This is the beginning of my completed novel. Since i finished before joining YWS, i thought i'd show you my style before starting a new story.
if you want more, just say the word!
Jesseble
Part 1: Understanding
Prologue
The snow still fell after five days of a blizzard. The people of Cinileth stayed indoors, leeching to the warmth, everyone except one man. This man was actually sitting in the ruins of Fallow Castle; the snow had built up on the stumps of the remains. The snow was now one metre thick and rising.
But to this man, it meant nothing; he just sat on a stump and waited. His black hair was tied back in a ponytail, which was matted with snow. His hand was firmly on the handle of his sword, cautious about what the snow held. He was a Demon-slayer, of the province of Morlith. A gust off wind whipped his face; but he didn’t blink. His black over-coat opened to reveal shining silver armour that reflected the gleam of the snow.
“Out here again, Einolus?” hissed a cold voice. The demon-slayer’s head snapped in the direction of the voice and saw a small, stooped figure. He looked quite pathetic in the snow, compared to the demon-slayer who radiated strength. But the man was spotless; no snow landed on his long red robe.
The Slayer laughed then drew his sword. The blade was golden and had a jet and a peridot set into its hilt. The small man smiled icily.
“Einolus, my friend, put away your sword. I only came to remind you of our deal.” whispered the figure, in a voice colder than the snow. The slayer’s face fell.
“All I remember was you threatening me. What was it- ‘Hand over the stone or your daughter will suffer the sharp edge of my sword’. I agreed to help only because I was afraid that my daughter was in danger.” said the slayer, eyeing the man with contempt.
“I haven’t received the stone, old friend. The Vayia is very impatient with your deliberate disobedience.” The man called Pinstead said, his eyes cutting into Einolus, who rolled his eyes.
“What do you expect me to do, obey the word of a wizened old hag? Anyway, my daughter is perfectly safe so your threats are rather useless.” Einolus said, far from smiling. Pinstead grinned then pulled out a red ribbon from the depths of his robe. Einolus stared at it with horror, it was his daughter’s ribbon, she used to always wear it when she was little.
“Demons can follow the scent of a human, it won’t be long before the Vayia will have her, and she doesn’t need your obedience. But the fact of you hanging around upsets her.” Pinstead said, smiling. He then pulled a black stone out of his robes. Einolus eyed it, knowing what it was.
He’d heard about them before, they were temporary gateways into the underworld. The slayer called Einolus swooped off the stump and held his sword by his side. Pinstead widened his grin, revealing his teeth. The slayer had no defence over that stone, its powers could not be stopped and he was in it proximity. The wind picked up speed and blew around their feet.
“Aro din vayion arynt.” chanted Pinstead. The stone glowed an eerie green. Then the wind built up around Einolus’ feet, like a small tornado. Pinstead was still chanting under his breath. Einolus dropped his sword. The cyclone was growing and he was in the heart of it. The snow began to fall in the cyclone; it built up around the bottom.
Einolus was suddenly lifted from the ground. He yelled out an incantation, but his voice was lost over the wind. The spell did nothing to Pinstead but shielded Einolus from being torn apart by the powers of the dark stone. As Pinstead watched the cyclone with manic eyes, he lifted the stone above his head. The stone disintegrated into tiny green dots that span in the cyclone. Soon it just looked like a green tube that glowed brightly. Then gradually the howling of the wind ceased and all was heard was the last words of the demon-slayer.
“Alida!”
Chapter one: The White Raven
The blossom on the cherry tree was finally in bloom. Fat bumble bees buzzed around the flowers, working away. The blush green lawn was dusted with daisies, many young girls sat down, tying chains and chatting. The red brick school surrounded the lawn, teachers stood on the paving, holding glasses of Elderflower wine. The tuneful ring of the bell that called all the students back inside echoed through the many corridors of St. Lucian’s School for talented individuals. A flood of girls barged through the door, in a hurry to get home. They had no more lessons and the school day was over.
Most of the students had left, it was the end of a long day. But one student stayed behind and stood next to the cherry tree, holding a blossom flower in her palm. She smiled at it then looked up at the blue sky, thinking to herself.
“Miss Einolus, you have a visitor.” said a teacher, who had approached her.
“Thanks, Professor Garyn.” She said, excitement settling in. She hoped that her father had finally come to call. She swooped from the teacher and made her way inside the school. She walked down the many corridors to the entrance hall. She stopped outside the entrance hall and straightened her skirt and smoothed her fair hair, conscious of her appearance. She knocked on the wooden door, which had upon it ‘Entrance hall’.
