land in the Death Area!
I tried steering the ship out, but it was too late. I had to land here, I couldn't move it up from here.
I clicked the landing button, and wheels inserted from the bottom of the ship. It landed in the area like a plane.
"Look, Tilani, this is the worst spot we could land," I announced. I looked to the right, and noticed something. "Wait, where's The Wither Tree?"
I felt a wave of hot air.
Mom... you were The Wither Tree? That whole time? You were preparing me for this?
I took a deep breath. So you kill all my friends for some stupid test? You are still a Zhol!
I sighed, knowing that my mom was evil. I walked out of the ship, leaving Tilani in question.
"Ask the council if you can have a flight to your home planet. They're north from here. I'm going to go back to my hometown," I ordered.
"Okay, thanks, Crystal." Tilani smiled.
"No, thank you. If you didn't show up, then I wouldn't be alive right now," I replied.
Tilani gave me a warm smile, and then went his way. I took a deep breath, and bolted towards the south.
When I ran, I saw little glimpses of memories appearing in my head. All of the people we've saved in this very area... I was just saving them from Mom. She tried to kill me at once! I cried as I saw Diane, Tila, Brandon, Ethan, and Opal in front of me. They were all mirages. "I'm sorry."
"No, we're sorry," They chanted. "We're sorry for your suffering,"
"And I'm sorry that I left you," Ethan said. He descended to me, getting closer and closer.
I took a deep breath, and backed off, crying. "You're just another test. I know. You're a Zhol now, and you'll forever be a Zhol. I won't fall into your trap."
I didn't even cry. My whole life was a lie, a test. Nothing that I've ever accomplished was because of me. It was my mom.
After getting the last tear out of my eyes, I saw my village standing right in front of me.
"Now what?" I asked, looking at the wooden cabins.
The sun shone over all of the village. Not one cloud was in the sky.
"I guess that's the en-"
"Crystal!"
I burst into happy tears as I saw Dad.
"Dad!" I yelled, dashing towards him. I hugged him with all my might. "I missed you so much."
"I heard about Tila, Brandon, Ethan, and Diane. I'm so sorry," Dad replied.
"I don't want to think about that," I sighed.
"I understand. You go and see the changes they made to the village. I'll make you some tea," Dad said.
"Okay." I smiled.
Dad went back inside of the house, and I stood in the middle of the street, facing the forest.
"That's it."
I looked up, and the sun's rays glistened in my eyes. I shot my arm up to the sky, and shaped it into a fist. "I'll live my life just like any other elf should."