Change My Destiny

Wow I've been gone for a while. Studying abroad and getting a job would do that. But the recent pandemic has rendered me jobless so to deal with the stress I've moved back with my parents and come back to writing. Funny how life works out like that.

I hope you enjoy my story, and all the improvements I made while I was gone. If there is anything you feel that could be altered to make it better, perhaps any mistakes that I didn't catch please feel free to tell me. It will only help me make this story better.

Thanks for reading!

9PM, October 30, 2001

Toronto Canada, Planet Earth

It was night time. The cold, damp air wrapped around his skin as the eleven year old walked down the narrow alleyway. Casting a small fire spell, the boy attempted to warm himself with the ball of fire that emerged in the palm his hand.

"Man, mom's going to scold me again… maybe we should take a shortcut." the boy mumbled to himself, dispelling his fire as he climbed over the metal fence in his way. The full moon was shining through the thin clouds, brightening the damp sidewalk. Not a sound filled the air apart from the boy's footsteps.

Looking at the blanket of stars above, the boy lost himself in his thoughts when the sound of footsteps cut through the air like a sword. He stopped, and slowly searched around, looking for signs of life.

There was nothing.

Thinking of all the possibilities, the boy started to jog lightly.

He heard the footsteps behind him again. Not daring to turn around, he quickened his pace into a steady run towards his house. It was all in vain, as the person was catching up quickly.

Unable to run any longer, the boy stopped to catch his breath. He then spun around, ready to face whoever was following him. Whoever it was had slowed down as well, and was breathless. Was it a criminal? A thief? The boy stared hard at the person, taking a fighting stance and preparing the magic within him. He wasn't confident with his spell-casting yet, so he wasn't sure if it would help, but if anything it could cause a distraction. He didn't recognize the figure; they were too far. The person moved closer, and the boy stepped back.

"Avalon? What's wrong? It's me!" called out an all too familiar female voice.

"Huh? Amy?" Avalon exclaimed, relieved. He dropped his arms as she approached.

"Yeah, it's me. I was calling you, but apparently you didn't hear me," she replied, throwing back her long, black hair. The familiar green eyes Avalon knew and loved stared back at him as she smiled. She had an angel's smile.

"Umm, right. Anyway, what are you doing following me? It's already nine. Our parents will get mad if we stay out too late," Avalon explained.

She nodded. "Yeah, I know, it's just that it's really important." She blushed after saying this.

Why, though? I wonder what it is…

"So what is it then?" asked Avalon abruptly. Amy was silent for a moment.

"Come with me." Her voice was very serious.

The two childhood friends walked along the sidewalk they just passed, and arrived at an abandoned construction site.

A construction site? Was this going to be our new meeting spot or something?

Amy's voice broke through Avalon's thoughts.

"Umm, we're here," she mumbled. Amy abruptly came to a stop, and turned towards Avalon. Her face scrunched up, almost as if something was about to hit her. Her cheeks were tinted red, and she avoided eye contact with Avalon, much to his confusion.

"Uhh, Amy? What is it you wanted to tell me?" he asked again. Really, it makes me wonder just what she's thinking sometimes…

"Well… you see… it's just that…" she stuttered. Her voice was unsteady, and she started shaking. She took a deep breath, before starting over.

"Do you remember the first time we met?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, of course. It was at the park, wasn't it? I was sitting on the swing by myself, while you were running around, kicking sand everywhere," Avalon laughed, remembering.

"Haha yeah. Then I fell on my face and started crying. That's when you came up to me," she giggled.

"I still remember the look on your face. Priceless." Avalon laughed again, and Amy pouted before pushing the boy lightly.

"Hey, I told you to forget that!"

"Too bad, it's stuck to my mind like glue!"

A pause, then the two both laughed, unable to control themeselves any longer. As it died down, silence filled the air again.

"… I'm really glad I met you that day," said Amy, smiling.

"Me too. We've been best friends since, haven't we?"

"Uh huh. The best of best friends…" she mumbled. Her smile left, and her eyes closed as she turned around, but not before Avalon saw a small tear fall down her face. Avalon looked at her with worry.

"Amy? What's wrong?"

"Well…" she started, wiping her eyes before turning back around. She was silent for a long time, Avalon wondering the entire time about what it was she wanted to say.

