Chapter Two:

With trembling fingers, Elizabeth slid the string from the scroll. She had been waiting all her life for this; something exciting, something life changing, something. She knew that this was the moment; that in the future she would look back and know that this day was a crucial one that would influence the course of her life. She shared a glance of nervous anticipation with Archer, as slowly she unrolled the scroll and read the message that was printed in glittering letters on its smooth surface.

Greetings, reader from over sea

In this note, a proposition I have for thee,

A quest there is and warning to,

For, heed me not and find will you

That life will rapidly transform

And you will long soon for the norm;

You wonder, now, of what I speak

Read below and find what I seek,

An orb that breathes with furtive breath

Shall bring about the close of death,

Naught shall die, but have a care,

Think of what this curse shall bear,

No food shall Mother Nature give

So forever hungry shalt thou live;

The mortally wounded weep in pain

But their anguished cries are all in vain,

For no sweet release of death will near

Until you, reader, ignoring fear,

Travel to these distant lands,

Where monsters prowl with robber bands;

Seek me out in Golden Tower

And bring me the everlasting power

That dwells within your heart and soul

And binds to make you one and whole

Yes, dear reader, you have guessed

It is love I seek above all the rest.

I see in your eyes a curious look

Wondering how this precious thing can be took

I shall give you a sign to point the way

To keep the evil forces at bay:

I spoke of orb with secret breath,

Well, bring me that and welcome death.

Eliza and Archer sat in silence for about a minute after finishing the message, just soaking it all in.

'Great Leros!' breathed Archer finally, 'Do you think it's true?'

'No.' said Elizabeth, 'It couldn't be. It's probably just someone playing a trick.'

The fact was, now that Elizabeth had read the message, she didn't want to believe it. The very thought of it scared her. She had wanted excitement, but the thought of so much pain stole the enthusiasm and replaced it with foreboding.

'Hey, look. There's something else in here.' Archer said, picking up the discarded bottle. He tipped it gently upside down and a small, round object fell onto the sand. Eliza picked it up and dusted it off lightly. It appeared to be a pendant of some sort, set with a white stone that shone like the moon. 'Do you reckon this could be the orb the poem spoke of?' Archer asked eagerly.

'It wouldn't make any sense.' Eliza replied with a look of grave curiosity, 'Why would he ask us to bring him something, and then send it away with the message.'

'Yeah, I suppose.' Archer looked disappointed, 'But what if it is true? What if there really is a spell on us to stop death?'

'Well, then we should know within the next few days.' Eliza replied seriously, 'But don't worry,' she added, seeing his nervous expression, 'Chances are it's nothing, and we will just go back to our normal lives.'

But even as she spoke these words, she knew them to be lies. Something about the threat in the poem, the sly shimmer of the words, lead her to believe that their lives would never be normal again.