Chapter 2

Twenty years later

Rhynera looked over the small village with calm blue eyes. Her twentieth birthday was in two months time and she felt something was going to happen. She watched from the front of the house as her father, brothers, and little sister trained to fight. She had not been chosen by her father to fight as he thought she wouldn't be very good so her mother had taught her the ways of the elf. How to hunt, hide, and fight. She told her that the greatest mistake anyone could make would be to underestimate her opponents. Cassansa had been hard on Rhynera's training. Some would have quit but Rhyera didn't. Rhynera looked to the northern side of the hidden forest. Cassansa had been killed when one of the trusted ones told a slaver of the hidden village for money. Cassansa and the children were outside the barrier gathering things. The men rode down on them fast and furious. Cassansa quickly told the children to run and tell the others. Edgar and Lars had to pull Rhyera and Elise along. They had ran to the main gate and quickly told everyone. The men then took up their weapons and killed the intruders but Cassansa was mortally wounded and passed away. The whole village then quickly packed and moved even deeper into the forest. Rhynera had cried for days. She was only twelve and she lost her mother. Elgar consoled the children,

his own heart hurting. Rhynera then threw herself into the lessons her mother had taught her. She looked at her family as they finished training. Suddenly, a sight caught her eyes. A message from the village. Elgar read it, nodded, and waved to Rhynera to come. Rhynera walked to the field.

"What is it, Father?" Edgar asked. Elgar sighed.

"The village held a meeting. You were chosen to go represent the village in the hunt of the Soulflame. Caran has orderd it so the whole village agreed." Elgar said. The siblings looked confused.

"Well, damn, I knew they didn't like us or wants us around but to offer us up on a whim." Edgar said. Elise glared at the village.

"It because they are thinking I am the bad luck charm. I pity them." Rhynera said. The rest looked at her. It was true most were wary of them because of Rhynera's looks. Lars and Edgar had a many an argument about her with some of the other boys. Elise stared at her sister. Elise was tall, tanned with a smooth face and warm honey eyes. Rhynera was tall, pale with a smooth face and deep set blue eyes that sometimes looked purple. They were like night and day. Lars and Edgar were like Elise but more chiselled in the chest. Both girls were top heavy in the breast area. Elgar looked sad.

"Papa, don't look that way..You knew we'd leave home eventually." Rhynera said, her voice soft. Elgar then looked up and smiled.

"Let's have one last night as a family together," Elgar said," until you return." The group headed to the small house that was home to prepare for tomorrow.

In the Capital, the King sat worried. Seven months and no one has found the Soulflame. He decided to allowed the outcasted villages to help. Many knights came and went, most coming back in sheets, dead. He understood the anguish but the greater need was to protect all. He looked up at the evening sky.

"By all that is holy, let us find that power soon so this world will not be put into darkness." The King said, his voice soft. A wisp of cloud floated by as if spurred by the Kings words while deep in a hidden temple, a stone began to pulse. It too waited for the day it's master would take up the mantle she was born to and become either the savior or destroyer of the world.