Chapter 1: Devastation

I stared in horror at the one place I called home. I watched as the black smoke and ember flames engulf the college I lived in for so many years. The merciless, fierce fire licked every wall, every inch of the three-story edifice.

Screaming. The screaming was carried on the frosty night air and rattled in my head. I was confused, I was scared, and I wanted to help. I watched everything, the burning building with sheer terror in my eyes. I stood at the edge of the forest, just west of the college. I was safely far away from the building but the heat radiated off and seemed to cut through the cold.

I was in shock. I had awaked from my restless sleep, from a dream of death and destruction, the screams from the dream had seemed to stray into the real world. It was the screams of the workers at the college. Everyone was in a complete state of panic. No one could seem to get to the doors—fear had blinded them. They ran, screaming and crying through the halls though no one seemed to get anywhere. I had climbed out of bed and ran down the corridor to the main foyer.

The walls were covered with golden flames that laughed at the chaos they were causing. The fire was unnatural. The smoke was thick and the ash choking. I covered my nose and mouth with my shawl and ran for the doors, which had already clasped and were smoldering in the fire's wake. My eyes stung and my skin burned as the flames reached out their avaricious claws to me. My throat burned for fresh air. I could feel my lungs tense and tighten in my chest. I felt as if I would burst.

Ash covered my face and clothing as I emerged from the aberrant conflagration. I gasped for air as I tumbled to the ground, astonishingly unharmed or unscathed by the fire. People were running from the building screaming. Some their cloths on fire, their skin burning and their eyes alight with terror.

I scrambled to my feet and clumsily headed for the forest were I stood now watching in horror as my home was burnt to the ground. The wind rustled the trees and the shadows slithered across my skin, running a shiver down my spine. I wouldn't blink, I couldn't it was all too real, though I yearned deeply to wake from this horrid nightmare.

I pulled the shawl closer to me, trying to regain any body heat that I had left. I heard someone calling off in the distance, but it was whisked away by the dancing winds and was over taken by the unremitting screams.

I focused on the college, feeling helpless and lost as the walls crumbled. I could see one of the professors running from the building, his clothes set on fire. My mind told my legs to run to him, but I remained concreted to the spot.

"Kayley!" I heard my name off in the distant. I squinted; my eyes dry from the heat and red from the irritant ash.

"Kayley!" again they called. I stepped out from my hiding spot in the shadows of the trees and I could see it was Caleb.

I opened my mouth to call out to him but only a weak squeak came. He turned.

"Oh Kayley!" he ran for me his arm opened and I dived into his strong embrace. He held me tight, the air constricting in my breast. He put his chin on my head and sighed.

He pulled me back to look him in his ash-smeared face "Kayley…I thought, when I couldn't find you, I thought you were still in there." His eyes were red and brimming with tears.

"I'm O.K. Caleb, promise." I was still shaken and spoke quietly. He embraced me again and I pressed close to his body warmth.

He backed away again looked at me hard in the face. "I'm going to go back in. People need help getting out."

"Well I can com-" I spoke.

"No. Kayley, you have to stay here, Promise me. You won't move from this spot till I come back?" Caleb spoke sternly, holding my shoulders.

I looked down avoiding his piercing blue eyes. "I promise."

He smiled weakly and turned around and ran back toward the still burning building. I shivered again, the fire was unnatural. It burned with a purpose and intensity, as if it was alive.

"Be careful" I whispered as I watched my lifelong friend disappear into the frenzy of panicked people.

The wind whistled and leaves danced across the campus. The fire raged on, leaving rubble in its wake. My bones grew cold and my muscles weary and I leaned against a tree, watching the college. The fire had just now begun to smolder down.

I heard whimpering behind me, it came closer, crying. I turned around.

"Momma? Momma?" a little boy stumbled forward, toward me. He was covered in soot and dirty lines from his tears as they streaked down his face.

The shadows covered his small face, but I recognized him as a child of one of the younger maids working at the college. He came closer and whimpered in the cold. I bent down to see him face to face. His crystal eyes shined with tears.

"Where's my momma?" he sniffed.

