Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2004 12:40 am
originally posted by Raindragon on 6 January 04
I know I keep stopping my stories and doing new ones but I think this one is going to be ok. Saying that I'll probably change eventually anyway but I'll have to see how it goes Anyway, this is a new fantasy story I've been trying to plan for ages - drawing characters, creating a plot etc. I've done almost 2 chapters but to start with I'll just post the introduction so you get to know the world of Eladia and the main character. Hope you enjoy!
NB: You may notice some things in this story are the same as in my other story Dragonquest: Legend of Mythica such as the Mysti Dragons. This is just because I liked them so I put them in this story too. You could say it's a very revamped version of my earlier story
Lunescente Unleashed
Introduction - The World of Eladia
Welcome to Eladia. My name’s Rayven and this is a story about me. Well, it’s not exactly about me. It’s about the world of Eladia, the fascinating diversity of living organisms that inhabits it, the striking landscapes and the period of time we Eladians now call ‘The War of the Ancients’.
Before I begin, you’ll want to know a bit about me first, right? Well, to start with I’m not human. I am in fact a small furry creature, known as a Molki, about seventeen years of age (we have the same average lifespan as you humans) and living with my mother, father and younger brother.
Molki are like a cross between a swift wild rabbit, powerful cat and sly weasel. We have short snouts, long tufted ears, a mane of soft fur and a bushy tail of medium length. We also have long whiskers and wear clothes like humans do. I’ve often heard some people talk about legends where apparently we were once humans but were cursed to live like wild animals for the rest of our lives. Well, that’s rubbish! We’ve been like this since the beginning of time!
I’m an unusual breed of Molki. My fur is jet black with an emerald sheen like a raven’s wing – hence my name. I also have violet luminaries whereas most Molki have brown or green eyes. I usually wear a deep indigo tunic and auburn trousers. I’m an excellent fighter with a sword – my father taught me how – and later on I will tell you how I discovered an amazing power that I never knew I had and the reason why I am so different to the other Molki.
My family are pretty peaceful and tend not to move much for fear predators will feast on us. My mother is calm and collective and very sweet. She cooks the best meals every day; one of my favourite dishes is Gyor Root pie. My father can have a bit of a temper at times and sometimes the world gets on his nerves, but he’s strong and protective a professional warrior. He taught us all how to handle a weapon so we may defend ourselves at all times. I now carry his first and best sword – the Slayer – and I have wielded it many times. My brother, Urdu is actually quite well behaved as far as younger brothers go. Sure, he might be annoying at times but he admires me and looks up to me. I’m quite fond of him.
Our house is in a burrow underneath the trunk of a vast Gyor tree. These trees are sacred and their name literally means ‘Light Tree’. Our home is divided into rooms (or underground chambers if you prefer) and I wouldn’t like to move anywhere else. Despite the hassle we have with flooding – if it rains too much we need to block our burrow with a huge boulder – it’s safe, comfortable and situated under a holy tree. What more could a Molki ask for?
*
Anyway, enough about me: now I’ll tell you a bit about Eladia. The first thing you should note about this world is its elements. Eladia is split into eight kingdoms, various small islands and one large island, which could be called the headquarters of all Eladia. Each kingdom has its own element and the people and creatures there are adapted to live with and use that particular element. The power of the element is transferred to the towns, villages and cities of the continent by means of an elemental tower. These towers house a large orb at the highest point that emits the energy of the element it symbolises. There is also one mammoth being that guards each of the kingdoms. These are known as the Elemental Guardians and are essential protectors to Eladia. That’s a general overview of the world, now I’ll give you a quick tour of the places we have on offer.
Starting in my home kingdom, the Kingdom of Earth, we have the capital city of Earthil, situated in the harsh terrain of Rock Valley. We live near the outskirts of this city and it is home to the kingdom’s monarchs. To the east is an island with no name but it is home to our guardian. Across the hazardous Boulder Plain you will see Rayden’s Palace, the residence of Guardian Rayden. South from the main city lies the Veiled Forest, a forest shrouded in thick mist and full of treacherous plants and animals. Few have ever seen it, but rumours say that a community of dragons known as the Mysti Dragons live in this forest. To the west of the woodland sits the small town of Port Sodan and to the east the immense Bordan Mountains. Make your way across the Sandbridge - a strip of natural sand, which is free to walk on for half the year – and you will see the Earth Tower.
