The love of my loved one is on the other shore.
An arm of the river lies between us,
And crocodiles lurk on the sand-banks.
But I enter the water, I plunge into the flood;
My eager heart carries me swiftly over the waves;
I swim as surely as though I were walking on solid ground.
Love, it is love that gives me strength,
Averting the perils of the river.

-18th Century

A scream pierced the air. Sabestet raised a lustrous sword and shoved it at a man consumed by shadows. “I should tear out your eyes and feed them to Ammit!” His eyes were ablaze with fury.

“Oh but even Ammit would agree with my poor soul.” The voice laughed lightly at first but the laughter built and built until it became a screaming cackle. “You stole what should have been mine!”

“And so you decide to slaughter a thousand innocents until you get your way?” Sabestet growled these words out. “You are worse than Set himself!”

Nearby, a woman with striking black hair and piercing eyes slithered out of the shadows like a snake ready to spring; two young and petrified girls with an even younger and sinister boy followed her daring steps. The boy stepped boldly from behind the woman; his eyes shined ardently over at the shadowed man. “You are a monster.” The woman’s low, cold voice was filled with accusations and it forced the man’s mocking eyes to flash in her direction.

“Oh really, my dear?” The man stepped forward and her eyes narrowed with loathing. “But if I am a monster, than should that not make him a monster?” The man guffawed again and sneered at Sabestet. “Is that not right, brother? If I was born a monster, than by no means are you not one yourself!” The man laughed and a splash of silver flashed from his hand that caused Sabestet’s eyes to widen with trepidation.

“You are no brother of his.” The woman calmly spoke, her eyes flashing with a brilliant green.

“Ah that is true. Once his flesh runs through this blade, then he will be nothing.” The man’s lips turned up into a repulsive smile.

“Mereruka!” Sabestet shouted at his brother, his arm trembling with as much vigor as an earthquake. “I swear I will murder you here!”

Mereruka wickedly laughed and stepped forward, a sword sliding eagerly out of the shadows and scraping jarringly along the tiled floor as he listlessly dragged it across with a slow, monotone speed. “Oh how I will love sending your blasphemous soul to be weighed.” He chuckled eerily. “Will it be light as a feather?”

At this, the stone chamber flared with a brilliant and spellbinding light, blinding everyone momentarily and sending a spiral of agitated shouts through the air. Yet it was quick. The bright rays almost immediately began to melt away; a milky darkness stole over the entire length of the chamber in their place. And before anyone had a chance to move, like a thick curtain drawing across a window, a gray haze curled around their ankles and snuck skywards, plaguing the room in fog.

“How dare you.” Sabestet’s voice barked out, his blinded and panicked eyes feverishly scanning the deep, penetrating fog.

A taunting laughter echoed through the smog. “Is it to your distaste?”

“Curse you!” The woman screamed as she protectively shrank back, pushing her girls behind her and yanking the flabbergasted boy back behind her as well.

“Oh but I’m already cursed twice over, Serqet,” he purred. A sudden flicker of Mereruka’s argentous blade gleamed through the air. A great clanging vibrated off the walls. “Sharpen your blade, brother!”

At his word, Mereruka’s sword shot forward from the great expanse of darkness and smog. With a second’s reaction, Sabestet’s sword sprang into life, clashing against the fiend blade with a mighty clang. The girls’ sudden, surprised shrieks distracted Sabestet, and his blade was shoved against him as Mereruka - taking advantage of his distraction – forcefully advanced. Stumbling to catch his balance, Sabestet growled when Mereruka’s face materialized out of the fog. “Lowlife!” Sabestet spat out, as Mereruka’s face leered in front of his, their swords interlocked at a standstill.

“Oh, really?” whispered Mereruka. “Prove your power to me!” he shrieked. The madness in Mereruka’s eyes heightened and he sprang atop Sabestet. A violent retreat and parry began rapidly between them as Mereruka toyed with his out of practice, dulled brother. A weird and stifling silence hushed throughout the place, and the only sound that boastingly spoke were the sinister pings and pangs of the swords and the quick, rhythmic sound of their feet. Serqet and the children remained hidden within the arresting darkness – completely forgotten.

“You can never win, brother. This agitates me to play folly like this. Should I end it now?” Mereruka’s voice mocked. There was a mere quick flick of his wrist and the sword spliced upward beneath Sabestet’s torso. Blood sprayed across the unseen floor. Sabestet stumbled awkwardly and seethed with pain. His breath caught in his throat.

Mereruka jumped back and his gloating laughter rang around the chamber, but Sabestet stepped back, his hand clutching his side. His will was stronger than a mere cut. “Don’t act as though you have the upper hand.” Sabestet suddenly leapt forward and a great fire burst from his left palm. “You have always been a fool!” The fire shot forth at Mereruka, and cursing, Mereruka retreated back into the darkness. The fire exploded across the entire chamber, revealing the golden, towering walls.

The fire finally illuminated Serqet and her children, and they were standing much further back, watching with enraged eyes. Protectively, a thousand snakes and fiendish scorpions formed a moat around the children. The sinful creatures glared menacingly at Mereruka and spat out hisses as the fire sparked their glossy, threatening eyes.

“Don’t underestimate me!” Sabestet screamed.

“Oh?” Mereruka grinned, holding his sword at arm’s length. “You are slow and out of practice!” His laughter snarled through the air, and Mereruka vanished from sight. Sabestet, trying desperately to see through the dimming fire’s light, shouted in rage and gripped his sword tightly. “MERERUKA!” he screamed.

“Ah, brother, brother . . . better watch that temper.” His voice issued out like a whisper in the wind, and when he all too suddenly reappeared behind Serqet, his hand pressed a crude dagger to her throat. No shock escaped from her lips, but her eyes widened ever so slightly, and her children, except for the boy, shrieked in protest. “Ah, Serqet, this is a change. You are really weak – using all your energy to put silly guards around your defenseless children. You left yourself utterly vulnerable.”

“Leave her alone!” Sabestet’s face flared with horror and rage. His grip grew tighter on the hilt of his sword – his fingers digging into his hands – and he crouched low, ready to attack at any sign of movement from Mereruka.

