Rising Children
Book One
Prologue
By Amazon & Riana
In Ireland.
"Momma, momma! Look at what I can do!" Kayne rushed up to her mother, holding a doll in her hand. Her mother turned around, the dark emerald skirt swirling around her. "Look!" She set the doll on the ground and stared at it for a few seconds. The doll began to shake slightly before floating into the air. "Aye! That's wonderful, Kayne!" Her mother picked her up. "You're father t'will be very proud, indeed!" "Where's Rayne?" Kayne asked as she grabbed the doll out of mid-air. She patted the dolls head, smoothing the black yarn that was its hair. "He and Paul went out to gather some herbs for mommy." Her mother replied with a hint of worry. Mr. McDouglas, a wandering traveler, had just come flying into the isolated Irish village just days ago with terrible news. Usually, the small farming community welcomed news of the outside world, for the farthest anyone ever traveled was Arklow, further down the coast. Four men, Warlords of the evil Dynasty he had called them, had been attacking villages, taking what they wanted, killing anybody that stood in their way. The old man said that they wielded demonic powers and dark magic. Aileen was worried for the safety of her children and husband, even though the elders of the village thought that the Warlords would never find their home, nestled deep within the rolling hills that bordered the coastline. "Momma?" Kayne asked, screwing her face. "Are you alright?" Aileen smiled at her daughter. "Aye. Just a little worried about what Mr. McDouglas said." "Oh." The three year-old looked at the door before it swung open. Her father and brother walked in, Rayne carrying a small basket of herbs, while his father carried a larger basket and a large oaken staff. "Rayne!" Kayne called out, excited. Her brother was dressed almost identically to his father, who wore long brown trousers and a large, ruffled shirt and knee high black boots. Unlike most of the other neighbors, Paul was a grocer, selling and trading goods with the neighboring communities. "Hello, Kay!" Rayne greeted. Paul hugged his wife, though a little awkwardly because Kayne was still in her arms. "Poppa!" Kayne exclaimed as she was trapped in between her parents. Rayne laughed at the expression on his sister's face. Paul and Aileen also laughed at the look on her face. Her father bent down and kissed her forehead. "There's my beautiful little lass!" he said and ruffled her honey-colored hair. Suddenly all that changed. Like broken glass the thatched-roofed home exploded into flames. The sounds of horse's hooves rang through the air and the sounds of swords as well. "Get out!" Paul yelled as he grabbed his staff and pushed his family toward the door. Kayne was still in her mother's arms as they ran out, her brother running alongside. Aileen yelled in surprise when she came face to face with a warrior in black-green armor, his sword raised above his head, ready to strike. Then he doubled over, leaning over the staff that had penetrated his chest plate. Paul jerked the end of his staff out of the soldier's body, scowling at the black smoke that issued out of the wound. "Aileen, run now! Go to the forests, hide there!" Aileen nodded and ran, throwing glances back over her shoulder as her husband engaged in the battle that was raging. Rayne clutched at her cloak as they ran for the forest, puzzlement and terror etched onto his tiny face. His sister was equally as terrified. What was going on? Why would anyone want to attack their village, they hadn't done anything bad to anyone, instead they helped the other families and gave them food. They reached the forest soon and plunged in. Aileen ran towards a cave that she knew was tucked away in the midst of the dark forest. Kayne clutched her mothers blouse in a death grip, she was scared, scared to death about what was going on. She knew where her momma was taking them, her poppa had taken her and Rayne to the cave once. They reached the cave safely but another group of the soul-filled warriors was waiting. Aileen stopped, afraid to move, sure that the warriors could hear her heart pounding. One of the soldiers noticed her and her children. His armor was gold instead of the sick green-black of the ones surrounding him. "Well, well, what do we have here?" Aileen backed away but bumped into another of the warriors, who had snuck up behind her. Rayne cried out in anger and surprise as the Soldier grabbed his mother and sister. "You let my momma go!" he shouted. "Well, well, well, a human brat with some spunk. Here's for your spirit, kid." A soldier sneered and hit him on the head with the butt of his spear, causing the small boy to collapse in a heap. "Rayne!" Kayne cried. "Please, what do you want with me?" Aileen asked, terrified. The guard never answered her, but instead tore Kayne from her arms and shoved her back into the cave. She never emerged again. "Momma!" Kayne screamed as she was tossed to another guard as easily as her doll, that put her on the ground as an angered villager attacked. Kayne ran for her brother and shook his shoulders. "Rayne! Rayne, wake up!" she called. He wouldn't get up. We gotta hide, like Daddy said. She thought and spotted a thick bush nearby. She and her brother would easily fit there, so she pulled his tiny body there. It was difficult, not only because she was only three but also because the thorns scratched and tore at they're clothing. However, her perseverance soon paid off and they both slipped into the bush. Her green