Prologue

In the deepest pit at the top of the world, madness awaits.

Chapter 1: Departure

Zel thought that once this night had come, she would be ready. She thought that she would be able to pack up her things and leave her town behind. But when she woke up in her bed, anxiety gripped her heart. She opened her eyes, she was laying on her side facing the wall of her room. For a while she sat alone with her thoughts. She was an anxious person by nature, but tonight her mind was especially busy.

 While laying there, Zel felt a bit warmer than usual and was, now that she thought about it, entirely too cramped in her own bed. Rolling over, Zel found her sister, Miriya, sound asleep beside her and curled up into a little ball, clutching her tail close.

Zel's sister had her own bed on the other side of the room, but she also had a long time habit of crawling into Zel's bed when she was anxious. Zel didn't blame her and found her warm fur comforting and it made her reluctant to get out of bed herself. Perhaps I can sleep in a bit, she thought, slowly closing her eyes.

But tonight of all nights was an important one, and the pounding of her heart wouldn't let her rest. She needed to wake up. So, reluctantly, she rolled over and began the often difficult process of waking up her sister.

"Miri, Miri! It's time to wake up, sis. Tonight's the night! We're headed to school!" Zel spoke quietly, gently shaking her sister's shoulder as she attempted to rouse her.

"Mrrrm," Miriya responded, gracefully. "Don't go to school no more. Graduated."

Zel couldn't help but giggle.

"That's true! But now we have a bigger school to go to, remember? We got invited to Dream Academy, remember? Tonight's the night we gotta go and show them our stuff!"

"Don't wanna," Miriya replied.

"Don't want to achieve the dream we've both had since we were kids? Become famous soldiers that defend our home, the realm, and its people?" Zel asked while trying more aggressively to jostle her up.

"Forget the dreams, sleep time," Miriya said, not budging.

Zel sighed.

"Well, remember... I tried my best."

"Hrm?" Miriya gurgled.

Zel raised one of her fingers, gracefully whisking it through the air as if writing beautiful calligraphy before, slowly and carefully, she brought it down until it was positioned just barely above Miriyas buttocks. Once there, she concentrated on the tip of her finger until she felt a familiar tingling sensation, then suddenly from the tip of her finger a small arc of electricity loosed through the air, which briefly connected her finger and Miriya's unsuspecting behind in glorious conductivity.

Miriya let out a shrill yelp, her whole body tensing up and contorting before she went tumbling off the bed onto the hard wooden floor below.

"ZEL!" she shouted from over the bed's edge. "That wasn't very nice of you, you know!" 

Miriya's head popped over the edge of the bed so Zel could see her pouting expression, practiced and perfected over many blooms. Its powers, used to stop countless lectures from their parents, was wasted on Zel.

"I tried nice first. Nice is for people who wake up when there's stuff to do!" Zel, wagging her finger threateningly, its deadly butt-zapping charge still visible to the naked eye. "Now let's get ready and get some breakfast, Mom and Dad are probably already awake!"

Miriya grumbled annoyedly, rising to her feet slowly before reluctantly dragging herself to the dresser on her side of their bedroom. Zel rolled out of bed and strode over to the window. She threw open the wooden shutters and was greeted by the brisk breeze of cold night air.

Zel looked up into the sky. Above her and impossibly far away was the moon, shining down on the nation of eternal night. Its two halves, one of a vibrant and warm crimson, the other a cool and mellow blue, shone down on her. Tonight the air between her and the moon seemed to sparkle as the gentle snow that drifted through the air from somewhere in the east caught the light and filled the sky with a unique glimmer.

Split Sky, Zel thought, taking a deep breath of the evening air. The name of her country and place of birth, the moon as its namesake, it is the only place that Zel had ever called home.

Children of the sky… Zel thought with a nostalgic sigh. It was always what the teachers at her school and adults would call themselves, the Splitfolk, when talking to children. It was nostalgic to think of now that she was leaving home, and she thought that perhaps she would tell kids the same thing.

But now isn't the time to think about that, Zel thought. She shook her head and clapped her hands over her cheeks. With a slight sting and fresh resolve, Zel turned around to get ready to leave.

Upon turning around, Zel found Miriya waiting for her. She had already dressed and was holding Zel's favorite black dress in two outstretched hands. Miriya's sleepiness had dispelled, and she stood bright eyed with a familiar and eager smile on her face, her tail unconsciously and happily waving behind her.