She opened the door and saw a boy her age standing by the window looking out to the cobbled streets of St Lucian. Aurora sighed, it wasn’t her father after all. The boy was wearing a sandy tunic and breeches; he wore high black boots that looked rather expensive. He turned at the sound of the door opening and smiled widely at the girl. He had cropped black and soft hazel eyes, his face was handsomely set.
“Alida, I have news about your dad.” The boy said, plunging into conversation immediately. Alida, the girl, gaped at him for a while. She knew for a while that there was something wrong with her father for he hadn’t contacted her since winter. She then frowned at the boy, sceptic about this sudden news. She knew him well, his name was Jensen Raven.
“What are you talking about, Jensen? My father can look after himself.” She said, though her words were empty. Jensen raised an eyebrow at her, then from a pocket in his tunic, he pulled out what looked like a piece of green glass. Alida recoiled at the sight of it. Jensen then smiled at her reaction. Then, he settled down to a more sombre mood.
“My dad received news that Einolus has been sent to the underworld. Before you ask, there were fragments like this one where he was last seen.” Jensen said, looking down at the green fragment. Alida looked puzzled.
“The underworld? Surely not, I mean, my father has may enemies but I’m sure none of them would do something so drastic. Unless…they were a death-dealer.” Alida said, staring at the piece of Stone in Jenson’s outstretched hand. Jensen handed Alida the fragment then folded his arms.
“I heard that death-dealers have been appearing everywhere, it seems that they’re expecting something.” Jensen said, then dug inside his pockets. Alida looked up and frowned at Jensen as he unearthed an amulet. It was a simple piece of rock, carved into a disc. In the centre, however, there was a black stone surrounded by runes.
“Dad suggested that you try and communicate through this, he said you knew how.” He said, passing over the amulet. Aurora nodded, remembering that her father wore the same amulet. She knew that Jensen’s father was also a demon-slayer so he was supposed to have one of these amulets.
“Your father doesn’t mind me using this does he?” Alida asked, doubting the fact that Mr Raven would part with this essential part of a demon –slayer. Jensen looked at the amulet, looking slightly puzzled.
“It’s not actually this, it was a friend who disappeared. Something like Halsin, I don’t know. Anyway, he said use it.” Jensen said, then smiled at her. He turned away to examine the window. Aurora looked at the amulet, running her fingers over the runes, she couldn’t read them but she knew that they spoke the charm of opening the underworld. She wondered who sent her father into the underworld in the first place.
“Does your father have any idea on who did this to my dad?” Alida asked, pocketing the amulet. Jensen turned to look at Alida, his eyes wide.
“Yes and its very disturbing, dad says that the only person that has the knowledge of using a Vayrant are the servants of the Vayia.” He said, when he said ‘Vayia’ his voice tailed off and he fell silent. Alida gawped at him; she knew the legend of the Vayia all too well. She realised that the Vayia must be something behind this, Jensen had said the death-dealers were expecting something. But the Vayia had been asleep for years, no one could wake her up. Also, her father must be in danger, the underworld is harmless to a demon-slayer but the Vayia could murder him in there and no one would know. She had to see whether he was still alive.
“Jensen, I’m going to check on my father, meet me outside the school tomorrow morning. I give you news then. Good bye.” She said, smiling though her face was troubled. Jensen nodded and left the room. Alida turned on her heel and made her way back outside.
She made her way to the very back of the garden, where she was completely out of site. She sat down on the grass, sheltered by some shrubs. She peeled off her blazer and rolled back the sleeves of her shirt. She tied her blonde hair back with a ribbon that she kept in the sleeves, it was blue. She sighed, she would be careful not to tell her father about loosing her red ribbon, it had been her mothers. Alida crossed her legs and just stared at the darkening sky.
“What have you done?” she whispered to herself. She remembered ever since she lived in St Lucian with her nurse, her father promised that he’d protect her no matter what, but now he was trapped she felt vulnerable. She couldn’t remember her mother so her father was the only parent to her; she had disappeared when Alida was only two.
But her father never remarried, his work was too much for the women he met. He was out far too often with his comrades, slaying demons that were occurring more. The powers of her father passed on to Alida. The powers, which had descend from ages and ages. Ever since Cinileth had been forged by the powers themselves.
