Diana's P.O.V:112Please respect copyright.PENANADJjA7SibZf
112Please respect copyright.PENANAjr7TC4J4OK
112Please respect copyright.PENANASA4yxbRj2Z
Five years ago,112Please respect copyright.PENANAEQrP2vdp4B
112Please respect copyright.PENANALaTLJCzVe0
Butterfly Island112Please respect copyright.PENANAygiqUz1mP7
112Please respect copyright.PENANAHwDI8hI6T4
112Please respect copyright.PENANAiwINEHZkQE
I tried rolling my tongue a couple of times to make the "rrr" sound. It's been over an hour, and Bob, with his arms folded and looking at me like I didn't know what I was doing, couldn't take it as he finally waved his hand, telling me to stop.112Please respect copyright.PENANActuLIGeGCu
112Please respect copyright.PENANADD6A7SHJAb
112Please respect copyright.PENANAhdc3FCBo1a
"Okay, okay, stop," he said.112Please respect copyright.PENANAVY609h3S51
112Please respect copyright.PENANAnPWCBRm8Dj
112Please respect copyright.PENANAnopWlVtlGq
"Huh?" I looked at him from where I sat. "I thought I almost had it."112Please respect copyright.PENANA6Cz5Jg1i2n
112Please respect copyright.PENANAE0kBkLY3l2
112Please respect copyright.PENANARdyUukq4yK
"There will be plenty of time to know that one character," he said as he looked down at the huge book open in front of him on the lecture stand atop the small stone dais.112Please respect copyright.PENANA1dvNoFrOI5
112Please respect copyright.PENANARysvzLRt7P
112Please respect copyright.PENANAZY7t0CdEqZ
I take a look at the small library filled with tall bookshelves. The gray walls of the castle and the bookshelves seem to be one and the same, as if they carved the shelves on the wall. There were all sorts of books, and one thing they had in common was that they had pretty bright colours like the butterflies that flew around the room. Each colour had its own bookshelf, so that meant there were six bookcases in the circular room.112Please respect copyright.PENANAufEWEbWkIf
112Please respect copyright.PENANAlKJzrTC4Tu
112Please respect copyright.PENANAZo84nLM6Tc
Bob stood in front of me on the dais with a black board behind him. The board looked like it was etched into the stone wall, with two of the book cases that held the blue and red coloured books standing on either side. On the four edges of the board, tiny green creepers with tiny white flowers grew out, making it look decorative.112Please respect copyright.PENANAG5goitREAs
112Please respect copyright.PENANAhLARurzkeX
112Please respect copyright.PENANAWrtnJjfb3w
The black board has the ancient alphabet written on it. We started working on that yesterday. As much as learning something new is exciting, it can sometimes be annoying, depending on who is teaching you. Bob just happens to be one of those people.112Please respect copyright.PENANAB9LEUYmCeg
112Please respect copyright.PENANApZcCMeq297
112Please respect copyright.PENANAnVO5n26suT
The language had twenty-six letters. But in this instance, Bob likes to refer to them as characters. They reminded me of Chinese characters, except that they weren't.112Please respect copyright.PENANAa1PDcykSWm
112Please respect copyright.PENANAg6JLwOKHdK
112Please respect copyright.PENANA0suwwEpnB8
"Okay, I should say you're pretty good at pronouncing most of them," said Bob as he looked at me.112Please respect copyright.PENANAuZ34VAHSfo
112Please respect copyright.PENANAfjqz4cc7Y1
112Please respect copyright.PENANAbPXyvgeb58
"That's good, isn't it?" I asked as I sat on the only wooden desk in the room.112Please respect copyright.PENANArppgI3GrUq
112Please respect copyright.PENANAeZXZ8aoN0c
112Please respect copyright.PENANArlz9zIco3w
"It is, but I want you to practice writing them down too. Consider that homework and hand it in tomorrow morning."112Please respect copyright.PENANA16bd9BxZ7L
112Please respect copyright.PENANAP9hXq8vetL
112Please respect copyright.PENANAmDhzlJ1drE
Homework. Great. I tried to put up a smile for him, though I felt the edges of my mouth twitch.112Please respect copyright.PENANA65oGGu9bNf
112Please respect copyright.PENANAcMw6J2W7ev
112Please respect copyright.PENANAkdcWrpYLT5
Bob closes the book, and I know it's his cue to leave. The words on the black board were quickly erased by the green butterflies. A question soon came to mind.112Please respect copyright.PENANAmHRSiFHGJU
112Please respect copyright.PENANAEnueoQKMGR
112Please respect copyright.PENANAN43hZ8oesV
"I have a question," I said, catching him off guard. He sighed.112Please respect copyright.PENANAfNsyIuMbc9
112Please respect copyright.PENANAzNryjljcY7
112Please respect copyright.PENANASRSrXBotcI
"I thought for this lesson you weren't going to ask anything."112Please respect copyright.PENANAGOwtcBaMvH
112Please respect copyright.PENANAZ5keROFyuf
112Please respect copyright.PENANAPlGcTfGyKe
"It's just the second session. Besides, you can't blame me for yesterday, can you?"112Please respect copyright.PENANA1xLHUgpWjm
112Please respect copyright.PENANAgTb4cYZaE8
112Please respect copyright.PENANA8gscylikex
He shrugged his shoulders, admitting it. My first lesson yesterday in my room was tough. It's not easy learning a new language, and I had a lot of questions that focused a lot on pronunciation.112Please respect copyright.PENANAuInd68PBhH
112Please respect copyright.PENANAOaGkWCk1GI
112Please respect copyright.PENANAX6pDaCazp3
"What do you want to ask, Diana?" Bob asked, his eyes squarely focused on me.112Please respect copyright.PENANAgdKBU8s1yK
112Please respect copyright.PENANAIdMdyyaVIu
112Please respect copyright.PENANAEIc8URuzVU
"When will I be able to go home? I feel a lot better now. And I'm starting to feel this time difference between my world and yours might be a little sketchy."112Please respect copyright.PENANATN7tp7NV8C
112Please respect copyright.PENANAiEH1V0eOnk
112Please respect copyright.PENANAQ4daCu8TpV