"… Ever since then, I've always had his weird feeling. Whenever I was around you, I always felt like I was satisfied with life. Whenever you weren't around, I felt like it was the end of the world… "

"I still don't see what you're getting at," Avalon replied, clueless at what she was saying.

"You always were an idiot," Amy sighed, then laughed.

"Hey, I'm no idiot, I just don't see what you're saying."

"And that's exactly why you're an idiot. You don't see what I'm saying.

She's got me there.

"Well, anyway that's not the point. Its just the truth is…"

"The truth is…" Avalon urged her on.

"I love you, Avalon!" she yelled out, her high voice piercing his ears, but he was too shocked to feel the pain.

Amy… loves me?

"…What?" was all that he could say. He was too confused, and didn't know what to do. Didn't know what to say. Amy then looked a bit confused, before she smiled. She walked up to the stunned boy, and wrapped her slender arms around his shoulders. The warm touch of her skin against his made him shiver a bit.

"I love you, Avalon… I've always loved you, and I always will," she whispered in his ear.

Then suddenly, without thinking, Avalon's hands encircled her waist, and he felt his heart doing backflips.

"I… I love you too, Amy." Something in his head made his mind flutter with thoughts about her. Unknown feelings that he didn't understand suddenly became clear as he embraced her.

He was in love.

Avalon pulled away for a while, looking deeply into the eyes that he had fallen for… Amy's bright green eyes, the same eyes he had treasured for 3 years. She smiled, placing a warm hand on his cheek. He couldn't help but smile back. The two lost themselves inside each other's eyes, not wanting to ruin such a beautiful moment.

Slowly, their faces drew closer. They were so close that Avalon could feel her breath on his face. This was it. Their lips were close, so close, before a loud voice filled Avalon's ears.

"LOOK OUT!"

A light blinded his vision. Before he knew it, a sudden force pushed him aside. He slid across the ground, and his instincts told him to roll immediately. He did as he was trained to do, and flipped back to his feet, ignoring the pain in his shoulder.

"AMY!"

Time fell to a crawl. Avalon's eyes widened with shock as a car came through, attempting to skid to a stop. The screeching of the tires dragged on as Amy's eye's met his. Amy reached out for Avalon, and he to her. There was a bright, green flash, and—

"Avalon, wake up!"

"Mister Faalos!"

With a loud cry Avalon's head snapped up, the crook of his neck straining from the sudden movement. His entire desk rocked as his body jerked backwards, before settling upright in his seat once more. Taking a quick look at his surroundings, Avalon watched his fellow classmates snicker as his gaze swept across the room, before settling on the teacher towering above him.

"M-Miss Yang... I'm really sorry," he apologized, bowing his head slightly. Avalon's teacher gave a small huff, crossing her arms as she began walking towards the center of the square classroom.

"While I understand that you work yourself to the bone, Mister Faalos, it does not mean that you are allowed to sleep in this classroom. I will not tolerate any more of this. You are already in your fourth year of high school, so please do remain awake during class! You aren't a child anymore!"

"Y-yes, Miss Yang," Avalon apologized again. Rubbing his sore eyes, he began scanning the board.

"What did I miss?" Avalon addressed the presence inside his mind. He began writing down notes, connecting the dots between what he had and what was on the board.

"It's been twenty minutes."

"So… not a lot?"

"Perhaps, but this would not have happened if you didn't stay up late last night. You know your mother doesn't like it when you do that. It's not healthy."

"Oh, come on, Kavaid…"

Time went on, and eventually class came to an end. The shrill bell of the school had never sounded so good. As Avalon rose from his seat, someone tapped him on the back, and he turned.

"Oh, hey Vin, what's up?" Vincent Duong Avalon's best friend since pre-school, eyed him incredulously as he packed up.

"Dude, are you alright? That's the tenth time you fell asleep in class this week. What have you been doing at night? Can't your Kavaid wake you up?" His voice was a mix of curiosity and concern. Avalon shrugged.

"I've been doing some studying. Multiverse theories, Summoning Spells… we've also been researching Japan's latest news on spirit magic." Shouldering his bag with a yawn, the pair made their way out of the classroom, down the hall and towards their lockers.

"Multiverse theories again? Is that what this is about? Avo, that accident happened seven years ago, I really think you should let it go. We have exams and applications for university to fill out. At least do this when you have the resources at Cambridge or something," Vin sighed. Avalon nodded, letting his thoughts wander on.

