Tales

Of the

Woodland Realm

The Mavolian Realm

Hauku

Age: 16

Magic: Shadow

Characteristics: Raven black hair, deep blue eyes, a mysterious young elf possessing magical and martial art abilities. Tikoro's best friend and rival.

Hauku is a mysterious detached young elf that hails from the Woodland Realm. He doesn't have any memory of his past besides wandering as youth until he was taken in by one of the most skilled Blade Master in all of the realms when he was eight. By the time he was eleven he mastered the style he was taught and even learned to control most of his magic before his old master finally died and he went off on his own. He lived the life of an assassin for nearly four years working for an organization called the Shadow Order where he met his best friend Tikoro, his first and only friend and rival who gave him the meaning of friendship and allowed him to experience emotion for the first time in his life. Since then, they have worked together for nearly four years and now they are inseparable. Hauku isn't exactly the outgoing type but thanks to Tikoro and he slowly figuring out what friendships and bonds are all about. As he develops one of these bonds with Faline he begins to realize that there was undoubtedly a little more to their bond than just friendship.

Faline

Age: 15

Magic: Water

Characteristics: Honey-brown hair, deep blue eyes, a playful and extremely beautiful princess from Lothlorien.

Faline is a very beautiful young elven princess from the Realm of Lothlorien. She doesn't get out much and may be a little naïve but she is a strong hearted lass who treasures her friends. After becoming trapped in the realm of Mavolia along with Hauku, his best friend Tikoro, and her sister Kiera, she's about to get an adventure she will never forget. During her time in Mavolia she looks to her friends for support and soon develops an interesting friendship with Hauku who she is forever flirting with much to his dismay since he hasn't got a clue. But deep down, she sees a sweeter and more caring side of Hauku that is hidden within his callous heart and she is quickly falling in love with him. He is completely unaware of the fact that it seems to only show a little when he is around her and she is determined to bring it out in the open.

Tikoro

Age: 17

Magic: Ice

Characteristics: Pure-white hair (an Imilian trait.), wild blue eyes, an adventurous and crazy teenager but with a nature cool as his magic

Tikoro is a happy go lucky type of guy who is the young ice prince of the realm of Imil. When he was around twelve Tikoro abandoned his home during a great fire in the palace and went on a quest for adventure and took the guise of a traveler and got passage off the isle. A few months after leaving he arrived in the Woodland Realm and he spent a week there when he was suddenly and mysteriously robbed by a young child. He tracked down the delinquent yet he was interrupted when a young dark haired boy got in his way and caused for the young thief to escape. When the young boy didn't let him continue his chase of the thief they got into a fight which ultimately led to a draw. The raven-haired boy introduced himself as Hauku and explained that the kid was hungry and needed money to eat at some point during the fight and that's when Tikoro realized the boy's cause to protect and instantly took a liking to him. Slowly but steadily, Tikoro helped his new friend Hauku break of him of a somewhat callous heart and develop emotions as well as a fire to fuel their rivalry.

Chapter 1

It was late afternoon. Evening would be upon the realm very soon. Then the darkness of night would take over again. Mavoles and spirits would soon awaken and walk the now empty streets of the realm. The beautiful fields of azul flowers would once again glow under the light of the eternal full moon in the night sky. And this night…Tikoro and I had an assignment.The warm wind blew through my raven-black hair about my eyes and I gently whisked it away with a flick of my fingers. The view up here was pretty fantastic. For miles there was nothing but scattered trees and rolling hills in this area. I could even see the dark mountains of the north that stood looming in the distance. I've traveled there once or twice and it is a very treacherous place filled with un-chartered land and a biting cold. Not too often will I go up there. And in front of me lay a great ocean that led to the far side of the realm. The white beaches were very beautiful and held many treasures such as rare stones and shells. The glimmering waters were in truth the greatest sight I had ever seen. They were blue and clear as the sky. Yet, they were also my prison. They were bars that blocked me from returning to my homeland…"Daydreaming again are we, Hauku?" came a voice behind me.My first and very best friend Tikoro suddenly appeared at my side looking down at me with a small smile. He sat next to me on the tall red roofed building upon which we stood and gazed out into the horizon blue eyes holding a certain sparkle for adventure. "Ahh…beautiful place huh?" he asked me.I shook my head grimly. "Too bad it's a prison…" I replied.He shook his head appalled by my dimness of the situation and his pure white hair flew about his face. He leaned back with a small sigh. "It's not bad, mate." He said cheerfully. "Sooner or later we'll be going home. Just watch and see."I shrugged at him. "Always the optimist…" I sighed.He also shrugged but said nothing.

