Chapter 1

"Diana!!!" Father roared from outside calling her for the sixth time, breaking her name into three miserable syllables to express his level of fustration which, for the records was currently at max level.

"Coming father," came her default reply. Mr Keran sighed. There was only so much a man could take. If he recalled correctly, which wasn't quite hard, that was exactly what she said the last five times. Which was five times more that he could take in. Diana grabbed her stuffed dinosaur from the head rest and dropped it in her luggage. She would have been gone hours ago but the first time she came downstairs with her trunk, father had ordered her back up claiming she had swept her room clean of all the items and stuffed them all into three darned trunks that couldn't all fit into the boot. Diana stood at the door for another minute or so. Not because she was going to miss it for she certainly was not but so that she could commute the image into her memory so when she came back she would know if it had been tampered with.

Then father thundered for the seventh time, "DI-A-NA!!!"

Jeez dad! Diana thought. Turning around, she slid down the spiral stairs surfers style, steading herself as she went. Somehow, she knew that if she didn't do this now, she would never have the chance again.

"Watch it," her older brother Merari said casually as he walked up docking to avoid her hand. Then he stiffened and looked back. "What the...Diana!"

She threw a flip and landed on her toes then turned back brushing hair off her face and grinned at him. "Howdy bro."

A fickle of disapproval glinted in his jade green eyes. "Best get out there sis. Father's hosting a stomping parade in the driveway. Please don't let him yell your name again."

"Roger," She laughed.

He gave a perfect roll of his eyes and went upstairs like he couldn't be any more bothered. Diana smiled and lugged her trunk all the way to the lawn where a dark blue Mercedes was packed. For some reason, it had been chosen over the bright red limo and the black Ferrari. A not so happy Mr Keran who appeared to not have sighted her leaned against the side of the car, his golden locks bouncing across his face partly covered by his blue bandana. For some reason, Mr Keran preferred it to any cap. 'Give him a bandana and you've made his day.' That was the favorite phrase the children used to describe him. He was dressed in his usual buttoned down T.shirt (which was not tucked in) and black camo trousers along with his military boots. His left hand calmly reached into the car and produced a megaphone. He brought it dangerously close to his face.

"DIAN...." He began his voice amplified by a thousand times.

"Dad!" Diana yelled looking horrified and made a dive for the megaphone and marched furiously to the car boot.

"Oh, you're here." He noted.

"Seriously?" She demanded stowing away both trunk and megaphone in the boot and shut it with a humph.

"Well that was long enough. In you go," her father said opening the car door.

Diana smiled, her initial displeasure immediately forgotten. "Ooh, that's right! Dad, I'm actually going to detective school! Can you believe it cause I can't!" She squealed bouncing up and down on her sneakers.

"Well I certainly can." Her father muttered then took out his phone from his pocket. "I have to take this," he said moving away from the car.

Diana nodded making herself comfortable in the front seat. Her father didn't have any ringing tone. For some reason, he preferred vibration. She didn't know if it came with him being a solider but it was really weird. Her brother walked towards the car. This time, he had an unzipped hoodie over his black collar long sleeve, pulling off father's style; first three buttons unbuttoned, shirt flying in the wind. He wore seriously styled black jeans and white with a flash of black nike sneakers.

"What's with the black outfit? Thought you were going on a date." Diana squinted as he approached.

"Who told you that?" Merari asked seating at the wheels looking lightly amused. He took the car keys in his hands, turning it around. His eyes focused on it as though toying with the idea of driving the Mercedes away while father concluded his call.

"Glacier Towers is though sis," He said finally. Most of the time he acted like he didn't care but it was only then that Diana noticed it. It would break him as much as it would break the next guy to see his little sister heading off to a far away extremely dangerous place knowing fully well that he won't be there for her should anything go wrong. He didn't let any emotions show on his face but she knew him all too well. The very fact that he wasn't looking at her proved it.

"Don't worry, I'll pull through. It's my dream after all."

"Strangely, that's not what I'm scared of. I'm afraid you'll pull through a little too well."

"Hey! But...um...." She was cut short by his hand clamped over her mouth which he often did whenever he felt that she was about to say something irrelevant.

"Just, don't get too ahead of yourself."

She spat out his hand and gave him a pouting face.

"Don't try anything crazy." He continued.

"Like what?" Diana folded her hands feeling sure that she was loving this conversation more and more.

"Like sliding down staircases." He shot back though there was some humour in his eyes.

"Ah, I should have seen that one coming." She muttered tapping her chin.

