Chapter 5

                                    

                                          
Autumn PoV
It seemed like they were not the only ones who had gotten bad or strange news, rumors went through the school about demons and tentacles that corrupted the kingdoms, students didn't talk about anything else while teachers whispered anxiously with each other when they thought no one looked.
Not that Autumn believed any of those stories, it sounded just like some of the other rumors that had gone through the school for the last few months, it was nothing new.
The only reason that Autumn even listened let alone thought about this so-called news was because the teachers didn't act very different from the students themselves, they might've been a little more discrete, but they were definitely worried about something.
———
Autumn was lunching with Ocean in the cafeteria, as normally, Sun stayed in her room and Autumn would afterward bring her some food, and Quartz already decided a long time ago that she wanted to stay with the "cool" students instead of them, and Autumn was fine with that.
"Have you heard the news?" Ocean asked her with her mouth full.
Autumn rolled her eyes, "Are you starting too? Please don't tell me you believe those rumors."
"But what if it's true?! Have you seen the teachers, if none of the stories were true, they wouldn't act so anxious!"
"I guess you have a point?" Autumn shrugged, "Uhm...have you got a strange letter from your family too?"
Ocean remained silent for a moment before reacting, "Yes I have? They told me to immediately inform them if something happened and come home, they also told me to take anyone who couldn't go home with me? Why wouldn't they be able to come home?! It makes absolutely zero sense!" 
"Maybe because of the so-called demon that everyone has been talking about lately." Autumn said sarcastically.
"Wait...maybe you're right! That could definitely be the reason! Ocean excitedly said.
"I was just joking..." Autumn said, "Doesn't matter, you could be right!" It looked like Ocean would not let this theory go anymore.
———
"Sunshine where are you?" Autumn called, "Lunch is ready!"
Sun came out of her room, "How many times exactly did I tell you not to call me that?"
"30189 times to be exact, 30190 if you count this time as well. Autumn grinned.
"You literally just made that up." Sun said as she accepted her lunch. "And what makes you think that?" Autumn grinned. "Because the number should definitely be a lot higher." She rolled her eyes, " Oh, and thanks." "No problemo!" Autumn said with the worst Italian accent you could possibly think of.
———
Autumn wasn't surprised when she heard that the school had decided to let the vacation start a week earlier.
What did surprise her was that her fathers already knew about it.
"Mail!"
Again? We had our mail already 2 days ago!
Sun didn't want to get her mail by herself again so Autumn went alone this time, Quartz and her group didn't bother her, but they did bother another boy who Autumn suspected to be Achan.
"Catch!" Autumn shouted as she threw Sun's letter across the room...and slid it under the couch.
10 minutes later they were finally able to get Sun's letter from under the couch, she rolled her eyes as she opened the envelope and started reading the letter that was stuffed inside, Autumn followed her example.
Dear Autumn,
We heard that your vacation is starting 1 week earlier! Yay! 
However, do not come home, it's not safe. Stay in Crystal Cliffs or go to an uncorrupted Empire for now until we pick you up, please send us a letter with your location.
We love you very much and we promise you we will all explain it when it's over, but for now, stay safe.
                                    -Your fathers and Sage
Autumn frowned.
How did it go from come home immediately to stay at Crystal Cliffs or another "not corrupted kingdom" are the rumors actually true?
She looked at Sun, "And?" She carefully asked. Sun sighed, "just a repeat of the previous letter, stay away from the lost empire, stay somewhere safe."
"I'll go ask Ocean if she knows anything." Autumn said as she stood up and walked towards the door, Sun only nodded as an answer while she started inspecting her letter.
Autumn knocked on the door of Ocean's dorm room, sadly, it was not Ocean who opened the door, it was Quartz.
Oh right, I forgot she lived here too.
"What do you want?" Quartz snapped at her, "if you want to apologize, I do not accept it."
Autumn only rolled her eyes, "I'm here for Ocean." Quartz's face turned a little red but she immediately recovered. "I'll get her." 
A few moments later Ocean finally opened the door, "Quartz told me you were here, is everything okay?"
"It's just, I've got another weird letter from my fathers, I wondered if you got one too."
"We should discuss this in your room, I'm pretty sure Quartz will be eavesdropping on us." She said while shooting a glimpse over her shoulder.
Autumn nodded in response.
"Come in!" Autumn said while holding the door open, she saw Sun run into her room from the corner of her eye.
Ocean walked in and sat down on the couch while Autumn knocked on Sun's door,
"Sun? You can come out, she's not like Quartz or her group, I promise."
The door clicked open and Sun slowly came out and sat down, it looked like she felt a little uncomfortable with the presence of Ocean.
"Well, my fathers told me to stay away from Rivendell and stay in Crystal Cliffs or another uncorrupted kingdom, whatever that means, Sun got a letter that said to stay away from the Lost Empire and stay somewhere safe, so I wondered, could we come with you to the Ocean Empire?" Autumn started off.
Ocean smiled from ear to ear, "But of course! That would be so much fun! SLEEPOVER!!"
"Sleepover!" Autumn laughed with her.
Only Sun didn't look very comfortable with the idea, "I-i rather stay here at Crystal Cliffs." Autumn's smile disappeared, "I'm sure you will like it, give it a try? Please?"
"Fine." Sun sighed as she stood up and entered her room, I'm writing a letter to tell my father where I'm going.
"Autumn stood up as well, "Yeah, me too."
Ocean nodded, "See you both soon!" She said as she stood up and left the dorm room.
Thanks for reading this chapter! For the people who are wondering, yes, Achan is also still going to play a part in the story. (But probably not a super big one, I'm still not entirely sure)
See you in the next chapter!