ALoW Chp 1: Shipwrecked

Alexandra woke the next morning to the sound of knocking. She got up, dressed and opened the door. Jantril stood there, her eyes downcast. She glanced about the room. It had already been sparse before, but now it had an empty, hollow feel to it.

"You're really leaving..." she sighed.

Alexandra gave her a smile. "I heard you passed. You were even chosen by one of the prestigious masters. I congratulate you. You deserve this after all that work you put in."

"But what about you? You put so much effort into this! This was your dream! Maybe we could..." Alexandra cut her off.

"Enough, Jantril. There is no point. The majority of the Elders is against me. The High Elder himself wouldn't be able to overthrow them." she sighed, as she picked up her packs.

"But you're a Warrior! Not a scholar! What do you plan to do once you reach Sanctuary? Join the Academy?!"

"Jantril." Alexandra turned. "The Academy is not the only thing at Sanctuary. Many masters gather there, not to mention the headquarters for the Hunters."

Jantril's eyes widened. "The Hunters? You would be satisfied being some random mercenary?!"

Alexandra laughed, much to her friend's amazement. "I obviously will not be able to train under a master, so I will just have to teach myself."

Jantril burst into laughter. "Of course. i should have known. Only you would be that stubborn." She frowned. "You know, there are times where I wonder if you should have been born a draigon."

"Perhaps I'll meet one?" Alexandra smiled.

"You very well might. Other races are allowed into Sanctuary, after all. Just...stay clear of wolves." Jantril said. She stopped by a window. "I had one of my dreams last night."

"And what happens?"

"I...I do not really know. It was all jumbled together. But I saw a wolf and....a dragon." Jantril whispered.

"A dragon? Highly unlikely. Humans have all but slaughtered them. Still, I would have loved to meet one." Alexandra laughed and began walking down the hall again.

Jantril hesitated before following her. "You will, Alexandra Elarya. You will. And the two of you may be our only hope."

Alexandra paused at the doorway. Outside, a land glider waited to take her to the harbor. Before it stood a crowd of her friends. Hesitantly, she stepped out. Ardus stepped forward, a package in his arms.

"We all wanted to give you a going away gift. This seemed like the practical choice." He smiled.

Alexandra set her packs down, took the package, and ripped off the brown paper wrapping. She gasped at the sword in her hands. "I...I do not know what to say."

"Just promise us one thing." Ardus replied. She looked up at him. "Always remember the code, for you will always be one of us."

Alexandra belted the sword about her waist and drew it from its sheath. She flipped her head to her left, grabbed her hair, then cut it. She looked at her friends, her friends, her hair now falling only to her shoulders. "I swear that I shall always remain true to the Warriors' Code. I shall seek justice. I shall grant mercy. And i shall punish the darkest evils." She handed her hair to Ardus, and he wrapped a cord about the middle to keep it together.

"Now go, Alexandra Elarya." Ardus nodded. Again, her friends saluted her, as she sheathed her new blade and picked up her packs.

She paused at the lg and looked back. Her friends still saluted her. Silently, she swore another oath to them, 'I will become the Warrior you believe me to be.' She turned and entered the lg. Immediately, her packs were taken by a Guard and placed into the storage compartment. Another Guard sat by the door that led to the pilot's den, staring disinterestedly out the small window next to him. A few other passengers were already on board.

Alexandra chose a seat not far from the door.She felt the eyes of the other passengers on her. She was not surprised. In the Aldinairri culture, cutting one's hair had two meanings. The first one was making an oath. The second was fulfilling one.

With a slight shudder, the lg hummed to life. The first Guard sealed the door and sat down. As the lg rose from the ground, Alexandra closed her eyes. A single tear coursed down her cheek, and she immediately felt all eyes leave her. Briefly, she wondered what other races would do in a situation like this. Her thoughts were brightened by these thoughts. Living in the training facility, she had only had personal interaction. with fellow Aldinairri. But now...she was free. Once she reached Sanctuary, she would be free to go where she pleased.

She couldn't help but wonder if everything she had heard of the other races was true. Humans truly fascinated her. They were said to look remarkably like Aldinairri, yet they were....different. None of her instructors had deemed the difference worthy of discussing. Of course, it had been irrelevant to her training. Now she had a chance to learn answers to at least some of the questions she had.

