Arlentina: Karlina's Generation

Karlina Marlon, a freshman in high school, had the perfect life. Her family was happy, she had the perfect boyfriend and she was a perfect straight A student. But she also had a secret.
“Kari! Wait up!” Her best friend, Glazelia or Glaze, called as she was walking home. “Hey what's going on? I didn't see you in economics.” Glaze looked at Kari and knew that something was wrong. “Kari talk to me please.” she mumbled.
“I don't want to talk. Please just leave me alone.” Kari said calmly, she was known for not having a temper. No matter what anyone said or did to her Kari was always completely calm and composed, Glaze knew she got it from her grandmother but everyone thought it was from her father.
“Kari I'm sorry. I just want to help.” Glaze mumbled, she always mumbled no matter what. Everyone heard what she said either way.
Kari stopped and closed her eyes, for the first time ever Glaze could see and feel anger rolling off her best friend like water off a duck. “Glaze if you want to help then get away from me. Just leave me alone right now alright.” Kari's voice was still calm and so was her breathing but Glaze could feel her anger anyway.
Glaze nodded. “OK.” Then she turned and walked home alone. Karlina stood alone on the sidewalk for a few minutes to calm her nerves before she crossed the street into the cornfield and sprinted all the way home without stopping.
“Karlina is that you?” Her mom called from the kitchen as Karlina walked in the door.
Karlina sighed, she was hoping to avoid her family right now. “Yes ma.” she said walking into the kitchen. She dropped her bag onto the floor and leaned against the counter with her head in her hands.
“What's wrong mi bambina?” her mom asked coming up behind her.
Karlina clenched her fists. “Would everyone stop asking me that! Please!” She yelled. Her mom stepped back as a shock ran through the hand that was on her daughter's shoulder.
“Karlina! Control yourself!” Her mom said softly, then without warning Karlina's father pushed her mom out of the way as a glass exploded in front of her.
Her dad grabbed her arm and spun her around. “Karlina. You have found your powers. It's time you learned to control them before they take over your mind and body. We will let you test them out while you are home but what happens when someone comes over. If anyone see's this they will call the FBI. They will take us all. Then the Elder One's will get involved. CALM DOWN!” Her dad screamed as another shock ran through her body.
Karlina slumped to the floor shaking. “Pa. What's going on with me? I can't control anything.” She whispered as tears ran down her face.
He bent down in front of her and took her in his arms. “Don't worry Karlina. You will learn to.” Then he started boiling a kettle of water over his hand for tea. Karlina had never seen her father's powers before, he never let her in case she didn't get any of her own. “This is only one of my powers Karlina. You will see all of them one at a time as I train you to use and control your powers.” He whispered in her ear so only she could hear.
“Isn't mom going to help me?” Karlina asked quietly. Her dad closed his eyes and waited for the water to finish heating up.
“Karlina I suppose it's time to tell you. You're old enough to know now that you have gotten your first power,” her dad said pouring the water into cups and adding the bags. “Karlina, your mother is not....one of us. Your mother is human, like your grandmother is. Our relationship is forbidden to the Elder Ones, but something else is forbidden also. It's punishable by death while falling for a human is punishable by jail time.”
Karlina was confused but she understood enough. “Me.” She mumbled staring at her cup.
“Not you necessarily, but having children with humans in general. It's believed that by doing so you are destroying the culture of your race. The Elder One's believe you are my niece, my sister's daughter.” Her dad said finally.
“Your sister? You have a sister?” Karlina said suddenly looking up.
“Had a sister. The Elder Ones believe that she died giving birth to you when she really died in a car accident a week after you were born. We said that we were the only family you had and that we would raise you as our own. Well for awhile anyway.” Her dad said the last sentence so low that Karlina wasn't even sure if she heard it.
“What do you mean for awhile?” Karlina asked standing up, this wasn't the type of conversation she wanted to have with her dad.
