Enchantress of Los Oceana
By
M.J Phoenix
Chapter 1
Finding Hope

Hidden away in a multidimensional landscape of hills, oceans, rivers and lakes is a surprise bigger than anyone patrolling the streets of Los Oceana could ever comprehend. The island dates back centuries and its history longer than that. Most of the inhabitants are like you or I, ranging from the celebrities in Cherry Hill to the gangs of Cardinale. Nothing is unusual about Los Oceana unless you know the truth.

Deep in the Los Tierras Mountains is entirely separate world from the real one. It is the world of magic and there is a history greater than any has ever seen to this day. For several centuries Los Oceana has been governed by an enchantress, appointed by the ancients to protect and guard Los Oceana not only from outsiders but to protect the magical world from the human one and vice versa and it is here where our story begins.

“It is almost time,” A girl with long blond hair spoke as she stepped from the shadows in front of 3 men and 2 women.
“That I am aware of Rose,” a tall bearded man stood and walked to her.
“Violet is doing little good to protect Los Oceana,” Rose argued irritably. “She is putting us in grave danger of discovery”.
“It is Frederick the foolish all over again,” Jessica sighed.
“Do not speak of my grandfather in such tones,” the man with the beard chided.
“I’m sorry Theodore but the truth is the truth for goodness sakes. She will single-handedly destroy everything we have worked for for the last 4 centuries, for what your daughter salvaged.”
“I agree,” Rose snapped, standing tall and staring into her father’s eyes. “I did not lose my family and strive for peace for 20 years of my mortal life just to have that silly girl take it all and throw it away”.
“I don’t disagree but a new enchantress has not yet been appointed and if we dismiss Violet now, what danger will we be putting ourselves in?” Theodore’s brow furrowed with worry.
“Better to be unprotected for a few hours than let her go ahead with her feverish plan to expose the entire world,” Falcetto input. He was a plump man with an immense head of silver hair and a beard to match.
“I say we remove all her powers,” Rose put in pacing the room brightly decorated in opals.
“And what do you propose we do for an enchantress miss Rose?” Calcinum piped up.
“Surely we have one in mind Theodore?” Jessica asked ignoring Calcinum.
“Yes,” Theodore scratched his long beard in penance. “Ray Midway’s daughter has been on my radar for years. Since her birth almost. However, Carrie, Ray’s mortal wife took the children to Tamorik, she wanted them as far away from magic as possible. The child will be 16 now but not one bit trained in magic”.
“She’ll learn,” Rose got a look of pure mistiness over her face now. “She’ll know the prejudices the no magical world brings and yet understand that magic is a wonderful thing”.
“If Ray was allowed to show her magic,” Theodore was pessimistic. The child may never have known of her heritage.
“Contact him,” Jessica advised.

Theodore did just that and within moments, a tall, slender man with shocking dark hair and bright blue eyes appeared in front of the ancients.
“Ray,” Theodore strode around the room. “We are curious to know of your daughters?”
“Erida, Hope or Luna?” Ray looked perplex, as though his presence in front of these magnificent beings was surreal.
“Hope,” Theodore smiled broadly. “Is she in training yet?”
Ray shook his head solemnly. “Carrie will not allow it sir, may I ask why?”
Rose stepped forward.
“Hope has displayed signs of magic, has she not?”
“Yes, she has Miss Rose,” Ray smiled broadly. “Unfortunately though, Carrie, my wife has forbade me teach Hope and Luna magic at all and has told the girls magic does not exist”. A sharp intake of breath echoed around the room as this statement was uttered.
“OK, so Hope knows no magic,” Theodore sighed deeply. “You know I had her in mind for enchantress the day she was born, yes?”
“Yes,” ray retorted quietly. “I believe she could do it Theodore”.
“So do I,” Rose put in. “She is our only Hope for survival.” Rose touched her hands to her chest and pulled from her pink robes a heart shaped crystal. “A yes, she will resist at first but Hope Ostara Midway shall become Los Oceana’s next enchantress”. A flash of light erupted around the room and ray smiled as he left with a box, holding the invitation. This was his daughter’s big chance and his opportunity to reunite his entire family in one world.

