Against All Odds: The Worst Birthday Ever

Jade had woken up in her bed on her birthday nineteenth birthday to the smell of breakfast. She started her day like every other day before it: She fixed her hair, put on her clothes, and matched another day on her tally wall. Jade lived away from the world with the Grand Tree’s mages, priests, and scholars. The worst part is she never knew why; her parents avoided the question while the mages refused to tell her anything. She was here, in this temple in the middle of nowhere, every hour of every day; Jade felt like a prisoner.

She left for breakfast. “Maybe today would be different,” she had thought, but now Jade wishes she hadn’t considered that. Downstairs, her mom set freshly picked flowers from her garden on the table and her dad put the food on the table.

“There’s the birthday girl,” he smiled at her when he saw her. Jade sat down as her father set a plate in front of her.

“How does nineteen feel so far?” Her mother sat down next to her as she was loading her plate.

“Same as eighteen, which was the same as seventeen,” answers Jade as she was helping herself to three spoonfuls of potatoes. The three laugh, joke, and stuff themselves before they know it Jade has to leave for her lessons.

Before she could leave, her mom calls, “Sweety before you go, there is something we have to..” she locks eyes with her husband.

“We’ll tell you later,” he finishes after a second of silence.

Jade did not question it anymore: her parents did that, just stopping before telling her something important. She walked the grounds towards Florence’s study like she did every day.

When she got there, the door was closed: this was old because Florence hated closed doors; in his own words, it leads to secrets and lies. Jade could hear people arguing in the room so naturally she pressed her ear against the door, listening closely:

Jade heard Florence shout, “I am telling you for the last time: she must learn about the world before she learns about her destiny.” 

“For the sake of the Grand Tree, Elder Scorler, she must prepare for her destiny. She must know now before it is too late. We have already wasted nine-teen years of training, and we cannot afford to lose another,” a cold female voice stated flatly. Jade recognized the voice as the High Priestess.

“For nineteen years, you have kept her here; for nineteen years, you have let her be not only hidden from the world, but you have also hidden the world from her; for nineteen years, you have taken her life; she has never been allowed to live; for nineteen years, she has been a prisoner here; for nineteen years-”

“I understand your point, Elder Scorler, but we can not risk the world for one life. Our duty is to the world. And it seems your emotions are getting in the way of your duties,” she cut in with finality.

Florence started to sound angry, “Even if that was true, we choose our duties; she had no choice. She was two weeks old when we learned who she would become. And fate has not led her yet. She is still young. How can she choose the world if she has never been in it, High Priestess? We have time.”

“No, we are out of time, soon we-”

“What are you doing?” someone asked from behind. Jade jumped and spun around to face the newcomer: it was Mary, Jade’s closest friend her age and the youngest ranked Mage at the temple. Her purple skin, half-white/half-blue hair, fire-orange eyes with sun-shaped pupils, curved pointy ears, and the blue, white, and gray crystals growing from her head, arms, and legs show she was a crystal Arcan elf. 

“Hey, don’t sneak up on me like that.”

“Sorry, Jade, but what are you doing?”

“I may or may not have been eavesdropping on a conversation Florence is having with the High Bi- I mean the High Priestess.”

“You know, most people try to lie when caught doing something they shouldn’t,” Mary giggles.

“I couldn’t think of anything. Plus, I would have told you what I was doing anyways, so what would be the point of lying?”

“Fair enough, I guess. So what are those two talking about-”

The door opened, and Jade jumped back, standing up straight next to Mary, “Like I said, and as you can clearly see: High Priestess, I have students to teach, and we are behind by eight minutes,” Florence stated, usually out a woman in white and gold robes. Jade gulped; she had met the Priestess on many occasions which normally led to Jade getting more chores.

“My destination is final, Elder Scorler. I was not asking for permission; I was merely informing you. Remember your vow and your place,” she turned her unforgiving gaze to Jade, “I will be dining with your family tonight; I do hope you have not been getting into trouble again. We do not need a repeat of the five hundred chicks incident, now do we.”

Jade fought the urge to roll her eyes and gave a forced smile. “No, High Priestess. I have been on my best behavior.”

“That is highly doubtful,” she turned to Mary, “Purter Mage.”

“High Priestess.” Mary nods out of respect in response.

The Priestess nodded back and left without another word.

Florence scoffed, then softened his expiration when he turned to the two girls, “Well, we are losing daylight time to learn.”

“Sir, if I may ask, what was that all about?” Mary asked him as she sat down.

“The High Priestess and I had a…” he coughed, “We had a difference in opinion about a matter that does not concern either of you.”

