Hey there, everyone! I think a huge round of applause is necessary for my PWI buddy, who I will now refer to as "Bro"! Bro helped me get this chapter out, double time, and I managed to actually make this chapter somewhat good! So tell Bro thanks, cause now I gotta go work on chapter 3!

Note to all of you, I put the times of each event up on this time because I wanted you to know exactly when each event is taking place. I know it's kinda early for a big turning point, but I just wanted to get this story rolling!

Oh, more news! I got another character on PWI's Sanctuary server! My new veno is Aramellia, so if you're ever online, send me a message or just say hi!

Enjoy!

Don't own, don't sue. Flame and you die.


Chapter 2: A Call to Action

Lumina – Bamboo Village – Early Morning

Lumina groaned quietly as she finished crushing the last of the salvia root, the grating sound of pestle and mortar slowly whittling away at her concentration. The events of the previous night had caused her a great deal of pain, and she had slept sparsely throughout the night. Visions of Rizelle and Jun together had flashed in front of her eyes so many times in a short time that she'd woken up in a cold sweat.

In truth, it was hard not to think about them. Jun had been her playmate since toddler years, and Rizelle had once been…one of her closest friends. Strange as it was, the early years had been easier with her around to watch her back, and they'd shared many good times.

But as the summers rolled by, Rizelle had begun to change. Her interest and treatment of boys had driven a wedge between them, and when rumors about Lumina's own love-life had begun appearing, that had been the last straw. The girls had gone their separate ways after that; Lumina taking the path of the true archer, and Rizelle clinging to her boy toys.

Lumina's mortar of crushed salvia root to slipped from her fingers, clattering one the ground so loudly in the early morning silence that she nearly jumped out of her skin. She quickly scooped it up and added more root to the mix. She still had to mix ten nectars and a bundle of ageratum for Apothecary Luce before midday. She couldn't afford to daydream.

Suddenly, as if ringing just to scare her even more, the village's warning bells began clanging like no tomorrow. The combination of high and low notes could've been almost somber, had they not been shrill. It was said that the wraiths abhorred the sound of clanging bells, but when Lumina turned to peer into the bamboo thicket, she saw several large Tauroc Anglers lumbering towards her, their clubs hoisted high over their heads.

Cursing loudly, she dropped her herbs and dove for her bow a few feet away and fired off two arrows. The anglers howled loudly, but soon the howls turned to gurgling as the wraiths spat up blood. Each arrow had found their target; the soft skin of the anglers' thick necks. Lumina couldn't help but grimace as the wraiths coughed blood, sprinkling her with deep red liquid. That was the downside of being ambushed at close range; you couldn't avoid being covered in wraith blood.

Ignoring the fresh corpses, she quickly jumped up onto the roof of her tiny house and squinted into the distance. Approximately a hundred meters away, near the northern edge of the Black Mountains, a dark shape crept slowly towards the tiny village. She placed about four hundred or so wraiths making their painstakingly slow way towards them. She could already hear their infernal moans and earsplitting shrieks echoing over the land, even with the bells ringing.

"Lumina! How many do you see?!"

Caught off guard by the sudden appearance of Rolfe, one of the village guards, she nearly lost her footing on the straw roof. But she swiftly righted herself and called down, "At least four hundred, if I'm not mistaken. Could we take them on?"

"Not without Plume reinforcements. I shall inform the Elder immediately on the situation!"

Rolfe rushed off, leaving Lumina alone on the roof. How could this have happened? The people of Tusk Town should've warned them of any wraith gatherings! Unless…

Had Tusk Town already been taken? Lumina began shaking at the thought of the mountain city falling, and she quickly turned and ran for the Elder. She had to do anything to help; even it was simply getting a message to their leader. He had to know that Tusk Town might've fallen during the previous night.