skirt and brother's brown trousers blended in perfectly with the bush's trappings. She crouched there for a long, long time and finally the clashing of the swords ceased. Rayne awoke and rubbed his head, for the guards hadn't hit him that hard. "Where's mama?" Rayne asked, and in response Kayne held up one finger to her lips. Kayne dared to peek out behind a white flower. Everything was quiet, and many of the green-black armors were lying on the hard forest floor. Maybe they're tired from fightening so much, Kayne rationalized. Momma's in the cave, she remembered, and motioned for Rayne to follow her. Holding hands, the two walked towards the dark cave. "What's this?" the golden armored man asked. His name was General Mabusho, third class general in his Emperor's army. The two wide-eyed children gazed back at him in terrified wonder. A blue, watery aura suddenly pulsated around them, and Kayne's dark green eyes suddenly turned blue. Amazing. I must take them back to Master Talpa, Mabusho thought and scooped the two children in his arms and returned to the Dynasty. * * * * *
"Master Talpa," General Mabusho called his Master's name. The darkness lifted off the throne that stood at one end of the grand hall. General Mabusho took a step back. "Master Talpa, I have something that you would be interested in." "What about it?" Talpa's deep voice rumbled. General Mabusho couldn't help but shake slightly. "They are children-" "Why are you wasting my time with children? Put them in the dungeon, raise them as servants, if they are girls give them to Mistress Chowa, my men can have them." Talpa said, almost bored. "If I may say so, my liege, the twins have powers." This got Talpa's attention. "What do you mean?" Talpa questioned. "They have powers milord, they are faint but the Nether Spirits started going crazy when they were brought near the two." General Mabusho plucked up his courage and continued. "They would be great, superb, warriors for you, milord, if you choose to train them." "Where are they?" "With the minister's, milord." General Mabusho replied. He was gaining Talpa's interest and that was a good thing, it meant that Talpa wouldn't kill him for 'recommending' these children. "Train them, do whatever you wish with them." Talpa paused. "Do they have any living family?" General Mabusho was puzzled as to why Talpa would ask such a question before it dawned on him. If these children had powers then so would their parents or any other family and they could enter the Dynasty if their powers were strong enough. "Their mother was killed after my men got through with her and their father was probably killed in the battle." "Good. Now get out of my sights." General Mabusho hastily bowed and beat a quick a retreat. If he had a mouth he would be smiling at himself.
In Ireland.
"Momma, momma! Look at what I can do!" Kayne rushed up to her mother, holding a doll in her hand. Her mother turned around, the dark emerald skirt swirling around her. "Look!" She set the doll on the ground and stared at it for a few seconds. The doll began to shake slightly before floating into the air. "Aye! That's wonderful, Kayne!" Her mother picked her up. "You're father t'will be very proud, indeed!" "Where's Rayne?" Kayne asked as she grabbed the doll out of mid-air. She patted the dolls head, smoothing the black yarn that was its hair. "He and Paul went out to gather some herbs for mommy." Her mother replied with a hint of worry. Mr. McDouglas, a wandering traveler, had just come flying into the isolated Irish village just days ago with terrible news. Usually, the small farming community welcomed news of the outside world, for the farthest anyone ever traveled was Arklow, further down the coast. Four men, Warlords of the evil Dynasty he had called them, had been attacking villages, taking what they wanted, killing anybody that stood in their way. The old man said that they wielded demonic powers and dark magic. Aileen was worried for the safety of her children and husband, even though the elders of the village thought that the Warlords would never find their home, nestled deep within the rolling hills that bordered the coastline. "Momma?" Kayne asked, screwing her face. "Are you alright?" Aileen smiled at her daughter. "Aye. Just a little worried about what Mr. McDouglas said." "Oh." The three year-old looked at the door before it swung open. Her father and brother walked in, Rayne carrying a small basket of herbs, while his father carried a larger basket and a large oaken staff. "Rayne!" Kayne called out, excited. Her brother was dressed almost identically to his father, who wore long brown trousers and a large, ruffled shirt and knee high black boots. Unlike most of the other neighbors, Paul was a grocer, selling and trading goods with the neighboring communities. "Hello, Kay!" Rayne greeted. Paul hugged his wife, though a little awkwardly because Kayne was still in her arms. "Poppa!" Kayne exclaimed as she was trapped in between her parents. Rayne laughed at the expression on his sister's face. Paul and Aileen also laughed at the look on her face. Her father bent down and kissed her forehead. "There's my beautiful little lass!" he said and ruffled her honey-colored hair. Suddenly all that changed. Like broken glass the thatched-roofed home exploded into flames. The sounds of horse's hooves rang through the air and the sounds of swords as well. "Get out!" Paul yelled as he grabbed his staff and pushed his family toward the door. Kayne was still in her mother's arms as they ran