"Don't worry; you'll be surprised when you get back how much time has passed. You want to leave us so soon? I thought you liked the place."112Please respect copyright.PENANAtUFt5G6sHG
112Please respect copyright.PENANAb39MWJ5LPH
112Please respect copyright.PENANAbAb21BnnLX
"That was until you people decided I couldn't get out by keeping me hostage." I made sure to glare at him.112Please respect copyright.PENANAhNGF1rTq9K
112Please respect copyright.PENANA4nfvQMrFLD
112Please respect copyright.PENANAtwPyVxAioA
"We’re doing this for your protection, Diana."112Please respect copyright.PENANAccnw4cGLtD
112Please respect copyright.PENANABxLeMoqhH9
112Please respect copyright.PENANAVnZ1kTX5mM
"Protection from who exactly? Lord Vandell?"112Please respect copyright.PENANAFiNYQ1CJMZ
112Please respect copyright.PENANAzGxeNxP6S7
112Please respect copyright.PENANAdPDb3zS4OE
Bob knew where I was going with this as he took the book from the stand and made his way down the dais. "Stella will be here shortly. Make sure you do your assignment."112Please respect copyright.PENANA2v1o0tFciX
112Please respect copyright.PENANA0gnCdeq7qY
112Please respect copyright.PENANAm4MlWfxcmL
"Yes, I will," I answered, doing my best not to sound disappointed.112Please respect copyright.PENANAROQT7NeEws
112Please respect copyright.PENANAAnKeAZtY4m
112Please respect copyright.PENANAXNV56M8Vv5
I could feel Bob’s eyes on me as he stopped by the door. I turned to look at him, and his expression surprised me a little. He looked a little disappointed, too.112Please respect copyright.PENANAtzw7v6ijJF
112Please respect copyright.PENANAYE8hqeqKD1
112Please respect copyright.PENANATVk6R9sPiH
"I know how much you want to go out there and see the place, but I can assure you that we’re doing all we can to make sure you at least get a trip around the island. Only if it's safe."112Please respect copyright.PENANAmmRZts1Zkx
112Please respect copyright.PENANAMdAkM242zz
112Please respect copyright.PENANATTM4xLUtlk
"And when will that be? If you ask me, the world is already a dangerous place. What makes it any different when I’m out there?"112Please respect copyright.PENANA39RGrscsPe
112Please respect copyright.PENANAZXIFaimOLy
112Please respect copyright.PENANAElmd9eLWNw
Bob smiled now. He knew I was trying to coax him into telling me what was going on. "You’ll know soon enough."112Please respect copyright.PENANAu84tlRsoeC
112Please respect copyright.PENANAXcMmrrxEdY
112Please respect copyright.PENANAKrZseo2byN
I groaned as he opened the door and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. I lean my chin on my hands laid flat on the desk, wondering why the world is so unfair to me. What is it about me that they have to keep me locked up here like an animal?112Please respect copyright.PENANA1zXQtDXHpl
112Please respect copyright.PENANAHTycIg4Jtr
112Please respect copyright.PENANADldt0wiKn5
Besides, I feel so much better now after taking the medicine and getting a good night’s sleep. I was able to move around on my own without holding the wall, and my body ached a little less. If I had it in me, I was going to run out of the castle as soon as I woke up. The High Order must have thought of that, because when I stepped out of my room this morning, Bob and two other guards in purple robes greeted me. Yeah, they have everything covered.112Please respect copyright.PENANAA7gs8gIY2W
112Please respect copyright.PENANAdpHIn3HbI7
112Please respect copyright.PENANATsKmqNUARu
Mopping on my desk isn’t going to help me get ready for the next lesson, so I lift myself off of it and head towards the only window in the room. Unlike my bedroom window, I now had a view of the town down the hill, close to the seaport. How I wish I could go there. Escaping is no option, as I could tell the guards were standing outside.112Please respect copyright.PENANAoe3kQwWPu0
112Please respect copyright.PENANAazBJAxP8G3
112Please respect copyright.PENANA2lUULI0JNJ
I continue to look down at the beautiful scenery below when I hear the door open behind me. I turn and find Stella walking into the room, and she isn’t alone.112Please respect copyright.PENANAA1RxJ5zlge
112Please respect copyright.PENANAjLgCmpq84K
112Please respect copyright.PENANANdLUkgFSLB
Ryan’s lookalike cousin, Raymond, also walks in.112Please respect copyright.PENANAumj2bQLC2n
112Please respect copyright.PENANAaIzX3khxyE
112Please respect copyright.PENANAeQaV2l9xQ1
"Morning, Diana," she greeted as she went up to the dais. I notice she has a big blue book in her hands. "I see you’re doing much better."112Please respect copyright.PENANAciyfCPRm2Y
112Please respect copyright.PENANA1vdLmJIUgt
112Please respect copyright.PENANAhJLnHMSe14
"Bitter medicine works best," I said as I slowly started to get back to my desk. I turn to Raymond. "Hello," I greeted him.112Please respect copyright.PENANAAmRWOC4QRT
112Please respect copyright.PENANAHDBu21iP7y
112Please respect copyright.PENANAy5yWHjHrsC
"Hi," he said, looking away quicker than expected. What’s his problem?112Please respect copyright.PENANAW5ellBUuP5
112Please respect copyright.PENANAD64iVGL4GG
112Please respect copyright.PENANAfJF67ipKzj
"Okay," Stella says, turning to the blackboard, blinding herself from the sparks between Raymond and me. "Take your seat, Diana, so that we can begin today’s lesson."112Please respect copyright.PENANA4nXRi1TShZ
112Please respect copyright.PENANAUc4xOFl3py
112Please respect copyright.PENANABIfmEQMbxD
I give Raymond a look before I sit back down on my desk. He didn’t even look at me. Wait a minute.112Please respect copyright.PENANAz0hdGNHquQ
112Please respect copyright.PENANANt0j2mE5er
112Please respect copyright.PENANAOXYsmVX2rZ
I turn to Stella. "Is Raymond learning with me today?" I ask.112Please respect copyright.PENANAgpDXwF90IM
112Please respect copyright.PENANAZRjDrYqbbB