Miriya was a Trailfolk, a people from the far side of the world who were known for having slender bodies coated in fur with pointed ears sprouting from the tops of their heads, and a distinctive fuzzy tactile tail on their behinds, Miriya was no exception. Miriya was a bit shorter than Zel, only by a smidge, she had tan fur that covered her whole body that grew darker and thicker around the top of her head. She had piercing yellow eyes, but a gentle face that instantly won over anyone who met her. Zel had always been jealous of how easily she made friends. She was skinny but muscular from spending most of her life hunting and playing outdoors with her trusty slingshot, which she had already strapped tightly to her hip.

Her fingers ended with padded prints, and her powerful tail was well-known around the forests of their hometown, holding her up from many a tree branch while she terrorized the local fauna with her deadly accuracy and tenacity to hunt whatever it was she set her sights on.

Unlike the dress that Miriya was handing Zel, the clothes that she wore were rather plain, never having been much of one for a stylish wardrobe. She wore a simple tan shirt that covered her top half, with some matching shorts on the bottom half. Trailfolk were gifted with durable feet, the pads that covered her palms and digits growing much thicker on the soles, and as such Miriya wore no shoes.

Zel smiled at Miriya. Though they were sisters, Zel was a Splitfolk, people native to the land of Split Sky, a vastly different people than the Trailfolk. She had light blue skin which seemed to constantly glisten and sparkle under the moonlight. Her hair was dark and inky, a wild mop on her head that, despite her best efforts, she had never been able to fully bring under her control. Her face was composed mostly of sharp features, chin, cheekbones, all the way down to her pointy teeth, which came to bare when she smiled. She had light freckling under her turquoise eyes that, even among the Splitfolk, were abnormally radiant and almost seemed to glow as if lit from within. Pointy ears poked out from either side of her head, and she, like Miriya, was lithe and toned, but she would be the first to admit that she could not yet compete with her sister's athleticism.

She held the dress that Miriya gave her aloft. A twilight black dress with no sleeves and frills on the skirt that reached just to her knees. Miriya knew it was her favorite, she'd bought it for her afterall. Zel wondered if the Academy would let students wear dresses. Maybe tonight would be her last chance for a while to wear something like this. Zel's eyes teared up at the thought. 

"Miriya! Zel! Come down stairs! We've got to get you two ready!" Zel heard her mother call from downstairs. She wiped the tears out of her eyes and put on her dress along with her matching pair of black heeled slippers. She looked at Miriya, who was also emotional, though she was doing her best to keep it under control. The two of them grabbed their bags they had been packing for months now and after taking one last look around their childhood room, left out the door and into the stairwell of their home.

As they lugged their luggage down the stairs, the bags were large and hulking with most of their lives packed within, Zel noticed a wonderful smell in the air which gently floating its way up to them. She could see light pouring in from the bottom of the staircase, and was just barely able to make out the flickering movement of a shadow from the next room. 

Hopping off the last step the two rounded the corner into their kitchen together. Their family dining table, a massive and dense wooden beast covered with the scars of endless use, was completely coated with every kind of breakfast food that Zel had ever conceived. Eggs, pancakes, bacon, and everything else good in the world was laid out neatly, but in such bulk as to be spilling off the edges of the table, no matter how well organized it was.

As soon as they walked through the door, the two were suddenly ambushed, two figures leapt out from behind the door frame, hidden just out of sight until the moment they struck. With equal numbers but the element of surprise on their side, the shadowy figures were able to capture both Zel and Miriya, one girl each, in a powerful embrace. Miriya was lucky, getting grabbed by their mother. Zel was not so lucky.

"Congratulations, you rotten runts!" Zel's father shouted while aggressively rubbing Zel's hair, his strong arms keeping her head pinned to his chest.

"Now the folks at the capital will have to deal with your nonsense, instead of us!" her mother piped in as well while tickling Miriya who was cackling uncontrollably. Maybe Zel was the lucky one.

Together, both their parents wrestled them to the table where they pushed the duo into their seats.

"Now eat!" their father demanded, his arms held wide to show off the incredible buffet he had made. "You won't get a meal like this where you're going, not for a long time. So eat as much as you want, girls! Eat until you're sick!"

Neither Zel nor Miriya needed to be told twice, as immediately they began to dig in.

"Are you all packed? You're wearing that black dress that Miriya bought you! Looking your best, just like always Zel! And Miriya, look at you! You're so big now I can't believe it! After all this time you guys are finally in! Dream Academy! Just like Ziek! Imagine that!" Their mom rattled off a non-stop stream of compliments, worries, concerns and everything that she could think of. They had heard it all before, but weren't upset to hear it one last time as well.

