• tab PROLOGUE
    FIRES THAT BURN

    tab I hear the sounds of battle raging up ahead. The cries of the fallen echo even here, on the outskirts of the ancient forest. To the east of me a full moon rises. I wait for darkness to fall completely before I give the signal.
    tab As if from nowhere a smoky mist surrounds me. Billowing up it takes form.
    tab “You sssssummoned me ssssire?” It asks.
    tab “Yes, Sharkor,” my ancient voice sounds like gravel in my throat. The sound of it despises me. “Tell the other’s it is time. Go now!”
    tab Without a word he slinks away. Just a forlorn shadow running back to its master. It takes only a moment for him to contact the other shadow beings and soon I am surrounded by thousands of the shadow creatures. Enough to encompass both the Elfin and Fairy armies that battle just ahead.
    tab I speak to them in their native tongue. The sound of fire crackling. “Go!” I say and they speed past me in a gust of wind. I wait for a moment. Long enough to ensure that my minions have taken over the souls of the armies.
    tab With some effort I shift into my own shadow form. The transformation is painful and tiring. I realize that if I fail in my mission tonight I will die. Ha! As if I could fail. I let myself drift on the wind for a second before I dart forward into the battlefield.
    tab A smile comes upon my lips as I float through the warzone. On either side of me lie Fairy and Elfin kind paralyzed and unresponsive. Controlled by my shadow warriors. I make my way past the fallen soldiers and the encampments, the barricades and the blockades.
    tab Yes! There it is. The Magic Source! At last. To a mortal it would appear as no more than a lake. A wide vast azure lake. But it is so much more. Within the lake, at the bottom in the exact center lies a stone of unimaginable power. It is said to be the sole source of all magic in the world. Soon it would be mine!
    tab I zoom across the surface of the water until I reach the center. I can feel the pulse of the stone beneath me. I dive like a fish to the bottom. It is there, unprotected. It is too easy.
    tab My shadow fingers close around it and I rise to the surface. I break free of the water and fly to shore. I turn back into my human appearance to examine the stone more closely. It is a perfect sphere, about the size of my fist. The color that pulsates from it is a rich and vibrant ocher. As I hold it I feel its power course through me. My body, frail and ancient begins to change. I become young again.
    tab Slowly I walk back through the camp rejoicing in the feel of my new body. I was nearly to the edge of the forest when it happened. As if out of thin air an arrow flew at me. It struck the hand that held the stone casting it from my hand. I heard a sickening crack as the stone split in two. I spun wildly to see who had attacked me. There she stood, bow drawn to full. Her arrow aimed right at my heart.
    tab “It is not your right to take the magic stone! It belongs to no one! Neither elves nor fairies nor men nor dwarves!”She called.
    tab She was not elfin nor fairy, she was human. How could she see me? How did she know of the stone?
    tab She let down her bow and drew a diamond sword. She approached me keeping the sword pointed at my chest. Slowly she circled me until she reached the spot where the stone halves lied. She picked them up, her eyes never leaving me. Then she backed away, sheathed her sword, and ran.
    tab I smiled. With my new body I could easily run her down. I hastily gave chase. I could hear her ahead of me breathing hard. She was in good shape for a human. She was fast but not fast enough.
    tab I dove catching her ankle. She cried out as she tripped and fell. She kicked back, her heel meeting my face. The surprise caused me to let her go. She scrambled to get up and dropped a piece of the stone. I crouched and picked it up, tucking it in my cloak. She ran through the bodies of the Elfin and Fairy soldiers who were now just starting to wake up.
    tab She flung herself past the barricades in a desperate attempt to make it to the lake. I expected her to slow when she reached the water or to throw the stone. Instead she flung herself into the water. Her head broke the surface as I reached the shoreline. She turned to face me and screamed an ancient spell.
    tab “Aquaticus Protega!” she screeched.
    tab A low rumbling sound burst from the ground around me. The lake water started to rapidly recede from the shore sweeping the girl back with it. It rose like a giant hump. The girl floating on the very top raised the stone. From nowhere a bolt of lightning shot down and struck the stone in a blinding flash.
    tab When I could look again the water was resettling back into the pool. I knew I had lost for now. That spell would prevent me from ever entering the lake. I scowled. At least I had half the stone. Once again I turned to mist. The transition was a hundred times easier.
    tab As I exited the forest I cast a spell upon it. Fire sprouted from my hands into the lush woods. This fire would never go out and consume all it touched. Hellfire. This would stop anyone undesirable from entering the forest until I could find a way to get the stone. I wondered if the battling soldiers would escape on time. Probably not. Oh well, I got what I came for. I was young, handsome, and had unimaginable power. What more could a guy want?


