aveyond storyline

8/13/2019 Aveyond Storyline

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Aveyond: Rhen's Quest

By : cvhyen

A powerful deity, Ahriman, has opened the Demon Portal and dark creatures now threaten the great isles.

Rhen must stop the destruction and destroy Ahriman before it is too late. The Sword of Shadows is the key to

her redemption. She must find it in the mystical isle of Aveyond and use it to seal the Demon Portal and stop

Ahriman.

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Table of Contents

Prologue + Chapter 1: Ahriman's Return + Strange Dream

Chapter 2: Strange Encounter

Chapter 3: Kidnapped

Chapter 4: Enslaved

Chapter 5: Enrollment

Chapter 6: The Trial

Chapter 7: A Quest Unfolded

Chapter 8: The North Isle

Chapter 9: Aveyond

Chapter 10: Beyond The Mist

Chapter 11: Sword Singer and Sorcerer

Chapter 12: Mount Orion


Table of Contents 2


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Chapter 1: Prologue + Chapter 1: Ahriman's Return +

Strange Dream

It was a dark, windy, snowy night at North Isle. Over the howling of the blizzard, there were the sounds of

running footsteps, fast breathing and magic casting, echoing throughout the whole Isle. A priestess had just

reached the top of a cliff. Danger and death called upon her.

"Looks like I don't have a choice." The priestess thought. She gasped as soon as she sensed something's

heading towards her.

"Ichnihoe, Vamil, Shezraj!" She casted and energy barrier. In the nick of time, she deflected a fireball that

coming straight at her.

BLAM!!! FFLF~~!

The priestess was exhausted from the battle between her and the stranger who casted the fireball. Suddenly

she heard a voice echoing in her head.

"Mua Ha Ha! Looks like I got you after all." A figure came out as the voice stopped. The figure was wearing a

blue battle armour, an ox-skull helmet on it's head, holding a bone-made sword, walking slowly towards her.

"Why do I have the feeling that I've met this man before?" the priestess thought as the man stopped a few feet

in front of her.

"Who...What are you?" she tried to speak calmly, but failed.

"Some knows me as the daeva Agas, priestess." The stranger replied.

"Agas is sealed in the demon realm as are all of the daevas! You can't be him."

"You have mistaken priestess. Our master has set us free, we are now home"

"Your master?"

"Ahriman."

"That's not possible! He was defeated long ago! I defeated him!" The priestess exclaimed. She didn't noticed

something's coming after her.

"Azra, Miteo, Shintos!" Agas mumbled and summoned a fireball and targeted her. She is defenceless.

BLAM!!! FLFF~~!

Agas laughed, watching the priestess' body lying on the ground.

"Good night priestess. Ha Ha Ha!" And he walked away.

After a while lying on the snow, she gained consciousness.


Chapter 1: Prologue + Chapter 1: Ahriman's Return + Strange Dream 3


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"I...am...not...dead...yet..." She finally got up. "All...is...not...lost..." She used her last bit of energy and called a

butterfly, said: "Find the child, little one. Bring her to me."

She collapsed as soon as the butterfly flew into the cold night.

~~~

Chapter 1:

~~~

"Where am I?" Rhen wondered, shivering as the chilly wind flowed and passed her body.

She got up and discovered that she was in a dark and windy forest. It was new moon, so the forest felt eerie,

not a soul in sight. The swishing sound of the leaves stirred up by the cold breeze, bats flying to feed, deep

howling of a lone wolf, all of it made her goosebumps. When she was about to faint, a glimpse of light got her

attention.

"What's that? Some kind of orb?" Rhen thought as she moved nearer to the unknown sources. Finally the

forest grew totally dark again. And a beautiful, melodious voice rang throughout the forest.

"You must come, my child...The time has come...Prepare yourself..."

"Who are you? And what do you want from me?" Rhen yelled, uncertainly where the voice came from.

"Follow the dreamer...she will tell you what is to be done..." And the voice stopped.

"What dreamer? What is it that I have to do? And who are you? Where are you?" But it seems that she was

just talking to herself.

Suddenly the forest vanished, and she realised that she had woke up, sweating and noticed that she is in her

room.

~~~~~

Rhen looked around her room blankly, it was just a few hours after dawn. A speck of sunlight shone through

the curtain and into her eyes. Sweats flowing down her forehead and soaked her clothes.

"It wasn't real, it was a dream. That's all," said Rhen in relief.

~~~~~

"Rhen, are you alright? Hello?!? Anyone there?" Nina shook Rhen's shoulder as they walked around the park.

It was a cozy, sunny spring afternoon in Clearwater. Cool breeze swept across the highland of the West Isle.

Flowers were blooming from their bud, trying to show off their beauty to their friends. Birds were singing

their melodious songs to their partners, chirping happily high up on the trees. Squirrels came out of their

"house" and having fun, squeaking loudly like a group of playful children.

"Wh-What? What happened? What's the problem?" Rhen snapped off from her day-dreaming and realised that

her friend was staring at her.




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"The problem is you, Rhen. You hadn't talk since this morning. You didn't even touch your lunch. Are you

feeling well?" Nina asked, worried about her.

"It's okay. I'm fine. I was just thinking about something just now." Rhen reassured her. She was trying to get

some sense out from the dream that she had.

"Are you sure? Oh my!" Nina gasped. "You look pale, Rhen! Do you want me to bring you home?"

"Nah, I'm alright. There's nothing wrong with me. Could you help me pass a message to Ma that I'll be back

home late?"

"Err...Sure, I guess. Take care of yourself, and don't get home so late, okay?"

"Mmm..." And without a word, Nina left.

~~~~~

"I wonder what happened to Rhen today. She's not her usual self at all." Nina thought as she was on the way

to Mr. Darzon's house.

"She's not like her old self: a talkative person, an apple of everyone's eyes, and seldom...or I should say...never

feel troubled before since the day I met her. I wonder what's going on?" She reached the porch and knocked

on the door.

"Oh hi there, Nina. What a day. What can I do for you today? Come in and have a cup of tea." said Mrs.

Darzon, standing by the opened door.

"Well good day Mrs. Darzon, thanks for your offer," Nina stepped in and sat at the dining table.

"Here you go..." Mrs. Darzon putting the cup of tea on the dining table.

"Thank you very much." Nina said and took a sip.

"So what can I help you with at this moment, dear?" Mrs. Darzon asked, as she prepared dinner.

"Oh, it's just Rhen. She wants me to tell you that she'll be coming home late for dinner. That's all."

"Oh okay, thank you. Please make yourself at home, you must be tired." She said with a big smile on her face.

There was a long pause and Nina decided to break the silence.

"Umm, Mrs. Darzon?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"There's something I want to talk to you about."

Mrs. Darzon put down her cooking knife, took off her apron, and sat down beside Nina.

"Well dear, what's that you want to talk about?"




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"Well...I don't know where to start...It's about Rhen actually..."

And Nina had a longest talk with Mrs. Darzon or anyone else in her life.

~~~~~

"Who's voice was that? And what has come? Most importantly, who's the dreamer that I need to follow?"Rhen was still thinking about the dream as she strolled around the park.

A butterfly flew past her and Rhen stopped to take a look at it. It turned and fluttered around her. It ended in

front of her.

"Oh my! Where did you come from? Why, you are the strangest thing I've ever seen!" Rhen exclaimed.

She stretched out her hand and the butterfly flew lower and landed on her palm. Suddenly, there was light

glowing from it and Rhen found out that she was not at Clearwater anymore.




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Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Strange Encounter

Rhen's eyes flickered, then open like she has just woke up from a long sleep.

She was in a pile of snow, the only thing she saw was snow, snow and more snow. She cupped her hands at

her mouth in an attempt to keep herself warm.

"Brr...Wh-What a wea-weather!"

She walked around, exploring the land of snow.

"Wh-Where am I?" She talked to herself. Suddenly she was taken by surprise when she heard a voice.

"Hel...Help...Me..."

Rhen followed the voice and she saw a woman, lying on a side, near a cliff edge. She wore a neat, gothic-like

dress with a white hood.

"Wh-What is th-this place? Wh-Who are you?" Rhen tried to speak properly but her tongue got numb by the

cold chill.

"P...Please...We must go back through the portal..."

"P-Portal?" Rhen asked as she didn't see anything there, besides them.

"It will t-take us back..." The woman pointed South and Rhen finally saw it.

"Come...Let me help you." Rhen held her shoulder and brought her to the portal as the woman leaned heavily

against Rhen.

A second ago, they were in the cold, snowy land. In a blink of an eye, they were back in the cozy, warm,

spring Clearwater.

"Pa! Pa! Come quick!" Rhen yelled as soon as she saw her dad.

"Rhen! My dear, are you okay? Ma and I have been looking for you all over the place. Where have you been?

I'm worried sick about you." Pa stopped a few feet away from her as soon as he saw a stranger standing beside

her daughter.

"Who is this stranger?" Pa asked, sternly.

"I don't know daddy, but she is hurt." Rhen replied as Pa noticed that the stranger was wounded.

"Is that you Tailor? I have come...It is time..." The priestess (who Rhen don't know that she is) spoke weakly.

"Daddy, you know each other?" Rhen questioned Pa, curiously.