He laughed and ruffled her hair. She proceeded to return the gesture but he slapped her hand down.

"Ahem, Merari." Their father had appeared.

"Righto." He replied. "you'll be good won't you?" He asked turning back to her. Then he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek and stepped out of the car without waiting for a reply.

Mr Keran opened his hand for the keys. Merari dropped them into his palm with a sheepish laugh.

"I suppose you wouldn't have minded if I drove would...."

Mr Keran cut him off with a dark look.

"Button up," He said entering the car and taking the wheels. "You're showing off too much chest."

Merari humphed and made to march away then doubled back his expression priceless.

"Aye! Oh no you don't!"

He reached into the back seat and pulled out a kicking Louisa from below the chair.

"It would have worked you old killjoy!" Eight years old Louisa yelled drilling her baby fists into his open chest. He carried her up apparently not feeling any pain.

Merari didn't dote on Louisiana half as much as he doted on Diana mostly because Louisa didn't need doting on. When Merari wasn't busy playing the bad cop and trying to restrain the most of her despicable little plans, he was usually the victim instead. Though he had assured Diana that she was as much of a trouble when she was younger.

"Now you bratty little villain, what were you up to this time?" Diana frowned narrowing her eyes.

"Forget it!" She said her little eyes glaring at Merari, managing to look fierce. "Another failed exploration just because you keep showing up!"

Merari whispered something into her ears looking in the process of bribing the little girl to be calm with ice-cream and chocolates. Then at that moment, their mother appeared at the doorway dusting her hands on her apron looking like she came out in a hurry.

"Now Diana, you didn't think that you would be having your send off without me did you?" She scowled her petite self moving towards the car.

Mr Keran sighed knowing fully well that they would not be going any time soon.

"You would make do to call when you arrive there yes?" She asked kissing her goodbye.

"Yes mother," Diana replied as her mother fussed over her and even threatened to march off to the school if she heard that the food was not good enough.

"Typical mom!" Both Diana, Merari and Louisa chorused shaking their heads.

"Yes, now you see that you'll behave and...." Mrs Keran proceeded to advice and threaten her at the same time until their father deciding they had heard enough and started the car. They drove through the bronze gate of the Keran mansion, her mother, brother and sister waving at her. Though Louisa seemed a little distracted, lips pursed, wondering how it would have felt if she was still in her hiding place under the chair in the car or perhaps if the boot would have made a better hiding place.

Diana never remembered the drive to Glacier Towers to be this long. But again, she had never been to Glacier Towers. They drove all the way to the outskirts of Axona, father didn't even stop for a picnic claiming they had to arrive before late afternoon. Diana had long gotten tired of texting her friends.

"Aren't we there yet?" She asked for the sixtieth time.

"Nay, but almost. I remember this path quite well." Her father replied stepping on the accelerator. It made Diana wish that they had taken the black Ferarri instead. Way faster!

"How many more miles?" She asked glumly.

"Oh come on! Look who's been overly excited about Glacier Towers. I suppose you thought we'd just poof our way there hey? Didn't count the driving part did ya? We'll be there soon. Not up to a mile from here." He reassured her. But Diana found it quite hard to believe since the road stretched on forever accopmained only by palm trees that flanked it on either sides. Not her favorite school terrain if you cared to ask. Plus in her opinion, it couldn't be considered as reassuring if he was equally being sarcastic. They drove on for another half a mile then her father took a sharp turn into a clearing at left. The palm trees formed a straight road which reminded her strangely of the red sea. Diana had a bad feeling about it, and not just because the palm trees could swallow their car at any moment.

"Dad," she began cautiously. "Why is this place devoid of people? Were the only ones on the road. Do you find that odd?"

Her father frowned a bit. "Well, not many people know of this side of Axona I guess. Glacier Towers isn't common knowledge. I just happen to know about it. Were in Desert Plains. Not everyone goes exploring miles into the outskirts of the kingdom."

Diana was not satisfied with that explanation for it sounded more like her father was trying to convince himself. Pure hypothesis.

"Desert Plains, Glacier Towers..." She mused. "I'm guessing the founder really has a sense of humour."

Her father chuckled. "You're left to see for yourself then."

Diana looked up and gasped. The trees thinned so that they had to walk forming a path like a red carpet, blocking out the sun and came to reveal a pair of solid golden gates. Through the gates, Diana spied two tower heads that stretched high into the sky like a mighty pair of stalagmites that looked just as wicked. Her father grinned. He didn't look surprised. He parked the mercerdes and pushed open the door.