The Sacred Spell
by Souleaterxxx
Long ago, in a land where you could see magic everyday, there lived the noble king Rhoden, son of Rhaben. Well, maybe he was once noble. That is until the Throne Wars. The Throne Wars were times when the Land of the Fields faced great oppression from the Land of the Sea. Thousands of lives were lost, especially in the City of Embers, the second largest city in the Land of the Fields. This is where our story starts.
Story 1: Conden and Lucia
Chapter 1: A hero...reborn?
Conden, son of Croden, kept thinking to himself, I am going to die, I am going to die, as the soldiers marched through the streets. He ran to his family's barn, mounted his horse, and, without a glance behind him, rode north into the neighboring forest.
When he got there, though he had no idea where 'there' was, he caught a couple rabbits and cooked them. He had decided that he would save one for tomorrow, when he heard a twig snap under a foot. Snap!
"Who's there?" He whispered.
"Please, I saw the light from your fire and followed it here." A woman's voice replied shakily.
"Oh. Step into the light, I won't hurt you. Tell me, what's your name?" He said.
Out came the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Flowing black hair that went down to her hips, brown eyes, the color of butter toffee, and the palest skin, the color of marble.
"I am Lucia, daughter of Lexion. And you are?" She asked.
"Conden, son of Croden. I've only just escaped the City of Embers. I felt an evil presence just before the attack. Others weren't so lucky. What about you?"
"I am headed toward the City of Lights. I have family there. One thing you should know about me, is that I'm the daughter of Princess Towlen."
Conden felt his jaw drop. Not only was she beautiful, she was also rich.
"My family, they're all merchants. The whole lot of them. When I was growing up, my mother would sneak off to some rich place or other and cheat them out of some money." Suddenly he felt an evil presence. "Lucia, get behind me! Quick! Something's coming." He took out his sword and posed ready to attack. Something big was coming.
Chapter 2: They were extinct?
"C-Conden, I-I'm scared." Lucia stuttered.
"Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you. I promise. You are the first noble whose treated me like I'm worth more than dirt. I will protect you!" Conden said fiercely.
From out of the darkness emerged a giant monster. It looked like a cross between a giant bird and a rat.
"An Earth demon!" Lucia cried.
"A what?!" Conden asked.
"A demon born of blood and rocks. They were thought to be extinct." She replied. She trembled. She had never been protected by anyone besides the guardians.
The monster roared, Conden ran head-long at it and jabbed his sword into its foot. He then used his field magic to entrap it in roots, then he sent thorns into its face. It then fell dead.
"Wow! You're amazing. Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Lucia actually sounded concerned.
"I'm al-" He suddenly felt a deep pain in his head. "Ouch." He hadn't realized that the demon's claw had pierced his face when it fell.
"Conden, you're hurt. Let me help." Lucia ran into the forest and came back a moment later with a chunk of ginger root.
"Thank you, my lady." Conden said with a grin, blushing slightly.
"No, thank you. Without you, I would have been killed." She said, she too, blushing.
"Well, I suppose I should escort you home. We could get to know each other."
"But I already know you. You're the reincarnation of Albueti, the hero of the Land of the Fields."
Chapter 3: Are they lovers?
"Did you know about yourself at all? Where you're from, what you did...who you loved?" Lucia asked, truly, incredulous.
Conden was speechless. Reincarnation? Him? It was impossible.
"We'll rest as soon as we get to the next village. We'll be there before sunrise. Okay?" She said.
"Sounds good. Lets go. Hey, er, Lucia, I was wondering if, that is, when we got to the city, if you-" He had never been this nervous.
"If I could what?" Lucia asked innocently. She knew what he was going to ask her. Maybe…
"Never mind. Lets go."
Lucia was disappointed. She had wanted to say yes, she had fallen in love with him.
"Oh, okay. The village is this way." Together they arrived in the next village.
"Why, don't you two make quite the couple?" An elderly man said.
"Yes, they certainly do. They both have that city air about them. Especially the girl." A woman holding a baby replied.
