Chapter One
Ayla's Past

And here we begin the past.

Ayla Francis Rumen, our unexpected Hero, always remembered her sister. Well, of course she did! You most likely think. But she didn't remember her sister, Ettalee, before she was eleven years of age. Ettalee had been training from the young age of eleven to become the first Lady-Hero. Heroes are the ones who protect the Kingdom. Not only the small town of Rupellis, but the whole Kingdom of Luysslei (Lu-ice-lay). Ayla couldn't think of her sister in any other way. Now, we go back to when Ayla was four and eleven year old Ettalee was having a practice with a martial arts master.

Ayla sat on the ground out of kicking-reach, watching in awe as her brave sister kicked and yelled and punched at Master Luiaue (luee-i-oo). Master dodged her high kicks with ease simply by ducking to the side, then rising up again. Ayla's other brother, Hylend, age of seven, mentioned to Ayla, "Master Luiaue is so old. I don't know how be beats Ettalee." he spoke in a polite whisper, but Ayla noticed a look come from Ettalee that was directed towards her brother. While Ettalee was distracted, Master grabbed her leg and flipped her to the ground.

"Ow!" Ettalee yelped. As she slowly rose from the pebbly ground, Ayla called, "Sissy! You alright?" as she ran to her.

"I'm fine, a Hero never gets hurt," Ettalee said, now standing. She looked down to Ayla and smiled softly. "Don't worry about me, Ayla. If I'm to be a Hero someday, I can't have my little sister being a worrywart," she said kindly.

"Okay, Etta," Ayla said with that trademark four year old confidence.

Now we move on to a different scenario when Ayla was nine and Ettalee sixteen.

Ettalee was now the one who was flipping Master over. Ayla still watched the practices, but now was ridden with fear. Her sister would be hurt Heroing. I can't say she can't, she would never forgive me, Ayla thought guiltily. She breathed in sharply as Master took a sharp punch and Ettalee's face. Ayla let out the breath after her sister dodged it and punched Master instead.

"Good, now we shall end practice," Master said. They bowed respectfully to each other and Ettalee went to pour some water.

"Practice went well. Did I look like I was keeping my form?" Ettalee asked her sister as she sat down beside her.

"Yeah, you looked great," Ayla said half-heartedly.

"What's wrong, Ayla? You seem down today," Ettalee said with concern in her voice.

Ayla shook her head. "Nothing, Etta. What are you talking about?"

Ettalee shrugged and took another gulp of water. She smacked her lips and wiped the sticky black hairs away from her forehead.

"You know, you've been kind of quiet and my practices lately. What's really on your mind?" Ettalee asked.

"I already told you, Etta. Nothing's wrong," Ayla said exasperatedly.

"Tell me."

"No!"

"Tell me."

"Etta!"

"Ayla!"

"Fine, do you really want to know?" Ayla shouted, shooting up from her seat on the ground. "Heroing is too dangerous. You're going to get hurt!"

Ettalee rose to tower over her. "Ayla, I've told you before, I am not going to get hurt! This is my dream, why can't you support me?"

"You don't get it," Ayla said, close to tears. She stormed away to the small cottage. Running into the chaos of her six other siblings.

"Ayla! Ayla! Get back here!" Ettalee called. Ayla let her tears flow and ignored her. Maybe she would come to her senses. She didn't understand right now though, she didn't get it.

This is the end of what is in the past, and next, we will see the present.