Chapter Eleven

                                 Chapter 11: Pixie Hospitality,
                                              Feathers, and
                                       Directions


Falion - Illumination Forest

The outcast gang was silent when all of the Pixies flew in around them. They weren't quiet sure what to make of it all, or how to react to it either.
The Pixies flocked in by the millions, until they were surrounded on all sides by the hum of wings and the giggles of the small creatures.
   "Impossible." Sonera gasped.
   "Not impossible," Merek muttered. "Just improbable."
Elowen prayed that they would all keep their hearts and minds open, other wise they would never last long down on Falion. And there were many more wonders to be discovered!
Lorem was still by her side, though he was starting to paw at the little Pixies that darted in and out of his personal space. She gritted her teeth, not wanting him to hurt any of them, so she called him back into the Gem where everyone could be safe.
She then turned back to the Pixies, not sure of what to say or what to do. She had wanted to show them the Pixies, but now that they were here, she wasn't sure what to do next.

That's when one of them flew extremely close and peered at her, while cocking his head.
   "You called?" He asked in a squeaky voice.
She smiled and nodded.
   "Yes. Indeed I did. I was wondering if you may be hospitable to us for the night. Maybe even escort us to the edge of the Forest?"
Laughter rippled through the sea of Pixies. Elowen sighed, she should have known that this would happen. The Pixies weren't known for their hospitality. To get anything from them, it usually meant that one had to give them something in order to gain their trust and their hospitality.
   "You are brave little Magi. Very brave indeed. But it doesn't work that way, and you know it."
She then began to chew on her bottom lip while rubbing Stargazer with her thumb, these negotiations would be tricky.
   "I'm sure there's something we can do. We are in need of at least directions to the edge of the forest near the Arriescent Ruins."
The Pixie rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a moment.
   "Hmm...The Arriescent Ruins you say? Well that's not exactly a pretty spot to see. Why do you need to go there?"
Ellie knew that the Pixie was trying to pry information out of her, she'd have to tread carefully.
   "Our business is our own, but I swear it will bring no harm on your people."
The Pixie seemed to doubt her.
   "You know they say a demon lives in those ruins. Nasty little bugger if there ever was one." He said loud enough for everyone to hear. Ellie cringed inwardly. She hadn't wanted to tell them that. Terryn and Dreyden's eyes swung to her in confusion, Sonera and Ysmay's eyes grew wide, and Kade looked like he could drive his sword through her. Merek on the other hand, didn't seem fazed by this.
   "There's a demon?" Terryn mouthed.
Ellie hung her head, her hair falling into her crimson face.
   "It's hardly a demon, just superstition Terryn. Of course, there is no demon."
The Pixie chuckled.
   "Ah so you didn't tell your little friends what you were leading them into, what they were going to be facing? Some friend you are."
No, she couldn't let him manipulate her words, or bring her friends against her.
   "Everyone is scared to go near there because they say that if one was to pass the walls into that ancient castle, the ghost would descend upon them in a rage." The Pixie continued.
Most of the gang was appalled by the fact that Elowen had failed to mention this bit.
Ysmay, however, was eager to trust Elowen, and hated to see her humiliated. She was also familiar with the tales of Pixies and how they tend to twist one's words around to fabricate a story that was never true.
   "Yeah!" Another Pixie joined in, coming up to the first. "And they say he has claws! And is as big as any Talon-bear seen and known! His eyes are red, his teeth are five inches long! They'll tear through you in less then a matter of seconds -"
Ah! There was his flaw!
   "Oh but excuse me sir," Ysmay spoke up. Stepping forward, away from Merek and towards Elowen. Smiling at her reassuringly, telling the poor girl she could handle this. Elowen's relief showed in her deep forest green eyes.
   "I thought you said was a demon."
The Pixie man drew himself up to his full height, which was roughly four inches tall.
   "’Tis a demon! A nasty demon."
   "But then," She continued in her quiet, and even tone. "you said it was a ghost."
The Pixie shrugged.
   "It can be both."
   "Ah! but you see, a ghost can not tear though you because they are simply phantoms. And a demon and a ghost are not the same thing and therefore, it cannot be both." The first Pixie man grinned as he looked from his friend to the dark haired girl. Enjoying the humiliation his friend was suffering. It wasn't often that someone could humiliate a Pixie. Especially a human!
The second Pixie stumbled over his next words, not quiet sure how this person could have out witted him.
   "It is very possible -"
   "No, it's not, I'm afraid." She broke in. "A demon is a damned creature, they live in the..." She actually didn't know where they would live. Elowen mouthed 'abyss' to her behind a veil of hair.
   "Abyss. So they couldn't possibly tread where Eleyos has. And a ghost, for the most part, is just a figment of one's imagination and smoke. Neither of these could possibly exist! There is a very logical explanation to all this, which is not contributed to the supernatural."
Ultimately, everyone was flabbergasted by her statement and quick thinking.
   "I didn't know she knew words that big. Let alone how to string them together so they could actually form a smart sounding sentence." Merek marveled quietly. Dreyden punched his arm playfully, but shot him a glare.
   "What?" Merek asked. His ignorance, blindingly obvious.
   But Ysmay's attention was not on Merek's snide remarks, but on the first Pixie who was laughing.
   "I like you." He stated. Hovering close to her. "I like you very much. You have proved that you are both smart with the tongue and with your wits. We shall show hospitality to you, but first! A small test perhaps?" He looked at his fellow Pixie friends and they all showed white teethed grins.
   "Yes, a test. Now choose one of your friends to participate."
   "To participate in what?!" Terryn spoke up. The Pixie just starred blankly at him.
   "It'll most likely be a test of wits. They will ask you a riddle of some sort. I'm not entirely sure, however." Elowen explained.
   "And it can't be this girl." The little Pixie tugged on a strand of Ysmay's dark hair.
   "Ouch!" She muttered, yanking her hair away from his tiny grasp.
Elowen turned to the rest of the group.
   "Anyone particularly good at solving riddles?" She asked. They all looked at each other, passing each the look that said 'you'. Finally Dreyden got fed up with it.
   "I'll do it for Eleyos' sake. Gosh you guys are a bunch of lasses scared of your own shadows!" He growled.
Elowen hid her smile by the sudden fear that he might get himself killed.
   "Are you sure? There's no telling what the Pixies'll do if you answer it wrong." She said as he started to move past her. He paused and looked down at her, and shrugged.
   "I'll be fine. Besides, I've got a Magi on my side."
She was a little reluctant to tell him that she didn’t know any spells that would benefit him in battle, it didn’t seem like the time to bring that up.
   Dreyden turned to the small Pixie and gestured with open arms.
   "Choose your riddle."
The Pixie nodded, a mischievous grin on his face for all to see.
   "Alright human. Listen carefully; if you feed me, I grow. If you water me, I die. What am I? You have fifteen seconds to guess once."
A memory over took Drey's mind.
His mother was in the kitchen, singing, as usual. The fire crackled in the background, casting shadows on her face. He came in asking her if he could have a cookie. She smiled at him and asked him a riddle like she always did.
'Feed me I grow, water me I die. What am I Little Knight?' He hadn't been able to figure it out then - "Thirteen seconds" - and he couldn't figure it out now! There was no way after all these years he'd know the answer. His mother had never told him! He gritted his teeth and tried to think.
   "Eleven seconds."
The Pixie's clock didn't help matters at all.
   "Think, Dreyden. Think!" Merek said in his urgent but not too pushy tone. Though that still didn't help anything.
   "Nine."
Feed me I grow, water me I die. What could that possibly be?!?! He shouted at himself.
   "Eight."
It's obviously not a plant....It can't be the sun because it can never rain there -
   "Seven."
Plant's need both water and food. So what needs only food?? Not trees, not branches -
   "Six."
No but what do you do with branches? Cut them down, make houses, make -
   "Five."
Make - you make fences, you make that all out of wood. Wood can also be used -
   "Four."
   "Come on Dreyden, think." It was Elowen this time, panic clearly in her voice. This broke his concentration and his train of thought.
   "Three."
He saw his mom again in the kitchen the same day she asked him the riddle. The fire light always made her skin look golden.
   "Two."
   "Dreyden!!"
His eyes grew wide as it dawned on him. Of course! How could he have been so stupid!
   "On -"
   "Fire!" He shouted. "The answer, to your riddle, is fire." He found that his heart pace was higher, and his breathing was a little bit heavy. The group around him sighed with relief in unison.
The Pixie groaned and stomped his foot. (Figuratively speaking of course.)
   "Why is it that you all are so smart?! This should be illegal!" He whined.
   "We answered your question Pixie," Ysmay said, her quiet tone suddenly calming Dreyden's nerves. "now uphold your end of the deal."
The Pixie straitened and turned his blue head towards the girl, he placed his fist over his small little heart and dipped his head.
   "Of course. I'm afraid we cannot bring you to our home, but we will bring you food and drink here. Then as you made me promise, I will show you a route to the Arriescent Ruins. Does this meet your satisfactions?"
Ysmay cocked an eyebrow.
   "I do believe we stated that you are to escort us to the edge of the Forest, did we not?"
The Pixie groaned slightly, but it quickly turned into a smile.
   "Oh your good." He remarked.
Ysmay couldn't help the color from showing up on her pale cheeks when she turned away.
The Pixies began to flitter away in a large line of blue and flashing white. They became a stream. A constant moving river that glinted in the sunlight like thousands of diamonds. Elowen took a moment just to appreciate it.
But then Dreyden tapped her arm to gain her attention.
   "You've got some explaining to do missy." It was actually Merek that spoke up, stepping in front of Drey.
   "What demon, ghost, phantom, or what ever is it that guards these Ruins that we're going to?"
Elowen bit her bottom lip and threw her hands up in a gesture of defeat.
   "It's truly a superstition. They say that the last king of the Arriescent city still guards the Gem, and that he'll kill anyone who can't pass the test."
Sonera shoved past Kade and Dreyden, getting close enough to see Elowen's face clearly.
   "There's a test?"
Ellie nodded.
   "That's one thing the Pixie's failed to mention. The king only kills you if you fail to pass it. So I figured there was a good chance that we'd pass it."
   "And you didn't think to tell us about this king?!" Kade spat at her.
Ellie cringed back instinctively, still wounded with the fact that he had murdered her. She longed to forgive him for that, but the way he treated her didn't allow it.
   "I was going to! But then the Pixie's showed up -"
   "Only because you called them!"
   "Oi! Shut. Up!" Dreyden spun on his heel towards Kade and punched him in the face so loud the sound of breaking bone filled the air and nothing else.
Elowen cried out and jumped back, and everyone else was stunned into silence.
Drey was actually a bit startled himself, he didn't know why he had punched Kade, or what had over come him either. He just felt protective.
   "Drey, go walk it off." Merek ordered, his tone stern. "Now." he snapped, pointing to the forest.
Drey sighed and walked away. Elowen and Sonera knelt around Kade. Elowen was starting to use a spell to mend his broken nose despite his protests.
Terryn watched Dreyden stalk off into the woods.
   "Should - should someone go after him?" He said hesitantly.
Merek sighed. He should have seen that coming. Kade seemed to despise Elowen, and there was only so much Drey would be able to take.
   "I'll go -"
   "No." It was Ysmay that spoke up. "He needs advice from his sister."
She touched Merek's arm and smiled at him.
   "I'll only be a minute." She then walked off into the Forest after Drey.