112Please respect copyright.PENANAQMSvtMBJIe
Stella turns to look at me, and I hadn’t realized that she had written something on the board with blue chalk. She wrote the word "Elements" in cursive handwriting. Elements? This is interesting.112Please respect copyright.PENANAE0ufwJsYAQ
112Please respect copyright.PENANA0kL45q4CW9
112Please respect copyright.PENANAh2yRFwstkt
"Uh, yes, he is," Stella nervously answered, which she tried to hide with a chuckle. "He’ll be helping me with a simple exercise."112Please respect copyright.PENANAepHGQMamqs
112Please respect copyright.PENANARQJwhHIFi1
112Please respect copyright.PENANAE5WMr8JPzf
"Exercise?"112Please respect copyright.PENANAKDAYWbsR4J
112Please respect copyright.PENANAI5F66UGHIs
112Please respect copyright.PENANAVnpT38aBPR
"Yes. Remember when you were in the maze and you had to use the stones to help fight Pug?" I gave a quick nod. "Well," she continued, "today we’ll be trying to figure out which of those stones—we call them elements—suits you best."112Please respect copyright.PENANAEFjQry8m4j
112Please respect copyright.PENANAYNyUrv7Sz5
112Please respect copyright.PENANABAknI0ORR6
"I was able to use all of them," I said, as I quickly recapped the incident. "Doesn’t that mean something?"112Please respect copyright.PENANAhbodD3NRzQ
112Please respect copyright.PENANAE7hFrdU7PF
112Please respect copyright.PENANA0HDhRIOIjy
"That was only because those stones were designed for you to make use of at the time. Sometimes, when you run out of energy, we use the stones as a power boost or to amplify the power that you lack. More on that later. The reason why we need to know which element works well for you is to know which is your primary or strongest element and which is your secondary."112Please respect copyright.PENANAK9oseEcHU9
112Please respect copyright.PENANAH0F4x8xzDP
112Please respect copyright.PENANAm7iAYkUqw6
Stella turned to the book in front of her and opened it. In a flash, the six coloured stones similar to the ones I used last time floated out of the book and up in the air, forming a circle. The stones looked a little larger than before.112Please respect copyright.PENANA2Ib9EJLE2H
112Please respect copyright.PENANANObcEJ8keB
112Please respect copyright.PENANAHpm1B3gelm
"I hope you can recall the elements that you used in your fight." Stella looked at me with a smile. "Could you tell me what each stone represents?"112Please respect copyright.PENANAMKWr30zsIC
112Please respect copyright.PENANAjw2T1uHe7t
112Please respect copyright.PENANArZcCttxgm9
The first stone my eyes fall upon is the red one. "The red stone is the fire element. The blue is water. The green must be nature, since I remember using the vines to tie themselves around Pug. The orange is earth. As for the purple and the yellow, I’m not sure. All I remember is making weapons out of them, and the yellow produced a dazzling light."112Please respect copyright.PENANAWeg2GHc2rm
112Please respect copyright.PENANA5DuuOOSUG4
112Please respect copyright.PENANA6UsQrUZyW8
"Great, you know most of the elements. However, I should mention that the green stone not only deals with nature but also with wind, which is a part of it. For the earth stone, it not only deals with the ground itself, but whatever metals and minerals lie in it."112Please respect copyright.PENANASDoyELX2uq
112Please respect copyright.PENANACqbevIUPfa
112Please respect copyright.PENANAWSInJMMZKj
"Metals?" I asked. "Does that mean I can create a silver spoon if I need to?"112Please respect copyright.PENANAumZJTynqAM
112Please respect copyright.PENANA1ZFmlfkpcv
112Please respect copyright.PENANAVclXXSZ2d1
"Yes, but let’s not get carried away with ourselves. You need to be a natural-born wielder of the earth element to pull that off. And it takes a great amount of skill."112Please respect copyright.PENANAIpeERmLYUO
112Please respect copyright.PENANAgmd7bmla5K
112Please respect copyright.PENANAPYpz06nOmq
I give a shy nod and continue to look at Stella attentively.112Please respect copyright.PENANA1rFsnq7TUo
112Please respect copyright.PENANAhWSyiwzJOH
112Please respect copyright.PENANAjJYZguqNAs
"The yellow stone is the light element." Stella pointed it out with her finger. It broke away from the circle and floated on its own to the side. "Like in the maze, you produced a dazzling light, blinding Pug. But it can also produce lightning, which you can use to attack your opponent."112Please respect copyright.PENANAyqth3kZeUl
112Please respect copyright.PENANAlKH53GZfQQ
112Please respect copyright.PENANAcLGfzlCDvy
"Lightning?" My eyes must have bulged out of their sockets because I noticed Raymond shake his head like I was some immature amateur learning something new.112Please respect copyright.PENANATCuLWsVciY
112Please respect copyright.PENANAHScRYclskP
112Please respect copyright.PENANAVTqz7ZfpHC
"Yes. I’m not sure if you can recall blocking Pug’s fire bolts with your hand the first time you did it."112Please respect copyright.PENANAg1IGm88KqN
112Please respect copyright.PENANAY08IEKXnCy
112Please respect copyright.PENANAeYeGIDuQQa
"I thought I used fire back then. And didn’t the rod bring up a shield?"112Please respect copyright.PENANAb1UryIezXO
112Please respect copyright.PENANAyKz7d13q0Z
112Please respect copyright.PENANAOdvkjSYwle
"Yes, well, at that point, you countered using a ball of lightening, and then you popped up the shield due to the impact."112Please respect copyright.PENANALsgBrRIdbe
112Please respect copyright.PENANAWcOONIqgdT
112Please respect copyright.PENANA5btVMdVJ5F
"Okay. Does the light element always bring up a shield like it did?"112Please respect copyright.PENANA4jfqrq56ar
112Please respect copyright.PENANAJYZMyfPPRa
112Please respect copyright.PENANARjDpIgLtZD
"Yes. All other elements, when used the right way, can help you form shields and weapons of different kinds."112Please respect copyright.PENANAUySn5h40HE
