The Warriors Of Aeledge~A New World

Jasper

I wiped the sweat off of my forehead as my other hand patted the soil. I wished someone had told me that planting and gardening is harder than it looks. Suddenly a girl from the cacti section walked over to me, her face masked with disapproval.

I recognized her from the shop. She was one of the girls gawking at us. Now that she was closer, I could see her correctly. Her golden colored hair was in short braids and a backwards baseball cap ruffled her hair a bit. She had copper tinted eyes that were with flecks of brown and green. Her arms were crossed but I could clearly see the freckles on them.

She must be a 14 year old, judging from her height. She crouched down next to me, “Aren’t you supposed to be the son of Sierra?”

“Y-yes.” I mentally cringed at myself for stammering.

“Then explain your gardening skills.” I was about to say something until she spoke again, “Except, I see there is no skill being used right now. Have you ever gardened before?”

“No… But I’m expecting that you’re a gardening master, after all you came here to teach the son of the earth spirit.”

A light color of pink dusted over her cheeks, “I’m not going to teach you. In spite of that, I am going to protect the seed you just planted.”

“Protect? What do you mean by that?” I frowned and grabbed a small shovel. “If I’m really a danger, then plant it yourself.” As I said that I shoved the shovel into her hands.

“With pleasure,” She began to dig up the seed. Then, she stopped and glanced over at me, “The name’s Valerie Morgan Castillo by the way.”

I nodded, “I’m Jasper.” I noticed a hint of a smile on Valerie’s face. So, she dug out the seed, “You placed the seed too near the surface. That’s going to make it easy for birds and other animals to dig it out and eat it. It needs to be at the right level.”

Val used the shovel and made my previous hole a bit deeper. “The deeper in the earth, the cooler, and it has much more moisture.” She continued talking on how to properly plant a seed.

She finished teaching once she watered the soil.

“For someone who doesn’t claim that they are not a child of Sierra, your gardening skills are worthy of being one.” I spilled. I blinked, a little surprised by my own words. However, she didn’t look the slightest bit surprised.

“That’s what everyone says, ‘you’re worthy of being a daughter of Kenzo! Oh you’re skilled enough to Farrell's offspring! Are you sure you’re not a Ayu Rem?’ Same story every time. I can be anybody else’s kid but my own mother doesn’t even get recognized..” She sighed quietly as she gently patted the soil.

“Who’s your mother?” I asked reluctantly.

“Ramona, the spirit of trickery, shape-shifting, and talent. A minor spirit, she doesn’t even have her own villa for her children here.”

“Wait, can you shape-shift?” My tone was filled with curiosity. She hesitantly nodded, “Yes. But I am not a master at it..”

“Oh.” Was all I can say. I was actually pretty excited about her ability to shapeshift. Ever since I was little I had loved the comic book series of The Justice Flash, the story revolves about an average fifteen year old boy having the ability to shapeshift. Thus, I have been so interested in shape-shifting that I always wanted to see one in action.

Now, I was so close to the chance but I couldn’t ask for her to do something she doesn’t want to.

“Can I see it?” I asked with every amount of politeness I could muster.

Valerie stayed silent, watering other plants until she glanced over at me, “Okay...Only this once. I must warn you, whenever I do my shapeshifting people’s memory of my old self usually just goes poof!”

I nodded, a little disappointed that I won’t remember her old form but still was excited.

Valerie took a few deep breaths in and out and suddenly her skin began to ripple like a surface of water being disturbed. Her skin darkened as well her hair. Her freckles sank into her caramel complexion. Her eyes dimmed into the color of chocolate. The short braids transformed into long silky black hair. The skin stopped rippling and she looked at me with an expression that definitely meant: Happy now?

I was grinning widely, “That was so cool!”

Valerie placed a hand on her hip, “Well, now you know sometimes that not so popular and powerful can be cool, too.”

The realization finally came to me after a moment or two. Did she think just because I was the son of some great powerful spirit that I thought that great and popular things deserve respect?

I frowned, “I am not like what you think.”

“Then, what are you like, huh?” She raised her eyebrows at me, pursing her lips a little.

I stood up, gaining the height advantage, but that didn’t help with me being definitely intimidated by her. “I think all things deserve respect. Don’t believe me if you want but that’s what I truly think. The important thing is that I know I am being honest right now when I say that.”

Valerie’s expression changed to between almost believing me and throwing what I said out the window.

She frowned, before looking to the side. “Okay..”

I sighed quietly and suddenly I felt a speeding wind rush behind me. I turned to find Breeze floating in midair with an urgent look on her face. Her face was beaded with sweat and her hair was super messy.

“Jasper….Hearth...Dragon...Moon Forest!” She panted through the sentences, looking like she was going to pass out at any second.

I noticed that she was wobbly going up and down in the air, my gut took over and I opened my arms out to catch her. Just at the right moment she collapsed from flying in the air into my arms. Breeze went limp in my arms and her hot forehead burned against my own sweaty shoulder.

I turned my head to Valerie, “Do you know how to get to Healer’s Palace from here?”

She blinked, snapping out of her stare at Breeze. “O-oh, yeah. You go to the campfire and from there take a right. Keep going straight and then you’ll reach the place.”

I smiled a little, “Thanks.” I picked up Breeze in a more comfortable position and began walking unsteadily.

Suddenly Valerie called out my name. I glanced back at her and had a faint flashback to when she was blonde. Now, she just stood there, looking like a completely different person. I hadn’t noticed at first but she looked stronger in this form.

“Good luck.” She grinned a little and walked back into the depths of the green house.

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Valerie won't be in this book BUT she will be the main protagonist in the second, so I decided to introduce her to you guys. Have a wonderful day my lovie dovies!

~Yummi