Fanfiction Preview

Everyone knows about the dreaded Mary Sue. They are mindless creatures filled with ill intentions and pure annoyance. These evil beings are dreaded by authors in every Fandom.
But what if one of them was cured?
A slayer of her own kind, Brionee must hunt down Mary Sues and do one of two things: Either help those that were like herself seek help, or destroy those who are set in their Sue-dom.
With millions of Sues across the multiverse... Bri really has her work cut out for her.

A Nonsense Limerick

This is one of two limericks that I had to write.

I truly want you to go
An alien concept to you, I know.
You rant and you rave,
And call me a knave!
Why must you torture me so?

Rising Action Story by Indigo Jackson

Matches make soft singes in the cataclysmic silence of a dim room. Smoke sneaks into each hidden crevice of each hidden corner.The long awaited, slow paced, deep, deep drag on his cheap cigarette. Red, glowing. Fear thumping in the veins, arteries, capelaries of each girl. They're sure to feel a thrill of the adrenal glands, pulsing, pulsing. Muscles tensing and trembling, convulsing. His freshly polished shoes click with the hardwood as they meet. The girls stumble back on their dirty hands and calloused knees. Cowardice is setting in. Even the few brave ones cringe as the footsteps cease and the deafening silence returns. Thunder cracks along with the screams. The bodies drop along with his cigarette butt. The stench of blood, sweat, smoke is overpowering. Let in the air. Let in the air. He goes to the window to let in the air.

Short Story Summary

Sapiria Trinity, leader of the elite world-defending group known as the Zoa, wanted nothing more than a bit of rest after a recent escapade that had resulted in her enemy going to ground for awhile and the love of her life coming back after an absence of nearly eleven thousand years. Too bad for her that there's a rebel group in a futuristic version of Earth that wants to use illegal nuclear weapons to get revenge on the ruling country and start what would be their World War IV. Now it's Saphire's job to go in and lead the UN officials to an underwater missle factory. She gets suspicious, though, when she finds that the plant was gutted long ago and that the only things left all bear the symbol of the UN government. Now she's in a race to stop a bomb from being dropped on an innocent country, while dealing with a corrupt government. Things only get worse, though, when her enemies decide to show back up and pick a fight. How will she deal with all of this? ... she'll let you know when she figures that part out.

Writing Practice 2/24/2011- "Shelter from the Storm"

          I pulled my hood down and forged on, despite the pounding rain that forced those around me back at each step. I hurried onward, despite the fact that my face had long ago gone numb, and I couldn't see for more than a few feet before me at any given time before the rain swallowed up my path once again.
          As I glanced down at the bundle in my arms, only one thing was truly clear in the maelstrom: I absolutely had to find shelter from the storm.

Writing Practice 3/1/2011- "Candyland"

          Saphire raised an eyebrow in confusion as she materialized into a world that looked as if a Hersheys factory had exploded. She glanced around for a few seconds before taking a step forward.
          "O' great defender of worlds!"
          The shrill voice caused her to cringe a bit. She turned around and looked down to the short, pastel-colored creature that had called her out.
          'The hell...?' she thought as it continued speaking.
          "We have need of your might, great one! The chocolate river has overflowed, and-"
          Saphire didn't even hesitate to warp the hell out of there, leaving the creepy little... thing... to its own devices.

Zoa Chronicles Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Checking In

          The screech of the subway train’s brakes shocked Saphire out of her memories. She blinked a few times and tried to shake herself out of her daze as the vehicle lurched to a stop. She wondered briefly as to where the flashback had come from.

            It had been years since she had spared that time in her life even a passing thought, but this... this had her stumped. Out of all of the memories from her past years, why that one? She shook her head as she disembarked, causing her platinum blonde hair to sway with the motion. Her sky blue eyes watched the other passengers with little interest as she calculated the speed at which she could wash the dye from her hair when she was finished. She so preferred her natural silver to this. The contacts sucked, too.

            What do you know; it was going to be another dull night in the NY. She sighed as she made her way up to ground level and began making rounds in the section of the city that she had ended up at, prowling the streets in disguise like some sort of spy in the dead of night. Few cars passed by, and compared to the usual crowded state of the city, this was almost peaceful.

            Saphire tried to remember the reason as to why she was even here. It wasn’t as if they needed a Zoa positioned in this particular version of New York City. How many others were there out there? Hundreds! Almost every Earth-type world had one. Those that didn’t were either not very developed and had a larger time lag, or were super-developed and had a time bump. Even the alternate dimensions had them.

            And, what the hell! She was the Sh’Kasha now. Shouldn’t she get a say in these things? One of the other Zoas could have easily taken her place. It wasn’t as if there was going to be a major Darkling attack in the next five minutes-

            A movement caught her eye. A seemingly insignificant shadow in the trees of a nearby park. Probably central, though it really didn’t matter where it was. A battlefield was a battlefield, as far as she was concerned. The small shadow loped through a hedge, barely disturbing the leaves as it passed through. To any passersby, it could have been a dog; Saphire knew better.