112Please respect copyright.PENANA6ZUZwvntyM
112Please respect copyright.PENANAzotZDCQGEk
I heard Raymond mutter something under his breath, and that made me slowly turn to look at him. I can tell what he said is full of malice. He isn’t that hard to read.112Please respect copyright.PENANAViBy0U447x
112Please respect copyright.PENANAHbYcFpCHI9
112Please respect copyright.PENANADyqQ18Rhe8
Stella continues as if nothing is going on. "Coming to the purple stone, it will be a bit of a surprise to you." She poked at it, and just like the yellow stone, it floated away from the others and stood next to its counterpart. "This is called the shadow stone."112Please respect copyright.PENANAgRyllYknwd
112Please respect copyright.PENANAxbnx2e9IOm
112Please respect copyright.PENANAMLsSOHBOSy
"Shadow?" I raised an eyebrow. "If it’s a shadow stone, shouldn’t it be black?"112Please respect copyright.PENANANfxElugzmU
112Please respect copyright.PENANA1yarHmK3dZ
112Please respect copyright.PENANAaRrnqCXn2o
"Yes, basically it should, but this isn’t the case because the black stone already has its own purpose. It's the same with the light stone being yellow and not white. We’ll come to the white and the black stones later."112Please respect copyright.PENANAiFNxeNr8DW
112Please respect copyright.PENANAnEGVZQzPuu
112Please respect copyright.PENANAuqvbcwkGSw
"There are the white and black stones?"112Please respect copyright.PENANA2eGkwrsgTu
112Please respect copyright.PENANAYDPDmBl9sE
112Please respect copyright.PENANAZ12oqNXQrK
"Yes. It’s where these colours, or, let me say, elements, originate from. I think you must have learned at school about how all the colours derive from the white colour."112Please respect copyright.PENANAmPanUXeO1f
112Please respect copyright.PENANA0XveggawR7
112Please respect copyright.PENANA5LEn415jOj
"Yes, I do. When you explain it like that, it makes sense. But as far as I know, black is the absence of colour."112Please respect copyright.PENANAjxxy9XXEuN
112Please respect copyright.PENANAyG1s7PrsV2
112Please respect copyright.PENANAy7G7E6HwD2
"Well, in this case, we aren’t just talking about colours, but elements. All this comes from a much deeper perspective, which you’ll learn about later. Now back to the stones. We’ve familiarized ourselves with them; now all we need to know is your primary element."112Please respect copyright.PENANA2yMRtL8aMp
112Please respect copyright.PENANAsIub4BAUtb
112Please respect copyright.PENANAGxymBRsIp8
With a gesture of her hand in mid-air, the purple and yellow stones grouped back together with the rest of the other stones. Stella gestured with her other hand, telling me to approach the dais. I did as instructed, and with the stones in between us, I couldn’t help but feel a little nervous.112Please respect copyright.PENANA0J7IKla0nJ
112Please respect copyright.PENANAC52iY6v33h
112Please respect copyright.PENANA1oMzw71Pas
"Now don’t be scared," said Stella, sounding very calm. "What we will do is a very simple exercise. I want you to reach your right hand out. Once you do, each stone will read you, and one of them will fly into your palm. That will be your primary element."112Please respect copyright.PENANAlMFkiPNQfk
112Please respect copyright.PENANAq9nGlXnIqv
112Please respect copyright.PENANAUJQMc0hph6
This seems weird. What if all the stones decide not to pick me? If they don’t, then there will probably be something wrong with me, right?112Please respect copyright.PENANAAruk7t9Z1z
112Please respect copyright.PENANAUePs0XSL2d
112Please respect copyright.PENANA77m2ctcGLc
Not wasting any time, I hold my right hand up, my palm facing the stones. I don’t know how long this is going to take, but the stones simultaneously start to glow like Christmas light bulbs. I bet this means they are doing their reading. Stella stood there, watching the stones. I know Raymond is looking on too, but I can’t think about him now, though I could feel his eyes pierce the back of my head like daggers.112Please respect copyright.PENANAKUQV0Fp7db
112Please respect copyright.PENANAxjGWPuxTYn
112Please respect copyright.PENANALUDpUWlQzM
I started to feel warmth coming from the stones. It’s comforting at first, but then it starts to get hotter and hotter while the stones glow brighter and brighter. I could feel my palm get so hot that it started to hurt. I dropped my hand as I yelped in pain. It’s as if I had touched a boiling pot straight from the blazing flames of a charcoal brazier.112Please respect copyright.PENANATWwRwUB0eA
112Please respect copyright.PENANAVQQxKi2JRq
112Please respect copyright.PENANAY1UNVmXg0y
"Diana, are you okay?" Stella asked.112Please respect copyright.PENANAeb9UR08cdv
112Please respect copyright.PENANAGOPhcuXODd
112Please respect copyright.PENANA5cDNMlaTFL
I whip my hand in the air, trying to get it to cool. Later on, I held my palm up to blow air out of my mouth. It's red and throbbing with pain. I hear Raymond come close to look at my burnt palm. Stella rushed down the dais and gently took hold of my hand. She placed her palm above mine, and soon a small, colourless orb formed on my palm. I felt a cooling effect afterwards.112Please respect copyright.PENANAMK1xeXNniD
112Please respect copyright.PENANAWnaFCcwDI0
112Please respect copyright.PENANAbifDpaKYSS
"Hold that for a while," she said. "It will help cool the hand."112Please respect copyright.PENANAmPpYoaWh5Y
112Please respect copyright.PENANAApHo851IEI
112Please respect copyright.PENANAG0NGNKlw9b
"What could have caused this?" Raymond asked.112Please respect copyright.PENANAst98XtQvJY
112Please respect copyright.PENANA9titpWgvDP
112Please respect copyright.PENANAOanZCqKRld
Stella looked at the stones in front of me as I answered, "they don’t like me, that’s why."112Please respect copyright.PENANA8uyl383gLp