We stared out into the landscape a second more before finally I made a small gesture with my hand and suddenly a sphere of dark energy appeared hovering over my open palm as magic energy flowed to my hand. It suspended there for about a second before I let it disintegrate into the air.

Tikoro smiled. "Your magic continues to get stronger," he said. I shrugged again.

"Perhaps," I replied.

"Your not too talkative today are ya', mate?"

I glanced at him quizzically. "When am I ever talkative?"

He chuckled. "Never actually," he replied. "Just loosen up once in a while."

I stared at him in confusion and he just shook his head with a smile then got up. "I'm hungry. Want to go eat something?"

"I'm alright," I responded.

He sighed. "Do you even eat, mate?"

"Yes…"

"Laugh?"

"When something is funny…"

I can't ever remember you laughing."

"I believe I have…why all the strange questions?"

He chuckled. "Because its fun messing with ya' like that."

I smiled. "I don't see the humor in it."

"Ah! At least you smile!"

I finally let out a little laugh to humor him.

"Ah hah! You can laugh after all!" he said.

"I can tell jokes too. Must I also show you that?"

"What's this, mate? A joke coming from you?" he said mock surprise.

"I was being sarcastic…"

Tikoro just chuckled. "You really are something you know that?" He began staring off into the distance and I saw him furrow his brow… like he was thinking real hard about something... then he sat back down next to me. "Okay, last question. Ever had a thing for somebody? You know, a girl?"I blinked deliberately at the question from confusion. Like or love wasn't exactly and emotion in my vocabulary. It barely made any sense to me unless it came to Tikoro who I cared for as my friend. Beyond that, I never had such a feeling.

I though about it for some time before I finally gave a simple answer. "No…"

He nodded as if expecting that answer. "I see."

I turned to him. "What about you? I'm sure with your personality you've grown close to someone like that."

His face changed to a calm dreamy kind of look as his mind slipped into a memory. Obviously he had such feelings for someone at one time. He lay silent for a while, as if he was detailing every minute he could remember. Almost living it.

"Yah...about seven years ago. A young lass came to the palace once…her and her sister. Yet I was afraid of them because they were new to my realm and I had never seen people without white hair before except for one of them." He turned and faced me with an embarrassed smile. "And I was shy around the ladies then."

That, I found rather amusing. Tikoro was the most outgoing person I had ever seen. But I had laughed too much for one day and let it pass.

"So what happened?" I asked.

"Well…they were there for about a month. I got to know them a little and played with them which consisted of them chasing me around the palace… then they left. Back to their own kingdom…" He sighed and leaned back against the roof staring into the twilight sky. "The one I like though…her name was…something…I forget. But she said I'd see her again sometime…maybe."

He truly seemed sad about losing his friend but I had no clue on what to say exactly but I tried something I had heard before. "Awww…"

He jolted from his spot wide-eyed and I looked at him.

"…What?"

"I can't believe you just said that!" he said laughing but still in shock.

"Was it wrong to do?"

"No but its funny. Pity was never an emotion that I expected from you!"

I shrugged and hid another smile. Experimenting with emotions was actually somewhat interesting. "Anyway, the girls….where are they from exactly?"

He thought a minute. "Well, I'm sure the one I had grown closer to was from my realm. She had white hair like the Imilians and I sensed that ice magic trait about her too. But she was adopted by her friend's father who is the King of Lothlorien."

"Hmm…that's rather close to my realm."

He nodded.

I got up and stretched out looking toward the blue sea in the distance trying to imagine if there was a way back home. It had been such a long time since I had seen it. I don't know…being away from my homeland had left a sort of emptiness inside. "You know what?"

"What?"

"Once we are out of here…why don't we pay a visit to Lothlorien?"

I looked back at him but he only stared at me with the weirdest look in his eyes. "Hauku…I don't think I'm ever going to have you figured out completely. You're really starting to surprise me with the emotions you are starting to let out."

