Chapter 1

Throwing her brown hair in a ponytail, Yondalla Deachron smiled and looked up at the large oak tree that was planted by the druids of Silvanus. This past month, the leaves had turned from light green to shades of red, orange, and yellow. The young half elf had just finished a hard morning of training with her mentor Danica Bonaduce, and was now enjoying a quiet and peaceful afternoon.

Dalla had been training at the Spirit Soaring cathedral for over a month. Under the tutelage of her mentor Danica, Dalla was learning the various styles of martial arts.

But while Danica was teaching Dalla the finer points of throwing a punch or a kick, she also made sure that the half elf spent plenty of her time playing with the other children who lived at the cathedral. Though she was having a wonderful time at the cathedral, Dalla missed her family back in Silverymoon. She especially missed her younger siblings, who have probably grown a few inches by now.

Dalla sighed as she walked past the tree. She then saw a minotaur wearing brown leather pants and a white cotton shirt approaching her.

"Good day Yondalla," greeted the minotaur named Galdin Redhoof in his deep voice. The minotaur's fur was dark brown, and his eyes were light green. His horns extended towards the sky. Small scars could be seen all over the his arms and hands.

Danica's student smiled at the bull-man. When she first arrived at the Spirit Soaring, Danica's husband Cadderly had taught Dalla how to read people's lips so that Danica wouldn't always have to use sign language with her all the time. 'Good day to you Galdin,' she signed with her fingers. She then looked into the distance, seeing two slender men wearing green cloaks walking towards her and Galdin. When her eyes got a better look, Dalla recognized them as elves from the forest of Shilmistra.

Galdin turned and looked at the elves. "Can I help you gentlemen?" the minotaur asked as the elves approached.

The two elves stared at Galdin for a moment. Then, the shorter of the two elves spoke in his soft voice," Our scouts have reports of skeletons and zombies approaching the area. Also, we saw six skeletons were following us here."

The minotaur looked down the path where the elves came from and saw the six large skeletons the elves spoke of. He turned to Dalla and ordered," Get back inside the cathedral and tell Cadderly we're under attack." The half elf girl turned back, but instead of going back to the Spirit Soaring, she reached down and grabbed a bo staff that was lying on the ground.

Galdin ran up to two of the skeletons, avoiding their great swords as they swung towards his head and chest. He shot his right hand forward, punching one of the skeletons hard in the midsection. The bull-man then did side kick that shattered the skeleton's rib cage. The second skeleton made a fierce stab that landed deeply in the minotaur's stomach.

Galdin let out a soft growl as blood spilled from his wound. The skeleton held his blade high, ready to slice the minotaur's neck. Dalla quickly stepped next to the minotaur and swung her bo stick low, breaking the skeleton's kneecap. Grateful that the girl bought him some time, Galdin quickly drove his left fist into the skeleton's jaw.

The two elves who came from the forest, were fighting two skeletons of their own. The other two large skeletons ran towards Dalla and Galdin. The student glanced to see Galdin holding his stomach. She swung her bo staff high, knocking off the head of one of the skeletons. Dalla continued to keep on her guard. One thing her father Shadimir had told her about fighting undead, Just because you cut off their head, doesn't mean their dead for good, her father's voice echoed in her mind. Except for vampires that is.

Dalla placed herself between the skeletons and the wounded Galdin. Then she noticed a beautiful woman appear behind the two skeletons.

The woman had a messy mop of strawberry blonde hair and almond eyes. She grabbed both the skeleton's heads and them hard against each other. She then jumped in the air and delivered a hard roundhouse kick in the headless skeleton's pelvis, shattering the bones upon impact.

Dalla smiled at her teacher Danica, and drove the end of her staff into the other skeleton's chest, breaking the ribs of the undead creature.

Danica Bonaduce smiled at her student. "Not bad Dalla," she said softly with look of pride on her face, The teacher then looked over her shoulder, seeing the two elves, now dead on the ground, and a mixed group of zombies and skeletons walking towards them. She noticed that their faces were looking towards Dalla.

Danica assumed a fighting stance, which Dalla imitated. Danica's husband Cadderly then emerged from inside the cathedral. Standing six feet, he ran his hands through his thick curly brown hair. His grey eyes scanned the area, counting how many undead there were.

The priest of Denier reached into his white silk clerical robes and drew out his holy symbol. He then began singing the Song of Denier, channeling his energy into his holy symbol.

A bright light flashed from Cadderly's holy symbol, and the twelve zombies and skeletons closest to Danica, fell lifeless to the ground. He continued the Song of Denier in his mind, ready to turn the rest of the undead. Just as the cleric of Denier was about to release his energy, three large fireballs shot down from the sky.

The fireballs rained down, engulfing the zombies and skeletons in magical fire.

From where she stood, Dalla watched as more fireballs fell from the heavens, consuming the undead. She scanned the air, and then spotted a woman hovering near a tall maple tree. The woman was beautiful, and had long silver hair. Her robes were purple and torn in places. Dalla smiled and waved at the woman in the air. Cadderly also recognized the woman. She was the Simbul, the Witch Queen of Aglarond, and one of the Seven Sisters.

Dalla and Shadimir both had told Cadderly that the Simbul was a self appointed guardian of his wife's student.

The cleric of Denier watched as the Simbul waved to Dalla, then vanished. He then looked over at Dalla, who was still holding on to the bo staff. Galdin was wounded, but Cadderly knew the minotaur would quickly seek healing. Danica was now walking over to the two dead elves.

Cadderly sighed and began walking over towards Dalla. He told himself that after he buried the elves and healed Galdin's wound, he would write a letter to Shadimir.