Piaza: The Ultimate Endowment

By Yara Hikal

In the land where superpowers are not super, where were you live and what you get depends on your age, an ancient war is about to be brought back to life disturbing the false peace that has lasted for hundreds of years. It all started in the frozen edges of Vesendras, where the youth live, where the mightiest person in all Piaza is locked in a palace plotting for vengeance. Here is a tale of a teenager who was once blind turning into the connecting ring between the past and present, the truth and lies; of liars pretending to be the wise protectors. A tale of Evelyn who believed she would forever be without family, and without powers. It all changes when she passes a maze by accident to claim the secret of everything. To find her ultimate endowment, but will it be a gift or a curse?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Yara Hikal
• Release date: Aug 28, 2018
• ISBN: 9781719905770

Yara Hikal

Yara Mohamed Rizk (Yara Hikal) is a rising high school senior who pursued the position of young adult fiction author as she began working on her first novel work (piaza) in 2016 which is yet to be published this year through Amazon kindle service. Yara's experience with content writing and marketing principles pushed her to start real steps towards publishing her first literary work at such a young age. For more information about Yara use the social contacts down

Book preview

Piaza: The ultimate endowment

A novel

By

Yara M. Hikal

Dedicated to

This novel is dedicated to all the special girls in the world who are capable of doing unique things but are held back by other obligations. Piaza is for you to know that you should never stop or give up despite the difficulty of the odds. For every Anary out there in the world, but the Anarys who will not wait until it’s too late.

Special thanks

Some people turn imaginary to reality, and I am so lucky to have the assistance of one. Ashraf Muhammed, the editor of this novel. He has always been there for me during the rough times to tell me that everything will be fine eventually. He trusted me when I doubted everything. So, I want to say thank you for making the journey easier. I owe you.

Intro

In the land where superpowers are not super, where were you live and what you get depends on your age, an ancient war is about to be brought back to life disturbing the false peace that has lasted for hundreds of years. It all started in the frozen edges of Vesendras, where the youth live, where the mightiest person in all Piaza is locked in a palace plotting for vengeance. Here is a tale of a teenager of who was once blind turning into the connecting ring between the past and present, the truth and lies; of liars pretending to be the wise protectors. A tale of Evelyn who believed she would forever be without family, and without powers. It all changes when she passes a maze by accident to claim the secret of everything. To find her ultimate endowment, but will it be a gift or a curse?

Mariuana

Walking on this empty road with clothes that only I wear in all Piaza. The beauty of my white skin blended with my red hair, and the bright of my green eyes appeared even more in the snow-you probably think I am a cocky pretty girl right now, but sorry to disappoint you, I admire the piece of art I have. I reach a small house, yet it’s stately. I knock on the door three times gently until a svelte lady in her 40s opens the door and greets me with a smile then asks to come in.

Where is Grace? I questioned

In his room, do you want him? Asked the lady who was Grace’s mother

Yes, may I? I nodded towards Grace’s room

The lady smiled and allowed me in

As I enter the room, Grace -who is tall, skinny with brown eyes, black hair, and sundew skin tone. He was handsome in general-was wearing his boots when I came in.

Grace! Grace! I said slowly Hurry up; we don’t want to be late.

I don’t understand why we are listening to her Grace complained

If you didn’t want to go you wouldn’t be waiting for me now, I said with a shadow of a smile, but curiosity is eating your brain.

Grace looked at Mariuana with that you caught me smile so I laughed in turn Hurry up you handsome, she could leave without us, you know Evelyn.

I and Grace walked through the snowy road which is surrounded on both sides by Delonix Regia trees with no single snowflake on them

You’re nervous, aren’t you? I asked with a smile while looking at the snow beneath her feet.

Why would I be? wondered Grace

I don’t know…is it because we don’t know where she’s taking us, or is it just seeing her.

