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Diana's P.O.V:354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3h0vC9ptI
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Five years ago,354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmDMyjETpi
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Butterfly Island354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4OrqTNhhVy
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I tried rolling my tongue a couple of times to make the "rrr" sound. It's been over an hour, and Bob, with his arms folded and looking at me like I didn't know what I was doing, couldn't take it as he finally waved his hand, telling me to stop.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWPHlem3xGY
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"Okay, okay, stop," he said.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC848C7z50C
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"Huh?" I looked at him from where I sat. "I thought I almost had it."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsX1GGpuKCl
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"There will be plenty of time to know that one character," he said as he looked down at the huge book open in front of him on the lecture stand atop the small stone dais.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnf7BKlyIhH
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I take a look at the small library filled with tall bookshelves. The gray walls of the castle and the bookshelves seem to be one and the same, as if they carved the shelves on the wall. There were all sorts of books, and one thing they had in common was that they had pretty bright colours like the butterflies that flew around the room. Each colour had its own bookshelf, so that meant there were six bookcases in the circular room.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9iJJYP9p4
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Bob stood in front of me on the dais with a black board behind him. The board looked like it was etched into the stone wall, with two of the book cases that held the blue and red coloured books standing on either side. On the four edges of the board, tiny green creepers with tiny white flowers grew out, making it look decorative.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8qUKfDYMGr
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The black board has the ancient alphabet written on it. We started working on that yesterday. As much as learning something new is exciting, it can sometimes be annoying, depending on who is teaching you. Bob just happens to be one of those people.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡesLmb1S5KW
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The language had twenty-six letters. But in this instance, Bob likes to refer to them as characters. They reminded me of Chinese characters, except that they weren't.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS9ej76HX6H
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"Okay, I should say you're pretty good at pronouncing most of them," said Bob as he looked at me.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6BzsgtfvC
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"That's good, isn't it?" I asked as I sat on the only wooden desk in the room.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrZg5wKQmG
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"It is, but I want you to practice writing them down too. Consider that homework and hand it in tomorrow morning."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzZBG56OPv4
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Homework. Great. I tried to put up a smile for him, though I felt the edges of my mouth twitch.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpyQaVL4QJc
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Bob closes the book, and I know it's his cue to leave. The words on the black board were quickly erased by the green butterflies. A question soon came to mind.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9wZN9nyhjR
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"I have a question," I said, catching him off guard. He sighed.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbtJwDGZ5NZ
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"I thought for this lesson you weren't going to ask anything."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpUYAT1SoU
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"It's just the second session. Besides, you can't blame me for yesterday, can you?"354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3NFSXXpOV
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He shrugged his shoulders, admitting it. My first lesson yesterday in my room was tough. It's not easy learning a new language, and I had a lot of questions that focused a lot on pronunciation.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5X0uFUJFAT
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"What do you want to ask, Diana?" Bob asked, his eyes squarely focused on me.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIlWinT8W10
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"When will I be able to go home? I feel a lot better now. And I'm starting to feel this time difference between my world and yours might be a little sketchy."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkeRClOh8ok
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"Don't worry; you'll be surprised when you get back how much time has passed. You want to leave us so soon? I thought you liked the place."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQSKZqxBzY
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"That was until you people decided I couldn't get out by keeping me hostage." I made sure to glare at him.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNsX2fUSmOa
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"We’re doing this for your protection, Diana."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡck5J6JPfTi
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"Protection from who exactly? Lord Vandell?"354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCttHeuCmOY
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Bob knew where I was going with this as he took the book from the stand and made his way down the dais. "Stella will be here shortly. Make sure you do your assignment."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jSeBVQ7mI
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"Yes, I will," I answered, doing my best not to sound disappointed.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5YbxWyhwS4
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I could feel Bob’s eyes on me as he stopped by the door. I turned to look at him, and his expression surprised me a little. He looked a little disappointed, too.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLmSHvanrbQ
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"I know how much you want to go out there and see the place, but I can assure you that we’re doing all we can to make sure you at least get a trip around the island. Only if it's safe."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvcPZ7hCHSo
