Young Writers Society

Delia

I have to admit I was surprised by the lion.

Well, it looked like a lion, anyway. Sorta. The creature had appeared right in the middle of us Derns marching to the ocean to join the fleet. When I say appeared, I don't mean it walked in. It materialized in our midst. It also looked bigger than a lion, and it had horns and blue streaks. I'm pretty sure a lion doesn't have horns, although admittedly I haven't seen many lions.

I readied my warhammer and stepped forward. "If you're intelligent, creature, you won't move or attack. You're surrounded by several hundred Derns. That might even be enough to take down an Inarvi with few casualties. If you're capable of speech, state your name and species."

The tension in the air was almost tangible as I and the creature glared at each other. Finally he rumbled, "My name is Nyan Ocia."
~*~
Solaris

I glanced up briefly from the sheet of paper I was taking notes on when a large, red-faced man barged into the room and shouted something about his daughter. This ought to liven up this meeting, which was a minor discussion about supplies and therefore no use to us because we couldn't cut off Senetran supplies coming as they did from the center of their country.

"I want a task force of men so I can go search for my daughter!"

Nobody in this room had the authority to give him those men, but they all looked too scared to mention that. The man was evidently drunk, and had an aura of power about him that made me think of magicians.

"Sir," ventured one of the officers, "your daughter will be fine. Seirapheen is a very capable magician, and I doubt a task force that would be small enough to not weaken the army could take her down."

The girl from the falconry? And a magician. Useful information if her father actually had any power and the girl was stupid enough to head near the border.

Her father stopped pacing and glared at the officer. "I'll send one of the Inarvi after her then!" He stomped out of the building before the shock subsided.

Yeah, her father had power, unless that was a drunk boast.

"Sir..." The officer sighed and asked me, "Can you copy down as much of that conversation as possible, scribe? They're not holding me accountable for what that fool does."

I obliged.
~*~Later that night...

Cel and I met in the dining hall. It was loud enough that no one could hear us, but not crowded enough that we couldn't get any privacy. Perfect for her to give me information. I refused to let her run the information to the falconry; I wouldn't be able to live with myself if she was caught.

"I saw Ether today," she told me. "He was sad when he talked to me because he said he'd have to go away soon. I asked where, but he just smiled at me and told me it was a secret."

I frowned. Ether was leaving the army...intresting. I had the feeling that in a few weeks, another border post or two of Derns would be dead, but he wouldn't have had a problem with telling Cel that. Or was Ether the kind of person who thought kids shouldn't be exposed to violence at a young age?

"I have to go, honey," I told Cel. "Stay safe and, please, be careful."

She nodded solemnly and scampered back to the kitchens.

There was no way to make my letter misleading if it was intercepted, but I accepted that as a risk of the job. This is the letter I sent the Derns that night:

All here are devoted to preparing for the war. They know you're going to try to separate the Kyromes and them, and are hurrying to get there first. One of the Inarvi is leaving camp for who knows what, and I suggest you warn and reinforce the borders.

We have an interesting situation. Apparently the daughter of a man with power over the Inarvi has ran away from home. If she approaches the border, be warned she is a powerful magician but most likely a profitable hostage. Here is her description as best as I can recall:Dark hair and eyes, skinny, and there's this falcon that follows her everywhere. Keep an eye out.

The sun of Dernland.

I signed it with the codename we had agreed on and sent it off.

Nyan Ocia

I stared at the Dern who had a large war hammer in her hands, my mined flashed back to the day my brother was killed and my anger flared but I controlled it because I might be killed if I tried to kill the whole army of Derns, the dern looked at me and said ""If you're intelligent, creature, you won't move or attack. You're surrounded by several hundred Derns. That might even be enough to take down an Inarvi with few casualties. If you're capable of speech, state your name and species."
" I answered her still looking at the dern with hatred "I am Nyan Ocia" I paused "a Tiseran." I looked down even more angrily still thinking of the death of my brother "I am the last of my kind." I had heard the news from a small Oricioth in dernland he had told me that my father had died because he rebelled and was killed by a the dern general who in his anger killed all of the other Tiserans.

I shot a hundred tendrils of lightning at the derns and teleported away, I appeared next to a river and startled a young girl so much that she fall into the river, I paused for a moment and jumped in even though I had no idea why I did it, when I came close to her she garbed onto my fur and yanked herself onto my back she looked like she had just gone through a close to death situation her eyes were wide open nad she lay flat on my back breathing hard.

After I had gotten to shore I let her slide down my head onto the ground she stood up and looked at me with grey intelligent eyes that seemed to bore strait through me, then she said "Who are you?" in a kind voice.

I was a little puzzled why every one had to know another's title in the humans lands"Nyam Ocia the last Tiseran."

She looked at me and said "I am Seirapheen Collens."

"May I call you Ms. Collens?" I asked trying to sound like a not so mean cat but the memory of the death of my brother still drifted in my mined.

"No!" she said in and even angryer voice.

I stepped back but I accidentally stepped back into the water and the rest of me toppled in and the girl fell over laughing, I crawled out with all my hair plaited onto me, I shook myself and my hair was suddenly sticking strait out.

She laughed harder and I growled, she sat up and walked over to me "What is it?"

I looked at the bushes across the river and a pack of dogs came barking onto the bank followed by a bunch of men with some kind of signature mark on there chests and the girl muttered "Father" I stepped forward and roared so hard the ground shook, the dogs turned around and ran away the men stood still with spear's in their hands wait they had not been there before and I knew that they were magicians.

I teleported across the river next to them and jellied one of them with my paw and swatted another one across the stream into a tree but when I shot a lightning bolt at one of them he teleported out of the way and to the side another one threw a spear at me but the girl somehow made a magical shield and the spear bounced off but one of the spear got threw and stuck me through my leg, I roared and incinerated the rest with a blast of thunder, I fell over and my vision went black, and I just noticed the girl teleported across the stream and kneel next to me.

