Cynthia Lukowski liked to imagine what her life would be like if she were an only child. For one thing, her gloves wouldn't go missing at least once a week, taken by her insufferable little brother Jacob because he was curious as to what magic he could perform without any real training.

"Jacob!" Cynthia wailed, throwing her head back groaning. "Come on, I'm going to be late to school." She glanced at the old grandfather clock in her living room. Her first class started in three minutes. She needed those gloves.

Cynthia heard stomping in the attic and a shower of dust fell from the rafters onto her face. She shook it off, wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her cloak, and dashed up the stairs towards the attic and hopefully, her gloves.

She threw open the door to the attic just in time to see Jacob stuff her gloves into an old chest. She stood in the doorway for a moment, staring down her little brother before she crossed the distance between them in just a few strides.

"Jacob Lukowski, you are going to be in a lot of trouble for making me late," Cynthia threatened, snatching up her gloves. She took hold of Jacob's arm and led him downstairs.

"Then I'll tell mom that you changed that F you got in Physical Combat to a B," Jacob challenged, smirking.

Cynthia glared at her brother before rolling her eyes. "Fine, whatever. I've got to go."

Like usual, her pegasus and mean of transportation, Denley, was in her stable waiting to be saddled up. She angrily flapped her brown wings, as if to ask why Cynthia was so tardy.

Cynthia ignored her and hurriedly positioned the saddle on to Denley's back. She swung herself over with great difficulty, but as soon as she was securely situated in the saddle, the pegasus took off through an opening in the stable roof. Since she had only received Denley last month, Cynthia was not yet used to flying her, so every time they took off, Cynthia felt as if she had left her stomach behind in the stable. She hoped one day she would eventually get used to the feeling of flying.

In the distance, Cynthia could see her school, Jeckentenn, a large, floating iron building in the shape of a triangle. Hagdaxxes, or the students at Jeckentenn were trained to fight the Stained Spirits, dwellers of the city of Macida. The Stained Spirits were ruled by the infamous King Ikantval, who has been threatening to conquer Cynthia's city, Pretend, for as long as she could remember.

Denley landed on the front lawn of Jeckentenn. The peculiar viridian turf, which was watered daily by dew fairies, was empty. The hallways of the anti-gravity school were vacant as well. Normally, Cynthia would have somersaulted her way to class, but today she just floated, terrified of being caught by a teacher or guard, who would inevitably punish her for being late.

Cynthia arrived at her first period class which, unfortunately, was already halfway over. She cracked the door open and stealthily slipped through, hoping to inconspicuously sneak her way over to her desk, until she hit the cold, iron floor. Due to her tardiness, she would have to sit with the rest of the students who didn't give a sliver of their energy to the class and strain her ears to hear what the teacher was saying.

"Ms. Lukowski, you are late." Mrs. Pennywickle, Cynthia's teacher who must have been older than Jeckentenn itself, stated the obvious and swooped down to stand in front of her. Mrs. Pennywickle took off her glasses and glared down at Cynthia with her dark, beady eyes.

"I'm sorry, it won't happen again," Cynthia apologized, although she knew it would. She headed towards an empty seat on the floor but Mrs. Pennywickle held out her arms to stop her.

"As much as I would like to see you take that seat, Ms. Lukowski, you may not. Headmistress Sherman has requested to see you, right away." Mrs. Pennywickle looked deeply disappointed she would not be able to torment Cynthia that class period by speaking in the softest voice possible.

"She wants to see me?" Cynthia asked, appalled. She racked her brain for something she could have done wrong, but nothing came to mind, besides her multiple tardies. That must be what this is about, Cynthia thought, her heart racing. She was going to receive a lecture and then a punishment, something like cleaning the pegasus stables or helping the giants in the kitchen.

"Yes," Mrs. Pennywickle said with a hint of exasperation. "Now leave, before I decide to give you detention."

Cynthia climbed the ladder up to the door which was positioned at the edge of the beautiful ceiling, where the murals changed every day, depicting a different moment from history. Cynthia watched a clip of the first group of Hagdaxxes ever, overthrow their leader with a wave of the gloved hands, which were encased with powerful magic.

Cynthia exited the classroom and shot through the air like a bird, towards the small, yet famous office, hovering fifty feet above Jeckentenn. She arrived at the triangular iron door, engraved with complicated, ancient Hagdaxx runes. Cynthia took a nervous breath and tapped reluctantly on the door. The hollow sound of metal echoed in the wind and the door slowly swung open all by itself. Eight chairs, six of them occupied, sat in front of a desk very much similar to a coffin.

A girl turned around in her seat and rolled her large, green eyes when she saw Cynthia. Evelyn Gregory had practically everything. Wealth was not the only thing that could be used to describe the Gregory family, rudeness and selfishness could too. Nobody liked her, but for some reason, she received the utmost respect from her peers.

Cynthia sat down next to her best friend, Danny Wilkins, and elbowed him gently.

