The Mystery at Trida Academy | Fantasmical 2023

Pearl of Wisdom

Alaina stared at the piece of jewelry in her hand, barely able to believe what she was looking at. The Eternal Ring. She'd heard stories about it, seen pictures of it in old books. But even still, she never imagined it was real.

Two delicate golden strands twined around each other, with four luminous gems arranged in a small circle: ruby, sapphire, diamond, and emerald. They shone brighter than any gems Alaina had ever seen. And here it had been, hidden away in what was apparently a lucky box. Was that what had made the box so lucky?

"Did you know this was in there?" Alaina asked. She didn't want to be suspicious, but what did she really know about the man standing next to her?

"I did not." Cole said. After a minute, he added, "Of course, you know the ring's not complete, don't you?"

"...I see that." Alaina said slowly. She'd been so taken with the sparkle of the gems that she'd overlooked the rather obvious gap in the center.

Alaina couldn't believe she'd missed something like that. She'd fantasized of the Eternal Ring ever since she was a little girl. She'd studied countless drawings and read all she could, trying to figure out the mystery of its disappearance. And even though she'd never admit it to anyone, sometimes she would dream about it. An unknown voice would call to her in the dark, whispering about how close it was, begging her to come find it. If only she'd known just how close it really was.

Alaina's younger sister was gifted with both earth and water magic and could use them practically since the moment she'd been born. Not only that, but she was powerful. She could raise mountains or cause trees to grow a hundred feet tall overnight. She could conjure deluges and drain lakes in just a matter of hours. She was the most powerful magic user in over a century. That was why she'd been accepted to the Trida Academy when she was barely even fourteen. And while Alaina adored her younger sister, she was more than a little jealous of Candia's admittance into the most prestigious university in the kingdom.

But now, Alaina had the Eternal Ring in her hand. Well, almost. It was still missing the center pearl. Without that, it was nothing but a very fancy piece of jewelry.

But if she found that pearl, it would change everything. She'd be able to control all four elements. And even better, her fire magic might actually be worth using for once. She wouldn't have to worry about lighting the house ablaze or scorching every plant in the yard. It might even be enough to get her accepted into the Academy herself. There was just one tiny problem.

"Do you know where the pearl is?" she asked as casually as she could.

"You know it's not just any pearl, right?" Cole asked.

"Of course." Alaina said. She knew all about the Pearl of Wisdom; she'd read about it countless times. While each of the other gems in the ring represented the elemental magics, it was the Pearl that bound them all together.

Cole thought for a minute before he finally spoke. When he did, he didn't seem happy.

"It was last seen in a cave in the Twilight Lands."

"Is that so?" Alaina tried not to be nervous, but that didn't seem like a great sign. Still, the idea of all that power was enticing enough that she just had to ask. "...Do you know how to get there?"

"I do." Cole narrowed his eyes. "A little eager, aren't we?"

Alaina shrugged. Who wouldn't want that kind of power? Especially when she'd felt so ordinary her whole life. But it was more than just that. Seeing the look in his eye, she finally relented. She wouldn't tell him her first thought; that made her sound too selfish. But she'd realized there was another, equally important reason to get the Pearl of Wisdom. "It could help me save my sister."

Cole's eyes softened. Finally, he said, "I can get us there. But it will be dangerous. Are you sure you want to do this? Even with the cost?"

"...What cost?" Alaina asked slowly. Did he mean the time they'd waste? It would almost definitely be worth it if it gave her the power to actually help with whatever trouble her sister was in.

"No one person was ever meant to wield the power of all four elements. The last time that ring was whole, there were terrible consequences."

"Such as?" Alaina asked, trying not to sound as nervous as she suddenly was.

"It attracts...certain creatures."

"Certain creatures?" She tried not to glare at him, but if he was going to give a dire warning, couldn't he at least be direct about it?

He hesitated before finally saying, "Monsters. Demons, even. And the longer you have it, the more will come."

"And the box won't protect us?" After all, it was supposed to be a lucky box, right? So maybe they'd get lucky and the monsters would just leave them alone. Cole laughed. Apparently, she'd been too optimistic.

"You opened the box, remember?" Cole told her.

"So the luck's just...gone?"

"Exactly. So, are you still willing to do this?"

Alaina thought about it. It was true that monsters didn't really sound like something she'd want to face. And demons? She shuddered. Still, if she could suddenly wield all four types of elemental magic, it would defiantly even the playing field.

It would be dangerous, she knew. They'd have to go through the Dark Forest and over the Wailing Weir. It would take at least a week, and would delay them by several days. Still, the idea of actually finding the Pearl of Wisdom was so powerful, so alluring. And if it could really help, there was no way she could resist. She looked up at Cole, her resolve strengthening.

"Let's go get it."