1

The Beginning

"Run! Quick, he's gaining" yelled Fabian

"In here" I shouted as I pushed through a door and into a small shelter, thinking that we might be able to catch our breath and plan our next move.

"Great, now what" said Fabian

"Well I hadn't planned on this happening"

We were interrupted by a load banging on the door

"Come out, you know your mine now, come out to Temra OR TEMRA'S COMING IN!"

"Now what!" Fabian asked in a panicked voice.

"We take the back exit to this dump. Push that panel up there it should get us to the roof," I whispered back urgently.

Just as Fabian pushed the tin sheet and started to climb, Temra burst through the door with all the rage of a Bull Elephant. I crouched into position and sprang at Temra, while in the air I did a rounder to the side of his head then shot a ball of fire to his chest, dropping him like a stone coz after all he is only human. But I knew this was only temporary and quick as a rabbit I scrambled up after Fabian to the roof tops of The Gate World.


2

An Abandoned World

A "Fire ball" I hear you say, maybe I should tell you a bit about myself.

My name is Tiana and we lived in a beautiful realm called Evento. For thousands of years we lived in peace, but then 'They' came. My Mother called them the 'Darkness'.

First they came in small numbers and we didn't notice them until their numbers grew and they became powerful. Our weapons were useless against them. The only way I can describe the 'Darkness' is as a growing black cloud which over time took away all the happiness and cast a dark shadow over Evento. We all had to move underground to flee from the misery above because there was no escape. Our realm had been cut off from The Gate World. We were not longer able to pass through. We had been abandoned.

We lived in dark, damp dwellings in constant fear. The only way we could survive was for groups to go above in raids to get supplies and to trial our latest theories on how to destroy them. My parents along with Fabians were part of a group called 'The Silent' who were the A team. Then in just one night our lives changed forever 'The Silent' did not return.

We were on our own. Every one was in the same situation it was survival of the fittest. No-one could take in another two mouths to feed. We were alone, hungry and scared and still believed that our parents would come home any day. So we waited.


3

Lost

It was while I was scavenging for food that I was seized. We had heard people talk of Slave Traders and what could happen if taken. I was gagged and bound before I could do anything to defend myself. I was thrown into a room where I noticed other wide-eyed, scared kids just like me. We were then taken above to where I would spend the next 3 months living in a cell amongst the 'Darkness'.

How could things get much worse, trust me, they did. I was sold to the highest bidder – Temra, The Gate Keeper. He was cruel, heartless and I forgot to mention Ugly. I was told that we would be leaving Evento, I was terrified of what was going to happed to me. I had heard stories of what was beyond The Gate from my Nona whose brother was a trader. But I had always thought that they were just stories. Now I was traveling across Evento to reach this Gate and enter 'The Gate World'.


4

Temra's Slave

Finally we arrived at the Gate. It was just an archway in the middle of nowhere. It looked like you could walk though it. Nothing special. Temra grabbed me and dragged me towards the Gate. He removed from around his neck a cord which held a black crystal and inserted it into an opening in the archway. All of a sudden a light appeared in the centre of the arch and grew outwards to fill up the archway. I was freaked. Temra shoved me towards the light and it felt like I was falling but I could still feel his hand gripping my arm and then it stopped. When I opened my eyes what I saw before me was a loud, dirty, bustling world. There were, I am not sure I would call them people but they were walking and talking. They came in all shapes, sizes and colours. Dwellings were made roughly out of what looked like mud and bits of tin all cramped together. It was nothing like the peaceful, green, beautiful Evento that I loved.

I was taken to what I would have to call home, nothing more than a prison made out of mud. My life in a nut shell was as Temras personal slave. I was kept locked up inside, never allowed out. I had to clean and cook while chained to an iron stake in the ground. Everyday he would tease me about never being free and that this was now my life. But as you know he was way wrong on that one.

Let's just say Temra isn't the smartest human, I know let alone the only human I know.

I soon realised that the only way out of hear would be to gain Temras trust. I decided not to fight back but to do just as I was told and to perfection, so that he couldn't pick at my faults. Over time I guess I kind of became invisible to Temra, I made sure everything was how he liked it and I stayed out of his way hoping that one day he would slip up, and he did.

I noticed that whenever Temra went to open his vault, he would use a crystal just like the black one that hung around his neck. My only hope to get the cuffs off from around my wrists was gong to be, getting my hands on that crystal and pray that it would unlock the cuffs.


5

Earth, Water, Wind & Fire

This reminds me, I still haven't told you about the 'Fire Ball'! My people are Masters of the elements, I know it sounds a little weird but we can control an element.

My ancestors were Fire Masters, meaning that I come from a long line of people who can control Fire. We all live together in harmony in Evento despite the fact that Water defeats Fire and Air and Earth are opposites. We have, over the thousands of years learnt to work together. A Fire Master must marry another Fire Master to continue our lineage.

What is a Fire Master? We can do cool stuff, like create Fire Balls but we mostly use our gifts in combination with the other elements to build, grow and maintain our realm.

