Chapter 3-
When Emerald awoke, she groaned. Her whole body felt like it was on fire. She vaguely remembered her journey through the woods and her desperate search. As her senses slowly returned, she started hearing snatches of people talking. It was too low for her to make out the words, but she could at least tell the direction they were coming from.
She slowly craned her head to try to see sources of the voice, but full feeling had not yet returned to her body. "I wouldn't try to move just yet." Anna voice said. I made it! Emerald thought. Now I know my efforts weren't in vain.
"You really shouldn't have run." Anna said. "If it weren't for the state we found you in, Argent would have punished you for it." Anna glanced back at Argent, but he simply moved over to tend to the horses, pretending not to hear. Yeah right. Emerald thought. She knew better than that already, he had ears like an owl.
Again, Emerald tried to move, and succeeded in lifting one arm off the ground. As she studied her hand, she noticed that she wasn't tied up anymore. When she looked quizzically over at Anna she only said,"Didn't think you would try to run again after your trip through the woods." Emerald had to admit, her hopes of escaping had gone down greatly after her failure to survive on her own.
Emerald tried to stand, but only managed to reach a sitting position. Why do I feel so weak? she wondered. Her only guess was that hope had clouded her mind so she didn't feel her own tiredness. Inside her, she felt a sudden, unexpected need to run. In her childhood years she had been bullied just for fun, yet she had never run away from a fight. In fact, she had never wanted to run from anything out of fear, but this wasn't fear, it was something else. Emerald had never gotten this feeling before and now it was overwhelming her. She didn't want to run from her captors, but rather something that was heading towards them...
"We have to leave, now." Argent called as he began packing up camp.
"Why?" Anna asked.
"They're almost upon us." was his only response. She felt that his words meant more to Anna than they implied. Slowly, Emerald got to her feet, swaying like a drunk. Her head still throbbed, but at least she could stand. She started heading towards Anna's horse, expecting to ride with her, when Anna called out," You're riding with Argent. We don't need you slowing us down today."
Wearily, Emerald glanced over in his direction and surprisingly, found him looking like a normal human. His eyes were now a dark moss green color, and his face was softer looking than it was with horns and ashen skin. Maybe that never happened after all. she thought. Carefully, she made her way towards Argent's horse, a large chestnut brown mare. She stood there, waiting for directions, hoping to make any possible rebellion she could. "Get on." Argent ordered with a touch of malice in his voice. Emerald had been hoping to ride behind him, but apparently his mind was set on her not falling off again. Just great.
Emerald hated every moment on that saddle, feeling as though she were in a cell. She couldn't move, just desperately cling and hope not to fall. Argent spurred his horse into a full out run, hoping to get far away quickly. What are they running from? Emerald thought desperately. Anything that Argent feared, she knew would be worse than even she could imagine.
The horses ran full out for the better part of a day, only stopping for water. Emerald got tired of sitting there, not being able to do anything, and she decided to try and strike up a conversation with Argent.
"What are you running from?" she asked. She thought it was an innocent enough question, but Argent didn't seem to. He stiffened as if he'd been slapped.
"I am not running from anything." he said. Just the way he said it should have told her to stop talking, but she wasn't about to give up yet.
"Then who is following you?" This time, Argent turned her around in the saddle and glared at her, once again looking like a horrible beast with horns. Emerald made no other comment and Argent nodded to himself before turning her back around.
It had just turned to nightfall when the group stopped and made camp. Emerald helped only because riding on a horse that long made her terribly stiff. Argent headed into the woods while Anna started tending to a fire. Emerald slowly walked around the clearing, hoping to ease the pain out of her muscles. Argent showed back up about ten minutes later with a deer slung over his shoulder. Emerald was surprised, she didn't see any weapons on him, yet he couldn't have killed it bare handed.
Quickly, Anna and Argent began to skin and clean the deer. When that was done, Anna put it over the fire to cook. Emerald's stomach rumbled, she hadn't eaten anything in probably over a week and it was beginning to wear her down. She sat down stubbornly, not wanting to help her captors anymore than she already had. She was amazed to find a piece of meat ended up at her feet. She had been daydreaming and had not even noticed the deer was done. The smell wafted to her nostrils and she carefully picked up the burnt piece. She tested it. It's a little overdone. she decided. It was tough and stringy but anything would have tasted good right now.
