Magic is everywhere

Chapter 1 (Long Lost Friends)

Amber frowned as she stood at the doorstep to number 7 Elwood Cottage in Nottingham England. “Answer the door you stupid twit.” Amber muttered to herself as she shuffled her feet. “Hello,” A woman with dirty blonde hair and shining green eyes of a medium build answered the door, “It’s you, what are you doing here?” Amber smirked, and then gestured to the inside of the house. “Well, I must say Angie that this place is impossible to find and I’m here to ask you a very important question but not until you get me some milk,” Angie had a bewildered look on her face which Amber found quite amusing, “please” Amber added making her impolite request slightly less impolite. Angie showed Amber into her kitchen which was coloured wall to wall in yellow and gold. “What was it you wanted to ask me?” Angie wasn’t surprised that Amber had shown up at her door with no warning and not even a hug for her best friend, Amber didn’t really like being friendly. “I think you’d better sit down.” Amber said taking the glass of milk from Angie while pointing into the living room where a purple sofa sat opposite a fireplace.

Angie sat staring at Amber with a scowl hoping that it was perfectly clear that Amber should hurry up and explain her presence. “I have decided to take you with me to the witch’s castle.” Angie burst out laughing but when she surfaced she noticed that Amber’s face showed no sign of surprise at this rude outburst. “What do you mean Amber, is this why you came, to play some kind of joke on me?” Angie couldn’t understand what was going on. The look on Amber’s face was starting to scare her; it was a smile of some sort as she sipped her milk. “What the hell are you talking about?” Angie asked getting agitated. “I’m inviting you to a big castle owned by a witch who is trying to kill all the villagers of Thetford, remember, you used to live there.” Amber said this in a serious drone. Angie saw no reason for Amber to act this way, she wasn’t making any sense. “Very funny Amber but I think,” Amber cut her off, “Shut up and listen, I’m not joking,” seeing the skeptical look on Angie’s face Amber continued, “don’t give me that look.” Amber didn’t look angry and not even slightly annoyed. Amber stood up putting her milk on the coffee table. “Watch.” Amber said pulling out a tiny crystal ball with blue flashing specs inside. Angie jumped up staring at the thing in Amber’s hand. “What the bloody hell is that?” Angie continued looking at the shining object, Amber smirked, “It’s a Teleport-thingamajig, and I don’t really know how to make this one work but the great almighty Lorna told me that this one is the only one to get us to where we want to go.” Angie giggled, “Great almighty Lorna?” Angie kept laughing as Amber dropped the sparkling ball with a crash. “Now look what you’ve done Amber!” Angie leant forward to pick up the broken crystal, but Amber held her back. “What’s going on?” Angie felt a rush of wind around them, the mess on the floor started glowing, Angie’s and Amber’s hair were both getting swept around them and Angie’s dress was flying upwards. Angie struggled to hold her dress down and her frightened expression grew as she turned to Amber, she was laughing, “Amber, I don’t like this, make it stop!” Angie had to scream over the noise of the wind and a sound of rushing water. “Come on Angie, take my hand.” Amber was still smiling as she outstretched her arm in Angie’s direction, Angie shifted away, “There is no way you’re going to get me to do anything, you psychopathic loony!” Amber started laughing again and she grabbed Angie’s wrist. Angie tried to pull away from Amber but she was being dragged towards the glowing goo. “No stop, let go of me Amber!” Angie’s screams would surely be heard by someone, or at least she hoped they would. “Angie, stop being a baby.” Amber stopped walking right in front of the blue stuff on the floor “Ready?” Amber asked looking at Angie who was frozen next to her. Angie shook her head. “Oh well, it’s too late now.” Amber jumped pulling Angie on top of the goo but instead of landing back on the floor; the carpet seemed to open up as if the blue liquid had been an acid. “Here we go Ang, whatever you do don’t let go of my arm, it’s going to be a long fall from what Lorna told me!” Amber had to raise her voice over all the noise and Angie gripped tighter to Amber’s arm, “Oh and DON’T LOOK DOWN!” They fell at a great speed, Angie screamed but she couldn’t even hear herself. All of a sudden everything went dark and Angie stopped screaming, she could still feel Amber’s arm but even knowing that Amber was there didn’t comfort her, if anything it made it worse. As they were falling Angie saw little red specs like the ones that were in the blue crystal ball. “Can you hear me?” Amber yelled, “Yes, what is that red thing?” Angie asked as the red sparks dropped a few feet and then made a red hole just below Angie and Amber. “It’s time to go to see Lorna now Ang.” They continued to fall and Angie started screaming again, she held tighter to Amber’s arm and then they went through the red liquid.

Angie and Amber crashed to the floor of a room that resembled a temple, it was all made of marble and as Angie looked up she noticed that she could see the pale blue sky and clouds above her. “Where are we, Amber?” Angie asked turning around, but Amber wasn’t there, “Amber? What’s going on? Where are you?” Angie’s voice echoed around the room. Out of nowhere a person in a blue robe which covered their face appeared holding a purple robe in their hands, as the hooded figure moved closer to Angie she started to panic, but then the hood fell away and she saw that the person was Amber, “Were you trying to give me a heart attack?” Amber laughed handing the purple robe to Angie, “Take this and put it on, it’s almost time for us to see Lorna and when we see her let me do the talking. Okay?” Angie nodded and threw her robe on over her head, she didn’t say anything at first even though she had so many questions she wanted to ask, “What is this place?” Angie finally said, but just as Amber was about to answer she put her hand over Angie’s mouth and looked over her own shoulder. “This way.” Amber pushed Angie behind a stone pillar as two people in black robes passed them talking in hurried voices. Amber then said to her, “Go down the hall until you reach a golden door, do not let anyone see you especially if they are wearing a black robe. Take this,” Amber handed Angie a crystal ball with white specs inside, “if you don’t have anywhere to hide then just drop it in front of you and run.” Amber’s voice was so serious that Angie didn’t even try to argue. “What about you?” Angie questioned in a worried tone. Amber answered, “I have to stay here and listen to the black robes,” Angie was about to leave when Amber grabbed her arm, “oh and don’t knock on the gold door, just go straight in and tell them that you are with me. If I’m not at the gold room in half an hour then go ahead without me and I’ll try and catch up.” Angie ran as quietly as she could towards a steel door at the back of the temple, she looked back and saw Amber pulling up her hood and following the black robed people. Angie whispered, “Bye.” Even though she knew that Amber couldn’t hear her. Angie turned back to the door and pushed it open.

The hallway that Angie had walked into was full of people running around so fast that she could barely tell that they were people. They were all dressed in green robes, carrying papers and books, they all had their hoods up and Angie was so fascinated by them that she almost forgot that Amber had told her not to be seen. Angie ducked into a room to her left which had a sign saying ‘Yammich’; Angie raised her eyebrows at the sign as she said, “Yammich? What is a Yammich?” Angie closed the door as she heard a crunching noise behind her. She spun around. What Angie saw was definitely nothing that she would have ever guessed, it was short, with horns and it was really fat. The creature was bent over a long, orange person who looked like something out of a book on mythological creatures that she had once read, “Hey, you tubby, leave that Lipinine alone.” The fat creature which Angie assumed was the Yammich turned to her. It grunted “No you don’t understand, he’ll kill you.” Angie could only just make out what it was saying, but before she processed it the Lipinine flew into the air, cackling in a high pitched voice. Angie covered her ears. It flew towards her and she tried to run but after she looked into the Lipinine’s eyes she was frozen in terror. It was all over, Angie knew it, and she wished that she had just run straight to the gold door wherever it was. The Lipinine was inches from her when the Yammich grabbed his legs and swung him round throwing him to the floor. Angie watched no longer afraid. The Yammich bent over the Lipinine and started taking long slow breaths. The Lipinine was being sucked into the Yammich’s mouth and it was the grossest thing Angie had ever seen as the Lipinine was getting torn to pieces in the process. Angie walked over to Yammich, “I’m sorry that you had to go through that, I read somewhere that Lipinines are creatures of good.” Yammich nodded and smiled or at least Angie thought it was a smile, “Most of them are but some turn rouge which is why I am here, to devour them. I hardly ever see robes in here, they stay away.” Angie was surprised by how easy Yammich was to understand when she really listened, “Yeah well, I’m not really a robe I’m just here with my friend Amber.” Yammich stood up. “Amber. I know her, when I was brought here she fought for me but did not win. She is powerful and as her friend you must be powerful too.” Angie beamed, “I’m not powerful just here to help. My name is Angie. Do you by any chance know where the gold door is?” Yammich shook his head and then heard a clock chime and he suddenly looked alert. “That’s strange it is twelve-fifteen so why was there one chime?” Angie looked up from her watch at Yammich and noticing that he was crouched on the floor she started to back away. “What’s happening?” She asked. His brown fur was turning to skin, his horns were melting into his head and he seemed to be becoming human. Yammich stood in front of Angie; he was no longer a beast but . . . a hunk. “Do you mind explaining this to me?” Yammich didn’t reply but instead he ran to the corner of the room and pulled a brown robe out of the stone wall, “There is no time, we need to get out of here, I can take you part way but that’s all. It’s not safe for you here.” He put his hand on Angie’s back and his brown hair fell into his eyes. They left the room both putting their hoods up. “Do you see that room with the lion on the door?” Angie nodded, “That’s where we’re headed, so on the count of three run.” Angie wasn’t worried in fact she was having fun being with Yammich. ‘He had better explain this to me or I’ll kill him.’ Angie thought to herself, “Three.” Yammich grabbed Angie’s hand and they ran down the hall past the green robed people to the lion door.

