A/N: Fair warning now THIS NOT KING ARTHUR THE MOVIE BUT ONE BETTER KNOWN IN BOOKS. All the King Arthur characters names should be recognizable, but the personalities and their story are mine. Still really good though. I've read so many King Arthur stories that I think I've got him down to pin. Anyway, on with the story! (HP won't happen until much later in the story).
Ilo stretched out on his hammock. He had worked hard that day. Being a chieftain's son was exhausting. He had helped so many of his villagers today. Hari swung down from his look out post high above the treetops and slid into his hammock. He chattered in his native tongue as he searched for his missing blanket. Ilo sighed in frustration.
"Hari, it's after dark, it's time to be quiet." He said.
"I would, but someone has taken my…eek!" Hari screeched. Ilo sat up.
"Hari…" he began to warn.
"Shh, it's a Luna!" Hari said pointing a hairy finger to the ground. Ilo got off his hammock and peered over the edge of his tree house. It was indeed a Luna. The glowing pale skin gave her away. What was she doing so far from home? The Luna Tribe lived in the cold mountain caverns of the Boulder Peaks. That was miles from the Quetzal Rainforest.
"What do you suppose she's doing?" Ilo asked.
"Spying on us perhaps?" Hari said. "The Luna's have always wanted a reason to war with us."
"Hari, I doubt she's spying. She would be looking up for that." Ilo said. Suddenly, the moon shown on the woman. Ilo nearly gasped aloud. She was beautiful. He had never seen a Solar girl with such beauty. The Luna had long black hair, pale skin and a slim figure. She glanced behind her and Ilo caught a glimpse of her eyes. He couldn't tell what color they were, his eyes were not made to see in the dark, but they were almond shaped and they captured the moonlight like no other eyes he'd ever seen. Her very skin seemed to soak in the moonlight.
Hari made a noise in his throat. The woman was joined by a jaguar a black one. It was sleek and silent and nearly completely camouflaged in the dark. This meant she was like him, like Ilo. He had never met another. This could be a great opportunity. Hari bristled.
"It doesn't know you're up here and it won't if you keep quiet." Ilo told his kai.
"Creatures like those delight in eating creatures like me." Hari hissed. Ilo rolled his eyes.
"I'm going down." He said.
"Are you crazy? She's of the enemy tribe, you can't go down there!" Hari said.
"I can, as the secondary leader of my tribe. I need to know what she is doing in my land."
"Her cat will eat you alive!" Hari hissed.
"Might I remind you, I'm not a monkey." Ilo said eying his furry friend. Hari frowned and folded his hairy little arms. Ilo smiled and tossed down his rope ladder. Deftly and quietly he climbed. He touched the forest floor silently and began to follow the woman.
She was kneeling amongst the roots of a kamoia tree. She was picking some sort of plant and she was alone. Ilo froze. Where was the jaguar? Just then, there was a roar. Ilo spun around just as the jaguar's front paws connected with his chest. The two crashed to the forest floor. The air was knocked out of Ilo and he gasped for air as the jaguar pinned him.
Bright light temporarily blinded him. Once he could see again he realized the Luna girl was making the light with one delicate hand. A growl rumbled in the jaguar's chest.
"Hush Nahuel," the woman set in a dazzling voice that reminded Ilo of kulu honey. She petted the large cat making it purr for a moment. The woman then turned her attention to Ilo. "Who are you?"
"I should be asking you since you are trespassing on my land." Ilo said.
"Your land, I see no buildings, no farms or herds." The woman said gesturing around them. Ilo smiled and looked up. The woman followed his gaze and gasped. Two hundred feet above them in the canopy of the large kamoia trees was an entire village stringed together by wooden bridges and lokoia vines.
"Now that that dispute is settled can you please call off your pussy cat?" Ilo asked.
"I am no pussy cat." The jaguar growled. There was a hollow thunk as a kamoia berry bounced off the jaguar's head. The cat spun around growling. Hari was screeching and pummeling the cat with the berries from the safety of the tree house.
"Hari, stop screeching or you'll wake the whole village!" Ilo hissed glancing at the quiet canopy.
"Not until that beast release you." Hari retorted. The jaguar growled again but the Luna girl placed her hand on its head.
"Nahuel, get off the nice man." She said a little sarcastically. Nahuel removed her paws from Ilo's chest and stepped back. She eyed him warily, her teeth partially bared. Ilo stood up and brushed the dead plant matter off his toga. The Luna watched him warily. When he was done, he looked at her.
