A Fantasy Becomes a Reality...

Chapter One || Day in the Light

Daybreak took the breath of the seas. The birds flew high signaling a bright new day for the people sailing away on The Barra. It was a ship that was pearly white and huge. The wooden floor was constantly spotless as the crewmembers aboard kept them clean. Some chairs were placed on the deck near the rails for the people who wanted to sit down and look up at the blue sky. Most of the Barra’s cabins are at the lower deck, while the first-class ones are at the upper deck. The captain’s cabin was also at the upper deck, where the captain was able to navigate the Barra. One of the cabin doors above burst open as a seventeen-year-old girl came out to take in the morning air.

Dawn was her name. She had a stunning pair of cerulean eyes that shone in the moonlight and short, hazelnut hair that dazzled in the wind. She wore a white shirt and a blue miniskirt that matched her brown sneakers. She has this way of making people smile whenever they felt sad or lonely. It was almost her instinct to be nice, but there are times when she can get out of control. Her personality was enchanting. For her, there’s always a time for being serious and a time for having fun.

After studying the Sepra and Esepra magic for ten years, she was coming to her hometown, Willinom, once again for one sole purpose. She was going to take her final trial to be able to use magic to its fullest. Taking this trial required training in places called Quarters. There was always one of them in each city.

The Sepra and Esepra were mainly the topics being discussed in each Quarter. The Sepra was also known as ‘the forbidden skill’. No man should ever use it since its power was mighty and deadly. Fortunately, no one had this skill and no one was ever destined to own it. As for the Esepra, this was the magic normally everyone would use. It consisted of black magic, white magic, blue magic and red magic. Most humans have this skill, and it’s considered helpful to their lifestyle.

Willinom drew nearer as the Barra sailed. Dawn’s jaw dropped as she found her hometown very surprising. Everything was just as she remembered it ten years ago. The fair morning breeze chilled the neighborhood. The ocean waves ran back and forth along the sandy shores, cleansing it. Palm trees that waved at the shining sun and the fine, white sand on the beaches added a pleasant mood to this town.

As the Barra soon docked, Dawn ran to the other side of the ship. She grabbed her brown shoulder bag lying on the deck as she sprinted towards the shore with the use of a long, wooden ramp that connected the dock and the Barra. For a moment, she looked at the town in front of her. She clasped her silver necklace and closed her eyes, thinking of the years she missed in her hometown while studying.

Her silver necklace had the pendant of Aquaris suspended upon it. The pendant of Aquaris happens to be a rare, round, blue stone that gives off a mysterious power to the owner. It is also called an Aquaris’ stone. It was given to the Lady of Aqualone, the woman who uses the most powerful water magic for fifteen years, when she was born. She had been declared as the Lady of Aqualone at the age of sixteen.

She imagined herself, at that moment, as a child who was thrilled to explore the world around her. She was a child who would touch the rough bark of the palm trees, feel the sand slipping between her toes and hear the soft whisper of the waves near the town’s busy streets. They all gave a meaning to her; life is beautiful, yet complicated.

Her metallic wristwatch beeped twice. She checked the time, and knowing that it was eight o’ clock in the morning, she panicked. “Oh shoot!!” Dawn said as she began to run. “I’m late! I’m late!!” She was always persistent about being early. She was a student who was never tardy in her whole life, until now.

She kept running, passing through the streets filled with strangers headed to work, purchasing items in the market and accomplishing their morning tasks. There were little children racing against each other at the sidewalks. Most of the citizens surrounded the market where pleasant merchants sold their goods. Dawn could smell the crisp, aroma of newly baked bread from the farthest corners of Willinom and the scent of flowers that encircled the town.

As she ran, she dug into her bag and pulled out these important papers. They contained data about herself and her attributes from her previous Quarters, Cerulean. Cerulean Quarters is found at the town of Shorem, which settles in the far northwest of Willinom.

She dashed into Crimson Quarters. It was a silver dome with its roof covered in dark red. All Quarters are technologically advanced and formal. There was a serene garden that bordered the Quarters. In this case, Crimson’s garden was adorned with red roses. Every door in the Quarters slid open automatically and is made of clear glass, with the exception of bathrooms and dormitories, which are made of metallic silver. These doors of metal open by sliding upwards vertically. The floors were made of shiny, white marble, apart from the dormitories, which were carpeted. Crimson Quarters had their carpets in red.