Yammich and Angie went through the door and into the room, “I have two questions, one: why doesn’t this room have any walls and two: who are you?” Angie asked as Yammich sat on a desk which Angie hadn’t noticed before, “I am Yammich, part demon and part human. Yammichs are used by robes to get rid of rouge creatures who could over power them, I was one of their first choices as I can control when I turn into a human. I have been trained to respond to a bell chime which is sounded when a robe wants to enter my chamber. Yammichs are violent by nature when they are in their demon form.” Angie interrupted him, “But then why didn’t you attack me? You saved me from the Lipinine.” Yammich thought over his answer, “I don’t know, I guess it’s because you weren’t my prey. Anyway if we had stayed there then my robe master would have come in and possibly killed us both. He will have realized that I am missing and come after us so we need to go now, and as for your other question; this room doesn’t have walls because of Amber. We don’t have much time, we need to leave.” Yammich stood up and Angie suddenly remembered what Amber had said so she looked at her watch. “Oh crap, Amber said she’d meet me in the gold room in half an hour and it’s been over an hour and a half.” Angie pulled the door open and she and Yammich started running down the hall. “Yammich has escaped! Yammich! Find him!” Someone in the hall was yelling and the green robes were dropping papers and running into each other and it was utter chaos. “I guess they know I’m missing. You go ahead, I’ll hold them off.” Angie turned to Yammich and grabbed his hand, “I have an idea.” Angie pulled the tiny white ball out from her robe and threw it onto the floor. “RUN!” Angie yelled to Yammich and they both ran over the white goo. “I don’t think it worked.” Yammich said to Angie. Angie smiled and kept running, “Yes it did, look down.” Yammich looked down and realized that he was transparent. “I guess to them we’re invisible that must be why Amber told me to use it in an emergency!” Angie had started laughing as they ran down the hall. She hardly noticed that they were running straight through people.

Right in front of Angie and Yammich stood the gold door. “Amber told me to just go in.” Angie could feel the invisibility running out so she knew they had to get through the door fast. Angie poked her head into the most magnificent room that she had ever seen. It was gold, white and cream. “I shall go ahead, I am sorry that I have failed. I trusted her.” Amber’s voice traveled from the very back of the room where there was a throne made of gold which a person in a yellow robe with gold lining sat upon. “I’m here Amber.” Angie called to her. “I knew it.” Amber said and then she turned around, her eyes widened when she saw Yammich. “Why did you bring him,” Amber yelled turning to the person on the throne, “I did not tell her to free the Yammich Lorna, I swear.” Amber stormed towards Angie pointing at Yammich, “Do you know what he is? His kind kills ours! His kind joins forces with our worst enemy! He is dangerous! You have put yourself and others at risk by bringing him here!” Amber was screaming so loud that Angie was starting to get frightened but she stood her ground, “For your information, he saved me and stop saying his kind, he’s a good person and he hasn’t done a thing to hurt me.” Angie raised her voice a little. “You didn’t let him use the white ball did you?” Amber asked in a manner which made it obvious that she knew what Angie was going to say. “Yes I did.” Amber put her face into her hands and pulled up her hood, and then she walked back to the throne. “What should we do?” Amber asked looking up at the yellow robed person. The yellow robe stood and removed their hood, “Nothing has changed, continue your journey with Angie and the Yammich.” Amber bowed her head and so did Yammich, but Angie realized who the person was, “Lorna?” Angie remembered Lorna from high school but she had no idea that when Amber talked about the great almighty Lorna she was talking about the same person. Lorna chuckled, “Time to go Angie.” Angie felt Yammich slip his fingers in between hers and she smiled, Amber looked mad but Angie didn’t care. Amber threw another blue ball on the floor and said, “Off to Thetford, I guess.” Then all three of them stepped into the hole that the blue goo had made.

Angie looked around when they arrived in front of a large building. Angie smirked. “Amber, why are we back at Charles Burrell high school? I never wanted to see this place again after I left the sixth form.” Yammich released her hand and walked up to the closed gate, and then Amber spoke, “I know Ang, and I hated this place too but Lorna sent us here for a reason. This is going to be our base as the witch hasn’t taken it over yet.” Angie was starting to get a weird vibe from the school, “Is it abandoned, Amber?” Amber walked up to the gate and jumped over as it wasn’t very high. “Yes, and so is the nursery around the corner, and Queensway junior and Queensway little school. After the witch took over, everyone was too afraid to send their kids to school or go anywhere.” Amber looked incredibly stony faced as she said this. Angie and Yammich followed Amber over the railing and down the driveway which the teachers had used to park their cars if they taught resistant materials, and some students would walk that way to classes. Amber was walking in front of Angie and Yammich with her hood up, “Where are we going?” Angie called to her. “First we’re going to the art room and then the french room.” Amber replied. “Why those rooms?” Yammich asked but Amber didn’t answer. Angie caught up with Amber and said, “He asked you a question. Why are we going to those rooms?” Amber stopped walking and turned to face Angie, “I am not telling him anything.” Angie was getting very angry with Amber now so she grabbed her arm and pulled her back saying, “Why not? Lorna obviously trusts him or she wouldn’t have sent him with us.” Amber was getting even angrier than Angie was. “Yammichs have always had a reputation for turning on the ones who trust them, ask him what I’m talking about.” Amber shot a glance at Yammich and continued walking towards the r.m block as Angie turned to Yammich. “I’ll explain when we’re inside.” Yammich said noticing the questioning look on Angie’s face.

Angie sat on one of the old wooden desks in the art room that had been there when she, Amber and Lorna had been at school there. “Are you going to explain now Yammich?” Yammich jumped up onto the desk next to her. “Okay. You know how I told you that when I was brought in by the robes Amber fought for me?” Angie nodded, “and I told you that she lost?” Angie nodded again,” well she only lost because my brother; Yammich-Tantum showed up and made me so angry by saying that Amber was just a weak and feeble robe that I turned into a demon and as I had no prey when Amber came into my chamber I attacked her and so the robe council who Lorna is in charge of decided that I was too dangerous to have any of the privileges that Amber was trying to get for me.” Angie was running through everything he had just said in her mind, “Angie?” Yammich added looking worried, she pulled herself together, “Did you tell Amber and the council that it was your brother’s fault?” Yammich shook his head letting his hair fall into his eyes again. “Amber hasn’t spoken to me since, and why should she. She trusted me and I ruined her life.” Angie didn’t’ understand and it seemed to show on her face as Yammich continued, “In my demon form I ripped open her womb and now she can’t have children, it’s my fault. Did you know that she wanted two children? She told me once before I attacked her.” Angie shook her head. ‘Poor Amber no wonder she hates Yammich.’ Angie thought to herself just as Amber walked through the door. “I’ve got it, time to go.” Amber had rolls of paper and paint in her hands and a very cheery look on her face.

“What do we need paper and paint for Amber?” Angie sat at the teacher’s desk in the old French room. “It’s simple, we’re going to make a plan of the witch’s castle and mark out the route that we’re going to take to get through the castle undetected.” Amber had a goofy smile plastered across her face. Amber laid out a large piece of paper and opened the tins of paint, Angie walked over to her, “Yammich told me why you hate him so much and I can’t blame you for that, I just wanted you to know that I’m here for you.” Angie whispered in Amber’s ear. “Thanks, but there’s nothing you can do. Be careful around him; don’t forget that he is a demon who could turn on you any time.” Amber started painting something that looked like a maze. “When will we go fight the witch?” Angie asked as Amber started labeling her maze. “Soon. Maybe tonight. I’m not sure. Could you get the purple paint for me?” Angie walked over to the desk with all the paints and grabbed the purple one. “Thanks, I need it to paint you. Yammich can be . . . green.” Angie smiled, “I thought you liked the colour green.” Amber changed her mind as she reached for the green paint. “Actually he can be pink.” Angie laughed. Yammich who had been looking out of the window turned around. “Amber. Someone’s coming.” Angie ran to the window and there she saw three figures in black robes moving towards the school. “They’re out near the res-mats block.” Amber rolled up the paper before it had dried and yelled, “Hide the paint in the cupboards; they can’t know that we were here.” Angie and Yammich put the paints in the cupboards as quickly as they could and then ran to the door where Amber was waiting. “Angie, what classroom should we go to?” Angie couldn’t believe it, “You want me to choose?” Amber nodded almost dropping the paper in her hands, “um well, I suppose we could go to the science block or the hall.” Amber was getting agitated, “Which one? The hall or the science block.” Angie closed her eyes and said the first one that popped into her head. “The hall.” Amber led the way to the hall and Angie and Yammich followed her having trouble keeping up.