            The ungraceful bend to its running style... the shadowlike consistency... the fact that she had not noticed it until she had seen the beast from the corner of her eye. Not to mention the waves of malice pouring off of it.

            Darkling.

            Swearing to herself, she approached the large, wrought iron gate that separated the park from the public during the night. She checked her watch: Two-o’-five AM. Yep, it was closed. She allowed herself a small grin of satisfaction at her good fortune.

            Checking the surrounding area for civilians, she bent her knees, gathered force beneath herself and leapt the fence, clearing it with three feet to spare. She landed in a crouch and immediately rolled behind a bench before peeking out to check once more for witnesses. Satisfied, she righted herself and headed for the bushes.

            Saphire peered through a small hole between a knot of branches, scanning the area for the Darkling. She frowned at the lack of evil creatures and slowly began to reveal herself. Which, as it turned out, was a very bad move.

            She tensed as a low growling began behind her. The presence was much more prominent, probably belonging to an altogether different creature, as opposed to the small one that she had followed in. She slowly turned to face her adversary.

            “Ah, crap.” She groaned, just before the hulking form raised a heavy, clawed forearm to strike. She ducked out of the way, barely missing the poison-laced claws of the Primal- type Darkling. It opened its great maw and roared, the sound actually pushing her back a few feet. Its beak-like muzzle snapped shut as it whirled around and repeated the attack, this time lunging forward at the same time.

            Saphire ducked and threw herself to the side, while simultaneously trying to draw a weapon. She reached for her handgun, palming an empty holster on her hip. Damn. She had left that one behind at the safe house hadn’t she?

            She rolled to the side to avoid another swipe, landing on her back. Leaping up, she flicked her wrist in a downward motion, causing a large, blue-bladed sword to materialize in her palm. The blade was smooth on one side, jagged on the other, sharp enough to get the job done and then some.

            She wielded the blade as an expert, swinging it as if it weighed nothing. Quite a feat, considering that it was as large as she was. She took a single step back as the Darkling made a final attempt on her life, its black carapace reflecting the far-off street lamps. She brought the smooth side down upon it, slicing clean through its chest and piercing the only spot in which it was truly weak: its heart. It collapsed in a heap as watery black blood leaked from the wound.

            Saphire was still breathing heavily a moment later, when it began to disintegrate. It dissolved into shadow before the material evaporated, leaving a small, pulsing light. She crouched to examine it, and then tapped it gently. The light flared briefly before winking out of existence. She shook her head and stood. Glancing up, Saphire noticed a small star, almost insignificant when compared to the others. This one was special, however.

            She felt an abrupt sadness, and realized that there had been a significant reason for her flashback. Gazing at the small star, she realized that she was... homesick. How many years had it been since she had last seen her mother? Or Taea? Tory and Reyna were her only links back to that place, now that Stet was gone. The small village of Japas, on the mist-shrouded continent of Maiara, on a little planet called Tipana.

            Saphire didn’t know how long she had been standing there, staring at the star, but the sound of sirens brought her back from her dazed state. Someone had obviously heard the fight. She glared at the approaching blue and red lights; she didn’t like Earth law enforcement much. Most of the ones that she had met before had put the ass into ‘assume’.

            She glanced at the sky once more before turning and running to the opposite end of the park and leaping over the fence, her body dissolving into multihued blue lights as she warped to another world at the apex of the jump.

            “Do you have ADD?”

            Jaylee seemed startled by the question and stared at Rozz for a moment before she shook her head. She glanced into her mirror once more before snapping it shut, satisfied that her dark hair was piled perfectly upon her head, and turned back to him. She watched the British man carefully, looking for signs of agitation; she wasn’t disappointed.

            “You could have fooled me. Pay. Attention.” He picked up a worn book from the table beside him and flipped to a page that seemed to be near the center. He thrust the volume onto the table before her and pointed to a line of symbols. “What does this say?”

            She sighed heavily and glared at the foreign glyphs, trying to decipher them. “Um... ‘Th-thine power dost co-... come-ith’... um... I... don’t... know.”

            He scowled and pushed his light brown hair back from his face. His slit, forest green eyes showed slight frustration with the girl, who had only been a Zoa for one year now. “Jaylee. You’re a Zoa now. The Zoaan language is supposed to come naturally. Stop trying to read it, and let your mind have a chance to decipher it on its own. Just focus.”

            She stared at the line again, and recognition slowly appeared in her expression. “’The power of the Zoa come from the spirits. It is a... trade. The Zoa completes the tasks of the spirits. The spirits lend power, longevity, and magyk.’” She blinked a few times before turning to her ‘tutor’. “Why is magic spelled so... weird?”

            He rolled his eyes. “Saphire wrote it. It was probably a typo.”

            “That was how it was spelled back then. I don’t make typos.”

            Their eyes snapped up to the figure that stood in the doorway of the safe house. Saphire strode past them, mumbling something about ‘stupid freaking brothers always being freaking right about stuff.’

            They looked at each other and shrugged, deciding to ignore this latest example of Saphire’s famous temper tantrums.