And what is the problem in seeing her? asked Grace annoyingly

No trouble at all I chuckled

After a short walk from Grace’s home, we reached Evelyn home, I put my hand on the door, and it opened, as we entered we found Evelyn sitting on her glassy chair or better say throne. She was a 16-year-old just like me honestly, we never figured out who is the prettiest with her long distinctive platinum hair and the contrast between her wide black eyes and her Viking white skin. She stood up as she saw us Does it take that long to come here? asked Evelyn angrily

It’s my fault explained Grace

He wasn’t willing to come at all I added

Then why did you, asked Evelyn

It must be curiosity, said Grace while looking at Mary with a smile

C’mon, let’s go, we don’t want to be later, said Evelyn

Aren’t you telling us where we are going? I asked

You will know on our way, C’mon, said Evelyn heading out, and we followed. The three of us walked on the snowy road with me in the middle, Evelyn on the right, and Grace on the left

Do you know what happens when someone makes a mistake in Piaza? asked Evelyn

They lose their superpower I answered

What if it happens again? asked Evelyn once more

We don’t know, it didn’t happen before complained Grace And why these weird questions, and why aren’t you telling us where we are going

Will you keep complaining or listen? Asked Evelyn nervously, Grace didn’t answer so Evelyn completed.

I found a book in my place, everything in it is strange, it mentioned things I have never heard about before. one of these things is a maze it said that every missing person or lost thing is in it and other things too but it was only a ten pages booklet, so I didn’t know much, but there was a note in the last page saying Go to the end."

And what is this booklet name? asked Grace

Evelyn continued speaking without caring about Grace’s question I want to know more.

A maze? wondered Mariuana

I don’t know yet, but I think the booklet meant the end of the snowy road, said Evelyn

I, Grace and Evelyn stopped at the sound of Evelyn’s last words and looked at each other, Evelyn then stopped when she didn’t find them by her side

Have you lost your mind? No one goes there. Also, you’re following a nameless book, one we know nothing about said Grace angrily

And what is the problem? asked Evelyn People are always afraid of what they don’t know.

They kept arguing while I didn’t open my mouth with a single word, I only kept watching them, and then I cut my silence saying I will go with Evelyn.

Fine, let’s go, said Evelyn. Then she turned to Grace you can go back if you want.

Grace looked furious, but he decided not to leave us. We continued in our way, everyone was silent and hesitated, even Evelyn she was thinking about going back, but her curiosity was stronger than this dominant hesitation.

And finally, when we reached the end they saw a multicolored palace surrounded by a towering blue iron fence, but the fence door was open, so Grace entered followed by Evelyn and me

But when we entered, all we found was a wall

Evelyn

It’s night already, and we see no door in front of us, so we decide to split, and whoever finds the door first shout to the others.

I turned right, and Mariuana and Grace turned left, but then Mariuana sent Grace to accompany me, Grace said nothing at all. I know he is mad at me, so I said nothing too. After a few minutes, Mariuana’s shout cut our silence. The strange thing is that I would say she found the door, but we were standing right in front of it.

I found the door shouted Mariuana

Grace and I looked at each other in wonder; then I nodded yes, and we asked Mariuana to hold still

Grace closed his eyes and put both hands on the wall, and we can say he dived through unseen dimensions.

What did you see? I asked once he opened his eyes eagerly

There are three doors to this wall, and four other walls, said Grace It’s a maze.

A maze! Is that the maze you meant? What are we going to do now? asked Mariuana as she was walking toward us

Why did you come back? I asked her

You were late, and I couldn’t feel Grace, is he okay?

Yes, he is I answered then turned to Grace Grace…What shall we do?

I don’t know, but we could still go back, said Grace

We can’t, said Mariuana seeming sure

And why can’t we? asked Grace wondering

There is something in here, I don’t know what it is, it’s blocked, but we have to continue explained Mariuana Tell me what did you see.

Three doors to this wall, four other walls, said Grace

Okay, we should split, and each one of us takes a door, said Mary And whoever finds the right way continues to the end and the other two can go back from the same way they came from and wait outside.

And what happens to who reaches the end? I asked

Search for any meaningful thing!! answered Mariuana

Mariuana, go through the door you found. Grace can take the one we found, and I will go find the third one I said

No, I have seen, and I know where it is, I will go replied Grace

We all agreed. Mariuana left to her door and before Grace leaves he held my hands and asked me to be careful.

I am all alone now, I go through the door, and before I even think I head right, I didn’t have to walk for more than a meter to find the first door, despite finding another one, but I walked through this one, I kept heading right and taking the first door I see. I am getting faster with each entry I pass till I turned into running I noticed that doors were closed after me, not just closing but disappearing like they never existed. But finally, here I am standing in front of this palace which has its door open to me, so I allow myself to enter; everything was painted in white, black, or shades of grey.

