The Book of Elements

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The Book of Elements

Post by Emora Deen »

Hi! This is a story about a movie that a few of my classmates and I are thinking about doing! It should be easy since we've been making movies for two years now and they get better with everyone we do!


Luna held the book tightly to her, her fingers lightly tracing the designs on the cover. Her eyes were down cast for a certain reason. That reason was because of what the book held. The future, not the distant future, but the near future.

“Aidren,” she whispered. “You can stop hiding in the shadows. I need your help.”

As if he just appeared a man clad in black stepped from the shadows, a hood over his face concealing much of his face in darkness. The only thing that one could see was his anything below his nose. His lips were slightly curled into a smirk.

“Sister, I’m not going to tell you this is a bad idea,” he said. “Because you already know my opinion on the matter. “

Luna turned from him and leaned against the railing over looking her city built into the trees of the forest. “The wizards gave this to me,” she said, her voice seemed so soft and mournful that Aidren lost his smirk. “I have been the Book Keeper for so long… but that was before I became the Lady of the Forest Je. A vast darkness is coming, Aidren… If they come here they will destroy our people.”

“Your people, Luna,” Aidren said, a slightly agitated tone coming to his voice.

“I’m not getting into this with your right now,” Luna said, holding her hand up as she turned back towards him. “They are our people, and it is our duty to protect them. Even if they do not cherish you as they do me because of the difference in parentage it doesn’t mean that you have the right to shun them when they are in need.”

Aidren gritted his teeth. “Why should I care for those who have hated me and treated me as if I were vermin? They do not deserve my help.” He turned, his cloak billowing behind him.

Luna looked up. “Then, Aidren, if your heart is truly cold towards them do not do this for them. Do it for me… If this book brings the darkness here I will surely die with me people… I know that you are the only one who can hide in the shadows as one hides. They will find it harder to track you than they would me…”

Aidren stopped and listened to her words, his eyes boring a hole into the wall. “Where would you have me take it?”

Luna stepped around him and held the book out. “There is one kingdom with an army vast enough to protect it. The Queen is named Aires…” She tried to look into the eyes of her brother as he took the book, but his hood did the job well and she was unable to see his face. “Go… before anyone knows you have it…”

Aidren turned, not saying a single word to his sister. His movements were graceful, even if he were only half-elf. He turned, smirking to his sister as he backed into the shadows and was gone from her sight.

“Be safe, my brother…” Luna whispered.

“Yes, I suppose he’ll need those wishful words…” a cold feminine voice said from behind Luna. “Though, I don’t believe they will help him much…”

Luna looked out of the corner of her eyes before turning, her movements slow as if she was expecting the voice to be coming from some dark demon. “Nissassa…” her voice was hard, and stressed the name as if saying it was more like swallowing nails.

“Good, I see you haven’t forgotten your dear cousin,” Nissassa said. She was a thin woman with long board straight blond hair. She was pretty, that was for sure. Her skin was fair and pale. Her limbs were long and thin, looking as if they could break if she swung them to hard.

“Dear would be an incorrect word for you, Nissassa…” Luna said, glaring with all the hatred in the world.

“Hmmm, so much hostility…” the thin elf said, her eyes narrowing. “Come now, you don’t still despise me for going into the dark arts… Or maybe it was trying to kill you parents… No… I know what it is… It was killing your husband.”

Luna made a growling sound unbefitting of being a lady, but when it came to her anger being lady like was the absolute last thing from her mind. “What do you want Nissassa?”

“I already have what I won’t and he just left… I’m sure Malicar’s army can reach Aires before Aidren… after all it is much closer… than your forest,” Nissassa said, tilting her head to the side and grinning. “Maybe I will see you later, Luna?” Nissassa’s arms came up and in a swirling cloud of smoke she disappeared, the smoky turning into a crow. The crow flew away, making sure to try and hit Luna on the way out.

Luna turned and her eyes followed the crow. “Guards!” she screamed to the men below her balcony. “Shoot that crow! Shoot it now!”

The archers raised the bows and fired. Each arrow missed my millimeters. Luna’s heart froze as the last arrow sped towards Nissassa. It hit her, but she didn’t stop flying. Luna cursed, slamming her hands against the balcony. Now she could only hope that Aidren would reach Aires before Malicar’s army…

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They came swift and strong. The night was their shield and allies there sword. In a single night all that Queen Aires had worked for was destroyed. When they left they left so quickly that Aires had to blink to be sure that it all had really happened.

The smoke filled the air so thick that she couldn’t breath. She couldn’t see anything, someone could be coming to kill her and she wouldn’t be able to see anything. Something moved in the fog of smoke, her eyes watched as it darted in and out of clarity.

“Mira?” Aires asked, her eyes narrowing as the figure became clear. It wasn’t Mira, it was someone much larger and more masculine than Mira. The figure raised a weapon high. Aires’s eyes widened and her hands covered her head.

As the man brought his weapon down his weapon was met by a long blade just above the queen’s head, blocking his deadly blow. He looked over just in time to see a small fist coming towards his head and then it collided, sending his head snapping in the opposite direction. He turned back, his vision blurred. The figure pulled there sword back from holding his up and plunged it into his belly.

Aires, surprised that she hadn’t felt any pain at all, looked up to see a woman with short red hair. She wore a light green dress with long peach bell sleeves. She was cleaning the blood of her sword off with the mans clothing. “Mira, what took you so long?” Aires said, a great deal of relief in her voice.

“Get up, my Queen,” Mira said, not answering her masters question as she put her hand under Aires’s arm and hauled her up. “They have left… but they might return with more…”

Aires rose, looking as if she were in a daze. She glanced up at Mira to find that she had blood seeping from the side of her head. “Your bleeding,” Aires said in a worried tone.

