(Bonus Chapter) The Beginning (part one)

            Orinabal, the Year 1998...

            Soft footsteps echoed down a rugged Orinabal street. The cobblestone was harsh and unforgiving. Rough houses lined the street, pushed snugly up against each other. Above the houses and the street, the sun slowly sank behind the horizon. Brilliant rays of orange were scattered across the sky. Each building cast elongated shadows from the sun. The street was practically abandoned, save for two people.

            The sorceress Iris walked slowly down the street. Her raven-black hair was bound by purple ribbons. She wore a purple gown, completed by a silver sash around her waist. Her eyes were like slivers of the moon... calm, and filled with a soft light.

            With her was nine-year-old Sara. Sara’s blond hair was secured by a blue ribbon. She wore a flowing, light blue dress. Youth sparkled in her eyes, and her cheeks flushed with vigor. Sara stayed close to her mentor. The streets of Orinabal were dangerous during this time of the evening.

            “Are the streets like this on Earth, ma’am?” Sara asked, “The place where I was born.”

            “Perhaps,” Iris replied. She and Sara turned the corner, heading down a new row of houses. Sara chewed on her lower lip.

            “Why are we going this way?” Sara inquired, “We usually avoid this street, because of-“

            “I know,” Iris answered, “Tonight, however, is different. The magic within me says that we should travel down this street.”

            “Well... all right,” Sara said. She looked up at Iris, showing great trust in her teacher.

            The peaceful evening was suddenly interrupted. A few houses down, a door burst open. It hit the wall with a solid bang. Out of the hut stumbled a boy, perhaps Sara’s age. Sara jumped, surprised by the sudden appearance. She came to a stop. Her teacher hesitated as well.

            The boy stumbled into the street, falling onto his rear. The door slammed shut behind him, the sound of which echoed nastily through the dead stillness. Slowly, shakily, the boy staggered to his feet. He was undernourished and scrawny... a pitiful sight to look upon. He had ratty brown hair, and wore a torn green shirt. His pants were off-white, and he had no shoes. The boy lifted his hand, nursing a fresh black eye. Tears streamed from his eyes. The boy turned, and jumped when he saw Sara and Iris.

            “Sara,” Iris said softly, “Look at that boy. What do you see?”

            “He looks scared. Mistress, I... I think he needs my help.”

            “Go,” Iris prompted, “And help.”

            Slowly, gently, Sara began to move towards the boy. He pressed up against a wall, fear and vulnerability in his dark eyes. Sara held up her hands, not wishing to frighten him more. She smiled gently.

            “I don’t want to hurt you,” Sara reassured, “It’s all right.”

            The boy studied her. His eyes spilled over with emotions. Fear gripped him tightly, but hints of curiosity still lingered in his gaze. He slowly relaxed his tense shoulders. Nonetheless, he prepared himself to run for it, if needed.

            “My name is Sara,” Sara told him, “Who are you?”

            “R... Rayon,” the boy stammered, “My name is Rayon.”

            “It’s nice to meet you, Rayon,” Sara pointed to his shiner, “Would you like me to heal that? I’m apprenticing to be a sorceress.”

            “Y... yes. Thank you,” Rayon smiled timidly. Sara stepped forwards, preparing what magic she knew. As her powers slowly began to go into effect, Rayon added, “Will... will you be my friend?”

            “Of course,” Sara grinned, “I’d love to be your friend.”

            Two Years Later...     

            Giggling erupted from a group of girls. All in their pre-teen and teen years, they were sitting around a water fountain in the middle of the Orinabalian town. Some sat on the cobblestone ground. One or two were sitting on a small bench, placed strategically in front of the fountain. One sat on the arm rest of the bench. Sara was right in their midst, enjoying the conversation greatly.

            “...and then he said, ‘If I am wrong, may I be struck down!’” a redhead- and one of the oldest in the group- giggled, “At which point, he turned around and walked right into the doorframe.”

            Laughter erupted from the other girls, Sara included. One of the others slapped the redhead on the knee, “Your Tomas is something else! I wish I had a boy like that.”

            “Well, hands off my Tommy,” the redhead grinned, “I’ve been crushing on him for a long time now. I neeeeeed to work up the courage to ask him out.”

            The others all added in a chorus of agreements. Sara chuckled, amused by their eagerness. Still, she felt like she wasn’t following the conversation as well as on other days. Sara found her gaze drifting. She looked out over a nearby market, where all sorts of people drifted around.

            “Hey, Saaaraaa!” one of the girls cooed, “Who do yooooou have a crush on?”