            Saphire stalked through the hallway that led to her brother’s room. She actually had to work to keep herself from kicking the door in, instead knocking softly. A groggy ‘What’ prompted her to open the door and enter the room, oblivious to her brother’s annoyed mutterings at being woken from a dead sleep.

            “You were right. There were two Darklings in that world. One of them was a primeval.”

            Tory froze and glanced up at Saphire. “Was.” Saphire nodded; her expression held a whole lot of ‘whatever’. “Saph, please tell me that you didn’t go after them without backup? Because that would have been stupid. Really stupid. Who was with you?”

            Saphire grinned grimly. “I had Aquia and Glacia.”

            Tory scowled. “You’re... unbelievable. Do you have a death wish?”

            “I have confidence in my own ability.”

            “That’s no excuse for going into an unsecured area, alone, to take on not one but two Darklings. You were so outnumbered, it’s not even funny.”

            “One of them was small. Not even a threat. Well, hardly a threat. I was in less danger there than I would have been if I had to worry about someone else.”

            “This is about Stet, isn’t it?”

            Saphire stared at her brother, her breath coming out in a rush. “Why would you even bring that up?” Her voice shook, the question coming out as a whisper.

            “Sis,” Tory sighed. “You can’t keep beating yourself up over this. It’s been, what, ten thousand years?” He looked at her with a mixture of pity and that special authority that only belonged to older siblings. “There was nothing to be done. We weren’t expecting it to show up, and we sure as hell weren’t expecting Serecus to do what he did. Stet went out fighting, just as we all should. You know that he would have wanted you to be happy. And he definitely wouldn’t have wanted you to get yourself killed.”

            “He’s not dead.” She whispered.

            Tory’s eyebrows pulled together in confusion. “What?”

            “He’s still alive. I know it. He’s out there somewhere.”

            With that, she turned and left. Her brother sat on the edge of the futon in his room, clearly worried about where this could potentially lead. After a moment, he stood and followed her. He didn’t even bother to knock, seeing as how the door to her room was slightly ajar. He cautiously peeked around the door.

            Saphire was sitting on the floor, flipping through a weathered photo album. She didn’t so much as look up as he came into the room and sat next to her.

            “Y’know, when I found out about the extra stuff that came with being a Zoa, it made accepting it a lot easier.” Her voice was a weary whisper. “Huge amounts of magic and awesome reflexes? Living for up to 21,000 years? Being able to spend that much time with my loved ones? I was ecstatic. I didn’t even care that I had the fate of the entire universe resting on me. As long as I could be with you and Stet...”

            She shook her head as she ran a thin finger over a faded photograph. It showed the old ranks, the Zoas as they had been when they had first joined over sixteen thousand years before. They had been happy then. Tory smiled slightly at the memory.

            She flipped pages, and the good mood vanished. The next photo showed them just before the war that had changed them all, some for the worse. It had started as their attempt at helping to free some humans from the oppression of a vampiric empire, and had ended with the shadow elemental, Serecus, turning traitor and freeing the Deassen. Their ancient enemy, the creature that the Zoa’raan had originally sacrificed their physical forms to seal away. He had combined power with it, and had used this power to seal Stet into the only type of world that they had no access to: a zero world. He had been missing ever since.

            They had all struggled with this, Saphire more than the others. While Tory had lost a best friend, Saphire had lost something more than that. She had been in a sort of a depression ever since, spending the centuries alone. It was very rare that she would stop in to visit. In fact, Tory was lucky to be able to keep any kind of contact with her; she had a tendency to pick the worlds with the least amount of development, meaning no cell phone service or GPS. She would disappear for days, weeks, even decades without any regard for the others.

            Some worlds had different takes on time, of course. While thousands of years could have passed in one world, little more than a century could elapse in another. According to their time elemental, Viceera, this was the case in Tipana and some bordering worlds. Others, such as the more advanced future worlds, had fleeting time, with the opposite having happened.

            Saphire had started to keep better contact in recent years, of course. Ever since Caivera had died two hundred years before, leaving Saphire to take on her role as the Sh’Kasha,  Saphire had kept in-touch. She was still extremely detached, however.

            Saphire let out a shuddering sigh as she gently closed the book and slid it beneath her collection of books and magazines that sat in a nearby corner. She sat with her back against the wall, raising her tearful gaze to her brother.

            “I talked to Vici...” she began. “Tipana has only progressed through about three years. It’s been thousands for us, and yet mah-len and Taea are still there.”

            Tory frowned. “I know what you’re about to ask, and I don’t think that it would be a good idea.”

            “Why not?”

            “What are we supposed to do, show up and say, ‘Hey, mom! I’m a Zoa now! Sorry for abandoning you for a year. I’m not dead though!’” He shook his head. “Trust me, sis. That wouldn’t work out too well.”

            Saphire thought for a moment, her eyes narrowing as she contemplated her options. “I wouldn’t talk to them.”

            Tory arched a silver eyebrow. “What would be the point of that? They’d still see you.”

