WebNovelElysia75.00%

VICTOR

He was glad to meet new friends. It was kinda nice to have more friends than just Oliver and Angie. He looked over at his new friends Alexander from Wollongong, Australia, and a girl from Utica, New York, whose name was Harmony. He smiled, thinking about how kind they were to him.

Victor had gotten about an hour of training in before sunset and was quite proud of his achievements. He was also surprised how quickly Angie had learned the art of sword fighting, she could honestly beat someone at it now, he wouldn't be surprised. Victor was most interested in the fact that he had powers of some kind. He wondered what kind of power he had. Maybe ice, fire, or flying, maybe mind reading or mind control, who knows.

Victor and nine others sat around the campfire that Shawn had made. Everyone was talking while drinking a weird drink that the Elysians called Hot Ogny. The drink tasted like it had oranges, chocolate, and vanilla in it, it possibly had an egg as well. It tasted like a combination of creamsicle and eggnog. Joyous laughter filled the air as a boy named Ace got to the funny part of the story he was telling. He laughed, listening to the crackling of the fire. Victor was having such a good time. He looked around the campfire, looking for the familiar beautiful smile of Angelina's. When no smile showed his way he knew she was missing. He briefly looked around the campsite, scanning for movement or a figure. Immediately upon not seeing her he got up from his seat and walked around.

Victor spotted her sitting on the side of the hill, her cup of liquid in her warm hands.

She was staring blankly at the liquid. He sat down next to her.

"Hey, you okay?" He sympathized.

"Huh? I guess. Yeah." Her voice was soft, like a dove's.

"No you aren't."

They were silent for a minute, "I want to see my family again. What happens if I die?"

"I know you do, you just gotta believe. I couldn't tell you what would happen if you died. I don't even want to think about it honestly. I can't stand the fact that you might leave me." Victor whispered.

"But what if I do?" The frightened girl's voice cracked, granting Victor with a lump in his throat. He swallowed.

"If you die, and I'm saying if you die, I couldn't live without you. When my father died, I couldn't stop crying, I wouldn't leave the house, I didn't even leave my bedroom. I don't want to lose another person I love." He encouraged in a low voice, staring at one of his scars from the accident.

"So, you are saying I would be filled with guilt?"

"Well... Yes. Besides the point, you are so strong Angie. I know you will make it out of this alive."

Victor looked into her unique eyes. They were sad and looked frightened. It looked as though they were the Gulf of Mexico dotted with kelp. He couldn't stand to see her this way. Now he couldn't even think about her coma, it frightened him, more than it probably frightened her.

"Come on." Victor smiled, getting up and offering his hand.

"Where?" She let him pull her up, setting down her half full cup in doing so.

"Let's go for a walk, shall we?" He walked her away from the campsite.

It was a bright night. The stars and the moon lit up the hill, it was extremely pretty. Victor was able to do some exploring after training was done and found the most beautiful sight. When they finally arrived he and Angelina sat on the hill and looked down at a gorgeous view. Blue leaved trees were dotted everywhere and pink flowers scattered the ground. The grass was short, but tall in some places, and birds slept in their nests. It was a clear, warm night, but there was fog that floated about a foot from off the ground. The fog wasn't like normal fog, white or gray, it was a beautiful pastel purple.

"Wow." Angelina gasped.

"I know. You should've seen it at sun down." Victor chuckled

"It must've been beautiful." Angie sighed. "Thanks for taking me here."

"I'm always here for you." Victor comforted.

"You are a really good friend, Vic." Angie smiled.

He loved to see her goofy, unique smile, then he laughed "Ew, don't call me Vic."

She laughed. Victor just couldn't help but smile. He was glad she was laughing.

"As much as I hate it, I think we should go back to the others. They might get worried." Angelina admitted.

"Good point." Victor replied, getting up, then being a gentleman, helped her up.