Alexandra looked out the window next to her. They were over a forested area now, the tops of the trees just a few feet below them. She frowned and began searching the skies. For a brief moment, she thought she saw something, but a cloud passed in front of it. 'Or did it dive behind the cloud?' She quickly put it from her mind. Off in the distance, she could just make out the seashore. She had only been here once. It had been for a training exercise. It had been what could be called fun, though most Elder Aldinairri seemed to frown on such things, deeming them "too human-like".

She had had clashes with their teachings before. That was why the High Elder had been so surprised when she had withdrawn. He had been expecting her to challenge them. But she knew the Elders. With them, there was no point in arguing; you had to prove them wrong. And she couldn't. They had been right, had known they were right, and she had known it. So instead of disgracing herself, she had kept her honor and withdrawn. Which in a way was an act of defiance.

The lg touched down in a special landing field, the hum of its power crystals fading. Alexandra stood and took her packs from the Guard, and she stepped out of the vehicle. Her nose was immediately assaulted by a strong scent of fish. She took a deep breath, adjusting to it. The harbor was a very small village with a single dock, the only thing in the area being the Aldinairri training facility. The craft at the end of the pier was like everything else of Aldinairr make. Beautiful and elegant, but not extravagant. It was bigger than she expected, but then, thee were several other passengers.

As she stepped aboard, the captain gave her a slight bow. "Welcome aboard, please, if you will give your packs to a deckhand, they will be taken to your room."

Alexandra gave her packs to the deckhand and followed him. The room was small, consisting of just a bed and a nightstand. The deckhand set her packs on the bed and turned to her. "Feel free to move about the ship. Meals are served on the deck below this one at the three points of the day: dawn, midday, and sunset. You miss one, and you will have to wait for the next one." She nodded and stepped aside; the deckhand hurried off. After stowing her packs beneath her bed, she returned up to the top deck, stepping aside again as the other passengers went below to their rooms.

She frowned and glanced up. High up, a bird was soaring in slow circles. Her frowned deepened. She had always been known for her sharp eyes and quick intellect. Whatever it was, it was too high up. It turned, and for a brief moment, she saw its entire shape. The creature turned and flew northward.

The ship jolted slightly as it was untied from the pier. With a flapping sound, the sails were unfurled, quickly catching the wind. The shore quickly fell away from them as they headed out into deeper water. If the wind kept up like this, and nothing went wrong, they should be able to reach Sanctuary in a couple of weeks.

Fortunately, their first week went smoothly. At the beginning of the second week, the wind began picking up. Massive storm clouds could be seen in the distance, lightning flashing within the inky black mass.

The sailors rushed about, tying everything not secure down. The captain stood at the tiller, his face grim. Low, rumbling thunder could be heard in the distance, as the storm towered over them like a dread fortress.

The ship shuddered violently as it was assaulted by the wind, rain, and the churning sea. The wind howled and roared; the sea tossed the ship around as though it were a child's toy. Below, in the dimly lit eating area, the passengers sat in silence. None of them could remember the last time such a violent storm had struck.

Two days passed and still the storm raged on, with no end in sight. That night, those able to sleep were awoken by a loud creaking and snapping sound. the ship shuddered and rocked.

Not an hour earlier, one of the masts had been struck by lightning about a third of the way up from the base. It had snapped off now, weakened from the lightning and pounded ceaselessly from the sea. The storm was worsening.

A sailor came rushing into the dining area, completely drenched. "We are going to have to lose some of the cargo. With the loss of a mast, we're too unbalanced."

Alexander hurried with some of the others. Grabbing what she could, she ran with the others up to top deck, throwing what she had overboard. Looking up, her heart froze in terror at the sight before her. A massive wave loomed over them. Alexandra closed her eyes as the very breath was knocked out of her. Her world was spinning, twisting, swirling. Her head struck something solid, and she lost all senses...
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With a groan, she felt herself stirring. Beneath her, she felt sand, while gentle waves ran over her lower body.

