New Plan

Jake and Anna had walked over to the others and Smith had started healing Anna's legs.

"Why'd you guys stop?" Kevin asked. "It had barely even started."

"Well we're gonna need our mana where we're going and I'd had enough of the fight already." Jake said.

"Bullshit." Kyle said. "We know you could have kept going. You didn't even use that purple energy."

"They know about it too?" Anna asked.

"'Too?' How do you know about it?" Sasha asked. "You've never seen him use it."

"That's beside the point." Jake said, ending the conversation. "The people aren't really feeling the effects of the war because the Vedan army is doing well. Let's go assist them."

Jake was only saying that so they could get going. He had actually completed the quest already and he only had one more left until he received a new set of quests.

[Quest Completed: Successfully deliver a hit to Miss Anna during a sparring session against her]

[Stat points +5, +80exp received]

[Star points: 10]

[Exp:70480/100000]

Jake was wondering how he was going to complete the other quest about learning more about extraterrestrials when a black van drove in through the school gates and stopped.

"Who's that?" Smith asked.

"Someone I recently got in touch with." Anna answered. "Did you all think we were going to walk to the Thradon barracks or something?"

Stepping down from the van was a lady who looked to be around the same age as Anna. She had pink hair which was brought to the front and was on the right side of her shoulders. She walked towards them with vigour and her gaze on them did not waver in the slightest.

"Caitlin?" Nikki said. "Caitlin's going to be driving us to the Thradon barracks?"

"That's Caitlin?" Kevin asked. "Whoo! Man that's fire." he said to Smith. "Look at those hips dude."

"Who's Caitlin?" Jake asked.

"Catherine's sister." Diane replied.

"Cat had a sister?" was Jake's immediate response. Cat had never mentioned a sister to him, only a cousin – Cassandra.

"Anna." Caitlin said, shaking Anna's hand.

"Thanks for coming." Anna replied.

"Don't say it like I had a choice." Caitlin said. "This only happened because you're a monarch's daughter and he said he trusts me to ensure nothing happens on our way to the Thradon district."

"So you're here to what, protect us?" Anna said.

"Let's go." Caitlin replied and headed back to the van.

"She's fun." Sky said and followed the others as they went to the van.

The drive to Thradon was long and uneventful but after driving for hours they eventually got there.

"We couldn't have left in a jet or something?" Kevin said, finally stepping within the borders of the Thradon barracks.

"Not everything has to be a big deal Kevin." Kyle said.

"Uh have you seen me?" Kevin asked, specifically dangling the 19-karat gold necklace on his neck and the 14-karat gold bracelet around his wrist.

"Yeah, you don't need that." Sky said and used his magic to cut the necklace and bracelet into three pieces each.

"What's wrong with you?!" Kevin yelled.

"Be quiet!" Caitlin said with a clear tone of command.

Zeke, Anna's father had just come out of a building and was walking straight towards them. He had a frown on his face.

"You never said anything about bringing kids with you." he said to Anna.

Caitlin gave a polite bow and stepped away.

"Hi sir. It is an absolute pleasure to meet you." Jake said as he moved forward and put his hand out for a handshake.

Zeke looked down at the hand and looked back up at Anna. "Explain yourself."

"They are going with me to the frontlines." Anna said. "Their parents already gave permission." She showed him holographic documents through her bracelet. The documents had signatures from the parents of everyone present.

"The frontlines are for the Vedan army, not for kids who are trying to prove something." Zeke said. "I appreciate the nobility of your actions," he told them, "but I cannot let you proceed with this."

"What now?" Kevin asked the others.

Jake walked away from the group while the monarcg was talking to Caitlin. He signalled Anna to come over to him and the whole group had gone over.

"Do you know where the frontlines are exactly?" Jake asked Anna.

"Yes. What are you thinking?" she asked.

Jake looked at the faces of everyone in the group. "I've got an idea but it's dangerous and very risky. We steal a ship."

"Are you insane?!" Kevin shouted.

The monarch turned back and looked at them. They were a good distance away from the monarch to ensure he could not hear them so he continued his conversation with Caitlin.

"Kevin shut up!" Nikki said.

"That is actually a bad idea Jake." Anna said.

"You guys don't have to do this." Jake said. "I can get there on my own with Anna leading the way and I'll just carry Sky with me. Werts can fly from one planet to another so I'm good."

"Or..." Sky said. "Magical dimensions."

"What do you mean?"

"You spoke to Violet yesterday." Sky said to Jake. "And I'm guessing you probably mimicked her magical ability."

"How do you know that?" Jake asked.

"I know most of what happens in the house but that's beside the point." Sky said. "If you've got her magic, with your magical strength you should be able to open a magical dimension for all of us to get into."

"That's the best idea I've heard all day." Kevin said. "Let's do that."

"Are we all going to fit in?" Diane asked.

"We're about to find out."

Anna went back and spoke to her father, telling him they were leaving but she was also leaving to continue fighting the werts.

"I'll send someone else to take them back." Zeke said. "Caitlin is going back to Zinor. She's needed there."

Anna walked back to the group and they all held hands. The monarch had gone back into the building he had come out from and Caitlin had already left.

"Now." Anna said.

The whole group vanished and appeared miles away from the barracks. Jake had just used the vanishing magic to move the whole group out of the barracks.

"You guys should be quick about this." Anna said. "They will know we're gone in a few seconds."

Jake immediately focused and saw something like the magic blueprints of the portal he wanted to open. His eyes were closed as he drew the portal in the air.

"Good job?" Sky said when he was done.

"Don't judge. It's not like I do this often." Jake replied. The portal was looking like a misshapen circle that was bent in all the wrong places. "Get in."

Kyle was the first to step through. Then Sky. Then Smith. And all the others followed. Jake closed the portal and shapeshifted into a two-tailed wert.

Anna was flying higher into the air as a three-tailed wert and Jake was following from behind.

"Do you know where we're going?" Jake asked.

"We just need to keep flying left." Anna replied. "We're going to Soran."