He stood up too and pulled her into a tight hug. “Karlina we love you and we would never give you away or anything. I guess you need to know this also so you can prepare. When you turn sixteen and gain all of your powers and learn to control them completely the Elder Ones are going to come and take you back with them. There is nothing we can do to stop them no matter how much we want to.” Her dad was hating to tell his baby girl all this but he had no other choice, she had to know. By this point Karlina was standing on the other side of the room shaking with anger, that's when her dad noticed it. Her eyes were turning a dark blue color and the skin on her hands were somewhat boiling. “Karlina close your eyes and your hands. Now take a few deep breaths and sit down slowly.” Her dad ordered calmly. She had gained her second power already, he didn't understand why they were coming so quickly all of a sudden, it had taken him and his siblings two years to fully gain all of their powers but she had gained two in just one day. It must be all of the stress from what I'm telling her. He thought sadly.
“So I have the ability to shock people and what?” Karlina asked finally, her eyes were still closed but she had opened her hands and her dad could see the dark blue circles going around on both palms. He knew she could feel them, they had to be burning hot, yet she was just sitting there as calm as ever.
“You have my ability. You can heat anything up in a matter of seconds all depending on how hurt or angry or sad you are at the time. It's a very easy ability to control as you learned. Shocking Touch is much harder though.” He said smiling, he was proud of her for handling all of this so well. When he had gained his first power he thought he had finally cracked and gone insane. He didn't have parents around to tell him what was going on so he went to the one person he thought he could trust, the oldest Elder One.
“-happy or excited? Does that mean I won't be able to use my powers?” Karlina asked, she didn't even know her dad wasn't paying attention.
“Well not necessarily. Different powers run on different emotions. With this one it will work if you are happy or excited as well as angry or sad but it works best if you are angry or sad. With shocking touch though it will only work when you are extremely upset like you were earlier.” He realized that he was smiling as he told her about her powers. “You should go to bed, it's late. We'll start training in the morning.”
Karlina sighed. “Alright. Night pa. Night ma!” She called into the other room before walking quickly upstairs to her room. Before climbing into bed Karlina called her boyfriend, Kory. It was almost ten but she knew he'd be awake waiting to hear from her. He answered on the second ring. “Hey.” Karlina whispered. They talked for twenty minutes before he hung up, his mom had caught him. Karlina was sitting next to her window and watching the stars as they talked. Now she sat there in the quiet dark imagining what it would be like being with the Elder Ones. That was when she saw it. The sky turned red and a hole opened up almost a mile wide. She saw five people jump from the hole onto the ground and start running in a line towards her house. “Pa! Pa!” Karlina called as she ran into the hall.
He came running upstairs. “We have to go now. Grab your three most prized possessions and meet me downstairs. You have two minutes.” He turned and ran into his room and shook her mom awake as Karlina ran back to her room and grabbed her computer, cell phone and favorite book then ran downstairs. “Throw them in that bag and head out into the back yard.” Karlina put her computer and book in the bag but her cell phone went in her front pocket. Her dad pushed her into the backyard and left the door open behind him then he took a deep breath and opened his hands completely and closed his eyes. Karlina watched as a bright blue light came out of his palms and shot across the sky in a straight line towards the school. Then just as quickly an orange light shot back and her dad started running with her mom on his back and Karlina right beside him.




“Dad what's going on?” Karlina asked as they ran.
“The Elder Ones have come for you. They heard us talking and decided it was time to intervene. We're going to a friends house and then from there to our hideout.” Her dad explained hurriedly. They stopped out front of a small apartment building where Glaze and her parents were waiting for them.
“Glaze? You're one of us?” Karlina asked, she was bewildered.
Glaze smiled. “Yes and it seems now so are you.” Then she opened her hands and showed Karlina her dark blue palms and Karlina showed Glaze hers. “I knew that you were getting your first power this afternoon when you started getting angry.”
Karlina laughed. “I'm guessing we only get mad when we gain our powers?” She asked looking at Glaze, she still couldn't believe her best friend was a part of the Younger Generation from Arlentina, a planet far off in another galaxy, as her dad explained it earlier.