Somehow the cuffs that had been placed around my wrists were preventing me from producing fire and melting these things right off. Oh yea and another thing, Fire Masters don't feel heat or burn. Cool huh!


6

Chance of a Lifetime

My chance for freedom came one day as I was cleaning Temras room. I noticed that the vault door was ajar, this was a one in a lifetime chance, he had finally slipped up. Temra had only been gone for 5 minutes, so I had plenty of time (I hoped).

What was inside stunned me. Hundreds of crystals hung from little hooks inside the vault. Every colour crystal that you could imagine and some colours that I have never seen before. Great! Which one was the key? My heart was racing and my palms were sweating I couldn't think straight. I had to calm down and think about this.

.

I searched the cuffs and couldn't find any sort of key hole or opening like the one on the archway. Maybe it was just by touch. I had to try something. As they were all suspended I tried running my cuff underneath them to see if anything would happen. Typical, I was just about to give up hope when nearing the end I felt a magnetic pull, I quickly stopped and re-traced back until a beautiful lilac coloured crystal was magnetized to the cuff and as I pulled away the cuff opened. I was speechless, quickly I placed the other cuff underneath the crystal and in an instant I was free.

It all seemed to happen so quickly, but I must have been longer than I thought because I could hear Temra returning. There was no way I was going to be able to slip past him unnoticed, so I had to pretended that I still had the cuffs on. As Temra opened the door to his room he shouted at me demanding to know what I was doing, I told him that I had just finished cleaning and asked him if he would he like a mug of his favorite drink to quench his thirst. He grunted an approval and left the room, as I managed to control my breathing and was just about make a run for it Temra was back.

"What!" Temra yelled. "What is my vault doing open?"

"Erm" I replied conjuring a fire ball behind my back. "Well, because of this!" I shouted throwing the ball in his face. Temra roared in pain.

I didn't look back, this was my chance, my one chance at freedom or I was dead…literally. I darted past his thrashing body and out the door to freedom.


7

Found

I had absolutely no idea where I was going, I was frightened and had never been out side of the house since I was brought here.

There were stall holders shouting at me to buy their goods, people and beings were everywhere shouting and shoving. I saw people riding on the backs of giant two legged lizards. I was confused and scared. Temra was The Gate Keeper and he controlled who came in and out of The Gate World. I was trapped within these walls with nowhere to go.

My only chance at not being captured was to somehow find somewhere that I could hide out. I was just running blindly.

I came to a building that looked like a Temple, as soon as I entered the doorway I waited trying to catch my breath before I went in. I saw Temra running towards me but soon realised that he hadn't seen me and he ran straight past.

I walked down the aisle and sat down at one of the benches.

I looked around at my surroundings, unlike the other buildings the floor was made out of wooden slates and the all the doors where made at of oak instead of tin. As I looked at the people most looked human or elf-ish.

The old lady in front of me started to murmur under her breath about how the realms will all be saved…weirdo. I stayed in the Temple for ages until I was absolutely sure that Temra wasn't coming back. I tiptoed out the back door, trying to minimize the noise I made and trying not to attract attention. The back of the Temple led onto a market place. On one stall there was a lady selling the most beautiful handmade bags. As I walked up to the stall mesmerised, the lady said to me "See anything you like?"

"Yes, all these bags they're so beautiful" the first thing I noticed about the lady was her flame red hair.

"Would you like to buy one?" the lady asked me.

"Oh I'm sorry, but I don't have any money, but they are really beautiful"

"That's ok, my name is Jacquie, you look like you're lost. What's your name?"

"I don't really know if it's safe to say and I really have to go"

"Wait! This is no place for a girl to be alone, where do you live?"

This is not one of my most proud moments and I am swearing you to secrecy but I began to cry and talk. One thing you should know about me is that when I spill, I spill big time.

I told Jacquie everything, from the beginning. It turned out that Jacquie knew all about the Slave Traders and had been helping people and kids like me. She told me to go to Agar Square where her house was, where I would be safe. She said that I would know her house as the outside had skins and materials drying.

What was I to do? Trust a complete stranger! I really had no choice I decided to trust my instincts and follow her directions to Agar Square.

Sure enough I found her house easy it was just as Jacquie described. The entire front was covered in the most beautiful materials I had ever seen. I walked straight inside and waited for Jacquie to arrive.

The first thing Jacquie asked me was whether I was hungry. Pfft can a Fire Master conjure Fire? Yeah I was hungry I would have eaten one of them giant lizards. After we ate with very little talking from me Jacquie led me to where I could stay and she stressed that I would be safe. Maybe Jacquie didn't know Temra very well, how could I be safe? How could I everbe safe?

As we walked into the room my first thought was that the room was very small and bare, but then Jacquie opened up a hidden door in the floor.

"Follow me"

We went down a set of steps leading to an under ground tunnel, now I was starting to feel a little safer and a little claustrophobic at the same time. At the end of the tunnel we came to a large opening which looked like a meeting room with chairs and tables. I was led to what would be my room. It was very basic but I so exhausted I was just glad to have somewhere to sleep, as soon as I lay down on my bed I zoned out.

