- Arion -
Our lives weren't the best before the accident happened, but we had all we needed. We were happy to have our families and the people we love. And to be honest, that's all we truly needed.
We lived in a medium sized village, Harmon Village, lots of people, but everyone knew eachother and almost everything about them. We weren't very rich people. We survived on the animals we hunted and made our own items and clothing. We were nothing like those in the cities.
My mother came to wake me up at sunrise, shaking me gently as she whispered my name. I would've responded but I was lost in my dream. In it, I was a wolf, stacking a hare not to far from me. I moved slowly, my paws getting damp from the snow under me. I hunched my body low, sniffing the ground.
I came toward the hare and was going to pounce, but something strange happened, soon, I was nose to nose with another wolf. It looked exactly like me, it's fur a sleek gray with a white underside. It's eyes were deep brown, signaling that it was as human as I was.
The hare stood behind the other wolf's hind leg, trying to hide. The wolf snarled, and I realized that the other wolf was me. I was trying to protect the rabbit. Soon, the orginal me disappeared and the dream shifted into the perspective of the second me. The rabbit nuzzled my leg, and I turned to smile...
And woke up.
"Arion," My mother shook me a final time as I sat up and and rubbed my bleary eyes. It was another Awakening dream. I got these dreams everytime I gained a new animal form. I was a shapeshifter, and that's what happened. It was always a different dream though. I could already shift into a wolf, so obviously, I had gained the rabbit form.
"Sorry, mother. It was an Awakening dream." I mumbled lightly. She nodded, smiling.
"What animal is it this time?"
"A rabbit."
"Oh, how many animals does that make now? Six?"
I nodded. So far I could shift into a wolf, hawk, fox, bear, blue jay, and now a rabbit. When my mother went to a different part of our hut, I got into my clothes which conisted of the city wear that we'd recently aquired. It was plain black pants and a white frilly shirt, but we'd put our village's armor over it. The golden chestplate, the golden arm and knee guards, and the shiny metal shoes, all of which had our village's crest engrave into them- The Great Tree.
Our village was built around a massive tree- The Great Tree. It was a tree that was planted by the Godess, Kryleon. The trees roots went deep into our worlds core, giving every part of nature the strength and will to survive even they harshest of times.
"Do you plan on going to the reading today?" My mother asked, re-entering the room, leaning against the door way.
"No," I spoke, but then changed my mind. "Nah, scratch that. I'm going. The legend is the story of our world, and how it came to be, I can't miss that." She nodded and sta down next to me on my bed, her hands going through my long dark brown hair.
I grabbed the black ribbon from the small table in the corner and tied my hair back into a small, but tight pony tail, my bangs hanging to either side of my face.I looked into the mirror, my lime green eyes glinted. My skin was perfectly tan from hours and hours in the sun, not to mention we were practically Indians. Earth Keepers, that's what the city folk called us.
"Arion," I turned to my mother at the mention of my name. "Your growing up, too quickly. One of these days, you'll leave the village and become a man, never to be my little boy ever again." She put her head into her hands and I could hear the sounds of muffled crying.
"Mother, I'm only 17. I have a while before I leave. And, honestly, in both of our hearts," I took on of her hands and placed it on my chest," I'll always be your little boy."
She looked up, eyes searching into my own. Her soft brown hair, fell into her light blue eyes. Brushing it away carefully, she stood up, wrapping me into a big hug, speaking into my shoulder.
"You're looking more and more like your father everyday. I know he'd be proud of you. He never expected to die, to leave you alone, and I know he wishes he could see you right now."
I blinked back tears, trying to sound as manly as I could. "I know mother, I know." As soon as the words left my lips, someone rushed into our hut, panting wildly. It was my mother's friend, Pyril. she cleared her throat, trying to speak.
"Cariss," She muttered. I perked my ears at the mention of my little sisters name. My little sister was all I had in this world, beside my mother. We all looked out for eachother. That's the kind of my family that we were.
"Cariss. Danger..." She gasped for air again. "Invaders. Techno Soldiers..."
