Welcome to Fiore...

On a small path I find myself traveling. The path I walk on is surrounded by tall wild grasses that are at least a foot over my head. The trail is hardly worn, in fact if I bothered to stop and think about I might realize it wasn't made by man but was trampled down by the comings and goings of wild animals. Not that the idea matters to me; I have no appointments. No reason to go anywhere in particular, but I've plenty of reason not to stay. The grass around me sways in the calm summer breeze, it's yellow-brown color spoke of the recent lack of rain.

My legs are swore and tired, but at the moment that's not really what I'm paying much attention to. My small violet dress dances with the grass and blows in the wind the grey tights I wear protect my legs from exposure, and a black belt with a large crystal of dark blue lacrima. Lacrima is a common thing found all around the world, a crystal made of pure magic. It is often traded in shops and are used to make many magical items, like toys, communication devices, and weapons. It's a crystal that, in it's raw form holds almost no value. The only thing special about mine is where I got it, and its radiant dark blue color that swirls in with light blue. I hold onto it with my right hand, a nervous habit I've picked up on my travels in this dangerous country.

In a place filled with monsters, burglars, and evil mages; I am practically powerless. Most people would call it suicide to travel in a place like this with no protection. Even I might give someone a shocked look if they were to tell me they were in my situation. I don't have a choice though. I must keep going.

I cast a nervous glance behind me and catch the feint glimpse of some wildly swinging grass. It 's like whosoever is following me has no idea what it means to remain hidden. "I know your there. You mine as well come out." I shrug trying to put on a facade of being nonchalant. "Or you could take this as a warning and leave now. I wont blame you if you do. You've no idea of the power I posses after all," I try to intimidate who ever it is. My voice cracks as I speak giving away the fact that I'm lying. I've always been a terrible liar. My grip tightens painfully around the lacrima causing my hand to turn white as the blood left it.

It seems like my stalker has stopped. The grass stopped moving, but I can still see a spot where it bends to the side unnaturally. I drop my traveling pack and fill my lungs with oxygen, then make a bolt for it. Suddenly the ground is much further away than I remembered. I kick behind me with all my might but it seems to have no effect. My free hand claws at the one holding me.

"No you don't," came a deep bored voice. "Give me that stone you've got there and you can go free." Its the voice of a man, much larger than me in height. I'm not small, but to him I seem like a child.

"No! It's mine! Get off-a-me!" I struggle harder my right hand never leaving the crystal. I can feel my heart beat in my ears, and my hair stands on end as if it could runaway and leave me here.

"My client says you stole it. I'm here to take it back," almost off offhandedly he lands a punch to my ribs. A punch that forces the air out of my lungs. Then tosses me to the ground where I lay struggling to regain oxygen.

The impact of the fall causes my hand to slip on the lacrima making a small cut on my hand. I glance down at it as I feel the hot flow of blood and let out a small gasp. The red from my blood was oozing into the crystal turning it a purple as it became liquid and seeped into my wound.

"What the!?" I yell in surprise. Where the liquid crystal is in my blood a sharp pain like needles trying to poke out of my veins, and with each heart beat it spreads up my arm. I try to force it out of my body, yanking my arm away form me as if to rip it off. "It hurts!" I scream.

The man rolled his eyes, "get over it. I didn't hurt you that bad," then he adds mumbling, "great power my ass. For a second I thought this would be interesting."

As the pain reaches my heart I grasp at it's rapid thumping with my hand. The pain would spread quickly now that it's there. "Ach! Get it out!" I scream.

"What are you having a heart attack?" he raises an eyebrow questioningly then shrugs. "Doesn't matter to me anyway. Where's the lacrima?" He walks over to me and kicks me in the back so I role over. "It's gone? You bitch, did you drop it? This is ridiculous," the man notices my traveling pack. "I'm not crawling in the dirt for some stupid piece of crap. I'll take this, there's bound to be at least something worth my time in here."

With that he leaves me writhing in pain on the ground as needles prickle my entire body. I don't have to deal with it for to long though, because soon the sweat relief of blackness eases me into unconsciousness.