Chapter 15: The Girl of Gems

Alexander stepped instead and picked up a pink gem from the floor. “A girl pushed you down?” he said, Ria’s eyes low. “Don’t tell me—”

In a flash, the orb of light appeared before the window. Trinity’s family jumped, Mama sitting up. “What is that?” Papa said.

“Mama! Papa!”

“That was Skyler’s voice!” Papa leaned close to the orb as it floated. “How did it…what is this?”

“Trinity, your eyes!” Oriana said with a gasp.

Mama stared at Trinity, mouth moving silently. “No,” she muttered. “It can’t be.”

Trembling and mind spinning, Trinity looked at Alexander. He took a breath. “I’ll go alert Phoenix,” he said. “You and Ria should follow the orb.”

Trinity nodded, jumped up, and sprinted out the room with Ria. “Trinity, wait!” Mama yelled.

She kept going, sliding into her boots, going down to the first floor, and throwing the front door open. The girls dashed out the house and through the streets as the orb led them to Skyler, Trinity’s eyes watering.

“Trinity!”

The girls slid to a stop and turned, a familiar white bow coming closer. “What are you doing here, Oriana?” Trinity said.

She ran towards them panting. “I don’t know what’s going on or what that boy was talking about,” she said. “But Skyler is my brother, too, so I’m coming with you!”

“Wait, what? But Mama and Papa—”

“Are worried sick for Skyler. Please!”

Trinity and Ria glanced at each other before the former sighed. “Fine,” she said. The trio of girls chased the orb again as it led them to the square. Skyler’s voice began to fade, the light flickering. “Come on, Skyler. Keep calling.”

“How are you doing this?” Oriana asked.

“…I can’t say.”

“Why not?” Oriana frowned. “Why are you hiding it from me?”

“Because it’s one of the…” Trinity started to say before pausing. Slowing down, she turned towards her sister. “Actually, I don’t have to hide it from you. We’ve never kept secrets, have we?” She took Oriana’s hands and gave her a shaky smile. “I’m the new Protector of Light.”

“Trinity!” Ria said with a gasp.

“You’re the what?” Oriana said.

“That’s the real reason I was gone so long,” Trinity said. “We’re all traveling to fight against the enemy, just like the last one.”

“Enemy? We’re?”

Before Trinity could answer any more questions, she saw Phoenix and Alexander standing at the village’s western exit. The girls jogged down the road until they reached them. “Trinity!” Phoenix said, meeting her halfway. “Alexander just told me what hap—”

He stuttered over his words, eyes on Oriana. “So, you’re all Protectors?” she said. “I’m…confused.”

“You told her?” Alexander said, stepping forward.

“Yes, and?” Trinity said with a frown. “She’s my sister. We don’t keep secrets from each other.”

“But the rules!”

“We need to worry about Skyler instead of some dumb rules and I can’t hear…” Trinity looked around her. “I can’t hear him. The orb is gone…I can’t hear my brother anymore!”

Oriana started trembling, Alexander biting his lip. “He could be anywhere, depending on where our enemy took him,” Ria muttered. Tears formed in Oriana’s eyes as she covered them. A fear Trinity had never felt before spread through her whole body, unease on everyone’s faces.

“The capital.”

The group turned towards Oriana. “What?” Trinity said.

She flinched, her sister staring at her with glowing white eyes, hands by her side. “Skyler is on the bridge leading to Arialyn with a girl in pink. I can see him,” she said.

“See…what…Oriana, are you the missing Protector?”

She blinked, eyes dimming back to dark brown. “What?”

“Enough talk,” Alexander said. “You three need to get to Arialyn Bridge.”

“But that is days of travel, even if we were to take a carriage,” Ria said.

After a second, Phoenix stepped back. He walked away from the group, taking a quill from his pocket. “Phoenix?” Trinity said.

Taking a breath, he drew on his palm. He held his hand up and turned towards the others, eyes a shining red. “Appear, Excalibur!” he shouted.

