Salamanca: Magical Girls Chap. 1 Part 1

                                SALAMANCA: MAGICAL GIRLS

                                CHAPTER 1: THE MAGIC BEGINS
                                                PART 1

        "The gates of the Underworld are collapsing!"
        "The Sorceresses are needed!"
        "But when will they appear? The Guardian Spirits are being taken away!"
        "But not all of them, some have escaped!"
        "The Darkness is coming!"
        The sound of the ringing alarm clock woke fifteen-year old Kate Pearson and she jerked up in bed. She's hearing those weird voices again. Those voices that always appear everytime she sleeps. Where did those voices came from? It must just be a dream. But what does it mean? She doesn't know.
          "Kate! Are you awake?" she heard her mother ask from the kitchen. "Come down, honey, breakfast is ready!"
        "Coming, Mom!" Kate said back. Whatever those dreams are, they can wait. After all, it's first day of school. She's a 4th year high school student now! Thank goodness! Just one more year and she's off to college. It's not that she doesn't like school, it's just that high school let's you study something you really don't like. College is different, you can choose what you want to study. And for Kate, that's cooking.
          She likes to cook and bake. And she has the talent. Her mom, Mrs. Luisa Pearson always appreciate how well she cooks. Well, her mother is a cooking enthusiast, to start off. If she's not busy with her work at the office, she and Kate will have a mother-and-daughter bonding time in the kitchen. After all, she's the only daughter in the family.
          Kate's mind went back to reality. She has to move, or she'll be late for school, which usually happens because of her day dreaming tendencies. She caressed her long blonde hair and stood up from bed. She got her pink bath towel and went straight to the bathroom connected to her bedroom. She turned on the shower and took a nice bath.

            "Capture the Spirit! Do not let him get away!"
            A yellow ball of light flew away in a burning forest from the black horned demons who were chasing after him. The ball of light has a long tail and cat-like ears. It has green eyes, a pair of whiskers and a mouth. The ball of light is Wisp, the Guardian Spirit of Light.
            "This buffon won't give up easily now, would he?" Wisp thought, flying as fast and far away as possible from his pursuers. "But where would I go? If I go back to the fortress, the Servants of Darkness will know where the survivors and the other Spirits are hiding. There's only one choice - for me to go to the Human Realm where they cannot follow. Who knows? I might find one of the chosen ones and I can give her my power."
              Wisp's track of thought was disturbed by a flash of red beam flying in his left. It was followed by some more beams, trying to hit their target. Wisp knew it was coming from the demons, who were blasting those beams from the red crystals in their foreheads. He has to reach the Gate.
              The demons' commander, a big, muscled man wearing a silver plated armor and a horned helmet was riding on a green horse-like lizard with sharp fangs and two legs. The man had long black hair and a nasty smile, holding a large hammer with violet gems encrusted in it. He has a skeletal-designed horn on his belt.
              The man gave out a laugh. "HAHAHAHAHA! That Spirit won't last long with my army. If I capture that Spirit, I, Rasgul will surely be rewarded!"
                A smile lifted on his face. "And I can see it now, me sitting on a table adorned with gold and silver, feasting on platters and platters of tasty food. And ladies will be on my side, caressing me and feeding me like a child."
                When his imagination was over, he found out that the yellow Spirit was getting further away.
              "What are you demons doing?" he yelled with rage. "The Spirit is getting away! After it, don't let it escape!"
              "Just a little closer," Wisp said. He put all his effort to his flying.

              "Good morning!" Kate cheerfully greeted her family who were sitting and dining on the round dinner table. She was already on her uniform - a white blouse with a sky blue ribbon and skirt with the same color as her ribbon. She delicately sat on her place and started filling her plate with rice.
              "Good morning, too, Kate," her Mom greeted back. Mrs. Pearson sat beside her daughter, while Mr. Marcus Pearson was eating beside her wife. Both adults were on their office uniforms - the two work as accountants on the same firm. Beside Mr. Pearson were Daniel and Gabriel Pearson, his eighteen-year old twin sons. The two boys were looking at their little sister.
              Kate noticed her brothers' stare as she put an omelet in her plate, aside from the two hotdogs and a hill of rice. "What is it? Do I have something in my face? Or are you two up to something foolish again?" she asked them. Her brothers are well-known pranksters, and she's not very new to it.
              “Are you really gonna finish all that?” blue-eyed Daniel asked her sister. Both he and Gabriel have black hair, so the only thing that makes you identify them is the color of their eyes.