Seirapheen Collins

I kept walking and walking into the forest which seemed to be endless, seriously, I had been walking from hours. After I got really tired I decided to rest by the river which was in front of me. As I saw the river, a few memories came back to me.

So what happens if I run away momma? Will I ever need to be this way?

Hun, don't ever speak that way again, do you understand me? The world outside is very dangerous.

More dangerous than daddy?

yes

Then promise me that you will always be by my side

I promise.

She had broken the promise. She died and left me there. All alone. I stared at the river as tears formed in my eyes. The cold breeze passed me by and then suddenly I felt something which startled me so much that I fell in the river. Exactly what I was waiting for! I lion like thing, like which I had never even read about in books before appeared in front of me. First he just kept staring but then he jumped in and came close to me to save me.I grabbed onto his fur and yanked myself onto his back.

He had really started me to death. For a moment I couldn't breathe but then after I got to the shore I felt a little normal again. I stood up and looked at him, examining him carefully. This animal had just saved my life and i was very grateful for that. "Who are you?" I asked in the best voice i could.

"Nyam Ocia the last Tiseran."

"I am Seirapheen Collens."

"May I call you Ms. Collens?"

"No!" No way is anyone going to call me with my surname. The last thing I wanted was to be reminded of my father,or should I even call him that. All my life i was said to call him His highness, i couldn't even say the word 'father' when he wasn't around.

Nyam stepped back and fell into the water. At this I couldn't help but laugh. Nice going there little tiger, I wanted to say him but he wasn't little (no where near little)or a tiger... so I just kept that to myself.

He crawled out and shook himself, and all his hair kinda straightened out, like when my cat fell in water and was so scared... I remembered that and laughed harder. Again, all of a sudden i heard voices, Of course, my father must have sent them I sat up and walked over to Nyam who was puzzled by my sudden change of expressions "What is it?" he asked

"Father" I muttered with fear. There was no way I could get caught, no way I wanted to go back in that dungeon, no way at all! Nyan stepped forward bravely and I just watched him as he roared so hard that the ground shook, all the dogs became so scared that they ran away but those so called warriors(who only did what they did for money) stood there.

I wanted to tell him that they were magicians but he must have understood as he teleported across the river next to them. No No No No. This was the last thing I would want him to do. A good fight took place in front of my eyes, I wanted to help but if I would teleport, I would grow too weak and my legs seemed to be already paralyzed by all the running. I tried to get up but fell on my knees. So much for saving him, I knew then the only option left for me was to teleport.

As I teleported towards him one of the guard threw a spear at me and I quickly put up a magical shield but still felt weak, too weak to even notice that my shield wasn't good enough because the next thing I knew a spear stuck Nyan through his leg, he roared and incinerated the rest with a blast of thunder and then fell over with his eyes closed.

I kneeled next to him and saw his wound. This would be the first time I would be using my healing powers. I put a spell around us so that no one could see us and then sat down near Nyan. I whispered the spell and slowly took out the spear from his leg. And after sometime, his wound healed.

|Aradian Stromlight|

I had been riding for hours and my back was sore as I got off of my hours at the large and magnificent house, I looked down at the paper that the king had shoved into my saddle bag and it read "The Collins" I looked up at the gateway and it said "Collins" in large letters then I looked back at the paper and it said "Sent my the king" and the king seal was printed beneath it.

I walked in and three guards stepped into my way, I knew I could beat them from the way they held there spears but I held up my paper and they stepped back, I walked in and a saw a fat/thine man lounging on a chair he looked well built but he looked like he used magic on everything about him even to make his muscles to grow.

I stepped up and said "Kings man", He turned to look at me and waved me to chair and then said "What is your business."

I answered by giving him another paper that was from the king, the man tore it open and read trough it, "Hmm." he said as he finished I was beginning to dis like this man "What does it say." I said.

He looked up at me and gave me a nasty look "It says that you are to look for my daughter and that sending an Inarvi is not a priority, even though I know it would work." he paused "Also I must tell you this, but there is a very large tiger thing that is for some reason protecting her."

I looked back at him and said "I am the most powerful magician in the kings quart, I think I can tack care of a simple animal." I was getting a little annoyed at this idiot who was acting like he was the lord over me and seemed to care little about his only daughter, I could see why she ran away, and I was also a little annoyed that the king would do this that he would send me after a girl while there was a war raging all over the kingdom.

He stared at me and said "You shall leave immediately then"

I looked back at him and anger roared in my ears, How could he, I had just come over three hundred miles and that was all he could say. I controlled it and cast a spell and my pains went away, I stood up and walked back to my hours who was still outside I let him have a some food and I cast a few spells to make his aches go away.

Then I mounted and we road out I went all around the perimeter then a man came up to me and said "I will lead you to where they were last." he went into the house and came back with another horse he said "Follow me!" and road into the forest with me right behind him.

We rode for a couple of hours until we came to a creek and there I saw the body's of a few magicians and some strange blood that looked like it was white or maybe it was paint. And there we no tracks and I knew that she had teleported, I walked up to the place and sensed around with magic until I could find a static tinge, I had done this a billion times before.

Then I felt something was wrong and I turned to see a giant cat staring at me.

Lyloh fastened the belt of her new leather ensemble and admired herself in the mirror. Her blonde hair was fastened neatly into a bun and she had magically increased the length of her eyelashes. Her sleeveless leather tunic was a deep brown and matched her trousers; she finished off the outfit with a pair of black cavalier boots.

"This will do nicely." She muttered to herself, idly placing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Her very expensive town house was located in a very nice part of Kyrome, the part where anything could be overlooked if you had enough coin. Her room contained a four poster bed, made only of the finest Kyromian wood. Several wardrobes, drawers and mirrors were also dotted around the place.

