The Creative Righters Journal
Teen Fiction
Cardinal in the Cage
By: Derek S., 12
Nothing was better than Borys Pellar’s behavior at the cafeteria. He usually starts a big conflict by finding a broken plastic fork! He likes to bully kids that are shy, so Sebastian would be fresh meat for him! Most of the girls at Sebastian’s school think that Borys is CHAOS! Let's see how Sebastian finds his way through Lenslim Middle School.
Borys rides the bus to school every day. Sebastian would also take the bus a few times a week. When Sebastian was on the school bus he knew it was gonna be another horrible school year!
Sebastian would always remember his first day at Lenslim middle school”. On his first day when he got ready for school, his baby brother Aron ripped his backpack so he’d had to use the backpack he used when he was 6!
He transferred to Lenslim Middle school because at his last school there was a bully named Floren.Floren would put tape on his hair and chase him to the second floor bathroom and push Sebastian's face in the toilet! He was the reason Sebastian transferred to Lenslim middle school.
This was Sebastian's second year in Lenslim Middle School. He couldn’t think if he should have transferred.
When Sebastian was on the bus he tripped on Borys’ leg.
Borys snickered. Sebastian just stood up and ignored Borys.
Sebastian sat on the very last seat at the very back side of the bus.
Borys stood up and swagged toward Sebastian.
Sebastian tried not to look towards Borys. Borys came and put his face right in front of Sebastian's face. Sebastian could smell Borys’ disgusting breath. It smelled like a batch of garbage with air conditioning. Borys put his face so close that Sebastian hit his head on the back of the seat!
Borys stared at Sebastian for a moment then turned around to his seat. When the bus driver stopped at the next house he saw a girl coming on the bus. He had never seen the girl before. but Sebastian didn't really care. Sebastian was just enjoying thinking that one day he would never see Borys again.
When Sebastian was at school he was forced to go to the principal's office. Sebastian didn't really care.
He got sent to the principal's office a lot of times because a few months ago Sebastian caught a flu so the school parents are worried that it might pass to their kids so the principal had a hard time calming the kids parents down. But, when Sebastian was at the principal's office everything was completely silent. After Sebastian went out of the office it was already lunch time.
Because it was lunch time, he walked across the cafeteria and got a tray and a plate. Then, he started getting ready to get his lunch. It didn’t take Sebastian too long when he noticed the lunch specials sign that says “Friday's meatball specials” everybody at the school hates meatball Friday‘s. It tasted disgusting.
But Sebastian didn’t really care. When it was Sebastian's turn to get his lunch, Borys came up and shoved Sebastian really hard! Sebastian fell to the ground, everything on his plate fell off! A lot of other kids snickered.
Borys laughed and laughed. Sebastian felt like Borys would never stop! Borys finally stopped when he was about to cry. Sebastian thought that was Borys’ longest laugh ever! Sebastian couldn’t clean it up! So Sebastian just picked to not eat lunch. He thought it would be better to not waste food on the meatballs. When they were lining up to go back to the classroom, Sebastian could see the janitors not even daring to touch it. The principal just stared at it until he had a conference meeting.
A little later when the last bell rang, Sebastian could see about a hundred kids running out of the main exit of the school. Then, after the herd of kids were a little calmed down, Borys shoved Sebastian, then walked away like he didn’t even know.
Sebastian was the last one coming out of the exit. He wouldn’t be that lonely if he had a friend. But, before Sebastian could even get on the bus he saw the girl that he first saw in the morning on the school bus heading towards the woods next to the school. He followed the girl when he noticed that he was lost.
Sebastian went to see every direction but he couldn’t see anything! The only thing he saw was a big patch of woods closing together.
A few minutes later, Sebastian saw an opening in the woods. Sebastian followed the opening that led into a small cave. When Sebastian could see that he was getting more lost he was worried.
He just ran back to the direction he came from. When he was close to the big patch of woods he saw the girl, looking at a cage. He couldn’t see what was in the cage until he came a little bit closer.
When he could finally see it correctly, he saw a small Cardinal inside the cage. Sebastian never saw a proper Cardinal before. Sebastian was amazed! Sebastian knew that Cardinals were very rare to see a Cardinal in Florida! Sebastian was so amazed that he completely forgot about the girl! Sebastian just stared at the Cardinal for a little while, then went back home.
The next day when Sebastian was at school. Everything seemed to change!
The bullies didn’t tease Sebastian at all! So when Sebastian was at the cafeteria he didn’t worry. Also, when Sebastian was in his classroom he wasn’t afraid! Sebastian was amazed at what happened! Sebastian completely forgot about the girl and Sebastian learned to not be so shy.
Be Evil
By: Mia L., 14
Grrr, Prince Percy (seriously, what a lame name) forgot my birthday AGAIN.
Who forgets a girl's thirteenth birthday? Tears and a growl grew from my face like weeds in the yard - hot and angry.
Suddenly, lighting struck from the clear night sky and out popped a rabbit with a shredded cloak and a hat that looked like it had been passed down three generations. "Birthday blues got you down, sorceress-in-training?"
Ms. Bunny said. Her voice sounded mean and spiteful. I pretended not to be upset. Sorceress-in-training? Percy’s dumb face flashed in my mind. "Maybe a little magic wouldn't hurt."
The Bunny grinned with a hint of mischief in her powerful eyes. "Magic has a price, my girl. It requires a touch of darkness."
To Be Continued.