         Kate fixed her sky blue eyes on her plate. Yeah, it’s not the usual breakfast a girl her age would be having – a big hill of rice, an omelet, two hotdogs plus a mug of hot chocolate. “Don’t worry ,” she assured her brothers. “ I think I can finish this.”
         “In five minutes?” Gabriel said, his green eyes staring at her.
         “Five minutes?!” she repeated, looking at the clock. It was already 7:25, five minutes before school starts. “Oh no! I can’t believe I’m gonna be late again! And in the first day of school!”
         “Yeah, such a nice start for a year,” Daniel joked.
         “Daniel, stop that,” Mr. Pearson calmly said. “Don’t worry, Kate, I’ll ride you to-“
         Mr. Pearson’s jaws dropped when she saw his daughter eating her food as fast as a vacuum cleaner. His wife stared, too while Daniel and Gabriel were silently laughing.
         When she was finished, Kate kissed her stunned father and mother goodbye. Then, she zoomed out of the dining room and out of the house.
         “School?” Mr. Pearson continued, shocked. He looked at his wife. “Since when did our daughter learn to eat like a caveman?”
         Mrs. Pearson just shrugged. “Maybe it’s a new trend….”

         “Don’t tell me she’s late again,” Hillary Eigel said, sighing. She was talking about Kate, her best friend and the same time, classmate at the Paredian City High School. She’s also fifteen years old, has sky blue hair fashioned in a pony tail and green eyes. She looked at her watch again, shook in disbelief and looked at herself in the hand mirror she’s holding. “All this worrying is giving me wrinkles.”
         “I’ll be the judge of that,” a male voice said from behind her. She took a look and saw a green haired boy wearing a pair of eyeglasses under his sky blue eyes.
         “Oh, it’s you, Arvin,” she annoyingly said, recognizing the guy. “And what makes you say that?”
         “It’s be-cause I-I-I think you’re as won-der-ful as e-ver,” Arvin Thorn nervously said, blushing madly.
         “Oh really?” Hillary said, rolling her eyes. Arvin is one of those smarty pants in the school, the nerds, geeks and the like. And it’s pretty obvious that he likes her, but Arvin is way out of Hillary’s list. She tried to ignore, insult and did everything to drive him away, but he just keeps coming back like a cockroach. Kate always tell her to give him a chance, but boy, there’s no chance he’s gonna pass Hillary’s high standards.
         “Where’s Kate?” Arvin asked.
         “As you can see, she’s not here yet,” Hillary replied. “And I’m afraid she’s late again.”
         “You’re really concerned about her,” Arvin noticed.
         “Yes, ‘coz she’s my best friend,” Hillary narrated. “Kate’s the only one who understands me, and I’m the only one who knows exactly everything about her.”
         “Well, I understand you,” Arvin said.
         “Cut the crap, Arvin,” Hillary annoyingly told him. “Here, I know you want to carry my things for me.” She gave him her bag and books, and started to walk away. “Come on. Let’s hurry to the room.”
         The weight was obviously too much for Arvin. But he still managed to stand up. “Hillary, wait!”

         “Geez, why is this always happening to me?” Kate complained, as she ran down the street towards the gates of her school. When she got there, she paused for a while to catch her breath. She looked at the surroundings and noticed that neither students nor teachers were walking around the campus. “The classes must have started! If I hurry up and find my room, I might still be able to make it!”
         She ran towards the building where the lists of class assignments are listed. She ran straight through a pavement and took a turn to the east when she accidentally hit someone.
         “Ow!” Kate shrieked as she fell to her butt. “That hurt!”
         She looked at the person she bumped into, and found out that it was a boy. She can’t really recognize him because she can’t see his face clearly. But she can see that he had brown hair and wore the male uniform of her school – white polo and blue pants.
         The boy was also on the floor and holding his head. “Ouch,” he said. Then, he stood up and offered his hand to Kate. “Are you alright?”
         “I’m-“ Kate tried to say that she was just fine, when she saw his face. He had sparkling green eyes and a nice smile. Kate felt her heart beat fast and no words came from her mouth. She felt that her cheeks are turning red.
         “Uh, hello?” the boy said, wondering why Kate didn’t answer him.
         “Oh-uh I’m just fine…” Kate stammered as she held his hand and he pulled her up. Kate stood up and cleaned her skirt.
         “You know, you shouldn’t be running around, you might get hurt,” the guy told her. They were so close to each other that Kate noticed the guy was inches taller than she is.