“Girls, we have to go.” Her dad said hurriedly. Karlina turned and could see the hole growing larger in the sky. “Follow me and keep up.” He said before taking off again. Karlina paused for a moment to see if Glaze's parents were following but they just stood there holding hands and smiling. “Karlina!” Then she turned and sprinted to where her father had stopped for her to catch up.
Glaze took her spot beside Karlina and whispered, “They're my aunt and uncle, and they're also humans. Jacques can I tell her?” She asked looking at Karlina's father. He closed his eyes and nodded. “Karlina you're my sister. Jacques and Jade had to give me up when I was born so that the Elder Ones wouldn't come to take me. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you before but I was sworn to secrecy. It was for your protection and mine. My, our, Aunt and Uncle graciously took me. They couldn't have kids of their own. There's something else though. We're also twins, but not identical. We have different birthdays because I was born at 12:03am on March 23 and you were born at 11:58pm on March 22.” Karlina just stared at her best friend. “We are twins?” She finally choked out.
Before anyone could answer her father said, “Girls we have to go.” Then took off running again.
Glaze followed slowly, waiting for Karlina to catch up. “Kari I am so sorry I didn't tell you before. I wanted to but I was afraid of putting you all in danger. I-”.
“Just stop alright! Just let me absorb all of this.” Karlina said cutting her off. She needed time to understand what was happening. First she finds out that she's going to be taken from her family then she finds out her best friend is really her twin sister, what more news is she gonna get? She watched as Glaze ran up to her, their, parents, then she saw her palms. “Dad.” She called softly, he paused and turned to look at her then ran back to her as fast as he could.
He put his hands on her shoulders and spoke lightly. “Remember the kitchen. Close your eyes and breath. You can handle this, you can handle anything you are Karlina Ashley Marlon. You are my daughter, and you are a strong and powerful independent young woman.” Then without warning a bolt of lightning shot through the sky and Karlina's eyes flew open to reveal her third and final power. She was truly her father's daughter, she had all three of his powers. Shocking Touch, Flaming Palms, and now Lightning Speed. He laughed as he ran to keep up with his daughter, who was already almost a mile away. “Karlina wait!” Her dad hollered, she was going to run right into the center of the attackers if she didn't slow down. Then without warning Glaze shot past him and grabbed her by the arm pulling her quickly to a stop.
Karlina spun around glaring and shoved Glaze away from her then with her voice so low and cold it was almost deadly she whispered, “Don't you ever touch me again. You are not a part of my life anymore. We are through.” And without waiting for a response she walked back to her father and ran beside him for the rest of the trip.




Three hours later Karlina and her family were crossing the border from Arizona into New Mexico. Her dad paused for a few minutes so they could all catch their breathes, and then Karlina noticed something. “Pa. Where's Glaze?” She said hurriedly.
Her dad looked around and closed his eyes. “She's gone. She turned back and ran back home.” He whispered, her mother choked back a sob at loosing her other daughter. “Don't worry honey, I’m sure she's alright. They don't know about Glazelia which means she isn't in any danger.” Karlina saw the fear in his eyes as he spoke though and knew that he was lying to keep her mom calm. “We have to keep going, we can't go back now.” He whispered to her almost silently.
Karlina took a deep breath and looked back the way they had come. “I have to go back. I can't just abandon my sister. I'm sorry dad but you taught me never to leave anyone behind. I can meet you back here in an hour at the earliest but I have to go.” Her dad stared at her hard before nodding once.
“If we aren't here when you get back follow this road to the end, there will be a small shack hidden in the trees just off the road. You have two hours or we're going to assume you're both dead. I love you Karlina Ashley Marlon and I am so sorry about everything.” He kissed her on her head then watched with tears in his eyes as his daughter turned and ran back into the heart of the attackers. He was extremely proud of her but he feared for her also. In the back of his mind he shoved back the thought to catch up with her so he could protect her, he already knew she would never need his protection again. Not from the Elder Ones or any other enemy.