From here we’ll travel south across the Great Flamerock Bridge and enter the Flamelands. You will be stunned to see a large forest of bare, decaying trees called the Dead Forest. A volcano by the name of Mount Verlus looms over the forest; this is the domain of the fire guardian, Verlus. A disastrous eruption wiped out a lot of life here but to the south is the Glade of Hope containing a diminutive village nestled near the coast. We go swiftly to the west through Rogen Pass – home of a Fire Troll who fines travellers as they come by – and we now enter the scorching Sorad Desert. In the centre is the Spring of Paradise, a soothing oasis of pure healing water. North lies lively Peranza Town and in the south the town of Juillemba and the Flame Tower.
If we glide swiftly to the west we will find the oddly shaped Lands of Water. This small continent contains the bizarre city of Ogenlau where the many buildings, streets and residents are trapped in a huge dome made of Draiglass, strongest material in Eladia. Northwest are the Wet Plains and the ancient Azmel Temple. The Aqua Tower sits off the coast on a separate isle and in between, a colossal, raging whirlpool is the Lair of Dragunis, the water guardian.
In the far north of Eladia is Element Isle – the main base of the planet. If you make it past the mysterious Rainbow Plains you will find Elementis. This is the largest city in the whole of Eladia and uses the power of all elements via a massive rainbow hued orb. Recently there have been sightings of an impenetrable diamond-shaped isle coloured pitch black. It has a quality that draws whoever nears it towards it and whoever has approached it has never come back. This island has now been named the Isle of Destiny.
The Darklands are best avoided. The lands there have been cursed and the guardian – a demon called Dastri – is now sealed within the crust of Eladia due to the fact he was uncontrollable. The only inhabitants are the Orcuans who live in the Ruins of Destrin. This island has been shattered and even the tower of darkness has been destroyed. This kingdom would have been forgotten if the few Orcuans that live there didn’t exist.
The Ice Continent at first glance looks like a frozen wasteland but life does dwell there. The Ice Tower supplies power to the cold Village of Frost and the icy town of Valuu. Guardian Titan lives in his own glacier, where blizzards frequently blast the pillars of ice that watch over the continent.
The Lands of Light consist of an arching bridge of land where patches of woodland grow known as the Pure Glades. Then on a rounded protrusion to the southeast are the City of Purgeaton, the Tower of Light and the Holy Lighthouse, which is the lair of the light guardian Angeluna.
Moving up is the Kingdom of Thunder where an Arkeon-shaped (type of arrow-headed reptile) island houses the town of Flasheti (built in a vast hunk of rock) Corevas Canyon and the Storm Plains where it never stops thundering. Guardian Stormox resides in a palace a little way from the island and the Lightning Tower is situated on an island shaped like a lightning bolt.
North lies the Ruins of Anciarta. This was thought to have been an ancient city built in the ocean but was somehow destroyed. The story of Anciarta has never been fully concluded. Still north lays the Air Country. South of the continent is the town of Aeros and to the east Guardian Roc’s nest stands on a soaring pillar of rock. West is the Canyon of Echoes where numerous travellers say they’ve heard spectral voices whispering through the cliffs. Between the nest and the canyon is the intense twister named the Barrier Tornado and through here is the only way to reach the Wind Tower.
To conclude our tour we will look at the island located in the farthest southeastern part of Eladia. On this island lies a high cliff with a spiralling trail winding around it to the peak. Here, a peculiar rock shaped like a winged monster is perched peering at a raised platform, indented as if something should be placed there. This island is known as Summoner’s Rock. Many people have tried placing something on the pedestal but nothing has happened. All Eladians ponder over the reason for this landforms existence but we eventually found out. And it wasn’t very pretty.
This is the end of my introduction to Eladia. If you would care to listen to this Molki’s words I will now tell you the story of ‘The War of the Ancients’. It all started about two years ago when I was foraging for food…
Btw, I don't usually write in 1st person unless I have to at school so if it doesn't sound too good, that's probably why.
--------------------------------------------
Thanks! Unfortunately I'll probably be like you Mop. Unless some time in the future I feel like continuing And now for Chapter 1. Hope it meets your expectations.
