Young Writers Society

Melody

I stared at Barkus in horror as he leapt to his feet and backed away from me.

"Okay, Melody, just calm down. Take a deep breath and count to three. I'm going to get Maverhov," Barkus declared, fleeing the room and slamming the door behind him in the hopes that this would protect him from my power.

He's going to get Maverhov. They're going to kill me. I have to leave. I can't stay here. But what if he's already told the guard not to let me pass and where can I go? He controls the streets and I can't go to the magicians. I hate them. But I can't stay here. Nodding to myself, I stood and wiped the tears from my eyes. I could be strong when it was necessary and now was the time. But how to get out?

I left the room first, carefully closing the door behind me for those extra few seconds head start. Then I realised that the corridor led to only two places; back to Maverhov's study through which we had entered or onwards to the other cells. With no choice, I took the second direction and found myself actually hoping that my newly discovered curse would break down a wall or something and grant me my freedom. Suddenly, a cell to my left exploded with such a force that I was knocked off my feet. Either I'm starting to get control of this or that power just wants to be used, I thought wryly as I hurried out into the street and darted round a corner.

As night fell on the city of Imardin, Arakin, Tamora, and Ferskos met near the gates to the guild. Rask padded next to the necromancer and Sarin was perched on Tamora's shoulder. Perisona walked next to Ferskos, her white form clearly visible in the twilight. Arakin looked around and motioned forward into the city.

*I'll let someone else take over from here...*

Ryaka had stayed up all night waiting for the other magicians to leave for the city. He had overheard them talking about a girl who couldn't control her powers. He wanted to find her, something inside of him made him want to help. Maybe it was the fact that he knew how lonely she must feel being the only person she knows who can use magic. He knew a thing or two about loneliness.

Ryaka had his things already packed and snuck out the guild. He couldn't directly follow the other magicians or they would catch him, and he also couldn't use magic or they'd sense him and catch him anyway. Luckily, he knew a short-cut through the forest that brought him to the eastern side of the city, away from the south gates. He would climb the wall and search the slums. Of course, he would have to change clothes when he got there or he'd attract too much attention.

Throughout the whole trip he couldn't stop thinking about how cool sneaking out of the guild was.

Once he made it to the eastern wall he changed into his casual clothes and scaled the wall. Once on the other side he heard a tremendous boom.

"What the heck was that!?" He ran off toward the source of the explosion.

Arakin glanced up quickly, the same time as a resounding boom and a eerie pickling raced up his spine and spread across his body. He didn't have to look back to see the others felt it.

"We must hurry." was all he said. He led the way into the slums and ignored the startled gasps and outraged exclamation of some of the slum dwellers who saw three magicians walking through the slums, especially the black robe who was especially feared among those who lived in the slums. Arakin walked swiftly, wasting no time in getting to the girl. The others followed him and Rask through the dirty, dark alleys until they came to an abandoned warehouse.

"She's here?" Tamora asked, looking around. "Out in the open like this?"

"No, she's underground. This is one of the opening to the tunnels." Arakin replied, opening the door which screached loudly in protest. He stepped inside and bent down next to a crate backed up against the back wall.

"How do you know that?" Ferskos asked suspiciously.

"You question me, red robe?" Arakin asked calmly, standing up. Rask tensed at his side.

"No, i just want to know how you knew there was an opening." Ferskos said, a bit daunted by the younger magician. Arakin gave him a searching glance, shrugged, and bent down to the crate again.

"I lived here in the slums before i was accepted into the guild. I was one of the first." Arakin explained.

"I thought you came from one of the royal houses!" Tamora exclaimed.

Arakin shook his hooded head. "You heard wrong. I'm surprised it came as such a shock to you. There have been quite a few novices accepted from the slums."

"But-" Tamora began, but Arakin cut her off.

"I lived in the slums until i was sixteen. When my magic was revealed, it came exactly the same way this girls is. It suddenly burst forth. I was not lucky enough to have magicians this concerned to find me, and the magic almost destroyed me." here he showed them one of his many long, jagged scars. "But, when the magicians finally did find me, they were able to heal me and teach me control before it happened again. Now, i think i've said enough. The way is open."

Arakin stood up to reveal a trap door in the floor, leading into darkness.

