Middle Ground

Chapter 1 ~Akyra's P.O.V

        Moonlight danced on the floor as I slowly opened my eyes and carefully slipped out of my bed. I watched my mother's rhythmic breathing in the bed across the room until I was sure she was asleep. I opened the door of our small shack and stepping outside, shivering as my feet made contact with the cold, dew-speckled grass. No one was awake and the only thing that made a noise was the steady stream of a nearby waterfall, which cascaded down through the rocks.
        Perfect. I smiled.
I jumped into the air, hovering just above the ground. Gliding over to the edge of the sky island I lived on, I peered over at the barrier of cottony clouds below, separating the Skyranites from the Earthens. I let myself descend a little so I could get near the clouds, parting them to see what they hid. But I could not see anything, only a bare meadow.
        Closing the gap in the clouds I floated back up to the surface. The sky grew lighter and the east glowed red, and I knew that I needed to stop fooling around and get ready for daily training. My feet made contact with the ground and I made sure to walk from then on, for no one could know about my abilities.
        I ran into the small shack Mother and I called home, I noticed she was already gone.
That's funny, I thought. She must have decided to get up early.
        I slipped on my shoes and my training uniform, which consisted of a pair of blue leggings, and a white shirt that came down to my forearms. Soon I was out the door walking to the juvenile training facility even though I could have been flying there.
        "Akyra hurry up!" Nathan called from further up the path. "We're supposed to meet in the courtyard early today! There's a mandatory assembly."
That's right! I remembered, running towards Nathan.
        "When does the assembly start?" I asked him.
        "Soon, we've gotta get going," He replied briskly.
We both started running to the courtyard where a crowd was gathering. As we arrived, Nathan and I hurriedly picked out a spot to stand in the crowd and waited for the assembly to start.
        "I completely forgot about the assembly, what is this all about?" I questioned.
        "Honestly... I'm not sure," He said.
The crowd went silent, I turned to look at the stage. There was a singled man standing there, gazing calmly at the crowd. The Skyranian anthem played and the man started his speech.
        "As some of you may already know I am Ajax, the Head Defender of the Skyranian territory. I have called this assembly to order to make all Skyranians aware of an opportunity that would greatly increase the welfare of all Skyranites. What is this opportunity that would so greatly increase the welfare of the Skyranian people? The Earth Realm," He spoke.
The crowd murmured in confusion.
         "What about the Earth Realm?" A man shouted.
        "The Earthen territory," Ajax grinned.   
        "As we know the peace between the Skyranites and the Earthens is long gone, but the Earthens' riches and land are still in perfect condition."
        "What is he trying to say?" Nathan whispered.
        "I think he wants us to take over the Earth Realm," I mumbled.
        "If we take our Skyranian army and attack the Earthens, we will gain so much!" He exclaimed.
        "Think of the riches, and all the new territory."
        I was right, I knew he wanted to launch an attack on the Earth Realm. I thought triumphantly. I thought of what it would be like if the Skyranites attacked the Earthens. Since I would be seventeen in a year I would probably be able to go down and fight as a Skyranian soldier and raid the Earth Realm. If the Skyranian Council agreed to this plan Mother and I would have more money and a better house.
The crowd muttered approvingly to itself. But I felt very uneasy about this "attack."
        "What will the Earthens do?" A woman cried out.
Secretly I wondered the same thing.
The crowd went silent, she walked defiantly onto the stage.
         "Who would do such a stupid thing? No one in their right mind would oppose the Head Defender of Skyranian territory!" Nathan breathed.
        "I don't know who would do such a thing," I replied.
          But as I looked closer I did know who would. It was my mother.
         "Dangit!" I hissed.
        "What?" Nathan said.
        "It's my mother!" I growled as I started to push through the crowd.
        "Akyra, what are you doing?" Nathan called.
        "Saving my mother's skin," I shouted over my shoulder. Such acts of defiance like the one my mother was displaying were not allowed and would be punished immediately, unless I did something about it.
        I rushed through the crowd making my way to the stage where my mother stood; I started my ascent to the stage platform stepping onto the wooden stairs, the crowd yet again fell silent as I stood on the top of the stage.
        "Let her go!" I commanded shakily. I assessed my potential opponent, I knew the fighting training I had received would not be enough to win a fight against Ajax.
        "Not yet child, This woman needs to learn how to respect authority." He smiled deviously.
        "Take her away."
Two guards dressed in full armor grabbed my mother and started to carry her off the stage.
         "No!" I screamed, lunging towards Ajax, but I couldn't go anywhere. Two hands firmly grabbed my wrists and held me back.
It was Nathan.
        "Akyra you can't do this!" He objected.
        "Nathan, let me go!" I pleaded.
But his grip didn't yield. Energy surged through my body, my palms started to tingle and I knew that my power was getting out of control. Containing it was going to be hard but I willed myself to keep it in.
         But I couldn't, dark clouds covered the sun and it started to drizzle. Nathan let go of me and stumbled backwards as I electrified him.
He stared at me in horror.
        "Y-you're one of them! The freaks we read about in knowledge training," Nathan sputtered. He got up and ran from the stage.
        The crowd stared at me in awe, the younger children screamed.
        "I am not a freak!" I yelled angrily to Nathan.
         Lightning flashed in the clouds, I gave up. It didn't matter anymore, everyone knew my secret. My hopes to get a respectable job as a Skyranian Soldier was gone, I was an outcast in society now, an untouchable.
Ajax calmly walked towards me.
        "Akyra, daughter of Claudia. You are very powerful, aren't you?" He spoke with little emotion.
        Your power over the sky could be is useful."
        By the time he finished his sentence he was only inches away from my face.
        " I will not be used by you Ajax!" I proclaimed.
        "Now let my mother go."
        He stared at me angrily for what seemed like forever; I silently willed him to let Mother go. If she was put in jail I'd have no guardian since my father was dead, and I would be sent to the orphanage.
        "Claudia is to be put in the central jail cell, her punishment is yet to be determined." Ajax jeered.
        "Mother no!" I screamed, as I sank down to my knees. Rain poured from the sky and I flew towards the guards. I soon caught up with them.
        "Why did you have to do that Mother?" I whispered.
        "Why?"
         She was silent, and I was too. I hovered above the dirt path watching my mother dragged away from me and watching my life fall apart.