He slammed his hand onto the ground. A circle appeared around him, a glowing sword in the middle. The others backed up as the ground shook. As the circle glowed brighter, a creature crawled out, its golden eyes staring at Trinity. Wings cast a large shadow on the grass, its scaly tail landing behind Phoenix. “That…is—”

“My dragon, Excalibur,” Phoenix said.

Walking up to the dragon, Trinity touched the red scales. Excalibur made a small noise, tail curling. “You have the most amazing magic, Phoenix!” she said with a grin. “When did you even learn how to do this?”

A red blush spread on Phoenix’s face. “Um, well, Uncle Avalon told me how he would summon creatures from the Ruby Isles to aid him in battle,” he said. “I assumed I had the same power, so before we left Southern Bridge, I asked Ember about it. She taught me what to draw, and the words just came to me.” He climbed onto the dragon’s back. “Anyways, we can use them to reach Arialyn Bridge quickly.”

Trinity’s grin grew, and she climbed up behind him. Offering her hand to Ria, she grabbed it and was pulled up. “Alexander, come on!” Trinity said.

Alexander glanced at gawking Oriana and shook his head. “I’ll head back to the house to do damage control,” he said. “Once you arrive, raise the Curtain.”

The trio nodded. “Please be careful, Trinity,” Oriana called. “And bring Skyler back.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll save him,” Trinity said. “Promise!” Her hands clenched Phoenix’s shirt, heart banging faster than a galloping horse.

The thought of her baby brother hurt was too much to bear.

She glanced between Ria and Phoenix, both nodding. “Alright, Excalibur, take us to Arialyn Bridge!” Phoenix shouted.

Excalibur roared, their great wings beginning to flap. Trinity wrapped her arms around Phoenix, Ria doing the same to her, as the dragon took flight. They rose into the air, Oriana and Alexander growing smaller and smaller. A few villagers came outside and pointed at the sky. Faintly, Trinity could see Philly and Dior among them, the former saying her name.

She knew she was going to have a few things to explain once she returned.

Looking up, a rush of excitement blew through her as they entered the sky. Only stars surrounded them, her kingdom all around her. “Astellaca looks so amazing from up here,” she said.

“You think everything is amazing,” Phoenix muttered.

“No, I don’t.”

“But I have to agree. It’s amazing up—”

The dragon flinched to the right. “What just happened?” Trinity said.

“Something is attacking us,” Ria said.

A burn was on Excalibur’s wing as they struggled to fly. Trinity looked forward, the tall stone walls of Arialyn in the distance. It matched the paintings she had seen hanging in the schoolhouse, down to the soft glow of Starr Palace. Surrounded by a moat, four bridges connected it to the rest of the kingdom. A pink beam of light shot from one of them. Excalibur flew higher, barely dodging the attack. A giant beam shot up, hitting Excalibur’s other wing. They began to glow. “Excalibur!” Phoenix yelled.

Whining, the dragon glowed brighter and vanished. The trio floated for a second before falling. Screaming, Trinity grabbed onto Phoenix and Ria’s hands. She closed her eyes, wind whipping past her face.

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Not feeling the hard impact of the ground, she opened her eyes. Ria floated above her, her golden twister surrounding them. Trinity’s fear morphed into relief, Phoenix sighing from below. “Trinity, Phoenix, raise the Curtain,” Ria said.

The pair looked at each other and nodded. “Aria, watch over our fates!” Phoenix shouted.

All three let go of each other’s hands. “Curtain, rise!” Trinity said.

Their purple barrier flashed over the area. Using Ria’s wind, the Protectors floated to the bridge. “Excalibur,” Phoenix muttered.

“I’m sure they’ll be fine,” Trinity said. “They likely returned to the Ruby Isles to rest.” Turning towards Arialyn, she flinched. Before her were twenty pink, furry monsters. “What the heck!”

