| Chapter One The Tellings Of Time The grace of life is something no one can imagine being without, it is a gift that the gods of the earth gave to the creatures of these lands, and yet it can be stripped away from them in the blink of an eye. Unfortunately for the people of this world, the forging of a stone with power enough to destroy any, beholds the supernatural wonder of everlasting life. Who ever is to wield the power of this stone is capable of baring rule over the entire free world. There is one evil threat, a creature cunning as any Elvin leader and stronger than any warrior, the shape shifting dragonlord, Maku. But in times of dread there are heroes, and in those time there were three, the three most unexpected people of all, an Elf, a warrior and the princess of the Metallic Lands. Now, the Metallic Lands are an interesting place. You may find a person of any type there, even a few mixed breeds. A king and queen rule every kingdom in this world, and the Metallic King, King Osco Lot and his bride, the Metallic Queen Herithon, ruled the Metallic Lands. Many years after they beset one child, the Metallic Princess, Ivva. She grew into adult hood while shielded from any form of evil by the great palace walls and gates. Her friends were chosen for her and she was taught by the wisest scholars to be found. Even so, she showed no interest in books, but instead in nature and magic. There was a battle, and many thought it would be the final battle, or the last fight between the world of men and Maku, but it was not. It merely injured him and he fled and was not seen for two turns of the moon. During this time, Ivva was sixteen and was now aloud to wonder the towns on the back of the finest unicorns her parents could muster. She sought to experience life as a normal person and to learn to fight and to speak spells. Her dreams were becoming true with every passing day. She met the people while under the name of Bethany and the first friend she was to acquire was a very good start. Gwendolyn, daughter of Favthro Sachsu, lived with her mother and father in a nearby village called, Neiawon, meaning Wind Carriers in the Elvin tongue. Her father breed and trained dragons and her mother did the same to unicorns. This was what Ivva longed for, to be with the wild beings that were locked out of her childhood. Gwendolyn was very free and daring. She taught Ivva the many ways of battle and the few spells she knew. The people of Neiawon had an interesting style of magic, the only spells they could wield where of the ones of their land. For instance, Gwendolyn could only produce wind spells. This is because the gods, which produced the Stone of Everlasting Life, or also called the Penta Stone, did not mean for it to fall into the hands of mortal men where their hearts so greedily desire such power. When it did they shattered it into several pieces, dividing its power into the different elements of the earth. Into five portions the stone was severed and through out this world they were spread and locked away by the ancient Kings of Wise, with spells so old that they could not be translated in this new day and age. It was divided into the Ice Sapphire, the Wind Crystal, the Earth Emerald, the Fire Ruby, and the Light Opal. It is well known by all that the sapphire, crystal, and ruby were hidden within the Metallic Lands and that their presence gave the kingdom a certain grace of good fortune that very few kingdoms had experienced. Ivva was invigorated by Gwendolyn�s ambition to become a warrior and battle in the Realm. The Realm is a ring in which the best warriors from any land come to compete for the honor of being named the Commander of the strongest army in the world. No woman had ever entered and it was never expected that one ever would. Gwendolyn filled Ivva�s head with stories and plans for their future, not knowing that her friend Bethany would someday rule over her. When the two girls, who had now been friends for four turns of the seasons, were off on a journey into the Forest of Dale just outside the boundaries of the Metallic Lands they heard sobbing, human sobbing. They assumed the person was walking only because the sounds of crying seemed to travel further away from them, even though they did not hear a single footstep or cracking of the forest floor. The person sounded as if they had stopped walking and were not to far ahead of them. �Go ahead of me it sounds like she is just around the bend. Go see if she�s hurt.� Ivva prodded Gwendolyn in the back nudging her forward. When she turned the corner the narrow path opened to a pond that was as clear as the sky on a cloudless day. It reflected the mountains in the background perfectly so that it was near impossible to determine where heaven ended and the earth began. A small waterfall trickled quietly over smooth rocks, and sitting on a small bunch of them, neatly placed was a girl of about seventeen. She was dressed in a gown that curved with her body and the color was as blue as that of a pale spring morning. Her hair was a soft blonde and when she pulled it back it showed her ears, they were pointed and raindrop shaped. When Gwendolyn saw this she gasped, this girl was an elf and by the cloth she wore, she was of high importance. Ivva stepped forward to see the source of Gwendolyn�s shock and as she did a twig cracked beneath her feet. With out moving, or turning her head to face them, the elf maiden stared into the water and whispered in a voice as clear as the bells that rang from the clock tower, �Why what business does the Metallic Princess and a common warrior have in the Forest of Dale? What is your reason for following me here?� They starred at her with blank expression not sure what to say, and Gwendolyn puzzled over the fact that this elf had called Ivva a princess. Ivva stepped forward in anger for this stranger had just exposed her, �And what is an Elf Maiden doing in the Forest of Dale dressed in a gown of respect and wisdom? I know of your people you do not stray from the Greenlock Woods.� At this the girl turned her head slightly just so she could get a look of Ivva out of the corner of her eye. When she decided to explain herself, she stood up still facing the pond looking upon her the reflection of her own fare face. �My name is Aurora, I am the daughter of the great Elvin leader, Thiokol. I am fleeing from my home with no intent of returning. The people there, my people, expect too much from me. I have been graced by the gods, I wield the ability of time seeing.� Gwendolyn could hold her curiosity no longer, �And through this you knew of us? And also what is this of the Metallic Princess?� Aurora turned towards them with a smile of amusement upon her face, �Do not tell me that you do not know the fate of your dearest friend.� When Gwendolyn said nothing, she continued, �You friend Bethany as she is calling herself in these days, is truly Ivva, the Metallic Princess. I did indeed come across you in my mind. I not only can see the past and future, but other happenings that are occurring in distant lands. I can either bring them forth into my own mind, or if they are of extreme importance the visions come to me against my will. And for a reason I do not know the day you two met comes to me every night while I sleep, and this day as well. The gods having been showing me this day for many of my years and now it is here.� Ivva enjoyed the fact that she was some how important in the eyes of their gods. She asked many questions of the elves and of what they did. �I must know something my friend,� she walked closer to Aurora, �How does one go about being graced in such ways as you have? I know the gods can be generous, but to have the ability to see their plans for the lives of mortals, that is a true gift.� �As I spoke of before, I am the daughter of Thiokol and all of his children and their children will be blessed with the wisdom of the gods. My sisters are too as fortunate as I, but in other ways. They behold power and knowledge of which you have never seen. It is true that I should not have abandoned them in this day and age when the earth grows cold, for my gift is essential to the fight against the dark lord, Maku. But, I could not live there behind the Golden Gates in the Greenlock Woods another day. My spell writing abilities are leaving me. I have been enclosed for to long. Now, come. Show me your world and of your adventures, as I begin my now mortal life.� �2003 Brittany Crop. |
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