As she neared the Elder's house, she saw Rolfe take flight, his white wings glowing the dawn light. They were a beautiful sight, and Lumina couldn't wait until she got her own set, but the expression set on his face made her stop dead in her tracks. He looked almost…withdrawn, as if his hope had fled him. Chills ran up her spine as more of the more seasoned archers and clerics took flight, all of them heading in the same direction as Rolfe.

They were going to battle. The war with the wraiths, after several centuries, had finally found its way to the elves' lands. But the outcome was still changeable, and Lumina knew every archer had to participate to win.

Just as she was about to run to join the battle, a large hand gripped her shoulder and yanked her backwards. It was Blacksmith Rune.

"Lumina, you are far from ready for this battle! Go with the other young ones and head for the City of Plume! You needn't worry about this place's protection. The Archers of Plume will arrive in a few moments."

"But I want to-"

"The answer is no, and that's an order! Now go!"

Lumina was distraught. If they were turning away archers because of age, they were going to lose everything. The battle, their lives, the village; everything was going to disappear! Her whole life was here! She had been born and raised in this place! It was her job to defend it too!

But she never got to say that. Moments after talking with the blacksmith, another guard came up behind her and swept her over to Teleporter Fei faster than she could blink. One minute she was in Bamboo Village, and then next she was standing under a large tree with the rest of the younger elves. They had the same look as Rolfe had worn as he'd flown off into battle; the look of someone who'd given up. Lumina was disgusted.

"Send me back!" she shouted as she grabbed the tunic of Plume's teleporter, who was standing behind her. "Send me back! I can fight, too! I want to fight!"

"I'm sorry," the female teleporter said quietly, "but the way to Bamboo Village has been sealed off. No one will be leaving the City of Plume until this battle is won."

"Wha…but reinforcements…"

"Are already on their way. They're flying over Plume Lake as we speak. They are our most powerful warriors. They will not lose so easily."

But Lumina wasn't satisfied. Words alone couldn't express the anger and sadness she felt at that very moment. She felt lost because her village had labeled her as a useless warrior, she was angry that she'd been forced to the city against her will, but most of all…she was more than determined to prove she was worthy of fighting.

"Where is the Elder of Plume?" she whispered.

The teleporter, surprised by her sudden words, said, "She's at the far end of the pool over there. But she'll probably be speaking to the Priest at the moment, so it's best you just wait here until she comes to us."

"I refuse to sit still and be coddled," Lumina hissed, her glare revealing just how determined she was. The other woman didn't even have a chance to speak before Lumina rushed off in search of the Elder and the Priest.

Lumina found the two women exactly where the teleporter woman has specified. The large pool built under the roots of the great tree was crystal clear and exploding with magic, and Lumina felt a strong urge to move toward it. But she pressed on, unwilling to let anything stop her.

If she wanted to fight, she needed wings. The only way she could get them was through an Elder.

"Elder!" she called out. "I must speak with you at once!"

The Elder was a slender woman of no more than twenty or so summers, with bright red hair and dazzling blue eyes. She was nothing like the old man Elder of Bamboo Village. The Priest, a woman with large white wings and deep brown eyes and hair, watched Lumina closely as if she were a threat in disguise.

"Yes, my child? What ails you?" the Elder asked.

"I need my wings! I have to help the people of Bamboo Village!"

"But you are clearly not ready for them. Your heart is…clouded. If you want your wings, come see me when your troubles have left you."

"But I nee-"

"The answer is no, Lumina. Have faith in your village's warriors. They will prevail."

The Elder's tone rattled Lumina's resolve, but not enough for her to back down.

"I do have faith in them, but I believe I could be of better use on the battlefield! There must be something I can do!"

The Elder sighed and placed a gentle hand on Lumina's shoulder. "I'm sorry, my dear, but you must remain here. You yourself have a journey ahead of you, and we mustn't risk anymore lives than necessary."

There was a pinching feeling in Lumina's shoulder, and she suddenly found herself falling to the ground as her vision swam and went black.