Karlina didn't turn back to see her parents watching her as she ran as hard as she could back the way they had come. She could she the burnt grass easily even though it was dark and followed it silently. The sky was still the same color it was when this whole adventure had started and Karlina watched as an army came storming up the path she was on. Quickly as possible she turned off the path and into the thickest part of the woods but where she could still see the path, then she stopped and looked up. The trees would be perfect for her to run on if she could just get to the top of the tallest one.
Karlina stood and listened as the army stopped and someone began to speak. “Sir the path ends just up ahead. It leads out onto a dirt road. One girl was there with her parents, she turned and ran back this way after a few minutes. I caught her say something about her sister.” The voice said, it sounded like a woman.
Then a nasally voice, deeper than the other one said, “Thank you. Now I want.....you six to search the entire area for the girl, when you find her bring her back to me at the end of the path where the parents are waiting. I want you back there in an hour whether you have her or not.” He ordered loudly.
Then she climbed.




It took her less then ten minutes to get to the very top of the tree she was on and then she was running again. Every couple of minutes Karlina would look around her to make sure she was going the right way and wasn't being followed but she never saw where the trees ended at the end of the woods. She fell almost 50 feet before she could grab onto anything to stop herself, and then she heard it.
Karlina! I need you! Screamed a voice in her head, she knew it was Glaze's without even thinking about it.
I'm coming Glaze. She thought in response, then she felt a surge of energy rip through her body and she was being shown the path to Glaze. She could just barely hear the sound of the six soldiers searching for her below but she could see them almost a mile away in each direction. The golden yellow trail was fading quickly so Karlina let go of the branch and before she even hit the ground she was running, being careful not to step on a branch or something to alert the soldiers. The trail was almost gone and she wasn't even close to where Glaze was. Glaze! I need the path! Karlina thought as loud as she could.
Ok but don't yell. If you talk normally I can hear you easier. Glaze said back quieter.
Glaze how am I able to hear your thoughts and you hear mine? Karlina thought after a few moments.
Because we are twins, everything except our looks and birthdays are exactly the same. You are me and I am you. Glaze thought back quickly. Karlina apologized for yelling and then watched as the path grew bright again but didn't disappear this time until she ran past it. Karlina stop. Jump below the bank and hide. Don't make a sound or move. Glaze thought suddenly. Without questions Karlina jumped over the bank to her left and pulled herself back into the wall. Keeping her hands behind her Karlina searched the bank for some sort of hole she could crawl in when she felt someone grab her from behind. It's me. Then she was slowly pulled back into the dirt cave.
“You came back for me.” Glaze whispered when they were far enough into the cave that no one would hear or see them.
“I couldn't just abandon you. That's not how I was raised. Besides your my sister.” Karlina said looking around. “Look we have to go. Mom and dad are waiting for us. Dad said we had two hours to get back or he was going to presume us both dead.” Karlina stared at Glaze hard.
“Ok then let's go.” Glaze said heading back to the opening. Karlina followed silently until they were out in the open then she took the lead.
“Follow me. We have to use the trees. There are at least six soldiers out there looking for me. ” Karlina said quietly. Glaze nodded and followed quietly. It took only half an hour to get back to where their parents were waiting but it was too late. The Elder Ones were already there.
“Karlina what do we do?” Glaze asked starring at her sister fearfully.
Karlina closed her eyes. “We're going to walk through the trees out into the open and make our grand entrance and then we are going to fight. I'm not going to let them take us without putting up a huge fight first.” Karlina said angrily as her eyes snapped open.
Glaze looked at Karlina and then nodded, “Alright.” she mumbled.




“Hello Jacques, Jade.” Karlina heard the one with the nasally voice say as her mom and dad started walking down the road.
She watched as her dad turned keeping her mom hidden slightly behind him. “Hello.” He said calmly.
“Where are they?” The Elder One asked.