“I’m far better than most I assure you,” Mira said, anger in her voice.

“My daughter!” Aires yelled and looked around, half expecting the girl to come running out.

“She is safe, she was the first one I saw out of the castle,” Mira said. “Come we haven’t much time…”

They walked for about a half hour before the two weary women made it to there destination. It was a small camp fire with seven people sitting at it, nursing wounds on various parts of there body. They all jumped up at seeing Mira and Aires enter the clearing.

“Sit,” Aires said, her hand coming up and motioning for them to take there seats again.

They sat down and Aires and Mira joined them, sitting close to the fire. It was unusually quiet, but no one really knew what to say. Aires finally broke the silence. “How? How did they get in?”

A broad shouldered man spoke, “It was Malicar… I saw him up close in battle…”

“And Clair was killed by Nissassa…” Toren said, he was a young night with a soft spoken voice and a kind attitude. His voice was soft and sad.

Aires sighed, her head bowed. Her crystal blue eyes stared into the flames the danced before her. Her whole kingdom destroyed in a night and there was only one way in… Someone had to open the gates from the inside. It meant that someone had betrayed her people. “Kane,” she said and looked up. The broad shouldered man bowed his head. “Do you know who it was that opened the gate.”

“No ma’am… I never saw him…” he said, his eyes staring into her. “If I had I would have killed him.”

Aires nodded, her shoulders slumping as if the weight of the world were piled on them. “Why?” she whispered. “We didn’t do anything why would he attack us?”

No one answered. Everyone was quiet. For what could one say to ease the pain of those who had lost so much in a single night.

They were distracted though when the bushes at the edge of the clearing rustled. They all looked in that direction, eyes scanning the area. The bushes stopped rustling and out stepped a tall thin man. He was wearing brown robes and had shaggy brown hair. He looked dirty and ratty.

“You might not have done anything then, but in the future you would have…” he said, dusting himself off as if he really hadn’t yet discovered the group and was merely talking to himself. “He wasn’t after your kingdom, Queen Aires of Nevar. He was after the Book of Elements, which I suspect he thought was in your possession… or would be soon.”

Mira, along with the knights stood up. “Who are you?” Kane asked, his voice threatening. Kane was a brave man. Though he only had one leg it didn’t stop him from doing most things in life. He could run as fast as his leg and wooden leg would take him. He could fight like any normal man, sometimes a great deal better.

“I am the Wizard Faren Ray of the Northern Region,” the wizard replied, his voice filled with a good deal of humor for one being held at sword point. “And you are all in a very bad situation.”

“We sort of noticed,” Edrick said, he was an archer standing to the left of Kane. “It wasn’t hard to when the screaming filled your ears.”

“Calm down,” Mira hissed, not wanting to get into a fight with a wizard. They couldn’t afford to lose much more of there people…

“What do you want?” Aires asked, her eyes weary for a moment. They changed, however, to the strength that she possessed. Being a queen Aires had to be strong when she really couldn’t. She had to be strong for others, not just herself, which made the effort twice as hard.

“I want to know where Lord Aidren of the Forest Je’ is,” the wizard said, walking up to the group with out any regards to his life. He didn’t seem one bit afraid of the drawn weapons or the angry looks. He calmly walked up to them and took a seat by the fire. “He has the book and I need it back.”

“Well, we don’t know where this ‘Lord Aidren’ is,” Aires said.

“It figures you people wouldn’t know anything,” the wizard mumbled so low that only those close to him could hear.

“What did you say?” Aires hissed, her patients level boiling to an all time high.

“Nothing…” The wizard looked towards Aires with a glint in his green eyes. “My… you are looking quite lovely today my lady… Your hair is like gold and your eyes like ice… I mean your eyes are so bright!” the wizard stumbled, though he failed dramatically to catch himself.

“Friend,” Kane advised, pointing his sword amusingly at the wizard. “I would think carefully before making petty jabs at our expense. Encase those wise eyes of yours haven’t noticed, we aren’t at our best.” Kane sat back down as did the rest of the group. Still, they did not put away there weapons.

“I didn’t need wise eyes to see that, Sir Kane,” the wizard said.

Kane’s expression turned surprised as he could not fathom how the wizard knew his name. He could only guess that it was either magic or the wizard had been watching the group for a while before deciding to make his appearance.

Aires sighed, shaking her head and looking to the Faren Ray. “Why is this book so important that Malicar would attack my kingdom?”

Faren Ray laughed slightly as if they were children who didn’t know any better. “The Book of Elements is a book of prophecy, written by the Prophet himself. It is a book full of riddles and prophecies that are about to come to pass. Every three hundred years the Prophet receives a vision about our world. The first book was the Book of the Beginning, then it was the Book of Plagues, then the Book of Darkness, The Book of Ages, and now the Book of Elements…”

No one said anything so he continued, “Each book has contained two prophecies that are always the same. They are the Prophecy of Darkness and the Prophecy of Light. The names are totally backwards from what really happens. In the Prophecy of Darkness if darkness gets to the goal of whatever it might be in the book then Darkness then darkness will win. If light gets the stones then darkness could win… I know sounds a bit unfair… but that’s because Light always has something on there side… Something that Darkness could no possible have.”

“In the Book of Beginnings darkness was nothing but a demon. It didn’t have true life. He didn’t cherish life, and those who were fighting him did. He lost because of that fact. Because he wasn’t willing to fight for it as hard as the humans. In the Book of Plagues it was child who carried the cure in her body. She cared for her family so much that she jumped into the Carrier and gave her life so that others could live. In that it was a child’s innocent love, something Darkness could never know. In the Book of Darkness, Darkness won… and they did also in the Book of Ages time… Because this worlds has lost those qualities that Light has always had,” Faren Ray said, his eyes staring in to the flames of the fire.

