Young Writers Society

Erich Nestel

Erich had wandered to the far ends of his homeland, he had sailed for months on a ship. Once he landed he wandered for many days to find the mountains. Finding the castle in those mountains was not easy. Never once during that time had he gotten himself lost. Now he had made it into the castle. He was dripping wet, and cold. No one would speak to him, and so he wandered. No one told him exactly WHERE in the castle he was supposed to go.

“That’s exactly what I hoped to hear,” a woman said through a set of thick doors. She sounded regal, the queen no doubt.

A scowl crossed his face. The bags under his eyes made him look somewhat sinister. He had spent the past six months traveling, and just now the knights of this land find out. Departing in the morning for another dangerous journey, and they don’t even know.

”Erich,” the king of his land spoke to him, “I’m sending you to a far off land.” He paused. “In that land there are others, they don’t believe in our ways. Now their lands are dying.”

“Am I to help them my lord?” He was happier just a few months ago. A quest was ideal to him. Joy shone brightly in the back of his eyes. However it died quickly when the king met him with a glare. His head lowered and he frowned. “I beg your pardon my lord.”

“As I was saying, their lands are dying. They are weak, go out in the name of your lord and show them the correct way. They are spoiled. Their lands are easy to live upon, when the slightest thing fails they cannot survive on their own. They rely on the land, and not their own strength. I need you to show them that we are superior! We are the best! If they want to survive this trying time they need to side with us, should they refuse, persuade them with blood well shed.”

“Yes my lord.” Never before had he seen the king appear to be so blood thirsty. However the sounds of these other lands, other people, it all made sense what he had been told by his king.

“I have sent word to the queen of a mountain region that you are there to assist her. Should you tell her of your true intentions I will find out. When I do I will strike you down.”

Erich nodded and kept his head lowered. Swallowing hard he held his breath. The king motioned for him to leave, he rose from his kneeling position and turned around. For a moment he paused in case the king wanted to offer him a blessing. When not a word was even whispered he slowly strode out of the room. A bad feeling rose in his gut.

A woman came out of the doors. So happy. Had it all so easy. The mountain people didn’t have it as easy as others, but it was still easy. The lands were wonderful. Despite his envy he enjoyed being in the strange lands. So much easier to walk. His armor seemed lighter when he wasn’t wandering through miles of barren nothing just hoping for some kind of food. If he returned empty handed then the people of his home would be hungry, and his king would be hungry.

“Hey,” he addressed the woman, “you!” She stopped and smiled sweetly at him. So happy. He smiled back. Though it was forced it made him look less frightening. “I’m here to aid the queen and some other knights on a quest to save the world. I’m from the Arctic regions.” He paused. Something about his words seemed to make her happy. “I wasn’t told anything about how to make my way around the castle, or where I’m supposed to go. Do you have any clue?”

Marco

It was an easy step off the boat and onto the dock. I was amazed how many people of the oceans couldn't manage balance on both land and water. Then again, it was mostly populated by either merchants, only on land, and ocean farmers, only on sea. People thought me to be pretty extraordinary to be able to manage switching between them so easily, but most likely, those people were the ones you'd want on your side. The only ones who could balance like me were rotten theives and pirates, and the closest connections to royalty.

As I said, a huge population was merchants, and of course, it was all by the docks in their perfected huts. You could barely tell most of them were made by scrap lumber. As usual, many a person from all around was here at this one of many shoreline markets, but there were less than usual. The king told me everything before I left; crops were dying, the sky spoke for itself, and in general, everything just looked more depressing. I was to find a stop to it, and by some royal network, I had to meet with more knights. I'd have taken some of my own, if I'd had my way, but even I couldn't leave the castle defensless.

The royal guard for the ocean wasn't very useful, I won't lie. We had more crime than most areas because of the difficult to watch seas, expanding hugely across the land. The merchants never had problems, and all the knights mostly defended the castle and patrolled what they could of the ocean. Many times, I went on journey's to other lands, but it had been a while since the last time, and at that I was still following thieves who managed to rob the dungeon treasury. If I hadn't made the royal guard leader post more political than industrial, I don't know if I'd ever have left the island.