Lyloh walked over to the dresser beside the door and placed the piece of paper on top of it into her pocket. The scrawled handwriting was barely readable since Rodrick wrote the address with shaking hands. However it was easy enough to understand when looking at a map of the city. She would need to walk for fifteen minutes east in order to reach her proposed destination; of course the nice part of Kyrome was small compared to the points corrupted with poverty; so it came as no surprise to her when she realised her Dern imposter was holed up there.

"Miss Brande." A neighbour whispered as she lowered her small novelty umbrella. Despite the lack of sun, this woman always needed to hold something above her - Lyloh found it hard to believe that she was allergic to sunlight like she claimed.

Lyloh continued walking through the nearly vacant streets, her attire was definitely beginning to become noticeable. Eyes glanced over her physique more than usual, especially since the men had exchanged their lust filled eyes with expressions of disgust. How dare this woman leave the house in such little clothing. Lyloh giggled at the thought and finally rounded a corner.

Since Rodrick had provided her with a location, Lyloh was left with the task of identifying the imposter herself. It was a simple task at best but still, she wasn't known for her patience. Looking briefly over her shoulder to make sure that she was truly alone, she willed her body to take the form of a small toddler. The toddler had been the daughter of a baker, although unbeknownst to him she was a Changeling. A deceitful gremlin-like creature that got its rocks off stealing children and then taking their place. Lucky for Lyloh however, this particular Changeling was able to differentiate scents. She would have bet anything on the hunch that Derns smelt a lot worse than humans, on a biological level at least.

Closing her eyes and allowing the different smells to pass her, Lyloh kept vigilant for one that was definitely off. She stood like that for several minutes, her nose crinkling at the scent of a wounded animal; she then realised that it was a rat that was directly beneath a storm grate, its smell wofting up into the air.

Seconds later is when something attacked her senses, a scent so drenched in magic that it attempted to mesh with her own. The smell surrounded her, beckoned her to find the source. It was as if that source was directly in front of her...

"Crap." Lyloh muttered as her eyes opened, a large man was looking down at her small body. "You're not fooling anybody, child." The Dern raised a fist and forced his knuckles to collide with Lyloh's face.

She went hurtling backwards and then rolled a few times along the concrete. Her body shifted back into that of her own and she got to her knees. Lyloh admitted that it was a very powerful punch, but was slightly disappointed that she'd felt stronger before.

Twin fists attempted to swing for her again but she elegantly manouvered out of the way. She slid between the Derns legs as if an invisible current carried her and then launched her fist directly into his family jewels.

The smile of her expected victory vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Apparently Derns didn't have the same weak spots as human males, something Lyloh failed to research beforehand. The Dern grabbed her left leg and picked her up, she was hanging upside down and her eyebrows raised at the bare, scarred chest appreciatively. He lifted her higher so that her face was level with his and she smiled nervously.

"There's something behind you." Lyloh told him, crossing her arms. The Dern laughed before replying. "I shall not fall for your trickery, magician." His laughed continued for another second but he stumbled forward almost immediately.

Lyloh opened her palms and created a powerful force of telekinetic energy that separated her and the Dern. He went flying backwards and tripped over his own feet. "What the--" He roared as a brunette female retrieved the twin daggers she'd impaled him with.

In the blink of an eye, she was standing in front of Lyloh and held the blades to her slender neck. "I'll slit your throat long before you can hit me with that." Harper's eyes motioned towards the electricity circulating around the palms of Lyloh's hands.

"Who are you?" Harper stood defensively and didn't show signs of letting up any time soon. Lyloh rolled her eyes and pushed Harper aside. "I'm not your enemy if that's what you're asking. I'm just out here, trying to get something I want." She walked over to the unconcious Dern and flexed her fingers; she placed her palms onto the lower back of the Dern and waited.

"What are you--" Lyloh held up a finger to issue for silence and Harper raised an eyebrow. A few seconds passed and Lyloh opened one of her eyes. She looked down at the large body and cussed. "Why the hell isn't it working." She muttered.

"What are you trying to do?" Harper closed the distance between the two of them and Lyloh stood up. "I'm trying to steal his powers." Lyloh announced quickly, simultaneously placing her palm on Harpers cheek. She retrieved her hand and cursed once more, "Why isn't it working?"

"You're a magician." Harper said accusingly. "I'm a human, I don't have any magical capabilities. She rolled her eyes and then turned to walk away, "Thanks for trying to steal them though."

"Hey, wait." Lyloh said, "It seems that I may need your help--"

"The Dern is running off." Harper replied. Lyloh looked at her in confusion and then at the ground. "Oh, for fu--" She immediately started walking towards Harper and grabbed a hold of her hand.

"Teleport." Lyloh simply said. "Teleport us to him."

Harper rolled her eyes, "I can only teleport to a point that I can see."

Lyloh's jaw dropped and she sighed dramatically. "Fine, but don't blame me if we end up on top of a pile of Derns." Harper immediately tried to break Lyloh's grip but she failed. Their bodies immediately felt like they were spinning and Lyloh let out a feeble scream.

The next thing they knew, both girls were landing on top of a third person and rolling across the grass. "Who are you?" Lyloh demanded.

"Ennius, who are you?"

Shifting my backpack up my shoulder, I looked up at the clear Kyromian sky. The sun bled down streams of golden light as I made my way through a field. It had been days since my encounter with the Derns and I was still trying to get over watching the little girl die in my arms. I was starting to near the Kyrome capital, according to a few locals and my throat was dry.

I stopped to rest in a patch of open ground, shrugging off my backpack and taking out a leather pouch of water. Drinking greedily from the pouch, I laid my head back on the warm, dry ground. The blue sky dotted with the occasional white cloud, each blob of vapor shifting into different forms like giant Changelings as I stared into the endless sea of sky.