The other two turned. “These have to be Marina’s monsters,” Phoenix said. “Your sister was right; she’s here.”

Trinity glared. “Then let’s get through them!”

“Wait, Trinity!”

Ignoring Phoenix’s call, she began running towards the monsters. They lifted their hands, shooting pink beams at her. Sliding to a stop, she put up her shield. Once the barrage stopped, she sprinted. Electricity formed in her hand, and she threw a punch into a monster.

It shook before turning into tiny crystals.

Phoenix ran around Trinity, five arrows in his bow. He shot each at the monsters, all burning to crystals. Ria spun in a circle. The remaining fourteen monsters blew up in a twister. Moving her hands back, she pushed forward her wind attack. The air filled the monsters till only crystals remained. Phoenix stared at her as she landed. “For a quiet person, your magic is…brutal,” he said.

“It is?” Ria said with a confused look. “I…” she gasped, “…there!” She pointed down the bridge. Standing in the middle, surprised face illuminated faintly by a purple moon, was Marina. Next to her feet was an unconscious Skyler. Trinity stared, many emotions running through her mind.

Fear.

Relief.

Guilt.

The one that took force was anger.

“This time, you’ve gone too far.” Electricity exploded from her body, and she charged. “Get away from him!”

Marina stood still, Trinity’s fist in the air. Suddenly, a crystal wall blocked her attack. Trinity yelped, fingers in pain. The wall parted, and Marina kicked her in the stomach. Gagging, Trinity was thrown back. She landed on the ground, her teammates running to her. “Too far?” Marina snarled. “You have no idea what I’ve been through! Because of you Protectors, I’ve been nothing but punished by my queen. Her Guards look down on me, even her sister had to help me. And now my mask…” Glaring, crystal daggers formed in her hands. “So this is payback for the suffering you’ve put me through!”

She threw the daggers at Trinity. Phoenix jumped in the way, his wall of fire melting the attack. “She’s finally fighting back,” he muttered.

Marina’s glare grew as more balls of light surrounded her. Ria grabbed Trinity and flew to the other side of the bridge. Running at Phoenix, Marina blasted each attack. He dodged them and formed his arrow. Shooting it at Marina, it burned her cheek. She winced and smirked. Phoenix frowned before flinching, crystal trapping his feet. Marina raised her hands, the crystal throwing him into the air. Jumping up, she used both feet to knock him back down. He gasped, landing on the hard stone. “Phoenix!” Trinity yelled.

Crystal began to surround him again. Ria flew to Phoenix’s side, grabbing him before he could be captured. “Are you okay, Phoenix?” she said.

He nodded. There was a Pop! and a large pink orb flew towards the pair. It hit Ria’s back, throwing her and Phoenix onto the ground. “I thought you were stronger than this,” Marina said, walking towards them. “To think I was afraid to fight you.”

“And yet you can fight us now?” Trinity said, standing.

Marina’s hands formed fists. “You’ve left me no choice.”

Trinity’s eyes grew when Marina charged towards her. Lifting her hands, her shield appeared. Marina pressed against it with her dagger. “Marina, are you…like us?”

“What are you going on about?” Marina said with a glare.

“When your mask broke, inside was a Protector Star.” Marina’s glare faded. “You’re not a Protector, are you? If you are, why are you fighting us?”

Marina lowered her hands. “A Protector…my mask?”

Holding out her hand, her mask half appeared, the other part of the star inside. Trinity’s shield vanished as she walked closer to Marina, the other two slowly standing. “Look,” she held up the star on her chest, “it’s the same as mine.”

Marina looked between the two, right eye twitching. “No way,” she said. “Am I a Protector? It can’t be, but it would explain those dreams I’ve…” A light began to shine from her chest, and she moved her hands to her head. “Help me.”

“What?”

Marina lowered her hands and looked at Trinity with teary brown eyes. “Please, help me! She’s trying to—”

A block of crystal encased Trinity.