"That wasn't emotion that was so you will shut up about your long lost lover." I replied sarcastically.

But he knew I didn't mean it and he just laughed and lied back down on the roof. "Whatever, mate. One day you will be the same…"

I seriously doubted that and I looked back off toward the horizon to think. For a few minutes, that's all we did. No talking, no fighting, we just sat there and thought about whatever.

But then suddenly I frowned when my eyes caught movement out in the distance. Something white was approaching from the trees. Were they ghosts? I craned my eyes harder to see what it was and my sharp sight managed to make out the shapes of two people. They looked like women. That was strange…what were they doing so far away from the villages? Nobody travels out here alone much anymore. I stared at them a second longer as they crossed into the fields before I finally spoke.

"Tikoro…?"

"I see them, mate." He replied. He had sat up now and been looking in the same direction as I had. "Did you see where they came from?"

I shook my head. "They must have been hiking through the woods or something." I peered at them trying to see pass the glow of their bright white clothing then added. "They look harmless…I see no weapons."

"But who are they? Nobody travels this far out here alone since the appearances of the Necro."

"Well let them get a little closer and we can find out."

We stood up where we were and looked down over the side of the huge red wood building. I think we were nearly a mile into the sky and this wasn't even the top yet. We stood evenly with the clouds as they floated all around us but the top of the building extended far beyond the height of the white and grey puff balls suspended throughout the sky. This actually was going to make getting down all the more fun.

Tikoro looked at me with an ecstatic look in his eye and a wide grin on his face. "Ya' ready, mate?" he asked.

I shrugged blankly and without a word leaped off the side of the building and flipped into a freefall toward the ground.

Tikoro shook his head and then followed likewise in the same manner.

"YEEHAAA!!!" he screamed from the adrenaline rush. Then after about a few seconds I felt the presence of his magic and looked up to see him creating an icy path under his feet and he proceeded to slide down the rest of the way toward the ground with a series of twists and loops and plunges toward the ground.

"No fair…"

But then again, I could probably make something of my own using my shadow magic but I think I enjoyed more the rush of the air swishing past my face and through my hair as I fell while flipping and twisting toward the earth.

But soon my fun had come to a close as I puffed through a soggy cloud and realized I was now pretty close to my landing point. Quickly I leaned back into a series of back flips that slowed my descent as it pushed air toward the ground. I finally was only about fifty feet from the earth and I swiftly made one last somersault before landing silently upon my feet creating a cloud of dust as the air I had carried down with me was pushed in different directions.

"Hey!! Look out, mate!!" came a sudden call from the skies and I turned to see my friend gliding down the ice path on his feet before he made the path curve upward into the like a ramp and he quickly shot off it like a bullet and flipped into the air.

"WHOOO HOO!!!"

He launched into a quick series of back flip twists before landing in the same manner as I had and then he quickly spun around and looked at me with an excited smile. "Oh yah! Perfect landing! 10.0! And the crowd goes wild!!!"

Tikoro made a mock cheering noise that was supposed to sound like a roaring crowd but unfortunately the effect was lost and he only managed to make a few weird noises that sounded like squeaks.

I looked at him curiously. "Perfect landing? 10.0? The crowd goes wild?"

"Yah, you know, like they cheer and stuff. Have you ever been to some of the ice events in Imil?"

"I've never set foot upon that big cold ice cube…" I said shuddering at the thought of that island's punishing and bitter weather. I much preferred the normal warm weather of my forest home within the Woodland Realm.

Tikoro shook his head. "You know what? Forget Lothlorien, when we get out we're going to Imil to see one of those ice games."

Ice…yuck…

"Anyway…" I began and nodded off toward the approaching figures in the distance. "What are we going to do about those two? They are heading this way."

Tikoro shrugged and began walking off toward the building. "We'll wait here and do some recon."

I looked toward the sun. Twilight was over now and evening was setting into the realm now. They would definitely have some trouble seeing us now if we decided to hide. Besides, I could use a little stealth practice.

"Keep to shadow." I called to Tikoro before catching up with him. "And keep your sword ready…"

He only looked at me with a little confusion. "Why? They are just a couple of girls. I doubt they could fight us if they were troublemakers."