I blinked as the air around me shifted and two gorgeous women fell through the air onto me. Grunted with surprise, I dropped my water pouch and tried to untangle myself from the two bodies now laying on top of me, I could feel my face turning red.

I saw a face near mine. "Who are you?"

I blinked, shouldn't I be the one asking the questions? "Ennius, who are you?"

"Lyloh Brande," the woman spoke with a grace and elegance I wasn't familiar with and her eyes looked like they held far more years than her body let on.

"I'm Harper, thanks for asking, now I would like it very much if we could continue introductions, oh I don't know, not on top of some random stranger."

I scrambled up and brushed myself off, offering my hand to both the woman. Only Lyloh took it, while Harper chose to help herself off the ground.

Lyloh looked over at Harper and shrugged. "Well, it's better than ending up on top a pile of Dern's."

I wasn't sure whether that was compliment or an insult, so I just smiled and hoped I wasn't going to get mugged from behind while they distracted me. Either way, I was close to the capital and it would be better to travel in a group.

Harper looked at me with col, untrusting eyes. "Where are we?"

I looked between the woman before answering, what an odd situation I had ended up in. "Near the capital of Kyrome, I was just heading there if you want to join me."

She narrowed her eyes. "No, I don't trust either of you," she huffed, stomping through the tall wheat.

I sighed. "You're going the wrong way!" I called out to her.

After a few awkward moments of Lyloh indiscreetly studying me, Harper came back. I grinned. "Kyrome's capital is that way," I pointed.

"Fine," she said, her eyes avoiding mine. "But if you try anything suspicious, I will personally slit your throat."

With that nice thought, our odd looking party continued through the fields, towards the capital of Kyrome. With me in the front, Lyloh to my right and Harper always two steps behind and trust me when I say, this was only the start of my odd adventures to come.

Sigma skidded around the corner and sprinted across the courtyard. It was getting dark. She had to make the main passageway, only two corridors away, where there were other people. Before they found her.

She heard footsteps echoing from the arcade, and a snigger.
"Hey, Sigma!"
Only ten feet—
"Sigma, going somewhere?"
Five feet—
"Yeah, where are you bolting off to?"
Another snigger.
Sigma crashed into an invisible barrier in the doorway and tumbled across the ground, colliding heavily with the wall. She instantly threw up a shield around her, gasping for breath. Her books had been knocked out of her hands and lay scattered across the courtyard. She cursed and got to her knees. Maybe she could still make the door. Maybe...
"Hey, didn't your parents teach you it's rude to run off while someone's still talking to you?"
"Oh yes. You didn't have any, did you?"
Another snicker.
Houstian willed a globe of light into existence. It illuminated his sharp features, and those of his brother, Furnost.
Sigma got up and dusted the knees of her robes, still holding her magical shield. She started to edge toward the door, but her back met another barrier. Houstian grinned.
"Not so fast, Sigma," he hissed, sending a bolt of power into her shield. "We want to show you something Lord Bayan taught us today..."
"Leave me alone," Sigma snarled, pressing her back into the barrier.
"So call your overseer, Sigma," Furnost taunted. "Ask for help. Or are you too scared?"
It would only take a mental call — a quick notification of her location and plight, and Lord Ombrien would come to her aid. She envisioned the robed magician, the long, thin scar running across his face, and shuddered. No. She would hold out until she could no longer.
"Oh, too scared, is it? All right."
Houstian sent another flashing white bolt into her shield. She had to get away.
Furnost joined in, light cutting through the cold air.
Quickly.
"Come out, come out, Sigma! Why are you hiding from us?"
Sigma sent a cautious bolt of power into the barrier behind her. It did not give. And her concentration was waning. Her shield flickered under the onslaught.
"Hey, Sigma! Boo!"
Her shield disintegrated and Houstian's next bolt of power shuddered through her body, shooting burning pain down her spine.
"Stabstrike, they call it," he smirked. "We use it on prisoners, get them to talk. You haven't been very talkative lately, have you now, Sigma?"
A second spasm of pain coursed down Sigma's body.
Not another, please, not another.
Houstian raised his hands once more.
"Go on, say something," he hissed. His globe light intensified.
Perhaps...
Sigma threw up her hands to cover her face and willed a globe light into existence, pouring power into it until the white light spilled through her fingers. She felt the barrier behind her disintegrate as Houstian lost concentration. Then she extinguished the light.
"What the...?"
Furnost groped sideways in the darkness, then stiffened as he heard the rustle of her robes. Houstian sent a bolt of power at her, blindly stumbling toward her.
"Well done, Houstian," Sigma giggled. "I didn't know you were a man of such vision!"
She slipped down the corridor and into the main passageway, where magicians and military personnel strode leisurely to their assorted sleeping locations, blithely unaware of the magical battle that had just taken place behind their backs, though they might discover several books on magic strewn across the courtyard the next morning.

How long can this continue? Sigma wondered.

Delia

I stare at the ocean. We'll be getting on the boats in just a few minutes, but...wow. I've lived inland all my life, and it's just so big. How are we going to cross this in a couple short months?

The ships are wonderful. You can smell the newness on the one I'm getting on now; fresh pine and other woods, and the sharp, peculiar scent that only metals carry. They don't feel nearly as rickety as I thought they would, although there's a nauseating swaying. A couple of Dernish sailors usher me below, where rows of beds line the walls. Only the sailors and the important people get cabins.

I dump my pack of clothing, weapons, and food on my bed and rush to a porthole to watch as the shore slowly moves away. We're sailing.
~*~
We've been sailing for a few days now, and I find the ship's movement is no longer sickening. Some of the others aren't so lucky-I estimate a quarter of the Derns on this ship are green at all times. There's talk that if they don't get better by the time we reach the Panama canal, they'll be disembarked and forced to march back through the wasteland to reinforce the troops at home. I hope not. I have friends among them.

