I don’t know where I am or where I have been. All I know is that I just woke up in a forest, my head hurts, and around me is the most beautiful and strange thing I have ever seen: a lush green forest with gorgeous trees and flowers growing everywhere. A whitetail deer and two fawns prance by me. I start to stand slowly, and then I see lights, and not the electric kind. These lights have no visible power source, and they are swimming in the darkness. There are thousands of them, all floating and moving, almost appearing to dance. I realize now that my head is no longer pounding, and I am very awake now. I come to my senses and know I have to figure out where I am and how I got here.

That morning I got up to go running, as I always did, then I came home and took a shower. I put on a grey long sleeve t-shirt with an owl on the front, and pulled on some dark jeans and my favorite pair of combat boots. I braided my long, dark hair and threw some light makeup, that my father doesn’t exactly approve of, in my bag.. Running downstairs I grabbed my lunchbox, my mom had packed me a traditional Native American soup which, although I hate to admit, is really good. I pulled on my backpack and stepped out into the crisp fall air of Georgia. I got in my car and drove to school; then I spent about fifteen minutes dodging kids and looking for a parking spot. When I walked inside I went to my locker and got all of my textbooks and notebooks. I did my make up and checked the mirror in the bathroom as I walked out. I went into homeroom and pulled out my sketch pad to finish the project I had for art. Then the bell rang and class began.

School was completely normal and I had a good day. While I was at my locker before I left I heard a voice behind me.
“ Hey, Charissa!” I turned around to see Aaron jumping up and down and waving his hands around, while Hannah just rolled her eyes. My friends were so weird, I thought as they started walking towards me, but I love them anyway. Aaron, Hannah, and I have been friends since, well forever. We grew up together. Hannah was a sassy southern belle with shoulder length blonde hair, bright blue eyes and light skin. The complete opposite of me with my dark tan skin, brown eyes and long thick black hair. I can thank my Native American heritage for that one. Aaron was a very tall guy with dirty blonde hair that stayed permanently gelled, green eyes and fair skin. He looked like a common frat boy, but don’t be fooled Aaron is the farthest thing from it. He wanted to major in Literature and minor in music. The guy practically lived around his piano.
“Hey Ris!” Aaron said enthusiastically. Ris was the nickname he gave me when we were  in 6th grade. It really was just short for my name but, I liked it anyway.
“Hey guys.” I replied “How did that piano test go today, Aaron?”
“It went awesome. I know I aced it!”
“That’s great!” This entire time Hannah had been doing her hair using a mirror and a brush she pulled out of her purse. She had them set up in my locker like a salon.
“What about you Hannah?” I asked “Did you have a good day?”
“Absolutely! Do you remember that cute guy from my English class I told you about?” I nodded  my head as I pulled her out of my locker and shut the door.
“Yeah, well he talked to me today and asked if he could borrow a pencil from  me!”
She smiled at me and we started walking towards the door.
“That is a classic pick-up line, right!” she added. Aaron jumped into the conversation.
“Or maybe he just needed a pencil and you were the one closest to him,” he said sarcastically.
Hannah laughed and shoved him playfully. He looked serious, but  I saw Aaron’s face as he looked at her. I  knew Aaron had liked Hannah for a long time so things like this bugged him. I didn’t mind. I could never like him like that any way. By this time we were at the door so we said goodbye and went our separate ways. For just that one moment, my life seemed normal and wonderful, I had my friends and a great life. That was when it got weird.

As I was walking to my car I saw a tall boy about my age, maybe a little older, with dark black hair and brown eyes standing in the grass under a giant oak tree, he was staring off into the distance with a determined look on his face. He looked normal enough, wearing jeans, Converse, and an old hoodie. He saw me and started walking towards me, so I just smiled and said hello. I started to introduce myself but the boy cut me off saying
“I know who you are.” Then he waved his hand and I fell asleep.

The next thing I know I’m here in this forest.

I look up and the same boy that I saw in the parking lot at school walks out of… nowhere. He just appears. I know that makes me sound like a crazy person but, it’s what I saw. This time the boy is dressed a bit differently. His outfit consisted of tan, hide pants and feathers on his head like a crown. He has no shirt on (which I did not mind at all). He walks over to me and I say the first question that pops into my head.

“Who are you?”
“My name is Kotori. I assume you have a lot of questions but they will have to wait.”
“Excuse me, but no!” My head was spinning and I had no clue what was going on, so no way was this boy just going to tell me I had to wait.
“You can not just bring me here and not explain!” I continue. Kotori looks a bit frightened and backs away.
“Nina listen-” I freeze. Nina is my true Native American name. Nobody except for Hannah, Aaron, and my parents know that name.
“How do you know my name!” I scream
“Okay listen to me, just sit down and I will explain.” I sit down on nearby rock and Kotori sits beside me.
“ You already know that you have a Hopi Indian heritage, yes.”
“ I prefer not to talk about it, thank you.”
“ Okay, well the Hopi Indian tribe was run out of our land by evil forces.”
“ You say our, like as in you and me, and I am not a part of that.”
“ As much as you may dislike your heritage you must learn to accept it. It will help you along your journey.”
“ What journey?” I ask, once again confused.
“ I told you I would explain didn’t I? That is what I will do. The Hopi did not disappear, we just relocated here. This new world is called Elohi, which in our language means Earth. We have dwelt here in peace for years, but now we are being threatened again by an evil force known as the servant of the flames.”
“ Well, as horrible as that is, it doesn’t answer my question.” I say as I stand up. Kotori stands up beside me.
“ Actually it answers a lot of your questions. If you like to know more I can take you to the chief and he will explain further.”
“Finally! Maybe he can give me some actual answers instead of stupid legends.”
“Those legends are your history, and your future.” Katori mumbles.