Amber, Angie and Yammich stood huddled together in the hall, waiting in silence. Angie started fidgeting and Amber started biting her nails. Out of nowhere they heard footsteps and voices, slow and furious voices. “Girls, we could go out that door.” Angie and Amber turned around at Yammich’s words. “He’s right, but then where do we go after?” Angie asked looking at Amber. “We’ll go to your old house and then we can teleport to the witch’s castle.” Amber had the goofy smile on her face again and it was starting to get on Angie’s nerves. “Why don’t we just use that crystal ball thingy here?” Angie said knowing that Amber hadn’t thought of the obvious. “Or we could do what Angie said.” Amber mumbled shuffling her feet. She handed the rolls of paper to Yammich almost knocking him over with force, and then she pulled out a collection of differently coloured crystal spheres, Angie took the blue one from Amber and threw it to the ground. Angie was starting to enjoy the sensation of getting sucked down what was basically a black hole. “I’m actually starting to enjoy this.” Amber cupped her hand to her ear. “What did you say Ang?” Angie repeated what she had said but a little louder this time. “Oh, yeah I enjoy it too, especially this part!” Amber said as they fell for about five minutes and then Amber threw another red ball and just as before they hit the ground with a loud crash. Yammich got up and pulled Angie to her feet. “This doesn’t look like a witch’s castle.” Yammich said spinning around. “I think that’s obvious to everyone as we’re in a swamp!” Angie yelled turning to face Amber. “Where the HELL are we?” Angie screamed at the top of her lungs. Amber picked up the paper from the ground and gave Angie a feeble smile, “In a swamp.” Amber said stating the obvious. Angie was trying to calm herself down but the desire to punch Amber in the nose was getting very strong.

Amber and Angie trudged through the swamp leaving Yammich behind. “How did this happen?” Amber pulled some green stuff off one of the rolls of paper and answered, “I don’t know, Lorna didn’t tell me that we’d end up here. This is why I hate orbs.” Amber pulled her foot out of the brown muck and she climbed up onto some kind of marsh. After Angie had gotten onto the marshland she turned around, “Where’s Yammich?” Angie asked and when Amber shrugged her shoulders Angie started calling his name. “Ang, I think I hear something.” Amber sank back down into the mud. “Where are you going?” Amber ignored her and pushed her way determinedly through the swamp. Angie followed and now she could hear it too. “It sounds like someone’s gurgling.” Angie said looking around. Angie screamed, as Amber went down into the swamp, she splashed around in a panic. “Amber! Yammich!” Angie yelled and then she pinched her nose and went under just as Amber came back up pulling Yammich with her. “Angie? Where are you?” Amber spun around trying hard to keep Yammich’s head above the swamp as he was unconscious. Amber couldn’t see Angie anywhere and she figured that if Angie had gone into the swamp then she had been down there for way too long. Just then Angie came up out of the swamp gasping for air. “You saved him Amber. I thought that you hate him” Amber pulled Yammich up onto the swamp bank and laughed. As she pulled Angie onto the bank she said, “I do hate him, but I’m smart enough to know that you like him as more than a friend, and I know that you’d want me to save him.” Amber said with a wink and a nudge. Angie smiled, “I don’t like him in that way, and he’s a friend, just a friend, nothing more.” Amber smirked, “Yeah sure.” Amber muttered under her breath as she stood up and started walking across the marsh. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Angie said jumping up and running after Amber. “Never mind Angie.” Angie looked back at Yammich who was coming to and she smiled at him as he got up off the ground. “What happened?’ Yammich said rubbing his head. Angie shrugged and continued following Amber. “Angie, wait I want to talk to ask you something.” Angie turned to Yammich and waited for him to catch up as Amber was mumbling something about losing all of her papers in the swamp. ‘He’s kind of cute, and he’s sweet and nice. Maybe Amber’s right; maybe I do have a crush on Yammich.’ Angie thought as she walked next to Yammich. “Yes Angie I am right don’t act so surprised.” Amber yelled from across the marsh. “Hold on a second Yammich.” Angie said running to Amber. “What was that about Amber? How did you know what I was thinking?” Amber stopped. “I read your mind, although so far today all you’ve been thinking about is Yammich.” Angie frowned, “How could you possibly know that?” Amber pulled a piece of green paper out from inside of her blue robe. “The official manual for telepaths of this century.” Angie read off the green paper. “You’re a telepath?” Amber nodded and put the paper back into her robe. “Yep along with other things which I’m not going to tell you about.” Amber said as she continued walking along the marsh. Yammich caught up to Angie and by this time she had completely forgotten that Yammich had wanted to ask her something.

Chapter 2 (The Journey)

Angie continued walking next to Amber leaving Yammich behind, “So do you have any other powers?” Angie questioned. “Well yeah, almost everyone has powers it’s just kind of hard to access them. My powers are connected to the mind.” Angie raised her eyebrows. “Two of my powers are mind reading and telekinesis.” Angie smiled and thought, ‘So do I have any powers?’ Amber answered, “Yes, why didn’t you just ask me that?” Angie laughed, “Sorry, I like thinking things and you knowing what it is that I’m thinking. So what powers do I have?” Amber thought for a moment, “I’m not sure, your powers are connected to your personality, so if you’re kind then your powers won’t be that useful in battle and if you’re a depressed person your powers will be dark and deep. Mine for instance is connected to my deeper understanding and curiosity. I would say that your powers would be something kind, generous, smart and logical.” Angie frowned, thinking; ‘What kind of power would that be?’ Amber stopped walking and turned to Angie “It could be anything from levitation to animal control.” Amber answered and she continued walking. Angie held back and walked with Yammich, “Hey Angie.” Yammich said. “I wanted to ask you something,” Angie bit her lit and started to say that she had forgotten but Yammich continued before she got the chance, “I was wondering where we’re headed to.” Amber turned around but kept walking backwards and said, “We have to find the witches castle.” Angie smiled at Yammich, “I think you already knew that, right?” Yammich nodded smiling “And I assume you had wanted to ask me something else?” Yammich bowed his head, “Never mind, it can wait.” he replied. Amber turned to face forward and stopped in her tracks, Angie and Yammich stopped right behind her, “What’s wrong Amber?” Angie asked forgetting that Amber could read her mind. “There’s fog.” Amber said looking straight forward, she was right there was fog covering the ground of the marshland. ‘So?’ Angie shrugged, “So, it means that the black robes are here.” Amber replied, ‘Where?’ Angie thought looking around. “There!” Amber yelled pointing straight ahead. Through the fog moved a group of misty figures, marching towards Angie, Amber and Yammich. “Get ready for a battle guys.” Amber said smiling an evil smile. “Amber, what do I do? I don’t have a weapon.” Angie started to panic. “You don’t need a weapon; just connect with your power.” Angie started fidgeting, “What power?” Amber didn’t answer the figures were advancing and Amber was too distracted to pay attention to what Angie had said. “Get ready Yammich. Remember; take no prisoners.” Amber said as Angie thought, ‘she’s enjoying this way too much.’ “I heard that Angie.” Amber called to her.

Angie hid behind Yammich as colours filled the air. Blood washed over the marsh. Amber took up the offensive position while Yammich tried to defend Angie, Amber was throwing the black robes into each other with extreme force. Angie started to scream as she saw Amber make an ax materialize out of thin air, she threw the ax at the black robes and one of the figures made it explode before it did any damage. “Angie, use your powers!” Angie just stood there; frozen in fear. “Angie hurry!” Amber yelled as she tried to hold off ten black robes on her own, Yammich was in a fierce battle with a tall, lanky black robe. “Angie help!” Amber called to her again. Angie was afraid she might have a panic attack. “How? I don’t know what to do.” Amber continued fighting; unable to answer her. “Angie, use your power!” Amber screamed as she was hit by a red flash from one of the black robes. Her body lay motionless and the black robes were moving towards her making a circle around her. “Yammich help her.” Angie said turning to Yammich who had started to change into his demon form. Yammich ran towards the black robes and started attacking them like a wolf, ripping them limb from limb. ‘Amber’s going to be killed, I have to do something.’ Angie was thinking fast still unsure of what to do. All of a sudden Angie’s hair swept up and her eyes felt like they were on fire. Her hood fell away to expose her eyes, they had turned pure gray, Angie out stretched her arms and was lifted into the air. Angie started spinning faster, and faster, Yammich had transformed back to being human and was staring up at Angie in horror. The black robes were also watching her as though they were entranced. Angie screamed; wind flew from her hands and the black robes were thrown into the air landing in the swamp which was a great distance away. Angie returned to the ground, her eyes were green again and she yelled, “Run!” Yammich grabbed Amber as he ran with Angie and the two of them; Yammich carrying Amber headed off away from the fog.