Techno Soldiers? Here? I thought to myself to myself. Machines were now forrbidden and Techno Soldiers were machines with a mind of their own. It seemed unlikely that they'd be here, the village had magic wards to protects us from them. How did the get broken?
Right now nothing mattered, just my sister. I exited the hut, grabbing my weapons- A long sword, bow and arrows, and three daggers. This was going to interesting.
- Cairbre -
The city of Gravesand wasn't always so grim, so hated. It used to be full of people, full of life. It was once associated with words such as: love, protection, safety, and trust. Now, it Gravesand means: Unhonorable, death, punishment.
I was once a Royal child. Prince Cairbre of Alicani, the largest city in the country of Arisurr. I was once a famous, trusting figure, but have now been exiled into the place of punishment, never to return to my family- my home.
When I was 16, I did something stupid. I let my anger get in the way of my thinking, or my choices. My father was treating me like I was useless, so I left the palace. I planned on returning, but never expected what would happen. A man approached me, offering me a new chance, a new life.
He told me about something new, a creation he made- Techno Soldiers. I helped him build them, the first few of them anyway. Little did I know, that these things were practically indescructable. Not even magic could harm them, and we lived in a world where magic was practically always used.
The Techno Soldiers had escaped thier confienment cells, and attacked Alicani. The man disappeared and when people found out that I had helped build these things, my parents had me exiled to Gravesand. Over three years, more and more people where exiled and sent here.
We had a small civilation here, fifty people or so. Most of us kept to ourselves, either waiting for the day when can return- which would be never- or figuring oput ways to redeem themselves. If that could ever happen, I would be the one to know. I wanted to get out of here more than anyone.
I sighed, leaning against the ruins of the house I'd moved into when I'd got here. After a few more people arrivived, Gravesand was attacked. Apparently people didn't like the people here much. Everything was destroyed and people were injured.
I looked across the valley, straining to see into the fog. I could see Zasrik, striding toward me. His black hair was slicked back, gleaming as if it was wet. He was tall, had the first stages of a beard. As he got closer, his soft blue eyes lightened. He smiled as he approached.
"Good morn, Cairbre," He bowed his head. I chuckled.
"I'm not consideder royalty anymore, Zasrik. You know that. Besides, what put you in such a great mood?" I couldn't see anything good about this. We were exiled, the whole country hated us. We had no homes, food was scarce, and we had no knolodge of the outside world and no way off the tiny island of Gravesand.
"We got a letter today, one from your father." He smiled, but I turned away. A letter. We hadn't got one in at least eight months. And even the ones we got before weren't from the King, my father. I started heading into the massive pile of bricks that once was my house. Hanging on the only wall still standing was a full length mirror.
"Yeah?" I questioned, checking my self over in the mirror. You could say I was a tall guy, maybe six foot tall. My sandy blonde hair was shaggy and hung past my shoulders. It needed to be cut, but there was no way to do that here. My face was smudged with dirt. The only thing that was clean was my light brown eyes. I wore a dirty white shirt and some black pants, my shoes were caked with mud.
"The royals are short on knights. In about a week or two, a ship will arrive here and pick up some of us and take us back. They even asked for you specifically."
"Really?" My hopes rose. I could get out of here. Sure, I'd have to fight as a knight, but I would be respected again, I would be trusted. I could go home.
"Yeah, and if you do a good job, they'll even let you back into the royal family. It'd be like you never left." Zasrik smirked, grinning from ear to ear. I was sure he'd get to go home too. That was when I realized that maybe it really did get better from here.
- Noelani -
My father had already gone to work by the time I woke. He was King Ferkel's First Knight now. All of his time had to be devoted to the King and Queen, not to his only living relative, his daughter. I sighed, lying back down in my bed. I was dressed in my usual wear. A long purple skirt with a whiteshirt, connecting the two was a large neon yellow bow that tied in the back. At my right elbow was a sleev like thing that came down to my wrist, upon it was gold, shining designs of the Ixia flower found on the island we used to live on.
I tried to hardest to bring back those days. I could see the beach of Teriu Island when I losed my eyes. The clear water washed into the sand as the tide rolled in. I sat in the sand, my father next to me, my mother on the other side. The sky was clear and cloudless, the trees above us whispered in the wind.
