The Nightmare Within, Chapter Two

The Nightmare Within
Chapter Two
I'm sitting in class, being lectured on the strengths and weaknesses of the elements. "Class, it is vital to remember the information I'm about to tell you. Water is always strong against fire."
I see Zjarr sneak a glance at Kylma, who's fluffing her hair.
"But water is always weak against earth. However, earth is weak against the power of wind, and that is weak against the element of forest. Now, we circle back to the beginning, and find that the forest element is susceptible to the element of fire.
"So, it's like a giant game of rock-paper-scissors?" Zjarr blurts out. The class, minus Torpaq and I, giggles.
Professor Dale lets out a sigh of exasperation and nods wearily. "Yes, Zjarr. A giant game of rock-paper-scissors. Now, the dark and light elements are tricky. They are strong and weak to each other. Dark is strong against light when it is attacking, but weak when it is being attacked. Are there any more questions?"  
"Uh, yeah. So the light and dark elements… They're like a tiny game of rock-paper-scissors, right?"
"Zjarr!!"
"Okay, sorry!!!!" There's a brief moment of silence. "But it is, right?"
Professor Dale sits down at his desk. "Silent study time." He says, and lays his head down on his desk.
Misko and I exchange glances that seem to say 'Zjarr did it again.'
After about thirty minutes of silent study, class ends and we all file out of the classroom. Kylma is hanging off of Zjarr's arm. Zjarr looks bewildered but also pleased by this. Not wanting to see any more of this display, I look for Tuuli so I can return a scroll I borrowed from her. There isn't any sign of her.
I walk over to Misko, who's looking curiously at a new painting that's hanging on the wall. "Hey, have you seen Tuuli?" I ask him.
"Now that I think about it… No, I haven't. That's kinda weird; usually she's hopping around everywhere talking to everyone." Misko says, pondering her whereabouts for a brief moment before turning back to the painting. I leave Misko to his art appreciation and walk over to Torpaq.
"Have you seen Tuuli?" I ask him.
"As a matter of fact, yes. She said she was going to go look for the rockets that are on top of the school. I tried to explain to her that's a rumor that the older students start to make the new students look like fools, but she didn't listen to me. Do you actually think she's going to find a rocket?"
"No," I state dryly.
"You seem skeptical. I like that. Come on, we better find that bunny, before she does something foolish."
Torpaq and I start walking around the school, asking random students if they've seen Tuuli. We finally get a good tip, and head to the storage room. It's off limits to students, but we neglect to recognize that restriction.
Torpaq and I climb up a winding blue staircase with purple railing and we reach a double door. Torpaq opens it, and we walk into a large cluttered room. It's filled with crates and rugs and pots and all sorts of magical junk. I peer into one jar and see that it is filled with a special type of biscuit that restores magic, and another that restores health. They look pretty tasty, so I shove the contents of my jar into my black satchel. Once my thievery is done, I give the room a closer look. One section of wall is completely bare, which strikes me as odd, so I go over to investigate.
"Hey, Torpaq. Doesn't it look like you can climb this wall?" I ask him.
"I sense traces of previous access. Someone has climbed through here before us." He states.
"Hmmm…" Walking over, I start to climb the wall. It's surprisingly easy, and I'm in a new room quite soon. Torpaq is right behind me.
"Whoa! What's up with that door?!" I walk over to a large door in the back of this new room, and examine it. It's a large gray, double door. It looks pretty heavy, and pretty well made… Also, it has a face.
"I just accessed the school's architectural blueprints and there's no record of this door. How curious."
I'm moving closer to the door for a better look when the ground begins to shakes. The face on the door is moving! I'll admit that I'm pretty freaked out. Then in a rusty, deep, voice the door started talking.
"What is the meaning of this? You seek to open the door to the heavens?"
It takes me a moment to realize that the door is asking me a question and I stammer, "Uh yes please. That'd be nice."
"I can grant entrance only to those who wield great power. If you seek to pass, show me your power." The door is still and silent again.
I go back to Torpaq, who looks as calm as ever. "What does he mean, show him my power?"
"Try casting a spell on it," he suggests.
"Won't that make it mad?"
"I don't think so."
"Fine. But you aren't allowed at my funeral."
"Fair enough."
I nervously walk back over to the door. "Okay. So, I'm gonna cast a spell now."
There's no answer from the door. Well then.
I do my most basic spell, one that only makes the symbol of the dark element appear before me. But this time, something's different. Dark rays of purple and black begin emanating from the symbol, and I feel a shock a power course through my veins that's hot and cold at the same time. It's painful, but the good kind of pain. The rays get larger and darker, and soon the entire room is dark.
I can feel the stones beneath my feet vibrate as Torpaq laments "Everything's fading to black! We are DOOOOOMED!"
Just as I'm about to believe him, everything slowly starts turning back to normal. I'm on the ground, panting. Beads of sweat glisten on my forehead, and I feel weak in my limbs. Torpaq helps me up and the door starts talking again.
"Now opens… the door to the heavens." The door gives a shudder and swings open.
Torpaq and I look at each other. I take a deep breath. "Wanna see what it was guarding?" I ask him; half hoping he would say no.
"Why not?" he says, and moves forward through the doorway. Reluctantly I follow him.
There's a ladder, built into the wall. It looks really tall and precarious, and I'm not looking forward to climbing it. The rest of the room isn't very interesting at all. It's just a dark, slightly damp, and empty room.
"Beepboopbleep. I detect fresh footprints here. Just another of the many fine details that your frail human eyes cannot perceive. The footprints lead up the ladder. Whoever left these footprints climbed up here."
Immediately, I begin to ascend the ladder. It's even taller then it looked, and some of the rungs don't seem very sturdy at all. However, I keep climbing. Eventually I reach the top and to my surprise… there are rockets.