Chapter 1: Meeting Kara
It was a truly magnificent day at about noon when I was foraging for Eladian mushoons (a type of small brown mushroom which likes to propel itself into the air and are wonderful to catch…), discarded Gyor roots and mulberries for our evening meal. Eladia’s two suns – a fiery red orb named Solnu and an icy blue wisp named Soltu – burned like twin gods in the brilliant blue sky. Earthgulls glided across the land with ease, their emerald plumage glittering in the sunlight. It was a peaceful, tranquil and generally pleasant day and the perfect time to go foraging.
To start with I searched around the base of our home tree for broken roots. Urdu trailed around behind me as usual. He always liked to follow me and help with my daily chores and continuously badgered me to teach him how to use a sword. At fifteen years he was perfectly capable of wielding a weapon but father needed to find the right kind of weapon for him and so far none had been found. He was too weak to carry an axe, to small to hold a longbow and he didn’t have the courage to swing a sword. But for some reason he showed an interest in sword fighting and I couldn’t understand why he didn’t give it a try. One day he asked me something that I wasn’t exactly sure how to answer…
“Rayven? If I could wield a sword do you think I could become a great warrior?”
I replied: “Urdu…Whatever weapon you wield you can become a great warrior. But maybe the reason we can’t find a suitable weapon is because you can work with something much bigger that we don’t know about yet.”
“What do you mean?” he questioned as he blinked confused and cocked his furred head to one side.
“Maybe instead of wielding something that needs physical strength you can use your mind and spirit!”
“That’s silly. How can you use your mind and spirit to wield something?”
“You know what magic is, right?” I peered at him, smiling agreeably.
Urdu’s features lit up like the Holy Lighthouse. “You mean--?
I didn’t really know he could use magic of course; I just wanted to encourage the little guy and squeeze some determination out of him. I couldn’t bear to see him disappointed. At that point in time I felt that maybe he just wasn’t meant to fight with anything. But to say he was a magic wielder would be a great compliment!
“Rayven! You really think I could be a magic wielder!?” he replied eagerly.
“Sure, little brother. You can do anything if you believe in yourself”.
He smiled at me and just said: “Thank you” before running cheerfully back to the burrow.
I sighed contentedly before resuming my search. I found a few broken roots and put them in the olive green sack I was carrying. Then I journeyed further from the Gyor tree and nearer to the bustling city of Earthil. I could see the bleached marble walls that protected the city and behind them I could hear the familiar cries of humans trying to sell their wares. I dashed into the bushes beside them where a healthy crop of mulberries grew. Molki are naturally secretive and don’t like to be seen by humans too much. Sure, some people see us at times but sometimes it can’t be avoided. Some have even chased after us in an attempt to converse with us but being about twice the size of a Molki they couldn’t follow us into our burrows. To us, a proper meeting with a human could be suicidal and was frowned upon.
I picked the fragrant mulberries gently so as not to crush them in my strong paws and soon found myself humming a melody that mother taught us when we were young. We called it ‘Mother’s Melody’ for obvious reasons and it is used as a method of calming oneself. We shouldn’t sing it far from the burrow though or it might attract humans or predators but I was doing it regardless of danger. Maybe the sweet aroma of the berries caused me to forget the outside world and tune me in to the world of the bushes, the mulberries and me.
Whatever caused it, it wasn’t long before I realised it was a mistake. Well…now I think about it, it really wasn’t a mistake, but it seemed like it at the time. With my bag full of succulent berries I turned to search the patch at the back of our burrow where mushoons tended to sprout from the soil. As I exited the shrub barrier I was greeted with the beaming face of a young female human that had obviously heard my melody and stopped to listen.
The girl looked quite healthy and had pale skin and a slight frame. Her hair was midnight black but highlighted with snowy white and swept gracefully down past her shoulders. She wore a glittering tiara, sapphire blue robes and ivory boots. She bore the emblem of a sea serpent on the back of her mysterious garb, which meant she had come from the Lands of Water – she could even be the princess.
When I first sighted her smiling, gentle face I was transfixed and stood for a few moments blinking mystifyingly. Then I ran for my life back to the burrow. I heard a call: “Wait!” as the girl then pursued me. My paws worked hard as they pelted the soft earth causing clouds of dust to rise. I panted heavily after a while as Molki are only good for sprinting, not long distance running. The girl showed no signs of tiring and ran after me almost urgently as if she desperately wanted to tell me something. I was almost fooled but Rayven isn’t foolish! I finally reached the burrow and dived in head first before quickly explaining to my waiting family what had happened.