I smiled at my mother, but when I opened my eyes, I was in the tiny guest room of the castle, laying in bed, trying not to cry. I wanted to be back in my island so bad. I wanted to have my mother's arms around me, telling me that no matter where we were, we'd be okay.
But, I was now 15 and it'd been three years since we left the island and five years since my mother died. And since my father wouldn't be home 'til late at night, I was on my own, practically raising myself.
I sighed, sitting up, my long brown hair falling to my shoulders. My pale green eyes searching around in the dim sunlight. I eventually got up and made my way out of the room and into one of the palace's narrow hallways. I paced back and forth before deciding to go out to the gardens. I moved forward and trun the hall, slamming into-
My father, Kaponi. He was wearing shiny silver armor that covered most of his bodym except for his head. He had very tan skin like my own, but he had dark brown eyes. He had black hair that was always in a mohawk with the top part of it being a dyed blonde.
"Noelani? I was jsut about to see you." His voice was low, but serious. His eyes, avoiding mine.
"Yeah? Since when?" I smirked. It isn't fair that I never see him, but did he expect me to be nice? Not going to happen.
"Hey, be nice. Times are rough. But, I need you to go into town, run an errand for me."
"And that would be?" I sighed, putting a hand on my hip.
"I need you to see Surni about getting a certain jewel- the Star of Alicani. Tell her that the King needs it right away and to close her shop early." He spoke quickly, almost whispering. Surni was the only person I was ever allowed to see in this place and she was a middle aged woman who sells jewlery.
"Okay," I said caustiously. The Star of Alicani was the most valueable jewel in the world and held mysterious powers. If the King needed it, it most be important. I said good-bye to my father and ran to the castle gates. They let me through and I ran quickly through the courtyard.
It wasn't long before I ran into the crowded streets, pushing past people who screamed and yelled at me when I did so. I tried to ignore threats and nasty comments and just shove through. Eventually, I came to Surni's shop door. I took a deep breath and entered. Surni was behind the counter as usual and she smiled at me as I came near.
"How can I help you today, Noelani?"
"My father has a message from the King, and sent me to deliver it," I came closer, dropping my voice. "The King needs the Star of Alicani, and said for you to close your shop early." Surni's eyes widened, but then left, returning with a large velvet box as big as a medium sized sheild. She handed it to me and sighed.
"Surni, what's going on?"
"It's an important signal if the King needs this jewel. There's going to be a massive attack. And today by the looks of it. Now, hurry, get back to the castle."
- Eryx -
The mountain side was still, queit. I could see the forest of many pine trees ahead and the sky was clear. I smiled. It was nice to live here. Just me and my teacher, Phirun. Just us, nature, and the cool mountain air. I walked slowly up to the large cabin upon the slope.
When I entered, I could tell Phirun had been making a potion of some sort, maybe one for transformation potion. They always smelled like a rotten skunk. I laughed to myself, calling out my instructor's name.
"Eryx? I'm in the dinning room." I followed his voice and found him sitting in an old woven chair. He was very old, with white thinning hair and a white scraggly beard. I'd lived with him for as long as I remebered. He said we used to live in a village, but I had been orphaned when I was to young to remember and when the village was massacured, he brought me up here.
"What's in the pot, old man?" I pointed to the black pot in the middle of the table. It had light blue steam coming from the top and smelled oddly familiar.
"Awakening potion." He nodded. He said I had great deep within myself, but I just had to realize my true power. No matter who hard I tried, I couldn't find the power he kept goig on about. Maybe thsi potion would finally call it forward.
"Let's see what you got," I said. He put a small amount of the soupy liquid onto a spoon and handed it to me. I gulped it down, ignoring the taste. For a long time, nothing happened. Just silence. I shook my head.
"I'm going back outside. Sorry, Phirun." I exited the building and headed toward the forest I didn't go deep inside the forest, but far enough where even the sun didn't shine through the trees. I sat on a large stump, the smell of pine tinting my sense of smell.
Soon, visions started to cloud my mind...
Fire blazed in the near by cabin, smoke raising and wrapping itself around my neck, trying to strangle me. Screams filled the air, not only my own...
