So I didn't even know we had these "phases", but apparently, the first one was for me to learn everything I could—to absorb as much information as possible.

Phase two was much more complex. I had to know the Crooked Realm. It made sense to me, but then again it didn't. Wouldn't I just know it when I got there? But then again, it was understandable why the King wanted me to be knowledgeable of the place I'd soon be infiltrating—if the plan went all right.

Emma had taught me some pretty valuable information about the Crooked Realm, but not just that. All the Elemental Realms. It was a bit embarrassing to admit that I already knew most of what there was to know about the Realms, but Emma actually seemed impressed by this.

"The Airlands," she explained the Realms anyway, "contain the richest of the richest, and the best looking as well. Some call it the Golden World, as it quite literally looks like a giant golden coin in the sky.

The Earthlands are where most people live, humans, creatures, Magicks—that's why it's so popular. It's where Regulars and the otherworldly people live in harmony, but it's sadly why the other Elements have to live in their homelands, because the humans neglect and disregard them. They only seem to like the Earthers, or their dubbed names, the Creators. But, most of the time, the Magicks of other Elements just stay on these halves of the world—the kingdom and magic half, I mean. The other half is full of notorious Regulars."

"But you are a regular, no?" I asked Emma.

"I'm a Royal," she said. "A Kingdomer. So technically I'm not a Regular. Regulars are people that possess no magic or Royal authority, but just plain people that don't like Magicks."

"That isn't all true," I said. "Some villages actually appreciate Magicks, especially mine. Our town had to be the one that didn't neglect Elements of any kind. We were respective of them, really."

"That's nice to know," Emma smiled at this, but sadly. "Not every village is like that. Not ever Regular is like that, either. Some hate, some hunt, some have a sad life."

"You must be talking about the Purple Storm," I said.

She nodded, but passed a look at me that made it clear that she did not want to press on the matter any further.

We turned back subject of Realms.

"Then there's the Waterlands," continued Emma. "Most of them live in the ocean, but this can be a bit dangerous for them, so others live in small and unknown lakes or ponds. Some even reside in rivers."

"That's cool," I interrupted. "If I had to live in one of the Realms, it'd be the Waterlands."

"Mine would be the next Realm," said Emma, turning to a page full of red. "The Firelands."

My eyes lit up at the pictures of Fire Element, one being a staff with a red gem similar to a ruby at the end of the long stick. Another was a battle-ax that was on fire, the picture actually moving as flames rose from it. Then there was halberd with coals instead of metal for the blade, and a fiery hilt.

"They're more on the weapon-ish side of magic," said Emma, though this was plain and clear to see. "That's why I like them so much. Oh, what I would do just to wield one of these! It would be so cool, what to be holding a battle-ax or shooting a Flame Arrow."

I had to agree with her. The Firelands were cool and so were all their weapons, and I could just imagine shooting a Blaze Bow at a Dark Magic User.

"These are the four main lands of Elements," Emma, having read these a million times, still seemed to be fascinated by all this. But that fascination turned to a pure and utter look of disgust on her face. "Except one."

"Which?"

"The Crooked Realm."

"Where is it?"

"Far. Farther than most of the lands in the world," the way Emma spoke these words was so very cold and bitter. "But it's getting closer with each day. That's with those airquakes are. They come about at least once a month, as the Crooked Realm gets closer to our world and the other Realms with each passing year. It's only a matter of time before they actually reach the world and deprive it of its already-scarce happiness and peace."

It felt as though Emma were talking to herself now. She wasn't even looking at me when she said this, but in her vanity, checking her eyelashes and lips to make sure they were... normal. I don't know why, but I found this weird. She didn't wear makeup—she said it felt rather wasteful when she wore it. I didn't blame her. I'm sure if other girls had her natural beauty, they wouldn't be applying full faces of makeup like they do.

"I..." she sighed. "Anyway, back to the Crooked Realm. As you know, it is inhabited by the vicious Dark Magic Users and, as you might not know, it is also resided in by the vile and infamous creatures known as the Reapers. Nasty ghouls with scythes that rip your souls to pieces and feed on rotten corpses. Here, in our world, we call them Souleaters.

"Souleaters," I said. "Interesting..."

"That's the thing," said Emma, pointing to a certain sentence in the Crooked Realm section of her Worlds book. "There's nothing interesting about them. They look like normal humans, actually. You'd think they have ghostlike features, but they look like us, just a lot scarier and secretive."

"Can I talk to you about the Ladies?" I asked suddenly, because I couldn't hold it in.

"What's there to talk about?" Was her rather complicated response.

"I didn't do anything with them," I wanted to make sure she knew that. "As soon as they went away, I ran to my room. I don't want you to think—"

"I know you didn't," Emma was explicitly trying to push the matter away. "You're not like that, Dylan. You're not like Jake."

"I didn't mean that," I said. "Sure, me and Jake are different—in many, many ways—but that doesn't mean we aren't friends. Besides, he's a great ally and swordsman—"

"You sound jealous rather than admiring of him," she said the words with revulsion in her voice. "Though there's nothing to be jealous of."

"Are you kidding me?" I said. "I mean, look. He's muscly. He's cool, laid-back. He knows how to slash a sword unlike anyone else—

"But you," Emma intervened with a smirk. "Yeah, I saw that day you guys trained. You were great. It felt like I was the one battling him, getting revenge for— ah, never mind."

