Young Writers Society

((Welcome aboard, "Zayku"))

He wasted very little of their precious time, once again demanding that their pace quicken.

He knew that if luck was on their side, they'd reach Dursa, the Eastern trading port, by the following morning.

He was not one for idle conversation of course, but something about the girl's silence uneased him. He had been used to travel alone...and he wouldn't have preferred it any other way. But he had expected her to be much more of a pest, bothering him about what his plans were.

But instead she seemed cooperative. She had obeyed him well since their encounter with the Empire.

He wondered solemnly, what it was the Empire had been after. Granted, he knew there was something about her from the beginning. He wouldn't have been sent on any meaningless errand. But for the Empire to be chasing after one lone elf woman...he sensed difficulties ahead. What was it she was hiding? Was she a thief perhaps? Nothing else made sense at this point.

"Why don't you speak?" he disturbed the quiet. What is it that you're hiding? He wanted to intrude this much, but dared not. This was really not his affair.

Elainora was thinking. In her head, she calculated her chances of escaping.

Of course, she knew her quietness put him on edge, and inwardly she was very pleased that she had the power to make him uncomfortable, but she put on a solemn, almost uninterested face, just to make sure he didn't suspect her of planning anything.

He had asked her why she did not say anything and she had replied, but in the form of a question of her own.

"What would you like me to say?" she had asked, looking straight in his green eyes.

She had hadn't really looked in his eyes and never this close before.

She noticed they were green...with a strange lining of red around the pupil.

A vampire. Elainora could barely keep from gasping out loud. When she was younger her mother had taught her about them. Vile creatures that relished drinking others blood.

He meant to drink her blood! Of course it was a foolish notion, he would have done it long ago, but Elainora hardly thought before she put her plan into action.

He was looking at her intensely and without warning she used all her strength and shoved him off the horse. Kicking it's sweaty underside, Elainora and the horse shot off at a thundering gallop.

She hardly dared to look back. Perhaps he would put her in a trance or work some other magic on her.

((Change of name?))

He retaliated the fall, landing on his feet without so much as a stumble. He muttered curses. Stupid girl. Who was she to think she could get away from him that easily?

At this point, he thought it might be easier to let the Empire have their way with her. Any woman this stubborn in will and pride would surely be no use to his overlord. But he was no one to say so.

He didn't have time to overthink anything. Though it was the last thing he had wanted to do, he whispered the incantation to summon the demon, Kain. And it took every drop of energy he had in him to do so.

As the ground began to crumble, he fell to his knees. Kain brought death with him. It would take a lot of will to control the demon.

Kain, a six winged angel, sunk down to the barren earth, three red eyes ablaze. The demon was a full eighteen feet in height.

"Operor non iuguolo puella. Addo suus volo," he spoke in command. "Operor non deficio mihi."

Do not kill the girl. Bring her here...Do not fail me.

He then blacked out.

the ground rumbled under Vayku's feet. He pushed the horse into a sprint, climbing up the slowly inclining slope. As he reached the top of the hill he saw a figure, probbaly in pain, in a heap on the ground. A demon stood ahead of him, Kain.
Zayku cursed aloud. She must of already started to use it. THe Queen would not be happy that her presicious was losing its power. Then again, something about the demon didn't seem right. If it had control of the demon, the demon would at least have a little bit of a purple aura around it. No, the elf didn't do this. It must of been the figure on the ground. And if the girl didn't summon the beast, the figure must of, meaning only one thing. He could use dark magic, now the stakes were really getting intense. He patted his horses neck. "We ride north, and maybe we can take their left flank be suprise. Are you ready?" The horse flipped its mane and reared on its hind legs. Zayku had his answer. He kicked the horses under side and they took off towards the north, unnoticed.

(Oh! Sorry! I just saw that I accidently was using a differant characters name! )

She couldn't stop. Elainora kicked the sweating horse, making it continue it's tired galloping.

The demon was after her. Kain. The very name sent shudders through her exhausted and sore body.

She must use the jewel's magic to save her, it was the only way. Trembling with a mixture of emotions, she drew out a glimmering jewel, a ray of sun illuminated it, make it shimmer with an eerie sense of magic and power.

((Apologies. My internet has been down for several days.))

His body aching, he began to regain consciousness once more, feeling the pulsing backfire of his own power burning inside him. He cringed, taking several minutes to recover.

Finally, he felt he could stand and did so, spitting blood on the ground. A sound of wings made him spin around, perhaps too quick.

Behind him stood a familiar slender woman with tumbling blonde curls and haunting crystaline eyes. Her arms were crossed over her chest.

"Avril," he croaked. "What are you doing here?"

"You lost the girl," she spoke plainly.

"Stay out of this," he hissed.

"And allow you to destroy yourself and our target? I don't think so. This job needs to be done right. No mistakes this time."

"I can handle this myself."

"Ah, as I've seen," she mocked. "That must be why I found you here crumbled with a demon loose and the woman gone."

He had nearly forgotten what had happened and now that the reality flooded back to him, he cringed once more.

Avril rolled her eyes. "Come," she said. "We have a mess to clean up now, thanks to you. And I won't be doing it alone."

He half laughed. "This is no playground, girl. You ought to go home and let the professionals handle this."

"Arrogant as ever, aren't we? You seem to be forgetting who you are speaking to."

"Go home, Avril," he growled.