Sakkuya – City of the Lost – Early Night

Even with the limited light of the moon, the City of the Lost was still dark. The dips in the ground were cloaked with darkness, making it harder for Sakkuya to jump over them as she headed for home. Lady Sen the She-devil had made her stay late for slacking off and had driven her to the edge with late-night training. Her limbs ached fiercely and felt as if they were tied to bricks of black iron. She just couldn't seem to move as quickly as she normally could.

As she passed the large temple on the west side of the city, her thoughts drifted to home. She didn't really want to go. Her parents would only nag her to do her chores and go to bed. She abhorred that almost as much as Lady She-devil, but she knew her parents cared for her. Maybe just a little too much, though. How many times had she been yelled at? How many times had she been forbidden from meeting Rikky and Anya? Several times too many, in her opinion. It wasn't fair that she couldn't move out of that house for another year. She'd already found a place in Gate of Antiquity, a small village just to the south.

As she rounded the last corner and began the final stretch to her house, the hairs on the back of her neck stood straight up. She'd seen something move out of the corner of her eye; something that could've easily been a monster. It had been a simple shadow, but her intuition was screaming for her to run.

With that thought, her panic began to rise. If she didn't hurry, whatever that shadow was might get her. It had to be a monster! She couldn't think of anything else it could be. But if it was a monster, how had it gotten past the guards?!

Suddenly something grabbed her arm and yanked her backwards, quickly covering her mouth with a large hand. Her mind spun as she tried to scream, but she found herself unable to even move her legs. Training had worn her down too much and fatigue was rushing in fast.

"Sakkuya, it's just me," the shadow said in the hushed tone. Sakkuya stopped struggling and looked up at her captor, her eyes wide.

"Rikky?!" she cried, though her words were muffled by his hand. "What the hell, Rikky! You scared the living daylights out of me!"

"Sorry, Sakkuya," he said sincerely as he released her, "but I wanted to catch you before you went home, seeing as your parents hate my guts and all…"

"Oh, Rikky, they don't hate you. Their just…uptight." She brushed a little dirt off her boot and clasped her hands behind her back. Rikky just rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah…but I wanted to take a walk with you, if that was okay…is it?" He smiled sheepishly, but someone could've easily mistaken it for something else. His lion-like features made it hard for travelers to read his expressions. But Sakkuya, not to mention the entire city, was used to discerning a barbarian's expressions.

"Sure. Let's go."

She turned to walk towards the temple, but Rikky took her hand and shook his head, his sandy blonde mane simmering like rippling water.

"Uh, not tonight…let's go outside the city for once."

"But, Rikky, if we're caught outside the city at this time of night, we'll get in trouble." Leaving the city after sunset was not only against Untamed Law; it was extremely dangerous. Wraiths gained strength at night, when everyone felt safest.

"Don't worry. I have permission to leave for a little while. Believe me, it won't take long."

"Okay…if you say you got permission, then I guess its fine."

"Then let's go," he said quickly. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and, as if she weighed nothing, swept her up into his arms and took a running jump at the south gate, taking the same route all Untamed did while trying to pass the 'leaping quest' given out by the Elder. And with Rikky's skills, he managed to make it to the top in five jumps. He was truly an Untamed warrior, despite there being a little human blood in his veins.

Sakkuya clung to him as he ran to the east end of the gate and leapt from there to the path to the top of the cliffs. It was certainly uncomfortable being this close to Rikky, and usually when such close contact was had, it meant…something romantic. Something Sakkuya was no where near ready for. Well, she liked Rikky a lot, but she wasn't even of marrying age!

As soon as they were on firm ground again, Sakkuya eased herself out of Rikky's arms, but held onto him as she got the blood flowing back into her tired limbs. She grimaced. If she was this tired in the first place, why had she agreed to go on a walk with Rikky? That had been stupid.

And yet, she couldn't bring herself to truly regret it. Standing high above the City of the Lost, looking out over Creeping Stream…it was almost surreal. Everything was perfect. Even the full moon high in the sky was beautiful.

As if waking from her daydream, she yawned quietly and rubbed the approaching sleep out of her eyes. "So what did you need to talk about, Rikky? Everything okay at home?"

