CHAPTER 2

ANVARD KINGDOM

The ANVARD KINGDOM was a place to behold. Surrounded by high majestical mountains created to perfection by the HIGH GODDESS INANNA herself. Green valleys and blue rivers flowed calmly ever since the creation of ANVARD.

Beautiful wooden cottages are found near the rivers. Some build by hand others by magic. These wooden cottages are all build in the form of an animal. Building these cottages by hand take thee outmost skilled warlock to complete and if one think using magic will be much simpler, than one is surely mistaken. Only witches higher up in the magic hierarchy can garner that much power and energy in mind and body to achieve this and even after completing such a task can leave them weak and comatose for days. Many cottages are in the form of a cat. Witches believed cats to be sacred. These cute graciously fur-like creatures were treated like royalty in each ANVARD household.

Here magic are being practiced openly. So it wasn't uncommon to see witches doing magic openly, nor was it uncommon to find objects levitating in the air flying from one place to another. Most young witches use this form of magic to send flowers to the one they secretly admired...but beware the witch who practiced dark magic. This carried a high penalty of being stripped of your birthright. That being a witch and your magic.

The streets were usually busy with witches dressed in white going about their business….but on this particular day settled a silent sadness over the kingdom. Witches whispered quietly to each other. With worried glances they looked up at the GREAT PALACE surrounded by trees at the top of the hill…waiting….and hoping for good news.

In one of the chambers high up in the gold encrusted palace on a huge bed under pure devine silk, woven by elves and given to the High Goddess by the elve king as a peace offering, layed the frail body of the High Goddess Inanna. Her once untamed beautiful dark tresses are now silver and thin. The rich mocha skin and Goddess like beauty that enchanted the great kings of old into a peace treaty had lost its eternal glow.

Inanna lifted her hand up. A sign to call over her loyal advisor and lifelong friend Sheola to her bedside. Even a tiny task like this is taking her energy. She can literally feel how her magic, her life force is leaving her.

"Yes my Goddess?" Sheola asked softly and placed her hand gently on Inanna's hand.

"No need to be so formal my friend. My time has come we must finish the ritual."

"Inanna save your strength. You should rest" Sheola said as she kissed the inside of Inanna's hand.

"No!" Inanna shouted, startling her friend. She gripped her hand tight. "Its my time…I am ready. We have lived through many battles. We rebuild ANVARD to the glory it is today."

" May the glory of ANVARD be forever upon us long shall She lives… don't leave us…don't leave me" Sheola pleaded to her dying friend with tears in her eyes.

Inanna placed her hand on Sheola's cheek. "Do not despair for my death is just the beginning."

Sheola closed her eyes and inhaled Inanna's scent. "What do you want me to do my Goddess? "

"I have had dreams Sheola, for evil is coming once again. I'm not strong enough to fight this battle. It would be selfish to keep all this power in me just to watch ANVARD go down in flames as a dying corps."

Sheola flinched inside at her mistress words but kept strong.

"We have to finish the ritual tonight when the moon is at it's strongest. Gather the witch council I'm afraid I'm going to need their power. I'm too weak."

"This heir who will inherit all your power and the power of the council my Goddess, how will we know who she is?" Sheola asked.

Inanna gave her a weak smile. "She will come to ANVARD. I saw her in my dreams Sheola. She will be the light when times get dark."

"Our people" Sheola said softly.

"Hope….give them hope Sheola for in dire times their going to need it. Now before you prepare my body take me to my window so that I can see ANVARD for one last time."

"Yes Inanna " Sheola said as a lone tear rolled down her cheek.

ARA'MANTH

In the West Wing of the Emperor's Castle in a cold dim lit room sit the Empress Elena Mina Claudius like a stoic figure on her bed. Moonlight shined on her beautiful features making her face look ghostlike. Dark hair framing her face beautifully. Ruby red lips in a Mona Lisa smile. Big doe eyes glowing sinisterly. What a beautiful haunting sight to see.

The night was dark but Elena's thoughts were darker.

There was no love in this castle. No warm embraces or kind words. Coldness was her only companion. At a young age she witnessed her father stake her mother in a fit of rage right in front of her and since that day she lived in fear after all she was the splitting image of her mother Katherine Evangeline… but no more…her time is coming and it's coming soon.