Katori walks between the trees as I follow him. I cannot figure out how he knows where he is going in these thick dark woods. Finally we break out of the forest and into a clearing surrounded by, what a shocker, more woods. Spread out across the clearing is a Hopi Indian village. It looks like it came straight out of a history textbook. My teacher would have flipped. In the center of the village there is one pueblo, a hut made of dried mud and stone, larger than all the others. This building is the equivalent to a town hall according to Kotori. To the right diagonal of the town hall, there are many smaller pueblo’s that are the houses of the tribe members. All of the houses have their own individual gardens with vegetables growing. In front of the cluster of houses there is a square of land with corn growing in it. To the left of the cornfield there is a pit with a stick over it for making fires and cooking meat. Next to the woods behind the houses, stood a well for collecting water. To the left of the town hall there is a temple where several of the tribe members are praying. Children are playing in front of their houses, some of the women are talking while they work in gardens, the men are sharpening weapons to go hunting with, and it looks to be a genuinely happy place.  Kotori takes me into the town hall. As we are walking many people stop what they are doing and turned to look at me.
“Why are people staring?” I ask Kotori in a whisper.
“ Respect” he replied
  “ For who; you?” He just smiles and kept walking. When we reach the town hall Kotori opens the door and we step inside. There is a cluster of the same lights I saw in the forest at the top of the ceiling illuminating the room. The walls are covered in maps and documents. In the middle of the room is a wooden table which an old man is sitting at. He is scrunched over a piece of papyrus reading it and sort of mumbling to himself. He looks up when we walk in and I saw his face. It was very tan and wrinkled and he had a long white beard. Very much like Gandalf  I think. His brown eyes sparkle as he smiles.
“ Charissa, this is our chief, Hania.” Hania looks at me and smiles.
“Have a seat dear, make yourself at home.” I sit down on one of the benches around the table. Kotori stands to the right of the chief.
“I mean no disrespect sir,” I tell the chief, “but where am I and why am I here.”
“ I believe Kotori, if he followed his orders, already answered those questions Nina.” I try not to freak out as the chief says my name.
“ He told me where I was, but not why I am here.”
“ He told you about the servant of the flames, yes?”
“ He did.”
“ That is why you are here.”
“ Do you think I caused it, or that I can stop it?”
“ That is exactly correct, you can defeat the servant.”
“Whoah! I am just a normal girl, I had a normal life, one that I would very much like to go back to thank you very much. I am not a warrior or whatever you need to fight this thing. This is kidnapping, this is illegal! I should not be here!” I am almost in tears.. I realize I am standing up and leaning across the table with my knuckles turning white from gripping the table so hard. The chief is totally calm as I sit back down.
“ There is a prophecy,” he continues “a prophecy that says that the strong elk will be our savior against the servant.”
“ But I am not strong nor am I an elk.” I argue
“ Not physically, no. But your name, your real name, Nina Charissa, in our language means strong elk. We have been searching for you for a very long time. Our people are scared, in danger and only you can help them.”
“ But why me, there has got to be someone else with my name, why me?”
“ To defeat the servant, strong magic is required. You have that magic, that power that we need.”
“ I don’t have any powers, I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“ Your great grandfather was an amazing magician, one of the most powerful our people have ever seen. He passed that gift onto you when you were born.”
“ But I have never used magic before, nor did I know it existed.”
“ You see, when someone acquires magic as a baby, they don’t remember it, therefore it is not awakened in their soul yet. That is why your parents try so hard to get you to appreciate your heritage. They knew that one day your magic would come into play. I don’t think they expected that day to come so soon.”
“ Wait a minute, my parents knew about this, Why wouldn’t they tell me!” My whole body is shaking and I am so angry and confused. I don’t know what I am going to do.  
“ Your parents were trying to make sure you had a normal life. Having as much power as you do can take quite a toll on someone, physically and mentally. It is a great responsibility, but also a great honor. Your great grandfather was practically a hero, he saved so many people and upheld a great legacy, now it is your turn to continue his work.”
  I sit on the bench completely speechless. I just learned that I have magical powers and that I have to live up to a legacy set by my great grandfather by saving an entire tribe of people. Just when I’m about to pinch myself in hopes that this is all a dream, the chief continues.
“ You will start training tomorrow with Katori.”
“Wait a minute training for what?” I ask finally coming to my senses
“ Magic is not something that comes easily it takes work.” I can’t do this. I have a normal life to get back to, one with my friends and family and NO magic. I know that these people need saving but there has got to be someone more qualified than me.
“ I am sorry sir but I can’t do this. You are going to have to find someone else. I’m sorry.” With that I get up, walk out of the pueblo and start walking towards the village gate. I am so close to being out of here when I hear a voice behind me.
“ CHARISSA WAIT! PLEASE!”
The voice comes from Katori. He is running towards the gates and reaches me in no time. I turn around and the sight in front of me breaks my heart. It’s not Katori’s sad and fearful face that kills me. It’s what is going on behind him. The entire tribe is gathered around the chief. He says something I can’t make out and the happiness of the town is gone. They all look so defeated and sad. Katori is still rambling on about how much the tribe needs me and all this other stuff, but I’m not hearing a word. I know what I have to do. I look at Katori and he is quiet.
“ Where do I stay?” I ask him. His entire face lights up in a big smile,
“ Let me show you!” He grabs my arm and we start running back towards the town hall.