I sighed. "Just in case…"

"This place is so beautiful! Don't you think, Faline?" cried the rather adventurous voice of the white-haired girl Imilian that was farther ahead of her companion who's name was Faline.

Faline only looked at her over-eager partner with the slightest hint of a glare. Obviously she didn't share her friend's enthusiasm. "Kiera!" she called ahead. "Father is going to wonder where we have gone you know!"

Kiera stopped in her tracks as she turned back to face her friend. "Always the little baby." She teased. "They are just over that small trench. Lets just check that place out real quick and we will return to the camp, ok?"

Faline observed ahead of them. That strange red-building she was sure had not been there when she and Kiera first arrived here with the small caravan. Their father, King Elwood of Lothlorien along with Queen Lyn and a number of knights and servants were just now on their way back to the kingdom after a conference with leaders in the Woodland Realm. When they had camped here she and Kiera had gone off exploring through the woods and across the dried river. Then, when they got to the other side of the wood they saw that building. It had just appeared from out of nowhere it seemed. But Faline was sure it wasn't there before. But instead of turning back, her sister, Kiera interests and curiosity was now peaked and now they were heading off to check it out…much to the dismay of Faline.

"But…Kiera…what if they don't realize we're gone and they leave us?"

Kiera grinned. "I can find the way!"

Faline shuddered. Kiera wasn't very good with directions and even though they could easily follow the trail back home, it was still more than a two days ride back to Lothlorien. On top of that there were mountain bandits and thieves and…she wasn't very comfortable being alone in the dark either all that much.

She looked back up to Kiera who she just now realized was walking on ahead of her.

"Hey, wait!" she cried. "What if there are bandits lying in wait over there and they decided to attack us?"

Kiera turned back to Faline with another sly grin on her face. "Then I'll do this!"

Suddenly from its scabbard she produced a slim silver blade and brandished it expertly…or at least she would like to think it was expertly and pretended to jab at Faline.

"I can protect us too, see?"

Faline only sighed.

Kiera quickly sheathed her blade and grabbed her sister's hand. "Come on, we won't stay longer than fifteen minutes ok?"

Faline nodded realizing persisting to argue was basically meaningless and followed Kiera toward the strange building.

She still felt something very eerie about it however…

Tikoro and I observed from our hiding place from slanted roofing as the two mysterious girls stepped onto the large smooth wooden bridge and suddenly become rather fascinated with the deep dark chasm that rested below it that seemed almost endless. In this waning light they probably wouldn't have been able to see it but there was a large calm river down there that you could canoe down that would lead you to several small riverside villages and towns.

As we watched them the white haired girl who I supposed to be Imilian looked toward our direction for a split second making us duck a little lower behind the roofing yet she didn't see us but I felt Tikoro give a small gasp.

I looked at him curiously and he turned to me. "I think I've seen her before, mate." He whispered.

"From where?"

"I'm not sure the memory is all faint. But I'm sure I've seen her face somewhere before."

I looked back over the roofing and watched them a little more. They definitely weren't Mavole. They were elves but not too many of our kind resided in this realm. I suddenly had an idea.

"Why don't you go talk to them?" I suggested.

He looked at me with a shocked expression like I just told him to go and drop his pants in front of them. "Me?" he hissed indignantly. "Why don't you?"

"I'm not a people person."

"What makes me any different?"

"You're more outgoing."

"So what?"

"So you go talk to them."

"No!"

"Don't tell me you're still shy around the ladies." I prodded.

He faltered there. "Huh…? No…no…I'm not I just…"

Hmmm…maybe he was still a little shy…

"Then go talk to them oh Great and Wonderful Ladies Man."

He sighed and looked over the edge of the roofing again before suddenly freezing up again.

"What?" I asked.

He slowly looked back toward me. "I thought you said they weren't armed!?" he hissed at me.

I looked over the roofing too, realized my mistake, and turned back to him with a rather sheepish grin. "Oops?"

"Yah…oops…"

"Come on Tikoro lets just go talk to them and see what they are up to."

He sighed but then quickly looked at me. "When you say "We" you mean just "Me" right?"

I smiled again.