"Oh, er, we're not, er, lovers. Just friends." Conden said. He felt all funny all over. Does he love me? Do I really love him? He couldn't tell no matter how plain it was. Lucia thought about all of this as she walked, as she hid her tears and sobs.
Story 2: Montuc, Nisuc, Conden, and Lucia
Chapter 4: Trouble Makers
Montuc, son of Attuc, Nisuc, son of Posun, and Poltuc, daughter of Polmuc, were well known for their pranks. Until now. Now, Poltuc was missing. She was last seen in the market place in the City of Lights.
"Where could she have gone to?" Nisuc asked.
"Knowing her, who would know?" Montuc answered.
Suddenly, a commotion arose at the city entrance. In came two strangers. One, a boy, who by the looks of him was from far away, and a girl, who looked like she was of noble-birth. She was so beautiful, Montuc fell in love with her right away.
"Why, hello. And who might you be?" He asked, more to the lady than to the boy.
"I am Lucia, daughter of Lexion. This is Conden, son of Croden. Who are you?" Lucia asked.
"I am Montuc, son of Attuc, this is Nisuc, son of Posun, and we have another comrade, Poltuc, daughter of Polmuc. She is missing at present, would you like to help us look for her?" Montuc asked.
"Actually, we were on a bit of a quest ourselves. Sorry." Conden said a bit snarkily.
"Conden, please, they need our help. We made it to the city, mission accomplished. We would be happy to help you find her." Lucia said.
"Great. We should pair up. I'll go with Lucia, and Nisuc, you go with Conden." Montuc said and they split up in search of Poltuc.
"So after my parents were killed I was on my own. Poltuc and Nisuc found me nearly starved to death." Montuc said.
"Oh, you poor thing. Its lucky that they found you."
"Yeah, lucky. Now I only hope we can find her."
"I'm originally from the City of Embers, just like you. But my mother took me and my brother away from my father when I was a boy. I guess I am still a boy." Nisuc said.
"I guess its safe to say that you're lucky she did what she did back then. 'Cause the Sea soldiers burned it down just last week. I'm lucky I escaped with my life. My parents and my cousin may not have been so lucky."
"Oh, I didn't realize. Sorry." Nisuc said, ashamed.
"No, its okay."
"Can I ask you something? You and Lucia, you're not...together are you?" Nisuc wasn't curious for himself, but for Montuc.
"What? Oh, no. I mean, she might like me, but she could never love a farmboy. The son of merchants." Conden felt his cheeks burn.
When both pairs returned to the center of the city they all had looks of disappointment on their faces.
"I take it you guys didn't find her either." Montuc said dully.
"Not even a hair on her head. It's almost as if she left the city altogether. But why?" Conden asked. He had a feeling…
"I have no idea. She wouldn't abandon us. We stay together, forever." Montuc said.
"No matter what." added Nisuc.
Conden knew that these boys were hurting. Why would she leave the city? It doesn't make sense.
"I think we should look for her outside the city. I don't know why or how she would leave, but there's a pretty good chance that, if she's not here, then she's out there. Somewhere."
Chapter 5: Another Earth Demon
"Are we there yet?" Nisuc whined.
"Where do you suppose 'there' would be? No, we are not there yet." Montuc had unofficially become the group leader, and Nisuc, being the youngest, was growing tired.
"Well, can we at least rest for a while?"
"No."
"Aw, c'mon. Montuc, the longer we wait to rest, the harder its gonna be to concentrate on actually finding her." Conden sighed.
"No. If and when we find her, only then am I going to rest."
Lucia realized that Montuc's own exhaustion was causing his stubborn attitude.
"Montuc, please, let us rest." she said soothingly.
Montuc couldn't help it. He stopped in his tracks and sat down on the hill they were walking on. They all collapsed in gratitude.
Then suddenly, a thunderous roar rang out above the trees. Then an Earth demon came crashing into the clearing and in it's hand was a familiar figure.
"Poltuc!" Montuc and Nisuc shouted.