Happy Now
By: Nathaniel H., 12
Seldon gripped the leather of his sword handle a bit tighter, letting the rough leather press against his skin like sandpaper. The shield on his left arm felt like it weighed ten tons, making his arm ache. Of course, the shield couldn't have weighed more than fifty pounds, a now manageable weight for him. But at that moment, it felt like it weighed more than a castle. It must be his nerves weighing him down.
“Look at that,” said Seldon to himself as he hefted the heavy shield farther up his arm, “Pathetic, you still can barely lift a shield.”
He looked farther up, feeling the wind sting his face. He breathed it in desperately and tried to memorize the feeling of it on his skin.
It very well might be the last breath of fresh air he would ever take. He wanted to run, to turn back, to leave and forget this place dripping with the telltale scent of death.
But no.
He couldn't. Not after that day. That day where he had come home from the woods and his house was gone. His family was gone. Just a pile of smoldering ashes and a pair of quartz colored wings flapping overhead. He remembered each dull thud of a flap resonating with the beating of his heart. He had wished it would come back and kill him too. He already felt like he was dead.
After that day, he had traced the story of the dragon over in his mind, looking for something. The dragon was no longer content with its kingdom, pushing the boundary farther and farther out through the plains, devouring any in its path. It was a noble crusader if you can forget about the valley filled with corpses, a million lives reduced to a pile of rotting firewood.
When the ancestors of his village could see the smoke on the horizon, they set a trap. They lured the dragon into a canyon where they collapsed the walls. They should have known that no soil and stone can hold a monster.
The next day the bodies were strung across the mountainside.
His ancestors thought that was it. That the dragon was satisfied after murdering their whole village. For 80 years, the dragon was satisfied. But then Selden came home to find his village burned, and his friends and family ashes. He tried to remember his mothers final words to him just that morning, but he couldn’t.
Selden needed answers. He wasn't strong enough to kill the dragon, but he needed to know why she had come back,why she had punished them, and why he was now alone.
All this raced through his mind as he trudged up the mountain toward the cave, toward the dragon, and likely his death. Around him were rotted corpses and half-buried carts, the old bones of forgotten souls. She had clearly been feeding on humans for many a year: the evidence lay all around him, sunk into the charred landscape that once had been called a field. Everything seemed to weigh more–the air, his shield, even his own two feet as he dragged them through the ash. It was as if the very land wished to swallow him.
As he entered the dark gray cave that seemed to stretch on into the infinity. The cave is sung about in stories, the dragon's throne of death, The Ashen Forge. He heard a click in the shadows. “It's just a fallen rock, get a grip Selden,” he thought as he continued on into the cave. But he knew not everything was how it seemed.
You could never trust monsters.
He had met many travelers on his journey. Most people he always judged quickly. But if he just talked with a few for around three minutes, he could learn that they were so much more than the few defining characteristics he assigned to them the first moment he saw them. That was why he was here wasn't it? Yes, he was here to figure out why the dragon did what she did.
Before he got his revenge, or died trying.
As he was thinking over his journeys, that same click resounded through the cave. It sounded again, then again, and again until it repeated so quickly it sounded like a continuous hum echoing through the rotting heads and dark rocks of the cave. “Get a grip. You're going insane," thought Seldon just as a dark figure the size of a mule leaped towards him. The white fangs cut through the black.
He bashed it aside with his shield, adrenaline pumping through his veins. His arms and legs tensed up in anticipation. The thing looked like a centipede with antenna-like limbs poking out from its back each with a stinger on the end. It had small beady white eyes and a mouth dripping with venom. The black and brown plates that made up its exoskeleton clicked and shifted as it prepared to strike again.
The one thing he appreciated about monsters is that they never hide who they truly were, ruthless killers.
It clicked its mandibles again and leaped towards him.
Seldon ducked below its charge and brought his sword into its stomach before sending a spell out of the blade, launching the centipede monster ten yards away into that cave wall.
It shrieked as black blood poured out of its wound onto the scuffed cave floor and as its blade-like legs launched it at Selden’s legs. Just as it was about to sink its teeth into Selden’s thigh he brought the sword down onto its head right in one of those milky white eyes. The sword went through its head into the cave floor, pinning the creature to the ground. Selden unsheathed the knife at his belt and stabbed it again, again, and again. Even after it stopped twitching and squirming and just lay still.
Finally, Selden breathed and stepped back.
He sat down on the floor by the creature's body, suddenly exhausted. He noticed a small clutch of glossy black pearls tucked away in the corner. The eggs. He got up and walked over to them and stared at his own face, peering back at him in the obsidian mirror. So it was a mother.
He pulled his sword out of the creature's head with a disgusting squelch and continued down the passageway.
He felt naked and vulnerable, any minute the dragon could attack, and he’d join his mother. The cave so far had been narrow, but he could make out several small crevices that could offer protection. He didn’t expect to have faced that monster, and he didn’t expect to have to kill anything. He thought the dragon would have cleared out any life that dared venture in the darkness.
A few hours later he came across a vast chamber. It was huge and stretched away into the darkness like an eternal void - the void in which he saw his parents trapped in every time he slept. His mind's way of reminding him that he had unfinished business, debts to pay, and dragon blood to spill.
It would always start in darkness. Then he would hear the screams,the cries. His parents would wander aimlessly through the void, his seven year old sister following behind. Her face bruised and withered like a corpse. Then maniacal laughter would fill the darkness and a pair of white wings would flap overhead. His family would be then consumed by flames. Always like that.
