A New Empire
Book One of the Mana Battle Series
It is four generations since the destruction of the Mana Beast. All the Upper Land Fairies have reappeared, but then were captured by a new threat, a new Empire. The descendants of the three who destroyed the Mana Beast have chosen different sides. Krystal, the descendant of Purim, and Razz, the descendant of Randi, are still for the Rebellion, while Azayla, descendant of Popoie, is an Imperial minion. Krystal and Razz have joined with a fiery magician by the name of Magnus. The descendant of Dyluck's brother is Scyther, a boy with a gift. The Elementals play an important role in this fight for freedom, although some are on the wrong side…
A young slave fairy ran to the eldest of all the Mystic Fairies. He knew many stories about the past of the Mystic Fairies and how they came to be slaves of the Empire.
"Grandpa Kalado," the young one said. "Tell me of how we came to be in this place of sadness."
"Such a smart child." Kalado said. "Alright, young Rodnim. It was a time of great peace in the Valley. But then, there was the Empire. They came, flowing from the trees. Their warriors were strong, and since we had been at peace, we had no weapons. They killed some of the sprites in sight, but some were taken as slaves. Many generations later, some of our people became allies with our captors. They helped the Empire track down the mystical Swicas that are now used for aerial attacks on their enemies. Our religion was not to be lost though. The Empire let us practice all Elemental powers and follow their representatives. But then, a new child was born. She was nice enough as a child, so when she asked to see the Emperor, no one cared. Her name is Azayla. In that one meeting with the Emperor, she told him our secrets, our plans of possible escape, our very hope! By being the cause of so much valuable information, she quickly became an Imperial general."
"Ha. I wouldn't say I gave your hope, old man." A mocking voice came from the bars of the slave barrack gate.
"Azayla!" Kalado said, surprised. "And what brings a Imperial General to own…lowly presence?"
"You are to come with me, Kalado. By the Emperor's words, you are to come with to the…you know." Azayla grinned.
"No! I will not face that…that…" Kalado started.
"By the moon in the night sky, you will follow me, old man!" Azayla said.
"No! Turn those black magics else where, you witch!" Kalado screamed. But then, no match for Azayla's magic, he slowly followed Azayla to his doom, the Fire Dragon.
"Saman," A solider said. "I've told you how many times YOU CANNOT SEE THE EMPEROR! He has more important things to do than listens to the half-wit opinions of a lowly spy."
"I have done so many things! The people of Serenity trust me! They tell me their secrets! I'm the one with the information that led to the Battle of Broken Serenity! I betrayed my own town for the Emperor! Do you not think I should be allowed at least five minutes?" Saman cried.
"No kiddin'? I was the first General of that battle. Then I was demoted to guard duty when Azayla opened the secrets of the slave sprites," the soldier said. "Well, I guess I could give you your five minutes, starting in twenty seconds."
"I have never seen the Emperor," Saman worried.
"Nor have I, but I hear he is impatient with incompetent fools," The soldier snickered.
The doors the Emperor's room flung open. Saman gulped and walked through.
"Ah, little Saman is it?" A voice said. "Well, welcome to the center of my Empire! I am the Emperor! The greatest, am I not?"
"Yuh-yuh-yes, your mah- mah majesty." Saman stammered.
"Stop that infernal stammering you fool," the Emperor said.
"And who might this be?" A shape formed in midair and became a beautiful fairy.
"You must be Azayla!" Saman said.
"Look, your majesty, he can learn!" Azayla laughed.
"Ha ha ha," the Emperor laughed. Then he walked, or floated, from the shadow he had been in. Saman gasped.
"Aren't you the Ruler of Darkness…Shade?" Saman asked frightfully.
"Yes. I am Shade, Ruler of Darkness and the great Emperor! My arch nemesis is Lumina, the Ruler of Light," Shade said.
"I was as surprised as you were, young one!" Azayla giggled.
"Azayla! Calm yourself. Now, on the matters of my son…" Shade started.
"Ha!" Azayla laughed. "Morphing is my specialty!"
Saman watched as Azayla disappeared and a common person's form flowed from her. Azayla walked out of the room.
"Now, you. I have a job for you. Do you know how to steer a ship?" Shade asked.
"Uh, yes," Saman replied.
"Good. You are the captain of my new Shade Ship! It floats over water, under water, on land, and soars in the sky!" Shade said with pride.