He hadn't wandered far, so it was relatively easy for her to find him. He was sitting on a branch of a low hanging tree with his arms crossed and his legs swinging back and forth, reminding her of a child.
   "You look troubled." She sang. Jumping lightly onto the branch next to him, causing it to swing for a moment.
 Drey turned his head and regarded her for a moment then shrugged.
She chuckled and clapped her hands once loudly.
   "Oh dear. I'm getting the silent treatment. Is that really anyway to treat an old friend? Come on Dreyden, I know you well enough to know something's wrong." She bashed into his shoulder with her own lightly. "So let me in. Come on, I know it's about a particular lass that's got your knickers in a twist so you might as well let me in alright?"
Dreyden sighed in defeat.
   "Yes, yes, alright fine! You are so persistent! Yes, it's about a lass, and yes, I'm sure you know who it is as well."
She waited for him to continue, but when he did not, she was left to fill in the blanks.
   "Alright, so you like Ellie, that was obvious. But you are also very protective over her....aren't you?"
He shrugged.
   "I guess so."
   "Oh there is no 'I guess so'." She shot back.
   "I just didn't like the fact that he doesn't get off her back and leave her alone!" He cried. "Being a Magi isn't something one can choose to be! It's who ever Eleyos decides it to be. It's not like she can choose to be normal."
Ysmay smiled. Yes, now he was talking and letting her in.
   "What's normal Dreyden? If you think about it, nothing is 'normal'. Take this place for instance. We never thought this place even existed! But now look at it? We're here. It's real and we can touch it. Normal is just what's real to you Dreyden. If normal is going off on wild adventures everyday," They both chuckled half heartedly.
   "Then that's normal for you. If what's real to you is falling for Elowen, or trying to gain the privilege to start some kind of relationship with her, then I guess that's normal for you in some...sense. But may I give you some advice as to how to go about forming that relationship?"
Dreyden knew better then to try and deny the fact that he felt for Elowen. He knew he cared for her on some level, but he wasn't exactly sure what that level was.
So he nodded, he would need all the help he could get.
   "Well, from what I can see, and from what little I know, you two don't know much about each other do you?"
   "No we don't. She did open up though, she told me about a sister she had, Jedika was her name I think. But she's been gone for a number of years now and she hasn't seen or heard from her in a long time. In kind, I told her about my own family, though...she didn't seem too shocked by how they passed over...." he added thoughtfully.
   "Wow, it took me almost a year to get you to open up to me. I'll say she's good. Alright, here's a tip. Try to become her brother. That's the first step. Just get to know each other, don't go any farther then friends, just try to become family to her. And, don't jump on every guy that second glances her, with her pretty face there will be lots that do. While lasses appreciate the thought, we don't like it when lads actually act on them. So, just keep it to friends, find out about each other and then see if you actually want to go into a relationship with her, alright?"
   "You're actually suggesting that I wouldn't want to get into a relationship with her."
   "Well it's possible that the more you learn about her, the less you see that she's actually Eleyos' beloved match for you alright? I'm just pointing that out as a possibility! I'm not actually going to say anything because I don't know the poor lass that well. So, keep that in mind. Just be a really good friend okay?"
Dreyden nodded his agreement and jumped off the branch.
   "We might as well go back. I've got apologies to make, and honestly I don't like the thought of her being with that lieutenant with out me." He offered her a hand and helped Ysmay off the branch.
   "Merek and Terryn would never let him do something to her. They both -"
She cut herself off before she finished that particular sentence.
   "They both...What?" He asked. She landed lightly on the ground and smiled at him.
   "They both know how to deal with guards." She fibbed. Not feeling to well about it consciously.
   "Come on, lets beat those Pixies, I fear that no one in the camp is quiet sure as to how to deal with them."
Dreyden let go of her hand and nodded.
   "Speaking of which, how come you can negotiate so well? And with Pixies none the less! They're not exactly an easy task from what I've seen and heard."
Ysmay blushed a little. Being a usually humble girl, she hated to bring attention to herself.
   "But you were brilliant anyways. Always knew you couldn't get past those guards by just fighting."
Ysmay mimicked shock.
   "So your saying just because I'm a girl, I obviously must have had some other kind of tool to use other then my fast reflexes and battling skills?!" She asked in horror.
A smile crept onto Drey's face.
   "Well, a lass has many other tools a man does not."
Ysmay growled at him and slapped the back of his head none too gently.
   "Oh! you are horrid Dreyden! An absolute plot! Next time keep your mouth shut if you have nothing nice to say."
Dreyden chuckled.
   "Yes ma'am."

{+++}

The Pixies had returned when the two good friends came back into the clearing.
Kade was leaning against one of the fallen logs that were around the fire pit. Sonera was handing him a water flask that one (actually a couple) Pixies had given to her.
Terryn and Merek were huddled together watching the large swarm of Pixies that sat nestled in near by plants, or hovered above their heads. A thousand little voices became white noise to them all, only they were very high pitched.
Elowen was talking to the two Pixies that spoke to the gang earlier. When she turned and spotted them she let out a sigh of relief and a smile of a small joy. At first Dreyden thought it was for him, but then she rushed up to Ysmay and tugged on her arm.
   "Theses Pixies are going to make my mind turn into a puddle of slush, you needed to take over please? You were brilliant and you actually understand their talk and can catch them when they try to weasel their way out of promises."
So much for her glad to see Drey.
   "Of course I'll take over. Come on then lets see what they've brought and what they're going to provide for us shall we?" Ysmay said, leading Ellie to the leader.
Ellie glanced over her shoulder at Drey and shot him a sweet smile and a slight wave of her fingers.
Well, at least he hadn't been totally ignored.