Amber was up and already back to walking along the marsh, “By the way Angie, good job with your power and all, I told you that you could do it.” Angie hadn’t quite recovered from the shock of her power, “Thanks Amber, but I didn’t really do anything, it just happened. I had no control over it.” Yammich put his arm around Angie as they walked, “I’m just glad you’re okay, I was so scared that you were going to get hurt.” Angie smiled and leaned against Yammich as they walked. “Pick up the pace.” Amber said looking back obviously worried that the black robes had managed to get out of the swamp. “My legs are killing me and I’m out of breath, can’t we take a break?” Angie asked after stopping to catch her breath. “No Angie we just have to go a little bit further or your legs won’t be the only thing killing you.” Amber started walking a little faster and Angie and Yammich had to jog to catch up with her. “Amber, how did you make that ax appear out of thin air? Do you have any other cool powers like that?” Angie asked. “Making objects materialize is one of my powers and yes I do have more powers.” Angie thought to herself, ‘then why didn’t Amber use her other powers?’ “My main power is too dangerous Angie and I wasn’t close enough to use my other powers.” Angie had completely forgotten that Amber could see what she was thinking. “Too dangerous?” Angie said confused, “If I used my power it would probably kill everyone including us.” she explained. “Oh.” Angie said looking at her feet. They walked in silence for hours, it felt like days to Angie but Amber was determined to make it across the marsh. Eventually Amber slowed down, “Look there’s a cave we could camp out there tonight, or we could keep walking.” Amber said turning to Angie and Yammich clearly wanting their opinions. “I think we should camp out here so we have more energy in the morning.” Yammich blurted out. Angie was surprised; since Amber had saved him he hadn’t said much of anything. “I agree with Yammich, unless you have one of those orb things in which case we should use one to go to a hotel.” Amber smirked, “No I don’t have an orb that we can waste to stay at a hotel; you have to have money which we don’t. So I guess we’ll have to sleep in the cave.” Amber tiptoed up to the mouth of the cave with a finger to her lips, ‘what the . . .’ Angie thought, “I can hear something inside.” Amber whispered continuing to creep into the tunnel of the cave, Angie and Yammich followed. Out of nowhere a boulder fell crashing to the floor right at Angie’s feet. Amber and Yammich jumped and looked at Angie. “I didn’t do anything.” Angie said seeing the scared look on Amber’s face, “Be careful Angie.” Angie nodded her head in a sarcastic ‘I know, I know’ sort of way. “Hopefully all that’s in here is a dragon.” Amber said and Angie stopped walking, “A dragon? Why would we want a dragon?” Angie said thinking Amber was totally insane. “Dragons sleep like they’re dead so they wouldn’t have heard that boulder falling whereas something like a Liatron would be here and ripping you to pieces right now.” Amber said, ‘Liatron?’ Angie thought looking at Yammich with a bewildered expression. “Yeah, it’s sort of like a lion only meaner.” Amber answered. Angie was getting annoyed with Amber being able to read her mind now; she had no privacy whatsoever. “I’m sorry Angie I’ll stop reading your mind.” Amber whispered. Angie let out a gasp of frustration. Yammich took her hand as they neared the end of the damp, dark tunnel of the cave.

Inside the opening of the cave Angie saw a gigantic red and gold creature. The creature’s body moved up and down as it breathed in and out. Angie walked up to the creature’s scaly body and looked around in amazement. Piles and piles of gold, silver and jewels of many colours filled the room. Angie had never seen so much gold in her life other than in her dreams. “Wow.” Angie said so quietly that she could barely be heard. Amber walked to the other side of the heavily snoring beast. There she found a little man crouched at her feet clutching jewels and gold in his arms. The man even had a pearl necklace hanging out of his mouth, what shocked Amber the most was that he had elf ears. “Eek!” The little man squealed dropping his riches with a loud crash. He had apparently been frightened by Amber’s sudden appearance in the cave. Angie looked towards the snoozing dragon. “Angie, I wouldn’t get too close if I were you.” Amber whispered seeing her moving closer to the dragon. Angie leaned down towards the dragon’s face, for some reason she felt no fear. Then one of the dragon’s eyes snapped open, Angie jumped up in surprise. Her eyes widened as she backed towards Yammich who had been joined at the back of the cave by Amber and the little elf eared man, holding considerably less gold. The dragon pushed himself up with his two front legs. Long claws were bared on each of the four feet. Angie was fascinated and hadn’t even realized that the other three had backed up more. The dragon swung his tail around stretching it more and more until the tail, spikes and all swung just above their heads crashing into the cave wall and causing a lot of damage. “I think we should run now.” Amber said in an unusually calm voice, Angie was too afraid to talk so she just nodded her head rapidly. Yammich turned and led the group out of the cave. The dragon looked at the running people with confusion; he turned and seemed to notice that his jewels were missing. The beast flapped his enormous wings and ran towards the cave tunnel. Angie looked back as she ran hearing a loud clapping noise. She saw the dragon’s mouth behind them; it opened and out poured a stream of fire. “RUN FASTER!” Angie screamed, the fire was right behind them and she knew that they couldn’t out run it. Amber turned and slowed down. “Angie go. I’ll hold the dragon off.” Amber yelled to Angie over the noise of the flames, “What about the fire?” Angie yelled back. Amber stopped completely and put her hands up in front of her; the fire stopped and seemed to bounce off an invisible barrier. The dragon couldn’t get through the barrier which was getting weaker. “Angie I can’t hold it off much longer, my force field won’t hold in tight spaces.” Angie looked to where Yammich was waiting for her and then back to Amber. “Yammich keep going, I’m going to help Amber.” Amber shook her head no but Angie didn’t listen she was getting angry with Amber always trying to protect her now. “I’m staying here.” Angie yelled smiling at Amber. Angie pointed to the dragon about to say that Amber couldn’t keep him away much longer but out of her finger an extreme sense of power seemed to flow. Amber’s force field let down and Amber turned to Angie, the flames shot back into the dragon’s face and he retreated back into the cave whimpering like a dog. Angie and Amber ran to catch up with Yammich, “Aw that sucks; this power isn’t nearly as cool as my other one.” Angie complained while running through the tunnel. “Your force field power is pretty cool though.” Angie said in an envious tone. “I’ve figured it out Angie, your power I mean; you control the elements.” Amber laughed and coughed, “Gift horse in the mouth.” Angie smirked, she was quite pleased with herself for saving them for the second time in one night, although she couldn’t help wondering what power Amber had that was so dangerous that she wouldn’t use it to save their lives.

Angie and Amber joined Yammich and the little elf man outside the opening to the cave. “Who are you?” Angie said to the little man, “None of your business.” He snapped at her. “His name is David and he is a covetitst.” Amber said casually, “A what?” Angie questioned looking at Amber. “A covetist is someone who steals and hides things away.” Angie was still confused, “How did you know that?” Amber smiled pointing at the covetist. “He was thinking that he would never tell those ‘evil witches’ who he is” Amber let out a harsh laugh. David took the jewels he was holding and tried to make a quick escape while Amber, Angie and Yammich were talking. “Don’t move.” Yammich said to him grabbing David by the back of his shirt. “Leave me alone, leave me alone; leave me alone.” David squealed as Yammich picked him up by the neck of his shirt. Yammich smirked, Angie couldn’t believe how mean Amber and Yammich were being; well . . . she could believe that Amber was being unkind but it was so unlike Yammich. “I’ll never help you and your queen take over the rest of the world!” David yelled, kicking and screaming. “Dave; is it okay if I call you Dave? We don’t work for the evil witch in fact we’re on our way to fight her.” Angie said in a motherly, soothing way. David stopped wriggling and Angie told Yammich to put him down. When he reached the floor with his short stubby legs he said, “Really? You don’t work for the witch?” Angie nodded and David continued, “Yes you can call me Dave that sounds nice.” Angie smiled and Amber grabbed her arm and pulled her away from him, “I know what you’re thinking and no way are we going to invite him along with us.” Angie frowned at Amber and gave her Angie’s best sad face. “Angie don’t give me that look.” Amber said to her and Angie did a fake sniff. “Okay, okay he can come, but I’m not going to baby sit him so you’d better keep him in line.” Angie beamed and hugged Amber. “It’ll be great having another friend on the journey.” Angie said happily. Amber rolled her eyes. The two girls walked back over to Yammich and Dave. “Would you like to join us on our journey to fight the witch?” Angie said to Dave in a sing song voice. “No.” Dave answered bluntly. Angie’s hearty mood died fast, she started to speak but stopped when Dave added, “I’ll go with you to a certain point but I can’t go fight the witch with you.” Angie asked why and he replied, “People to go, places to see.” Angie smiled, “I think you mean; places to go, people to see.” Dave frowned and said, “No.” Angie nodded her head in an unsure way saying, “Okay then . . .” No one had noticed that Amber had stated walking away from the cave and towards the sunset. When Angie finally noticed she called out to her, “Amber, wait for us.” Amber sped up laughing manically. “So does this mean that we don’t get a break?” Amber continued laughing and she sped up even more.