“We have lost our love for life, because we throw it willingly away for nothing more than another piece of land or gold. We have lost our caring for one another, because we kill out of greed. There is no pure love for anything anymore… And until Light finds that again Darkness will continue to win…”

Mira looked up. “So your saying we’re fighting a losing battle…” she told him. “We’re all going to lose and Lord Malicar will win…”

“I’m not saying your fighting a losing battle… I’m just saying that to win we need these qualities back… The only reason you survived that attack was because you play some important role in the Book. Whether to win or to lose you play a role in it,” he said, sighing. “We can only try to win… that is all we can do.”

Aires looked up and her eyes were shinning with a hint of tears. “The fate of our world lies in finding that book before Malicar doesn’t it?”

Faren Ray looked at her with deep concentration. “My lady finding that book before Malicar not only leaves the world in your hands but time… the future… With Elements he will be able to control life…”
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Post by Emora Deen »

Malicar wasn’t the most handsome man in the world, but then again he wasn’t the most ugly thing either. His eyes were dark and narrowed in concentration as he stared at an unrolled map on the table before him. The room he was in was dark and only lit by a few lanterns and candles scattered across the room. The flames cast an eerie glow on his pale face.

He wore black armor with a blood colored cape, that was his signature uniform. Most of his men wore the same thing except those who chose to wear no armor at all, they still wore the colors, however.

Malicar’s eyes wondered over the map in deep thought. They flashed forward at the sound of a door opening and closing with a loud bang… and then the sound of hard boots slamming onto the floor with every step.

“Must you walk so hard Mord?” he asked, standing straight and turning around.

“I’m sorry my lord,” Mord said, a sly grin coming to his lips. “But, this armor gets so heavy sometimes I can’t help it.” Mord came to stand in front of the table as Malicar turned around to proceed with what he had been doing.

“Have you found him yet?” Malicar asked after a long moment of silence, his voice echoing against the walls of the room.

“No, my lord… but we are still looking. It will not be long…” Mord said, his eyes tracing the map and a silence came over them once more.

“What is it Mord?” Malicar hissed, running his fingers through his hair and standing up straight. “Your thinking so loud your practically talking.”

“I wasn’t thinking my lord…” Mord said, bowing his head. “I’ll be going now…”

“Yes, you do that,” Malicar said testily, wanting nothing more than to be left alone. Mord gave him that pleasure and left the room, walking hard out and closing the door as loud as before. Malicar closed his eyes and sighed. “If only…”

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The Forest Je’ was a thing of awe. After the prophecy in the Book of Darkness came to pass, a great fire consumed the world and it destroyed the elves forest and their homes. It was said that the sorrow from the elves turned there tears to magic and when they fell upon the dirt the trees that grew back were so large that they were taller than any building erected on the planet. There roots were deep and there branches long and thick

The magic from the tears also gave the trees an unusual characteristic…. They glowed. It wasn’t a bright glow… just a faint white that lit the forest unnaturally. It was a beautiful place, where the ground was clear of grass and unwanted shrubby. Leaves never fell from the trees so nothing covered the ground except soft moss and dirt along the stone walkways.

A small river ran in spiral patterns in the midst of the forest, with large fish. The fish were of bright colors like those found in the sea. Animals ran wild and free in the city, not bothered by the presence of the elves. But, they scattered when Faren Ray walked the lonely cobble stone street towards the great oak steps that led to the tall massive wood doors to the great tree that was Lady Luna’s home.

He paused at the doors and raised a sleeved hand to knock. Three times he knocked and three times it echoed throughout the trees. The door creaked and groaned and was pulled open to reveal an open hall that was brightly lit by thousands of glowing orbs. The walls were a gold color and the floors were wooden, stained dark like cherry.

But there was no one in the hall to greet him. Not a single person. “I have come to see Lady Luna of the Forest Je’,” the wizard spoke, his voice commanding. But, no one answered him.

He took many steps forward, his shoes causing echoed sounds to spread throughout the hall. He reached two doors and stopped at them, knocking again. The did not open this time. “It is urgent that I speak with the Lady Luna,” he said, a bit of annoyance in his voice.

“The lady will see no one,” a smooth voice said and the doors opened. Two women stood in there wake, both tall and slim in figure. Both wearing colorful dresses.

“I must speak with her,” the wizard repeated.

“The Lady cannot speak to anyone… she is busy,” the elf said again.

“Then tell me where her brother is,” Faren Ray said, his voice plainly stated he was annoyed.

“This we do not know,” the other elf said.

“He left a week ago,” the first elf said.

“She doesn’t know where he is? I must find him he has the Book,” Faren Ray said, hoping to enlighten them to the seriousness of the situation.

“She knows,” the first elf said. “But she will not tell anyone… No one but he must know.”

Faren Ray had the distinct feeling that he wouldn’t be getting much information from the two if he continued on. They repeated themselves past the point of being redundant. He growled slightly and turned, his cloak billowing in there faces as he left. “Tell the Lady that she has doomed her world and her people,” Faren Ray muttered as he walked out the door, waving a hand and the doors slammed shut in the elf’s faces.

Faren Ray found it odd that Lady Luna wouldn’t speak with him. But, why? What was the purpose if he was on her side in the first place… Maybe it was the fact he came alone… “I should have listened to Aires…” he muttered. “She probably thinks that I’m one of Malicar’s witches in disguise because I came alone…Can’t let her know that though….”