Seven long years of researching magic. Of training and researching all forms of the arcane arts. All of it to find where Amy went. He was sure the green portal did lead somewhere, if not another world, but Avalon had no way of proving it yet. Everything he did in high school was in preparation for that one goal.

"Well, anyway, we're going to skip band practice today. Tell Mister Harrison for me, will you?" Nodding grimly, Vin didn't say anything as Avalon left the school premises, heading towards his house. He took out his iPhone, checking the internet for the latest updates on the latest magic and science news. Nothing in particular stood out; a few potential breakthroughs here, newly discovered patterns in elements there, with the occasional Indie invention.

"Huh, now that's interesting… a stimulant that can help a person see another's aura? Sherry would love that, wouldn't she? And speak of the devil," said Avalon as he got a text. He opened it up, seeing a picture of a young, dark haired elf girl with a plate of cake in her hands.

Sherry:Vin told me wut happened. NERD! Did u 4get about 2day's party? Come back u idiot!

Avalon chuckled to himself before replying.

Avalon: Sorry, mom want's me home ASAP. She wanted to discuss my university applications, something about us getting a deal on charges. That woman knows way too many people.

Sherry: Aww, the luvable nerd hard at work. Well, if u rly can't then it can't b helped. Say hi to Sasha for me!

A ping followed shortly thereafter, and Avalon received another picture. This one had Vin and Sherry shoulder to shoulder, posing for the camera, and Nero, a white haired albino, holding up the phone for the selfie. Avalon couldn't help but chuckle.

"Vin and Sherry really need to get together one of these days. Watching them play around each other was like watching a soap opera. Don't you feel bad that Nero had to deal with them as third wheel all the time?"

"It can't be helped. You have all been together since middle school. Back in my day, magus teams were only assigned after rigorous compatibility tests, and…"

After some walking, Avalon turned onto his street, sighing as he brushed his short, ebony hair to the left.

Pondering on which subject to study first, he opened up his garage and slipped in, only to jerk to a stop. He blinked once, then twice, before rubbing his eyes.

"Uh. Do you see this too?"

The disbelief slowly waned as realization hit his heart like a hammer. Floating a few feet in front of him was what looked like a green portal. It was the exact same one that he saw take Amy all those years ago. Avalon's heart began to race, the palms of his hands sweating as he slowly approached the mysterious floating object.

"Be careful, Avalon," Kavaid tried to warn him, but it fell on deaf ears. Avalon was completely engrossed.

Deciding to snap some photos, he switched his phone to video mode, figuring that leaving evidence of what they had found might be a good idea.

"My name is Avalon Faalos. The date is June 16, 2007. I don't know if you'll believe what you're about to see here today, but floating before me is a portal of some kind. I don't know where it leads or why it's here, but as an aspiring scientist, I want to find out. I will leave this recording as evidence that there is indeed someone, or something, out there, still using summoning spells, despite their ban in 2003."

Placing his phone down several feet away, Avalon checked if it gave a good viewing of what was to come, before approaching the portal himself.

"Will this lead me to…?"

"Avalon, this is dangerous. You can't go about this unprepared!"

"But what am I supposed to do Kavaid?! This is an opportunity! The one I've been searching for my whole life! I can't just let this slip by!"

Avalon remained silent for a moment, feeling the disapproval. He bit his lip.

"You are just like Sasha when she was young. Always jumping in head first without thinking.

"But no matter. I will be with you to keep you safe."

Nodding to himself and observing the portal for a bit, he decided to further examine it, and reached out.

As soon as his skin brushed the portal, it reached out and wrapped itself around Avalon's arm.

"What the hell?!" Avalon cried out. Hundreds of thoughts rushed through his mind, but it didn't matter. This thing was going to eat him alive.

"SASHA! THE GARAGE, NOW!"

"Damn it… Help! Somebody help! Mom!" Avalon cried out as he desperately struggled against the portal. He pulled his arm, but no avail. He tried kicking it, but it absorbed his leg as well.

The back garage door burst open, and Avalon's vision caught a glimpse of gold, followed by a mature female voice.

"Avalon! Are you..! No!"