Quarters were particularly strict about the dress code. Crimson Quarters had uniforms in black with red patterns and lines around it. The girls wore a black short-sleeved blouse designed with red hems and the short skirt circled with red patterns. They also wore black leather shoes and knee-length white socks. The boys wore uniforms in long-sleeved shirts and pants. The red patterns and lines are only found on what they wore on top. Most students talked and chatted in the comfortable lobby, some came out of their dormitories from the north and a very small number of them strolled into their classes.

“Ahh!! I’m late and lost!!” Dawn panicked in the middle of the lobby. “Okay...Stay calm...What should I do?!”

A young fifteen-year-old student skipped out of the business office, at the right of the lobby. Her name was Pine Faranil. She was a cheerful young woman who always had this positive personality. She had short, light, brown hair in many small braids and gentle brown eyes. She always tries to keep everyone glad. She wouldn’t let a frown stand in her way. Pine is very active and immature, yet she handles it well. She can be emotional, but that rarely occurs.

Pine approached Dawn and queried with a smile, “Hiya! Are you the student from Shorem?”

“Yap,” Dawn answered. “I’m Dawn Clawing from Shorem. I was sent to take my final trial here. I think I was supposed to meet someone who’ll show me around, but I dunno when he or she will get here, ya know? Uh...am I too late?”

“Nada...Not even by a fraction of a second.” Pine said as Dawn calmed down. “The name’s Pine. I’m here to, you know, show ya around. Lady Renne just sent me a few minutes ago while I was in the business office. She’s like a student to most of us in Crimson.”

“Lady Renne? Ooh...Isn’t she the head of Crimson?”

“You got that right!” Pine gave her a thumbs-up and looked at the cafeteria to the left. It was swarming with young students, taking turns in choosing their meals. “Hey, let’s go there! I’m sure you’re hungry, aren’t you? The food here is yummy.”

“I’m starving...” Dawn held her stomach. “I haven’t had a bite since I came from Shorem. Maybe after we eat, you could show me around Crimson?”

“Alrighty,” Pine nodded in agreement and began walking towards the cafeteria.

As they strolled, Dawn observed the setting around her. The students throughout the place and the calmness of Crimson Quarters seemed ordinary to her. ‘They all remind me of...’ Dawn hardly thought of anything else. Images of Cerulean Quarters were created in her mind. She saw herself studying in class, looking up into the sky of stars with fellow students by her side and running about the quiet gardens of her previous Quarters. ‘Cerulean.’

The cafeteria doors opened automatically as they should for both the young girls. Students lined up for their meals. The tables were made of glass while the chairs were red and sturdy. A fountain of the fire god, Ifrit, was displayed in the middle of the cafeteria.

In all Quarters, payment for food is not needed. They make sure that the students are prepared for their daily activities, therefore it is not a requirement for the students to pay for their meals.

Students are the ones who served meals in Quarters. The classes who are assigned to serve are required to be within the levels 6 to 10. One class within those specified levels is scheduled to serve three meals in one day, namely breakfast, lunch and dinner. The next day is handled by another class in those corresponding levels. This process goes on and on. When all classes of these particular levels have accomplished the task, it is then repeated.

Snacks are served after classes, but the students are not required to work for this meal since it is already prepared by the cafeteria’s staff.

Dawn and Pine took their trays and lined up for their meals. There was the famous Sorell cake, which was golden brown and perfect for the morning. The Sorell cake was served in slices. Reaksol fish came in second, which was one of the genuine tastes of the east since it is a fish covered in Vendel sauce. Vendel berries were also available, which were sweet berries that were served in bowls of whipped cream. There were more foods that were served for breakfast. There was some butter and bread and a small number of bacon and eggs. Fruits were served too, including the tropical fruit, Drea. It has a taste of sourness, but after sometime consuming the fruit, it takes on a sweet taste.

“Hey Pine!” Summer, a student of class B6, said as she held a ladle in her hand.

“Hi Summer!” Pine waved in front of her. “What’s up?”

“Not much...Breakfast has been going smoothly for a while.” Summer replied as she pointed at the kitchen behind her. “Not for Derick though. He burned his finger twice over cooking some bacon.” She giggled as she spotted Derick in the kitchen glaring at her. “Oh, who’s your friend?”