Hope was chilling at the beach with her I-pod, waiting for her friends when a shadow fell over her. She looked up and saw her father.
“What are you doing here?” She demanded to know, shoving her I-pod back into her back pack and sitting up, ensuring her teenage body was covered modestly in her father’s presence. He sat down on the sand.
“Happy birthday Hope,” he kissed her forehead and placed a box into her arms. She scrunched up her nose, unsure why he was giving her another gift. She slowly opened it and peered inside. There were books with ornate writings upon them, one was bound in purple silk, there was an amulet and in Hope’s opinion, it seemed like all the objects in the box looked like props from a movie.
“Father, what is this?” Hope felt a little angry for the joke being played upon her on her birthday of all days.
“Keep looking,” Ray smiled and Hope peered inside and found a pink glowing envelope. She pulled it and thought it was pretty paper. She opened it and a letter sprang out almost independently.
“What?” She breathed as a voice emitted from the paper.
“Hope Ostara midway, we the ancients of Los Oceana invite you to White Rose Castle to appoint you as enchantress,” She stared and then laughed.
“O dad you are funny,” she hugged him.
“This is serious Hope,” ray smiled seriously.
“What? Enchantress? White rose castle? What is this all about? Some kind of surprise party dad?”
“You’re a witch Hope,” he smiled warmly.
“Dad I’m sorry for being a little ungrateful,” Hope looked astonished. “But there’s no need to call me names. I think you went to a lot of effort”. Ray smiled and pulled a wand from his trousers.
He cast a simple spell and produced a rabbit.
“Simple but real,” he saw his daughter’s amazement. “I’m a wizard, you’re a witch, and so is Luna”.
“Mum?” Hope enquired.
“No,” he shook his head. “Your mum is mortal”.
Hope sighed and pondered this information for a minute. “Where is this white rose castle then?”

As the news had sunk in, Hope allowed her father to escort her to this white rose castle; partly believing it was still all a big joke. They began to walk away from the beach, Hope gathering her things quickly and Ray tucking the box into his trousers much to Hope’s disbelief.
“How’’’?” she began but Ray silenced her as he took her hand and gripped it tightly while uttering, Dipascio” and suddenly Hope wasn’t in the warmth and bright sunshine, she was standing before a snow covered mountain with a beautiful castle sitting on top.

Out of nowhere appeared two white unicorns pulling a slay. Ray lifted his hand and they stopped just in front of Hope.
“Welcome Miss Hope,” a voice said timidly. Hope looked around in bemusement to where the source of the voice had come and finally found it. Sitting in a little chair at the front of the coal black slay was a tiny dwarf.
“Wow,” Hope exclaimed and stared at her father. She couldn’t believe her eyes. A dwarf was a shock in itself but the unicorns too was too much for Hope to take in. Ray nodded and smiled.
“Welcome to the Magical world,” He took his daughter’s hand and led her to the slay and sat her down whilst the small dwarf placed a rug around her shoulders.
“Magical?” She inquired cynically. “But mother has always told me that magic doesn’t exist. And here you are showing me unicorns and dwarfs. Dad, what’s going on?” Hope was incredibly confused. For most of her childhood, Carrie, her mother, had strictly forbade fairy tales and any such talk of magic to be discussed in the house and now her dad was showing her things that were simply not real. How could he?’ she thought disappointedly but as the dwarf put his fingers to his mouth and blew a long, high pitched whistle, the unicorns started to gallop and with one incredible whoosh, up they flew into the starry sky with the dwarf, Ray and Hope sitting comfortably on the slay.

“This isn’t happening,” Hope covered her face, willing herself to wake up. But as she heard the comforting swish of the unicorns’ wings flying through the night sky, she slowly pulled her hands from her face and looked down upon the immense landscape.
“What is this place?” She asked her father gently.
“Loso Tierras,” Ray said gently. “It’s an ancient language and translated into English means, lost world”.
“But it’s not lost? You know where it is,” Hope pointed out.
“But humans don’t,” Ray returned smiling at his daughter. Hope looked down across the snow covered mountains and saw buildings, forests, rivers and lakes dotted around. It was a whole new world and one she could never have even imagined, not even in her wildest dreams.