Ysmay showed the Pixies kindness with introducing the gang, and the Pixies obliged to tell them their own names. The leader was known as Calistar, and the other Pixie that Ysmay had bested, was his lieutenant known as Tally.
   "Can you tell us how we are to get out of this forest?" Merek spoke up. He hadn't said much to the Pixies and he wasn't sure how to deal with them, but he wanted to know how to get out. And the Pixies would know the best way.
Calistar nodded and motioned for Tally to come over to the map with him that was still lying on the ground.
   "Yes, yes of course. Now we are here, and since no one goes near the bad, bad Abyss -"
   "Very bad." Tally broke in, his red curls bouncing every where. "Nasty place, full of demons and such."
   "- The only way to get out near the Arriescent Ruins," Calistar continued. "Is to go through the forest due east. Here. There you are, I have told you, I have brought you provisions and that is all you need to know. So! we shall be off now."
   "Oh no you don't!" Ysmay spoke up. "Our agreement was that you would escort us, to the edge of the forest to the east. This is just pointing it out on the map, which Elowen has already done for us. So therefore, you aren't going anywhere."
Calistar groaned, but met Ysmay's hard gaze.
   "Yes, yes. Alright! We'll escort you to the edge of the forest, but no farther!"
Ysmay smiled and dipped her head diplomatically.
   "Of course."

The gang, at first, was a little uneasy with all the hovering Pixies about, and they weren't quiet sure what to do about them all starring at them as they ate. Suddenly quiet, and the quiet wasn’t one that was welcomed.
For the most part, the Pixies were pretty friendly. Coming up, saying 'hello', nestling in their hair or on their shoulders, or in their laps if they were sitting. The boys found it quiet annoying and were constantly swatting blue and red bugs out of their hair, but the girls didn't mind since most of the Pixies that had been attracted to them were girls anyway.

Midnight found them still sitting around the logs, the lasses were giggling and talking amongst themselves, animating and emphasizing their points by the use of their hands.
"...So we had maybe a dozen or so Royal Guards chasing us through the sky, showering us with arrows every second, and I had no idea how we would have gotten out of it at all! I was praying to Eleyos like there was no tomorrow!" Sonera exclaimed. The boys were listening even if they weren't exactly part of the group, and Dreyden caught Kade chuckling slightly.
Wow. Didn't know he was capable of feeling stuff like happiness. He remarked to himself.
   "But that's when Elowen came in," Sonera continued. Causing Ellie to blush several shades darker then her hair.
   "She used her magic to fend off those Guards as if she could do it in her sleep! And not only that, but she was able to keep her head on through the entire thing! I was impressed, from just a normal girl that use to live in a peaceful monastery, you've got guts girl!"
   "I don't think I'm as impressive as all that. Most of the time I was just letting Eleyos guide me. It wasn't me." Elowen admitted, trying desperately to get the attention off her.
Ysmay smiled and squeezed her arm.
   "And everyone loves you because of your humility. In fact it's hard not too actually!"
Sonera chuckled.
   "Well, we'll have to give Kade credit for trying eh?" She whispered just loud enough for most of the lads to hear her.
Chuckles ran through them all, even Kade, to the mercenaries shock.
   A Pixie that had been sitting on Terryn's shoulder suddenly yanked on his blond hair.
   "Ouch! What'ch ya do that for?" He snapped, tugging his hair back.
   "Where ye feathers lad?"
Terryn glanced up at Merek, who shrugged, not knowing anymore then he did.
   "What do you mean 'feathers'?"
The Pixie nodded to Elowen, and one of the girl Pixies on her head bent down and pulled away her light ginger locks on the left side of her head. Behind her ear, woven into her hair, was a single, pure white feather.
Everyone automatically leaned in for a better look. All the faces in her own, caused her to lean back to try and keep them at a distance.
   "That, is a feather." The Pixie on Terryn's shoulder pointed out the obvious.
   "What are they for? Does everyone down here have them?" Terryn asked.
   "'Down here'? What do ye mean 'down here'?" The Pixie's inquired.
Elowen flashed a warning look to them, and they all kept their mouths shut.
   "They're not from around here. We had better be getting to bed Calistar." She called. Not sure where that particular Pixie was in the horde that hovered everywhere.
   "We'll see you in the morning."
She ushered everyone back into the cave.
   "You can start a fire in here. The fire wood is by the right hand wall towards the back." She said into the dark. She heard boots shuffling, and then yelping and whispered apologizing as people stepped on others.
After a few painful minutes, there was a sudden spark and the dry wood flamed up in the welcoming orange tongues.
Elowen snatched up her staff and muttered a protection spell to cover the door way of the cave to keep the mischievous Pixies out of their hair at night, and out of their stuff. She also added a muting spell just incase. Didn’t want nosy Pixies picking up bits and pieces of their conversations.

Once she was done, she walked back over to the fire, and noticed that the others were trying to occupy themselves to keep her from knowing that they had been watching her carefully.
   "So," Terryn broke the awkward silence as everyone prepared for bed by unrolling their blankets and gathering them around the warm fire.
   "Tell us about these feathers."
Ellie didn't feel the pressure of trying to come up with a cover story so the Pixies didn't know that this lot wasn't from around these parts. So, she found it easy to tell the story behind the feather in her hair.
   "Down here, feathers are a token of bravery or kindness. When someone recognizes a deed you've done, they present you with a pure white feather. Symbolizing Eleyos in his pure heart, and his free spirit." She explained, tucking her legs under her as she sat down on her rough blanket.
   "So which was yours?" Terryn questioned again. Elowen smiled at him, thinking it was blaringly obvious.
   "Kindness. I have had no need to be brave until quite recently, believe it or not." She remarked with a grin.
   "Oh but you must have been brave to learn Magic, and go off to a monastery on your own." Sonera pointed out.
   "Well...I suppose so, but at the time it was just something I had to do, and there wasn't anything to be brave about. It just was."
   "That's what bravery is." Kade spoke up. Everyone's heads jerked up to him as if they had completely forgotten he was there at all.
   "Bravery is doing what you have to whether you like it or not." He continued. His violet eyes gazing into the bright orange flames. He didn't seem aware of the fact that everyone was starring at him, or he was simply a lot more comfortable about having eyes on him then Elowen was.
   "You don't think 'oh this is what bravery is'. You just do it, and then other people recognize the bravery, not you. You try to struggle with the feeling that you could have done this better, or you could have done that a different way. You just see the flaws, while other people see the whole picture." He took a deep breath and looked down at his fingers that were fiddling with a stick. "But I guess that's what Eleyos has to show us. The whole picture. If he doesn't, we'll just be miserable for the rest of our lives, looking at the flaws in our selves and envying other people for what they've done, when they do the exact same thing as you."
From his tone, everyone could tell that he had come to the end of his speech.
No one was quiet sure what to say, Sonera was sure they were all thinking that Kade was the heartless guy that couldn’t feel any kind of emotion at all, and she felt kind of bad for them for not being able to see the kindness and goodness in Kade. But then, it had taken herself a long time to see that as well.
   “That’s one thing we all strive for.” Ysmay spoke up. Giving Kade a reassuring smile, along with everyone else.
   “And that’s what we should all pray for.”
Everyone murmured their agreements, and then another silence hung over them again. They weren’t sure what to do, and their minds were each in deep thought, mulling over the same things. Finally, one by one, they slipped under their blankets and went to sleep.
Casting up prayers before their mind drifted off into oblivion.

Chapter Ten

Chapter 10: The Discoveries
                            Of a Wondrous World



Falion - The Illumination Forest

The band of outsiders never fully got use to all the different colors of the forest. And as the sun went to rest, there was no need for a fire at all. The warm glow from the plants gave off more then enough light.

During her time in the Eastern Temple, Elowen had learned a lot about the geography of Falion, so finding the best way to get to the Arriescent Ruins was a relatively easy task.
It was just getting everyone else to see it.