"Now, I think it's best that we just stay civil. All I want to know is, what are you doing so far from the Boulder Peaks and in Solar Tribe territory too?" Ilo asked. The girl looked sad.
"It is my father." She said. "He and almost half the tribe has fallen ill. We don't know why or what it is, but I fear they won't live much longer, so many others have died."
Ilo felt sorry for her. No one should have to watch their family die. He thought of his father, tough at times, but kind hearted and always willing to help even the smallest members of the tribe.
"What are the symptoms?" Ilo asked. He was a medicine man in his village. He knew all the medical secrets.
"You want to help me?" she asked.
"I wouldn't want to watch my family die. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy." Ilo said. The woman smiled.
"Thank you, my name is Yue, by the way." She said. Ilo smiled. What a pretty name for such a beautiful woman.
"And I am Ilo," he said when he realized he hadn't answered.
"The symptoms are labored breathing, continuous coughing, and nausea, some vomiting and high fever." Yue said without preamble. Ilo thought for a moment.
"That sounds like hycinthia poisoning."
"Hycinthia doesn't grow in the mountains though, it is too dry." Yue said confused.
"Is there anyone who would want to kill off your tribe?" Ilo asked.
"Yes, yours," Nahuel spat. Ilo glared at the cat.
"Let's get one thing straight hairball, my father is the chieftain of this tribe and I go to every meeting the village has. His sole concern at this moment is the growing Hydra threat in the Calcian Sea. We stopped attacking your master's people long before either of us had been born."
"The Hydra Tribe is acting up?" Yue asked. "But they've always been peaceful!"
"Not anymore, they've sunk three Avani ships. Thirty crewman were lost all together." Ilo said. Yue looked thoughtful.
"Do you think they might have anything to do with the Vulcan Tribe's recent activity?" she asked.
"The Vulcans don't need a reason to attack." Hari said jumping off the rope ladder onto Ilo's shoulder.
"The monkey has a point." Nahuel said.
"It's Hari to you pussy." Hari said then screeched and climbed on Ilo's head as the cat tried to lunge but Yue stopped her.
"Behave yourself Nahuel." She scolded.
"You too Hari," Ilo said looking up at the indignant primate.
"What do you suppose this all means?" Yue asked. "The activity in these tribes I mean?"
Ilo shook his head. "Nothing good,"
"No this isn't,"
Ilo and Yue spun around. Standing a few feet away was the last person Ilo wanted to see; his father, Chief Apollo. He had two guards with him. Ilo recognized them as Aton and Hyperion. They were his father's general and lieutenant.
"What are you doing with a Luna woman in the dead of night?" Apollo asked.
"Er…I was actually questioning her…"
"It sounded like pleasant conversation to me." Apollo said. "Tell me, what is her name?"
Ilo flinched inside. In his people's culture, knowing a name indicates you have known them a while. He certainly didn't know Yue, but he knew her name and his father would be able to tell if he was lying.
"I swear I only just met her…"
"What is her name?" Apollo demanded. Ilo tried to show his apology to Yue but she was too preoccupied with the large swords hanging from Hyperion's belt and the bow on Aton shoulder.
"Yue," Ilo whispered. Apollo signaled to his guards and they grabbed Yue and tied her wrists. Nahuel roared and tried to lunge at them, but one pulled out a bullwhip and struck her.
"Nahuel, run!" Yue shouted. It seemed as if the jaguar wouldn't, but after a sad look, she took off into the jungle.
"Follow her general!" Apollo thundered. Aton nodded and took off after the cat. Apollo then turned to Yue. "As for you, I'm placing you in a prison cell until I know what you're people are up to."
"Father," Ilo said trying to stop him.
"As for you," Apollo said turning on his son. "I want you back in your tree house this instant. I am going to send a guard up there and place two on her so you can't see her and help her escape."
"You can't do that." Ilo said. Apollo and Hyperion stopped. Yue watched him.
"And why can't I?" Apollo asked. Ilo glared.
"You keep forgetting how powerful I am father." He said. Yue glanced between father and son obviously fearful.
"I have told you not to use your power." Apollo said. "It is much too dangerous."
"And yet you give me no plausible answer as to why." Ilo said. Apollo sighed.
"One day you may know, but for now…" he sighed again. "It's not safe for you to know."