“She’s Dawn.” Pine faced Dawn. “She’s from Cerulean Quarters, taking her final trial here.”

“Nice to meet ya, Dawn. I’m Summer, Pine’s friend.” Summer introduced herself. “Well, I better get back to work. Don’t want Lady Renne to give me another lecture...So, what’ll you guys have?”

“Hmm...Those bacon and eggs look yummy, and that Sorell cake smells freshly baked.” Dawn stared at the delicious foods. “I guess I’d have those.” Summer grabbed a clean plate and served her the foods she chose to eat.

“Ah, I’d just have two slices of Sorell cake.” Pine smiled. “Not much, but they’ll do for breakfast.” Then Summer served her two golden brown Sorell cakes.

Before both Pine and Dawn proceeded to their table, Summer whispered, “There are two bowls of Vendel berries left. I suggest you take them now before the others cause a stampede, if you know what I mean. I heard they’re really sweet today, that’s what makes it yummy.” Without hesitation, Pine and Dawn held out their trays while Summer gave them the last bowls of berries.

“Thanks, Summer!” Pine and Dawn expressed their thanks in chorus.

“No problem.” Summer responded as she continued to serve the next group of students.

Pine and Dawn sat on a table next to the fountain. They both sampled their meals. While Dawn ate, she looked at every corner of the place. She found it remarkable. It gave her the feeling of being at home. It seemed that she never left Cerulean. The curtains and seats of her previous Quarters were the color blue instead of red. All was the same. The arrangement of the furniture or the size of the room was probably not equal to the one in Cerulean, but as she put all those into one idea, they formed the beautiful Quarters of Shorem.

“Excuse me,” a waitress came up to them with a tray of beverages in goblets. “Would you like a drink? We are serving grape and Drea juice for this meal. Drinking water is also available.”

“I’ll have Drea juice.” Dawn said, and the young lady gave her a goblet of Drea juice.

“I’ll have that too.” Pine said, and the waitress handed her a glass of Drea juice and approached another table.

Dawn had been caught up in a daydream. ‘Is it me,’ Dawn thought to herself. ‘or am I missing Cerulean already? I can’t...there’s so much I’ve been missing right here in Willinom. Geez, everywhere I look, everything I touch, every feeling I feel makes me wanna go back to the past...’

She recalled faintly, what happened ten years ago. At first, she heard the sounds of the calm ocean waves and the laughs of children. Suddenly, she heard screams, gunshots and the clashing of swords. It was just too much to bear, that a tear slid down her face.

“Hello...?” Pine inquired, as she snapped in front of Dawn’s face to get her attention. “Everything alright? You seem troubled...”

“It’s nothing.” Dawn spoke, as she smiled at the beauty of Crimson Quarters. When Pine tried to get her attention, it made her feel glad. She found someone who was concerned about her. She found a friend at her very first day in Crimson Quarters.

“Come on, Dawn!” Pine called to her as she stood near the cafeteria doors. “Lemme show you around.” Dawn took her last sip from her goblet of Drea juice and brought her tray at the side of the cafeteria. This was the place where trays are placed when one has finished their meal. Dawn skipped towards Pine, and they began their tour of Crimson Quarters.

They passed the lovely gardens where a number of students conversed. Dawn found it similar to Cerulean, only in her previous Quarters; there were a lot more who would spend their time in the gardens. When they came upon the library, she saw the place filled with thousands of books. There were towering shelves, students and teachers reading in the area and some computers to search for information on the XeRonn.

Technology is a necessity for the people of Yora. The XeRonn is one of the great creations of this world. XeRonn stands for Xeranade Ronné, which means ‘eternal blessing’ in an ancient language. The XeRonn is truly a blessing since it is a vast network with masses of information.

Later then, they passed almost every classroom and found themselves standing within the Red Rose dormitories.

The Red Rose dormitories were given to students who excelled in their attributes greatly. These rooms were most likely given to students within the levels of 6 to 10. Dawn and Pine stood outside door number eleven, exhausted after the tour of Crimson.

“Okay,” Pine panted. “I guess you ran too fast.”

“Sorry,” Dawn said. “It’s my nature.”

