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“If you’ll turn your books to page 193, we will start on chapter 4 …” said Mrs. Flaws, my English teacher.

As my classmates and I shuffled through the pages of our English book, the image of that mysterious man flashed through my mind.

You see, these days I’ve found myself remembering what that man said in the park that night. Even though the things he said sounded completely absurd, I find myself constantly recalling the event. And as many times as I replay it in my mind, it never makes any more sense than the time before. Even so, I’ll continue to replay it in my mind, hoping that I’ll remember some detail that I missed…

“I’m going to be late!” I screamed, as I ran as fast as I could in the direction of my house.

“It’s the third time this week, Mom’s going to kill me!” I thought to myself as I turned around a tight corner and ran into the local park with my book bag in hand.

The park was a fair size, and sat between a wide lake and busy streets of the city. No matter where you stood in the park, you saw one or the other. In the middle of the park was a large luxurious fountain that people tossed coins into, bestowed with their most secret wishes. The fountain was made of many stones, but mostly granite and white marble. At the very top of the fountain sat a large dragon, and embellished on the sides of the fountain were tiny guardians and small characters that appeared to be in another language.

Beyond the fountain, the evening sun was so beautiful as it fell beyond the horizon across the lake. I enjoyed it so much, that I made this my everyday route home. Usually around this time everyone has left the park, aside from the random couples walking down the sidewalks, hand in hand. But tonight, there was a figure that did not seem to belong. It was hard to tell if this being was male or female, for the white cloak was far too long and heavy to reveal any shape or figure. The cloak had gold trimming and a hood to hide his face in shadow. Call me naive, but I couldn’t resist my curiosity; I just had to get a closer look.

I slowed my pace and walked up closer to him. As I looked around I noticed Moirae. To the right of her was Andrea. And even to the right of her was Kyrene?

“Why are they here?” I thought to myself, “And did they have something to do with this mysterious person?”

Just as quickly as the thoughts went through my head, all three of the girls looked up in my direction. I finally reached the area all of them had been standing, to fully realize the expressions on their face. Kyrene looked lost, as if she didn’t belong, Moirae looked irritated, like she’d rather be somewhere else, and Andrea looked as if she could jump out of her skin at any given moment. After a few awkward glances around the four of us, the person in the cloak spoke.

“Now, you are all here. I don’t have much time, listen closely,” Said the person in the cloak, who sounded much like a man. “This is not to be taken lightly. None of you can back down, for you have already been chosen. It’d be best to look to the person next to you, and memorize their face... for they will be of the few people you will be able to rely on from this point forwards.”

Even more uneasy than before, I had cast a look at the others, shifted myself, then looked back to the cloaked man.

“The four of you will face difficult trials ahead. You will change, literally. You will feel things you have never felt before. You will begin to see things you never would have imagined in your wildest dreams. You will be burdened, and you will feel pressured, but you must not let the weight get to you. Each of you will awaken your gifts, and be introduced to your counterparts.” He paused for a moment, “Do you understand?”

I have no idea what was running through the other girl’s minds, but I only had one thought on my mind; ‘Is this guy for real?’

Again I looked to the other girls, and again each of them had different expressions. Moirae almost looked insulted, Kyrene looked as if she was trying to solve a rubiks cube, and Andrea was furious.

“Whoa! Wait a second there Hoodsie. Who are you to tell us who to trust and what we should expect? I don’t even know why I’m talking to you. ‘You can’t back down because you were chosen’? What kind of crap is that?” Andrea screamed. “I’m going home.” She said as she turned around and started walking away.

“You feel misunderstood.” the man emphasized to Andrea, and she stopped walking. “You feel like no matter where it is, or what it is, you could fool the world, and just blend in. That no one will ever know the real you. Am I right?”

Andrea turned around and looked at the man. If you could see his eyes under the hood of his cloak, she’d be looking straight into them. “So you can read people… so what? There are many people out there who can.”

The man in the cloak just laughed. “Reading people is a skill you acquire, seeing into a person is a gift.” He replied.

“What is that supposed to mean?” I asked before I could think not to.

“I will explain, if you let me continue.” He replied.

Andrea let out a heavy sigh and sat down where she was standing. “Make it quick, I don’t have all night.” She snorted.

“Of course,” he said, “Each of you are assigned a house, or direction if you will. The direction of your signs were given to you by evaluating your birthdays, personalities, and strengths. You will learn to which house you belong shortly, but for now all you need to know is this: The day will arrive when you must know each other so well, that you can determine each other’s actions. What you cannot do alone, you can do together. This world is not from where you descend, and the time you must return to Kirin approaches near. Your people await your arrival, for you are their power and protection.”

“…Could you be any more vague?” said Moirae sarcastically.

“Search for the Knights,” The cloaked man continued, ignoring Moirae’s comment, “This world will have problems of its own that you must destroy, and they will aid and guide you.”

“And do not fear what you become, your transformations will be more good than not.” He paused, held out his hand and conjured a sphere of light. “My time here has expired, I must go. Remember what I said.” The light burst in all directions completely blinding the four of us. When the darkness of the night returned, the man in the white cloak had disappeared.

I wonder what that man meant when he told us to ‘search for the knights’. And if this was some practical joke, was it really a case of coincidence meeting Moirae, Kyrene and Andrea that night in the park?

“…very good Arthur. Please continue from the last paragraph, Rue.” I heard from Mrs. Flaws, my English teacher, as I snapped back into reality.

The remaining last half of my English class went by so slowly, it almost seemed like it would never end. Thankfully, my English course was the last class of the day. Its exhausting going through the day hour by hour when you’re so anxious to get somewhere. The local fabric store is having a half off sale tomorrow, and I have every intention to make the most of it. So today, I am going to select and set some fabrics on hold before the rush. That way I get what I want, for the best price!

Normally I would just ask Mom for the fabrics, but she’s rarely been home since we’ve moved here. She’s just been so busy moving into her new office and getting everything set up, that it almost seems unusual to see her home for more than an hour at a time. There’s even been times when she’s called home to inform me that she’s staying at the office overnight. The time that she puts into her career just proves that it’s still her passion.

I ran out of class as quickly as I could, trying not to run anyone over, and straight to the nearest stairway. I was almost at the bottom of the stairs when I felt something. I stopped for a moment, and looked around. This feeling was not normal, and it didn’t come from outside my body, but from within it. I didn’t feel sick, I didn’t feel dizzy or weak, and this feeling was not from cramps or any other body ache. Was I sensing something, perhaps?

Realizing it was useless to just stand in one spot making something out of nothing, I focused back on my goal; the fabric store. I turned around, and it must have been too swiftly, that when I turned, I was met face to face with a boy.

I didn’t know how to react, or it was that I couldn’t react. He was unfamiliar, charismatic and perhaps my age or older. His eyes were an unusual color of reddish-orange, but they were beautiful and unlike anything I had ever seen. His hair was ear length, black, and his bangs sort of hung over his eyes. He was several inches taller than me, if I had to guess I’d say about 5’9. After a moment passed, I regained feeling in my legs and stepped back very quickly. The indescribable feeling I had just moments ago was now replaced with a fluttering sensation, and I could feel my face turning red.

“I’m so sorry!” I shouted instantly in embarrassment. Still blushing, now shaken and nervous, I ran away as quickly as I possibly could without looking back.

Chapter 1 – Recollection