Her dad stared at him looking confused. “Where are who? I'm just taking a stroll with an old friend.” He said calmly, Karlina knew he was playing dumb.
The Elder One stepped forward. “Liar.” He said loudly. “You have three seconds to tell me where the two girls are or I will kill you both very very slowly and painfully.” He sneered. Karlina closed her hands into fists and closed her eyes again before nodding slowly to Glaze, it was time to fight.
“We're right here.” Karlina said calmly, stepping out of the shadows. The whole group of soldiers turned on the spot and stared at the two girls standing at the edge of the trees.
“Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha.” The one who had spoken laughed loudly. “These are the girls? They're nothing.” He said after he controlled himself.
Karlina stepped forward and got right in his face. “Excuse me? Did you just say that I'm nothing?” Then as if she had had her powers for years rather than hours she pushed her hands together and slowly pulled them apart creating a powerful ball of energy. Glaze copied her and then they turned the two balls into one gigantic one. Karlina could feel Glaze's anxiety and fear which only made Karlina angrier. “Dad take mom and get out of here.” Karlina said easily, not taking her eyes off of the Elder Ones.
“No. No one leaves here.” The nasally one said at once.
“I'm assuming you're the leader? Good. Now you have two choices. You can leave now with all of your men with you and alive or you can stay here and watch as they all die by the hands of two fifteen year old girls who are more powerful then any other Younger Generation alive. It's your choice.” Karlina said calmly as she watched the ball spin slowly about half an inch above her and Glaze's hands. That made all of the Elder Ones laugh loudly. Karlina nodded once very quickly so that only Glaze could see it and then at once they each twisted one hand in the opposite direction the ball was spinning and watched as it flew forward and wiped out a third of the Elder Ones standing before them. Everyone stopped laughing and stared in awe and horror at the fifty or so men lying almost dead on the ground. “Now you have one more chance to leave.” Karlina said closing her eyes. Wait until they give their answer before doing anything. If they say no then kill them all, take no prisoners. If they say yes then watch your back, they might try to fake us out. Karlina thought to Glaze.
Glaze thought back immediately. No! I will not kill anyone. I will not be labeled as a murderer.
Glaze! I am the one in charge right now, you're too scared to think about anything but running. Just do as I say. No one's going to die. Karlina thought back sternly. Glaze just nodded, she didn't have the energy to respond.
The whole group started to advance on the girls until the leader held up his hand.
“No. They are mine.” He said before lowering his hand and smiling horridly at the girls. “If I win you will go with me without a fight. If you win We will all leave here and let you live your lives in peace.”
Karlina looked at Glaze, this wasn't her fight. Glaze let me handle this. Get mom and dad out of here and make sure they're safe.
Glaze turned to look at Karlina. “No. I'm not going to let you sacrifice yourself. We're in this together. I owe that much to you” She whispered out loud.
Glaze. I have a plan but the only way it'll work is if you get mom and dad out of here. Besides you said yourself you didn't want to be labeled as a murderer or anything else. Just listen to me and go. Please Glaze, go protect the two people in this world that I would literally kill for. Karlina thought hurriedly, she only had minutes before she single-handily took on the leader of the Elder Ones. Glaze closed her eyes and nodded, she didn't like this but it had to be done. “Fine but first I want you to let my parents and my friend go. They are not a part of this. It's me you're after not them.” Karlina said starring hard at the leader.
“Very well. Let the three go, but make sure none of them come back.” He said waving a hand towards her parents. “You see I am a very reasonable person until I get angry. What's your name?” He asked.
Karlina glanced at her father, who nodded, then said, “Karlina Ashley Marlon. Yours?”
“You just call me Master.”
“No. I want your name.” Karlina said angrily, he was playing her. Trying to get a rise out of her and it was starting to work. “You are not my master. You will never be my master.”
He nodded. “Very well. My name is Adriatic.”