            “What?” Sara turned, surprised. All eyes were on her.

            “We know you’re only eleven, but it’s high time you started looking for your man,” the redhead grinned, “Do you have anyone special in mind?”

            “Well, no,” Sara shook her head, “Not really.”

            “No one at all?” whined another girl, “Come on, you can’t be that wrapped up in your studies.”

            “Ooh, I know! Brandon would be perfect for you, Sara,” a girl chimed in. There was a chorus of agreements.

            “Uhhh... I don’t know,” Sara glanced back to the market. A boy was strolling arrogantly from vendor to vendor. He had dark hair, and wore fancier dress than most of the people. His swagger alone was enough to knock lesser people clean off their feet.

            “Well he likes you,” the redhead girl grinned, “His sister told me so. You’ve got it lucky, Sara. The richest boy in the village has a crush on you. All you have to do is look pretty, and you’ll be living the easy life in another seven years.”

            “But I don’t like him,” Sara protested, “Why would I want to be with him if I don’t share his affections?”

            “Wow, don’t go all blonde on us now,” the redhead poked Sara in the forehead, “Did you miss the part where I said he’s rich?” the other girls nodded.

            “Hey, Sara!”

            Everyone looked up. Into the village center came Rayon. He clenched a paper bag in his hand. Despite two years having passed, Rayon still looked scrawny. He was skinnier than a twig, with bony limbs and no muscle. He still wore torn, dirty clothing, and he still walked barefoot. His skin was covered in scars, ugly and repulsing. Nonetheless, a broad smile shone forth from Rayon’s face, filling the street with a unique glow. He held up the paper sack.

            “Would you like to have lunch with me, Sara?” Rayon invited.                              

            The entire group of girls fell dead silent. All, of course, except for Sara. Sara rose from her seat, brushing off her skirts. She reflected Rayon’s smile.

            “I’d be delighted,” Sara said. She nodded to the girls, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

            As Sara and Rayon walked away, the girls immediately burst into whispering. Judgmental eyes looked Rayon up and down, examining his every feature and trait. Rayon ignored them, avoiding their stares. He also ignored rich Brandon, who was staring with disbelief at Sara.

            Sara and Rayon walked away.

            The Next Day...

            Sara was pounced upon the moment she re-entered her social group. She recoiled a little as the girls swarmed her. Sara was ushered swiftly over to the bench, where she found herself sitting down beside the redhead girl. The girls all crowded around.

            “Oooh, Sara, you’re a crafty one,” the redhead grinned, “Tricking us like that. We thought you really didn’t like anyone. But now we see what you’re doing! Sneaaaaky.”

            “What?” Sara asked, dumbfounded, “What are you talking about?”

            “We saw you!” cried another girl, “You were all over that boy.”

            “What in the world?” Sara questioned, “No, no, it’s not like that at all. We’re just friends, nothing more. It is possible for a boy and girl to share friendship, without having it develop into anything else.”

            “What’s his naaaame?”

            “Yeah, we’ve never seem him around here before!”

            “Oooh, I bet she was hiding him from us, so none of us would go after him. Slyyyy.”

            “I-“ Sara stopped, looking about her at all the eager faces and chatter. She felt, for a moment, like she would be swallowed up in a mob. Sara finally sighed, “His name is Rayon.”

            Silence fell abruptly, staggering for a little bit before righting itself. Compared to the talk moments before, the silence was almost deafening. Sara winced inwardly. She added, with a hesitant tone in her voice, “I think he’s sweet.”

            “Rayon?” the redhead recoiled, “Rayon T-“

            “Yes. That Rayon,” Sara folded her arms, “We’ve good been friends for two years now. Did none of you notice?”
            “Sara, honey,” one of the girls took Sara’s hands in her own, “We understand that you like this boy. You think he’s... ‘sweet’, you said. But now that we know who he is-“

            “I know where he came from,” Sara interrupted, “And above all, I know who his father is.”

            “Yeah, his dad is the biggest bully in all of Orinabal,” the redhead spoke up, “That family is a dangerous one to be anywhere near, Sara. You’d do best not to be with that boy anymore.”

            “She’s right,” added another, amidst a chorus of agreements, “This news is worrying to us, Sara. We don’t want you getting hurt. There are hundreds of fish in the sea, darling. You of all people should know that! Go find someone else.”

            “Calm down, calm down,” Sara spread her hands, “Rayon and I are not a couple. I’ve been avoiding his home, because I know what danger lurks there. He told me himself. Nonetheless, I also know that he needs a friend. He’s so lonely.”