Then, he caught a glimpse of something and focused. There it was. Just a few hundred yards away, lying in a shelf of light, coiled like a snake.
It was the dragon.
She was covered in red and gold scales that reflected the light like water. She had a long tail with a barbed spike on the end dripping with a golden acid. Her teeth were easily as big as his sword. Her scales were jarring against the darkness, making her stand out from the ash and bones.
“This is what a true monster looks like,” muttered Seldon to himself as he crept into the chamber.
The dragon began to uncoil her tail, languidly, sliding it from under her. Her head rose above him, taller and taller. He gasped. She must have been over a hundred feet tall on all fours. She had looked smaller and more peaceful asleep. Like his sister, his sister who had been killed by this monster. Tears pricked his eyes, threatening to overflow.
But he couldn’t. Not now.
If he cried, the dragon would think he was weak and that was a victory he could not grant.
“Creature, why do you enter my home and disturb my rest?” boomed the dragon, sending echos around the cave like the whispers of the dead.
“I have come here for answers,” shouted Selden defiantly, staring the dragon in the eyes, in its huge golden eyes.
“And what answers do you seek, little human?” said the dragon.
“Answers to why you murdered my family, razed my village, and destroyed everything I ever loved for the sake of petty revenge,” screamed Seldon, tears flowing from his eyes in spite of himself. He drew his sword and pointed it at the dragon. He was prepared to die.
“Your people are murderers and monsters.” said the dragon calmly, “But I only kill to stop more killing. I know not of what you speak.”
“More killing? What, you are the monster who murdered them; you were the one who killed pointlessly.”
“Don't you see it creature? Your people start the wars; they pillage and burn but are never satisfied. They always want more, more power, more wealth, more affirmation, and when they can't get that, they kill everything!” roared the dragon, sending Selden to his knees.
“But you still killed so many; you are just as bad as us if not worse. You are a monster.”
“Do you think I did that of my own free will? WHO DO YOU THINK PUT A SADDLE ON MY BACK? WHO DO YOU THINK RODE BEFORE ME AND COMMANDED AN ARMY TO KILL THOUSANDS. WHO COMMANDED I RAVAGE THE GROUND AND BURN THE WORLD?” thundered the dragon, her claws sinking into the dry ground as she began to walk in a slow circle around Selden.
“The humans sought to control me for power and personal gain. It is always humans, it always has been humans and always will be humans. You are the monsters.”
Selden thought back to the horrific centipede monster and those tiny eggs. He remembered how his own mother had been killed. Maybe the dragon was right?
The dragon continued, “So I burned my captors and I acted in self defense. I know humans' own evil is enough of a punishment, so I’ve left your kind alone. Why do you bother me again? Do you have a new saddle you wish to use to constrain me?”
“You're a monster and you know that, you're just too bitter and spiteful to acknowledge that! Even now, you lie, you murdered my whole family” screamed Selden.
“I do not know what you speak of. I haven’t murdered in 80 years because I am not a monster. Have you considered that it was humans who burned down your town?”
Selden’s mind was spinning, the cave was whirling around him. Humans. It couldn’t have been. Maybe those wings, the whisper on the wind, were his mind latching on to an explanation. He prepared his sword. He would kill this beast.
The dragon's chest scales began to glow with an orange and red light, bubbling up in the back of her throat.
So the beast was going to murder him. An innocent. But then he remembered the body of the centipede. Maybe he wasn’t so innocent anymore.
He looked at the reflection in a pool of water on the cave floor, one last glance.
But wait.
He didn't see a man and a monster. All he saw were two dragons.
There was an awful noise.
There was an awful heat.
There was an awful silence.
StarHeart
By: Kaia A., 11
Introduction:
Clara wants answers.
SPINNING IN A CIRCLE WITH A SWORD. THAT'S HOW CLARA FELT. EVEN WITH HER MOST TRUSTED ALLIES, CLARA FELT THE LIES AND TRUTHS SWIRLING TOGETHER, UNABLE TO TELL THEM APART.
Clara’s parents died when she was just three. The old wandmaker, Gandoff who lived down the street from her, agreed to take her in. The wandmaker had tracked the StarHeart, a star that fell from the heavens thousands of years ago. Clara had to find it before Valerian, an evil shape-shifting elf who wanted to harness the power of the StarHeart for himself, did. Valerian had gotten a vial of its essence before, but no one knew how. Last time, the people of Evermore had barely been able to stop him. On her journey, Clara meets Sebastian - her new best friend who keeps her company through the long journey. While fighting her complex feelings towards Sebastian, Clara fights this epic battle where the lines of good and evil are blurred and washed away. A tale of life and death, Clara must uncover the truth before it changes her reality entirely.
Join Clara for this astonishing book.
CRITICS REVIEWS:
This is AMAZING. -E.P.
My Daddy is taking me to Forest Peak tomorrow. I know. I’m so cool. - M.M.B.
LOL. This novel is so much longer than mine… - L.N.
StarHeart. Chapter 1:
(Kaia A., 11)
Clara sat in the old rusted back room in the famous wand shop in Locwitary. The small shop somehow smelled of magic and sweet-smelling smoke. Locwitary was the bustling capital city of the mystical Island of Evermore. Clara is now fourteen, and she lives with the most famous wandmaker on the island, Gandoff (an old man who has dedicated his life to creating the most beautiful, handcrafted wands for the people of Locwitary).
