Split in Three by Jessica Hemsworth (best value ebook reader txt) 📕

Legend has it that when you are near death, you can split your soul. Monks, Mystics and priests from ancient Liaria used this tactic to live for over 200 years. They say that only the chosen ones can split their soul and survive. In order to be brought back to life, you must go to someone who can use this skill. Ever since Liwal, there has been no more chosen ones born in Liaria. Maybe there are chosen ones out there who haven't discovered their true meaning. If there are no more chosen ones, Liaria will fall to the shadow beings, beasts that live in Kartal the deep dark forest at the borders of  Ilani, the capital of  Liaria. The chosen ones can only use this tactic 4 times, though. if they try to use it a fifth time they will die. There is a rumour of the daughter of Noclotl, the ultimate chosen one. They say the daughter of Noclotl will be the saviour of Liaria and distroy Tyum, the leader of the shadow beings. Is this real or is it just a legend? Nobody knows.

"A long time ago, during Liwal, the great war against the shadow beings, the 10 chosen ones came forth and drove them out." "MOM", sighed Leia, "why do you keep telling me this story. I know they are testing all the children of Ilani to see if they are the new chosen one. I get the gist already. I don't even think I qualify. To date, all the chosen ones have been men!" She glared at her mother. "Come on Leia, you know your best friend is going. You should.., No, you must go. It is a coming of age ritual here in Ilani. I heard that the twins and that nice girl from lessons are going too!" Leia looked longingly at the same cloudless sky she had seen for 14 years. "I know Courtney, Gabrielle and Alexandra are going. Heck, half of Ilani is going. It's not just the kids. The adults just go to watch. They might just bring their young kids to see what happens. You should know, mom. You brought me every year! Anyways, please tell me how dad died in that stupid war already! All you ever say is 'Not right now'. Do you know how that makes me feel? Worthless!" She glared again and her mom, whose name is Sophie, told her ,"You know, Leia, this is a tradition that happens every year. Girls can still qualify. The legend states that the first chosen one was a young girl. The daughter of Noclotl still hasn't shown to save us. The shadow beings are still drawing closer to Ilani! She should hurry up! And on the subject of your dear father, I'll tell you after the test."

Leia sighed and thought. Why can't I leave, and why do I keep looking at the sky. There's nothing up there but an endless blue field. It's so boring but intreaguing. I hope Nyla isn't there tomorrow. She'll be boasting that she's the daughter of  Noclotl. What would be so funny is if it's brought to public intrest that I'm the daughter of Noclotl. That's never possible, though. She looked at the sky again. "Tlynal! Come here!" echoed her mothers voice, "Can you deliver this to Karla?" Leia jumped up and called Tlynal. "You pesky griffon, come here this instant!" That was their secret call. That told Tlynal that she wanted him to deliver something to Courtney. Since Tlynal was going to deliver to Courtneys mom, it only made sense that he would deliver her letter too. As soon as Tlynal left, she went to her room. Leia loved her room and it was a safe haven for her. Away from everything that could hurt her. Including Nyla. Nyla, in Leias opinion was loud obnoxious, self-centred and just plain mean! Everything her mother criticised her about included Nyla. Nyla this, Nyla that, Leia was sick of it. In her room, Nyla didn't exist, she was invincible and alone. Her mother called her, "Leia, you're going to be late for dinner! Try to be more like Nyla, she's never late!"

The day of the coming of age ritual crept up on everybody like a wild bilare (What people on earth would call a leopard, I think?). When Leia met up with Courtney, the two of them were so happy to see each other(Courtney had been sick). As soon as they got to the 'testing grounds of doom' as the older kids called it, sure enough, Nyla was there, boasting up a storm. Leia and Courtney exchanged matching glances. Nyla stomped over (Well, not really stomped but she looked mad) and said, very rudely, "Courtney Gerif and Leia Slianva, wipe those stupid grins off your stupid faces". Courtney then respnded, "What do you know about a stupid face, because unless you look in a mirror, you obviously don't know what one looks like!" She recoiled a little. Courtney started laughing. Nyla looked at her and said, "When I'm announced as the chosen one of Liaria..No, the daughter of Noclotl, you won't be laughing!" Neither Courtney or Leia said a word. Leia looked at Courtney and whispered, "We'll see."