“If you are sure, Sir,” Mary gave Jade a look that said, “You better tell me later.”

Jade nodded slightly in assurance.

“Now, let me make myself clear with you two: Don’t look for answers to questions you are ready to understand,” he warned in an uncharacteristically cold tone. “What you need to know you will learn at the right time and place. And Jade, whatever you overheard should be forgotten and ignored. Do you two understand?”

They both nodded. Forence’s expression softened, “Good, now, who wants some tea and cookies to go with today’s lesson?”

After a long lesson with delicious chocolate chips and cinnamon cookies, the two girls quickly found a quiet place to talk. Jade explained everything she overheard, including a crude impersonation of the High Priestess.

“Do you have any idea who they were talking about?”

“Really, Jade?”

“What?”

“They were obviously talking about you.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you, Jade. Who else would fit that description of who they were talking about.”

“But why me? What do they mean? Do you know?”

“I think I know, but I cannot be sure.”

“What do you mean?”

“I need to fact-check first. I need the library, but first, I have nursery duty. I’ll tell you what I find later. Bye,” Mary leaves for the orphanage. Jade wonders through the rest of her day, confused and annoyed. “Why does no one ever give her a straight answer?” Going home for dinner with no answers did not help her mood. She opened the door to her home; Jade heard an argument in the other room, which stopped her in her tracks:

“We agree to this life lock away because you said you were keeping our daughter safe. You said she would be safe!” Jade’s father shouted. She had never heard her father yell before.

The High Priestess replied calmly, “I know what I said, and I did, didn’t I? Now it is time for Jade to face her destiny.”

“What you are talking about is not what we agreed to!” he yelled louder.

“Would both of you think of the greater good for the world for a second?”

He slammed his fists on the table, “We are thinking of the good of our daughter!”

“She is still too young to do what you’re planning. Please let her live her life. Let her be human,” Jade’s mother cried.

“My duty does not stop for one girl. Jade is the next welder of the Arcane Sabre the sword of fate, she is the next welder. There is no avoiding it, no stopping it. All we can do now is guide her to the correct path.”

“Correct path? Have you lost your mind?” Jade’s father asked, still yelling, “She is a person, for Auzor’s sake, not a weapon or a tool to be used to fix your problems.”

“Go ahead, call me crazy. Many will, and many have. But no one who has changed history has been called sane while alive. Jade is no normal human; history has shown this with the past welders of the Arcane Sabre being allowed to run wild has done little for this world,” the High Priestess answered, still keeping her same cold demeanor.

Jade ran out of the house; she just could not listen anymore. She ran straight to somewhere she could be a loan. She found herself on the roof above the garden. It felt like an eternity, not knowing how to feel or think.

“This set taken?” Mary asked from behind her.

“Mary… No,” Jade managed to say.

“You heard something?”

She wipes the tries from her face, “I heard… I heard my parents and the Priestess talking about who I am.”

“What did you hear?”

“I… I am the next welder of the Arcane Sabre.”

“Oh.”

“Was that what you thought I could be?”

“My theory was along those lines, yes. But I wasn’t sure. Are you okay, Jade?”

“I don’t know who I am.”

Mary hugged her, “It will be okay. I’m here for you. There is something I need to show something.” She grabbed Jade by the hand and dragged her to the painting at the end of the third floor. It was a painting of a man trying to eat a big sandwich in one bite by fighting to get the whole thing in his mouth. Mary pulled out her wand and taped the man’s nose with it; Jade heard a click, and the painting swung forward, revealing a secret tunnel. The two go through:

“What is this place.”

“It is a labyrinth of tunnels, paths, and puzzles that goes all over the place; you could probably get anywhere in the world using these paths.”

“So, I could have been exploring the outside world using this, and you didn’t tell me, your best friend?”

“Jade, you can not keep a secret to save your life.”

“Yes, I can.”

“No, you can’t. Duck here,” Mary squatted and pulled Jade down before a swinging log hit them. “Rebermer Key’s surprise birthday party last year, which you told her about three weeks before the day. Watch the drop,” the two started sliding down the path. “Or when you told Daphne that Hu was planning to propose to Gen. A rock puzzle, give me a second,” she pressed the wall in different places. In seconds, it moved out, revealing the spiral staircase. “Or when you told Dex that Poppy liked him. Or when you-”

“Ok, I get it. I’m a blabber mouth, but why do you know about this place?”

“I found it ten years ago by accident. I have explored the parts under the temple so much now I know it like the back of my hand.”

“Why?”

“If you must know, I use it to sneak into the restriction of the Library after hours.”

“You broke curfew to read!?”