The night when Clara’s parents died was horrifying. All Clara could remember was her mom's screams as Valerian killed them, knowing he had harnessed the power of the Starheart, the star that fell from the heavens thousands of years ago. Her parents told Clara to hide in her room and stay as quiet as possible. After they died, Clara fled to Gandoff to tell him what happened. He listened quietly and invited her to stay with him. Even though she was so young when it happened, Clara remembers it so clearly, especially one detail about her parents. They were wearing crests of a blood red Camellia, the rarest flower in the world. Now it is most of what she thinks about during the day. She still pondered what the crest meant, for in Evermore, family or social class crest’s were nonexistent.
Now, Clara, as bored as she could be in her small minimally furnished room, still, couldn’t help wondering what it would be like to have a wand to call hers. For people of Evermore could harness true magic with a wand. Clara loved people, every day, because Clara never went to a proper school. She had the drought of ever finding a best friend. Clara loved talking to the customers in their shop. They all had interesting and new stories to tell. Even though Gandoff is a loving and caring person, Clara can’t push down the feeling of wanting more. She wants to explore the world.
Clara watched as the sun sank until it reached the Shadowberry tree at the edge of town. This was her favorite time of the day, the single tree atop a beautiful hill with the sun right behind. It was beautiful. Clara heard a quiet knock on the door. She whipped her head around to see Gandoff right beside the door, gazing at the dusty back wall of Clara’s room.
“Clara, I told you yesterday, you’ve got to clean your room, look how dirty it’s getting.”
“Oh my god, you scared me, and I completely forgot.” “I’ll just do it tomorrow.”
“You can’t do it tomorrow, I have something planned for you,” Gandoff said as he flashed a grin. “But, this isn’t what I came in here for, no. You see, I might not look it, but I am 613 years old now, and I am, let's just say, starting to feel the effects of my age. I don’t know if you know this, but I was Valerian’s mentor, of cou—”
“WHAT? Or I mean, isn’t he the bad guy? And didn’t he try to get the StarHeart for himself to be the ‘Eternal Power’ or something?”
Gandoff began again: “Well, as I was saying, before his ambition and thirst for power clouded him, he was a smart and curious child.”
For some reason, Clara had picked up a tone in his voice, almost like he was on Valerian’s side, but Clara quickly shook off that feeling. “But, anyway,” Gandoff continued, “what I was trying to say is that I’m getting old, and though I have dedicated my life to making wands, I have spent the little free time I have to chart a map from here to where the StarHeart is.”
“Can’t I just go later? I’ve got lots of things to do,” Clara whined.
“NO!” Gandoff warned. “Sorry I didn’t mean to be so loud. It's just that we all thought Valerian was dead and life could go back to normal, but in recent months, we've noticed a pattern of murders. Many witnesses could catch a photo of the killer. They had nothing that could connect this strange pattern of deaths, but Valerian's bright blue eyes.”
“And, if that's not enough, these murders have become increasingly close to the StarHeart’s location.”
“We are afraid that if Valerian gains control of the StarHeart, we won’t be able to stop him again.”
Clara knew what he meant. SHe had seen Gandoff sneak into a building with the symbol of a Blood Camellia on it. She thought that that was an organization for people trying to stop Valerian.
“I’ve decided that you will leave for your quest tomorrow at dawn,” Gandoff said, snapping Clara back to reality.
“You know that if you call it a quest officially, then I will be bound to complete it or die trying, right?” Clara asked half-jokingly, and half fearful Gandoff would do it.
“Yes, I do, which is why I trust you to find and retrieve the StarHeart, to be harvested and distributed through wand cores, or other forms of magical tools.”
“ I…” he began, “choose Clara Hart, Daughter of Belkin and Bell Hart, to go on this magical quest to retrieve the Starheart. I understand the dangers, and possibilities of death, but I bound you to this Noble Quest.”
StarHeart. Chapter 2:
(Kaia A., 11)
“Did you just–” Clara had no more words, for she had only heard of and read about people being bound to a sacred quest.
“Yes, I did,” Gandoff replied, sounding rather pleased with himself for pulling that off.
“Ok, so basically, I have to fulfill this quest in the next five-ish years or so, or die trying, of course.”
“Mhm, that's right” Gandoff replied
“But then, what if I don’t complete it?”
“See, this is what I was afraid of. If you don’t complete your quest in 5 years, then you will be hunted down by the great evil and killed.”
“Oooooooh, we don’t want that to happen,” Clara said both seriously and jokingly.
“So it’s settled then, you will leave for your quest at dawn.” Gandoff half-asked, half-stated.
“Fine…” Clara replied.
The next day, Clara woke up to a pitch-black room, and Gandoff was standing at the door, a small smirk forming across his face while he slowly rang the loudest bell Clara had ever heard.
“What was THAT!?” Clara exclaimed
“It’s time to go,” Gandoff said in a sing-songy way.
Clara had stayed up late to pack yesterday, and then, she couldn’t sleep that night. When she woke, her bed was hot with sweat, and her bedsheets were tangled in with each other, and half-tossed off the bed, in a big sweaty lump. The room smelled of the sweet lushberry sent from the bakery next door. Every day, Clara would go there to pick up a fresh batch of their fresh lushberry pie. At this point in the morning, the city of Locwitary was starting to wake up, with the sounds of cars, horns, and yells of people coming in and out of the small city center. Gandoff got up to leave, and said, “ Ok then, I’ll leave you to pack.”
For the few minutes Clara had before leaving her hometown for possibly forever, she stared out her small window and gazed into the loudest most disturbing city of ALL TIME. But Clara loved this city with all her heart, for she had never been anywhere else. Just as Clara was about to get up, a loud shriek broke the beautiful and precious silence.
