Chapter 1: The Journey Begins

Skyla finds out the Mist Emerald was stolen and goes on a journey. She meets Kaba and Ashburn.

As the sun started to glimmer through the bare window of Skyla’s room, a chilly wind blew in and woke her. She sat up in her wooden bed"her back aching from the hardness of which she slept on. She stood up and looked out the window. Another quiet and boring day, she thought to herself. Skyla walked to the room next to her small bedroom, which was the even smaller kitchen. She opened the one and only cabinet for breakfast, but it was bare. Opening the door that led to outside a crack to make sure no one was going to see her sneak out, she could already hear the insults and curses from the people in her mind.

However, there seemed to be panic in the area, and everyone was running around screaming and crying like lost children. Skyla didn’t understand what was going on and decided it was a good time to gather fruits and berries while she wasn’t noticed, but then a newspaper on the ground had caught her attention. She picked it up curiously and looked at the article on the front page. It was titled: Mist Emerald Stolen.

 Right after she read the title she dropped it in horror, her breathing and vision becoming faint and blurry. Pull yourself together Skyla…This isn’t the time to be frightened. I have to get it back for everyone’s sake, she told herself silently. Though the words had calmed her down a bit, she was still nervous. Who would’ve taken it, and why? Skyla remembered legends she had heard from her childhood. The words echoed in her head from her grandfather before he passed away:

“Many years ago, there existed 10 clans-the ones we have today, each governing the various aspects of our world, when a great cloud of evil descended upon us. A man, or better yet a monster, then appeared to the people of the clans and threatened them to submit to his will. The leaders of the clans then gathered in secrecy, hoping not to alert evil lord, and began to craft their very powers into various jewels to hold the concentrated power given to them.  Each one was crafted after their clan's elements: Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, Light, Dark, Shadow, Lightning, Plant and Cloud. The powers held within each jewel held the pure powers of each clan and the exact nature of the element they were dedicated to and, with them, the evil lord was sealed away amongst the jewels and then scattered into sacred sanctuaries built to house each of these powerful gems. Everyone knew not to take the jewels from these places for fear of having the evil one, Amon, return and send the world once more into a perilous era.”

Skyla searched the area for anyone that seemed to be suspicious, or at least have a clue of what’s going on. Then she smiled at the thought. Even if she were to ask someone for information, they would shun her away. Everyone called Skyla the “cursed demon”. She was an only child of a poor family. When she was 6 years old, she woke up one morning to find her parents had been murdered viciously. The townspeople searched around and found the weapon of murder under Skyla’s bed. Everyone was outraged, but Skyla defended herself and locked the house up from invaders. Ever since, everyone has stayed away from her. No one found out the real truth of what had happened.

Skyla thought about the clans of the world. Wind was her own clan. After a few moments of thinking, she decided to visit the clan that had the most skills of finding information and spying-Shadow. Though the clan wasn’t the most trustworthy, it was the best option she had. Luckily, none of the other clans besides her know only a little bit about Skyla from gatherings, and they didn’t know about her parents’ mysterious death.

 She snuck out of her village silently, taking a basket with her from her house. First she had to prepare for her journey. She went to the fruit trees that were right outside the village, and started picking them. Luckily, the gardener that tended to them was too frantic to notice her. Skyla usually had to hide in the trees picking them quietly. The gardener sure had the eyes of an eagle, and the hearing of a cat. One false move was disastrous, and Skyla learned that the hard way. After picking a few apples and oranges and placing them in her basket, she was finally ready to take on the journey and go where no one has been before. She took out the map she always carried in her pocket for emergencies, and started walking toward the Shadow Clan’s village.

After a few hours of walking, the village was finally in sight. Skyla fell on her knees panting from exhaustion. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed something pass by. Her breathing stopped, and she stood up slowly and tensely. She looked around nervously, when all of a sudden… “HIYA!” Skyla whipped around, stumbling and fell. A boy about a year younger than her smiled and she stuttered from shock. The boy laughed, looked at the mark of the Wind Clan on her shoulder and said “Hey, why are you all the way out here? Aren’t you from the Wind Clan?” Skyla took a moment to recover, then she stood up and said “S-shut up! You’re from the Fire Clan, so why are YOU out here!?” She took out a knife she kept for protection and the boy backed away a little. “Hey, hey…I’m not trying to start a fight or anything I was just curious…Err, I was just chasing a squirrel in the woods nearby and well…I guess I got lost, ahaha... Anyway, why are you here? Oh yea, I’m Kaba by the way.”