Karlina smirked slightly, she was gaining the upper-hand. “OK. No one follows them, once they leave our line of sight they are free. That means nobody hurts them or captures them. Understood Adriatic?” Karlina said firmly, she smirked even more as she watched at least half of the Elder Ones flinch and stand up straighter at the sternness in her voice. Adriatic just nodded and laced his fingers together. “Go. Get out of here, I'll be fine. I'll meet up with you when I can.” Karlina whispered when she reached her parents, Glaze was right behind her. Turning to her Karlina smiled. “You know the plan. But remember stay out of the line of vision, come around from the back.” Glaze nodded. “I love you all.” Karlina said giving everyone a hug before returning to the center of the field. She listened with her eyes closed as her family left.
“Are you ready?” Adriatic's voice broke through Karlina's mental block and her eyes snapped open. She nodded once and then watched as all of the Elder Ones created a ring around them. “First one to the ground looses.” Adriatic said calmly and then the fight began. Karlina jumped in the air as three boulders came flying at her then she blew them up with three small energy balls.
Karlina landed on top of the trees just outside of the ring of Elder Ones and began to speak in the true language of Arlentina. “Darjeeling darianto karso frelying repados pardiena.” then she looked at her hands and body as it turned a bright red. She was a true Younger Generation from Arlentina, and she had just opened up her secret power. Karlina smiled and laughed a horrible glass shattering laugh and jumped 200 feet in the air and without even trying landed on the ground just behind Adriatic. Karlina shook her hand and watched as an energy ball twice the size of hers and Glaze's combined formed in her palm then she twisted her hand slightly and watched as it hit Adriatic square in the back and sent him flying 300 feet in the air and almost 60 yards away flat on his face. Karlina had just one the fight without receiving even a scratch. “Well Adriatic it seems like I've won and you've lost. I's pretty sad that you got beat by a 15 year old girl who just gained all of her powers in one night and doesn't even know how to control them.” Karlina said bending down beside Adriatic. She knew he was hurt badly but he wasn't dead and she was going to heal him but first she wanted something. “I will heal you and let you live but first you must promise me something.”
Adriatic looked at her with fear written all over his face. “Anything.” He whispered, each breath was a struggle for him.
“First I want you to resign yourself as the leader of the Elder Ones and put my family in charge. Then I want you to abolish the laws you created which made if illegal for us to marry humans and to have children with them. If you do this then you will live and I will make sure that you are living in the lap of luxury for the rest of your life, but if not you will die very slowly. You have five minutes to decide and if you don't then I will.” Karlina said standing up, she had proven herself already to be ruthless but now she was trying to show that she wasn't unreasonable. Glaze the fight is over. You can bring them back if you want. Karlina thought quickly. She waited for a response but everything was silent. She turned back the way her family had left and that's when she saw it. Adriatic had healed himself and held Glaze in the air facing her by the throat.
“You should have finished me while you could Karlina. Now you will watch as you family is killed slowly and painfully in front of you.” He said calmly, he still looked hurt but not as bad as before.
Karlina was angry and she could feel the power growing inside her again, to bad Adriatic couldn't. She bent down as if picking something up and slammed both of her hands on the ground as hard as she could. A bolt of electricity through the ground which shot up at the last moment into Adriatic's chest, stopping his heart immediately. He fall slowly to the ground, his knees buckling as he fell. Glaze scrambled to get his hand off her throat and then ran over to Karlina sobbing.
“Karlina. You....you killed him.” A voice said from behind the two girls. Karlina spun around ready to attack when she realized it was one of the Elder Ones that had watched the fight. “You killed Adriatic. She killed Adriatic!” She yelled happily to the rest of the Elder Ones, there was silence and then everyone erupted into cheers of joy.
Glaze stared at Karlina, she didn't know what to say. “You're an amazing fighter Karlina. I could never have done that. And you just gained your powers today.” Glaze kept rambling until Karlina started walking away.
“We are ma and pa?” Karlina asked starring into the woods.