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"And when will that be? If you ask me, the world is already a dangerous place. What makes it any different when I’m out there?"354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEG6uHYidqt
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Bob smiled now. He knew I was trying to coax him into telling me what was going on. "You’ll know soon enough."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGHHJUIFt6K
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I groaned as he opened the door and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. I lean my chin on my hands laid flat on the desk, wondering why the world is so unfair to me. What is it about me that they have to keep me locked up here like an animal?354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG1OveKVLCg
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Besides, I feel so much better now after taking the medicine and getting a good night’s sleep. I was able to move around on my own without holding the wall, and my body ached a little less. If I had it in me, I was going to run out of the castle as soon as I woke up. The High Order must have thought of that, because when I stepped out of my room this morning, Bob and two other guards in purple robes greeted me. Yeah, they have everything covered.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwSizFmFpC9
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Mopping on my desk isn’t going to help me get ready for the next lesson, so I lift myself off of it and head towards the only window in the room. Unlike my bedroom window, I now had a view of the town down the hill, close to the seaport. How I wish I could go there. Escaping is no option, as I could tell the guards were standing outside.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡly1ptb8Ofk
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I continue to look down at the beautiful scenery below when I hear the door open behind me. I turn and find Stella walking into the room, and she isn’t alone.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUY63RAzhCB
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Ryan’s lookalike cousin, Raymond, also walks in.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7SfgDsYcl
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"Morning, Diana," she greeted as she went up to the dais. I notice she has a big blue book in her hands. "I see you’re doing much better."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1TuRSzhcY6
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"Bitter medicine works best," I said as I slowly started to get back to my desk. I turn to Raymond. "Hello," I greeted him.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNEstOWvt2
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"Hi," he said, looking away quicker than expected. What’s his problem?354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlwDdc40rPR
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"Okay," Stella says, turning to the blackboard, blinding herself from the sparks between Raymond and me. "Take your seat, Diana, so that we can begin today’s lesson."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAQOf7W0wh
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I give Raymond a look before I sit back down on my desk. He didn’t even look at me. Wait a minute.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWYskg4LPyh
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I turn to Stella. "Is Raymond learning with me today?" I ask.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiEHshc7nZH
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Stella turns to look at me, and I hadn’t realized that she had written something on the board with blue chalk. She wrote the word "Elements" in cursive handwriting. Elements? This is interesting.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LtURYTljV
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"Uh, yes, he is," Stella nervously answered, which she tried to hide with a chuckle. "He’ll be helping me with a simple exercise."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgP9yvo3zaJ
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"Exercise?"354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ0zFAR7xv6
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"Yes. Remember when you were in the maze and you had to use the stones to help fight Pug?" I gave a quick nod. "Well," she continued, "today we’ll be trying to figure out which of those stones—we call them elements—suits you best."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOD3cqFy4dV
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"I was able to use all of them," I said, as I quickly recapped the incident. "Doesn’t that mean something?"354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYR1zFeyQL
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"That was only because those stones were designed for you to make use of at the time. Sometimes, when you run out of energy, we use the stones as a power boost or to amplify the power that you lack. More on that later. The reason why we need to know which element works well for you is to know which is your primary or strongest element and which is your secondary."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNU5sMZzpYo
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Stella turned to the book in front of her and opened it. In a flash, the six coloured stones similar to the ones I used last time floated out of the book and up in the air, forming a circle. The stones looked a little larger than before.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI9P9Wg1zlq
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"I hope you can recall the elements that you used in your fight." Stella looked at me with a smile. "Could you tell me what each stone represents?"354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkzCtHNqBdJ
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The first stone my eyes fall upon is the red one. "The red stone is the fire element. The blue is water. The green must be nature, since I remember using the vines to tie themselves around Pug. The orange is earth. As for the purple and the yellow, I’m not sure. All I remember is making weapons out of them, and the yellow produced a dazzling light."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU6h89GWvoj
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"Great, you know most of the elements. However, I should mention that the green stone not only deals with nature but also with wind, which is a part of it. For the earth stone, it not only deals with the ground itself, but whatever metals and minerals lie in it."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNOpyeAc1FH
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"Metals?" I asked. "Does that mean I can create a silver spoon if I need to?"354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7H1j7e1uPj
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"Yes, but let’s not get carried away with ourselves. You need to be a natural-born wielder of the earth element to pull that off. And it takes a great amount of skill."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWtIRS6EPp4
