Uh....hi. This is the first fanfic that I have ever written. Please don't flame me!

Basically, this story is meant to follow the lives of the Pirrans. One family particuarly, the History-Keeper person's family. I think that's about it then.......read on!

Disclaimer Thing:
I don't see the point of disclaimers, but anyway, here's mine: I dont own Deltora Quest. I dont own any of it's characters. This part, the prologue came straight out of the book. I didn't create it myself (duh). So leave me alone! Please dont sue me!

Prologue

Long, long ago, there once existed a green land called Pirra, where the breezes breathed magic. Jealous shadows lurked on Pirra's borders, but the land was protected by a mysterious pipe, which played notes of such beauty that no evil could take root within sound of its voice.

The Pipe was played morning, noon and night by the people's chief, the Piper, who was the finest player in the land.

One dark winters night, the Piper of those days passed in her sleep. The next day, three great musicians offered themselves as her replacement. They were Plume the Brave, Auron the Fair, and Keras the Unknown. The three played in turn before the people, as was the custom. Plume's playing was so stirring, the crowd cheered. Auron's music was so beautiful, the crowd wept. Keras created sounds so haunting that all who heard it were rapt with wonder.

When the people voted to choose their favourite, each player received an equal number of votes. The three played again and again. But each time, the results were the same.

Night fell, but the testing went on. The people, who had by now separated into three groups according to their favourite grew tired and angry. But each person wanted his or her choice to become Piper and would not vote for another.

At last, long after midnight, when the vote was called even for the thirteenth time, the three groups turned furiously upon one another, using their magic to insult and injure.

A man in a hooded cloak stepped forward. He was tall, but bent with weakness as though the long day and night of music had been beyond his endurance. Each section of the crowd thought that he was one of its own, for he had spent time with all three, urging its members to keep stong, and to hold firm. "I have a solution my friends!" he cried. "Let the contestants share the honour of being Piper. The Pipe is made up of three parts which fit together. Let Plume, Auron and Keras each take one part of the whole!"

And so tired, so angry had the people become, that they agreed.They gave Plume the mouthpiece of the Pipe, Auron the middle stem, and Keras the endpiece. Then, because they still had bad feelings for one another, the three groups went their separate ways, each group following its own favourite.

The hooded man rubbed his hands, well satisfied, and slipped away like a shadow before the rising of the sun.

The dawn broke with no sound of music, and the long day passed in silence, for the rival groups were far apart, and no one piece of the Pirran Pipe couls play alone.

Shadows crept into Pirra. Trees withered in their shade, and flowers wilted. Little by little the Shadows swallowed the pleasant villages, the green fields, while every moment, the dread power cloaked within them grew stronger.

Too late, the three groups realised their danger. Shadows now rolled dark between them. They could not reach one another to make the whole. And at last, seeing that their land was lost, they were forced to use the last of their magic to save themselves.

So it was the green land of Pirra became the barren, ugly place called the Shadowlands. Its people, still blaming one another for their ancient loss, dwell to this day on three separate islands in a strange and secret sea.

And the Pirran Pipe, forever divided, is heard no more.....

Pirra's Downfall (A/N:- My part of the story :D)

Rebekah struggled along after the other supporters of Auron the Fair, her heavy case of books dragging along behind her.
"Mother," a young woman came up to her. "Why must you bring the history books with you? Most likely we will be returning home within a few days. Surely you could have simply left the books behind?"

Rebekah turned and glared at her daughter. "I am the history keeper. I must protect the books with my life. You know I felt danger when the dark stranger's proposition was carried out. We are doing the wrong thing. The Pipe should not have been separated," she pointed towards Pirra's eastern border. "Look at those clouds. They are not normal. We are in grave danger, Shafan." (A/N Yes, weird name, I know)

Shafan scoffed. "They are probably just storm clouds. We are in no danger apart from getting ourselves soaked through. We will have to shelter in a cave, maybe."

Rebekah's eyes flashed. "We ARE in danger, no matter how much it is denied. See for yourself! Have you not noticed that Auron has not yet played her part of the Pipe?! Yet judging by the sun, it is certainly almost midday! Why has she not played it? Maybe because no single part of the Pipe can play on its own! Do you not see-"

"Stop it Mother!! I am sure Auron has already played it, and we have just not noticed!" She stamped her foot angrily. "And even if we are in danger, it is the entire fault of the followers of Plume and Keras for not following the Lady Auron!! And-" The deep, rumbling sound of thunder cut her off. She looked towards the east, to the dark clouds fringed with scarlet quickly coming in their direction.

Rebekah looked at Shafan, her all the colour draining from her face. "It begins," she whispered. Clutching the case of books to her chest, she stumbled backwards. "It begins!" she shrieked. "Beware!"

Within seconds they were surrounded. Screams and cries of panic echoed into the inky blackness. "Mother!!" she could hear Shafan screaming. "Help me!!"

It was total panic. Everyone was running in every direction, screaming, yelling. For it to stop. For them to be miraculously saved. "Mother!!" Rebekah heard Shafan scream again. She blundered towards where she thought her daughter was. Suddenly someone cannoned into her and they crashed to the ground. With horror, she felt the books fly out of her hands.

Climbing unsteadily to her knees, she felt around the grass for the books she had slaved so long on. She could not lose them now! There was a roaring sound and she was flung to the ground by a fierce wind rushing through the massacre at hand. She could hear people screaming, crying, above the roar.

Unexpectedly, the roaring faded, leaving a deathly silence. Rebekah could feel her shallow breathing. It seemed to echo all around her. Abruptly, a deep, resounding laugh erupted from all around her; evil, mocking. As the horrible sound faded away, the soft green grass beneath her turned into dry, cracked earth. The flowers and shrubs next to which she crouched withered and shrank away to nothing.

But where was she? Where was Shafan? She couldn't lose her again. Not after everything they had been through. She couldn't bear to see the girl she had rasied for half her life be taken from her like before. Not again...She wouldn't let that happen....not again....

She felt someone crawl up next to her. "Mother?" Shafan breathed.

Thank goodness! Shafan!

"Yes Shafan?"

"I am sorry. I am sorry for everything."

They threw their arms around one another. The air began to thicken. Rebekah and Shafan began to cough and splutter. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't breathe! Her mind swimming, she collapsed back onto the ground. Just before she blacked out completely, there was a blinding flash of light.

Then nothing.

Author's Note:

Bwhahahaha...cliffhanger! Not quite the best one, but oh well! :)

Oh, well...um...review if u want. Please dont flame. Thanx.

Little Kitty

P.S. CATS WILL RULE THE WORLD ONE DAY!!MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!