A/N this the story of some the others just to give some background information. Btw if I don't get more than two reviews I'm going to stop posting as nobody is interestedenough to give me their opinion, I accept constructive critism.

Disclaimer- I don't own Deltora quest.

The air was still, the moon full, on the edge of Butterfly field.

"Zephyr! Zaria! Where are you?" cried Sophia, a middle aged widow. Nevertheless, her children did not come. She had been searching all day, with no luck.

Her face creased into a deep frown of worry.

She heard some far off crying. She followed it to meadow of the Butterflies.

There behind a great oak, were her twins. Fair hair, with a sprinkle of freckles across the bridge of their noses. Zaria's hair was woven in a long plait, her blue eyes filled with tears and her plain blue shift covered in thick oozing mud.

Zephyr on the other hand had his short dirty hair covering his face and emerald green eyes, his simple brown pants and lose fitting shirt were also covered in mud. " You naughty deceitful children!" scolded Sophia. She strode over to them, grabbed them by the hair, and pulled them towards the small cottage situated on the edge of the field. " Into the bath with you, then straight to bed without any supper!" the children sulked harder. Sophia was a hard woman, but she didn't mean what she said. She just did it to frighten them.

Once inside the house Zaria and Zephyr striped with a slight hesitation while their mother prepared the hot water in a shallow, tin tub. " Hurry up, your in enough trouble as it is!" she scoulded whipping them slightly with a towel. "If your father was here…" she murmured, a single tear slid down her face. Sofia's husband was one of the first of the shadow lord's victims in his reign. They pulled their clothes off, and held their arms around their torsos. Their bodies as well were covered with a thick layer of mud. They reluctantly got into the water, under their mother's scornful eye. "What have you two been doing? Giving me a bad reputation that's what!" she said in a motherly fashion.

She got out two rough bristled scrubbing brushes. She rubbed pig fat soap thickly on to each. Rolling up her long sleeves she began to scrub their stomachs and backs; huge blobs of mud slid of their pale bodies into the hot water tuning it quickly into a soupy looking colour. Then she noticed a bit of black under the now thin layer of mud she scrubbed really hard while tutting to herself. The skin became raw and bloody under the brush. Thick tears were rolling down their eyes as they screamed and whimpered.

The cold wind blew as the screams carried over the winds and the dull thunk of the brushes hitting the floor. Zephyr and Zaria's backs were covered in dark black pulsating marks.

The shadow lord's voice echoing through the now silent, cursed house.

Several leagues off in the land of Deltora, a crippled man sat by the road screaming. Many passed him without a glance, hurrying children out of the way. He cried, he lunged trying to stop the cackling voice in his head.

He stood for the first time in his life, his body writhing with pulsating darkness. Blindly moved beyond his will.

Toran Guards were alerted the man was silenced. Or so they thought. A few hours ago he had been normal, well normal for a cripple.

Hours earlier…

Iah Felt his foot there was a feint pulse. With much difficulty he leaned over to look at his crippled legs, He cried out in disbelief. His whole legs were covered in what seemed to him black snake like shadow crawling up his leg.

He ruffled his dirty brown hair and laughed. Scaring half a dozen people. It was true. He was mad. First he talked to himself and now he was having hallucinations. Tears of madness cascaded from his dark brown eyes.

Hello Iah. Said a Malicious voice. Iah stopped laughing. "Who's there?" he shouted out loud. Several people made out a crazy gesture at Iah.

I'm just imagining it. He muttered to himself.

You just keep thinking that Iah. Said the voice tauntingly, plainly enjoying Iah's panicked breathing. However, I think you need some convincing. It chuckled.

Iah was scared now. "W-what are you going to do to me?" the voice chuckled again.

Iah's eyes darted between the crowded clean streets of Tora. How did he end up here?

There was not much time for him to ponder the question.

People rushed past, as Iah writhed on the ground in agony. No one stopped to help him. No one acknowledged his existence. He was the third carrier. Toran soldiers overwhelmed him.

He was put in the darkest cell, screaming.