         “I was in a hurry,” Kate explained. But she wondered why she was explaining to this stranger and why there’s nervousness in her voice.
         “I could tell,” he agreed. “Anyway, can you help me out a little? You’re a returning student here, right?”
         “Huh?” Kate wondered. Her heart’s beating hasn’t returned normal yet.
         “Actually, I’m a transfer student,” he explained. “I’m in Fourth Year Class A in Room J-04, but I don’t know exactly where it is. Can you help me find it?”
         “O-kay,” Kate said. She decided without thinking.
         “Great!” the guy exclaimed. “You don’t know how glad I am! Thanks…uh…. Oh yeah, we haven’t introduced ourselves yet. My name’s Mikel. Mikel Lerion. And you are?”
         “Kate. Kate Pearson,” Kate replied
         “Well, nice to meet you, Kate,” Mikel said, and offered a hand shake. Kate shook his hand, and felt her heart beating faster than ever. “So, what class are you in?”
         “Me?” Kate repeated. ""Oh no, I forgot that I was looking for the list", she thought. She took a look at the lists in the bulletin boards and located her name. "It seems I’m in Fourth Year Class A. Fourth Year Class A!" she thought.
         “Oh, I see,” Mikel suddenly said. “You haven’t found out where you’re assignment is, right Kate?” She nodded in embarrassment. “So where are you assigned?”
         Mikel took a look. “Wow,” he said. “What a coincidence! We’re in the same class. Actually, that’s a relief. At least there’s someone who I knew in my class. No, in the whole school, aside from Theo.”
         “Theo?” Kate asked. Who’s Theo?
         “He’s my cousin,” Mikel explained. “I’m not sure, but I think you know him Sort of.”
         Before Kate could ask what he meant, they were disturbed by another male voice. “Mikel!”
         The two took a look and found a tall guy with black hair and dark blue eyes coming towards them. Mikel recognized him. “Theo!”
         It took a split second for Kate to also recognize the young man. He was Theo Rustle, the popular singer and actor! So Mikel is Theo Rustle’s cousin. Imagine that!
         “I was worried,” Theo said. “I thought you didn’t find your room.”
         “Well, your thoughts are right,” Mikel confessed. “But don’t worry; Kate will help me find my room. No, our room.”
         “Kate?” Theo wondered. He noticed her. “So, you’re Kate? Thanks a lot for helping my cousin. We’re both transferees here.”
         “No, it’s all right uh-sir,” Kate stammered nervously. Meet two good-looking guys in one morning and you’ll feel just the same.
         “Oh, no, don’t call me that,” Theo said, smiling. “I maybe a superstar, but we’re still of the same age.”
         “I’m sorry,” Kate apologized, very embarrassed. “I just don’t know what to say.”
         “That’s okay, Kate,” Mikel assured her. “I sometimes get tongue-tied when I talk to this dashing debonair from the movies and television.”
         “Hahaha, very funny…” Theo sarcastically said. Mikel laughed, and Kate can’t help but laugh, too.
         Kate stopped laughing. “You know, Hillary would be thrilled if she knew you study here.”
         “Hillary?” Mikel and Theo chorused.
         “She’s my best friend,” Kate answered. “And she’s our classmate, too,” she told Mikel. “She’s really a big fan of yours, Theo.”
         “I don’t wanna break up this conversation,” Theo said. “But don’t you think you’re a bit late, Kate? I mean transferee students are allowed to be late in their first class, but what about you?”
         Kate returned to the reality. “Oh no, I’m so stupid, I completely forgot!” she said. “I was hurrying because I want to get to class in time. How could I forget that?”
         “I’m sorry, I got you into trouble,” Mikel apologized.
         “No, it wasn’t your fault,” Kate explained. “It’s my fault in the first place.”
         “I don’t think it’s the right time for you two to settle the blames,” Theo suggested.
         “He’s right,” Mikel said. “Let’s go, Kate.” He held Kate’s hand, while the girl’s cheeks turned as red as a tomato. “See you around, Theo.” And they started to run to find their classroom.

         "Well, she’s late", Hillary thought, as she sat on her desk inside the classroom. "But I didn’t imagine she’ll be this late". The seat beside her was vacant; she was reserving it for Kate, who is currently not yet around. "Maybe she got sick or something. She better have a good reason or she’ll get into trouble at the first day of the school year."
         Hillary’s questions were answered when a panting Kate arrived by the doorstep. But she wasn’t alone; she was with a good-looking guy whom she thinks is a transferee. She was not the only one who noticed her, though; all their classmates and their teacher were looking at them.
