The Esper's Academy ( Book 1){ Wattys2017}

Chapter 19

Annabella was in the extraordinary eerily familiar magical cave, again.

Again....

Although, she couldn't understand why...

It was like a continuation of her previous dream. Of her previous adventure there. Alongside with her family's names and menbers. If only those were truly her family's names, anyway. If only she was one one them.

Maybe she truly was...

She felt like she was, though.

She felt like she belonged with them. Alongside them.

But...

She was tired.

Hungry and thirsty.

Cold and lonely too.

Terrorized by a long stream of shadow dancers that swarmed all around her-their lurid forms mocking-taunting-teasing-cajoling-tempting her to leave-to find her way out of the darkness-out of this cave-and it's not long before Anna could agree.

Anna never asked to be an Esper.

Never asked for greatness or victory.

She was more of a Nash than a Van Allen-not cut out to be a hero.

A hero and a warrior with a big purpose to live for.

All she ever wanted was to be a normal girl with a normal life-living in a place of blissful ignorance where gruesome monstrosities-things born of darkness-and magical creatures with special abilities no longer existed.

Anna scrunched against the concrete sharp crystalline wall, one arm wrapped tightly around her in a vain attempt to slow
the train of ache storming her belly-while the other hand clutched high at her throat-so itchy and dry, her tongue felt too big-as though it no longer fitted.

Determined to ignore the gang of monsters-demonic, foul beasts-dancing circles around her frame-until she floundered to her feet, eager to flee.

Her movements so clumsy and quick, she reached for the wall to steady herself, as a constellation of bright, twinkling stars swirl before her. Her fingers pressing into Dangelo's name, slipping past Pandora's full name-the vibration of their long-lingering energy proved, Anna was not fit to join them, be one of them, member of their family-unworthy of their legacy-of claiming their name.

It was better to cut her losses, maybe apologize to Tenjin too , and be on her way back to Manhattan.

To her 'normal' life...

Anna bid good-bye to the demons and moving shadow forms. Just as she was about to step over the border line of the cave with the outside unknown grounds, the exit was blocked by a beautiful dark-haired boy standing before her, his icy blue eyes meeting her dark ones in a way that reflected her sad, sorry and exhausted image thousands of times.

Tristan....

Why was he here...?

In front of her...

In her strange and weird dream....

"You know you can't do that, right? You know you can't leave before it's the right time?" His tone was sharp, but unexpectedly his eyes flashed in kindness and warmth, belying the words. "You have to see this thing through.
You have to endure it. They're depending on you."