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It was night and it was a cold night. The weary group sat close to a fire, saying nothing to each other. They only listened to the sounds of the night and they waited on Faren Ray’s return.

Mira sat with her legs pulled up and her arms around them, trying to keep herself warm. Her mind kept replaying the events of the last few nights over and over in her head, trying to convince herself that she wasn’t dreaming and that her home and family was gone. It was hard, but the cold night and the silence was enough to convince her.

Mira was a Queen’s Maiden, a strong woman who was like a knight. She was a body guard to the queen, taught to fight and to endure the same as a man. Queen’s Maidens dressed in normal dresses and concealed there weapons in the folds of skirts or up there sleeves. Some wore them on there hips when not trying to pretend to be an fair maiden to lure in attackers.

Mira was one of those who often wore her weapon on her hip, finding it a bit to hard, since she didn’t have the dresses with slits up the sides, to pull a weapon out from under one.

Her hand went to her necklace, twirling the red stone around in circles between her finger tips. Her mother had given it to her…. And her mother before that. Mira thought it sad that she wouldn’t live to pass it on to her daughter…

Her head came up as she thought she saw a shadow pass through the woods. Maybe it was Faren Ray? No… this shadow was built different from Faren Ray… Mira pretended is if she didn’t see a thing.

“My Queen…. The fire is dying, I will go and get some more wood,” Mira said, standing up and dusting herself off. She disappeared into the darkness.

Aires only nodded, her concentration on the flames of the fire. She had yet to figure out what was so… addictive about staring at fire.

“One would think that a Queen would be more highly guarded,” a smooth voice said from behind her just as she felt the cold edge of a blade. “Anyone could sneak up here and slit your throat, your highness.” The cloaked hooded figure said, a smile on his lips.

“Yes,” a female’s voice came as the group looked up to find Mira stepping out of the shadows her sword moving to the throat of the now still figure. “But, one would think that the person trying would plan a little more before doing so… Who are you?” Mira came up close behind him, her hand going to his hood to bring it down.

She almost slit his throat when Faren Ray came running into the clearing, startling her. Faren Ray slid to a halt looking around, his eyes trailing over the scene.

“How did you find him!?” Faren Ray roared, his face shocked.

“Find who?” Mira asked, pulling the hood off the man in front of her.

He had blondish brown hair that was cut close to his head. His head was turned slightly towards her and she could see his piercing cold blue eyes. It surprised her to also find that he had a smirk on his face.

“Find Aidren! How did you find him?” Faren Ray asked, stepping forward with his arms out as if he were about to rip Aidren to shreds…

“He found us,” Kane said, standing up now that the shock of Aires almost dying was over.

“You know I could explain everything if this pretty lady would take her sword away from my throat,” Aidren said, a good deal of sarcasms in his voice.

“Maybe if you would find a less fashionable entrance you wouldn’t have a sword at your throat,” Mira told him, an aggravated smirk coming to her lips.

“The violent type I see.” Aidren grinned.

“I’ll show you violent!” Mira growled.

“Let him go Mira…” Aires said tiredly. “If he wished to kill me he wouldn’t have spoken first.

Mira’s eyes fell on her Queen. She had to obey orders, even if she didn’t trust them. Slowly and reluctantly she let her weapon fall and she sheathed it again. She stood there though, coming along side him to watch him better.

Faren Ray looked at Aidren. “You have the book?” he asked quickly, his eyes searching the man for it.

“I have it,” Aidren said coolly raising his head slightly towards him. He reached inside the darkness of his cloak and brought his hand back, producing the small book that held such destruction.

The book was leather and burned into the center was a symbol. It was a circle split into four halves. In one half there was a drop of water, in the second there was a leaf and stone, in the third half there was swirls representing wind, and in the fourth half there was a torch with flames.

Aidren looked at the book for a moment and tossed it to Toren. Aidren grinned at him. “Open it up and read it,” Aidren commanded.

“Don’t bother,” Faren Ray stated and stepped forward holding out a hand. “A man can’t read it.”

Toren looked up. “What do you mean a man can’t read it?” Toren decided to find out on his own. He opened the book and looked at the first page. It read: Lor Phipso Darto. Which didn’t make a whole lot of since to Toren as he read it out loud.

“I told you,” Faren Ray stated, folding his arms.

“Why can’t a man read it?” Kane asked curiously, his eyes searching.

“Because, a man hasn’t got the power of creation. Elements are all about creation. Water gives life, air helps sustain life, earth is a home for life, and fire gives a chance of new growth. A woman has the power of creation… Not to mention have you ever heard the phrase Mother Nature? A woman gives birth, which is creation in the purest form.” Faren Ray took the book in a snatching like way and handed it to Aires’s daughter. “Read.”

Princess Leah took the book and opened it up. She glanced over the first weathered page. “The Prophecy of Darkness…” she said, fading off and looking up. “How did you get… whatever that was you said, out of this?!” she asked, laughing slightly.

Faren Ray put his hands to his head and shook it. “Ahhh…. You people will drive me bloody insane before I reach my time…” he growled loudly. He looked up to find everyone staring at him. His shoulders slumped. “I said that out loud didn’t I?”

The group nodded, saying, “Yes…” He did look a bit insane with his hair falling in front of his face and his eyes glancing around wildly.

Aidren looked towards Mira as she stood there, staring into the fire. “You know my name, what’s yours?”

Mira’s eyes shot towards him. She said nothing, and rolled her eyes, moving backwards to lean against a tree.

Aires looked at them for a moment. “Aidren… you were told to bring this to me weren’t you,” she said.