The vision changed.
I was sprinting down a hallway, my viens pumping with fear. I had to keep going. There were sevral people behind me, but I couldn't tell who they were. A thin white aura was surrounding my body and despite my fear, it made me feel calm, collected...
The vision changed again and I was in the middle of a field. The flowers would shift their colors and shine in the unwavering sunlight. In the middle of the feild was a large tree, it's leaves different colors, shapes, and sizes. Not a single leaf copied another, non were the same color. I turned to the people behind me...
Now, I was in a small island, completely ruin. Very few people were there, and I was alone. A man a dark red cape approached me, but I would not listen to him. I could feel power raising inside me, I could feel the need to hurt him.
The vision changed once more, but only showed flashes of images. A beautiful girl, with a vibrating engery. A blazing fire, a corpse of a loved one. A valley so deep, it was said to be cursed. The tree of colors, and the people I was with. Then, a golden light, and a stairway leadng nowhere but up...
I gasped for air, the visions disappearing. I ran further into the forest, to the parts where Phirun forbidded me to go. I looked around vicisouly, searching for a place to get away from the visions. But, I soon realized that it's just been the potion. Maybe my powers had finally awakened...
- Nessa -
I awoke upon a cold, steel lab table. I rubbed my eyes, checking my surroundings. It was a small room, painted a light blue that made my bold boil. Along the walls were various tools used for opening and closing bodies. In the center was this steel lab table that felt like ice to touch.
I tried to remeber if I knew this place, if I'd been here before, but I couldn't come up with anything. I'd woken up here a few days ago, but had no memory of before, who I was. I tried to get out, but there was only one door and it was very hard steel- and password protected.
I looked down at the table which was like a mirror. My hair was red, curly, and hung past my shoulders. Somehow, I had straight bangs that hung over one eye. The eye I could see was a bright, flashing silver. My skin seemed so pale, as if, I was dead.
I strained my ears, listening for any sound of the world beyond the door. Nothing. Just dead silence. I took comfort in the fact that I didn't get hungry or thirsty, becaus eif I did, I'd be dead.
I tried to remeber my past again, but every time I tried, I'd only remeber a name. Radomira. That was the name. It was completely useless. It could be anything. A person, a place, a whole another planet for all I knew.
I sat still for several minutes, waiting, thinking. Who am I? Where am I? Is anyone out there? The questions raced through my head over and over. I longed for the answers, I longed for something. I layed back onto the table again, squeezing my eyes shut.
Someone will come soon, I told myself. Whoever brought me here, would return. They had to right? I reassured myself as I fell into an uneasy sleep.
- Astaroth -
I sniffed the ground caustiously, searching for any sign of an enemy. When I realized there were no enemies, I relaxed and headed into the shallow cave. The ground was cold and damp, but there was nothing I could do about it.
I grunted. Being a bear didn't exactly entertain me. I was once a human, a mage actually. A very skilled mage indeed. But, the moment I used my powers for the dark, I had been cursed, forced to live as a bear, and with no magic.
I hadn't exactly done anything dark. I'd heard of the Techno Soldiers and wanted to hurt them before they came to attack. But, my teachers had instructed me to only use magic when I was attacked, not the other way around. Well, now I've been magicless and have had fur for about a year now.
"Happy fifteenth birthday to me," I muttered. I didn't want to be in a tiny cave, alone, on my birthday. My teachers were going to turn me back, but they were murdered and now I'm stuck in this form, for all of eternity.
The cawing of a vulture could be heard over head. I moved farther into the cave. Animals didn't like a human being an animal, especially birds and tried to remind me of that very often. I sighed, laying my head in my paws.
The pale sunlight shimmered through the trees, slightly blinding me. I stood, shaking out my brown fur. I was hungry, I needed to hunt. I stalked out, searching for some berries. I climbed over a hill and eventually found a large bush over populated with little purple berries.
I ate some quickly, filling my hunger comepletely. In the distance there was a loud BANG and then a balst of fire that rose high into the air, smoke clouding not only the forest, but the whole side of this mountian. Curiously, I ran toward the sorce...