“OUCH!” The mystery scream shouted, Clara bolted through the small old shop. She had recognized that scream the second she heard it - Gandoff. Clara immediately came to Gandoff’s side as he screamed in pain. It appeared he had fallen off the ladder attempting to grab one of their most expensive and precious wands.
“Are you ok?” Clara asked urgently.
“I’ll be ok.” “I promise,” Gandoff reassured her.
“Also, who was that wand for? The shop isn’t open yet.”
“You.” Gandoff said. “I wanted to give you a little something to help you on your journey.”
“Well that is sweet of you,” Clara said softly as she picked up the wand.
“Huh.” Clara let out a soft gasp as she opened the box. It was the wand Gandoff had spent months making. He said it was destined to be used by only the greatest sorcerers.
“ Is this for me?”
“Yes,” said Gandoff. "I've been saving it for when you needed it most.” He brushed the dust off the box lid and pushed it towards her, “ It’s yours, Keep it.” Clara took the old box, the old leather in the dark maroon color reminded her of something, but she couldn’t grasp it.
In about five minutes, Clara was tying her beat-up brown leather shoes, when someone rang their doorbell. The doorbell in the shop was rarely ever rung, so when it did, it let out a loud groackkkkkk - like a dying frog.
“AHHHHH” Clara shouted as her hands cupped her ears. “ I think we should replace the doorbell,” Clara said kinda jokingly.
Suddenly, a tall, intimidating man wearing a perfectly tailored black blazer appeared. The man spoke in a deep ominous voice.
“They're coming.” “The burden of loss has just appeared at your gate.”
And with that he disappeared, taking our breath with him.
StarHeart. Chapter 3:
(Kaia A., 11)
Clara, without speaking, started up, getting ready to leave.
“Bye,” Gandoff said, breaking the delicate sorrowful silence.
“Bye,” Clara said back, turning her head back toward him ever so slightly. She swung the door open, stepped out, and breathed fresh air. I’m Ready, she said to herself. Clara heard the soft sway of the old shop door as it swung back and forth waiting for the momentum to stop itself. In the city of Locwitary, the streets winded back and forth so it wasn’t easy to find someone to give her directions to the first pit stop on the way to the Starheart.
Then, with no warning whatsoever, Clara bumped straight into two fairies.
“ OMG what is wrong with you?!” said the first fairy,
“ Yeah girl, what the heck!” the second one said in a bratty stuck-up voice.
“Ugh, she’s never been outside before, right?” The first one said when she flung her hair backward and kept walking. Clara ignored them until she heard something that immediately caught her attention.
“Tomorrow my Daddy is going to bring me to Forest Peak, I know, I’m THE BEST,” the second fairy said with a small smirk. Then, the first fairy chimed in, “ Did you know that Forest Peak is the first step to finding StarHeart?”
“Duhhhh, obvi, do you think I’m stupid?” the second one said.
“I am a slaying a fairy named Meimei who literally created slayness, Essy.”
Clara just wanted to smack them for how annoying they were. "Ugh, brats," Clara thought to herself. But at least they told me where to go…
Luckily, Clara had been to Forest Peak many times before, so she knew exactly where to go.
With no one to talk to, Clara was absorbed in her thoughts the whole walk to Forest Peak.
“Hey, you!” Clara nearly jumped. She was so concentrated on her thoughts that she didn’t see a boy who looked maybe 2ish years older than her, standing in front of her waving his arms up like some paranoid weirdo.
“What are you doing????” Clara asked with an extremely puzzled look.
“Are you blind? No way. Have I just met a blind dude!?” the boy asked.
“NO,” Clara said with an annoyed face.
“Oh, well my name is Sebastian and I was waving my arms because you were about to fall into this huge crater.”
“Oh,” Clara said, feeling stupid. “ Well, I’m Clara, nice to meet you, Sebastian.”
“Hi, Clara!” Sebastian chirped. “I’m looking for StarHeart, did you know that? My Grandpa made it his mission to track down the StarHeart and retrieve it so that we can share its power with the whole world! But, unfortunately, he died just a few months ago, so I’ve decided to look for it myself.”
“Oh, and you can call me Seb by the way.”
“Ok Seb,” Clara said. “I’m also looking for the StarHeart, because Gandoff, my…well…Guardian, I guess... He sent me to retrieve it so that we can make wands out of it. They will be unbreakable and so cool!”
“AMAZING!” Seb exclaimed, “You're going to Forest Peak to get some food and camp for the night, right?” Seb asked, expectantly.
“Yeah,” Clara said shyly.
“Well in that case we can do it together!!!” Seb said with a huge grin on his face.
“Ok, if you want me to,” Clara responded.
“GREAT!!!!”
Seb was probably the most enthusiastic and energetic person Clara had ever met, but Clara wasn’t going to admit it anytime soon. She kinda enjoyed his company. He was cheerful and outgoing, and after getting to know him for a few hours, she realized he was pretty smart.
Late that afternoon, they arrived at Forest Peak.
“Wow.”
Even though Clara had been to Forest Peak countless times, the huge green mountains with all sorts of plants and flowers amazed her. The air here felt thin and fresh but still felt awaking on your skin. Forest Peak was probably her favorite place in all of Evermore. That was saying something considering Evermore was regarded as the prettiest and most scenic out of all thirteen Islands of the Fallen Lands.