            “Oh, what a relief,” the redhead wiped her brow, “For a moment there, we actually thought you wanted to be with him. So when do you plan on ditching him?”

            Sara opened her mouth to protest, but the loud chatter had already resumed. Sara closed her mouth slowly, looking at her friends with dismay. She had most definitely expected a different reaction. As the topic shifted to hair styles, Sara found herself slowly rising from the bench. With several steady movements, Sara left the group. She was not missed, she realized, as one of the other girls immediately claimed her seat.

            Alone, Sara found herself drift through the market. She moved gently from place to place, with no real destination in mind. As usual, a large crowd filled the streets. People rushed back and forth, going about their business as normal. Carts and horses mingled with the people, moving slowly and grudgingly with the masses.

            Some friends I have, Sara thought scornfully to herself, Everything was fine until they started obsessing over boys and dating. Why do none of them consider normal friendship to be an option? A good, true friend is worth more than the riches of the entire world.

            She squinted into the crowd, and as she inspected the mass of moving heads, her eyes suddenly lit up. There, a little ways ahead, she could see the back of Rayon’s head. He was moving slowly through the people. Sara’s disgust left her in an instant. She quickly picked up the pace, shouldering past people and making her way towards him.

            “Rayon!” Sara called out happily, dodging around a hay cart, “Rayon, wait up!”

            For some reason, Rayon didn’t acknowledge that she was there. He turned his head just a little at her voice, but kept his gaze primarily fixed on the road in front of him. Confusion swept over Sara. She quickly slipped over to him, her feet pattering off the stone.

            With a few quick movements, Sara had reached him. She grabbed his shoulder, stepping in front of him, “Rayon! Hello! Is something the-“

            A large man suddenly loomed above Sara. Rayon winced visibly. His friendly smile was nowhere to be seen. Rayon was withdrawn, and looked like he wanted to run away and hide.

Sara released Rayon’s shoulder and backed up, alarmed.

            “-matter,” Sara finished.

            “Well, hello,” purred the man who accompanied Rayon. He was a large man, easily over six feet tall. He had a powerful core, and it was reflected in his piercing gaze. The man had a head of black hair, thick and wild. His outfit consisted of dreary black and grey hues, and possessed no vibrant color or light. Several daggers were visible, attached to his belt by leather sheaths. The daggers were as cruel as the man’s face, which sneered down at her. Evil surrounded his very being, and caused everyone around him to keep their distance.

            “Who is this girl, Rayon?” the man asked, mockery in his voice, “Why didn’t you ever mention her before?”

            “Um... um...” Rayon scrambled to answer, “She’s just... um... an acquaintance.”

            “Well then, introduce us. There’s no need to be rude,” the man shook a scolding finger at Rayon.

            “Yes, um, right, of course,” Rayon nodded to Sara, “This is my friend Sara. Sara, meet my dad.”

            “The pleasure’s mine,” Rayon’s father extended his hand, “Ma’am.”

            Sara extended her hand, and the two shook hands. She winced at his firm grip, and the coldness of his palm. She managed to stammer, “The same to you, sir.”

            “’Sir’! She’s so polite. You would do well to learn from this one, Rayon. She’s smart,” he patted Rayon on the head, making Rayon wince once more, “Well, we’d better get going.”

            Sara watched as Rayon and his father began to walk away. As they began to leave, Rayon cast a pleading look over his shoulder. Anxiety swept over Sara as she looked into Rayon’s eyes. He was silently begging for someone to reach out and rescue him. Sara clasped her hands together, worried.

            I need to talk to my mentor.

            Later...

            “Mistress Iris?”
            Sara and her teacher were standing in a grove of trees. They were just barely within the border of Orinabal, in a patch of land that no one had touched. Iris had just finished setting up a target on one of the trees, even though neither of them was armed. Sara repeated, “Mistress?”

            “What’s the matter?” Iris inquired.

            “Is being a friend bad?”

            “Of course not,” Iris replied, “Now, today we will be studying magical blasts. You possess the power of the sea in your veins. As a result, you will be able to throw two types of blasts- water blasts, and energy blasts. A blast of water is the sheer force of the water itself, whereas an energy blast is more magic-based. Magical blasts are one of the most basic forms of combat a sorceress or mage can use.”

            “What about friends?” Sara questioned, “I’m trying to be friends with Rayon, but everyone around me seems to be making it difficult for such a thing to happen.”

            “Extend your arm, with your palm pointing at the target. Keep your fingers flat.”