Melody

I pushed past many people running in the opposite direction and then turned for a quick glance at the warehouse; at Maverhov's headquarters. That was when I knew for certain that I could never return to the Thieves. With a sigh, I turned away and slowed to an aimless stroll.

"Hey! Have you see a girl?" An excited, masculine voice called out to the crowd. I stopped and peered around a building to see the owner of the voice. He was young, perhaps my age, and short with spiky, blond hair and strange, yellow eyes.

"A girl?" One helpful stranger echoed.

"Yeah. A girl," he agreed. "Have you seen one?" If I had not felt my stomach clench in fear, I'd have joined in the laughter but I was worried that Maverhov had sent someone after me or, even worse, the magicians were looking for me.

"Why don't you describe her?" The woman suggested and I wondered why I was still stood there, unable to move and unable to turn away.

Ryaka didn't know anything about the girl other than she was a girl. "You know what? Forget it, I'll find her myself. Sorry to waste your time." As he turned he saw a girl walking away. it might have been a coincidence, but somehow he knew she was to girl he had been looking for.

"Hey! You!" He called out. The girl suddenly ran off and Ryaka chased after her. "Wait! I just want to talk to you!" He followed her until he caught up to her in a dark alley. They had stopped when they reached a dead end.

Ryaka bent over to catch his breath before asking, "Why did you run away back there? I don't want to hurt you or anything."

Melody

I stepped away from the boy so that I had my back against the alley wall.

"Who sent you?" I asked carefully, reaching for a handful of stones.

"No one. I came by myself. I just want to talk to you," The boy replied, holding up his hands to show they held no weapon.

"How did you find out about me?" I persisted.

"I over heard the magicians talking about a girl," He admitted. "But they didn't send me."

"What's your name?" I asked, relaxing a touch and allowing the pebbles to fall back to the ground.

"Ryaka," He replied. "What about you?"

"Melody."

"So, what are you doing outside at this time of night, Melody? Aren't your parents worried about you?" Ryaka asked.

Melody looked away. "They're dead."

"Oh... I'm sorry to hear that. When did they die?"

"I was a kid when it happened so I can't remember."

"I know how you feel. Mine died when I was 13."

Melody looked him in the eyes. Somehow she felt like they were the same. (Sorry if this part sounds cheesy. I'm eating lunch right now and I can't think that straight.)

"Come on." Ryaka told her, "We should get out of here. I know a place where we can hide."

It's just fine =)

Melody

"Come on. We should get out of here. I know a place where we can hide," Ryaka offered. I hesitated but, looking into those eerie, yellow eyes, I had the strange feeling that I could trust him.

"Okay," I agreed with a small smile. Ryaka led me through the streets to a similarly deserted dead end. Here he reached out and took my small hand in his and dragged me through an open doorway, into a small, slum house.

"How do you know that it's empty?" I asked him warily.

"I know a guy who used to live here," He replied.

"Oh. Okay then. Do you live around here?" I asked. His clothes were nothing smart, in fact, they were purposefully ragged but he had forgotten one important factor; dirt. I was one of the few slum dwellers who cared enough to try and maintain a reasonable appearance and even my clothes were covered in a light layer of dust.

"Not really," Ryaka replied but I was no longer paying any attention. I could barely breathe, my chest was burning and I felt as though I was going to explode. I began to cough and choke as I fell to my knees.

*Sorry it has taken me so long. I have read them all so i have an idea where this is going! It should get interesting.I won't post any of the story yet, someone can bring me in or i willl post soon*

Name: Sonaine
Race: Human
Gender: Female
Age: 19
Status: Magician
Robes: Red
Appearance: Long brown hair with green eyes. Tall and slender but very strong.
Personality: Quiet but strong. Gets on well with people and is a good leader.
History: Born in the slums she was accepted to the guild at 14. She had to run from the theives when the magicians started looking for her. Hasn't been back to the slums since she recieved her red robes only 2 months ago.

Maverhov strode through the Thieves’ underground concourse, swearing softly to himself and toying with the heavy meat cleaver hanging from a chain at his waist.

Magicians. In his city, no less.

It was an outrage. There they were sweeping through his streets in the billowing robes they prized so dearly, frightening his people. What gave them the right? They were searching obviously. From what his sentries had reported, the Necromancer was hunting for something, or someone – eyes glazed over, staring vacantly into a scrying glass that was indicative of the darkest of magicians, while red robed accomplices supported him side by side. Searching. Searching hard. But for what?