We're approaching the canal now. It doesn't really look different from the rivers we've seen as we traveled down the coast, but I remind myself that this river runs through the wasteland. We'll be in for quite a day. Happily, it turns out the rumor I heard was false. Forcing the men to march through the wasteland would mean losing many of them and just be a waste of life, we heard an officer announce. There were hospital ships in the fleet to tend the wounded, and once we reached the battlefield, anyone still sick would be sent there. The mages who control us aren't stupid.

We're tense throughout the first few hours of traveling through the canal, but relax when none of the ships are attacked. Then a snakelike monster unexpectedly punched through the hull of the ship in front of us, and screams shot through the air. People ran for bows, me included. We had all trained with the bow, realizing it was the only weapon we'd be able to attack something else with while onboard ship if we couldn't get into melee range.

Our ship pulled aside the sinking one and people without bows helped the soldiers onboard. Meanwhile, we all fired at the monster, some murmuring prayers to lost gods and others just grimly firing. My last arrow went into it's eye, and the thing sunk back into the depths of the canal. All that remained of the sunken ship above water was a mast where the Dernish flag flapped. Exhausted, we continued on, hoping we wouldn't encounter any more monsters.
~*~
"Our ship is to separate from the rest of the fleet to visit a remote island where a vital asset to the Derns dwells. We will send a small party of Derns onto the island to convince the creature that it should help us. Any volunteers?"

I was the first to step forth and raise my hand.
~*~
Solaris
Earlier this evening, Cel told me more about Ether, the Inarvi. She said the way he looked at her, with sadness in his eyes, made her think he probably wished he had kids or maybe that he had a little sister somewhere. She told me he admitted once he didn't know much of his previous life.

And now I am racked with nightmares. I see Delia, my friend from back home, riding through a human village, killing all, even the children. She hacks off the head of a little girl who makes me think of Celestia, and smoke rises from the huts. I see the Dern who sent me to spy here, The Demented One. His spells kill all who dare to run. A little boy runs past him and crumples to the ground.

I awaken.

I force myself to remember that though the side I had chosen will commit atrocities, the humans do it too. I remember the bloody corpse of the Dernish boy I met in childhood, his head bashed in with a shovel, and how I couldn't sleep for the next month. I remember the story Delia told me of her civilian mother, and imagine finding her dead at a riverside, a pile of laundry next to her.

It helps a little, but the nightmares always come back.

|Wreath|


(She's crossed over to Senetra).

Wreath smiled down at the man from her hide-out up in the leaves of the tree high above him. He was a very strange man. He had black hair, and a friendly young face . . . but he seemed to be a warrior. A sword hung at his belt, and under his cloak she caught glimpses of armour, glittering from the specks of sunlight that made it down to the forest floor.

Who are you? She wondered sleepily. She was feeling tired that day, having just travelled over the biggest body of water she'd ever seen. The country was strange here. The trees were different, with long spikes on the branches instead of leaves . . . and there were hardly any mountains in compare with where she's come from.

The incident the other night was long gone from her mind, slipping through her memory as easily as a stone through water. But that was how she lived, though she didn't even know it.

The man below her suddenly gave a weak cry and stumbled as he tried to make his way over to the small, smokeless campfire he'd built. She frowned. He's hurt. How she knew, she couldn't tell, but she seemed to understand that he was in pain.

For a moment she wasn't quite sure what to do. Should she go to him? Should she stay here and watch? She watched in confusion as he shook himself and stood again. Maybe he's okay . . .

But there was a look on his face that told her otherwise, but she stayed where she was.

After a few seconds the man lay down, looking up at the tree's with strange, tired eyes. Before she knew it, Wreath didn't know what she'd been so worried about. She forgot that she was worried at all, and became content to just watch him.

Minutes passed, and slowly his eyes closed peacefully, and he drifted into sleep. She continued to watch over him, unconscious of the sun falling behind the clouds. Unconscious of the darkness creeping over the forest . . . unconscious of the sound of creatures moving over the forest floor faster than galloping horses.


Howls like those of wolves echoed through the night, deep and deadly.

Below Wreath, the young man snapped up straight. He stood with stunning speed, and in the blink of an eye a sword flashed, a scream split the night air, and a dark form flew away from him, smashing into a tree with sickening force.

Wreath stared at the still body in shock. He killed it! But slowly whoever it was began to move. He shouldn't have survived that. Gently she began to stand and slip further into the cover of the leaves.

Below her the should-be-dead figure stood. He was massive, clothed in some kind of black clothing, with flashing black eyes. He and the young man faced each other, opposites in size. They spoke, their words soft and silent -so much so Wreath could not hear them. . . .

Suddenly the dark figure leaped at the young man, a massive black sword glinting in the moonlight. The man raised his sword to block, and with a flash, the blades collided.

They stood, sword to sword, pressing against each other, Wreath watching in breathless shock. Slowly the massive man began to press down, moving his sword slowly but surely for the young man's face. He gritted his teeth, beads of glittering sweat forming on his brow, bitterly trying to resist his demise.

He'll die if you don't do something, some silent part of Wreath's mind whispered to her consciousness. She had to do something or the young man would die.

Why? She argued with herself, she was a free creature with no bonds to this man.

Why not? Whispered the other half of her mind.

With that she dropped easily down from her hiding place, and before the dark man could react, she reached out with a gust of wind and slammed him onto the ground, pinning him. She frowned down at him, struggling slightly as he attempted to escape. Then, with a flick of her mind, she picked him up and threw him away into the trees.

Don't bother us. Slowly she turned to face the young man. She caught a sight of fear and curiosity flash across his face, but quickly he raised his sword and hardened his featured.

“Who are you?” he demanded.

Wreath paused, she wasn't quite sure what to say. Who WAS she? “my name's Wreath,” she said weakly,” what are you?” That he wasn't human she knew quite well.