“No problem!” Pine opened door number eleven next to her. “This is your room.” Dawn stepped into the dormitory. There was a bed covered in a red blanket. Two white, fluffy pillows sat at the head of the bed. A side table lay across the left side of the bed with a lampshade on top of it. A white cabinet was set at the right side of the bed. At the corner was a white study desk. There was a window which showed the garden of red roses surrounding the Quarters. The room was very spacious. All Red Rose dormitories were alike to this.

“You can stay here if you’re tired or check out Crimson again.” Pine spoke. “I’ll be next door, number twelve, if you need any help.” She looked at the wall clock in Dawn’s room. “It’s only nine o’ clock, so class will be starting in an hour!”

“Okay,” Dawn said. “I guess I’ll get ready ‘til then. See you later!” She closed the door and lied down on her cozy bed. A black laptop peeked out from her shoulder bag. She took it out and turned on the device. On the screen, the words that appeared were:

W E L C O M E T O T H E
X e R o n n N e t w o r k

Username: Dawn Clawing
Password: ____________

Once she had access, she opened a file containing an unfinished song. “It’ll take me years to finish this.” Dawn groaned. “Uh...I need inspiration.” Her ambition was to become a singer. She would tell no one about it. To reach her dreams, she wrote songs. She always seems discontented with her works. Because of that, she would discard her last song and write a new one.

After seeing Crimson, the words came to her mind. Pretty soon, she began typing. ‘It’s only a few words,’ Dawn thought. ‘But it’ll take shape. I just hope this is the right one.’ Dawn closed her laptop and looked around her room. When she approached her study desk, there were two text books, a notebook, two codes and a few papers. The first book was ‘Fallen Origins’, a book about the origins of the Sepra and Esepra, and the second was ‘Elementia’, a book about the elements of the Esepra. The codes were for locking her dormitory and bathroom.

Dawn entered the bathroom of silver and white. The tiles were white and glossy, giving the bathroom a neat look. There was a white bathtub with its knobs in metallic silver. A white sink and toilet was at the right side of the bathroom. Their handles were of silver too. A big, oval shaped mirror was set in front of the sink. Two white towels were hung at the left side of the bathroom, clean and dry.

“Hmm…looks almost like Cerulean.” Dawn said, as she closed the bathroom door and checked the cabinet. Her Crimson uniforms were inside. Dawn took one out and said, “Might as well get changed. Don’t wanna be late for class!”

Ten minutes before the first class began; Dawn was looking at the gardens of Crimson through her dormitory window. She saw a few butterflies fluttering by the roses and a pair of blue birds settled at the birdbath. At that moment, someone knocked upon her door.

“Who is it?” Dawn questioned, as she approached it.

“It’s Pine!” The girl at the other side replied. Dawn quickly unlocked the metal door by entering the code and it opened automatically before them. “Hey, you got the uniform! You look cool!!”

“You really think so?” Dawn turned around slowly, flashing her outfit. “I guess its hip!”

“Yeah, it is.” Pine said. “Come on, grab your stuff. I think you already saw them on the study desk. Oh, and don’t forget your laptop. They did give you one at Cerulean, right?”

“Yap!” Dawn responded. “I’ll just get ‘em, okay? Wait a sec...” She went back into the room and took her things on the study desk and her shoulder bag. She left her room and locked the door. “Okay, let’s go.” Both the girls walked towards class B6 for their first class.

Near the rosebushes was a lady with long, black hair in armor listening to the wind. As she breathed in the cool air, she stared at the clouds. They gave her the thought that Dawn was nearby. She watched Dawn disappearing into class. Her smooth, red lips gave a smile. “A promise will be kept...Good luck, Dawn.”

Class B6 was at the end of the hall. Some were already seated, while some were still headed towards the classroom. Summer stood outside, waving at both Pine and Dawn. “Hey guys!” Summer yelled. “I saved seats for you two!” They entered the class B6, full of noise and laughter. Paper planes flew through the air, the sound of footsteps from students running around the room and the giggling of young girls were heard. It was the typical class you would find around Crimson Quarters.

The classes are categorized into any of the five letters ranging from A to E. The letters have no meaning, but their levels do. The Quarters have ten levels under one letter. At levels 1 to 5, the students are taught the basics of Esepra. Students who are going to obtain the Esepra magic through studying will be able to choose their type of Esepra magic they will use when within these levels. They rarely discuss about the Sepra. The elements of the Esepra are introduced at the fifth level.