“Or what will you do?” Mereruka grinned, reveling in his brother’s dread. “If I do this will you spring?” Mereruka pressed his lips to Serqet’s neck. “Would you?” His tongue lashed out and slimed up her dark skin like a revolting slug. Only a simple shiver spiraled throughout Serqet’s frame. Yet at this movement, Sabestet’s eyes darkened and a burst of fire sprang up from the ground. It raced toward Mereruka. Again laughter burst from Mereruka’s lips and he leapt away. The fire surged upwards and slammed atop Mereruka, caging him within its fiery depths. And although he seemed trapped, a howling roar of laughter burst from the flames, and they, along with Mereruka, instantly vanished from sight.

There were screams from the girls, and the boy’s eyes filled with delight. Serqet’s body stiffened.

“Come out, Mereruka!” Sabestet screamed as his eyes once again rapidly searched the room. The entire chamber was still and there was not a sound.

“Sabestet!” Mereruka’s voice joyously sang out. “Are we done playing?”

At his question, the air abruptly seemed to stir, and Serqet let out a shriek. “Sabestet, move!”

It was too late. Before Sabestet could even comprehend the words, he felt a piercing pain. Looking down he saw a spray of blood and the silver sword stemming from the pit of his stomach.

Month: Maias (May)

Date: dies Verenis 20th (Friday)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3:15 p.m.

“Prosper!” The scream tore through his ears. The dream shattered into a thousand myriad pieces and Prosper bolted from his stupor, tumbling off the edge of his chair and landing with a hard thud on the floor. Laughter consumed the classroom, and he felt every color of red rising to his cheeks.

Recovering and gripping the edge of his desk, he stood slowly as his friend Alice nearby stifled down a fit of giggles. His face felt terribly warm, and as he glanced up – deciding that the floor had not yelled at him – he saw the sinister glare of the teacher tearing a hole right into the pit of his stomach. So that was why his stomach was beginning to feel queasy. Or was it the laughter that was still peeling around the room like a drove of wasps? “Yes, ma’am?” his voice was but a stutter, and strangely, he realized that his bottom was now aching somewhat fiercely. What an inopportune time to be thinking such a thought.

“Shush!” The teacher, with livid eyes, barked at the students, just as the laughter was beginning to die down. How evil. She had definitely wanted to prolong his humiliation. Her eyes then swiveled painfully slow to Prosper’s blushing, nervous spattered face. Here came the inevitable inquisition. “What is the formula of a parabola?” The teacher’s voice was filled with vinegar – daring him to be wrong - and she pushed up her glasses on the bridge of her nose, which only seemed to be an intimidation tactic.

Prosper’s mouth dropped open in bewilderment. Weren’t they discussing hyperbolas? His eyes frantically glanced down to his empty page of notes. The eyes of his peers burned his skin as he sat there feeling utterly embarrassed. Surely someone would rescue him? His eyes shifted uncomfortably around the room looking for a life jacket, but all he saw were sneers, waiting for his failure. Only Alice next to him watched him with pleading eyes, praying that he would not humiliate himself. Her prayers would not be answered. With a deep breath, he shut his eyes and opened his mouth. Take the plunge. “Well, you see . . . I mean, that’s a very long, technical question there. . .” The teacher raised an eyebrow at him, and his face burned. “You see, a parabola is, you know . . .” His mind blanked, and his hands made motions in front of him as if trying to express the shape of a parabola. It was hopeless though. Adverting his eyes to the ground, he admitted his defeat. “I don’t remember.”

The teacher let out an exasperated groan. “Obviously.” Ouch. That word stung. “Sit down then. We had this last week. Does anyone know the formula?”

Alice’s hand shot up next to Prosper as he took his seat, and feeling grumpy, he rested his head on his hand. Why would she ask a question on parabolas? They were talking about hyperbolas! Not like he would have known that one either, but it just felt unjust. As he watched the teacher point to Alice, who stood up and gave the answer as if it were the simplest question, he felt shamed. How could Alice know everything?

When Alice sat back down, the teacher smiled warmly at her, but then quickly her eyes revolved to Prosper and she scowled gravely. “Maybe you would do best to study with your friend, Prosper.” The teacher turned back to write on the board, and her crisp voice only spoke out again, sending another roundhouse kick to Prosper’s abdomen. “I wish to see you after class.” Prosper moaned and hit his head on his desk in disgrace. Alice rolled her eyes and gave him a stern glare. He glared right back at her and then rolled his head around to glare instead out the window at the malevolent sun. That sun and the droll voice of his teacher had been the direct cause of his slumbering. Life was so unfair.

As he attempted to watch the teacher with some amount of attention, his brain had a different agenda and still decided to wander. A yawn escaped his mouth and his brain tried to think back on the dream, but nothing came. It was void. Nothing remained. Though he could not help but think that it was important. Ah – but who really cared. He was so sleepy. And math was just so . . .

Forty-five long and unbearably dull minutes later and the bell chimed blissfully from overhead. Prosper sat like a lump as everyone else in class sprung out of their desks with enthusiasm. He listened as Alice scooped up her bag, and with his head on his desk still, he watched as her feet stopped right in front of his desk. His eyes flickered upwards to her scornful face. “I’ll wait for you, Prop. But honestly, if you need any help I’m always here.”

Prosper’s face scrunched up. “I don’t need help!” His voice was exasperated and Alice only rolled her eyes. “I have a flawless grade in this class, I do. I need some stimulating drugs or something.” Slumping down into his seat, he sighed and snarled at the sun. “Or someone can fire a nuclear bomb at the sun. Either one works for me.”

Alice raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms as she shook her head. “I wonder about you sometimes. Why not just get more sleep and put down the cards and video games?”

Prosper was appalled and made a disgusted face in answer. “Never!”