He sighed one last time. "Fine…your call, mate…"

We unnoticeably made our way over the roof as the two girls kept staring into the dark abyss below and silently landed on the brick ground near them. We weren't exactly trying to hide our presence then but I was sure that at least one of them would have turned around or caught us in their peripheral vision…but neither were the case. We stood there for about ten more seconds waiting but when Tikoro didn't move to talk them I gave him a tiny shove forward toward them. Tikoro glared at me in return before turning back to the women.

"Ahem…" he murmured, clearing his throat.

Amazingly there was still no reaction from them. They were either deaf or couldn't tell his voice from the wind blowing around. I thought it was kind of pathetic really. They would so easily get killed if someone wanted to sneak up on them.

Tikoro tried again. "AHEM!!"

This time we got their attention but it was pretty dramatic. The honey brown haired girl yelped in fright nearly tumbling into her friend who was trying to draw her sword and swing it toward us in a failed attempt. Instead it ended up clattering to the ground with a loud clang before she finally picked it up and held it toward us threateningly. At least…I think it was threatening…she looked pretty wobbly as she held it and her face was almost as white as her hair with panic.

Tikoro slowly raised his hands showing he didn't have his weapon drawn and tried to calm the girl down. "Easy there, mate. We're not going to hurt you…" he said calmly.

The girls eyes flicked from him to me and then back to him. "Who are you two…?" her voice squeaked trying to get a grip on herself. "What do you want from us?"

Tikoro shook his head. "I should be asking the same thing, why are you out here? Don't you know it's dangerous to travel alone out here?"

She didn't respond, she looked back at her friend who whispered something in her ear. But we heard it perfectly.

"They might be bandits…" I heard her whisper in a shaky voice.

Tikoro laughed. "We're not bandits or thieves or anything of the sort, so come now, put that sword away."

The girls darted back to him. This time there was a fire as she tried to gain her confidence back. She stepped toward us putting her sword dangerously close to Tikoro's face. "No, you have a blade too. I can't trust you."

Tikoro carefully eyed the silver blade. "And if you keep bring that sword any closer to my face I'm going to use it too."

Suddenly the other girl spoke up again. "Kiera…"

"Faline, just go, I'll handle them."

Tikoro paused a minute trying to remember where he had heard names like that before but soon forgot about it and chuckled. "Handle us? Can you even swing that thing without dropping it?" he teased.

Suddenly the girl Kiera glared at him. I think he just made a bad move right there. Taunting women wasn't very nice…

She took a stance then swung. "How's this!"

The blade careened with a swift speed in the direction of Tikoro's head but he stepped back dodging the blow but the sword managed to catch a small piece of the bangs of his hair and swiped it right off. He watched it flutter to the ground before looking back up at her a little wide eyed.

"Yikes…" he murmured, then realizing the situation he asked with a little surprise. "Were you actually trying to kill me?!"

There was no response, just another flurry of blows came at him in different combinations.

"Hey!!" he cried expertly dodging them. "Stop!"

The girl kept coming.

"Wait a minute! Stop!"

"Kiera!" Faline screamed at her friend.

Suddenly Tikoro drew his own glimmering sword.

Clank!

Tikoro blocked one of Kiera's attacks and locked blades with her. She struggled with his strength and he smiled. "Do you do this to anybody who walks up to you to say hello?" he asked.

She glared at him and forced him off before unleashing a new barrage of strikes at my friend. Tikoro, not being one to fight an unskilled woman, did what he thought was best.

He ran.

Kiera chased after him all the way down to the other side swinging her blade as she went and Tikoro dodged, blocked, or parried each blow with some difficulty as he retreated from her.

Faline and I watched their little duel before finally, Faline looked in my direction and I in hers at the exact same moment and our eyes met for about a second before we both looked away. The girl was very, very, pretty I noticed. She was beautiful even, but I never let my thoughts travel down a road such as that and kept myself from thinking about it. But for some reason I still felt it tugging at my mind.

Suddenly I felt her eyes on me again, and for a second I didn't look but then I just had to look again. Her eyes were a deep, bright, blue, and they had this magical captivation to them as I stared into them. They just seemed to mesmerize me. And now they were trained on my own eyes, staring at me, gazing at me……which was actually making me extremely uncomfortable in a way.