Her eyelids were crusted over with salt, but she managed to open them. She squinted as her eyes tried to adjust to the bright light of the sun. With another groan, she managed to push herself up enough to survey her surroundings. She was on a beach on what she knew was the mainland. Wreckage from the ship littered the beach. She tried to stand up, but she fell back down with a cry. She had landed on her sword, which was still belted around her waist. Painstakingly, she managed to crawl out of the shallows, and the tide, and up onto the grassy bank. She stopped in the shade of a tree, managing to push herself into a sitting position. with her back against it. Exhausted, her eyes closed and she sank back into unconsciousness.

She stirred at the sound of voices. "Blast it all! Look at this! Looks like a ship got caught in that storm!" a gruff voice said.

"Hey, I found a girl!" a younger voice called out.

There were several sharp intakes of breath. "An Aldinairr!" "Is she alive?" "Yeah, I can see her breathing." "How do you know she's an Aldinairr?" "Hair so silver it's almost white, greyblue skin, and you smell her blood? They smell slightly stronger than humans."

"Step aside!" A new voice said. "What have we got here?"

"An Aldinairr, female. Washed up on shore when her ship went down. No other survivors, it looks."

"She's alive?"

"Yes."

The newest voice, their leader evidently, spoke again. "How bad is she?"

"If we took her back to camp, she'd make a full recovery." Immediately, a quarrel broke out. They all fell silent as they heard a raspy sound.

"W.....at....er...." Alexandra managed to croak. Her voice was rough and scratchy. She managed to open her eyes. It was dark, but her race had excellent night vision.

"What?" the man next to her asked.

"Wa...ter...." she winced at the dryness of her throat. The man caught what she was saying and uncorked his canteen. Very carefully, he tilted her head back and trickled water into her mouth, forcing her to drink slow.

The leader pointed to the wreckage. "Was that yours?"

She nodded weakly. "We...were headed...to Sanctuary." She managed to say.

The leader frowned. "Sanctuary? But you're a Warrior."

Alexandra laughed, which turned into a cough, causing her to wince. After drinking some more water, she answered. "I was forced to withdraw from my Trial." She looked u pat the leader. "If you don't want me in your camp, just leave the canteen and some food. I know wolves prefer to keep to themselves."

The leader sighed and shook his head. "You can barely move, let alone manage. No. I cannot just leave you here like this." He pointed to the wolf next to her. "Lytarus, you found her, she's your charge. Take her to Mera when we get to camp."

Lytarus nodded and carefully lifted Alexandra up. He gave her a wry smile and took off with the rest of his pack. She was amazed that he was able to stay with them; she hadn't realized just how strong wolves were. She was truly honored; wolves may have been honorable, but many Aldinairri saw them as a barbaric race, living in the southern edge of the continent. Nomadic from what she had heard.

Through the trees ahead, she could see firelight. Her ears picked up the sound of voices, music, and laughter. There were children's voices mingled with the adults. The pack slowed down as they stepped into the small settlement.

Silence fell as Alexandra was spotted. The hostility in their eyes died as they saw how weak she was. The leader, clearly the Alpha of this pack, explained how they found her.

A wizened old woman stepped forward. "Let me see the wounded one." The crowd respectfully fell back. The old woman took a long look at her. "Hmm, it is fortunate indeed that your race is close to humans. Tell me, child, how old are you?"

"I just turned forty-three years of age." Alexandra answered.

There were several gasps from the people gathered, but old Mera simply nodded. "Still so young? You look slightly older. Something about your eyes." She looked at Lytarus. "Come. Bring her to my tent, then you may go eat with the rest." Lytarus followed her through the crowd to the old woman's tent. He felt the girl in his arms go limp. Mera watched as he laid Alexandra carefully on a cot. "The poor dear. Who knows how long she was adrift out there, at the mercy of the sea."

"Days, I'd say. No fewer than two?" Lytarus replied.

Mera nodded. "At the least. Now, go on. Off with you!" She smiled, playfully shoving him out. Once he was gone, Mera's face grew grim. She sighed as she inspected the girl: her whole body was covered in bruises, and Mera was certain of at least two cracked ribs. Not to mention the gash on her head. Mera shook her head; the girl was lucky to be alive. In fact, it was an outright miracle. The old wise woman had her work cut out for her.

