The firelight flickered on the adventurers, and made the shadows
dance in the night. Dayna flipped over on her side, still trying to get to
sleep. Lumina's words just kept echoing through her head. "Come here my
child." Lumina whispered towards her. She sighed and pulled herself up. The
stars shined brightly in the midnight sky. She sighed and eased herself
down onto the cliff.
"Your mother was raised in a town just a little ways off. She had a smile that could light up the whole universe, a glow in her eyes that looked like diamonds shining in firelight, and a spirit like the southern winds, warm and dancing through the world. She grew up without a care in her mind. When she was of age, her mother told her the secret of the family. This secret was only to be shared by the females of the family, and never passed to males, or any other family. She had a future written out for her. She hated that.
One summer's night she set off, looking for something different. This was when I met her. I could tell she was carrying a heavy burden on her shoulders, but when I offered to be her consoling ear, she refused me, laughing. All she told me was she wished to escape her written fate. She begged me to send her to another place, and another time. After a few months of arguing and preparing her, she finally left, never to be seen again by the people of this land. I was her only link. I was there for your birth, and through out your life. One day, when I appeared, she told me she was dying. Her heart couldn't take the change anymore. It was I that wrote you that note. She told me what to write, and I scribbled it down. That was when she named me your godfather, and that is why you can't remember your years after she died, until you reached 18. I had to erase your memory of this place."
"Your mother was the future Queen of Twilight, the lost queen." he finished, saddened by the story. Dayna silently nodded, too tired to realize the full power of what he was saying. Sleep, sleep is all I need.
The bright morning brought grunts and groans from the campsite. By 10 the whole area had been cleared. There were no signs that anyone had been through there. Kurama smiled and nodded with satisfaction. The seven stopped at a near by falls so that Dayna could get her shower in. It was decided that her godfather, stand watch since he was almost family. Soon the girl was fresh, the water was drawn, and the dog was happily prancing along. Geo walked close to Dayna offering his arm as she stumbled along the rocky path. He caught a smile as he stopped her from falling. Lumina quietly slowed down so he could have a talk with Dayna.
"Young Dayna, soon we will be coming up on the town of Narlista, the land of the twilight. This is where your mother was raised." Dayna's eyes darted from the road to her Godfather's face, fully grasping his meaning. She nodded, slightly sick. Geo felt a tremor in his dear friend, as she stumbled along, more carelessly than before. He grabbed her waist in alarm. Her saddened eyes barely grazed his face, seeing nothing but a blur. Tears were forming in her eyes, reminding her that she had not forgotten the pain of her mother's death. He whispered a worry for her and she shrugged it off.
"I'll be ok, I just need to get to that stump on the edge of town and rest." Ramineus, sensing that something was wrong, looked back to see Dayna hobbling along. Dayna smiled at him, letting him know she'd be all right. He nodded and continued their way. Dayna collapsed onto the stump, Geo sat on her side. She breathed in deep, fighting her panic attack. Kylala ran over to Tnass, and chased him, making Dayna laugh. Tarkin was grumbling over the whole mess. He had been jostled one too many times and obviously didn't appreciate it. Kylala pounced on him, not fully understanding the fact that he was already furious. The dwarf was easily knocked which made Dayna laugh even more. Kurama and Ramineus were too busy checking out what little stores the, once bustling area, had left. She looked down and smiled at Geo, who was obviously relieved to see her laughing so hard. He fondly smiled back, taking her hand. She was no longer shaking and had turned to face the sun, closing her eyes. The sun seemed to bring out a glow in her he had never seen. It was a mysterious light, shining from within her soul. He noticed her watching again, and flushed, turning towards the humorous scene. Dayna suddenly jumped up, with an odd expression playing across her face. Within seconds Geo was by her side. In a trance-like state, Dayna crossed the road. She gracefully moved in between the mess her dog was making of her companions, causing Geo to run in different directions to keep up with her. She moved past the buildings and down an overgrown path. A dark fog crept in, surrounding the two. Geo reached out and grabbed her hand so as not to loose her, she did not grab back. Her eyes stood, unblinking, on the path ahead. They came upon ruins of what seemed like a large house. The walls were now waist high, at the highest. A few windows once stood on the front, their placing marked by moss. Dayna stepped though without hesitation, Geo stumbling behind her. She crossed the house's previous forier, and continued down the west wing. Her footsteps stopped at a small pile of rocks. Dayna reached down and pushed on a small lump. All at once, the rocks, surrounded by a greenish light, began to jump in the air and swirl around. Geo watched in astonishment, wondering where his dear friend remembered this. The rocks danced for a few minuets, then fell, outlining a rectangular shape. A door appeared in the middle of the stoned outline, and the light vanished. The essence of Dayna, pulled at the rusty handle and swung the door open. The hinges groaned, proving it had not been used in a while. The girl began her journey down the spiral staircase, followed directly by Geo.