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I give a shy nod and continue to look at Stella attentively.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQ9cAbJmxD
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"The yellow stone is the light element." Stella pointed it out with her finger. It broke away from the circle and floated on its own to the side. "Like in the maze, you produced a dazzling light, blinding Pug. But it can also produce lightning, which you can use to attack your opponent."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42bwJEv2li
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"Lightning?" My eyes must have bulged out of their sockets because I noticed Raymond shake his head like I was some immature amateur learning something new.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkhPtvVxJa
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"Yes. I’m not sure if you can recall blocking Pug’s fire bolts with your hand the first time you did it."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXY6MuDK7h2
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"I thought I used fire back then. And didn’t the rod bring up a shield?"354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDK1EpFoimA
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"Yes, well, at that point, you countered using a ball of lightening, and then you popped up the shield due to the impact."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvKGDccTl4H
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"Okay. Does the light element always bring up a shield like it did?"354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlMKbf75ql4
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"Yes. All other elements, when used the right way, can help you form shields and weapons of different kinds."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0rNgLaDh6E
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I heard Raymond mutter something under his breath, and that made me slowly turn to look at him. I can tell what he said is full of malice. He isn’t that hard to read.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIZrSYfNb41
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Stella continues as if nothing is going on. "Coming to the purple stone, it will be a bit of a surprise to you." She poked at it, and just like the yellow stone, it floated away from the others and stood next to its counterpart. "This is called the shadow stone."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvePFq13THY
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"Shadow?" I raised an eyebrow. "If it’s a shadow stone, shouldn’t it be black?"354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRmHfJ2RuY6
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"Yes, basically it should, but this isn’t the case because the black stone already has its own purpose. It's the same with the light stone being yellow and not white. We’ll come to the white and the black stones later."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYoli6AcOf
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"There are the white and black stones?"354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9uZoMZInoy
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"Yes. It’s where these colours, or, let me say, elements, originate from. I think you must have learned at school about how all the colours derive from the white colour."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4eg2UEOSx
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"Yes, I do. When you explain it like that, it makes sense. But as far as I know, black is the absence of colour."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3sfpD4R87M
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"Well, in this case, we aren’t just talking about colours, but elements. All this comes from a much deeper perspective, which you’ll learn about later. Now back to the stones. We’ve familiarized ourselves with them; now all we need to know is your primary element."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmAvmjDt3W0
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With a gesture of her hand in mid-air, the purple and yellow stones grouped back together with the rest of the other stones. Stella gestured with her other hand, telling me to approach the dais. I did as instructed, and with the stones in between us, I couldn’t help but feel a little nervous.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuEO5k8CFDk
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"Now don’t be scared," said Stella, sounding very calm. "What we will do is a very simple exercise. I want you to reach your right hand out. Once you do, each stone will read you, and one of them will fly into your palm. That will be your primary element."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnsj0CV9dTr
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This seems weird. What if all the stones decide not to pick me? If they don’t, then there will probably be something wrong with me, right?354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJPaVXXwrI
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Not wasting any time, I hold my right hand up, my palm facing the stones. I don’t know how long this is going to take, but the stones simultaneously start to glow like Christmas light bulbs. I bet this means they are doing their reading. Stella stood there, watching the stones. I know Raymond is looking on too, but I can’t think about him now, though I could feel his eyes pierce the back of my head like daggers.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz3XcUCfHio
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I started to feel warmth coming from the stones. It’s comforting at first, but then it starts to get hotter and hotter while the stones glow brighter and brighter. I could feel my palm get so hot that it started to hurt. I dropped my hand as I yelped in pain. It’s as if I had touched a boiling pot straight from the blazing flames of a charcoal brazier.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzm95L0ePav
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"Diana, are you okay?" Stella asked.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0hkZEPMjYG
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I whip my hand in the air, trying to get it to cool. Later on, I held my palm up to blow air out of my mouth. It's red and throbbing with pain. I hear Raymond come close to look at my burnt palm. Stella rushed down the dais and gently took hold of my hand. She placed her palm above mine, and soon a small, colourless orb formed on my palm. I felt a cooling effect afterwards.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKEnVu77tbJ
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"Hold that for a while," she said. "It will help cool the hand."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPM2eKi9y0P
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"What could have caused this?" Raymond asked.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2FhtDgHqU5
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Stella looked at the stones in front of me as I answered, "they don’t like me, that’s why."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ86VQQ16vJT
