I was needed. Somewhere someone was calling to me, my heart raced. I knew not why these visions of a small elven child was going through my mind. I was a elvish child myself in the middle of my year vigil to become an elven adult and someone was calling to me. It made no sense, the last time these feelings had occurred was when I felt my heart awaken as if from a deep sleep. My love had been born, I could feel it in my soul that my mate had been born into this world. The visions were worsening as I rode for RavensWood in my frantic search for the boy. The danger he was crying out about, I had to keep him safe. It was my duty and if he died I would die as well. The link was strong, the strongest I had ever heard of between us, a mear baby and I.
Blood splattered over my green ranger�s tunic and dirt and grim cover my face as well as my hands which freely bleed. My shirt was torn in many places showing my firm muscles as I dodged the Minotaurs strong and furious attacks drawing my elvish blades across his massive throat and jumping away before he toppled to the ground. Looking up I see the castle�s front stairs before me littered in elven bodies and minotaurs alike. I ran up the stairs hearing the roaring of a Minotaurs challenge behind me. Turning swiftly notching an arrow to my bow I shot it killing it instantly from a wound to the heart. I slung my bow back over my shouldr and drew my elvish blades once more heading in through the open castle doors.
Where was Darrian, Queen Joanna, and King Onder? I wondered continueing my frantic search through the castles passageways. I encountered many more of the vile beasts killing them instantly, though always worrying for Darrian. Where could he be?
I encountered yet another Minotaur and began parrying it�s blows easily deflecting them before slitting it�s throat. Blood flowed in the wake of the dagger wound spraying across my face.
A yell and a groan of pain catch my attention as I rub the blood from my eyes. I raced towards King Onder lying on the floor a arrow wound in his chest his life giving blood rushing forth. I was grief stricken and grabbing the arrow�s end pulled it free covering the wound with my hands.
�Wake, King Onder!� I said frantically, �You cannot die, not now! Your people need you! Darrian needs you, as does your queen!�
King Onder coughed up blood before opening his eyes starring up at me weakly. A raspy sound came from his lungs, telling me that it was too late. The king was going to die, I persisted in my efforts anyways not giving up hope.
Onder focused in on me his eyes going dull of their once forest green colour, �S-Sun G-Gam,� the king whispered hoarsly his strength lessoning, �Leave me, save my son.�
�I will not leave you to die!� I demanded grimly.
�Go! P-please..As a favor to me..� Onder coughed up even more blood before he continued, �Promise me to take care of my son..�
I closed my eyes against this overwhelming pain and sorrow, �I can�t leave you like this,� I knew my grief was apparent in my words as my voice broke.
Onder shook his head, �I am beyond help now S-Sun G-Gam. Save the part of m-me that you can..Darrian..P-Promise me you will save him.� The King began going limp in my arms.
I bit my lip hard my grief so great at losing this noble man, �I will protect him and keep him alive, I will I promise you that,� I vowed just as the king died in my arms.
My fingers moved over his eyes shutting them to this world forever. I kneed their in my grief a few moments mourning the fallen King, before standing once more and running off down the hallway in search of Darrian. The boy needs my protection I knew.
�No! Please leave him!� a female voice wailed before a scream echoed down the hall before all went silent.
Not the queen, please no I prayed softly to the Golden One sprinting to where the sounds had come from. Once again I was too late. Ravenwoods queen lay dead upon the floor her eyes vacant and wide in her gory death. A small wail echoed from the corner drawing my attention.
Horror made me stop as my green eyes saw the sight before me. A Minotaur much larger then any of the others was raising an ax above his head ready to bring it down upon the helpless baby below which was crying out for his mother.
Doing the only thing I could think of I I rushed forwards and dived over the child as the axe came crashing down. The world fleckered in and out of my conciousness as my shoulder muscles and bone was tore and cracked. The Minotaur snorting in anger drew the axe from my flesh and moved away whilst I starred down at the child in my arms. The golden eyed baby gazed up at me tears streaming from his eyes. Little hands reached up for me whilst I grabbed my dagger and without turning flung it into the Minotaurs neck killing it instantly. Murmuring soft elvish to the child as I picked him up I tried to comfort him as I saw the sweat on his forehead and the tension in his features. Hearing more Minotaurs approaching quickly I took a gamble dashing towards the window shielding the toddler with my body from the shards of glass which cut deeply into my skin.
The small child in my arms with his golden hair and eyes cried out for his parents as I whistled sharply for my stead. My elvish stallion apeared at the sound of the whistle blood caked in her mane and her coat. I climbed onto her back ignoring the jabbing pains that would send me into unconciousness. Blood was beginning to trickle from my mouth as I dug my knees in making certain I clutched Darrian close with my good arm and the horse galloped off.