         “Ah, Mr. Mikel Lerion, I suppose?” their teacher, a thin female lady with eyeglasses who looked strict said to the boy. “I’m Miss Ella Cordent, your homeroom adviser. Welcome to Paredian City High School and welcome to Fourth Year Class A.”
         The teacher’s violet eyes fixed on Kate next. “Miss Katherine Pearson, I presume?”
         “Ye-es,” Kate replied, catching her breath.
         “It’s not such a good first impression knowing that you are late at the very first day of school,” Miss Cordent began to scold her.
         “I’m sor-“ Kate tried to apologize, but she was interrupted by Mikel.
         “No, Miss Cordent,” Mikel said. “It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t ask Kate for help, she would have arrive here in time. And I wouldn’t have found my way here.”
         All of the students were shocked, including the teacher. Hillary was, too. "Kate…" she thought. "When you’re in a hurry, not even a boulder can stop you from reaching your destination. But why did this guy make you stop from your tracks? And you even had the time to help him out." She saw Kate blush. A sudden thought made Hillary grin. "Kate, don’t tell me you’re…"
         “Is this true, Miss Pearson?” Miss Cordent asked her.
         “Uh…” Kate was reluctant to answer, but Mikel’s facial expressions told her not to say no. “Yes…”
         “Very well, I shall excuse you, for now,” Miss Cordent said. “Please find your seats.” Kate went straight to the seat beside Hillary, who was grinning. Mikel found a comfortable seat at the back.
         Kate was still blushing when Hillary asked her. “So, what’s the name of that guy again?”
         “Mikel. Mikel Lerion.” Kate replied, still blushing.
         “He’s cute, right?” Hillary playfully asked.
         “Yes,” Kate agreed. But then, she just realized what she said. “I mean no! I mean…what are you asking again?”
         Hillary’s face lit up. “You have crush on him, don’t you?”
         “What?” Kate exclaimed. “Of course not!”
         “Kate, Kate, Kate,” Hillary said. “You can’t hide anything from me. I’m your best friend. I know everything about you.”
         “Hillary!” Kate complained.
         “Hehehe, I was just joking, Kate!” Hillary said, giggling. “But if you do realize you feel something for Mr. New Student, just tell me and I’ll keep it a secret. I can even help you capture his heart, if you want.”
         “Like that’ll happen,” Kate replied, visibly annoyed.
         "I’m pretty sure it’ll happen very soon", Hillary thought.
         It was recess break. Kate, Hillary and Arvin stayed at the school cafeteria and the three of them shared a table. Kate was still angry with Hillary. As Hillary tried to apologize to Kate, Arvin was eating his sandwich.
         “Look, I’m sorry if I upset you,” Hillary explained. “I just want to know the truth, that’s all.”
         Arvin stopped munching his sandwich. “Huh? Why is Kate upset? And what’s the truth all about?”
         “Stay out of this,” Hillary told Arvin and he shut his mouth up. He just continued munching on his sandwich. “Come on, Kate, I’m sorry! We can’t continue like this!”
         Kate sighed. She also felt she was acting like a jerk anyway. “Don’t worry about it, Hillary,” Kate said. “I guess being late kind of affected my mood.”
         “I could tell,” Arvin quipped. “You two never argue at anything, not even once.”
         Kate knew that he was right. She knew Hillary since elementary and they were close friends ever since. Although Hillary could be mean or nasty at some times, she’s actually a very nice person inside and out. “I guess there could be an exception to that,” she quietly said.
         Hillary remembered something exciting. “Oh yeah, before I forgot,” she excitedly said. “I heard unbelievable news.”
         “Eh?” Kate wondered. Then, she remembered about Theo. “And oh, there’s something I wanna tell you that I’m sure you’ll be glad of.”
         “Really?” Hillary asked, her excitement immeasurable. She was about to narrate the news she heard when she froze in her seat.
         “Ah, Hillary? Are you okay?” Kate asked her friend, who looked like she saw a ghost or something.
         “So she must be Hillary,” a familiar voice from behind Kate said. Kate took a look and saw Mikel and Theo standing behind them. “Mikel! Theo!”
         “Can we share this table with you?” Mikel asked her.
         “Oh, sure…” Kate replied, blushing. The two boys sat with them – Mikel beside Kate and Theo beside Hillary. “Ah, Mikel and Theo, this is Arvin. Arvin, Mikel and Theo,” she introduced them to Arvin.
