01 A New Journey

CHAPTER 1 A NEW JOURNEY Valor Wood was filled with warm sunlight. The trees were thick and green, and the river sparkled blue. Perodia was full of life and magic now that Thorn had been defeated. Tag and his friends Skyla and Blaze stood in the center of the wood. Grey, the leader of the Owls of Valor, stood beside them.

"The feathers showed Blaze that her family went to a kingdom in the clouds," Tag told Grey. "We should leave at once to find it." Blaze held three golden feathers. Skyla had found the first one on Fire Island, and she found another in a cave in Valor Wood. The last feather had come from Thorn. Grey looked at Blaze. "Are you sure you want to go on this new quest?" he asked her. "What if your family is no longer alive?" Blaze nodded as she handed the feathers to Skyla. Skyla tucked them inside her armor for safekeeping. "Thorn said there are more firehawks," Blaze said. "I have to hope my family is among them." "Thorn has lied to you before," Tag warned.

"Tell us what the magic feathers showed you again," she asked Blaze. "Maybe there was a clue about where to start searching," said Tag. Blaze closed her eyes, trying to remember. "I saw firehawks on Fire Island," Blaze said. "One of them—their leader—plucked three golden feathers from her tail. Then there was a bright light and a door appeared out of nowhere." Blaze opened her eyes and looked at her friends. "Then the firehawks all disappeared through the door."

"A portal," Grey whispered, stroking his chin feathers. "A magical doorway that can only be opened by a magical object." "Maybe the feathers are the key to opening the portal," Skyla said. Blaze hopped up and down excitedly. Grey looked unsure. "Perhaps," he said. "But you should take the Ember Stone with you, too. When it regains its powers, it could be useful." Tag pulled the Ember Stone from his sack. It was dull and cold. Its magic used to glow, but the stone had not glowed since it sucked up Thorn's dark shadow. He placed it back into his sack.

The friends gathered their supplies and filled Tag's sack with fruit, nuts, and water. Tag took his dagger, and Skyla took her slingshot. "Good luck," Grey said. "And stay on your guard. There are dangers beyond this land." Tag took a last glance at Valor Wood— the beautiful trees and the tinkling stream. His home. The three friends waved goodbye to Grey. "To Fire Island!" Tag said. "We must find the portal to the Cloud Kingdom!" And so their journey began.