"We're not in yet, mom. We passed the preliminary examinations from our old school, we still got to get there and show them our stuff!" Zel said in between bites of pancake, syrup dribbling down her chin. Perhaps she was not the picture of a fair maiden that she often thought herself as, but her father's cooking was far too good to worry about such drivel.

"Ahh, that exam ain't gonna be shit!" Zel's father yelled, one of his big hands clamping down on the top of her head, ruffling her hair around again.

"Watch your mouth, dear!" Zel's mom scolded. She was notoriously against senseless cursing, something that Zel herself had frequently gotten in trouble for.

Surrounded by the familiar sounds and smells and tastes, Zel felt at ease, but it was short lived. A sense of dread filled her and the world around her grew quiet as she realized that this would be the last time for a long time the four of them would be here together, eating as a family. She would miss it. She didn't even know what it was like to live without all this noise around her. Maybe the Academy wouldn't be so different. She hoped so.

There was too much food to eat, even for the starving girls, but they took their best shot. By the time the two of them were done they had put a sizable dent in the number of plates dishes on the table. Though they both wished they could eat even more, they knew that it would not go to waste. And both fortunately and unfortunately, it was time to leave.

They got up off the table as their parents worked to clear it off for them, and they walked towards the stairwell. The two of them stood up and reached for their bags, only to notice that they had been stolen from them while they were distracted by their father's cooking. Their mother and father had one bag each and were standing by the front door, ready to leave.

"We'll meet you out front," their dad said with a nod before the two of them disappeared through the door, leaving Zel and Miriya alone once more.

They sat in silence, taking in the relaxed aura that their home seemed to emit naturally before both letting out a full and content sigh.

"You excited?" Miriya asked after a time.

"Of course I am," Zel said. "But you know me, I've never been out of here before. Out of our town, I mean. I'm fuckin' scared." Zel wrapped her arms around herself, just barely stifling an involuntary shiver.

"It'll be okay. We're going together." Miriya reassured her, placing a fuzzy hand on her sister's shoulder. "It's what we've both wanted to do for a long time. Imagine us! Becoming soldiers that defend all of Split Sky! We can be heroes. You and me! Go anywhere we want to!"

Zel chuckled.

"You've been like that ever since you rode into my life. Since the night you hopped off that train. You can go anywhere, do anything and you'll never look back or regret anything in the least. I… don't know if I can, but I think I'll try… I'll try to borrow a bit of that enthusiasm tonight," Zel said, she spoke bravely, but her heart was heavy.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

"Now come on," Zel continued, "Let's go steal our bags back and get out of here before someone can convince me to stay." The two stood up and made their way towards the front door. Though Zel spoke with conviction, neither she nor Miriya were in any rush to leave, and took in everything they could before they stepped outside

Once out, they found themselves in their mother's home garden, surrounded by all sorts of beautiful flowers and edible fruits and vegetables, each organized and put in its place, selectively chosen through years of trial and error and color-coding. Zel's mother was already a ways away from the door, going about her business in the garden as if it were any other evening. A stream of water was flowing from the tip of her finger and vaporizing into a fine mist that sparkled in the air before gently floating down over the thirsty plants.

Their mother was a gardener by trade, and her skill had made her something of a local celebrity, able to grow many kinds of plants that had been previously thought to only grow in the warmer regions. Zel's favorite were the Drakilais, a kind of flower that spit out orange pollen whenever it was jostled and looked as though it was breathing fire. They only grew on the far western border of Split Sky and the neighboring nation, so to have them on the eastern side was a special treat that only her mom could manage.

Zel's father was standing by the gate to their yard, leaning against it casually and waiting with the two bags while Zel and Miriya meandered through the garden. Eventually, though, they found their way to the gate and were shortly joined by their mother once she finished with her leafed friends.

"You ready to go?" Their father asked, wearing a big smile, but with significantly less enthusiasm than when he had cooked them breakfast. "Train is due at full bloom, don't have too much time left." Zel's father gestured sharply with one thumb to the giant Tiltwilt flower in the center of their mother's garden.

It was a special flower that the people of Split Sky used to track time. Its pedals were a strange split of brown and purple that shimmered and moved throughout the night. Every night the Tiltwilt would fully raise and bloom as if it were the peak of the season, but then it would sink back down until it appeared to have withered and died, only to repeat the process once again the next night. They were rather marvelous flowers that only grew in Split Sky, and the one in her mother's garden was by far the largest one that Zel had ever seen, standing taller than she did when normally they were just barely large enough to fill out the palm of one's hand.