112Please respect copyright.PENANAmsbdIXZCpv
112Please respect copyright.PENANAXE5qXqNYYw
"No, it can’t be that," said Stella. I noticed the look on her face as she looked at the stones. "It’s supposed to happen naturally. One of the stones should fly into your palm. The secondary stone comes afterwards."112Please respect copyright.PENANASCBrc7NLdk
112Please respect copyright.PENANAkqrxG8uutd
112Please respect copyright.PENANADCKPN7peUL
The orb in my hand melted like balm, and the pain soon subsided. My palm didn’t hurt, though there was some stinging.112Please respect copyright.PENANA8tAcROwbPX
112Please respect copyright.PENANAb2bsegpOi7
112Please respect copyright.PENANAOlOPWEtkLk
"Diana, did something happen when you held up your hand?" she asked, looking at me.112Please respect copyright.PENANA3lDd1qflu2
112Please respect copyright.PENANANt8r8d4wHl
112Please respect copyright.PENANA0jecWgwbY0
"Nothing. I did as you said. Apart from getting burned."112Please respect copyright.PENANAfSSll1memz
112Please respect copyright.PENANAu86ZFx9Bsl
112Please respect copyright.PENANAgLISTlMCYv
"Okay, we’ll try again."112Please respect copyright.PENANAEAC1jYjPzv
112Please respect copyright.PENANAqtpobfxxMA
112Please respect copyright.PENANAYBs47IPFax
I gulped as I didn’t find the voice to argue. What if my whole hand gets lit on fire?112Please respect copyright.PENANADmNTBhTuby
112Please respect copyright.PENANAgRGPalkpUP
112Please respect copyright.PENANAGJx1fsxv3W
Stella goes back up the dais, and Raymond comes to whisper in my ear:112Please respect copyright.PENANAgI0wR8lGDZ
112Please respect copyright.PENANAtj5pwn6sSK
112Please respect copyright.PENANAguUYcSyPL9
"Don’t be scared. Just relax."112Please respect copyright.PENANAvDuv0kW61T
112Please respect copyright.PENANAMUODg3dFxV
112Please respect copyright.PENANAkkbPWBBUTG
He soon backed away, but it’s like his essence still lingered beside me. That must be the shadow element at work. I rubbed the thought away and looked up at Stella. She gave a nod of her head, telling me to go ahead. After taking a deep breath, I held up my right palm. The stones glowed again. This is it.112Please respect copyright.PENANA6sn7QZK7aE
112Please respect copyright.PENANAuoJWneATHi
112Please respect copyright.PENANAtbB7Aun5UN
I felt it. The daggers at the back of my head that I had felt earlier. So, it wasn’t what I thought at first. I dropped my hand in an instant, and the pain stopped.112Please respect copyright.PENANANhGx4rNiWo
112Please respect copyright.PENANA2TiGvzauEq
112Please respect copyright.PENANAnLDxr6ykOq
"What is it?" Stella asked.112Please respect copyright.PENANAXE4iSpJTFc
112Please respect copyright.PENANAdKWKTNW1I0
112Please respect copyright.PENANAARuOFTp5Mp
"You asked me earlier if I had felt something before," I answered. "At first I thought it was this thing you feel when people are staring at you, but I felt it again. Like daggers at the back of my head. Is that normal?"112Please respect copyright.PENANAiQghKt8CQE
112Please respect copyright.PENANA2LKUHS7jAo
112Please respect copyright.PENANAysIqz0XAtP
"Well," Stella rubbed her hands together, "people experience different things. For some, it's so fast and simple that they don’t feel anything. Some, like you, feel the back of their heads or their palms burning. What I don’t understand is why it took so long for any of the stones to respond and fly into your hand the first time."112Please respect copyright.PENANA2DMJ2FiCZD
112Please respect copyright.PENANANmC4Hr5iys
112Please respect copyright.PENANAfw1gracYFh
I shrug my shoulders. "It’s like I said. Maybe they don’t like me."112Please respect copyright.PENANAmZluSwYQ2u
112Please respect copyright.PENANAr4UcgsBxzM
112Please respect copyright.PENANAVn0y1VvPPq
Stella sighed. She looked at me like a child who didn’t like to comply with anything, finding it hopeless to try and convince me. "Let’s try this again. And this time, when your hand starts to burn, don’t drop it."112Please respect copyright.PENANAH1Xcmovrej
112Please respect copyright.PENANAbCdrrvFoTv
112Please respect copyright.PENANAYJKVcXzsZH
"But what if I can’t take it?"112Please respect copyright.PENANAcjpvgx1dRO
112Please respect copyright.PENANAbtYRPcM5c6
112Please respect copyright.PENANAJXbAlWalwW
Stella didn’t know how to answer that, as she remained silent. If I were her, I wouldn’t know what to say either. I saw her give Raymond a warning look. I bet that's why he's here.112Please respect copyright.PENANA44zvpmkEh6
112Please respect copyright.PENANAQ7n5e8PVa0
112Please respect copyright.PENANAYwBTEgBZYc
Likewise, I took deep breaths and held up my hand, and the stones glowed just like before. The feeling of daggers at the back of my head came back, and soon enough, my palm slowly started to get warm, then hot. I continued to look at the stones, hoping that one of them would fly to my hand, but they kept glowing, and the heat kept increasing with each passing minute.112Please respect copyright.PENANAln7dLxlMQb
112Please respect copyright.PENANAhYpVl51HgW
112Please respect copyright.PENANAIZr7aZ9MZq
My palm starts to feel red-hot like before, but then I remember that I’m not supposed to drop it. Easier said than done. My left hand quickly holds the wrist of my right. I felt like I was in a furnace as my body started to feel hot.112Please respect copyright.PENANA6EnrrQL5Xh
112Please respect copyright.PENANAr4vumgeVSL
112Please respect copyright.PENANACOgXH4C94K
The pain at the back of my head kicked up a notch, and for a second there, I felt my head jerk back like someone had grabbed my short hair and pulled. I winced in pain at both the burning on my hand and the pain at the back of my head. For how long am I going to take this?112Please respect copyright.PENANA0Cs57KSYBw
