The Rosewood Prophecy

Chapter 7

                                                                                   Katherine

The days passed with nothing happening. We trained and prepped ourselves for the quest that could happen at any moment. Rachel insisted that we have some backpacks packed with food, water, and other necessities so that we can just grab them and go. The Elders thought that it was a very good idea. They gave us each a plain brown satchel that was the size of an average school bag to fit "everything we need in there". We looked at them incredulously after tallying up how much supplies we're going to need. Besides water and food, we're going to need weapons, blankets, clothes, some money, canteens, knives, tableware, some pots and pans...basically everything! How are we going to fit all of that into seven backpacks?

Elder Jake smiled and told us, "Watch and learn." He grabbed one of the bags and started to stuff the pile of supplies we had gathered in it. We watched with wide eyes as five minutes later, every last item was placed into the bag with ease. He tossed it to Lucian, who expected it to weigh a ton but found that it was still very light-weight.

"Magic, my dears," explained Annabelle with a smile. "We enchanted the bags so that they would hold everything you need and stay light and easy to carry."

We each grabbed a bag and started stuffing. My bag had everything I could possibly need, and more. I packed pretty much half of my wardrobe. I raided our house's weaponry stash and stuck extra weapons in my bag aside from my own. Not to mention food---we were going to need a lot of it. My mom managed to cast a non-spoiling spell over most of the food I planned to bring, and then I dumped all that into my bag. I stuffed maps and books that showed everything from which plants are safe to eat to the mythical monsters that dwelled in Crystallea. History, training, guides...every book that I deemed we could possibly use was in my bag. And boy, was I glad the bag was enchanted. Now we had our packed bags stacked neatly in a secret compartment in the grand hallway. Behind a large oil painting of the countryside was a vault, and in that vault was our bags.

As the days dragged on my initial burst of excitement began to fade. The quest sounded dangerous---very dangerous---but also kind of, well, fun. I'd dreamed of going on adventures since I was a child. I grew up listening to the tales of the old days where heroes went on exhilarating quests to save the world. Even my parents went on some sort of a quest when they were young and bold. I wanted to live that kind of a life. I was a good girl who obeyed her parents and did well in school, but at night, I'd fantasize about the life of a hero on a quest.

To be honest, the whole prophecy thing scared me. I went home that day and just sat on my bed, hugging my knees to my chest and rocking myself, staring into open air. It was too much information. Too much at once. I had to straighten my thoughts and explain everything to myself in a way I could understand. My parents were visited by Elders Annabelle and Jake when I was still at school. They talked about what had happened and what I meant to the rest of the world. My parents were shaken, just like me. But they took it better than I thought they would; maybe it was because some of their warrior spirits from their youth had lingered, and their adventure-loving personality was sparked again.

We talked late into the night, analyzing the whole situation. My parents knew the risks and though none of us said it, there was a chance we might never see each other again, at any given moment. So I guess that night, before I went to sleep, they told me how proud of me they were and that they loved me. My mom got a bit teary eyed, and so did I. I don't say it very often, but that night, I told my parents: "I love you." Because that might just be the last night we spend together.

Fortunately it wasn't. I came home for dinner for days after that. The days turned to weeks, and weeks into months. Nothing happened. I improved on my fighting skills tremendously. I could defeat any student and our teacher blindfolded in sword-fighting. I could extinguish the flame of a candle by shooting an arrow from a hundred steps away. I could activate several ancient spells dealing with Evils and rosewood with Ashley. I had found this new power and confidence that I'd never had before. I felt great. Each of the other six had also improved on their powers. Rachel also took on the role of Healer while Indigo became the master of battle strategies. Ashley worked with spells 24/7, and had memorized, like, every spell in the book. I'm not joking. From simple things such as start a fire to complex actions like activating a force shield, Ashley got the spell for it.