Starr Academy: Year Two

Starr Academy: Year Two- Chapter 32

Thirty-Two


    Nothing should surprise me anymore here. But the more I travel to different places within this plane, the more I’m in awe of why her soul came here. The tree on the edge of this pond would be the only place that her soul would feel most comfortable.

    But the weeping willow that was alone around the pond looked terrible. Its branches were grey and looked brittle. There were no leaves on it. The whole tree looked like it was dying as Happiness had looked.

    My eyes took in other things about this part of the plane of existence. How the once beautifully soft grass was now dry and brown instead of green. The flowers weeped down greyed and wilted.

    The water of the pond even looked greyed and mucky. As if the crystal clear water it should be was mixed with sewage. Thankfully there was no smell that came to me.

    In the center of the pond was something that you wouldn’t find there in the real pond. A celtic style boat with carvings of tulips that led up to a weeping willow that seemed to spill over as beads toward the water. It barely moved in the unmoving water.

    My breathe caught seeing another Hope laying inside the boat. This one looked asleep. She was even different from all the others. I knew looking at her, this was the real Hope. The one who needs my help to become whole again.

    I took a step toward her and froze in shock. The flash of steel glinted before me. I had even sucked in a breathe.

    My eyes went down to the metal in front of me. A sword. Not just any sword, but a katana with strange swirling letters along the length of the blade. I’ve seen one similar before, in the book I read before I started this quest to save Hope. I knew it was called a soul sword.

    Following the blade, I wasn’t so shocked to see who wielded the sharp and dangerous looking blade. I had remembered seeing his name on Trust’s list just below mine. I had traced it so it was no longer faint, but really there like all the others. If anyone’s name was on that list, his needed to be.

    “You’re not ready to step any closer to her. You have one last trail to prove yourself.”

    Melerick looked furious with me. He was glaring at me as he moved to put himself between me and the pond where Hope was. He slowly stepped forward making me step back so the tip of the sword didn’t nick me as it rested just a hair of a breathe away from my chest.

    He threw down a second sword at my feet that I hadn’t seen in his hands before. “Pick it up boy. There is much you need to prove to me most of all.”

    I looked at him confused. He was a piece of Hope? I knew they spoke some nights in her sleep, but this felt different. There was more to their connection and it felt timeless. A connection that was endless. That they have been bound together for a very long time.

    The second I had the sword in my hands he came at me. I had to act quick to block his strike. A grunt came out of my throat as I arched backwards from the pressure he forced on my with his strike.

    Quickly I shifted and rolled over my shoulder away from him. But when I righted he was right there with me swinging down at me. Rage pure in his eyes and in every one of his actions. I couldn’t fault him for any of the intense emotions he was feeling.

    He pushed me back and made me stumble only for a second before I had the sword back in front of me. He placed his along side mine as he huffed out what would have been air if we were in the real world. He slowly started side stepping and I followed his movements perfectly. I was thankful for this moment to catch my bearings.