         “Nice to meet you,” Arvin cheerfully greeted them and shook their hands.
         Kate pointed to Hillary. “And this is-”
         “Hillary! Hillary Eigel!” Hillary shrieked as she took Theo’s arms and shook it. “I’m your biggest and most loyal fan, Mr. Theo Rustle!” She then hugged him.
         “O-kay…” Theo stammered, obviously uneasy.
         Kate shook her head in disbelief. When it’s about Theo Rustle, Hillary is like an addict. Like when she joined her to one of his concerts, she felt her ears are gonna pop by all the yelling and shrieking she’s doing. “Hillary! Please stop that!” Kate said. “All the people are looking at you…” As a matter of fact, all the girls’ eyes in the cafeteria were burning in anger.
         “I’m sorry about Hillary,” Kate told Mikel and Theo. “She always gets fussed up when she sees her favorite stars.”
         “I’m used to this,” Mikel said.
         “Well, I’m not!” Arvin angrily said, as he stood up from his seat and left the place in anger.
         “What’s up with him?” Hillary asked, still clutching Theo.
         “Do you even have to ask when the answer is right in front of you?” Kate annoyingly asked her. “I can’t believe you!”
         “Calm down, Kate,” Mikel told her. “Everybody can hear you.”
Kate’s face turned red in embarrassment. “I’m sorry,” Kate said. “I just couldn’t help myself.”
         Theo was able to free from Hillary’s clutches and changed his seat so he’s sitting beside Mikel. “Don’t worry, Kate,” he said. “I’m accustomed to all the hugging and publicity. But what’s wrong with Arvin?”
         “Well-” Kate started but Hillary interrupted her.
         “Ah, never mind him, he usually acts weird sometimes,” Hillary said.
         Their conversation was interrupted when a very pretty girl with long, flowing pink hair and sparkling light green eyes entered the cafeteria. Her hair was fashioned in a green ribbon. All the students, especially the boys looked at her with awe.
         “Who’s that girl?” Mikel asked. “I think I saw in her class.”
         “That’s Celine Michaels,” Kate replied. “And she’s our classmate. She comes from a rich family here in Paredian, and her parents own this school. She’s actually very nice when you get to meet her.”
         “But her sister Coleen is much more,” Hillary added. “That girl is perfect! Celine’s a little timid, unlike her sister. Too bad she graduated from high school three years ago, we could have been friends.” Kate just sighed at this predicament.
         With Celine was another girl with short orange hair and brown eyes. She walks and moves like a boy, but she seems to be Celine’s friend. When she entered the cafeteria, all the boys stopped staring at Celine.
         “And who’s that?” Theo asked. “I don’t think the guys have a very good impression of her.”
         “Oh, that,” Hillary said. “That’s Althea Navette, Celine’s bodyguard…”
         “Bodyguard?” Mikel repeated.
         “Don’t take that literally,” Kate explained. “Althea is Celine’s best friend, but their actually polar opposites. Althea’s athletic while Celine’s academic, that sort of things. And Althea doesn’t like men, and she always beat up Celine’s annoying suitors. So she’s like an older sister to her, although Althea’s a lot younger.”
         “That’s harsh,” Mikel said. ‘I don’t think you can court her, Theo. There’s a security dog on the guard.”
         “And I don’t have the intentions, Mikel,” Theo shot back.
         “Why not court me instead?” Hillary said dreamily. “I’m available and my best friend doesn’t bite.”
         “Hey!” Kate yelled, offended.
         “Thanks but no thanks,” Theo declined the offer, Then, his tone became serious. “Do you girls know Yvonne Yearn?”
         “Yvonne Yearn?” Kate said. “Yeah, I know her, of course. She’s my classmate, I mean my, Hillary’s and Mikel’s classmate. Why do you ask? You know her?”
         “Ah, sort of,” Theo replied, somewhat hiding something. “How is she?”
         “As cold and as silent as ever,” Hillary answered.
         “But she’s not that bad,” Kate added. “She’s just a loner, that’s why you can’t see her very often. But I talked to her more than once, and she seems nice.” She thought deeply. “Actually there were rumors that Yvonne wasn’t really like that before, they said she was so sweet and kind, until something happened.”
         “What exactly happened?” Mikel asked.
         “I don’t know, nobody knows,” Kate confessed.
         “But it’s just a rumor,” Hillary dismissively said. “Besides, I can’t even imagine Yvonne being nice and sweet. Or even cuddling with a boy.”
         Theo’s mood suddenly changed. “I’m going back to my room,” he said and left. The three looked at him go.
