The Island Alaunus' waters sparkled with the morning sun coming up over the snow covered mountains, Princess Erina stood on her balcony in the castle looking up at the hazy sky, it was darker than it had been yesterday and she frowned, something wasn't right. She thought back to when her friend Raven had battled with Nevar, he had pushed her back behind a rock where she transformed into a jay to watch, Raven and Nevar had fought for hours when suddenly Raven sent a sharp spark right at Nevar's face, he shot backwards in a heap and disappeared, hiding from failure. Erina had transformed back and came to stand beside Raven taking his hand in hers. That had been five months ago and ever since, Nevar had started to spread darkness across the Island, she turned her back away from the balcony and headed inside when she suddenly heard a light flutter of wings arrive behind her, she turned and Raven stood in place of the black bird.
"Raven, I'm surprised to see you here."
"As am I, I thought you had left this castle to a safer location?"
"I would never leave Alaunus, not whilst Nevar is in power" Erina smiled as Raven rested his forehead against hers.
"It would be safer if you did leave, Nevar will return, he's re-gathering his power and strength again. The lands are getting darker."
Erina lifted her head from Raven's "what are you going to do? Not more fighting I hope?"
Raven shook his head "not yet, I need an army, an army who will fight alongside me."
"An army? But who will fight with you?"
"Young warriors, they have been trained in the best way and by myself. Called from the greatest elements granted to them" he smiled "previous champions."
"But where do they come from?"
"I know of an island where the young spirits are, I shall call them tomorrow."
"And you know they will answer the call?" Erina raised an eyebrow.
"They will not fail me. Now I must return to my home to prepare for tomorrow. Farewell Erina" Raven kissed her quickly then transformed back into his bird form.
Erina watched him fly over the hills to where his tree stood then retired for the night resting her staff against the wall.
In the morning the sun rose up over the mountains and Raven flew to the top of High Hill, he transformed and took out a small horn, a clear note rang out over the sea and to the other lands, the sound carried to six young adults between the ages of sixteen and 20, they looked up to the sound and jumped up grabbing belongings they would need for the journey.
"What must he want?" a tall girl asked.
"There must be a threat to his island. Come on, we need to get there quickly."
These warriors had all become champions in the past earning shift magic, matching their symbols given to them when they competed, they changed into their bird forms. A dark haired boy turned into a phoenix whilst another turned into an eagle, the three girls turned into a magpie, a kestrel and an owl, the youngest boy of the group turned into a magpie and took off towards the sound of the horn. Later that afternoon they reached the bank and changed back to their human forms, all except the eagle who was watching for Raven. At the old fortress Raven waited patiently, the warriors arrived and he flew down changing into his human form.
"Young ones, Nevar has returned to my land and is spreading evil again."
"But I thought we had defeated him?"
"So did I Eleca, but according to my close friend Erina, he has fashioned himself a staff of power."
"That's impossible Raven, Nevar has never had that power" Kieta frowned.
"He stole bark from the enchanted oak, consequently giving him a half form of life, but enough life to remain in a human form."
"Are there demons?" Racma asked.
"Yes young one, they roam the forests as if they own them, the woods have once again become dangerous. Come we must got to my tree" Raven led them away from the fortress and into the gloom of the dark forest.
The walk was long but Raven told them everything that he had witnessed from Nevar's control, the warriors shrunk a little with fear as the description un-nerved them, they reached the tree and raven flew up followed by the others, once there they found that their staffs had been transformed too, matching the colours of their symbols.
"Why have you called us now and not earlier?" Maxhe asked sitting down with Eleca and Lintu.
"Because I need you now, I cannot fight Nevar alone" Raven looked up from where he was sitting.
"Fight? I didn't think any of our training was to lead us to fighting" Racma raised her eyebrows.
"I never wanted it to be a fight but the situation has gone too out of control."
"Do you know where Nevar is?" Kieta asked leaning against the wall.
Raven turned to Kieta "I do not, but if we can get to his demons, we will reach Nevar."
"You mean, if we destroy his demons?" Eleca looked for confirmation from the raven.
"I'm afraid so, but that's nothing, you've destroyed them before to become my champions" Raven smiled.
"So, when do we get started?" Malma asked.
Raven stood up and turned away from them to get something, he returned holding a large rolled up piece of parchment under his arm, he unravelled it across the table and the warriors gathered around him.
"My guess is that Nevar is, here" he pointed to an area past a monument called The Last Stand "you all know what happened there."
The warriors nodded thinking about previous tournaments where their friends had fallen and been taken by Nevar, Raven continued.
"I'm afraid we will have to face the same perils, Nevar's demons will be in every passable area to that fortress, although=ugh this time I will be able to help you."
"Well, let's get going" Kieta pushed himself up from the table.
"Wait Kieta, you are indeed brave but it is not wise to travel in the dark, you may have the power to transform into birds however, with the danger around, it is not advisable to fly at night" Raven rested his hand on Racma's shoulder.
"But we birds could fly overhead to see the possible dangers?" Eleca suggested.
"No, I don't want to lose any of you, Nevar could shoot you down" Raven turned sharply to Eleca who paled slightly "Nevar knows the powers each one of you has possessed from winning, and now that you are much stronger."
"Damn right" Maxhe snorted.
"Do not amuse yourself about Nevar Maxhe, you are strong but still young."
Lintu laughed lightly with Kieta, Maxhe turned his nose up at them and went back to his chair. Raven closed the map and turned back to the warriors "now, we must rest, for our journey starts tomorrow morning, I will keep the fire burning in the night for you."
The girls stood up and moved into the next room where a fire was glowing peacefully, they lay down on the floor and gazed at the fire, the boys joined soon after and lay down gazing up at the leafy canopy. Eleca snuggled under the fur sheets, she was just closing her eyes when she heard soft guitar chords behind her, she rolled over to face the music, Raven was sitting in his chair in front of the fire playing gently.
"Raven? Do you think we can defeat Nevar?" she asked looking up at the young man.
"I can only hope young one, my heart tells me we can but Nevar is dangerous, even these lands could turn on us" Raven sighed "do not let this thought trouble you now, you need the sleep. This is why I am playing, to distract the mind from the quest ahead."
Eleca looked at the raven's head on the staff already knowing her thoughts had collected there, she turned her head back to the guitar and smiled "it does help."
Raven stroked her head then sat back "go to sleep warrior, you need all your energy for tomorrow."
Eleca lay back down her eyes not leaving the figure on the chair, but as hard as she tried to stay awake during the lullaby, there was something in the music that forced her eyes to close and she fell into a deep sleep the tune buzzing in her mind.