A Flame With No End The Beginning
Once upon a time and a different world, there lived a warrior named Marith. He was a captain in the Amensule army. Amensule was a peaceful place inside its palace walls, but outside they would be at constant war with the forces from the other side of the sea and the beast of the desert around them. But our story begins one the night everything changes.
At the top of the palace Marith stares into the sunset, he heard someone calling. ''Marith!'' said Ace (Marith's best of friends and master archer.
''Yeah'' said Marith. ''Come on, Squis is about to become the new king of Amensule.'' ''I don't care, I should be the one going to the throne. All he ever does is command armies, he never fought in a war, and he knows nothing about what it's like to be a king'
''Yes I know, but it's the way things have to go Marith, so come on and enjoy the party, Azo(a master wizard) and Davet(the city's bounty hunter) are waiting for you'
''Alright, but the second it's over i'm gone.'' said Marith. Then he got up and walked inside.
As Marith walked down the stairs into the ballroom, he saw amazing things such as an orchestra, a buffet, and a beautiful view of the lake with the glourious Lion's Pride (a beautiful ship used as a flagship in the war and is the fastest ship in the world) floating in the water. Marith went to the balcony to watching and waiting for the beautiful comet that would fill the sky with auras. But he heard the music in the room stop and heard an announcer say, "Hello everyone and welcome, we are proud to announce that our new king is ready"
Then there was a roaring of claps even from the many people riding on the Lion's Pride.
Suddenly, something horrible happened as Squis walked out on stage. The comet arrived in the massive window behind the stage. But the comet was heading in a different direction this century. Instead it crash landed about five hundred miles away. The audience stared at the cloud of flames as they screamed. Marith jumped up to the stage and said "Everyone calm down and follow me to the Lion's Pride, we must escape to the sea."
As soon as that was said the people scrambled to the harbor. Squis headed the other way. One of the many sentries following him asked "Why are we going this way?" Squis said, "There is an escape ship and I need your magic to take me to the hideaway"
"But, what about the people going to the Lion's Pride?" asked the sentry. "What do I care." said Squis, and they disappeared.
Meanwhile in the harbor everyone was boarding the massive ship when Marith realized that they may never be here again. "We forgot our weapons" he said to Ace, Azo, and Davet. At that second they ran back into the palace.
They were now in the same ballroom that just a couple minutes ago they were enjoying themselves. "Alright we need to go to the top floor get our weapons, cloaks and a map." said Marith.
And with that they ran up the spiral staircase as fast as they could. "Here we are the top floor" said Azo.
"Okay, split up!'' said Ace. They went in all different directions to there rooms. As Marith walked into his room and noticed something. "Where is my sketchbook?" he said. He was looking for the book when he felt a rumble. He suddenly ran to the staircase. There were the others. "Let's go we can't stay here!" said Davet. They hurried down the staircase and were in the ballroom. Marith stared at the window and said "Oh my goodness!" They all turned toward the window and saw the cloud of flame shooting out tounges of fire. Then suddenly it imploded and they all saw a wall of fire coming toward them. "Run!" said Ace.
They got to the boat and set off. "Marith help me make the boat go faster!" said Azo.
They went to the stern of the boat and the both said" Speedero"
With that the boat moved faster as Marith and Azo made hand movements to keep it up.
They were almost at the sea when they looked back at the palace due to the screams. In an instant the wall of fire swallowed it whole. Azo and Marith made their movement faster as the flames came closer. Suddenly from the bow of the boat they heard Ace yell "Azo, Marith we have a problem"
Ahead of them was a waterfall! The two stopped the spell and the ship gradually slowed down . They went to the bow, the falls were right there. The two got in a stance, made some movements, and yelled "Floataerah"
The ship started to float and smoothly gliuded down the falls. The second the were on water, they were in the sea and avoided the flames just in time.
On the boat they looked back and saw the entire palce burning in the distance. There were many cries from below. Then the four friends went into the cabin to make plans to go to the Amensule Army camp on the other side of the sea. It was just another two hours away. "What are we going to do when we get there?" asked Ace.
"I guess we will just make a new palace there." said Marith "There! Where the enemy is so close!"said Azo, "You know more than all of us that Echo (the ruler of the Dark Warriors and has a special dark power that can kill) is so adicted on getting that place and when he finds out your there he'll make sure that you and all of us are dead"
Marith said, "We'll just keep our mouth's shut"
And with that they were on there way to the camp.
Another two hours passed and a fog lowered as they anchored the ship. "Azo and I will go check it out. If we don't return in an hour go up the shore line and camp out there until we return." said Marith.
Then he and Azo went into the fog.