StarHeart. Chapter 4:
(Kaia A., 11)
That night, Clara and Seb talked for hours about anything. Clara found Seb awesome and such a great friend. She found herself falling for him a little bit. Clara had one of the best nights of her life. She ended up telling Seb all about her, like how her parents died when she was little, and all about Gandoff and how nice and caring he was to take her in and take care of her. Seb was a great listener, showing he was paying attention by nodding his head and sometimes asking questions. He wasn't rude, like he was interrupting her, but he was asking in a nice way that seemed like he wanted to hear more. When they had finished talking, Clara couldn’t sleep that night, thinking all about her conversation with Seb. She had never felt this way with anyone before, and she loved it.
The next morning Clara woke up to Seb’s face inches away from hers.
“Wakey, wakey” he said in a soft voice.
Clara felt her cheeks flush a bright pink color.
“Let me show you something.” Seb pulled the curtain away from their small tent. The late morning light shone through the gaps. Clara felt momentarily blinded.
“It’s so bright today,” Clara whined.
“Trust me you will want to see this,” Seb said with a small smile. He dragged her out of the tent. His warm hand in Clara’s made her heart flutter.
“Haha,” Clara laughed after Seb made her close her eyes and follow him. Clara completely trusted Seb and loved him as a friend, but she couldn’t push down the feeling that she was falling for him. Seb put his hands in front of Clara’s eyes and told her to open her eyes. Then slowly, he lifted his hands from her eyes.
“Oh my god, where did you take me? This is the coolest and most beautiful thing I have ever seen.”
“It’s a secret,” Seb said with a wink. He looked so cute in the morning sunlight. Clara found herself lost in the beautiful cliffs, vines, and plants running up the sides, and flowers of all colors in full bloom.
“I did some exploring while you were still asleep,” Seb told Clara.
Clara found Seb's hand wrapped around hers and grasped it tight. They gazed at the cliffs for a few minutes before Seb told Clara that they should probably get going if they were going to get to the StarHeart before anyone else. Clara agreed and they got packing.
Next thing she knew Clara and Seb were on the road, ready to go to their next location, Shadowberry Shore. It was a beach connected to the biggest Shadowberry farm in the Fallen Lands, and one step closer to the StarHeart. The hike to Shadowberry Shore was a few hours, but talking to Seb made it feel like just minutes to Clara.
When they reached the farm, they were greeted at the gates. The guards asked if they had a reservation for a tasting or if they were just here for a visit.
“Just here for the night,” Clara said with a smile.
The farm was filled with Shadowberry trees of all colors, shining in the late afternoon light, Clara took a deep breath, and the farm smelled sweet and fresh. This time we were escorted to an empty room, instead of a tent. Shadowberry Shore was a major tourist attraction, so they had many hotels and rooms.
As Clara and Seb were settling in, Seb suddenly spoke, “Clara, am I your friend?”
In a quiet sheepish voice, Clara wanted to say, "yes, in fact you mean much more to me than that."
But the words that came out of her mouth were, “Of course.”
“Good,” Seb said with a smile. “Because that means you trust me, and I need your trust to do this.”
It was already late, and the lake on one side of the property had a spectacular glittery sparkle to it.
“Did you bring a swimsuit?”
“Mhm,” Clara responded.
“Get changed, and meet me at the lake when you're done,” Seb said.
Seb was already waiting for her at the lake, he looked so hot in the moonlight.
“Come on,” Seb said as he waved his hand in the direction of the lake. Clara and Seb ran into the lake, the cold water waking Clara up as she dove into some of the deeper parts of the lake. When Clara came up for air, she was greeted with a huge splash of water right in her face.
“HEY!” Clara exclaimed, playfully looking at Seb. They had a heated splash battle that went on for about fifteen minutes until Seb reached for Clara’s hand underneath the water, her heart flying as their hands touched. Then, all of a sudden Seb pulled Clara close and kissed her. AHHHHHHH. Clara’s brain screamed as she kissed him back. He was the one to pull away, admiring her in the shimmering moonlit light.
“I’ve liked you since the moment I saw you absorbed in your thoughts about to fall into a crater, and I hope you feel the same way,” Seb said, blushing.
“But of course, if you don’t that’s completely fine, and we can stay friends forever.”
Clara grinned and said, “Of course, why wouldn’t I? You are the best, and the most amazing friend I have ever had.''
Even through the dimly lit night, Clara could see the subtle blush on Seb's face.
That night, Clara had the best night's sleep. Seb would be an amazing boyfriend, from his unseriousness, to his love for talking and having a great conversation. He would be the best boyfriend ever. The next morning, Seb had already packed all her things, “Girl, you know it’s already like noon, right?”
“Oh my god?” “I’m so sorry,”
“It's fine,” Seb said.
She gave him a small peck on the cheek - proof Clara hadn’t imagined last night.
“You know, you pretty amazing yourself,” Seb whispered in Clara’s ear. She felt her cheeks burn. “Also, you're really cute when you blush. Don’t act like you haven’t. Trust me, I’ve seen all of it.”
"Where are we going next?" Clara asked Seb.
“Well my map says somewhere called the Opal City. I think that is the financial capital of Evermore, but I don’t know for sure.”
“Oh, ok cool,” Clara said, her head hanging low, dying on the inside. Even though Clara liked Seb a lot, Clara still had doubts about him. For instance, Clara had seen something peeking out of Seb's pocket - a knife, stained with Fairy blood. Fairies could smell blood, and the Fallen Lands' main species were fairies like Clara and Seb.
