Alendian Chronicles

Alendian Chronicles : Part 1

"No I said we were safer not safe."

I looked down at the 30 meters emptiness in front of me. Was that lava?

"I can see that now... But maybe you could have warned me five minutes ago?"

"Well I'm sorry if I was too busy saving our lives!"

I looked back at the massive iron door we'd just got out from. The humidity of the plain made my frizzy brown hair stand on my head while it stuck Leola's magnificent blonde princess-like hair down even more. My copper skin was covered in sweat and my tattered clothes barely protected me from anything. I felt the harsh dry soil under my scarred feet. Leola probably had it worse than me though, she was the one wearing a full body leather suit after all.

"Look Leola not that I'm not happy you rescued me, I'm really thankful and all, but maybe you could have told me about the dozen assailants and the pit of lava."

"I was kind of in rush, okay!"

I could now hear the footsteps of the guards behind me, they were closing in, we had to find a way out.

"Leola.... Now would really be the time for you to have one of your genius plans!"

"You know I don't work well under pressure!"

She had started fidgeting with a lock of her golden hair, as she always did when she got nervous. The mauve polish on her nails had chipped when she'd picked the lock to my cell, I was so used to see her with perfectly manicured nails that for some very stupid reason it made my heartbeat fasten and my anxiety creep up my back. Her charm bracelet made a small noise as she moved, the oddly shaped circle and the cypher like letter that hung on the silver chain colliding in Big- Bang like situation.

"Leola!"

Her left eyebrow twitched.

"I can't do it!"

"Come on, I believe in you girl!"

Suddenly she grabbed my wrist extremely tight and looked at me, fear and panic in her bluebell eyes that were close to tears.

"You're going to have to trust me."

"Uh, sure..."

She started to run towards the pit, pulling me after her. As we ran towards the lava I felt the heat increasing. I heard a scream, maybe it was one of the guard seeing us escape or maybe it was simply me shouting in fear. In the panic of the moment I don't really know which was which... The edge was getting closer, just like our doom, far behind our back I heard people shooting. And at the very last second, Leola jumped directly into the lava, forcing me to go after her.

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I got to my feet, maps and files in hand, and walked past Jase. Hell, he was cute in that guard uniform... Focus Anna! The safety of the entire country depends on your ability not to think about this boy's perfection! I walked up to the general, pushing a brown lock of hair that had escaped my ponytail back behind my ear. In front of me the general stood as straight as ever, he was clean shaven and his hair was the most perfectly cut military hairdo I'd ever seen. And, of course, he wore all his heavy medals. I handed him my calculations and the possible strategy for the battle to come and backed away next to Jase.

"I hope your calculations were correct Anna, the outcome of the war depends on it."

He had a sweet slow voice, whenever I listened to him I felt like he was trying to hypnotise me.

"Come on, when have my calculations ever been wrong?"

"Well..."

"Shut up, that was one time."

He smiled at me, and by the almighty king of Alendia, he looked like one of the gods from the old times. His dark blonde hair fell perfectly into place and he had the most fascinating golden eyes I'd ever seen, they always seemed to convey a feeling of joy. His features were thin and elegant, worthy of the high nobles of Alendia, not the poor peasants that had to fight to survive that used to be. Jase was the fiercest warrior I had ever met, he'd always protected me when we were kids, back in the streets of Old Nevia. He'd always dreamed to be a royal guard, just as I'd always dreamed to be an army strategist and a scientist in the capital. We struggled, we fought and we went through awful events, but we had made it. Sometimes I still can't believe it, every morning I feel like I'm back in my small shelter of Old Nevia and when I see the lights of the capital it feels like my everyday miracle.

The general stepped closer to me, everybody here fears him but honestly I don't see why. He wasn't muscular or tall, he didn't have the same charisma as the king and you only felt his so called leadership after hours by his side. Maybe it was because of the cruel gleam in his eyes... Who knows...

"We will, use your calculations to defeat the enemy. I do hope you didn't make any mistakes."

His loud voice had echoed in the small room where we stood. His voice. People were scared of his voice. That had to be it. Without an other word he walked out, slamming the door behind him. I fell on a nearby chair and threw my head back before taking a deep breath, I hadn't realised I was so nervous... Jase put his hand on my shoulder. I hadn't even felt him come closer.

"You'll be alright Anna."

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"Don't touch that."

Gabriel had leaned in trying to reach my command board, I can't believe the nerve of the boy! Nobody, ever touches the dashboard of my wonderful 247 Jet Eclair. I turned back to check our course, the scanner hadn't detected the presence of any other flying engine, but I'd been surprised once and I didn't plan on it happening again. I checked the datas on the screen right before me : autopilot, operational; scanner, effective; protective screen, active; fuel tank, full. Perfect, the flight to the capital would be safe. Illegal yes. But safe.

"Gabriel I swear if you press that button I'll hit your so called pretty face with my screwdriver and strangle you with my bare hands."

He promptly backed away, sat back on the co-pilot seat and fastened his seat belt. Finally a little peace and quiet.

"What's the screen for?"

Ding dong I was wrong!

The boy was really determined to annoy me.

"Gab... Please stop talking. The screen is to check the data."

"Oh... Okay..."

Honestly could the boy not stay calm, without moving or talking for three seconds?! I spinned my tool around in my hand, it always appeased me. I could not let myself think of all the possible mechanical breakdowns from the engine to the radar dissimulating system. Nope. Don't think about it Chris. You're a big girl you can solve any kind of mechanical problem there is. Remember what dad told you all those years ago, every engine can be fixed. In through the nose, out through the mouth, in through the nose...

I could see the silhouette of the capital in the distance, the tall skyscrapers, the long palace, the gigantic villas... Such modernity compared to my small countryside village... The city of the builders. The cradle of technology. I simply couldn't wait to be there. I simply had to support the ginger headed bookworm that for some reason payed a fortune for this trip until he reached his nerd library and I'd be free to explore the city and its workshops.

"What's the little blinking red light mean?"

"It means... Wait. It's blinking?!"

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