Clang! Clang! Clang, clang!

"Oooff!" Tikoro grunted when he suddenly was forced back against the railing nearly falling over it but he recovered…just in time to see Kiera jumping into the air to unleash a downward cut at his head that could've cut him in half down the middle. But he quickly darted out of the way. Yet his cloak caught in the wood when the blade came down and held him in place against the bridge. Tikoro quickly struggled with the garment before finally turning and kicking the flat edge of the sword out of his cloak so he could get free and took off again. This girl was getting dangerously close to hitting him and he couldn't fight her so…he called for help.

"Hauku!" he called to me as he ran by. He quickly tagged my hand. "Here, mate…it's a tag match, your turn." He said breathlessly.

I had absolutely no clue what he was talking about…but if he wanted me to take on that girl he could forget it.

Suddenly Kiera came again, swinging full speed and Tikoro managed to block it just in time.

"Hey, you're supposed to attack him now not me!" he complained.

The girl gave him a slight smile. "Still think I can't fight."

I didn't think so…but I didn't say that out loud…

But stupid Tikoro said something out loud with a sarcastic smile of his own. "You still fight like a girl." He retorted

Her smile turned to a frown. She quickly knocked him off again then, feinted a swing, and then stomped hard on his toe with her long, tight fitting, travel boots.

"OWW!!!" Tikoro cried hopping away on one foot. "That's dirty!"

She was quickly after him but now they were heading in Faline's direction who had been laughing but now yelped in fear as they came right in her direction and she quickly darted out of the way to where I was leaning casually on the side of the bridge.

She stood there next to me not moving but still breathing a little after her little scare but then slowly looked me. At first, I didn't return the gesture but then I finally did.

"Hey…umm…what's a tag match?" I asked.

She gave me a weird look.

"Never mind…" I groaned. It was obviously a well known subject that I wasn't familiar with and I was just a little slow.

I looked toward her friend who was still battling away with mine but realized she had now disarmed him much to my surprise. She kicked it away from him and began chasing him all over the bridge but appeared that she was laughing a little as she pursued him while he looked very much afraid for his life. Either she was enjoying herself or realizing that his end was near and her sword was about to taste blood and she wanted to laugh in triumph. Eeesh…sadistic…

But I turned back to Faline observing her a little out of the corner of my eye. She was younger than me I imagined, but only by about a year perhaps. I sensed something about her though, a peculiar essence…but it was very weak…

I noticed she was staring at me again…but not with fear. It was kind of more like an awestruck dreamy kind of look. That was rather creepy…

I looked back down at her and she turned away. Yah, she was still shy, I decided to introduce myself.

"So…uh…what's your name?" I asked.

Never mind…I guess I was going to make her do it first.

"Oh, I'm sorry." She returned feeling a little dumb. "I should have introduced myself. My name is Faline." She added a slight courtesy. "What's your name?"

"I'm Hauku." I replied.

I didn't want to feel stupid so I made a slight bow as well…I wasn't actually used to being formal. They don't teach that in the line of work of an assassin…

"Hauku…" she repeated to herself. Her voice sounded softer than I thought it was. To tell the truth it was leaving me in a dreamy state like her eyes did.

"HAUK…OOFFF!!!" came a sudden grunt when Tikoro once again ran by seeking my assistance only to tackled by Kiera who had discarded her blade and plowed him over into the ground. Oh well…at least she couldn't kill him now.

I turned back to Faline once again ignoring my friend's plea for help. I occasionally hear loud whacks and grunts as Kiera manhandled him all over the bridge. To tell the truth, I actually snickered a little.

"So are you a water mage?" I asked her curiously. "I sense magic about you."

"Oh…" she murmured. "I am…sort of…but it's really weak and I can't control my power properly."

Whack!

"OWW!!!"

Smack!

"AUUGHH!!!"

Bam!

"OW, OW, OW!!!! HAUKU!!!!"

We weren't exactly paying attention anymore.

"How did you know I was a water mage?" she asked. "Are you a mage yourself?"

I nodded. "My essence is Shadow, my friend Tikoro's is Ice."

Faline suddenly froze. For some reason that named stopped our conversation in its tracks. "Tikoro…?" she squeaked. "Did you say Tikoro? The Imilian Prince Tikoro?"