"I think so, Dad. We've got everything that I think we need," Zel said in response to her father's question. Miriya was next to her, quietly nodding in agreement.

"Let's take off then," he said. With neither their father nor their mother allowing them to carry their own bags, Zel, Miriya, and their parents began heading down the main road of their town.

In their small town of Slipton, everybody knew everybody. As they traveled down the cobblestone road, lit only by moonlight and glittering snow, they ran into some familiar faces. Zel's family had been there for a long time and their parents in particular were friends with lots of the townsfolk. This night had been talked about for a long time, so there were lots of folks and friends of the family who wanted to wave them a quick goodbye as they passed through the town proper.

The town was a bustle of activity, as much as it could be for a town with such a small and niche population. Everyone who they ran into was wearing warm clothes that kept them cozy in the cool air. Being on the eastern side of Split Sky it close to the border of Lantern, the land of the cold sun, and as such it was important to bundle up, the weather was always chilly no matter what time of year.

Most businesses in Slipton were directly tied to the train station, pretty much everyone worked by the platform one way or another and Zel's parents weren't an exception. Their mother took advantage of the train to ship her more exotic flora out without having to worry about it spoiling. Their father on the other hand was more directly involved with the train station. He was a talented chef, having made incredible meals like their breakfast for as long as Zel could remember. His perseverance and skill had earned him enough money to be able to buy a restaurant that could directly serve travelers on the train platform, his pride and joy from which he served customers from all around the world.

But now Zel was leaving all of that behind. She knew she would miss it, she had known for a long time, but it had never hurt like it did now as each step brought them closer to the train station. Zel had always been proud to have parents like them, each of them making a living and following their own dream, encouraging her to do the same, even if they weren't big fans of her joining Dream Academy. She was so proud, but now she wondered if her parents knew.

"Are you cold, Zel?" Her mother suddenly asked from beside her, interrupting Zel's thoughts.

Her mom had an all-too-familiar look of worry at Zel's appearance. The dress that Zel was wearing did next to nothing to stave off the cold and she could feel it starting to bite into her skin, but she did not mind.

"I'm fine, Mom," Zel assured her. "I'm a bit cold but this… this is how I want to look tonight. And the train ride to the capital isn't so long, and it'll definitely be warm enough by the time we get there!"

"I know, I just want to make sure that my girls get there healthy! At least Miriya has that fur coat so I know she'll be fine."

"You know, Trailfolk furs actually help to keep us cool! It's a lot hotter where I was born!" Miriya cheerfully piped in with a fun fact. Both Zel and their parents knew better than to believe her, though.

Miriya had never once needed extra layers her entire life. Her fur kept her comfortably warm in the cold and happily cool in the heat. Zel was often jealous of it, but then she saw the kinds of care and maintenance the fur needed after Miriya spent more than one evening in a row outside, Zel found herself just as quickly forgetting that jealousy. She was not particularly lazy when it came to her hygiene, but she would take her smooth skin and scales over the fur any night. 

"Haha!" Zel's dad laughed without turning around. He had taken the lead of the group, holding Zel's bag in one of his muscular arms and using the other to stop and vigorously greet all of the people in town that he knew, something that he was known for in Slipton. Even though he looked and acted the same way that he always did in front of the townsfolk, Zel could tell that her father was feeling conflicted inside.

Maybe someone who didn't know him as well as she did wouldn't be able to tell, but he was distant. He threw himself into conversations with people that he saw all the time as if it was the first time they met, bringing up topics and conversations that would keep him and the neighbor talking for a while. He made sure to stop by every shop, every store, and every building that  they passed to talk to inhabitants. He would always end the conversation with the same sentence.

"Well, I'd better be off. My girls are heading to the big city!" He said over and over.

From the outside it appeared to be the overt bragging of a very proud father, and in some respects it was, but Zel could see through her father's attempts to hide his true feelings. Every stop and every conversation was an attempt to slow them down, to make them take just a little while longer getting to the station.

This didn't mean that Zel wanted to stop him, however. Instead, she jumped in wherever she could with Miriya joining in too. By the time they were done they had said their goodbyes to almost everyone in town and as a result they found themselves in front of their destination: the train station.