"...I must get her back to the cottage." Pa didn't know how to answer her. He helped Rhen to carry the

priestess back to their house and laid her gently on Pa's bed.


Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Strange Encounter 7


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"Her injuries were serious." Pa mumbled, and then faced Rhen.

"Rhen, go get the herbalist and bring her over. Quick!" Pa said, urgently.

"Erm, okay. I'll be right back dad." And without delay, Rhen rushed to the herbalist's house.

On the way to herbalist's house, she saw all the town folks were preparing for the festival. Ribbons over here,posters over there, all the decors had been prepared for tomorrow can be seen everywhere.

"The spring festival is tomorrow, how could have I forgotten about this?" She finally recalled this event at the

very moment.

On the herbalist's house, she knocked the door and a reply came from inside of the house: "Please come in."

The herbalist's house was neat and clean, all her herbs were put into the jars accordingly on the shelves,

medical books arranged alphabetically on the bookshelves, and an elderly woman was making some kind of

potion. Rhen was overwhelmed by the smell of herbs.

"Rhen! How is you mother and father? Can I get you anything?" the herbalist asked when she finished the

potion on the alchemy table.

"Hi Dyonna. Do you think you can come by our house now?"

"Is anything wrong dear?" the first thing she thought is Rhen's Ma or Pa. But she felt relieved when she was

wrong.

"No...er, sort of...I found this woman. She is hurt badly. Pa is watching over her, and Pa asked me to come and

get you." And Rhen mumbled: "Moreover, she's from nowhere." But she spoke so softly that Dyonna did not

hear her.

"oh dear, we should go then." Dyonna followed closely behind Rhen as they went to her house.

~~~~~

Tailor was sitting beside Talia, the priestess who was with Rhen. He was holding her hand, touching her

forehead, trying to figure out who had done this serious damage to her.

"Tailor...Are you there?" Talia asked, softly.

"Yes I'm here, Talia. How are you feeling?"

"Not good at all..." Talia gave him a weak smile.

"Who did this to you?" Tailor crossed his eyebrows.

"It's the demon Agas, one of the daevas who was rescued by his master, Ahriman."

"...So he's back, doesn't he?" sighed Tailor.

"Yes...I'm sorry Tailor...I shouldn't been here."




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"It's not your fault. What we can do now is to protect the last heir of Pendragon family from him."

"Yes." Talia agreed.

"Looks like I can't keep this a secret anymore..." Tailor sighed again.

"We'll eventually tell her the truth somehow in the future." There was a short pause and the priestesscontinued: "I'll protect the child at any cost."

"No, No. You won't be able to until you recovered." Tailor teased her.

"You haven't change abit, don't you?" Talia asked, sarcastically.

"Yep, nothing's changed. Just like old days." He rolled his eyes.

~~~~~

Rhen and Dyonna the herbalist stepped in to the Darzon's residence and go upstairs.

"She's up here in Pa's bed." Rhen pointed the way as they reached the second floor.

The herbalist went beside the bed and examined the woman carefully, then said: "This is a serious injury but I

can fix it in no time." Rhen and Pa let out a sign of relief.

"Dyonna will help our guest get better." Pa spoke as they watched the herbalist do her "magic".

"Who is she Pa?" Rhen wanted to know the truth between her dad and the woman.

"...She is a priestess from a faraway land."

"A real live priestess! You two know eath other?" Rhen said, surprised.

"Yes...A longtime ago."

"Oh...Erm Pa?"

"Yes?"

"Why would someone - a priestess - from a lifetime ago come here to see us?" curiously getting the better of

her.

"..." Pa didn't know where to start.

"Should I tell her the truth, or maybe some time later?" Pa was struggling with his mind. Finally, he sighed.

"We will talk about it later dear. Go find your mother, I believe she has things for you to do." She stopped a

while and carried on: "The festival is only one day away, there is a lot of work to be done." And without a

sign of complain, Rhen walked out.

"Take a rest." Rhen heard her dad's voice when she was in the hallway.




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~~~~~

"Dear, your little friend Nina stopped by while you were out. She told me she was going to the meadow to

gather flowers for the festival. I need you to take this basket and bring me some flowers as well." Ma told

Rhen in the kitchen.

"Do I have to, Ma?" Rhen started to complain.

"Oh, it won't be that bad! Now, fine me Marionbell flowers, and then you can play." said Ma with a smile.

"Humph! Oh, I mean yes, Ma" And without another grumble, she headed for the meadow.

~~~~~

"Oh hi Rhen. Good to see you again." Nina yelled as soon as she saw Rhen.

"Oh hi there." Rhen replied with a grumble under her breath.

"What's wrong Rhen?"

"My mom 'forced' me to get flowers for the festival."

"It's not that bad, is it?"

Rhen stared at her for a while, then sighed.

"Well ya, I guess."

"Great, now let's prepare for the festival!" Nina was getting excited about the festival tomorrow.

~~~~~

"Well, that's the last." Rhen plucked the Marionbell flower and put it into her basket.

"Wow! What a time. Looks like dusk is approaching, it'll soon be night. You don't want to be late getting

home again, do you?" Nina reminded her as she carried her basket full of colourful flowers.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye Rhen!" and she rushed back to the village.

A few minutes later, she realised that she was in the front porch of her house.

"Time flies, doesn't it?" Rhen asked herself.

"Here are your Marionbells, Ma." Rhen handed over the basket to her mother.

"Why, they are lovely! Well thank you my dear. Oh my, how quickly days has slipped by!" Her mother

checked the time.

"Time for your bed dear." Her mom ushered her to her bedroom.




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"Good night Ma!"

"Sweet dreams, my dear."

Rhen walked into her room and noticed that Pa was still sitting beside the mysterious priestess, the herbalist

was nowhere in sight.

She shrugged and get ready for a long night's sleep.




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Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Kidnapped

Somewhere far away from Rhen's house, from Clearwater, from the West Isle...

Ahriman is sitting on the throne, filled wit hanger and hatred. He wore a dark leather cloak, the hood hid his

demonic face.

"AGAS! WHERE ARE YOU?!" he roared.

"I'm here, sire. What can I help you, sir?" Agas ran across the hallway and kneeled down on his knee in

respect to his master.

"I wanted to ask you...Where is the priestess daeva?"

"She's dead, Sire"

"You lie! I see her in my dreams."

"But sire, I st-struck her down!"

"FOOL!" the roar echoed throughout the castle and it made the general overwhelmed with fear and

goosebumps.

"But perhaps it's for the best. I've changed my mind. I would prefer her to live." His voice subsided to a low

rumble like a hungry beast.

"I don't...understand, sire." Agas stammered.

"Death is but a swift excape. I want the priestess to suffer. A slave suffers a lifetime." Ahriman let out a widewicked smile.

"So you shall have her enslaved, sire? But how?" Agas looked at him curiously.

"I have a new servant who wishes to become a daeva, he knows the land where the priestess had fled to."

"He wishes to be one of us, Sire? He must be dark, indeed."

"What a dumb fool you are..." thought Ahriman while looking at him. After a while, he roared in a

commanding voice.

"Dameon, show yourself!"

At the same moment, a man walked out. He wore a beautiful, snow-white robe with a sun engraved on its

back. The man bowed to his master and turned his face to Agas.

"It's a sun priest!" Agas hissed.

"Better. Sun druid. A sun guardian." Said Ahriman proudly.

"Better? How can this be better? Aren't you afraid that he will destroy us?" Agas argued.


Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Kidnapped 12


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"The sun god has betrayed me, I work for him now." Dameon bowed to Ahriman again. "I know a slave trader

who will find the priestess a harsh master. My mother will get what she deserves!" he continued.

Agas grunted and growled under his breath. Ahriman laughed.

~~~~~

It's the spring festival in Clearwater. After she got out of bed, Rhen dressed and prepared herself to start this

festive day. When she was on the way to the front porch of the house, she noticed the priestess was standing

in the living room, as if waiting for her.

"Hello ma'am. How are you feeling today?" Rhen smiled brightly.

"Good morning, Chosen One."

"Er, whatever." Rhen rolled her eyes. "This woman is obviously a nutter." she thought.

"So, daddy says he knows you." Rhen tried to be friendly to her as much as possible.

"Your father...Yes, we know each other from a long time ago."

The priestess asked for her hand: "Child, I have something for you. Take this, it will offer you protection."

And she gave Rhen her priestess ring. Rhen received the ring unwillingly.

"Please child, keep the ring on at all times. This is very important." The priestess pleaded her. So, Rhen

followed her "request" and put the ring on.

"This strange woman's request is silly but compelling." Rhen thought. "Who are you?" she asked.

"I'm a priestess from a land far away. I have come to protect you."

"But I don't need protection. I'm not a four-year-old child." Rhen complained.

The priestess decided to tell her the truth but her instinct told her not until the time has come.

"We shall talk more tomorrow. Remember, keep the ring close." And she went into her bedroom and rest.

Rhen left the house as nothing had happened before and headed for the festival.

~~~~~

"Good morning! Are you enjoying the festival?" Pa saw Rhen when she was buying cotton-candy.

"Yes dad. I enjoy the festival very much!" Rhen said with a mouth full of cotton-candy.