         “Do you know about Yvonne?” Kate asked Mikel.
         “No, not even a clue,” Mikel replied. “I never heard of her before. There are always some things my cousin doesn’t want to talk about.” Even so, Kate thinks there’s more to this than meets the eye.
         “Your cousin?” Hillary asked. “Theo is your cousin?”
         “That was what I want to say to you, Hillary,” Kate said. “Now, you already know about it.”
         “You two were talking about us?’ Mikel asked.
         Kate turned red in embarrassment, again. Hillary noticed it. “Kate was just telling me what happened earlier between the two of you,” she explained.
         Kate turned redder than ever. She knew Hillary has no intention of giving the idea that there’s something between them, but she can’t help being embarrassed.
         Apparently, Mikel noticed it, too. “Kate, your face is red,” he noticed. “Are you okay? Do you have a fever?”
         Kate couldn’t answer. Hillary came to the rescue. “Sorry, Mikel,” she said. “Kate and I have to talk to someone right now; we’ll see you in the classroom.” She pulled Kate away.
         “Okay,” Mikel said. “But maybe you should bring Kate to the nurse first.”
         “Oh, that won’t be necessary,” Hillary replied. “I know just the cure for this ‘illness’.”

         Wisp flew towards a giant mirror at the center of a bunch of ruins formerly known as the Gateways. It is his only chance of escape, and it will lead him to the Human World where he can hide from his pursuers. Rasgul, riding on his lizard beast, and his army of demons were gaining on him.
         Wisp felt his energy draining. “I cannot keep up in this pace,” Wisp said. “But I cannot lose hope! I must find a way to escape!”
         “After the Spirit!” Rasgul yelled from behind. “He is weakening! It won’t be long before he falls down.”
         “Not if I can help it,” Wisp said. “Just a little closer,” he encouraged himself. When he was near, he noticed several demons guarding the Gateways. “Oh, great! More of those damn creatures.”
         The demons that were guarding the Gateways noticed him coming and got ready to attack him. “It appears I have no choice,” Wisp said. “But to do this!”
         Yellow energy came out from Wisp’s body, and he turned into a golden lion with a silver mask. He charged towards the demons, tackled those who were blocking in his way and plummeted them to the sky. Some of the demons started firing their beams on him, but Wisp evaded the projectiles. He took a deep breath through his mouth, and released a stunning yellow beam that turned the demons into shreds.
         While he was attacking the demon guards, Rasgul and his army came a lot closer. Rasgul commanded his horse-lizard, and it shot a beam of lightning from its mouth. Wisp, busy fighting his way through, didn’t notice this threat and got hit. The impact turned him back to his smaller form and he fell to the ground.
         “Surround him!” Rasgul commanded the demons, and they all surrounded the poor Spirit. Wisp weakly looked at his captors, and Rasgul sneered at him. “HAHAHA,” he laughed. “Do you really think you can outsmart us, huh, little Spirit?”
         “Actually…” Wisp replied. “I think I can!” He made his body shine the brightest light he could, and blinded all of Rasgul and his comrades.
         When Rasgul returned to his senses, Wisp managed to crawl to the mirror and jumped inside it.
         Rasgul was furious. One of the demons asked him, “Lord Rasgul, what should we do? Lord Autipur will be disappointed if he knows of this.”
         “We’ll traverse to the Human World!” Rasgul decided. “We must capture the Guardian Spirit at all costs.”
         “But Lord Rasgul,” said another demon. “Lord Autipur strictly prohibited us from traversing the Human World!”
         “I DO NOT CARE!” Rasgul yelled angrily. “Those stupid humans do not know anything anyway. Annihilating them is like picking an apple from a short tree, that’s why Lord Autipur did not waste his time conquering their lands. But now that one of the Spirits has traversed there, we have no choice but to follow it. But do not worry; we won’t create any disturbances as long as it is not necessary. Make haste! We shall leave immediately.”

         “Bye Kate! Bye Hillary!” Mikel waved goodbye as he and his cousin rode Theo’s black limousine.
         “Bye Mikel! Bye Theo! See you tomorrow!” Hillary cheerfully waved them goodbye as Kate tried hard to smile, despite the severe and endless beating of her heart. They were at the sidewalk beside their school gate.
         When the car disappeared from sight, Hillary gave a big smile. “This is jackpot! Kate, if we helped one another, we can surely capture their hearts!”
         “Wha-what are you talking about?” Kate asked her innocently.