She approached him, leaning in very close, close enough to share breath. "You should know that Sid is growing impatient. He wants this to be done with right. I am in no mood to suffer his wrath." She spun around flexing her black feathered wings. "And you are in no position to tell me what I can and can't do, Krushtoff. Don't forget that."

zayku was concerned. He had saw the girl hold up the gem. That was not good. The queen would be quite upset. Her best man, had failed to bring back her presicious gem, let alone keep the girl from using it. He drew a quartz tipped arrow from his quiver. He aimed at the rock, lifted high baove her head. The sun's light being absorbed slowly. She knew how to use it. He pulled the arrow back, and released. Suddenly a giant demonic beast flew over the hill. He gasped at its gigantic form. It was Kain, a demon only possible to be summoned by one with forbidden magic. The girl was quite strong if she could summon such a beast. Kain flew faster at the elf, roaring terrifyingly. The girl couldn't of been controlling the demon, someone else was. The arrow fell to the ground, in front of the girl. He brought another to his bow, drawing the string back when.....

I am guessing you want me to finish the sentence so I will.

He brought another to his bow, drawing the string back when.....

It snapped. His trusty bow, something he could depend on at all times, had failed him. Of course, the string could be mended later, but at the present it was useless.


((My post on Elainora))

Elainora barely had time to see the cursed demon flying towards her before she worked the magic.

With a violent thrust of her arms, a tall wall of earth sprang up, protecting her but momentarily, for a few moments later she could see him breaking through. A minute later her protection crumbled in chunks of grass and soil.

But she was ready now. Using all of her strength she made all the water in the moist soil to rise, creating a small stream.

Exhausted, but willing herself to continue, she channeled that water upwards, creating a large ball of swirling water suspended in the air.

Don't give up now. She commanded herself fiercely. Drawing herself to her full height she faced the raging demon, and threw the mass of whirling water at him, letting go of the magic she had created to hold it in circular form.

**I have a question, what is Kain really like? I know he has 6 wings and 3 red eyes. Thats about it.**

Zayku rushed forward, leaving his bow behind. He sprung onto his horse and rode towards the girl. Suddenly the ground rumbled, and a wall formed. She was using the magic! He narrowly dogded the wall of earth that had sprung up ahead of him. He pushed harder towards the elf, kicking the horses underside. The wall started to crumble and there stood Kain, angrier than ever. The girl used the gem again, its magic drawing the water out of almost everything. His canteen broke open, the water gathering in the stream. His horse slowed and stood by the quick runnig stream.How he longed for a drink. Zayku kicked the horse again, but the horse didn't budge. He leaped off the horse and dashed towards the elf. THe elf started to move her hands in a fluent motion, back and forth, back and forth. Then she started to twirl them! She better not use anymore magic or she'll kill herself! He pushed harder to reach the girl he had to beat Kain from reaching her or from her from using the rock. Kain rushed forward, and the girl stood firm. Zayku stopped running and called his horse. The beast rushed to him, it knew the water was gone. He leaped on the horse and kicked it to go faster. SUddnely the ball of water leaped towards Kain hitting it dead on. Kain roared a large cloud of darkness forming above him. Zayku rushed through the rain, or leftovers of the water ball towards the girl. He reached her side, when Kain let out another roar. He lunged towards the two, smoke billowing from him. His multiple dark wings were streched out to his side and his talon like hands extended towards the girl. Zayku looked at the girl, she was in no sort of spot to use magic. "Please elf, -I mean M'lady may I use the gem, our situtation seems dire?'

(Your choice Misspriss)

((Umm...just to let you know {so you don't think it's the gem doing the magic} she make foliage grow with her natural elf powers, that will come in to the story a little later on, okay?))

Elainora knew enough than to keep the magic for herself right now. She was sure he could use far better than she, also, she realized she couldn't control it anymore, she simply did not have the strength.

So with that, she thrust the magic gem into his open hands.

"Do what you can with it, though I know we're doomed," she said weakly before, much to her dismay, she crumbled to the ground.

Zayku stared at the helpless form lying before him. She was right, he had no magic abilities. He whislted for his horse who rode up to his side. He picked up the wilted figure, and set her in the saddle. "Run free now Garn, go to Dursa. I will meet you there in time, now fly with haste." The horse took off galloping, Zayku turned to Kain, He roared and took off after the girl, his wings pounding hard. Two figures crossed over the hill. The man that the elf was still walking with! He rushed towards the figure. "You He launched himself at the man, drawing his dagger and putting it upon his neck. "Call your little beasty off and I will spare your life." He looked momentarily at the girl. She had large dark wings protruding from her shoudlers. " Don't move angel lady, I have one hundred men within the perimeter with their sights aimed on you." zayku said, lying through his teeth. "As for you, he pushed the blade harder. Take Kain off her trail."

(Wow, sorry rosethorn, I just now realized we kinda skipped you. Sorry!)

((Quite alright. I've been sick for awhile. I will post, hopefully tommorow if I'm feeling better by then.))

((Oh, that's fine, take your time!))

He almost laughed at this strange encounter. A human challenging him? Threatening him at all? But before he could act by his nature and kill this pest, Avril stepped forward, uneffected by the man's threats.

"Surely your men can take care of Kain all on their own then?" She teased. And expecting no answer, she raised her eyebrow, amused. "Ah, as I thought." Her power rising, her eyes turned white. "Liars go to Hell."

She spoke the forbidden language with such practice that it seemed she could be taunting the Gods themselves. And with her spoken commands, the demon was released back to the core of Hell.

Then she turned her piercing stare to the human once more. "And your manners are lacking. Release him."