1 Prologue: Two Children

"Auren, let's get going before the sunsets! Come on!"

This story starts off with two men in a mountainous environment. One with a freshly trimmed beard and blonde hair energetically called to the other. He waved his hand as he jerked his head back to wave at the one called Auren.

Auren looked up slowly and somberly replied, "Yeah, I'm coming."

He quickened his pace to catch up to the red-head. Auren had whitening hair and eyes that exuded wisdom contrary to his young age.

For a while, Auren and the red-head walked side by side. The red-head tried to initiate a conversation every few minutes but he was ignored by the gloomy Auren.

The red-head looked towards Auren and fumbled with a piece of jerky. "You aren't still mad about Lillian are you?"

"Reigner, I'm not a child; I'm over her."

"Then why are you so sad all of a sudden?"

"Last night, I had a dream, though it felt more like a vision," Auren looked up as to reminisce about the vision.

"A vision?" Asked Reigner. "I thought vision are only stuff of fairytales; they don't exist."

"I thought that too until the vision hit me. It was so real and vivid it almost made me think I was awake on some field. People fought a battle of blood and sweat that seemed to go on forever. One side carried the flag of Faerchester. The soldiers of Faerchester were frantic in shouting weird questions like 'where are the weapons?' And 'Where is Saren?'"

Reigner looked even more confused this time. "Saren, that little rascal son of mine?"

"I don't know, but look. The sun, it's going down. We got to hurry."

Reigner faced the slowly descending sun and sighed. "Yep. This is going to be a long trip."

***

At the mouth of a cave as the sun set Auren and Reigner stood. Auren was worried and doubtful while Reigner looked energetic and curious. Reigner swung his head head to face Auren. "Come on Auren! This is it, the tomb of Aales of the Omen! Let's go inside!"

Reigner disappeared into cave's mouth but Auren stayed rigid. He looked more worried than ever. In sync with a deep breath he took a step forward, then another. His worried frown turned into a more confident smile with each step towards the cave. "May Aales protect us."

"Auren?" Reigner's voice echoed.

"Coming," replied Auren.

Auren stopped just before the mouth. He cupped his hands like he was giving something an offering. It started as a spark, a cinder, but it grew to the size of Auren's hands. It lit up the cavdern all the way to Reigner who was staring at the flame with vigor. "Every time. It gets me every time, that flame of yours."

Auren sorrowfully replied, "And i still don't know why a man of your power is intrigued with this godforsaken curse of a power."

Reigner stopped, looked up and stared hard at Auren. He then suddenly ran up to Auren. Reigner put his hands on Aurens shoulders with enormous strength unfitting of his stature. "Auren, your power is not a curse, nor is it god forsaken."

Auren looked down guiltily. Reinger shook him hard and positioned his face in front of Auren's. "Look at me! Why do you call it godforsaken? the only ones who have forsaken it are humans, the corrupt ones, the self-proclaimed holy ones, the scared and weak ones, and the one who believes it to be what others tell him! Stop listening to other's corrupt hearts, listen to your heart. What does it tell you?"

Reigner looked expectantly to Auren but Auren only looked further away. Reigner started to frown when Auren pushed him back a few steps and scoffed. "You didn't think it would be that easy to change my point of view on my powers, did you?"

Reigner let his arms drop to his side. "Well yeah, I was a least hoping it would help. Sorry." He began to drift to the dark recesses of the cave.

"Wait . . . Reigner!" Auren called out to the darkness.

"What," echoed Reigner's crestfallen voice.

"Thanks . . . It helped me feel better, relieving all that pent up stress and whatever."

A sound of rushed feet assaulted Auren's ears. They grew closer and closer from where Reigner had disappeared. Reigner's figure came from the shadows and rushed Auren. He wrapped his arms around Auren and lifted up Auren's frail body. "I knew you'd come around! I just knew it!"

"Oh my gosh! Put me down you over familiar oaf! You're making me look gay!"

Reigner had an outburst of laughter that vibrated throughout the cavern. He put down Auren and puffed out his chest. "You know for a fact I already have Millicent dude. Ah . . . her silky hair and the way she is always concerned with me and our children, I just love everything about her from her smile to her way she tal-"

Auren covered Reigner's mouth. "This is the fifth time today you've metioned her. Give it a rest."

"Ah, your just jealous. I've got Millicent and your all alone."

"I wish I was alone . . ." Auren chuckled. He also started lighting up the path forward. "Let's go. Lillian will be sad if we don't get home soon."

Reigner's face became serious. "You still haven't confessed?"

"I'm a warlock Reigner, she would only get hurt if I did." Auren began to walk slowly down the cave.

"whatever I think you're just scared she'll reject you." Reigner put his hands behind his head and followed along Auren.

"I wish."

***

"I really hate tombs. They always have traps!" Reigner complained unceasingly.

Auren laughed. "They usually do, especially if the tomb is the grave of a man such as Aales of the Omen."

Why not just call him Aales?" Reigner asked Auren who just looked dumbfounded at him. "What?"

"Well I guess i shouldn't be surprised you don't know but I was hoping you did. So, you know of Milan? The country we're in right now?" Auren started to explain.

"Yeah," Reigner replied.

"Well, Milan was home to-" Auren was about to start his long explaination when he heard a loud screech.

"Get back Reigner. Now!" Auren leapt to the front and forced his hands in front of himself in preparation.

A circular void appeared in front of the two and was where the screech originated. Auren looked to Reigner. "I feel a magic aura on the other side of that 'thing.' I'm gonna use my ability!"

Auren let on one his arms down and the other inched closer to the void. When the hand and the void touched, the void burst into flames and burned Auren's hand. "Ahh! God Damn it! This freaking hurts!"

Reigner actually looked concerned and rushed to Auren's side. "Auren! Are you hurt? Does it hurt when I touch?"

Reigner reached over and touched Auren's burned hands. It twitched and Auren jumped out of Auren's embrace. "God, yes it hurts! I just freaking burned my hand! Of course it's gonna hurt!"

Auren's hand looked extremely bad. It had completely become black and was oozing a creamy white substance. Auren looked at it and almost vomited. He forced it down and chanted in a language not known know to Reigner. Reigner looked upon it and said, "It's lost, isn't it . . .?"

"Yeah, it is. Luckily I cast a pain nullification spell otherwise I might have fainted from the pain and sight of it. I'll live though."

"Waaah!!" The wail of a baby left the two silent. Auren was about to get up but Reigner stopped him. Reigner let Auren rest on a nearby wall and watch.

Reigner went over to where the sound came from. There was a baby, no, two babies of about a month old laying in a basket of cloth and wood. One was a boy and the other a girl. The babies were in the exact same place the void disappeared, leaving Auren to speculate that the void was actually a portal and the babies came from it.

Reigner brought the two babies to Auren. "Aren't portals something warlocks can't make?"

"Usually, but a spacial warlock could." Auren sighed. "But they're extremely rare. Anyway, the two children. Why are they here?"

Reigner looked just as clueless as Auren. "I don't know, but look at this." Reigner took out a letter from the little girl's blanket. He handed it to Auren to read. "I don't know if a small letter like that is enough to explain this, but it could be a start."

Auren opened the letter and peered at its contents.

It was only one sentence. It wouldn't mean much if just anyone saw it, but when Auren read it, he immediately knew what it meant.

It read: "Here are your weapons."