   “Why can’t we just get out of this bloody forest completely, and then go around it?” Merek asked in a huff. His forehead was knit together with confusion, as he tried to get his band out of the freaky forest as soon as possible.
Elowen took a deep breath. Her mind growing weary of all the bickering.
   “I mean it beats going through the forest, and we might actually be able to get a good night’s sleep.”
Merek went on. Oblivious to Ellie’s desperate tries at keeping her mind clear.
Dreyden had been watching her closely and noticed her efforts.
She needed a break.
   “Come on. Lets go for a walk.” He said quietly. Gently touching her elbow.
She looked up at him and nodded. Grateful for an escape of some sort.

Outside the cave, Elowen took a deep breath of fresh air, before turning to Drey. He gestured with his head, and they began to walk through the forest of colors.
   “If I knew any better, I’d say you’re pretty stressed.” Drey said with a casual smile.
Ellie let out a sigh as she passed under a vine of white glowing jasmine. The melody of the forest began to calm her nerves.
   “Yes. I suppose you could say that.” She muttered in her usual quiet tone.
   “Why do you want to go through the forest instead of around it?”
He asked as he held back some leaves for her.
She let out another sigh and paused. She began to fiddle with her new dress.
   “Did you see that region of the map called the Abyss?” She spoke up.
Drey nodded. The Abyss was smack-dab in the middle of the map.
   “That is the worst part of Falion. Everyone goes out of their way to avoid it. And going out of the Forest just to sleep better doesn’t seem like a good idea to me.”
Drey could see that really worried her, but he was still confused about why it worried her.
He let the silence linger for a moment, trying to figure out things.
A sycamore tree’s bow was hanging so low, that Elowen pushed off a rock and landed on the branch.
   “Alright, time for a history lesson.” She said, patting the branch beside her.
Dreyden raised his eyebrows.
   “A history lesson? Now?”
She nodded.
   “Yes! If you want to know why I’m so scared of The Abyss you have to know your history. Of Falion. Not of Cevlon.”
He nodded and jumped up on the branch next to her.
   “Alright. I’m listening.”
   “When Cevlon was raised into the air, out of the reach of Eleyos’ greatest enemy, a rift was left behind. That is The Abyss. However, it’s not just a rift. When the battle between Eleyos and his enemy was over, Eleyos cast him in to The Abyss, sealed it and gave orders never to go with in a hundred leagues of it. And we haven’t.”
Drey’s eyes became as large as a pebble on a river bed.
   “Wait so.... Viglur is still down there?” He asked.
   “As far we know. But there’s rumors flying around that he’s starting to break the seal. Chaos is sweeping in to all four corners of Falion. The Talon-Bears are getting agitated, The Nigvorians are leading more raids then usual, the Pixies are causing...more trouble then normal, and the humans down here are going insane! Especially the Infidels. We all fear that they’ll some day gain truce with the Nigvorians and descend onto Asmodea! And if that happens...” She shuddered at the thought of the chaos that would unravel if that would ever happen.
   “We need someone who can reinforce the seal once again, someone who can stop Viglur from rising again. If that happens we might have a chance. If that happens and even if we simply delay him, we can gather the forces we need to make sure we survive. It’s been fabled that a force will rise someday and bear the Supreme Gems...but I know it’s not me.”
Drey objected automatically.
   “But you have one of those Lost Gems. So why can’t it be you?”
She smiled at his ignorance. She should have known he didn’t know of the fables.
   “Because, the force the fables speak of, is fearless, fierce to an extreme, and can knock down any enemy no matter how large or how strong. I don’t exactly fit those categories.”
He was about to say something, but then thought better of it and shut his mouth.
   Being a girl, and as they say, a girl thinks in strands. One thought led to another and she sprouted out something completely off topic.
   “By the way, where is Lorem?” She asked.
Dreyden froze. He wasn’t quiet sure how to tell her that her little tiger had gone from the cute and cuddly cub, to a near giant of a monster.
Ellie saw his hesitation and looked at him.
   “You do, still have him, don’t you?”
   “Of course I do!” He said. Pulling the silver-blue Gem out of one of his pockets.
   “But uh...before you call him there’s uh...”
Too late.
Elowen had already taken the Gem from his hand and called her friend.
She let out a screech when her tiger friend appeared in front of her, no longer floating, and almost coming up to her hip.
She would have toppled backwards if it weren't for Dreyden, who's battle quickened reflexes caught her elbow and the small of her back before she fell over, quickly pulling her to his side to make sure she didn't fall off.
   "Wha-what happened to him?" She asked, her breath suddenly gone.
Drey hesitated before answering carefully.
   "He ate."
She turned her deep green eyes to him in startled shock.
   "He ate?!" She repeated, not sure she heard right. Hoping she hadn't heard right.
He nodded.
   "Ate what?!"
   "My house."
She moved away slightly and turned to face him properly.
   "Your house?"
He cocked his head.
   "Okay maybe not the actual house, but he did make it explode."
Her mouth dropped and she looked down at the tiger who was now bumping her hand with his nose, trying to get her to pet him.
   "Well that wasn't very nice of you now was it?"
Lorem shook his head.
   "I'm sorry about that. Can you fix it?"
   "Hmm?" Drey realized she was talking to him. "Oh! Yeah it's no problem...If I ever go back that is." He mumbled the last bit under his breath as he let go of Elowen. But she managed to hear it, and it got her thinking. Wondering really, about that odd dream she had when she had nearly died.
Was that really a part of his past?...or just a dream her subconscious mind made up.

Elowen tried to devise a way to ask him about his mother. And then a piece of old wisdom her Master had told her came to mind. 'To learn of another, you must first share yourself.' Now of course he hadn't actually meant her physical body, but her past. Memories and that sort of thing. That was the kind of thing that everyone always was eager to hear. Whether they told you that or not.
And she also found herself wanting to break the awkward silence.
   "The melody of the Forest reminds me of a song my sister use to sing to me when I couldn't get to sleep." She muttered, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she scratched Lorem's head.
   "She was like a mom to me." She added.
   "What about your actual mom? And dad?"
Ellie shrugged and looked up at Drey.
   "I never knew them. My sister raised me for most of my life before the monastery. She told me that they died when I very young. So she was the only living family I've ever known."
Dreyden was caught by fascination when she opened up to her own history. And he realized they really didn't know much about each other.
   "What happened to her? Is she still around? Waiting for you?"
Elowen, sadly, shook her head.
   "No...Before she dropped me off at the monastery she told me she had a job to do, and then she left. I haven't seen hide or hair of her sense then. I don't know what's happened to her."
Drey fell silent and he sighed.
   "What was her name?"
   "Jedika."
There was another long silence as Ellie contented herself with petting Lorem, and Dreyden contented himself with watching her. Deciding what to say next.
   "I didn't know my parents very long either."
   "How old were you? When they passed away, and your brother?"
Drey looked down at her.
   "Six. Still a child. And I only have one real memory of my mother. She was really kind and put up with my...rather," he cleared his throat and Ellie smiled. "demanding personality. I'm just sad I didn't get to know her better."
The silence between the two held for a while as they listened to the Forest's song. Ellie couldn't bare to ask about the memory. He looked so depressed that she really didn't want to pry any further.
The beautiful melody rose and fell in perfect harmony, flawless to a point it was blissfully painful.
   "So, what makes the Forest sing?" Drey asked. Elowen turned to him with a growing smile.
   "Pixies of course." She answered with a giggle.
Dreyden's eyes grew wide, the shock easy for her to see.
   "Wait - What?"
Ellie had already pushed herself away from the branch, and was walking deeper into the strange Forest, with the silver tiger at her side.
Dreyden jumped off the branch and jogged a few steps to catch up with her.
   "Do you mean 'pixies' as in the ones from children's tales?" He asked, not quiet sure what to make of her statement.
   "Well they're anything but a child's tale, however, I suppose you wouldn't have them up on Cevlon would you?" She questioned sweetly.
   "No. No we don't! Along with Talon-Bears, or - or what ever else you have down here."
The two laughed as he said this, but when he finished, Elowen stopped abruptly.
   "Why don't I just show you and the rest at camp? It would be much easier, and this way you and your lot can get some education."
Drey shrugged. His light armor clanging together.
   "Better late then never." He pointed out. She nodded and turned back the way they had come.
Drey knew forests were easy to get lost in, but he had been so focused on Elowen that he had forgotten to mark their path.
   "Um...Ellie? How do we get back?"
   "Oh some bounty hunter you are." She remarked. Though her words were slightly sarcastic, her smile was genuine.
She took up the lead, but let Drey fall into step with her.
   "So have you been to Illumination Forest before?" He asked.
Elowen shook her head.
   "No. I've only seen pictures in ancient texts, and heard stories from travelers, but no. I've never been here in person."
   "Then how? You seem to know everything there is to know -"
He was interrupted by her silver bell laughter.
   "I know very little, and I do not pretend to know, that which I do not. Some people call me a snob" She said gently, looking down at her boots.
   "Honorable." Drayden chimed in. Ellie was taken aback. She looked up at him with wild eyes.
   "Honorable," he repeated. "That's what I'd call you."
Color flushed Elowen's cheeks as she smiled.
   "Well, I wish I had known you sooner Drayden." She whispered sweetly.
But before Dray got a chance to respond, they broke out of the trees and came into the camp.