Amber stopped when she reached a black iron gate, “A gate in the middle of nowhere, oh yeah that blends in really well.” Amber said sarcastically. Angie walked up to the gate and thought, mainly to Amber ‘should we open it?’ Amber nodded and they pushed the gate open. Yammich walked behind Angie and Amber carrying Dave as he was complaining about being his feet hurting. “If I hadn’t put on the damn necklace, it made my legs shrink; I used to be as tall as you if not taller.” Dave whined pulling out a gold chain from under his shirt, Yammich and Dave started talking about all the things the Dave had put on which had changed his appearance, “This ring gave me elf ears.” Dave said half laughing, half wailing. Amber started walking down the path past the gate. After about an hour of walking Amber noticed a wooden shack not too far down the road from her. “Hey guys, there’s a shack up ahead; we could sleep there tonight.” Amber yelled to the other three. The group ran off towards the cabin. “It’s kind of old.” Angie said frowning at the rotting, decayed wood. Angie opened the cabin door and walked inside. Amber sent Yammich and Dave to find food while she and Angie searched the cabin. Amber pulled up her hood and gestured to Angie to do the same. ‘Why pull our hoods up?’ Angie thought, “So if anyone is here they can’t see who we are.” Amber said under her breath. Amber led the way through a wooden door falling off its hinges. Beyond the door was a small room that smelt of something disgusting but neither Angie nor Amber could think of anything gross enough to compare the smell to. It was dark but Amber found a light switch by the door frame. A light flickered on and the two girls could see three sleeping bags at the other end of the room. As they got closer they noticed that there were magazines and toothpaste on an overturned cardboard box. “It looks like someone’s been camping out here.” Angie went over to a wardrobe in a corner which was almost hidden by the lack of lighting. The closet door creaked as Angie opened it. The inside was almost empty, “No clothes, whoever was staying here probably left in a hurry.” Angie pointed out with suspicion, “Or maybe they don’t own any clothes other than what they’re wearing.” Amber added hardly convinced. Angie reached for something at the very bottom of the closet and in doing so she noticed that the board at the bottom of the wardrobe was loose. “Amber I think you should take a look at this.” Angie suggested. Amber went over to the closet and looked inside, “What is it?” She asked. Angie pulled up the bottom plank of the wardrobe and dust filled the air flying up into Amber and Angie’s faces. “Achoo.” Amber turned to Angie, “Did you just sneeze?” Angie shook her head in a bemused fashion. They looked back down into the compartment in the closet. Amber reached inside and pulled out a blue, leather book, covered with dust. Amber blew off the dust and tried to pull back the cover. “Hey, you don’t see me trying to look under your covers do you?” A sharp sarcastic voice filled the room and Amber dropped the book in surprise, “Oww, wait a minute; that didn’t hurt ‘cause I’m a book, but still it’s very impolite to drop people and not even apologize but what else should I expect from your kind.” Amber and Angie looked at each other and they both inched towards the book on the floor. “Hurry up and pick me up, I don’t have all day.” Amber and Angie both jumped back. ‘Did that book just talk or am I imagining things?’ Angie wondered looking at Amber who nodded her head saying “You’ve seen dragons and demons and a talking book is what confuses you?” Amber turned back to the floor where the book still lay motionless, “Well what are you waiting for,” the book snapped, “women.” The book muttered exasperatedly. Amber was shocked by the books blatant disregard for manners, “Listen here you sorry excuse for a book, one more word out of you and its book barbecue time.” Angie grabbed Amber’s arm as the book started to laugh. “Calm down Amber, if this book was left by the black robes then maybe it could help us. It probably has a map to the witch’s castle or something.” Angie assumed getting excited. “The witch isn’t dumb enough to make a map of her castle Angie; she couldn’t be sure who would see it.” Angie considered what Amber had said and after a moment of silence they heard, “I’m waiting.” Amber and Angie had almost completely forgotten that the book was there. Amber picked up the book and tossed it to Angie. “Amber be careful, you could have damaged it.” The book made a strange sound of frustration, “What?” Angie asked it. The book grunted. “I am most certainly not an ‘it’.” The book pointed out indignantly. “Call me; ‘The amazing, magnificent, astonishingly brilliant book’ from now on.” Angie shook her head, “How about we call you book.” Amber suggested and the book muttered something under his breath. “No good people in stupid dress things who try to undress every handsome book they see.” Amber took the book from Angie and turned to the door as she heard a voice say, “You didn’t let the book out did you? He is so annoying.” Dave and Yammich were standing at door and at Dave’s words the book replied, “Nice to see you too, oh and thanks for locking me in that closet.” Amber thought she heard the book add, “Sh*t head.” Of course she couldn’t be sure he might have said, “D*ck head.” Dave waddled over to Amber, Angie and the book. “If this is your cabin then why is there three sleeping bags and why didn’t you tell us that before?” Angie asked looking questioningly at David. “Well um it’s not really our cabin it belongs to the witch’s bodyguards, I forgot to mention it and this is also two other thieves’ base of operation.” Angie smiled, “Oh so you live here with your friends.” Dave gave Angie a look as though she had greatly offended him, “Friends. No. Associates more like, friends wouldn’t stab each other in the back to get each others gold.” Angie had a horrified expression, “You would stab each other in the back?” Dave shook his head and revealed, “Well no but we’re petty thieves so we have to keep up appearances.” Dave explained in a whisper, cupping his hand to his mouth as though telling Angie a deep, dark secret. Amber sat down on one of the sleeping bags and sighed, “There’s only three sleeping bags so one of us is going to have to sleep on the floor, I vote that it should be Yammich.” Amber voiced her very unkind opinion. “That’s not fair; I think that Dave shouldn’t get a sleeping bag as he was the last to join the group.” Angie stood up for Yammich and he smirked knowing that Amber was about to explode with anger, “I shouldn’t have to sleep on the floor; I live here!” David yelled butting into Amber and Angie’s silent staring match. Angie bit her lip, “Oh yeah oops, I forgot. Sorry Dave, I’ll sleep on the floor if you want.” Angie offered and Amber shook her head; there was no way that she would let Angie seem like the nicer one out of the two of them. “No Angie I’ll sleep on the floor.” Amber let the words race from her mouth as she stood up letting Angie take the sleeping bag that she had been sitting on. ‘Are you sure?’ Angie thought as she went to get into the sleeping bag, Amber nodded her head and pulled off her robe using it as a pillow she drifted into a deep sleep.


“Time to wake up everyone it’s morning. Get out of your sleeping bags!” Someone yelled through the darkness Angie opened her eyes; she had almost forgotten where she was until she realized that Amber was the screaming figure holding the blue book in her hands like a baby. “What? Go away it is four in the morning as if I’m getting up now.” Dave mumbled looking at a watch on his wrist which was covered with bright red jewels; no doubt something he had stolen. Dave started snoring again, Amber walked over to him still carrying the book, and she tapped him on the shoulder, “Just five more minutes’ mummy.” Amber kicked him swiftly in the side. “OW!” Dave yelled jumping up sharply. Yammich was out of his sleeping bag and talking to Angie who was pulling her robe back on over her dress. “Yammich, how on earth did you grow a marker mustache over night?” Angie heard multiple snickers from Amber and the book, “What it’s not like a book could have done anything.” Amber said still smirking, the book laughed. “We have decided on a name for book, his name is now Ed.” Amber smiled and Angie held back the unbearable urge to burst out laughing, “But only Amber can call me that you lesser beings may call me book of great power or just book; nothing else.” Angie giggled but was able to disguise it as a kind smile. “We have to hurry or we’ll miss our ship.” Angie frowned, “What ship?” She asked. “The one we’re going to hijack this morning.” Amber answered plainly walking to the door. Angie turned to Yammich and then they left Yammich letting Dave sit on his shoulders.

Amber led the group with Ed tucked under her robe. “Hurry up and keep quiet. We need to take out all the crew before we can take the ship so be ready to use your powers.” Amber whispered peering around the edge of a large boat docked in the harbor. Angie, Yammich and Dave followed her. “Um just curious but who are we stealing this boat from?” Angie asked looking questioningly at Amber; she hesitated giving Angie a ‘what kind of question was that?’ look, “The black robes of course and we are borrowing not stealing this ship.” Angie nodded her head sarcastically in return. Amber pulled up her hood and Angie thought ‘Wow she really does that a lot.’ Amber turned to her and stuck her tongue out. Angie copied Amber’s movements and pulled up her hood, and then Yammich followed the pattern and let Dave to walk on his own while pulling his brown hood up. Whispers floated along the salty sea air to their ears. “The boss lady isn’t going to like that, these furs need to be at the dock by sunset and we’re behind schedule.” Amber pressed her finger to her lips as Yammich started to speak. Another voice came from the deck, “Let’s just use magic the boss told us not to but at least she’ll get her delivery on time.” They heard grunts from above and the sound of loud footsteps like an elephant stampede. Amber climbed up a ladder that was inconveniently placed a little way away from the dock so they had to jump to climb up it; the group followed her up the side of the ship.

