I

A FOREST IN ORIA 

A delicate mixture of white and emerald, the morning mist clung to the ancient limbs of the trees before dissolving in the warmth of the rising sun. A deep sense of tranquility permeated the forest as birdsong echoed through the canopy. In a small clearing, a white rabbit hopped through the dew-soaked grass, its nose twitching as it sniffed for tender shoots. Suddenly, its long ears swiveled. It froze, its body rigid, its dark eyes wide and attentive.

The birdsong had ceased.

An unnerving silence descended upon the woodland, thick and heavy. Moments later, a low, rising drone began to penetrate the quiet. The rabbit trembled, its gaze lifting toward the sky as a swirling vortex of gray cloud materialized against the clear blue. It bolted for the cover of the trees, vanishing just as a brilliant beam of light erupted from the heart of the vortex. The beam struck the lush forest floor with a deafening boom, a sound punctuated by the faint, terrified gasps of a human voice.

The light flared red, then violet, before vanishing as quickly as it had appeared. In its wake, it left two young women, identical in appearance but starkly different in dress, both lying unconscious on the ground. Their pale blonde, shoulder-length hair was styled in matching ponytails, secured with clasps of gold and silver.

One of them clutched a golden amulet, fashioned in the shape of a warped triangle with a crimson orb set in its center. Seven symbols, each glowing with a faint, muted light, encircled the sphere, while pearly white wings extended from its sides. This woman was dressed in a red bodysuit with intricate lace sleeves and leggings that formed a strip down her long legs. A sleeveless, deep purple-blue jacket was draped over her shoulders, fastened with a silver clasp. She wore matching silver-trimmed, mid-calf boots. She lay beside her twin in a tight, fetal position.

The second woman, empty-handed, wore a red halter-top bodysuit that flared into a pleated skirt at her hips. The fabric tied behind her neck, the halter itself secured over her breast with a silver ring. A light-brown, silver-buckled belt hung loosely on her hips, and just above the skirt, the striped waistband of dark purple-blue hipster boxers was visible. Her boots were identical to her sister's, accented with silver spurs at the ankles.

For several minutes, neither of them moved. The sky above was once again a serene blue, and a few courageous birds resumed their song. Whatever had brought them here was nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly, the woman with the amulet sat bolt upright, her green eyes wide with alarm. Her body trembled as she gasped for air, her gaze darting around frantically for anything familiar. Her gold hoop earrings glinted in the sunlight as she scanned her surroundings. What happened? Where am I?

A burning ache pulsed through her mind. Her hands flew to her head, and she let out a cry, jamming the amulet she still clutched against her temple as if to stop the pain. She cried out again, this time in frustration, and glared at the object in her hand, the new source of her agony. Holding it up, she noticed the amulet's core sphere was glimmering brightly, seeming to glow from within. A terrible flash of memory seared through her. That's right, she thought. It all started with this amulet. I was on my way to school, and I saw it in the grass. After I picked it up, then—

A noise from the tree line shattered her thoughts. Her head snapped toward the other woman. Her expression flickered from concern to dawning recognition. She frantically searched her shattered memory for the girl's name. Lyra. The name surfaced with a jolt of understanding. Crawling to her side, she made a hasty check for injuries. Then the realization hit her. They weren't just alike; they were sisters. A flush of embarrassment warmed her cheeks. She knew her name, her history, everything. She must have hit her head harder than she'd thought.

"Hey, Lyra!" she called out, her voice echoing strangely off the trees. "Lyra, wake up!" She shook her sister’s shoulders, a note of panic creeping into her tone. Turning her face away, she whispered, "Please, wake up," her eyes welling with tears.

She was answered by a soft chuckle. She turned back to find Lyra smiling up at her, her own green eyes twinkling with amusement.

"LYRA! Why would you scare me like that?" Kara yelled, leaping to her feet. She brushed off her jacket, trying to mask her lingering fear with indignation as she took in her strange new attire.