"Thank you your majesty," whispered Saman humbly.
"Take that slave boy, Scyther," Shade said.
"I will," Saman said, and walked out of the room, down to the slave barracks.
Azayla calmly walked to Suweaka, the new capital city of the Imperial country. She walked up to a fabulous mansion, and knocked three times.
"Lumina," she whispered into the door.
"Ah. Ariat," a voice said. Azayla smiled. That is what she called herself when she had to pose as a rebel. She walked into the building.
"Ariat!" a voice cried. It was Magnus, Shade's son. He fought against his own father's Empire. "I just wanted to thank you for being a rebel spy for us all these years. Lumina must have chosen you!"
"LUMINA?" Azayla/Ariat cried. All the Imperial employees hated Lumina and everything about her. "I am sorry. I have news for you and your Rebellion, Magnus. Shade wants peace. He wishes to meet with you, Krystal, and Razz."
"Father wants peace? Really?" Magnus murmured, unable to believe this right away.
"Come to the Banquet Room tomorrow at quarter after five," she said. Then she left.
'The trap is set, the bait is prepared,' Azayla thought as she flowed back to her Fairy form. She held up an orb the Emperor had given her to communicate with him.
"Status report, Azayla," Shade commanded.
"They are coming," Azayla said with a grin.
"Very good. Do you wish to watch Kalado's demise with me?" Shade asked.
"It would an honor, my master," Azayla said.
*
On the Shade Ship, Saman and his crew were under attack by the rebels. Magnus, Razz, and Krystal were battering the ship.
"As a final attack before our audience with the Emperor, we shall have one more victory!" Razz cried.
"Ha! That's what YOU think!" Samando roared. "EARTH VINES ENCIRCLE!" Saman had cast a spell that would 'tangle' up the rebels. Suddenly, Scyther ran up.
"Ah. So, you want a piece of the action…hey!" Saman cried.
"Hold fast, my friends!" Scyther said, readying a spell.
"You TRAITOR!" Saman yelled. He was preoccupied with Scyther, and didn't cast his spell yet.
"My people never wanted to be prisoners of yours, like those fairies!" Scyther yelled.
"What do you mean by 'those' sprites. I am one." Azayla said. She prepared a spell. "MOON POWERS! CHANGE THIS LOWLY ONE INTO A…huh?" She was feeling sleepy. Then Scyther uttered the magic words.
"Go to sleep, little fairy," Scyther whispered. Azayla fell down. "Now. DRYAD FOREST POWERS! WALL, SAFEGUARD THESE THREE FROM ALL SPELLS!"
"*Yawn* Yuh-yuh-you traitor…" Saman said as he feel asleep.
"Thank you, Scyther," Razz said.
"Magnus, you must not go to that banquet. It is a trap," Scyther explained.
"Even if it is, we must go. Are you sure it is trap?" Scyther shook his head. "See? It could be real."
Suddenly, Lumina appeared.
"Lumina," Krystal greeted. "What are you here for?"
"No time to explain. Where is that boy?" Lumina asked.
"Where did Scyther go?" Razz wondered.
"No time." Lumina touched her power orb, and three white tornadoes swept up Razz, Krystal, and Magnus. "Shade has proclaimed all out war. I need you three. You will be against his finest. Azayla, Saman, and Scyther. He will with no doubt control Scyther. Magnus…will you be prepared to…"
"That being is not my father. It is an evil, twisted thing," Magnus interrupted.
Armor appeared on them, and they knew the only recourse.
On the dusty battlefield, Razz, Krystal, and Magnus assembled. Azayla Saman, and Scyther appeared thirty feet in front of them. Swords materialized in Lumina's force's hand, and they marched to Azayla and the others. Scythes appeared in Azayla's, Saman's, and Scyther's hands. They walked towards Lumina's forces.
The battle was tense. Each warrior slashed and cut, blocked and parried. After having Saman, Scythe, Krystal, and Razz fall, only Magnus and Azayla were left.
"You will not succeed!" Magnus cried, raising his sword up. Azayla grinned. Then, Shade's voice sounded in his mind.
"Come to me, son, and we shall raise the Mana Fortress again!" Shade commanded. Magnus fought his father with all his might, but he was not strong enough. He succumbed to his father.
The huge structure rose again, and large object resembling a dragon flew toward it…
The End, But No One Lives Happily Ever After, Obviously.