StarHeart. Chapter 5:
(Kaia A., 11)
To investigate Clara’s theory further, as they were walking to Opal City, Clara attempted to hold Seb’s hand, which was in his pocket. And just like Clara suspected, Seb didn’t take his hand out of his pocket the whole time. Clara thought that because the knife was stained with blood, his hand would too. But as they got closer, the smell started to fade. It was as if Seb had a charm on the blood to stop anyone from smelling it and knowing he was a criminal. Clara kept her head low and didn’t speak to Seb most of the way to Opal City. This was much different than all her other hikes. Seb probably noticed, so with the other hand, he reached out to touch Clara’s hand, but Clara instinctively pulled away.
“What’s wrong, Clara?” Seb asked, looking genuinely concerned. There was no evil smile flashing or any sign of evil on his perfect face, so if he was trying to kill her, he was the greatest actor ever.
“Nothing.” Clara sighed. Seb reached for her hand and gently held it for the rest of the trip.
“If you want to talk to me, you can tell me everything.” Seb said as he gently rubbed and squeezed Clara’s hand at just the right moments. Fighting the feelings that just wanted to come out, Clara thought to herself, "Boys are so hard. I love him and hate him at the SAME EXACT TIME." She wanted to kiss him, but at the same time wanted to kill him.
When they got to Opal City, Clara’s feelings were like a ball of string all tangled up into the biggest jumble in the history of the world. Luckily, they were able to score a nice big hotel room for really cheap. Seb spent the whole afternoon with Clara, going shopping, eating out, and doing everything a teen girl would want to do on a Saturday evening. She was kissing him in a cafe while thinking about how he was going to kill her. At least she thought he would.
That night when Seb was asleep, Clara looked in Seb’s bag and almost screamed when she saw how many murder weapons he had. Most were stained with blood - fairy blood. Clara noticed something in the bottom corner of his bag. It was a diary, or an old book. Clara wiped the stained blood from the cover with her sleeve and opened the book. As she read, at first it seemed like a normal sixteen-year-old boy's diary. But, as she flipped through the old wrinkled pages, she saw something.
"I finally got her to fall in love with me. In a few nights it will happen, using this foolish girl to get the StarHeart for myself. Once I use Valerian as a puppet to distract everyone, I'll get the StarHeart for myself and HARNESS THE ETERNAL POWER!!!!!!!!!”
Clara’s eyes widened as she read the next entry. “Today, I think she noticed the knife I used for killing that ‘poor little boy…’ At Forest Peak, she seemed distracted and even when I kissed her, my hotness and all-out amazingness didn’t cut it for her. I’m starting to think she will put all the clues together.”
The last line was half erased, but Clara could barely read it. “But, as for now, Valerian is heading for Gandoff, Clara’s stupid guardian, to strike and kill him. Then as she grieves, I kill her.”
Clara couldn’t sleep at all that night.
The next day, she told Seb, “I’m going to go out today, just to go exploring.”
After a lot of arguing, Clara got to go by herself, without Seb. As she walked, she couldn’t help thinking about how Seb betrayed her. Spinning in a circle with a sword, that’s how Clara felt. Even with her most trusted allies, Clara felt the lies and truths swirling together, unable to tell them apart. Immediately after, Clara went straight to the shops and bought ten of the strongest protection charms, an enchanted sword, and a fighting enchantment. Then, she participated in countless dueling classes, including one with the famous teacher, Marcus Blade.
At the end of the day, Clara felt exhausted and for some reason, excited. She wanted to duel Seb. Though she still had feelings for him, she could manage to kill him if she had to. Even though Clara still kind of hoped that he would change his mind and decide to be with her for the rest of his life, she was still more than ready to fight him.
The seller of the swords who seemed like a kind wise man, told her to keep it on her at all times. The sword itself was gorgeous, a blue and purple blade with gold accents and a galaxy-themed gold and silver handle. Another thing he said which Clara still pondered right now was, “The sword is an extension of yourself, move and feel like you when you fight, feel the joy and pain, because the sword is alive.” Like what he meant by, ‘The sword is alive."
Clara decided to go for the classic trick, the trickster by acting like she was madly in love with him, then striking when the time arose.
Of course, Gandoff’s map said that we had to stop at the temple of Grace before they arrived at the final location. Clara had to activate that StarHeart, or else the StarHeart would be camouflaged and no one could find it. On the way there, Clara held the hand of Seb like he was the only thing in the world that mattered. They kissed many many times during the surprisingly short walk. And every time, one hand clung to her dagger, ready to strike if he did it first. This seemed to be distracting him because he went on ranting about how his dad was the best in the world, and how that one light pole in his city died on a Tuesday night. None of it mattered to Clara, after all, she was just trying to distract him.
When they got there, the place felt strangely quiet, as they stepped foot into the huge temple, they saw a shiny golden key and a keyhole, Seb lunged to grab it before Clara, but Clara was prepared. She spun around and blocked Seb’s fatal blow.
“I see you've trained.” Seb grunted as he did an impressive flip and managed to scrape Clara’s hip, blood was spewing out of the wound
“Oh,” Clara said with a fierce laugh, “You're going to pay for that.”
Clara quickly dodged a swing of Seb's dagger.
“So you knew!” Seb angrily yelled as he swung his sword. He was getting tired.