Tarryn seemed lost in thought as he shredded pieces of bark. His dark eyes looked slightly troubled behind his pale bangs. Like he was trying to decide what to believe, and what not to believe.
Ellie's heart went out to the poor boy, she had all ways been told that Cevlon was real. But poor Terryn was suffering from major culture shock! Everything he once knew to be true, was suddenly lost in the wild sea of chaos.

Ysmay and Merek were arguing in quiet whispers by the map, which was lying on the ground between them. Kade was watching them from his log with a bored interest.
Elowen didn't see Sonera anywhere around the camp site, so she assumed she must be in the cave.

She moved over to Terryn, who didn't notice her 'til she was standing next to him.
He looked up at her, the only hint of shock or surprise was in his eyes.
   "Want to see something even more miraculous then this singing Forest?" she asked, bending down so her hair fell in her eyes. Terryn saw something white behind her left ear, but another wave of hair fell over it before he could tell what it was.
   "I don't believe anything could out do this forest." He remarked. Looking around with a slight smile, but it fell quickly as a shadow crossed his face.
   "But then again, I use to think nothing could out do Haven either. Guess that shows how little I know." He added gloomily. Ellie sighed and sat down on her knees. She gripped his well muscled forearm.
   "I know it'll all come as a shock, but give it a few days and you'll come round. Promise."
Terryn looked her square in the eyes and sighed.
   "I guess so. I just hope your right."
She smiled and squeezed his arm.
   "Come on." She said, rising back up and nodding to him.
He sighed and stood up, placing his long dagger back into it's sheath on his hip.
She flashed him a smile before turning to the others.
   "Would you mind stopping your bickering for the moment so I can show you something?" She called out.
Sonera peeked her head out of the cave, looking at Ellie with raised eyebrows. Coming out of the darkness, she tapped Kade on the shoulder, earning his attention. He looked from her, to Ellie with the same questioning face. Ysmay and Merek fell silent as they cast more questioning glances between Elowen and Dreyden.
Who was the only one not wondering what the mysterious Magi had in mind.
   "Thank you kindly. Now the illumination is very beautiful, but...would you like to see what or who really, makes it glow?"
Barely had the words escaped her lips, did Kade start to protest.
   "A glowing forest is one thing, but you can't actually expect us to believe magic makes it do that." He stated with fire in his eyes and tone of voice.
She smiled and moved over to a pink and purple flower. The petals were as large as her palm and she knew that that particular flower petal would create a gold dust when crushed up very fine.
   "Kade," She gazed at him with a sympathetic look. "No one likes things that cant be explained," She clasped her hands behind her back. "And magic hasn't been explained to you yet.. But magic isn't something to be feared." She plucked one of the petals off and began to crumple it up between her finger tips and palm. A smile spread across her lips as she raised a closed palm to her mouth.
   "It's the Magi you have to be wary of." She opened her palm and blew the gold dust into the air.

Ysmay watched in amazed wonder as Elowen slid her long staff out from it's sheath on her back.
There was a hum that came from the back of her throat, a chant came out her mouth.
Kade's brow furled, but she shot him a look that told him to keep his gop shut, or she'd shut it for him.
Elowen sent up a prayer to Eleyos that this would work. She wasn't actually sure what it was she was doing. Maybe she was making a bit of a show of herself, but she knew she couldn't back down now.
She created only a summoning spell, simple enough in nature, but so much so she wasn't sure it would do the trick.
After she had finished uttering the spell, she lowered her staff and waited. The silence was awkward, what with everyone starring at her expectantly.
   "Ellie, what are you -"
   "Shh!" She snapped, keeping her gaze up in the trees. Mostly just so she could avoid eye contact with any of them.
After a long moment of nothing but the song of the forest to fill their ears, they could hear the giggles again. Coming from all around them. She turned around and gazed up at the tree tops. At first there was nothing, then, she finally spotted them.

   "Look! Up there! Can you see it?" Terryn pointed out. Suddenly giddy.
Everyone followed where his finger was pointing to, and gasps over took them as their breath was stolen away.
A person, about as small as one of the petals Elowen had crunched up just a moment ago, flew down to eye level with Terryn. Yes, flew. He had translucent wings that sparkled when they caught the light, they were so fine that Terryn could see the veins running through them. Besides the wings, another trait that caught him off guard, was the fact that the little person, was blue! And his hair, bright red and stuck strait up everywhere. He was dressed in what looked like sewn leaves, with no shoes. But with the use of wings, why use one's feet?
   "Not an 'it'," Elowen said quietly, walking up next to him. "But a Pixie. They live in this forest, all around us. They're the ones that sing."
Ysmay turned on her heel, her mind now knowing what to look for, spotted thousands and thousands of Pixies. All coming out of various hiding spots.
   "See? Not all of this world is bad." Ellie said, her eyes on Kade. "It just takes a little bit of explaining, and an open mind is all."

Chapter Nine

Chapter 9: The Illumination Forest

Cevlon - dungeons:

Kade paced his cell with anxiety. The girls had no idea where he was! They had gone out shopping, and would never suspect that he had been caught! He hadn’t even expected that, but apparently Eleyos had other plans for him. 

There was a high pitched creak of rusty hinges that were in desperate need of oiling. 

He turned to see the new comer and sighed with relief. 

   “Mentis!” He rushed over to one of his beloved teachers. Mentis looked more frail then Kade had ever seen him before. 

   “There must be some misunderstanding. I’ve done nothing wrong.” He said. 

Mentis nodded in deep thought.

   “I’ll see what I can do about it son. I can’t stay long, I just came to check up on you is all.” 

Kade nodded. His mind at ease. 

Mentis handed him a plate of bread and a cup of water. 

   “It was all I could manage to smuggle in.” He said with a wink. Kade took it gratefully, ravenous something fierce sense he hadn’t eaten in the past twenty four hours. 

   “I’ll be back as soon as I can to get you out son. But until then, sit tight.”

Kade nodded as he watched the man leave. 

   “From the pan and into the fire.” Mentis muttered once he was out of ear shot, rubbing his chilled hands together. Oh the life he was loosing so quickly. He never imagined youth to be so fleeting. 

   “Oh well. It does not matter. For soon I shall live forever.” He said to himself as he made his exit of the dungeons.

.:+:.

Sonera chased the little thief down several streets before finally taking back what was hers. Well it wasn’t really hers. It was Kade’s. 

When she caught the little boy, he kept his eyes on his feet.

   “Hand it.” She ordered. He sighed and handed over the red cape. 

   “Now, where did you get this?” She knew it was unlike Kade to leave his stuff out, especially his cape.

   “I found it in a barrel miss. Honest!” 

She cocked an eyebrow and tried to decide if the boy was lying to her or not.

  “I just want’d to play wift it is all. I meant no harm by it. ‘Cause see, me and my pals were playin’ that we’d be mighty warriors just like Lieutenant Kade and all! And when I found this cape, I landed the role and we were just getting to fight the bloody Magi when you caught us...so is not like we were trying to ruin it or somethin’...honest...” 

Sonera always had a soft spot for kids. She sighed and placed her hands on her hips.

   “Well, now that you put it that way. You run along and have fun, there was no harm done. This cape belongs to a friend of mine is all. So don’t you fret about it. Go on now!” 

The little boy met her gaze and smiled.

   “Mighty kind of ya! Thanks miss!” He then ran off down the street to a band of boys and girls, where he immediately started to reenact what had just happened. 

Sonera smiled at the sight and went back to where she had left Ellie. 

   “Catch him?” She asked, half her face hidden by the deep cowl of her Magi cloak.

   “Yeah. And now I just have to find out why Kade doesn’t have his cape.” 