“Rayven, don’t go near her! You know humans mean danger!” growled my father gruffly.
I stepped closer to the entrance of the burrow and the girl continued to call down the hole.
“Molki! I need to talk to you…”
I thought to myself: Maybe she really does have something important to say?
As I almost exited the hole my father grabbed me by the shoulder and pulled me back.
“Stay AWAY from her!” he shouted.
“No, wait! I think she really wants to say something. Maybe it’s important!” I edged forwards again.
“Rayven, come back here ri-”
“Let him go dear. We’ll keep an eye on him and that girl doesn’t look like she’ll do any harm,” my mother cut in.
“You don’t understand. Humans are deceptive creatures. She might look harmless but I assure you she isn’t,” father replied.
“Father, I can look after myself. If she really IS dangerous then I can use the Slayer. You know how good I am with the sword!” I explained to him and smiled reassuringly. I exited the burrow and my family stood worriedly watching the entrance to our home.
The girl stepped back as I walked out from the burrow and suddenly became silent. It seemed that now she could really see me she was shocked or amazed or something. After a while it became a little offensive as she just stood there looking at me.
“What is it?” I finally said breaking the silence.
“This probably sounds rash but Eladia is in danger,” she said quietly.
I stood silently for a few moments, questions running through my mind like fleeing gazelles. The girl sensed my apprehension and continued.
“It’s a long story but…you know Eladia has guardians?” she stopped.
“Yes, go on.”
“Eladian’s guardians are under attack. Recently there have been sightings of peculiar creatures crawling from the centre of the world itself and wreaking havoc upon the kingdoms. They are like parasites, feeding on fear and consuming their prey by possessing their bodies. Some have even been mingling around the various lairs of the guardians. If they were to be possessed then I don’t know what we’ll do…”
I stood with mouth open looking gob smacked. I was speechless. Was this girl crazy or was it true? And why tell me? A Molki couldn’t slay a million monsters! The girl continued.
“There is a legend that says in ancient times a mighty monster named Lunescente was created to purge evil citizens from the world. But like all powerful creatures, Lunescente went out of control and eventually the ancient people that created the beast had to seal it in the core of Eladia – the only thing strong enough to hold him. I know it’s only a legend and it sounds pretty farfetched but maybe somehow Lunescente has been released and all the dark creatures are rising from the planet.”
I thought this over, and then decided it sounded pretty stupid.
“Well it depends whether you believe more in legend or fact. Maybe Dastri is released? He could create dark creatures in the blink of an eye seeing as he is the guardian of the Darklands. And I still don’t get what this has to do with me.”
The girl sat pondering over what I just said.
“Maybe you’re right about Dastri… I know you think I’m stupid but I came searching for you because of recurring dreams I’ve been having lately. I saw this tree and a voice from nowhere said: “Seek out the one that’s different”. Then I saw a group of Molki. I know it has to be you!”
“That was just a dream! And how am I different?”
She peered at the floor uneasily. “I noticed you were black…”
“Oh. I see. And that makes me a hero does it? Come back to reality and forget the dream. It’s just a load of mixed up pictures in your head. Nothing more!” I was extremely annoyed at her and at the same time fearful for what this insane human might do to me.
“When you come from the Lands of Water…dreams can become a reality. All the people of Ogenlau will tell you that”
I gasped with astonishment.
“I thought you were from Ogenlau! Well, if you say so... I’m still not convinced, let me think it over, ok?”
“If something comes up you can find me where we met today. I like it around there”.
“Alright, but I can’t promise anything.” The girl began to walk away.
“Before you go what’s your name?” I asked and waited tetchily. She turned to answer.
“My name’s Kara.”
“Nice to meet you. My name’s-”
“Rayven. I heard it in one of my dreams…”
And with that she left and I stood gawping at the fact that she even knew my name. Ogenlaunian dreams were really powerful…
Btw, if anyone wants a pic of a character from this story (like Wolfyu and the Molki) then please tell me so I can draw and scan them in. I already have a picture of Lunescente drawn on the computer and some pics of the Molki and monsters that appear later. Unfortunately I can't draw any human characters because my humans look like they're made of jelly
I know I keep stopping my stories and doing new ones but I think this one is going to be ok. Saying that I'll probably change eventually anyway but I'll have to see how it goes Anyway, this is a new fantasy story I've been trying to plan for ages - drawing characters, creating a plot etc. I've done almost 2 chapters but to start with I'll just post the introduction so you get to know the world of Eladia and the main character. Hope you enjoy!