out, her brother running alongside. Aileen yelled in surprise when she came face to face with a warrior in black-green armor, his sword raised above his head, ready to strike. Then he doubled over, leaning over the staff that had penetrated his chest plate. Paul jerked the end of his staff out of the soldier's body, scowling at the black smoke that issued out of the wound. "Aileen, run now! Go to the forests, hide there!" Aileen nodded and ran, throwing glances back over her shoulder as her husband engaged in the battle that was raging. Rayne clutched at her cloak as they ran for the forest, puzzlement and terror etched onto his tiny face. His sister was equally as terrified. What was going on? Why would anyone want to attack their village, they hadn't done anything bad to anyone, instead they helped the other families and gave them food. They reached the forest soon and plunged in. Aileen ran towards a cave that she knew was tucked away in the midst of the dark forest. Kayne clutched her mothers blouse in a death grip, she was scared, scared to death about what was going on. She knew where her momma was taking them, her poppa had taken her and Rayne to the cave once. They reached the cave safely but another group of the soul-filled warriors was waiting. Aileen stopped, afraid to move, sure that the warriors could hear her heart pounding. One of the soldiers noticed her and her children. His armor was gold instead of the sick green-black of the ones surrounding him. "Well, well, what do we have here?" Aileen backed away but bumped into another of the warriors, who had snuck up behind her. Rayne cried out in anger and surprise as the Soldier grabbed his mother and sister. "You let my momma go!" he shouted. "Well, well, well, a human brat with some spunk. Here's for your spirit, kid." A soldier sneered and hit him on the head with the butt of his spear, causing the small boy to collapse in a heap. "Rayne!" Kayne cried. "Please, what do you want with me?" Aileen asked, terrified. The guard never answered her, but instead tore Kayne from her arms and shoved her back into the cave. She never emerged again. "Momma!" Kayne screamed as she was tossed to another guard as easily as her doll, that put her on the ground as an angered villager attacked. Kayne ran for her brother and shook his shoulders. "Rayne! Rayne, wake up!" she called. He wouldn't get up. We gotta hide, like Daddy said. She thought and spotted a thick bush nearby. She and her brother would easily fit there, so she pulled his tiny body there. It was difficult, not only because she was only three but also because the thorns scratched and tore at they're clothing. However, her perseverance soon paid off and they both slipped into the bush. Her green skirt and brother's brown trousers blended in perfectly with the bush's trappings. She crouched there for a long, long time and finally the clashing of the swords ceased. Rayne awoke and rubbed his head, for the guards hadn't hit him that hard. "Where's mama?" Rayne asked, and in response Kayne held up one finger to her lips. Kayne dared to peek out behind a white flower. Everything was quiet, and many of the green-black armors were lying on the hard forest floor. Maybe they're tired from fightening so much, Kayne rationalized. Momma's in the cave, she remembered, and motioned for Rayne to follow her. Holding hands, the two walked towards the dark cave. "What's this?" the golden armored man asked. His name was General Mabusho, third class general in his Emperor's army. The two wide-eyed children gazed back at him in terrified wonder. A blue, watery aura suddenly pulsated around them, and Kayne's dark green eyes suddenly turned blue. Amazing. I must take them back to Master Talpa, Mabusho thought and scooped the two children in his arms and returned to the Dynasty. * * * * *
"Master Talpa," General Mabusho called his Master's name. The darkness lifted off the throne that stood at one end of the grand hall. General Mabusho took a step back. "Master Talpa, I have something that you would be interested in." "What about it?" Talpa's deep voice rumbled. General Mabusho couldn't help but shake slightly. "They are children-" "Why are you wasting my time with children? Put them in the dungeon, raise them as servants, if they are girls give them to Mistress Chowa, my men can have them." Talpa said, almost bored. "If I may say so, my liege, the twins have powers." This got Talpa's attention. "What do you mean?" Talpa questioned. "They have powers milord, they are faint but the Nether Spirits started going crazy when they were brought near the two." General Mabusho plucked up his courage and continued. "They would be great, superb, warriors for you, milord, if you choose to train them." "Where are they?" "With the minister's, milord." General Mabusho replied. He was gaining Talpa's interest and that was a good thing, it meant that Talpa wouldn't kill him for 'recommending' these children. "Train them, do whatever you wish with them." Talpa paused. "Do they have any living family?" General Mabusho was puzzled as to why Talpa would ask such a question before it dawned on him. If these children had powers then so would their parents or any other family and they could enter the Dynasty if their powers were strong enough. "Their mother was killed after my men got through with her and their father was probably killed in the battle." "Good. Now get out of my sights." General Mabusho hastily bowed and beat a quick a retreat. If he had a mouth he would be smiling at himself.
