[Trevor]

I'm grateful right now because I'm at the only place, doing the only thing that makes me relax.
I've been playing basketball at the yard for about half an hour now and thankfully, so far, my hands haven't sizzled, warmed up or turned brick red in colour.

For the twentieth time, I run down the court and dunk the ball in the net. While I played, I thought about the stuff that's been happening.

I find it hard to believe yet, it's getting more difficult to not believe.
After seeing everything-the stuff with my hands, Mr Xi Chang teleporting, glowing with colours, hypnotising us, Prince Bruno's speech- I dunno if I should believe it or ignore it and act like it never happened.

I just want to play basketball and have a normal life. I don't want to be a 'Spirit of Reina', whatever that was.

I walked over to a bench with a ball in my hand and sat down.
I thought about Maddie, that girl I met some days ago.
I thought of the incident at Davie's and I felt my face heat up.

The first thing I thought when I saw her was, wow.
She was pretty, with very light blue eyes.
Her voice was soothing and calm like a lullaby but with no tune.
I love her sense of humour and her reasoning.

She was easygoing and innocent.
I've not met many girls like her.
Most girls I've met are cocky and too much and they expect a lot from you because apparently they take a lot of time and effort to impress you.

I sighed, immediately easing myself of the tight knot in my chest.

I got into the school's team on my first try. That was great.
We're supposed to practice every Wednesday and Friday.
I was looking forward to practice Friday morning even amidst the whole craziness.

But then, next thing I disappear and reappear in a forest and find myself next in 'Horei'?
I just didn't get it. There were millions of people out there that literally wish this kind of stuff was real. Not that I'm saying it isn't real but, whether it was real or not, I don't want to be apart of it.

I'd rather be the guy who didn't know the world was supposed to end and then go on with my normal life while some 'superheroes' saved the world. Not the guy saddled with the responsibility of saving not even the whole 'mortal world' according to Bru and Chang, but all the other 'kingdoms'.

I wasn't ready for that kind of responsibility.

I didn't notice the smoke rising in front of me until I heard a pop sound beneath me.
The basketball I was holding started to let out air rapidly.
I stood up from the bench and I dropped the ball instantly on the ground, waving my hands vigorously.

My hands felt burnt but when I brought it up to my face they weren't.
They were now that familiar shade of red.

Before I recovered from shock, in front of me something weird was going on.

Something small and dark hovered in the air, then it grew bigger until it made the shape of an oval the size of a standing mirror.

To my surprise, Xi Chang stepped through the dark hovering oval shape.

I stared at him and the oval shape in shock.

"Hello, Trevor."

"How do you know my name?" I asked, still in shock.
"Well, once you inhabit a spirit, everything about you is known by every diviner and relative of the royals in all the kingdoms."

"Well, that's disturbing." I reached out to rub my hand at the nape of my neck but I withdrew it instantly. My hands were hot.

Chang smiled approvingly at me.
"I see you're discovering your powers." He shifted his gaze from me to the burst ball on the ground beside the bench.
The amused look on his face gave me the idea that he probably understood what happened there.

"The others have expended energy using their powers," Chang continued.

"What?" I asked.
"Except you," he said, ignoring my confusion. "Come let me show you something."

"What? No! I'm not following you anywhere." I inched backwards.

Chang frowned.
"Now, you don't want me to use the emotion spell on you, do you?"

I sighed in defeat.
"What's the point, it's a win-win for you anyway. Where are we going this time? Horei?"

"You'll see. Just follow me. I'll explain some things to you." His expression turned sympathetic.

"I know it's hard for all of you, but if you cooperate, it would be easier for everyone and you'll understand better what's going on. It'll help, come on."

Chang stepped through the portal. I followed him and put half my body through.
It disappeared the at the opposite side of the portal.
I decided to step through completely but before I did, I turned back quickly to look at the yard.

To my horror, I saw my younger sister, Tanya standing there staring straight at me expressionless.

