~~They Will Not Fade~~

Chapter 1: Revival

"Can you open the way for me, goblin?" a young woman asked. She was standing in a wide clearing, the green grass bright and beautiful in the sun. She wore black armor on her chest, shoulder, forearms, knees and thighs. Underneath, she wore a dark red outfit, a lighter red wrap around her waist. Half her hair was held back by a braid on the right side, the rest falling in front of the left side of her face. She had pale skin and pointed ears.

"What do you need in the nightlands?" the goblin she was speaking to asked. The upper half of his body was on some wooden table with wheels.

"I am looking for someone. Can you let me in?" she asked.

"No one has lived down there for years." The goblin told her. "The battle for the royal crown was fought and won, the threat destroyed. You will not find anyone down there, I'll tell you now."

At the words of the threat being destroyed, the woman flinched. "I still need to go in, goblin. I am asking you to let me go in."

"…" the goblin did not answer. He was wondering why this stranger would want, so much, to enter the nightlands-it has been for so long, a place of despair, especially to the elves. Which this woman was.

"…I knew…him." she finally said, her face guarded but her voice only slightly shaky. "All I want is to see him once more, then I shall return here."

The goblin was quiet as he thought, but then he sighed. "Alright. But you must trade me something."

The woman seemed irritated, but pulled out a small knife. It had a golden handle and shining silver blade. "What about this?"

"Hmmm…" he watched the item for a moment. He wanted something better, but seeing as she seemed to have nothing else, and it was a very shiny and beautifully made item, he accepted. He took it from her and blew a whistle a few times.

Then, the formation of rocks that lay behind him began to shake and move, until they rose up. The woman saw that the formation was in the shape of a man. The legs buried deep in the ground and unmoving as the torso rose up from where it lay. Until finally, the torso was straight up and the woman saw the opening. A strange doorway, in the middle of the rock torso's stomach.

"Go, go." The goblin urged as he began using wooden things attached to his arms, to help him move. She walked slowly forward, gazing at the tall torso. It's half broken stone face watched her until she entered through the doorway.

She heard the whistle blow again, and the sound of rocks closing in. She guessed the way had just shut behind her, but she did not look to see. Her eyes were locked on the sadness that lay before her.

A once beautiful kingdom all around her now covered in darkness. She could see what was left of tall pillars, columns and buildings, all darkened and wearing away.

"This way, miss." The goblin said as he pulled himself forward. She followed behind him, unable to keep her gaze away from the withered surroundings. She longed for the day that this place might regain its beauty. And as she thought of that, she clutched a small, oval shaped item which was hidden in the wrappings around her waist.

They were going lower and lower into the nightlands, far from the doorway they had entered through. Ahead, she saw a much larger, grander doorway. No doors stopped their path, though. And once she made it through the threshold, she stopped, even if the goblin continued ahead of her.

Lying before her and all around her were golden, mechanical, circular bodies. They were not human, but they did have arms and legs. A torso and a head. She knew what they were. They were the soldiers of the Golden Army.

She felt a hint of sadness wash over her as she thought of what would have come and what wouldn't have happened had these beings rained, but came back to her normal state of mind at the sound of the goblins voice.

"He is this way, miss."

She took a breath and nodded, walking after him once again.

Finally, the goblin stopped. He pointed up the large stone steps that lay before them. "He's up there. I cannot follow, of course." He said, motioning to the lower half of his body which was not there.

She nodded. "Thank you, goblin. I will not be long…" and she then ascended the stairs, clutching the oval item still hidden.

She finally made it to the top then, having to side step many more of the soldiers of the golden army who lay in her way.

But once again, she halted. She had to avert her eyes for a moment at the sight she'd just seen. She had known she would see something of the sight, but not as bad as this.

The sight that made her turn away, was that of a stone body-broken into pieces of rock and dust. She had expected to see this man as stone-possibly gone forever. But not this. Not him broken.

Finally, she pulled out the oval object. A stone, pure white with gray vain-like lines on it. It gave off a slight glow. She watched it for a moment, hope building in her chest fast. She made herself look at the broken stone body then, fighting back the pain at the sight. She came up to the pieces and looked down at them.

She saw part of his face then and had to look away again. She sighed. "You're honor and need to preserve what we are, was too unyielding, my prince… But we need that again. We need you…"

She raised the stone over the broken pieces and it began glowing more brightly. Then, the woman whispered, "Eirgh aris, Nuada…."

And the stone continued to shine brightly and the light seemed to flow into the broken pieces that lay on the ground, making them glow faintly.

The woman stood up and backed away as it shown brighter and brighter. The shining pieces of stone began shaking, until they were slowly moving through the air. They circled each other around and around until they began joining together, repairing the stone prince. Soon, it finally formed him, as he seemed to be kneeling with arms out on the ground. But then, not only did the white, oval stone cause the stone body to repair itself-it also began changing the stone.

The stone was changing and changing until it was no longer stone. The stone of the prince was becoming the prince once again. He kept shining and changing until finally there was a gasped as he took in air, and then fell to his side on the floor. He lay there in a tan outfit, lying on his side, some of his hair in his face, the rest of it splayed on the floor.

The woman dropped to her knees as he fell. She leaned over him, checking to see if he was alright. He looked tired, and did not wake. But he was breathing, so she knew her plan had worked. She had brought back Prince Nuada Silverlance.