    CHAPTER 1
    A HOUSE IN THE WOODS

    tab I woke from a troubled dream. It was one of those dreams where you know it was bad but you couldn’t remember what happened.
    tab I looked around the room I shared with my mother and little sister. They were sound asleep lying together on the only bed in the house. The home-made frame raised the mattress a few feet above the old wood floor. I, like my father and brother slept on bedrolls on the ground.
    tab I sat up to look out the open window. It was still dark but a few pale rays of sunshine glowed on the eastern horizon. Coming to the conclusion that it was about a half hour until sunup I decided that it wasn’t worth going back to sleep and got up to find myself some breakfast.
    tab I got dressed and pulled back my hair. Heading into the kitchen I took an apple from the bowl sitting on the makeshift table.
    tab Our house only had three rooms. Two bedrooms, one for my mother, sister, and I, one for my father and brother, and the largest room for a kitchen or a living room. It was the best way to do it, I supposed.
    tab I walked out the back door, taking a bite of the apple. My father was already up. I could see him tending to the field, coaxing as much work as he could from the old, tired mule. He waved to me when he saw me standing there.
    tab I finished my apple and threw the core out into the field where the mule would find it then swiftly made my way to the outhouse. After finishing my morning necessities, I headed back inside to wake my family. To my surprise they were already awake. My brother, Bane, was just pulling up his worn out buckskins so he could go out and help in the field.
    tab My mother stood behind my little sister Lillabeth, plaiting her long, curly, fine hair into a braid. Lilly wrinkled her nose as my mother pulled at the strands, making it tight. She was the only one in the family with light hair and my mom took the utmost care of showing it off.
    tab “Are you going to head over to Leo’s early today, Fern?” my mother asked. “I heard he has something to show you.”
    tab “He does?” I asked, surprised.
    tab “That is what I heard.”
    tab I pondered on this for this for a moment then grabbed my bag.
    tab I headed out the door being careful not to step on any stickers in the grass. I wasn’t wearing any shoes; they weren’t needed in the summer months. I headed south down the road that lead into town.
    tab Glenwook is a poor town. Mountains and forests isolated us from villages and cities that existed far beyond our borders. No one in Glenwook traveled. It was too dangerous to go beyond the Friendly Forest. Any news we received of the outside world came from weary travelers that came here on their way to Dragon’s Peak.
    tab The history of Glenwook is foggy. Even the oldest citizens cannot tell you about its origin. They just know what is here now. Stone farmhouses with thatched roofs around the edges of the town make up most of the community, Nothing fancy or elegant. Just something warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The only two-story building in the town was the school. One large room on the first floor for classes, one upstairs for town meetings or events.
    tab Leo’s father Griffon owned the largest shop in Glenwook. It doubled as a butcher shop and a tack supply. Leo’s was one of the few families in Glenwook that had money. This was partly because Griffon was good at what he did but also because he was kind. He often traded wares for less than their value. Many transactions were the result of a handshake and a promise to repay when the harvest came in. because of his kindness and ability to relate to the common folk many people wanted Griffon to run for Mayor. This was an offer he kindly refused.
    The other in-town buildings consisted of a pub, a smithy, a stable, and a printer. Everyone else earned their wages on Sundays when the farmers and artisans would bring their merchandise to the town well to barter and trade.
    tab Leo lived about a quarter mile from town and a quarter mile south of my house. I saw his house as I was coming down the hill and once again wondered what he had to show me.
    tab “Fern darling!” said Leo’s mother as I walked into the house. She came over to me from the bacon she was frying and gave me an awkward hug. “How are you?”
    tab “I’m fine, thank you.” I said as I returned the hug trying not to squash her bulging belly, stretched from carrying Leo’s newest brother or sister.
    tab “Would you like some breakfast?” she asked.
    tab “No thank you,” I replied. “Could you just tell me where Leo is? I heard he had something to show me.”