The tunnel was dark, only lit by the glow of Dayna's staff. The temperature dropped about 40 degrees and they continued to descend further. The walls were damp, and smelled of earth and rotten fruit. They finally reached the bottom, a cobblestone floor. Geo shivered and pulled his cloak around him and tried to block out the damp smell from his nose. He spotted a small box in the left hand corner, and realized this was their destination.
Dayna had finally reached her senses. She had stopped dead in front of the deep metal box, and shivered. Gathering up her cloak, she began to button it down the front. Her eyes darted around the dark room. "Where the hell are we?" She asked Geo. He rushed by her side and shrugged. Turning her head, she noticed the box. She confusingly dug in her pocket and brought out a flat key, seemingly made out of nickel. It was worn smooth, and held an unusual warmth. Steadying her hand, Dayna carefully slid it into the key slot in the box. It was a perfect fit. Her heart began to pound, and her hands started shaking. Slowly, she turned the key to the right. It seamed like forever till she heard a soft click. Slower still, the lid came up, opening on it's own. Geo looked up, and almost got a drip in his eye. He could hear the voices on the ground above. He turned towards Dayna, who was gasping. In her hands was a book, thick and bound in leather. He grabbed her hand, and pulled her away. "I have a bad feeling those voices aren't from our friends. Dayna turned, now hearing the voices. She nodded in agreement, and suddenly whispered words she never knew. A door appeared in place of the box. They both pulled at the handle and yanked it open, running before the voices reached the floor. The door vanished just as Geo slammed it shut.
Kurama and Lumina wandered through the forest surrounding the ruins. "Do you think she found her old home Lumina?" "I'm almost certain of it Kurama." "But that's where the goblins were heading. The must have been told of the book. They better be alive. Lumina chuckled. "That girl knows quite a bit more than she realizes.
"Your mother was raised in a town just a little ways off. She had a smile that could light up the whole universe, a glow in her eyes that looked like diamonds shining in firelight, and a spirit like the southern winds, warm and dancing through the world. She grew up without a care in her mind. When she was of age, her mother told her the secret of the family. This secret was only to be shared by the females of the family, and never passed to males, or any other family. She had a future written out for her. She hated that.
One summer's night she set off, looking for something different. This was when I met her. I could tell she was carrying a heavy burden on her shoulders, but when I offered to be her consoling ear, she refused me, laughing. All she told me was she wished to escape her written fate. She begged me to send her to another place, and another time. After a few months of arguing and preparing her, she finally left, never to be seen again by the people of this land. I was her only link. I was there for your birth, and through out your life. One day, when I appeared, she told me she was dying. Her heart couldn't take the change anymore. It was I that wrote you that note. She told me what to write, and I scribbled it down. That was when she named me your godfather, and that is why you can't remember your years after she died, until you reached 18. I had to erase your memory of this place."
"Your mother was the future Queen of Twilight, the lost queen." he finished, saddened by the story. Dayna silently nodded, too tired to realize the full power of what he was saying. Sleep, sleep is all I need.
The bright morning brought grunts and groans from the campsite. By 10 the whole area had been cleared. There were no signs that anyone had been through there. Kurama smiled and nodded with satisfaction. The seven stopped at a near by falls so that Dayna could get her shower in. It was decided that her godfather, stand watch since he was almost family. Soon the girl was fresh, the water was drawn, and the dog was happily prancing along. Geo walked close to Dayna offering his arm as she stumbled along the rocky path. He caught a smile as he stopped her from falling. Lumina quietly slowed down so he could have a talk with Dayna.
