EMERALD KINGDOM:The Escape

Chapter 6: Erin

Here I am. At the boulder. I can't see past it. It just looks like more woods. I hear the trickling of water from the stream I drank from this morning. It was only then that I realised how hungry I was. I have been walking for nearly two days now, mostly on my own, with only a few berries and nuts for food. When I woke, I washed the dirt and drank in the cold stream which seemed to bring me back to life. From then, I kept walking, collecting food as I went. All morning the animals came out and greeted me, unafraid. All was so natural. I hope this is what's it's like where I'm heading. My den seemed to have vanished once I got out of bed and started walking. I'd decided it was a sign. A sign that I was nearly there. And there I was. And here I am.

I look up at the tall rock that stands before me. There's a small dent in it, the exact same shape of my four sided emerald and I know what I have to do. Is it worth it? All this effort. I hope so. And I'm hungry, and I assume they have food, so...
I press the gem to the rock and it starts to glow the same green colour. A world shimmers into existence before me and I gaze into it, astonished.
Standing proudly before me is a large silver gateway, topped with emeralds. Guards on white horses sit in matching armour, talking and laughing until they see me. I can see a huge courtyard  decked with fountains and silver beech trees. Fairies flutter past! Fairies? Cool! Then, I see human size fairies-pixies?-with beautiful ruby red outfits who stride happily through, making a humming noise as a crowd. To the left, there is  a gigantic field with courts and tracks for all sorts of sports before crops and and an orchard line up behind them. To the right, a beautiful white beach rests with dark blue waves lapping at the shore. Palm trees are sprinkled here and there, and a mini tuck shop stands in the sand dunes. But that's not what grips me. I've seen some pretty amazing things in the past few days, but nothing like this. Nothing at all. A jaw dropping, incredible, shimmering palace made out of emerald. Imagine Buckingham Palace, but 3 times the size and made out of pure emerald.
I gasp.
I guess it's about midday by the fact that there are people milling around the benches and eating sandwiches; a typical lunchtime image. But they're not ordinary people, with ordinary outfits and ordinary actions. Each and every one of them is different. One person is dressed in a flowing icy blue dress with a glittery snow flake pattern and white hair, almost like Elsa from Frozen. Her hands and arms are frosty, like there's been a huge snow storm, despite the beaming sun. Sitting next to her, a boy in a dark silver shirt and normal jeans, seeming to let off a dark glow around him, and silver eyes. To their left, three people sit by a fountain. One wears a matching outfit that ranges from red to dark purple, with all the other colours in between. And his eyes...they change colour every second. The one next to him wears a leafy orange top that shows her belly and a matching skirt. Her hair is bright ginger and leaves fall out of it every so often. Strange. And the one next to her looks almost normal, apart from the fact that he just morphed into a human after being a wild wolf. It all looks so bright and cheerful, yet a sad tension hangs in the air.
Then it hits me. I recite the lines in my head: Erin Earth, PowerBorn, Generation 508, Power Of The Earth.
This is where I belong. I'm not the only one with powers. Everyone around me...they all have a power of their own. Is that why I've always been an orphan? Because I didn't belong in the world I used to live in, so of course I didn't have parents there. Do I have parents here? Why didn't I end up here in the first place? I think for a few minutes before noticing the two guards now staring at me.
'Who are you?' One demanded. What do I say? Oh, by the way, I can, like, control the earth beneath us so I guess that makes me on your side. Oh, and I also come from a world that you might not have heard of.
'Well? Who are you?'
I hold up my necklace. 'Erin Earth. Power Of The Earth.'
The knight on the right drops his sword. The other just stares at me before shaking her head back to reality. She winces.
'You...you're...'
The other guard breaks his daze and holds up his hand.
'Excuse me, mam. Touch the emerald on your necklace, please.'
I close my eyes and lace my fingers around the gem that now rests on my palm. I speak uncontrollably as my feet lift into the air. I'm glowing a natural grassy green.
'Erin Earth, PowerBorn, Generation 508, Power Of The Earth.'
They stare at me again. Why are they so shocked? Isn't this place full of people like me? Was I wrong?
The two of them exchange looks and nod. Then the one on the right speaks up.
'Welcome to Emerald Kingdom, Erin. We've been waiting for you.'

The tall gateway opens with a creak. The guards lead me inside and escort me towards the palace. They say nothing. People shoot me weird looks, not knowing who I am. Some whisper. I manage to catch, 'It's her!' Or, 'Can it really be?' Whatever's going on, I don't like it. What's so special about me? Then I realise. These people were born here?And now a stranger has come from the outside world? But what do they mean, her. It doesn't make sense.
They lead me down the path and into the castle.