Lord Ombrien paced across the courtyard, regarding the young magicians with steely eyes.
"Today we shall continue with our training in broadsword fighting. Let us first revise our work of yesterday; the three stances. Houstian, demonstrate the first stance. On guard!"

With a decadent flourish, Houstian swept his hilt up to his face and dropped the tip to point to his knee.
"Good! Furnost—"
Without hesitation, the boy sharply brought the heavy hilt to his chest, tip almost touching his left foot.
"Sigma, third stance—on guard!"
Sigma cursed. The third stance was by far the most difficult, the sword tip having to move the furthest.
"On guard, Sigma!"
Sigma gritted her teeth at looked down at the sword between her hands, tip resting on the ground. Trying to keep her hands at her chest, she swung the sword up to a perpendicular position. The blade sliced through the air, then failed to slow as it approached her face. With a cry, she dropped it, but too late. The edge scored a livid line across her cheek.
"Pick up your weapon!" Lord Ombrien snapped. "You must use your wrists to balance the sword. If you wish to become a magician, you must achieve strength!"
"Yes, my lord," Sigma murmured, bending to retrieve the broadsword. Her cheek burnt and she could feel blood beading on the skin. The boys snickered.
"Again, and be sure it is correct, this time!"
Sigma swung the sword pendulously and as the tip approached her face, willed it into place, infusing the order with a little magic. Her eyes narrowed in concentration.

Lord Ombrien strode toward her, focussing on the broadsword, which she was still supporting with a little magic, his eyes unnaturally bright. He came to a stop directly in front of her.
"How much strength does it take to hold a sword upright?" he asked quietly.
"My lord..."
"No magic is to be used in weapons classes!" he snapped suddenly, face darkening. "Which means that this is now a magic class—"
Sigma paled under his icy glare. "My lord, I shall try again!" she attempted.
"—and we shall be reviewing last lesson's work on heat strikes and the accompanying shields. You may stow your weapons on the racks."

Sigma was last to return. She was sure that Lord Ombrien had something brutal planned, or he wouldn't be looking so satisfied.
"Houstian, you shall shield with the five basic frost shields; Furnost, attack with firestrike and flamestrike. Sigma, you shall shield against me."
Sigma turned cold.
"Begin."

Sigma immediately poured power into a complex air shield, meshing the air with magic. Lord Ombrien tested it with a few jarring strikes, then progressed into a stronger firestrike that burnt white spots into Sigma's eyes. She widened her shield into a convex frost barrier, causing the air to crackle with power. Houstian lost concentration and yelped as Furnost's flamestrike licked his arms.
The strikes battered Sigma's shield, forcing her to add more power to it and back away from the onslaught. The barrage intensified, and Sigma crouched in order to shrink the target. Lord Ombrien advanced. The air between them shimmered with heat.
Sigma started to feel the verges of panic touch her mind—she was losing concentration. Maintaining a frost shield took too much energy. She needed something more...
Fire needs air...
Closing her eyes, she dissolved her shield and cleared the air before her until nothing remained. Lord Ombrien sensed the change in magic. The strikes faltered as he realized that the fire was being blocked by nothing. Then it was Sigma's turn to falter as he sent a ripple of pure power to test her shield. She dropped the emptiness and rushed to pour power into a solid shield, but too late. Lord Ombrien's power cut through her hasty construction and threw her across the courtyard.
"Halt!"

Sigma groaned and rolled over, her head spinning. Rage boiled inside her.
It was supposed to be firestrike.
"On your feet!" Lord Ombrien commanded.
No more.
Sigma collected her anger and willed a force into being, more than she had ever felt before, hurling it at the magician with all her strength. White power flared across the courtyard, whipping her robes into the air. Lord Ombrien deflected the stream with a sharp movement of the hand, but barely. The power tore at his shield. He staggered backwards, paling.
"How dare you... Striking another magician in anger—"
Sigma felt the full might of her power seething inside her.
"There's more where that came from," she whispered, trembling half in fear, half in excitement. "Think you can raise that shield again? I'm leaving—I'm leaving now!"
Then, without a further word, she spun around and ran out of the courtyard, robes billowing behind her.
Lord Ombrien's brow darkened.
"Stay indoors and take all necessary precautions," he said grimly. "We do not know the full range of her power."
"Yes, my lord." The boys bowed.
"Let the fort know that we have a rogue on the loose, a potential killer. No effort must be spared to retrieve her, or kill her—before she causes any more damage."

Seirapheen Collins

Nyan was an amazing companion. After he was healed we sat their and had a little conversation as he wasn't really able to walk and nor was I so strong to either walk or do any transportation spell. See what I meant when I told transportation spells weren't the best?

Nyan spoke about his family, how he became the last person to exist from his species and the reason he came here while I on the other hand kept nagging about whatever I did not get to do in the castle, agh! that horrible castle, trust me it was a jail or even worse... but let's not start again, shall we?

"So you were born in the mountains? That's so cool" I spoke finally after listening to his part of the story.

"Why is everything 'so cool' for you" he questioned sounding a little astonished by my remark. Well, he wasn't to blame really, I was literally saying everything was so cool but it was so I couldn't help saying that it was! It's not my fault.

Suddenly I heard footsteps coming in our direction and been the amazing coward I am I hid behind Nyan. Please tell me it's not father's men. "I can't do magic, I am in the worst state, if I do do it now then I won't be able to walk until dawn, I can become too weak" I whispered to him as the person came closer.

"Don't worry, I can handle this" he whispered back confidently, how can he be confident when there is a possible chance that the person coming near us can cause another big disaster?

Tall, thin face, large nose, premature curly white hair, piercing dark grey eyes, Large hands, pale skin... no way, he is totally a human! Humans were easy to read but this guy, he wasn't. I needed to do a spell on him to go into his mind but I was already too weak. Darn!