Pulling harder, Avalon thanked Ethera for allowing someone to hear his voice. "Mom! Help!" Avalon cried out, looking towards the elf behind him. Rushing forward, Avalon's mother attempted to pull her son out of the portal, only to be absorbed as well. The two looked at each other, the desperation and fear bright.

And then they couldn't struggle anymore as the portal absorbed them both, their entire beings thrown into a black pit.

Avalon screamed – too loud, really. His throat was going to hurt after this; well, if he was still alive afterward. Avalon reached out, feeling the arm of his mother still firmly attached to his shoulder as he felt himself falling, the voice of his mother nearly drowned out by the wind rushing against his ears. He couldn't see where he was falling – well, he was falling downwards obviously, but he had no idea what was at the bottom or how far it was. Adrenaline rushed through his veins as he desperately tried to calm down and think, but Avalon's thoughts were interrupted as he heard a voice emerge from the blackness.

"Please answer my guidance!" a high pitched, female voice called out, and a small light appeared, one that slowly expanded. Avalon saw his mother again in the light, the terror clear on her face as their eyes met, and they fell through to the other side, ending up in the dark once again.

"…valon!" Avalon! Wake up!"

Avalon felt his body stir, and he tried to think of what just happened. A small wave of nausea hit him.

"What the hell… my aura is all messed up, I feel like I'm going to be sick…"

"Don't worry, it's just the aftereffects of the portal. You'll adjust in a moment. Can you move? I don't feel any injuries, so you should be able."

"T-two familiars?!" he heard a far-away female voice say. Avalon didn't recognize them.

"No matter how you look at it, they're just commoners." This time it was another voice. This one was male, with an accent mixed between British and Australian.

"Commoners, commoner no doubt," the female voice from earlier replied.

Avalon opened his eyes, revealing a short pink eyed and haired girl, wearing what looked like a black witch robe with a star broach just below her collar. Under the robe was a white, long sleeved buttoned shirt, with a matching black skirt and dress shoes.

"She looks like someone directly out of an Anime convention."

"Though that may be, I suspect that this is not a convention of any kind. You can sense it, can't you?"

He sat up, grunting in the process. "The mana in the air… it's so thick!"

"Wait… What?!There's mana in the air?!"

Quickly examining his surroundings, Avalon saw there was a large group of people wearing the same uniform some ways away from the girl. He looked behind himself, seeing a huge stone tower that stretched high into the sky. They were in what he could only describe to be a yard, of some sort, the soft grass beneath him shifting with the breeze. A stone wall further away from the group of teenagers stood tall and firm in a semicircle, another, smaller tower built at the far right of it.

"What the hell is going on? The earth hasn't been able to produce mana for two thousand years! Where in the world are we?" Avalon mumbled. As he swept his gaze around once more, Avalon immediately moved towards his mother, who was passed out beside him.

"Mom! Are you alright?!" Avalon cried out, shaking her body. She snapped upward a moment later, her eyes scanning her surroundings. "It can't be," she gasped in disbelief. Avalon couldn't help but become confused.

"…Ah."

Avalon turned to the source of the sound; it was the pink hared girl from earlier. Her eyes were wide with shock as she stared at his mother. Sasha bit back a growl, shrinking back slightly as she grabbed Avalon's arm, pulling him close.

"Avalon, no matter what happens, stay close to me. I'll explain everything later."

"Later? You mean you actually know what happened—" Avalon started, but frantic shouts interrupted him. Some of the people surrounding them had fainted, some were frozen in place, and others turned and ran, but everyone fell into panic.

"ELF! IT'S AN ELF!"

Avalon let out a startled cry as his mother hauled him up to his feet, standing protectively in front of him. Her eyes became predatory, scaring Avalon. He had never seen her like this, not even in training. As they all ran, Avalon noticed that his backpack had come with him, his math and science textbooks scattered across the grass. He quickly scavenged them up.

Louise stared in shock. It was incredibly hard to miss, the long ears. Trampling over each other, Louise saw only raw, primal fear on their faces as they tried to flee. Yet the elf and her son did not move.

She was confused why. Here was an elf, the bane of mankind, the slayers of magi. And yet here was this boy, probably as old as the students here, claiming this elf to be his mother? But more importantly, why did she not run?