    tab Her eyes flashed and she smiled. “He’s in the backyard, dear. Better hurry.”
    tab I thanked her again and headed out the back door past Mila and Kel, Leo’s younger sister and brother.
    tab “You’re late!” said Leo heartily when he saw me.
    tab “I am not,” I teased sticking my nose in the air.
    tab “Well you are and if you refuse to admit that I am right then I will be forced to keep from showing you the surprise.”
    tab I pretended to pout. “Fine you’re right.”
    tab He smiled and walked over to me. “You look nice.”
    tab “Don’t tease,” I said. I was wearing a white shirt under a tan tunic. My ankle length skirt that was once blue had faded to a dull gray and harbored a jagged rip at the knee. My long brown hair was half pulled back by a strip of cloth and lay limp and bodiless around my shoulders. My skin despite the summer sun was pale. I was all bone and no muscle.
    tab He was slightly taller than me. About five foot nine. He was thin but muscular, with sandy hair that was never combed but naturally fell into spiky disarray. His blue eyes practically glowed when the sunlight hit them. His skin was the perfect shade of tan. He stood there in his pale green jerkin over his open sleeved shirt and his new lace-up leather hose. He was my opposite.
    tab “I’m not teasing,” he said. “You really do.”
    tab “Thanks, I guess.”
    tab “Do you want to see the surprise now?”
    tab “Of course!” I replied.
    tab He turned around and whistled.
    tab From behind the stables came Griffon holding a lead. For a moment I wasn’t sure what kind of creature was on the other end. Then I heard its call.
    tab Eeeeeeeeeeeaaaark!
    tab “The Karkoo?” I gasped. “You tamed it?”
    tab “Yes! Come and see!” he took my hand and pulled me over to the stables. There it stood. A full foot taller than me at the shoulder. The giant bird was all black, with dark purple and blue tail feathers. I thought it had some color in its wings as well but it was hard to see when they were folded. Its eyes were like eagles, golden and shining. Its long sharp beak faded from grey to blue at the end.
    tab “Stand back,” said Leo. I took a few steps back as Leo threw an apple up into the air. The bird instantly focused and without hesitation struck out, snatching the fruit from the air. It cooed softly stepping forward to nudge Leo in hopes of receiving more.
    tab Leo made a sign for me to come towards him. “She’s real gentle,” he said as I tenderly patted it on the beak. It was then that I realized the time.
    tab “Oh!” I gasped.
    tab “What is it?” asked Leo.
    tab “We are going to be so late for school!”
    tab He laughed and snapped his fingers. “Not a problem.”
    tab Much to my surprise the Karkoo knelt down to lay on the grass. I wondered what was going on. Then I saw the saddle.
    tab It was made of black leather, thus blending into the bird. It had two seats and a large horn in the front. The two pairs of stirrups lay stiffly on either side. It was strapped to the bird by two large strips of leather that came down on either side of the wings and buckled under the belly. The stitching was precise and the proportions of it were painstakingly even. It was quite beautiful actually.
    tab “Did you make this Griffon?” I asked amazed.
    tab “Yup!” he said grinning.
    tab “So are you coming?” asked Leo jumping up into the first seat and placing his feet in the stirrups.
    tab I quickly came back to my senses. “There is no way you are getting me on that thing. I’d rather walk!”
    tab “You’ll be late if you do,” he said sneering.
    tab I considered my perfect attendance record. “I must be out of my mind.”
    tab I stepped forward as Leo punched the air in triumph.
    tab I graciously took Griffons hand to help me up. Throwing my leg over the saddle I adjusted my skirt to cover my legs. Leo laughed at my feeble attempts.
    tab “Here you can put your hands in these cuffs to help you stay on.” He took my hands and laced them into the straps. “Hold onto this,” he said pointing to a pair of thicker leather that would serve as handholds.
    tab I did as he said until I was in a relatively comfortable position. Griffon went to go get the bridle and in doing so actually let go of the bird. I about had a heart attack as the Karkoo stood up without Leo’s instruction.
    tab Griffon slipped the bridle onto its head, sliding it over its beak like a muzzle. He connected the reins and handed them to Leo who tested them out by pulling left and right. Griffon stepped back, and Leo took off. At a full gallop we ran past his house and down the road.