The air was misty and the deck was covered with crates and cages. Angie looked around as she made it over the edge of the ship. She heard a moan from behind her and as she had been the last one on the deck she turned around in curiosity as to who had made the noise. Behind her was a large blanket made out of some material Angie didn’t recognize and it appeared to be draped over a box or a crate or something that kind of shape. Angie inched towards the mysterious box. “Angie. What are you doing?” Angie jumped as Amber came up behind her, it wasn’t the sudden words of Amber that had frightened Angie it was Ed the book floating in mid air with purple mist below him as though it was holding him up. “What is that?” Angie yelled as she pointed at the purple mist. Amber shrugged her shoulders as Ed floated off towards Dave and Yammich. Angie strutted towards the box again and yanked the cover off of it. “Furs.” Angie said in astonishment, Amber nodded her head and walked over to the large cage stuffed almost to bursting point with furs in vibrant colours such as pink, orange and green just to name a few. ‘Surely they can’t be real; I don’t know any animal with purple fur.’ Amber kneeled down beside the cage and whispered, short of breath, “That’s because these furs aren’t from normal animals, they’re from creatures unknown to your world.” Angie hadn’t seemed to notice that Amber had read her thoughts again; she was too busy wondering what kind of creatures Amber was talking about. “See these yellow furs; Liatron and these blue furs; Niplets.” Angie was confused, ‘huh?’ Amber answered her silent questions “Niplets are small blue fluffy creatures; their fur produces almost an elixir of youth.” Angie smiled, “Well then I guess I can understand people trying to get their fur.” Amber shook her head and Angie’s smile faded, “Niplets die as soon as their fur is removed and they are almost extinct along with thousands of other magical species.” Amber pushed herself to her feet. “The sons of b**chs who did this are going to pay.” Angie was impressed by Amber’s determination but also a little scared at the blazing look in Amber’s eyes. The two girls joined Ed, Dave and Yammich in a small area behind some large crates and Angie had been so wrapped up in Amber’s talk about the furs she had pushed the thought of the moan she had heard out of her mind. As the group crouched all huddled behind the large boxes they heard noises from the other end of the deck, then the fog started rolling in near their feet. Angie looked to Amber and had noticed that once again Amber had her ‘time for a battle’ smile plastered plainly all over her face.

Chapter 3 (Death, Dragons and Disaster)

Amber shouted as they all jumped up from behind the crates; Yammich diving over the top attacking a man who was wearing a black robe but surprisingly enough he didn’t have his face covered. Dave dodged blasts of fire and sparks thrown at him by the three men standing before them. Amber started throwing the strangest things at the black robes; one of the objects was toaster. Angie left Ed behind the crates and followed the others, as she put her hands in front of her wind and fire shot at the men. The three black robes put up a strong fight but they seemed to be getting weaker and weaker with every attack they used. Yammich hit the deck with a loud crack; Angie rushed over to him and helped Dave pull him behind the boxes where Ed was still floating as Amber was having fun causing havoc and destruction to the black robes. “Yammich’s been hurt, I think his leg’s broken.” Angie called to Amber as she ran back out into the fight. By the time Dave had rejoined Amber and Angie Yammich was in excruciating pain. Amber turned in the direction of Angie smiling as the black robe she had been fighting hit the floor panting heavily. In a split second Amber realized something was wrong. One of the men had appeared behind Angie quicker than Amber could have yelled to warn her. Amber yelled and made a baseball bat appear in her hand but the man had pulled a black stone from his robe before Amber could even move. He kissed the little stone and pulled back his arm to throw it just as Amber yelled “Angie move. It’s the kiss of death!” Angie screamed and put her arms in front of her, everything felt like it was taking hours as though they were moving in slow motion. Angie’s piercing scream filled the air. Dave jumped and just as the stone was about to hit Angie he spread his arms and his body in front of her as a shield. Amber closed her eyes praying that what she had just seen hadn’t happened. She opened her eyes and although she saw Yammich with a bandaged up leg and Angie pulling one of the three now tied up black robes over to her she didn’t see Dave. “Amber this is the son of a b**ch who tried to do the kiss of death.” Amber shook her head as if she was trying to clear her mind. “Yammich explained about the kiss of death and its name makes it pretty obvious what it does.” Angie had a morbid expression on her face and Amber fears were confirmed when she glanced to the edge of the ship where Dave’s body lay motionless and pale. “He’s dead isn’t he?” Amber said with no change in her tone. “Angie looked back to where Amber was staring. She said nothing but dropped the black robes feet and ran down the steps leading to the sleeping quarters, tears streaming down her cheeks. Angie’s reaction to what Amber had asked had answered her question better than a voiced answer ever could have done.

Once Amber’s very violent interrogation of the black robes was finished she locked them in a small cupboard letting out a harsh high pitched laugh at the three black robes pleas for mercy. Amber slumped into the cabin where Ed had been thrown onto the bottom bunk of a bunk bed and Yammich sat on the bed above, staring up at the leaking ceiling directly above him. “Who’s making the ship stay on course if we’re all down here?” Amber turned at the sound of a soft and croaky voice. Angie sat curled up in a corner of the room. “I used an orb to control the ship it’s sort of like an automatic drive thing.” Angie nodded sniffling. “Is that Dave’s stuff?” Amber asked looking around the dark, damp and rotting room seeing a satchel bag on one of the bunk beds. She coughed trying to get everyone’s attention but no one answered her so she walked over to the bed and opened the bag. Inside Amber found an assortment of strange objects, she tried not to cry as she pulled out the pearl necklace Dave had in his mouth when they first met, although she wasn’t usually sentimental she had sort of grown attached to the little guy. The bag was like a bottomless pit, Amber outstretched her arm and at the very bottom of the satchel she grabbed a large round object that she had no idea what it was. “What is it?” Angie croaked from her corner seeing Amber staring blankly at an object that was obscured from her vision. Amber turned exposing a dark red egg the size of her head. “I think it’s a dragon egg.” Yammich fell out of his bunk and hopped over to Amber on his good leg saying, “Ow, it looks like a munsons man eater dragon egg.” Angie jumped up her eyes widening, “A man eating dragon?” Amber nodded in agreement to Yammich’s statement. “Wait there’s a note attached,” Amber started to read out loud, “if you are reading this then a) I’m dead or b) you’re looking through my stuff, if a) then please look after my dear Hodgepodge, if b) then GET OFF MY STUFF NOW.” Amber stopped reading and looked at the expressions on each of her friends’ faces. The egg started to shake in Amber’s hands, a crack spread down the middle. Amber almost dropped the egg in shock, “Get rid of it.” Amber yelled pushing the rumbling egg towards Angie who backed away. “Oh my . . .” Angie squealed as out popped the cutest thing she had ever seen. “Meep.” A small bubblegum pink dragon with tiny little wings and feet sat in Amber’s hands; it was barely the size of a puppy with huge baby blue eyes which took a few minutes to open. It squeaked again as it opened its mouth in a yawn, “Meep.” Amber, Angie and Yammich all smiled at the little pink dragon, “Awwwww.” They all said in unison. There was a note in the bottom of the shell, Angie picked it up and read it, “If you are reading this then my sweet little innocent baby dragon has hatched and I would like to point out that he is not a munsons man eater. Please note do not in any way, shape, or form feed him/her meat.” Angie stopped and laughed, “How weird can you get how the heck he could have gotten the note inside the egg before it hatched is beyond my understanding. I’m kind of curious why we can’t feed it meat; I think we should research this cute little thing.” Amber hugged the little dragon and whispered to it, “Hodgepodge that’s a funny name but if it’s what your daddy wanted you to be called then it’s what we’ll call you.” Hodgepodge let out another meep and Yammich lay down on his bed after he had eventually climbed the ladder with his broken leg. Ed floated over to Amber saying, “If you ask me I think we should throw it overboard, I mean come on a fire breathing beast on a wooden ship is a great idea don’t get me wrong and I’m really looking forward to being eaten.” Usually Amber was a big fan of sarcasm but the book was really starting to bug her. “If you don’t shut up I’m going to throw you overboard and I hear that books don’t do so well under water they tend to get wet.” Angie and Yammich both smirked knowing that her threat probably wasn’t a joke. “First we need books to find out stuff about this dragon, Hodgepodge is its name right?” Amber nodded and stood up cradling the now snoozing dragon. She put him on the top bunk of the bed she and Angie were sharing and put her arms out, humming. ‘What the hell is she doing?’ Angie thought confused by Amber’s actions; suddenly books started pouring out of the roof covering the floor like a sea of pages, the books all had titles like ‘Dragons 101’ and ‘How to care for your new born dragon’. Amber was pushed back by all of the falling books. “Now I’ve done the hard work, you and Yam get to finding something about Hodge.” Angie placed her hands on her hips scowling at Amber. “Ok, ok I get the message; I suppose I could help a little bit.” Angie smiled and climbed up onto the bed where Hodgepodge was sleeping and Angie reached down and Amber passed her a book called, ‘I’ve got a dragon, now what?’ and she began flipping through the pages. Amber handed everyone a book each, even Ed got a book to read although he had some difficulty turning the pages.