The walk back to camp was filled with the night owls' beautiful tunes and the rapid sound of the crickets chirping. When they got back to camp everyone was still around the campfire, laughing. Angie and Victor went and sat down with them.

"Where have you guys been?" Analia asked in an almost mean, but worried, manner.

"Sorry, we went for a walk to clear our heads." Angelina apologized.

"You guys better check in with us before you leave the campsite, we almost went looking for you guys, we just thought you guys were in your tents." Shawn demanded.

"Yes sir." Victor replied, pretending to be a soldier, and solluted.

Everyone snickered, except for Shawn, then Shawn snapped, "Just don't do it again."

Yes, Father. Victor thought mockingly, then a girl named Chloe snickered.

He looked up, scanning Chloe, who was smiling at him. Victor narrowed his eyes.

Blink five times fast if you can read my mind.

Victor watched her intensely. He was stupid to think she could read his mind. Chloe quickly blinked five times. Vic raised his eyebrows.

Shawn sure can be bossy sometimes, huh? Victor twinkled.

Chloe nodded her head.

"Hey, Victor? What about your life?" Autumn questioned.

"Um, it isn't that interesting." Victor gulped.

"Come on, tell us. We barely know anything about you." Ace encouraged.

"Okay, I guess... I used to live in Europe, but then moved to Walton City, New Jersey. I live with my mother right across from Angelina's house actually." Victor started hesitantly.

"What part of Europe?" Shawn asked.

"Paris, France." Victor answered.

"You don't live with your dad?" Alexander asked.

"Um, he, um, died when I was six." Victor replied softly, then Angie put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Alex gasped.

"Let's move on. How about you Angelina?" Analia asked.

"Well, I live in Walton City, New Jersey and as all of you know I am in a coma." Angelina told them.

"How exactly did that happen? I know it was bullies but how?" She could tell Alex thought she would deny telling them.

"Uh, I was in a small space in between the gym and my school at lunch when three bullies came up to me. They pulled me up, then pushed me down and my head hit a tree trunk. I got back up, but then they pushed me again, harder the second time. My head hit the brick wall of the gym, then the cement. They kicked me over and over, then the next thing I knew, everything was black, then I was here." She told them, her voice shaking.

Everyone stared at her with sad looks, even Shawn. Victor was glad she didn't mention the bullies were his friends. Ex friends. It sort of hurt to hear the story again. No one talked for a while, an awkward silence consuming the area. Even the animals and bugs stopped making noise.

"Oliver? What about you?" Analia sighed.

"What? Oh, okay. I used to live in Montpelier, Idaho. I just recently moved to Preston, Idaho with my mom. Not too long ago, I was in school and an active shooter came into the school. He threatened to break down the door of my homeroom class, so my teacher shoved me and about eight other kids into a cabinet. The shooter broke down the door and shot my teacher. Then my mom, who I hadn't seen since I was seven, came and got me, and moved me away from the trailer house I lived in with my alcoholic father. I have an adopted sister named Harper, who is three and has deadly asthma, plus she's practically allergic to everything." Oliver told them, biting his lip. Victor looked around at the teenagers, chuckling at their faces of amazement.

"That escalated quickly..." Harmony peered.

"Wow, poor, Harper was it?" Chloe sympathized.

"Yeah, Harper." Oliver said.

Poor Oliver. His life had been a mess. He was seven when his parents split, his father was always drunk, and he had somewhat witnessed a murder. Oli must have bad luck, not that much bad stuff happened to a person. Or maybe that much does happen to a person. Victor was glad that Oli was breaking his protective shell and finally making more friends. Since they had got there, Oli didn't really talk to anyone really. He practically just said who he was when people asked. It was good to see him not hiding behind a shield.

"It's getting late. We all have training tomorrow at noon." Shawn said.

"Yeah, I'm tired anyways." Autumn yawned.

Everyone got up and went to their tents, then attempted to go to sleep. By twelve o' clock everyone was sleeping, in their own tents, safe and sound.