This really troubled her. She couldn’t think of any valid and good reason for Kade to have left his cape behind, and let a kid get it.

   “Hmm...well I’m sure we can ask him about it when we meet back up again.” Ellie said, trying to calm Sonera’s nerves. 

Sonera nodded in silent agreement and the two continued hunting for a new jacket for her.

 “Did you hear? They threw a Warrior in jail today. He’s some big shot, Kade I think was his name.” 

The girls froze and tried to act normal as the Palace Guards passed by.

Then they passed wiry glances. 

   “Oh I knew something like this was going to happen!” Sonera complained in a low voice.

   "Don't worry. We'll get him out." Ellie said, her mind already cracking a plan.

   "How? I'm just a girl with nothing but a sword and my best friend's cape." 

   "And then there's me..." 

Their eyes met as Sonera caught on.

She pulled the cape onto her shoulders and placed the hood atop her head. The shadow covering her dark skin and silver hair.

   "Can you slip past unseen?" She asked, more worried about Ellie getting caught then herself.

Ellie nodded and slipped out of her white cloak. She turned to the store keeper of a near by shop, with a charming smile.

   "Can you keep this for me?" She asked. The woman nodded and placed the cloak behind the counter.

   "Of course. But I close at two." 

Elowen nodded. 

   "Thanks so much!" She then turned back to Sonera.

   "Ready?" 

Sonera nodded.

   "Love the dress by the way. Royal blue looks amazing on you." 

Ellie blushed a little as she glanced down at her new dress. Ellie had liked it when she saw it in the shop, and liked it even more when it was on her.

The ribbon emperor waist fit her nicely, and even though the dress it's self had a low square cut neckline, she had bought a black tunic to go underneath it with a high collar and full sleeves. The royal blue skirt fell a little past her knees, but it didn't come anywhere near her new, tall leather boots. All in all it was a very pretty dress that complemented her very well. 

   "Thanks."

   "Alright, lets go. Meet me back at the clearing, but make sure you tell Kade to use the tunnels, got it?" Sonera instructed.

   "Use the tunnels. Got it. Alright, see you soon! May Eleyos be with you." 

   "And you, my friend." 

The two parted ways.

.:+:.

Cevlon - Just outside the Council Palace:

   "Oh! Where's that page?!" 

   "Broncus, you know we're not suppose to drink while we're on duty."

The two Palace Guards were getting a little bit drowsy in the hot, afternoon sun.

The older of the two stood from his perch under the akven tree and stretched.

   "Well it's either that, or I fall asleep." He sighed loudly and gazed up at the rich blue sky.

   "You know Lermin, we sure done good. I mean it's not that I'm unhappy with my lot in life! I've got grand-tots, my darlin' wife to come home too, and a nice job. But sometimes I wish there was a bit more excitement-"

   "Sir! Look!" Lermin pointed to a red cape that was walking down the street. 

   "Bite me leg, and call me gaffer a dog! He's gotten out!" Broncus shouted. "After him!" 

The two grabbed their weapons and gave chase. 

Ellie watched them run after Sonera's trick and smiled slightly.

   "Zwen." She whispered. Silver-blue magic spilled out from her finger tips and formed about her. She wouldn't know if the spell worked, but she had faith in Eleyos to keep her safe.

After taking a moment to gather her courage, she then stepped out into plain sigh and walked right through the front doors of the Council Palace.

.:+:.

Cevlon - Palace dungeons:

Kade looked out the bars of his cell as he heard talking.

He saw the two guards talking to a young girl. Her face was obscured by the guards, but he thought he recognized her voice. Though he couldn't figure out where from.

   The guards bowed and walked out of the dungeons completely.

Kade sat up from the hammock as the girl came closer.

   "Lady Katherine?" He asked, completely taken aback. She glanced his way as she produced a large ring of keys.

   "Do I really look like her?" 

Something was off about her, but he wasn't sure what.

The door swung open and she gestured for him to come out.

   "We must hurry before we get caught. Here." She handed him a dark green cape, which he slipped on hastily.

   "My lady, why are you doing this?" He asked as he followed her out of the dark dungeons he wasn't sad to leave behind.

   "First off, I love being called a lady and all, but I'm not Lady Katherine." The girl explained.

Kade cast a confused look at her.

   "I don't understand." He admitted.

The girl sighed as she pulled him out of sight of a squad of guards.

   "I'll explain latter. Oh! By the way, Sonera says to take the tunnels." 

That statment threw Kade off. He wasn't sure how Lady Katherine knew Sonera. Or why Sonera would tell her about the tunnels. They were a secret only entrusted to Elite Warriors. 

How could she tell royalty, and break that secret?

However, another thought arose in his mind.

   "But I thought Mentis was working on getting me out." He recalled.

She hesitated before turning to him.

   "I do not know of this. But can we please get to those tunnels? Soon?" She glanced around the crystal hall, and spotted a shadow coming their way.

Kade knew something was off, and he figured by the way they were sneaking around, they were going to get in huge trouble should they be caught.

Still confused and with questions still teaming, he took her hand and led her through the winding maze of hallways that made up the Council Palace. 

The two ran on, dodging guards and trying to stay out of their radar along with any of the house keeping maids.

He finally found the statue he was looking for. It was a statue of one of the greatest kings, Cevlon had ever seen. 

   "Who is he?" 

Kade looked at Lady Katherine in utter shock.

   "Surely you paid attention to that history lesson!" 

She looked at him with cluelessness in her eyes, that made him stop dead in his tracks.

Does she really not know...? He wondered. No. Impossible. He decided.

Walking over to the majestic man, he looked down at the golden plaque and pointed.

The soft tip-tap of her boots sounded deafeningly loud in the silence.

   "'To the greatest king this part of the world has ever known. May we one day find your heir.'"

Kade nodded as she read aloud.

   "The legendary heir that nobody can find. He's probably dead though. And if he isn't...then I'll kill him myself." Kade declared in the quiet hall, and to the stone statue fore none to hear but Lady Katherine.

   "Why?" She asked quietly. Kade busied himself with pressing certain letters in the sentences on the plaque.

   "Because it's his fault that Cevlon got stuck with the stupid Council. So it's his fault all of the Palace Guards have special treatment and can get away with pretty much anything. So, in away, it's his fault that I got captured and it's also his fault I'm having to sneak out and probably become a wanted fugitive. And it'll definitely be his fault if I can't become anything but a Eleyos-cursed bounty hunter!" 

The letters he had been pushing, suddenly began to glow subtly and a doorway appeared at the base of the statue.

Kade suddenly realized that his behavior to Lady Katherine was uncalled for, but she did ask why. So he only gave her an honest answer. Though...he supposed he had been a little strong. But now he had no idea how to apoligize for that.

So he didn't.

   "Come my lady." He said. His voice still rough, but quieter now.

She nodded.

   "Yes. And lets be quick about it. We haven't got all night. And I do believe this spell is beginning to wear off." She said.

Kade glanced at her and noticed that her hair was starting to shrink, and it went from raven black, to brown, to dirty blond, to blond, and then finally to light red. 

Her cheek bones became less defined and she looked much younger. 

   "Elowen?" He asked in shock.

   "Hello Kade. I told you I wasn't Lady Katherine. Now hurry! Please." 

Once Kade saw who it really was, things started to fall into place, and he understood why Sonera had told Elowen about the tunnels.

   "Alright come on then!" Kade took the lead and they dove into teh dark tunnel with no light at all.

   "Hold onto my jacket. Fires are not allowed down here, so I'll need both my hands. And I haven't got the time to come searching for you if you get lost." Kade whispered.

Elowen nodded, but realized he could neither see, or hear her head nod. 

   "Okay. I'll be right behind you." She said aloud. He grunted an agreement and she clutched to his leather jacket.

In this fashion, he led her through the dark tunnels. They took so many twists and turns that Elowen had all but lost track. She marveled at how Kade could keep a mental map of theses tunnels, along with how he kept his sense of direction!

Eleyos had really blessed him.

And she made a mental note to thank him for that latter.

After a good long while, and after the countless times of Ellie hearing something scurrying and screaming at the top of her lungs, Kade finally spoke up over a gradual noise that had been getting louder the farther they went.

   "Brace yourself!" He called.

Ellie immediately gasped. The last time she had heard those words she had been - 

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!"

She should have known what was coming while the two of them catapulted through the sky, but she didn't. By any means!

When Gravis caught them, she still felt a little bit shaky, but not too bad. However, when she suddenly realized what the source of the noise was, fear washed through her. 