Alice snorted with laughter and then smiled. “Well, whatever. I’ll wait outside . . . Go talk to Mrs. Crab before she blows a fuse.” She waved her hand and walked out of the classroom, her chin-length, curly black hair bouncing as she walked. She was Prosper’s best friend, but was also the annoying, smart, good conscious that took the place of the angel that was supposed to be on his shoulder; he assumed the real angel had taken an infinite vacation. Therefore, because Alice was always watching over him, she never left him alone. It was always right or wrong with her. That high-pitched and know-it-all voice of hers always played over the loud speaker in his head when he had to make a complicated decision, but he knew that even though they were the same age of fifteen, she was much brighter than he was and that sometimes annoyed him. However, no matter how obnoxious her voice could become, she was loyal beyond words, and she did have her spontaneous moments – always getting way too hyped up about the smallest of mysteries.

Not to really mention it, but she was extremely adorable for a nerdy bookworm. Not that he saw her in the girlfriend kind of way, but he could admit that she was pretty. Short and maybe just as thin as a rail, she had a petite body that made her rather cute when angry and also reminded him of an irate chipmunk; though she would kill him if she knew that. Cropping her face prettily, her bobbed hair had a bouncy swagger to it when she walked, and the midnight black color made her soft blue eyes all the more enigmatic and electric. Even the baggy, rather unfeminine clothes she wore brought out her adorable personality.

Nevertheless, as he sat there analyzing his friend, he felt a sinister aura clouding and stifling his air, which snapped him out of his phasing. There she was, Mrs. Crab. She was tapping her long fingernails atop her desk and was waiting impatiently for him to acknowledge her.

Hence with less enthusiasm than a man heading for the electric chair, Prosper stood up and dragged his feet over to her desk where the sinister woman heaved a sigh. Perhaps she would let him off with a warning?

“Yes, Mrs. Crab?” Prosper asked uneasily, his voice trying to remain steady.

“I’m disappointed in you!” Mrs. Crab growled. He saw the police officer shredding the warning ticket up right before his eyes. He was doomed. “You used to do so wonderfully in my class.” She looked disgruntled and Prosper sighed. He knew this was coming. “You had a low one in my class, but a one nonetheless. A grade of one in any class is a high honor.” She pushed her glasses up on her nose, staring darkly at Prosper through her hawk like eyes while he wondered if her glasses could go up on further on her nose. “But lately you have been lackluster. Falling asleep and dazing off into space!” she seethed out sharply. “Is there something the matter?”

“Oh no, I’m sorry.” Prosper apologized, ruffling his hair and trying to find the right words to say. “I haven’t been getting much sleep is all. It’s really nothing.” Moreover, that was the truth in all sense. He could not sleep well of late.

Mrs. Crab glared at him in suspicion. “Well, if that is all, I suggest you get more sleep. And if you cannot, I believe your roommate is Zeik; have him get you something to help you sleep. Or you can always have him knock you out. He is quite a robust boy.” Prosper stared at her in disbelief. She wasn’t serious, was she? “I really do not care what you do. Just get more sleep! And the next time you fall asleep in my class you will be seeing me for a detention, understand?” Prosper nodded numbly. “I know math may not be as exciting as let’s say those bloody weaponry classes, but it still must be learned!” Prosper nodded again solemnly. She was letting him off the hook? As she waved her hand to motion for him to leave, his heart did a summersault. Though as her eyes were still filled with venom, he did not show his glee in the slightest. Merely bowing his head, he spun around and scurried quickly out of the classroom.

What a relief! Prosper tilted his head back as he left the room and let his aching neck crack. He had survived!

A yawn escaped his lips though. He was so unbelievably tired. As another huge yawn burst from his mouth, Alice’s voice ruptured his eardrums. “Prosper, over here!”

Prosper turned and saw his friend leaning against a tall window, the sun – which had murdered his day – was charmingly silhouetting her presence. Now, that was what he called cruel. With a shake of his head, he meandered over to her. “Hey.”

In silence they began to walk down the school hall together, Alice carrying a tower of books. The silence between them was awkward, and he knew that she was biting her lip to stop from assaulting him with questions. What did it matter? “You know, Alice. If you keep holding everything inside, you’re going to burst your small frame.” He chided her softly, poking her arm.

Puckering her lips, Alice blew a puff of air from her nose and began the battering. “What did Mrs. Crab have to say?” Ah, the sweet sounds of a girl’s twenty-questions. How it made his ears cringe.

Prosper shrugged. “She just asked if anything was wrong.”

“What did you tell her?” Alice asked, fiercely pulling for more answers as they roughly bumped past a group of chatty girls. She was a great sleuth.

“Ah, well, you know . . .” Prosper smirked uncertainly. “I just haven’t been sleeping well.”

Still demanding, her voice was suddenly filled with concern as well. “Really, what do you mean? You never told me this. Why?!”

Well, if it weren’t for the weird, disturbing dreams. “I have been having these . . ” Suddenly and quite shockingly Alice gasped, forcing Prosper to cut his explanation short. He knew the look on her face: that bug-eyed expression with her lips forming a perfect little circle and the sparkle of intrigue in the corner of her eyes. Something strange had happened – something she found fascinating.

Alice halted abruptly to the displeasure of the people behind her. They glared at her and hissed insultingly as they passed, but she did not seem to hear. Prosper tossed a not so apologetic sorry in their direction. Here it was coming. She was going to explode. He was considering ducking behind a nearby trashcan when she started more calmly than he thought was possible for her. “Prop, I found something interesting in the paper.” She carefully knelt upon the floor, sitting on her oversized skirt and probably dirtying it. Prosper watched with a skeptical eye as the people walking by stared with bewildered eyes down at her furiously digging through her books like a lunatic.

“Alice . . . Um . . . Are you okay?” Prosper asked softly. This was strange – very strange.

Alice disregarded his comment, and he assumed she had caught a foreign disease. Yet as she sprang up from the floor, her books tumbling from her hands, her smile radiated with her discovery. “I found it!” She waved the newspaper nosily in the air, and Prosper sighed heavily, bending over to scoop up her books as people glared on. Ignoring her books and allowing Prosper to pick them up, Alice went rambling onwards like a steam engine. Chug-chug thought Prosper. “Prosper! You have to see this. There are thieves in the neighborhood.” Her voice was animated and frantic. Of course it was something of that nature. Detective Alice would be all over anything of that matter.