 There was quite a stark distinction between the small village formed of stone and wood and the mechanical wonders that were unique to the train line. Metals of all kinds were used to form the platform, each enchanted and designed to be the most efficient for a specific purpose or, more often than not, for comfort.  The metal framework that held up the majority of the platform was enchanted to be extra durable, the flooring itself, a mix of dark shadewood and gray stone, was meticulously crafted to provide an easy sensation on the feet, even if barefoot. The railings that lined the platform on all sides and leading into the loading zone were made to hold all kinds of weights and materials placed upon it so as to account for even the most absurd and unusual of riders or loaded materials. This was the kind of quality that everyone in Split Sky had come to expect from the Full Circle Railroad company. Even in a small and dingy town like Slipton that little draw for visitors was given this kind of treatment. Its construction quality was something bordering on absurd and, given that this is what was provided to a single train stop in a small town, Zel had always wondered what the stations were like in the bigger cities.

It was to maintain this level of quality and luxury that the Full Circle Railroad rarely allowed any outside influence on their platforms, keeping everything in-house made keeping up appearances simple. Sure, they would allow the town to add a flare of their own, something to let the riders know where they were, but they would never let someone add a piece of construction that could be construed as being part of the platform. Which is why the Slipton Station was so unusual.

When you stepped off of the train to visit Slipton, the first thing you would notice is likely the large and rather ornate wooden sign that read "Welcome to Slipton!" It was covered with all sorts of decorations that had been added over years and years of various townsfolk pitching in. Glassworks, small patches, flowers that were replaced regularly and more hung down from this little addition. But then the second thing you would likely notice was directly to the sign's right, a building of a beautiful dark Shadewood was haphazardly attached to the edge of the railing, the only access from the platform being a small window that you could smell a variety of delicious scents wafting through nearly any night of the year.

Above that window was a sign that was much smaller and less ornate than the Slipton one, a sign that read simply in bold and carved lettering "The Track Shack."

This was Zel and Miriya's father's restaurant. The thing of which, in the entire world, he was only more proud of Zel and Miriya. It was somewhat uncommon to be able to run a successful restaurant outside of a major city, and practically unheard of to strike a deal with the train company and  be able to sell directly onto the platform. Zel had not traveled enough to confirm for herself, but the number of travelers that sang her father's praises told her that it was a rare sight indeed.

Of course, it wasn't technically part of the platform itself, though the customers could not care less. The convenience of hopping off the train for a single stop and enjoying a locally acclaimed meal was a major attraction for many, though meals handed hastily through a window were far from the only service the Track Shack offered.

If one were to venture off the platform and around to the otherside they would find themselves at the proper entrance, where they could have a proper sit-down meal, complete with drinks, company, and warmth that was hard to come by on the cold side of the continent.

It was within these restaurant walls that Zel and Miriya grew up hearing stories of Dream Academy. People from around Split Sky and even all of Tenyarn found themselves needing a place to stop and rest, and one would be hard pressed to find a better option than what Zel and Miriya's father could offer. Folk from all different walks of life would wander into the establishment and talk about whatever was on their mind. Zel and Miriya made a habit of listening to all their stories to hear about all of the wonders of the world, but their favorites were always tales from Dream Academy.

In particular, there was one man who had worked their imaginations harder than any other, a train worker by the name of Ziek. It was from this man that Zel and Miriya had first even heard of Dream Academy. He had seemingly endless stories of his time that he spent there before he decided to retire and work on the train line. They would sometimes listen to him throughout the night until they fell asleep and their unfortunate father had to both close up his restaurant and carry them back up the windy town road to home.

Zel often wondered how it was that her father had been able to make such a successful business, though she suspected it had something to do with Ziek, as the two had known each other for a very long time. At least that's what they told her.

Zel couldn't help herself as they reached the steps of the platform, she stopped to look at the restaurant one last time. Its doors were closed and lightly coated in a powder of white, a rare sight on any night. Normally her father would have already opened up, getting the burners ready for the early customers, but of course he wouldn't tonight, at least not yet. Though Zel suspected as soon as they were on their way that the doors would open right up.

It was a strange sensation, looking at those closed doors. She couldn't even guess how much time she had spent within those walls. But tonight she walked right past it. 

Though Zel had felt somewhat relaxed while walking through the town up to this point, however when she and her family reached the bottom of the platform steps she found herself hesitating.She had climbed the steps of the station many times before and they looked now different tonight than they ever had before, but the knowledge that she would not be walking back down these steps later in the evening, or the night after, or the night after that going on for a very long time was a thought that made her stomach suddenly drop.

