The Academy of Light: The Quest for the Aura

by L.R. Onase

Overview

After Eyre's family is killed in a house fire she goes to live with some old friends of her parents, people she has not met before. An encounter with malign beings called the Gothak reveal that she is part of a world of Lightworkerspeople with special powersa world Eyre never knew existed. She is conflicted as to why her parents kept this information from her, but joins her new friends to try out for a place in the Academy of Light, where students learn how to be a Lightworker. Places are competitive and Eyre is not sure whether she will be accepted or not. Determined to prove herself, she undergoes the intense training and faces several challenges before she finds out if she will be selected to study at the Academy of Light.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781504302081
Publisher:	Balboa Press AU
Publication date:	04/28/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	378
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

L.R. Onase lives in Queensland and has been writing stories, music, and creating films for many years. This book is a collaborative effort with her daughter.

Read an Excerpt

The Academy of Light

The Quest for the Aura

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By L.R. Onase

Balboa Press

Copyright © 2016 L.R. Onase
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-5043-0207-4

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CHAPTER 1

Eyre opened her eyes, awake so quickly that her brain struggled to catch up with the rest of her body. Adrenaline was sparking through her veins and her heart pounded violently in response to it; ready for flight, as if her body knew something she didn't. The sound came again from outside her window, a high-pitched, eerie shriek that made the hairs on her arms rise. What was that?

In the dark room she could hardly see a thing, and she teetered on the edge of complete panic. But then she started to breathe slowly and carefully, helping her body to calm and her brain to take charge again. Finally her heart slowed and the awful fear began to subside a little. She hadn't heard anything else after the initial shock of waking so suddenly.

But still cautious, she took a breath and slid out of bed, crawling along the floor towards the window, feeling in some primal way that she absolutely had to remain unseen. She could only make out the dim outlines of the dressing table and chest of drawers in the bedroom and she manoeuvred around them silently until she reached the heavy curtains that hung in front of the window.

Her eyes were still adjusting as she peered through the gap between the windowsill and the curtain. The moon was only a sliver and she couldn't see much outside, just the usual layout of the Edmunsuns' back garden, the trees making shadowy shapes in the dim light. The fountain in the centre of the lawn threw up steady arcs of water, and the droplets glinted occasionally, but that was the only movement she could see in the backyard. Her eyes strained as she searched the garden for any sign of what might have made that terrible noise, and then, drawn by some sense she had no name for, her eyes travelled closer in, along the window to the end of the windowsill.

What she saw made her heart stutter with fear, and her thoughts tumbled around in panicked confusion. A hulking, black shape, as large as a big dog, was crouched on the windowsill, staring at the shut curtains so intently that she held her breath, fearful that any movement might draw the slanted red eyes towards her. She couldn't make out what sort of creature it was — but knew it was nothing she'd ever seen before, with its lumpy, hairless skin and bony wings. And whatever it was, somehow she knew it was not here for a friendly visit.

As if it could sense her horrified gaze, the creature started to turn its head towards her and she dove back down to the carpet, scrabbling her way across to the bedroom door, her breath heaving painfully in her chest.

Ohmygodohmygodohmygod, she thought in a mindless jabber as she groped her way across the floor. When she got out into the corridor she stood up, gasping in terror, but uncertain what to do. Who should she go and see? What would she tell them? What on earth was that?

Fortunately the decision was made for her, because Mrs Edmunsun suddenly appeared from her bedroom door, pulling on the green satin gown she always wore over her nightclothes. She strode over to Eyre, concern showing on her beautiful face.

"Eyre!" she said. "Are you okay?" Seeing that Eyre was trembling, Mrs Edmunsun took Eyre's arm and led her into the huge kitchen. She pulled out one of the stools that fitted under the grey and white marble bench and guided Eyre on to it.

"Hot chocolate!" she said decisively as she wrapped a large, soft blanket around Eyre's shoulders. Lightweight and snowy, it matched the rest of the designer kitchen, one of those things that were tossed around for effect mostly, but Eyre was grateful for the warmth. She was shivering uncontrollably despite the balmy spring temperature. She knew Mrs Edmunsun thought she was having another nightmare, and why wouldn't she? Over the past month Eyre had had enough of them, and cried so many tears; this was just one more "moment" in a whole series of them. But what could she say to Mrs Edmunsun? That she saw something horrifying sitting on her windowsill? How mad would that sound? It would just confirm in Mrs Edmunsun's mind that Eyre's brain was still trying to cope with the shock.

Eyre's thoughts were interrupted as a thin, lanky girl walked in to the kitchen, yawning. "Midnight feast?" she said. "I'm in!" Beatrice was pale-skinned with long dark hair and an intelligent face that usually sported glasses, but she wasn't wearing them now. She looked myopically at Eyre, sympathy on her face.

"Did you have another dream?" The compassion in her voice caused tears to gather under Eyre's eyelids, but she gritted her teeth against them, determined this time she wouldn't cry. The Edmunsuns must surely be getting sick of it.

"I'm sorry to get you up," Eyre said eventually. Beatrice gave her a hug and then pulled up a stool beside her, wrapping her hands around the mug of hot chocolate her mother passed her.