A Legacy of Warriors

Ok, so, this is not Once Forgotten. But it is a part of the Realm. A couple of posts ago, I introduced Alexandra Elarya, one of the eldest Aldinairri left in the Realm during the events of Once Forgotten. This is her story: her beginning. As well as a history of how the War for Magyck began.
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"In the end, we were all that remained. The rest of the far western edge was all but destroyed. I am not sure how many of those remaining survived, if, indeed, any did. But that no longer matters; only Thyrin and I remain here, now. The rest of the Aldinairri set sail. They are now headed to Sanctuary. But I cannot go back there. Not now. Not after all that has happened. The Golden Age is long over. At least the Elders see that now. Yet, Thyrin is troubled. According to the Drax, war has broken out everywhere. I fear that all of this shall only lead to a greater tragedy. For that is the ultimate outcome of war. Sorrow. Pain. And death.

"It's hard to believe how much has changed. I do not regret my choice, though. I stand by it. Taking the Warrior's Oath was the wisest path to take. Thyrin has helped me see this. For ones so young in the eyes of our elders, both dragon and Aldinairr, we have been forced to open our eyes. In a sense, wisdom was forced upon us. As terrible as war is, it is sometimes a necessary evil. It's odd, really. It feels like an eon, yet all has happened so quickly. To think that all this could happen. All because I kept my Oath. All because I dared to save a life. Because I dared to bind my own life to that of a dragon's..."
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"Alexandra Elarya." A stern voiced called out. A young girl, who appeared to be no older than twelve, stepped forward and bowed before standing straight. The High Elder smiled down at her. "What is it you wish to be, child?"

The girl was silent for a long while. Finally, she raised her eyes to those of the Elders'. "I wish to be a Warrior." She said, her voice strong and clear.

The High Elder frowned as whispering broke out amongst the others. "Why do you make such a wish? As the daughter of a well-standing merchant, you are offered the chance of entering the Academy at Sanctuary. Such a thing is generally not available to just anyone. Perhaps, you haven't considered all your options fully."

"With all due respect, my mind is made up. i have pondered over my choices fully, not evading a single one." Alexandra raised her head high. "I wish to be a Warrior."

The High Elder nodded. "If that is truly what you wish, then it shall be granted."

~30 years later~

"Alexandra! Alexandra! Oh by the Eleven Above!" Alexandra jolted awake as she was drenched with cold water. She shivered and glared at her friend. Her friend,Jantril, merely chuckled and returned the pitcher to its place on the dresser. "Surely you haven't forgotten what today is?"

The Aldinairri threw her blanket off and leapt up. Muttering curses under her breath, she quickly dressed into her uniform (A tan tunic, leggings, and a pair of simple leather shoes). Without a word, she raced out of her room, her friend hurrying to keep up. After a few twists and turns, she stopped. Judging by the sun, she only had five minutes, but it would take ten to get down the stairs and outside. The training field was just below. She took a deep breath and cracked her knuckles. Jantril sighed. "Oh not again!"

Alexandra stepped onto the windowsill then leapt up and out. For a brief moment (approximately five seconds), she closed her eyes, allowing herself to completely enjoy the sensation, the freedom. She opened her eyes, twisted slightly, and landed lightly on her feet. In her exact place in the lineup. Her head instructor nodded to her, yet his face remained emotionless. A few of her peers gave her smiles for her performance, yet most kept their eyes forward, their backs straight.

"Today is an important day." Their instructor began. "Today is the where most of you will be taken under the tutelage of masters for advanced training. Now, most of you have been preparing for this day your whole life. While others," he glanced at Alexandra, "believe that training is not necessary." Alexandra clenched her teeth. She did train. She hated training with the others, so she had begun training at night. What no one knew, however, was the fact that a master had been helping her. She knew she was ready for this; it was time to convince everyone else. The head instructor continued. "Now, you all know what will happen today." It was then that a land glider landed in the field, its crystals still humming. "Everybody into the lg."

Alexandra sat down across from her friend. "How did you make it down?"