They were now in middle of what seemed like a tiny battle.

Palace Guards on battle clothed yertos were swarming on a single target. Flaming arrows were flying everywhere, and once Elowen and Kade had been spotted, arrows fell on them as well. 

Ellie screamed and held tighter to Kade as Gravis suddenly dived strait down like an arrow.

When they got beyond the archers range, they turned to see the battle above.

The moment when Kade saw a flash of orange, he knew immediately who it was they were after. 

   "Sonera!" He cried, kneeing his own yerto to fly upward. he reached back to unsheath his sword, careful though to avoid any serious injuries to Elowen.

Gravis flew above the battle ground, and they found themselves looking down at the archers that had hung back while the sword fighters went on ahead to engage their enemy.

   "Get to Sonera." Ellie said loud enough to be heard over the ruckus going on. "If I get my staff I can take out the archers."

Kade's blood boiled, as did his temper.

   "No!" He spoke sharply. "Magic is evil and should be avoided or eliminated at all costs!" 

Ellie was shocked by his words, and her grip on him lessoned. But she didn't dare speak another word.

Kade flew down on the archers like a Nigvorian's axe fall. 

Swift and deadly.

Three archers fell before they knew what hit them. The other two aimed at him in a flash.

Elowen was scared that he would get injured, but before she could even think of the appropriate spell, the arrows had been released from their strings with a light twang. 

Ellie cringed, waiting for the pain that was sure to come.

Only...it didn't.

Kade saw the archers load their bows, and in his peripheral vision, he saw the arrows fly at them.

Quickly, he swung his sword in small circles, cutting the arrows several times, rendering them useless as they fell harmlessly to the clouds below.

He used his right knee to guide Gravis closer. Using the full length of his arm and with the extension of his long broadsword, he used a single horizontal cut to break the long bows in half. Leaving the archers stunned, and harmless.

Sonera swooped in next to the purple yerto.

   "Elowen!" She shouted. The small girl turned her ashen face towards her.

Sonera lifted up the white staff before tossing it to her.

Ellie caught it and thanked the silver haired girl with her eyes.

   "Kade! We need to get out of here before reinforcements come!" Sonera shouted.

He glanced her way and gave a brief nod. The two yertos dove down into clear sky, trying to out fly the Palace Guards.

   “Elowen, can you buy us some time with your magic?” Sonera asked.

   “No!” Kade shouted. “We don’t need her magic!” 

Ellie had been watching Cevlon and suddenly punched Kade in the gut.

   “I understand your fear towards magic, but now is not the time to prove that you can take on an entire army. Whichis exactly what’s coming for us right now! So get this bird going and leave the rest to me!” Ellie didn’t have time to be kind and gentle. Not with thirty or forty men coming after them.

Sonera and Kade exchanged fiery glances, but soon enough they angled their rainbow colored birds down to the crust of Falion.

   Elowen turned around on Gravis’s back so she was now backwards.

All they needed was something to give them a little time.

She closed her eyes and devoted a sliver of energy to the spell.

   “Gastro.”

Suddenly a large cloud bank appeared in front of the guards, but behind Kade and Sonera’s yertos, giving them cover for their escape.

   “Hurry! The spell will only last as long as my energy does.” She ordered.

Kade wasn’t sure what that all meant but he didn’t need any encouragement to urge the big bird to go faster.

   “How are we going to land?” 

Okay, so she hadn’t thought of that part.

.:+:.

Falion - Illumination Forest:

The band of bounty hunters had had a terrible past few days.

Now athey all had been in rough spots before, but that was on a planet they knew. They knew all the forests, and rivers on Cevlon by heart. They knew every street, back alley and sewage drains, not only where to find them, but which ones to use in what form of crisis, which ones were the best escape route to take. 

They use to consider themselves the best!

But they were not prepared for the alien-ness of the forest they found themselves trapped in.

They were lucky enough to find a cave that wasn’t any sort of den to some strange animal. But that was after a night of trying to keep the odd sounds and nocturnal animals from getting them. They found that fire was the best thing to keep everything away.

So when they set up camp in the cave, they’ve had it going day and night.

Dreyden was trying to change in the back of the cave, eat breakfast, while trying to study the map of Falion all at the same time.

He had no clue where they were. 

As far as he could tell there were three forests on Falion.

The Illumination Forest, Zipora forest and one that had no name.

It would be just our luck to end up  in that one! He thought grimly. The Arriescent Ruins are all the way on the other side of the map!

   “Hey Drey!” 

Dreyden’s eyes were torn away from the map to see Merek walk over. 

   “Find our position?” Merek gestured to the map.

Drey shook his head as he finished fixing his belt, and shoved the last piece of bread in his mouth.

   “No. It’s impossible to tell which forest we’re in! Let alone tell you how to get to the Ruins!” He vented.

Merek felt for him. In their earlier years, he had been in similar positions on several occasions!

He did not envy his dear friend, but this time he had a solution.

   “I think I know someone who will be able to help.” He said. Shifting his thumbs that were hooked on his belt.

Drey regarded him doubtfully.

   “How do you ‘know’ someone? There’s no one here but us!” 

Merek gave him an all-knowing look. Drey hated it when he did that.

   “I beg to differ. I just met a lass -” 

   “Ugh!” Drey moaned as if he’d just been given a death sentence.

   “Please tell me you’re not flirting with Ysmay again. Terryn hates it when you do that!”

   “No, no, no, no. Ysmay’s like a sister to me, anything else would just be immensely disturbing.” Merek assured him. Drey scoffed, but Merek decided to ignore that.

   “No, I mean a different girl. There’s two of them actually, but the second one ran off as soon as I started talking to her -”

   “Yeah, I would too.” 

Merek glared at Drey, who chuckled slightly.

   “But this other girl says she knows you.”

Dreyden’s brow furled by this news.

   “Knows me from where?” 

   “Cevlon she says. Something about roof tops. Why didn’t you tell me you had a lass already?” 

Drey could tell that Merek was withholding information, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to know what it was.

   “You know I don’t.” He growled. “So stop jokin’ about it.” 

Merek shrugged and tossed Drey his freshly cleaned tunic. (Thanks to Ysmay.)

   “You’ll find your woman sooner or latter. I’m sure of it.” 

Drey rolled his eyes as he pulled on his shirt.

   “Kids younger then me are getting married already. I’m seriously beginning to doubt that I’ll ever find the right lass to pursue.” 

   “They’re only a year younger!” Merek could tell by his expression that Drey could care less if they were five years younger!

   “Oh don’t worry about it, now just get out there!” Merek shoved his friend towards the mouth of the cave.

Outside, the sun was leaking through all the multicolored leaves of the bizarre trees.

Ysmay and Terryn were sitting around the fire, talking quietly while watching something across the camp.

Drey turned and noticed a white clad figure.

Her back was turned to him. She was kneeling down, but when she heard him approach she rose to her feet and looked at him over her shoulder.

He could only see a sliver of her face and all he could make out was one of her green eyes. 

No. He gapped. That’s impossible!

She turned around fully, but he still couldn’t see her face because of the deep cowl.

She reached up and flung the hood away and gasps ran through the camp, coming from every mouth, except Dreyden’s. 

Now, that’s not to say he wasn’t shocked. Oh no! He was shocked, just shocked into speechlessness. 

   “Too bad we can’t see the stars from here.” Elowen said with a sweet smile that sent his head spinning.

   “Ellie?” He finally managed.

She nodded and gave a curtsy.

   “I’m honored that you remember me.” 

   “Whoa, hang on a second!” Merek came up and put a hand on Drey’s shoulder. 

   “You two,” He gestured to them, connecting them with an invisable string. “Are on nick name terms?! What in Eleyos’ name did you two do all night?!”

Drey sighed and almost chuckled at Ellie’s expression. It looked like someone had just slapped her in the face and then called her pretty.

Ellie wasn’t sure how to respond to that, and Ysmay caught on.

She rose from her perch next to Terryn and moved past Merek, slapping the back of his head as she went.

   “Oh honestly! Merek cant you see you’re making her uncomfortable? For a twenty-five year old you act like a child!” 

Ysmay walked over to Elowen and put an arm around her in a protective way.

   “Don’t do it again.” She warned.

Merek sobered up a little bit, and nodded.

   “Come on, Terryn doesn’t bite.” She said reassuringly as she led Ellie over to the camp fire.