Ever since Skyla’s clan turned on her, she trusted no one. She didn’t trust Kaba and she looked at him that made him frown uncomfortably. She replied “I was just exploring…That’s all.” Kaba looked at her and nodded, believing her. He asked, “Can I join you then? I really like seeing new sights, and maybe I’ll find my way back…” “No.” Skyla interrupted. Kaba was taken aback by the sudden sharpness of her voice and how quickly she answered. He looked like he was about to cry for a moment, but he brightened up again and said “Oh why not? I won’t be in the way"I promise! Please let me go with you, please?” Skyla looked away and said again “No, I’m going on my own.” This time Kaba let a tear down his face and started sniveling. Oh great, a whiney emotional brat. Just my luck, Skyla thought. She started walking away, but Kaba started whimpering and sobbing, and the noise just got louder every step she took. She stopped, turned around and said “Ugh why are you crying?” Kaba shook his head and looked at her with pleading eyes, saying “I-I just wanted to go on an adventure with you…You didn’t have to be so…So mean about it…”

Skyla sighed, frustrated and annoyed. She didn’t want anyone to know what she was doing, or follow her. Then another boy appeared before them. “Kaba, what are you doing? You were supposed to wait for me in the village…Who’s this girl? Did she hurt you? Why are you crying?” This boy looked about two years older than Skyla. He turned to her and glared, pointing his hand at her. Kaba stepped in the middle and said “Stop brother! She did not hurt me. I was just upset she wouldn’t let me go on her journey with her exploring.” Kaba looked up at his brother and the boy put down his hand. “Fine”, said the older boy, “But you can’t go exploring. It’s too dangerous.” He then looked at Skyla. “I’m sorry that my brother has caused you trouble, err…” “Skyla.” “…Skyla. I’m Ashburn. Come Kaba, we should go back.”

Kaba sighed, obviously annoyed by this. “But Ashburn, I’m strong too! I can handle these things on my own.” Ashburn looked at Kaba and frowned. “You couldn’t even stand up to a girl. This is why you shouldn’t wander off like that. Let’s go home.” Kaba looked down at the ground. His face was red like an apple’s. “I-I can be strong too…Why don’t you believe in me, brother…?”

 Skyla started feeling awkward being there. She tried sneaking away, but Ashburn stopped in front of her. “Where do you think you’re going in such a hurry?” He asked suspiciously. Skyla narrowed her eyes and replied “I’m going to where I was going before your annoying brother appeared.” Ashburn shrugged and said “Oh, I thought you might’ve turned your back on your clan by stealing the Mist Emerald and going after the rest of them…” Now Skyla was offended. She slapped Ashburn and yelled “I would never do such a thing! I’m trying to find out who took it! Maybe it was you!”

Skyla and Ashburn glared at each other for a few moments, when finally, Kaba stepped in and said “Skyla, please believe my brother and I. We didn’t take the Mist Emerald from your clan.” “Prove it.” Skyla dared. Kaba looked at Ashburn and nodded. They emptied out their pockets, revealing their own gadgets and gizmos. Skyla looked through the random items they laid out, and sure enough, there was no Mist Emerald.

She sighed after a few minutes and said “Fine I believe you, but that doesn’t mean I trust you.” Ashburn and Kaba took back their stuff. Then Kaba smiled a little and said “If you believe us, doesn’t that mean you trust us a bit?” He snickered, which annoyed Skyla. Then he continued, “Hey Ashburn, maybe we should help her look for the jewel! I mean, the weaker the seal gets, the higher chance you-know-who will show up again and…” Ashburn interrupted, “No, our only concern is the Flame Ruby, Kaba. Stop trying to nose into other people’s business.” Skyla muttered “Well can you let me pass now?” Ashburn moved to the side, letting Skyla pass.

  Kaba watched her walk away, and then started following her. Ashburn was taken aback by this, and stuttered “Ah, Kaba where do you think you’re going?” Without looking back, still following Skyla, he replied “I’m going to help her out, that’s where I’m going. I want to become strong as well, and the whole world can suffer from the loss of the jewel.” Ashburn didn’t know what to say. He never saw Kaba act like this before, and he started thinking that maybe this was for the better. “Fine, but I’m coming too then.”