They walked around as the mayor called out them.

"Hey Tailor! Oh hi Rhen!" he wore a tuxedo with a grey bow-tie.

"Good morning Mr. Mayor." Rhen and her dad greeted in unison.

"So Tailor, where is that strange woman you'd brought into town? We're all eager to know more about her!"




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"Err, she's just a friend of mine from..." And they carried on the conversation and Rhen stood there looking

around the village. She noticed a red-haired guy waving at her. She slipped away from the crowd and walked

to the entrance of a nearby cave. She noticed the guy standing beside it. It was Peter, one of her classmate.

"Psst! Rhen!" Peter whispered.

"Peter, what are you doing?"

"Me and Nina are going to chase Billy Harper's sheep! Wanna come?"

"Of course!" Since she was kind of bored with the festival, Rhen nodded.

"Great! Meet us outside the village by the old sheep pen at the half mark. Bye!"

Rhen was about to say "Okay!" to him but he vanished into the cave.

"Oh well." She shrugged.

~~~~~

Rhen was walking in the cave and she noticed a big guy looking around.

"I think he's lost." She thought. She stopped in front of him and try to be nice.

"G'morning sir, are you looking for the village?"

"Yes, is it far from here?" The stranger looked at her suspiciously.

"Not far at all, just up that way." She pointed towards the cave entrance. The ring the priestess gave her

sparkled eerily in the darkness.

"Oh my, that's a lovely ring you are wearing there." He exclaimed. Rhen put her hand back to her pocket.

"Well, thanks for the nice compliment." Rhen forced herself to smile warmly at him.

"Say, for being such a kind dear, I would like to give you a gift."

"Wow! A gift? Are you sure?" Rhen was wondering why she was so lucky today.

"For one more look at that beautiful ring, you can have anything."

"If it means that much to you..." And Rhen showed the stranger the priestess ring again.

"Yess, that's a beauty. Would not want to lose that." He sounded deeply. "Looks like I've found her, Lord

Ahriman." He thought.

The stranger grabbed Rhen puts a slave bracelet on her wrist. Rhen struggled to get free, but the man got a

strong iron grip on her.

"Ouch! Let me go! What's the meaning of this?!" She yelled in shock.




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"Don't play games with me priestess, I know who you are. My master sends his regards." The stranger

snatched the priestess ring out of her finger.

"Priestess?! I'm not a priestess! Who are you?" She's frightened.

"Ts'k, Ts'k! I'm a slave trader, and you can't fool me. I recognise your ring."

"It's not my ring!" She protested.

"Right, you're going to tell me you borrowed it? A priestess would never take off her guardian ring. Even a

fool will know that."

"Well, er, taker off this slave bracelet or I'll...I'll...Blast you with holy power! Yeah!"

"Ha! How is that bracelet fitting, my dear? Snug I hope? My master assured me with that on, your powers

would be useless!" He sneered at her.

"Time for you to face your new destiny as a slave! Ha Ha Ha."

"Noooooo!" Rhen yelled with all her might but her voice was lost in the noise of the festival's going on.

The slave trader threw Rhen in the rap-sack on his back and ran deeper into the cave, into the unknown.




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Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Enslaved

Rhen was put on a ship and taken to the Eastern Isles where the slave trade was flourishing. In the eastern city

of Ghalarah, Rhen is sold as a slave. Her belongings were stripped from her. All but the slave bracelet...

~~~~~

"Wake up! You lazy scum!" Miss Rona roared at her in her little room.

It had been three months since Rhen was enslaved.

"You better get up and do your chores or they will be no meals for you!" Miss Rona yelled and stepped out of

the room.

Rhen's new "house" was in a big mansion. But her master let her slept in a small filthy, dusty storeroom

(which had been cleaned to make a bedroom).

Rhen got herself ready, wore her slave cloth (which was ragged, full of stitches cloth) and prepared to work.

She looked at her daily what-to-do list which had been prepared by Miss Rona since the first day of her

staying.

"Need to get Master Lar's clothes from the town tailor and need to deal with the spiders in the attic, again."

Rhen sighed and started to work.

~~~~~

"This is the last of your life, spiders!" Said Rhen as she finished with the spider-in-the-attic- problem.

"I've killed the spiders, Mistress." Reported Rhen with disgust when she saw her in the living room.

"Stop dragging your feet, slave! Go do the rest of your chores!" Miss Rona scolded her like a lazy god,

roaming around the house. So Rhen headed for the tailor shop.

"Hello Rhen, what can I do for you?" Terlin the tailor welcomed her with a wide smile on her face.

"I've come to pick up Lars' travel clothes for Mistress Rona. Are they ready?"

"Oh yes! Here they are dear." Terlin gave the clothes to Rhen.

~~~~~

"Here are Lars' traveling clothes, Mistress." Rhen handed over the clothes as she was in the mansion. Miss

Rona snatched the clothes from her as if she will get the clothes dirty.

"Stop standing there you scum! Go do your chores!" Miss Rona scolded Rhen again.

"But I've finished all of the chores, Mistress. May I go out and play?" she had not playing with other children

in the city for three months (Wow, poor girl).

"Of course not!" Rhen's mood dropped as she heard the answer.


Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Enslaved 16


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Miss Rona looked around the house and said: "Ugh! Where is the son of mine? Go find Lars, you lazy girl,

and tell him to come home for supper."

"Yes Mistress." Without a complain, Rhen headed out of the mansion.

~~~~~

"What a cozy night." Rhen talked to herself as she walked around while searching for Lars. The night sweeps

across Ghalarah, owls hooting in the trees. It's a full moon tonight, the moonlight shone on the city,

enlightened the darkness in the night. And there Rhen noticed Lars playing with his friends in a corner of the

city.

"Lars, Miss Rona said you're to come home and eat supper." Then told him, ignoring his friends.

"Was that a command? I'll go when I feel like going. No slave is going to tellmewhat to do." Said Lars

proudly. He was mean to Rhen since the day she came to their family as a slave.

Ylitta, one of Lars friend, looked at Rhen and said: "After three months, and the girl is stilltoodumb to

understand her place. Look how she talks to you!"

"Hey, what's that thing on her wrist?" Lars' other friend, Hector, asked.

"Her bracelet, I guess" Lars replied.

Ylitta looked at the bracelet on Rhen's wrist for a while and grunted: "Ha! My mom would never let one of

our slave girls wear something so nice."

Lars scolded Hector for messing around with him: "Shut up, Hector! The only reason she still wears the stupid

thing is because we can't get it off of her."

"Oh c'mon, let us pry if off of her!" Ylitta suggested excitedly and it made Rhen shuddered.

"No, wait, I have a better idea." Lars grinned and he faced at Rhen. "Slave girl, come here." And Rhen

followed.

"What is he going to do with me?" Rhen thought, butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

"Why? What do you want?" Rhen asked.

"I want to show my friends a little magic trick I've learned."

"Magic? Even I know that you're forbidden from using magic till the emissaries from Shadwood Academy

take you away."

"Ha! Who is going to tell them?You? I'll have you flogged for a day straight!" Lars teased.

He and his friends were laughing badly at Rhen, who was trying to slip away from these "weirdies", but Ylitta

grabbed her arm tightly. She had nowhere to go now.

"Hey! Let me go, you ugly---"




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Suddenly, a flash of light jumped from Lars to Rhen.

SMACK!

The slave bracelet snapped off Rhen's wrist.

"You...You could have killed me!" Rhen scolded Lars fueled by the anger stored in her body since the daythey went.

"But I didn't. Anyway, you're but a lazy slave girl. Who could care?" he snorted.

"Argh! My name is RHEN!" she yelled.

But they ignored her, laughing again at her silly behavior.

Ylitta stopped and said: "Guys, you know what? This slave girl reminds me of a foolish puppy I used to own

whose name was Peta. She seems to want a name, Lars. Maybe you should give her one?"

Lars agreed with her suggestion and considered. "Hmm, Peta. If it's good enough for a dog, it's good enough

for her. Slave girl, I hereby name you Peta!"

"Whatever..." Rhen grumbled under her breath.

"Hey Peta. Help me get a newspaper"

"Hey Peta Peta. Go and fetch the stick." Lars and his drones laughed out loud.

And Rhen left them alone, walking back to the mansion while grumbling all the way.

~~~~~

"You lazy scum! Where is my son Lars? It's almost supper and he's still not home yet!" Miss Rona questioned

impatiently.

"Lars is on his way now, Mistress." Rhen lied.

"Hmph! Did I hear you just talk back? NO supper for you! Go to bed!"

"But I'm starving..." Rhen started to complain.

"I said,go to sleep!"

"But---"

"NOW!" Miss Rona roared and the whole house shook.

Afterwards, Rhen went to sleep without a complain anymore.




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Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Enrollment

It was Sunday morning and Rhen woke up late, without being shouted at by Miss Rona ("It's unusual." Rhen

thought). After brushed her teeth, bathed squeaky clean, wore her slave cloth, she went downstairs and asked

for Miss Rona's permission to let her have a day off.

"Mistress, can I have a break for one day? Since it's Sunday, maybe I can going out and have some fresh air

---" Rhen almost finished her request but her mistress looked at her sternly.