            Saphire had anticipated this rebuff. “Not if I wear a cloak or something to cover my face. I’ve got that one, with the protection runes sewed in? I’d be as good as invisible to them.” She placed a hand on his arm and locked gazes with him. “Tory, I need to go. I can’t stand it. What if something is happening there? I’d never be able to live with myself if I stood by and allowed it. I have to check.”

            Tory shook his head, but she could tell that he was beginning to falter; the idea of their family being in danger tends to do that to people. Just one more little push would do it.

            She tightened her grip slightly. “Please, Tory?”

            He looked down for a moment before sighing. “Fine.” Saphire smiled, her first true smile in a long time; it took a lot to break through her depression nowadays. “Only if you stay out of sight. Only reveal yourself in an emergency.” He hesitated before adding, “And get some work done while you’re there. We could really use more of those Darkling detection nets, and since Tipana has so many ley lines…”

            She nodded and stood, pulling Tory up as she did in order to give him a tight hug before grabbing her small, brown backpack up off of her bed and walking quickly out of the room. She would wash the blond temporary dye out of her hair, check a few more worlds, and then check on her home world for the first time in over sixteen thousand years.

Zoa Chronicles Chapter 1, Part 2

Read part 1 first.

The dream was strange, even by my standards. I was in a white room, totally empty save for a small blue shape in the far right corner.

It was about the size of a cat, with a strange, blue haze surrounding it. I instinctively knew this as aura. It had a thick tail, with fish-like fins on the end. It also had four legs and deep blue scales covering its entire body. Even as I stared at it, it flickered, taking the shape of a beautiful woman for barely a second. It looked straight at me with deep blue eyes that were slitted, like a snake’s.

Very clever, young one.

I started as the sound echoed throughout the room. I could not identify the source.

One must normally search for quite some time before noticing me.

I then realized that it was the fish/cat that was speaking. To me. Odd.

Yes, youngling. I am indeed speaking to you. Of course, I would prefer that you call me “Aquia”.

“Um... alright...” I agreed, feeling stupid and a little apprehensive.

Fear me not, youngling. I mean you no harm.

“Then what do you want?”

To present you with a proposition. I would be correct in assuming that the reason for your sadness is the loss of your brother and your love?

“What do they have to do with this?” I said angrily. Aquia was staring at me with a strange expression. I was beginning to feel uncomfortable. Suddenly, she locked gazes with me. She wore an expression of remorse.

You do not feel as though you belong among the others of your kind. You feel worthless because you have never done anything truly worthwhile, other than running errands for the people of Klay when you were seven years of age. You feel that you must be as heroic and memorable as your ancestor.

I knew that my eyes were wide as she said these things. They were all true. I was about to ask her how she could possibly know these things, when she continued.

I have been told that Hattori and Stetriceros feel the same way. The other Zoa’raan spirits have told me as much...

I frowned at the mention of the name. Zoa’raan... I had only heard of them through stories, legends and myths. It was the legend of the Zoa’raan, and the Zoa, the mystic protectors of the existence. All of the worlds were watched over by these beings. So said the legends and myths of my own home world, Tipana.

But that was the point. They didn’t exist. They were just supposed to be myths, stories to entertain children. They couldn’t be real.

But then, how was the spirit of one of the Zoa’raan sitting here in front of me?

Sapiria, will you join us in our mission to protect the existence?

Suddenly, out of nowhere, I was filled with resolve. I knew without a doubt that this was my purpose. I didn’t know how, but I felt it stir something deep within me. So, it was only natural that I say the word that would give my life a point and change the course of my fate forever.

“Yes.”

No sooner had the word echoed throughout the white room had I been overwhelmed by an excruciating pain that radiated throughout my entire body. This very pain was what catapulted me back into the reality of my cold, dark room.

===================================================================

I awoke to the pain, now a reality instead of being only within my dream. It was too much for me to bear, and I thankfully slid back into unconsciousness, a now dreamless sleep.

==================================================================

The next time that I wake up, I am immediately alert. None of my usual morning grogginess today! I notice how my room is bathed in an eerie blue-gray glow, as if I have left my window shade open throughout the night. I glance over, only to see that it is covering all but the smallest strip of glass. It should be pitch dark right now!

I rise from my bed and make my way over to my small mirror. I look into it, only to recoil in shock. My reflection is extremely pale, with a blue-ish tint where I am blushing. That is not what frightens me, though.

My eyes, which had once been a sky blue that was a shade lighter than my mother’s, were now as deep blue as the sea, and slitted like a snake’s. No, not a snake

Like the creature from my dream.

“Oh Gods…” I mutter as I realize that it was all true. The dream, the pain, my eyes… they are not a product of a hallucination, but are real. I am a… no. It cannot be true.

But it is.

I jerk my boots on and dash out my door, down the hallway, and out the back door of my house. It frightens me that I do not make any noise whatsoever as I flee. I also notice that the miasma does not bother me as I reach the outer limit of the scion, running faster than even a Saiit should be able to. I had not taken a small crystal with me.