“Yes,” Aidren said, folding his arms. “But, it seems someone beat me to your kingdom. They were a day a head of me. How they found out I don’t know,” he explained.

Kane looked at them. “Its Malicar, he knows things… Its said that those who are his most trusted have dark powers that no one knows about…”

Faren Ray looked at him. “Then how do you know?”

“Like I told you,” Kane muttered. “It is said that they are...”

Sarah, the maid to the princess looked up. She had said nothing until this point. Because moving on concerned her she now spoke. “What do we do now?” she asked.

Aires took the book from her daughter for a moment. She stared at the leather cover, at the images on it. With a deep sigh, knowing she could very well condemn them all to death she said, “We hunt for the stones… and hope we win.”

With those words a journey would begin. It would test the mind and the body… and the heart.


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Leah’s finger tips roamed over the pages as she read it. Everyone else except Toren was a sleep… He was keeping an eye out for Aidren, to make sure he didn’t do anything rash.

Her mind took in the information. Took in the prophecies and how hopeless they were. It didn’t say one good thing about the light side. Were they truly doomed? It seemed like it, from what this tiny book confessed. Her mind was full of worry as she closed the book for a moment, her eyes staring into the dying embers of the fire.

Her hand slowly opened the book to the front again. She stared at the front page at the title of the Prophecy of Darkness… Bother prophecies led to darkness getting most of everything… The only thing that could stop it were two lovers. How were they supposed to stop Malicar? Making him sick with to much love?

There was something else that Faren Ray didn’t mention… It was a third Prophecy… which had to do with nothing it seemed but just adding them together. It was all so confusing. She had read the first one out loud to them…


“He will tear through the world, corrupting ever soul. Turning light to dark, friend to foe, and love to hate. No human can stop it. No loner Prevent it. Only true and purest love can hold it at bay…Darkness will… know her and will deceive her… Darkness must keep her from the one. He can not kill her because of the blood within. Only can he prevent the union. Love will be tried and measured, body and souls tested. On the last and darkest day they must meet in the right moment in the fragment of time. Love will be a light unto wish no evil can fight,” she had said to them and they had sat there speechless and as confused as she.


“Princess,” Toren’s voice said softly, so not to wake the others. “maybe you should get some sleep… It wouldn’t do any good if you were tired for our journey…”

Leah knew he was right, though she didn’t really want to sleep. But, maybe if she fell a sleep she would wake up… and all this would have been a long dream.

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If there was one thing Envy liked more than playing with her food, it was eating it. But, she couldn’t get over how much she liked to watch it squirm and scream as she lifted it off its feet and bent the head to the side… latching on to the neck of her prey. She took great pleasure in stalking it… Making it think she was one place… but really another.

She liked it when they begged and pleaded for her to not kill them. Sometimes she would often think about there request… but it wasn’t to keep them alive and let them go live there life happy and free. She thought about enslaving them and using them as what most vampires would use them for… But, what would she do with them really? They would most certainly not go after her food… That was her pleasure and her pleasure alone.

Envy was a short haired blond. Her hair was cut close to her head rather like a pixies. She had pale skin that glowed from the moon light and piercing pastel green eyes. Her form was slim and small, deceiving those who thought her weak. At the moment her lips were died red from the stain of blood, which made her skin glow even more.

She smiled as she heard feet coming and she stepped back into the shadows to where her prey wouldn’t be able to see her. He came sliding and tripping into the clearing, landing hard on the ground. His neck poring blood down the front of his shirt. His eyes were wild… fearful. It made Envy smile as she leaned against the tree, watching him.

When she finally bored of watching him breath heavily and waste all that lovely blood on his shirt she stepped out behind him. He didn’t hear her… or see her… He didn’t even detect the threatening presence behind him as her feet moved over the ground with a ghostly grace, almost gliding. She stood so close behind him that she almost touched him. Maybe it was the lost of blood that caused him to be unable to detect her, but what ever it was it aloud her to ease closer to him to where her head was just behind his.

“Have a nice rest?” she asked.

She heard his heart beat quicken to the point where she figured it would jump from his chest. “Aww… am I scaring you?” she asked as he went to crawl forward quickly. She smiled and reached out, grabbing his hair and jerking him back against her chest. She pulled his head to the side once more… and finished him off. His screams of pain filling her ears as she did so.

When she was finished she rose, wiping her mouth neatly with a small rag, the stain of blood still on her lips. “Hmmm…” she said, looking back at the body. “What now?” she asked herself.

“How about perusing a small band of travelers… like Malicar ordered you to do,” a dark angry voice said. She turned, but could see nothing. Who ever it was, they were hiding in the shadows.

“There isn’t any fun in chasing something you can’t kill,” Envy said, smiling and shrugging her shoulders. “So why do it?”

The person said nothing for a moment and Envy was going to leave… “You know why,” the voice hissed.

“Oh yes… These stones… which I don’t even get to keep…” she said.

“Malicar will give you as many people as you wish to prey on, you know that,” the voice said, a mocking sound to it now.

“That’s all I get, more food? I want something more…” Envy said. “I want to have at least two of my choosing to feed on… Both of them males… you know how I feel about females…”

“I’m sure Malicar would agree to that,” the voice said. “After there part is over.”

Envy growled, but she would have to stay satisfied with what she had. She didn’t wish to have the wrath of Malicar over her head any time soon.

“Alright, I’ll take that,” she said, grinning. “Bye.” She said nothing further than that. She turned and took a step forward, disappearing as a shadow.