Rikky fidgeted for a few minutes, distracting himself with kicking a few pebbles towards the cliff facing the river. He purposely avoided her gaze the whole time.

"Rikky? Come on, you can talk to me."

"Well…I don't really know how to put it into words, Sakkuya…" he muttered. "I know I can talk to you, but…it's just really hard to say out loud."

Sakkuya's face was instantly red. Was he saying…no way. There was no way he would bring up something like that now. No way. With her moving away in the coming year, she didn't have time to think about…that kind of stuff.

"Rikky, you….you're not making any sense!" she huffed. "Just say it."

He was silent for another minute, and Sakkuya was ready to give it up and head back to the city when he suddenly wrapped his huge arms around her, freezing her in place with complete surprise.

"I don't want you to leave, Sakkuya," he whispered in her ear.

Stunned into silence, she could barely do anything but try and breathe. For some reason, tears began pooling in her eyes, and she found herself crying silently into his shoulder. He didn't want her to leave. She was precious to him…and that meant…

"Rikky?" she murmured. "Why don't you want me to leave? Tell me the truth."

He just hugged her even tighter and said, "I don't want you to go because…because I…I l-love you…"

As soon as he said those words, Sakkuya threw her arms around his neck and laid her head against his shoulder.

"I love you too, Rikky…I'm so glad you love me. But I'm still going to leave the city once I'm old enough." She pressed her forehead against his shoulder and sighed. "Thought it doesn't change the fact that I love you. I'd like you to come with me, if possible."

Rikky pulled back and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek. It was quick, but Sakkuya loved it anyway. Rikky had always been subtle with his feelings.

And yet, when she looked into his eyes after that brief moment, she saw not love, but sadness. That, coupled with the fact that he was drawing his Iron Claws out from their hold pouch, sent chills down her spine.

"R-Rikky?! What are you doing?!" she cried as she stumbled backwards and fell.

"I don't want you to go, but if I must say goodbye, then let me make it for forever." The look in his eyes changed from sad to almost euphoric. "If…If we die together, then we can go into death holding hands! I've seen how the world works, and it's so tainted that I can't stand it any longer!" He smiled at her with the same caring eyes as he always had, and reached for her. "Sakkuya, I can't bear to be without you…please, come and spend eternity with me."

Sakkuya scrambled upright and backed away, trying to put as much distance as possible between them. "Rikky, what are you saying?! Do you ever realize how crazy you sound?! It's like you're a completely different person!"

"People change, Sakkuya," he said, still approaching her. "Are you saying you never noticed how I'd changed after I heard you say you were going to disappear from the city? I became so tormented that I came to this conclusion. If you told me you loved me when I confessed my love for you, I would make sure you could never leave me. Ever."

Sakkuya, her attention focused solely on avoiding Rikky, failed to see the edge of the cliff approaching quickly on her heels. She only noticed when her foot missed the last bit of earth, causing her to lose her balance. The wind rushed past her ears as she began to fall, and the only thing that kept her from falling off the edge entirely was Rikky, who had sprinted the last of the distance and grabbed her arm.

They stood there for several seconds; Sakkuya dangling over the side of the cliff, the only thing keeping her aloft was Rikky's strong grip on her arm. It was a very precarious position for Sakkuya to be in. Either she could let Rikky pull her back up onto the cliff to be killed, or she could make him let go of her so she'd fall to her death at the bottom of the cliff. She ended up dying both times. But there was the chance of escaping…no, there was no way she could escape from Rikky. He was a barbarian warrior, completely trained in the art of killing Wraiths. She was still trying to learn how to turn into her fox form. There was no way she could win.

"I'll ask you one more time," Rikky said. "Will you die with me?" Suddenly his expression was full of rage and fear. "Please don't leave me alone!"

He yanked hard on Sakkuya's arm, pulling her towards him with such force that her side grazed the claws on his right hand. Blood seeped through her torn armor and clothes and began to slowly pool beneath her, but she was in too much pain to notice.