* * * * *

Everyone was up at dawn, getting ready, and cooking breakfast. Victor was still tired, but he knew he had to get his day started. For breakfast he ate scramble bird eggs and a fruit that the Elysians called madeen. It was a juicy fruit with a furry skin on the outside. The fruit that the skin protected was purple and blue with a big pink pitt in the middle. He liked it better than any other fruit he had tried in Elysia, and on Earth.

Everyone seemed so cheery this morning. They must enjoy waking up early, meanwhile Victor didn't. He was sleepy and groggy. For once, he wasn't looking forward to training. Vic looked around the campsite for at least Oliver or Angelina. When Victor spotted Angelina he went over to her and told her good morning.

She was wearing a yellow dress that had a half an apron tied around it and her hair was pulled back into a french braid. She was bouncing around, all bubbly and happy. He was glad to see her finally joyful.

"Hey!" She greeted.

"Hey! You seem happy!" Victor greeted.

"Yeah, just had to sleep it off, I think." Angie smiled.

"That's good." Victor laughed at her.

"Hey guys." Autumn greeted, jogging up to them, her auburn hair swaying in the slight breeze.

"Hey, Autumn!"

"You seem happy." Autumn noticed.

"Yeah, I sort of am." Angelina laughed.

"That's good. Ready for training?" She asked.

"I was born ready, the real question is, are you ready?"

"I'm not sure. Guess what I heard today." Autumn smiled slightly.

"What?" Angelina and Victor asked.

"A new person is gonna be arriving today apparently. Analia's guardian informed her about it." Autumn told them.

"Oh, that's cool." Victor nodded and cracked his neck a few times. Angelina gave him a look of disgust.

"I guess." Autumn replied.

A bell was hit, alerting the teens that training was starting. Victor wasn't really excited, but he could tell Angelina was. She had had so many people tell her how fast she was at learning.

Everyone gathered around the clearing that they made their training arena, practice swords in hand. Shawn was in the middle of the circle everyone made, readying his sword for a dual.

"Anyone up for a dual? Volunteers?" Shawn asked, looking around.

Angelina and Autumn were the only people to raise their hands. Shawn did not look amused at how much people volunteered.

"Angelina, your first. You know the rules, do not kill me." He said seriously.

Victor held in a laugh, Isn't that always good advice.

Angelina stepped forward. Shawn and Angie shook hands, then readied their swords. They started the dual and Angelina made the first move. She swung her sword, aiming for the hip, but Shawn deflected it. He swung his sword at her arm but she hit his sword. They dualed for a minute, diverting each swing. Angelina swung her sword and hit his sword out of his hand. He looked at the ground, where his sword laid six feet away from his, dumbstruck. Angelina swung her sword and struck Shawn, knocking him off his feet.

"I have to admit, you're pretty good. That swing was quite powerful." Shawn laughed, still on the ground.

"Thanks." Angie laughed, offering to help him up. "It's not often you get a compliment from you."

She helped him up and he grabbed his sword. He tried to take a swing but Angie hit his sword again, sending it out of his hand and into the air.

"Touche. Autumn, you're next." Shawn raised his eyebrows and Angelina laughed.

* * * * *

Victor looked around for Angelina, but couldn't find her anywhere. Oli wasn't in sight either. Why had that kept happening?

"Have you seen Angelina or Oliver?" Victor asked Chloe, who was stuffing her face with Elysian chocolates.

"Mmhmm," Chloe mumbled, her mouth full.

He furrowed his brow. "Pardon?"

She swallowed, "Nope."

"Thanks anyways."

"Mmmhm." She answered, already stuffing her face again.

Victor chuckled to himself quietly, deciding to give up and go find Alexander. Alex was just sitting on the side of the hill, staring into the abyss. Victor sat down and Alex muffled a small "hi." Victor looked off into the distance quietly. Vic heard Alex inhale deeply and exhale into a sigh.

"What's on your mind?" Victor questioned quietly and slowly.

