SK-ChaN: This tale was inspired by my own journey throughout Fiesta, and the land of Isya. The details are at the end of the chapter. :P

Disclaimer: I don't own Fiesta Online. I'm just a rabid fan.

.:Prologue:.

The dim aqua glow of the SP lamp deceptively masked her surroundings, giving them an intangible feel. The only thing keeping her mind in reality was the feel of the lamp's cool metal against her back. With another cautionary gaze, she tilted her head back, closing her eyes, and slipped quietly into the recesses of her mind.

It had been almost a year since she came into this world. Quickly surpassing her peers, Eri allied herself with the Archer ranks of Isya, going so far as to join the forces of WarCry Academy. Climbing the hierarchy had been easy. However, staying near the top was always a constant battle. She had seen many friends fall in the line of battle. There was always the threat of defeat, and the throb of grief at the loss of comrades, but time always moved on. The Isyans fought on in hope of peace.

All had seemed well.

Until Eri stopped hearing from Ice.

She realized, in the beginning, it had been days since she heard from her HighCleric friend. Her first true friend in Isya, they had become very close over the few months they had been in contact. For her to not receive any word from him in over two days was very odd. She had tried contacting him, to no avail. She began asking around Elderine, and even Roumen, although she knew he had long ago outgrown the younger crowds there.

Her search in the more congested areas skidded to a halt as her clues dropped off completely. Before she knew it, days became weeks, weeks became months, and, after three months, she had given up.

And, during that third month, tragedy struck again.

BlackStar had vanished.

Again, it was days before Eri realized her other friend was gone. With the pain of losing Ice barely healed in her heart, she knew she had to act quickly, or risk losing them forever.

For days, she brewed potions and sewed scrolls, until her pack could hold no more. Karl the Blacksmith had reinforced her best bow, and after hearing her tale, gifted her with his best ring, endowed with a spell of Endurance.

"May Teva grant you protection," he had said.

Rations, arrows, anything she would need, was carefully packed into a sturdy knapsack.

And, with her strongest armor donned, she stepped out on her quest.

The white-haired girl's eyes opened quickly at a 'crack!' to her left. She peered warily around the lampost, taking in what she could in the dim-lavender evening light.

A hoarse groan reached her ears, and she made out a slight movement in the barren bushes. She heaved an irritated sigh, pulling out her bow, and aimed a tan-feathered arrow. With a 'twak!,' she released it, and the arrow buried itself in her concealed victim.

She lifted herself from her seated position with grunt of exertion, and padded softly over to the poor excuse for foliage, pulling the branches aside.

'Just as I thought…' she mused. The once-animated corpse of a Zombie lay sprawled. It's eyes now empty, she knew the threat had passed. Gripping the arrow's shaft, she pulled it from the being's chest with a sickening slurping sound, and wiped it on the grass.

Eri straightened, knowing there would be more. She gazed around, her keen crimson eyes searching for movement.

What better place to start her search than the place she had first met Ice?

Moonlight Tomb.

There it is, Chapter 1! I'll be pumping out these chapters fairly quickly, seeing as the reference it my own story...

Yes, Eri is myself, and Ice (Short for IceDragons) and BlackStar were dear Fiestan friends of mine. We were very close, and completed many a quest together, as well as talked until the wee hours of the morning. BlackStar was in my timezone, but Ice, who I was much closer to, lived two timezones behind us.

Needless to say, since they were both still in high school, our schedules began to differ too dramatically to log in at the same time. We were on less frequently, and suddenly, it had been weeks since we heard from each other. Now, here I am, four months later, with still no word. It's disheartening, really.

Note:

IceDragons was a.k.a. FireStarz

Black_Star was a.k.a. Uhm_Brock