* * *
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They were walking, as they had been doing for a while… But, when they finally stopped for a rest Aires could contain her want and need for knowledge. She had to know what the first riddle was… What the first stone they would seek was. So was soon as everyone was comfortable, well all except Mira. Aidren had, to her regret, taken a seat beside her.
“What is the first riddle?” Aires asked, pulling the cloak around her tighter.
Her daughter, who had been looking the book up and down. Reading every page thoroughly, she had still found nothing to give her a bit of clue as to where the first stone could be. She enlightened her mother, however, and read the first riddle very slowly.
“The first one is air,” Leah said, coughing once before reading. "Air you seek, and Air you find. On a graven peak not so very high, in a temple filled with spies. It creaks and groans as strong wind blows. All you do is speak those words. The port will open and you will find, a little surprise of mine. Speak these words clearly now. 'Hotalus Hamian Hetulus How'"
“That makes no bloody since,” Kane growled.
“Its not supposed to make since,” Edrick said, grinning. “But, how are we supposed to find this temple. There aren’t any peaks around here… We live in the southern region for crying out loud!”
“That’s the point of it,” Aidren said, playing with a bit of grass on the ground. “It is supposed to confuse you, which it has clearly done. The reason it said, ‘not so very high’ was to clue you in to the fact it isn’t a peak at all… Its probably just a steep hill…”
“There are plenty of abandon temples around here…” Aires said… I don’t want to have to search every one, that would take too much time.”
“We have time to kill,” Faren Ray said, finally speaking up. “Malicar does not have the book…”
“Yet,” Kane corrected.
“Yet, yes he will come looking for it… But I’m confident in your abilities…” His last sentence was strained, and he choked slightly. The action caused him to receive many ill looks.
Aidren, done paying any attention to there conversation, which was getting absolutely no where, turned to the girl beside him. It was the same red haired girl from the night before, the one who had snuck up behind him so cleverly. Aidren was a man who had trained himself to blend with shadows, to make hardly any noise when he walked, and to be able to sneak up on his prey with little to know protection. So it bothered him to know that this girl heard him coming… and she had been able to sneak up on him. Did she have elf in her blood as well?
“So what’s your name?” he asked.
The girl glanced over at him with a bit of fire in her eyes. Her eyes were a hazel, but at the moment they turned almost the shade of her hair, which was a deep auburn. They were brown, and warm… “Will you not leave me be?”
“Not until you tell me your name… Then I’ll consider it,” he told her, an arrogant smile coming to his lips.
The girl sighed, narrowing her eyes and turning her attention back to the ground. “Its Mira,” she told him. “Happy?”
“Maybe…” was all he said, but a satisfied smile came to his handsome face.
“You aren‘t gone…” she asked him, looking back at him.
“So I noticed.” The tone in his voice was about to drive her mad, and if she had been any less able to control herself she probably would have attacked him.
Mira couldn’t understand it. She both wanted to kill him and talk to him. It was rather getting on her nerves as the two feelings waged war on themselves.
“So… how did you do it?” he asked.
“Do what?” Mira groaned.
“Sneak up on me.”
“I stood up, walked away and waited for your noisy tail to come strolling in, then I came up behind you? We’re you having an out of body experience and did not realize that?” she asked, her head turning towards him and the sun catching her hair, making it glow like fire.
“I noticed,” he said calmly. “I’m just surprised, it’s the first time that sort of thing has ever happened.”
Mira smiled, it rather made her proud to be the first person to ever sneak up behind him. Then again, she didn’t know how man people had tried to sneak up behind him.
“Well, this is just bloody great…” Kane said. “We’ll never be able to figure it out.”
“We will,” Aires said softly, her bright crystal eyes looking up.
“That is if Malicar doesn’t kill us first,” grumbled the wizard, who had until this moment been very quiet.
“He’ll come looking for the book,” Toren said, glancing at Sarah who was humming. She always hummed when she was thinking. He knew her like the back of his hand. He had cared for her since the moment he saw her. She was a fair beauty, and uncommon one.
“Oh, you can bet whatever possession you have left on it,” Faren Ray said.
“Then we need to be prepared,” Aires said. “Kane, I want you to devise tactics if we are attacked.”
Kane grinned, “Yes ma’am.”
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Sarah sat up late that night. No matter how hard she tried she couldn’t bring herself to sleep. Her mind kept going over and over the facts that the knew about the riddle. A peak not so very high… A temple filled with spies… But, what was the surprise that it talked about? “You’ll find a little surprise of mine.” Did it mean the stone? Or something else?

She looked up at the canopy of trees above her head. Something, and she didn’t know why, seemed familiar about the place. She didn’t think she had ever heard of such a temple, but the familiarity of it all still wouldn’t leave her.

Temple… She thought. What temple? Where? She ran her hands through her hair, rolling over onto her side. “Spies… filled with spies… It couldn’t mean… but that’s not a temple at all!” Sarah shot up out of her seat.

“A temple filled with spies. What are thieves usually? SPIES!” she was so loud that the others began to wake, Toren before any of the rest.

“What is it Sarah?” he asked, shaking the slumber off.

Sarah had a bright happy look on her face for the first time since they had evacuated from the city. Toren couldn’t figure out why.

“Toren! Its not a temple… its just a building. A temple can be anything, well any place of worship! Thieves are spies… The old thieves guild… Where the thieves would go.. Before Aires’s grandfather’s laws cracked down so hard… I think that’s where this temple is…” She said, her bright eyes looking at Toren with a great deal of excitement.

“Are you sure?” Aires asked, trying to hold back a yawn.

“Sure?! No…” she said sadly. “But, what do we have to loose?”

Faren Ray looked at her with a bland expression. “Only our lives, and eventually the world, but nothing really that important…” he fell back down and his loud snoring could be heard a good distance away.

