# Saving Caelum



## Roanwatch (Apr 1, 2014)

Why will the text not post how I want it to? It got rid on the indentions and the text looks tiny..


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## Roanwatch (Apr 1, 2014)

*Chapter One (Changed Text For Easier Reading)*

*A bird sat chirping on the windowsill. Its black feathers glistened blue and green in the early autumn sunshine. One beady eye studied me while I watched it hop around on needle-thin legs. Looking behind the little bird, I took in the beautiful scenery. A smile spread across my delicate-looking face, the fall colors are just too breath-taking. It is my favorite time of the year. The leaves in the trees have turned multiple shades of the sunset, my favorite being a brilliant orange.*
*
Tucking a long, wavy strand of auburn hair behind my left ear, I turned my attention away from the window. A quick glance around the room showed nothing interesting to me. The walls were a dull brown, lacking any sort of art or creativity. The room lacked a personality, there was no thought put into it. I sat in a wood chair that had faded white paint. A blue bow was painted across the back. At least the chair has some detail. In front of me sat a desk, and behind the desk sat a burly woman. She had short brown hair and pink glasses. Her face was round, she had dimpled cheeks and a pig nose. At the moment she was busy going through a stack of papers, probably about me and my family. I took the time to observe the objects that sat on her desk. There wasn’t much, just a simple blue pencil cup, a slick black tablet, and a nameplate that read “Ms. Kenlee, Career Guide”.

Ms. Kenlee glanced up at me. Her smile looked fake, but I pretended not to know that she really didn’t care about my future career goals. I was probably interrupting her game of spider solitaire. “Well Ms. Floyd, what exactly are you looking for? According to my databases, your father Sirius Floyd was a Commander and your mother Freya Floyd was an Officer in the war. You wish to pursue a career in the war, correct?”

“Yes, ma’am. I would like a position that has me working with my horse in combat, if at all possible. A position as an Officer would be great. Maybe I could be a guard to the city’s ruler.”

“Ms. Floyd, I will see what I can do for you. According to my databases, your parents are very highly regarded soldiers. This will certainly help you get a position that you desire. I will see what I can do to get you into a school that will best lead you to your future goal. May I suggest that you look into the Peridot School?”

All of the schools in my city, Caelum, are named after some sort of gem. Peridot, Sapphire, Tanzanite, and Zircon. Caelum, along with three other cities, were spread across the land of Istani. Unfortunately, all of the lands are threatening to break back into war. One of Istani’s own cities, Taurus, has been creating a lot of problems recently inside of our borders. I wonder if it has always been like this, with the different lands fighting amongst ourselves and each other. I wonder what it was like before the tectonic plates drug the continents back into one super continent, known as Pangea.

I glance at Ms. Kenlee, “My parents are great warriors. They have brought down many of our enemies and have saved countless of their brothers and sisters. Even the horses they rode are well known. I will certainly look into going to Peridot, but honestly ma’am, I would really like to go to Tanzanite. You see, ma’am that is the school that my parents went to.”

“Very well, Ms. Floyd. I will see what I can do for you. The school that is going to take you will message you later today. You will start school tomorrow. Have a good day.” The burly women then turned away and started tapping on her tablet, seemingly forgetting about me already. I excuse myself and hurry out of the room. The hallway, just like the room, was plain. The walls were an off-white color, and the carpet was some sort of dull green and grey. I noticed a long crack that ran down the right side of the wall, and the paint was chipping. I didn’t want to stay in the building long, so I rushed outside the glass doors. I breathed in the fresh air, filling my lungs with it. So much better than that ugly building’s musty air suffocating me. 

I gazed up at the tall, magnificent buildings in front of me. Their steel and glass reached high up into the sky. Directly in front of me was the forty story building that we did our basic training in - learning mathematics, various languages, and our ancient history. This building, the Learning Center, was where children went from the day of their sixth birthday to their sixteenth. After this, we had a year off of school to basically get our acts together and figure out what we wanted to do. Today is October 14th, of the year twenty-three eighty-nine, I turned seventeen yesterday, so my year is up. Time for me to choose what to do with my life, which is easy as I have always wanted to follow in my parents’ footsteps. That is what I was doing today, finding a school that ‘matches’ my needs and wants. Of course, most people don’t exactly get to go where they want, but are instead put into areas of work that the city needs them working in. The richer you are, the more chances that you will get the career that you want. 

Of course, the careers that the city helps you choose are typically some-what similar to the one that you originally wanted. Most people are put into positions that are involved in the war. Lucky for me, I come from a rich family. We have millions of coins in our name. It also helps that I want a career that my parents excelled at. I smile at this thought. Oh, it is great to not have to worry about getting what I want.