I checked my map to make sure I was going in the right direction; I was, as always. I put the map in my boot and took in the view. Tall trees, dirt and grass on the ground, dark shadows everywhere, it was a truly different experience. It was a shame all this was was a business trip. Wander the world, save it, go home. Amazing as it was, it was bound to happen eventually.

My immediate mission was to make my way to the capital city in the Forest region, and join with their knights. After that, to the meadows to find them. My expectation for the forest was that they'd be more than powerful and skilled, but the meadow warriors...it didn't seem like a place for heroes to be raised. But I suppose I'd have to wait and see.

It was going to be a long walk. I'd have bought a horse before I went, but I wasn't taking conventional roads; I wanted to go all off-trail for some exercise. One doesn't become strong without it, after all. And even on horseback, the trail was longer than my own path. Still, it was a long way. But I planned to enjoy every moment of it.

Cyrus Rowan

Cyrus swung himself into a tall tree and looked into the horizon. Apparently a knight from Ocean was to be coming soon. Cyrus had been sent to wait, while Aylen prepared for the journey ahead back in the capital.

Cyrus was perched at the edge of the Forest. The odd in-between land lay before him, and Cyrus could just make out the startling blue that was Ocean. At the other edge of the Forest, the Meadows sloped up toward the Mountains. Beyond them lay the Desert, and even farther off was the Arctic. These were places of legend to Cyrus. Cyrus had never really been farther than the beginnings of the Mountains. The Forest was a quiet place, and self-sufficient. There was little need to mingle with outsiders.

Suddenly, Cyrus heard a moaning creak come from the branch under him. Cyrus's eyes widened, and he dropped to the ground quickly before the branch gave way beneath him. Bark fluttered down after Cyrus pitifully. Cyrus sighed.

The Forest was a magnificent place. But it was one of the most hard hit by the Dark Plague, as citizens of Forest had taken to calling the death that was enveloping their lives. For example: Cyrus had been sitting on an old, great tree. An oak. That this tree had brittle branches was a serious sign.

Cyrus heard a loud rustling noise behind him. He turned to see a man thrashing his way through the underbrush. Cyrus watched his approach silently. This must be the knight from Ocean. Only a foreigner would make noise like that.

"Good afternoon," said Cyrus quietly, bowing politely. "I am Cyrus Rowan, Knight of Forest's Elite Patrol."

The man smiled, and shook Cyrus's hand gruffly. "Marco Paloken, at your service. Knight of Ocean's Royal Guard. Are you here to meet me?"

Cyrus blinked. The foreigner talked very loudly, as opposed to the soft-spokenness of Forest's people. "Yes, I am," Cyrus replied after a moment. "I am here to take you to the Capital. Our paths are winding and complicated. A foreigner would loose their way. From then on, we head to Meadow."

Aylen Kingsley

I stood outside my house, sweeping off the front step and humming contently to myself. My bow and quiver filled with arrows leaned up against the step, just in case.

Suddenly, from somewhere behind me, I heard a rustle. In one sweeping motion, I grabbed an arrow, picked up my bow, and was down on one knee, aiming at the sound. A doe leaped out of the bushes by the fence and came toward me swiftly. I set down the bow and stood up.

"Hello, friend!" I called, picking the broom back up and continuing my work. Before I got too wrapped up in it, the doe changed into a scout from the castle. I turned back and looked at her. "Is there something I can do for you?" I asked her. "Is anything wrong?"

She shook her head. "I don't know," she replied. "Their majesties requested you immediately."

I froze. "Their majesties...?" I whispered.

I dropped the broom and grabbed my bow and quiver, slinging them both over my shoulder. I changed to my animal form and raced through the trees toward the castle, closely followed by the scout, once again in the form of a doe. I slowed to a trot when I reached the castle and changed back. I jogged inside and stopped before the audience chamber.

"I'm here to see the King and Queen," I said to the guards outside the door.

"Of course, Miss Kingsley," one said, and they opened the doors.

I walked swiftly into the room and knelt before the King and his Queen. "Your majesties," I said, bowing my head.