Edrick hit the wizard rather hard, causing him to wake up again. Faren Ray sat up looking around. Everyone was quiet, as if they were afraid to take the next step. Faren Ray could have slapped them all, but then again he had to lead the decision up to them. He couldn’t force them to do anything… His part was only to oversee it and record it.

Aires finally spoke. “We will leave in the morning… Everyone, get some sleep. We have long days a head of us…”

Everyone laid back down except for Toren and Kane. Kane stood up and walked to Toren. “I need to use the bathroom… I’ll be back,” he told his friend, patting him on the shoulder as he left the clearing.

In the morning they sat out on there journey to the abandoned Thieves Guild in Galdamor. It would take at least three days and nights to arrive at there destination. They had no food or water or any supplies so they would have to stop at least one day to catch and kill something to eat, and that would set them back at least a day and night.

Even if it was the wrong temple it was still a start. The group hadn’t yet realized what was happening and how grave there mission was, but soon they would. Soon… they would realize everything.
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Malicar was sleeping on a bed of pillows in a tent. He had his sword by him, his hand on the hilt. He had always been a paranoid man, but he was right to be so. Men and women would kill him in a heart beat if given the chance. He caused numerous people pain and agony. He lived for it, and it was his pleasure in life.

Malicar took great pleasure in anything, really, that was dark and sinister. The tent wasn’t small at all compared to other tents. It had a bed in the back and curtains that separated it from the rest of the tent. In the front there was a table for him to look his map over, a lantern was still burning and sitting on the top of it.

It was quiet on the outside, all the guards and soldiers had fallen a sleep except the few that had taken third watch. It was near morning almost. But, they were still a good ways a head of Queen Aires and her people. Malicar made sure of that by moving them along the eastern road and around, so they wouldn’t have to encounter the small band of rabble as soon as Envy brought the news about where the first riddle would lead them.

Just before sunrise Envy’s dark form came wondering down the middle of the encampment. She was smiling at all the fresh meat that was lying around. It was to bad that all of them were on Malicar’s side. Envy knew she would just have to wait until the right moment to kill one of the men in the group she was supposed to be following.

Envy opened the flap to Malicar’s tent with the quiet stealth given to her by being a vampire. She walked with grace, making no sound to alert her master of her presence. She pulled back the flap in the middle of the room looking at the body of Malicar, so pale and gentle looking while he slept.

Her slim figure knelt down by his bed of pillows and her cold lifeless hand touched his cheek. “Wake up, Malicar the Deaf,” she said with an evil grin on her lips.

Like lightening he moved, catching her slim neck with his hand and bringing the blade of his sword to her chest. “It would be wise if you did not sneak up on me, Envy… One day I might just run you through.”

“It wouldn’t kill me, so you would be wasting your time,” Envy said through gritted teeth, jerking away.

“No, it would hurt you a great deal… I nice lesson. If you did it a second time I will run you through with a stake…” Malicar ran his hands over his hair to smooth it down as he rose up, stepping past the vampire and into his makeshift study. “You better have news for me…”

Envy walked in behind him, circling around to table. “I do,” she said. “Aires and her followers are heading for the Thieves Guild in Galdamor, they seem to think that the first stone lies there.”

Malicar looked at her darkly. “Seem to think? They don’t know for sure?” he asked, a bit annoyed.

“I don’t think so… That’s what-” Malicar cut her off with a slap.

“Don’t say it,” he said. “We have ears just as well as they do… It might get back to them.”

Envy glared icily with her bright green eyes. “I’m… sorry,” she said, the words coming out strained as if it took all her will power to apologies.

“Good, now go.” Malicar pointed to the exit of the tent.

Envy left, she had to or something awful would have happened to either her or Malicar. But, Malicar had something over Envy… It was something that had kept her in his leash for quite a while.

It was the fact that when Malicar got those stones he would be able to wipe her out in an instant… with just word. Sure, he had power now, but nothing that could kill her. He wasn’t holy, so his power wouldn’t hurt her. But, with the stones he had the power over life and death. She was death in his living form… even still he could kill her.

Malicar looked over his map, a finger tracing the line to the place he needed to go. He smiled the whole time. So close, he thought. But, it wasn’t because he was close to Galdamor… it was because he was close to reaching his goal of absolute power.

Its all he ever wanted. Its all he ever thought he needed and the world had lost its caring and love. There was no pure love. No pure sacrifice of love for the sake of caring for others. He would have all the stones soon. Then, he would wipe out everything that opposed him.

Malicar grinned now, his dark eyes looking up straight a head. He watched Envy as she left to go back to her duty.

“Mord!” Malicar called, exiting his tent once Envy was gone. “Mord! Get up!”

A loud grumble came from a tent next to Malicar’s and out stepped a short stout man with shaggy hair. It was Mord, the right hand man to Malicar.
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Sara was seated at the edge of a brook with Mira, both had there shoes off and there bare feet in the water. The others were behind them tending to there own business. Sometimes Mira and Sara just needed some alone time. For Mira she had needed it more now than ever. She usually didn’t stay around a group of people for a long period of time. She was the Queen’s Maiden, her job was to follow the Queen and pretend to be a nobody. She did it very well, since she didn’t have to talk to anyone very much.

Mira glanced over her shoulder at the man who had been a plague to her for almost a week now since she had met him. It wasn’t that he wasn’t nice or charming. That was the exact problem. She didn’t want to like anyone at the moment. Feelings got in the way of duty, and she couldn’t afford to have that now.

Sara had always amazed her… She and Toren could have feelings for each other and still not let it get in the way of there duty. It surprised her, and made her envy Sara even more.