On impulse, she pushed away from Rikky and stumbled backwards, trying to get as far away from him as possible again. But there was no ground behind her this time. She fell before Rikky could reach her again, and the look on his face was one of distraught.

"Sakkuya," he cried, "please don't leave me!!"

His words hurt her, but the pain in her side was much worse, and she blacked out before she hit the ground.


"Are we there yet, Dad?" a young boy asked.

"Not yet, my boy," a man, most likely his father, replied in a chipper tone. "We're almost there. Only a few more miles until Broken Bridge Village."

"Great," a young girl replied. "I'm getting tired of riding in the cart."

"Dear, what's that over there?" an older woman asked. There was a pause, and then a gasp.

"That's…oh my god!" the father shouted. "Kids, stay in by the cart! Do not leave it!"

There was something that sounded like footsteps, but they were harsher. Running, maybe?

"Dear god…it must've been the Wraiths…" the man muttered sadly, now closer than before. "The poor things…they're so young…"

Sakkuya sucked in a breath slowly, taking a short second to relish her brilliant luck. She was still alive! She wanted to smile, but the movement caused her so much pain that she let out a whimper.

"Oh god, she's alive!!" the man shouted. "Al, Dean, come help your father!"

Sakkuya forced her eyes open slowly and, after being blinded by morning light, looked into the face of a man in his late thirties. His black hair was graying with age, but his dark eyes help nothing but concern for her. He had wings on his back, which made him an elf.

"Don't worry. We will help you get home. Although I can't say as much for him…" The man nodded towards a dark mound a few yards away, lying in a pool of dried blood. Sandy colored fur, the familiar hands…it was Rikky.

Rikky was dead. He must've jumped after her in an attempt to stay together. His right hand was stretched out towards her, as if trying to take hold of hers. But he'd died before that, and he had died alone. Sakkuya was still breathing.

"Was he your friend?" the man asked.

Sakkuya sucked in as much air as possible and force out one word: "Once…"

As she was moved from the base of the cliff to a cart, Sakkuya felt every injury she'd gotten after her fall, and she heard the woman, probably the kind man's wife, list them all off.

"Let's see," the elf woman mumbled as she ran her fingers over Sakkuya's broken body. "She's got at least four broken ribs, her right femur is broken in two places, and her right arm seems to be dislocated and broken just above the wrist. She may have a concussion, but I can't be sure. And the lacerations in her side are really deep. Shall I heal her, dear?"

"Just try and patch her up as much as you can before we get to Broken Bridge. We're already two shipments late as it is, and this put another delay in our schedule."

"Yes dear."

With those words said, a cool white light began pour over every ache and pain in Sakkuya's body, giving her immediate relief. The woman was a cleric. Sakkuya really did have brilliant luck. But no luck in the world could keep her from fall asleep from exhaustion.

But at least she was alive.


Eldon – City of Etherblade – Midnight

The morning after Danriden's arrival had been a relatively rowdy one. Eldon had awoken to the sound of laughter and cheers, which meant either Dan had invited the entire population over for a midnight feast, or just his fellow soldiers. Either way, Eldon would arrive downstairs just as the last bit of food vanished from the table.

He rolled over under his sheets and savored the soft smell of his mother's soap on his pillow. She was so kind, letting him use it to wash his sheets. It was a welcome change from the usual acrid odor of the men that walked around the city. They stank of long hours of training and working out, and it really affected some of the shop owners. If the soldiers were allowed into the actual shops, everything would start stinking. That's why all the vendors were outside, even at night.

Another raucous cheer went up downstairs, and it seemed very clear to Eldon that he wasn't going to get anymore sleep that night. He pushed the sheets and comforter off of him and shuffled over to his dresser, pulling out a clean tunic and pair of pants. There was really no point in trying to sleep in the same house as his brother. After all, the guy was…a real party starter, to put it mildly. Not that Eldon didn't like attending a party once in a while. It was fun once in a while, but not every other day. That was just a waste of time.