I continue running, not really knowing what my destination was until I reached it. I stare out over the sea as I stand atop the cliff that looks out over it, the one by the docks. I lean up against a sturdy pine tree that grows there, the breeze gently brushing my face as I cry. I had to run. I know what Zoas do, and it is supposed to be dangerous. I could not put my family or friends into danger by staying.  All of the boys, Colta, Pinoka, Reyna… I shuddered at the thought of Araia, as tiny as Uaitian women tended to be, standing next to an unknown horror, a hulking beast in the shadows. I would not allow it.

I would try to get into contact with that spirit again, and see if she could take this back. Or… what if I kept going on this path? What if I actually became a Zoa, and devoted my life to the protection of the worlds? I suddenly recalled the feeling that I had had in the dream, when I realized that this was my purpose in life. I had been chosen for this. Didn’t that mean that I was suitable for it? That I could get the job done? Another thought struck me. How was I going to find the Zoas? I needed to get into contact with them somehow…

Just as I think this, someone comes up from behind me and grabs me, his hands wrapping around my upper arms and holding me still. His strength is immense, even as I accidentally kick the tree hard enough to leave a deep print in the trunk. I cannot break free. The stranger lifts me into the air, up and away from him as I struggle to free myself.

He whispers in my ear, “If I let you go, will you be good?” I stop immediately. That voice is so familiar… But why wouldn’t it be? I’ve heard it almost every day of my life.

I nod my head and he sets me back down. I spin around to face him. My brother is almost exactly as I remember him, with his long, silver hair being whipped around by the wind. The only difference is his eyes. Whereas they had once been the same color as our fathers’ had been, they are now as red as flames. He raises one of his eyebrows and smiles at me. “Well, sis, look what you’ve done now. You always manage to get yourself into strange situations, baka brains.” His condescending tone snaps me out of the frenzy of relief that I had been in, and immediately pisses me off. I pull back my fist and punch him in the arm. “Ow!” he exclaims. “Sis!”

“Where the hell WERE YOU?” I roar at him.

He seems taken aback for a moment, before looking own at the ground, guilty. “Somewhere.” He mutters. “I can’t explain right now.”

My rage flares at the vague answer. He has been missing for almost six months, and finally comes back, and now he wants to be mysterious? I DON’T THINK SO.

His expression slips into one of deep thought. “Did your spirit tell you to run away from the village?”

I am distracted by this. “What?” I ask, confused again.

“Your Zoa’raan spirit. Did she tell you to run? You know, to protect mom and Taea?”

I glare at him. “No, I remembered all of those stories that great aunt Na’rissa had told us when we were young. I haven’t heard that spirit since that weird dream… “ I trail off, struck by a thought. “We’re really Zoas, aren’t we.” He sighs and nods his head. “And that’s why you ran away.” I continue to stare at him. “You’re a Zoa, too.”

He nods again. “Fire elemental.” He explains. Of course, I think. His eyes.

He startles me by speaking again. “She probably can’t speak through your panic. It’s hard to work through, or so I hear. Come back to our camp with me until you calm down a little. She should be able to explain everything to you by then.”

I agree, suddenly nervous. He smiles and reaches behind me to tug on my hair. “C’mon, baka brains. Let’s go.” We begin the trek down to the beach below, heading in the direction of a small bonfire in the distance.

=================================================================

I am pleasantly surprised as we enter the encampment. The figure by the fire looks up as we approach and stands in a fluid motion, walking swiftly over to us.

Stet locks me in a tight embrace and plants a heart-stopping kiss on my lips. I stay as close as possible to him, allowing the tears to run unchecked as I cry in happiness. He leads me over to a spot by the fire. He seems just as happy as I am as he stares into my eyes.

Tory ruins the moment, however, with his muttering. “Three Zoas in six months, all from the same village. Two related. I have to talk to Cai about this…” Who is Cai? I wonder.

“She went down the way, towards Bhadarain, the Vilit reservation. She said something about meeting with another world jumper.” It is like music to me, hearing Stet’s voice after so long. “She’s still gone, and probably won’t be back for awhile.”

 “Actually,” teases a lilting voice, “She’s not.” A girl with long, black hair walks into the firelight, her slitted lavender eyes reflecting the flames. She glances at me before frowning at Tory. Her eyes squint slightly as she stares, a look of concentration passing over her face before her expression smoothes back out, the frown still in place. “The water elemental is your sister?” she asks.

Tory grimaces and glares at her. ”Cai, don’t read my mind without my permission. It’s creepy.”

 She smiles and shrugs. “What’s the point of being psychic elemental if you don’t use your power?” she retorts. He shrugs and sits down next to me, motioning to the fire and causing it to flare up. I can feel my eyes widen at this display of power.

I look from Tory to Stet, and then glance at Cai. My confusion was obvious, and Tory eventually sighs and explains. “Saphire, this is our Sh’Kasha. Caivera.” My blank expression prompts him to clarify. “Umm… that means leader in the Zoaan language.”