            Sara did so. Iris walked around her, inspecting her stance. Finally, she nodded, “Yes, yes, good. If you want to double the power of the blast, you would hold up both hands. However, since we’re just practicing, one hand will do for now. But be warned. If it’s a dry season, or if you travel to a desert climate, a magical blast could drain you of your ocean powers. Other attacks are recommended instead, but we’ll discuss those on a later day.

            “Now, Sara, I want you to look deep inside your being. I want you to reach out for your oceanic roots, and feel the power of the ocean inside you. It may not seem like much, but that power is there, and it is very strong. Imagine that power flowing from your palm, and hitting that target over there.”

            Sara paused for a moment, searching for her core. Then, she suddenly jolted and squealed with surprise. A blast of water flew from her palm, arching through the air and slamming into the tree directly below the target. The tree trembled, and green leaves showered the ground. Birds abandoned the tree, squawking loudly. The blast stopped as abruptly as it had begun.

            “Excellent start,” Iris approved, “Good work.”

            “Now, could you please answer my question?” Sara asked, turning to look at her mentor, “About friends.”

            “Very well. Some friends are real, and some are fake. Some care only for how you look, act, or dress. Others, however, the true friends, will remain by you no matter what. Those are the friends you must hold onto tightly. A friend, a good, true friend, could mean the difference between life... and death,” Iris said.

            “I don’t think friendship with Rayon will turn into a life-or-death situation,” Sara pointed out.

            “Do you know that?”

            Sara hesitated, considering the question. Iris smiled grimly, “Now, let’s practice that blast again.”

            One Year Later...

            “And then my brother cried ‘I can do that too!’” Rayon said eagerly, “At which point, he tripped and fell on his face.”

            Sara and Rayon were sitting at the edge of the fountain. Evening was coming, and the streets were beginning to clear. Shops closed up one by one, and people steadily returned to their homes. Rayon and Sara, however, were having a grand time. Rayon continued his story with eagerness, while Sara listened with a large grin.

            “My brother is a bit of an idiot,” Rayon explained, “But you have to give him credit. I mean, he really does try.”

            “He sounds absolutely charming,” Sara chortled, “But between the two of you, I think you are more acrobatically inclined.”

            “More what what?”

            “Acrobatically inclined,” Sara explained, “Like... you’re better at climbing trees, or leaping over fences, and things like that.”

            “Oh, did I tell you about the rope swing?” Rayon asked eagerly, “One summer, we set up a rope swing behind our house. We had so much fun with that thing. I-“

            A shadow fell over them. The conversation ended abruptly as Rayon and Sara both turned to see who it was. Rayon’s eyes widened at the sight of his father. The man did not possess the same gentlemanly attitude he had before. Now, he was staggering around with a bottle in hand. The scowl on his face was icy, and made both Rayon’s and Sara’s skin prickle.

            “What’s this, Rayon?” the man snarled, “Your acquaintance seems to be very friendly. Were you smiling just now? Tell me I didn’t see you smiling.”

            Sara and Rayon both leapt up. Sara backed up defensively, “Good sir, I mean no intrusion. I was only-“

            “’Good sir’?” sneered the father, “What do you take me for? Get out of my sight, foul creature,” he made a swing for Sara, trying to strike her.

            Sara sidestepped, dodging the man’s blow. His hand met empty air. As he was about to try to hit her again, a voice rang out.

            “No!”

            “No?” the man asked, surprised.

            Rayon leapt in front of Sara. He faced his father defiantly, fists clenched, “Leave her alone!”

            “What is this?” sneered the man. He loomed above Rayon, “Are you... defying me? This is new. This is very new. What in the world would cause you to face the man who has brought the entire village to its knees?”

            Rayon remained silent. His stared was locked on the man before him. When he received no answer, the man straightened, “I see.”

            With a rush, the man’s hand had struck Rayon across the cheek. Rayon was sent stumbling. A second blow brought the boy to the ground. He came crashing down, sprawling on the road. With an evil grin, the man raised his boot.

            A powerful rush of water slammed the assailant. With a yell, he had gone stumbling backwards. His balance lost, he crashed to the ground on his rear. His bottle hit the ground with a clatter, and began to roll away. He snatched it up desperately.

            “What the-“ he began to roar.

            Sara grabbed Rayon’s arm, helping him to his feet. He staggered upright, holding tightly to Sara’s shoulder. A bloody cut graced Rayon’s cheek. He stared at Sara, “Did you just...”

            “You little witch!” boomed a voice, and the man had attacked again. Sara faced him boldly, both hands extended. A second blast- this one more powerful than the first- rushed forth from Sara’s palms. She struck the man firmly in the chest. He was picked up off the ground, and thrown violently away. There was a solid thud as his back collided with the brick wall of a shop. He slumped, momentarily dazed.