An answer came to mind immediately.

The girl.

They wanted the girl. So she was magic. So much the worse for her, so much the better for Maverhov. He would order her execution immediately and lighten the good Necromancer’s burden. No more girl, no more rogue wizard to catch or to imprison.

They all won.

He rounded a corner and entered the meeting hall where the hundred and fifty veteran and novice Thieves he had called to fight were gathered. These were the patriots. These were the exorcists. They wore their poverty with pride. With dignity. They were ready to fight the rich and the wizard-kind at a moments notice.

Oh yes, blue blood would indeed be spilt this fine evening.

It would run in the cracks of the cobblestones and sluice off into the gutters. Maverhov wanted the black robes in particular. He wanted them pinned to his door. A testament. A trophy. He would personally rip it from the dead Necromancer’s back.

Maverhov stepped onto a raised granite podium. “My friends!” He bellowed lifting both arms, one bearing his cleaver, looking into the crowd, “My brothers and Sisters! I salute you!”

The crowd roared in return. The cry echoed through the hall menacingly. Inspiring, Maverhov thought. It was time to start a riot.

“My friends! Wizard-kind has invaded our part of the city tonight. They have come to steal away one of our kind. They have come like they always come to take our children, our babies, our little ones from our homes and transform them into fat, lazy aristocrats. They have gotten away with it before. Many times before. But I swear to you, this time will be different. This time we will defend our city. Our homes. Our children. We will not let them take our seed. We will fight. We will win. Their blood will be a warning. A statement that the slums are not a source of pestilence and grit, but a source of pride and individuality. My friends!” Maverhov paused, letting his speech ferment, “This will be the morning the wizards will mark as the moment the Slum Dwellers declared their independence.”

He punched the air. The crowd went wild. They chanted his name. They pounded their feet, their weapons.

“Maverhov, Maverhov, Maverhov!”

Screaming, worked up into a frenzy, the Thieves surged from the hall, out into the corridors and emerged onto the city streets, armed heavily, and hungry for blood.

Maverhov smirked and followed them out.

The wizards wouldn’t stand a chance.

And Melody was still safe inside her cell, oblivious to all this. They would never have her, Maverhov swore to himself. Never.

(Are psychic messages allowed if magic is used? I hope so, because I'm doing it. Also, I'll be camping with my family on the long weekend, so this will be my last post until Monday or Tuesday. You guys will have to take over for me until then.)

"Melody!" Ryaka grabbed her shoulder and supported her. "What's wrong? Are you OK?"

She strained to speak. "My chest..."

"Talk to me. How much does it hurt?"

"It feels like it's on fire." She began to cough violently. Suddenly she spat out a small amount of blood.

This wasn't looking good. Ryaka was just a novice, he had no experience in healing these kinds of wounds. He didn't even know what would have caused it. There was only one thing he could do. "Just hang in there, Melody. I'll call for help."

"Please, don't leave me." She pleaded.

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere." He helped her onto a bed on the other side of the room before sitting on the floor and concentrating his magic.

"Tamora, can you hear me?"

Melody

I tossed and turned on the bed and then it began. If I had thought I felt pain before, that was nothing compared to this and suddenly, objects began to fly across the room and parts of the building fell apart as I writhed and screamed in pain.

"Ryaka!" I yelled. It was a few moments before I felt his hand on my wrist and then I could barely see him through my tears.

"It's okay. Someone's coming," Ryaka promised in a worried tone. I'm going to die, I realised, I can't control it and it's going to kill me.

Tamora felt the intense prickling in her spine before the anxious voice entered her head.

"Tamora, can you hear me?" Tamora heard a familiar voice say. Ry.

"Tamora! I need your help. I've found the girl, Melody, but she's losing control! Please!"

"Ry? Where are you?"

Ry sent her a mental image of the route he had taken. "Hurry!"

"Lord Arakin!" Tamora said. "I know where the girl is, but we're running out of time!"

"Where is she?" Lord Arakin asked.

"This way." Tamora started off in the direction of the girl.

I apologise for my many questions, but I just want to make sure that I get this right before I post. Does Pippa have to be apprenticed to an existing character, or can I introduce someone new for her?Also, where should I begin with her? (I[m not great at integrating my characters without a little nudge!)