Cai speaks next. “Alright, I have to say this. I know that the Saiit don’t usually like to take orders, so know this: Though there are a few extra abilities that come with being Sh’Kasha, there is only one that I actually use. It lets me make you shut up. Tory knows all about that…” He is completely unphased by her sly glance. “Other than that, it’s mainly a political position. When two countries are at war, and it threatens the balance in any way, I have to deal with it.”

I am growing impatient. “That’s fine and all,” I say, “And I don’t mean to be rude or anything, but what am I supposed to do now?” I look to them all for help.

 Cai smiles. “Well, I guess you begin your training.”

 Tory smirks and sets back in his spot. “Get ready, sis,” He says. “You’re in for a pretty big wakeup call.”

Zoa Chronicles Chapter 1, Part 1

As many people know, I am writing a book called "the Zoa Chronicles". I'm still in the early stages of this, and I'm looking for criticism here. Good or bad, it doesn't matter. Just review and tell me what you think!

Chapter 1 Saphire’s beginning

The house is dark when I wake up. My brother, Hattori, is usually outside chopping wood right now. I climb out of bed, stopping to drop a small sprig of willow into the crystal jar of Will ‘o Wisps that rests on my night table. They flare up in response to the food.

The room is now well lit. I pick up the jar by its snake-wood handle and creep over to the window. I wince at the scuffing noise of my feet on the bare floor; it sounds so loud in the quiet house. I push aside the woven grass curtain that covers the small aperture. Normally I would see my brother readying the wood outside so that mother could cook breakfast, but not today. The small area outside is void of people, and the axe is lying atop the flat stone on which wood is chopped. Tory is nowhere to be seen. As I sneak down the hallway towards the kitchen, I stop to peek into his room. Perhaps he is still asleep?

No such luck. I continue on my way, stopping in the den in front of a portrait of father. A feeling of unease descends upon me and my hair stands on end as I gaze up at the only reminder, other than my memories, of what father had looked like. My intuition tells me that something bad has happened.

I shake myself and continue on to the kitchen. It is as empty as Tory’s bedroom had been. I walk outside into the crisp air of a mid-autumn morning. The soft light of the sunrise is tinged with soft tones of pink, orange, and green courtesy of the deadly miasma constantly waiting just outside of the boundaries set by our protective Scion.

The feeling of dread only strengthens as I walk into the shed and realize that he is not there, sneaking some of mah-len’s homemade wine, either. I glance to the main plaza of our village and recall the day before, when Tory had claimed to have found a small, red stone by the aqueduct that had been rigged to flow through from the River. He had claimed that the stone had disappeared, the reason for which, he could not supply. He is not down there searching for his treasure, either.

As I turn to go back inside, a shape in the soft mud catches my eye. My heart accelerates as I realize that they are shoe prints, the tread on which matches Tory’s boots. They were spaced as if he had been running.

As I clamber over the low fence and pursue my older brother’s trail, my thoughts stray back to when I was eight years old, and father had become ill. He had gone to The Trista Swamplands to try and talk some sense into Resche, who had convinced himself that if he were to drink from the Gulf Inlet of Giziza enough, he would become immune to the miasma.

My uncle had made himself sick on the miasma- laden water, but father had been the one to be bitten by a Bi-yot fly and contract a serious stomach ailment that had become terminal within a week of his return home. Tory had comforted both myself, and our little sister Ta’ea, and still managed to help mother around the house.

Brushing the tears from my eyes, I continue tracing the path until I stopped abruptly. My movements were very sluggish. I was dangerously close to the miasma, with barely a foot between the boundary and myself. The prints continued off into the miasma. “No…” The word was but a whisper, as I turned back to the house, but it was echoing as loud as a thunderclap within my head. Tory was gone.

=================================================================

I am in my room again. I had left mah-len about ten minuets before, once I was sure that she would not go charging off after her son. It has been three full hours since I had realized that my big brother was gone. It was almost impossible for anyone to survive for that long in the miasma without a protective crystal, and none of them were missing. He was presumed dead.

The small group of our close friends who had searched for him while I comforted my mah-len had turned up empty handed, their searching in vain. They were out spreading the news throughout the village and to the neighboring Vilit messengers by the River, who would tell our relatives, who lived further off.

I hear footsteps coming down the hallway, towards my room. Then, a familiar voice: “Saphire?” asks Stet cautiously. He knows how emotional I get, especially at times like these. I do not answer him. He pushes aside the beaded curtain that hangs over my doorway and enters the room.

I look up at him through the haze of tears coating my eyes. The dim light from the jar on my night table glints off of his dark blue-silver hair. He sits next to me on my bed and gently wipes the tears from my face. He pulls me into a tight embrace.

“It’ll be alright. We’ll find him.” He begins smoothing my hair back from my face, just as he has since I was eight years old. Every time I cried, he was there for me. His words and his actions calm me enough for the tears to stop. Eventually, he speaks again. “Reyna’s waiting for you at your spot on the Roal. She wanted to talk to you.”

Reyna. She had been my best friend since I was three, when she and Stet’s family had moved to Japas after the great tragedy of Scasa.  “Alright.” I state hoarsely. “I’ll go to see her.”

