The Adventure Begins 

Maria was confused. First, Leaf said he knew what was going on. Then he said he didn’t know. “Do you know or not, Leaf?” Maria asked, exasperated.”Uhh, let me ask my friends. He turned to a girl in a blue shirt. They conversed for a while, then Leaf turned to her again, and said, “Yeah, I was right. The war is between the Vala and the fairies.” “Okay, then, what are they fighting for?” Maria asked, curious. “ They are fighting for power over the Wastelands.” Leaf replied. “ The Wastelands are an untouched place in this world. They are wild, and no one rules it. I

don’t know what started this quarrel over it, but I want to stop it.” Leaf confidently said. “I think I know where to go and who to help us. Follow me!”

Watercolor texture 2

	Leaf led the group into a clearing. He looked around for something. “Where is it?” He muttered, searching the ground.”Yes! Found it!” Everyone leaned in, intrigued. Leaf stood up, and put his hand on the tree trunk. A beam of light sprouted out of it, and everyone shielded their eyes, and when Maria looked at it,  it looked like an elevator.”Step in.” Everyone heeded him and stepped in. 

	While Maria marveled at the amazing sight, Nila ran to the stream, Leaf called out to Gale when she tried to try on put-on-wings, Onyx walked over to a gem room, and Smoke and Mist ran to the fire pit. “Help!” Onyx shrilled. “I’m being attacked!” Maria ran to the gem room and arrived just in time to see Onyx, flailing, being dragged off by a shadowy figure into a corner, and then disappear. Maria standed there, stunned. “Uhh, guys? I think we have a problem.

One Saturday morning, Amelia Laila Houston ran into her sister's, Maria Halle Houston, room and pounced on her. “ Get up! Get up! Get up!” Amelia hollered.“  We are going to Grandma’s house today! Get up!” “Okay, okay, I’ll get up.” Maria said wearily.”  What time is it? ” Maria looked over at the clock. It said 6:30. “Why did you have to wake me up so early?” Maria asked, annoyed. “I didn’t want to miss it. You are lucky I woke you up when I did. I woke up at 4:15.” Amelia responded. Maria groaned. “Ugh.”

When she woke up, she looked around. She was in a forest with the backpacks next to her. There was a sign that said, ”Foresa this way”, pointing forward to a trail. She decided to follow the trail to the supposed village. She got up, grabbed the packs, and started walking the trail. A while later, she came across a group of people chopping wood. She walked around until she found a young boy about her age. “Excuse me, can you help me? My name is Maria, and I am looking for an earth fairy, a water fairy, a fire fairy, an air fairy, and dark and lost fairies.” “My name is Leaf. I’m an Earth fairy, and I am friends with at least one of each fairy. Well, not any Star fairies, but I want to!”

“Well, now you have! “ Maria showed him her bracelet. “ Wait. You’re a Star fairy?!” Leaf exclaimed. “ That’s awesome! Wanna be friends? My friends and I can come with you on your trip. What’s the trip about, anyway?” Leaf blurted. “Well, I think it’s to destroy something called the Vala, but I don’t really know what they are.” Maria responded. “The Vala!” Leaf yelled. “Those are the most dangerous things on this planet! And you are going out there in the midst of war to stop them?“ “Well, not- Wait a second. The midst of WAR? Why did no one tell me that there was a war going on here?” Maria stormed. “I think that is important for someone to know. Wait a second, who is the war between, Leaf? “ Leaf blushed. “ Well, I don’t really know, but I think it is between the Vala and the fairies.“

Amber Yankura was 10 years old and in 5th grade when she wrote this book. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and loves mythology, mythical creatures, and wolves. Her favorite character in this book is Xila. She has a 6 year old brother, who was in 1st grade when she wrote this book. She hopes to become an author. 

Look out for the next book in this series!

”Stay still, you little wart!” Xila ordered. “What’s your name?” “Onyx.” The kidnapped fairy peeped. Xila smiled to herself. She had captured one of the fairies! She took off her cloak.

At the Vala Fortress, Princess Xila was running to her mother, Queen Era, to answer her. “ General Alix is unable to organize the troops to look for the children, my queen, for he is at the west tower. I can get him, though.” Xila offered. “Yeah, yeah, sure. Go get him.” Era said, only half listening. “As long as you can get him to get the children while the war is going on, I’m fine with it.” Xila rushed to her room, slammed the doors open, then slammed them shut again. She ran to her mirror, got her stolen suit of armor, and stood before four tunnels, each labeled for a tower. She pulled the mirror back into place, and slid down the one labeled WestTower“. She popped out in the West Tower and grabbed a nearby helmet to cover her head.” If anyone finds out I’m doing this, I could be banned from the Vala Kingdom altogether!” she realized.

Xila, now undercover as Alix, burst into the throne room of the castle. “Yes, my queen? Xila said you wanted me to do something?” Xila, disguised as Alix, for he didn’t exist, asked. “Yes, Alix. I want you to track down the children and bring them to me. Do you think you are capable enough for the job?” Alix thought about it. He kinda didn’t want to do it, but, not wanting to appear soft-hearted or cowardly, said yes. Alix immediately regretted saying that, but it was too late to change his answer. With a heavy heart, he led his troops into battle, with the enemy no idea it would happen.

	Alix didn’t want to go after the kids, but the queen ordered him to do it. Of course, she didn’t know that Alix was actually Xila, but, then again, no one knew. Alix knew that the most likely place they would be was the Central Castle, so that’s where he led them. About a half hour later, he called break and went ‘looking for wood for a fire’. Once away from the camp, Alix took off the helmet and took a deep breath. Xila looked around, afraid someone was watching her. She ran to a nearby farm and stole a horse from it. On horseback, she rode to the village of    

	Foresa, and asked for Leaf. An elderly woman told her that he ran to a secret coven in the woods with 7 other young fairies. “ I need to get to them!” Xila exclaimed.

Half an hour later, they were at Grandma’s house. ”Hi, Grandma. Where’s your necklace?” Maria asked. ”Umm…it’s inside?” Grandma responded. Later that night, Maria was woken up and led to Grandma’s closet. ”Go inside the tube.” said the figure. Maria heeded the figure’s directions. At the end was a large white laboratory. “Go inside the fairy booth.” said the figure, who was taking off his hood. Maria watched the figure. It was Grandma! Maria stepped inside the booth. A transformation took place. Stars swirled around her, from head to toe. When she stepped out, she was glowing. She noticed a new bracelet with a star emblem on her wrist. “What does this mean, Grandma?” Maria asked. Maria showed her the bracelet.

Grandma looked worried once she saw it. “What is wrong, Grandma?” Maria asked. “Nothing.” Grandma said immediately. “I’m fine.” Then she thrust 8 backpack looking things into Maria’s hands. ”Your mission is to find and annihilate all Vala. You will meet fairies there. Give one to each. Goodbye.” She pointed a device at Maria, pushed a button, and everything went black.

Name

Safari may block some audio or video from playing automatically and ‘read to me’ will skip these. You can configure this in Safari’s preferences.