Then I see a short lady about 155 cm with long dark hair covering all of her back. I couldn’t determine whether she was old or young, she looks so perfect in every detail that she felt ugly to me in the end

She stared at me in astonishment, her glassy blue eyes were glowing, and I could see the shadow of a smile on her lips. I don’t know if she is surprised, happy, or angry

Platinum hair, I haven’t seen it in years she came closer to touch my hair Do you know what is said about platinum hair? It’s for the dead she let go of my hair and walks away Anyway, it doesn’t matter…how did you pass the maze?

I don’t know, I just felt the way I answered slowly

Weird she raised her eyebrows

She took my hand and took me to set by the fireplace; she was acting as if she knew me which made me worried and nervous

I came to ask you about the maze, I said, Actually before I come here I didn’t want to know anything else.

and now you have lots of questions, don’t you? she asked

I nodded yes so she continued saying We all want to know things and then we wish them to be unknown again…Anyway, I will not stop you, you have passed this maze for a reason but be careful because not everything we want to know we should know…or supposed to know. Not everything we want is safe for us, but safe isn’t always the best, we don’t know what is best for us, and you know nothing at all. She said quietly and then gave me a book, its cover is made of white leather and framed with gold That’s all I know.

What’s your name? I asked

Anary she answered

I am.., I said but she stopped me and said, Evelyn I know.

I wanted to ask more, but she held my hand, and I find myself standing in front of the first fence looking at Grace and Mariuana

Mariuana

As I entered through the door I looked right and left, the left side was blocked, so I went right, and I wondered how bright it was as I found the door so quickly, any child would pass it

I walked a few steps to the left to see if it was blocked, and I was right, so I smiled and went back to the other side, but it was a dead end too, so I knew that the way I have taken is wrong, now I must go back and leave it to Evelyn and Grace.

But suddenly I heard a crash sound as I rushed to the door willing to leave, but the door was closed. There wasn’t a door at all, just a wall.

I tried to feel anything or anyone, but I couldn’t, so I just sat down gazing into my tight black-violet clothes, staring at the stars specially that great star I named Dragres in my childhood, I don’t know where did this come from, it seems more of a dragon name, not a star. I closed my eyes thinking about this restricted power I feel, but I am blocked, I lose my self in my mind, and when I open my eyes I find myself standing in front of the first fence with Grace by my side and Evelyn some steps away from us holding a big white book

Evelyn, what happened? I run towards her while Grace followed

She gave me this book, she said laying the book on both hands and moving them closer to us

She looked at it and then raise her head looking at us

But this book… I said

It’s nameless completed Grace

I understand that, said Evelyn That’s all she knows as she said. Are You’re reading it with me? she asked us in doubt

Yes Grace and I answered

We went back to Evelyn’s house because she lives alone, and it made us more comfortable, we sat around a small round table, and Evelyn opened the book it was written in Vesendrian language (our main language). The first page of the book had only one sentence Macviran na tur velis di tac which I can easily tell you that it means Make sure you’re ready for this

Evelyn continued as if she saw nothing, so I asked her Tur evar velis di tac? Ary she answered and continued

flipping the book’s pages in wonder

What is it? asked Grace frustrated

We found nothing but empty pages in a huge book, but in the end, we did find a small jewelry box in it, was a necklace and a note saying Var tu Evelyn.

Evelyn held the necklace and stared at it for a while; it was a circle with three smaller circles inside of it surrounded by ornaments. She then asked Grace to help her wear it

Don’t do this I said worried We don’t know what happened there, how you got in, how we got out, and she gives us an empty nameless book just saying make sure you’re ready for this and now you simply want to wear this necklace just because she said it’s for you! How does she even know you? There are hundreds of question marks in here, and you’re acting as if it was normal! What is wrong with you? We should get rid of these things and act as if nothing happened.

She gave me a half passionate smile and said you know how I feel now, you know it feels right and nothing else, you also know there’s something about it maybe I am not ready as I thought, but I won’t stop, it could lead me to something…I know you care about me, stay with me she then turned to Grace and looked at him in the eye for a while that I felt long, he helped her wear the necklace. We decided to let Grace take the book as he said he wants to study it, Grace is our genius so that we couldn’t refuse.

Grace and I walked back together to his house and then I crossed the Delonix regia trees on the side of the road, my house is in the parallel path where there are more life and no snows, where’s all the fun. As I was walking and thinking I