"Always happy to drink hot chocolate," she said, taking a noisy sip.

Eyre calmed down in the bright kitchen, and as she drank she began to doubt herself. Perhaps it had been a nightmare, and she had been sleepwalking, caught between wakefulness and slumber, just dreaming the dark creature she thought she'd seen on the windowsill. Mrs Edmunsun chatted away, trying to help Eyre settle down, and Beatrice went along with her as they talked about school and the previous week.

"Beatrice said your first week back went quite well," Mrs Edmunsun said. "Except for Mrs Humphries' class." It broke the tension as the three of them laughed. Mrs Humphries was the English teacher at St Jeffrey's and possibly the most boring teacher at the school.

"Eyre did really well, Mum," Beatrice replied. "Stayed awake the whole lesson!"

"Mr Ray was nice," Eyre said. "He came and welcomed me back. It was pretty good overall."

A silence descended and Mrs Edmunsun smoothly filled the gap. "Well, Peter is back tomorrow morning, and we thought wed go to Mooloolaba in the afternoon. Why don't you girls go look at the Cotton Tree Markets in the morning? I'll get organised after breakfast so we can all head to the beach when you get back."

"Great idea," Beatrice said, grabbing Eyre's empty cup and taking it with hers to the sink. "The markets are cool."

Mrs Edmunsun looked at Eyre's drawn, pale face. "Do you think you can get back to sleep now?"

Eyre's stomach clenched, but she kept her face impassive.

"Yes, thank you, I'm fine now. Thanks for the hot chocolate."

They all headed back to bed again, but Eyre left the bedroom light off as she entered her room and sidled around the walls to the window, peering out at the windowsill again from behind the curtain. There was nothing there and nothing anywhere in the yard remotely like the leathery creature she thought she had seen earlier. Unsettled, she lay back down on the bed, telling herself it must indeed have been just a nightmare. But sleep took a long time to come, and when it finally did, she tossed and turned as a hulking dark creature lurked at the edge of her dreams.

CHAPTER 2

Eyre stood in the shower, letting the hot water stream over her, trying to wake herself up after her disrupted sleep of the night before. Her eyes were gritty, and she felt so tired. The last thing she wanted to do was go anywhere, but Beatrice was so excited by the idea of the markets that Eyre was pretending to be enthused as well. She turned the water off and grabbed her towel, sliding the bathroom door open into the guest bedroom; her bedroom now. She dressed quickly in denim shorts and a T-shirt and grabbed her backpack, a brightly coloured canvas bag that she took everywhere with her.

Beatrice met her in the hallway, her long hair in dark braids this morning, her rainbow-coloured glasses firmly in place. Today she had put in a purple nose stud — she wore a tiny jewel in the corner of her nose that she changed according to her mood. It was the one characteristic that didn't fit Beatrice's overall brain-nerd image, and Eyre was still trying to work out exactly who Beatrice was; she didn't fit neatly into any "type" Eyre had ever met. And Eyre had certainly met a lot of types over the years.

"Come on then, my friend!" Beatrice said, motioning towards the door. "There are goods to be bought! Onwards!"

They had just passed the staircase when there was a sudden clatter of feet as Beatrice's seven-year-old brother, Lachie, raced down the stairs towards them. He had Beatrice's dark hair, but there the resemblance ended. Beatrice was tall and thin, whereas Lachie was a small, rotund kid, as sunny and anxious to please as a rollicking puppy. He barged past Eyre and Beatrice, heading for the front door.

"Dad's home!" he said in excitement. Beatrice made a happy noise and followed him across the marble floor. Eyre lingered uncertainly and then headed back to her bedroom, not wanting to intrude.

Her bedroom was a huge room with a queen bed and an ensuite bathroom. It was decorated with white bed linen and tasteful pewter ornaments — as different as possible from her old bedroom at home with its bright colours and patchwork bedspread. Mrs Edmunsun had said they would go shopping to find some decorations more in keeping with a young girl's room, but they hadn't had the chance to do it yet. Personally, Eyre thought they shouldn't bother. Nothing would ever come close to being like her room at home. It was gone forever, and no amount of new furnishings would bring it back.

A light knock at her bedroom door interrupted her thoughts. She opened the door and the large form of Peter Edmunsun stood there awkwardly, his kind face uncertain as he held something in his hand.

"Hello Eyre," he said, and gave her a quick hug. "Are you doing okay?" Eyre smiled noncommittally and Mr Edmunsun nodded, understanding. "As well as you can, I guess. Robyn told me that your first week back was alright."

Eyre nodded and Mr Edmunsun, looking apologetic, continued. "I've just got back from Canberra, and I, well I've finalised it all." He hesitated, and then continued. "I brought this back...."

His voice trailed off and he held the package out to her. "I'm afraid that, well ... it was all they could find. ..." He handed the small wrapped object over to Eyre, looking like he wanted to disappear. This was obviously way too tough for him.