NB: You may notice some things in this story are the same as in my other story Dragonquest: Legend of Mythica such as the Mysti Dragons. This is just because I liked them so I put them in this story too. You could say it's a very revamped version of my earlier story
Lunescente Unleashed
Introduction - The World of Eladia
Welcome to Eladia. My name’s Rayven and this is a story about me. Well, it’s not exactly about me. It’s about the world of Eladia, the fascinating diversity of living organisms that inhabits it, the striking landscapes and the period of time we Eladians now call ‘The War of the Ancients’.
Before I begin, you’ll want to know a bit about me first, right? Well, to start with I’m not human. I am in fact a small furry creature, known as a Molki, about seventeen years of age (we have the same average lifespan as you humans) and living with my mother, father and younger brother.
Molki are like a cross between a swift wild rabbit, powerful cat and sly weasel. We have short snouts, long tufted ears, a mane of soft fur and a bushy tail of medium length. We also have long whiskers and wear clothes like humans do. I’ve often heard some people talk about legends where apparently we were once humans but were cursed to live like wild animals for the rest of our lives. Well, that’s rubbish! We’ve been like this since the beginning of time!
I’m an unusual breed of Molki. My fur is jet black with an emerald sheen like a raven’s wing – hence my name. I also have violet luminaries whereas most Molki have brown or green eyes. I usually wear a deep indigo tunic and auburn trousers. I’m an excellent fighter with a sword – my father taught me how – and later on I will tell you how I discovered an amazing power that I never knew I had and the reason why I am so different to the other Molki.
My family are pretty peaceful and tend not to move much for fear predators will feast on us. My mother is calm and collective and very sweet. She cooks the best meals every day; one of my favourite dishes is Gyor Root pie. My father can have a bit of a temper at times and sometimes the world gets on his nerves, but he’s strong and protective a professional warrior. He taught us all how to handle a weapon so we may defend ourselves at all times. I now carry his first and best sword – the Slayer – and I have wielded it many times. My brother, Urdu is actually quite well behaved as far as younger brothers go. Sure, he might be annoying at times but he admires me and looks up to me. I’m quite fond of him.
Our house is in a burrow underneath the trunk of a vast Gyor tree. These trees are sacred and their name literally means ‘Light Tree’. Our home is divided into rooms (or underground chambers if you prefer) and I wouldn’t like to move anywhere else. Despite the hassle we have with flooding – if it rains too much we need to block our burrow with a huge boulder – it’s safe, comfortable and situated under a holy tree. What more could a Molki ask for?
*
Anyway, enough about me: now I’ll tell you a bit about Eladia. The first thing you should note about this world is its elements. Eladia is split into eight kingdoms, various small islands and one large island, which could be called the headquarters of all Eladia. Each kingdom has its own element and the people and creatures there are adapted to live with and use that particular element. The power of the element is transferred to the towns, villages and cities of the continent by means of an elemental tower. These towers house a large orb at the highest point that emits the energy of the element it symbolises. There is also one mammoth being that guards each of the kingdoms. These are known as the Elemental Guardians and are essential protectors to Eladia. That’s a general overview of the world, now I’ll give you a quick tour of the places we have on offer.
Starting in my home kingdom, the Kingdom of Earth, we have the capital city of Earthil, situated in the harsh terrain of Rock Valley. We live near the outskirts of this city and it is home to the kingdom’s monarchs. To the east is an island with no name but it is home to our guardian. Across the hazardous Boulder Plain you will see Rayden’s Palace, the residence of Guardian Rayden. South from the main city lies the Veiled Forest, a forest shrouded in thick mist and full of treacherous plants and animals. Few have ever seen it, but rumours say that a community of dragons known as the Mysti Dragons live in this forest. To the west of the woodland sits the small town of Port Sodan and to the east the immense Bordan Mountains. Make your way across the Sandbridge - a strip of natural sand, which is free to walk on for half the year – and you will see the Earth Tower.