"Rise, Aylen," the Queen said softly. I stood up straight and tall and looked at my King and Queen, a little concerned.

"Aylen," the King began, "you may have noticed, the forest is dying, along with many of its inhabitants." I nodded sadly. "We are sending you and Cyrus Rowan to find out why. You will go to the other regions of the land and meet up with fellow knights and knightesses, and together you will discover the cause of this. We're counting on you," he said sternly.

"Our home is in good hands," I told my rulers, giving them a two-fingered salute and walking, almost skipping, out of the room.

When I got out, I bumped into Cyrus. "They told you?" I nodded. "Good. Get ready; the knight from the Ocean will be here soon. I've been assigned to watch for him."

"You got it," I told him, and I turned and headed off to prepare myself for the journey ahead.

Oh boy.

Marco

I wasn't very deep when I had encountered Cyrus. He had a sort of presense that I'd expect from a knight. I hadn't met other warriors with our status in a long time, so I hadn't a clue what to expect. But Cyrus gave me a certain optomisim in my expectations of the forest knights, anyways. It was a shame there wasn't something to discuss, or our journey wouldn't have been so quiet.

The deeper into the forest we wandered, the more you could tell things weren't right. There were more and more dead foliage, fewer animals than one would expect, and once we entered the city gates, I couldn't help but notice less citizens. Things were grim, but things were bound to get better, if we had more knights like myself and Cyrus; that is, what I assumed Cyrus to be like in the first impression he gave me.

I kneeled down and quickly reached into my boot and pulled out one of the many blue sapphire necklaces I was given before I left. As the necklaces traditionally have been before, they were gifts, this time for the rulers of the lands. for the alliance we had made to stop this nightmare. Cyrus looked over at me when I pulled it out, and instead of letting him ask questions, I spoke the first words.

"My king's orders to bring this to your ruler"

"The castle's in that direction", he pointed, "I need to pick up another knight that'll be coming with us"

"I'll meet you at the gate we came in from", I told him. I was going to just do a simple drop off, nothing important or artistic. I personally wouldn't have given a necklace to appreciate the help; I'd think the rescued world would be enough of a gift for everyone.

someone mind bringing me in?

I can't this second. You could bust into the mountain castle like I did?

Bluebell:

The flowers caressed the sky blue fabric of my skirt as I walked through the grass. I heard the pounding hooves of a horse. When I turned I saw a man riding the beauty, something that always irked me. "Ms.Rain, the King and Queen request your presence. I nodded once and he grabbed my arm and pulled me onto the horse. I have a feeling he has no idea who I am nor which animal I can trandform into.

Within a few minutes we were at the castle and I quickly hopped off the horse and walked up the steps. When the grand doors of the castle opened I said to the person there "I am here to see the King and Queen. I am Bluebell Rain." They led me to the throne room. When I entered I bowed to them. The King's gentle voice said "Ms.Rain, you may stand. We have a quest for you..."
***
I walked down the castle steps happily and began running home. As I gathered my things I explained it all to my family. After I had my few things packed I ran back to the castle where I would wait for two people from the forest kingdom and one from the ocean kingdom.

When I peered down the path I saw three people, two men and a woman, walking up the path. When they reached me one of them asked "You are the knightess from the meadow kingdom?" With a nod I said "I am indeed. I believe you to be some of the other knights and knightesses?" I noted that I was younger than all three, and one frightened me a bit but I would not show that.

*Is this okay? If not I'll change it*

Tyr Wolfe~

It. Was. Hot.

Tyr pulled at the collar of his armor, practically sweating bullets. Such a change from the crisp, freezing, arctic weather. Where was he to go again? Erich had left long before Tyr, having gotten his assignment earlier, as he had been in the service longer. That, however, wasn't any reason for the man who was only five years his senior to be asked first. Tyr was just as high a rank as he! Almost... With a grunt, Tyr took off his heavy armor, and put it in his satchel, standing there in only a half-buttoned linen shirt.

Much better.