I nodded again. "Umm…yah, the guy getting his brains beat out over there by your friend."

Faline quickly spun around seeing Kiera sitting on top of the chest of my poor friend trying to keep his arms pinned and occasionally whacking him here and there. She ran toward them. "Kiera, stop it's Tikoro!!!" she called.

Kiera slugged my friend one last time before the name sunk into her mind and she quickly got off of him in shock. "Ti…Tikoro…?"

The poor guy laid there on the ground gasping for breath nearly unconscious and grasping at his bruises. He stared up at his attacker wearily. "What…?" he growled at her. He had obviously really gotten his butt handed to him on a silver platter for not defending himself.

Faline finally made it over to them and she knelt down beside him turning him over so they could see his face and they stared at him a minute but then suddenly pulled away gasping.

Tikoro in response carefully touched his face and groaned. "She beat me really bad didn't she?" he asked in a small voice. "Is…is something missing?"

"No!" Faline cried. "She got closer to his face. "Tikoro look…its us! Do you remember?"

In fact he didn't. He thought it had something to do with the big lump he felt growing on his head. But soon he took a closer look at the girls' faces. "Faline…? Ki…Kiera?" he asked weakly.

Both girls nodded quickly and tensely almost as if they were holding back a cry of joy.

Tikoro looked at them a few seconds longer letting his eyes focus and then laid his head back onto the smooth brick ground and gave small goofy grin. "Oh…hello again."

Finally all that pent up energy finally just exploded and Kiera and Faline gave a loud squeal of delight and nearly tackled their friend in the surprise and joy of seeing him once again. Both of them quickly wrapped their slim arms around Tikoro's bruised form and hugged him tightly.

I stood to the side watching their happy little reunion. I actually somewhat wondered what they were feeling but I couldn't seem to bring forth the emotion that I was seeking. All I saw was joy and I saw the blissfulness and how much energy they were full of now. I actually found it quite interesting but again as I always did, I just discarded those thoughts.

Tikoro tried to hug back but he only grimaced in pain as the bruises from where Kiera had been hitting him finally kicked in as pain began to register with his brain again.

"Ow…ow…that hurts" he groaned.

Kiera and Faline quickly let go realizing they were causing him more grief at the moment. "Oh…we're sorry." Kiera apologized laying him back down. But instead Tikoro sat up a little and ran a hand over his sores and emitted a blue glowing light from his hand. He was using his healing magic to get rid of his pain. As he started on the back of his head he spoke again. "When did you ever hit like that, Kiera? It bloody hurt!" he said to her rather with a bit of surprise in his voice.

"I am so sorry, Tikoro." She said giving him another hug yet more softly this time. "I wasn't trying to hit you that hard…"

"You could have fooled me, mate…" he replied sarcastically.

She looked down sadly. "Do you forgive me?" she asked all sweet and innocently.

Tikoro quickly flashed a little grin. "Of course I do! Don't get all worked up about knocking my brains out." He laughed still a slight trace of sarcasm.

She looked at him still her sad blue eyes. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, Kiera, I forgive you…" but he then turned an evil eye in my direction. "But not him…you creepy backstabbing wooglie." He said accusingly. "I thought you always had my back, mate?"

I shrugged. "I do…I just thought that was actually kind of funny." I replied quietly.

"Ha!" he scoffed at me. "Since when has anything ever been that funny to you??"

I smugly gave a small smile. "That…"

He rolled his eyes then held his hand out to me. "Miladies, this is my best friend…err…was my best friend, Hauku." He introduced sarcastically. "He's not a looker but he's friendly enough."

I snorted. "Thanks."

"No problem, mate. And yah, this is Princess Kiera and Princess Faline of the Lothlorien Realm. The ones I told you about."

The girls offered a polite courtesy and I bowed in return. I still wondered however what they were doing so far out here.

Tikoro got to his feet and then he turned to Kiera with a grin. "When did you start learning swordplay? We would have a lot more fun when we were kids."

Kiera shook her head. "Well if you wouldn't run away so much whenever Faline and I approached you, you might have found out." She replied.

Tikoro looked at her smugly. "Well there was a fat chance of that since all you did was just teased me." He paused a second. "And kiss my cheek..."