The monarchy of Cinileth stopped years ago, now the isle was split into three countries. There was Sunael, Cedin and Morlith. Alida had originated from all corners of Cinileth; her mother was from Sunael so her father said. Her father was from Morlith but his mother was from Cedin. Her mother was what they called a siren, basically a relative of the Sunaelian rulers; but Alida only could remember that she had the most softest and elegant voice ever.
Alida used to live with her father but he started leaving more and more until Alida was completely in the care of a woman called Fiona. Alida had always lived in Morlith, it was her home. Alida had been taught everything her father knows, from combat to magic. Her father wanted her to be as powerful as he, but not a demon-slayer. Alida closed her eyes in sadness. She missed her father’s loving arms, his black hair (so unlike Alida’s golden blonde hair) and his sapphire eyes. Alida felt inside her pocket and pulled out the stone amulet. The sun was setting and garden was bathed in the deep red light. She raised the amulet in the air, her eyes wide open.
“Aro din vayion arynt,” Alida whispered; her face was screwed up in
concentration. She spoke the words that were upon the amulet, though she couldn’t understand the runes themselves. Her father had taught her the spell long ago, he had wished that she never use it. But now, she had too.
The breeze lifted up her hair, she could feel the air around her moisten. Then she shut her eyes tightly. She saw the darkness of her eyelids sink into her mind. He flicked her eyes open and realized she was still in the darkness. She tried to scream but her voice was lost. She calmed her self, breathing deeply.
“Dimitry Einolus, I am open to your answers” She said, staring into the darkness. She frowned, this darkness wasn’t what the underworld was meant to be like.
Then, a white bird flew towards her. It was so elegant and beautiful. It soared ahead; its white feathers reflecting off golden and silver light (so odd in darkness). Then it landed in front of her, she realized it was a raven. A gleaming white raven had come to her calls. It opened its white beak and a silvery mist surrounded them. Alida’s heart drummed fast inside of her, like a parade. Then, a deep voice erupted from the raven’s beak.
“Alida, I see you have found the way of contacting me. I felt you enter the Vayrion, so I placed you inside a bubble between both realms, to protect you from the shadows within.” Said the raven, in the deep voice of her father, as soft as ever. Alida lent closer and felt her emotions rise, she felt the beginnings of anger boil.
“I haven’t heard from you since winter, I’ve been so worried. When I was told that you were in the underworld, I thought you were dead.” Alida said, closing her eyes. The light of the raven shone through her eyelids. A tear trickled from an eyes, tracing a wet line down her cheek.
“Please, Alida, save your tears. You must be safe and please, don’t worry about me. A man called Pinstead, a servant of the Vayia, tricked me. I am now trapped in the Underworld. If Pinstead is true to his master’s word, you are in grave danger. I will give you my stone of slaying, if you fix it on any old sword it will cut through demon flesh.” The raven continued as a shining green gem flew into her out stretched hand.
“Where am I to go?” asked Alida, gazing at the raven, which was obviously waiting her to ask.
“Go to the Capital of Morlith, Maphen, there you will see the regent of Cinileth. But, Alida, you will face trouble, the Regent isn’t well. So, you will have to go as quick as you can. Tell the regent that I am trapped in the Underworld and that the evil forces are around. Though, the Regent may already know this. My dearest, I believe that all the demons are getting stronger. This Vayia is, I think, feeding the demons with children. This must be stopped, but not yet. I will sort this out until then you must be in Maphen and safe.” The raven shivered, it started to cough up a map.
“On the map, you will see the route. Oh, there is one other thing. I have never told you that you are directly an ancestor of the royalty. Your mother and I…er…are kind of related. This is useless information, oh well. I will only be happy if you are out of the school and are under the protection of Morlith Soldiers. I love you, Alida. Don’t worry about me; I will get free some how. Wait…what’s that? - NO!” the last shout caused the raven to burst into flames. There was an interruption on the other side.
Alida grabbed the map. She closed her eyes again and reopened them. She was sitting on the grass; a faint pinkish glow told her that she was with her father for the whole night. Time is different in realms.
Alida shoved the map in her pocket, then looked at the amulet, which was still in her hand. It was hot, and the black gem set in the stone was glowing green, but the light faded quickly. When it had cooled down, she tied it around her neck, using cord that had been attached to it. She glanced up at the school and remembered to meet Jensen outside; she had a lot to tell him.