112Please respect copyright.PENANA9ToStnTKF9
112Please respect copyright.PENANAwAOX6fbz2j
"Hold on a little longer, Diana," said Stella.112Please respect copyright.PENANATTovLpKTgv
112Please respect copyright.PENANAbD12X10jVe
112Please respect copyright.PENANAzamdNqBi3w
It’s painful for me to even reply, as I felt a jerk in my head and my neck bent a little. I keep telling myself to hold on. But I feel like dropping my hand with each second that passes.112Please respect copyright.PENANAUjmsXDJgjN
112Please respect copyright.PENANACPeAfsEawx
112Please respect copyright.PENANAlQW6SrVxyU
I close my eyes as I now feel the scorching heat on my hand, like it's been lit on fire. I yell. The pain is unbearable, and I just want all of this to stop.112Please respect copyright.PENANARIFywTXGFR
112Please respect copyright.PENANA9XPn2P3NmE
112Please respect copyright.PENANAGpbhWHIWan
"I can’t do it, Stella!" I cry out.112Please respect copyright.PENANAznxWK5QF2e
112Please respect copyright.PENANAGZO90gcR2s
112Please respect copyright.PENANARe6xOKjaXR
I’m not sure if she said anything, but I felt my head pull back a little, and I was afraid my neck would break. Why is all this happening? I’m afraid to even open my eyes, but when I do, I see a rainbow of colours flying all around me, changing shape everywhere I look. Am I still in the library? I'm finding it hard to tell.112Please respect copyright.PENANAB72V8JljB2
112Please respect copyright.PENANAp15BLZeCmx
112Please respect copyright.PENANAW3NCdKvVTa
I try to look at the stones with my hand still outstretched, and I see them glowing brighter than before. The colours that were flying all around me came from the stones themselves. My hand is burning hot now, and I thought this was it. I can’t take it any longer. Should I still be doing this?112Please respect copyright.PENANAd2jeKVM3YI
112Please respect copyright.PENANAjhl7lHeUY8
112Please respect copyright.PENANAmKkTaeaNAa
"Accept."112Please respect copyright.PENANAx1f4Nuc3H5
112Please respect copyright.PENANAuSbsqOoHkg
112Please respect copyright.PENANAXJosm63zbp
Who said that? Is that Stella or Raymond? It didn’t sound like any of them. Who else is here?112Please respect copyright.PENANABodFHxy6OC
112Please respect copyright.PENANABL2WaCiHdY
112Please respect copyright.PENANANn7y0iyyUA
"Accept. Accept everything."112Please respect copyright.PENANAWwxTBYcS1w
112Please respect copyright.PENANAyGesmA380L
112Please respect copyright.PENANAEsnR7fEHy4
Before I knew it, my neck bent back even more, and my head felt like it was about to split open. My whole body felt like it was on fire. Have I been thrown into the blazing fires of hell?112Please respect copyright.PENANAHn2rMRnNGZ
112Please respect copyright.PENANAay2XK93LaR
112Please respect copyright.PENANAeHydFqstKj
I screamed in agony, and I thought I was going to die.112Please respect copyright.PENANACNs5BwM8eF
112Please respect copyright.PENANAk67ZCO7UUy
112Please respect copyright.PENANAL9ci1FjY18
Images soon flashed before my eyes: a line of trees, snow on the ground, and a woman with her red, blazing eyes. I'm looking into a dark, empty space, but there was someone standing there. The hooded figure turned to me, and I saw the skull face of Death. The image changes again, and I'm back home. My mum is looking down at me with a smile as she calls out my name. More images kept flashing before me, like I was reliving my entire life, some in a fast blur. Then there came flashes of images that I had never seen before. Like I had been staring at photos on a screen, the images slowed bit by bit of a place I had never seen before. The place is beautiful, filled with trees and flowers and green grass all around. This is where all the flashing stopped. I am looking at the beautiful scenery when suddenly a butterfly appears in sight and lands on my nose. I could actually feel it. Likewise, I gasp like I have been woken from a dream and realize all of this is real. The tree leaves rustled in the gentle breeze of the wind that I felt blow by. And the smell of the fresh grass is something extraordinary. Not to mention the colourful flowers of different kinds all around.112Please respect copyright.PENANAqUb3f9XAnT
112Please respect copyright.PENANAxmd0b6po6r
112Please respect copyright.PENANA6isB81hO4R
The butterfly takes to the air, and it’s then that I notice its colours. One wing is white with small black spots. The other is black with white spots. I have never seen such a butterfly in my life. I follow it, and as soon as I turn around, in front of me stands a tree. Likewise, I look around and feel there’s something different about it. There are other beautiful trees around, but this one seems the biggest with its strong, wide, and sturdy trunk. Not to mention that its leaves were the greenest I have ever seen.112Please respect copyright.PENANAIKjcg9t2Gw
112Please respect copyright.PENANAwztmRS5aJQ
112Please respect copyright.PENANAwO1duzAaFj
The black and white butterfly continues to fly towards the tree, and I follow. As soon as I am under its huge canopy, I feel a strong aura in the air. It feels comforting. It's like when you walk through the front door of your house after such a long day and are just grateful to be home. I look around, and it’s then that I hear a few birds chirping in the tree. I look up and find birds of all types high up in branches, looking down at me. The sight of them brings a smile to my face. I look around for the butterfly, and I see it has landed on the tree’s sturdy trunk. Likewise, I walk over to it, and when I get close, I stretch out my hand and touch the tree’s trunk. The feel of its hardness under my skin was something I’ve never experienced before; it's like there’s nothing that can be compared to it. Ever. I felt something as well, like a sort of vibration. Why did I have a weird feeling like it was trying to tell me something?112Please respect copyright.PENANAoTwWa2lY6K