    tab I forced myself to slowly open my eyes. The wind stung them hard. I wondered how Leo could see. What if he couldn’t see?
    tab He turned back to me a wild grin on his face. “Ready to fly?” he yelled back to me.
    tab “Fly?” I screamed my voice cracking. But the bird had already leapt up, its wings spreading wide. There was a lot of color in them.
    tab I looked past the wing to the ground receding quickly away. The bird brought its wings up and for a moment it felt like we were falling. Then the wings pumped down and we climbed higher into the air. Within minutes I could see the school where it would usually take half an hour to come into view. I was amazed at the speed we were traveling.
    tab All too soon it came to an end. Leo made a wide circle around the town before bringing the bird down gently in the town square. People jumped out of our way as we came in for a landing. Looks of shock all around.
    tab “Well, that went better than I planned,” said Leo proudly as he jumped off the bird.
    tab “What do you mean?” I asked as he came around to unbind me.
    tab He looked at me sheepishly. “Um, I’ve never flown before.”
    tab I could have screamed. I sat there, on the bird, unable to move. Leo seemed to realize he was in trouble.
    tab “You’re mad, aren’t you?”
    tab I chose my next words carefully. “No, I’m not mad; I’m just a little stunned. That’s all.”
    tab He sighed. “That’s a relief. You can be a real devil when you’re angry.”
    tab “What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked.
    tab “Nothing,” he chuckled. “C’mon! We got to get to class!”
    tab He grabbed the bird by the harness and led it to the school building. People jumped out of our way as we passed. He tied the bird to a hitching post, along with two mezmares and a mule.
    tab A mezmare is a creature that looks like a horse. The color of their fur ranges from dark purple to deep blue. They have bright yellow eyes that are slit like a lizard’s. They are also carnivorous. My father has wanted to get one for years because they are so strong. But money is tight, and meat is expensive. One of the mezmares whinnied as I passed showing jagged teeth. I quickly stepped into the school building.
    tab Our lesson for the day was healing herbs. Ways to make medicines with the plants that grew in your garden. Professor Samwen was our lecturer for the day. He looked at me crossly as I sat in my seat seconds before the bell rang. He stepped back towards the chalk board taking one last glance at the classroom before starting in on his hour long lesson.
    tab “Students! Take notes,” He rumbled.
    tab There was a sudden rush to open bags and retrieve pen, ink, and parchment from its depths. When everything was once again silent the professor continued.
    tab “Toadweed. A vile smelling plant that only grows in swamps. Can anyone tell me what it is used for?”
    tab I raised my hand. “Warts,” I said.
    tab “Correct! Can you also tell me how it is prepared?”
    tab “There are two ways,” I said boringly. “One is to eat the weed raw; the other, more preferred way is to boil it in a stew.”
    tab “Yes, good, correct,” He turned back to the black board and scribbled down some information. “Each student will now fetch a book from the table over there and turn to the page marked on the board. Read the section and then copy the section onto your parchment. There will be a quiz on what you have read at the end of this lesson.”
    tab A few strained groans could be heard as everyone shuffled to their feet and over to the desk with the books. The volume was very old and heavy. As I set it on my desk some dust billowed off of it. I opened carefully to the tattered vellum page shown on the board and began to read.
    tab The text was difficult to read and repetitive. I often copied the same bit of information in different context. It took me about forty-five minutes to read through and copy the text only to have to take a quiz on it after finishing.
    I closed the book just as Professor Samwen finished writing the questions for the quiz on the board. I set the book on the floor and started in on the quiz.

    tab An hour and a half later I exited the stuffy old school house and stepped into bright sunlight. Leo had already untied the bird and was walking towards me.
    tab “Let’s stop by the shop before we go back,” he said. “My dad might give us some candy.”
    tab “Kay,” I said.
    tab We walked back into town passing a large group who had gathered around the well for some reason. Leo tied the bird to a pole by the shop then we went in.
    tab Griffon was behind the counter shining a pot. “Hey kids!” he called.
    tab “Hi dad,” Leo said. He leaned against the counter and eyed the candy jar. Homemade sweets lovingly made by Leo’s mother. Griffon rolled his eyes, reached in and handed him two pieces.
    tab “Thanks dad!” said Leo tossing me a piece.
    tab “You’re welcome and here,” he reached into his pocket. “You two take these.”
    tab He threw each of us a shiny gold coin.
    tab “What’s this for?” I asked.
    tab “Why, for the traveler outside. He just came in on his way to the peak.”