As Azo and Marith walked up to the fort, they noticed the door was knocked down. "Who do you suspect did that?" said Azo.
"Dark Warriors." said Marith. "We better keep our guard up." As they said that they both drew their cloaks on, Marith drew his sword, and Azo drew his staff. They both slowly walked into the fort and saw not a soul in there. But suddenly from behind them appeared a figure with a dark cape jumped into mid-air and in an instant it shoot a dark ball of energy. The two of them dodge and prepared themselves. When the figure landed Marith toke a closer look and said"Echo"
"Yes it's me and I am here for one reason." said Echo "What's that"
"To take you to the Black Warrior"
Then he broke off and drew his blade running with incredible speed. Within a second Marith blocked the sword. "Your better than we last met" said Echo.
"Thats what happens when you train with a blade and magic everyday"
Then Marith heard from behind "Malando"
and Echo flew to the ground. Azo was standing behind him with his hand in mid-air. But from behind them came a shock. Then Azo and Marith went to the ground. "Excellent my warrior, now we must take them back to The Dark Tower." said Echo.
Meanwhile aboard the Lion's Pride Ace and Davet worried. "They've been gone way to long. Should we go up coast?" asked Davet.
"I'll go get them and meet you somewhere up the coast." said Ace.
After saying that he went toward the fort, as the boat drifted into the fog.
Ace walked slowly into the fort and noticed the same thing that Azo and Marith noticed, but Ace had a gift that let him look in the past. He saw that there was a fight and Azo and Marith were captured and taken to The Dark Tower. "I need to get there fast!" said Ace.
So he looked around for a way to travel. In the corner there was a Wing Board ( a type of hovering board used by magic) in perfect condition. Ace grabbed it and headed south.
At The Dark Tower Marith woke up and found himself in a dark room chained up. "I'm still surprised that both of you are still alive." said Echo. "Why would we be dead?" said Marith.
"Usually people with light magic would die when infected with dark powers." said Echo.
"What did you do?" said Marith "Why Marith you should be thanking me. I gave you more magic." said Echo. "That's right your going to be traded to The Black Warrior in another hour." said Echo. With those words he left the room.
About a half a mile away Ace was riding toward the tower. Within a minute he was there. "Great no sentries now where are those two." said Ace. Using his gift he saw that he was in a dark room on the top floor. "Alright time to scale the wall." said Ace.
From that he went up the dark palace walls. "Almost there." said Ace. He finally reached the window. Right before he checked for guards he smashed the window.
"Marith! Azo! Where are you?" said Ace.
"Over here!" Ace heard and in that direction he saw two figures chained to the wall. "Hey lets get you out of here"said Ace.
Then Ace smashed the chains and said "Lets go." They went to the window and drpped a rope to the bottom.
Back on top of the tower after the three escaped, the door opened and Echo stood there with a massive figure behind him. "Where are they?" said Echo.
"You mean you don't know where they are? We'll then your land has a little longer before it is mine." said The Black Warrior angerly.
And he left the tower. Echo decided that he needed to leave so he ran down to the bottom of the tower. Just before he opened the door he heard screaming and said "What is that"
He opened the door and saw a dragon eating away at his soliders. He slamed the door and said "I need a wing board and to get to the top as soon as possible"
He grabbed a wing board and ran off to the top of the tower.
A mile or two away Ace stopped to rest himself. He looked back at the tower and saw a black figure breathing fire at the walls. "That doesn't look good." said Ace as he put the two of his friends on his back. After saying that he rode northward.
At the roof of The Black Tower, Echo was about to fly when he heard "You are not leaving now are you?" said The Black Warrior.
"Depends are you ready to fight!" said Echo while drawing his sword.
"Yes it's time for you to die!" said The Black Warrior. The next sound was the sound of two swords clashing together. "Dark Whipiona! said Echo and a dark whip wrapped around The Black Warrior's leg. The Black Warrior said "Flamiona!" At that moment the whip vanished and a flame shoot at Echo. Echo jumped up in mid-air, slashed at The Black Warrior, and knocked him on the roofing. Echo walked, sword drawn, toward the body lying on the roof. Just as he was about to kill him he was caught off balance by a loud roar and tumbled to the side of the tower. The dragon flew behind The Black Warrior to guard him. Echo now was hanging on the edge of the building and he spotted the wing board. He said "Maginiona!" and the wing board went into his hands and he let go to fall to his death. While falling he got onto his board and flew off.
"What do you want me to do, Master?" said the dragon. "Nothing, we got what we want?" said The Black Warrior.
"I know that I'm going to regret this." said Echo as he headed away from the tower.