            “Come on!” Sara exclaimed, beginning to pull Rayon away, “We need to get out of here!”

            Rayon dug his heels into the ground. He cast a worried look at his father. Sara continued to pull on his arm, “Please! Rayon!”

            “I... I can’t,” Rayon said. He gently pried Sara’s fingers off his arm, “I’m sorry. I can’t leave him.”

            “Why not??” Sara cried, distressed, “Rayon, he wants to hurt you!”

            “I know.”

            Their assailant was beginning to stagger to his feet. He braced himself, one hand planted on the wall. He steadily turned back around to face Rayon and Sara. His face was lined with anger and evil. He began to advance upon them once more.

            “Sara, you need to leave,” Rayon said. He cast another glance at Michael, “Now!”

            “But-“ Sara began.

            “Sara,” Rayon told her rapidly, “You are the only good thing in my life. If I lose you now, I’ll have nothing left to fight for. Now go!”

            Rayon gave her a solid push. Sara stumbled a little, and then finally turned on her heel and ran. The patter of her shoes echoed throughout the streets as she fled. She lifted her skirts just a little, to prevent from tripping over them. As Sara ran, Rayon spun back around to face his father.

            “I’ll be fine,” Rayon whispered.

            One Week Later...

            The sun was directly overhead. The noon-time meal was in order. Sara found herself sitting at the fountain. Her hands were in her lap, and she was gazing into the water sadly. Worry graced her brow. It had been a full week since she and Rayon had tangled with his father, and she hadn’t seen Rayon since. She feared the worst.

            Sara lifted her gaze. She looked across the fountain. There, ten feet away, was her group of “friends”. Lead by the redhead girl, they were chatting and having a grand time. None of them seemed to notice Sara’s distress. She scowled. What friends.

            “Sara?”

            She spun at the sound of her name. She came face-to-face with none other than Rayon. He stood calmly before her, a paper sack in his hand. With a sweet smile, Rayon lifted the bag and asked, “Would you like to have lunch with me?”

            With an excited squeal, Sara flung her arms around him. Rayon staggered, surprised. Sara held onto him tightly, beginning to speak with a rapid voice, “Oh, Rayon! Rayon, I was so worried about you! After what happene-“

            “Shhh,” Rayon prompted, stepping away a pace. Sara let go, her cheeks flushing. On the other side of the fountain, the girls were all staring.

            “See, look,” the redhead commented to her peers, “I bet he just proposed. I told you they were an item.”

            A Few Minutes Later...

            Rayon and Sara were dining on tomato, lettuce, and cheese sandwiches. Despite their happy reunion, Sara noticed that Rayon was perturbed. His eyes were full of thoughts, and darkened by indecision. Sara decided to ask him about it.

            “Is something wrong, Rayon?” Sara inquired.

            “Well... it’s not a bad thing,” Rayon answered, “But... well...” he paused, studying the cobblestone of the road.

            “It’s okay. You can tell me.”

            “I’m leaving.”

            “Leaving?” Sara questioned. Sensing they were about to wander into a sensitive topic, Sara glanced about her. The other girls had all left, leaving them alone at the fountain.

            “Yes,” Rayon took a large bite of his sandwich, “I’m leaving Orinabal for good.”

            “Where will you go?” Sara asked, distressed that her friend of three years would leave her so suddenly, “Your family is here.”

            “I don’t want to be with my family,” Rayon glanced over his shoulder, just to make sure none of them were nearby. Once certain the coast was clear, he looked back at Sara, “If I stay with those people any longer, I could turn into one of them.”

            “Where are you going?” Sara asked, crestfallen.

            “Into the wilderness,” Rayon gestured broadly towards the northwest, “Into the unexplored forests and mountains. Nobody goes there. They’re afraid of the wolves and pumas.”

            “Aren’t you?”

            He shook his head, “What I’m running from is worse than a wolf, or a puma.”

            Silence fell, interrupted only by the sound of chewing. A cart clattered past them, wheels making quite the din against the cobblestone. Eventually, Sara was the one who broke the awkward pause.

            “When do you leave?” Sara queried.

            “Tonight, at midnight,” Rayon replied, “But... I can’t do this by myself. I need someone to bring me weekly supplies of food, and blankets, and clothing and stuff. Can...” he looked up, and his dark eyes met hers, “Can you help me?”

            Sara smiled, “Yes.”

To be continued.

(The link to part two will be put in the description.)