Lyra laughed again, rising and stretching with a casual air. "I was awake for most of that. I just wanted to see what you'd do, Kara." She tested the weight of her ponytail with a flick of her head. "So, any idea what’s going on?"

Kara shook her head, her gaze returning to the amulet. Lyra stepped closer to inspect it as well. A chill ran down both their spines as they watched the core orb flare with light, growing warmer in Kara's palm.

"What the—" Kara began, holding the amulet away from her body.

A rich, melodic female voice seemed to emanate directly from the amulet. "Hello, ladies, and welcome. I hope the journey wasn't too arduous for you."

Kara swallowed hard and glanced at her sister. Lyra was chewing her thumbnail, staring at the amulet as if it might bite her, but she gave a slight nod for Kara to continue.

"Uh, hi, yeah. I'm Kara, and this is Lyra," Kara said, her voice a little unsteady.

Lyra nudged her. "I don't think she can see us, Kara."

The voice chuckled. "No, I cannot. But I have already seen you through the amulet." Lyra shivered. Kara mouthed the word "creepy" before speaking again, a little more confidently this time. "Where are we? Why did you bring us here? And what's with these outfits?"

"All will be answered in time," the voice said calmly. "You are in Oria, a land of peace and harmony. You are here because the Amulet has chosen you to be our new Sentinels. You are here to protect this land from those who would do it harm."

Kara turned to her bewildered sister. "But we can't do anything," Lyra retorted, her cynicism palpable. "We're just two seventeen-year-old girls. From Indiana."

The voice paused. "I understand this is overwhelming. But you both possess incredible power you have yet to realize. Please, trust in yourselves, and trust in me. In time, all will be made clear. For now, I bid you farewell, our newest Sentinels."

Kara's eyes widened. "Wait! What are we supposed to do now?"

The amulet's glow faded. Lyra snatched it from her sister’s grasp and gave it a furious shake, her eyes flashing with frustration. "Where are we supposed to go?"

"Stop, Lyra! That isn't helping," Kara said, gently taking the amulet back. Her heart was pounding, but she tried to project an aura of calm for her sister's sake. On a strange impulse, she raised the golden chain and secured it around her neck. As the clasp clicked shut, the amulet magically resized itself; the pendant shrank to the size of a ping-pong ball, and the chain tightened into a choker.

"Whoa," Kara breathed, touching the now-weightless pendant. Lyra’s anger subsided, replaced by wide-eyed wonder.

"You know, this whole thing feels like a dream," Lyra said, pinching her own arm with a wince. "Maybe I'm still asleep."

"No way," Kara replied, shaking her head. The burning pain from earlier had been far too real. "Did you… did you have a weird dream while you were out?"

Lyra’s face grew solemn. She nodded, wandering over to the edge of the trees. "There was a colossal crystal spire piercing the clouds. It was beautiful, shimmering in the sun. But then the sun set instantly, and the crystal turned blood-red. There were men fighting, killing each other. So much blood. When a woman screamed, the spire shattered, and—"

"STOP!" Kara cried, dropping to her knees and covering her ears. Hearing the dream described brought the terror of it rushing back. She was breathing heavily, and she saw that Lyra's own pupils were dilated with remembered fear. Kneeling, Lyra pulled her sister's hands away from her ears.

"Kara, we have to be strong," Lyra said, her voice steady despite her trembling hands. "I don't know what's happening, but we'll get through it."

Kara managed a weak smile.

Lyra stood, pulling Kara up with her. "I mean, don't we always find a way?" She arched a playful eyebrow.

Finally, the tension broke, and Kara laughed. "You mean I always find a way? To get you out of trouble?"

With a sly grin, Lyra clapped her hands over her ears and backed away into the shade of the forest. "What's that, Kara? Can't hear you! La la la!"

"Lyra!" Kara cried, laughing with incredulous relief as she jogged to catch up. Their lively chatter echoed through the woods as they disappeared together between the trees. For a moment, the forest seemed at peace once more. But high in the branches, unseen, a pair of eyes watched them go. And followed.