Ace was almost at the Lion's Pride which was just over the hill, but what he saw wasn't a ship, but a huge city of marble. He hurried through the gate and the city to the main palace. Ace walked into the beautiful marble throne room, but to his surprise he saw Squis on the throne. "How dare you bring those betrayers in this room!" said Squis.
"I'm no betrayer!" said Marith standing beat up and tired. "How dare you stand in my presence!" said Squis drawing a blade and charging at Marith. The next thing was the sound of a blade being knocked out of Squis's hand by an arrow. "What's the meaning of this?" said Squis. "I have the power to see the past and I know you have no intrest in these people. You left them in their greatest time of need." said Ace "I did no such thing!" said Squis. "Yes you did." said a voice behind Squis. It was the sentry from the old palace. "He said that he didn't care about the people." said the sentry. "You'd know well to be quiet!" said Squis. "Take him away and banish him to the wasteland!" said Marith. Then the guards grabbed his arms and toke him off. As he was dragged off he said "You haven't seen the last of me!" The sentry came up to Marith and said "This is yours." as he handed his lost sketchbook. Then Marith heard the door behind him open and in the doorway was Davet. "We have a visitor." said Davet. Behind him was Echo tired with blood-stained cloths.
The next hour Ace, Azo, and Davet waited out the meeting room as Echo tried to reason with Marith. All the three heard were small voices turning into loud voices going back and forth then finally the door swung open. Marith stood in the doorway and said "Prepare the soliders for war."
The city was very busy with archers running one way and soliders running the other. The entire city silenced when the heard the city bells ring (which meant a meeting was issued). At the palace gates Marith stood above the rest and shouted "We are at war with a new enemy and I ask you to keep safe inside the inner ring (the inner walls of the kingdom) for your own safety. Thank you"
With that the city scrambled to their homes to get their children and relatives. Marith said to Echo "Now, Echo, what are we really up against?" Echo replied "Well The Black Warrior isn't what you would call a weakling. He is a powerful warrior"
"Well we better start training and you have to teach me to use those dark powers." said Marith "It would be my honor." said Echo.
The five of them went to the very large training room under the city to prepare for the hard times ahead. After an hour of training Marith got the hang of the dark powers. "So you make your hand in the fist of a tiger, strech it out while saying Darflamium, and release the energy." said Echo to Marith.
Marith did as he said and a very large shot of purplish fire shot out of his hand. "Excellent! You know all of the things I know now." said Echo "Thanks." said Marith. Just as he was going to say something more there was a rumble. "Thats the call. We have to fight The Black Warrior's army." said Ace from across the room.
The five came outside the palace and assembled the soliders at the city gates. All the soliders assembled and suddenly the large gates opened to the world.
They were now between the palace and The Dark Tower and saw the army of dragon-like soliders and gigantic dragons. "We are not all going to survive this battle, but I can only hope this battle will end in our victory." said Marith.
He turned and saw the army a couple of hundred yards away.
The entire land was silent as a peaceful star-lit night. Then after a moment of silence, The Black Warrior came out of his army. the silence was broken as both Marith and The Black Warrior said "Attack!" At that moment, both sides ran at each other with blood-thirsty rage.
The battle has begun and Ace, Azo, and Davet ran into the brawl. While Marith and Echo got a wing board and flew off toward The Dark Tower. But at the battlefield The Black Warrior spotted them. He revealed hidden wing under the cape and flew off.
On the way there Marith asked "Now, what exactly are we doing"
"We have to get my warriors locked up in the dungeon." said Echo. "And what if there are guards there?" said Marith. "Then we do what we do best" said Echo. "Excellent!" saod Marith. With that they continued south.
When they got there, Echo peered around the corner and said "There are two dragon guards, one for each of us." "Great. I'll take the one on the right." said Marith. Then they rushed out and both said "Darwatera!" and a stream of water flew and knocked-out both of the guards. "Quick! Lets get inside before more trouble comes." said Echo. And then they both went inside.
Meanwhile at the battlefield, Ace and the others saw that the larger dragon were tough. So they finally gave the order and said "Fall back to the city!" As they said that they ran back toward the marble city.
Echo and Marith made it to the dungeon to see that there were no soliders just armor. "Echo, there are no soilders here." said Marith. "Thats what you think." said Echo. Then he grabbed a bottle on a shelve, threw the dust into the air, and said "Resurctra!" At that moment the armor stood up and dark bodies appeared from them. "I command you to go to the marble city of Amensule and defeat the dragon warriors that are attacking the city there." said Echo. They ran up the stairs and exited the tower.