Dressed and ready for a walk outside, Eldon crept as quietly as possible out of his room down the stairs, making sure he missed each creaky board with every step he took. It would take as much stealth as he possessed to creep past his brother and his probably-drunk friends from the army.

"So what's up with Eldon, Dan?" a gruff voice asked from the kitchen. "He doesn't seem to have your fondness for battles."

"I've noticed," a half-coherent Danriden muttered from the same room. "He's grown used to his comfortable life here in the city."

"So?" the gruff voice asked after a loud belch. "Does that mean you're going to take him to the next battle?"

"No," Dan replied after a small pause. "If he's chosen not to fight, that's his choice. Personally, I am against it, but I will not push him to make any decisions he does not want to make."

"Dan, that's nice and all, but we're losing warriors in every battle. We need everyone to take part. Even the women are starting to train."

"I understand, Roan, but-"

"I'm sorry, Dan, but with the Wraith population on the rise, we must use as much force as possible to wipe them out." There was a sound that resembled that of pushing a chair backwards, and several footsteps that approached Eldon and the front door. Eldon quickly took cover in the next room; the living room. He peeked around the corner and nearly let out a gasp of surprise.

"I'm telling you one more time, Danriden," General Lolland said tersely. "Get your brother some proper training, and do it quickly. If we lose another man to the Wraiths, it won't be the only thing you have to worry about." The General turned to the door, but glanced briefly over his shoulder, catching sight of Eldon from his hiding spot. He shook his head and headed outside, letting the door slam behind him with a thud.

As soon as the General left, Dan and his friends went back to drinking. Eldon took advantage of one of their loud cheers to slip outside and into the moonlit street. There was barely a soul about at night, and those who were out were either soldiers or the wives of soldiers looking for their husbands. It was a comical sight when one saw a friend being carted home by their wife after a long night of drinking at a friend's house. It made the world seem almost…livelier. Cozier.

Eldon shivered as a cold breeze found its way through his cloak. The nights were finally warming up. After what had felt like a long winter, spring was finally coming to Etherblade. Soon the city would be full of fledgling apothecaries and craftsmen, all looking for special woods and herbs found only in the areas surrounding the large city.

He smiled to himself as he thought of his brother's complaints about all the city's visitors. Dan would just go on and on about how it would be harder to keep track of all of them, and how he and the General would be stuck with taking role call at night to make sure no one was still outside the city limits. And of course, they would be staying in several houses, but the majority of them would be sleeping in the temple, under the watchful eye of the Elder.

The Elder. A man worthy of the title of 'Battle Lord', yet doomed to a life of watching battles from afar. He had once been the greatest swordsman in the entire northern region of the land, and had led the blademasters and sorcerers of Etherblade to war with the Wraiths countless times, with every battle resulting in a victory. But fate was cruel, and when the Elder lost his wife and two children two a Wraith raid he could've prevented, he passed his position to General Lolland and took up the title of Elder. Eldon admired him, in a small way. To lose everything and yet find a reason to keep going…that was amazing.

Eldon followed the eastern road out of Etherblade, trying to psyche himself into getting some training done. If Dan found out that he'd done almost no training in the weeks he'd been gone, he'd strangle his younger brother.

"Hello down there!" someone shouted from the gate ahead of Eldon. "On a quest, Eldon?" It was Vorlus, a sorcerer who lived across the street from Eldon's family.

"Yeah," Eldon lied. "Don't tell Dan, though. He'll think I'm going soft!"

"Of course," Vorlus said with a nod. He waved his hand, and the gate sprung open so Eldon could pass through. "Good luck, kid!"

Eldon just nodded and took off down the cliff-side road, running as quickly as he could to get away from the city. The stuffy air he'd once breathed dissipated, and the crisp cold air of spring greeted him swiftly. It was like a bucket of cold water in his face, and it was a welcome wakeup call. He felt refreshed and ready to fight some monsters.