I woke up. At first I didn't quite know where I was, but then I remembered and I could hear voices. Slowly I dragged myself out of bed and went to investigate.

"TIANA" The next thing I knew, I was having my lungs squeezed and could hardly breathe. When they released me I was in complete shock to find it was Fabian standing in front of me. We cried and hugged and danced around like loonies.

"But how did you get here?" I still could not believe that my best friend was with me, I had been told by Temra that I would never see my family or friends ever again. After time I started to believe him.

"Well, you will never believe this!"


8

Earth Rocks

It turned out that after Fabian had waited for me to return, he went searching for me and was also taken by Slave Traders. He had a similar experience but he was taken to another part of Evento and was there for months before making the journey to The Gate. Fabian remembers the Slave Traders inserting a disc into the opening of the archway and after it was removed they had to wait until the Gate was opened. Piece by piece I was getting to understand how entry into The Gate World was happening. I knew that Temra had absolute control over who enters and who can leave but I wasn't sure how it worked. I was beginning to understand.

Fabians owner believed that Fabian was an Air Master; it was a mistake that Fabian was not going to correct. Fabian is in fact an Earth Master and can control not only the soil but any plant life that grows out of the soil. So as soon as Fabian was left alone he was able to escape out of his room, as it was made out of mud. Fabian was able to separate the soil from the water collapsing the entire back wall of his room.


9

The Plan

After Fabian had finished telling me his story, I didn't know what to say, it had brought back memories that I had tried to forget, all that was important now was that we were together again. And like old times we needed a plan.

"Tiana how do we get back home?"

"Hrm, I've been thinking about that, what's the point in going back when there's no one there for us in Evento and we'd just be going back to the 'Darkness' anyway."

"I guess you're right, but I've heard traders talk of a place, another realm called Erithmah they say it's beautiful it sounded just like Evento used to be. We could try somehow to get there, at least we would be safe.

I knew that the only way out of The Gate World was through Temra, I had to think. There must be a way. How were traders and travelers getting through? I remembered Fabian mention a disk. Maybe this was the key, we had to find out more information. I had to put my trust in Jacquie and let her in on what we were planning to do.

I am so glad we did. Jacquie was able to tell us what the disks were used for. It turns out that anyone who enters The Gate World from another realm and returns to either their realm or goes onto another realm is given a specific realm disk. This way Temra can control who enters each realm and for what reason.

Of course! - The Slave Traders would be the only ones with access to Evento this is why no one came to help us. No one knows what is going on. We had get to Erithmah so that we could tell people about The Darkness and the Slave Traders and maybe they would help us.

Jacquie knew of a few traders that were given access to enter Erithmah, some of them she didn't like, so we had no problem in stealing their disk. Well that was the plan. We knew that the traders hung out at Ifgad market. Ifgad is the largest market in The Gate World, you want it, they have it. Every crook and thief could be found at Ifgad. Our plan was to create a diversion, so that Fabian and his new found skill at pick pocketing would attempt to steal the disk from his pockets. The diversion was left up to me. As always I had an idea, remember the Fire Ball!

So this is how it went down. As always Ifgad was crowded there were people and beings everywhere. Number one we had to locate our target, remembering also that Temra was still out looking for me so we had to be careful. We located the target sitting with other Traders bargaining over a new shipment of skins. Ok now here the fun begins. I conjured up a huge Fire Ball and aimed it a nearby food stall – how perfect I couldn't have planned it better. As soon as the fire hit the fuel cylinders the whole thing exploded, there was mass confusion, people were running everywhere, and just as we planned our target was distracted.

But what we hadn't planned on was that the distraction also attracted attention and from you know who.

This pretty much brings you up to speed so where were we oh yes now I remember.


10

Erithmah

"Run! Quick, he's gaining" yelled Fabian

"In here" I shouted as I pushed through a door and into a small shelter, thinking that we might be able to catch our breath and plan our next move.

"Great, now what" said Fabian

"Well I hadn't planned on this happening"

Next came a loud pounding at the door.

"Come out, you know your mine now, come out to Temra OR TEMRA'S COMING IN!"

"Now what!" Fabian asked in a panicked voice.

"Push that tin panel up there it should get us to the roof," I whispered back urgently.

Just as Fabian pushed the tin sheet and started to climb, Temra burst through the door with all the rage of a Bull Elephant. I crouched into position and sprang at Temra shooting a Fire Ball at his chest dropping him like a stone coz after all he is only human. But I knew this was only temporary and that this was going to be our only chance at making it to the Gate.

We ran though the busy streets, bumping into things and screaming for people to get out of the way. We were exhausted and out lungs were screaming for air but we couldn't stop. Up ahead was the Gate and our way to a new life.

Fabian fumbled for the disk in his pockets and pushed it into the opening in the Gate.

"Nothings happening" Fabian yelled

"What! This has to work, it just has to"

Just then a small light appeared in the centre of the Gateway and I sighed with relief I knew we were free.