Jantril smiled and flicked a strand of her hair over her shoulder. "I slid down the banister on the spiral staircase then ran all out." Alexandra blinked. Out of the twenty in this group, Jantril was nu far the fastest. "I just can't wait to see you fight." She said, lowering her voice. "After all the hours of sleep you've given up, you're going to do wonders!"

"As if." A boy scoffed. "If anything, she'll fall asleep before she even gets the chance."

"Shut up, Nilus." Jantril said, glaring at him.

"Why should I? So she doesn't sleep? Pah! That just makes her perfect for the Night Guard."

One of their peers intervened."Save it for the Trial. The two of you are both in the same category. You're bound to fight one another at some point."

Nilus ' eyes widened. "You're training to be an Ultear?"

Alexandra scoffed. "Of course. It made the most sense. The perfect balance between a weapons mast and an archmage. The art of spell-weaving combined with the might and ferocity of advanced fighting techniques, ranging from hand to hand combat to the skill of wielding a good weapon. In fact, the Ultear class Warrior was inspired by the draigons." She smiled in satisfaction at the slight pale color of Nilus' face. In all truth, she had the perfect build for an Ultear. Her figure was slim, but not thin. She was not particularly well muscled, but she gave off an air of strength. Her chest was not overly developed, but neither could she be called flat. She certainly was no giant, but at six feet, she was well balanced. And with the look of determination in her eyes, Nilus had every reason to be worried. She smirked as she heard him whispering to the other candidates. There were currently only three available Ultear masters.

The lg came to a stop, shuddering slightly as it touched down. Jantril gave her friend a nervous smile before exiting the vehicle. Alexandra followed. Remembering her training, she took a slow breath and exhaled. Next, she began to mentally size up her oponents. Nilus tended to favor a blade, generally using the weapon to channel his magyck. Jara preferred an enchanted halberd, which had been made by her father, who was a master smith and spell-weaver. She generally used magyck to distract her oponents, while going in for the attack. Ardus was potentially the greatest challenge. Although he appeared to be a hand to hand fighter, his specialty was using magyck to create his own weapons by bending one of the elements. Not to mention that he was an expert unarmed fighter. Then there was Calin. calin was a tre definition of an Ultear. It didn't matter what weapon he used. When it came to magyck, he was a master at spell-weaving. what did matter was the level of his conviction. He often came off as more a philosopher and scholar than Ultear material. no. Ardus would definitely be her greatest challenge. And seeing as he was marked highest, she would have to beat everyone else twice before she'd be able to fight him.

The stands for the spectators were all packed, and many more still sat around the farthest edges of the field. Alexandra briefly wondered if that was a wise move.

She stiffened when a hand landed on her shoulder. "I'm looking forward to our match." She turned to Ardus. He chuckled at her confusion. "I'm not jesting. Nor am I mocking. out of all the candidates, you are the only one who will be able to give me a fight worthy of the Trial."

Alexandra frowned. "What makes you say that?"

He gestured at the other three. "None of them have the conviction necessary to win. You are the only one that I see as an equal." He smiled and headed for the lineup.

Alexandra followed. Her eyes were narrowed. She needed to focus now. Silently, she hoped she got Nilus' name first.

The High Elder stood and raised his hands. The spectators (which was made up of other races as well as Aldinairri) fell quiet. "Today, we gather in anticipation of the rising of a new generation. As you are all aware of, each year we hold a Trial to see who is worthy of furthering their training in the wars of the Warrior. The Trial consists of three tournaments. Would the candidates please form into their proper classes?"

Alexandra joined the other four candidates of the Ultear class. The res formed into two groups of ten: one for the Ulter class, weapon mastery; the other for Ultar, the archmage class. For several, this would be their second attempt. If they didn't pass this time, they would be sworn in as Soldiers, or would be transferred to the Academy at Sanctuary. For her, this would be her first and only attempt. She gad worked too hard to get where she was. Failure was not an option she could afford.

She half listened as the High Elder went into a small history of the Trial. How honor needed to be preserved, and how fortunate they were that peace had lasted for so many years.