"Young Dayna, soon we will be coming up on the town of Narlista, the land of the twilight. This is where your mother was raised." Dayna's eyes darted from the road to her Godfather's face, fully grasping his meaning. She nodded, slightly sick. Geo felt a tremor in his dear friend, as she stumbled along, more carelessly than before. He grabbed her waist in alarm. Her saddened eyes barely grazed his face, seeing nothing but a blur. Tears were forming in her eyes, reminding her that she had not forgotten the pain of her mother's death. He whispered a worry for her and she shrugged it off.
"I'll be ok, I just need to get to that stump on the edge of town and rest." Ramineus, sensing that something was wrong, looked back to see Dayna hobbling along. Dayna smiled at him, letting him know she'd be all right. He nodded and continued their way. Dayna collapsed onto the stump, Geo sat on her side. She breathed in deep, fighting her panic attack. Kylala ran over to Tnass, and chased him, making Dayna laugh. Tarkin was grumbling over the whole mess. He had been jostled one too many times and obviously didn't appreciate it. Kylala pounced on him, not fully understanding the fact that he was already furious. The dwarf was easily knocked which made Dayna laugh even more. Kurama and Ramineus were too busy checking out what little stores the, once bustling area, had left. She looked down and smiled at Geo, who was obviously relieved to see her laughing so hard. He fondly smiled back, taking her hand. She was no longer shaking and had turned to face the sun, closing her eyes. The sun seemed to bring out a glow in her he had never seen. It was a mysterious light, shining from within her soul. He noticed her watching again, and flushed, turning towards the humorous scene. Dayna suddenly jumped up, with an odd expression playing across her face. Within seconds Geo was by her side. In a trance-like state, Dayna crossed the road. She gracefully moved in between the mess her dog was making of her companions, causing Geo to run in different directions to keep up with her. She moved past the buildings and down an overgrown path. A dark fog crept in, surrounding the two. Geo reached out and grabbed her hand so as not to loose her, she did not grab back. Her eyes stood, unblinking, on the path ahead. They came upon ruins of what seemed like a large house. The walls were now waist high, at the highest. A few windows once stood on the front, their placing marked by moss. Dayna stepped though without hesitation, Geo stumbling behind her. She crossed the house's previous forier, and continued down the west wing. Her footsteps stopped at a small pile of rocks. Dayna reached down and pushed on a small lump. All at once, the rocks, surrounded by a greenish light, began to jump in the air and swirl around. Geo watched in astonishment, wondering where his dear friend remembered this. The rocks danced for a few minuets, then fell, outlining a rectangular shape. A door appeared in the middle of the stoned outline, and the light vanished. The essence of Dayna, pulled at the rusty handle and swung the door open. The hinges groaned, proving it had not been used in a while. The girl began her journey down the spiral staircase, followed directly by Geo.
The tunnel was dark, only lit by the glow of Dayna's staff. The temperature dropped about 40 degrees and they continued to descend further. The walls were damp, and smelled of earth and rotten fruit. They finally reached the bottom, a cobblestone floor. Geo shivered and pulled his cloak around him and tried to block out the damp smell from his nose. He spotted a small box in the left hand corner, and realized this was their destination.
Dayna had finally reached her senses. She had stopped dead in front of the deep metal box, and shivered. Gathering up her cloak, she began to button it down the front. Her eyes darted around the dark room. "Where the hell are we?" She asked Geo. He rushed by her side and shrugged. Turning her head, she noticed the box. She confusingly dug in her pocket and brought out a flat key, seemingly made out of nickel. It was worn smooth, and held an unusual warmth. Steadying her hand, Dayna carefully slid it into the key slot in the box. It was a perfect fit. Her heart began to pound, and her hands started shaking. Slowly, she turned the key to the right. It seamed like forever till she heard a soft click. Slower still, the lid came up, opening on it's own. Geo looked up, and almost got a drip in his eye. He could hear the voices on the ground above. He turned towards Dayna, who was gasping. In her hands was a book, thick and bound in leather. He grabbed her hand, and pulled her away. "I have a bad feeling those voices aren't from our friends. Dayna turned, now hearing the voices. She nodded in agreement, and suddenly whispered words she never knew. A door appeared in place of the box. They both pulled at the handle and yanked it open, running before the voices reached the floor. The door vanished just as Geo slammed it shut.
Kurama and Lumina wandered through the forest surrounding the ruins. "Do you think she found her old home Lumina?" "I'm almost certain of it Kurama." "But that's where the goblins were heading. The must have been told of the book. They better be alive. Lumina chuckled. "That girl knows quite a bit more than she realizes.
