I was alone, sitting on a flat stone in the middle of an endless sea. I rose up, eager to check for signs of other people. I was myself, still dressed in my pajamas with the tiny sheep sleeping on the hem. Somehow, I knew this was a dream, but it felt different. I raised my arms before me, pinching at my skin. I could feel the twisting sting, my arm turning red in response.

What is going on?

"Hello?" I called out, squinting off into the distance. My voice sounded muffled, like I was underwater. I heard soft giggling as a rush of wind tickled my ear, pushing my hair over my shoulder. I turned around quickly to find nothing, only the empty open sea. More giggling ensued, and I turned faster now, hoping to catch the person teasing me.

"Who's there?"

There was a soft whispering now, and the voice was oddly familiar. I was almost instantly brought to tears by the sound of it.

"M-mom?" I choked.

The wind picked up violently, and I threw up my arms to protect my face.

"Diana..."

"Mom!" I cried out, peering out from between my arms. I knew it was her, I could feel it in my heart. There in front of me, she stood, dressed in a pair of jeans and her favorite cream sweater. Her short black hair was curled cutely around her ears, and I could see her familiar brown eyes staring at me.

"This way, dear," she said, waving for me to follow her. She was standing on a small stepping stone, not too far off from me. I rushed forward but stopped, afraid to fall into the water.

"Mom, wait," I begged as she turned to walk away. Much to my delight, small stones appeared rising from the water to bridge the gap between us. I held my breath as I jumped onto the first one, as coordination was not one of my strong suits. The stones rose before me, one after the other, and I eagerly continued on my path. Suddenly, the stones took a sharp right, then began curving more softly until they reached a mysterious door. My mom was waiting, her hand on the doorknob as I struggled to catch up. She opened the door, turning to smile at me as she went through.

"Mom!" I sniffled, wiping away the tears that had formed in the corners of my eyes. 

I just wanted to hug her, even if it was a dream. To tell her I loved her. The fact that she wouldn't stop and wait for me filled me with intense despair. My fingers were on the doorknob, ready to turn, when a strong hand gripped my shoulder, pulling me back.

"Diana!"

My eyes opened, and I gasped. Gone was the watery world of light; instead, I stood in the soft glow of morning at the front door to the farmhouse. I turned, confused as to why I was attempting to walk outside.

"Diana, what are you doing?" Grandpa asked, pulling me towards him.

"W-what happened?" I whispered as I glanced around the living room. It was quiet, perhaps because everyone else was in bed. The memory of my mother's smiling face flashed before me, and I became upset. I reached out to hug my grandfather, pressing my teary face into his flannel shirt.

"Hey, hey? What's wrong?" he asked. "Where were you going?"

"I-I don't know," I sputtered. "I was just dreaming and then..."

"Were you sleepwalking?"

I looked up at my guardian, horrified at the idea of this. "I don't think so, but maybe?"

Grandpa seemed concerned as he led me into the kitchen, fixing me a cup of coffee as I sat at the table. I stared out of our bay window, clinging to the memory of my mother's face as I watched the wind pass through the branches of the large oak tree outside. Grandpa set the cup of coffee in front of me, sitting in his chair across the table.

"Can you tell me what you were dreaming about?"

I paused, afraid to say it out loud for fear of crying. "Just... my mom."

"Oh, Diana..."

"She was calling to me and then she just walked away," I recalled, grabbing at a spare napkin on the table. I sniffled then blew my nose loudly. "I tried to follow her, and then you woke me up."

Grandpa was silent, gripping tightly at his mug as he pondered my words. I took a sip of my coffee, enjoying the sweet but bitter taste.

"I don't understand why I was sleepwalking," I said, looking up at my grandfather. "I've been sleeping much more than I normally do. I haven't had an incident in years."

My most memorable sleepwalking disaster was waking up in the middle of the night, waist-deep in the pond outside. It was springtime, during a blue moon, but other than those facts, I couldn't remember what I had dreamt about or why it caused me to rise from my bed and walk outside. It was a miracle that I didn't trip and fall down the stairs near the front door.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Diana, but you have been sleepwalking a lot more than I let on," Grandpa confessed, hanging his head slightly.