He quickly found a small, widespread group of wolves to kill and quickly lunged at the nearest one. It went down in two slashes of his blade, as did the next three. It was easier than Eldon remembered it being, and that made him happy. Doing all those quests for the blacksmith and apothecary hadn't been a complete waste of time, after all.

Just as he was about to take on a group of beetles, a shrill cry rang out, sending millions of birds in the forest into the sky. Eldon twisted around to face the cry when he saw a large group of Wraiths pounce on something that had fallen to the ground. It had looked like a person.

In a flash, Eldon was running at top speed towards the group, his still bloody sword glinting in the moonlight like a warning. The Wraiths, completely unaware of the human's approach, fell quickly under his blade and fell to the ground. Eldon heaved the dead wraiths off the thing they'd been attacking and pulled it from the mass of blood and rotting flesh.

It was an Untamed girl, and a beautiful one, at that. Her short black hair was matted with blood and dirt, and her clothes were torn and bloody from the attack. There were scratches and bites all over her pale skin, but they weren't too deep. Nevertheless, they would be a problem if they got infected.

Suddenly, the girl stirred a little and opened her eyes, revealing them to be dark brown, almost black.

"A-am I…alive?" she asked in a hoarse voice.

"Yes. I'm bringing you to Etherblade. You'll be fine."

The girl nodded, then promptly fell unconscious. Eldon picked her up and began a swift run back to Etherblade, towards safety. She would soon be well again.


"She's a little banged up, but fine, as far as I can tell," Apothecary Xi said thoughtfully as he stepped out of the spare bedroom in his house, which doubled as an infirmary at times. "Eldon, if you hadn't been there to help her, she would've died. You did well."

"Thank you," Eldon said simply.

"That's my brother!" Dan shouted as he smacked his brother on the back. "What a knight!"

Although Eldon felt happy that he'd saved the girl, something didn't feel right. It was almost morning, and his nerves were vibrating like a plucked sting on a harp. Something was very wrong. He wanted to say something, but that would spoil the mood.

"Eldon, you okay?" Dan asked, though his voice seemed far off. Eldon nodded, but Apothecary Xi placed a calloused hand on his arm and shook his head.

"It might be shock. You should get some rest, Eldon."

"Shock?!" Dan cried in disbelief. "There's no way my brother is in shock over something as small as this!"

"Dan, quiet down, or I will ask you to leave," Xi scolded. "All I'm saying is that Eldon was unprepared for his little adventure this morning. He just needs some rest."

Dan glared at Xi for a moment, then huffed angrily.

"Fine. Send Eldon home when he's ready."

With that, Dan spun on his heel and stomped out of the house, his cape twisting behind him. Eldon sighed when he left, then said, "Thank you, Xi. I'm grateful you got him to leave."

"It's no trouble," Xi said with a small smile. "He's a disruption in my home and to the injured here."

Eldon smiled. Out of all the people in Etherblade, Apothecary Xi was probably the only person who couldn't stand Danriden and his fellow soldiers. They always sent one too many people to Xi after a fight or a battle. It was straining on Xi, but it was his job, and he did it with his own set of rules.

There was a rustling from the Untamed girl's room, and Xi shuffled inside, only to emerge a few minutes later with a grin on his face.

"It seems the girl is asking for the one who rescued her."

Eldon immediately stood up and entered the room. It was plain and sparsely furnished, with only a bed, a chair, a dresser, and a sink. It held a slightly empty feeling to it, but at least Xi had put some paintings up on the walls. They helped liven up the room a little bit.

"You're the one who rescued me, right?"

Eldon turned his attention from the paintings to the bed, where the girl was sitting. Her black hair was free of blood, and the cuts and bites on her arms were neatly bandaged. She was smiling.

"You look a lot better without all the blood and dirt on you," Eldon said out of nowhere. The girl laughed, and he realized what he said and how it sounded. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean that like it sounded! I just meant-"

"It's okay. It made me laugh," she said, her cheeks tinged pink. "Thanks for saving me. My name's Veya."