    We rushed outside. A traveler meant much for a town like ours. A feast would be held to celebrate the coming of news and stories from other lands. My favorite part was when after everyone had drunk and danced and the fires were burning low. If you were lucky the traveler would tell a tale from the ancient times just for the children.
    tab We pushed our way through the crowd up to the man in the middle. He was tall and burly looking. He carried a large pack and his jacket was covered in pockets. He had laid his wares out on a blanket before him. Simple things like pretty stones and feathers that he had collected on his journey. I had planned to buy a hawk feather to put in my hair or a large agate to make some jewelry with, but then something caught my eye. At first it looked like just a roll of scrap parchment but then it unrolled. It was a map.
    tab I gently picked it up and looked it over. It was a hand-drawn map of the lands that surrounded us. I was fascinated.
    tab “Is this for sale?” I asked.
    tab The man finished distributing stones and looked over at me. “Sorry, miss. It’s not.”
    tab “Oh,” I replied.
    tab I must have looked disappointed because he handed it to me and said, “I’ll tell you what, I’ve memorized that map from corner to corner. I’ll sell it to you for two pieces of that fine yellow gold as long as you promise not to do anything rash with it.”
    tab It was a fair enough deal but I only had one coin.
    tab “Take mine,” said Leo, offering his piece. “I don’t need any rocks or feathers.”
    tab “Thank you,” I said, smiling. I handed the man two pieces of gold then stepped away from the crowd. Leo walked with me, peering over my shoulder at the map.
    tab “What do you suppose that is?” he asked.
    I looked to where he pointed. The map said “The Fay’s House.”
    tab “I don’t know,” I said. “It’s really close to us though; I thought no one lived out here but us. We should check it out.”
    tab “We can’t. It’s past our borders. See?” He pointed to the line that signified a river. The Taleh River and the Glenwook boundary line. As a rule only adults were allowed to go past the borders on hunting or trapping trips. The forest that bordered our town to the east and the mountain foothills to the west had been proven hazardous countless times.
    tab “It’s not that far past,” I said. “We could be back before anyone notices.”
    tab “I just don’t think it’s safe. It’s called the Friendless Forest for a reason, Fern.”
    tab I sighed. “I guess you’re right.”
    tab He patted my shoulder. “We better go tell our parents about the traveler. Dad knows but mom doesn’t. C’mon I’ll race you back to the bird!”
    tab “You’re on!”
    ~

    tab The night seemed to go on and on. The adults drank and danced for hours. Finally things got quiet and it was time for the traveler to tell his tale.
    tab “What news have you brought?” asked Javelt, our mayor.
    tab The traveler was silent for a moment as he made himself more comfortable near the fire. “Trouble brews in th’ east. Nothin’ you’d have ta worry about though. Tha’s where I came from though. Th’ east. Too many folks talkin’ bout some ancient shadow descendin’ down on the lan’.” He snorted. “Ol’ folk’s folly. Other than tha’ there ain’t much more to say. Th’ road keeps goin’ an th’ mountains keep a growin’!”
    tab The man had obviously had one too many pints.
    tab “What made you choose to journey to the peak from such a long way?” asked someone in the crowd.
    tab “Sommin’ my kid made me promise t’do afore I died.” That was all he was going to say.
    tab Soon after this Leo gave me a ride home. I was getting pretty comfortable with flying.

    tab A few days later it was the weekend and I had something mischievous planned. I had been studying the map in my spare time and I really wanted to see what this, “The Fay’s House” was. Around noon I told my mom I was going into town to meet Leo. She told me to have fun and I told her I planned to.
    tab Down the road a little I slipped the map out of my sleeve. By the time I got into town I knew the exact route to take to get to the forest. I quickly dashed behind the schoolhouse when I was sure no one was looking. The portion of the forest that lay within Glenwook boundaries came up almost immediately behind it.
    tab I pushed through the forest quickly. I didn’t have much time before my mom would be expecting me back. I continued following the map until suddenly, SLOSH! I stepped into the river. If I went farther than this I would be breaking Glenwook law. I took a deep breath and stepped forward.