"Of course not, you sloth!" She said as her face reddened. She stood at the flight of stairs and called: "Lars!

Are you there? You better hurry up pack your things! They're coming at any moment now!". But no reply

came.

"Where could he have been at this very moment?" mumbled Miss Rona as she went upstairs.

After a while, Miss Rona rushed downstairs, her face turned pale white, and said: "Oh dear, oh dear! Where is

Lars?! The emissaries will be here at any minutes!" She yelled at Rhen who was staring at her expressionless.

"Don't just stand there, go and get my son. You lazy worthless slave!"

"Yes, Mistress." Rhen replied and sighed in a soft voice before she went out.

~~~~~

"Where is that idiot? The envoys are about to pick him up soon and now he's nowhere to be seen. Ugh!" Rhen

talked to herself as she was on the way to the city marketplace, looking for Lars. Suddenly, there was a

scream followed by a sound from a corner of a shop.

SMACK!

"Ahh! Ahh!"

"What the heck?" Rhen thought. She ran to the source of the sound and she noticed Lars was doing some

willy-maggly-magik-thinggy to one of the slave. The slave boy saw Rhen, standing behind the big bully.

"Rhen! Help me, Rhen!" Eddie the slave boy yelled.

"What do you think you're doing to that poor slave boy, Lars?" Anger flowed over Rhen.

"Ha! And who's going to stop me?You?!" Lars shoved Rhen, laughed at her and turned back to bully Eddie.

"Stop! Stop bullying me! Please..." Eddie's eyes was swollen and Rhen noticed his face was soaked with

running tears.

"How dare him?! He should learn a lesson for that!" Rhen thought, anger and hatred bubbling up in her. She

picked up a stick which was lying on the ground and crawled to her feet. With all her might, she unleashed

and thrusted the stick at Lars.

Out of expectation, a bolt of lightning emitted from Rhen.


Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Enrollment 19


20/59

ZHRAZZM!

Lars was surprised what Rhen did.

"Ouch!" That's all what he can blurted out. "How?"

"I don't know..." Rhen said in a weak voice. "Am I doing this? What happened just now?" She thought, whowas also shocked.

"You're going to pay for that, you brat!" Lars yelled at her. Rhen dropped the stick, bewildered. Eddie ran

away, back to his master's house, yelling all the way home.

Rhen gulped. "This is bad..." She thought.

~~~~~

Two strangers walked into the city of Ghalarah. Ghelda (who wore a green mage robe, blond hair) was trying

to look for a student here. She was accompanied by his colleague, Lorad. He had a red wielder robe on, a long

sabre-like sword strapped to his waist, looking around the city.

"Are you sure this is the place?" Lorad asked his colleague.

"Yes, I'm sure of that" Ghelda replied.

"But what if ---" A sound of lightning caught his attention. They looked around and noticed a girl, wearing

ragged cloth, did some magik-thinggy to a green-haired noble-like guy, hand holding a stick, smokes coming

out of it. The girl dropped the stick afterward as the guy bullied her.

"Should we help that poor child?" Lorad asked.

"Yes. We'll try to sort things out." Ghelda nodded and they approached the kids.

Ghelda picked up the stick that was dropped by the purple, long-haired girl.

"Interesting." She said while examining the stick.

The green-hair guy faced them and said rudely: "This is none of your business, strangers!"

"This must be Lars. Harald said the child had a fiery temper." Lorad spoke to Ghelda softly.

"Yes. I thought Master Harald exaggerated, but apparently not." Ghelda replied and turned his head to faceLars, cleared his throat, and said: "I'm Ghelda, and this is Lorad ---" Who nodded his head to the kids " ---we

are the envoys that has come to take you to Shadwood Academy, Lars."

Lars turned red, while the little girl giggled in a corner. He pointed his finger to the girl and talked to the

envoys: "Thatslavetried to kill me. You saw her!"

Ghelda examined the girl and the stick which he's holding and told Lorad: "I can't feel her gift, but I'm sure I

saw her use magic."

The girl surprised and exclaimed: "Magic? Not me!"




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"That slave doesn't have the gift! She can't!" Lars spat.

"She doesn't have your gift, Lars. She hasn't have the gift of sorcery. If she did I would have felt it." Ghelda

reassured him.

She turned his head and told Lorad: "Did you felt it, sword singer?"

"I did, but it doesn't make any sense. She used a stick to draw power." replied Lorad suspiciously.

"That's impossible!"

"No, not impossible...improbable."

"Very odd indeed. I thought your kind only used metal to wield the power."

"Yes and no. We have no one who is strong enough to draw from astick, of all things." There was a short

pause and he continued. "There have been strong ones on generations past, but no one alive..."

"Until now."

"Yes. Until now." Both of them nodded.

~~~~~

Rhen was watching blankly at the strangers, who was called Lorad and Ghelda. She did not get what "sword

singer", "sorcerer" and "magic" meant. A pause came and both of the envoys turned and faced Lars and her.

The red robe guy, Lorad, cleared his throat and asked her.

"Girl, what's your name?"

"She's a slave, a nobody!" Lars interrupted.

"Rhen, Sir." She replied as Lorad and she ignored Lars.

"Is it true? You're a slave?"

"Yes. Yes, sir, it is true."

"Very well. You must travel to Veldarah where you can train at Shadwood Academy. You must present this

token to obtain admittance."

Lorad gave Rhen a gold token with an initial "L" at the back, and a picture of an old school at the front.

"You belong to the empress now." Lorad announced.

Lars spoiled the conversation again.

"What? You said it yourself, she doesn't have the gift!"

"The girl has sword magic, foolish boy. Like all magic wielders, including yourself, she now belongs to the

empress." Ghelda reassured him. She faced Rhen and said: "You're free, girl. A slave to none but the




22/59

empress."

"I'm free? I'mfree!" Rhen said with delight.

"NOOOOO!" Lars protested and fainted.

"Ghelda, please take Master Lars home. I'm sure his mother is waiting for us. I'll stay here to answer anyquestions the girl may have." Lorad said.

Ghelda rolled her eyes and took Lars home.

Lorad faced Rhen and asked: "So, do you have any questions so far?"

"Erm, may I know who are you?" Rhen asked.

"I'm Lorad Rethwell. I'm an emissary from Shadwood Academy and a sword singer, just like you will be one

day." spoke Lorad calmly. "My companion is the emissary Lady Ghelda Gentrie. She's a sorceress."

"What's a sword singer?"

"Sword singer use motion to draw magic. Most can only do this through metal. I'm amazed that you were able

to draw from a simple stick, untrained and unaided." spoke the emissary slowly. "I believe you will be very

strong one day,ifyou survive the training."

"Am I really free?" Rhen asked the question again, just to make sure if this wasn't a dream.

"Slaves who have gifts are, by law, decreed free."

"But I thought you said that I belong to the empress now? So, am I not still a slave?" asked Rhen, raising her

eyebrows.

"Child, all citizens of the empire belong to the empress. Slaves, peasants, nobles, and even sorcerers and

sword singers," Lorad laughed.

"So, when do I leave?"

"You can leave at any time. MIstress Ghelda and Lars will leave tomorrow morning at dawn. If the guards

give you problems, show them your token," replied Lorad while looking at his watch.

"Oh dear, I'll be late soon. Here, take this bag of pennies, you'll need it to pay for a night in Inn, since you

don't belong to anyone. Tomorrow we'll set off after sunrise, so please get ready before that time. I've got togo Lars' house now. Remember, keep safe and sleep well. You'll need it tomorrow." And he ran to the

mansion without saying goodbye to Rhen.

"Stupid slave! Today was to be Lars' special day, not yours!" roared Miss Rona at Rhen while she decided to

report back to her mistress. "Get out of my house and never come back!"

"Am I free to go?" asked Rhen innocently.

"The empress own you now! Are you too stupid to realize how lucky you are? Oh, and you're not welcome to

stay the night here." spatted Miss Rona. "Now that you'refree, you can find your own place to sleep,"




23/59

"Oh well." Rhen shrugged as she went out from her ex-mistress's house. She rented a room in the town inn

and fell into a deep sleep, but strangely, no nightmares occurred.

~~~

"Where's Lars?" Rhen asked while she was on the way to Veldarah with Lorad beside her.

"He's with Ghelda. They set off before dawn."

"Oh." And they didn't talk anymore on the rest of the walk. After a twenty minutes walk (which was a long

time for Rhen), they reached their destination.

It was a grand city in Veldarah. Buildings situated tightly together. A overcrowded place, the ringing of the

bicycles, the barking of the dogs, folks having their conversation, playful children playing tag, and the music

from the environment spiced up the place.

After walking down a few row of streets, they stood in front of a wooden double doors. It was a

thousand-year-old-like traditional academy, some paint were peeling off, vines creeping up along the walls.

"I guess it must have been a long history for this building." Rhen thought as she followed Lorad into the

academy.

It was a big contrast from the inside of the school compared to the outside. Chandeliers hanging on the

ceiling, sparkling and refracting the light to make the academy more lively, voices of lecturers teaching their

students echoing around, some old and worn-out statues standing along the hallway, as if the building was like

some kind of an ancient museum. Lorad snapped his finger in front of Rhen and spoiled her sight-seeing at the

academy.