From here we’ll travel south across the Great Flamerock Bridge and enter the Flamelands. You will be stunned to see a large forest of bare, decaying trees called the Dead Forest. A volcano by the name of Mount Verlus looms over the forest; this is the domain of the fire guardian, Verlus. A disastrous eruption wiped out a lot of life here but to the south is the Glade of Hope containing a diminutive village nestled near the coast. We go swiftly to the west through Rogen Pass – home of a Fire Troll who fines travellers as they come by – and we now enter the scorching Sorad Desert. In the centre is the Spring of Paradise, a soothing oasis of pure healing water. North lies lively Peranza Town and in the south the town of Juillemba and the Flame Tower.
If we glide swiftly to the west we will find the oddly shaped Lands of Water. This small continent contains the bizarre city of Ogenlau where the many buildings, streets and residents are trapped in a huge dome made of Draiglass, strongest material in Eladia. Northwest are the Wet Plains and the ancient Azmel Temple. The Aqua Tower sits off the coast on a separate isle and in between, a colossal, raging whirlpool is the Lair of Dragunis, the water guardian.
In the far north of Eladia is Element Isle – the main base of the planet. If you make it past the mysterious Rainbow Plains you will find Elementis. This is the largest city in the whole of Eladia and uses the power of all elements via a massive rainbow hued orb. Recently there have been sightings of an impenetrable diamond-shaped isle coloured pitch black. It has a quality that draws whoever nears it towards it and whoever has approached it has never come back. This island has now been named the Isle of Destiny.
The Darklands are best avoided. The lands there have been cursed and the guardian – a demon called Dastri – is now sealed within the crust of Eladia due to the fact he was uncontrollable. The only inhabitants are the Orcuans who live in the Ruins of Destrin. This island has been shattered and even the tower of darkness has been destroyed. This kingdom would have been forgotten if the few Orcuans that live there didn’t exist.
The Ice Continent at first glance looks like a frozen wasteland but life does dwell there. The Ice Tower supplies power to the cold Village of Frost and the icy town of Valuu. Guardian Titan lives in his own glacier, where blizzards frequently blast the pillars of ice that watch over the continent.
The Lands of Light consist of an arching bridge of land where patches of woodland grow known as the Pure Glades. Then on a rounded protrusion to the southeast are the City of Purgeaton, the Tower of Light and the Holy Lighthouse, which is the lair of the light guardian Angeluna.
Moving up is the Kingdom of Thunder where an Arkeon-shaped (type of arrow-headed reptile) island houses the town of Flasheti (built in a vast hunk of rock) Corevas Canyon and the Storm Plains where it never stops thundering. Guardian Stormox resides in a palace a little way from the island and the Lightning Tower is situated on an island shaped like a lightning bolt.
North lies the Ruins of Anciarta. This was thought to have been an ancient city built in the ocean but was somehow destroyed. The story of Anciarta has never been fully concluded. Still north lays the Air Country. South of the continent is the town of Aeros and to the east Guardian Roc’s nest stands on a soaring pillar of rock. West is the Canyon of Echoes where numerous travellers say they’ve heard spectral voices whispering through the cliffs. Between the nest and the canyon is the intense twister named the Barrier Tornado and through here is the only way to reach the Wind Tower.
To conclude our tour we will look at the island located in the farthest southeastern part of Eladia. On this island lies a high cliff with a spiralling trail winding around it to the peak. Here, a peculiar rock shaped like a winged monster is perched peering at a raised platform, indented as if something should be placed there. This island is known as Summoner’s Rock. Many people have tried placing something on the pedestal but nothing has happened. All Eladians ponder over the reason for this landforms existence but we eventually found out. And it wasn’t very pretty.
This is the end of my introduction to Eladia. If you would care to listen to this Molki’s words I will now tell you the story of ‘The War of the Ancients’. It all started about two years ago when I was foraging for food…
Btw, I don't usually write in 1st person unless I have to at school so if it doesn't sound too good, that's probably why.
--------------------------------------------
Thanks! Unfortunately I'll probably be like you Mop. Unless some time in the future I feel like continuing And now for Chapter 1. Hope it meets your expectations.
