The Forbidden by Caleb Baker (motivational books for students .TXT) 📖

side? What were his motives?    

The Elf kept walking. Now he wasn't even trying to keep a close distance to Alexandria. It was like his guard was down. 

"He probably just wants to keep an eye on you," he said airily, "we wouldn't want another Lucio situation."

"You seem to know a lot about me," Alexandria began, "and I know nothing of you."

"What do you want to know? I bear no secrets."

"What's your name?" she asked first.

It seemed like a simple answer at first, but when he didn't answer it made her ask again. 

"I said, what's your--"

"I heard what you said."

That was the second time he had cut her off. She made a silent agreement that her next question were to ask where his manners were. 

"I was given the name Telopath when I entered the King's Guard," he said slowly, "it was easier than having to read my markings to just call me what I am. But, my real name is Simon."

So, Simon the Elven Knight. It made sense that he was in the Guard, given the way he was dressed. 

"So if you were supposed to be one of the King's protectors then you didn't really do a great job," Alexandria poked. 

Simon spun around so fast she barely had time to react. But when he faced her he seemed calm. 

"I don't want to talk about that," he said placidly. 

He continued walking until they were out of the alleyway and onto another deserted street. The archaic look and feel of her surroundings made her think of home. She lived in the Western District of the Kingdom, which was where most of the Forbidden people came from. A large corner of the country was dominated by her people and it was made up mostly of the Western District. It was also the most technologically advanced section of the entire Kingdom. They had Phase Sectors, which were platforms where people could phase to and from different parts of the country, along with countless other things.     

One more question was burning in Alexandria. She had to ask. She didn't care if Simon was annoyed with her or not. 

"Where are we going?" she asked curtly. 

"We here." 

He had stopped abruptly at a doorway closed off with a single maroon sheet. It was waving in the rain, revealing only parts of the room beyond it. 

"After you," Simon said ominously.

Chapter III: Gabriel and Awen

"We can't make that sacrifice! Their army would be on us too fast, we can't fight that fight!" this new voice sounded powerful. 

Alexandria had just walked in through the threshold of the tiny home. It looked cozy and inviting with its low lit candles and smartly crafted pieces of furniture. The low ceilings were not suited for Alexandria. She stood six feet tall precisely, and among her people she was very tall for a woman. She was even taller than Simon, granted, it was only by a few inches.     

Voices were coming from behind another curtained doorway. She could only make out one familiar voice, and it was Gabriel's. The tone of his voice was the same from that day at the execution, low and serious. 

"I'm saying we go in with a plan!" 

She didn't recognize this voice. It was a little higher pitched, but definitely a man's.     

Simon brushed shoulders with Alexandria as he moved ahead of her. He was making his way through the next curtain, shaking the hair out of eyes as he did. Alexandria followed him. She needed to talk with Gabriel, she needed to understand why he saved her.     

The veil was swiped back by Alexandria, partly to eliminate suspense. Gabriel stood hunched over a table that was draped in a very old looking map. He looked rugged, like the past week had aged him. He had long very curly, jet black hair that reached his shoulders. His scraggly beard matched it almost perfectly. His eyes, hidden behind his hair, were the color of a rain storm, being gray with specs of blue. The long scar ran jagged from his brow to his neck.     

There was another man in the room, next to Gabriel. He too stood over the map, with his face covered by his  long curly, dark blue hair that wasn't quite the length of Gabriel's, reaching only his collar. However, Alexandria wasn't really preoccupied by him, and he wasn't with her. He hadn't even looked up or acknowledged when she and Simon entered the room. She was busy eyeing Gabriel.     

A hearth behind him was ablaze with a bright and fierce fire, giving him a marvelous glow. He wore a tattered and frayed black cloak, that wrapped around him lazily. A gorgeous sword hilt was jutting out from his leather belt. His boots looked Elven made, probably enchanted to muffle the sounds of his walking, or hiding.     

"Ah," Gabriel mumbled slowly, "it seems our most prestigious guest has arrived."

Simon sat down in a chair next to the table, his expression loosened drastically from before. The man next to Gabriel finally looked up. A smile straightened on his face when his eyes crossed hers. This man had brilliant features. A clean shaven face, with beautiful blue eyes that glinted kindly in the light. And, underneath those eyes were blue markings. The symbol of a Aquæst. A person who can manipulate the sea and all forms of water. 

