That was it. The last straw. I couldn't stand it anymore. I couldn't deal with it for a second longer.

It had been two whole weeks since I went to Emiarhia. I originally had no intention of returning, at least not until I was eighteen. But something inside of me was burning, an invisible reminder. It grew and grew until I had enough. I knew what I had to do. I had to go back there. I didn't know why, but something was telling me that I had to. Besides, I'm always up for an adventure.

My parents and I had finally gotten settled into our new house. All the boxes were unpacked and everything was placed in the right spot, save for a few pieces of furniture Mom bought online that hadn't arrived yet. It was like we'd lived there for years. I was lying on my bed, doodling in a notebook and listening to music. The summer was flying by pretty quietly. I was usually bored most of the time. The only thing on my mind was Emiarhia. I needed to return there. I could feel it. But I couldn't go without the necklace, which was most likely locked away in my mom's filing cabinet in her office. I had a goal with no plan. I still couldn't grasp the fact that I was transported there. It seemed like a dream. A detailed, intricate, very realistic dream. That's all.

But all the same, Emiarhia was real, no matter how unbelievable the trip had been. I know the mysterious warrior lady had told me not to return, but I just couldn't help but feel I had to go back. Mom and Dad of course would be furious, and I can't even imagine how long I would be grounded. All I needed was a plan – a highly intelligent plan – to retrieve the necklace, visit Emiarhia to find out what's going on, and then return the necklace before Mom realized it was ever gone.

It was possible that after I found the answers I craved, I wouldn't even want to return to Emiarhia. Judging by the way they reacted when I told them, I'm sure my parents wouldn't even mind if I never went back. No matter how scary my trip had been, it was exhilarating, like when you reach the top of a roller coaster and you're terrified, but you end up having fun anyway.

It was then that I made up my mind – I was going to go back.

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That night...

I was lying under the covers of my bed, ready to pretend to be asleep if anyone entered my room. My eyes were wide open, however, and I was waiting anxiously for the signal. Mom was tired from another long day at work and had gone to bed a few hours ago. It was approaching eleven o'clock, and Dad was just finishing up watching his weekly sci-fi episode. Finally, the muffled voices of the TV stopped, and I heard him get up from the couch. The lamp downstairs turned off, making the whole house completely dark. I heard Dad shut his bedroom door, followed by silence. I purposely waited another twenty minutes for good measure.

Then, I carefully slipped out of my bed and stood up. I strode across the wooden floor, down the stairs and around the corner. I felt like a secret government agent, dodging invisible lasers and slinking around at night. I chuckled to myself. The whole house was eerily silent; I could only hear the soft hum of the refrigerator. Soon enough, I approached Mom's office. I scanned through all of the drawers and cabinets, checking every single corner and edge. There was only one place left to examine. Turns out, it actually wasn't in the filing cabinet like I thought. That was too easy. Too obvious. It had to be in the tiny drawer in the corner of her desk.

"Ugh...no!" I whispered, fiddling with the handle. It was locked shut. Key....key....key... If I was Mom, where would I put it? I thought, crossing my arms. Eventually, the answer came to me. I couldn't think of any other location than Mom's nightstand. The one beside her bed. Well, there was no turning back now.

I snuck my way to my parents' bedroom and opened the door little by little, inch by inch, just enough that I could slip inside. I got on my hands and knees and crawled to my mom's side of the bed, just in case one of them woke up, they would have a smaller chance of spotting me. I reached up and opened the drawer of her nightstand very slowly, and sure enough, I retrieved the silver key at last. I silently shut the drawer and tiptoed out of the room, gently closing the door behind me.

I heaved a sigh of relief. I then promptly returned to the office, unlocked the cabinet, rescued the captured necklace, closed and locked the cabinet back up and returned the key. Everything was exactly like it was before, save for the glimmering metallic necklace tucked into my fist. Satisfied with my late-night mission, I hurriedly climbed back up to my bedroom.

"Now what...?" I whispered to myself, sinking into the mattress of my bed. "Should I go now? Or later? Tomorrow, maybe. It should probably be daytime." I pondered for a moment before deciding to hide the necklace in the bookshelf in the corner of my room, between the pages of a small, old novel. I then hesitantly went to sleep, worrying about what would happen if my parents found it.