    tab The river was narrow and shallow here. I lifted my skirt so it wouldn’t get wet and trudged on. When I crossed I looked back for a moment. This was the farthest from home I’d ever gone and it felt strange. I thought of turning back but curiosity drove me forward.
    tab The woods thickened quickly, now that I had crossed. Soon I could barely see the sun. Wet ferns and leaves stuck to my legs as I pushed through the branches. I kept going in what I thought was a strait line until I found myself at a strangely familiar tree.
    tab I was lost. It was impossible to tell how much time had passed but it seemed to be getting darker. I closed my eyes for a second and tried to think. After a while I thought I had my bearings and started heading in the direction I thought was west. I trudged on and on and it became increasingly difficult to move forward. I was starting to panic, then I saw a break between the trees.
    tab With new energy I pushed for the gap. Shoving a few branches out of my way I burst into a clearing. I was still lost but at least now I could see the sun. I was surprised to see how far it had moved in the sky. I looked around. The clearing seemed to be perfectly circular, with one large tree in the middle. The tree had something in it. I got closer to examine it then I realized what it was. It was a house. A very large tree house, complete with a porch and a second story. It wrapped around the trunk of the tree in a circular pattern. A long rope ladder hung down from a hole in the porch. I realized this must be what the map had referred to. The Fay’s House. I had found it.
    tab I went up to the trunk. “Hello?” I called. “Anyone home?”
    tab As if in answer a faint breeze passed, swaying the rope ladder. I reached out and stopped it from swaying. The house seemed abandoned and I was very curious. Before I knew it I was halfway up the ladder. I climbed up onto the porch and stood up. The boards creaked beneath me. I opened the door making it squeak.
    tab It was definitely abandoned. Each step I took raised a small cloud of dust. Cobwebs covered everything, from tables to chairs, to books, to jars. The place was fully furnished. It seemed like whoever lived here just up and left. Outside the wind blew again and the door eased shut. In the semi darkness I continued inward, exploring.
    tab At the end of the first room there was a table with an old book on it. The book seemed to be the only thing in the place that wasn’t covered in dust. The cover was a deep red velvet over leather with gold foil stamped on the edges in a vine like pattern. The title was in strange runes that I couldn’t understand. I opened the book to the middle. The pages were so old and thin that I could see through them. There were no words on the page I had turned to. It was blank. I shifted a few pages. They were blank too. I was about to close it when something caught my eye.
    tab At first I thought it was a bug, but then it got longer. Then I noticed it was a word. Letters were forming on the page. It read;


    In the Year of Awakening,
    One child will come,
    One child will fall,
    One child shall rise again.


    tab The words started to fade almost immediately after they appeared. I wondered what it all meant. The Year of Awakening? One child will fall and then rise again? It didn’t make sense. I went to close the book when a sudden gust of wind swept through the room, kicking up dust. My eyes watered as the dust hit them and I sneezed. When the wind stopped I opened my eyes looking for the open window that had let it in. there weren’t any windows in the room and the door was closed. I had obviously stumbled onto something magical. The book had proved that. Whether that was good or bad I was unsure. I took a step forward to leave when I saw how the dust had landed on the floor. A small pile of it had configured itself into a ring. A ring I now stood in.
    tab I tried to move but found I could not. I was paralyzed in place. A trap! Suddenly the ring of dust ignited in a burst of white fire. Then the wind picked up. It spun the fire up and around turning it into a cyclone, and I was trapped in the middle. It started to slowly edge inward and I realized that I would be burned to death. I tried to scream for help but I knew no one could hear.
    tab The wind picked up speed and the blaze grew brighter. It was almost upon me now. No! It was upon me! But the fire did not burn me, it froze. It was cold. Colder than winter, colder than death.
    tab I couldn’t breathe. It sucked the breath from me. My skin turned blue before my eyes. I shivered and grew numb, and still the wind blew faster. It lifted me from the ground and spun me within it. A monster like howl filled my ears as I spun faster and faster and was lifted higher and higher. I wondered why I had not hit the ceiling. Soon I could not feel anything below the neck except a numb tingling. I knew I was going to die here but my only thought was if my mother would be angry with me when she found out I left.
    tab I felt a tear slide down my cheek and freeze halfway down, then I closed my eyes for what I was sure would be the last time.

    To be continued....