With her father's memory failing and her mother gone, Soraya Thenayu enrolls in distant Darkwood Academy and immediately becomes enemies with the richest kid at school. Between hiding her father's gift of illegally harvested magic, befriending socia...
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It was Yunula first, 3095, the beginning of the new year. The blazing ball of heat was slowly plummeting into the murky depths of the Valtic Ocean, its dimming rays illuminating the twilight sky in brilliant oranges, pinks and purples.
Five figures descended a long trail of steps built into the steep, rocky cliffs overlooking the hidden crescent moon cove below. The clacking of their shoes across the smooth stones were muffled under the loud echoes from the crashing waves against the sand below.
"Hey, how did the new radio commercial go?" Soraya asked the twins between breaths. "Did Jacquelle actually play the duet?"
Moiya trailed behind with Yabo sitting on her shoulder, but she cocked her head and leaned forward to better listen in on the conversation.
"She did," Rhys quickly stated. "She did well."
"No fights or drama, surprisingly, but she did want to hang out with all of us," Ujuu added while exhaling. "We told her today wouldn't work out..." his eyelids twitched when his older brother shot him a glare.
"But he said next weekend would," Rhys muttered.
"I had to buy us some time!" Ujuu gasped. "I felt a little bad. She's been nicer lately, still pushy, but trying. Maybe, we should give her a chance."
"You didn't have to give her a specific timeframe."
"I panicked, okay?" Ujuu cried out in exasperation. "I never thought in a million years she'd ask to hang out with us, give me a break!"
"It's obvious Jacquelle just wants to hang with Soraya," Moiya piped up. "Especially with Vamera and Emrose distancing themselves, Jacquelle doesn't have anyone else who would want to be friends with her."
"Exactly," Rhys turned his head and gave a brief nod towards her. "Soraya needs to figure out the Apollryük spells before some of the most powerful Etherians in our country pay our school a visit. Every second now counts. They could arrive well before then and start observing us students, disguised as talent scouts or other officials, for all we know."
The four students and pandacoon finally reached the sandy shore and basked in the warmth of the star's light. They stood at the edge of where their world ended and the life of the sea began.
"I read through the rest of the book," Rhys said while facing the cliffs so the sun shone on the pages he was holding. "There are only two spells left for Soraya to learn," his red eyes glowed through his shadowed features, his long braid flowing in the light breeze. "Mülock gave her one that wasn't in here, which means there's probably even more than what Zinvi wrote down."
Moiya clapped her hands with a loud smack and held them together. "I've been waiting all week to see this!" she exclaimed, her lush ponytails tossing and tumbling about like strings on a wind chime.