“In the hideout. No one followed us or anything. It wasn't until I cam back to help like you said that things went wrong.” Glaze said. “I'll go get-”
“No I will.” Karlina said quickly cutting her off. Slowly Karlina started walking done the dirt path towards the hideout. She couldn't stop thinking about the look on Adriatic's face when she had killed him, he was shocked and scared. But what worried her most was that he didn't even try to dodge the attack or anything, it was almost as if he had given up. The way Karlina saw it was like this. If Adriatic had given up then Karlina had just murdered someone without probable cause, if he hadn't given up then she had been using self-defense. How would her father see it though? Killing someone is killing someone, it doesn't matter if it was accidental, on purpose, in self-defense or what. A murder is a murder. That's what he had once told her as they watched a trial happening on TV one afternoon. A man had killed another man who was trying to rob his store with a loaded weapon. Karlina stopped and looked around, and then she saw the shack. It was more like a mansion but she wasn't complaining. Slowly she walked to the door and walked inside. “Ma? Pa?” She called and then she heard footsteps.
“Oh Karlina!” Her mom cried throwing her arms around her. “Thank Adriatic you're alright!”
Karlina stiffened and pulled away. Her dad saw this and came up to her. “What happened Karlina?” He asked putting his hand on her shoulder.
“Pa can you and me go for a walk please?” Karlina asked. Her father nodded and they walked outside.
He stopped after a while and turned to look at her. “What's wrong Karlina?” He asked again.
She stared at the ground. “Pa I killed him. Adriatic. I killed Adriatic. He had Glaze and was going to kill her and then you guys. I couldn't let him hurt you or mom or Glaze.” Karlina was almost in tears now, she knew she had let her father down and it killed her to know it. “The worst thing about it though is that I gave him a chance to live and then I turned my back on him. But when I did it I felt nothing, no remorse or anything. I wasn't even relieved that Glaze was OK I was just....empty. Then all of the Elder Ones started cheer and everything.” Her father pulled her into a tight hug and held her there for a long time.
Finally when she stopped crying and lifted her head to look at him he said, “Karlina you did what you had to do to protect yourself and your family. The fact that it had to come down to someone dying is a tragedy but Adriatic deserved what he got. You are a wonderful girl and a wonderful fighter. I am surprised you learned how to control your powers without any training. I felt it when you released your true powers and your true strength. How did you do that?” He asked, he was concerned for his daughter not only because she gained all of her powers in one day but because she already knew how to control them and how to activate her true powers.
Karlina smirked. “Well I followed you a couple of times when you went out practicing when I was younger. I remembered something you had said and when I got home I wrote it down. But I noticed that right after you said it you became stronger and faster. I memorized the words on the way back from getting Glaze, that's what was in the book I brought with me.” Karlina explained sheepishly. “The book is actually a huge notebook filled with sayings that you said at home or while you were out training. I took a book cover and fitted it over it.”
Her dad smiled and then laughed. “You always were a sneaky snooper as a child. I should have known you followed me all the time. Karlina I am so very proud of you. Now lets go get your mother and head back to Glaze.” He said putting his arm around his daughter. After they got back to Glaze one of the Elder Ones came up to Karlina.
“Miss Karlina, we would like to take you up on the offer you gave Adriatic. You and your family are now the Leaders of Arlentina.” She said bowing to Karlina and her family.
Karlina stared at the woman. “Really? I guess I have no choice but to accept, if my family agrees.” Karlina added looking at her father. He smiled and nodded, meaning she was in charge. “Thank you. Now as we are now the Leaders of Arlentina we here-by abolish all laws against being with humans.” Karlina said standing in front of the Elder Ones. They all nodded once in agreement.
“Karlina we must go back to Arlentina before dawn comes.” The one woman said quietly.
Karlina shook her head. “No. We will not rule from Arlentina, we will rule from here. This is our home and this is where we will stay until we are ready to leave.”