   “So, let me make introductions.” Ysmay pointed to Terryn, who smiled and waved.

   “That’s Terryn -”

   “The baby of the band.” Merek chimed in, coming over and bracing his foot on a log opposite of Elowen and Ysmay. 

   “He maybe the youngest, but he’s leathal when it comes to fighting.” Ysmay said. 

   “And that’s Merek. He may act like he’s a teenager, but don’t let him fool ya. He’s also the leader of our little group. Then of course you already know Dreydon.” Ysmay gave Ellie a kind smile, Terryn chuckled to himself, and Merek winked at her.

Oh dear. She thought. And she began to wonder what they thought she and Drey did that night.

Then again, I don’t want to know. She decided.

Ysmay continued talking.

    “He’s the second in command and practically Merek’s little brother. And then there’s me. I’m Ysmay, and I’m the glue that holds this band of misfits together. If it weren’t for me, all they’d be doing is brawling and drinking!”

That immediately brought up protests from the three boys.

   “Oi!” Ysmay shouted over the loud noise. “You know it’s true so why deny it?! Just suck it up and act your age! That’s exactly what you’d be doing if I wasn’t there to tell you when enough’s enough.” 

Ellie smiled as they all grew quiet.

   “So anyways, that’s us.” Ysmay said with a kind smile. But then a cloud of darkness covered her face. And she asked the two questions that was on everyone’s minds. “But how’d you get down here, and I don’t mean to be rude or anything but, aren’t you suppose to be on Eleyos’ side of the world?” 

Ellie smiled as everyone seemed to hold their breath with anticipation.

   “Well, as to the first, I hitched a ride, and sense you are from Cevlon you should know them pretty well.” 

On queue, Kade and Sonera walked out from near-by trees.

   “I didn’t want to scare you any more then I had to, so they stayed out of sight.” Elowen could sense tension in the camp, and went to work trying to defuse it.

   “They’re here because they want to help me. Not arrest you.” 

There was a moment of silence as everyone shifted uneasily.

   “And what are you doing here?’ Terryn spoke up.

   “Same reason Drey led you all here. I guess you could blame me for him bringing you here. He was doing me a favor.” 

   “By...going to Falion?” Merek asked. Ellie nodded. “Why?!” 

She took a deep breath and glanced up at DRey who stood to her right a little ways. He nodded, encouraging her to tell her story. 

And she did, and it took most of the morning.

Elowen was the main storyteller, with Drey, Sonera, and Kade jumping in every now and then. 

When they finished their story, the camp was as quiet as a graveyard.

   “So...you’re one of those Magi people?”  Merek broke the silence finally.

Elowen nodded. “Yes.” 

   “And you can do all that...” He made circles with his fingers.

Ellie looked at him with raised eyebrows, waiting for him to finish his sentence.

   “That...” 

   “That?” 

He got flustered and his cheeks started to become pink.

   “Oh! you know! that hocus-pocus stuff!” 

She laughed.

   “Well that is what a Magi does.” She said.

   “Can we see something?” Terryn asked, suddenly brightening up.

Ellie hesitated. She had been taught that magic was not a toy to impress friends with.

   “No.” 

It wasn’t Elowen that had said it. It was Sonera. 

She stepped forward. Though she hated it when the spot light was on her, her concern for her friend’s well-being  over threw any fear she had of all the eyes suddenly starring at her.

   “Elowen’s life energy has yet to fully charge up, so to speak, and a spell takes energy away from it’s caster. So, as of the moment, it’s probably best that she save her energy for a more....demanding situtation.” 

Silence.

There was complete silence.

Everyone just starred at the poor girl.

Merek, was the first to break it, of course.

   “What are you? Her mum?” 

That brought out chuckles from the lads, but the two other girls noticed how Sonera seemed to shrink into the back ground. Ysmay slapped Merek’s head again, and gave him a hard look. He sobered up pretty quickly and Ellie marveled at how he let her boss him around like that even though he must be twice her age.

   “It’s true.” She spoke up. “Just a little while ago, I did a cover spell. It’s one of the most easiest spells a Magi learns, and yet I felt dizzy afterwards. So just to prove I am a Magi, seems pretty pointless to me.” 

They all nodded and all the free lancers formed a circle and began talking amongst themselves.

The three outsiders stood together and watched as their fate was decided.

It was a pretty quick decision to take in Elowen because of Dreyden. Merek could immediately see where their relationship could go, and by all means he wanted that to happen.

Drey needed someone in his life that could be there for him all the time. And that didn’t work for the other bounty hunters.

Ysmay and Terryn caught on and agreed readily. So deciding about her was easy, but it was the otehr two they couldn’t agree about.

   “I don’t mind Sonera so much -” Merek started off, but Terryn caught on to him quickly. 

   “Does that have anything to do with the fact that she’s female and pretty?”

Merek glarred at the boy.

   “I do have a brain you know. And she’s less likely to undermine my authority!” He pointed out. Drey nodded in agreement.

   “Ellie is pretty submissive, and has most people wrapped around her finger because of her personality. So it’s most likely for Sonera to follow Ellie, then to go against you.” 

Merek and Terryn just looked at him funny.

   “Uh-huh,” Terryn said. “and you got all that in just one night?” 

Drey reached over and slapped him.

   “Boys stop.” Ysmay cut in just as Terryn was making for a come-back.

   “Dreyden’s right. Sonera’s not the problem. It’s that darn Lieutenant Kade.” She went on. “He’s a lieutenant., he will be anything but submissive. And I get the feeling that he’s only here because he got dragged in.” 

Murmured agreements made it clear everyone was thinking along the same lines.

Someone behind them cleared his throat, gaining their attention. 

It was Kade.

   “Okay, here’s the thing,” He stated in a very ‘this is the way it’s going to be’ sort of tone. “I’m here because she’s here,” He pointed to Sonera, who hadn’t moved from her spot next to Elowen.

   “And I’m not going back till she does. And she’s not leaving unless that witch does. And I have a feeling you are planning on letting her stay. So in short, we’re all staying. Understand?” 

Merek shot everyone a glanced that said, ‘see what I mean?!’ 

Ysmay touched Drey’s arm to remind him not to do anything rash. And Terryn didn’t say a word. He was the newest recruit to the gang and didn’t quiet have a voice of his own yet.

Merek sighed.

   “Fine! But I’m in charge, got it buddy?!”

Kade glanced his way, but didn’t say anything.

.:+:.

When all the arraignments had been dealt with, Elowen followed Drey and Merek into the cave and to the map. They explained their little predicament. 

She laughed when they told her they couldn’t figure out where they were. 

   “That’s because you don’t use your eyes.” She stated. Another giggle escaped her as she was faced with their baffled looks.

   “Come, I’ll show you what I mean.” She led them back outside and looked up at the sky.

The sun was beginning to set, and twilight had fallen. She smiled.

Walking over to the camp fire, she muttered a spell and it diminished to ashes.

Terryn cried out in alarm as he fell backwards off his log.

   “Shh...” Ellie whispered and she turned to the forest. 

For a few seconds, nothing happened. Drey wasn’t sure what was going on, and for some reason everyone glanced at him like he had some sort of explanation for Ellie’s behavior!

Drey took a step towards the strange girl when it happened.

There was a sudden noise. Faint, but definitely there. At first, it sounded like thousands of voices, all giggling like a child, but they were everywhere! And never in the same place twice!

Merek and Kade respond similar. Pulling out their swords and walking around in hopelessly dizzy circles. 

   “Put your weapons away.” Ellie said in a gentle tone. “You are in no danger here.” 

She then turned again. 

The voices slowly started to form a melody. It started out slow, full of compassion and excitement, but gradually it began to quicken.

And as the song filled the forest, the trees, and plants themselves began to come alive.

Ysmay gasped softly as the astonishing spectacle went on around her. Not quiet sure what to think about it all, her hand, involuntary, reached for Terryn’s arm as she stepped closer to him. (In any other circumstances, she’d be extremely embarrassed.)

The trees went from the vivid green to a rainbow of colors. Some glowed blue, others yellow. The flowers and plants did the same. All changing color from what now seemed a very dull color, to vibrant pinks and purples. 

No flower (or tree for that matter) was exactly the same. They were all different in some way. 

Ellie turned to the rest of the group. 

   “So, have you figured out where you are now?” 

Drey’s mouth was still gapping open, but a smile appeared.

   “The Illumination Forest.”