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I woke up the next morning with my head clouded and drowsy. My memory came back to me, slowly and then all at once. I jumped out of bed and rushed to my bookshelf. The necklace was still there, right where I put it. I strung it out of the book and around my neck, concealing it with the neckline of my light grey housecoat. I then realized that in order to go to Emiarhia during the day, I would have to come up with an excuse to be gone for a while. It wasn't like time on Earth stopped while I was there.

After eating breakfast, I managed to convince my parents that I was going to spend the entire day at the beach. I pretended to get ready to leave and then discreetly exited my house. I hopped on my bicycle and pedalled, harder than I ever had before, to the beach. After I made sure nobody was watching, I slipped into the women's bathroom. I confirmed that it was empty before repeating the steps I had followed earlier. The necklace was hung around my neck and the pendant was wrapped tightly in my fist.

"Honesty," I whispered. It worked like a charm. I got all of the same feelings; tingly skin, burning hot metal, blinding purple light, rushing air. That time, I was ready. I was expecting it.

WHOOSH.

I landed hard on the ground again, but this time, it wasn't as bad. I sat up and looked around me. The sky was clear and sunny, and the air was cool but not freezing. I realized I was in the exact same spot as where I'd left, on the edge of the forest; it was just a much nicer day. I inhaled the fresh, dewy air of Emiarhia. It was oddly welcoming. I stood up straight and brushed myself off. To my surprise, upon seeing my altered appearance under sunlight, I noticed that my skin had a subtle shimmer to it. Trying to wipe it off proved wholly useless. I figured it was normal and shifted my focus to the task at hand.

"Where should I go...?" I mumbled. I wracked my brain, trying to remember the way I went last time, the way those people led me. I must've run farther from the arena than I'd intended in my haste to escape.

It was difficult for me to get any sense of direction, so I followed my gut. Besides, anything was better than just standing around. I shivered occasionally as I walked. It felt like it was early winter outside. Or, at least, what winter was in Minnesota. Hey! I can remember that! I thought. My... Uh... Brains are overlapping! Or...whatever Dad said. I was surprised that my body was withstanding those temperatures since I felt very underdressed in a t-shirt and sweatpants.

After only about five minutes of careful walking, I was greeted by a very large opening, a clearing, nestled in the centre of the massive forest that most likely took up this entire area. The land was uneven with several hills and cliffs throughout. On the horizon, I could see the faint outline of mountains. There were many, many buildings and shops of all different sizes, all elegantly blanketed in a layer of sparkling, white snow. People were bustling about, all dressed in vaguely Gothic and Edwardian attire.

I was hit with a pang of alarm. How am I going to go in there? Where am I going to go? What if somebody sees me? I won't blend in! After scanning over every possible option, I decided to just make a run for it. Well, more like a speed-walk for it. I took a deep breath and bent my neck sharply on each side, cracking the stiffness out. I then began to swiftly move forwards, keeping my gaze fixated on my feet and my hair draped around my face. Unfortunately, it wasn't long before I accidentally bumped into something. Actually, someone.

I glanced upwards for a moment to see a plump woman with grey, wispy hair. I'd made her drop her basket of some kind of strange, yellow fruit. They tumbled to the ground like an avalanche, rolling around everywhere.

"I'm so sorry, ma'am. That was entirely my fault," I mumbled. I bent down to gather as many of them as I could before piling them into the basket again.

"Now, look what you made me do, young lady! You oughtn't be walkin' 'round with your head so low! This is yer mess, and you can damn well clear it up!" she ordered. "I just washed 'ese, too..."

"I'm really sorry," I repeated, returning the last of the fruit to her basket.

"An' you ought'a be too. If one more kid goes on messin' with me..." she grumbled. I caught her eyes and she stopped talking as soon as she saw me. The woman gasped and put her hands over her mouth. "It's...it's...you're... You're one of 'em!"

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about–"

"It's...true! The legend is true! You're a saviour! You mus' be, ya look jus' like that one girl! My infinite apologies–"

"No, that can't be. Sorry, you must be mistaking me for somebody else."