Taking the last swig of Arctic-frozen whiskey, Tyr began to run, his eyes on the foot prints on the dirt road before him. The size matching Erich's. People of the arctic had to have big feet. Small feet didn't cover enough area, and usually resulted in sinking in the deep snow. A main reason why foreigners had hard trials in the arctic. Tyr's own wide feet pounded the ground below him as he thought back to the moment he was given the assignment.

"Sir Wolfe," a young woman said, voice softly as Tyr and some other elite soldiers guffawed in laughter, Tyr straightening up and looking the girl, probably only fifteen, up and down with curious eyes.

"Yes?" He drew out, the soldiers laughing loudly when the maid blushed.

"The King would like to see you," with those words said, Tyr left the group, a goodbye short, and hurried down the corridor to the throne room. The doors were flung open, and Erich, an older soldier walked out, looking Tyr over with one eye as he turned to walk away. Tyr stepped in the throne room, and bowed to his majesty.

"Your majesty," Tyr bowed, the king telling him to arise.

With a dark, bloodthirsty look, the king told Tyr his job, the hair on Tyr's neck standing up on end at the mere sound of the king's voice. "You understand, knight?" Tyr nodded once and bowed in leaving, hurrying out of the castle and to his own home. His woman of nine months kissed his cheek, and he brushed her off.

"I'm leaving Maycee, go back to your husband." He pecked the older woman on the forehead and ran out to the docks, eager to start his trip.

Whatever.

Not watching, nor listening to where he was going, Tyr slammed into someone's back, the person grunting in slight pain.

Audie~

"Mary, Mary, quite contrary," Audie chuckled as her daughter, merely four, held onto her pinky finger as they walked through the bright meadow near the kingdom. It was raining, but only a little bit. The strawberry blonde child gasped and looked up at the sky, and spun around Audie, skipping in a circle around the young castle knightess. "Rain, rain, go away! Come again another day!" Anna sand, and Audie picked her up, singing the rest with her.

"Little Anna," it was really Johnny, but Audie never told Anna that, "wants to play. Rain, rain, go to Spain, and never show your face again." Anna burst into instantaneous giggles and hugged Audie tightly, pressing her tiny cheek to Audie's. Audie had never asked for Anna. Rather, a man from the brute arctic had come, and done horrid things to Audie when she was merely thirteen. Things which resulted in Audie having Anna two days shy of Audie's fourteenth birthday.

"Mama, I wan' canny." Many people had looked down at Audie when she'd first brought Anna into town, but after becoming a knightess, it was as if everyone's demeanor had changed. The people of the meadow were usually quiet, sweet souls, but their knights and knightesses were highly endowed, and very loved around the small, yet love-filled kingdom.

"What kind of candy to you want, sweetie?" Audie smiled, her voice soft and melodic. The royal guard whom had come to Audie's home at the break of dawn nodded to her as she walked by, Audie smiling at him as she took Anna to Miss Sweeny's House of Sweets. The frizzle-haired woman ran around her shop, arranging everything.

Audie's armor rubbed against itself silently as she set Anna down, thinking back to earlier that morning.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Audie rolled from her bed, which moved only a tad bit as she threw her small body to its feet, silently making her way to the door. It opened with a soft creek, enough to make Audie wince at the sound. "Can I help you?" She asked softly, the guard handing her a rolled up paper. She opened it, revealing a map, as the guard spoke.

"His majesty, and her majesty would like to see you." The guard sighed softly, tiredly, Audie glanced back at the sleeping Anna.

"At this moment?" The man nodded.

"I'm afraid so. I can stay here and watch her Audie, really." It was then that Audie realized who it was behind the mask. She smiled softly and hugged her little brother before shifting into her fox form and jetting down the street in the dark of the early morning.

As she entered the throne room, the king and queen were already seated, waiting for her. "Your majesties," she kneeled, and lowered her head, standing again once they both told her to rise.

"Audie," the queen greeted, skipping formalities. After all, she was looking at her own daughter. "How is Anna?" Her brow creased in unneeded worry of what was to come.

"She's great mother, better than great actually. But, other than that, why did you want to see me?" She smiled softly, and shook her bright red hair out. Her father's matching red hair was no longer there, instead, only a bald spot surrounded with grey.