She let out a sigh and felt a warm sensation on her back. Miriya had stopped with her as their parents climbed up the steps. On her face she wore a bittersweet smile, the same expression Zel found herself wearing. Together the two of them sat in silence, but it wouldn't do to wait any longer. Zel took Miriya's hand in her own and they made their way up the platform steps.

When they reached the top their mother was already patiently waiting for them, both Zel and Miriya's luggage at her feet. Their father, however, had wandered off to the edge of the platform where the train would be arriving. He stared out into the distance while standing lazily, his wide back curved and his hands in the pockets of his trousers. Zel wandered over to where he was and tried to trace his gaze.

He was facing north, where the local Shadetree forest began just a mile or so beyond the tracks. The Shadetrees were a vibrant sea of yellow leaves that sat atop their dark trunks, dividing the horizon into layers of color. Beyond that all that could be seen on the eastern side were the Cross Mountains, a veritable wall of stone that stretched far into the night sky, too far to even hope to glimpse peaks. They stretched all the way north until they faded into the distant gloom. To the west there was nothing but the sea of trees with the track splitting the ocean in twain. Compared to other places in the world, Zel found it hard to imagine it was the most beautiful place out there, but at the same time she had a hard time imagining one that she would rather see.

The chill of the night was more harsh out on the platform, away from the warmth and people of the town. Zel felt herself shiver and for the first time could see her breath on the air. Another time her father might have noticed, but he seemed entranced by the distant haze and after some time standing in silence, he spoke

"You two excited to get out of here?" He asked, not turning around. 

"Yeah, we are, Dad." Zel responded truthfully. 

"That's good. That's good." Zel's dad said as he reached into his jacket pocket.

From his pocket he produced a purple cigar, long and old. Carefully he placed one end into his mouth before pulling his finger down its length to the tip. Small sparks flew from the tip of his finger urging the dry leaves to ignite, but to no avail.

He tried a few more times with equal measures of success before Zel offered her own finger in assistance. Zel's father smiled and leaned over, meeting Zel halfway as Miriya snuck up on his right and grabbed his arm playfully. Zel ignited his cigar with a shot of electricity arcing from the tip of her finger to the exposed leaves.

Satisfied with her handiwork, Zel let her arm fall back to her side only to be suddenly grabbed and pulled in by one of her father's powerful arms. Miriya was similarly trapped on the other side of him.

"I-..." Their father stammered, tears long held back now flowing freely from his eyes, "I'm going to miss you guys so… so dam-damn much!"

Zel felt wetten again, and this time Miriya could not contain herself either. Zel's mom appeared and joined the embrace, her own face already streaked from tears. They stayed like that for a while, and for a moment, Zel didn't want to leave. She hoped that they could stay together forever.

But it was not meant to be.

It wasn't long thereafter before a light shone in the distance, and with it came a growing symphony of sound. The Full Circle Express thundered into the station, its strict schedule ignorant of the emotional scene taking place at its platform. It came to a screeching halt in a cloud of steam, and a blast of warm air erupted from its interior as the doors opened into the cool eternal night. A conductor stepped off the train, illuminated by the natural light of the moon and the mana light of the train. His bright smile and helpful demeanor coupled with his neat, white overalls made him seem somewhat of an alien presence on the platform which until moments had just been the four of them, though surely there could hardly be someone who belonged there more. He offered to take their bags aboard for them and he sounded every bit as cheerful as he looked.

It's time to go. Zel thought to herself.

After a few final moments Zel was the first to break the embrace, gently stepping away from the huddle as the other three followed suit, wiping their eyes and noses. They handed over their bags to the conductor who loaded them efficiently under one of the cars and directed them to the carriage they would be taking. Once there with everything fully loaded, Zel and Miriya turned around to say their final goodbyes

"You two, we both want you to know that no matter what happens while you go to live in the big city, you will always be welcome back here." Zel's mother said. "And if… for some reason, this whole… school thing doesn't work out, we'll always be here for you with the flower shop and the restaurant."

"We know, mom, and if anything ever goes wrong you know we'll be right back here causing trouble again." Miriya said, tears held back behind a forced smile.

"But I think that the next time you see us we'll be badass soldiers that protect all of Split Sky!" Zel shouted while flexing her arm dramatically, her eyes still blurry and wet.

Zel's father let out another bellowing laugh. "That's my girl. You get in there and give em' everything you got, show them fuckers that live in that mountain what for!"

The train's whistle blew, echoing through the night. A conductor waved at Zel and Miriya from the locomotive window, he called out that the train was departing. With one last big hug from each of them for their parents, the sisters steeled themselves and boarded the train.