"Nothing."

"Come on, I've only known you for a day and I know you're not yourself, I know you have something on your mind."

"It's just this world, it reminds me of my sister. All of the trees remind me of her. The grass reminds me of her beautiful brown strands of hair, how it flies in the wind." Alex sighed.

"What's your sister's name?"

"Ruby."

"You'll get to see your sister again, it's not like we will be in Elysia forever, it's only likely a month, maybe two." Victor encouraged.

"No, no, I won't."

"Why?"

"She, um, died of Leukemia last year." Alex whispered, his voice rough.

"Oh, crap, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked." Victor apologized, regretting asking the same question everyone asked him for years when he said his father wasn't around.

"It's okay, I get it all the time. I'm always constantly reminded of her. Sometimes I hear her voice in the wind. She was my best friend, my only friend." Alex sulked.

"I'm sorry. It was the same way when my father died in a car accident." Victor said, trying to comfort him.

"Oh I'm sorry. Ruby was fifteen. It was terrible, they tried chemo, but it didn't work, and the cancer took over."

"I'm so sorry. It sucks to lose someone, I watched my father die in a car wreck, I can't seem to ever get the scene out of my mind." Victor smiled, sadly, remembering his father's last moments.

The two sat silent for a minute, "I watched her edge closer to death, for a year. All of her brown locks disappeared, leaving nothing behind but a hairless scalp. When the leukemia wasn't that bad, she got to stay home. One day, when she was on chemo, I tried to open her door, but it was locked. I got so scared I kicked down the door. I found her propped up against her bed frame, clinging onto life. I called for my mother and she came rushing in. That day I watched the life leave her eyes, the twinkle disappear. I watched my best friend die that day, I can't get that day out of my mind. Me kicking down her door, seeing her propped up against her bed, blood running down her nose, the floor and bed sheets speckled with blood that she had coughed up. Sometimes, after she died, I would sit in her room for hours, recalling memories that we had shared."

The two heard footsteps approaching behind them, and they swerved around. It was Chloe. She had a welcoming smile, then stopped and set her hands on her hips.

"What are you guys doing lying around? There's still work to do." She laughed.

"Sorry, Chloe." Victor apologized quickly.

"Did I come at a bad time? I seem to do that a lot." Chloe asked, lifting her right hand from her hip and scratching the back of her head.

"No, no. I thought the training was over?" Victor asked, confused.

"Well, yeah, but Shawn is calling for more." Chloe told him.

"Of course he is." Victor spoke underneath his breath.

Chloe glanced at Alex in a worried fashion, then inhaled deeply, "Alex, you don't have to."

Alex nodded, his back still facing away from her. Victor gave her a reassuring smile then they walked off.

"It's his sister again?" Chloe asked in a soft voice.

"Yes. I'm guessing you could read our minds?"

"Ya, it's a curse and a gift." Chloe replied, seeming annoyed with her extraordinary talent.

"Thanks for not saying anything." Victor thanked.

"I could see he was upset, or I guess hear." She pointed out, signaling to her head.

"Yeah." Victor said.

"Finally! Victor where have you been?" Shawn demanded when he saw Victor.

"Sorry. I was sitting on the side of the hill. I didn't know we had to do more work." Vic apologized.

"Yes, you did, I told everyone during practice." Shawn growled.

"No, you didn't." Victor answered.

"Yes, I did, didn't I, Chloe?" Shawn asked in a mean manner.

"No, you didn't, Shawn." Chloe replied, nervously looking at the ground.

"Whatever. Get to work!" Shawn snapped, then ran off to go yell at Ace for dropping a log on his toe.

"What's his problem." Victor rolled his eyes.

"It's probably because he was beaten by a girl, a.k.a. Angelina." Chloe giggled.

"Probably." Victor chuckled. "Speaking of Angelina, have you seen her or Oliver?"

"Yeah, they are finding berries for food in the forest." Chloe told him. "Let's go find a job."