I picked him up and cradled him, wrapping him in my shawl. He cried into my chest, him little body shaking. "Shh…" I cooed, "Your mother will be here." I hope she is alive. She will come. I thought silently rocking the boy back and forth.

I hummed quietly, trying to calm the small boy and myself for that matter as I watched the flames slowly die in the distance. The fire looked satisfied, like it had done its job; it was so deviant in the way the flames disappeared from sight.

After a while the child fell silent and his breathing evened. I slid to the ground, leaning against one of the many thick oak trees that dotted the premises. I sighed and listened to the many sounds of distress that floated on the wind. The screaming of the people had died down to moans and cries. People were frantically trying to find one other, tend to wounds, trying to regain order of some kind.

The wind also brought the smells of the fire, the smell that filled my nose and burned my throat, making my eyes water. My sleep deprived eyes were heavy with exhaustion. I closed them in hesitation, increasing the awareness of my other senses.

The little boy curled closer to my chest, his body cold and frail. With my eyes closed, my mind soared. It was filled with worry and distress. I tried to bring myself to the reality that my home was destroyed beyond mending. I couldn't possibly bare the thought that innocent lives were destroyed as well.

I opened my eyes, the scenes that I saw within my mind left, leaving a depressing fog in my mind and a chill deep in my bones.

"Kayley? You still here?" The crunch of thick boots came closer.

I squinted through the dim light of the early morning to see the outline of Caleb's face.

"Caleb, what…is the—"

"Yes the fire is out." His face was grave, his blue eyes swimming with hot tears.

I stood holding the little boy close and tried not to wake him, "Caleb…what's wrong?"

His lip quivered and he looked away. I took my free hand and held his cheek, a tear splashing on my hand. My eyes were wide with the anticipation, I couldn't stand it.

"Tell me. What's going on?" I pleaded.

He took a shaky breath and stared me in the eyes with such an unfathomable grief that it pierced my heart and left me short of breath.

"My mother," he shook violently, "she…she tried to save Lillian. She tried Kayley." His voice rose to a high pitch as he spoke of his mother and baby sister, "She…my mother…she died, and Lillian…" tears now flowed freely down his cheeks.

He covered his face with a hand and sobbed. Wide-eyed I embraced him tightly with my one arm, trying to hold together his shaking body because it looked as if he would fall apart. My own heart felt clenched in my chest, restricted, my breath becoming short and quick.

We cried. I cried for I loved his mother and sister as they were like my own family, my own sister, my mother. The gray sky grew lighter. Caleb grew silent and slowly stopped crying. He sniffed and held me and the boy close.

I looked up at him. He wiped his face, his eyes red and puffy. "We better go. We should find the others." His voice was husky and soft.

I nodded and wrapped the worn out boy in my shawl tighter. We moved from the shadowed forest toward people further along. We walked through the group. People were huddled together, little talk was exchanged. The mood was of hopelessness and wretchedness.

Three women sat near the back of the group. Two held the third women. She was weeping uncontrollably. Her hysteric cries echoed as the two other women tried unsuccessfully to sooth her.

"My baby, my child, my boy! Reese my baby, he's….my baby!" she cried.

I studied her face. It was the young maid, the mother of the sleeping child in my arms. I broke away from Caleb's arm around my waist. I rushed up to the women. My approach went unnoticed by the grieving mother. The two women looked up, circles under their eyes, ash covering their faces.

"Mistress," I hushed. She looked up whimpering, "Your baby, he's O.K., he's safe." I handed her the boy, her eyes wide with relief and tears.

She shrieked upon seeing her safe baby boy. "Lady Kayley, you…you…he's…oh my baby!" She hugged Reese tightly. The boy blinked, awaking and seeing his mother smiling and crying.

"Momma!" the boy clung to his mother tightly. I wrapped my arms around my waist, missing his tiny warm body.

The maid looked up and smiled brightly at me, Lady Kayley! You saved him! Thank you, thank you! How may I ever repay you?"

I shook my head and turned to walk back toward Caleb who stood in a depressed daze. "Nothing, I'm glad you both are safe."

I returned to Caleb. I took his waist and he pulled close to me.

He looked down at me, "We should probably find Master Galen. He will be worried sick about you".