"Father, please don't do this. Yue's not spying. Her village has fallen ill…" he stopped. "Hycinthia poisoning…it's resembles another type of poisoning, one that isn't ingested, but inhaled!" Ilo shouted.
"What are you talking about Ilo?" Apollo asked. Ilo ignored his father.
"Yue, are the Vulcans just traveling more or…"
"No, they have been collecting supplies for weapons." Yue said. "They came to us for help. They were not pleased when we…are you saying they poisoned my people?"
"It's nothing serious, they gassed your people with sulfur dioxide, but not enough to kill them, just enough to make them ill. They were looking for something or someone." Ilo said. "But who?"
"Did you say the Vulcans?" Apollo asked. He looked at Yue. "Were you the only one who didn't fall ill?" he asked. Yue nodded. They were interrupted as Aton returned with Nahuel in custody.
"Got her, she's quite feisty." Aton said.
"I'll show you…"
"Nahuel!" Yue scolded her cat. The jaguar settled with a growl in her chest.
"She speaks…" Hyperion said. He looked at Apollo.
"This is more serious than I thought." Apollo said. "There's hardly any time to explain but you and Yue must get out of here."
"Father…?" Ilo asked confused. Apollo took off to the bottom of his kamoia tree where his rope ladder hung. He began to climb.
"Release the girl." Apollo called. "And follow me."
Hyperion untied Yue and Aton untied Nahuel and they followed the chief. He was already across the wooden bridge that led straight to the council room. Once they were all inside Apollo ordered his guards to stand outside. Then he began to pace.
"Father, what is going on?" Ilo asked.
"Ilo, there is something your mother and I haven't told you." Apollo said. He stopped and looked Ilo in the eye. "You are not our son."
"What, but…"
"Do you remember Icarus, the village elder?" Apollo asked.
"Of course, he taught me a great deal."
"No, he didn't, he erased your memory." Apollo said.
"He…" Ilo was in shock. What was going on?"
"Your parent's were murdered by a very powerful man. Icarus knew your mother and so he rescued you and brought you to our hidden jungle, then he erased your memory and replaced them with the ones you have now." Apollo explained.
"But why?" Ilo asked. "Why were my parents murdered? Why did my memory have to be erased?"
"Your parents were very special, Ilo." Apollo said. "They were Nymphs."
Ilo stared. Yue looked at Ilo as if he were some sort of god. Nymphs, they couldn't be that would mean that he…
"I'm a Nymph?" Ilo asked. Apollo nodded.
"Haven't you ever wondered why you could do the things you could do? Why Hari here can speak and other spider monkeys cannot?" he asked.
"I thought Nymphs couldn't be killed." Ilo said. "That they were immortal."
"They are…unless they are touched by a Nymph of Death." Apollo said. "Or an all powerful Nymph."
"What do you mean?" Ilo asked.
"Do you remember the old stories we told you about Aldric and Nefertiti?" Apollo asked. Ilo nodded.
"Those aren't just stories, both are real and Aldric is trying to regain his original power. All he has left now is the power of the sun and the power of the moon." Apollo explained. "Your parents were the Nymphs of Flora and Fauna, when Aldric killed them he absorbed their power, he's been looking you for twenty-six years."
"What does this have to do with me?" Yue asked. Apollo looked at her.
"The same thing must have happened to you." He said. "I'm not sure, but you have a talking jaguar. Only Nymphs can make an animal talk."
"But, she's always been able to talk, ever since I got her out of the hunter's trap." Yue said.
"Exactly, the first animal a Nymph rescues…"
"Becomes their kai," Ilo finished Apollo's statement.
"You rescued me from the river when it flooded." Hari said. Ilo nodded.
"Why didn't I realize that? I knew I was different, but, this is…" Ilo didn't know what this was.
"You and Yue here need to get out of the woods. She led Aldric right to us." Apollo said.
"How do you know that?" Ilo asked.
"The Vulcan's are his people. They would go to the Luna Tribe automatically to look for Yue. They just didn't know which one of the Luna's was the Moon Nymph. SO they gassed them. Nymph's don't get sick." Apollo explained. "Now he knows that Yue is the Nymph and he will try to kill her."
"We can't let that happen." Ilo said.
"No, we can't let him kill either one of you or Olavon is finished." Apollo said.
"Where can we go?" Yue asked. "Where can we go that he cannot find us?"
"You need to go home, to the home of the Nymphs." Apollo said. "Avalon,"
"But Avalon no longer exists, I thought Aldric destroyed it." Ilo said.