112Please respect copyright.PENANAOlEs7DO0if
112Please respect copyright.PENANAjyrMBciY48
"Accept," came a whisper.112Please respect copyright.PENANAsb1DuGY5HV
112Please respect copyright.PENANASAyXfpAU3d
112Please respect copyright.PENANAjikCXQSt3K
I almost jump in fright and look around. There’s nobody there. The leaves rustle above me, and the birds become silent.112Please respect copyright.PENANAM4x0GGZfJy
112Please respect copyright.PENANAECfjeRKj4c
112Please respect copyright.PENANAFH24BSeVpo
"Accept everything," came the voice again. The voice is coming from behind the tree.112Please respect copyright.PENANAtyw3OHi8ce
112Please respect copyright.PENANAKV8eenAb05
112Please respect copyright.PENANACvOwMjt7sF
As though on cue, the butterfly flapped its wings and took to the air, going around the tree. I follow it, and immediately I do, I’m shocked to see what’s in front of me.112Please respect copyright.PENANAhhHV0X2ySv
112Please respect copyright.PENANA6D9JFLaMF3
112Please respect copyright.PENANAyHHh5WLcY8
Behind the tree is a whole different landscape. Grey clouds filled the sky, giving the place a dull gray look. There is no grass, but hard, cracked ground like that of a very dry desert. There are also dead, thin-looking trees. I turn to look at the tree beside me, and it’s like half of the tree that I thought was so sturdy now looks shriveled up. There were thin-looking branches holding a few shriveled, dead leaves.112Please respect copyright.PENANAK7cG7SUi4l
112Please respect copyright.PENANA4jvghkjiDR
112Please respect copyright.PENANAIrLzA33Mb2
I look at the devastation in front of me, as there is nothing beautiful in sight and the endless desert land stretches out for miles. I turn to the large tree beside me, and it’s like I stood in between the living and the dead. This scenery is one I’ve never seen before. I feel like I’m in a painting where you can clearly see the demarcation between the two sides.112Please respect copyright.PENANAT3nUDfNBCE
112Please respect copyright.PENANAWRhF34aLMp
112Please respect copyright.PENANAKUu2afF0NV
"Accept it all," came a whisper. This time, the voice came right behind me.112Please respect copyright.PENANAhHQQZABoXd
112Please respect copyright.PENANA9mxVh8mUIc
112Please respect copyright.PENANApzDtfvE6so
I turn around, and I find an antique full-length mirror with a gold frame standing in between the line that separated the two sides. How did it get there? I looked in the mirror, and what spooked me was my reflection. I approach the mirror slowly, trying to understand what I’m seeing.112Please respect copyright.PENANAl6buITaSIL
112Please respect copyright.PENANAYPmMHmA6yy
112Please respect copyright.PENANAIJmcdIAr64
Not only that, but I notice the scenery in the mirror is similar to the one behind me, but the reflection didn't move like I did as I approached. And her eyes were closed. I must be looking at a picture, but something told me it was a mirror.112Please respect copyright.PENANAPr6F4FJqZR
112Please respect copyright.PENANA4yOKXwlexX
112Please respect copyright.PENANAmWeiwbwqqy
When I get close, I notice the image that looks like me wearing a long dress, like those that princesses wear in fantasy movies. It’s made of the finest silk, with one half of the dress being black and the other half white. Beautiful sliver embroidery decorated both the long sleeves of the dress and the hem. Below the dress is a hue of black and white. Around the dress’ neckline were colourful tiny beads sewed in with the silver embroidery, and they had the six colours with which I am familiar.112Please respect copyright.PENANApL4fhSO6Ho
112Please respect copyright.PENANAdTWiWBi01f
112Please respect copyright.PENANAmld8AXo0q3
I look straight at the person in the mirror—if I can call her that—and she has her eyes closed. I wonder if she’s sleeping. She just stood there with her arms by her sides. I continue to stand there, thinking of what to do.112Please respect copyright.PENANAcL17CdUvsZ
112Please respect copyright.PENANAMJ6yBWNDLl
112Please respect copyright.PENANA5w1LjhxnGJ
I come a little closer, and I stretch out my right hand to touch the mirror to see if all this is just an illusion. At the same time, she lifts her hand like you do when you look in the mirror. This surprises me. Is she truly my reflection?112Please respect copyright.PENANAlHOxw8KTKg
112Please respect copyright.PENANANbhF4wRV4S
112Please respect copyright.PENANAq0ZjrMxm7z
I pause with my hand still lifted. Then, all of a sudden, her eyes flew open, and I took a step back, dropping my hand. She’s awake. Her hand is still outstretched, and I notice that she’s holding something. Whatever it is, it’s enclosed in her fingers.112Please respect copyright.PENANAs1RCc0C5b1
112Please respect copyright.PENANAjveD3wdmNv
112Please respect copyright.PENANAMsOn0eK3TM
I look at the person who looks like me, and I notice her eyes are filled with all sorts of colours swirling and dancing around in the small sphere of her irises. She looks like me, but is she me? Her hair is far longer than mine, as it reaches her shoulders, while mine is more of an afro.112Please respect copyright.PENANAY5g45phmGl
112Please respect copyright.PENANA6GhstnuTYW
112Please respect copyright.PENANA2hh9fNKCzU
"Accept," she said loud and clear in my voice.112Please respect copyright.PENANAr2el5DMTo8
112Please respect copyright.PENANAUHdHn12y2t
112Please respect copyright.PENANA0uXwXaxSMB
She turns her hand to open her palm, and in it are two glowing orbs, not as big as golf balls, swirling around her palm in a circle. They glowed like precious stones as they swirled, not touching each other.112Please respect copyright.PENANArf3p0rCuz2
112Please respect copyright.PENANAZNa2y0oMFc