"I don't think so! You have to be! You're gonna save Emiarhia, right?"

"I'm not that person!" I finished, pushing past the woman. I continued walking before I got farther away, then I started to jog. So much for not drawing attention to myself. Hopefully, that woman will keep her mouth shut.

I eventually slowed down to a walk and caught my breath. I looked up and tried to familiarize myself with my surroundings. To my left was a building that I'd never been so happy to see. I thanked my lucky stars as I approached the immense wooden gates that belonged to the place where I got interviewed last time. I hesitantly knocked four times, just like... What's her face... Kadia! Just like Kadia had done. The gates rumbled open and I entered. It was exactly like I had remembered it, just a lot less scary. I walked to the end of the hallway and knocked on the metal door.

"Who's there?" a female voice answered. It was Kadia, I knew it.

Stolen novel; please report.

"Uh... A visitor," I replied, relieved.

There was a brief silence. "Enter."

I slowly turned the knob and pushed open the door.

Kadia stood up from her desk in the corner. "You!" she exclaimed. "Are you out of your mind?!"

"Okay, not exactly the reaction I was hoping for."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Where are my manners? How are you? Still alive? Would you like a cup of tea? How about this weather, hm?" she snapped sarcastically.

"Listen, now is not the time to rant. I need your help."

She crossed her arms. "Dear gods... What?"

"I told my parents what happened. And, they told me everything they knew. At least I think they did. Something's up, I can tell. What's so special about me and Emiarhia? Why am I connected to this world so much?"

"You sneaked out, didn't you?"

"Yes, yes I did. Now answer my question."

"Do you have any idea how much danger you're in right now?! Coming here was a mistake! Now return before it's too late! People everywhere – enemies – want to hunt you down! This is why–"

"Why? Why do people want to hunt me down? What did I ever do to them? How do they know me? Tell me!"

"Because you're a saviour!" Kadia hissed. "Your parents didn't want you to know because they knew you wouldn't obey them and instead put yourself at risk. And clearly, I can see why they decided that."

"...What?" I whispered.

Kadia gestured for me to take a seat in the chair opposite to her. "Technically, I am not currently at liberty to say any of this. I could lose my job, my status... You didn't hear this from me, got it?" she said.

"Promise," I said.

"Good. Very well, so about you being a saviour. About fifteen years ago, when you were still a wee tot, Emiarhia was just like normal, flourished in health and vitality. Everyone was thriving in general, crops were excellent; overall, the world was at peace. And then, one day, something unusual and horrible happened. You see, we have a realm up north, very cold and deserted – lots of mountains – and some of the only people who live up there are the Elders. They are a group of men and women of extraordinary age, with invaluable wisdom and knowledge. Few people know for certain why they live so long, or if they will ever die. Regardless, that day, an Elder revealed a sudden prediction; a prophecy. A warning."

"How did they know what to say? Who told them?"

"They usually receive prophecies and messages from our gods and goddesses, which they then send to the council of kings and queens, who decide how, when, and whether or not to tell the general population. That is my understanding of it, at least."

"And where do these 'gods' live?"

"Not a soul can say. You can't meet with them, unfortunately."

"Okay, so what did the prophecy say?"

Kadia's eyes seemed to cloud over slightly. "'There will come a day where the blasphemous mark is revealed; a raven-haired man shall bring an epoch of carnage and anarchy. When the moment transpires that the lost heir returns, a long-awaited union will clarify what was clouded. It shall be on the day that metals are reunited and the champions reach adulthood that an unspoken promise will mark the strengthening of power. If the stars are to fall from the sky and what is blue turns red, the broken promise will usher forth the downfall of two kingdoms. Only if the ether regains its serene divinity will the courageous hearts of saviours be able to vanquish the invading empire and gift the next era of peace.'"

"What on Earth – or, Emiarhia – does that mean?"

"Again... We don't know exactly. We're continuing to decipher it. But, along with that, the Elder also communicated a vague description of three people she – or, her goddess, rather – predicted would save us all, that we needed to retrieve and contact. And, well, you look an awful lot like one of them."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. So you're saying that I need to protect this entire realm from some guy who sounds really pissed? Sorry, but that can't be me. I'm nobody. I'm as obscure as you can get."