"Hey," Cynthia whispered. "Do you have any idea what we're doing here?"

"Nope, but if this affects my scholarship in any way, I don't know what I'll do," Danny answered, nervously biting his lip.

The triangular door swung open and in came Landon Fontana, daydreamer extraordinaire. "What is up, dudes," he said lazily. Landon was obsessed with the myth of another world called earth and the possibility that there was another species living there. He was convinced that if he began talking like them, he could contact them. Cynthia thought he sounded crazy with his made up words.

Landon loped across the room and plopped down next to Kenzie Turner one of Evelyn's close friends. Kenzie could whip up a batch of tears with a side of runny noses to make up a day's quota, and deliver neatly and perfectly to none other, than Evelyn Gregory.

It suddenly became completely silent as the eight students sat, awaiting the arrival of Headmistress Sherman. Cynthia quickly peeked at the other students. Brooks Campbell, also known as Brawny Brooks, sat next to Evelyn, looking completely clueless, as usual. Although he may not be the brightest, Brooks had broken every record that has ever existed in Jeckentenn's most popular sport, Giggalig, a kind of obstacle course that traveled the perimeter of the school. Cynthia couldn't recall the rules because she honestly could not have cared less about the school's athletics, but she did happen to know that Brooks defeated six records at his first ever Giggalig tournament, but she really only knew that because it was one of Danny's favorite topics. Danny, like the rest of the school, worshipped Brooks, since every Giggalig season he brought dozens of five feet tall, golden trophies to the school halls. Brooks was nice enough, he just could not focus in a classroom. The only reason he hadn't been kicked out of Jeckentenn yet, was because of his superior display on the Giggalig field.

Sitting next to Brooks were two other students, a boy and a girl Cynthia didn't recognize. They stared straight ahead, hardly moving, their pale faces startling Cynthia.

The door opened yet again and Headmistress Sherman glided in. She may not have looked it, given that she was only four feet tall, but Headmistress Sherman was one of the best Hagdaxxes the city of Pretend had ever seen. She was a descendent of Shirley Sherman, one of the Hagdaxxes that had been in the clip Cynthia had seen in the ceiling of Mrs. Pennywickle's classroom.

The little women sat behind her desk, pulled an iron slate towards her, and typed a couple of sentences on it. Glowing blue runes floated off of her keyboard and through the air, landing on the wall where they sat for a moment, processed the note, and then zoomed out of sight.

Headmistress Sherman finally acknowledged the anxious students by looking sternly up at them and clearing her throat. "Now that everyone is here, we can begin."

Sherman snapped her fingers and two fairies flew in, carrying another iron slate. They laid it down on a podium and proceeded to type every word the headmistress said. "I am sure you all know that the city of Macida, home to the Stained Spirits, has been a significant rival to us. It is getting to the point where only one major city can prosper and the other one will eventually cease to exist. We, as a city, will not take any chances, that Macida will overthrow us. At last night's Hags and Hagdaxxes Council meeting, it was decided that we will do whatever it takes to ensure that Pretend will succeed, no matter the cost.

"You have all been selected for a special expedition." A murmur of excitement rippled through the room. Danny punched Cynthia's shoulder enthusiastically. Cynthia's immediate reaction did not match her peers'. She didn't quite know how to feel. She couldn't remember the last time a student had been sent on an expedition. It was not very common, which made Cynthia wonder why they were not sending a group of experienced Hagdaxxes, if their city depended on this.

"What's the expedition?" Brooks asked eagerly, who had suddenly become more alert. He was probably hoping he would be able to show off his fighting skills. The only class Brooks had an A in was Protecting and Defending. The duration of the class was punching a large bag filled with hay and laps around the Giggalig field. It was also Cynthia's least favorite class.

Sherman stared at Brooks, as if contemplating whether or not he was ready to hear her answer. She took a deep, exasperated breath before she continued. "There are sources of strength, eight of them to be exact, scattered about our world called Power Locks. They are the greatest, most advanced kind of magic you will ever come across. Hundreds of years back, when Pretend was a small farm town, a Hagdaxx by the name of Timothy Huxley led an experiment of transferring his power into special objects and protecting them with some of the worst creatures, spells, and traps any Hagdaxx has ever had to face. Not one person who has seeked these Power Locks has been successful."

"So basically, you're sending us on an impossible mission," Evelyn said, raising her eyebrows.

Sherman held up a finger. "Not quite." She reached into her desk drawer and pulled out a thick, ancient looking book. The spine was cracking and many pieces of paper were sticking out from the pages.

"Since Timothy Huxley was from Pretend, we have an added benefit the rest did not. This is his guidebook. According to a note left in it, he had hoped that one day, the Power Locks would help Pretend in anyway the leaders thought was needed. As of last night, they have decided that the Power Locks are the only way that we can beat Macina and that are best hopes are students who are nearly done with their final year of schooling." Headmistress Sherman spoke cautiously, as if she were afraid she would say the wrong thing, or that she would let something slip that she did not want the students to know. Cynthia's stomach started to turn and she felt like she might be sick. For some reason she could not recall a single thing she had learned that might help her on this expedition.