Echo and Marith both walked out and said "Well, I guess we better go help"
But before they grabbed the wing board a dragon swooped them up. It carried them to the top of the Dark Tower and were dropped on the roofing. As they stood up they heard a gloomy voice say "Think you leaving so soon. I mean you are my guest." They turned and saw The Black Warrior. "Your not going away, alive." said Marith. "You think your enough to beat me?" said the Black Warrior. "Maybe not, but with me it's simple." said Echo. "Then you both die!" said The Black Warrior.
Then The Black Warrior charged at them with his blade drawn. Marith blocked while Echo said "Darkblastrom!" and blew The Black Warrior away. The dust covered The Black Warrior. Then he lunged at the two warriors and said "Darksnakewrapa!" and a dark snake wrapped around both of them. "Releasera!" said both Echo and Marith and they were free. Then Echo charged with his blade and slashed at The Black Warrior. It hit, but didn't hurt much because it was only a distraction. Behind The Black Warrior Marith stood there and said "Malando'' At that instant he flew onto his stomach. he got up and said "Well you two are very impressive. Too bad I must kill you"
He then said "Darkcystala!" and a beam hit Echo and froze him in a crystal. "Looks like it's just you and me." said The Black Warrior. "Not for long." said Marith. The both clashed with their blade for a moment then broke apart. "It's about time I ended this." said The Black Warrior. He suddenly dropped his blade and said "Deathoria!". A dark beam shoot at Marith (that looked fatal) and he said "Darflamium"
The same flame from before shoot out and made contact with the other spell. The spells were conflicting with each other. Suddenly Marith heard a voice that said "Pass the spell to me and kill The Black Warrior!" It was Echo that was unfrozen. Marith passed the spell and ran between the beams of energy. He was now in front of The Black Warrior. He drew his blade and said "Die!" And with that he struck the blade right through his cold heart. The spells disconnected, the roars of dragons in the backround ceased, and The Black Warrior fell to the roofing of The Dark Tower. Then the body, the dragons, and the dragon soliders everywhere turned into dark dust.
Back at Amensule, Ace said "They did it!" And came the cheers of many tired soliders of Amensule and The Black Tower. The three were cheering and said "We must get them and bring them home."
At the top of The Dark Tower, Marith and Echo were tired beyond belief. "We did it." said Marith. "Yeah The Black Warrior is dead." said Echo. "Yeah and now you have The Dark Tower back." said Marith. "Yeah." said Echo. Then they saw three wing boards in the distance. It was Ace, Azo, and Davet come to rescue them. "You did it! You killed The Black Warrior!" said Davet. "Yeah, well lets get back to the kingdom." said Marith. They got on the boards and flew off homeward.
Two days after the attack, the sun shone radiently on the marble city. The peolpe of the city came out to celebrate the coming of the new king. Ace, Azo, Davet, and Echo stood in radient white suits and saw the palace doors open. Behind them was Marith, with a golden crown on his head and the sword that struck the heart of The Black Warrior in his right hand. "I promise as long as my heart beats, I will protect this marble city of Amensule and it's people." said Marith. With that fireworks shoot into the air, people cheered, and Marith smiled.
A week later, Marith received a message from Echo. It read:
Dear Friends,
I have grave news that I must tell you immediately. Please come to the Dark Tower.
Sincerely, Echo
P.S. go by ship and be prepared for a long journey.
"What do you say?" said Ace to Marith. "Prepare The Lion's Pride." said Marith.
Within the next three hours they arrived at the port next to The Dark Tower. As they walked up the path to the tower, they saw Echo. "Alright, Echo, what's going on?" said Marith. "Down southward there is another enemy growing very fast. The worst part is that the soilders are dragon-like." said Echo. "Just like The Black Warrior's." said Marith. "Exactly. so you need to stop it." said Echo. "Alright, but won't you be coming?" said Marith. "Sorry. I have to stay here." said Echo. "Come with us. Your our friend." said Azo. "Sorry, my mind is made up." said Echo. After those words the other four trugged back to the boat.
They sailed back to the city to find someone to leave in charge of the city. As Marith waited in the throne room for someone the door opened and a figure stood in it. "I'm sorry sir no one can see the king now." said the sentry. Marith stood up and saw the man. He yelled "Tiram! (Marith's brother from far way)" "I've come to watch over the city." said Tiram. "Thanks." said Marith.
They were now set off for their next adventure. But as they passed The Black Tower they heard a thump on the port side. They looked over the ledge and saw nothing. They heard a voice behind them say "You didn't plan to leave without me?" They turned and said "Echo!" "So you came anyways." said Marith. "Thought that being alone would be very boring." said Echo.
So their ship continued southward slowly. As they slept Marith walked out onto the deck and looked at the sky. It looked almost exactly like the night that everything changed. "Our bond of friendship is like a flame with no end." said Marith. Then he toke out his sketchbook and started to draw the starry sky.