He smiles a sad smile and takes me by the hand, helping me off of the bed and out of the room. He hooks a small pendant off of a plaque by the door and slides it around my neck. As we walk outside, the pendant’s crystal responds to the sunlight and begins to shine. Just as we approach the village limits, he pulls me into another embrace.

I bury my face in his neck and let out a shuddering breath. “I’ll see you later.” I tell him. My voice is still rough with tears.

He delivers a quick peck on the cheek before releasing me. “I’ll be at the shop when you return, love.” I nod once, turn, and begin the trek up to the hidden path to the plateau overlooking the River Roal.

================================================================

Reyna is already there, waiting for me when I arrive. She is sitting on a boulder that is half-obscured by the ground; an identical one rests beside it. She is plucking small stones from the ground and flicking them out over the Roal. They bounce two or three times over small stepping-stones within the river before plummeting into the cool water below. It was a game that we have played together since we were very young. As I go from the soft dirt path to the rough stone outcropping, I kick a rounded stone down the hill to hit the water with a loud Plop! She motions for me to take my seat next to her.

It is a long moment before she speaks. “He’s not coming back, is he.” She never was one to be subtle.

“Guess not.” I state simply.

There is another moment of silence. Then, she glances over at me before she speaks again in her Scasian-accented voice. “You know, I’d say that I was sorry for your loss, and that I was sorry for what happened to him, but we both know that it won’t bring him back. And knowing you, you’re probably about ready to gag on how much of that bull you’ve swallowed already. Just know that I’m willing to help in any way I can, and I know what you’re going through.”

She calmly continues to toss the pebbles into the river, as if her speech had never even occurred. I can feel another round of tears trying to fall as I think about how she had lost her parents, most of her aunts and uncles, and an entire village worth of friends when Scasa’s crystals had been destroyed almost 13 years ago. She certainly can empathize.

“Thank you.” I whisper. She turns to look at me, her blue-green eyes full of understanding and concern.

Suddenly, her mouth curls into a mischievous smile. “C’mon, S. Let’s get goin’ before your mom starts getting to thinkin’ that you’ve run off, too.” I try to return her smile. We walk back to the village in silence, side by side.

================================================================

 It has been about three months since my brother disappeared. I may never get over it, but I do not cry as much either.

Today I am going to hitch a ride to Laidra with the village caravan. It is the men’s turn this year, but I wanted to go back to school to finish my education. I am to accompany them for the first leg of the journey, until they head towards Uait, at which time they would drop me off at the Laidran castle town. I would then ride back with the Laidran caravan when they made their way down to the Japas Peninsula.

They only let me travel with them for two reasons. One, I am good friends with princess Viera, and two, I could protect them from my cousin Brennovyn. He knows that I would tell my aunt Av’Asra that he had been thieving again if I catch him at it.

I stay close to Stet the entire way, even accompanying him into the Hannan Forest. We let Miiko and Jerome go to the Irrik mining town to get supplies. Miiko, being Laidran, received more respect than most of us. Jerome was much more level-headed than Miiko, and often kept him out of trouble.

When we finally arrive at the town, I give Stet a goodbye kiss and wave sadly to all of them as they continue down the dirt road. They are to stop at the sluice, visit Uait, camp on the lakeshore, then go to the Mines before returning home. I can still see Voridus chatting animatedly with Stet and Jerome. He is excited about visiting his cousin Tranue in Uait.

I sigh and turn to the task at hand. School. Lucky me.                                       

================================================================

As I walk alongside the Laidran caravan, I feel a sinking feeling. It only worsens as Japas draws near. It has only been two weeks since I parted with my home village’s caravan, but already I miss Stet with a passion that makes my knees weak and my heart ache. Honestly, I tried to keep up the pleasant conversation with Dar’Riis, leader of the caravan, but I kept focusing on the dread that hangs heavily in the air.

I glance over to the side, only to realize that Dari is staring at me. “Is something the matter, Sapiria?” he asked, worried.

“No. It’s just...” I sigh, not knowing how to continue.

“Are you tired? We could stop...”

”No, I’m fine.” This is a lie, but I don’t care. I just want to get home. As we parted ways just before the Drakkonia Cavern, the feeling hits me worse than ever.

I am reminded of that morning when I awoke to discover that my brother was missing. I clutch the mini-crystal that hangs around my neck as I make my way past the cliffs, the small pine forest, the docks, the Roal, and finally enter the village.

Reyna is waiting for me outside of my home. I immediately ask, “What’s wrong?” The look that she gives me is all too familiar. How could it not be? She had just used it three months and a week ago.

She takes a deep breath before saying, “Stet disappeared while they were on the caravan.” It takes me a moment to process this. Once I do, I black out.

===================================================================

It has been almost three months.

I’m not better this time. Reyna calls me “zombie” when she’s trying to cheer me up. I don’t respond to very much these days. And I haven’t cried. I don’t laugh, either.