Chapter 1: Meeting Kara
It was a truly magnificent day at about noon when I was foraging for Eladian mushoons (a type of small brown mushroom which likes to propel itself into the air and are wonderful to catch…), discarded Gyor roots and mulberries for our evening meal. Eladia’s two suns – a fiery red orb named Solnu and an icy blue wisp named Soltu – burned like twin gods in the brilliant blue sky. Earthgulls glided across the land with ease, their emerald plumage glittering in the sunlight. It was a peaceful, tranquil and generally pleasant day and the perfect time to go foraging.
To start with I searched around the base of our home tree for broken roots. Urdu trailed around behind me as usual. He always liked to follow me and help with my daily chores and continuously badgered me to teach him how to use a sword. At fifteen years he was perfectly capable of wielding a weapon but father needed to find the right kind of weapon for him and so far none had been found. He was too weak to carry an axe, to small to hold a longbow and he didn’t have the courage to swing a sword. But for some reason he showed an interest in sword fighting and I couldn’t understand why he didn’t give it a try. One day he asked me something that I wasn’t exactly sure how to answer…
“Rayven? If I could wield a sword do you think I could become a great warrior?”
I replied: “Urdu…Whatever weapon you wield you can become a great warrior. But maybe the reason we can’t find a suitable weapon is because you can work with something much bigger that we don’t know about yet.”
“What do you mean?” he questioned as he blinked confused and cocked his furred head to one side.
“Maybe instead of wielding something that needs physical strength you can use your mind and spirit!”
“That’s silly. How can you use your mind and spirit to wield something?”
“You know what magic is, right?” I peered at him, smiling agreeably.
Urdu’s features lit up like the Holy Lighthouse. “You mean--?
I didn’t really know he could use magic of course; I just wanted to encourage the little guy and squeeze some determination out of him. I couldn’t bear to see him disappointed. At that point in time I felt that maybe he just wasn’t meant to fight with anything. But to say he was a magic wielder would be a great compliment!
“Rayven! You really think I could be a magic wielder!?” he replied eagerly.
“Sure, little brother. You can do anything if you believe in yourself”.
He smiled at me and just said: “Thank you” before running cheerfully back to the burrow.
I sighed contentedly before resuming my search. I found a few broken roots and put them in the olive green sack I was carrying. Then I journeyed further from the Gyor tree and nearer to the bustling city of Earthil. I could see the bleached marble walls that protected the city and behind them I could hear the familiar cries of humans trying to sell their wares. I dashed into the bushes beside them where a healthy crop of mulberries grew. Molki are naturally secretive and don’t like to be seen by humans too much. Sure, some people see us at times but sometimes it can’t be avoided. Some have even chased after us in an attempt to converse with us but being about twice the size of a Molki they couldn’t follow us into our burrows. To us, a proper meeting with a human could be suicidal and was frowned upon.
I picked the fragrant mulberries gently so as not to crush them in my strong paws and soon found myself humming a melody that mother taught us when we were young. We called it ‘Mother’s Melody’ for obvious reasons and it is used as a method of calming oneself. We shouldn’t sing it far from the burrow though or it might attract humans or predators but I was doing it regardless of danger. Maybe the sweet aroma of the berries caused me to forget the outside world and tune me in to the world of the bushes, the mulberries and me.
Whatever caused it, it wasn’t long before I realised it was a mistake. Well…now I think about it, it really wasn’t a mistake, but it seemed like it at the time. With my bag full of succulent berries I turned to search the patch at the back of our burrow where mushoons tended to sprout from the soil. As I exited the shrub barrier I was greeted with the beaming face of a young female human that had obviously heard my melody and stopped to listen.
The girl looked quite healthy and had pale skin and a slight frame. Her hair was midnight black but highlighted with snowy white and swept gracefully down past her shoulders. She wore a glittering tiara, sapphire blue robes and ivory boots. She bore the emblem of a sea serpent on the back of her mysterious garb, which meant she had come from the Lands of Water – she could even be the princess.
When I first sighted her smiling, gentle face I was transfixed and stood for a few moments blinking mystifyingly. Then I ran for my life back to the burrow. I heard a call: “Wait!” as the girl then pursued me. My paws worked hard as they pelted the soft earth causing clouds of dust to rise. I panted heavily after a while as Molki are only good for sprinting, not long distance running. The girl showed no signs of tiring and ran after me almost urgently as if she desperately wanted to tell me something. I was almost fooled but Rayven isn’t foolish! I finally reached the burrow and dived in head first before quickly explaining to my waiting family what had happened.