They began to swoop lower and soon Hope saw they were landing in what would be the castle’s grounds. They were huge! A river ran around the right side of the castle and around to the rear, a huge woodland stood to the left and in front of the marble steps was a huge sign in golden lettering saying,
“Welcome to White Rose Castle! Any intruders will be dealt with severely”. Beneath the lettering was a picture of a wolf with snarling teeth.
“Father,” Hope pointed nervously. “Who’s that?”
“There’s been a wolf on castle grounds since the first enchantress was appointed. Rose Lexon, that’s the first enchantress had a wolf as a pet who guarded her. Its tradition to have a wolf to guard the enchantress as well as a warrior. The current enchantress has been relieved of her duties so other animals protect the castle at present.”
“What is an enchantress?” Hope stared at Ray with pure curiosity and a thirst for information as she asked the question.
“A woman who protects Los Oceana, both magical and non magical”.
“So why do I not know about her?” Hope looked astonished to think someone in a protective role had not been presented to her before now.
“Only magical people know who she is Hope,” ray sighed. “Before Rose was made enchantress, there were rulers of Loso Tierras but one of those rulers decided to allow the rest of Los Oceana aware of the magical world. A huge war broke out, humans killing magical folk because they were afraid the magical people were going to take over their world. The last battle and worst by far was the battle of Fleuresse,” Ray sighed deeply.” It means the battle of the flowers. Rose had 3 sisters, each named after a flower as she was. Lily, lilac and Jasmine. All of whom were killed. Only Rose survived and so did her flowers. Each girl had a flower planted beneath their tower room windows in a garden purely meant for them. After the battle, only the rose garden survives and remains. No flower has ever been able to grow in the old gardens. That’s why this castle is named white Rose Castle, because Rose was the only survivor of her family that day and brought Los Oceana back to a steady medium.” Hope stared in amazement as they walked through the oak doors into a great hallway decorated in crystals. “Each room,” Ray continued to tell his daughter of the magic of this castle. “Is decorated in a precious metal or gemstone. This is the crystal foyer. The family dining room is called the silver room and decorated purely in silver. The enchantress’s private room is called the Topaz room, the guest dining room is the gold room while the grand ballroom is the diamond room. The towers where the Lexon girls lived are all decorated in the colors of their flowers. Only one tower opens for each enchantress, depending on the qualities you have. The last enchantress was quite dreamy and so she had Lilac tower, 4 enchantresses before her have all had Jasmine tower as they all loved books as did Jasmine Lexon. Whatever your qualities or what you seem to be, only the castle itself and the ancients truly know”.
“The ancients?” Hope inquired as they walked into a beautiful room decorated with blue sapphires. The walls shimmered in different shades of blue; the floor was tiled in an ornate mosaic with different colored blue tiles. The sofas and chairs were all covered in sapphire colored silks and on one wall were many portraits. Hope walked to these portraits and stared at beautiful women and girls with smiling faces, all wearing a beautiful white dress.
“Who are they?” Hope was mesmerized by their beauty. Ray walked and stood beside Hope, smiling.
“Hello Ray,” a portrait moved to Hope’s right, causing her to leap in the air in fear. “It’s OK Hope, I’m Jessica”.
“Hello Jessica,” Ray grinned at the pale girl in the picture with long dark hair. “Erida and Thawson are waiting for you in the Amber room. They are glad you are here.”
“Thank you Jessica,” He took Hope’s hand as they left the room.
“Who?” Hope inquired, fearful of what her father had brought her too. “Dad, who are these people, why did that picture talk and move?”
“Hope, Jessica is an ancient; she can enter into pictures of herself and communicate with humans.”
“She’s dead?” Hope asked urgently.
“Her spirit has moved on,” ray explained. “Once we die, if we die naturally or are killed in battle, we leave our mortal body and move onto the spiritual level, no longer needing food, water or any sustenance to survive. If we die of our own hand, then we are doomed to haunt and never rest. The ancients are great men and women of our past who did great things in their lives. Jessica was the thirteenth enchantress and saved Los Oceana from a terrible flood. You have so much to take in my darling, please just relax. There are two people I really want you to meet”.
He swung open a door into a room decorated in pure amber. Sitting at a wooden table were two people. A tall muscular man with a dark beard and bright blue eyes, like Hope’s and a small, squat woman with a rat-like face with scraggly dark hair and dark eyes. Their appearances were not shocking until Hope spied their attire. They were both wearing robes and the girl was twirling a long stick in her hand.