None of the treatments from the Psych are working. I believe that he is an old kook that needs to find a real job before a certain Japesian Saiit decides to feed him to a Drakon. Let them do what they will with her for it; just let her take care of the crazy old Psych.

I decide to escape these annoying people for a while, and slip out of the house. I run directly to the spot above the River Roal, breathing heavily as I overexert myself. I sit atop one of the boulders and play the pebble game by myself for a while.

Finally, I snap. The tears come quickly as I sob loudly, for everything that I have lost in my life. My father, my brother, my favorite great aunt Narissa had disappeared a few years ago, and now Stet. Would the misfortunes never end?

            According to Jerome, he had complained about a sore neck when returning to the group on their stop at Lake Vasca. Someone had also shot at him with some sort of slingshot, most likely a child with a bad sense of humor. A silver stone that he had found had disappeared from his hand at the same time, presumably stolen while he had been distracted by the sound of the slingshot ammo missing. That still doesn’t explain why he was gone, but it makes me suspicious. Who else do I know that disappeared after finding a vanishing stone?

Once the tears are over, I glance around to ensure that I am alone. In doing so, I seal my fate when a glimmering object on the river’s shoreline catches my eye. Saiit that I am, I cannot resist investigating.

I slide down the steep plateau, using roots and creeper plants for leverage. When I finally reach the object, I pick it up. It is small and round, roughly around the size of a one-gold piece, blue as the sea. I am mesmerized by it.

A small rustling sound alerts me to the presence of a lavender colored Sri watching me from the bank. Its oversized ears stand straight up, and its tail bristles. Judging by how it hasn’t yet attacked, it is a female, and a curious one at that.

I am about to shoo it away, when a loud CRACK sounds and my neck explodes in pain on the left side. Panicking, I dash to the bank of the river and climb up halfway. I wipe my hand across the side of my neck and look at it. No blood. I also notice that the stone has disappeared. I swallow hard and scramble the rest of the way up the bank, ignoring the throbbing pain in my neck as I dash home.

I sneak back in through the back door, only to find my ten-year-old sister, Ta’ea, waiting for me. She glares at me from across the small dining table. “Mah-len isn’t happy about this. You shouldn’t disappear like that.” She states.

“Whatever.” I mumble in response. I walk down the hallway to my room and slide the rarely used door into place, bolting it shut for privacy. I fall back onto the bed fully clothed and stare hard at the ceiling, willing myself to fall asleep.

I have a final thought as I begin to pass out. I remember Tory finding that red stone by the aqueduct, and Stet finding one by the lake. I have the same neck pain that Stet and, now that I think about it, Tory had complained of. And now I had found a blue stone, much like the other ones. Panic washes through me, making my blood run cold. What would happen to me? Was I cursed? Would I... would I...

I pass out before I could finish the thought.

ZC Fic Part 7

The conversation that Reyna walked in on confused her greatly.
"Holy crap. What ever happened to the stripper?"
"Well, you see..."
Reyna's eyebrows shot up. "What was that about a stripper?"
Tory looked up, frustration clear on his expression. "Saphire's been picking up hitchhikers."
Reyna turned to Saphire and simply stared. saphire laughed and shook her head. "The other night, just before I came back. Out on the side of the highway, I found three highschool kids. They were dressed as a stripper, a cat-girl, and a freaking clown. I just had to. As it turned out, though, they had been on their way to a costume party, when their friend got pissed off at them and dropped them on the side of the road."
"Sure, "Reyna drawled sarcastically. "They weren't freaks with costume feddishes or something."
"They really weren't I dropped them off at the party, just as the cops showed up to break it up." She laughed. "Every one of those kids scattered. I had to participate in a high-speed chase to get away!"
Reyna groaned. "The new car out front... Oh, God. PLEASE tell me that you didn't wreck."
Saphire grinned again. "Nope, it's in the shop. I had to get it detailed after some of those damn kids slid over the hood and scuffed up the paint job." She shrugged. "Why would I wreck? I've been driving since cars were invented; I'm a natural!"
"Yeah," Tory agreed. "A natural trouble maker."

ZC Fic Part 6

"Okay, so maybe I took it a little too far."
Tory was speechless with rage. Saphire cringed slightly, preparing herself for the onslaught to come. He surprised her, however, by taking a deep breath to calm himself down.
"Did you get it out of your system, then?"
Saphire gaped at him, then recomposed herself. "Ah, yeah. And I really am sorry about that. It's just that after being in the center of the action for so long, I couldn't calm down. I took that trip to try and run myself down."
"That 'vacation' that we were forcing you to take was supposed to help you relax."
"I didn't want to relax! I was getting more and more paranoid by the second, cooped up in the house like that... I was stir crazy!"
Tory shook his head. "Where did you go?"
She shrugged. "Here and there. Cairo, Murmansk, Osaka, someplace in South Africa..." She listed the cities off with a whole lot of 'meh'.
"You didn't cause a ton of trouble, did you?"
"No."
"Saphire..."
"Well, not much..."
Tory scowled. "That is... worrying..."
She shrugged, and he sighed.