112Please respect copyright.PENANApld6RPOUwi
"Accept it," she urged on. "Accept it all."112Please respect copyright.PENANAbIX36GQIC2
112Please respect copyright.PENANAEjoVaXMUjS
112Please respect copyright.PENANA1ysLmCmGIa
I look at her and then back at the two orbs. "What is all this?" I ask. "What am I dealing with?"112Please respect copyright.PENANAQG8IiPoY7e
112Please respect copyright.PENANA4ZeSHAgJL3
112Please respect copyright.PENANAC5bSSG8DWF
"You will never know until you accept them," she said as she gestured at the orbs.112Please respect copyright.PENANApM8GfFFbPO
112Please respect copyright.PENANA4UXiI5J5Gs
112Please respect copyright.PENANAuzyNmRlMNn
I approach her and slowly bring out my hand, palm up. She stretches out hers, and it extends out of the mirror. She laid the two stones on my palm. They continued to swirl around, and I could feel their buzzing energy. It’s scary because I could feel my hand start to burn in an instant.112Please respect copyright.PENANAULnYL1SDWs
112Please respect copyright.PENANAhR9C9NNPQW
112Please respect copyright.PENANA5XY0cTSwmC
"What should I do now?" I asked my lookalike in the mirror.112Please respect copyright.PENANAErEk2AWADU
112Please respect copyright.PENANAXano8yR95F
112Please respect copyright.PENANARzmCqrQchF
She smiled at me as she clasped her hands together and answered, "all that is up to you."112Please respect copyright.PENANADP44s1ftlq
112Please respect copyright.PENANAvyO0c4Um5N
112Please respect copyright.PENANAS1bqZA0dgn
Before I could say anything, the orbs glowed so brightly that it’s all I can see. The next thing I know, I hear Stella calling out to me.112Please respect copyright.PENANALnChztXqNP
112Please respect copyright.PENANABYAwnWZWEE
112Please respect copyright.PENANApt57uFi18z
"Diana, can you hear me?"112Please respect copyright.PENANAHPHKSciJd4
112Please respect copyright.PENANAQA4JojZiKa
112Please respect copyright.PENANAIbBWfZvNio
I open my eyes, and I’m back in the small library. I look around, hoping to see the half-good, half-bad landscape and the girl in the antique mirror, but no. I’m back on Butterfly Island.112Please respect copyright.PENANAQ5NZtcGqPJ
112Please respect copyright.PENANAriNb1thNI4
112Please respect copyright.PENANARYjPi5M2mv
"Are you okay?"112Please respect copyright.PENANATp5f8oSyUg
112Please respect copyright.PENANA6U0Fpmr9BH
112Please respect copyright.PENANAhTqUfmzCMT
I look up at the dais, and Stella is there like I left her. I turned to the door, and Raymond stood there too. He had a weird look on his face, and I started to wonder what had happened.112Please respect copyright.PENANA1Byw1zeR4M
112Please respect copyright.PENANAQ1WFoG1BEl
112Please respect copyright.PENANAfoo6jfU4Fd
"I’m fine," I found myself answering.112Please respect copyright.PENANASLE7jkt3rE
112Please respect copyright.PENANAaKj2kfOxRk
112Please respect copyright.PENANAJa1xiHmO4t
"You can put your hand down," said Stella.112Please respect copyright.PENANA8SfAHBDbxM
112Please respect copyright.PENANAGBUE9V1Pxx
112Please respect copyright.PENANA5ff80jK6OD
I hadn’t noticed that my right hand was still outstretched, and my left hand was still holding my right wrist. My hand is still burning, but not like before. I felt something move around in my palm, with my fingers enclosed in whatever I was holding. I turned my hand to open it, and there they were. Two black and white orbs dance around on my palm in circles, not touching each other.112Please respect copyright.PENANAEw1syUcmLo
112Please respect copyright.PENANAOG01TTVw9l
112Please respect copyright.PENANAIpXRBhyK0j
My mouth falls open, and I look up at Stella, who can’t believe what she’s seeing.112Please respect copyright.PENANAh72alx6X47
112Please respect copyright.PENANAgHv5DrYMcu
112Please respect copyright.PENANAay3xs6StGm
"Stella," I almost stammered. "What does this mean?"112Please respect copyright.PENANA59qAfONAQ6
112Please respect copyright.PENANAKUHux7pTO7
112Please respect copyright.PENANAD8t9Nkg3hC
She doesn’t answer at first as she looks at the orbs in my hand. She shakes her head and, likewise, quickly runs down the dais towards me, grabbing my hand to look at the orbs.112Please respect copyright.PENANAC0yvdXgLKZ
112Please respect copyright.PENANAdAT6ZDG2IJ
112Please respect copyright.PENANAw01puzfQ0o
"This is unbelievable," she said as she looked at me in surprise. Raymond comes over to see this for himself. "The others will not believe this."112Please respect copyright.PENANABZGwmuS92B
112Please respect copyright.PENANATWLJD1MqGi
112Please respect copyright.PENANAnEeYL8sglA
"You haven’t answered my question, Stella," I said. "What does this mean?"112Please respect copyright.PENANAhAlm4F3eK3
112Please respect copyright.PENANAhvsIpSp4cn
112Please respect copyright.PENANAW4BRqu91oF
"It means you can control all six elements," she said.112Please respect copyright.PENANAxC8so285iK
112Please respect copyright.PENANAP0EEaVVdB9
112Please respect copyright.PENANAwJeAaqaJdV
I shake my head in confusion. "What?"112Please respect copyright.PENANA2biCY8dwuJ
112Please respect copyright.PENANA8VSTZJWlql
112Please respect copyright.PENANA5w1FNMCejz
I turn to Raymond, waiting for him to say something. I know he can’t lie to me.112Please respect copyright.PENANA1DcvxiBpQz
112Please respect copyright.PENANAX6QcFmmnjW
112Please respect copyright.PENANAZhNBRDmE7l
"It’s true," he says. "You naturally control all six."112Please respect copyright.PENANAS5tZ6Ac1BH
112Please respect copyright.PENANAEMGtkW2890
112Please respect copyright.PENANAhUpxh4brwW
I looked down at my open palm, and the orbs continued to spin around in my hand. This is a lot to take in.112Please respect copyright.PENANAQPphoudC7d
112Please respect copyright.PENANABTjM6dIm8e
112Please respect copyright.PENANAxkso1uVeCA
I can control all six elements?