"We're sending you, and another knightess on a quest," her father began, telling her all the information she needed to know. Her skin had grown hot with anger. Sure, it was an honor, but they knew very well how terrorfied she was of the men from the arctic. To know they were going to be with her for weeks, if not months, made it all the worse. After she asked which knightess, her father answered, "Bluebell." Well, at least it was one she liked rather than one of the other... older, disapproving ones.

"Give me until the afternoon today with Anna, and then I'll say goodbye to her, and I'll leave her here with you two." Audie had never liked life in the castle, but she prayed her daughter wouldn't mind it. Both her parents/their majesties nodded, and Audie walked out of the castle, back to her home. She hugged her brother, and got back in bed, Anna's arms making their way around her mother in search of warmth. Audie hugged her daughter to her, and fell asleep, mind wild with ideas of what was to come.

After buying Anna's candy, Audie said a thank you to Mrs. Sweeny, and then picked Anna up and put her on her back, running towards the castle. "We goin' to see ga'ma an' gam'pa?" Anna squealed, Audie shushing her and laughing softly as she nodded, Anna cheering softly. Audie chuckled and slid into the throne room rather gracefully, and set Anna down, the little girl running over to her grandparents in complete joy.

"Well, I should be on my way," Audie stood up from her seat, where she was sipping tea with her parents, Anna eating the cake she'd been given rather greedily.

"You comin' home soon, wite mama?" Audie almost threw the assignment then and there. She kneeled down and kissed Anna on the forehead softly, tears in her eyes.

"Yes baby, I'm comin' home soon." She laughed softly and then, after a goodbye, ran as quickly as she could away from the castle, tears cascading down her face.

*I know it's LONG!!! Nothing else this long, I PROMISE! Can the group bring my two people in as well? Thanks **

Naomi

I bumped into someone, falling forward. I had been waiting for that knight guy to show up,and I was guessing this was him. I grunted and pulled myself off the ground, my lightweight armor clanking, light weight was perfect for moving around quickly without getting to dehydrated. I turned to him and scowled.
"Do you people watch where..." I stopped mid sentence. Wow. Um. "Where's your armor. I believe you'll need it." I said, remembering what I was told earlier today.

"Naomi, I have a quest for you." My heart began to race. A quest at long last! I was quickly told about it and that final sentence, made me almost not want to come. "I know you'll make your father proud."

Make him proud. As if, nothing I ever did made him proud, I would have to magically become a male to make him proud.
"So, you're the bloke I'm supposed to meet up with right?" He nodded as I straightened my armor.
"I believe so."

Lisiana

"We leave at dawn," I told Erich. "Now I guess you'll be staying in this room," I said, pointing him into the room. "Best be getting some sleep. It will be a long day."

I left Erich alone and walked down the corridor and to my own room where I laid on my bed. Finally a quest, an important one too. One that could save our land. I closed my eyes trying to sleep, but it didn't come to me, instead I lay there, dreaming of the amazing things that awaited me.

My heart pounded as I looked out the window, only to see the moon and the stars still shining, until, finally, I didn't get up anymore, and I closed my eyes and forced sleep to overtake me.

Erich Nestel

She seemed nice, but she just shoved him off, then left. A groan passed his lips. Shaking his head, he slowly moved into the room that she had pointed him towards. It was a really shabby room. Sure they didn't have below freezing temperatures to bear, but that didn't mean their guests rooms could be shabby. Had living in the barren Arctic really spoiled him? He shook his head. If it did, then the rest of the world was sad.

Despite his petty complaints a bed was better then a boat. In a rush he took off his armor and tossed it on the floor. It didn't matter. It made the room look nicer in his opinion. His clothes under it were thin and black. Sweat had matted it, and his hair down. The air was a soothing feeling. His suit of armor felt like an oven. However without it he felt very frail. Back in his homeland he was also required to wear it at meals (with the exception of his helmet).

It didn't take him hardly any time to fall asleep as soon as he laid down. At this point his feet were where his head should be.