Faline pointed at Kiera accusingly. "That was all her, not me."

Kiera smiled mischievously. "Speaking of which…"

Before Tikoro could make a move, she gave him a small peck on the cheek. "Got ya finally." She said triumphantly.

I saw the beginnings of a reddening form on Tikoro's cheek as he gave a small embarrassed smile and threw a glance in my direction to see if I had been watching and when he realized I did, he blushed all the more.

I chuckled to myself. I guess he didn't want me knowing that he had a bit of a weak spot for Kiera still. But then, something suddenly hit me. These girls were from our world! Not around here! That could only mean…

I quickly looked toward the darkening sky and noticed that the sun was nearly set across the horizon. Before long, evening would end…

Night was falling…

We had to get them out of here fast!

"Tikoro!" I quickly cried out in warning.

He looked at me abruptly sensing the dire tension in my voice and looked to where I was looking at and his fell upon the setting sun and then the same fears entered his mind. "Oh no…"

The girls looked at us nervously. "What's wrong?" Faline asked. "What's happened?"

I quickly turned to her. "You shouldn't be here!" I replied. "Get out of here now!"

"Why? What's going on?"

Tikoro grabbed the girls, spun them around and started pushing them back the way they came. "You don't have much time! The sun is setting, you have to leave here before it gets dark or you'll trapped here forever!"

The two princesses looked back at us in confusion. They didn't know what we were talking about. I glanced back to the sun. It was setting quickly…too quickly…as if it wanted to stop them. If they didn't leave this moment they weren't going to make it.

"Hurry and go!" I urged.

They started to but then, Kiera turned back around to look back at us. "But…but…what about you guys?" she asked.

Tikoro shook his head. "It's too late for us…now go! You have to leave!"

They just stood there sadly looking at us. Neither of them wanted to leave. They hadn't seen Tikoro in such a long time and now…their wonderful reunion was crashing into ruins.

Tikoro looked back to the then back at them. "I SAID GO!!!!" he shouted at them.

Startled by his furious outburst, Faline and Kiera quickly bolted back down the bridge tears in their eyes as they ran as fast as they could back toward the forest from which they had came leaving us there watching them go. Tikoro was tense…very tense. His fists were balled up like he was in agony of something and he restlessly shuffled his feet as if he was struggling not to take off after them. He wanted to…but he couldn't. It was impossible. We were trapped in this realm with no real escape in sight.

I went over and picked up Tikoro's sword that was lying on the bridge still and then walked over to him and handed it over. "Here you go…" I said quietly.

At first, I don't think he realized I had been standing there but then he finally took his blade and sheathed it in the scabbard. He didn't speak. He only gazed after the two princesses who were running across the distant fields. They were headed towards the small trench…the same trench we came over nearly a year ago before. But now to us…it was a watery captivity.

I looked at Tikoro who only just stood there staring. I bet to him, this felt like more of a prison to him then it ever did to me.

I realized he was feeling much sorrow. "I'm sorry." I said.

He shook his head ruefully. "She was right here, mate…" he sighed. "I had her back. After all of these years…she was standing right here and now…there she goes again..."

I had no words for him save sorry. I wasn't able to comfort him. I wouldn't know how to begin with. Like I had said before, there weren't too many emotions in my vocabulary. I looked back to the fleeing girls and then to the sun. If I judged it right…I think it was going to disappear completely before they could even make it to the woods.

"Tikoro…I don't think they are going to make it." I said quietly. "It's far too late."

"Oh no…Hauku!!!" Tikoro suddenly cried in alarm. My eyes flashed in the direction he was looking as he pointed it out but I already saw it. There were swift shadows….nearly two dozen in all. From the way their movements were, they had targets, and they were heading westbound…straight for Faline and Kiera!

My eyes widened. "Necro…"

There were no other words to be said. Tikoro and I were off in a blazing cloud of dust as we sprinted at an inhuman speed down into the meadow fields and into the forest.

---------- Thats the first of my chapter and i hoped you enjoyed it. I was actually going to make a book before this so i could explain Hauku's past but i haven't had time to do it recently and I've had writer's block on 4 books already. Didn't really need a fifth. Oh well, please leave reviews and enjoy the next chapter!!!----------