“What about thieves?” Prosper questioned, his voice remained steady as he stood up and tried to balance all of her books. “I really don’t understand how you carry all of these,” he grumbled as a book on the top of the stack teetered dangerously.

“Yes, yes, well . . . Never mind that. Look!” She violently shoved the paper in front of his face, and not catching himself in time, he plummeted to the ground off balance. The books flew into the air, and as he flung his arms over his head, they tumbled painfully on top of them. A tremor of pain spread through his body. He groaned and silently cursed. “Are you hearing this?!” Alice’s voice screeched from above. What?! His eyes flicked angrily up at her. Did she not notice the spectacular stunt he just pulled off? Did she not care that her hundred heavy texts just declared war with his head?

He knew the answer though. It was a resounding no. “Did you hear?!” Alice chimed again even more loudly. He should have known. This was how she always was when she found such a scrumptious treat.

“I heard.” Prosper mumbled, feeling that his butt had been through enough abuse for one day. Why him? He rubbed his head where one book had hit him rather heatedly.

“Well, then look!” She bent down, shoving the paper back into his face. Fine, fine. He snatched the paper from her pushy hands.

He scanned the front page containing an article about some silly thieves. And even though he was already hurriedly reading the article on his own, Alice, as smugly as possible, began to articulate specific, obvious parts. “They call them the Relic Thieves.” Tapping her foot up and down, she waited impatiently for him to inquire more.

He eyed her and handed over the paper, giving up on reading it. What was the point if she was just going to tell him every minute detail? “Why could that be?” his voice dripped with feigned interest as he snatched all her books and stood up, praying that he would not drop them again.

“Because they only steal extremely old, priceless relics.” She smiled proudly.

“Whoa!” Prosper gasped. “Did not see that one coming!” Prosper allowed the sarcasm to ooze from his mouth. “I mean how clever!”

Alice scowled but continued bantering on anyways. “They’ve already been through four cities. Moving from the southwest to the northwest. Karelia, Votice, Benning, and Prance. Now they are here in Nagoya! Or at least it is rumored that they are.”

Votice? This caught his attention. That was a huge restrictive city in the south. It was like Nagoya and completely surrounded by solid brick walls, and watchtowers were spaced strategically around the entire city. It was a miracle for a mouse to even escape the inner walls without passing through the security blockades.

“Votice? They weren’t caught?” The surprise in his voice was hard to disguise. He did not want to show his heightened interest in fear that she would continue on all day.

“Not at all! That’s what is so amazing!” Alice was hysteric by now with excitement. Darn, he had been too enthusiastic. These books were getting heavy, and if she did not stop soon then surely a disaster would ensue. “It’s so strange and baffling. They’re like ghosts. They move in and out without a trace, slipping through every crack and crevice. Supposedly, in Benning, they set up a whole barricade of guards surrounding the city, and they never moved from their posts. They checked every person’s identification that left and entered the city. But it did no good. A few days later, the thieves had struck in Prance. Truly remarkable! They’ve stolen a lot of sacred artifacts. It’s horrific, really.”

Prosper bit his lip as he thought and shifted his weight to his other leg. The books were unbearably heavy. “Well, how do authorities know they’re here?”

“One of the items that would surely interest the thieves was in Prance for a few months, but it was moved to Nagoya when the thieves were in Benning. They believe the thieves had gone to Prance for it because they went and then left before stealing anything major! The police are almost positive that those thieves are here.” Alice stopped as Prosper chuckled lightly. “What is so funny?” she asked grumpily, frowning at his jesting.

“Well, I mean Nagoya?” Prosper could not contain his laughter which tumbled out of him like a ferocious waterfall. “They wouldn’t! It’s a city with one of the three prestige academies, our school. Only if they were dense would they stop here.” Alice’s lips slowly became sterner as he continued on lightly. “They just wouldn’t dare, Alice. They would be caught in an instant. It’s completely idiotic.”

Their city of Nagoya was known for the Erudite Academy, which was the one and only school in Shallot for paladins, or physical combatant soldiers. Just as Prosper had done when he was young, most children – if they desired – could be enrolled as early as ten years of age. It was a decision made by the child, parents, and the Master – who heads the school. Children showing exceptional fighting abilities – above the norm for humans – could find an application waiting in their mailbox the day that child turned ten, or later if the ability appeared in later years. In Prosper, he had always been abnormally strong since the age of two. He could easily move a car single handily when he was three, and by the age of four, he had accidentally hammered down the east wall of his family’s garage – sending him into a year’s worth of being grounded. It made Prosper feel better when he found that most students at the academy admitted similar awkward incidents that left their parents infuriated.

Once at the academy, every student undergoes training and is sent through rigorous trials to become the top of the line soldiers. Paladins are trained in order to protect Shallot in case of war, or even simple emergencies throughout the world, such as profound murders or crimes. And although it is a combatant school, every student must also take on regular school course loads with the addition of the special training. It is a rigorous and tiring schedule. The school expects nothing less than the best from each and every student, and if a student cannot keep up, they are put on probation. If in a few months they do not show improvement, they are expelled for life.

However, the Erudite Academy is not the only school for combatant training. Two other cities, and only two, around the world of Shallot hold academies. There is the Augury Academy within Gothun, next to the Ferwell Mountain Barrier. Then there is the Nigh Academy in Vikeen, on Toron Island. These other academies function in the same way as the Erudite Academy. The only difference lies in the types of students admitted. The Augury Academy accepts only magicians, humans who are magically inclined; the Nigh Academy accepts half-humans that have animalistic qualities and were born from a beast and human. With these two academies and the paladin academy, Shallot’s fighting ability is immensely strong, making it highly impractical for anything terrifically bad to happen within these three cities. Anything, or anyone, disturbing the peace would be caught faster and with more ease than if they were in a different city.

“Yes, they would, but I suppose you’re right.” Alice sighed heavily and her voice became filled with dejection. She floated to the ground and sat down with a flop. Her eyes watched the floor with sadness, as if all her fun had been sucked away. “They will probably get caught easily by coming here. So much for my enjoyment.” She flounced backwards and dropped her head to the ground, causing a walking pedestrian – not seeing Alice lounging depressingly on the floor – to trip, sending him dramatically flying into the wall. Prosper cringed as the boy stumbled away from the wall and down the hall, grumbling furious curses under his breath, but too self-conscious to yell at Alice. Alice, on the other hand, was completely oblivious to the giant shoe that had careened with her leg and sent the unfortunate boy sideways in to the wall. Prosper tried hard to stifle his laughter at her lack of attention.

