HOSTILE OATH

PREVIEW

In the beginning, there was never a choice to choose the powers you want, you are born with it. Not until the Eldest made a bad decision that changed the lives of her descendants and an ancestral yoke was made, war raged, life lost and people changed. That world led to another and to a vicious and chaotic one that brought chains and shackles, the one that didn't just leave a heavyweight upon the shoulders of Vivian but also destruction.

Battles continued from generations to generations and these chaos led Vivian into another world entirely different from hers, not to fulfill destiny but to torment. Her past and future led into these moments and events in her life:

PRESENT DAY

"I just hope I got in, been hopeful" Kayla mumbled to herself, holding on to her phone while checking her mail maybe she'd get a positive response from her college of choice. A notification came in, she opened without hesitation. She took a pause, gasped and screamed out with so much joy.

She couldn't keep the news all to herself, she took her purse, ordered an Uber which arrived in minutes. She headed straight to her best friend's house. On getting there, she knocked and Vivian opened the door. She jumped on her with a tight hug filled with so much joy.

“Yay, I am so happy Vivian. I got in”. Vivian didn’t understand what she meant so she asked “Got in where?” “I got an admission into LANDA college ” She screamed with joy. Vivian chuckled hard and gave Kayla another hug, she then ran into her room. Kayla followed her, Vivian reached for her phone which she had left on her desk, she took her seat and unlocked it to check her mail.

She opened it but didn't see new messages or notifications. There was silence in the room, the sudden joy and excitement went quiet. She stood up from the chair and turned her back to leave when her phone chimed. She opened the message quickly, it was a message from her chosen college, she jumped up with more excitement when she saw hers “I got in too”. Both friends screamed with joy and hugged each other tight.

Vivian’s mom who was busy in the kitchen preparing dinner, heard their screams, she stopped whatever she was doing and walked straight to Vivian's room. As she walked in, she met them hugging and full of joy, she asked “What is all the noise for?”. They hugged her and chorused “We got into LANDA, mom”. Her mom was very happy to hear the good news and called for celebration with a bottle of wine.

Vivian and Kayla had been friends since the days of middle school. They had collided on the playground when Vivian was searching for her lost toys and Kayla was playing with her dog. Kayla was at age eight and Vivian age twelve. The collision created a spark between them and love grew between the but little did Vivian know that the spark wasn't just emotions but disruption.

LANDA Talent College was every student’s dream. The school’s name was spoken with a certain pride by parents. Vivian Austin and Kayla Depp were more than happy to be part of a college highly spoken of by people . Their yearning and hope to getting into Landa finally came through for them. Kayla had always been a jovial and loving person not until she lost her father who died when she was eight due to cancer but it wasn't cancer at all, it was a harm caused by her.She didn't know.

When he died, he left enough wealth behind to make her never to lack anything in this world. Money had given her comforts but not a father’s voice or a father’s love. She lived with her mother, who guarded her heart with sweetness and never let her lack anything. Vivian’s home was more quiet in a different way.

Both her parents were literally alive but they weren’t wealthy in the flash of Kayla’s family. Vivian and her siblings only had their mother while their dad was more like a dead man; not because he had a mistress or divorced but the situation was more complicated that none of them could know about.

They made necessary preparations for their resumption into LTC(LANDA Talents College) and that week was one of the best week they had together but little did they know that LTC was going to turn things around for them. They bought clothes, shoes d a lot more that would make them stand out on arrival. On resumption day, they arrived at College in a car and that kind of exhausted exhilaration that follows long travel.

Vivian and Kayla stepped out of the car looking beautiful and stunning, that was the moment they captured Dave's attention, a senior in college, an arrogant billionaire's son and a bully that almost everyone feared or should I say hated. Both parents stepped out of the car to give a farewell hug to their child. "Oh, I'm going to miss you darling" Vivian's mom said as she gave her a tight hug. "I hope you be of your best behavior my dear child" Kayla's mom said, tears filled her eyes but she held on. "Are you about to cry?" Kayla whispered to her mom's ear. They both giggled.

Their parents made a choice of a college hostel, particularly for safety. Though, they weren't able to see them off completely because they were running late for work but made sure to give them some words of encouragement and a show of love that makes them remember the children of whom they are.

They got to their hostel room, it was small and sunlit, two beds close enough for both of them. Vivian hauled her luggage across the hallway with so much joy in her heart while Kayla wrestled with a heavier suitcase. Vivian suddenly felt stange that this might be the beginning of their misery but shrugged it off.

All that mattered to her was that she’s here and Kayla was with her, happy. “It’s nice to be in our dream college, right?" Vivian asked, not expecting an answer though. She dragged her bag into the room and dropped it with a thud on her bed. Kayla, still wrestling with hers gave a smile. “Let me help you with that, lazy bunny” Vivian teased. She stepped forward and took the suitcase, lifting it like she carried nothing.

Kayla made a show of pretending to be offended and then sat on the bed beside her friend. They laid back, with their palms on top of each other. “You know, I never knew we would be in the almighty LANDA Talents College” Kayla murmured. “Same here, but here we are and I think it was a bit overhyped” Vivian said. She rolled to her feet and pulled Kayla up. “Let’s go have some fun, please.” Kayla blinked “But we just got here, you know where to have fun already.

Anyway, where are we going?” “I heard there will be a welcome party at Jackal Hall tonight. We should go...after showers of course.” Vivian’s eyes were already sparkling with joy. They showered, dressed, and was prepared to go rock the party, when they heard a gentle knock sounded on their door. “Who is that?” they asked in unison.

A voice answered “I am here to welcome you all to Landa Talents College”. Vivian reached for the door. When she opened it, a young man stood with a smile as bright as a sunlight. He was d*mn handsome, the kind that made Vivian speechless for some seconds. “And who might you be?” Vivian asked, dangerously carried away by the sight of him. “May I come in?” he asked politely. “Yes… yes, please come in,” Vivian stammered, stepping aside. He walked past her with a smile on his face. “So sorry, please forgive my manners, I am Dave Hurst by name, a senior here in this very college. Nice meeting you, ladies.” Dave extended his hand for a handshake to Kayla but it was Vivian’s heart that raced faster and glad; Kayla’s expression, by contrast, didn’t show much interest; she didn’t find Dave especially attractive. She ignored totally.

To spare Dave any uncomfortable rejection, Vivian took his hand. The instant skin met skin, something like a shutter clicked behind her eyes, a flash of white and black, a rush of images that belonged to no present moment: a voice she had never heard, the repetition of a name. Vivian gasped, short of breath, and then she fell to floor...