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"No, it can’t be that," said Stella. I noticed the look on her face as she looked at the stones. "It’s supposed to happen naturally. One of the stones should fly into your palm. The secondary stone comes afterwards."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9UeOMN1Bp
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The orb in my hand melted like balm, and the pain soon subsided. My palm didn’t hurt, though there was some stinging.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmckZCKwXoi
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"Diana, did something happen when you held up your hand?" she asked, looking at me.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZW3fWN61jm
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"Nothing. I did as you said. Apart from getting burned."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ8mcRKpUqu
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"Okay, we’ll try again."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1UUFUH2yh
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I gulped as I didn’t find the voice to argue. What if my whole hand gets lit on fire?354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOCtJWRcciE
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Stella goes back up the dais, and Raymond comes to whisper in my ear:354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSd2w5ZA09p
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"Don’t be scared. Just relax."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3DTlsNJW3P
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He soon backed away, but it’s like his essence still lingered beside me. That must be the shadow element at work. I rubbed the thought away and looked up at Stella. She gave a nod of her head, telling me to go ahead. After taking a deep breath, I held up my right palm. The stones glowed again. This is it.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpdeOdZ1U4
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I felt it. The daggers at the back of my head that I had felt earlier. So, it wasn’t what I thought at first. I dropped my hand in an instant, and the pain stopped.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTWjAqdxf8
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"What is it?" Stella asked.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEuSpIIcDoG
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"You asked me earlier if I had felt something before," I answered. "At first I thought it was this thing you feel when people are staring at you, but I felt it again. Like daggers at the back of my head. Is that normal?"354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZlOtX3l6W
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"Well," Stella rubbed her hands together, "people experience different things. For some, it's so fast and simple that they don’t feel anything. Some, like you, feel the back of their heads or their palms burning. What I don’t understand is why it took so long for any of the stones to respond and fly into your hand the first time."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ15wz8bTPQO
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I shrug my shoulders. "It’s like I said. Maybe they don’t like me."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQM2GLrSuT
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Stella sighed. She looked at me like a child who didn’t like to comply with anything, finding it hopeless to try and convince me. "Let’s try this again. And this time, when your hand starts to burn, don’t drop it."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa5zxdoJHk7
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"But what if I can’t take it?"354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWGg4abe0Fi
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Stella didn’t know how to answer that, as she remained silent. If I were her, I wouldn’t know what to say either. I saw her give Raymond a warning look. I bet that's why he's here.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzIHYUNXK1z
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Likewise, I took deep breaths and held up my hand, and the stones glowed just like before. The feeling of daggers at the back of my head came back, and soon enough, my palm slowly started to get warm, then hot. I continued to look at the stones, hoping that one of them would fly to my hand, but they kept glowing, and the heat kept increasing with each passing minute.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmBccPCQOFa
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My palm starts to feel red-hot like before, but then I remember that I’m not supposed to drop it. Easier said than done. My left hand quickly holds the wrist of my right. I felt like I was in a furnace as my body started to feel hot.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYP0nLN5YQ
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The pain at the back of my head kicked up a notch, and for a second there, I felt my head jerk back like someone had grabbed my short hair and pulled. I winced in pain at both the burning on my hand and the pain at the back of my head. For how long am I going to take this?354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡujcZ6hgjvy
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"Hold on a little longer, Diana," said Stella.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvA2UdlnNJh
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It’s painful for me to even reply, as I felt a jerk in my head and my neck bent a little. I keep telling myself to hold on. But I feel like dropping my hand with each second that passes.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsqxtxuSVN
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I close my eyes as I now feel the scorching heat on my hand, like it's been lit on fire. I yell. The pain is unbearable, and I just want all of this to stop.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9JfKgaWgmj
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"I can’t do it, Stella!" I cry out.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡixFPrAtXi1
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I’m not sure if she said anything, but I felt my head pull back a little, and I was afraid my neck would break. Why is all this happening? I’m afraid to even open my eyes, but when I do, I see a rainbow of colours flying all around me, changing shape everywhere I look. Am I still in the library? I'm finding it hard to tell.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXrirP4wEjk
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I try to look at the stones with my hand still outstretched, and I see them glowing brighter than before. The colours that were flying all around me came from the stones themselves. My hand is burning hot now, and I thought this was it. I can’t take it any longer. Should I still be doing this?354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYmgJjef7Oe
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"Accept."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRgTjwycwYA
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Who said that? Is that Stella or Raymond? It didn’t sound like any of them. Who else is here?354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv6xJM6l1h5
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"Accept. Accept everything."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv5dKtTdsB2
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Before I knew it, my neck bent back even more, and my head felt like it was about to split open. My whole body felt like it was on fire. Have I been thrown into the blazing fires of hell?354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeuUUg0FZeC
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I screamed in agony, and I thought I was going to die.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡac1GkRnya2
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Images soon flashed before my eyes: a line of trees, snow on the ground, and a woman with her red, blazing eyes. I'm looking into a dark, empty space, but there was someone standing there. The hooded figure turned to me, and I saw the skull face of Death. The image changes again, and I'm back home. My mum is looking down at me with a smile as she calls out my name. More images kept flashing before me, like I was reliving my entire life, some in a fast blur. Then there came flashes of images that I had never seen before. Like I had been staring at photos on a screen, the images slowed bit by bit of a place I had never seen before. The place is beautiful, filled with trees and flowers and green grass all around. This is where all the flashing stopped. I am looking at the beautiful scenery when suddenly a butterfly appears in sight and lands on my nose. I could actually feel it. Likewise, I gasp like I have been woken from a dream and realize all of this is real. The tree leaves rustled in the gentle breeze of the wind that I felt blow by. And the smell of the fresh grass is something extraordinary. Not to mention the colourful flowers of different kinds all around.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7gRRNHzAA
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The butterfly takes to the air, and it’s then that I notice its colours. One wing is white with small black spots. The other is black with white spots. I have never seen such a butterfly in my life. I follow it, and as soon as I turn around, in front of me stands a tree. Likewise, I look around and feel there’s something different about it. There are other beautiful trees around, but this one seems the biggest with its strong, wide, and sturdy trunk. Not to mention that its leaves were the greenest I have ever seen.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ82vNkHqSJk
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The black and white butterfly continues to fly towards the tree, and I follow. As soon as I am under its huge canopy, I feel a strong aura in the air. It feels comforting. It's like when you walk through the front door of your house after such a long day and are just grateful to be home. I look around, and it’s then that I hear a few birds chirping in the tree. I look up and find birds of all types high up in branches, looking down at me. The sight of them brings a smile to my face. I look around for the butterfly, and I see it has landed on the tree’s sturdy trunk. Likewise, I walk over to it, and when I get close, I stretch out my hand and touch the tree’s trunk. The feel of its hardness under my skin was something I’ve never experienced before; it's like there’s nothing that can be compared to it. Ever. I felt something as well, like a sort of vibration. Why did I have a weird feeling like it was trying to tell me something?354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsH5kZn2Rz6
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"Accept," came a whisper.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ08GOfwhygA
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I almost jump in fright and look around. There’s nobody there. The leaves rustle above me, and the birds become silent.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh9BfKcj40e
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"Accept everything," came the voice again. The voice is coming from behind the tree.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0PCfCVO4TS
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As though on cue, the butterfly flapped its wings and took to the air, going around the tree. I follow it, and immediately I do, I’m shocked to see what’s in front of me.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFrLXFiR5sj
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Behind the tree is a whole different landscape. Grey clouds filled the sky, giving the place a dull gray look. There is no grass, but hard, cracked ground like that of a very dry desert. There are also dead, thin-looking trees. I turn to look at the tree beside me, and it’s like half of the tree that I thought was so sturdy now looks shriveled up. There were thin-looking branches holding a few shriveled, dead leaves.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2e4buDKJZh
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I look at the devastation in front of me, as there is nothing beautiful in sight and the endless desert land stretches out for miles. I turn to the large tree beside me, and it’s like I stood in between the living and the dead. This scenery is one I’ve never seen before. I feel like I’m in a painting where you can clearly see the demarcation between the two sides.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYU9yZZ5RY4
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"Accept it all," came a whisper. This time, the voice came right behind me.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ022hD6c833
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I turn around, and I find an antique full-length mirror with a gold frame standing in between the line that separated the two sides. How did it get there? I looked in the mirror, and what spooked me was my reflection. I approach the mirror slowly, trying to understand what I’m seeing.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbEJBn2Aq4v
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Not only that, but I notice the scenery in the mirror is similar to the one behind me, but the reflection didn't move like I did as I approached. And her eyes were closed. I must be looking at a picture, but something told me it was a mirror.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9WfvRxh8H
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When I get close, I notice the image that looks like me wearing a long dress, like those that princesses wear in fantasy movies. It’s made of the finest silk, with one half of the dress being black and the other half white. Beautiful sliver embroidery decorated both the long sleeves of the dress and the hem. Below the dress is a hue of black and white. Around the dress’ neckline were colourful tiny beads sewed in with the silver embroidery, and they had the six colours with which I am familiar.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWg12q7pw2