“Father,” she jumped up as Ray entered. “Good to see you!” Hope glared at her.
“Erida,” Ray hugged her. “Hello Thawson, you both OK?”
Thawson stood and walked to Hope, peering into her young face.
“It’s so wonderful to meet you at long last,” He went to hug her but Hope backed away frantically.
“It’s OK Hope,” Ray put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “This is Thawson, your half brother. And this here is Erida, your half sister.”
“What?” Hope stared at her father in complete disbelief.
“Yes Hope, Erida and Thawson are my children from a previous marriage. They are pure magic and have known about you and Luna for a very long time”.
“And now we’re getting to meet you at long last,” Thawson grinned boyishly.
“Dad, what is going on?” Hope demanded. “Who are these people?”
“That’s charming,” Erida snarled from the table,
“They’re my oldest children Hope,” She glared insolently at her father.
“But I thought I was your eldest,” She walked out of the room at fast pace while yelling. “I don’t know why I am here anyway; I wanna go home, I don’t wanna be a protector of anything! I hate this place, I wanna go home!” She ran blindly down a hallway and down a set of wooden stairs and burst through a door, along another corridor and found herself standing before a beautiful statue of a unicorn. Its white marble sheen almost blinded her beyond her tears. Beyond the statue she could see another door which led into a garden. She opened the door and found herself in a beautiful Rose garden. The flowers seemed to glow in the awesome silver moonlight, even brighter than the snow upon the mountains.
“How do you grow?” Hope knelt on the edge of a fountain, staring at the scenery. The mountains were covered thick with snow and yet this garden was in bloom as though it was summer. The water was warm to touch and yet as she stared below, she could see even the river was dashed with crystals of snow. “This isn’t normal,” her hand felt a rose, almost believing they weren’t real.
“It’s very normal,” Ray was standing behind his daughter. “This is the rose garden I told you about Hope. Everything here is protected by magic so that nature doesn’t ruin everything that grows here. The castle has many spells cast upon it by many different enchantresses and if you become enchantress, I’m sure you will add your own touch to it too”.
“I’m not becoming enchantress,” She said with a little less insolence this time. “I wanna go home”. Ray smiled and nodded. Suddenly, a huge shadow covered the moon and a bird came into sight. It was no ordinary bird though. It had plumage of pink and gold and was flying straight at Hope.
“What is that?” She pointed in fear and curiosity at the bird heading her way.
“That Hope,” Ray grinned warmly. “Is a phoenix”. The beautiful bird swooped down toward her and landed gently on her lap. It cooed affectionately and Hope was astounded by its sheer beauty. The feathers were as soft as silk and its gold eyes sparkled as if by magic.
“Why?” Hope couldn’t finish her question. Ray sat on a marble bench and sighed deeply.
“Hope, Theodore Lexon came to me the day you were born and indicated that one day, when you were old enough, maybe you would be in line to become enchantress. He has been an ancient for the longest time and therefore, what he usually says, usually comes true. I thought long and hard about your name and decided that it should be Hope. For many years, an enchantress has not met the usual criteria and my dream was that one day, my daughter could meet that criteria.”
“But Erida,” Hope remembered with angst the scraggly-headed girl she had met just met minutes before.
“But the ancients hadn’t approached me about Erida had they hope?” He smiled gently at her before continuing. “I was also asked by Theodore to give you a name along with the ones your mother and I chose. I asked him what and he said, Ostara. Not until recently have I learned why he asked that of me Hope.”
“Why dad?” Hope said with bated breath.
“Legend tells of an enchantress,” born under the Ostara moon in one hemisphere who meets a boy born under the Ostara sun in the opposite hemisphere, who when combined possess a power no one has ever seen. Theodore is hoping you’re that enchantress. You were born at midnight on the 23rd of September Hope, at a full moon. He suspects the legend can come true”.
“Talk about pressure,” Hope sneered looking into the bird’s eyes. “What has this to do with the phoenix?” She suddenly remembered her original question.
“Not many enchantresses have ever possessed a phoenix. Only two that I know of. Hirmira and Rose”. He grinned. “Hope, it’s almost written that you will become enchantress, whether you like it or not”. He watched his daughter take in all this information and sighed as he stood. “But it is after all, your decision”. He left her sitting alone, contemplating whether to run back to Tamorik.