"Yet even within this Golden Age, we must be ever vigilant. Our Warriors ensure that justice is sought. That mercy is bestowed. And the darkest evils punished." The High Elder finished. HE raised his hands again. "And now, let the Trial begin!" The spectators exploded into applause and cheers.

Alexandra took her seat in the candidate stands as the first pair entered into the fighting field. She watched disinterestedly; there would be ten matches, since it took two beatings for defeat. The longest matches would be the Ultar tournament, since archmages solely used magyck alone. Most would argue that the Ultear tournament would be, but Alexandra knew otherwise. With only three masters available, there were only three opportunities available. Which meant two would have to either wait, or go to Sanctuary. With stakes like this, achieving victory as quickly as possible was the logical choice. However, the opposite could be just as true. She frowned. She was confident she could beat the lesser three. Apparently, Ardus was too. No, he would be the true challenge. At that point, she would already be assured of an apprenticeship.

For most of the morning, the Ulter tournament went on, finishing two hours before midday. Alexandra could barely stand it. A sense of dread filled her; the Elders were all frowning and earnestly discussing something. Her confidence shattered when she saw Artel, the master who had helped her, approach them. The spectators all began to mumble amongst themselves. The crowd grew quiet as the High Elder stood and faced them. "Alexandra Elarya, come forth and stand before you're Elders."

With a face of stone, the Aldinairr stood. All eyes were upon her as she steadily walked to the Elders' stand. She stood before them, her head held high.

The High Elder sighed. Beside him, Artel looked at her in sorrow. The High Elder spoke, his voice somber. "Alexandra Elarya, you have been accused of gaining unfair advantage over your peers. What have you to say to this?"

'I wish to know my accuser." She replied, her voice devoid of all emotion. The High Elder motioned and a boy from the Ultar candidates stood. Alexandra lowered her head. "I withdraw." She said quietly.

"What?" The High Elder asked.

She raised her head and voice. "I withdraw from the Trial." The crowd and candidates gasped.

"You know the consequences of withdrawing. Do you really wish to forfeit all chance of joining the Ultear?" The Elder asked.

"I wish to keep my honor intact. The accusation is true. Master Artel met with me several times while I was training. Though she gave only vague instruction, the Elders would still find that as grounds for disqualification, and by law, I would be banned from the Trial. And as I have no wish to be sworn in as a simple minded Soldier, blindly following orders, I withdraw and request safe passage to Sanctuary." She answered.

The High Elder nodded, slightly shocked. Artel hung her head, her eyes downcast. The High Elder spoke. "The Elders shall respect your wish. Passage to Sanctuary shall be arranged for you as soon as possible. For now, you will be escorted back to the training facility."

Two Guards came forward and walked behind her. She walked steadily and with her head held high. To her surprise, her peers saluted as she walked past them, their right hands clenched in fists over their hearts. Her honor remained intact.

Once Forgotten 3.9

“Alexandria Elarya.” The robed man said reverently. “It has been far too long.”

“It is good to see you as well, Alduwan Sidonra.” She replied.

He turned his gaze fell on her three children, inspecting them as they stood at attention, showing respect for one far older than they. “Ah, Algard, Karanie, Jintus. You three have grown much since I last saw you.”

The three clasped their clenched fists and bowed their heads in respect. “May the Light of The Mother shine forever.”

Alduwan gave Alexandria a smile. “Still teaching the Old Ways, are you?”

“As long as I shall live, I shall see that they are not forgotten.” She answered.

Alduwan’s smile deepened. “I wish the rest were like you. In fact, I wish you had stayed at Sanctuary.”

Alexandra gave a sigh and looked out over the sea with a sad gaze. Her dwelling was up on a high hill that overlooked the ocean and surrounding forest. “You know I couldn’t stay. You also know why I had to leave.”

“Is he even still alive?” Alduwan asked.

The Elder gave a shrug. Though she looked no older than thirty, the very way she moved spoke of untold ages. “I don’t know. Thyrin was never one to stay in one place. He is not dead. I would know if he was. My guess would be that he is somewhere in the Mountains of the Drax.”

Alduwan frowned. “Hiding in plain sight?”

“Guiding, not hiding. If anything, he would be the Queen’s Adviser.” She smiled. “You know how he always manages to get himself involved with politics.” A frown crossed her face. “Enough evasion. Why have you come here?”