Hours into the night Angie heard someone shouting and so she opened her eyes just in time to see Amber jogging through the piles of books towards Ed. “Hey you people in stupid dress things, I think I’ve found something because I’m much smarter than you insignificant beings.” Angie wrinkled her nose letting the book she had been reading ‘What to do when your son/daughter starts breathing fire’ fall off her stomach onto the pile of a dozen books she had already finished reading. She stayed where she was and listened to Amber talking. “I think he has found something guys. It’s a book titled ‘I’m a sexy book so come take a look baby.’ Why would this book materialize with dragon books?” Amber asked rhetorically, “Um I didn’t see what the title was.” Ed mumbled nervously as his cover turned faintly red. The front of the ‘sexy’ book fell away as Amber picked it up to expose a yellow cover underneath it. “My completely legal and definitely not obtained by criminal means pink dragon written by divad. Divad backwards is David; this book must have been written by Dave.” Ed coughed and it kind of sounded like he had muttered, “Assumption.” Amber shot Ed a warning glance saying, “Book BBQ remember, just ‘because we get along now doesn’t mean I won’t make you fry.” Angie let out a huge yawn as Hodgepodge mumbled a meep sound in his sleep. Yammich appeared to just be waking up. Amber turned a few pages of the book until Ed stopped her, “Hi everyone, this is Dave and I am writing this book about my soon to be born bubblegum pink dragon hodgepodge, I will write more about him soon.” Angie frowned as Amber stopped reading, “Is that it?” she asked. Amber didn’t answer she gasped in frustration saying through clenched teeth, “Dave’s dead so he won’t be writing more.” Amber threw the book back down and tried to calm down just a voice came from out of the book, it was a voice like a computerized women, “Thank you very much for saying the activation code words, Dave is dead. You will now be hearing a recorded message after the beep.” Amber looked around to make sure everyone else was hearing what she was. Beep. Hodgepodge crawled over to the side of the bed. Out of the book Dave’s voice filled the air, “HELP! I’m dead dudes you’ve got to save me, okay first of all my little Hodgeypoo’s cotton candy is needed to resurrect me and also you’ll need puffer fish and a tooth from a liatron, teppy petals from MaZeera city, an apple pie from Pietopia and you’ll also need.” Beep, Dave’s voice stopped and the women’s voice sounded again, “If you wish to reach David; please contact him at 0800-hell-is-my-home or visit www.get-me-the-HELL-out-of-here.com, thank you and have a pleasant day.” A laptop fell right next to Angie, “What the!” She yelled, Amber ran over to the laptop and told Angie to type in get me the hell out of here.com. When the website loaded, a picture of Dave popped up with a video of him on loop screaming. Amber ran to the door. “That website won’t help at all. What was it that Dave told us to get? Whatever it was write a list and meet me on the deck.” Amber marched up the steps and was soon joined by floating Ed, Yammich hobbling and Angie carrying a piece of paper and Hodgepodge.

Angie put Hodgepodge in a backpack Amber had just materialized and looked out to the ocean as Amber put the bag on Angie’s back for her. The sun was rising in the distance and the sky was a blood shot red splattered with orange. “Wow the sky’s so pretty. Are we almost um wherever it is that we’re going?” Angie asked leaning her elbows on the edge of the ship breathing in the sea air. “We’re headed to MaZeera city and we should be there in a couple of minutes, we’d be there now if I didn’t have to redirect our course.” She sounded rather bitter at the idea of having to do anything. “So have you been there before Amber?” She coughed at Angie’s question eyes set facing away from her, “Yes I used to live there, then I moved to Sara city and then to Pietopia and last but not least Pyrastone city, I traveled to all the big magical cities but my favourite was Pyrastone.” Amber stopped and appeared to be remembering something. “Angie,” She turned to her to show that she was still listening, “You trust me right? No matter what happens you trust me.” Angie stared at Amber the absurdity of the question sinking in, she could see that Amber was hiding something and she was desperate to know what it was, Amber’s eyes were stony but they seemed to be the only part of Amber that might let down its guard. “Well yeah of course I trust you but why would you ask . . .” Angie never got to finish her question; the ship bumped as it hit the end of the surf. The group all trudged out along the beach, Angie’s feet started to hurt as they walked along pebbles, her shoes had started to wear away. She looked up. “Whoa.”

Stone gates barred the way of our group of heroes, two ominous guards stood like statues against the gate. “Open the gate!” Amber yelled as Angie started to shiver as the salt air swept past her. The gates creaked open and made an ear piercing screech along the gravel on the other side of the two stone doors. Angie gasped and cupped her hand to her mouth as she saw the most amazing sight she ever could have dreamed of. MaZeera city was buzzing with people all resembling a hive of bees going about their everyday work, there were skyscrapers and market places and shops of all shapes and sizes. Amber pushed her way through the crowd and they all followed her, “Where’s Ed?” Yammich replied “In Dave’s bag on my back.” Angie and Yammich’s eyes met and they both looked away shyly they hadn’t talked much lately but there was still some kind of attraction between them which made words unnecessary. From out of the crowd a women in a black robe bumped straight into Amber and her hood fell away exposing long beautiful flowing red hair and a pretty face, “Amber? Amber Danford, it is you I can’t believe it.” The woman was beaming at the sight of Amber as she tried to slip away. “Yes it’s me. Nice seeing you again Whitney.” Amber said in return unable to get away fast enough. Three others in black robes approached the group before Angie or Yammich could speak. A man stepped forward and pushed back his hood, the man had a scar on his cheek and looked rather rugged but other than that he looked devilishly handsome, he looked to the woman Amber had called Whitney with wide eyes, she smiled nodding. “I never thought I’d see you again Amber, remember me?” Amber bit her lip and looked at the crowd. “Yeah I remember you Matt, how could I not. Let me guess you’re here to take prisoners but your boss didn’t tell you who she wanted you to take, I think it’s pretty obvious that we’re her targets.” Matt looked at his feet smirking, “Your right, as usual I think the last mistake you made was trading in your black robe for that blue one.” Angie’s jaw dropped as did Yammich’s. “What is he talking about Amber?” She ignored her and gestured to her friends. “So go ahead take your prisoners I won’t stop you.” Angie was lost she was confused about Amber being a black robe but now Amber wasn’t even going to fight to save them. Amber pushed Matt out of the way and moved through the busy street leaving Angie, Yammich and Ed to be taken prisoner. She almost turned back at the small meep that came from Hodgepodge or the screams from Angie but instead she looked back at Matt’s words, “Your colour’s changed but your still the b**ch you always were.” Amber smiled harshly, “Coming from you I’ll take that as a compliment!” she shouted back through the crowd as she disappeared into a sea of people.

Angie shook the bars of a prison cell located below MaZeera city, it was dark and damp and smelled of . . . well something they really didn’t want to think about. “Let me out of here!” Angie yelled at the black robes pacing the corridor of prison cells. The black robes laughed and went out of Angie’s line of sight. “It’s no use Angie; we’ve been betrayed by the only person who could have gotten us out of here.” Yammich had dropped Ed on the wet dungeon type floor after he had made various statements about Amber involving words such as, ‘b**ch’ and ‘cow and his most frequently used ‘backstabbing a** hole’. “Can you pick me up my pages are getting wet, if I had wanted this cr*p I would have stayed on that sh**ty boat.” Angie banged head on the bars and looked up to see people in different coloured robes in the cells across from theirs. “Hi.” She said waving to them. One man smiled sweetly at her. “Why are you here?” Angie asked the man. He looked around to see if there were any guards around, “I protested against the witch, you?” Angie rolled her eyes, “My best friend betrayed me and my two friends.” He moved closer to the bars. “My name’s Jason.” Angie smiled, “I’m Angie, Yammich is behind me and the annoying book on the floor is Ed, we also have a dragon called Hodgepodge and my friend’s name is . . . um her name is Amber.” Jason straightened up, “Amber, you know Amber.” Angie nodded hesitantly, “Amber couldn’t have betrayed you it just can’t be.” Angie nodded again close to tears and they both went back to the middle of their cells and the prison was filled with a sour silence. “Wait a minute, I trust her.” Yammich sat up as Angie said this from her cell bed across the room, “Huh?” Angie seemed to have had some kind of epiphany. “I trust Amber and she asked if I would trust her no matter what happened just before we came here and I told her I would.” Yammich had no idea what Angie was talking about. “I would do anything for her,” Angie remembered her and Amber’s promise when they were younger. “And she’d do anything for me.” Yammich sat by Angie and held her hand as she went into some sort of daze.

“Guys wake up.” Amber’s whisper carried through the cell. Angie opened her eyes and she saw Amber looking down at her from a large hole in the wall of the cell, she was there with Whitney and Matt, “Hurry up grab Ed and Yammich and let’s get out of here.” Whitney smiled at her and Angie noticed that both she and Matt were now wearing dark blue robes the same as Amber, “I’ll explain when we’re far enough away.” Amber whispered pulling Yammich through the gap in the wall with Matt’s help. Angie looked over to Jason’s cell and whispered a pointless goodbye as she grabbed Ed and threw him out of the hole, which she soon followed him out of with Hodgepodge still in the bag on her back. Whitney and Matt both put on black robes again and Amber began to explain. “I’m sorry but I had to have you captured in front of witnesses and I even needed you to believe that I had betrayed you to make it convincing; now we shouldn’t be followed until Matt and Whit tell the other black robes that we’re gone and by that time we’ll have a head start.” Angie still didn’t fully understand but she waited until Amber had hugged Whitney, she and Matt had shared a nod of mutual respect and Whitney and Matt had creeped off into the darkness of the night to ask her questions, “I finally figured out that you didn’t really betray us but they said that you used to be a black robe so I wasn’t sure whether to trust you or not.” Amber shook her head in disbelief, “Angie I asked you if you trusted me and if you’d trust me no matter what. I’ll explain the rest on the way we need to get moving.” Although Angie had many more questions she didn’t ask them as Amber had said that she was going to explain, Angie was about to burst with anticipation.