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        It's been three days without Mother. I thought to myself. Today was when her punishment was determined. Once again I strapped on my shoes and my training uniform, although I hadn't been to training in a long time. I ran out of the house and made my way over to the central jail cell. The central jail cell was in the middle of town square, the Skyranian Council put it there to humiliate anyone who was imprisoned there.
        When I arrived Ajax and a member of the Skyranian Council was there, waiting for me.
        "Good morning Akyra," He spoke softly.
        "Nice weather we're having."
         But I was not in the mood for small talk.
         "Don't play games with me Ajax, what's her punishment?" I asked.
        "Oh yes, I almost forgot," Ajax grinned.
        "Don't ask me, ask him."He said as he pointed to a man dressed in a brown robe.
        "What is her punishment?" I asked the man.
         "In the case of Claudia, the punishment will be death," The Skyranian Council member stated blankly.
         "What? No!" I cried. "You can't do that! S-she didn't mean any harm."
         "We can't have anyone ruin this plan, it's going to benefit us greatly. Your mother is in the way," Ajax explained.
         "But it's not even official yet, it's just an idea," I quavered.
        "Not anymore," Ajax spoke.
        "The council passed it?" I questioned.
        Ajax nodded his head.
         "Oh," I whispered.
I looked down at the ground.
         "You may speak with Claudia now," The Council Member spoke.
        "Thank you," I said quietly.
My legs quivered as I made my way over the jail cell.
          "Mother?" I asked tearfully.
          "Yes, Akyra?" She replied.
         "Why did you have to do such a stupid thing!" I said, trying to stay calm.
         "To protect them," She stated.
          "Who, to protect who?" I asked, confused.
         "Your father and your sister," She stated blankly.
         "What?" I asked.
Three days in a jail cell must have made her go crazy, I figured. My father was dead, I had no sister.
         "Two more minutes," The council member stated.
        I can't believe this is happening. I thought to myself.
         "Mother what am I going to do now?" I asked desperately.
        "Akyra, you will find your path soon," She spoke.
        "Please protect your family, and remember I that I will always love you,"
        "I love you too," I sputtered, and my time with her was up.
        Men carrying silver axes opened up the prison and walked in, women on the streets stopped to cover their children's eyes. Some people just stopped and watched. I backed away from the cell and watched my mother smile sadly at me. The men positioned their axes and I ran, tears streaming down my face. I went to the small shack Mother and I once shared and grabbed her crystal necklace she kept on her nightstand. Soon I was out the door. Walking towards the edge of the Sky Realm, I jumped into the clouds plummeting through the air, stopping myself when I was only feet away from the ground. I had to protect the Earthens for Mother. I had to warn them.

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Written by CroissanLover2002