“The M’rachtkenta are entering into Thyninairinn. No doubt you have had problems with minor demons? I saw those three performing a cleansing ritual. We need you to return.” Alduwan said.

“The Northern Continent is where things are happening, and soon, the rest of our world will feel the effects. Darkness is spreading. A shadow is being cast on our world. It will not be long now before the Fallen Gods break free of their prison.”

“Which is why we need you to return. Ardis has called a conclave of Elders.” Alduwan replied.

Alexandra turned to him, her eyes wide. “A conclave? There hasn’t been a conclave in…”

“Five millennia, yes. And he says that we should’ve met long ago. That we should have continued to watch over the other races. He said that you were right.”

Alexandra said nothing, but turned to her three wards. “Go pack your things. We must be off within one hour.” The three siblings saluted and hurried off. She turned to Alduwan. “I hope we still have time. War is upon Thyninairinn.”

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“Where in Alphairria is he taking us?” Brint muttered for the nth time. Rya glanced at him. They were sitting on a log on the bank of a stream. Nadar had been guiding them through a dense section of forest for the past three hours, with no signs of stopping except for the occasional break. Even now, he was pacing several feet away, obviously eager to move on.

“I’m not sure. All I know is that he’s on our side, and he wants us to see something. Or something. I’m not sure. He doesn’t read like you or anyone else. In fact, he reads like….” She was cut off by Nadar.

“Let’s move! You’ve had your rest, and you both are far stronger than normal folk! In fact, there’s hardly anything normal about you. Or me, come to think of it.” Nadar said as he began to walk off. The two fell in step behind him. The forest grew dense around them, would grow sparse, then dense again. Shadows fell as the sun sank behind the Mountains of the Drax.

Rya stopped in a clearing and gazed off at them. They were several leagues from the mountain range, but already they rose high above all else. Natural towers formed at the creation of Thyninairinn. “I grew up hearing stories of those mountains. I never…” She broke off. Nadar smiled at her as he came back to where she stood. Brint stood on her other side.

“You never thought they’d be this majestic, this magnificent. You’d heard the stories all your life, yet you never thought that anything could be grander than you imagine. It’s a common misconception. Everyone thinks that what they imagine could never be as it truly is, but the truth is that some things are far grander than they could ever imagine.” Nadar spoke, his voice sounding far away. “But come. If we stay too long, those mountains may crumble while we dawdle.” And he marched off. Brint frowned again.

“He may be on our side, but he sure is odd.” He whispered.

“And I’ll only get odder as we totter. Which is exactly what we’ll be doing once darkness falls and we aren’t where we need to be. So, let’s move!” Rya laughed as Brint tried to figure out how their guide could’ve heard him. Rya hurried to catch up. “So, where exactly are you taking us?”

“We are in the Shadow of the Drax.” Nadar replied, a smirk on his face. Rya stopped dead cold so suddenly Brint walked into her. He grabbed her shoulders to keep her from falling over.

“What’d he say?” Brint asked.

“The Shadow of the Drax.” Rya whispered. “We are in the Shadow of the Drax.” Nadar had stopped a few feet away.

Brint’s face paled. “The Shadow of the Drax?! Don’t you know the stories about this place?!”

“Indeed I do. In fact, I know them very well indeed. But the two of you must see.” Nadar replied casually.

“See what? The horrors of this place?!” Brint asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

“The horrors died long ago. It is the memory that haunts this place. Nothing more.” Nadar answered. He frowned. “At least, they should have, yet you never know. Best be on your guard.” As he said this, he suddenly stopped, dead still. His eyes widened as he stared ahead of him, the blood draining from his face. “It can’t be….”

Rya and Brint came up next to him, trying to see what he was upset about. Before them, there were only trees, shrubs, and…..a very odd statue. It stood about twenty feet from them, and it almost appeared to be that of a man in a cloak. The two frowned. Something wasn’t right.

Rya whispered out of the corner of her mouth. “What is it? What is that thing?”

Nadar swallowed hard and whispered back, his voice barely audible. “That would be a gargoyle.”