“Hey, I saw that!” A gruff voice attested nearby. “What an innocent bystander. One should never get in the way of Alice when she’s on one of her mystery buzzes.” At the sound of the sarcastic and contemptuous voice, Prosper glanced up from Alice and saw his friend’s unnaturally tall, spiky blonde hair fall first into his line of vision.

Sauntering down the hallway, his friend Zeik was smirking wickedly, his jester green eyes filled with ridicule. As he saw Prosper eye him, he threw his head back and roared with laughter. “Ah – I’m guessing she did not even notice!”

“Zeik!” Alice gasped out, springing up from the floor as she heard his voice. “What, did I miss something?”

Shaking his head, Zeik smirked at her, and sashaying around her, he stopped and crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow at Prosper, who looked back at him suspiciously. “Something wrong?” Prosper asked guardedly.

“No, not particularly.” His wicked grin betrayed him though and Prosper began to slowly back away, hugging the swaying pile of books to his chest. Then all to quickly, Zeik launched foreword. Prosper’s eyes only had a second to widen in horror before Zeik pummeled him, wringing his arm around Prosper’s neck and wrestling him into a choking headlock. All of the books plummeted to the ground, and Alice’s crisp laughter cut across the air. Sputtering for breath, Prosper’s fingers clawed into Zeik’s thick tree trunk arms. “I – I c-can’t b-breathe!” Prosper gasped out as Zeik commenced to rub Prosper’s shaggy hair ferociously.

“How have you been?!” Zeik growled out, laughing along with Alice at Prosper’s discomfort.

Prosper wheezed under the choking hold of Zeik and kicked, trying everything to escape his grasp. “C-co-come o-on!” he whined, attempting to hit Zeik’s solid stomach with his hands – none of the hits even phased Zeik. This was so not funny.

“You didn’t answer my question.” Zeik chuckled, grabbing Prosper wrists in his massive hands and holding him. “Don’t injure yourself little guy.”

A growl rumbled in Prosper’s throat and he unhinged his jaw. If that was how it was going to be. He had to use his last offense or die. With another growl, his teeth clamped down, chomping into Zeik’s hard muscled arm.

Shocked, Zeik grunted and leapt away, shaking away and dropping Prosper who fell to the ground gasping for breath. Air burst rapidly into Prosper’s lungs, and he sputtered on a series of coughs. Laughter peeled through the air, and Prosper was boiling with annoyance but he dropped his forehead to the ground. The cold marble felt soothing against his forehead. Glaring at the floor and taking in slow, deep gulps of breath, he managed to bark out between each draught. “I – hate – you!”

Zeik snickered as he stared at the teeth marks imbedded in his arm; he rubbed the sore spot vigorously. “How could you say such mean things?” Zeik pined out sarcastically.

Prosper’s head spun around and he shot daggers at Zeik with his eyes. Zeik merely smiled playfully down at him. “Why am I friends with you?” Prosper cried out in distressed. Zeik simply laughed more.

“Because I’m the best thing that’s ever happened to you, babe.” Zeik purred, grinning and then bursting into more laughter as he saw the apparent disgust on Prosper’s face.

Before Prosper could interject however, a clear and honey-sweet voice pierced the air. “Babe? I knew you were always a bit wavering, but I never expected that you’d leave me for a boy! Let alone Prosper.” A tall girl with ravishing bushels of forest green hair stared down at Prosper with apologetic chocolate brown eyes that seemed too large for her small face.

Prosper blinked up at her for a few moments before laughing out loud. “Kendra!” His third best friend in the world.

Kendra wrapped her thin arms around Zeik as his bottom lip jutted out into a pout. She seemed too small for his large frame. Zeik’s hand slid across her forearm. “You know I would never look at someone else. And if I ever fell for a boy, it would never be Prosper!”

Prosper raised a hand to his chest, pretending to feel insulted. “I see where your loyalties lie!” Prosper pushed himself off the ground and crossed his arms stubbornly. “Just forget about everything that we shared last night why don’t you!” Oh, Prosper knew he was dead, but at least the look of shock on Zeik’s face made everything a thousand times better.

“W-what are you talking about?!” A vein was about to burst on Zeik’s temple.

Kendra glided out of his reach and raised a non-approving eyebrow at him. “What is this that I’m hearing about? Were you two playing doctor last night?” Kendra rolled her eyes as Zeik’s mouth dropped open further. Alice, after snorting with laughter, returned to quickly perusing the newspaper in hopes of picking out some more interesting news. “You know I never argued about you becoming a doctor, but if you’re going to be experimenting on Prosper and touching all his private parts . . . well, we’re going to have to talk.” Her voice was calm and serious as she watched with unabashed eyes while Zeik’s own eyes slowly grew tormented with the thoughts of having to talk.

“I guess that settles it, are you two breaking up then?” Prosper asked nonchalantly. “I mean I don’t think we could ever stop playing doctor.”

Zeik’s eyes flashed toward Prosper with fury. “Oh, I’m going to kill you, squirt!”

“Is that so?” Kendra said, wrapping her protective tanned arms around Prosper’s chest and squeezing him to her so that his face was planted between her . . . well, if Prosper had to be proper, her great endowments. “You’re not going to touch a hair on his head.”

Zeik wrung his hands in despair and then did a one-eighty, turning his now pleading eyes to Kendra’s face. “Ke-endra, ple-e-e-ease! You’re the only girl for me.”

Taking one long glance at his face, Kendra’s facade broke into a million of smiles. “Ah – who am I kidding?” She pressed a sweet kiss on Prosper’s cheek. “Sorry dear.” She released him, skipping into Zeik’s eager arms, as he snatched her away greedily.

“That’s okay,” Prosper laughed, looking away quickly as Zeik’s lips climbed her long neck in a thousand tiny kisses that made Kendra giggle.