"Raquelle," Sherman said, looking at the pale girl in the middle. "You are one of the most advanced rune translators at Jeckentenn. I trust that you will know what to do with this." Raquelle took the book from Sherman and flipped through the crinkly pages filled with runes.

"I am afraid the book may give you a bit of trouble. Those are Hagdaxx runes from ancient times. They are very different than the runes we have now." Cynthia's stomach was feeling worse by the minute. It seemed barely possible when they had the guidebook but now it would be hopeless if they couldn't decipher it.

The group of students remained quiet, their shoulders pushed up into a slouch. Cynthia could sense the worry emitting from each one of them, the fear of failure taking control over their ego.

"I also expect you all to rely on Davis," Sherman said, nodding proudly towards the boy next to Raquelle. "He's a natural born leader." Cynthia saw Davis grin confidently to himself.

"Just as a reminder, you have been hand-picked by some of the most powerful and greatest Hagdaxxes in Pretend. This is what you have been training for. This school has taught you how to go up against Stained Spirits and come out victorious. They wouldn't ask this of you if they did not think you were capable. The only thing left for you to do is accept," Sherman said in anticipation. She pushed a roll of paper towards them. A contract. All they had to do was sign.

Danny was the first one to get up and write his signature, followed by Raquelle and the boy next to her. Brooks waited a minute before shooting out of his chair and eagerly signing, as if he would change his mind if he did not do it right that moment. Evelyn got up right after Brooks, so Kenzie naturally followed. Cynthia was the only one left, however she remained in her seat.

Sherman cleared her throat and repositioned a small statue of a pegasus on her desk, but Cynthia just stared at the paper and the seven signatures which laid before her. She weighed her options. If she did not do the expedition she would be able to finish school and be prepared for the day the Stained Spirits come to destroy Pretend. Although, she would also be known as the girl who backed down from a mission she was specifically chosen for.

Cynthia glanced at Danny, hoping he would convince her that this was a good idea, but he was staring at the wall in front of him. She was going to have to make this decision on her own. She slowly rose from her chair. She wasn't afraid of signing, she was afraid of the commitment.

Cynthia took the pen and, with the thought of eternal glory if they succeeded in her mind, signed her name in the last, empty space.

"Very well," Sherman said, rolling up the paper and handing it to one of the fairies who had been typing down the entire meeting. "Go see Felix in the stables, he should have all your supplies you will need. I must warn you though, that this will not be easy. I wish you the best of luck, in hopes that you will find the Power Locks and not lose yourselves along the way." The kids stared at her, instantly knowing they had made the wrong choice in agreeing to this. Cynthia's head spun. Why were they all stupid enough to have signed? They would have found other people who wanted to do it and were more capable.

They all filed out of the room, each looking more distressed than the last. Wordlessly, they took off through the air towards the stables, where Felix was awaiting their arrival. Cynthia hit the ground smoothly, jogging a little to keep her balance. Just behind her, Danny collided with the grass. Cynthia giggled, and went to go help him up.

"I really should work on my landing," Danny noted sheepishly as he brushed the grass off of his shabby cloak. Cynthia noticed that he had a new tear on his left sleeve.

Felix stood in the doorway of the stables, leaning on his knobbly walking stick. He was scrunched over and his long beard seemed more tangled and ragged than usual. He raised a clawed hand and beckoned the kids inside.

He hobbled over to a pegasus who was busy grooming his wing feathers. Eight knapsacks were lined up at the pegasus hooves. Brooks hurried over and picked up one of the bags. He began to sift through its contents as everyone else got their bags as well.

"No way!" Brooks exclaimed excitedly. "The Lebillar?" He held up a sleek silver box in his right hand and then quickly snapped his wrist. The box transformed into a small wardrobe, filled with weapons and armor.

Cynthia's bag was remarkably heavy, although as she rifled through her belongings, it became obvious that they would need all of the items. Books, maps, enchantment charts, and weapons would all be necessary if they actually wanted to succeed.

Felix rapped his cane against one of the stalls, causing the eight kids to stop chattering about their new gear. The doubts they had originally were now diminishing. "You still need to get your cloaks," he said in a shaky voice. "I have been directed by Headmistress Sherman to make sure you are back in one hour. She insists that you get started on your expedition as soon as possible."

Cynthia gently scooted her bag back into line and walked around the twisting and turning aisles until she found Denley's stall. She mounted her pegasus and took a deep breath now that she was alone. She didn't want this, but she had to do it. It's strange how, when someone does not want to do something, it shows their real fears, Cynthia thought. She patted Denley, and wrapped her arms around the pegasus neck, preparing for the flight.