It was strange really. She expected herself to be afraid, to follow in the footsteps of her classmates, but she felt no fear. Even as she turned her gaze towards Colbert, who stood in front of her protectively, she was not afraid of this elf and her, dare she say it, son, as blasphemous as it sounded.

"Please, Miss Valliere! You must stay calm and rescue that boy! I will hold the elf off as long as I can," shouted Colbert, brandishing his staff. He took a defensive stance, his left foot forward, eyeing the elf with great caution. Yet, Louise didn't see the point. She had realized as soon as the cloud cleared and their eyes met that the elf paid no attention to her surroundings. Instead, the elf's piercing blue eyes were locked on herself.

The elf took a cautious step forward and Colbert tensed, ready to attack. However, Louise responded in kind to the pair, walking towards them with no fear. Colbert called out to her, but she ignored him. Standing in front of them, she idly noted how tall they were, the mother two heads taller than Louise herself, and the son a few inches below his mother.

"Who are you?" A pink haired girl asked. The boy opened his mouth to reply, but his mother raised her hand, cutting him off. Behind her, Louise heard Professor Colbert shift closer on reaction, but he did not attack as the elf sighed.

"No wonder you were called, Avalon," she said to the boy before turning back to Louise. "You bear his power, don't you?" the elf woman asked.

Louise blinked in surprise. Avalon? What an old name...

Wait…

"Y-You know what my element is?!"

Though to her dismay, Louise's question went unanswered. She saw a small exchange between the elf and Avalon, resulting in the woman shaking her head. "Nevermind. My name is Sasha, and this is my son, Avalon. You are the one who cast the summoning?"

Louise paled. Oh, she was surely going to die once the rest of their family found out what transpired. Avalon's eyes narrowed suddenly with a sudden aggression.

"She's here, then. That really was a portal," he said to Sasha.

Wait, what are they talking about?

Sasha sighed. "While that may be, Avalon, there are many things about this place that are different from home," she gently said, the anger on Avalon's face dying slightly. He shook his head in defiance. "I have to find her."

"And we will find her. But for now, we have to adjust to our surroundings. Don't forget, you must be able to accept things in life and move with the flow—" Sasha started, but Avalon cut her off.

"Like a leaf in the wind. Yeah, I remember." Avalon sighed, though Sasha didn't look offended. She had smiled, instead. Turning to Louise again, she lowered her head slightly in a formal bow, making Louise blink in surprise.

"I apologize for our rather rough introduction. This is a new thing to him, and though our customs may be different, I hope that we can come to an understanding."

Louise's mind stopped in its tracks. This day was just getting weirder and weirder! First her summon goes wrong, then it turns out she called forth two familiars, who then turned out to be an elf who had physical relations with a human, and now she was apologizing?!

"I give up. Fine, you're forgiven."

-Change My Destiny-

It was completely ridiculous.

She had always been different from other mages. Spent in a lifetime of only being able to conjure explosions, Louise always wondered why she was born, why the great spirits allowed her to go through such hardship. But she had endured it all, her pride as a noble and as the daughter of Karin the heavy wind keeping her strong. There was not one person in her class who would answer faster than her. Despite her lack of success in her casting the four elements, water, wind, fire, and earth, her knowledge of the arcane arts was second only to Tabitha. She would familiarize herself with every theory, every historical change, and every new discovery. It was because of this that she became close with Professor Colbert, who acted very much like a father, much more than her real father ever did. Despite her failures, he had encouraged her, helped her study when Tabitha was busy, and comforted her when the weight of her problems was too great.

It wasn't until she summoned her familiars that she realized just how different she truly was from the others. After all, it is said that the familiar you get is determined by your element. So what did summoning an elf mean?

Before she could speak up, she and the group had found themselves at the door to Osmond's office, Professor Colbert leading them inside.

"Please, come in." he said, motioning them inward. The four of them obliged. Because of her infamous status as a failure, Louise was already very familiar with the headmaster's office. Their footsteps clicked as they walked across the clean, mahogany floor. The room was spacious, with various books and scrolls stored inside neatly organized book cases. There were large windows throughout the room, and the skylight overhead filled it with a cheery glow. Portraits of previous headmasters hung on the wall behind the headmaster's desk, staring impassively.

Louise's eyes fell upon the headmaster himself. He was old, his long hair gray and his beard so long it was tied neatly at the bottom. His secretary, Miss Longueville, stood beside him, a green haired, fair skinned woman.