When she finished, she curled up and tried to fall asleep. It wasn't until now that she realized the full extent of her exhaustion. Sleep easily found her and she drifted off into her dreams. Emerald's body seemed to float over the camp. By some unseen force, she'd drifted up and back towards the way they had come. In the distance, she saw small lights moving steadily closer. She headed in that direction and was amazed to find a group of three people with pointed ears, long white hair, and large crystal like eyes. Elves, if she remembered the stories correctly. They were said to live in parts of Eldine, a large southern island almost far enough to be on the other side of the world. The main capital and military construct were found on the mainland, but on the very tip on the other side of the world.
Then the dream changed. Emerald was now in the snow covered mountains surrounded by the Ustecia Forest. She saw a slight column of misty gray smoke and began to drift in that direction. As she got closer, she realized it was a cottage. It was small, yet seemed well built. She also saw a small figure that was looking in her direction, as if it saw her. When Emerald could see it more clearly, she thought it was another Elf, but this one seemed different. Something wasn't right about him, he just felt sort of...
Emerald was awoken by a boot in her back. "We have to move, now!" Anna said. It felt like someone else was controlling her body as she quickly got up and moved to help pack up camp. Suddenly, she froze. She wasn't in control of her body at all, it was as if something had just taken hold. She turned to face the way they had come, just as an Elf jumped out of the shadows. He was tall and muscular as well as agile. He moved with blinding speed as most Elves could, but he was slowed by the large blade in his hand.
Before the Elf could move more than two steps, he was dispatched by Argent. The knife in Argent's hand glinted with a red light in the darkness. Emerald shivered at the thought of blood on the knife. Then another Elf jumped out of the shadows, but this time, the Elf appeared on the other side of the clearing. This one, a female, began to move towards Anna. She too was quick, but Anna matched her speed and agility. Emerald had little time to wonder at this, along at Anna's tail that was flowing underneath her cloak. Argent began to move but Emerald had already started chanting. Within a second, the Elf fell to the ground, blood streaming from her mouth. No one had anytime to move when the last of the Elves jumped out of the treeline around the small clearing. This Elf was far taller and much better built than the other ones had been. He rushed straight at Argent, who was still staring at the body of the second Elf.
Emerald ran to intercept the Elf heading for Argent, but she knew it was hopeless. The Elves were much quicker than humans, even when loaded with very heavy weapons. She would never make it in time. Then a thought popped into her head and she rapidly began chanting again. A look of horror passed over the Elf's face when the words reached his ears. He quickly changed direction, running back towards the woods. He had just made it to the treeline when his whole body erupted in flames. His screams filled the night as Emerald fell down, feeling faint as Anna and Argent rushed over to her. The last thing she remembered before blacking out was finally regaining control of her body.
Emerald opened her eyes to find Anna standing over her, saying something. She couldn't tell what, she only saw her mouth moving. Have I gone deaf? she thought. Then her hearing returned and her head felt as though a thunderstorm raged inside it. "Can you hear me?" Anna was asking repeatedly. Emerald was barely able to nod her head, but apparently Anna got the message. Emerald tried to move her head but only succeeded in hurting her neck.
"What happened?" Emerald asked.
"We were hoping you could tell us." Anna replied. Us? Emerald thought. Then she remembered. Argent! What had happened to him? Was he okay? When Emerald looked back at Anna, she found Anna grinning. Emerald blushed. When did I start caring about him? Then she noticed Anna's hand. It was covered in a very thick white fur. At first glance, it only looked like a pair of gloves but upon closer inspection, Emerald thought it looked more like it was actually growing on Anna.
Emerald finally managed to sit up and look around. She was still in the clearing but now blood covered most of the ground. The sudden memory at what she had done startled her. Was that me? she thought. She still wasn't sure what to believe. One day, she had been living a content life on the road and the next she found that magic and the other four races still existed. How did I get thrown into this mess? she thought. At first, she had just been in shock, thinking this wasn't real. Now the full reality hit her like a tornado.
As she continued to look around, she spotted a shadow that didn't quite fit into the treeline. She began to worry that it was another Elf, but she was relieved when Argent stood up and walked towards her. His face was slightly human but it still had some of the demon like characteristics. Emerald's worry soon returned however, when she saw the glint of a knife in his hand and the look of anger on his face. She tried to get up and run, but she was still too tired. She sat there, waiting for something to happen. Argent stopped right next to her and put the knife to her throat. "Why did you follow us?" The same question he had already asked twice.
"I was looking for help because I had nothing else. I ran away and I was desperate. I wouldn't have made it to the closest town by nightfall and I had no way to survive on my own. Then after not being able to fend for myself in the forest, I figured you were my only chance at survival." The whole time she had been talking, they had been studying each others faces. Argent's had stayed impassive the whole time, as if nothing was happening. Emerald knew her face had shown a little more than her words had.