She stroked the bird’s plumage with a single finger and it cooed warmly while nestling into her arms.
“What is your name?” she asked with a slight smile.
“He’s yours now Hope, name him what you will,” A voice spoke, sending Hope into a state of fear. She flipped around to see a girl standing on the fountain’s edge.
“Who are you?” she jumped, clutching the phoenix in her arms that hadn’t seemed to have noticed the disturbance.
“I’m Rose Lexon,” She smiled warmly. “This was my rose garden. The phoenix is beautiful, isn’t she?”
“Yes,” Hope looked down at the phoenix and then quickly returned her gaze to the girl with long blonde hair, bright green eyes and a dazzling smile. “You were the first enchantress, right?” Rose nodded. “But why are you here?”
Rose stepped off of the fountain and Hope realized she wasn’t human but not a ghost either. She was real but somehow unreal.
“I have come to speak with you Hope. Explain all the questions you need answering. I know your father tried but he is desperate to make you happy. I’ll give you the truth and nothing but the truth”.
“OK,” Hope sat down on the bench and allowed the phoenix to settle into her arms again. “Why did you say the phoenix is mine? She just flew to me, I have never seen her before in my life, or anything like her for that matter.”
“Well, the thing about these mystical creatures,” Rose gazed at the bird warmly. “Is that they are owned by no one until they choose to be owned at all. Once their chosen owner has left them, they shall never be owned by another human being again. I had a phoenix once Hope. Not long after I was appointed enchantress, a beautiful silver and orange bird came to me, I called her sunset, and when I moved on from the mortal world, she left my room, singing a sad lamentation. I see her sometimes when I visit the castle, she’s still around, if you see her, say hello for me, won’t you?” Rose looked hopefully at the younger girl but Hope didn’t give an indication that she was sticking around in the slightest so Rose chose to go on. “Your phoenix chose to come to you Hope. No one really knows why a phoenix chooses its owners, or how, but I believe these magnificent creatures know when they are needed and see the good in a person. Phoenix are very useful creatures Hope, if you choose to keep her, you’ll see”.
“If I choose to become enchantress, what does that mean?” Hope stared at Rose, urgent for the information.
“Well,” Rose sighed. “Your job is to protect Los Oceana, magical, non magical and everything in between. If an enemy should arise, you should deal with it. You have a strong warrior army, Thawson is general at the minute and they are at your personal defense. Not only humans will protect you and Los Oceana hope, the magical creatures will too. You treat those around you with respect and kindness and you will receive loyalty and integrity from all. Hope, I know in your heart you’ll know what to do”.
“I know nothing about magic!” Hope said defiantly, suddenly realizing she was running out of reasons to not become enchantress.
“You’ll learn. You’ll go to the school here in Loso Tierras”.
“A school for magic?” Hope stared at Rose in disbelief. “That kind of thing is real?”
“Yes, it is,” Rose stood. “Any more questions Hope?”
“What if I don’t want to become enchantress?” Hope said nervously.
“We will never force anything, just have a little think, hmmm?” Rose turned and walked away into the night and Hope was left in the silvery moonlight, with a pink and gold bird nestled into her arms, listening to the running water.
“What should I do?” She asked the beautiful bird. “Should I go back to Tamorik? Should I go back to my friends, mother and sister? Or should I stay here and find out if this is just a dream?” She leaned back and saw another shape fly across the moon. Her eyes followed the shadow and saw it was a magnificent white unicorn, landing to graze by the river. Hope stood and the phoenix cooed gently, leaving her arms and flying off into the night. Hope knew she would see him very soon.

Hope took one more look of the Loso Tierras mountains, draped in an dusting of snow, across the beautiful river, to which she did not yet know its name; back to the rose garden shimmering beneath the moonlight and took a deep sigh and returned through the door back into the castle.