"This is the headmaster's office. That's all I can do for you. Go inside and talk with him. He'll help you with

the accomodations." spoke Lorad. "And don't forget to give him the token. You'll need it to enroll."

"Thanks, Lorad."

"It's Master Lorad. That's what you'll be calling me for the rest of your training here. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yes, Master Lorad. Goodbye." Rhen was about to reply but the emissary had gone. She looked at the door in

front of her, took a deep breath, and entered the room.

Rhen had never been in such beautiful room, and for this she felt lucky. The room was large and filled with

expensive-looking sets of books, their spines immaculate, as though they had never been read. Most of the

room was occupied by a large, imposing desk and a few chairs.

"Hello there. How can I help you?" Rhen jumped someone was talking to her which she didn't noticed that

just now.

"W-Well, g'day sir." Rhen stammered.

"So, you want to be enrolled, don't you? Well then, token please." The headmaster stretched out his hand,

smiling brightly at her.

"I'm sorry?" Asked Rhen, who was still don't know what is the situation now.




24/59

"If you don't have a token from an accredited sorcerer or sword singer, you'll have to leave. This academy is

for gifted students only."

Rhen realised just then and stuffed her bag and gave him her token. The token examined and said aloud: "Ah!

So you're one of Lorad's wards. It has been a long time since he has signed for anyone. You must be special

some how."

Rhen blushed as she heard the compliments.

"Well anyway, take these." Said headmaster as he handed her a bedroom key and a schedule over.

"By the way, I'm Master Harald. And I'm here to declare you officially as a novice sword singer in Shadwood

Academy. The key is to your room, where you can keep your things and rest. You'll also find your student

clothing in a wardrobe in your room. Please change into your new uniform as soon as possible."

There was a short pause followed. Harald cleared his throat and continued.

"The schedule has your classes for this year. Don't miss any of them or I'll have your hide. When you're

promoted from novice to apprentice, you'll get to choose your classes. That is, if you're not destroyed before

hand."

Rhen stared at the headmaster blankly, although the "speech" finished. Harald noticed her expression and

asked: "Is there any questions so far?"

"Well, I might have one. How can I be promoted from novice to apprentice?"

"You'll need to undergo a test with your tutor in order to become an apprentice. That's all that I can tell you.

Any other questions?"

Rhen shook her head.

"If that so, please get ready for the class tomorrow and have some sleep. You must be tired from the long

journey." Harald went to the door and sent her out.

~~~

"Uh oh. I think I'm lost." Rhen talked to herself as she was looking around at the corridors,indecisively where

to go. Fortunately, she saw a girl walking along the hallway. Without a second thought, Rhen ran after her.

"Excuse me? You there!" Rhen yelled. The girl came to a stop and looking at the direction where the voice

came from.

"I'm so...Sorry. Can you bring me...To the girl's dormitories?" Rhen panted. She took a deep breath and

continued: "Please? I'm kinda lost."

~~~

Rhen tried to unlock the door with her bedroom key, and the door unlocked.

CLICK!




25/59

It was a simple, small room. A single bed occupied most of the area. Sun ray shone through a window at a

side. While unpacking her suitcase, Rhen found a student outfit in the wardrobe situated beside the bed. She

put on her student outfit. With disdain she tossed out her slave clothes into the trash bin.

"I better get some sleep." Rhen yawned, brushed her teeth, and headed off to bed to get a good night's rest.




26/59

Chapter 6: Chapter 6: The Trial

Miles away, in Ahriman's Lair. The dark daeva sitting on his throne, awaiting an answer from his "servant".

Hoping the priestess had suffered for good. Then, someone knelt before him and pulled him back to reality.

"What news have you, sun priest?" Asked Ahriman, waiting for an answer to please him.

"None good, sire. The slave trader captured the wrong woman, a girl actually." Dameon spoke softly

gradually till it came to whisper. "He paid clearly for his mistake, I made sure of that."

"And why would the fool make such a mistake?" Spoked the dark daeva impatiently.

"The priestess gave her guardian ring to a girl. A priestess never removes her guardian ring, not for anything."

Damien replied, without the guts to look at his master's expression. "We could not have guessed that this

would happen."

"Interesting. Why would a priestess do such a thing?"

"I don't know sire. But I do think it's ironic that the woman would give her most valued possession to a

peasant" Dameon stopped a while, thinking for solution. "Should I send assassins to dispose of the girl?"

"Don't you dare tell me to waste resources on a girl of no importance! Find the priestess and kill her! No more

mistakes!" Ahriman roared, face became reddened.

Dameon bit his lip. After a while, Agas approached them and bowed before Ahriman.

"Sire, the demon portal has been opened, the daevas are arriving as we speak." Reported Agas.

"Excellent. Has Indra passed through the portal yet?"

Agas was about to answer as a soft, hissing voice interrupted.

"I'm here, Sire." Spoke Indra. She wore a sky-blue silk-made gown, pale-blue hair stood until her waist,

crimson-red eyes shone in contrast with her pale-blue face. She slipped past Agas, kissed Dameon's hand and

that made him twitched, and greeted the dark daeva.

"It feels good to be on the other side. So much destruction to spread in so little time. What need have you of

me?"

"Who's this girl the sun priest speaks of? Can you read her part in the apocalypse?" Ahriman asked.

"Who is this girl you speak of sun priest? What more can you give me?" Indra asked with her hissing accent.

"Her name is Rhen. A slave trader gave me a lock of her hair. Will this help your reading?" Dameon spoke as

he handed Indra the lock of Rhen's hair. She sniffed and examined it. After a while her eye opened widely and

hissed and cursing in a different language, as if she'd been under a curse.

"What do you see, demon?" Ahriman asked as his curiosity took hold of him.

"She'll destroy you." Indra said with a devilish grim.


Chapter 6: Chapter 6: The Trial 26


27/59

"Then she dies" Said Ahriman sarcastically. Dameon grunted and Agas rolled his eyes, but Ahriman ignored

them.

"But if you destroy her, so shall we also be destroyed." Continued Indra.

"No more riddles, demon! How do we survive?"

"The sun priest is the key. He must turn her to our ways, she must become one of us."

"So be it." Ahriman nodded.

After the conversation closed, a few daevas came out from the demon portal.

"We have all arrived, Sire." One of the daevas spoke.

"Excellent. Now that you're all here, it's time for you to destroy the Isle." Said Ahriman.

"Sire, I would like to make kind suggestion for the good of us all." Dameon interrupted.

"Speak sun priest!" Commanded Ahriman.

"Attack the druids, take their shrines."

"The human is right. The druids are inherent to our destruction. We should eliminate them first." Indra added,

pleased by the thought of destruction.

"It shall be done...Release your darkness upon the foreign lands, children! Show this paltry world the power of

the daevas!" Roared Ahriman.

Cheers and roars followed like thunder as the daevas stepped back into the portal, eager to release hell uponthe world.

~~~~~

Meanwhile back at the academy...Time flew like a small pile of sand slipped past your finger. A year had

gone, and Rhen excelled in her swordsmanship. During this time, Lars had made her life miserable. He spread

rumors that she became a slave because she was a thief. To her dismay, he kept up with her progress every

step of the way. He had already passed the trials and earned the status of apprentice. Today, Rhen had been

summoned by the teachers to perform the trials. If she succeeded, she will rise from the status of novice to

apprentice.

She woke up earlier than usual on the trial day. She had a hard night's sleep, too worried by the trials the next

day. After she had buckled up, Rhen "marched" out of her room and went to see her tutor, hoping for the best,

praying word. Along the way, all students came and cheer her up.

"Best of luck, Rhen!"

"We'll waiting for your good news, Rhen!"

"Don't be nervous during the trials!"




28/59

And some of the "jerks" that Rhen hated bumped onto her and teased.

"Hey, hold the sword with the hilt facing your nose!"

"I don't want to miss the moment to see the loser!"

They laughed uncontrollably at her. Even worse, Lars was one of them. Nevertheless, Rhen walked past andignored them. In a distance away, she saw Master Lorad waiting for her in the trial dojo.

"Good morning Rhen! I can see that you had quite sufficient of sleep yesterday, don't you?" He looked at her,

waiting for her expression. Rhen bit her lip, butterflies fluttering in her stomach. Lorad continued with a

serious tone. "Anyway, the trials are a serious matter, not to be underestimated. Are you ready for this?"

"Yes." Rhen spoke with confident, covering her nervous tone.

"Well then, let the trial begin!"

~~~~~

Lorad was waiting for Rhen, trying to read her moves. She ran forward, trying a downward slash at his arm

but he dodged away swiftly. Rhen only succeeded in hitting the ground, putting her off balance. While Rhen

tried to get a grip of herself, Lorad took the opportunity, trying to strike her on the back with the hilt of his

sword, finishing the trial. But Rhen seems to know his move, out of a sudden executing a perfect side spin,

missing him, barely.

While they were fighting, sound of cheers echoed throughout the dojo. But both of them blocked the sound, as

if they were fighting in a deep forest.

"Well, well, well. Looks like our little friend here had improved quite a hit. Haven't you?" Lorad teased,

happy with her performance.