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I look straight at the person in the mirror—if I can call her that—and she has her eyes closed. I wonder if she’s sleeping. She just stood there with her arms by her sides. I continue to stand there, thinking of what to do.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmTUBQzWV7a
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I come a little closer, and I stretch out my right hand to touch the mirror to see if all this is just an illusion. At the same time, she lifts her hand like you do when you look in the mirror. This surprises me. Is she truly my reflection?354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6dx7f3uXON
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I pause with my hand still lifted. Then, all of a sudden, her eyes flew open, and I took a step back, dropping my hand. She’s awake. Her hand is still outstretched, and I notice that she’s holding something. Whatever it is, it’s enclosed in her fingers.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSizZBZZeM3
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I look at the person who looks like me, and I notice her eyes are filled with all sorts of colours swirling and dancing around in the small sphere of her irises. She looks like me, but is she me? Her hair is far longer than mine, as it reaches her shoulders, while mine is more of an afro.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡun5pWLsd1E
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"Accept," she said loud and clear in my voice.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKrMaKtjGAI
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She turns her hand to open her palm, and in it are two glowing orbs, not as big as golf balls, swirling around her palm in a circle. They glowed like precious stones as they swirled, not touching each other.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTCBHaKfUEL
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"Accept it," she urged on. "Accept it all."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK2d7wIQQtH
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I look at her and then back at the two orbs. "What is all this?" I ask. "What am I dealing with?"354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnsTCrcUI0h
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"You will never know until you accept them," she said as she gestured at the orbs.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTsBcr0F8U
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I approach her and slowly bring out my hand, palm up. She stretches out hers, and it extends out of the mirror. She laid the two stones on my palm. They continued to swirl around, and I could feel their buzzing energy. It’s scary because I could feel my hand start to burn in an instant.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfu7CyHBEDt
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"What should I do now?" I asked my lookalike in the mirror.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxWsTkfXbLk
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She smiled at me as she clasped her hands together and answered, "all that is up to you."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbUssgEMgYx
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Before I could say anything, the orbs glowed so brightly that it’s all I can see. The next thing I know, I hear Stella calling out to me.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqk93IjnnaP
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"Diana, can you hear me?"354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfRQLenCxTn
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I open my eyes, and I’m back in the small library. I look around, hoping to see the half-good, half-bad landscape and the girl in the antique mirror, but no. I’m back on Butterfly Island.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZDAZRbjA0L
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"Are you okay?"354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ57ahgN5FFr
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I look up at the dais, and Stella is there like I left her. I turned to the door, and Raymond stood there too. He had a weird look on his face, and I started to wonder what had happened.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGdsbtYTMju
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"I’m fine," I found myself answering.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd8VS5g9hsH
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"You can put your hand down," said Stella.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZnKiUpcYa
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I hadn’t noticed that my right hand was still outstretched, and my left hand was still holding my right wrist. My hand is still burning, but not like before. I felt something move around in my palm, with my fingers enclosed in whatever I was holding. I turned my hand to open it, and there they were. Two black and white orbs dance around on my palm in circles, not touching each other.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbn4XdJ9hEM
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My mouth falls open, and I look up at Stella, who can’t believe what she’s seeing.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZ4UmvEdCY
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"Stella," I almost stammered. "What does this mean?"354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnmwYmVs9hI
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She doesn’t answer at first as she looks at the orbs in my hand. She shakes her head and, likewise, quickly runs down the dais towards me, grabbing my hand to look at the orbs.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmWYN3I79xY
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"This is unbelievable," she said as she looked at me in surprise. Raymond comes over to see this for himself. "The others will not believe this."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJLIWI3DNR
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"You haven’t answered my question, Stella," I said. "What does this mean?"354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsDNxN3mjzs
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"It means you can control all six elements," she said.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwRtrG0eEcH
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I shake my head in confusion. "What?"354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoCKeHKSonA
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I turn to Raymond, waiting for him to say something. I know he can’t lie to me.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEj7AT6IIO8
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"It’s true," he says. "You naturally control all six."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4jSSol8Nga
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I looked down at my open palm, and the orbs continued to spin around in my hand. This is a lot to take in.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmWwX6M5In3
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I can control all six elements?8964 copyright protection350ＰＥＮＡＮＡECSiQa5Xiq 維尼

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