         Hillary gave a sigh. “You still won’t give in to your feelings, will you?”
         “There’s nothing to give in to,” Kate denied.
         “Girl, you’re just going to get sick if you continue to act like this,” Hillary told her. “I’m your best friend, I’m so so so concerned about you, and I just want to help.” Her eyes sparkled and her voice dreamy as she said this, “Love is such a wonderful thing. It eases the heart, make you feel like you’re in heaven and you don’t have to hear what your brain has to say.”
         “And I don’t wanna hear what your brain has to say,” Kate said annoyingly. “I’m leaving!” She stormed out of the sidewalk and into the other end of the road.
         “Call me if you change your mind!” Hillary called out.
         “Like it’s gonna,” Kate mumbled as she angrily stomped away. But then, what if she’s right? Her hearts is beating faster than normal everyday, and it beats even faster when Mikel is around. And she always feels her cheeks go red every time he talks about her. Maybe she’s….
         “No, no, no,” Kate said to herself. “This is nothing. Tomorrow, it’s gonna be gone. The end.” Well, she wished it was that simple.
         Kate passed through an empty grassy lot when something caught her eye. Something yellow. Something orange. No, wait. A combination of both! She can’t help but took a look, and she found a yellow-and-orange cat lying on the grass, hurt and breathing.
         Kate love cats. “Oh, you poor thing!” Kate said, as she picked up the poor cat. “What happened to you?”
         Kate made up her mind. “Don’t worry,” she told the cat. “I’ll bring you home. And you’ll be as good as new.” Kate carried the cat and hurried home.
         Minutes after she was gone, a red portal appeared on the exact spot and Rasgul, his horse-lizard and his army of demons appeared. Rasgul sniffed the air.
         “The Spirit was here,” Rasgul said. “Find it. Don’t do anything that will make humans think suspiciously of you. Remember that the Guardian Spirits must assume the forms of beasts to dwell here in the Human World.”
         He took his hammer and said an incomprehensible spell. The spell turned him and his comrades into ordinary-looking human beings. His lizard-horse turned into a small lizard. “Now, go!”

         Luckily, no one was home when Kate arrived at her house. If somebody was there, they would complain of her about bringing another cat. Kate put the sick cat on her bed and flicked open the desk lamp. She went downstairs to get her cat medicine box and supplies. While she was gone, the light from the lamp was mysteriously absorbed by the cat’ body until it turned off. Magically, the cat’s wounds and bruises healed on its own. The cat opened its eyes and spoke, “Where am I?”
         It stood on its paws when Kate entered the room bringing a lot of things. She dropped all of those when she saw that the cat was okay.
         “Kitty, are you fine now?” Kate asked the cat. “You were hurt when I brought you here but it looks like I was imagining it or something.” She took a bowl of water and gave it to the cat. “Here, have some water.”
         “Why, thank you!”
         Kate stopped. She thought she heard something. But then, she just shrugged and continued talking to the cat. “Well, are you okay now? Let me check,” she told the cat and she tried to hold it.
         “Thank you for your concern, but I don’t need any checking anymore,” the cat said.
         Kate rubbed her eyes, thinking she’s just imagining it.
         But the cat spoke again. And this time, she could see its mouth move. “I’m not familiar with this place. Can you tell where we are now?”
         “O-kay,” Kate said to herself, calming herself. “This is just a dream, and any minute now, I’m gonna wake up. Don’t panic, just go with the flow. The cat asked where we are right now and we’re in my bedroom in my house in Paredian City.”
         The cat looked puzzled. “I never knew human beings talk like that.”
         “And I don’t even know a cat could talk!” Kate said. “Not in reality though. I’m dreaming as of now.”
         “Dreaming?” the cat repeated. “Oh no, you’re not dreaming. Well, I’m certain I’m not dreaming; I can’t sleep. We Spirits don’t need it.”
         “Spirits?” Kate asked. If this is a dream, she better make the most of it.
         “Guardian Spirits, to be precise,” the cat answered. “I look like a...what did you say I am? A cat? Yes, I look like a cat but I’m actually an entity made of magic energy from one certain element.”
         Okay, this dream is getting weird, Kate thought. Why isn’t she waking up yet?
         “My name is Wisp, Guardian Spirit of Light and worshipped by the City of Illuminos,” the cat introduced himself. “I came from the distant Magic Realm, I traversed to your world to escape from the demons and seek aid. Do you have any sorcerers here?”
         “Wait, you came from another world?” Kate asked.
