The Mystery at Trida Academy | Fantasmical 2023

The Eternal Ring

There was a pounding on the door, and Alaina jumped. The wind was howling, and she'd just settled down with a warm cup of tea. She almost thought the noise was a broken tree branch, until she heard it again. Who would be out in a storm like this?

She went to the front window and peaked through the curtains. A young man in a black cloak was hunched over, trying to get out of the rain. He saw the movement in the window and turned towards her, looking miserable.

"Can I come in?" he asked, knitting dark brows over hopeful eyes. Alaina sighed to herself; she wasn't a fan of letting strangers into her home, but she couldn't let him sit outside in this weather. She undid the latch and reluctantly let him inside.

"Thank you." He pulled his cloak off his shoulders, hanging it on a peg behind the door. She tried to ignore the puddles forming around his feet. Then, he turned to her, holding out his hand. "My name's Cole."

"Alaina." she said, shaking his hand. Cole nodded.

"Candia's sister, right?"

"You know my sister?"

"She sent me here." Cole confirmed.

"Why?" A thought struck her, and her heart beat faster. "Is everything ok? Did something happen to Candia?"

"Candia's fine." Cole assured her. "But...there's a small problem at the Trida Academy."

Alaina waited impatiently for him to continue. He looked a little embarrassed; he ran a hand nervously through his jet-black hair before giving a shaky smile.

"People have been...disappearing."

"Disappearing?" How could that be possible?

"Disappearing." Cole nodded. "And I need you to come with me."

"What could I do?" The Trida Academy was the best magical school in the kingdom. Surely they could handle any problems themselves. What would they need her for? Cole sighed.

"She said you'd say that." Then, in a weird tone that almost sounded like he was reciting something, he added, "You're the smartest person she knows, and you'd never abandon your sweet, wonderful, baby sister to be eaten by monsters."

Alaina almost laughed. "That does sound like something she'd say." she admitted.

"So let's go." He opened the door. But it was still pouring, and there was no way she was going out in the middle of a storm.

"In this weather?" she balked. Was he crazy?

"No time like the present." he said, shrugging.

"I haven't even packed yet!" Besides, she wasn't actually sure she wanted to go.

He looked out the window, then back at her. "Have you got a towel?"

"A towel?"

"Sure. That's all you really need for an adventure." he grinned at her. Then, a look of realization passed over his face. "Oh, and this." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small wooden box with stars carved into the lid. Alaina just stared. She couldn't believe what he was holding.

"Where did you get this?" Alaina asked slowly, turning the box over in her hands. She thought she'd lost it that summer at her aunt's house; her cousin had taken it along with most of the jewels she'd found.

"Don't worry about that." Cole grinned. "All you need to know is that it'll bring you luck. Just...don't open it."

"Why not?"

Cole shrugged, not answering the question. "So, you ready?"

"I'm not going out in a hurricane." Wasn't he listening?

"It's not raining."

"What?" Alaina looked out the window. There were a few drops falling off of the trees, but nothing coming from the sky.

"Lucky, huh?" Cole grinned impishly. Alaina just stared at him for a minute before finally grabbing her cloak. She found a change of clothes and some provisions, tucked her pet fox, Cinna, under her arm, and headed out the door. She couldn't believe she was really doing this. But if her sister needed her, what choice did she have?

They'd only been on the road for a few minutes, but the sky was already clearing up.

"I hope the bridge isn't out." Cole mumbled to himself.

Alaina groaned inwardly. The narrow bridge at the far side of Mr. Appleby's field washed out almost every year. And the water had already been high before this storm. Of course, many of the boards had washed away. But not all of them; there were enough that they could cross if they were careful.

"I can't believe the bridge didn't wash completely away." Alaina said, laughing in relief as she stepped lightly to the other side.

Cole gave her a look.

"Yeah, I know. Lucky box." she said. Maybe it wasn't such a ridiculous notion after all.

She'd never really believed in luck. At least, not for herself. If she'd been lucky, she wouldn't be leading a semi-reclusive life in a small cottage on the outskirts of town. Still, it was hard to deny that there did seem to be something there.

Cinna ripped into Alaina's bag, spilling a thin line of grain out behind the horses. Alaina noticed it quickly, and hadn't lost much. She was about to complain when she saw the grain had attracted a small group of rabbits. So now they had fresh game for dinner – better than her pre-planned porridge.

Alaina caught herself wondering what that magical, lucky box of hers contained. It wasn't all that heavy. Maybe a handful of four-leaf clovers? A rabbit's foot? It was too small for a horseshoe. Maybe white heather? She shook the box and thought she could hear a small rattling sound. She heard a laugh and saw Cole watching with amusement.

"Why can't I open it?" she asked him again.

"It's against the rules." he said. So helpful.

Alaina tried to ignore it. But by the time they made camp, she couldn't take it anymore; she just had to know. She checked around to make sure Cole was nowhere in sight. Then, she cracked open the lid and peeked inside.

Inside was a ring made of swirling bands of gold that twisted around each other, inlaid with four different colored stones: red, blue, silver, green. Alaina was astounded. Could this really be what she thought it was? From behind her, she heard Cole speak. And when he did, he sounded awestruck.

"So that's where the Eternal Ring went."