Marina’s eyes flashed back to pink, and she smirked. “What am I saying? I have sworn loyalty to my one and only queen: Queen Pandora. I will do anything to make her dream come true and will never let you stop her.”

Trinity glared, electricity forming in her hands. However, she couldn’t move, crystals closing around her body, breathing difficult. “Trinity!” Phoenix and Ria shouted.

They dashed towards Marina. Her head turned swiftly, and she stomped her foot. A crystal wall shot from the ground. Ria stopped, Phoenix continuing to run for Trinity. Large pink beams grew out of the crystal. Phoenix slid to a stop, but it was too late. The energy shot out, throwing both him and Ria through the air and off the bridge. “Ria! Phoenix!” Trinity screamed before coughing. Her vision fading, she took a final look at her brother lying on the ground. “Sky…ler.”

“Enough!”

The crystal around Trinity shattered, and she fell to the ground. Gasping for air, her blurry vision saw a bright light. Once her eyes adjusted, she realized the light was coming from her brother. Marina stood beside her, arms dangling. “Is that…” she said before smiling. “It’s him. I’ve finally found The Areiria, Your Majesty!”

She ran over to Skyler as Trinity struggled to stand. Reaching her hand out, Marina froze. The light grew, taking the white silhouette of a person in a long dress. With what looked like a pointed crown on her head, she reminded Trinity of the princesses she would see in her book. The silhouette lifted her hand. A ball of light formed and shot into Marina.

She screamed, body aglow, before vanishing.

Trinity stared in shock when the princess pointed at her. Despite what she had just seen, she felt comforted by the light. The princess lowered her arm, her form flickering. “Look for…the second star,” she said.

“The second star?” Trinity muttered. The light flickered more before fading away completely.

“Trinity?”

Gasping, she spun around. Floating onto the bridge was Ria holding a trembling Phoenix. “Oh, thank the gods!” Trinity said, running to her teammates. “Are you two okay?”

“As good as we could be,” Phoenix said, Ria nodding. “What about you?”

“I’m…” she gasped and spun around again, “…Skyler!” She ran over to him, the other two following. Bending down, she picked him up, his eyes closed and breathing heavy. “Skyler?”

Ria knelt and placed a hand on his chest. “He is breathing, and his vitals are good,” she said. “It appears as though he is sleeping.”

That was not enough to make Trinity not worried. A hand touched her shoulder, and she looked up at Phoenix. “He’ll be fine once we get him home,” he said with a small smile. “You saved him, Protector of Light.” Trinity flinched and slowly nodded. Standing, Phoenix helped her adjust her brother on her back. “That light just now took the form of a girl, right? What was that?”

“She said to look for the second star,” Trinity said.

“The second star?”

Shaking her head, she turned to Ria. “Can you fly us back to the village?”

“I can try,” Ria said softly.

“Then let’s head back.”

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The moon was in the middle of the sky by the time they arrived in Atland Village. Trinity sat on the steps of her home, cool wind blowing her hair. The roads were bare, save for a stray cat running across the street. Distant bells rang from Southern Bridge signaling that it was midnight. The door behind her opened, Alexander stepping out. “Skyler’s sleeping,” he said. “Your parents are with him.” Trinity did not respond. “Neither him or Oriana have Protector Bracelets.”

“But Oriana has magic,” Trinity said.

“I know, but she couldn’t find one.” Alexander’s hands clenched. “It’s so strange! I couldn’t detect magic at all when she used it, and I can’t sense any in Skyler. It’s just like it was with Ember. It doesn’t make sense!”

Sighing, Trinity looked back at the cobblestone. “There was a strange light, and a ghost princess appeared.”

“A…a ghost princess?”

“She defeated Marina and spoke to me.”

“What did she say?”

“…”

Alexander frowned. “Trinity? What is going on with you?”

Her hands began to shake. “Skyler,” she whispered. “He’s my baby brother; I’m supposed to protect him. And he was kidnapped a room away from me! What kind of big sister…what kind of Protector am I?”