"You don't know that. Until we figure out what the rest of the prophecy means, we need to keep you safe until the time is nigh. If you're a saviour, and the prophecy is true, then you and the other two saviours are our only hope, Brielle. And I might add that the Elders are rarely, rarely wrong."

I didn't answer. I felt dizzy. My head was clouded. I couldn't think straight. How am I supposed to fend off a supervillain mastermind? I barely know the first thing about fighting!

Kadia ran her fingers through her long, silk-like hair. "I've been thinking...and I'd like to make an offer. A suggestion. The problem is, we don't know exactly when this war will happen. 'Adulthood' from the prophecy could mean eighteen, it could mean twenty-two, it could mean twenty-five. Therefore, to stay on the safe side, we are counting on it happening after the youngest saviour turns eighteen. If we have more time than that, then that's even better. However, the youngest saviour's birthday is in approximately one year. Our forces are braced, but not fully prepared. We can only aid to a certain extent. This is a battle strictly between the three saviours and whoever the opposing force is."

"Okay," I repeated. "...So people will help me with this?"

"You didn't let me finish. My suggestion is," she continued as she leaned forward onto the desk, "I think you should make an effort to come here every day, late in the afternoon. When your school season starts, you can simply come here after. I'll fit you into my training class with the other two saviours, and we will transform you into a great warrior who anyone would be unwise to even dare to quarrel with."

"Kick-ass," I grinned.

"Oh. That reminds me. As well as the training sessions, you will also be attending the Glacioux Academy. It's an excellent institute we have here in this realm. You'll learn everything from basic subjects like geography to other necessary courses. You will undoubtedly need to be taught much more than the other two saviours since they both were born and raised here, unlike yourself, and have hence been learning since they were six years old. Some of the classes might seem unimportant, but I assure you, they're all quite useful."

"That's fine with me, but how are my parents going to react to this?"

"You must speak with them, Brielle. I think they'll eventually understand and allow you to come here every day. How else are you going to prepare for the war? I won't lie, training is going to be hard and gruelling."

I groaned. "Fine. All right, I'll talk to them. I mean, it's not like they can say no. As you said, training is a necessity right now. I'm not the best at fighting; I'm pretty rusty."

Kadia chucked. Until then, I wasn't sure if she was capable of expressing any humour. "Worry not. I assure you we will try our hardest to help you as much as we can."

I sighed. "Thank you. Oh, I have another question,"

"Hm?"

"Why is it that I'm not cold? Like, I'm in a t-shirt, and it's snowing outside...?"

"Oh, because we are typically much more cold-resistant than Earthians. It's your genetics."

"Good to know... So, what now?"

"Now, I think it's a good idea to go see the Elders. They can provide us with some much-needed information."

"Right, and where would that be?"

Kadia caught my shoulder as I was turning around. "Well, you can't go dressed like that. You'll stick out like an offisji in a dark cavern."

"And that would be–?"

"A bird that essentially glows in the dark. But, truly; you're wearing Earth clothes. You need to blend in as much as possible. I probably have a gown somewhere in my chamber. Follow me."

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"What do you think?" I asked indifferently.

Kadia folded her arms and smirked. "Impressive. You look exactly like you belong here."

I shrugged. I'd changed into a pewter and white cotton gown with a lilac bodice. It felt strange and uncomfortable, not to mention the white leather boots. I looked myself up and down in a nearby mirror. My heart skipped a beat as I remembered that that girl in the mirror was me. I still wasn't used to seeing myself looking so different. The bodice on the dress matched my eyes. I still hated it.

Kadia clasped her hands together. "Ready?"

"Ready," I responded.

We both walked to the front door. She handed me a thick, black cloak that was lined with soft fur. I draped it around my shoulders and clasped it at my collarbone as I followed her outside.

"Quit looking so suspicious," Kadia whispered, elbowing me in the ribs.

I stood up straight and kept my head up while we walked. I could feel my cheeks turning red, and not from the cold. People were staring at me as I passed. I ignored them. "Where are we going?"

"Adares. It's about a ninety-minute ride from here."

"Ride? Like, on horses?"

She grinned slightly. "...Almost."