“Yes, watch your step: the tiles are loose here.”

“You broke the rules!? So my trouble-making habits are rubbing off on you. I am so proud of you.”

“Why are you like this? We are almost there.”

“We’re almost where?”

“To what I want to show you. And here we are.”

The two stop in a giant chamber:

Small bright lights floated around the room, which filled it with blue light; vines with multicolored flowers grew from the ceiling and walls; cloisters of magic red crystals filled the room, and in the center was an aged set of steps that led to a giant platform with vines and root wrapping around something that looked like a sword in the center of it.

Jade was in shock, “Mar, what is this place?”

“It is a root patch apart of the Grand tree. Its roots go all over the world; a lot of roots in one place makes a place like this kind of like magic hot spots.”

“Is that sword what I think it is?” Jade felt something call to her as she began to walk toward the steps.

“Yes, I believe so. It is the sword of fate (and with the new information we have gained in the last hour): it is your sword.”

Jade kept walking forward without responding: she felt something calling her to grab the sword, to claim it. It was her sword. “Jade, what are you doing?” Why shouldn’t she claim it? It is time for her to take her destiny. “Jade, stop!” She was almost there. All she just had to do was take a few steps. “Jade, you’re scaring me.” It is the sword of many names; it is now her. She would have the fate of the world in her hands. She would have power-

“JADE!” Mary grabbed Jade’s arm and turned her around. Jade blicked and collapsed against Mary, gasping for air; Jade felt like someone had dragged her out of the water before drowning. Her vision clouded with black spots, and it was hard to breathe. Mary helped Jade lay down on the ground near the exit. “Jade, speak to me, please,” she cried.

Jade groaned, “What happened?”

“You just started to walk forward, and you wouldn’t respond to anything; it was like you were in some kind of trance. And the room began to change as well.”

Jade looked around the room and saw that the floating lights and crystals had turned green. “Did I do that?”

“It was either you or the sword. I am not sure we should stay around to find out.”

“I will have to confront this soon, but for now, I think we should get back to the temple. I have a bad feeling.”

“Same. Do you think you can walk by yourself?”

“Maybe, I don’t know, but I can try.” Jade attempted to stand. Her head was still fussy, but she felt better. The two girls hurry back through the maze but take a different root from their original path.

“This way will get you closer to your house,” Mary stated as they turned away from the third-floor painting. As the two exited a statue of a woman with wings, they heard screams in the direction of Jade’s home. The two break into a run, only stopping at the sight in front of them: countless mages, priests, scholars, children, and others dead, buildings on fire, and rumble from the temple everywhere.

“No, no, no, no,” Jade bent down to look at two bodies lying side by side, “Mary, it’s Hu and Gen. Mary. They are-” Jade’s voice caught in her throat. Hu’s gray eyes were still open, but with nothing behind them, a smile was on his face like he told a joke before he died. He seemed to have been killed by the explosion that busted open a nearby wall; he didn’t even know what hit him. Gen had two stab wounds in her back, which went all the way through; her white shirt was now a deep red. She was reaching for Hu’s hand before she died. How could they be dead? Jade saw them this morning, and they were fine. They were going to get married in two months. So why are they now dead? Jade reunited the two’s hands and closed their eyes; at least they could be together and be at peace.

“Key, Dex, no!” Mary shouted. Jade looked over at her. Key was lying on the steps with blood spilling from her head, blending with her bright red hair. Her eyes were glazed over and unforced. Something heavy had hit her in the head, and it was over. Key held loosely a glass bottle of a potion that had cracked and spilled on the ground. Dex was a few feet away with three spears in his gut. The books, papers, and scrolls he must have been carrying now were on the floor around him. With more screams heard in the distance, the two ran on, tears falling from their faces. They hoped they could save anyone alive; the two stopped at another group of bodies.

Daphne lay with flowers growing around her from the bag of seeds she carried. The sight was shockingly beautiful, with a mix of pansies, hydrangeas, hyacinths, irises, lilies, and buttercups all growing and blooming around the beautiful young girl. Daphne looked almost like she could be sleeping, but no, she was dead; the knife in her heart made sure of that. Poppy was on her side nearby, with thirty arrows in her back. She reminded Jade of a hedgehog. The small girl who wanted to be a healer was now dead, looking like a small animal. Jade and Mary kept running toward the sound of screams again; now was no time to mourn. They finally make it to Jade’s home, which is on fire. Jade’s parents were dead on the ground in front of the house. A group of hooded figures standing around their bodies. One was holding a woman in white and gold robes by her neck. Jade blacked out after that and woke up in the mud in the middle of a forest with every inch of her body in pain.