"He thinks he has, but Icarus said that the wizards of the land restored it in secret and have hidden the entrance. The only way to get in now is by water." Apollo explained.
"In other words, we'll drown before we find it." Hari said. Apollo laughed.
"My dear Hari, haven't I already told you? The four of you cannot die. Nymphs and their kais are immortal." Apollo said. "You won't age from this point on either. It's as if twenty-one is the magic number."
"But, he's been looking for me for twenty-six years." Ilo said confused.
"Yes, you are twenty-six, in my years, human years. In Nymph years you are much much older than you appear." Apollo said. "You are several years older than myself and and the others in the village."
"Did they all know this?" Ilo asked. Apollo nodded.
"But there is no time. You must get to Avalon." He said quickly.
"How?" Ilo asked. Apollo laughed.
"Do you think that Yue came here randomly? If she is the moon and you are the sun, then you have a special connection. She was drawn to you, Ilo. You are partners…forever. You need a Water Nymph to get into Avalon. Until one is born, you cannot enter."
"What happened to Nefertiti?" Ilo asked.
"Alas, Aldric over powered her and she lives no more. He had his son turn on her and he turned on him after gaining his other son's life so that he could not die." Apollo said sadly. "The entrance to Avalon is in the Marble Pass of the Metamorphic Mountains. The lake is known as Komatiite Reservoir. Go there and hide in the caverns until you can get in."
"Whoa, whoa, are you telling me that Yue and I…we'll have to…to lie together and make the Water Nymph?" Ilo asked.
"Yes, Ilo, I am, it's the only way or you will die and Olavon with you."
"That could take forever!" Ilo said. "We can't even get to the Marble Pass in less than a month!"
"Unless you're a Nymph," Apollo said.
"What do you mean?" Ilo asked.
"He's talking about the way I came here." Yue said. "He's right; I don't know why I came here, what brought me here, but I can get us to the Marble pass no problem."
"You need to do it together so that your trail is covered." Apollo said. "Then before you head to Komatiite Reservoir, go to the Quartz Caverns and seek out Icarus."
"He lives?" Ilo asked.
"Yes he had to flee because Aldric knows him. He can restore your memories." Apollo said. He hugged Ilo. "You will always be my son. I will miss you dearly." He whispered.
"I will miss you too…Father." Ilo whispered back. Apollo grinned and ruffled Hari's head. He chattered indignantly but smiled sadly nonetheless.
"Hurry," Apollo said.
"What about you and the village?" Ilo asked.
"We were asleep. We saw nothing, no nothing. You ran off with a Luna girl and I am sorely angry." He turned to Yue. "Take care of him. He has a big head."
Yue smiled. "Yes sir,"
Apollo left the room then. Yue turned to Ilo. "Do you know how to teleport?" she asked.
"Yes," Ilo said. Yue nodded.
"Come Nahuel," she said. The jaguar walked over to her from the doorway and sat almost on Yue's feet. Then she held out her hand to Ilo. Hari groaned.
"I hate teleporting."
Ilo grinned and took Yue's hand. Then something strange happened. The moment he took her hand an image flashed before his eyes. Two little girls running around his feet in the greenest meadow he had ever seen. One little girl was so pale it was near transparent. She had blonde hair that was almost white, light blue eyes and bright smile. The other girl was like her polar opposite. She had the darkest skin Ilo had ever seen, even darker than the Avanti's. She had curly black hair, brown eyes and a thoughtful look about her. Before he could blink the image was gone. He looked at Yue. She seemed to have seen it too.
"Did you know those girls?" she asked. Ilo shook his head.
"But I felt like I knew them." Ilo said. Yue nodded.
"Me too,"
"We must go Yue," Nahuel said rubbing her head under Yue's hand.
"Nahuel's right, let's go." Together, she and Ilo placed their right foot out in front of them and stomped hard. Thinking of the caves Apollo had told them about, they stepped through the archways they made.
A/N: I figured you might want a pronunciation guide. Aldric: All-drick, Nefertiti; Neh-fur-tee-tee, Ilo: Eye-Low, Yue: U-ay, kamoia: kuh-moy-uh, lokoia: low-koy-uh, Nahuel: Nay-who-ell, Hari: Hairy (or Harry), komatiite: ko-mat-ee-ite, Hyperion: Hi-pier-ee-on, Aton: Ay-tawn, Icarus: Eye-care-us. If I mised any, let me know. Enjoy! Please review!