He came closer and looked doubtfully at us. Then he cleared his throat and then looked at a paper in his hand, then again he looked at me and looked at it. He did the same thing a few times until finally Nyon asked him "Who are you?"

"Aradian Stromlight" he said confidently. I small shiver went through my body as I heard his name, I do not have a good feeling about this. I shifted a little more closer behind Nyan to hide my face from him, I can in no way run right now but I had a feeling I would have to.

Nyan and Aradian had what seemed like a starring contest and finally Aradian broke it off and said "I am here looking for the king's daughter, you must have heard the name Seirapheen Collins, of course you must have. And this girl who is hiding at the back of you seems very familiar to Seirapheen which makes it my duty to investigate. I would like to talk to her once and make sure if she is or isn't the person I am looking for and
I don't feel there is any reason for her not talking to me unless she is Miss.Seirapheen." Confidence filled the air as he finished. I wanted to hit my head hard when he mentioned about the whole him talking to me thing. No way can I lie, I am the most miserable liar anyone could ever find.

Nyan turned to me and whispered "Talk to him unless you want to be discovered, I will make sure to stay close" and saying this he went a few steps back eyeing us carefully. I adjusted my clothes as I got up and slowly lifted my gaze towards Ara... Ara... Arady? or whatever his name was. Even his name was tough, this is so bad!

"I am Aradian Stromlight" he said, oh so it was Aradian. I nodded at him trying my best to act normal. Saying I was nervous would be an underestimation because if he figured out who I was then neither I or Nyan could get away as we both weren't completely healed yet and that was bad, definitely bad.

"I am Rapunzel" I replied. It was the only name I could think of at that time. I had to hold back a laugh when I said that name as Rapunzel had always been in mom's little story she told me when I was small.

"Where do you live Miss. Rapunzel?" he asked

I laughed at his question "Of course I live in my house"

"But where is your house?"

"Near my neighbour's house" I said, yup I was definitely playing with him and it was fun. Not as bad as I thought it would be

"And where is your neighbour's house" he asked seeming to be irritated. Yes it's working

"You won't believe me even if I answer you"

"I will"

"Fine then, it's near my house" and that was it, he was irritated and he sighed. I had to hold back my laughter as his expression grew more horrified.

"Miss. Rapunzel, I guess this seems like a joke to you but let me tell you, it's not" he said hoarsely, opps, I am in trouble. THis person seems to be more better than those I have already handled in the past while escaping to go and play with my friends. "If I want I can arrest you this moment and take you to the palace to investigate whether you are or aren't the princess and if by chance you aren't then you don't even want to know what will happen to you" Please, save it. I wanted to say him. I know my father, he wouldn't hurt people though he was stubborn and irritating. But of course I couldn't say him this so instead I rolled my eyes

Before I could say anything Nyan came back towards us and said "That's enough. The legal questioning time is over, now if you continue to question her on the accord of the king then you will have the charges of been accusing the innocent" I feel so dumb. Standing between to smarties. I hate this, I thought to myself and decided to smile and just go with Nyan.

I saw from the corner of my eye, Aradian watching us leave and when he was no longer in site I took a deep breathe. Finally.

|Ether Darkide| The Sierra Mountains (Mexico)|


Ether still couldn't believe what had happened. How could the Senetran's afford to take such a risk? A risk at losing HIM. Maybe I overestimate my value, he said to himself. But he wasn't quite so sure. Maybe what he was doing was even more important than the General had said.

He sighed. It was three days after he had left the only home he had ever really known. Well, he was sure that he'd left it before, but this was the only time he'd ever left Eyemoor castle as himself.

And he was relishing every moment of it.

He avoided humans, and sometimes Derns, as he roamed over the country. He paid little attention where he was going, simply wandering about, checking in on random hints . . . he knew that many powerful, unaligned magicians could be found out in the wilderness if one bothered to look hard enough. Any magician of substance couldn't completely hide his or her signs. They would eventually show.

At the moment he was simply pacing through a grassy forest glade, scanning the ground for something. The surrounding forests' trees were impressive oak's and maples, towering high all about him, casting deep shadows before him so thick he had to occasionally reach down to feel around in the grass.

A couple hours previously he'd talked to a farmer who lived a few miles away, simply engaging in friendly banter . . . the man had mentioned that a couple days ago a young, promising magician had escaped from a nearby castle and made off into the forests here. Apparently the castle guards hadn't been able to find her, as hard as they'd looked.

Promising young magician hiding out in the forest. He slowly flipped a rock over, scanning the grass around it for any signs of passing feet. This near to the border it would have made sense for her to go east . . . but no, she'd gone west. To Ether that told of something, something that gave a bit of backing to the 'promising'. Anyway, he had no other leads at the moment so he might as well look into her case.

Slowly he reached out and putting a hand against a tree-trunk, leaned down to inspect the grass. He frowned, the soft ferns and grass-leaves were crushed here. Something, or someone, had been by here recently.

Suddenly his fingers, feeling unconsciously up and down the smooth bark of the tree he was leaning against, hit something. He frowned, glancing up . . . and came face to face with something he hadn't expected. A long smooth section of the tree-trunk had been torn away . . . but what was surprising was that it had been cut so smoothly it looked as though it were an axe strike, carved and sanded out till it was so smooth it looked natural.

He narrowed his eyes, “only two things could have done that,” he whispered, fingering the cut, “a magician or . . .” CRACK, a branch behind him shattered, and leaping to the side he felt the space he had just occupied be cleaved apart as a massive throwing axe flew through it, and buried itself to the base of the blade in the tree-trunk. “A Dern!” he finished, spinning around, his sword flying to his hands.

On the opposite side of the clearing the shadows seemed to morph and ripple . . . and out of them -as in, directly out of them- stepped a tall cloaked and hooded figure, a black blade held in one hand.