"What? Seriously?" I sputtered, dropping my mug onto the table with an audible thunk.

"You know the charm over your bedroom door?"

"Yeah," I nodded. Grandpa had given it to me as a gift when I was a child, telling me it would protect me from monsters. I kept it all these years, thinking it was a cute childhood story.

"Well, that charm is a ward against your sleepwalking. It helps wake you up as you pass by," he explained.

"What?!"

"But it seems not to be working as of late," Grandpa sighed, rubbing at the side of his head. I grumbled slightly, glaring at my guardian. I could see he meant well, but this was just another secret in the complex web of lies I had been told over the years. He noticed that I was upset, and I could feel his regret. "I'm sorry, dear, I had to do something. I just couldn't watch you 24/7."

I flushed, feeling guilty. "No, it's fine. It's just scary sometimes."

"That is why I have asked the others to come and help," Grandpa mentioned, smiling softly. "Maayan has been especially helpful since they do not require much sleep."

"Is that why they keep staying over?" I said with a laugh.

He nodded, standing up from the table as he spoke. "Yes, well, I need to do some work outside. I recommend you don't go out without a bodyguard, if at all, please."

"Sure thing," I replied glumly. I wondered if I would ever get to go anywhere outside alone again.

Grandpa left through the back door, and I sat at the table until I finished my coffee. After rinsing out my cup, I retreated to the bathroom, getting ready to face the day. It was Sunday, and I had some homework to finish before school tomorrow. I was studying on the couch as the others got up, eventually joining me in the living room. Maayan, Casimir, and Azar all settled in to do their homework as well, working quietly until Azar gave up, tossing his pen to the side in an angry fit of frustration. I raised my eyebrow at him as he flopped backward on the couch, groaning as if he was in pain.

"I don't understand what you need all of this math for?" the fire elemental lamented. "Is it too late to pretend to be a teacher or janitor at the school?"

I laughed loudly as I watched him rub at his eyes, which had returned to their 'normal' hazel coloring, thanks to his talisman.

"That would be even more work, Azar," I scoffed. "Suck it up. You can just copy my answers."

"What, really? Agh, I love you," he chuckled, reaching over for my sheet of paper.

"Yeah, yeah," I said dismissively.

"It's not that hard," Maayan pointed out, twirling their pencil in their hand. "It does seem like a lot of, um, what do you say, busy work?"

"It's just a form of repetitive learning," Casimir piped in. "No different than practicing the sword or learning a language. You learn by doing."

"The day I use any of these formulas for anything, I'll let you know," the fire elemental grumbled.

"You use them in cooking anytime you adjust a recipe," Casimir fumed, glaring over at the fire elemental. I got the feeling that he was a fan of the subject.

"If you say so," Azar snipped. "I still say it's stupid."

I raised my hand, calling for a truce. "Okay, boys, stop fighting. We all hate homework. Well, maybe not Casimir, but I do know you hate being stuck in the house. At least we all get to go to school tomorrow."

"Joy, I can't wait," Azar responded sarcastically.

"I like school," Maayan said defensively. "It's fun to watch all of the students."

"Plus, look on the bright side," I noted. "There are only seven more months until high school is over. Then you can never pick up a textbook ever again for all I care."

"You probably shouldn't encourage that idea, Diana," Casimir sniffed, looking plainly at Azar.

"Hey, I read," Azar snapped, pointing his pen at the young warrior. "Don't get all high and mighty with me."

"Seeing as I have been helping you complete all of your English homework, I doubt that," he responded dryly.

"Okay, study break!" I shouted. "Let's get some snacks and play a board game or something."

"I'll help," Casimir stated, rising to join me as I walked to the kitchen. I pulled out some cheese and crackers, peering around the edge of the kitchen doorway to make sure Azar and Maayan were distracted. Casimir was standing near the sink, wiping down a plate for the food, when I swatted him, startling him slightly.

(to be continued in Part 2)