I put my index finger to my lips and tried to give her some sign but I was pulled all the way through the portal from the other side and I went through completely.

The portal closed and disappeared in a flash.
When we appeared at the other side, I was horrified by what I saw.

"What happened to Horei?" I asked Chang who I noticed was staring into space glumly.

"This isn't Horei, Trevor," he said solemnly, "It's Reina."

I looked around the place. It was in ruins.
The sky was a horrible shade of grey and the few trees that were left were black and devoid of foilage.

Apart from those details, I don't think there was anything significant to notice.

"You guys keep saying Reina was destroyed," I managed, "I never believed you guys 'cuz, well...I never believed there was a place like Reina. But now I see it, I get what you mean. So, this is it?"

"A few hundred years ago, Reina was the most beautiful of all the kingdoms. Even more beautiful than Horei. Well, until the last war...Reina is also known as the kingdom of balance."

"How many kingdoms are there?"

"There're three other kingdoms besides Reina. There's the kingdom of life, Horei, the kingdom of death, Shu and the kingdom of foundation, ankor."

"So, where I live it's the kingdom of foundation?" I asked.
He nodded.
"Uh... lemme use this chance to ask you, why did I wake up on Saturday? The last time I remember I was conscious it was Friday. That was weird. And my parents didn't even notice any thing strange..."

"Time flies faster in the other kingdoms than in ankor."

"Why?"

"No one knows. That is a question for Buda, the supreme being of the world."

"Buda?" I asked. "Like... Buddhism?"
Chang shook his head.
"What's that?"

"I thought God was the supreme being of the world."

"That's what the people of ankor like to believe. You'd be better off if you knew the truth, Trevor."

I found that hard to believe. I've always believed in God as the supreme being of the world. Well, I was an atheist so I didn't actually believe in anything but at least I had to believe someone or something created the world so I settled for God.

"So, he controls the world and everything..."

"Yes, he does. But don't worry, Trevor, in the next five minutes I'll send you back home. By the way, it'll probably be 8:00pm when you return."

"What? It was four o'clock when we left that place."

"You said something about the last war that happened before Reina was destroyed," I continued, "How bad was the war that it reduced Reina to rubble?"

"Next time, Trevor."

"But, you said in the next five minutes," I protested.

"I know, but topics like that...I'd rather discuss it when you're all together," Chang said, "For now, take care. Be safe and master your powers so it doesn't leave you. I'm pretty sure you're inhabiting the spirit of fire. It's a powerful one."

After the last word, there was a pause and suddenly, I disappeared.

When I reappeared, I was sitting in my room, on my bed.

I looked out the window. It was pretty dark. Chang was right.
I looked at my bedside clock. It read 8:35pm.

I walked over to the door. As I opened it, I saw Tanya standing there.

"Gaaah!" I yelled, stumbling backwards.

"Dinner's ready." she said. "It's been ready since 7 o'clock. I had to make up and excuse for your absence. You're welcome. Now, what the hell was that at the backyard?"

I blinked at her.
I never liked Tanya knowing stuff.
She was just too smart and a little too feisty.

"I dunno what you're talking about."

"Trev, I saw the portal, the Chinese guy, the whole thing-" she started.

"Shhh! Keep your voice down."

"I saw it all, Trevor. I still think I was hallucinating but I saw it. And if you don't tell me what's up I'll tell mom and-"

"Hey! Woah. No need for that. Tanya look, after I finish dinner okay? I'll tell you."

She narrowed her eyes at me.
"Fine. When you're done."

I rolled my eyes at her and walked out the door.
Annoying little snake.

I definitely wasn't planning on telling her. I don't think she was supposed to know, for the sake of the world and...you know, her sanity.

I just hoped she forgot and went to bed.
If she found out and Henry knew too, my life would be ruined. Maybe, even worse than Reina.

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Siblings!!

Tanya is annoying don't you think?

Tell me what you think and have a lovely day!

~Ash.