“Rayven, don’t go near her! You know humans mean danger!” growled my father gruffly.
I stepped closer to the entrance of the burrow and the girl continued to call down the hole.
“Molki! I need to talk to you…”
I thought to myself: Maybe she really does have something important to say?
As I almost exited the hole my father grabbed me by the shoulder and pulled me back.
“Stay AWAY from her!” he shouted.
“No, wait! I think she really wants to say something. Maybe it’s important!” I edged forwards again.
“Rayven, come back here ri-”
“Let him go dear. We’ll keep an eye on him and that girl doesn’t look like she’ll do any harm,” my mother cut in.
“You don’t understand. Humans are deceptive creatures. She might look harmless but I assure you she isn’t,” father replied.
“Father, I can look after myself. If she really IS dangerous then I can use the Slayer. You know how good I am with the sword!” I explained to him and smiled reassuringly. I exited the burrow and my family stood worriedly watching the entrance to our home.
The girl stepped back as I walked out from the burrow and suddenly became silent. It seemed that now she could really see me she was shocked or amazed or something. After a while it became a little offensive as she just stood there looking at me.
“What is it?” I finally said breaking the silence.
“This probably sounds rash but Eladia is in danger,” she said quietly.
I stood silently for a few moments, questions running through my mind like fleeing gazelles. The girl sensed my apprehension and continued.
“It’s a long story but…you know Eladia has guardians?” she stopped.
“Yes, go on.”
“Eladian’s guardians are under attack. Recently there have been sightings of peculiar creatures crawling from the centre of the world itself and wreaking havoc upon the kingdoms. They are like parasites, feeding on fear and consuming their prey by possessing their bodies. Some have even been mingling around the various lairs of the guardians. If they were to be possessed then I don’t know what we’ll do…”
I stood with mouth open looking gob smacked. I was speechless. Was this girl crazy or was it true? And why tell me? A Molki couldn’t slay a million monsters! The girl continued.
“There is a legend that says in ancient times a mighty monster named Lunescente was created to purge evil citizens from the world. But like all powerful creatures, Lunescente went out of control and eventually the ancient people that created the beast had to seal it in the core of Eladia – the only thing strong enough to hold him. I know it’s only a legend and it sounds pretty farfetched but maybe somehow Lunescente has been released and all the dark creatures are rising from the planet.”
I thought this over, and then decided it sounded pretty stupid.
“Well it depends whether you believe more in legend or fact. Maybe Dastri is released? He could create dark creatures in the blink of an eye seeing as he is the guardian of the Darklands. And I still don’t get what this has to do with me.”
The girl sat pondering over what I just said.
“Maybe you’re right about Dastri… I know you think I’m stupid but I came searching for you because of recurring dreams I’ve been having lately. I saw this tree and a voice from nowhere said: “Seek out the one that’s different”. Then I saw a group of Molki. I know it has to be you!”
“That was just a dream! And how am I different?”
She peered at the floor uneasily. “I noticed you were black…”
“Oh. I see. And that makes me a hero does it? Come back to reality and forget the dream. It’s just a load of mixed up pictures in your head. Nothing more!” I was extremely annoyed at her and at the same time fearful for what this insane human might do to me.
“When you come from the Lands of Water…dreams can become a reality. All the people of Ogenlau will tell you that”
I gasped with astonishment.
“I thought you were from Ogenlau! Well, if you say so... I’m still not convinced, let me think it over, ok?”
“If something comes up you can find me where we met today. I like it around there”.
“Alright, but I can’t promise anything.” The girl began to walk away.
“Before you go what’s your name?” I asked and waited tetchily. She turned to answer.
“My name’s Kara.”
“Nice to meet you. My name’s-”
“Rayven. I heard it in one of my dreams…”
And with that she left and I stood gawping at the fact that she even knew my name. Ogenlaunian dreams were really powerful…
Btw, if anyone wants a pic of a character from this story (like Wolfyu and the Molki) then please tell me so I can draw and scan them in. I already have a picture of Lunescente drawn on the computer and some pics of the Molki and monsters that appear later. Unfortunately I can't draw any human characters because my humans look like they're made of jelly