"And I should thank you for teaching me all the way here." Rhen replied sarcastically.

"Let's see if she can avoid this..." Lorad thought. He lifted his sword, positioning it to his abdomen, and

started chanting spells.

"Iqneo, Astao, Flisva, Holivaq, Raknu!"He targeted his sword to Rhen's direction. He swung his sword at a

distance.

"Trinity Fury!" Yelled Lorad. A magic holy cross, burning with bright white flame, released from the tip of

his glowing sword, the shot aimed at Rhen's chest..

"Dancing Swan!" Rhen yelled suddenly in the nick of time, dodging his attack and the cross hit the wall

behind her. Rhen ran towards him again, leaping side to side, lashing out with her sword, balancing on a foot

every time she leap like dancing Swan Lake.

"How did she do that? I'd never taught her that skill before!" Thought Lorad, astonished.

Rhen suddenly appeared behind him while he was deeply in his thought.




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"Master, you shouldn't let your guard down." Rhen teased. "Slide Thrust!" She yelled, thrusting her sword

with all her might.

~~~

Rhen panted after she did the final blow. Her sword broke when the tip of blade stroke the ground yet again,

off balanced. The trial dojo broke into silence suddenly. No one cheered or making noises. Lars and hiscronies were looking whether Rhen was defeated or not. After a short while, Master Harald appeared from

nowhere, accompanied by Master Lorad. They exchanged glances and looked at Rhen.

Lorad cleared his throat and said: "I'm impressed and pleased with your performance today. Excellent."

"Brava, novice. Or I should call you from now on - the apprentice sword singer." Added the headmaster.

Rhen blushed like a red rose on a spring day. She didn't know what to say, still dazed by her moment of glory.

Cheers and Hoorays roaring from the spectator stand.

"Well anyway congratulations, girl. You deserved this new class schedule." Lorad praised and handed over

the apprentice schedule to Rhen. "Because you're an apprentice now, you get to choose your classes. You

must take the schedule to the class you wish to enroll in. If the instructor thinks you're suitable enough for the

class, you'll be able to attend it." Then Lorad excused and leave Rhen with the headmaster.

"Congratulation, child! You're one step closer to becoming a sword singer. You should be very proud of

yourself. Do you have anything before I go on with my other business?" Said Master Harald with a smile on

his face.

"I might have one. How am I become a full ledged sword singer?"

"To become a sword singer, you must do a deed of great bravery and return to us with proof of the deed."

"Hmm, a great, bravery deed..." Rhen thought.

"Well, go and get some rest now. You must be exhausted from the trial just now. I'll see you tomorrow."

And so Rhen walked back to the girl's dormitories (she got a lot of cheers and compliment on the way) and hit

the bed like a dead fish. That night she dreamed again.




30/59

Chapter 7: Chapter 7: A Quest Unfolded

This time she was back in the forest again. Some of the landscapes are similar to the forest before but this time

there was an eerie silence, as if all the critters in the forest are in hibernation. No bats, no swishing sound, no

howling wolf. At this moment, the same melodious voice echoed through the forest.

"Rhen...Put on the ring...I can't find you...Put on the ring..." The voice faded afterward.

"Who...Who are you? Priestess?" Rhen asked but heard no reply. "Are you there? Anyone?"

Before she realised something she had already woke up. The blazing sun lightened up the whole room, to the

depths of her dream as she woke up, dazed and a little confused.

~~~

"What a strange dream, was that the strange priestess I saved so long ago?" thought Rhen while she was

getting herself dressed. "I think I should go find the priestess ring that the slave trader stole from me." She

went into town to do some detective work on the stolen ring.

"From what I've heard, he sold it to a junk dealer in Veldarah," said Rhen to herself after her research on the

slave trader. "I think I better go there and see if he still has it." without another thought she ran to the junk's

store a stone's throw away.

~~~

"Good day, ma'am. Feel free and have a look, and you might have something to buy from me." the junk dealer

welcomed Rhen with a smile on his face, fit for a jester.

Rhen explored the shop and noticed most of them were useless to her: a broken wand, a glass for nerd, amalfunction compass, etc. Until something caught her attention.

"How much does this birdcage and the mirror cost?" asked Rhen as she saw the fancy mirror and the birdcage

with an empty bowl in it.

"There will be 400 pennies at least."

"Wow! That's a highway robbery!"

"Well, take it or leave it."

And without bargain Rhen paid him rather unwillingly. As she was on her way out, she saw a lovely, beautiful

silver ring with a sapphire engraved on it. She gasped as she saw the ring that the priestess gave her when they

met in Clearwater a year ago.

"Sir, how much does this ring cost?" yelled Rhen, excitement getting the best of her.

"The replica of a priestess ring? 10 gold pennies at the very least!"

"Wow, that's expensive! I can't imagine how much an original priestess ring would cost!" said Rhen,

wondering if it's actually a replica or not.


Chapter 7: Chapter 7: A Quest Unfolded 30


31/59

"An original would be priceless thing to die for, ma'am."

And~ so Rhen paid the junk dealer for the ring as soon as possible, to her last penny.

"What a luck." thought Rhen. She wore the ring back on her finger. When she was about to leave, someone

appeared in front of her.

"You! It's you! The woman! The priestess!" exclaimed Rhen in shock.

"I have finally found you." spoke the priestess with a hushed but sweet tone.

"How did you find me?" Rhen barely managed to get a hold of herself from excitement.

"The ring. While you wore it. I knew where you were, but shortly after I gave it to you, you disappeared from

me." there was a pause and she continued. "Now that you've touched it again."

"I was supposed to meet Peter by the sheep pen. But right outside the village, a slave trader caught me. He

took the ring and sold it," explained Rhen while she was trying to recall that fateful incident happened a year

ago. "He sold me too, as a slave."

"Sold you? You're a slave?"

"No. Not anymore."

"Where is this place?"

"This is a city called Veldarah. Other than that, I'm clueless."

"So, you're in the Eastern Empire."

"I suppose so, ma'am. Can you take me home?"

"Home's a long way away, Rhen. You're safer here."

"Is something wrong?"

"..." Again, the priestess stayed silent, unwillingly to tell her the truth, yet.

"I must leave you now. I will need my ring back for the time being."

And Rhen took off the ring, passed it back to the priestess.

"Wait! Where're you going? And who... What are you?" Rhen made a move to stop her as the priestess was on

her way heading out of the shop.

"I'm going to see the empress. We have much to talk about. Meet me there in a span." reassured the priestess.

"Oh, and my name is Talia. That's all you need to know for now." and just like that, she disappeared from the

doorway, on her way to see the Mighty Empress.

~~~




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"Is this the child, priestess?" asked the empress of Veldarah.

"Yes, empress, she's the one." replied Talia.

"Hmm. The lost daughter. She does resemble her mother, has her mother's eyes,"

"And her father, beautiful child she is,"

"Yes. Her teachers tell me she'll become a powerful sword singer. Traits coming from both her parents."

"what are you talking about? My father's a shoemaker and my mother's a seamstress." Rhen didn't know what

were they going on about.

"So, she doesn't know of her parent's past," said the empress as she examined Rhen.

"It's for the best." replied Talia.

"Know what?" asked Rhen, feeling left out like a lone puppy.

"It's not important. Have you made sure priestess? That she's the one? You can't deny the incident that

happened to you when you were young." the empress asked Talia.

"We tried to stop the prophecy in her infancy, but it was not to be. I believe that she is the one."

"Prophecy? What do I have to do with any of this?" asked Rhen again. She was trying to make some senses

from them but no avail.

"Girl, you must talk to the oracle. She'll know if you're the chosen one." the empress told Rhen and she

cleared her throat and she yelled.

"Oracle, show yourself!"

Just then an old woman appeared beside the empress. She wore a green silk fabric robe, silvery hair on her

head, like a snake her eyes were alert and darted around, daring anyone to come closer.

"Telin De' Baron, you have summoned me?" asked the oracle, using the empress's name but the empress didn't

seems to wind it.

"Yes. We need your guidance, wise one." the empress ushered the still puzzled Rhen to the oracle. The oracle

touched Rhen with a bony finger, a wave of dizziness came over Rhen as she was filled with the oracle's aura.

"What's this I see? A child with a strange aura?" asked the oracle while examining Rhen.

"The priestess says that the child is the prophesied one." replied the empress.

"Indeed." agreed the oracle, lifting her finger off Rhen as Rhen steadied herself against the wall.

"Dreamer, is that you? How be it that you have left the dream?" She saw Talia when she turned and asked.

"That can't be! Priestess, you're the Guardian of Dreams now?" the empress exclaimed.




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"I was summoned by the oracle for the position many years ago." replied Talia calmly.

"The Guardian of Dreams can't walk among the awaken ones! How do you came out?"

"'Beware lest the dreamer wakes'. I'm the guardian, and I'm awake. Ahriman's demons have taken the

dreamland over, empress."

"So, Ahriman's minions have arrived." spoke the oracle, deep in thought.

"Yes. I came for the girl as soon as I fell." Talia answered as she gave Rhen a quick wink.

"You have done a good job, for the girl is the one. However, her future seems uncertain for me...like a shadow

in a foggy night."