At levels 6 to 10, the students are taught about the origins of both the Sepra and Esepra. The elements of the Esepra are explained more within these levels. Summoners are already taught how to call out the spirits of guardians. Physical training, such as battling with wild monsters, is done. The Students in these corresponding levels use the Esepra regularly during classes. The students who are within these levels may take the final trial.

Classes are read by the letter of the student first following their level.

“Right here,” Summer directed Pine and Dawn at the center of the second row. “The other desks have been saved.” Summer sat in front of them at the first row beside Derick. “I’ll be right here.” Dawn sat down next to a young man named Tunner Kaisere. He was at the age of sixteen. He had spiky, light, brown hair and dark brown eyes that made him look mature. Tunner has a habit of getting angry easily, but he handles that fairly well. He has a lively personality. You’d only see him frown if he was deeply devastated.

Dawn tried to get a good look at his face, which was shaded in shadows. Curiously, she questioned him, “Are you alright...um...?”

He presumed that Dawn was asking for his name. “Tunner.” He revealed his face in sorrow.

“Uh...right, Tunner!” Dawn spoke. “I’m Dawn. I was just wondering if you’re okay. I mean, you don’t look so good, ya know?” Tunner didn’t give an answer.

“He’s just nervous about his final trial.” Pine interrupted. “We’re getting our results today!”

“It ain’t no ordinary test, ya know?” Tunner stuttered as he banged his fist on the desk. “This is like the finale! The end of it all!! I don’t know what to do if I had to do this trial again. I’ve already done it twice, and they keep making it complicated. I mean, what’s up with that?!”

“It’s the final trial, Tunner.” Pine sighed. “It’s supposed to be complicated.”

Instructor Leshia entered the class with papers as she balanced the clear glasses set upon her face. She stood behind the teachers desk and said out loud, “Settle down, students!” In an instant, the students sat at their rightful places. “That’s better. Well, I’m here to announce that we have a student from Cerulean Quarters joining us today. Her name is Dawn Clawing.” She faced Dawn. “Dawn, you may address me as Instructor Leshia or Lady Leshia. Students, please make sure that Dawn will be able to fully engage in the activities of Crimson Quarters.”

Lady Leshia, who was in her twenties, distributed the papers she held in her hand to most of the students. “The results for the students, who took their final trial yesterday afternoon, have been given.” Pine and Tunner were two of the students who were able to receive the results. “You’d be happy to know that most of you have passed and received excellent marks.”

“Score!” Tunner bellowed as he stood up and raised his fist. “I passed the test!”

“Yahoo!” Pine shouted gladly as she jumped into the air. “I did it! I did it!” The other students who succeeded in the trial did the same. They rejoiced and screamed for their accomplishment. Those who failed were disappointed, but they were willing to try again.

“Those unsuccessful of yesterday’s exam will be able to undertake the new one tomorrow afternoon.” instructor Leshia stated. “To those who have passed, you will still be attending classes until next week; nonetheless, you would not be graded for your actions. Now let us begin with today’s lesson, the end of the Eidolesc period. Take down notes since this can be very helpful when using magic.”

Trials are assigned to students during classes. These trials tell if the students have improved their attributes or not. The trials are physical tasks accomplished with the use of the Esepra magic. Each trial given to a student is different from another. It is the student’s choice to take the trial or not. The most important trial is the final trial.

The final trial may be taken if a student is within the levels of 6 to 10. If a student within the levels 6 to 10 has passed this trial, he or she will no longer take classes in Quarters. This means that that person has become a master of the Esepra. The final trial is prepared every two days. Even if a student fails, they can still try again.

Classes ended at four o’ clock in the afternoon. Students flooded the gardens at that moment. Pine and Dawn sat on a bench to cool off for the day. Tunner, Derick and Summer left for the cafeteria for some refreshments. The day seemed strenuous for Pine. It was as if the sky was falling, but Dawn’s joyful mood had the heavens in place.

“How’s Crimson so far?” Pine asked. “It’s great, right?”