"These rockets seem to be in pristine condition. They could be space worthy!" Torpaq observes.
I'm about to reply when Zjarr, Kylma, and Misko pop up.
"WHOA! Check this place out! What is it?" Zjarr exclaims excitedly, "What are all these pointy pod things doing here?!"
"No WAY! The rumors were true!" Misko shouts.
"What rumors?" asks Zjarr.
"You followed us." Torpaq says calmly. No one tries to deny it.
"Even after we heard that conversation, I half doubted Miss Hilja was actually going to Vjetar! I guess she was serious though! These are space rockets!" Kylma says.
*Launch sequence initiated. Liftoff in T-minus 30 seconds.*
"What the heck was that?!" asked Zjarr, now starting to get slightly frustrated with the growing number of things that he does not understand.
Leaving the others to explain intercom systems to Zjarr, I hoist myself up onto the launching pad and start looking around. The rockets are sleek and modern in design, and are the same colors as the Will-o'-Wisp Academy crest. Teal, yellow, pink, and black. I'm inspecting the blaster thingies on one of them when the weird voice comes on over the intercom again.
*15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9…*
"Alyss!! Get out of there!" Torpaq screams, and I randomly notice that I've never heard his voice sound fearful. Then I notice something a little more urgent. The rocket I'm standing next to has sparks coming out of it. This rocket is going to lift off, spew flames and smoke everywhere, I'm right next to it, and I have only a few seconds to get away.
I sprint across the launching pad.
*8, 7, 6, 5, 4…*
I'm at the edge of it now.
*3, 2…*
I fling myself off of the launching pad and land on Zjarr, and we end up in an awkward pile of ourselves.
*1*
The world is solely smoke and chaos. The ground is shaking and churning as though it's going to open up and swallow me whole. I cover my face with my arms, trying not to breath in the foul smelling smoke. It doesn't work though, because in a few moments, I'm fading into a sickly sweet darkness.



I wake up with a pounding headache. I sit up far too quickly, and my vision swims. After a few deep breaths I can see normally again. Looking around, I see that I'm the only one who seems to be conscious. I nudge Zjarr, who's still next to me.
"Uunnhhh…" He groans. Well he won't be helping me. I slowly get to my feet and check Torpaq, Misko, and Kylma, with similar results.
"Guess I'm on my own…" I say out loud, and then I painfully make my way onto the launching pad. Obviously, it was Tuuli who took off in that rocket. She's worried about Miss Hilja, and has decided to go save her.
'Tuuli's the one who needs saving now,' I think, as I climb into a rocket. 'She's so fragile and innocent. She needs someone, and by the looks of my friends and Kylma, I'm the only one who can help her.'
I shut the door behind me and seal it. Then I strap myself into the seat and look around. 'Oh, a big red lever. How convenient.' I pull the red lever down.
*Launch sequence initiated. Liftoff in T-minus 30 seconds.*
This should be fun, I think sarcastically to myself.
*15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.*
And once again, I black out. The last thing I remember is the horrifying sensation of being propelled through the air at unimaginable speeds. What did I just get myself into?