To the left of the Learning Center stood a slightly shorter building, maybe only thirty-six stories, whose walls were nearly solid steel. This building is the Combat Training Center. It is where about three-quarters of all of our citizens go to prepare themselves for the war. They work on their hand-to-hand fighting, archery, swordsmanship, and firearms skills. The Combat Training Center also has a meadow at the south-east corner of the city where they do a lot of practicing, both on the ground and on horses. The building also has rooms that work on nursing, computer/hacking skills, and surveillance. There are also rooms that deal with repairing weapons and creating new ones.

To the right of the Learning Center is a building that deals mostly with the different sciences and new medications and cures. This building is huge and white, it is several stories high and even wider than it is tall. Guessing by the windows along the sides, I would guess that it is a good fifty stories high. This particular building I have never been in, so there is not much more that I know about it. 

The surrounding buildings are more so just malls, stores, and apartment buildings. I turn right on the sidewalk and started to jog back to my own compartment, which is only a couple blocks away from the Career Building. The more money you had, the closer that you can live in the center of the city, which is where I was right now. Through the past couple of decades there has been a lot of remodeling, but the city isn’t finished yet. The workers started in the middle of the city and are working their way to the edges. Well, I mused, they seemed to have forgot this particular Career Building, haven’t they? 

I reached the brick building that I lived in, and walked through the compartment’s wooden door. Delicious smells wafted through the air and I can hear the sizzling sound of bacon frying in a pan. 

My mom peeked out from behind the kitchen door. She looks a lot like me, a childish, delicate looking woman with auburn hair. She has blue eyes, though, where as mine are the same grey color of my father’s. She smiled, and I saw a row of perfect teeth and dimpled cheeks. I giggle a little when I notice the flour smeared across the left side of her forehead. She wears a simple, yellow dress and a denim cooking apron. It is hard to believe that she ever fought in the war. My mother weighs just slightly more than me, which isn’t much considering that I am pencil-thin. 

I shrug the light black jacket from my shoulders and hang it up before greeting my mother. “Good morning, Mom, breakfast smells amazing.” To prove my point, a take a huge wiff of the smell. 

“Good morning, sweet-nose! Did you just get back from the Career Building?” At this I nod my head. She smiles again, “Well, my darling Alyssia, tell me all about it after you take a seat at the table. Breakfast is ready.”

I step into the dainty kitchen. The smells make my mouth water. In the center sits a small, round wooden table with fancy designs along the legs and sides. The walls are a cream color, and there are multiple pictures hanging from them. Each picture is of our family together, with everyone smiling. My father, mother, and myself. Some include my now gone grandparents.
 
My mom set in front of me a plate full of wonderful food while I took a seat. She sat down next to me. The seat on the other side of me remained empty. I quickly look away before my mother sees me looking at the empty place. It is still a sensitive subject. My father had gave his life in the line of duty several years ago, and the family just hasn’t been the same sense. 
My mother glanced at me, “So, Aly, how did it go? Do you think you’ll get the position that you want?”

“Yes, I think so. The lady at the desk suggested Peridot, but I want Tanzanite. It is a possibility that I will get Tanzanite,” I take a bite of pancake,” but no guarantees. I will be messaged later which one that I go to and my position.” For the rest of breakfast, we ate in silence. It has always been my parents’ dream for me to follow in their footsteps, too. Both of them loved the School of Tanzanite. In fact, it is where they met each other and fell in love. 
After breakfast, I washed my dishes off and gave my mother a peck on her cheek before rushing outside to the stables and pasture that sat right behind the compartments. A few horses lifted their heads at my approach, but only one greeted me with a whinny. The beautiful red mare jogged over to the pipe fence. The white star on her forehead and her white front feet stood out against her brilliant chestnut hairs. 

I pet her soft, velvety nose and felt her soft breathing on my hand. “Hello, Firefly. It’s always so good to see you, girly. Tomorrow is a big day. Both you and me will start our real training. In a couple years, we will be fighting beside our brothers and sisters.”