"And where is it that I exactly am?" Alexandria said smartly. 

Gabriel looked at the man next to him, as if expecting him to talk. 

"My home," the Aquæst said, "at least for the time being." "

And who are you?" she asked quickly. 

"I am Awen, the Blue Knight of Grandua."

"Grandua, why are you here?"

"This is a war," Gabriel said flatly, "we're going to need all the help we can get." 

Alexandria moved further into the room. She put her hands on the table and stared at the map. Army and cavalry figurines stood proud defending capitols, and Kingdoms. The Kingdom of Grandua was at the moment protecting Almaria. 

"But . . . This is a fight for the Forbidden," she said. 

"Yes, but Almaria is not the only country with people of the Forbidden Kind," Gabriel countered. 

Alexandria gawked at him. She was bewildered that he would even suggest she didn't know where her own people come from. She had taken many history lessons from her advisors when she was just five years old. 

"I know that," she said extremely annoyed, "I meant, it's a fight between the Forbidden of this country and your father."

Gabriel advanced on her, but not in a threatening way. She felt secure from where she stood, so she didn't back away. 

"It's like he said," Simon interrupted, "this is a war. Duran is going after all of us."

He meant all of the Forbidden. This was news to her. She hadn't looked at everything from a real perspective. To be honest, she hadn't had time, with everything that had happened to her. Up until now, she had just been trying to stay alive. 

"Look," Gabriel began, after seeing the look on Alexandria's face, "Duran, my father, is out to kill all of your Kind. And right now, he has all the power to do so. Almaria has the strongest army in the Western Hemisphere. And after he takes over Grandua and Malikar he will have the most powerful army in all of the world."

Alexandria went silent. If it was possible, she was more silent than before. Her eyes were darting all around the room, trying to find something to just stare at and think about. But, her thoughts kept going back to one fleeting thought; her people were at risk. Her people from all around the world, in every Kingdom, country, domain and region. She was the Princess of her Kind, and she was standing in darkened room, still scared for her life. She wasn't scared of fighting, but she was scared to lose her life. 

"They say you're a Flamest," Awen called to her, "do you mind if we see it?"

Alexandria's head perked up. So now she had to amuse them. Now she had to put on a show for these people. 

"No," she said defiantly, but not looking at anyone, "I won't do it."

Awen cracked a smile. From the corner of her eye she could see Simon wearing a smile too. 

"She can't control it," he said.     

Gabriel moved back to the hearth. He looked deep into it, then turned to look at Alexandria. 

"A Flamest can generate fire from just the air, correct?" he asked. 

She nodded her head yes. 

"But their power is strongest when they manipulate it from a source."

She nodded again. 

"Can you please show us," he said, now moving away from the fire.     

Alexandria took a step forward and readied her hands. She had only begun practicing controlling her Magick a year ago. Before that she had been taking regular fighting classes in the arts if warriors and other ancient styles. She hadn't had enough time to develop her skills in the art of Forbidden. However, now she felt as if in order to move forward she must present herself as she was.     

So, with a swishing motion of her hands she took a piece of the fire from the hearth and began toying with it. It felt warm in her hands, but not hot or scolding like it would in any other person's hands. The piece began to flicker as she waved it around. 

"I can't hold it very long," she said, as the brilliant light faded away. 

"It's your Magick," Awen stated. 

"You don't have enough. It's like stamina, the more you have, the longer duration of power you have," Simon said. 

"And don't worry, Alexandria," said Gabriel, "I know just the person who can teach you."

"Who?" Alexandria asked skeptically. 

"General Ilan Quest."

"General Quest of the Almarian army?" Alexandria couldn't believe it. 

"Yes, that's the one."

"Why would she teach me? She's with Duran."

"Let's just say General Quest and I know each other very well."

The North District

The rain hadn't let up at all since the discussion in Awen's home. A full hour had passed and yet the downpour become stronger. Alexandria was walking behind Gabriel, while Simon and Awen walked in her wake. Every now and then lightning would pierce the sky and send a streak through the dismal clouds. Thunder would crash down upon them, breaking sound barriers and making Alexandria jump a little.      Questions still burned inside her. Like, where were they going? and, was she safe?

"How do I know I