"I'm Eldon." He paused, then added, "If it's not too much trouble, I'd like to ask what you were doing out there."

Veya's smile fell a little as she began playing with a loose thread on the sheets.

"I was on a mission to bring a certain item to the Elder of Archosaur. He said it was located somewhere to the southeast of Etherblade. Unfortunately, the Bloodraged Cadaver found me just as I'd spotted it, and it came after me. Before I could think, he had cut me off from Archosaur. After that, I just kept getting chased by wraiths, and then you rescued me." She looked out the window sadly. "Unfortunately, I lost the herb, and I'll have to find it again."

"I'll help you find it, Veya," Eldon offered. "It'll take less t-"

Suddenly the warning bells in the temple began clanging, signaling a disturbance not far from the city. Moments later, Apothecary Xi entered the room, looking grave.

"It seems Hunter's Cabin and the Inn of the Eagle have been overrun with wraiths. The Elder is calling all warriors and sorcerers to the front lines to defend Etherblade."

"What about Sumor Camp to the west?!" Eldon demanded.

"It seems they are being attacked as well. The wraiths are looking to take every large city by destroying the surrounding villages and cities. Eldon, you must go and join the army."

"Eldon, go," Veya said quickly. "If all the cities fall, the world will be lost to the wraiths. You must fight."

Eldon hesitated for a minute, then nodded grimly. "I'll go, but I promise I'll return to help you."

Veya nodded with a warm smile, and Eldon left the house in a run, his heart hammering away in his chest. He felt odd when he saw Veya smile. It was a wonderful thing to see. He wanted to become close friends with Veya. No, that wasn't completely true. He wanted to be more than friends. He wanted to protect that smile forever.

Eldon smiled to himself. Once he got back to Etherblade, he would get to know Veya more, and maybe return with her to Archosaur. But only if he took part in the battle and defeated the wraiths.


The march to the Inn of the Eagle was a long one, and one full of battles. The Etherblade army struck down all wraiths in their path, making the march take longer than it should've.

But when they arrived at the Inn, they were immediately swept up into a battle with so many wraiths that it seemed almost hopeless. There were monsters Eldon had never seen before, and their numbers were astounding. There was no way that many wraiths could come together and fight. It was impossible with their level of intelligence!

Striking down two wraiths in one swing of his sword, Eldon kept Veya's smile in his mind, using it as a reminder of what he had to return to. He had to protect her and the city at all costs. He couldn't run from this battle. It was far too important to simply abandon to stay safe. As much as he disliked war, this one was necessary.

As he finished off a large beetle that had nearly rolled on top of him, Eldon spotted a small group of wraiths snaking their way around the troops, through the trees on both sides. They were trying to get to Etherblade! All these lesser wraiths were just a distraction!

Eldon cursed and began moving towards the shore where they walked, only to be struck from behind by a staff or a club.

"I apologize, human," Eldon's attacker whispered in his ear as he fell to the ground and rolled down the hill, "but I will not tolerate my plan being delayed. Not even by you."

Eldon landed at the bottom of the hill, paralyzed and face up, and looked up at his attacker. A man who looked to be no more than a shadow stood in the darkness above him, his eyes a glowing yellow in the morning light. The man gestured to one of the wraiths nearby, and it picked Eldon up and carried him to the river, pausing only a second before dropping the man in the river's unsettled current. Eldon struggled to get back to shore and stay conscious, but the current took hold of him and swept him quickly downriver, away from everything he knew.

And away from Veya and her smile.


Woohoooo! I love writing! Leave reviews if you liked it! Next chapter is going to be a bit more mellow, but not too mellow!

What will happen to Bamboo Village?! Will Lumina risk losing her comfortable life to remain a warrior?! Will Sakkuya ever recover from the hurt Rikky's demands caused?! Will Eldon ever see Veya again?!

That's something only I know! XD

Find out next time on Perfect World: Tales of Three!!