I nodded and let Caleb lead the way. Master Galen, the Master of the college he was like my grandfather. He took me in after my mother died. I loved him with all my heart and I know I meant everything to him as he did to me.

We past the smoldering ruin of the college; I didn't look up, I couldn't. I couldn't abide to see my home destroyed, it hurt too much.

I felt something pull my eyes up. Unwillingly I looked up, I blinked, mouth falling open. As the smoke cleared in the frigid air, the scene that lay before me was horrendous.

The whole manor was rubble. The three-story college that served as a home, work place, and sanctuary to many was a little more than a pile of ruins, ash, and stone. Nothing was spared, not a bed or wall, chandler, or book. Everything was gone.

Tears welded in my eyes. My knees threatened to give out. I tightened my grip on Caleb. I scanned the premises for my beloved guardian. I saw a crowd of people and someone was lying on the ground...

NO!

I broke away from Caleb. I ran terrified toward the group of professors, their heads bent silence in the group. Caleb ran after me.

I ran behind a professor, took a deep breath and looked around. "Master," I breathed.

The group parted to let me through. I slowly knelt down beside Master Galen. His breathing was raspy and short. His face was twisted in pain behind the layer of ash that clouded his dark eyes. I could see that his left leg was burned badly. "No, no, no, no," I whispered.

"Kay-" Caleb exhaled, running up to the group, he stopped short seeing Master Galen.

I stroked the man's face, his ruff white whiskers scratching against my hand. His cheeks were cut, swollen and bleeding. He must have fallen in the chaos.

He turned his head toward me, and smiled his lips chapped and bleeding. "Kayley..."

I nodded, my bottom lip quivering.

"My child..." He took a slow, rattling breath. "You've grown so much. Since the day…"he paused struggling, "since your mother brought you here."

Caleb silently knelt down beside me and took Master Galen's hand.

"You are one...one of a kind. Special, loving…Kayley…there is so much evil in…this world...good too. But it's hidden, deep. Promise me…promise me you will find it. Promise me that you will fight the bad". He fought hard for his escaping breath.

"I promise." I quivered tears spilling from my eyes, "I promise with all my heart".

He smiled, "Good girl," he turned to Caleb, "You…you must promise to always look out for her. Promise me that you will keep my child safe."

Caleb looked sternly at the old man, "I will, promise".

He smiled satisfactorily and I, for a short moment, forgot that he was injured and that none of this nightmare happened, "I love you Kayley. I love you both. I hate leaving you like this…but in time…in time" he struggled, "we will see each other again…"Master Galen stopped, smiled, and slowly his eyes closed, his smile faded.

"I love you too," I whimpered, the tears flowing fast. I cupped his face in my hands, "I love you too. Don't leave; just…just don't leave me…" I took hold of his clothes, and held him tight.

I could feel an energy flow through my body, it was warm and lively, it moved to my hands, but it felt as if it couldn't go anywhere and it slowly faded, leaving me cold and empty. I sobbed and laid my head on Master Galen's unmoving chest, "Don't leave me".

Caleb wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close. I cried into his chest. I couldn't believe it, it wasn't right, it wasn't fair.

A professor came forward with a scorched blanket and spread it over the beloved Master.

Caleb rose helping me to my feet, leading me away from the statuette philosophers. I didn't ask where we were going, I didn't care, and I couldn't. My mind was frozen with grief. My breath was caught in my chest, my eyes filled with tears.

Why is this happening? How could this happen to the people I love, I thought, the people who least of all deserve this damned punishment, how?

Caleb and I reached a group of people. I recognized them as the survivors of the disaster. I looked around, not a dry eye was found in the solemn group. No hope seemed to linger in the air. Faces were dirty, clothes scorched, bodies weak, it was a horrifying sight.

I then felt a heavy, strong hand on my shoulders. I turned to see Mr. Laths's dark eyes and sad disposition.

"Mr. Laths," I whispered, not knowing what to say.

He smiled sadly and squeezed my shoulder. Caleb looked over.

"Father!" he cried, running and embracing his father.

They cried together. I watched grief-stricken. Mr. Laths sobbed, "I thought I lost you and Kayley too. You all are all that I have left".