“It’s so cool!” Dawn said as she looked up at the blue sky. “Everything reminds me of Cerulean. From the classrooms to the cafeteria, they can be easily compared to my past Quarters. The people and the instructors are what changed this whole place into something spectacular! It’s like I never left Cerulean!!” She raised her hands in the air, showing how much she appreciated Crimson Quarters.

“She sure shows a lot of enthusiasm.” Tunner walked in as he was tossing a muffin in his hand. “Uh...Summer and Derick are still eating in the cafeteria. I got you guys some snacks. Here, catch!” He threw each of the girls a warm muffin. “So, what’s up?”

“Oh, Dawn’s been telling me how Crimson was.” Pine responded as she took a bite from her snack. “Hey, can you tell us why you left Cerulean? I mean, it sounds like a really neat place! I heard they’ve got all sorts of stuff like weapons and statues in display around Cerulean. I wish Crimson would have that kind of stuff!!”

“Here’s the thing,” Dawn began. “Most final trials from Cerulean are to be held in some other Quarter around the world of Yora. There are a whole lot of students in Cerulean and not all instructors can deliver the final trial for each student. To solve the problem, they would direct some students to different Quarters around the world to accomplish the final trial, and I was sent here. It only happens in Cerulean because it’s highly populated.”

“Whoa!” Tunner jumped back in astonishment. “You sure know a lot!”

“It comes in training.” Dawn said calmly and stood up. “And ya know what? I think I’d be staying in my room for tonight. I’d like to study and practice for tomorrow’s exam.”

“That’s cool!” Pine smiled. “Oh, and I gotta get ready for dinner. It’s my shift tonight.”

“Okay,” Dawn waved at them as she proceeded to her dormitory. “See you tomorrow.” Tunner and Pine disappeared into the cafeteria.

As her door closed, the gardens became awfully quiet. The noise of the students and the chirping of the birds were silenced by the mysterious woman in armor walking by. She heard no sound since her thoughts were concentrated on Dawn. “I cannot deny it. The stars are approaching her. They are about to collide. I can feel that the time is nearing.”

That evening, she was browsing through her books in sleepiness. The yellow glow of the lampshade gave Dawn a calming effect as it lighted the words on her textbooks. The muffin that Tunner had given her that afternoon had been left on her side table uneaten. She had been devoting her time to studying for hours.

“Maybe it’s time for a break.” Dawn slammed her book shut and ate her muffin.

Pine knocked upon her door with a tray of food a few minutes later. “Hello, it’s Pine. You there, Dawn?” Dawn unlocked her door and gazed at the foods Pine delivered to her. “Tunner and I thought you were hungry, so we brought you dinner.”

“Thanks,” Dawn showed her gratitude as Pine set the tray on top of her study desk. There was a quarter of fried chicken showered in gravy and a cup of rice. Some mashed potatoes and corn were the side dishes of her dinner. There was an ice cream sundae covered in chocolate syrup, topped with a luscious cherry. A goblet of cold water was at the corner of the tray.

“That’s all I wanted to bring.” Pine made her way out the door. “Good luck studying.”

“Thank you,” Dawn said. “See you tomorrow morning.” She locked her door and sat at her desk. While she ate, she thought of the difficulty of the final trial. ‘What do they actually do? Is it that hard? I wonder how much more I have to study...’

When Dawn finished, she told herself, “I’ve been doing a lot lately. I guess this is enough for today.” She stood up and got ready for bed.

Minutes later, she snuggled up in the crimson blanket and fell asleep on the comfortable, white bed. The yellow light of the lampshade lit her sweet face as she drifted off to her pleasant dreams.

“My lady, she has given this to me.” Instructor Leshia handed her an envelope of crimson. They stood out side door number eleven of the red rose dormitories. “I heard that it will be held tomorrow night.”

“I see...” the lady in armor examined the item. “Golden ink...This truly came from her.” She slipped the envelope under the door number eleven.

“Are you sure about this?” instructor Leshia’s voice softened.

“Positive. It may not be secure therefore I shall watch over her.”

“Thank you, Lady Reiko.”

The night was calm accompanied by the rustling of the leaves. The moonlight overlooked the town of Willinom. As the cool atmosphere roamed the night, the street lights eliminated a few of the shadows that wandered the town. Silence drew nearer as the time had gradually passed.

| Past || Future |