Eyre swallowed hard, trying to keep control as she looked at the white and orange post-pack, contemplating the horrible significance of the padded A4 bag. Everything that had made up her life, reduced to the contents of this small envelope. Someone had written "Lightward effects" across the top of the envelope, obviously directing it to the next of kin. Such a stark title; two words that headlined the implosion of her life.

"Thank you," she said, a huge lump in her throat. Peter Edmunsun's forehead wrinkled, and he patted her shoulder awkwardly.

"You're part of our family now, Eyre," he said. "Your parents were dear to us too, and we hope that eventually you'll be happy here."

Eyre nodded, unable to reply, as yet more tears spilled out of eyes that had already cried buckets, waterfalls, oceans. She knew the tears would never run dry. Peter Edmunsun hesitated but could think of nothing more to say, and after patting her awkwardly on the shoulder, he left, looking troubled. Eyre shut the door, sitting on the bed with the small package in her lap.

Eventually she ripped off the top of the envelope and tipped out the contents. There was only one thing in there, but it caused the tears to come even stronger. Eyre picked up the silver necklace and stroked it, her mouth quivering as she remembered it around her mother's neck. A sturdy chain with a series of unusual charms on it, her mother's "special things", as her mother had described them when Eyre's childish fingers had grasped at the chain. When she was little Eyre had played with that necklace for hours, and she knew the contours of each beloved charm even with her eyes shut: the small ornate cylinder with the hole in it, the elaborate key inlaid with a bluish-purple gem, and the locket engraved on the front with a strange geometric symbol....

Eyre carefully opened the locket, studying the photograph inside. Herself, aged about eight, and her mother and father; he, a huge man with intelligent eyes a deep sapphire blue like her own, and her mother, laughing merrily in the photo as she always did. As Eyre brought the image closer the photograph fell out of the locket, the backing sheet following. She picked up the backing sheet, not recognising the strange, shimmering paper.

But as footsteps approached she quickly returned the backing and inserted the photograph as a timid knock came at the door.

"Come in," she called, wiping her face, and the door opened.

Beatrice, a worried look on her face, came inside the room. "Dad said you were a bit upset," she said. "I thought I'd come and see how you were doing."

Eyre smiled crookedly.

"Your Mum and Dad are so nice, Beatrice," she said. "I'm okay, it's just — hard," she finished eventually. "This is my mother's silver necklace — it's all that was left after ... the fire."

Beatrice sat on the bed beside Eyre and looked at the open locket. "Is that your parents and you?" she asked. As Eyre nodded, Beatrice studied the photo. "They look lovely," she said.

Eyre closed the locket and hung the necklace around her neck. "Mum never took it off," she said. "I'm so glad it survived the fire."

Beatrice leant over and picked up one of the charms on the chain, looking at it closely.

"It's not silver, Eyre," she said. "It's titanium. That's why it survived when nothing else did. Dad said they found it in the ashes of the house." She hugged Eyre suddenly and said fiercely, "You've had a terrible time, but I'm really glad you're here with us! We all understand it's going to take you some time."

The tears came again, but Eyre found the warmth inside her growing towards this gangly, kind girl. Homeless she might be, but she was fortunate to be in this loving home with people who apparently knew her parents well and were great friends of theirs — but people who Eyre had never heard of until a month ago. She was still adjusting to her new reality, and so were the Edmunsuns.

"Thanks Beatrice," she said, breathing deeply to stem the tears.

"Come on, let's go for that walk," Beatrice said, getting up. Eyre nodded and grabbed her backpack, and they headed for the door.

CHAPTER 3

Eyre hefted her bag across her shoulders as she and Beatrice walked away from the house and across the deserted netball courts that backed on to the street where the Edmunsuns lived. Half a kilometre away Eyre could see marquee tops and brightly waving flags where the markets had set up their stalls in amongst the clusters of casuarina trees. Masses of people moved in and out of the area, and cars lined the streets, up on the curb and parked illegally when they couldn't find space. But here it was silent, the courts eerily empty once the Saturday games were over. Only a lone, grubby Labrador walked around lazily, scavenging for leftover lunch bits. Obviously a regular here, judging by its portly frame, Eyre thought, as she watched it riffle through a brown paper bag, its nose buried so deeply only its ears hung out.

They walked across the faded green expanse of the playing courts, pitted and scuffed from years of running feet. It was warm already, the late spring sun sending waves of heat upwards from the concrete.

A sudden breeze swirled leaves up in the air in a mini tornado, and the fat old dog leaped in fright, pulling its head out of the paper bag. Both Eyre and Beatrice laughed at its comical fear. But then strangely, the hackles on the dog's back rose and it drew its teeth back, snarling as it backed away from something they couldn't see. Eyre looked around, trying to see what the dog was frightened of. It seemed to be looking across the courts towards something in the distance, but she couldn't see anything other than a great crowd of people. She frowned as the dog continued to scrabble backwards, growling in a most un-Labrador-like way, obviously terrified. Then it turned and raced away, yipping in fear, as fast as its stout old body would carry it. Eyre looked at Beatrice, who seemed unnerved, her eyes following the dog intently.

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from The Academy of Light by L.R. Onase. Copyright © 2016 L.R. Onase. Excerpted by permission of Balboa Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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