* WARNING* I HAVE NEVER WRITTEN ANYTHING MUCH LONGER THEN A SCHOOL PAPER. THIS IS INCREDIBLY ROUGH AND HAS NOT BEEN FULLY EDITED YET. BE KIND PLZZ LOL.
Alannah came in to his room as the early morning light was breaking through his window. He had been asleep for quite some time, and it was near mid morning. She spoke softly to him, "you must awaken Andreas. It is almost time for the festival, and you have much to do." Andreas groaned his reply both weak as well as exhausted, "why must I do all the work for the Beltane festival. Were the only ones who celebrate it any way." Alannah stared at her son and said, "We must honor the change in the seasons. You know why we celebrate it as much as I do. Stop complaining, and get up. We have much work to be done this day." He rose slowly; still weary from the dream world he had been roused from.
The celebration that day went on as it always did. The food was prepared, and the ritual concluded. However, one thing did happen that day that he would never forget. "Andreas!" yelled Rosaleen. "Yes grandmother," he replied. "I have a gift for you. It’s the symbol of the goddess Lethrana. She will protect you from all things. Keep it with you always," she said as she looped the necklace around his neck. Andreas thumbed the necklace and replied, "I will grandmother, I promise."
The moon was shining down upon their house; it was a night just like the rest. The calm of summer was in full swing and so was all life in this small village called Lethra just outside of Morilain the capital city of Athran. He lived with his mother and grandmother, both famous herbalists and suspected witches. As the night ended and the day began, Andreas went out to explore. Since they lived so far from the major city, fun was hard to come by. He had been wondering for a few miles when he came across a shadow fox, a demon summoned by the Renai dark worshipers of the goddess Kailan. He was not yet noticed by the shadow fox and so he decided to follow it. He followed the shadow fox for half a mile until he came across the Renai war camp. He huddled behind a cluster of trees and watched as the warriors, priests, and magi all prepared for an ensuing battle. Their weapons were not only sharp, but were dipped in a poison that paralyzes its victims. He noted all that he saw and as he turned to leave his gaze was met by a young Renai girl. She is young maybe the same age as Andreas. Before he can utter a word she says a spell, and he is instantly knocked unconscious.
When he awoke, he found himself in a cave being inspected by a Renai high priest. The priest notices his necklace and follows the chain to the medallion. Before the priest realized what it was, he is burned by the symbol of the moon goddess Lethrana. With anger in his voice he said “That symbol is not meant to be endowed with power, who is the witch that has done this for you?” said the priest. “What are you talking about? There are no witches in my town,” Replied Andreas. “We will find the one who has given you this power," said the priest, "and we will have her soul.” As the priest rose he cast a spell on Andreas, and he is knocked unconscious again.
When he awakens he is locked in a cage and the camp appears deserted. He tries to break free of the cage but fails, soon a Renai warrior appears, and drags him from the cage. The warrior raises a broad sword and attempts to cleave Andreas in half. Just before the warrior could finish the act Andreas raised his hands in defense and two beams of white light shot out of them striking the Renai warrior sending him flying against a rock wall killing him instantly. When he realizes what he has done he stands up, and looks around. Suddenly the smell of smoke comes to his nose and then the realization of where it is coming from. He runs toward his home as fast as he can, he runs until his legs are burning till his lungs are bursting from the exertion.
When he arrives at his destination he sees the scattered remnants of his home, a scream is uttered, and he runs toward the sound. He finds the source of the scream is his mother, who has been struck on the back by a Renai warrior’s broad sword. His grandmother was standing over her body, just as the warrior was about to attack her as well she utters words that are foreign to Andreas. She raises her hands and sends the warrior flying with a blinding beam of light as her weapon. Andreas looks on in shock at seeing his mother pass and his grandmother’s ability to slay a warrior. He walks slowly to them and speaks in a shaky voice, “What has happened, why have they come here of all places?” His grandmother looks at him and speaks with great sorrow, “They have come for you. They know something about you, something that was supposed to have been kept secret.” He looks at her angrily, “And what is it exactly that they know that I am not aware of.”
She looked at him with a stony gaze, “They know that you are the heir to the kingdom of Ilrand, it is a kingdom far to the south, and it is ruled by the most powerful witches in the world.” He stared at her in disbelief; however, he could not escape the reality that she had just laid before him. Andreas was about to speak when the sound of a growl erupted from behind them. They turned to see a Renai magus and his shadow fox. He had been there only a few moments, but it was enough time for him to hear of Andreas’ secret. “Rise,” she said, “we must defeat this foe together.” They rose, his fear was apparent, but soon he realized she was just as afraid as he. “Repeat exactly what I say,” she said. Together they started chanting, in a language only she seemed to understand. The magus soon realized what they were doing, and sent his shadow fox after both of them. They stretched out their hands, and released a powerful wave of energy striking the shadow fox. As it disintegrated the magus looked on shocked that his pet had been destroyed, with an angry slant to his brow he disappeared in a burst of smoke and fire.
Unsure of what had just occurred he looked to his grandmother, only to see she had slumped to the ground in exhaustion. He carried her to the barn that had been somewhat left intact. He laid her down on the half burned bales of hay. She talked with what strength she had left, “Inside the cellar, there is a chest. The chest has the symbol of our lineage on it, the pentagram. You must open it by tracing the pentagram with your blood. Bring the items inside with you on your way.” He left the barn and went in search of the chest. When he found it he did as his grandmother instructed. He retrieved a book, a crystal point, and an athame with the symbol of the goddess on it. He looked on in confusion and spoke to himself, ‘What are these strange things. I have seen them when mother would work with a patient.’ He placed them in his satchel, and headed back toward his grandmother.
When he returned he placed the items in front of her, so she could see them. They both waited there in silence, waiting for one of them to speak. “What must I do?” Andreas asked. “You must go to our ancestral home, and defeat the evil that resides there,” Said Rosaleen, “However, you cannot defeat her in your current state, to the north resides a temple devoted to the goddess Lethrana. Travel there, and train with the priestesses. They will teach you what you must know." He looked at her in disbelief, “You knew they would come didn’t you. And you did nothing to prevent it…….” She halted him before he could finish, “I did foresee this day, yes. However, I did not intend for any of this to happen. I could not stop all of what I had foreseen, that isn’t out right. We can only stop what we are meant to.” Tears streaming down his face he spoke, “Did you know she would die, did you know she would be killed saving you.” “No I did not," she said, "I knew they would come. Your mother doesn’t have the gift for magick beyond healing, she could not defend herself. She was inside when they came, I did not see her come out, nor did I see the arrival of the warrior. He attacked before I could defeat him, and before I knew she had left the house.” She was struck by another wave of pain, “You must go quickly to the north. Follow the river and do not stop. They will find you.” He nodded, and watched as life slowly crept from her body. He scattered their ashes to the wind and left for the north.
I'm sorry, did I say that outloud? lol