Mira’s hand went to her necklace, her fingers touching the stone as if it had a soothing effect on her. Her eyes looked at her reflection in the water as the soft wind blew her hair across her face. She pushed it out of the way to find she had the distinct feeling she was being watched.

“Something troubles you, friend,” Sara said, but her eyes weren’t looking at Mira.. So why did she get the feeling someone was staring.

“Nothing troubles me except for this jerk who is boring holes in me with his eyes,” Mira said, whirling around to find that the jerk, which was Aidren, was not looking in there direction at all. He was talking something over with Faren Ray.

“I think this stress is getting you your head Mira,” Sara said, laughing slightly.

“I could have sworn….” Mira said, turning back to the water.

“Maybe deep inside you want him to be staring at you,” Sara joked, grinning.

“No,” Mira said, a slight smirk tugging on her lips.

“He is cute,” Sara said.

Mira rolled her eyes. “Shut up, Sara,” the Queen’s Maiden ordered, but her friend did not obey.

“And he does talk to you far more than the others…”

Mira smiled, “Shut up.” She splashed cold water on her friend and with a gasp it silenced her.

It didn’t stop the feeling that they were being watched. “Sara, look back and see whose looking…” Mira groaned.

“I don’t see anyone,” Sara said, as she looked and then turned back around.

“Okay.”

Mira didn’t understand why she felt eyes, but saw none. Unless someone was in the forest watching them… But, if she stood up and yelled that someone was watching them it would only let the people watching them know she knew.

So she had to keep quiet. Mira stood up and walked towards Kane. “Someone is in the woods,” she told him quietly.

Kane looked up at her and then around. “How do you know?” he asked her.

“I feel there eyes,” she told him, though she would understand if he didn’t believe her.

But, instead he surprised her. “How many?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” Mira told him truthfully.

Kane nodded, walking up to Aires. “We should be moving, then,” he told her louder. “We haven’t got any time to kill…”

Aires nodded softly, pushing herself off the ground. Her once fine dress was tattered and dirty. It was hard to believe that she was a queen. She had no crown and no fine clothing to say she was. If anyone saw her now they wouldn’t recognize her as the Queen of Nevar.

The group walked slowly through an archway into the forest. The plan was, if they were being followed and about to be ambushed, that fighters were stationed every other person. It left Aires and Faren Ray as the only people who would not be fighting. They wouldn’t risk Aires, there Queen’s life, and Faren Ray said he would fight only if he had to.

They made there way slowly through the woods, looking around for any sign of someone following along side or behind.

Aidren’s keen half-elf eyes peered through the thick woods and saw nothing that they should be alert of. That was, until he looked a head. He was the first person in the group, since he was the one with better eyes. What he saw made him freeze, causing the group to stop looking around and look forward at what his eyes had found.

A head on the path was a dark figure. He had a slick black jacket with a hood pulled over his head. But the face of the figure was what had caused Aidren to stop. The face was like bone, white, its eyes hollow as if there were none there. His teeth shone visibly outside his lips, but then again he didn’t have any. His feet were spread apart, giving another creepy feel to the being, as he was a dark blot in a bright forest.

Just as soon as the group noticed him he disappeared. It was like he had never been there at all. Aidren looked around cautiously around, hardly able to believe there luck that he had just disappeared. Aidren was right not to believe, because seconds late the creature appeared again. This time in front of him.

The beast moved quickly, his clawed hand coming up and slamming into Aidren’s chest, sending him back a good ways and into Mira. Sadly for Mira, it knocked them both down. The beast disappeared again and reappeared in front of Leah, who held the book in her arms.

Leah stepped back quickly, her breath quickening when the attention of the beast was drawn on her. But, she soon noticed that it wasn’t her he was after, it was the object in her arms.

Toren drew his blade and just as he was about to attack the beast and slice it down the middle it disappeared again, reappearing behind him and slashing at his back with this thick clawed hand. Toren stumbled to the earth.

The beast went for Leah again, reaching out to grab her, but she “skillfully” ran away. Running behind the most heavily muscled being there. Kane. Kane drew his sword and lunged at the creature. Unfortunately, killing it wouldn’t come so easily.

The being disappeared, coming around behind Kane and Kane turned quickly, stabbing his sword into the creature. A loud piercing cry could be heard as it fell to the ground. Kane sheathed his sword, his eyes unmoving on the still creatures body. “Well, that was easy,” he muttered, turning.

Faren Ray had been leaning against a tree the whole time, finding it a bit funny. “Think again, little General,” he said grinning, pointing behind the group as the black figure rose eerily from his place on the ground. “Try the head this time, Jane- I mean Kane…”

When everyone turned they realized soon what the eccentric wizard was boasting about. The figure had indeed lived through Kane’s deadly blow and stood now, his head tilting from side to side before the head slowly turned in the direction of Mira, who was standing with Sara in front of Leah. Then his head turned ever so slightly to Leah, tilting downwards as he stepped forward.

Kane drew his sword once more and jumped a step forward, his sword coming around on the creature unexpectedly. The head went rolling to the ground as the body fell slowly to the ground.

Toren looked agitatedly at the Faren Ray. “Some wizard you are,” he muttered darkly, coming to stand before Faren Ray. “You don’t fight, you don’t use magic… What good are you?!” Toren shook his head and walked away down the path.

“What a grateful thing to say,” Faren Ray said darkly.

“He’s right,” Kane growled, walking passed the wizard.

Everyone who walked passed him gave him the same dark look as Toren and Kane. He just wasn’t in a winning situation it seemed. It didn’t get better for the wizard either. That night before they reached Galdamor the group made there camp and sat away from Faren Ray, trying to ignore the fact he was even there. Though, it didn’t bother him at all.
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