I had not gotten far away from the capitol of RavensWood when I heard the shrieks of spirderens who were no doubt after me, the last heir of Emerald Moor. I held the child closer in my one arm and urged my stallion on. If we could reach Emerald Moor before we were caught, Darrian would be safe. The Spirederens did not give up their chase for a night and a day with my prized Stallion barely keeping ahead of them. The spirederens constantly tried to cut me off as the child slept in my arms unknowing of the danger I was going through to protect him. Desperation was driving me on but I knew I could not stay in conciousness much longer the pain driving me mad and the blood flowing. The wound in my shoulder was beginning to fester with infection and fever was slowly stealing my mind away. I mourned deeply for the King and Queen of Ravenswood whom had always been kind to me when others hadn�t been.
Finally I was within sight of the borders of Emerald Moor the trees singing to me and hope sung in my heart. Here was the safest place for Darrian, where the wood elves lived. My joy was short lived however when I heard the shrieks of Spirderens ahead blocking my way into Emerald Moor. Shivering from my memories of these vile creatures I let out my call of challenge to them holding the child in my good arm prepared to do anything for Darrian. The spiderens hissed for me to hand over the child and face my doom which I refused starring at their mutated bodies in hatred. Thinking of the only thing I could do I began a defense spell which would steal the last of my strength praying to the Golden One to take care of the child I held. Whistling sounds drew me to the left catching my attention and my heart was lefted when I realized they were elvish arrows. The guards of Emerald Moor, relief shinned in my heart. Darrian still slept peacefully as the spiderens fled before the group of elves firing arrows after them.
Two of the wood elves came forward their blonde hair flying behind them, � Let us take you to your father Prince Sun Gam,� I shook my head knowing I could not speak my strength failing me at last. I handed off Darrian to the left elve my eyes closing as I felt one of them inspecting the necklace around my neck prouncing that I was in my year of vigil.
Azure shook his head looking to his older brother, �I will heal him. Take the boy back to the king; do not tell him what occurred for I will not take a chance of destroying the prince�s future. Their must have been grave reason that Sun Gam would have dared go against his vigil to save this child.�
Gelare nodded and turning his horse beconed the others to follow him away into the trees.
I finally when strength failed me swooned and fell from my steed into Azure�s arms. Azure starred down at me pitifully and a shocked look entered his eyes when he saw my destroyed shoulder. He quickly laid me down in the grass and began his work.
I was laid down face first in the grass when I woke, my shirt had been cut away and I heard the murmoring of soft elvish. I groaned and moved slightly gasping at the lancing pain blinking my eyes looking up at my father holding Darrian in his arms. I winced ready for what was coming, I was going to become dishonoured, a wandorer of no heritage.
Inteus my father upon seeing the look on my face kneed down giving a smile to me, �Relax Sun Gam my son you and Darrian are safe now,� those words made my heart sing knowing my father still loved and accepted me.
I turned to Azure who sat beside me getting a cream ready for my infected shoulder, �I owe you my life,� I said gratefully, �and that of Darrian,� my voice was streched with grief, pain and a long time of being unused.
Azure looked up at me, �So this is prince Darrian? What happened?� he asked sharply as he applied the cream.
I took a shuddering breath my lungs still feeling on fire, �RavensWood has fallen to the Minotaurs just as Artimage had before it. The King and Queen are dead, I saw them die. A horrible fate for such kind and noble souls. Of the citizens I believe they fled though I am not certian. I barely escaped with Darrian as Onder made me swear.�
Inteus and Azure bowed their heads praying softly in elvish for their souls in their grief.
�I can not stay here father, I was in my vigil and we were not supposed to meet yet. He c-called to me, his soul begged me go against your wishes father and that of our people and help him. We are not supposed to meet till he is old enough to understand.�
Inteus nodded looking at me his eyes full of sorrow, �Twas a good thing that you saved him, he well be reared here by me.�
I nodded, �Treat him like you treated me father. He is to young to understand what happened this day.�
�I will treat him well,� he leaned down kissing my forehead the first show of affection for me in my two-hundred years.
I sat up slowly ignoring the great pain and stood shakingly, �I must leave and finish my vigil. I will return in eighteen years. I will return when that time has come with Aziz the wizard.�
Inteus nodded silently but Azure protested to me leaving so quickly with a fatal injury but I knew I had to leave. I had been here to long as things were. I bid my father and Azure good bye without saying a word to the toddler. To any others, it would have been cold and a callous act, considering what the child had just been through. But Azure and Inteus knew why I acted so. They shared a look of pity and understanding before turning back to the child.
�What will you call him uncle?� Azure asked curiously.
Inteus smiled and looking to me away and to the stars above whispered, �He shall be known as Ray, my nephew, for he will be a ray of hope in these days.�
As I mounted my stallion whom has gained enough rest to regain it�s stamina away from the others, my thoughts shifted back to Darrian. I wondered breifly how much the child would change. How much he would grow before my return. For it was far to early to know. Far far to early for us to meet. For my betrothed was only two years old after all�..