"Now that she's here. What should we do?"

"She must gather all of the druids and bring them to the sun temple in Aveyond."

"Can't you call them yourself?"

"I've tried. But I'm still bound to the dreamland as the guardian heard."

"Ahriman." said the empress suddenly.

"I must go now. Dreamer, you must come to the temple surely. Rest does not come easily to you, Dreamer.

Come to me soon. The nightmare is just starting. Sad to say, truly sad." the oracle vanished into thin air and

silence in the palace came in with a few of curious glances and muffled speech.

"I'll inform your teachers of your departure." spoke the empress.

"I have to leave?" asked Rhen as she snapped from the hypnotic silence.

"Yes. But I don't think you should travel alone. Find a companion to take with you."

"I'll go with her." Lars came out from his hiding place and bowed to his cousin. It made Rhen jumped as she

bumped into a palace maid carrying a glass of water to the empress.

"No please, empress, anyone but him!" Rhen begged.

"You're still a student, Lars." the empress raised her eyebrow.

"I'm one of the strongest magic wielders in the empire, even if I'm sill an apprentice." said Lars proudly.

"It's true. Well then, extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. You can company her," she

approved.

Rhen groaned. Talia gave her a sharp punch to her arm stopping her from bellowing.

"What the elitist brat could be up to?" Rhen wondered.




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"Thank you, Exalted One. I must go pack now. I'll be waiting in my room, Rhen" Lars flashed a toothy smile

at her and walked away. Rhen rolled her eyes, not wanting to do anything with him for now.

"Good luck on your journey." ended the empress. Rhen in pace with Talia while she off to pack her things for

the journey ahead.

"Rhen, you must find the druids and take them to Aveyond. The druids are Daena the Wise, Vata or FatherTime, Rashnu the Dark, Eithera the Strong, Vouh Manah the Bard, Armaiti the Green, Daemon the Sun Priest,

and me of course. I'm Talia the Dreamer.

"Oh dear... I suppose you're having hard time memorising the druids now." teased Talia.

"So... There's eight druids to be escorted, including you. All right then, I'll go and pack now." she was off

again down the hall as she made a mental note of the druids' name.

~~~

"Ready to go, Peta?" asked Lars when Rhen came to pick him up.

"Stop calling me that!" answered Rhen with a nudge to his shoulder.. "Why did you offer to come with me?

Insist, actually! You hate me, remember?"

"Poor Peta, you just don't understand, do you? I couldn't let a slave girl complete such an important quest

unaided." teased Lars and Rhen scowled.

"When I become High Sorcerer of the academy, I'll make sure that no slave trash ever gets into the school

again." mused Lars.

"And when I become High Sword Singer, I'll make sure that slavery is banned. Now let's go. We have a

longer journey ahead of us, unfortunately."

And so both of them look at the academy for the last time before they embarked on their journey.

"Let's meet Talia at the front gate of the city." said Rhen.

"You're not the boss of me," teased Lars with a chuckle.




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Chapter 8: Chapter 8: The North Isle

"Aww, how long we have to wait for her anyway? We've been waiting here for almost half an hour, and there

is no sight of that priestess yet. I'm getting mouldy here now, and my patient is very thin. You should know

that..." Lars complained while he was standing at the front gate of Veldarah.

"Would you please cut it out? You're driving me crazy now." snapped Rhen, irritated and annoyed by her

companion. "Besides that, I think she will be here right---" she stopped abruptly as she heard swishing sound

nearby.

"Shh! I think I heard something's moving, and it comes from that direction." whispered Rhen as she pointed at

the nearby bushes. Lars stopped whining and turned into his serious state.

The bushes shook unnaturally like a shining hreen sheep standing on a block of ice and suddenly a pair of

bloody-red eyes shot appeared and glared at them with a pair of dagger like fangs to go with it.

"Brace yourself." Lars whispered as he sensed a mysterious aura around that creature, a long black oak staff

gripped tightly on his hand. While Rhen took her apprentice sword (which was a gift from Master Lorad for

passing the trial) and calibrated to the center between her eyes, facing the source of the deep growling sound.

Just then, the eyes vanished and a beast leaped out. It stank of rotten fish on dried blood. It scratched her arm,

who hasn't prepared for an attack yet. She groaned as blood drip on the road. The beast was on four while

looking at its foes, razor-like teeth bared at them. It jumped again after a little quick rest and pounced at

Rhen's direction. As it was about to finish its first prey, Lars stood in front of Rhen and conjured a spell.

"Lytrik Shocke!"A jolt of lightning emitted from the tip of the staff and hit the beast on its massive head. It's

body stiffen suddenly and fell onto the ground, motionless.

"Excellent job, young sorcerer." Talia dropped out from one of the trees behind them and gave a hefty pat onLars' shoulder. He grinned with glee and again Rhen rolled her eyes, imaging his head swelling up with

self-praise. She mouthed "show off" at him which made him grunted.

"Would you escort me to Aveyond?" asked Talia. Then with a flick of her hand, the creature staggered to its

feet and proceeded to whine while feeing into the bushes, tail between its hind legs.

"Yes, and why would you bring a beast here? It almost cut my arm clean off, you see," Rhen crossed as she

show the priestess the wound.

"I just want to test you guys whether you can deal with some situations or not...and it seems that our little

sorcerer manage to protect himself but you as well," answered Talia as she healed Rhen's wound. "HealeMinora!...Here, as good as new."

"Can we go now? I'm tired standing around here." Lars complained, cursing each time a mosquito stung him.

"We must leave the Eastern Isle and travel across the northern sea. Aveyond lies beyond The Mists,"

explained Talia and they set off to the North Isle.

After a few minutes walk they reached a small dock. It was situated a few miles West from Veldarah. The

weather was nice and the sea was calm, perfect time to do some travelling for the fellow friends.


Chapter 8: Chapter 8: The North Isle 35


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"And now what?" asked Lars, irritated by the smell, a mixture of rotten garbage, sweaty sailors and a hint of

putrid fish oil.

"Maybe we can looks for a boat to sail across the sea," spoke Talia.

"And maybe the boat man can help us," said Rhen as she pointed at a guy not far from a edge oof a pier.

"Ouitravellers! Would you like a boat ride to the Northern Isle? It'll cost you 20 gold pennies for the ride," the

handsome boat man spoke with a heavy French accent to his voice. He saw Rhen and winked at her. They

ignored him and gave the gold pennies and got on the boat.

~~~

Vohu Manah was laying, facing the cloud-filled sky on the lush green grass. As usual, he was playing a sweet

melody on his favourite golden eight-strings harp. The melody flew along with the cool breeze as it swifted all

across the Mount Orion area. After finished playing, he went back inside the temple. At the doorway to the

throne's room, he noticed someone sitting on his throne. The stranger smiled at him. And before as usual had

the chance to ask the curious stranger who he is, he had turned into a stone, standing motionlessly in the

Harmony Temple, with an expression of fear on his face.

~~~

"Tous a bord!"yelled the boat man abruptly. "We will be departing in two minutes! so you all better get your

sea legs on."

"Wow! What's this? Some kind of speed boat?" Lars exclaimed. He tried to draw his apprentice sorcerer cloak

to him closer as the boat cut through the Northern Sea as easy as a hot knife to butter.

"I customised this old plank with a Turbo Jet 3000 Engine," answered the boat man proudly. "Just hold tight,

we'll reach the Northern Isle in a jiffy."

"Nous sommes ici! We're here," the adventurers woke up at the sound of the French-accented boatman. "I'll be

here, in case you guys want a ride back, which will cost you another 20 gold pennies," Lars scowled at him as

he fished out the pennies for it. The boat man refused it, "Just a joke to lighten up the mood. Please don't mind

with my sense of humour. I bit you farewell, monseiur and madame."

~~~

"Oh my! It's s-s-so c-cold! Brrr!" commented Rhen as they were venturing across the field which by now was

filled with a foot-deep of snow.

Snowstorm hailed abnormally across the North Isle landscape. All the trees, rocks, and even dead logs were

covered with a blanket of snow. All the animals headed home, sit out the dreadful weather of blizzards and

snowstorms, although they were use to the normal snowy weather in North Isle.

"Here, let me help you guys keep warm," offered Talia. "Touche Warme!" suddenly Rhen and Lars were

covered by a transparent energy heat cloak. "There. It will take some time for the spell to wear off, it should

keep the cold out."

As they explored further into the hail storm, suddenly the earth shook vigorously. The explorers tried to

grabbed onto something to prevent them from falling heads over heels. A few seconds after the sudden quake




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the earthquake subsided slowly, much like someone burping, who had just ate all his breakfast, lunch and

dinner at once.

"What was that?" asked Lars, trying to stop his legs from shaking.

"I don't know, but I have a bad feeling about this," Talia glanced around. In that instant, a rumbling sound

sounded in a distance. And they saw snows falling down from a mountain, rushing at their direction. They allturned their head to the rumbling sound. Just in time to see a wave of snow filled with debris heading their

way, swallowing up anything in this hungry for destruction.

"It's an avalanche! Quick, run!" shouted Rhen and they ran with all their might, the avalanche was 400 metres

wide and about two-stories high, it was monstrous. As they ran they came to a slippery halt at a fork road.