The woman stared at her in horror. “But that is impossible. We can not let you and your family live here now that you are the Leaders of Arlentina. The whole planet would go into chaos. We must leave and you must come with us.” She said looking fearfully at the sky, which was starting to turn the same blood red as it had when this whole situation began. Karlina sighed and agreed to leave and then followed the Elder Ones as they climbed aboard the ship that showed up an hour later.




“Karlina we have to go.” Glaze said shaking her sister's shoulder to wake her up. “Class starts in ten minutes and then we have to go meet with Arlene.”
Karlina rolled over and got up. “I've been up all night Glaze. I couldn't sleep, I miss Kory. I never even got to say goodbye to him.” Karlina said sadly.
Glaze laughed. “That's why we have to go see Arlene. Kory is here Karlina. Kory is one of us.” Glaze said smiling broadly. Karlina stared at her and then screamed happily. Together they walked to class where everyone watched as Karlina and Glaze, the teachers, fought each other and showed the students how to control their powers.
At the end of the class one of the older students came up to Karlina and bowing said, “Miss Karlina, when are you going to tell us about how you defeated, god bless his soul, Adriatic?”
Karlina looked at the student. “What's your name?” She asked.
“Melanoma.” The girl answered quickly.
Karlina smiled. “Well Melanoma I defeated Adriatic after he tried to kill my family, including my sister.” Karlina said nodding at Glaze. “Glaze can you come here a minute.” Karlina called. Glaze came strolling over. “This is Melanoma. She was wondering about how I defeated Adriatic.” She explained.
Glaze nodded smiling. “The one thing everyone wants to know.” Glaze said. “Melanoma can you show us your powers?” Glaze asked suddenly.
Melanoma glanced at Karlina who shrugged then said, “Um sure.” Melanoma took a step back towards the middle of the room and then closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Karlina stared in awe as the entire room was consumed with flames except for the area where they were. Then as quickly as the fire came it was frozen, like flaming ice sculptures. “Those are the only two I have so far. I can also focus them on a single point and freeze or light on fire an object or person. I inherited the fire form my mom and the ice from my dad.” Melanoma explained.
“Wow. Those are two powers I've never seen before. At least not to that affect.” Karlina said smiling. “Glaze I think we found another person to help us with our lessons.” Karlina laughed as Glaze stared at her with huge bug eyes.
“Um yeah sure.” Glaze said finally. Then she held out her hand and said, “It's a pleasure to know you Mel, and welcome to the class.” Melanoma shook her hand smiling, then she said thank you and ran to tell her parents.




“You're seriously going to let her help us teach all of these students?” Glaze asked as they walked down the halls of the school to Arlene's office.
Karlina smiled. “Yes. It's about time we started to get the students involved, they will never learn by just watching us. They have to get involved in the training. We're supposed to be helping them learn to control their powers not showing them how we control ours.” Karlina said. “We'll talk more about this later.” They were standing outside of Arlene's office. Karlina knocked once before entering the room. “Good morning Arlene. You wanted to see us?” Karlina said smiling.
Arlene stood up. “Yes. Karlina you have a visitor. He arrived late last night but as you were sleeping none of us wanted to bother you.” Arlene explained. “Sir please come in.” Karlina watched as the door to the back of the room opened and Kory walked in smiling.
“Kory!” Karlina screamed and ran to give him a hug. “I've missed you so much.” She said as tears started running down her cheeks.
“I've missed you too.” Kory said, then he kissed her.




Three years later on Karlina's 18th birthday Kory and Karlina got married and became the leaders of Arlentina. Karlina's parents and Glaze became their successors in case anything happened to Karlina and Kory. Karlina had two sons, who they named Martin and Sebastian. Every year after that Karlina would travel to Earth to see how everyone was and examine how the world was turning out. As she returned one day her aircraft was shot out of the sky and Karlina was killed in the landing. Kory was on the ship also but he survived only to be stranded on Earth for the rest of his life. He searched for years to find a way back to Arlentina but finally gave up. Until he heard about an old aircraft from the early 1990's that was recently found in an old landfill.




To Be Continued............................