Clara jumped at the chance and slashed her dagger across his left upper thigh, creating a rip in his pants, blood gushing out of the wound. Suddenly, a small agile figure in the darkness revealed herself. Clara and Seb instantly assumed she was the enemy, and amongst each other proceeded to fight her. She dodged each blow, swift agile moves. The mysterious figure was getting Clara and Seb tired. At the same moment, both the girl and Clara stabbed Seb. With a deep grunt, Clara twisted the blade, knowing it would hurt more.
“Never trick me again! You fool, you didn’t think I was smart enough to pick up on your many clues about you being a trickster."
Clara waited a few more seconds before she twisted the blade, and removed it from his chest. Just then, Sebastian turned pale and stopped breathing.
“So, the demon died screaming.” the girl said, from the back of the room,
“How did you know that he was the bad one?” Even thinking about him now made Clara’s blood boil.
“Well, you see, I am a telepath, so I read your mind and realized what he had done to you. Also, I saw the book.”
“So you're an elf?”
Elves, another, less common species in the Fallen lands, were sometimes born with special powers, like reading minds, emotions, or even controlling elements. “And what is ‘the book’?”
“Yes, I am an elf, and the book is this one.” The mystery girl flashed a smile, as she held up Seb’s diary. “This is the key to getting my father out of any charges,”
“You see, my dad, better known as Valerian, foolishly signed a deal with an evil spirit, which we think is your ‘Seb’. To promise to do everything he wants for one hundred years and one day.”
“I have a question for you, who is ‘we’? Isn’t it just one of you?” Also what is your name?” Clara said as she smiled sweetly.
“We, as in the Blood Camellia. That reminds me, on behalf of the Blood Camellia we would like to ask you to be a part of this order. The Order of Blood Camellia, we have heard from many sources, like Gandoff, Marcus, James, the old swordsman who sold you Hope, our prized sword. We want you to have it. This Quest was a test of your wit and how far you would come. Of course, though we didn’t anticipate that you would meet Hadeon, or whom you call Sebastian and kill him. But we are proud.” “Also my name is Amelia.” Amelia smiled as Clara smiled back.
“So I don’t have to get the StarHeart because I have to because I have a ‘Noble Quest’ to complete.” Clara asked.
“Oh that, well Gandoff reassured everyone that it was fake The StarHeart is a sacred object, no one should be able to command that much power. So its location remains a secret to everyone but the guardians.”
“Oh, ok.” Clara said, “So that was all for nothing,”
“No silly, everyone has to go through a test like this to prove they are worthy of being a part of Blood Camellia. There is a reason we chose the rarest flower in the world as our symbol and name.”
Amelia reassured Clara. “Thank you for your service, Clara. For being a part of this Order, and for doing something we have been trying to do for years, killing Hadeon.” Amelia said the word Hadeon like she had hated him for all his life.
“Just one more question, if Valerian is a good guy, then did he kill my parents?”
“Oh, we anticipated you asked this.”
As she said this, Clara’s mother and father emerged from the darkness and ran to hug Clara. Amelia
stepped back to let Clara and her family have their special moment.
“Oh my Gosh! We’ve missed you for so long!” Clara’s mom said as she hugged Clara as tight as she could.
“Ok, ok, I’ve missed you two. But, you two owe me an explanation, faking your death, and NEVER telling me?”
“Look, we're sorry When Hadeon first gained control of Valerian. The whole order was immediately called to a meeting and unfortunately for us, Sebastian had cursed you at birth. The only way to get rid of it was if both of us died, or at least if Hadeon thought we had. So, the night that we disappeared, it was all hands on deck to pull off this heist and make it believable. We have managed to keep the order and it’s existence a secret to the world, and especially to Hadeon. Thanks to your help, Hadeon is gone and we couldn’t have done it without you.”
The next day, Clara was back in her old room with her parents by her side, in her amazing home deep in Lockwitary. She lay in her bed thinking about the ups and downs of the last few weeks, and couldn’t believe what she had accomplished.
That night, Clara had the best night’s sleep all month. The next morning, Clara woke up to smell the fresh smelling air, full of sweet Lushberrry pie from a few doors down. She changed into her Blood Camellia uniform, and for defeating Hadeon, she got upgraded to the third-best tier, Coral. In Clara’s opinion, she should’ve been upgraded to the best of the best tier. But, she hadn’t even been to the Blood Camila School, which she would be attending until she turned sixteen. The school was just private tutors, assigned by your skill set. On the way there, she was greeted by other members of the Blood Camellia, recognizing her uniform. At this point, they had all heard about her great accomplishment and Clara was showered with compliments by all sorts of different people.
As Clara walked into the huge brightly colored building, three escorts dressed in black suits guided her to her very own room.
“Hello, my name is Elijah, but you can call me Mr.Eli.” The man in the room said in a deep ominous voice. Clara felt a shiver go down her spine as Mr.Eli flashed an unsettling smile.
“Huh,” Clara let out a small gasp. She recognized him from somewhere, and with the memory of Seb still fresh in her mind, she immediately connected the dots. His smile was the same charming smile that Seb carried all the time. Then, the realization hit Clara. In Seb’s Book, he had said something about a curse that split his soul into eleven parts. Clara had only killed one of them. Clara’s eyes widened, then as she turned to Mr.Eli. Her cold gaze settled on his pale white skin. To make matters worse, Clara knew well enough that destroying something from the inside was the most effective way. “Hi,” Clara said, her face not moving from her death defying stare.
“Hello Clara, my Queen,” As he spoke, Clara felt a small smirk creep across her emotionless face as she thought, "it turns out, the killer becomes the Queen at the end of all the stories."