Throughout the whole exchange, Anna had sat there, waiting to see what would happen. After Emerald finished speaking, Anna said,"So you have no idea what you are?"
"What do you mean?"
"Have you ever heard of the Forsaken Prophecy?" Argent asked. Emerald was startled when he spoke, as she had not been expecting it. She shook her head.
"I have only heard that it was suppose to be a prophecy that concerned the War of Cynrath that had never came about. Hence the Forsaken part." The whole while she had been talking, Anna and Argent had been shaking their heads.
"It was not meant for the War of Cynrath. It was meant for after, much later when the races again began to war. That time has come, and it seems the prophecy has begun. Of course, the only races now known to humans are the Elves, all other races are supposedly extinct."
"So what exactly does the prophecy say?" Emerald asked. Anna dug around in her bag a little before pulling out an ancient looking tome. She flipped through it to find the page she wanted.
"This book is called De bello Cynrath, meaning the History of the War of Cynrath. This is the prophecy:' While the Elves and Humans war and the others hide, a darkness will begin to rise. Each god will choose a champion, a warrior worthy and humbled. The six together can stop the war and bring peace, but against each other all hope will be lost.
Kasai will choose a youngling, one yet to transform. They will be the last of the true elemental dragons, one able to control all elements.
Aura will choose an outcast, one thought to be controlled by demons. They will be a true master of the ways of the Tengu, having learned everything.
The champion of Iru will be the last of the wolf shifters. They will have been the best in the colony, yet would have put aside their ways for the balance of the world.
Voda must choose two champions, a Animor and a Human. The Animor will have been shunned for their whole life, their kind having abandoned it. It will possess a skill that it doesn't even know about, one that allows it to see the future in dreams.
The Human will be one of the last sorcerers of the land. They will be able to use all known magic and will be the strongest sorcerer in known history if they can learn to control their powers.
Solum's champion will be dark, an outcast among their people. This champion will have an ability long forgotten and greatly feared, one that allows them to see and alter another's mind.
This is the prophecy that will bring peace to the world for many hundreds of years. Those that are meant to fulfill this prophecy will carry a mark. This mark will give each of them powers that are rare or never before seen in their race. All of these powers brought together can destroy the rising evil and set the world to peace, or fail and raise the darkness and forever be under its power.' That is the prophecy meant for now." The whole time Emerald had been listening intensly, for she had never before heard this prophecy.
"What does this have to do with anything?" Emerald asked, bewildered and a little shocked.
"Do you not understand? You are part of the prophecy, the Human sorcerer!" Anna replied.
"But I don't have a mark and prophecies don't truly exist. It is only an old belief, and one that didn't last long."
"You do have a mark, actually." Argent whispered. "When I knocked you out, it glowed across your skin and again when I found in the forest. I put it aside at first, thinking it meant nothing, but I guess the prophecy explains it." Emerald was astonished at this as she had never seen any mark on her body. I wonder what it looks like? she thought.
"How do we find the other people that are marked? They could be anywhere in all of Cynrath! And what if it's a joke? I mean, I never even heard the actual prophecy until now and now you think that I'm part of it?" Emerald exclaimed.
"Well, we already have at least two of the marked." Argent said.
"What do you mean?" Anna put in. Argent rolled up his sleeve and showed his wrist but nothing was there. Then Argent grabbed Emerald's wrist and put her's besides his. A faint blue mark showed up on both of their wrists, a rose with a star above it. Emerald was amazed. How is he part of the prophecy? she thought. He had skill, yes, but he would never try and help the world. And by the way, he had almost killed her without a second thought and that put a truth to this theory.
"What does this all mean though? The Humans and Elves aren't at war with each other. And if the other races do exist, wouldn't they try and help?" Emerald said. Argent got a sudden sick look on his face, as if he was looking at a deformed animal.
"Come, we must hurry to the nearest city. More Elves will surely come when the others do not return."
Argent quickly rose and turned towards the horses, not bothering to answer her question. Emerald still felt weary from her first experience with magic but she quickly complied. Anna helped to clean up the rest of the camp and then headed towards her horse. Emerald wondered who she would be riding with this time. Argent glanced at her and when he caught her eye she raised an eyebrow, and he nodded. She steadily made her way towards Argent's horse and got on. Argent jumped up behind her and with a quick glance at Anna, they rode off.