"Well, look who we have here!" came a voice from behind them. Courtney turned red. "Hi Andrew, how did you know it was me?" She stuttered. He thought for a minute then replyed, "I'd recognise the back of your head anywhere" "Why not my face?" "You've turned away from me enough that I could probably recognise you in the middle of a crowd of people with the same hairstyle as you." Leia sighed. She's hopeless! By my observations, Andrew is a medium sized boy with black hair, just like Courtney, he is the local idol for all the girls and he can recognise someone by the back of their head. To me, he's just a bit weird. When Andrew left, Courtneys face was so red you'd think she had coloured it with ink! "Leia, this is the best day of my life! He actually TALKED to me!"Courtney was super excited, but in the middle of her outbust someone walked up. "What did we" "Miss?" said two almost identical voices. When Courtney calmed down, they saw Alexandra and Gabrielle standing there. "The Testing" "Is about to begin!" they said. The four of them walked over to the testing grounds and when they got there, the person running it all was giving a warning. "We will not be held responsible for any injuries that happen today. Be aware, there is an unexpected sinkhole....." That was all Leia heard. Save me....Hurry......Dissapear.....Crystals........Die... 

"Are you listening? Come on... Are you awake?"  Leia snapped back into reality. She opened her eyes and saw she had fallen down and hit her head. Someone, she didn't know who, was looking at her,shaking her and yelling at her asking if she was okay. "Good, it's not serious. Oh, you're awake! How are you feeling?" Leia closed her eyes. Her head hurt so much. "Justin, get away from there! I need your help with something!" "Just give me a minute Nyla, I still don't know if she's okay!" Nyla then responded, "Just leave her. She's fine." Leia heard Courtney yelling at Nyla, Nyla yelling back, Justin yelling to ask if she's okay and Gabrielle and Alexandra yelling at them all to stop yelling. I all faded into a soft buzz, then it was silent.

There was a faint blurry image in Leias head, but clear enough to see that someone had just screamed and fallen down, clutching their shoulder in pain. The others hurried to where the person was. She heard a voice, a very muffled voice. they said, "Take the crystals, and save me. Hurry, or I will dissapear forever, along with the crystals. I will die." Then there was crying and someone repeating "Why?!" over and over again. Then, the image fizzed and dissapeared. Her head was once again filled with the sounds of yelling. Leia opened her eyes to the sight of the man who was running the testing threatning to throw Courtney and Nyla out. "Courtney....Stop" Leia stammered. "Are you really okay now?" Justin asked. "Just... fine.....tired" Leia answered. The man walked over. "Justin, you've got yourself a fine catch! What's her name?" Leia opened her eyes agian to see Justin making a strange face at the man. "Come on dad, she fell and hit her head, I'm just seeing if she's okay." Leia, who wasn't very pleased at this comment glared at the man and proceeded to tell him to bug off. "...... WHAT DID YOU SAY?????" replyed the man. Nyla gave a triumphant smug grin, tiptoed up to the man and whispered, "If she's being oh so rude to you, why don't you just throw her out, she obviously doesn't deserve to even be here!" The man looked pensive. "Mr. Laknera, what do you think of my proposal?" "Hellooooooooooooooo? Mr. Laknera, are you listening?" He glared at Nyla. Leia saw it coming but didn't bother to warn Nyla. "Shut up, young lady, or I will have to throw YOU out instead of HER." Leia gave a little silent chuckle. Nyla, with her sensitive hearing, didn't notice at all. 

Mr. Laknera decided (finally) to throw Leia out. Just as she was about to walk home in disgrace, she heard arguing. "Come on, dad, let her stay. Now we have an odd number of people, so there will be a trio or someone on their own!" "Fine, she can