Alice’s eyes flickered up and she made an audible noise of repulsion. “Just because you two are dating does not give you an excuse to be smooching in the hallway.”

Kendra’s wicked eyes flicked to Alice’s face slowly. A devilish smirk lit her face. “Oh, Alice, you’re here? I barely noticed. Perhaps you should grow a few inches?” Alice hissed. “I suppose we could go to our dorm, but my bed is always terribly messy. Would you mind if we used yours?”

Wide eyes, Alice let out a whining groan. “Don’t you dare! That is so disgusting!”

“You know someday you’ll find a boy and you’ll want to kick me out of the dorm. I just know it!” Kendra giggled wickedly while Alice rolled her eyes in frustration and crammed her arms into the mismatched pockets of her skirt.

Prosper, bemused, began to brush up the books once again, trying to get them all in one giant scoop of his arms. These were his best friends. Each and every one of them had barely a thing in common, but somehow they had all met and united together – like a band of estranged superheroes.

Kendra, sixteen, and Zeik, seventeen, were the oldest of their posse. Both stood at towering heights, and both had rather muscled builds but still retained the elegance and stealth of cobras. With slender forms and almost shockingly perfect figures, they were the ideal couple. Kendra was known for her accomplishments in combat all around the school. While Zeik had similar combatant skills, he was also known for being the nurse’s right-hand man. Zeik aspired to become a doctor someday and was constantly found lounging lazily in the nurse’s office, bothering her at all hours.

Even their polar personalities fit together quite surprisingly well. Kendra with her laid-back and boyish disposition fit Zeik’s jesting and obstinate behavior. While he may pretend to be interested in every deliciously appealing girl around the building, Kendra knew to ignore that because Zeik’s faith and trust was stronger than his ‘man urges’ (as Kendra liked to call them). Their love was unbreakable. It could shine through Kendra’s outgoing spunk and Zeik’s ogling. They were strong enough to see past each other’s faults. Theirs was one of those rare loves that only come around once every thousand years. Every now and then when their eyes met, it was obvious that not just the world around them ceased to exist, but the universe itself would go quiet and nothing could break their bond.

So with those last two, they made up in Prosper’s mind the superheroes of the cosmos. Each one had their unique personalities and superpowers – though he was not sure what those were. He was not quite sure of names even, but they were definitely superheroes. He could have written a comic book if he had wanted to.

Suddenly, Prosper heard his name and he snapped out of his deep thoughts, glancing stupidly around at the three of his friends as they stared at him in confusion. “Something the matter?”

“What is this, Prop?” Kendra asked with a clear disappointment in her voice.

His head swamped with confusion. He had clearly missed something. “Wh-what did I do?”

Then it came. Zeik’s hand struck him over the head so forcefully that he let the books drop once again and they landed painfully on his feet. Cursing loudly – catching the eyes of many students – he hopped up in down, nursing his foot and seething with anger. “What the hell was that for?!”

“When did we raise you to be a slacker?” Kendra chided with a shaking of her head; her glossy pink lips were turned down in a frown.

Pain and bewilderment stunned Prosper. “What did I do?” he cried out helplessly.

“You fell asleep in class, Prop.” Zeik said.

Prosper’s eyes flashed to Alice’s with accusation and she shrugged with a smile. Why did she tell them that? And why did it matter anyway?! “You fall asleep all the time in class, Zeik!” he growled out. “What’s the big deal?!”

“Yes, but that’s normal for Zeik.” Kendra said and Zeik smirked sheepishly with a shrug; his slacker-like behavior was well known. “That’s definitely not a Prosper thing to do. What happened?”

“I don’t know; I just haven’t been sleeping well.” Prosper answered grumpily, kicking one of the books on the ground. He supposed he would just leave them there out of fear that they would wound him again.

“That’s it?” Kendra asked, raising an eyebrow and losing interest.

Yet Zeik suddenly grinned slyly. “Got any girls on your mind?”

Kendra and Alice’s faces perked up at this. Kendra laughed ruthlessly. “Is that so?”

“What?” Prosper fell backwards in surprise and he immediately felt his face turn tomato red. What was this – twenty questions again? “No, it’s not like that!”

Alice suddenly squealed with delight. “Your face is so red!”

Prosper waved his arms out in front of him and began backing away. “No . . . I swear. I just haven’t . . .”

“Oh, don’t worry. I already know, Prop.” Zeik said, watching as everyone’s surprised eyes turned to him, even Prosper who had no idea what he was talking about. “I heard you mumbling in your sleep.” Prosper’s eyes opened, horrified. “What is her name? It started with a ‘S’. You’ve been muttering it quite often.” The wicked smile grew on Zeik’s face as Prosper, grimacing, took a step back.

The excitement on Alice’s face was clear. A new mystery. She pounced toward Prosper like a cat to a bird. “WHAT? There’s a girl! Who, who, who? Tell me now!” she cried out exasperatedly.

Prosper winced beneath their death stares. Had he really been saying her name? There was no way. He didn’t even know her name. What was this? His voice stammered out and it sounded like a lie even to him. “I – I – don’t know.”

Kendra covered the distance between them rapidly, and as he stumbled away, he felt himself pinned against the far wall, which he groped at in rather a doomed way. “Lies!” she hissed. “Why would you lie to your friends?” Her voice filled with an immaculately sweet appeal. It was a lie though. He knew it! He would never give in. His heart raced. He saw Zeik waiting to advance himself. He had to think fast.

“I-it’s just a girl n-named S-s-sara!” The name came out so quickly. There were so many girls named Sara; they would never guess.

“You wouldn’t lie to us,” Kendra purred out, running a manicured blue nail down his cheek.

Sweat dripped down the back of his neck. “O-of course not.”

Kendra retracted her finger, and she glanced at Zeik who shrugged with a skeptical look. Her eyes then flashed menacingly back to Prosper’s petrified face. “I don’t think we believe you. What do you think, Alice?”

Alice shook her head with a slight giggle. “I think he’s a liar.”

“B-b-but come on!” Prosper whimpered desperately.