"M-Mont-tuc...N-Nisuc...run." Poltuc whimpered.
"You bastard! Put her down, or I'll make you put her down." Nisuc cursed at the beast. It just roared in reply. A roar so violent that a nearby tree fell to the ground.
Montuc then used his fire magic to blind the demon. Before it had time to react, Conden used his field magic to tangle it up in roots. He then used thorns to slash through its skin. It then fell, dead. Lucia used her field magic to gently pry Poltuc out of the demon's grip and placed her on the ground.
When they gathered around her, her eyes were closed. It looked like she had passed out.
Her eyes then opened. Her eyes, the color of blood.
Story 3: Poltuc and Nurucai
"Why, Poltuc? Why?" Nisuc cried.
"To gain power of course." Poltuc grinned.
"When did you come to this?" Conden asked.
"Ah, let me tell you…"
Poltuc was walking around the market place one night. Few shops were open and the crowds were even fewer. She came to a jewelery shop and saw the most precious ring she had ever laid eyes on. She put her finger to it and in that moment, she knew she wanted it.
"Ah, that is what I call 'the black night ' ring. Do you want it?" the salesman asked.
"Yes. I am Poltuc, daughter of Polmuc. What's your name?"
"People call me Nurukai." Nurukai said.
"May I come in?"
"Uh, er, sure. I guess."
Poltuc had a plan to take away Nurucai's energy. She wanted it so badly. She walked through the door, went up to Nurucai and, in the blink of an eye, sapped him of his strength.
"W-what...the h-hell…?" he croaked.
"That ring deserves more than the likes of you. I shall master it." She then took the ring and left the city.
"...and now we've come full circle." she finished.
"Back up a bit. You said that as soon as you had touched the ring, you felt a power surge into you, right?" Conden said inquisitively. He suddenly grabbed the ring, and pulled it off of Poltuc's finger. All at once, Nisuc's energy was drained out of him and into the ring. He then collapsed.
"Nisuc! No!" Montuc shouted. He was crying.
"It's a-all r-right, M-Montuc. As long as P-Poltuc is o-okay, I'm fine with the thought of death. C-Conden...destroy th-the ring. You m-must...destroy it..." And with that, Nisuc, son of Posun, died.
"Stupid fool, why did you go and die like that?...Nisuc...Don't die, please." Montuc whimpered.
"Oh-no." Lucia gasped. She began to weep. Montuc cried with her. Conden waited. Both for Poltuc to wake up, and for Nisuc to wake up and say that he had fooled them all. That it had just been a prank. But he knew that wouldn't happen.
Poltuc stirred. "What? Where am I? What happened?" She whipped her head around to take in her surroundings.
"Poltuc, you're okay. These are Conden, of the City of Embers, and Lucia, of the City of Lights. They're our friends." Montuc replied.
"An evil ring possessed you and your body." Conden added.
"Where's Nisuc?" Poltuc looked around and nobody answered her. She looked down and saw him lying on the ground. His eyes open but unblinking. "Oh-no! What did I do?" She cried.
"It wasn't you. It was the ring, it sucked the energy out of him." Lucia said, still weeping.
Poltuc gasped, covered her mouth, then burst into tears.
"We shall hold a proper burial for him. He will always be remembered as a prankster, a friend, a hero and brother to us all." Conden said.
They began to dig.
"Montuc, you don't...blame me do you?" Poltuc asked, in need of reassurance.
"Of course not, Poltuc. You're like a sister to me. I don't hold anything against you." Montuc replied.
"Poor Poltuc, she can't remember any of what happened after she touched the ring. Makes you wonder where we would be if Montuc and Nisuc hadn't asked for help." Lucia said.
"I know, I feel the same." Conden mumbled, lost in thought. Lucia felt so bad for Poltuc; She was like a lost pup. with no idea of where to go. She didn't know the half of it.
Story 3: Young Poltuc
Chapter 6: No home to call home
"Papa, look, I caught one!" Poltuc exclaimed as she held up the fish.