(ON HOLD) Knights of the Lost Realm | Book I: The Sword of Light

Chapter 2

After Ali told her mother about Ben's party, she began preparing herself as she figures out what to wear, but she preferred not to waste her time. After getting her necklace, she looks at a picture of her dad from a hunting trip back when she was young. She then looks at the crystal necklace, remembering when he first found it and gave it to her. She then wraps it around her neck as her mom walks in the bedroom. She is still trying to get by the loss of her husband, but Ali only thought about the last time she saw him.

"Okay, since I'm going out of town for the week, so when you get back from that party, pack your clothes and head to your aunt Melissa's place." She said.

"Don't you think it's a little odd that your sister lives in the same area as us?" Asked Ali.

"She likes to be closer to the family." She said. "Remember, call me if anything weird happens, and I'll come straight home."

"This trip is important to you, I'll be fine." Ali assured.

"Alright." She said, as she looks at how grown up Ali has been. "Love you."

"Love you too Mom." She said as she sees her mom walking out the doorway through the mirror, getting ready for Ben's party.

Ali looked at the address on the note Ben gave her, as she walks to the house making the most noise. Before she could knock on the door, Ben opens it.

"Hey, you've made it." Said Ben, who seemed happy that she was here, Ali just didn't want to make a fool of herself.

"So, this is a party." Said Ali.

"Come on, snacks are in the kitchen." Said Ben, letting Ali inside as she sees a bunch of students from school having the best time of their lives as they dance to the music. Ali and and Ben walk past a couple who seemed to be making out on the couch, who Ben tells them to get off as they move somewhere else, most of the other students are partying in the backyard where the swimming pool is.

"I didn't know you had a pool." Said Ali, watching the students splashing each other, playing pool games and performing cannonballs as they walk to the kitchen, where a group of guys discuss sports and other stuff.

"Yeah, I spend most of my times there, just to calm myself you know?" Said Ben, handing Ali a bottle of water, as he grabs one of the pizza boxes from the counter as they then make their way towards another couch. Ben opens the box of plain cheese pizza, offering Ali a slice.

"No thanks." She said, as Ben then eats the slice since she didn't want it.

"My parents are at another party so they let me throw my own, as long as nothing gets broken." Said Ben, as he turns on the television to check on the weather, making sure if rain happens tonight.

"How do I know this isn't a prank?" Ali asked.

"I'm not that kind of person." Said Ben.
"So why do people seem to avoid you?" He asked, wondering why the rest of the school seem to avoid her. "I don't really understand."

"I actually rather not talk about it." Said Ali, feeling slightly uncomfortable, not with Ben, but with the question he's asking.

"I don't think you deserve to be treated like that." Said Ben. "I'd like to know more about you, since we just met and all."

"I live with my mom, who is out of town for the week, she's great." Said Ali.

"And you're dad?" Ben asked as Ali felt sadness, looking down for a short time.

"My dad got killed in a hunting trip." Said Ali.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry." Said Ben, leaving his condolences.

"Before he died he gave me this." Ali then shows him the crystal hanging from her necklace, this was the first time she actually showed it to someone. "He found it and knew how much I loved things that he finds during his trips, that's why I always wear this."

"It must've been hard for you." Said Ben. "Don't worry, I'm right here." He said as he holds her hand, when she immediately pulls it back.

"May you excuse me for a moment?" Ali panicked, as she stood up and walked away, but turns back slightly towards him. "Where's the restroom?" Ali asked.

"Second door on the right in that hallway over there." Said Ben, pointing to where it is. Ali thanks him as she quickly walks toward it, leaving Ben confused. He then sees rain drops outside as everyone runs back inside, soaked and wet and covered in towels. Ben then looks at the weather to see when the rain will stop.

Ali took some deep breaths, trying to stop panicking as she looks at herself in the mirror.

"Why are you so awkward?" She asked her reflection, as she then tries to calm herself down. "Just talk to him, it will be fine!" She said as she then sees her hands begin to glow white again. "No, not now." She said as she closes her fists, trying to keep it in. When the bright glow fades she then starts having an uncomfortably weird feeling, she then saw her green eyes glowing white briefly. "I have to get out of here!" Said Ali as she then felt weirder, as she runs out the door, through the hallway, down the stairs, and sees the entrance. But before she could reach it, she sees Ben grabbing her by the shoulder.

"Hey, are you okay?" Ben asked.

"Yeah, um, something came up, I don't think I'm feeling too well." Said Ali. "I think I should head home."

"Are you sure?" Asked Ben. "Is something wrong?"

"I'll be okay Ben, goodbye." She said as she opens the door.

"No wait!" Said Ben as Ali steps into the rain unwillingly, as it starts pouring down on her, she could hear the laughter of the other students as she starts feeling embarrassed. "Here I'll drive you home." Ben offered.

"Wow, she really is a freak!" One of the students laughed, as Ali then feels the anger boiling within her once again as she without focus shoots a bright light at the student as he flies back to the wall, crashing to the floor. Everyone was now silent as Ali realizes what she has done. Everyone stared at her in fear, as she immediately runs out of the door and into the rain.

"Ali wait!" Ben yelled, as he sees her run off into the rain, as he stood there confused, processing what just happened.

As they rain stops, Ali was completely soaked as she then stops by her house. She takes the key out of her jacket pocket and inserted it into the lock, opening the front door. She steps in the house as she walks upstairs and onto her room, seeing her clothes packed in a bag for her, with a note that said, 'I didn't know when you would be back, so I packed your stuff for you. Love you -Mom.' Ali needed a break after that horrific fiasco, she walks down the stairs and into the kitchen as she heads to the fridge to get a drink. Once she closes it, she heard a noise as the lights turn off. Causing her to startle a little bit, she runs to her Mom's room, into the closet and grabs a shot gun as she runs back into the kitchen, aiming the gun as she looks for the cause of the noise, or maybe it was paranoia. But as she lowers the gun, she was then pushed towards the floor by a mysterious force that seemed to have pushed her. She then turned to see a man with slick black hair with glaring red eyes, wearing red armor over black robes walking towards her, kicking the gun out of the way. The man then ignites a red blade and points it at her.

Ali felt scared, a man with a red blade is about to kill her, but was knocked back by a shadowy figure, who ignites a green blade and starts dueling the man with the red blade. Ali crawled to the wall as she sees flares of red and green clouded the main room of the house, the duel continued on as they clashed their blades, flickering as they contact each other. The green figure then swept over the red figures leg as he fell, followed by a fist to the face knocking him out. Ali then grabs her gun and aims it at the green figure walking towards her. As she turns on the lights, she saw a young man with green armor over a black uniform, with dark brown shaggy hair and blue eyes, as he reaches his hand out to her.

"Are you okay?" He asked, as Ali looks at him, taking his hand as he helps her up. She didn't know what was going on, nor does she know who this boy is, but she knew one thing was for sure, she is in danger.