Caleb held tightly to his father and they hugged silently. I sniffed looking away. Mr. Laths always thought me as his daughter being so close I practically was, but I sometimes felt as far away from his family than ever, seeing the chemistry that he shared with his real family. In those times I could not help but feel sorry for myself, wishing my parents were still alive.

"Kayley?"

I turned around saw Professor Kain. He was my favorite teacher, and a great philosopher at the college. His hair was a dull gray and his face showed his age. He had deep wrinkles around his eyes and dark circles from his intense studies.

"Professor…" I breathed, happy to see his alive and well.

He motioned for me to come with him, "Come Kayley, and walk with me."

I looked back at Caleb and his father; they cried quietly, I thought it best to give them some time to be with one another, especially after their terrible loss.

We walked away from the group in silence. Professor Kain held his arms behind him, his face look straight ahead, eyes clouded. I stared at the ground, the crisp grass crunching under our feet.

"Kain," I said, "Why did this happen? Why couldn't the fire be stopped?" Tears came to my eyes again, but I blinked them away.

He sighed, "Kayley, that was no ordinary fire, no fire could demolish such a well build college as ours".

I looked at him dumbfounded. What could he be talking about? He stopped and turned to me.

"I say it was no ordinary fire because…" he paused contemplating his thoughts, "because it was created by…by warlocks".

I looked stunned at him. This great thinker, this miraculous philosopher of his time was suggesting to me that warlocks did this to my home. That this supposed mystical being destroyed the college. The stories that I heard told by the town's bard were laced with warlocks. They were the evils of the world. They were always causing mischief, stealing from the high and mighty creatures to gain the riches of the world. Though my realistic brain scoffed at this idea, my heart told me otherwise. I remembered the way the fire seemed to laugh, seemed to be alive. I believed him. But still I questioned.

"Warlocks? What, why?" I baffled.

Kain sighed, "Warlocks are creatures who seek immense power. They are creatures of the dark, they are drawn to any great source of power, and they are willing to do anything, anything, to get it."

This still left the subject of this great power. My college was a place of learning, quiet genius, and a happy simple life. Or so it was portrayed to me.

"But what…I mean why, what great 'power' do we encompass?" I asked shaking my head.

The Professor reached into his waist pocket; "Because of this…" he pulled out a silk handkerchief the folds slid off the object safely wrapped inside.

I gazed in awe at the object; it was the most stunningly gorgeous necklace I had ever seen.

"This Kayley is the Galad Estel. It means "Light of Hope". It was made by the first king of the Argel Gwerin," he handed the magnificent jewel to me.

It was warm, a soft warm feeling. Like the sun on your face on a spring day. It, like the fire, was unnatural full of life, but instead of a cursed feeling to it, it was of hope, light, and love, all that was good.

"Argel Gwerin?" I repeated. They were in the stories as well. They were called the Hidden People. They were glorious beings. Good people, the heroes of the stories that entranced my childhood. They were magical like the warlocks. But their magic was deep, old, and powerful. When tested they were a force to be reckoned with, or at least that was what the stories said.

Kain continued. "It was made for his wife, who was the sweetest, kindest, most loving creature that ever lived. She was the good in the world. She was not only beautiful on the inside, but beautiful on the outside. She could woo anyone with her beauty; children gauche, men lusted over her, women idolized her. She was a beloved woman throughout the Lands," he paused watching me stroke the necklace.

I looked up, imagining such a woman.

He continued with his fascinating tale, "She wore it every day, never taking it off. However, one day she grew ill. Her kingdom, the Hidden People, prayed that their beloved ruler would become well again, but she grew worse and worse as the days went on. A week later, she had sunk so low with her health she laid at death's door step," We began to walk again the cold numbing our legs and cheeks white from the frosty wind. "The queen, being beautiful and kind, was also blessed with being the most powerful of her kind. And so, before she died, she transferred ever last drop of her magery to that necklace that she loved so dearly and gave it back to her husband".

I looked down at the necklace in my hands it began to tingle in my palms, a kind of vibrating feeling, and "This necklace? This very same one?"

Kain nodded, "That very same one. The king stored it away, far away, keeping it safe. He kept it locked away until the right moment".

I looked up. "Right moment? Then how did you obtain it I might ask?"