Me and Berry both turned and stared at each other then Zoe.

“How can you not? Don’t you remember the time we played tag and I hid in the closet? Or when we had hot chocolate?”

“I-I don’t. The farthest back I can remember is when I was told about the magical world. I was astonished, much like you were Joe.” We laughed and a whiff of white escaped Berrys mouth. At first I thought that it was just her breath but it wasn’t cold and this was much whiter than the normal breathing color.

“Wait Berry, breath out again.” She gave me a questioning look but did as I asked. Another cloud of white came out of her mouth. I exchanged glances with Zoe. She looked as worried as I felt.

“Umm Berry? Do you have magic yet?” She hesitated for a moment then nodded.

“Just a few minutes ago when da- I mean Zenit was on the ground I wanted him to come with us and he lifted of the ground for a second.”

“Did you say anything to get him off the ground?” Zoe asked.

“Ya. I said come on get up. Then, he got up for a second.”

“Uhh Joe? I need to talk to you in private.”

We walked into a clump of trees and Zoe spoke uncertainly.

“I think she has the power to control the unconscious.”

Zoe whispered to me.

“It has happened before but it is very rare. I don’t want to scare her.”

I nodded and we rejoined Berry around the fire.

“Yes?” Berry asked expectantly.

“I- um, your power is very unique.”

“What is it!?”

“Now I don’t want to scare you…”

“No! I’m a big girl! I want to know!”

“Fine…” I relented.

“We think that you have the power to control the unconscious. That would be very useful if we knocked someone out and then you controlled them. Now be a big girl and go to bed nicely.” I tried to coax her into bed but she was having none of it.

After a bit more talk we all went to bed.

I was interrupted from my sleep when I heard footsteps and shouting. I got up quietly and cast an illusion over the camp. Peeking from the tent flap I saw people with tan skin and something red smeared all over them. They were holding old fashion spears and sling shots and shouting in an unfamiliar language. I cast an illusion over me and got out. I tiptoed to a tree and looked. They had tied up 2 unconscious people to sticks and were hauling them somewhere. I decided that I would watch them. I carved a piece of wood for Zoe to see when she woke up. Then I followed as stealthily as I could behind the red people as they walked out of the clearing. I followed them for quite a while until we reached another camp, except this was a huge camp, with many more red people talking and shouting. They had round huts that looked like igloos made of dirt, people moved in and out, but there were no children. I walked cautiously to a big hut and hid behind it. I let my illusion stop for a second and tried quietly to catch my breath. As I was resting, two people emerged from the hut, their whole body was painted red and they wore only leaves that worked like shorts. One of them had a cane and the other one was using crutches. I could tell that they were elderly and had health issues. The one with crutches was hobbling and dragging one leg behind him. Everyone fell silent as the two leaders or rulers walked to the center of the clearing. The one with a cane waved his hand and shouted

“Foada!”

A blazing fire Immediately lit itself and four longer men carried the now conscious people and put them on the fire as if they were roasting marshmallows. One of the people screamed as a lick of fire hit their arm. Everybody in the camp laughed.

The man with the crutches started singing in a low voice.

“Fu be jo fa gi! Fu be jo fa gi! More and more people started to join in until my ears were roaring. The man with the cane then jabbed his cane into the ground to the rhythm of the chant. After what felt like infinity, the people finally ended the chant by shouting

“hlaour!” The cane was then placed on the ground and we all watched intently as the cane wavered and slowly fell to the ground. The stick pointed at a small symbol on the ground.

“Oohohoho!” The people cheered and screamed. The people holding the stick for the person that wasn’t burnt already dipped him or her lower and lower into the fire. The person screamed and cussed in a language that I understood. As I was about to save the person with magic, the stick holding him or her broke, and him/her turned into a pile of burnt ashes. I could smell the burning flesh from a mile away. I couldn’t stand it anymore, with a wave of magic I freed the other person and carried us back to the camp.

We landed in the clearing with Zoe and Berry. They both had frantic looks on their faces.

“The Sko is gone!” Berry told me before seeing the man standing next to me.

“And- uh- who is this?”

She realized that he was hurt and rushed to help him.

“We need to leave.” I said. “NOW!”

Zoe went to pack up and Berry attended to the man's wound. A few minutes later, the Sko appeared, still dressed in the same clothes as last time.

“Where were you!?” Zoe demanded.

“I-um what do you mean? I just woke up and I was here.”

“Do you sleep walk?” The man interrupted us.

“Ohh, sorry i forgot to introduce myself. I am Charlie. The red heads have been terrorizing my community ever since the great Sko left us about one year ago.”

“The WHAT?!” All of us shouted at the same time.

“I am the Sko! I was working with…” the Sko trailed off.

The man turned around and studied the Sko.

“You really are the great Asj Sko! You really have returned! We need to go tell the community now! You can help us stop the red heads! You are magical!”

“Is this true?! Did you leave these people to work for THE EB?! How could you!/ How dare you!? They thought of you as their hero, their protector, and you just left them?!!!?” The Sko became redder and redder as more insults were thrown at him.

Zoe finally stopped and took a breath.

“I- look, this is why, I can explain. I was a child, I had to hide in a pitch black safe room for 18 years of my life. Once I was let out, they gave me a spear and tossed me into the bushes. I was expected to thrive for myself. I was taught nothing, not even how to speak. Then I realized that I had magic, I had powers, I was stronger than everyone else. Everybody loved me, cared for me, and I felt that I was a part of them. Until, Jance came along. He mocked me for not being able to speak until I was 23, he lied and told them that I was not magical, that I was lying about everything. That’s when the Eb came in, she promised me power, immortality, to destroy Jance and prove to everyone that I was the strongest and the most powerful. She promised me to teach me and make me better, stronger. But now that i am immortal, she encased me in a curse, i was bound to her, everything except my life force. I am how I am because of her. For years, I yearned to come back to my village and become Asj Sko again. I didn't care about Jance anymore. Let him be what he wanted. I tried everything to leave but each time the Eb just grabbed me back with a wave of her hand, until you came along. I am finally free of The Eb’s influence,I will help my community and become Asj Sko again! The rightful leader of the community! Let’s go!”

Berry finished bandaging Charlie's arms and I carried us by magic. The Sko, with Charlie's help directed me into a narrow tunnel and into a maze. We finally got to an opening and saw people, jammed into every nook and cranny. When they looked up and saw us, they had terrified faces. One of them noticed the Sko and screamed

“the Asj Sko is back!” Then fainted.

“What!” “How!” “Really?!” “He’s a traitor!”

The whole room erupted into sound.

“Silence!” The Sko shouted. Everyone fell quiet.