Right after I said this, my tablet beeped. Firefly pricked her ears forward and snorted. I took the small tablet out of my pocket and clicked the answer button. An automated voice replied to me, “Dear Alyssia Fae Floyd, the School of Tanzanite”, at this point swear my heart has stopped beating, ”is welcoming you to join our glorious school with open arms. Congratulations on your new journey in life. School starts tomorrow, October 15th, at six oh hundred. Meet in room D12.”*


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## Roanwatch (Apr 1, 2014)

*Chapter 2*

*I keep replaying the message in my head. I received that message a few hours ago, and I still don’t think that it is real. I am just so happy that I made it! Is this really happening to me?*

*After I received the message, I saddled my horse and walked her to the southern edge of the city. There, endless pastures met us. Toward the east of where I had ridden her stood the Combat Training grounds. I couldn’t see in due to the wall that surrounded it, but I could hear people and horses within exerting themselves during some difficult session.*

*I had listened to the training for a few minutes before I headed out into the pastures. At that point I was only a half hour into our riding, now my horse and I are a couple hours into the pastures. I can no longer see the city, just beautiful autumn scenery. I have not ridden my horse faster than a walk so far, as I do not want to wear her out before tomorrow. Who knows what the schools have in store for us.*

*I glance at the sun, and guess that it is around noon. “Come on, girly, we should be heading back now.” I look back towards the direction that we came from and cued my horse on. I wasn’t the only one riding today, I could see a few other kids on their horses, too. *

*People started to rely more and more on horses after the dawn of the New World. Vehicles just were not as efficient, they were more easily seen and couldn’t travel through all of the terrain. Only the richest people have vehicles now. Almost every family in Caelum had at least one horse. *

*I paid closer attention to the riders and noticed my best friend, Ceylin. She seemed to notice me at the same time, as we mirrored each other’s waving. I watched as she spun her hot-headed palomino gelding toward us and loped up to Firefly and me. I laughed as I watched her curly brown hair bob up and down with the horse’s movements. A smile stretched across her tan face, showing a row of perfect-white teeth. She wore a simple blue top, a pair of faded black jeans, and a black leather vest with thin chain mail. We are all required to wear the vests for our own protection. I myself am wearing a tan one over my grey shirt. *

*Ceylin beamed at me when her horse, Honor, slowed to match my horse’s stride. “Alyssia! Did you find out your school today? I have literally been anxious all day waiting for your message. So, hurry and spill!”*

*Ceylin and I have always been close friends, so were our parents. It probably helps that our birthdates are close. Cey was born on October 11th and I was born October 13th. I call it pure coincidence, but Cey says that it is because we were destined to become best friends. *

*“Yes, Cey! I went over early this morning to the Career Center. The lady there wasn’t exactly a joy, but at least I was in there and out really quick. The lady just asked a few questions, suggested a school. It wasn’t Tanzanite, but I asked for Tanzanite and she said that she would see what she can do.*

*“A few hours ago I got a message from Tanzanite!” At this Cey began to almost glow from pure happiness. “I have been accepted in, so I start the same day as you! Tomorrow!”*

*“Oh my lands, Aly! That is great news! We can train together and everything! We can graduate side by side! You and Firefly with me and Honor! It is going to be great! Eee! I am so excited!”*

*Both of us would be jumping in joy if we weren’t currently mounted on our horses. Firefly began to feed off of our bubbling excitement and she began to jig around. A sudden realization hit me. What if we aren’t put in the same room, with the same instructor? Than we won’t be able to follow our plans..*

*“Umm… Cey? What room are you going to be in?”*

*“D12. That’s your room, too? Right? Please tell me it is so!” *

*I sighed with relief. “Yes, it is. Thank the lands.” We were silent but very happy the rest of the way home. I daydreamed of how the school would be, and I am sure that Cey was doing the same. Both of us have been waiting for this for a very long time, since the time when we first started regular school. We have both hear numerous stories from our parents about all the great times they had in school and on the field. *

*We reached the edge of Caelum and split ways. She had errands to run for her parents, and I needed to get home. There were few people out on the roads, I assume that they must be in eating lunch. Which is what I should be doing now, I think as my stomach rumbles. *

*My mind started to wander around, going back to old memories of me and my father. I was sitting on his lap, barely six years old. I had just barely started school, and was telling all about my day. “Daddy, Daddy! Guess what I did today in school! I A’s on all my assignments! My teacher says that I am doing really good and that I am a quick learner! Aren’t you proud of me, Daddy?”*

*He chuckled at me and pat me on the shoulder. “Of course I am proud of you, Aly. You are doing such a great job in school, just like I knew you would. Honey, you know who you remind me of? Your mother. You are exactly like her. Smart, wonderful, and beautiful. There is not a single father out there that is more proud than I am of you. Always remember that, even when I am gone.”*

*The thought made me hurt inside. I miss him so much. The memory is one of my favorites, though. My father is proud of me, I know he is. He may not be here anymore, but he will always be proud of me.*


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