Chapter 1 – The Heroine

"Narla! Wait up!"

The girl whose name was called looked up from her book and turned around.

"What's up Eileen?"

Eileen stopped beside Narla and handed her a small pouch.

"You left your MD player behind again, Narla. I think you're too obsessed with that book, lighten up girl!"

Narla took the pouch and kept it in her belt bag, which is a flat square bag fastened around her hips.

"Thanks Eileen, but this book is just great, I mean, you should read it too!"

With one eyebrow up Eileen shook her head,  "Uh-uh, I'm the type who would make that lord of the ring thingy my paperweight. Gotta go, see you tomorrow girl!"

Narla waved a goodbye before turning around to walk home.

Narla Mayson is an average Anglo-Irish university student whose parents died when she was 2. Narla never knew much about her parents. It was probably due to the fact that her relatives always changed the subject when she asked about her parents and that there were no photographs or records of her family's history. As her aunt was her mother's sister, she often wondered where her father's relatives were, but her aunt usually dismisses the conversation by telling Narla they were somewhere on the other side of the continent. Not surprising though, for Narla was taller than all of her relatives, even some of the guys, and she guessed she must have inherited the height and her straight, black hair from her father. Living with her adventurous relatives, Narla has grown to love sports and the outdoors, but her favorite pastime has to be fantasy. Elves, fairies, princes to sorcerers she loves them all, and reads fantasy as an addiction. She often drew fantasy themes as well. Even at the age of 20 Narla often dreams about the other world. Her current favorite is the classic 'The Lord of The Rings' which she holds like treasure.

With her ocean blue eyes still set on the book, Narla didn't even notice as clouds covered the orange setting orb. However, she did notice the increasing wind when she had to hold her jet-black locks back from covering her eyes. Looks like a storm coming, Narla sped up and kept the book in her bag after hours of holding it to prevent it from getting wet. She got home just before a heavy downpour replaced the soft drizzle.

"Aunt Wendy I'm home!"

Taking off her wet jacket and waist bag, Narla headed for the kitchen when there was no answer. There on the dining table beside a small packet was a note from her aunt,

'Narla hon,

my friend's got into a bit of trouble and I had to go and help him out. Will be back tomorrow noon.'

(Narla smirked. Help a guy a few doors away until tomorrow eh? Hah! ) 

'Dinner and breakfast are in the fridge and I'm really sorry for not giving this to you personally, but the packet contains a necklace from your parents. They told me to give it to you on your 21st birthday. Happy Birthday dear!'

Yes, she was turning 21 in a few hours but birthdays weren't special...at least to Narla. Every year she would get a cake and a family dinner which she doesn't look forward to. The so-called family dinner involves her boy-crazy cousins and really annoying uncle who recently started staring at her in a really perverted manner. Most people call her weird. She thinks herself as unique. With an oval face, smooth fair skin (which never darkens no matter how much she tans) and a tall, slim figure, you could even call her pretty.

She opened the packet and a silver chain slid out. At the end of the chain was the most beautiful thing Narla ever saw. This was the only present her parents left behind for her; a deep blue gem similar to the color of her eyes carved into a white gold pendant which was curved much like a shape of an acorn, but wider. Narla gazed at the gem to realize it was a sapphire...or was it? The gem seemed to react to her touch, glowing slightly that emitted an ancient, perhaps mystical presence. And were her eyes playing tricks on her or did she, for a second, see some bright marks in the gem which resembled a map??

Narla snapped out of her trance by a thunder roar, and she put on the necklace with pride. It seemed to position itself perfectly by the curve of her neck and the gem seemed to be glowing brighter. Thank you Narla wished she could still remember what her parents looked like. Unaware of the increasing torrents of the weather outside, Narla ate her dinner dreamingly.

She was never afraid of being alone. As a matter of fact, she prefers peace and solitude. Narla has friends, but hanging out wasn't really her sort of thing. She isn't an anti-boy freak or something but she just hasn't found anyone interesting yet...well, except maybe fantasy characters. She often fantasizes about non-existent guys and recently, Legolas. Maybe that's part of why she loves the book so much. Just 20 pages to go thought Narla as she seated herself on the couch after dinner. She was close to the end of the book. She hates endings because that means there will be no more story left to read.

By now, a heavy, nasty storm was raging outside the little townhouse. Narla looked up after the third lightning strike. This weather seems abnormal. There isn't supposed to be rain at these times. Finishing her last sentence in the book Narla stretched. Great book!...It's half past midnight! Oh god, I got a morning class later. With that Narla placed the book neatly on the side table and grabbed her bag to head upstairs.

Narla usually took a minute to go upstairs and into her room. Tonight, however, was definitely unusual. Halfway up the stairs, a tremendous wave of nausea hit her. The whole room felt like swirling around her and she seemed to be hallucinating for her eyes showed a black vortex on the floor at the bottom of the stairs. What the-...? If she wasn't too sick to notice, she would've seen the gemstone on her pendant glowing brightly, almost cheerfully. As the vortex grew bigger, Narla was shaking on the steps. Perhaps I need a rest... Holding the sidebar for support, she tried to reach upstairs but the nausea was overwhelming and she lost her balance. Too sick to react, she let herself fall down the staircase thinking she would land on the carpet floor. Shock took over her nausea when Narla felt herself falling into the vortex! Her living room was diminishing into plain darkness and she screamed, even though she couldn't hear a sound.

Falling into oblivion Narla's nausea was gone, replaced by pure panic. Arms flailing pathetically hoping to grab onto something in the darkness, Narla prayed that she would reach somewhere. Suddenly another vortex opened up below and she continued falling into a landscape with extremely dense, tall trees. Now she wished she hadn't prayed just now. Before she could worry any more about where she was or how she would get back, she landed with a loud thump on something soft. Before she passed out she could have sworn that the thing she fell on let out a shocked cry "Ai!"