Ether stared deep into the pitch black hood, looking for a face . . . but seeing nothing. This wasn't a Dern. Whoever it was had just used some kind of magic he, in all his years, had never seen. “Who are you!” he demanded.

Slowly the figure reached up and pulled it's hood back. The face looking up at Ether was hard and unfeeling, with small black eyes, and a chiseled, carved and scarred face. It was a face without emotion or feeling. A face bred to kill.

Slowly the black blade rose and then, faster than thought, faster than light, the figure attacked.

Ether had never faced such fury and power in an opponent before. Each time his sword caught the other's, the steel rang like a bell, and even with all his powers he felt his body tremble under the force . . . fast as he was, he couldn't get a single hit in. This man was filled with magic.

Just a few strikes traded and beads of sweat were forming on Ether's brow. This man should already be dead! Ether was skilled, but he relied far too on his strength and speed. No fight he'd ever been in (that he remembered) had lasted any more than a few seconds.

Backhand, overhead catch, downward catch, stab, stab, side block . . . Ether's mind was working at twice its normal speed.

And then something went wrong.

Ether caught a staggering overhead blow from his opponent, tried to retaliate with a slash, but the 'things' sword seemed to flash out of nowhere and catch his in a deadly lock. A single twist and his sword lay in the grass. Ether froze, staring down the length of the dimly glinting blade held up to his throat.

The figure's face was impassive . . . but he hesitated, ready to strike.

A glint of emotion (fear maybe?) flashed across his face, but then, as fast as it had appeared, it disappeared. Jerking his sword backward he was about to lunge forward, when there was a flash of red light in the dark forest behind him and with a strangled cry he was thrown to the side.

Ether froze. What? For a moment he was tempted to jump for his sword, but he stopped himself. He knew that whoever had just knocked the man unconscious was a magician. They'd be faster than even he was.

Slowly the shadows parted and out of them stepped a figure. Ether frowned, his eyes narrowing; it was only a girl, hardly fifteen, with red hair and a pale face. Her hands were long and thin, peeking out delicately from under a long blue cloak. Who . . .

Suddenly he knew. This was who he'd been looking for.

“What's your name, Inarvi?” She demanded, her hands ready, but not threatening.

“Ether,” he said easily, “Ether Darkide. Who are you?”

She frowned, “Sigma Bolt. What on earth is an Inarvi doing here?!” she lowered her hands, “and who was that?” she nodded at the still unconscious figure.

Ether took a deep breath, loosening. She obviously wasn't afraid of Inarvi. “I have no idea. Some kind of magically improved human! I'm here on a . . . mission.” He wasn't sure if he should tell her of his mission or not. For now, not.

She nodded, “well, you're welcome for the help. Do what you want with him! I've gotta move, there're -” she cut herself off abruptly. But Ether had already guessed what she was going to say. She'd not want anyone official to know she was being hunted.

Hunted or not, she did just save my life. Maybe I can help her out? . . .

Sigma Bolt | The Sierra Mountains (Mexico)

The Inarvi took a step forward and picked up his sword. It was the longest blade Sigma had ever seen, and looked sharp enough to cut sunlight. Her bravado failing, she paled and stepped back slightly. The Darkblade.
"You'd better finish it off," she whispered, gesturing toward the creature on the ground. "It might wake up at any..."
The Inarvi took two fluid steps toward the creature, lifted his sword, and—Sigma turned and ran.

She had realized it when the Inarvi's eyes had sharpened so uncannily. She should have known—he knew about her. And that hesitation about his mission. What mission could he have here? They had probably sent him to finish her off, she thought bitterly. After days of her dodging guards and every type of detection spell, they must have tired of cat-and-mouse. The game was about to come to a sticky end. Nobody could outrun an Inarvi. Nobody. Why on earth had she decided to save him? Her breath was coming in gasps, but she refused to slow down. No—maybe she had a chance.

"Why are you running away?"
Sigma jerked her head around in panic. Then a solid object hit her from the front with tremendous force and she tumbled across the grass. Looking up, she saw the Inarvi towering over her. She must have run straight into him.
He's fast!
The Darkblade had not even been rocked by the collision. Sigma scraped together a shield and tried to get her breath back. Her head ached.
"Maybe because you have come to kill me," she rasped, pouring more power into her shield. She could not last long in this state.
"Don't be afraid," Darkide said, approaching her slowly, as if she were a wild animal. "I'm not here to—"
Sigma concentrated and formed a glowing ball of power in one hand. It took so much effort. The little food and water for the past few days was taking its toll.
"Sigma, I don't want to kill you. Now please put that down."
"Not one step closer!" Sigma's voice rose.
Darkide closed his eyes momentarily and lowered his head. He sheathed his sword in a single fluid movement.
"Look, if I had wanted to kill you, I wouldn't have bothered with the chatting. Now would you please put down your fireball?"
"It's not a fireball, it's a third denomination power globe," Sigma snapped. "And—"
A twig cracked somewhere in the shadows. Sigma stiffened and looked around.
The Inarvi took advantage of her distraction and streaked, inhumanly fast, behind her. Before she could turn, he twisted her arm and her globe—and all her power with it—shot away in the direction of the noise. There was a thud, an shuddering explosion, and silence. The Darkblade nodded in grim satisfaction, pulling her to her feet.
"Ow! You're holding me too hard! Let—me—go!" Sigma snarled, squirming in his grip, but it was of no use—his hands were of iron and he easily held her before him. Her feet hardly touched the ground as he started walking her out of the forest. Sigma managed to form a strike, but it too was deflected into the darkness. She had no energy with which to curve it.

"I have a proposition I would like to make," the Darkblade said pleasantly as he strode along, "before any more strangers interrupt my journey. You see, I believe you may be able to help me with this mission I have..."