         “Yes,” Wisp said. “A dimension to be precise. Our world is divided into three unique dimensions: the Magic Realm, the Human World and the Demon World or the Underworld. Centuries ago, these three dimensions are united and all of the beings lived in prosperity and peace. But all of this was shattered when an ominous warlock, Eldegus harnessed the power of the demons and used it to control the entire demonic race. He wished to control the entire world, but the sorcerers and the human beings were able to stop him and sealed him on a mirror in the depths of the Underworld.
         “But the demons are tainted by the warlock’s magic. They turned against the sorcerers and humans and made war with them. To bring peace back to the world, the ten strongest sorcerers in the land, whom we call the Archmages, and with the help of us, the ten Guardian Spirits used a powerful spell to divide the three worlds. The only way to traverse from dimension to dimension is through the use of the Gateways, which are located on each of the dimensions. The Gateways are programmed to halt any intruder from traversing the dimensions, whether he may be a human, a demon or even a sorcerer.
         “But the Gateways were destroyed. Somebody had enough power to manipulate the Gateways’ mind, and because of this, harnessed the power to send anybody to any dimension, anytime. He sent demons in the Magic Realm, and he invaded each of the cities and kingdoms and captured the Guardian Spirits. I was lucky to be able to escape.”
         “That’s horrible!” Kate reacted. Although none of this true, because this is just a dream that she'll soon be waking up from.
         “My presumption is that they are trying to break the spell that divides the three dimensions,” Wisp continued. “Nobody knows what the counter-spell is, though, not even the Guardian Spirits. I can’t even help the people who cared and worshipped me, the people of Illuminos.” He sounds sad.
         “Don’t worry,” Kate told the cat, eh, Spirit. “Maybe there’s a solution to this problem.” She didn’t know why she was saying this.
         “Probably,” Wisp said. “Probably the Prophecies are true.”
         “Prophecies?” Kate asked. She knew about prophecies of course. They’re predictions about the future.
         “Yes, the prophecies about the-”
         DING DONG!          
                The door bell rang. Kate shook in disbelief. “Was that the door bell?”
         DING DONG! “What is this ‘door bell’?” Wisp asked.
         “Oh no!” Kate said. She remembered that electronic things can’t be used in dreams. Well, according to a book, which she forgot the name. But still, it’s been about ten minutes, and she’s not waking up yet. She's in panic. “Don’t tell me I’m not dreaming! Don’t tell me that this is true, that everything you said is true.” DING DONG!
         Wisp sighed. “Sorry to disappoint you, but everything I said to you IS true. Although it’s hard to believe for a human like you, but the Magic Realm, sorcerers, Spirits and even demons are true. You are not dreaming.”
         DING DONG! “Just a minute!” Kate yelled. She looked at the cat’s eyes and saw that he was serious. She just sighed. “This is not a good day! Actually, it’s not a normal day at all!”
         DING DONG! “Wisp, stay here,” Kate told the cat. “I’m just gonna go downstairs and find out who it is.”
         Kate went downstairs and opened the door. A big muscled man in blue shirt and white pants appear before him. He was holding a lizard. She didn’t recognize him.
         “How can I help you?” Kate asked. Surprisingly, the guy just barged inside and started sniffing in the air. “Hey! This is private property! You’re trespassing!”
         The man glared at her. Kate froze in terror; the man had an evil and deadly glare, like one you can see on hired killers and murderers. And Kate sure wished that he isn’t any of those.
         “‘Trespassing’?” the man said, he has a deep and terrifying voice. “I do not know what ‘trespassing’ means.”
         'Strange,' Kate thought. 'This man talked the same way as Wisp. Didn’t Wisp tell her that he was escaping? Don’t tell me this guy is one of his pursuers. Then he must be a demon! Great, just great!'
         “I do not know what you are thinking,” the man said. “But I believe you know something about my ‘true self’.”
         That’s it! He is a demon!
         “But let my friend take care of you,” the man said as he put his lizard down. To Kate’s astonishment, the lizard grew as large as a horse and stood on its hind legs. It has sharp fangs and a cold glare. It looked like a raptor from Jurassic Park!
         “Uh-oh,” Kate said, stepping back. The reptile gave out a loud screech. If this is a dream, this is the best time to wake up. Well, if. She wanted to scream, but her voice won’t come out. Is this the end for her?

                                                    * * *
                                        End of Chapter 1 Part 1

Up Next:          
Salamanca: Magical Girls          Chapter 1: The Magic Begins Part 2

Can Kate survive in this danger? Find out in Part 2!