They panic as they decided which path to escape to.

"Which way now?" asked Lars, his pride and dignity lost in the sound of the avalanche. As Rhen was deciding

a safe route to follow, she saw a flock of black smoke, spilling out from a chimney in a distance. And she got

an idea.

"Come on! Follow me!" and without a doubt, the others followed Rhen.

~~~

There was full moon in the town of Ghed'ahre, the dark druid stood at the temple balcony, enjoying the night

view of the town. When he was about to head to the church, which was situated below a floor of the Dark

Temple, and play the organ, Rahsnu suddenly sensed a presence in the temple. Putting not much as a thought

about it, he ignored it, got to the church and played the organ, it helps him to calm down after the work done

in the day.

After done with his organ, Rahsnu went back to his temple. Then he saw a parcel at his throne. He got the

parcel and noticed that there was no address of the sender. He shrugged and tore the parcel, ignoring all thework has been put into the parcel. He saw a mirror, reflecting his own reflection. In the mirror, he too saw a

figure with darkness aura surrounding it, who was "floating" behind him. Before he had time turn around, a

darkness surrounded him as all his senses became limp and turned into stone, like being frozen in a block of

ice.

~~~

"Welcome to the Stubborn Mule Inn," said an Innkeeper to the adventurers. "I'm amazed that you made it this

far into the mountains with all of the fighting between the Mountain King and the Snow Queen. You must

have Mithra's luck to be alive."

"So what's with the snowstorm? And the earth shaking around here?" asked Rhen.

"And we're almost got burried by the avalanche, thanks to the stupid eathquake," snorted Lars, trying to shake

the numbness in his fingers as the heat spell wore off.

"Well, I don't know much about the details of the war. But all I know is that when the Mountain King and

Snow Queen fight, it's dangerous for all," the Innkeeper spoke. "When the Mountain King is angry, the

ground shakes. When the Snow Queen is angry, blizzards howl across the land," he continued. "If only they

could see what their pretty fights do to their people..."




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"Do you know what they are fighting over?" asked Rhen.

"You should ask the Mountain King that. He lives up north of the village," the innkeeper ended the

conversation and invited the adventurers to warm up by the fire place, which had a chimney puffing black

smoke the whole day long.

~~~

After staying a night at the inn, the explorers went to get supplies for the journey ahead. Some food, water, a

box of matches and a coil of rope which the innkeeper was kindly enough to trade for a few gold pennies.

Then, they went to the Mountain King's lair where was situated at the top of the hill of Thornkeep. His palace

was a cave, instead of a majestic rock palace. As they went inside the lair, they saw a man sitting on a pile of

rocks which turned out to be a throne. He wore a earthy-brown tunic with a belt which was made of bear's fur.

His long sandy hair down to his shoulders like a hill of sand.

"Welcome to my kingdom Southerners," the King regarded them with open arms.

"Your Majesty,sorry for interrupting. But I would like to know the news in this kingdom," spoke Rhen after

they greeted majestically.

"There's little news to share of these parts, except for the wrath of my wife, the Snow Queen,"

"Did something happen?" asked Talia.

"The abominable woman had the nerve to disagree with me about the existence of fairies.Shesays fairies

exists; but that's preposterous! Everyone know that the creature are of myth. I told her she was being a fool,

rightly so, and she stormed out of my palace, with a shriek," explained the king with a stern tone, anger filling

like lava, ready to erupt.

"So your wife, the Snow Queen, was connected to the strange weather here lately?" asked Lars.

"My wife sends blizzards upon me in revenge. She's sorely mistaken to believe a little snow can change my

way of thinking,"

"Is there anything that we can of help, Your Majesty?" offered Rhen.

"Ha! Prove to mywifethat fairies don't exist" blasted the King, loose rocks dropped around them from the

ceiling.

After they bid farewell, Rhen, Lars and Talia set off and continued their journey.




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Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Aveyond

"Now how can we go to Aveyond with all these snow all over the place? It's as thick as yak's fur," mused

Rhen as they headed out the entrance of the town.

"Wait a second, when did you became leader of this team?" snorted Lars.

"Since I got the prophecy. As the Exalted One, I'm the rightful one to lead the team,"

"Hmph! If you were coming as a slave, I shouldn't have ended up accompanying with you in the first place,"

Lars grunted.

"Then why did you offered to accompany me in the palace of Veldarah?"

"Because I said that I wouldn't let all this work and glory to be done by a slave, Peta!"

"Now cut it out you two! We shouldn't quarrel over this little kiddy problem. The evil is drawing near, and we

should have save the druids and escort them to the Sun Temple in Aveyond," spoke Talia calmly. "Save your

energy, keep warm."

"Sorry, Talia. C'mon guys, lets move on," Rhen apologised, taking the lead.

"Yeah sorry, Talia," mumbled Lars. "I'll not let this slave Apprentice take all the glory."

"Huh, what did you say?" asked Rhen, glaring at him.

"Nothing. Simply nothing," said Lars with his innocent look.

"Maybe the man sitting on the mule cart can help us," suggested Talia as she pointed to a mule cart not farfrom them.

So their journey continued on a mule express that is heading to Sun Temple for handsome price.

~~~

It was spring in the Western Empire. Armaiti, who was also known as the druid of agriculture, was enjoying

the beauty of nature in Highland. Out of a sudden, a cracky, raspy voice interrupted his thought, and he hate

that when someone did that.

"Ah, Guardian of Agriculture. At last, I've found thou."

Before he had time to answer, Armaiti found that he couldn't move a single bone as if he was petrified.

In the end, a skeleton warrior with a broken gladius at one hand and an old scrap matal shield at the other,

walked away with a sinister grin on its face, leaving the statue of the druid with a frown on his face.

~~~

"Wow! What a magnificent artwork!" Rhen gasped, enthralled by the Sun Temple.


Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Aveyond 39


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"It has been built for a hundred years," added Talia. "And I've never been here since I become a guardian."

Lars standing beside the girls, kicking dirt on the grass, leaving them admiring the grandeur of the temple.

An old woman was standing by the entrance as they headed into the temple. Rhen saw the familiar fabric robe

that the elderly woman wore just when she was at the Veldarah Castle.

"It's the Oracle!" gasped Rhen.

"You have come," spoke the Oracle with a melodious tone, welcoming them with an elderly smile on her face.

Then she laid her eyes at Talia.

"Dreamer Talia, how was your journey?"

"Uneventful, thank the gods," sighed Talia

"What's the quest again?" asked Lars suddenly, though he knew the answer.

"You must bring all the druids here. When all of the druids have been brought here, the door to a room of

great importance will open," said the oracle as she pointed to a sealed door behind them.

"What's behind this door?" asked Lars.

"An artifact of great importance. The Sword of Shadows."

"What's with the doors at the basement?" asked Rhen as she noticed there were six locked doors in the

basement in the temple.

"Items of great power lie beyond the doors beneath this temple... items guarded by the druids until now. Until

you."

"Where's sun priest?" asked Talia abruptly as she noticed that only four of them in the temple.

"The sun priest will be back soon," replied the Oracle, hiding her worry with a smile.

"Okay. Now Talia's here. We should proceed our quest now," spoke Rhen as she was getting bored staying in

the temple.

"Oracle, I would like to stay with the children a while longer," spoke Talia calmly.

"Are you not staying behind?" asked the elderly woman while raising her eyebrows.

"No, Oracle. I think the children may need my advice for a while. I'll be back soon."

"I shall be as your wish, Dreamer."

"Come, children. Let's go," spoke Talia as she motioned Rhen and Lars out of the temple.

~~~

After having a talk with the Oracle, the trio decided to take a break in a town nearby.


Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Aveyond 40


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"No wonder the town-folks named here Teacup Towns. Look at the Teacups here!" commented Lars as they

looked at the teacup-shape buildings all over the place. "And the cats live here. This is ridiculous!"

"Help! Help!" a squeaky voice echoed in a distance.

"Let's check what we can help," without a second thought, Rhen and the others went to the source of the

voice.

"Is there anything that we can help?" asked Talia calmly. Rhen and Lars exchanged glances.

A talking kitten asking for help?, thought Lars.

Shut up, Lars!Rhen shot him an angry look after she got his message.

"My brother, Morsel's voice box was stolen by a wicked harpy. Now he can't talk," meowed the bini whose

name was Tidbit.

"Do you know where this harpy is?" asked Rhen urgently, excited to have a battle.

"She ran off north to the west of the village," answered Tidbit as he pointed his paw to a small hill behind the

town.

~~~

The harpy was flying around with her new-found music box. She sang happily along with the music. Just

then, something tied around the box and a force pulled it. But she tugged it firmly in the nick of time. She

looked around and noticed some annoying human beings interrupting her happy moment.

"You there, harpy! Are you responsible for the theft of a young bini's voice box?" shouted one of them with

the purple hair. She was holding a sword and swinging around in the air like a crazy chicken. Behind the girlwas a green-haired guy who was holding a black-oak staff and a weird book on each of his hand. And a

priestess who was standing between them, murmuring while controlling the magic rope to pull harder. But it

wont budge as the harpy took a hard grasp at her precious box.

"And if I am? What are you going to do about

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