Though he did is best to hide it, Louise had grown keen at perception, and did not miss Osmond's eyes widening as he laid his gaze on her familiars... More specifically, Sasha's ears.

"Welcome Miss Louise, miss elf, mister…?" said Osmond, looking towards Avalon.

"My name is Avalon," he said, stepping forward with a small bow.

"And mine Sasha," she followed up, giving her own curtsy. Osmond let out a small hum, no doubt pleased with the formality.

"Mister Avalon and Miss Sasha then. Please, all of you have a seat." Osmond gestured towards the chairs in front of his desk, and they all briskly sat down, Louise taking her own seat on Avalon's left and Sasha on his right. Miss Longville stopped writing, swiftly grabbing a pitcher and a cup from the table behind her.

"Would you like some water?" Miss Longville offered to Sasha and Avalon. Louise stared slightly at Miss Longville's boldness. Was she not afraid of her?

"Thank you for the offer, but I'll have to refuse," Sasha replied curtly. She eyed Miss Longueville for a few moments before turning away. Unaffected by Sasha's refusal, Miss Longville quietly put back the pitcher and cup on the table, and Osmond took advantage of the lull in conversation.

"Well then, let us begin. I'm sure that it is a surprise to all of us that you have been summoned here, Miss Sasha?" started Osmond.

Sasha nodded her head. "Indeed. While our people are familiar with summons, we prefer to rely on the spirit for our power."

Colbert's eyes lit up with academic zeal at that, and a small smile broke out on Louise's face. He immediately pulled out a small book from his pocket, writing down his thoughts.

Osmond shook his head with a slight smile as well before continuing. "Is that so? That's quite interesting. But before we stray off topic, my name is Osmond, I am the headmaster of this school, Tristain's Magic Academy." Sasha nodded, and although Avalon made himself look like he knew what was happening, Louise could see his brow crease slightly with confusion.

"I'm sure you know this, but the summoning of an Elf is unheard of in history. This is truly a baffling situation, considering the situation of Miss Valliere..." said Osmond solemnly. Louise felt a tick of offence, but kept it in check. "We are unsure of what to do. Do you have any relatives back in your home land, or anyone who would search for you?" Osmond went on. Miss Longville and Colbert paled at the idea, while Louise merely sunk her head.

Sasha paused, looking towards Avalon, who kept his gaze on the floor.

"I'm afraid so," she said after a moment's hesitation. "But worry not; they think that I am away on business. It is my son that I worry about." Louise saw Osmond and Miss Longville's eyes widen in surprise.

"Mister Avalon is your son? But that means…"

Sasha nodded. "Yes, my husband is a human. His father will surely look for him."

Osmond nodded. "That truly is an unsettling matter. Where are you two from, Mister Avalon?" Osmond asked. Avalon lifted his head in surprise, a small 'what?' escaping his lips. Looking over to his mother for guidance, Sasha gave him a subtle nod. "We are both from the Sahara."

"The Sahara...? So far east," Louise thought, seeing the doubt in Osmond's eyes. She couldn't blame him. A human marrying an elf? The idea would have been ludicrous to them all if it weren't for the subtle interactions between the Sasha and the Avalon. It was clear he trusted her judgement. But a human in the Sahara desert would surely have caused danger for humanity… Just whom did she marry?

"Well then, it is good to know that we do not have to fear you, judging from your willingness to comply with us, but perhaps it would be best if you kept your presence hidden? I fear that even if you are familiar with humans, we are not. It's been six thousand years since the time of Brimir after all," said Osmond. Sasha's eyes glinted at the mention of Brimir, although Louise had no idea what it was for. Did... Did she actually know the founder? No, that couldn't be.

"I see… six thousand years…? Time flies," she said whimsically with a chuckle. "If it be alright with you, I would like a day to meditate on the matter at hand. You also have some questions for me, don't you Avalon?" Looking at him, Louise watched as he crossed his arms.

"Damn right we do."

We? Why did he refer to himself like that? Louise couldn't help but be puzzled.

Sasha nodded, as did Osmond.

"Very well then. We shall supply you with one of our empty dorm rooms for the time being. Miss Longville will take you there. Miss Valliere, would you like to accompany them?" Suddenly alert, Louise nodded her head.

"Then I hope that things shall go well with you."