"I'm sorry," I said, "that Jake did that you. I would never do that to anybody, ever. It's just cruel."

"I know you wouldn't," said Emma. "You're not like other guys, Dylan. You're different. It's what I like about you... i-in a friendly way, I mean!"

"Of course," I laughed, pretending not to notice the blush that went across her face, left cheek to right cheek. And Emma didn't wear makeup, so the blush was natural... Had I caused it?

"Are you excited for the quest?" She asked with a bit of a sour face. "I still try to persuade my father not to make you do this, but he insists."

"I'm more anxious than excited, but yeah," I replied with a heavy sigh. "I just wish... Well, I just wish I had more time. That's all it would take. Just a few more weeks, even just days, to fully prepare myself for what's to come."

"I guess that's what we're doing the Second Phase for," said Emma, continuing to flip through the many pages of her leather-bound book. "Oh, look! Dragon's Blood."

"Dragon's what?" I asked with raised eyebrows.

"Dragon's blood," Emma repeated. "It's typically used in potions made by the witches here—"

"There's witches here? Ones that aren't evil?"

"And wizards."

"Aren't they just Magicks, then?"

"No. These people carry around staffs that produce the magic, not their bare hands. And they wear funky clothing like cloaks and silly-dyed robes. They make potions and elixirs that vary in kind... Healing Potions... Speed Potions... Curse Potions... Love Potions..."

"And what's the use of Dragon's Blood?" I asked.

"To provide the powers of shapeshifting."

"Wait," I said. "What?! There's such a thing?"

"Yes," said Emma, plain and calm. "But it only works for about an hour. Then it wears off."

"What exactly can you shapeshift into?" I asked her.

"All kinds of stuff," she turned to a specific page in the book, Page 160. "Here. An entire page dedicated to the shapeshifters' potions."

"You can turn into a dragon?" I asked, pointing at a picture of a blue and red monster with wings and talons and fangs. "Awesome!"

"Not just that," said Emma. "But all kinds of magical creatures... Except..."

"Except what?"

"Well... the ingredients are pretty sacred and hard to find these days. The potion is rather archaic, especially the recipe and mixtures required to create the elixir."

"Maybe I can find them in the Crooked Realm," I told Emma. "That could work, right?"

"It could work," Emma said. "But you would need a colossal amount of knowledge to even begin to know where to look for everything required."

"Then teach me," I said simply. "Teach me and I'll know. Please, Emma. You won't regret it."

She gave me a thoughtful look then said,

"Sure. It takes three very scarce ingredients, though... 'Dragon's Blood, a greenish and liquid substance with a tingly sting when it touches skin... typically found in a Goblin's Grotto, but those are nearly impossible to be found, especially by a human of any kind, Regular or Magick.' And, Dylan, that isn't even the hardest ingredient to find. Can you imagine the others?"

"No," I said. "But I can certainly imagine myself banging my chest as a gorilla or roaring out over a hill as a lion."

Emma shrugged.

"I guess," and she read on. "You would also need a Witch's Fingernail... ew."

"Where would I even start to search for the nail of a Witch?" I asked.

"I wouldn't know," said Emma with another typical and bored shrug. "..and last, but not least, you would need to find something called an Elven Amulet. It sounds like a necklace that comes from the Elf Nation. Jewelry is rather popular with them. In fact, they made the Sapphire of the Sea, the gem that brought you here."

"They did?!" I asked in awe and shock.

Emma nodded and read on.

"Once these ingredients have been located and secured, they each need to be placed in a cauldron and mixed until a dark blue starts to form in the pot. Once it does, you will have completed your shapeshifters' potion."

So... all it took was some amulet from the Elves, the fingernail of a hag, and the blood of a dragon. Not too tough, eh?

"I think that's enough studying for today," Emma yawned. "I'm heading off to bed now."

"I am, too," I said. "Well, bye, Emma!"

She waved at me before leaving the Study Hall to go to her room.

I waved back, though I wasn't sure if she saw it, because she was gone with the blink of an eye.

I yawned and rubbed my eyes, then got up and stretched my legs and arms. It felt like we'd be sitting on that hard seat eternally, and now we were done studying for the day.

My forbidden mix of exhaustion and overwhelming excitement turned into complete sleepiness and as soon as I reached my room and saw my soft, comfy bed. I fell headfirst onto it and slowly drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.

•••

When I woke up this morning, I was half expecting to be greeted by a bunch of maids and servants of the Kingdom, as I usually was, but was instead woken up to a very loud and obnoxious Jake and Emma.

They were banging their hands on the walls and stomping their feet on the floor, doing all they could in their power to wake me up.

"What?" I said, rubbing my eyes. "Is it time for the quest already?"

"No," they said. "But almost. It's the day before. We have to celebrate!"

I didn't know why they wanted to celebrate the penultimate day of the quest, but I wasn't questioning it.

•••

When I headed downstairs to the Grand Lunchroom, I was half-stunned, half-drooling to see a bunch of pastries—cakes and pies and cookies and muffins—at the long table meant for the People of Importance, just alongside the table of the Royals. There was my seat, surrounded by the most treats and sweets.

I nearly ran to all of it, clearly unable to hide my gratitude.

"You deserve it, Dylan," said Emma kindly.

Most of the kingdom was clapping and cheering for me, whoops and hoorays coming from all the way across the room.

And I ate good that day...