“No, but I think I’ve come to a solution.” Kendra smirked and eyed Zeik who grinned back at her. They were on the same wavelength. “Let’s beat it out of him.” Prosper’s heart plummeted into his stomach.

Zeik stretched his arms out and snapped his neck to the side, the bones cracking jarringly and causing Alice to squirm at the sound. “Doesn’t sound like a half bad idea.”

“WHAT?” Prosper yelled, pushing himself away from the wall and around Kendra who watched his every move with calculating, enticing eyes that were filled with pleasure.

“We’ll even give you a five second head start.” Kendra smiled down at him. “Aren’t we generous?”

Prosper flinched away, very unsure. They would never.

Kendra cleared her throat. “One!”

“You wouldn’t!” Prosper growled between his teeth.

“Oh, we would.” Zeik snickered. “Two!”

“Alice, do something?!” Prosper pleaded, his eyes beseeching hers.

Prosper instantly whipped around and raced down the hall. Kendra shrugged. “Well, two is enough. Five is almost too generous.” At that, Kendra and Zeik dashed after Prosper. Alice, remaining behind, just shook her head, kneeling to pick up her abused books, as she watched them tear around a corner and disappear.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 9:10 p.m.

Sefi stared off into the darkening night sky, her eyes bedazzled by the few twinkling stars that tried with all their might to outshine the powerful glow of the city lights. How she wished she could see more. Why did the city have to kill everything?

She trailed her hand over the rotting desk she was lying on while playing with a loose string on her skirt. Like a velvety, kitten-soft silk, her fine silver hair flowed over the edge of the desk in great tumbles that would have enchanted any hairdresser. Her dark blue eyes watched the giant moon methodically, and her pale skin stood out starkly against the dark blackness of the night. “Sabaru?” Sefi breathed out in a soft whisper. There were so many things she wanted to know. Interrupting her thoughts, a sudden shiver ripped through her small frame as the wind blew in harshly from the broken, dusty window.

“What?” Sabaru’s head popped up from the moth-eaten mattress where Suni, in her sleep, was clinging to him like a rag doll.

“I don’t know how to ask this.” Sefi glanced over to Sabaru as his eyes grew alert and he stood up, prying Suni’s fingers off him. He clambered his way over, not stumbling at all over the random objects strewn across the floor like forgotten remnants.

“What is it?” he asked, feeling worried at the forlorn look on her face. Perching himself at the opposite end of the desk, he slipped his hand into hers and rubbed her arm, noticing the iciness of her skin. “You’re going to catch a cold.”

She shrugged him away. “Do you think that it was right in coming here – to this city I mean?” Her words were filled with anxiousness.

He nodded thoughtfully. “Of course. Why is that?”

“Well, I just have this disquieting feeling like something bad will happen.” The hair on the back of her neck stood on end. Her body was filled with apprehension and she did not know why. It had been like that ever since reaching Nagoya. There was something malignant in the air. Absentmindedly, Sefi pointed to the moon with her thin index finger and a tiny ice heart took shape at the tip of her finger. Next to the heart a knife of ice materialized, and with a flick of her other hand, the knife ripped through the heart, shattering it into tiny frail pieces.

Sighing heavily, Sabaru obviously did not find this amusing. “Don’t be so dramatic, Sefi.” Sabaru rolled his eyes, and he turned away from her, dropping his hand out of hers. The shadows ate his face up and she could no longer see him.

“But Sabaru!” Sefi said, hating the almost frantic quality her voice had taken.

“Nothing will happen, Sefi.” He turned back to her with a smile planted on his face. Why was she not reassured? “Everything will go as planned. You always worry too much.”

“No, it’s different, brother.” Sefi whispered, dropping her hand over the desktop once again. The ice exploded into water and fell with a splash on the ground. “It’s really different.”

Silence followed as they just stared at each other. As Sefi stared, it took her only a minute or two to once again notice all their astonishing similarities – the similarities that all three of them shared: silver hair, blue eyes, and snow-white complexions. They were remarkably alike, even for siblings.

Sabaru, a little more than eighteen, had a strong jaw and a face as smooth as marble. He was tall and lean like an ancient, godly statue. His bright eyes analyzed her through small, silver rimmed glasses, and his curly, shaggy hair fell about his face like a cloak, hiding his thoughts. He was always more quiet and more deep in thought than her. He kept his feelings locked away. He never let his siblings worry about him. All that mattered to him was their safety, and this often terrified Sefi. She knew that he would go to any lengths to keep them safe, even if it meant forfeiting his life. And she knew when his strong, protective voice answered her plea that it was after considering everything she had said. “You will both be safe. I will guarantee it. I’d never let anything happen to you two.”

Saliva was building up in her throat, and she had to take a deep gulp in order to speak. “It’s how I feel though. It’s hurting my heart, and I know that you would never let anything harm us. But I worry about us.” Sefi bit her lip as she peered at Suni lying on the mattress in the corner. Suni was curling up against the blanket now and clinging for dear life as if she were drowning and it was her life preserver. Though this childish act was understandable considering she was only seven years old, and in truth, it was as childish as she ever was.

Sabaru and Suni looked the most alike. She had hair just like her brother’s, but hers fell to her shoulders in bouncy rivulets. Her adoring cherub face was beginning to show the same angular signs that Sabaru’s face had, and her tiny body had the same wiry quality to it that his had. However, she had none of Sabaru’s charm and her only cuteness came at the expense of others. This was because she only played the innocent child to get what she desired. Her manipulation skills were outstanding. Suni truly was a vicious little devil full of pranks, and her stubbornness and curiosity were no help.

Sefi tilted her head to the side in deep thought. “What have we gotten ourselves into?” The words were meant to stay in her head, but they had fumbled out too quickly.

She pulled herself up so that she was sitting up, and she instinctively pulled her knees to her chest. She was the only one of her siblings with straight hair. She looked the least like them and it sometimes pained her. It felt as if she did not belong in their secret society. Her thin body and frail limbs were much more fragile appearing than her siblings. It made her feel like a breakable porcelain doll placed beside army tanks. She rather didn’t like it herself. Not appealing at all. Perhaps her bosom was fine, but otherwise she felt like a tall, lanky grasshopper without coordination skills. One time her brother told her that she was just in denial of her alluring beauty and elegance, and when she had stopped talking to him for a week in order to contemplate this, he never spoke of it again when she had firmly denied his accusations with a list of fifty reasons why she was not appealing.