“A bad one.” Her shoulders slumped. “However, you, Phoenix, and Ria were able to save him, in a way, so that has to count for something.”

After a pause, Trinity half-heartedly chuckled. “You’re really bad at comforting people, you know that?” she said, nudging Alexander’s side.

His cheeks went red. “What does that—?”

He was cut off by the door opening once more, Trinity’s mother stepping outside in her magenta nightgown. “Don’t mean to interrupt,” she said, “but I would like some alone time with my daughter, please.” Alexander glanced at Trinity and went in. The door closed as Mama sat next to her. “Are you okay?”

“Um, yes,” Trinity said. “Sorry for running out like that.” She picked up a pebble and fiddled with it. “I guess I already broke your—”

“When?”

“What?”

Mama took Trinity’s wrist and lifted it, her Protector Bracelet shining in the moonlight. “When did you awaken your Protector magic?”

Trinity blinked, a bit shocked and confused. “I…I guess Oriana told you,” she said. “Remember when the medics were at Parkies, and I said the shopkeeper had fainted?” Mama slowly nodded. “It was actually one of the incidents. I was attacked, and my magic awoke.”

“You were…it was only a minute away from home.” Mama clenched her nightgown. “I couldn’t prevent it.”

“No one could’ve known, Mama! That’s why it’s lucky I was able to save myself. With Alexander’s advice, too!”

Taking a shaky breath, she released Trinity’s hand. “I assume Alexander’s arrival, your assistance to the bookkeeper’s nephew, and your new friend have something to do with it as well?”

“You got me,” Trinity said with a small laugh. “We’re all Protectors, and we’ve been helping Alexander find the missing Protectors so that The Areiria can awaken. That’s the real reason I was gone for ten days. I was traveling not only to Southern Bridge but to Cameria as well. Phoenix, Ria, and I are three of those Protectors, and now we’re only missing two.” She rubbed her arm. “The next one is in the northern region, so—”

“Absolutely not!” Mama said, Trinity flinching. “Is what I want to say, but I know you want to go with them.” Sighing, she crossed her arms. “You being a Protector doesn’t change the fact that you lied about why and where you were going and scared all of us.”

“I know, but I’m one hundred percent telling the truth this time.” Turning fully, Trinity looked her mother in the eyes. “I don’t want them to go on without me. I can’t let them fight against Queen Pandora without me!”

Mama stared, eyes growing. “You’re serious about this.”

“After tonight, I don’t want anyone else I love getting hurt by her. We have to awaken The Areiria so that we can stop her!” Trinity took her mother’s hands, a determined smile on her face. “I have to pick up where Her Majesty left off.”

Mama’s body tensed, a small noise coming from her mouth. Closing her eyes, she squeezed Trinity’s hands. “You may go,” she said.

Trinity gasped. “Wait, really?” she said.

Opening her eyes, Mama smiled gently. “I know you won’t be satisfied until you do, and after tonight, your father won’t mind either. However,” the smile was replaced by a frown, “I have two conditions.” Trinity nodded quickly. “First, you must stay with your group. Don’t go running off to fight on your own. And second,” she pulled Trinity in for a hug, “if at any moment you feel overwhelmed, come straight home. Did I make myself clear?”

Grinning, Trinity returned the hug. “Stay with the group and come home if overwhelmed. Understood!”

Chuckling softly, Mama gave her a final squeeze before letting go. “Let’s get to bed. We’ve both had a long night and tomorrow will be a longer day getting you prepared.” Standing, she went back into the house. Trinity stood as well and looked up, the moon illuminating the night. Near it were seven stars in a triangle. The constellation she was named for. In the center was the brightest star of the night. The second star born after the evening star. “Look for the second star,” Trinity muttered. Shaking her head, she went into her home for much needed sleep.

After all, she needed all her energy to prepare for part two of her adventure.