The city seemed like a completely different place at night, it was quiet and the street lamps were lit causing a warm glow to fall over the deserted roads where a few hours earlier they had been covered by stalls and market tents. The shops appeared to all be closed at first glance but Angie could see one small corner shop was still lit inside and the sign still read open. Amber lead the way through the large city square saying, “Matt, Whitney and me all had our own reasons for joining the black robes, mine was my anger at not being able to have children,” Yammich opened his mouth to speak as though about to beg forgiveness, “anyway none of saw the black robes or the witch for its true identity but when we discovered what was going on behind it all we decided to be spies within the organization and undo its evil at every opportunity. Our friend Jason was arrested when he was found out and he barley escaped execution, the story that was told was he had protested against the witch it became so convincing that when I visited him even he seemed to believe it. After that I left the black robes I tried to convince Whitney and Matt to come with me but they thought it would be too dangerous to try and leave. I moved all around the world fighting the black robes wherever I went and eventually Lorna convinced me to come back to the temple which I had left after . . . well you know, the incident.” Angie began to speak, “I met Jason in the prison he told me he had been caught protesting how depressing he doesn’t even know how he really got put in that dungeon.” Amber continued what she was saying, “I wasn’t surprised when Matt and Whit met me outside your cell in their blue robes, and I know them too well to have thought they had changed sides for real.” She laughed to herself. “So what is it we need from here?” She started walking again followed by Angie who had let Yammich and Ed fall behind. “Meep.” Angie giggled and reached into her bag to stroke Hodgepodge and she pulled out the small piece of paper she had written the resurrection ingredients on. “We need teppy petals.” Angie thought to Amber, ‘What are teppy petals?’ she didn’t want to say it out loud as they started to pass the small corner shop with the light on. After they had passed by it Amber let Angie catch up to her and mumbled, “They’re from a teppy flower it’s rare and kind of hard to get hold of, it’s the MaZeera city’s most famous flower.” ‘Ah’ Angie thought seeing a look of deep thought on Amber’s face. “So where are we going to get this rare and hard to find teppy flower petal?” Amber shrugged, “I don’t know, we could try looking in the Magical Majestic shop on the corner.” Yammich ran to level with the girls, “Where is the Magical Majestic?” She pointed to a shop a little way ahead of the group down a dark alleyway, it appeared to be open so when they reached the wooden door they pushed it open and a little bell rang.

As Angie entered the shop after Amber the sight before her eyes was shocking and horrific. Blood had been splattered all over the walls and everything was turned over or broken. There were smashed bottles on the floor and books thrown everywhere. “What happened here?” Amber looked around and shrugged in confusion and disbelief. Amber leaned over a counter where a broken till was turned upside down. She jumped back and put her hand to her mouth in disgust. “He’s dead.” Amber leaned against the counter, ‘who is dead?’ Angie thought more to Amber than herself. “Glen, we knew him at school, he owns this shop. I never really liked him as a friend but he wasn’t a bad guy.” Angie did remember Glen, he wasn’t popular at school but other than being bigheaded and full of himself, Amber was right about him being an alright person. Angie inched towards the counter and sure enough on the other side was the body of a tall man who hadn’t changed much in the face since the last time she had seen him at school. He was covered in blood and had a deep gash along his front where his shirt had been ripped. Angie held back tears; she couldn’t look at Glen’s body anymore. “Who did this?” Amber didn’t even need to take time to think. “The black robes duh who else, we need to get the teppy petals and get out of here this is starting to all make sense to me and I don’t like what I think is going on.” Amber started rummaging through the things on the shelves. ‘Um I don’t know what teppy petals look like’ Angie thought looking around. “They’re red with pink dots on them, oh yeah and they glow. Never mind I found them.” Amber picked up a box of small glowing flowers and grabbed a handful, then she shoved them in the inside pocket of her robe.

Outside the small shop Amber found a small park area with trees and benches. “We can stay here a little while but not very long.” Angie sat on one of the benches with Yammich; they put their bags on the bench next to them. Amber stepped onto the edge of a large glass fountain sparkling in the moon light. She stood and watched Angie leaning on Yammich’s chest, a tear rolled down her cheek and she wiped it away laughing. “What is she doing?” Angie said to Yammich as at the other side of the park Amber jumped into the crystal water of the fountain smashing its smooth surface. They smiled as Amber spun around in the fountain kicking the water. “I’m not sure I’ve never seen her act like this before.” They both laughed. She looked up at them water dripping from her soaking wet hair and robe, she waved slightly. Everyone else had drifted off to sleep except Amber who sat on the ledge of the fountain watching her friends, her robe had started to dry and the sun was coming up. She got up and tiptoed along the edge, she stopped at the sound of people. She jumped down and shook Angie’s shoulder saying, “Wake up.” Angie opened her eyes and within minutes all of them were running towards the ship exactly where they had left it.

Angie stood with Yammich at the edge of the ship watching MaZeera city fade off into the distance. Everyone else was either in the cabins or eating in the dining cabin many floors below them. “Angie, I have to ask you something and it can’t wait.” She smiled at Yammich sweetly, “What do you want to ask me then.” Yammich reached into the pocket of his robe and pulled out a small black box her eyes lit up as she stared at it. He went down onto one knee. “Angie, I love you and I can’t imagine living my life without you. I know it’s sudden but I knew exactly how I felt about you the first time I saw your amazing smile and I hope you feel the same.” He opened the box to reveal a large shimmering oval diamond which was caught exactly right by the moonlight; it had a white gold band only just visible. Angie was speechless, ‘say something’ she told herself, she was unable to form words it was like someone had removed her voice box. Yammich’s smile faded as the minutes trickled by Angie still as silent as ever. “Angie?” She smiled and was finally able to answer. “Yes, yes of course.” She squealed removing the ring from the box and allowing Yammich who had stood up to slip the ring onto her finger. They hugged and it seemed like hours before they broke apart. “How did you ever get such a magnificent ring?” He was holding Angie’s hand on which the ring sparkled beautifully, “My father gave it to me a few years ago, and speaking of my father there’s something else I have to tell you,” he continued seeming strangely unsure of what to say, “in my family when a man marries the wife stays at home and has children which she stays at home to raise with the help of the other women in the family.” By now Angie got confused very easily, “What? Are you trying to tell me that if I marry you I’ll have to become a housewife?” He nodded apparently embarrassed and aware of Angie’s angry tone of voice, “Maybe in a few years we’ll have kids but I’m going to get a start on my animal home career and maybe find a nice house somewhere peaceful and quiet.” Angie drifted off on a cloud at the very thought of their future life but she came crashing down back to Earth when Yammich retorted, “That’s not going to happen I’m afraid sweetheart, my father would never allow it. We’re going to live in his palace in Sara city and your career will have to wait until our children are old enough to move out, I was thinking ten kids would keep my father happy.” Her eyes were about to explode. “Ten kids! I don’t think so, two or three maybe five but not ten.” Yammich had let go of Angie’s hand now and their voices were growing louder and before they knew it their simple disagreement led to Angie saying, “I don’t care what your father says, I was going to marry you not him! I wish I had got to know you before I had agreed to make the biggest mistake of my life!” She yanked the ring off her hand and threw it on the floor. She stormed down the steps to the cabins unaware of Yammich calling her back. “Angie wait, I love you, don’t go, I’m sorry, it doesn’t matter about my father we can work it out!” She didn’t hear him and he had the feeling she didn’t want to.


Chapter 4 (Broken Hearts)

Amber carried Hodgepodge who she now called Hp up to the deck of the ship where she tried to teach him how to fly. His little wings could only just hold himself a few inches in the air. Amber turned as she heard tears from someone moving into her line of sight. Angie stood there wiping tears from her eyes. “Oh Amber what are you doing?” She stopped noticing her for the first time. “I’m teaching Hp to fly, or trying to at least.” Angie nodded even though Amber was pretty sure she wasn’t even listening. “I heard what happened with Yam, I’m sorry. I did kind of know he’d do something to hurt you.” Angie shook her head to hide the tears. “I don’t want to talk about it right now Amber.” She reached out her hand in a kind caring gesture to Angie. Over Amber’s shoulder she could see Hp trying to fly and somehow he managed to get up onto the side of the ship and before Angie could stop him or even warn Amber he fell over the edge with a harsh ‘meep’. She pushed Amber out of her way and threw herself over railing of the ship. Amber turned, “Um okay if you didn’t want to talk then that’s fine no need to jump overboard.” She ran to the railing and leaned over the edge but couldn’t see Angie or Hp anywhere. “Someone help!” Amber waved her hands at the ocean and tried to separate the water but she couldn’t see anything. Yammich ran up the steps carrying Ed. They came up behind Amber and followed her gaze. From quite a distance behind them the sea water had rose up and pushed something off onto the deck and then dispersed below the ship. The three of them ran to the back of the ship where Angie lay with Hp on her lap, they were soaked and Angie was coughing heavily. “Guess what I can control the ocean.” Angie sounded excited and Amber smirked as she pulled her to her feet, Angie still holding Hp in one arm.