And if it was not bad enough that she was not a replica of her siblings, she had this obnoxious ability that always set her apart. It was her ability to control water and ice, and sometimes she loved it and other times she loathed it. It set her apart. It made her different. She only wanted to blend in. She did not want to be different. But then again, it was hers and hers alone. It was her special quality.

“What do you mean?” Sabaru leaned back on his hands and stared up at the mingling stars that she had been watching only moments ago.

“This whole stealing thing.” Sefi’s fingers curled around her knees as she clasped them tightly.

“What? Is it wrong?” Sabaru yawned and turned his eyes intently to her. She did not look over.

“Yes . . . We are stealing from good people.” She sighed heavily. Why was she the only one who always felt bad about these things? Did no one else find this wrong?

There was a sigh from Sabaru, and he half-smiled with understanding. “Look, we need the money more than those rich people do. They have homes to go to, don’t they?” The change was quick – very quick. Sabaru’s eyes turned harsh as a new thought occurred to him. “We’ve paid our debt to society. Have we not suffered enough?!” A raw anger drove his words, and his voice was gruff and unsympathetic. “They stole from us first.”

“No, that is entirely wrong.” Sefi whispered, looking down at the white bandages that twisted up her arms. It was proof. No one had stolen from them. She had been selfish. She had given up.

“Don’t you see, Sefi?!” Sabaru pleaded gently, noticing her eyes were staring sadly at the bandages that branded her arms with hot irons. “They tried to tear us apart with their greed. They tried to ruin us and strip us of our humanity. That devilish woman was so greedy!” His hands tightened into fists; his nails dug deep into his palms. “I will never forgive them! I will never forgive those wretched people! They stole our parent’s money! They stole what was ours!” His eyes turned to hers with a pained look. “And worse of all . . . they tried to steal you from us.” How much pleading could she bare? “Is there any worse sin than that? Do we not deserve what we take?” Sefi remained silent until he crept closer to her, slinking behind her so that she could feel his hot breath on her neck. Why were they all so much warmer than she was? They were deserts and she was the lonely icecap. It was so unfair, but she loved them all so much. “Sefi, please understand. I could not bare seeing you in so much pain.”

“I see.” Was all that she could manage to get out. It was still her fault. She was shivering with chills. It was unbearably cold now.

His arms wrapped around her and he pressed her body up against his warm chest. His body was bracingly warm. “Therefore we will continue to find these relics for the rogues who love them so much that they would fork over a fortune for them. We will find them and be eternally rich so that when we retire to a far off planet on some island, we will be forever in peace and no one should ever bother us.”

“Yes.” Sefi snuggled down in her brother’s grasp. An island where they could live in peace would have been bliss, but she felt her stomach sting. There was so much that they were risking. What if something should happen? Panic began to well up inside. “But Sabaru, even after all of these quests, you insist we give our money away to charities and poor folk groveling on the streets. We will never get our island that way. We are risking our lives and for what? Other needy people too helpless to help themselves? People too lazy to help themselves?” There was no malice in her voice but the words stung Sabaru nonetheless.

Sabaru sighed again and pressed his cheek up against her soft hair. This time there was a sorrowful pain in his voice. “We are fine, aren’t we? I can’t resist seeing helpless people all around. Perhaps we are saving lives. I mean all of those haggard mothers with starving children. They could have been us! I feel so wretched, but I can’t help it Sefi! These people need it more than us. As long as we keep enough to get by, we can manage. We’ll eventually get to our island. Can you bear with me?”

“Of course. I could bare anything for you,” she mumbled, knowing the calm smile that was replacing his frowns. It was time for a subject change. She did not want to prolong his suffering. It would lead to nowhere. “So what is the plan here?”

“Tomorrow night, we are hitting a jewelry store which should be quite easy – just something simple. We are cleaning out a mansion before heading to the north side museum.” Sabaru said quietly and simply. He was always the planner. Everything for their entire stay would already be planned out in advance, far in advance.

“Why is that? And what mansion?” Sefi asked, trying not to think of the dangers ahead.

“When we were in Prance I ran into a certain rogue. I suppose he came off a bit funny to me, but he offered so much money for this peculiar item. I just couldn’t resist. A solid gold statue of an Egyptian goddess . . . I can’t quite remember the name, but she had something to do with scorpions.” Sabaru began, launching hurriedly into the details. “The rogue paid half upfront and will give the other half when we meet him, which we will set up by phone at a later time. However, this statue is with a rich entrepreneur known by the name of Lucas Ingrid III. He’s well known in Nagoya, or so I have heard, but it should be simple. The mansion is pretty substandard for what we’re used to. I’ve already gone to check it out. Shouldn’t be too hard to sneak into.”

“Well, I suppose it shouldn’t be too terrible if it really looks that easy.” Sefi admitted with a yawn. “But what about the paladins?”

“That I am still considering, but if we strike early enough, they will be none the wiser.” Sabaru smiled hopefully.

Sefi yawned again and felt her head nodding. She knew she could not concentrate for much longer and his warmth was making her sleepy. Sabaru seemed to notice her thoughts and pulled away from her ever so gently. “You should sleep. You look dead tired. I’ll keep a lookout instead.” Sabaru stated slowly, but then laughed when Sefi gave him a surprised look. “I can’t sleep anyway. It’s okay, really.” He was reassuring her and her body was listening. She knew that he needed sleep and was lying, but her body could not keep awake.

With a thick nod of her head, she slid off the desk and placed a thank you kiss on her brother’s cheek before she plopped her tired, aching body on the rough mattress. The pillow beneath her head jabbed her with feathers that poked out of the shredded pillowcase. Her thoughts were confused and before she drifted off to sleep, her syrupy voice mumbled out, “It would be nice to have a soft bed.”

“Yes, sorry about that. Maybe after this mansion . . . I’ll work on it.” He then smiled as he saw the stillness of sleep wash over Sefi like a kiss from the Sandman.